RWBYFanon v5

RPG World of Remnant => The Vale Region => Beacon Academy => Topic started by: nathan67003 on February 13, 2017, 06:28:47 AM

Title: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][FINISHED/COMPLETED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on February 13, 2017, 06:28:47 AM
Anna was reading a book in a quiet corner of the Academy's library. She looked mostly normal, apart from the fact that she had her eyes closed and that her right hand was covering the pages.

Her leisure was interrupted by the vibration of her right Pocket. Taking the scroll out and flicking it open, she moved her left hand over it. A teacher was telling her to "get her ass over to the airpads" for her first mission. She'd be airlifted to the middle of Forever Fall forest, where she had to rendez-vous with her freshly selected teammates before getting onto the main objective. Sounded simple enough.

She quickly trudged her way over to her bags & things back in the main hall, putting her book back and taking out her weapons. After fully equipping herself and putting on her coat, she went straight to the airpads where her transport awaited her. Soon, she was off.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on February 13, 2017, 06:44:12 AM
"Anna Fall, Taro Espada, Calen Shrike..." Setsuna mumbled to himself. He was sitting in the back of the grey transport Bullhead on his own, Harmony and Dischord polished and ready beside him. Secretly, he couldn't wait to meet the team he would be working with for the rest of Beacon, but his face showed little of that excitement. Rather, it showed nervousness. He didn't know where to find the rest of his teammates, what the "main objective" would be, or what they would face.

"Dammit...Can't this thing go any faster?" he wondered, peering out the side of the Bullhead and admiring the view below. In the distance, the Forever Fall forest loomed, red like the crimson sunset. Soon, he would be jumping headfirst into another new adventure, and he was eager for every single bit.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on February 14, 2017, 06:40:51 AM
After arriving at the school itself, Taro simply wandered around, exploring and getting himself used to the environment and layout of the school. Knowing where evertyhing was would obviously be very handy and he liked to see new things. Of course, he only wandered around until the little buzz of his scroll when off and he pulled it out to take a look. "Anna Fall, Setsuna Antiqua and Calen Shrike, hm?" He muttered to himself, excited to meet his new team members. After reading the rest of the message he made for the transport as quick as he could. Hopping on the transport he sat down as quick as he could after nodding to the pilot to take off. Taro was practicaly jumping up and down in his heat with excitement. What kind of people would they be? That and many more questions surged through his head as he waited impatiently for ride to be over.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on February 14, 2017, 01:41:25 PM
Calen was already in a taxi when he got the message. Driving between Beacon’s delis to find inspiration for his next creation. A sigh and a quite word to the driver quickly lead them speeding to the air pads. Leaping out Calen walked calmly to a ship departing for the Academy, he needed a few things before he would set out. Walking back Calen did a quick check of his inventory; Blade? Check. Knives? All ten, check. Food and water? Enough for three days if he pushed his already stretched diet and boarded his personal transport.

Taking out his scroll glanced at the names of his companions playing a little guessing game and murmuring to himself.  ‘Miss Fall should be easy enough to recognise, the only female, but I’ve got very little else to go on. Master Taro ….some breeds of the vegetable taro can cook blue and Espada means sword, another bladesman ….good. Master Setsuna, split second… maybe another speedster? Unlikely the parents wouldn’t know the child’s semblance before they named him.’  Calen continues living in his own head for the entire trip blind to the impressive scenery below him.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on February 14, 2017, 05:15:02 PM
As the transport came to hover above the Forever Fall forest, Anna checked her scroll one last time. Something something transport something rendezvous something get the thing something RTB. Sounded relatively simple, apart from the fact that this is Forever Fall and that Grimm aren't exactly uncommon.

After getting told by the pilot that they'd reached their destination, a mild buzzing sound on the right side of the aircraft indicated that the large side door was opening up.

Anna stood up and activated her semblance's second stage, her mind becoming filled with the now-familiar vortex that was sight. For a few seconds, she just stood there, taking in the unique sight of the red canopy separated by the odd leaf-filled path. It was really, really pretty.

After the few seconds were up, she flared into Sight's third stage, a detailed motion map drawing itself in her head. Walking off the aircraft, she let her chains unravel during the fall. As she neared the canopy, she swung her weapons forward, the links wrapping themselves around a thick branch. She let herself swing from it, letting go with one chain to wrap onto another, lower branch and, like this, made her way to the forest floor.

When the climbing was done, she wound her chains around her forearms by spinning them. She then made sure she was pointed the right way and started walking, using her semblance's second stage in a pulsed fashion while enjoying her surroundings.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on February 14, 2017, 05:51:31 PM
"Wait, I'm jumping? Don't you have a rope or something?" Setsuna exclaimed. Looking over the crimson-red Forever Fall forest, Setsuna's Bullhead was hovering just above the canopy, far up enough that just jumping would cause some damage. Not that he couldn't take it, he just didn't want an injury before he even reached the ground. Probably not the best start.

"Why didn't I design Harmony with a jetpack function...oh wait." Setsuna reflected on the design process of his shield, recalling the moment when it literally backfired and left him with a semi-permanent afro. "Well, here goes nothing." Detaching Harmony and holding it in his left hand, Setsuna casually dived out the side of the plane. "Cheers for the ride!" He hollered.

As the red leaves approached at a alarmingly rapid speed, Setsuna took a brace position and hoped that the combined weight of himself and the speed of the fall was enough to break any branches, and his fall. "3,2,1--Impact!" he thought as Harmony crashed into the topmost branches of a tree. "Bad...landing...strategy!" Setsuna cried as he got slapped in the face and various other parts of his body by the swinging leaves. However, he could see the ground from where he was. Unsheathing Dischord, he stabbed the neon-green blade into the nearest tree he could reach, grinding down the side of the trunk until he reached the bottom. "Huh, impressive." Setsuna noted as he gazed at the remainder of what used to be a majestic maple, neatly split in half all the way to the bottom.

"Well, nothing to do but get moving, I guess?"
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on February 14, 2017, 06:20:10 PM
Taro jumped out of his seat in anticipation, waiting desperately for the door to open up. "Come on, come on, come on..." Soon as the door opened he immediately flung himself out of the plane. On the way down he finally had a moment of clarity when he realized that the spot he was jumping down into was a clearing. With no trees. At this point he didn't even notice the beatiful red trees, only the ground below. Thinking as quickly as he could he pulled his sword out and pointed it towards the ground. As he approached the ground and got close enough, he used his semblance to extend his sword the full 2.5 metres, taller than himself. The sword extended slightly above himself, hopping him back in the air shortly. With the sudden, though small, his body got ripped back upwards as he let go of the sword and fell to the ground with a big thud.

