melodiesoflife | Only the strong survive

Entry tags:

Only the strong survive

Who: Albel, Fayt, Vincent, Terra, and Meredy
What: Monster Hunting! Training for Kalki's arrival.
Where: Calm Plains and Aqurean Forest area
When: July 11 - July 23
Warnings: None!

Once the majority of the civilians had been evacuated from Aqures Ixen, and Albel's general duties for maintaining a calm and orderly pace to the airship had ended, the real work began. Training was required, training with these new "jobs," these new "skills," before the Empire's forces arrived.

Now Albel might be new to this world, and he might have very little personally invested in it. But Fayt was here, Nel's crystal was here, and dammit, as long as he was stuck here he would defend his existence.

To the death, if need be.

But, since that was not the ideal outcome...

On the morning of July 11, several letters went out personally delivered by Mogdelina. There was no decoration, no courtesy of greeting (but for however the young Moogle approached the recipients). But to Fayt, Vincent, and Meredy, a simple invitation was sent.

The Empire is coming. Until then, we prepare. Meet me outside the city.
-- Albel Nox

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Albel stood outside the city gates, arms crossed and waiting impatiently for the others to arrive.

It won't take Fayt long to arrive. Albel's letter had been brief, but the man's plan was obvious enough to someone who knew him. That being so, Fayt had asked Terra if she'd like to come along too, just to get out of town for a bit.

Really, with the recent tension and chaos of evacuations and oncoming battle, they all probably needed something like this.

He waves casually once he catches sight of Albel, smiling a little at how impatient he looked. "Hey. Hope you weren't waiting long."

Terra had been next to Fayt as they walked towards the outskirts of town. She was happy for the invitation and for the chance to get out side for a little bit. She had decided to stay and help with the battle so she had wanted the chance to practice her new skills.

When she spotted Albel she stopped, letting Fayt take the lead. She had a thin sword strapped to her hip with a staff in hand.

Good, Fayt was coming! Took him long enough. Albel opened his mouth to comment, then froze when he saw Terra.

"Who is she?" he demanded of the blue-haired fighter, not even asking Terra herself.

"My housemate. I asked her to come along." Unsaid, except through a very pointed look, was that Fayt expected Albel to be nice, or at least a genial as possible for him to be to strangers, anyway. He turns to Terra with a smile.

"Terra, this is Albel, a friend of mine. I met him around the same time I met Nel. Albel, this is Terra."

Terra's expression didn't change as she glanced between Fayt and Albel. She could sense the tension there and she was beginning to wonder if it was alright if she came along after all.

Bright blue eyes then met Albel's gaze and she inclined her head slightly in greeting. "It's nice to meet you Albel." She knew Nel though through odd circumstances. All of Fayt friends were rather interesting.

It wasn't hard to find the small group. He'd been surprised by the letter, but even with his recent escapades with the sub-theft he was game for some hunting. He recognized Albel, and was pleasantly surprised to see Terra as Vincent moved on silent feet towards the group.

His newly manufactured gun at his hip, and in his dark clothing with his cloak and cowl. The gauntlet was fully visible at his left, and he kept slightly back. Nodding politely to Albel though, and his voice was quiet as he greeted her. "Miss Terra."

Skipping in towards the group, Meredy poked her head in, recognizing only Terra amongst the other faces, but smiling at everyone all the same. "Meredy is here!" she announced. Although the letter was a bit of a surprise, she was none the less glad to have had a positive impression on Albel.

"Hello, everyone!"

"You asked -- !" Albel cut himself off as Vincent arrived, apparently also knowing this Terra woman.

Hm. Well, if she was friendly with the both of them, and Nel...

"Fine," he grumbled at Fayt. "But she's your responsibility."

He nodded cordially to Vincent, and again to Meredy upon her arrival. Unless there were any other surprises, this seemed to be everyone -- everyone he'd sent a letter to, at least. "All right," he declared, without any polite attempt to introduce the others, "it looks like we're finally all here."

The first creature Albel spied was some sort of... strange... living plant thing.

Well, there was hardly anything so threatening about plants, right?

"Our first target!" he decided, gesturing with his blade. "Try to keep up, maggots!"

This was going to be easy, like picking a harmless flower or tearing up grass. A plant! It couldn't possibly be any match for his katana -- just laughable, really. With a wolfish grin, Albel charged forward.

