melodiesoflife | Life Finds a Way

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Life Finds a Way

WHO: Rukia Kuchiki, Aya Brea, Captain Jack Harkness
WHAT: The trio of fighters sets out to put a stop to the terrible Indominus Rex. Or get eaten by it. Rukia's snack-sized, it could happen.
WHEN: March 2nd, 2016
WHERE: Southern Mysidia

The expedition was ludicrous. Going up against a pack of velociraptors had almost killed Rukia, and now she was going up against not only a creature that was more deadly, but excessively large and deadly? Surviving the attack might be only a slim possibility.

Even so, it wasn't as if she could just let the monster rampage as it pleased. It was too close to Mysidia to be ignored, and if it went into the city, it would have a screaming buffet of citizens to dine upon as it pleased.

At least she wasn't going it alone. On the airship ride over, she'd discovered two other Heroes had the same designs that she had. Aya she hadn't known prior to this, but Jack was her old roommate. In all the time she'd lived at that house, not once had she ever seen what he could do in a fight. This would be an enlightening experience.

All three seemed to have the right mindset for the situation, from what she could tell. Rukia discussed strategies they could employ, such as her summoning one of her beasts to cast Haste upon them before they moved against the Indominus Rex. With Red Mage equipped as well, Rukia could cast spells from a distance to pull its attention toward her while the others flanked it. Surely each of them had unique skills ready to be utilized as well.

The more they discussed their plans, the more confident Rukia felt, and it wasn't long before they arrived in the City of Mysidia and headed south into the humid jungles. Rukia drew her zanpaku'tou from its sheath, the katana clasped tightly in her hand. The Indominus Rex wasn't the only dinosaur they had to worry about; velociraptors still roamed the area, and there was the normal sized tyrannosaurus rex to worry about as well.

"...Do you think the one who posted the quest was serious about the moustache?" Rukia asked in a hushed whisper as they stalked through the jungles, following the enormous tracks of a creature that couldn't possibly be anything but their intended quarry.

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The worst thing about Jack being in this world is that when he gets it into his head to start to slide into self-destruction, there are socially acceptable ways for him to do so. And whenever he has that shred of deniability and can tell himself that this is for a greater good, then he can refuse to see what he's really doing. In this case, throwing himself at the biggest, baddest monster around.

Jack is acting as their tank, with Crystal Knight equipped. He can also provide limited healing from Paladin. He's told them to be less worried about healing him, because he will be healing himself with draining effects the more he attacks.

"At this point, I'll believe it first, this world is too strange." But, a thought. "Hasn't that been true about all the monsters attacking lately?"

Rukia looked back at Jack. Come to think of it, he was right, a lot of the job postings mentioned moustaches. So these giant monsters were linked? Had to be, considering how they'd all emerged at roughly the same time. "Troubling," she noted with a frown. "I wonder how many more will emerge."

And why.

The tracks continued until they came to the lip of a vast and rushing river. It was something the dinosaur could have crossed with ease, but for the rest of them? That would be tough, even on chocobos. Rukia could summon Yuki, but her mount had elected for the green feathers that let her cross mountains, not the blue ones that crossed waters. Curses!

"We may have to search for a bridge," she glared at the waters, as if it were the river's fault they came to their first obstacle.

Having been called onto monster cases only to find that it was just a guy in a mascot uniform before, Aya is still at that point where she is less inclined to believe what she hears. That is, until she actually witnesses the creature for herself. Then again, she's seen plenty of crazier things in her day, so monsters sporting moustaches is not entirely beyond the realm of believability for her.

Aya paused at the river, standing alongside Rukia.

"I could check down one end and you guys could check the other for one?" she suggested.

No, Aya. Splitting up is a terrible idea, was what she should be thinking. Sadly, it's been a while since she worked well with a team.

Jack shakes his head. "Splitting up is always the first step towards the whole mission going sideways. There's more out there that's dangerous than just the T-Rex, after all. Rather not run across a surprise pack of raptors. Again." Jack looks to the North. "Towards the city, if he's venturing that close, we'd like to at least drive him away. Better chances of something built to get across this thing closer to civilization, anyway."

Jack heaves a sigh as he starts heading in that direction. He didn't bring Rhiannon along, even though it would make the trek much easier. This seemed a little too dangerous for the bird to come along.

"I know Officer Brea's got experience with dinosaurs, what about you, Rukia?"

"Good thinking," Rukia agreed. Something about the crossing nagged at her just the same, but what was it? She urged Yuki forward but cast a reluctant look back toward the river and the large footprint that had sunk into the soft silt.