"Ah god, think I just gave myself whiplash..." Taro moaned, sitting up on the grass and rubbing the back of his neck. He looked around briefly but it didn't take long to find his sword sticking out of the ground, now back to it's original size since Taro was flung out of his semblance's range. He made his way over and pulled the sword out of the ground, putting it back into the sheath on his back. As he did so, his excitement slowly returned to him as he was finally able to take in his surroundings. Now, where to start...
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on February 14, 2017, 07:28:41 PM
A loud siren rung out, interrupting Calen's games, informing him that they had reached their destination. Grinning as Calen realised the transport wasn't going to land he let out an uncharacteristic wild howl before leaping out the still opening door. Angleing his body to maximise speed Calen shot towards his landing zone at a terrific pace. Just moments before impact Calen quickly activated his semblance halting his momentum and allowing him to land safely. Giving a small bow to an imagined audience Calen began slowly making his way towards his objective.

Stopping every now and then to take in the scenery or forage from the various flora which reside in the Forever Fall Forest. He'd been here many times before but still adores the blends or reds, oranges and browns.  'Truly an autumn wonder land.'  remarked Calen loudly, confident that no one was around before half-mindlessly brushing dust off his pant knees and continuing on.

Stamina: 95% (OOC: I don't know if we are doing this but better safe than sorry)

Edit1: Swapped aura for stamina.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on February 14, 2017, 08:50:30 PM
I think it's ultimately up to Sesh, but I agree with your safe/sorry vision. However, why would Calen be at 95%? Did he take damage somehow? Remember, the new rules state that a semblance uses "stamina" instead of Aura, which basically only means that the semblance is not Aura dependant. Of course, you can make it so it is if that's how your semblance actually works, but if it isn't, it's a choice that affects all players.

To be precise: You did nothing bad, just pointing stuff out :P

Also, note to everybody: When Sesh starts posting, he will basically insert himself into the posting order.

After a good, rather lengthy period of blissfully uneventful walking, Anna arrived at the designated rendezvous point: a moderately large clearing with a bunch of rocks in the middle. More specifically, a large, flat, nearly level rock in the middle surrounded by about... No, exactly 9, evenly spaced, smaller rocks, the entire thing giving off a "table with seats" vibe.

Doing a quick scan of the clearing, Anna noticed that there were four - rather small - paths on one side of it and a single one on the other. She then went and sat down on the rock closest to the one she'd just come out of and turned off her semblance entirely.

Well, it wasn't exactly because she didn't enjoy the sights, but more because it would prevent her from getting a mind-sundering headache later on. Instead, she fully concentrated on the sounds and smells she could perceive and proceeded to wait for her soon-to-be team members.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on February 15, 2017, 02:02:18 AM
(OOC:Got it. By the way, now's your cue! Feel free to take it or leave it!)

Setsuna would have loved to take time off to admire the breathtaking scenery, especially the places where everything wasn't just one shade of red. Instead, he had already been assaulted by multiple smaller Grimm, mostly Beowolves. Not a problem, but enough to put Setsuna on alert at the slightest movement, or anything suspicious.

"Godammit. The one time I get to be by myself in such a amazing place and the Grimm come and ruin everything." he complained, Dischord activated and Harmony holstered at his shoulder. Unfortunately, in his rush to get here, he hadn't packed anything suited for a long-term journey. Only the bare essentials: Dust, small first-aid, food, water, and his scroll. He didn't even have a spare change of clothes.

"Fantastic. Great start, Setsuna." He rebuked himself, repacking his stuff. That's when he noticed, or rather heard the rustling. In his concentration, he hadn't bothered to check his surroundings, and now there could be someone, or something, just out of view. Setsuna rose slowly to his feet and drew Dischord, the blade catching the afternoon sun, shining and flashing. Holding it at the ready he challenged: "Halt! Who goes there!"
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on February 15, 2017, 05:19:19 AM
Taro glanced quickly around the clearing. After a short look he sees a small path and unable to contain his excitement anymore he bolted down the path as quickly as he could. Before long he surged through the path and burst into another clearing. Soon as he did he paused again, blankly staring into the centre of the clearing. "...Where am I going?" He asked himself confusedly. Raising his head to look around some more he was finally able to take notice of the area around him. Another small clearing, with some rocks arranged like tables and chairs. As his eyes swept the area he noticed a figure sitting alone near one of the paths leading out of the clearing.

'A girl? So, is it Anna, or Setsuna?' Taro thought to himself, inspecting the girl closer. 'Is Setsuna even a girl? I dunno, sounds like a girls name at least.' He slowly started to approach the girl and introduced himself. "Hey, my name is Taro, Taro Espada. Are you...one of my team mates?" He asked in a friendly tone.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on February 15, 2017, 05:53:56 AM
 ‘Ho there cowboy.’  Calen laughed as Setsuna’s challenge rang out across the forest.  ‘I’m friendly.’ . Raising his hands in an exaggerated gesture of surrender Calen approached slowly making sure as little of him was obscured by the undergrowth as possible. Still several meters off Calen’s brain was going into overdrive taking as much as he could about this new stranger.

 ‘I’m Calen, Calen Shrike and unless you or I are really lost I’d guess we are heading to the same place. Want to do the last stretch together? It can’t be much further.’  Calen’s tone remained jovial but is eyes where clearly scanning the area and sizing up his newly found team mate. As a show of good will Calen reached inside his pack and offered a small slice to Setsuna.  ‘Almond cake? It’d be a shame to be less than our best for this.’
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on February 15, 2017, 09:50:40 AM
Anna had started hearing the distinctive, easily recognizable sound of a person's footsteps long before she could've hoped to see them with her semblance. This was also the sole reason she didn't jump and scream in surprise when they spoke directly to her.

Making sure her hair wasn't in front of her face, she turned towards the source of the voice and briefly used her semblance's second stage - just to know what they looked like, really. Her eyes remaining closed, she said "Ah, h-hello. I'm A-Anna, Anna Fall. I think I am one of your teammates." Her small, shy voice was accompanied by an equally shy smile. She mentally gritted her teeth at her inability to properly communicate with strangers.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on February 15, 2017, 10:45:38 AM
"Thanks," Setsuna smiled as he sheathed Dischord and accepted the slice of cake. "The name's Setsuna. Setsuna Antiqua. Good to see something that isn't Grimm or any shade of red. Judging by your first words I'm assuming you know where we're going. And to be honest," he looked around sheepishly, "I have gotten pretty lost after being jumped on quite a few times. Guess this won't be the first time you're gonna be saving my skin."

Even with this short conversation, Setsuna was already scanning Calen up and down, trying to figure out his soon-to-be teammate's strengths and weaknesses. "Pale, almost ghostlike skin, tall and thin figure, very slight limp...swordsman?" Setsuna wondered as he noticed what looked like a sword handle poking out.

"Unfortunately I can't return the favor right now," he gestured at his backpack, still open and pitifully unfilled, "But I'm sure I'll find another way. Want to get moving?" Setsuna zipped the bag up and slung it on his back. "'Cuz I sure do!"
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on February 16, 2017, 05:24:57 AM
"Ah, h-hello. I'm A-Anna, Anna Fall. I think I am one of your teammates."