Which was all fine and good until the mandragora started screaming.

Vincent was familiar with how plants could be deadly. Glad he had stayed to the rear, as the scream was still piercing. Calmly he took aim, absently tracking Albel as he charged. Waiting, calling on skills from his new job.

Firing, the crack of the gunshot a counterpoint to the scream of the Mandragora. The charged bullet flew through the air with a status effect; Vincent was hoping for Sleep or Silence; the latter would be the most useful.

Terra had also stayed back from the plant. She held her staff loosely in her hands with her sword belted to her hip. She could use both but for now she had given herself the role of healer.

As Albel charged she started casting her spell. Magic always had come easy to Terra however, the cries distracted her making it take a little longer but she would be ready the moment that her spell was needed.

Albel clutched his head and stumbled, totally unprepared for the mandragora's shrill cries. "Augh! What is that infernal racket? Make it stop!"

Good thing Vincent had come. The crack of the gunshot pierced the air and the mandragora was knocked back with the blow. The screaming stopped. And, thankfully, it appeared it would stop rather more permanently as the Silence spell took effect. The creature flailed about, but no sound emerged.

"Legends say there was a plant that used a piercing scream when uprooted to kill those who took it." Vincent replied, watching the area around the mandragora too. Granted--the ones he'd encountered on Gaia hadn't screamed before.

But they did often attack in packs, which is why he was watching around them now, in case there were more.

"Should I attack as well?" Her voice was soft but Vincent could no doubt hear her over the crying root. She had her white magic abilities and it would take time to switch jobs but she was willing to go on the offensive to help the pair better and then fall back should they need a healer.

Tactics weren't Terra's specialty though.

Albel shook his head as if to clear it, the loud screeching almost leaving him dizzy. He looked over his shoulder to nod at Vincent in thanks.

Now that that was finally over...

Albel hefted his katana once more, quickly making his way over to the flailing plant. He brought the blade up high then, with a strong slash, chopped deep into leafy flesh.

"Not necessary, Miss Terra." Vincent responded, eyes focused still on the plant and his team-mate. Careful aim, waiting to be sure Albel wouldn't be caught in the cross fire. Then another loud crack of gunfire, no special bullet this time just a careful aim.

Terra nodded and stepped back as Vincent took aim. She trusted the tall hero more than most and his words shook away any uncertainty she had. With his shoot echoing through the small clearing she begins to cast. Her target is Albel.

White mage and warmth flow from her spell and into Albel. She hoped it helped though the hero didn't seem the type to want to show weakness.

Albel had yanked his blade out and was about to chop down again when Vincent's shot whizzed by him and sank deep into the plant. The mandragora stopped moving.

"That was a close one," Albel murmured, glancing at Vincent. Still, it hadn't hit him... and he had done something similar to Fayt before. He supposed he trusted the other man not to actually shoot him.

He stiffened, though, as the sudden warmth washed over him. He hadn't asked for any healing! Didn't need... ! But the ringing in his ears was dissipating. And he was able to hear better now. "... Thanks," he offered Terra after a begrudging hesitation.

After the embarrassing debacle that was charging head-first at a mandragora unprepared, Albel was a little more cautious about picking a fight. The strange one-eyed creatures that flitted and flew nearby didn't look like much...

But neither had that mandragora.

"Hey -- what're those things?" he asked guardedly.

"About to be useful." A man... kind of a boyish looking one, approaches with a hammer on his shoulder and glares at one of the one-eyed flying things and it proceeds to... stop moving, the other one still fluttering about.

He hurries over to the stopped creature and reaches into it, Stealing something from it, and pulling his hand back, holding a small blue rock. "Nice!"

He proceeds to hit it with his hammer; a fancy-looking steel slab on a long pole.

"H-Hey!" Albel sputtered, taken aback by the sudden stranger. Had their group been followed? Were there others coming?

And now this worm was going to steal his prey?

"Just who do you think you are, fool?" the Glyphian demanded angrily.

"I'm getting crafting supplies!" he says, holding up the crystal. The creature continues to be suspended in mid-air, unmoving due to one of the Thief's skills.

"You made MY job easier, so I made yours easier." he says, pointing out that the other one still moved... and usually 1v1 is much easier than 2v1. "This won't last forever. Quit whining and fight!"