"...If it's that big, you would think the trees on the other side would be torn up," she suddenly realized. And yet, none of the plants on the other side of the shore appeared to have been ravaged or stepped on. So what did that mean?

Aya slackens her shoulders. "Fine. I see your point."

Despite what she's done back in her own world, this one isn't hers. And the fact that some of these creatures have completely alien attacks and strategies from what she's used to is a game changer, even for her. And as much as she isn't one for working in groups, she can learn. She has to.

"If by 'experience' you mean that I know how to kill them, then yes..." She makes a light laugh, and then glances from Rukia to the trees across the river. "It's carnivorous, so it's probably not that interested in the plants."

They need to figure out a way to cross to continue following those tracks.

Or figure out how to draw it towards them...

Jack looks across, at what Rukia is looking at, then back towards the foot print on their own side of the river. "Maybe it didn't cross..."

Even giant carnivores need sources of water, so maybe right here is the best spot for them. Jack adjusts his hand onto the hilt of his sword as he keeps walking along the river bank.

"Usually hunting these things is easy. Stealthy, they aren't. Except apparently this one...is." The quest board post said they hadn't known the dinosaur was even there until it was upon them.

It didn't cross. Rukia pulled Yuki around, suddenly alert. The chocobo was getting restless as well, dancing nervously from foot to foot. It was instinct more than anything else that made Rukia suddenly shout a warning.

"Move back NOW!"

She jerked hard on the reins as a shimmer of movement in the treetops quickly became a massive blur of long teeth, the Indominus Rex lunging straight at the cluster of its hunters. Its pebbled skin was mottled, and the colors shifted as it moved. Not only was it able to use camouflage, but an incredibly advanced camouflage as well.

It was also sporting a lush white moustache below its nostrils.

Rukia leaped off of her chocobo and skidded back, uncurling the whip from its holster. "Yuki, Haste!"

"Kuh-wehhh!"

The chocobo pirouetted with its wings spread, and time sped up for Rukia, Aya, and Jack as their movements and reflexes were sharply enhanced.

There's something ominous about the way Jack says it. Like a scene that would come right out of a movie.

And just like a movie, there is the Indominus Rex. Revealing itself after what she could only assume was it surveying them.

As they beat their quick retreat, Aya glances over her shoulder to catch the dinosaur giving chase. Twirling her gun out, she squeezes off a few shots at it while they run. See if she can at least slow it down somewhat.

While the bullets hit their mark, the Indominus Rex gives off an earth-shattering roar.

"Okay, I think I just pissed it off."

Shit.

Multiple swear words in a dozen languages run through Jack's head as the dinosaur comes completely out of nowhere. The Haste definitely helps out, as Jack starts to flee with the other two, bring this to a spot where they can counterattack. They don't want to run. Jack knows from far too much experience that those things can get up some incredible speed.

Jack casts the spell on the run, a desperate attempt, but it might give them the opening to turn this from a chase into an actual fight. "Blind!"

The monstrous dinosaur's hide was thick. Not thick enough to deflect bullets, but the shots that managed to pierce all the way through no longer had enough momentum to hit any vital spots. It's truck-sized head knocked trees aside with a few quick jerks back and forth from its powerful corded neck, teeth snapping.

And then it was blinded.

Rukia started to smirk. This fight would be theirs. Now to retract Yuki and summon Hades in the chocobo's place--

"OOH!"

The long tail swung around to smash into Rukia's ribs and fling her several yards away as the Indominus Rex lashed out with a fierce roar, spinning around and destroying more of the Mysidian jungles. Some of her bones were broken, she knew that much. Maybe she'd keep Yuki out a little longer, she thought, wincing as she called for the bird to cast Cura. She wasn't out of the fight just yet.

It seemed like things were about to turn in their favor when the creature was successfully blinded. That is, until it retaliates.

"Rukia!" Aya shouts.

Before she can rush towards the girl, the Indominus Rex turns her way. Though blinded, it follows the sound of her voice.

And a stream of flames erupt from its mouth.

"What the--?" Before Aya can finish, she's deftly evades being made into a crispy critter by rolling across the ground, finding cover behind a tree. The wave of oppressive heat brushes past her.

Aya may have been immune to mitochondrial combustion, but she certainly isn't impervious to fire. Especially now. But this?

This is just beyond the absurd.

What. In. The. Fuck. Dinosaurs aren't supposed to shoot fire.