An innocent, friendly smile shot across Taro's face as his new teammate said this. "Hey, C'mon, there's no need to be shy. We're friends and teammates now, right?" Taro said joyfully, not even attempting to hide his excitement. Now that he was close he was finally able to get a better look at Anna. She looked pretty capable, which didn't help Taro's excitement much. "Though, I guess we're really not team mates so much as partners, right?" He asked, extending a hand out for Anna to shake. "I hope we get along." He smiled, lowering his voice to be more warm. "Also, you have any idea where we're going or what we're doing? I only sorta skimmed the scroll."
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on February 16, 2017, 05:41:06 AM
Calen waves his hand across his face dismissively.  ‘Don’t worry Master Setsuna, I’ll keep proving cakes if you let me huddle under that shield when times get rough.’  A smile tells Calen is mostly joking and after a moment looking around to take in his surroundings Calen continued.  ‘It seems we’ve been following game trails rather than the prescribed path. Oh well the scenic route has its advantages.’

Game trail might have been a bit generous, the undergrowth had mostly reclaimed and trees were following quickly after forcing Calen to use minute amounts of his semblance to correct himself so he can maintain his graceful gait.  ‘So I take it you are new to the Forever Fall? It’s as good as any a place to get lost in. Not only is it beautiful but it’s reasonably easy to navigate if you know what to look for.’  Picking up a rotting log Calen spins it round to show moss is only growing on one side.  ‘The sap here does funny things so moss only takes up on dead wood and on the antisunward side. Gives you a basis of direction even at night or with cloud cover. That, combined with recognising slopes in the landscape generally mean there is a river downhill helps you roughly guesstimate your position. Up most streams you’ve got Mount Glen or at least the surrounding mountain range and downstream you have the sea or one of the few lakes which are still in the same direction.’

Pausing for a moment to take a closer look at the claw markings on the trees Calen looked back at his teammate.  'Enough wannabe survivor tell me about yourself, there looks like there is a clearing ahead so we probably don't have far.  
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on February 17, 2017, 06:00:07 AM
Anna almost instantly became flustered by her newly-found comrade. Bowing her head down and letting her hair get in front of her face, she responded to him with a "...Y-Yeah." while , after a burst of her semblance to know where to go, shook the outstretched hand in a very, very soft and shy fashion. Dammit.

She answered Taro's second - wait, no, third - question with "W-We're supposed to rendezvous here with two others, th-then proceed to some ruins and retrieve whatever's worth it."

EDIT: (Gonna wait one day to post again after King to give Sesh the time to do shit if he so desires.)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on February 17, 2017, 06:14:50 AM
Glancing at his new teammate striding along beside him, Setsuna commented: "Well, you seem to know worlds more than me on this subject. Care to elaborate on where you learned this..." He trailed off as he noticed Calen's sudden shift in mood, and not toward the good side either. "W-Well, maybe not..." he stuttered, taken aback by the look Calen shot his way. "What's with him all of a sudden? Probably shouldn't dive straight into someone's backstory, I guess." He thought.

Trying to find a topic to divert the sudden awkwardness, Setsuna pointed at the clearing ahead of them, partially covered by the red foliage that was everywhere in the forest. "I guess that's our stop. Who were the other two again? Anna Fall and Taro Espada? Are they there already?"

Brushing the dense leaves aside, Setsuna cautiously emerged from the bushes, Calen following suit, to see what looked like a small setup of rocks, reminding him of the "Knights of the Round Table" of old, hosting King Arthur and his legendary knights, except there were only two people there. One boy, one girl. They seemed to know each other already, given that they were shaking hands.

"Anna Fall and Taro Espada, I assume?" He called by way of greeting.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on February 18, 2017, 06:21:24 AM
"W-We're supposed to rendezvous here with two others, th-then proceed to some ruins and retrieve whatever's worth it."

"Aaaah...so, it's an adventure then?" Taro asked beaming. Though, he noticed that his energy was making Anna visibly uncomfortable. 'Gonna have to tone it down a bit from here on out, I guess.' he thought. Some rustling in the bushes snapped his attention away from his thoughts. Taro turned to see two others emerging from the treeline and entering the clearing.
"Anna Fall and Taro Espada, I assume?"
Taro gave a smile and a nod.
"You assumed right. So, I guess you guys must be Calen and Setsuna?" he asked, slightly shocked that it was two males. 'So Setsuna is a guys name, hm?' he thought, getting a better look at his two teammates.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on February 18, 2017, 02:16:18 PM
  Stupid, stupid, stupid Calen.  Calen thought to himself using his foraging as an excuse to get some distance between Setsuna and himself.   First you go on and on for half an hour then you shut down at what should be an expected response.  Calen was clearly angry but more at himself than his new team mate.   Sleep is what I need, a few nights off. Losing control like this can't continue.  As Calen continued to mentally berate himself he was managing to calm down and by the time they got eyes on Anna and Taro he was back in control.

Gesturing to himself when Taro said Calen and Setsuna when he said Setsuna, Calen walked over.  'Miss Fall and Master Taro, it's a pleasure finally meet the entire team.'  Speaking cheerfully and offering his hand to both of his team mates.  'So exploring ruins, do we want to head out now or rest and eat before setting out?'  

Calen was taking particular notice of Anna's chains which stood out a fair bit compared to the blades of everyone else present. Smiling as he continued his little guessing game hoping to improve his average.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on February 20, 2017, 06:55:17 AM
(A'ight, seems Sesh isn't gonna be able to DM for us. He says he's sorry. :P )

Anna had thankfully heard the new duo's footsteps from far away, which prevented yet another tiny, surprised scream. However, when Taro took the initiative of answering them, she couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved. Oh good, that's that much less to deal with today.

When Calen came up to them and - somewhat formally - greeted them, Anna flashed her semblance's second stage to 1) get a look at her new comrades 2) know where to put her hand to shake another, if neessary - which, it turned out, was. She exchanged a light handshake with Calen, accompanied by an appropriately small "L-Likewise." Thank goodness, it was getting easier to breathe around here. The extra people finally allowed her to melt back into the background a bit.

At the guy's question, she answered a noncommittal "I'm fine with anything.", her voice slightly more relaxed than it had recently been.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on February 20, 2017, 07:49:25 AM
"Same here," Setsuna responded. He was still feeling bad for upsetting Calen just a while ago, but that feeling had largely dissipated when he got to meet the rest of his team.

Taking the chance to observe the other duo while they were talking to Calen, Anna caught Setsuna's eye first, being the only girl on the team. Strangely, she hadn't opened her eyes once since he first met her, and those chains on her arms were especially interesting. Maybe her weapon of choice?

Taro, on the other hand seemed to be much more open and cheerful, putting Setsuna at relative ease. The guy seemed to have an abundance of energy, judging by his expression, albeit a tiny bit shocked. Another swordsman? Looks like Anna's the odd one out in more than one way.

"Umm..." Setsuna hesitated. "Since we're all here, in case I accidentally offend anyone," he looked apologetically at Calen, "maybe it might be for the better if we got a few things clear? Like, uh, what not to talk about?" he stammered in a small voice. Dammit, Setsuna! One moment you offend Calen, next you're making a fool of yourself!

(Edit: Woohoo, we have a new DM!)

Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on February 22, 2017, 12:48:43 AM
"Since we're all here, in case I accidentally offend anyone, maybe it might be for the better if we got a few things clear? Like, uh, what not to talk about?"

"Hmm..." Taro thought, rubbing his chin in thought. "No, not really. Well, there is one thing I suppose. If any-one here ever talks about dying, I'll be pissed." He said smiling, giving his teammates another look over. Having three swordsman could actually end up being pretty helpful as it would be easy for them to all train each other and mentor one another in certain techniques or styles. Taro typically just used a standard two handed style, so he was eager to see what type of stances and attacks his team could bring.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on February 22, 2017, 10:29:21 AM
Tightening the straps on his pack so it doesn’t jostle around in a fight Calen looks up at his new team and remarked  ‘Well I suppose that decides it, we're heading off now.  Calen's tone remained cheerful but his facial expression darkened as no one really answered him.  'It doesn't look like we've got many long range attacks so I'll take point.'  Calen continued as he did his last minute tests, extending and collapsing his glavie and running his hand against his knife harness before setting out.

(OOC: Do students have another form of communication than scrolls during missions like Walkie-talkies or whatever? If so Calen gets everyone to exchange that form of contact information rather than scroll numbers)

Quickly calling out his scroll number Calen explains.  'Just in case we get separated or if we need to be.'  Calen looks at Setsuna with a slightly puzzled look, hesitating to respond as he considers ignoring the question entirely.  'Lets just keep ourselves in the present please Master Setsuna but other than that I'm an open book.'  Pausing again to think and a slight chuckle at Taro's response before continuing.  'But it would be a good idea to get a rough idea of what people can do against the Grimm which are no doubt waiting in front of us. My semblance makes me very agile so perhaps I can try to hold most of their attention while you all flank around? Or attack from unexpected angles if someone else has their focus.  
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on February 22, 2017, 11:11:33 AM
Well, not per se. Unless somebody brings earpieces with them, there's only scrolls.

Also, did anybody else notice it? How Calen just acted like the leader out of nowhere? I'm not saying that's bad, on the contrary. Rather, I'm saying that it may be because Calen should be the leader. Although I agree his persona might be slightly... shitty in some regards, the important thing is that there is currently a conflict between the pre-planned plot (Setsuna = leader) and the more reliable, organically-developed one.

So if everyone/a majority is alright with it, I'll post a change notice in the Team List.

Anna pretty much listened to her companions until Calen talked about a lack of long-range attacks, prompting Anna to say "I-I can mid-range...", taking a singular knife out of her sash and holding it in front of herself for a few seconds before putting it back where it came from.

When Calen called out his scroll number, she quickly took out her scroll, wrote it down and sent a local notice - a useful function tucked so far down, few knew about it. The notice itself was empty, but the sender information was there anyway. As for what not to talk about... Well, that was a frustratingly complicated subject for her so instead of saying something mostly pointless along the lines of 'it's too complex to really explain', she remained silent. Shyness, be damned. Calen then talked about his semblance and some related strategies. Well, she probably wouldn't know much about strategy, so she said "M-My semblance allows me to... See... Really well for a bit, and my main weapon's behavior is generally confusing to others.", opening her eyes a bit for no reason - although she seemed to be looking at the ground a few meters in front of herself. Ooooh, wow, that was probably the longest sentence she'd said today, and she only stammered on the beginning. Things were looking up. Meanwhile, she busied herself in attempting to not be flustered from talking and mostly succeeded.

...Her voice was still kinda quiet, though...
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Marticus on February 22, 2017, 11:38:51 AM
Spoiler: ShowHide
Don't mind me just slipping on in with a worldbuild section of the initiation. Take as long or as short a time as ya'll need to get here, I don't mind.


Deep in the heart of Forever Fall, where the trees are so tightly packed together that the leaves tint the light red, lie the ruins of ancient civilisations. Who these people were has been forgotten to all but the learned few, those who adore the mystery behind the ravages of time and Grimm, who find the same satisfaction in uncovering forgotten knowledge as huntsmen and huntresses do in protecting the innocent. These ruins come in all shapes and sizes, some a mere slab of stone, or a carving in the ground. Others are towering structures that dwarf the trees that surround them and mask their secrets.

The ruins that Team ASTC are expected to encounter, should they continue their current path, is one of the latter, a collection of pillars that stand sentinel in an unnatural clearing. These pillars, while once a monument to their creators power, now seem small and inferior compared to their organic brethren just a dozen or so metres away.

These pillars, each a different height, increasing in stature in a pattern unknown for centuries, are covered in a long dead language, surround a central pillar of black stone. This pillar contains sections that have been carved out, and inside were placed relics, relics made of stone, of iron, of bronze and of wood, a collection of objects relating to the time, swords, statues of animals and the like. Not all remain, some falling to time or thieves lucky enough to stumble upon the site, but there are a few still there. Each relic has a pillar that matches it's height upon the central structure, though the meaning for this has long been forgotten.

Nearby, a mysterious collection of boulders, out of place considering the area, are almost perfectly hidden by the treeline, and would only be discovered by those with the sharpest sight or the luckiest step.

Spoiler: ShowHide
Have fun figuring out the trick behind this guys, I'm quite proud of it.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on February 22, 2017, 11:52:29 AM
I originally was planning on slowly easing Setsuna into a more leader-based role, since I don't feel like it would be good if he just came into the group and started giving orders. That's not the kind of guy he is. Rather, when everyone was comfortable with each other, Setsuna would naturally stand out. But, if King does want to have Calen as leader, I will cede the role to him.


"A speedster you say?" mused Setsuna, hearing both Anna and Calen list their weapons and semblances. "As a matter of fact..." he activated his semblance for the first time since he stepped foot in the forest,  "Mine might be similar to yours. I get extra speed and reaction time from mine, and it lasts for around a minute." Semblance fully activated, Setsuna glowed a pink-reddish hue, leaving images where he moved. "As for range..." he pulled out his own sword in the blink of an eye,"Dischord can do a bit of long-range too. Though, it's not very powerful."

"Generally speaking, I'm flexible when it comes to combat. However, since Calen seems to be more oriented to flanking, he could strike from any angle and disorient the enemy." looking at Calen. "And if your combat style is confusing to us, it'll be confusing to the others as well, which helps," speaking to Anna. "What I could fill the role of would probably be the tank? Draw the enemy's aggro and let the rest of you deal with it. Harmony should serve me fine," he gently stroked the surface of his precious shield.