Vincent stepped up beside the pair, casually and calmly aiming at the frozen buel before there was the crack of gunfire. No special status this time, just the contained and controlled explosion propelling the bullet.

"Hello MarKus." Calm, unsurprised to find the blacksmith in the field. He'd interacted with him enough to recognize that he'd be attracted to a group this size. "The weapon is working fine by the way. Thank you."

Whether the shot would be enough to finish it off, Vincent didn't know so he kept his attention on the monsters. Absently trusting Albel and MarKus to keep themselves out of trouble. Despite the bickering.

"Oh hey! Glad it's working." It's the first gun he's built so hearing that matters!

However he still isn't... attacking. He stopped the creature, for a little while longer, and got the thing HE wanted... Was this not a hunt for glory? So why's the other dude just loafing there!?

Albel glared daggers -- but thankfully for MarKus, only in metaphor. Vincent's presence would be enough to temper the man's, well, temper for now, though.

"Fine," Albel growled, clenching a tighter grip on his katana. "But the Arena bounty is ours."

Without another word, his blade slashed upward in a shining arc, bringing down the buel weakened by Vincent's bullet. That beast incapacitated, he left it for Fayt to finish while he charged for the second one.

"That's fine, I didn't come for a bounty. I told you, I got what I needed." he retorts, watching the monster quickly and easily felled, easier still thanks to it being unable to move.

"My girlfriend is busy so I can't always rely on her to get these for me." He takes better look at the crystal itself, disaapointed. "Though this isn't the kind I'm after..." Whiiiiine... On top of that, MarKus wasn't phased, at all, by Albel's temper or his glare. He's dealt with worse and this was back when he was more of a hotheaded brat. He still is but he was worse!

Vincent didn't bother to respond to the comments between the two. "What are you looking for? Will it be left behind regardless?" If so, Vincent would keep an eye out.

Currently most of his attention was on tracking the Buel Albel was charging at. Taking aim and firing, careful of his team-mate. Whether he missed (Which he doubted) or he was successful in hitting it, it would provide a distraction from Albel's strike.

Another bullet. Albel didn't need the help for one creature... but to face an army, he did need a team. And he'd rather have Vincent with him than against him. The man's aim was impeccable, bringing down the buel where Albel's blade was ready to sink in.

Another one down.

"Hmph. Intruding and then complaining." So not impressive.

Yes! Now they were getting the hang of it!

It was strange, working with a new group. A new... team. Well, for however long it lasted. It wasn't like fighting alongside Nel or Cliff, or even Maria -- even if Vincent wielded a gun. At least Fayt remained the same: steady, reliable, even with different skills.

At the same time, it wasn't bad. It would take some getting used to, working with others, but... well, it wasn't impossible. These worms were actually pretty useful. So Albel wasn't worried at all to see the spear-wielding reptile; in fact, he was eager to try out some new strategies.

"Hmph. You ready?"

Edited 2015-07-03 04:19 (UTC)

Well that was weird.

"What's a chest doing out in the middle of a field?" Albel scoffed. Some poor sucker was going to be missing his stuff, that's what! Who just leaves their things behind like that?

Hey, as far as Albel was concerned, finder's keepers!

"Watch out!" Meredy had read about these. Monsters like this were common in the lands of Eternia as well. She held out her hand protectively alongside of Albel, glancing back at everyone. With a nod to the rest of the group, and making sure her buffs were still active, she turned back to the Mimic again. "It is a trick! Watch," they were susceptible to it in her world, so it was worth a shot, right?

"Ready?" She wanted to make sure, since it would surely come charging at them, "Blizzara!"

After learning the hard way from the mandragora, Albel stopped himself and actually listened to Meredy. For a little thing, she seemed to know what she was doing -- and if she wanted to cast a spell at it, Albel wasn't going to stop her. He didn't see the point of freezing a chest shut if there was something useful inside, but if it really was a trick...

He was amazed. He was stunned. He'd never seen anything like the creature that was revealed when Meredy cast Blizzara, and he was definitely happy he hadn't just tried to put his hands near that.

The Mimic jolted open with a protesting screech, sharp teeth exposed as it opened its maw.

"Here it comes!" she announced, as though it wasn't obvious. Those menacing teeth didn't look very inviting, and Meredy wasn't looking for a front row seat to the show it was putting on. If it was anything like the Fakes from home, then magic was going to be their best offense!