Dinosaurs are not supposed to shoot fire.

Jack needs to get this thing's attention, and fast. He's the one that can take the most damage, so he draws his greatsword. A white light shimmers across the blade, and the tip brightens, as if charging with energy. Jack runs straight at the Rex, he can feel the heat off he end of the fire blast, but it doesn't stop him. When he strikes straight down, the blade hits the dinosaur's meaty leg with the force of a lightning strike, a loud crack and blinding light adjoining the blow. Shock, the strongest thing he's got.

The Rex roars in pain, and that definitely got his attention. The dinosaur's big foot slams down, tries to pin Jack to the ground.

Rukia stared. Was it a dinosaur, or a dragon? Come to think of it, that cockatrice she'd fought with Ichigo and K'pandolu also had the capability of breathing fire. How? No one knew. It wasn't supposed to be possible, but here it stood, trying to barbecue Aya.

"Aya, status!" Rukia barked. If she needed healing, then Rukia would need to stay on her toes and be prepared to dole out the white magic the very instant it was needed.

Jack's attack was certainly effective, and their quarry didn't seem happy about it. Utilizing the Haste spell's burst of speed, Rukia rocketed forward, dropping the whip on the bank of the river in favor of drawing Sode no Shirayuki from her sheath. She maneuvered herself to stand beside Jack, gripping the sword tightly with both hands as she drove the point upward into the big scaly foot threatening to turn her ex-roommate into a delicious savory pancake.

The dinosaur roared and jerked its foot back. The sword stuck fast, and Rukia's eyes went wide as she was lifted off the ground along with the foot, unwilling to let go of her katana. It kicked, and though Rukia held tightly for dear life, the sword eventually slid free and Rukia was flung back like a rag doll. Again.

Then she was grumbling and casting Cura on herself. Again.

"I'm fine!" Aya calls back, bringing her second gun out and turning around her cover. The tree is toast, but at least the dinosaur is no longer spitting flames in her general vacinity.

No, instead it's throwing its attention towards her companions. She watches momentarily as Rukia is lifted into the air by her sword, only to be flung off once again.

Utilizing her Gun Mage skills, Aya takes both guns to charge the magic granted by her job. Thunder is cast along with the bullets she unleashes on the Indominus Rex. Which does the job. Piercing through its thick armor, the bullets send it into a frenzy. It's among the most basic spells she has, but it'll do.

Until the Indominus Rex takes a crack at Aya as well with its tail, hurling her against the charred tree with a violent, bloodcurdling roar.

Suddenly she's not looking so fine anymore.

Jack is intensely grateful for the assist there, Rukia. He rolls to make absolutely sure he is out of the way before Rukia is tossed free. Those bullets look like they're doing some damage, so let Jack follow up with an elemental attack of his own.

Electricity seems to arc up Jack's blade, before he brings it down in another slash, deep into the Rex's leg. Thunder Slash. It works, but this time, Jack digs his heels into the dirt, stays in place in close contact with the Rex. Powerful muscles ripple as it tries to shift around, snap its jaws down at Jack, but he doesn't move. Focus on me, big guy. I'm the tastiest morsel out here. Something bigger's coming, as the dino gets angrier, but if it gives his companions a second to get their breath back? So be it.

"Yuki, cast Cura!" Rukia called out, sweeping her arm toward Aya. Her wet sleeve slapped against her arm with the fierce gesture, dripping into the rushing stream. The chocobo was quick to react, twirling with a fluff of feathers to repair the injuries inflicted on her teammate.

Tch... She'd planned to go on the offensive, but if all three of them did that, this monster would surely wipe them out. If Rukia learned anything from the mission led against the Reaper spirit, it was the importance of healing and the judicial use of White Magic. Someone needed to be the support, and as Rukia's attacks dealt the least amount of damage, it had best be her.

So she stayed back, much as she was unaccustomed to the position, and uncorked her sole ether potion to replenish her magic reserves. "If you're injured, signal me!"

Meanwhile, the Haste spell was just about to run out.

Aya makes a dismissive wave with one hand, still holding one of her guns. Long as she can stand on her own two feet, she doesn't want Rukia to waste the energy needed to heal any minor injuries. After all, Aya had taken worse beatings than this...

Tightening her grip over her guns, she swings her aim back towards the mustachioed beast as it focuses its attention on Jack. She fires off a few more thunder blasts from her bullets, penetrating the dinosaur's back.