"Taro, I'm not sure what your semblance is, or what your role would be, so mind filling me in?" Setsuna asked, his semblance fading and returning him to his original color. "All I know about you is that you're a swordsman. Sorry if that's a bit blunt, we just met after all," he chuckled.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on February 23, 2017, 10:12:44 PM
"Taro, I'm not sure what your semblance is, or what your role would be, so mind filling me in? All I know about you is that you're a swordsman. Sorry if that's a bit blunt, we just met after all,"

Taro was happy to simply listen to his teammates talk about their own combat styles and take mental notes, though soon enough it came his time to speak up about it.
"Hey man, it's cool. I don't exactly expect you to know my life story, y'know?" He responded, chuckling slightly at the statement.
"In assuming I am a swordsman, you would be correct. My weapon is exactly as you see it now," He explained, pulling the plain looking sword from the sheathe on his back. Holding the sword out in front of him, Taro activated his semblance. Shrinking the blade and increasing the length of the handle, his sword had now organically morphed into a spear. "However when combined with my semblance, the ability to increase or decrease an objects height, width or length, I can morph it into various shapes and sizes." He rattled on, activating his semblance once more to return the handle to it's previous state, though he increased the length and width of the blade, creating a mighty 2.5 by 0.5 metre long greatsword, taller than Taro himself.

"In terms of combat strategy, if we have a tank, a flanker and ranged support." He said, nodding at Setsuna, Calen and Anna respectively. "Then I suppose I would be the primary attacker? Aiming for and taking out the strongest opponent in the battle. Because of my semblance's versatility in close combat, in a straight up slugfest I most likely would end up coming out on top."
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on February 24, 2017, 12:29:55 AM
Calen had already made his way a fair distance away moving in the direction of the ruins only half paying attention to his team mates answers. Before almost doubling over in laughter upon hearing Taro's semblance.  'Bet that makes you popular.'  Pausing only for a moment to get another lungful of air before continuing.  'I know everyone is supposed to have their gifts but that's just a bit too on the nose don't you think?

Taking a swig from his canteen Calen is mostly silent for the next few moments, still letting out a few giggles and straightening out imagined creases in his suit.  'I'm not much for strategy but that sounds fine but we should get going, those relics aren't going to secure themselves and my instructor will kill me if I miss another recital.'  With that Calen continues to make his way through the forest absolutely confident in his ability to overcome any odds.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on February 24, 2017, 06:49:35 AM
Anna just sits there, passively listening to all. The overall ability seemd quite varied, which was good. She'd apparently drawn the short straw with the long-range, though. She felt that she far more terrifying a few metres away than 30 some metres back. Oh well, she'd be quite useful anyhow, especially with her accuracy.

Her state of mind was brutally shattered, however, when Calen pulled an innuendo regarding Taro's semblance. This time, she was not so successful at keeping her face a normal colour. She bowed her head down to let her hair cover her visage entirely - it was a neat trick, really - before assuming the position she previously had. Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit.

When she heard Calen strut off out of the clearing, the sound of crunching leaves being a not-too-subtle clue, she hurriedly got up and walked just as quickly towards the stiding man, pulsing her 2nd stage again. Sure, they may be leaving the others by themselves, but it was more important for nobody to be alone.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on February 24, 2017, 07:11:53 AM
Trying to suppress a snort after hearing what Calen had to say about Taro's semblance (he wasn't the best at innuendos, but even he got the gist of it), Setsuna couldn't help but notice Anna's reaction to the joke. Making a mental note to remind Calen to maybe, just maybe keep it in a notch, he hurried after the pair, heading down the solitary path away from the strange yet peaceful clearing, and mentioned for Taro to follow.

Given that no-one was really talking, Setsuna decided it would be best to stay quiet, and instead, focused on any sudden movements or any out-of-place sounds that indicated danger. To be honest, he was impressed with the range of diversity the team already had. Within minutes of meeting up, they'd already figured everyone's respective roles, what they could do and what they were best at. He felt a sense of pride at being assigned to such a team, and honoured to work with them as well. Beacon really is amazing, he thought, smiling.

Detaching one of his sword bits from his shield, he fiddled with the blade, suddenly uneasy as to why, apart from the Beowolves that were harassing him at the start, they had not encountered much trouble as of yet. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was a "hand of fate" guiding the team toward their goal, yet with everyone in a pretty good mood, he kept the feeling to himself.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on February 24, 2017, 07:18:07 AM
(Alright, just a brief PSA.

MONSTER, IT WAS MARTICUS' TURN! :P )
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on February 24, 2017, 07:19:59 AM
(Oh sh*t. I didn't know it was now a 5-man rotation. I thought he would just slot himself in.
"drops to knees and begs for forgiveness")
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Marticus on February 24, 2017, 08:52:38 AM
Spoiler: ShowHide
Okay, you guys asked for an encounter, so you're getting one. Hope you're ready. Just so we're clear, after this, I'll actually keep posting from this position, in the middle of the team, just to keep things easier. So, it'll go Nathan, Monster, Me, Spoodnick and then King.


In an eruption of speed and fury, a pair of Beringels, still young, with only patches of bone armour on their forearms and chests, leaped down from the treeline. Disturbed by the conversation of Team ASTC, they'd decided to violently put an end to their irritating conversation, and in turn, their irritating lives.

One fell straight down on top of Anna, taking advantage of her focus on catching up to Calen to take her off guard and slam her flat into the ground (15% aura + stun), and, whether it connected with her successfully or not, it leaped forward, and swinging on it's arms for additional momentum, attempted to kick Calen into a tree (7%).

The second swung it's way around a tree and went for a midair clothesline on Setsuna (9%), with the specific aim of sending him spiralling into the underbrush. It rounded on Taro and roared it's fury at the puny boy that stood in it's path.

Spoiler: ShowHide
Going for the aura % for you guys for ease. I'll handle how much damage the monkeys can take, so don't worry about putting figures in them. In regards healing from battles, I'm sure you know how much your characters can heal in the given timeframe.


Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on February 25, 2017, 10:37:16 AM
Taro had little time to react as the two Beringels swept his team away. Though he moved quickly with his sword still in his hands from the demonstration of his semblance. He held the sword out in front of him and charged the one that had roared at him. Hoping to surprise the Beringel with the sudden range of his sword, he used his semblance to extend the blade out the full 2.5m, at the same time thrusting it forward and hoping to impale the monster. Quickly darting his eyes around to survey his team's situation, it had seemed that he was the only one the Grimm hadn't targeted yet. Though this would seem lucky, Taro hated that his team were focused on instead of him. What kind of friend was he if he couldn't even take the hits for them?
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on February 25, 2017, 01:38:02 PM
Standing almost motionless as the Beringel lunged towards Calen, an enormous grin being the only evidence that he had even seen the creature. The ape's attack hit home legs slamming into Calen's chest, but what should have sent him flying but with an application of his semblance he absorbed that backwards momentum leaving him only winded. Calen then brought his sword down for a two handed strike on the Beringels outstretched and unprotected legs. Dancing away and extending the sword into it's glaive form Calen gave a flourish and a bow before beginning to taunting the ape. 'It's all about the retraction kind sir, got to keep all your bits and pieces together under your arms. That's how you defend, particularly when you have arms like you. You're built like a gorilla.'

Looking back at his team mates he saw the other Beringel charging toward Taro.  'You want these together or apart?'  Calen yelled breathlessly to no one in particular, the hit was catching up with him and he was finding it harder to talk. A slight pause caused him to add in rushed tones.  'Everyone is still standing right?'