Still, a front line swordsman was the heart of any party! "Please cover Meredy!" she clasped her hands together as she began to cast another spell...

The fact that the girl was talking about herself in third person again aside, Albel sprang into action to protect her. "Right!"

In an instant, the warrior's figure split into two swordsman, each leaping forward to attack the mimic from both sides. Even if magic was better, a good sharp sword would still do some damage! With a chunk, the blades bit into the wood, chipping and splintering it. The mimic roared.

It had been several days of successful hunting. Albel was feeling better already about practicing these new "job skills," even if he still missed his old abilities. And he was successfully learning about the new creatures of this world, taking down buels and mandragora, scaly sahagin and tricky mimics. Yes, he was feeling quite a bit more confident.

The creature he saw now, though, was a new one. A strange cat-like beast, not terribly far from the group. Another new target, Albel decided. He began to unsheathe his blade...

....And Fayt stepped over to him, frowning a little. Charging in was all well and good when they knew the enemy, but Fayt had never seen anything like this odd creature before. For all they knew it could be a lot more tricky than it looked.

"Hey, let's observe it for a bit. I've never seen this sort of monster around before."

Vincent had to blink, stepping up to observe the creature. It looked familiar, and would not have been out of place sitting on a giant moogle robot. The crown was a different color, the features more pronounced.

"Has anyone seen this kind of monster before?" He hazarded, wondering if this type of creature had existed in Gaia. If so, had it been where Reeve had gained his inspiration for his creation.

Terra stepped up next to Vincent shaking her head back and forth.

"No."

This was a new monster and she wasn't sure what to make of it. It didn't look like the Touch Me which was the last monster to get one over her.

"Tch, are you scared, Leingod?" Albel taunted the blue-haired man, in disbelief that there should be a problem now. He did replace his weapon, however. Fayt had been in this world longer, knew more things, had seen more things -- and if he didn't know what this was, maybe it was best to be cautious.

Still, Albel wasn't going to simply be agreeable ~~like a normal person~~.

"No one has seen this monster before?" he asked the others with some exasperation. But it was curious. The other monsters they'd caught they'd seen elsewhere in scattered groups or off in the distance. They clearly inhabited this area's wilderness. This cat thing was unique, and alone.

"No, but if it's hunting alone then it's clearly got some trick to getting by out here." That, or it wasn't dangerous at all. But he'd heard stories about hamsters, alright.

Small, furry and harmless looking didn't necessarily mean it. "Hm...."

"An ally back home operates a small robot that resembles this monster. Usually sitting on another giant robot shaped like a moogle." Vincent murmured, weapon holstered as he watched the new monster carefully. "The robot is named Cait Sith."

"Let's try talking to it then."

She's ready to heal if need be but with Vincent's comment she didn't see anything wrong with saying hello first.

Okay, so that plan was not at all what Albel expected, and his shock was obvious.

"Talk to it?" He was stunned. Really? But if Vincent really had seen this thing before... or at least a replica of it... Well, what was the worst that could happen? They just fight it like Albel had wanted to in the beginning.

"Hmph. Fine."

Of course, another wave of surprise was about to come to him as they approached, and the cat-like animal looked up... and spoke. "Oh? Adventurers, eh? An' what kin' I do fer you?" it chirped in a cheerful brogue.

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Only the strong survive

The outskirts of Aqures Ixen

Re: The outskirts of Aqures Ixen

The outskirts of Aqures Ixen

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If I could just tag with the right account....

<3

Late to the party :)

sliiiiides in

Albel why you gotta be so rude ^//^

Mandragora

Re: Mandragora

Mandragora

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he'll probably ask for some healing next turn

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Two Buel

Re: Two Buel

his interview is going to go *great* later XD

MarKus is a natural pain in the ass anyway

MarKus is, but time for some peacemaking between these two

Re: MarKus is, but time for some peacemaking between these two

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Sahagin

Mimic

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Cait Sith - Finally!

Re: Cait Sith - Finally!

Re: Cait Sith - Finally!

Cait Sith - Finally!

Re: Cait Sith - Finally!

Re: Cait Sith - Finally!

Re: Cait Sith - Finally!

Cait Sith - Finally!

Cait Sith - Finally!

his interview is going to go great later XD