This time, rather than simply swinging its tail towards her, it doles out a taste of Aya's own medicine: Electric blades shoot through the air, headed straight for the officer.

Not this shit again.

Dinosaurs that can spit fire from its mouth and swing lightning from its tail? Yeah, she's been there, done that. Is she sure that this world is really that much different from her own...?

Quick to move, one of the electric blades just barely grazes her left shoulder, slicing through her jacket. She yells. There's a little blood. But nothing life-threatening and keeping her out of the game.

Edited 2016-03-11 02:04 (UTC)

Keeping in melee range with the monster isn't stopping it from attacking his allies, like Jack had hoped. Why can so many monsters cast magic? Chiaki would have some answer about power levels, undoubtedly.

The Rex roars and adjusts his angle to snap his jaws down at Jack. He raises an arm, and the teeth scrape across his arm-guard, one punctures through the metal. Jack retaliates with a deep thrust of his sword back, no time to amplify the attack with magic, but he gets a partial heal from the Crystal Knight ability. The beast is snarling, blade-like teeth barely inches from Jack's face, but Jack's own lip curls in an aggressive snark right back. No. He's got this.

"Holy Light!"

Rukia's voice punctuated the sudden flush of bright energy crashing into the dinosaur's neck. It consumed more magic, but it was well worth the cost. The sooner they were able to bring this thing down, the better. Besides, the injuries taken by her teammates weren't too bad just yet. But if they got hit again, she'd go back to curing them and making sure they remained healthy combatants.

Even against magic, the creature's thick hide absorbed most of the blow, and she hadn't managed to hurt it as much as she'd hoped.

"Keep at it. We'll wear it down soon enough!"

"Copy that!"

When the elemental bullets didn't seem to be working, the next best thing seemed to be in order.

Throwing herself out from her cover, Aya raises her guns again and concentrates on a Charge Shot, doubling the power. The bullets manage to pierce through the armor-like hide of the dinosaur, causing it to stumble with a pained but furious roar.

Jack greatly appreciates the space, Aya, as the monster gets out of his face. Rather than going for another melee attack, Jack levels his sword towards the beast, but instead of a slice, a wave of darkness curls out towards the Rex. Soul Eater. Jack is getting much more used to the funneling of his own pain, the drain on his own hit points, that transforms into an attack outwards.

Unfortunately, the monster seems to think that casting magic is a splendid idea, and opens its jaws wide to breathe fire at Jack in retaliation. Jack lets out a yell more of frustration than anything else as he tries to cover up.

Again with the fire! Is it natural, or magical? It's hard to say. There's a spell Rukia can cast that would protect the others from magic attacks, but it'll also prevent them from being cured if they're bit or slammed. However, it seems like the physical attacks are far less of a threat than the fire and lightning. She'll have to go for it.

"Be on your guard! Once I cast this, I won't be able to cure you anymore!" Rukia warned, calling Yuki back. In the chocobo's place, a burst of light appeared, fading to reveal a hissing velociraptor, baring its fangs at its enormous quasi-counterpart.

Yuki 'kweh'd in open distaste. The velociraptor's head snapped around as it whistled sharply at the chocobo.

'Mincing about with no feathers? You look like a shameless strumpet.'
'And you look delicious!'

Unaware of their bickering, Rukia cracks her whip to the side to turn their focus back on the enemy. "Reflect!"

The smaller dinosaur hunkered down, then shrieked, whipping its tail back and forth as bright blue energy flared around Aya and Jack. So long as the fire was magic-based (and Rukia strongly doubted that it was normal), the dinosaur would get a taste of its attack if it went after them.

There is nothing natural about a dinosaur with a mustache, let alone one that can breathe fire.

Aya doesn't dwell on this, however, when the velociraptor shows up.

...There's a velociraptor.

Of course there's a goddamned velociraptor and it just happens to be on their side, it seems.

It's almost enough that Aya nearly didn't realize the light surrounding her, shielding her and Jack from that blast of fire raining down on the man.

More lightning swings towards her, only for that energy to deflect and boomerang right back towards the Rex.

Oh ho, brilliant. Jack grins fiercely as the fire is suddenly no longer burning him. Can't cast Cura on him, okay. Jack can get his hit points back up in a different way.

It's another spell, he reaches a hand towards the Rex's leg, and a few lights arc from the Rex to Jack, as opposed to the other way around. A direct Drain spell. Jack can feel the odd sensation of his arm healing, the wounds knitting, beneath the damaged arm guard. That never stops feeling strange to him, but in a good way.