Spoiler: ShowHide
 Edit:I'm not a morning person so sorry for anyone who read that.



Semblance/Stamina: 90%
Aura: 93%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on February 25, 2017, 07:54:08 PM
When Anna pulsed her semblance right before reaching Calen, a large movement in her peripheral vision - more precisely, up - startled her into opening her eyes, jumping and rolling forwards as well as ramping her semblance to the max, all at once. This allowed her to (barely) avoid the smallish Beringel that attempted to commit grievous bodily harm.

So clear... This was always a truly beautiful sight, but the backlash was something few would be capable of living through. Well, as long as she used it for small amounts of time, it'd be fine. ...Mostly.

As she got up from her roll, she turned to her left, extending her right arm and letting the corresponding chain unravel from her forearm. She swung hard, completing 3/4 of a full turn while aiming as only she could and flicking her wrist at just the right moment. If the attack succeeded, the chain would brutally hit the Beringel's neck's side before tightly winding itself around it, at which point Anna would violently pull on the taught chain, hoping to sever the head clean off. Of course, she'd made sure the chain wouldn't hit Calen.

...It may get within a hair's breadth, at worst.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on February 25, 2017, 10:04:11 PM
Thanks to the fact that he was already on alert, Setsuna had long heard the sound of rustling in the wood, but he attributed them to the sound of his teammates' footsteps. He just didn't expect them to come from two gorillas.

"Gaaaaaaaaah!" he cried in pain as the Beringel slammed it's weight into him- or rather, his shield, as Harmony rotated on it's mechanical arm and took the brunt of the hit. It didn't stop him from smashing into the shrubbery, and boy, did it sting.

Getting up, Setsuna turned on his Quantum System semblance, combining the pieces of Harmony's sword bits together at lightning speed. Upon hearing Calen's shout, he zoomed to his side and shouted: "Apart! Me and Taro will take one, you and Anna the other!" With that, he took two steps up the side of a tree, leapt off and aimed a strike at his targeted Beringel's neck with Dischord in buster sword form.

Semblance/Stamina: 90%
Aura: 93% (2% blocked by Harmony)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Marticus on February 26, 2017, 12:04:54 PM
Spoiler: ShowHide
Throw allowed by Nathan


Acknowledging Calen's taunts with a roar, the Beringel took a step forward to begin the process of smashing his annoying face in when a chain came whirling around his neck. Yanked back in surprise, the beast growled angrily as it felt it's throat contract involuntarily. Reaching back to grip the chain in it's hands, while keeping up it's glare at Calen, the Beringel tugged back, pulling Anna straight off of her feet and over it's shoulder, aimed directly at Calen (8% each), before proceeding to return her to it and clobber her with a headbutt (7%), should she remain attached.

It's buddy, meanwhile, leaped forward as soon as Taro begin to react, taking his sword straight to it's armoured chest, and avoiding Setsuna altogether. Hoping that it's sudden push would throw Taro off balance, the monster unleashed a powerful uppercut on the boy (7%), aiming to send him high into the trees.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on March 02, 2017, 04:21:31 AM
Taro's eyes widened as his sword had made impact with the beast. In an instant he flashed his semblance and grew his sword as large as he possibly could. Being stopped short by the Beringel's fist being launched towards his face. As a split second reaction he let go of the sword and used both arms to help shield from the blow, though still took the hit directly. Taro got launched straight upwards, above the treeline and far out of his semblances range. Thanks to this, his sword had shrunk down to it's original size. Gaining a moment of clarity as he could see the whole battlefield, though partly clouded by the red leaves of the Forever Fall.
"SETSUNA GRAB MY SWORD!" He shouted, starting to fall back down right above the Grimm that had knocked him upwards. He prepared himself for a last second, falling drop kick. Though, not being the best at straight hand-to-hand combat he knew it would no doubt get reflected and that he was in for a world of hurt.

Aura: 93%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on March 02, 2017, 04:46:28 AM
Calen continues to play with the ape, waving his hand in front of his face in mock disgust  ‘And the breath, you need to take care of yourself more. Maybe find a hobby, nice girl Grimm ….or boy Grimm get your life back on track. Have you thought of bridge?’  Calen mocks casually as he almost subconsciously dances out from underneath the Beringel’s pummel.

Calen’s relaxed posture quickly turns sharp as he exploits Anna's opening lacerating the ape’s underside with a trio of quick strikes before spinning back for an aura boosted thrust(5%) aiming for under one of the Grimm’s shoulders.  ‘Again with your arms sir, use your body weight she can’t be more than a hundred pounds.’  Calen remarks as he dances backwards, leaving his glaive embedded in the ape and keeping his body sideways to the beast(if the thrust doesn't pierce Calen sheaths his weapon). He then positions himself so Anna would be thrown straight in front of him to be caught rather than into him.

Fatigue: 90%
Aura: 88%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on March 02, 2017, 07:42:25 AM
Anna saw it coming - well, sort of, she saw the start of the movements. The ape swung her around with her chain, probably slicing itself on it, towards Calen, which seemed to move and, if you paid attention enough, get ready to catch her. But the ape was digging its own grave, getting distracted by Anna, so it was better if this went on. Reorienting herself in midair to present her feet to whatever tree or rock she'd hit - if she hit anything - instead of Calen, she yelled "DON'T CATCH ME!", which would hopefully allow her to sail past her teammate before the nightmare monkey tried to get her close again.

When it did, Anna was ready. Bringing her bracer holding the unraveled chain in front of herself while speeding towards it, more in an effort to deflect the hit than anything, she let the other chain unwrap itself from the forarm a bit. When she'd deflect the hit from a head-on collision to a mere graze, she'd let that last, short chain wrap itself tightly around the Grimm's neck while her momentum did the rest.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on March 02, 2017, 08:15:40 AM
"No!" Setsuna shouted as the Beringel gave Taro the classic Shoryuken, making him drop his sword and sending him flying straight up. Semblance still active, he broke down Dischord's buster sword and started dashing toward the Grimm when he heard Taro holler. Something about grabbing his sword? Which was on the floor...

A grin formed on his face, the first one since they got ambushed by the darn things. Quickly swapping Dischord to rifle mode and firing two random shots to get the Grimm to turn around and face him, Setsuna slid under the Beringel, swiftly scooping up Taro's fallen sword in his left hand. Rolling out of his slide, he then wall-ran up another conveniently-placed tree, jumped off and stabbed both swords into the Beringel's exposed back, prompting a howl from the beast, before quickly withdrawing the blades and leaping clear. Just in time, too, as he felt his semblance fading and returning him to his original color.

"Taro! I'm going to need some cover for half a minute or so! Semblance just ran out of juice..." He shouted upward at the falling boy, and tossed Taro's blade back at the rightful owner. He'd have to stay out of combat for a bit, because he was already feeling sluggish from the aftereffects of his Semblance.