"All right. Now I think we can really turn this around!"

The indominus rex was not having a great time. It was being shot, and it was having its energy sucked out of its bones. All it wanted was to feed on these three juicy morsels, but noooooooo. It snarled and snapped, shooting fire out of its mouth only to roar in pained surprise when that fire bounced back and burned its own face.

And what was the bite-sized snack doing now? She seemed to be muttering something before there was a flash of green light. Rukia had just used up the last of her magic to cast Bio.

The large dinosaur staggered a little, weakened by the damage inflicted on its immune system. It snorted, then fixed angry beady eyes on the one who seemed to have been responsible for its poisoning. Bellowing, the indominus charged.

Rukia's velociraptor hunkered down, uttering a shrill shriek in response to the challenge. It bounded up the creature's powerful hind leg, latching onto the indominus's throat with rows of sharp teeth. The indominus snarled and whipped its muscular neck back and forth until it could throw off the raptor. Rukia's beast crashed into a thick tree with a yelp of pain. She had no choice but to recall it.

Which nearly resulted in her being cut in two and devoured by the indominus's bite. She jerked herself to the left, not far enough to save herself completely, but with the help of her uplifted blade digging into the monster's gums, she at least avoided a mortal wound that pierced her organs. It recoiled with a roar and Rukia staggered back, bleeding and weary. Hopefully the fight would end soon, she wasn't sure she could take much more of this.

Poor, poor indominus. Being denied its God-given right to eat people.

Having only a couple spells left in her to cast, Aya decides to preserve what limited skills she has with a few normal shots. Still able to duel-wield her handguns, it's hardly ineffective, as the bullets drive straight into the creature's neck.

Yet, somehow, it remains standing. Nearly making a tiny meal out of Rukia, no less.

That's when Aya notices that the creature has staggered. Its strength dwindled after the relentless abuse.

Which also means it's going to get extra desperate and try something, as any cornered animal would.

"Try not to get too cocky!" After all, this is likely when the creature is going to be at its most dangerous.

"Rukia!" Jack is batted out of the way as the Rex just charges for Rukia, and he is completely failing at this Tank thing. He reaches a hand towards Rukia, and has to stop himself from automatically casting a cure spell on her. Reflect is still active, damn! The growled sound out of Jack's mouth almost sounds like he's hissing, but he is actually telling the dinosaur in Silurian: 'I turned your mother into a handbag!' (A quite grievous insult for that particular species.)

Best he's got is to try to get that thing's attention again, maybe finish this off. An orange, flaming light flares across the blade of Jack's sword as he drives himself between it and Rukia. If there's going to be one last desperate attack out of this thing, it's going to hit Jack, thank you very much. A firey burst of energy arcs out from where the sword-strike makes contact with the Rex's leg, so bright it even obscures where Jack is standing for an instant: Climhazzard.

Don't take it personally, Jack. Trying to tank an economy-sized killer dinosaur isn't easy in anyone's book. At least he was faring better against it than a lawyer sitting on a toilet would.

Rukia stayed close beside her former roommate as he moved to interpose himself between the indominus and her. She was badly hurt, but with her Red Mage's ability to deal more damage based on how grievously she was injured, coupled with the Beastmaster's Whip Lore to double the damage she dealt against monsters, she was starting to become something of a powerhouse.

And not a moment too soon, it seemed. The dinosaur was reeling, hissing at Aya, and making unkind remarks about Jack's hair in retaliation for his insult because she didn't even have a mother, and that was so unbelievably callous of him to remind her of that.

As it staggered from the terrible blow from Jack's sword, and the constant barrage of bullets into its neck, Rukia used up the last of her magic to cast Dark Cloud at the beast, piling on the extra damage before dropping to one knee. That was it for her, save for using her physical weapons. The other two were sure to finish it off.

Not only dangerous, the creature appears intelligent enough to recognize that casting any of its magic would only dole out damage upon itself. Its mad. Real mad. And quick to retaliate in the wake of the damage that it's endured.

All Aya can do for the time being is cast another Charge Shot, staggering back a few steps as she unleashes the heavy blast towards the creature's leg. The same leg that Jack is charging towards. Hopefully in an attempt to stagger the creature as well. Incapacitate it so it can't move around so much, so fast.

She wants to bark out a status report from all of them, but now's a terrible time to do so.

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Life Finds a Way

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The number one rule in D&D: NEVER SPLIT THE PARTY

aya's a survival/horror character - they're practically made to make bad life choices

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