Battle Data: ShowHide

Semblance/Stamina: 80%
Aura:93%
Aftereffect (For DM): For the next post, Setsuna will only do half the original damage, and take 50% more Aura damage from any attack. Marticus, add the 50% to your Aura calculations as you will.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Marticus on March 05, 2017, 10:20:57 AM
The Beringel let out a howl of pained fury as it's hands were ripped open by Anna's chain, and only got louder as Calen left his blade embedded in it's abdomen. Directing it's ever increasing fury towards Anna, it unleashed a mighty headbutt at her, though it was deflected off of her bracers, letting her bounce away unharmed. Rearing back to make another play, the beast roared once more, a show of dominance that was cut short as Anna's chain's went taut around it's neck, and the Grimm's head was sliced clean from it's body.

Ignoring Taro entirely in response to Setsuna's hit and run assault, the second beast pushed off from the ground in an impressive handspring, throwing it's legs forward and then back quickly for added momentum, all in an effort to land directly atop of Setsuna (18%) and flatten him into the dirt. Whether or not it connects, the Beringel pushed off again, aiming to catch Taro as he landed, and when he'd hopefully be a little off-balance, and just do an overhead smash straight onto his head (8%) with it's right arm.

Spoiler: ShowHide
Sorry for taking so long with this. School and then coming down with something just drained my energy up until now
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on March 06, 2017, 05:57:47 AM
Setsuna dashed away and threw Taro back his sword, Taro was able to catch it in mid-air as the Beringel dashed towards.
"Taro! I'm going to need some cover for half a minute or so! Semblance just ran out of juice..."
Taro quickly glanced over at Setsuna and for the first time since they met a look of complete anger washed over Taro's face. Not at Setsuna, though. At the Grimm.
"oh you motherf- I JUST GOT THIS BACK!" He shouted, pegging the sword at the Beringel's back just before landing, hoping to turn it around before it reached Setsuna. "At least get to safety first man c'mon!" He shouted, his foot hitting the ground and immediately flinging him towards the Grimm. Whether it turned around or not he reeled his fist back and prepared for a strong a punch as he could manage.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on March 06, 2017, 02:52:49 PM
Wrenching his weapon from the already dissipating Grimm Calen turned to Anna and smiled widely at their victory.  'A confusing weapon indeed Miss Fall... well fought.'  Turning to check on how their teammates were doing Calen launched himself forward with two applications of his semblance and slamming square into the Grimm's chest. Giving the creature a light slap to get it's attention Calen leapt off it's left side while delivering a weighty blow to the Grimm's jugular.

Finishing slightly behind the Grimm as it continues forward.  'Miss Fall it seems Master Setsuna is in your hands.'  Calen called out breathlessly, giving himself a moment to recover before continue to pursue the beast.

Fatigue: 80%
Aura: 88%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on March 06, 2017, 03:34:03 PM
Anna received herself on the ground, dissipating her remaining momentum by way of a large amount of rolls; sadly, she was rolling on her side, which made it far less cool and controlled. As she got up, she yelled a "Thanks! You're pretty good, yourself!" at Calen before gathering her chains around her forearms, looking at the events still unfolding.

Oh wow, Calen wasn't kidding. She swung her arms wide, aiming to catch the Beringel with her chains in mid-air - and wrap it in them several times over. Of course, she made sure the chains wouldn't hit Setsuna as they wound around their target - or missed, as unfortunate as it would be.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on March 06, 2017, 03:52:56 PM
Damn, this semblance can be annoying at times! Setsuna thought, frustrated at his helplessness after expending his energy for just one attack. Bringing Harmony to bear in front of him, he braced for the eventual pain that the Beringel was sure to bring.

Except that never came. Thanks to both Taro and Calen's combined efforts, the Beringel's body slam only just grazed Setsuna's shield arm as the beast went stumbling past. Taking his time to catch his breath, he looked around and noticed the already crumbling remains of the other Grimm, as well as Anna once again sending her chains at the remaining one.

"Well done," he congratulated the pair, despite the condition he was in. " Good to know you two had a better time than we did. That being said," gesturing with his sword, "I think it's almost down as well. Ready to take it down?" he said, shifting into a classic defender's stance, feeling part of his strength return to him.

"I can take the brunt of its attacks. Keep the aggro on me?" he called. "Oh, and Taro? Sorry for putting you on the spot just now."
Battle Data: ShowHide

Aura=84%
Stamina/Semblance=80%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Marticus on March 11, 2017, 10:13:03 AM
Pain and fury clouded the Grimm's mind as Taro and Calen, quite unfortunately in it's opinion, managed to save Setsuna from a good flattening. Giving in to the sensations, the beast leaped square for Taro, swinging it's arm back and wide to maybe catch Calen round the head (6%). It's anger giving it enough strength and momentum to avoid Anna's chains, the Beringel leaped straight at Taro once again, going for the old overhead smash with both it's hands (9%), aiming to plow him into the dirt.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on March 11, 2017, 10:09:37 PM
The beringel had now turned and lunged towards Taro, much to his annoyance as his sword was still lodged in the creature's back. Taro continued his sprint towards the Grimm. Seeing it prepare for the overhead smash, Taro acted quickly and knew there wouldn't be enough time to jump back or to the sides to dodge. While he was running he lowered his body ducked under the swing. Now effectively under the Grimm he grinned as he bent his knees a little further and prepared his fist. Springing his legs out and arcing his fist upward he aimed to do the same uppercut the Grimm had hit him with. With the Grimm's hands having recently smashed the ground behind him, Taro was banking desperately on it not being able to get out of the way, block or counter his attack.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on March 11, 2017, 11:08:00 PM
Still worn out from before Calen barely ducked under the Grimm's swipe resulting in a distinctly less than graceful stumble as he gave chase. Seeing his team mate go under the beast Calen immediately picked up Taro's strategy and moved in to assist. Using the butt of his glaive to vault over the beringel Calen sliced the grimm's closest shoulder, a deep and long wound sure to sever the tendons in a human, and used the purchase to swing himself higher. Calen was now above the Grimm and he positioned his glaive just above the gorilla's head and any upward push, such as an uppercut, should be fatal.

Too late did Calen realise his mistake.  The Grimm's arm is still rising.... it's musculature must be different to us, if this thing even has muscles. For the first time in the fight Calen grew worried such a simple mistake and unless his team mates could step in the consequence for Taro could be dire.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on March 12, 2017, 12:45:41 PM
(King, not that it's too big a deal seeing how you made it play out, but that right now was an auto-hit, which is a no-no. Friendly reminder for next time :P )

Anna sees her chains miss and, as her comrades close in on the ape, quickly winds them back up - there isn't really a way to sink her fangs into the Grimm without some friendly fire - before taking out a lone knife and throwing it right at the Grimm's neck. 'Course, it's easy to be hyper accurate with her semblance.

...Let's do this quick, kay?
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on March 12, 2017, 03:58:24 PM
With both Calen and Taro, unarmed as the latter was, going on the offensive, Setsuna thought it best to stay back, until he saw Taro go for what seemed like a suicidal attack with his bare hands while the Beringel was going for a smash. Taking two short steps he crouched, charged and attempted a shield bash into the side of the Grimm, hopefully knocking it off balance, making it miss Taro and still allowing both his uppercut and Anna's knife to hit their target.

(OOC: refer to last aura levels)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Marticus on March 26, 2017, 11:19:29 AM
With the combined force of Taro and Setsuna hitting it's side, and Calen's shoulder attack knocking it off balance, the Beringel rolled away from the party about fifteen feet before springing back to it's feet. However, it looked shook by this point, smoke slowly rising off out of the glaive would on it's back, and from around the dagger that protruded from just behind where it's right collar bone should be, a fortunate side effect of the team's combined attack that saved it from having it's throat slashed open.Taking one slow, steady step forward, then a second, the beast prepared to bare down on his enemies.

Ripping the knife out of it's shoulder, the Beringel threw it at Calen (6% with blade, 2% otherwise, you can decide which end hits. Not exactly a master knife wielder, our Grimm) while making a powerful leap straight for Taro and Setsuna, aiming to catch them both with a powerful sideswipe (8% Taro, 6% Setsuna due to Taro not being ideal weapon) and knock them aside.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on March 30, 2017, 12:25:29 AM
His blow effectively landing on the Beringel, Taro leaped back away from it. Though, it had seemingly done the same. Unfortuneately creating distance didn't put Taro in a good spot, his sword was still lodged in the Grimm's back. Taro quickly glanced around and found a rock. Seeing the Grimm throw a dagger at his teammate and prepare to launch he ran next to Setsuna and held the rock out in front of him. Ticking on his semblance, the Rock grew to become what was essentially a 2 by 2 metre wall in front of them. "So, I don't have a weapon. We have some battle plan, or do I just have to go in again?" Taro quickly shouted, not at any-one specific, just at his team in general.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on March 30, 2017, 06:57:44 AM
Annoyed that the Grimm had evaded his attack Calen landed then opened his mouth to rip into the beast but was cut short by a blunt impact. Grunting as the hit of Anna’s dagger bounced off his aura Calen paused slightly to catch the weapon before continuing his onslaught, both verbal and physical.  ‘You can take a beating, at least you have that going for you. It’s more than your friend could do.’  Calen taunted as he collapsed his glaive into its sword form and approached the ape.

Hearing Taro's shout Calen tossed him his sword, drawing one of his knives and remarked with a grin.  'I'm just going to keep hitting it until it stays down, it's only not worked twice.'  Swinging high as a feint Calen tried to roll past the Breingel and bring both blades down on the legs of the creature optimally leaving the beast crippled while leaving everyone else a clear firing lane or approach.

Fatigue: 80%
Aura: 86%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on March 30, 2017, 09:38:09 AM
Anna takes another knife from her sash and, while the Grimm is in midair and under heavy attack, throws it right at the beast's left eye. She could start to feel the strain on her brain, now, but it was still very manageable - barely feeling it, as they say.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on March 30, 2017, 09:50:51 AM
"Third time's the charm, as they say." Setsuna smiled in response to Calen's idea. Still behind the rock wall that appeared out of nowhere (he was still confuzzled as to where that came from, until he remembered Calen cracking a joke about a certain something), he used the cover to reassemble Dischord into buster sword form. Using his semblance, he darted around the right side of the wall and took an almighty swing sideways, intending to give the Beringel one hit it wouldn't be walking away from.

battle data: ShowHide

Aura=84%
Stamina/Semblance=70%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Marticus on March 31, 2017, 03:36:21 PM
Bouncing straight off the wall, the Beringel used it as a fulcrum to pull itself high into the air, luckily avoiding Calen entirely, with the intention of landing in the centre of Team ASTC and tearing them apart. However, what it was met with was a knife in the eye, courtesy of Anna. Losing an eye so suddenly also left it unable to defend against Setsuna at all, and the beast quickly fell back to earth, a half on either side of the wall, dissolving into nothingness.

Spoiler: ShowHide
Nice job guys, encounter 1: Defeated! I'll just fade away here while you guys move to the ruins, then I'll do a set piece for it. Or, if you take to long, I'll unleash something else to try and speed you up. I feel this'll be easier than me making tiny, meaningless post that have nothing to do with what's happening. Unless ya'll want me to describe the weather every 4 posts?
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on April 05, 2017, 06:05:13 AM
"Okay..." Taro exhaled, shrinking the rock back to normal size to see the Grimm dissapear in front of him. "Well, that is that friends. Also, no-one died, so that is a huge win in my book." Taro grinned, taking a few steps over to the Grimm and picked up his sword from the grass. He breathed in and out slowly, looking over his team to truly asses the situation. Seems they were fine.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on April 05, 2017, 08:19:50 AM
Sheathing his weapons Calen reaches into the rapidly evaporating Grimm to retrieve Anna's second dagger. Calen then throws the knives to her in a gentle upward arc before tucking his shirt back in, which had come loose during the fight, and otherwise tidying himself up.

'Much to my amazement Master Taro, we might live through this yet.' Calen grinned as he kept both eyes scanning the nearby shrubbery for new threats. 'What about injuries? Bruises or the like. I'd like to keep moving but I doubt we need to head off right away.'

We did OK I suppose. Calen thought to himself. We were very out of sync though I suppose that is to be expected and it'll just make it more fun whipping them into shape.

'While we are here does anyone know anything about where these ruins we are looking are? Or is it a we will know them when we see them thing? Calen finishes still keeping watch around his team.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on April 05, 2017, 08:38:14 AM
Anna enjoyed the feeling of satisfaction from a job well done and waited for her knives - courtesy of Calen - to land between her fingers before turning off her semblance altogether and letting her eyelids fall back to their usual spot. She then sighed in relief and crouched down, lowering her head. Thankfully, the fight had ended rather quickly and she had plenty of room left. ...She still wouldn't push it, though.

She answered Calen's inquiry with a small "I'm fine."
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on April 05, 2017, 09:14:56 AM
"Seems third time was the charm after all," Setsuna chuckled, returning to his original shade of color, leaning on his sword. Truth be told, he hadn't expected the Grimm to fall to that strike, as hard as he had hit it. Not after the amount of punishment it had taken before, but whatever, they'd gotten out of it relatively unscathed.

"Bit battered but nothing serious." he replied to answer Calen. "I doubt that's the last we're going to be seeing of the Grimm in this area, however, so moving on swiftly may be wise. In this forest of red, I'm certain that ruins will be fairly obvious, unless they are the same color as everything around us, which really wouldn't surprise me."

Questions answered, he turned to the almost completely dissipated corpse. Taking a steady stance and planting his sword in the ground, he closed his eyes and murmured: "Requiescat in pace," showing his respect for a foe that fought well.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on May 10, 2017, 07:48:46 AM
Taro somewhat disconnected himself from the rest of his team, for the first time being truly lost in thought. Taro was never a particularly battle hungry guy and if possible liked to actually avoid combat. However, at this current point he was clawing away at himself on the inside. He himself said that he was most proficient in a straight up brawl, but yet he had to worry his newfound teammates, friends he had just met, in the battle. He hated himself for troubling his friends while wishing to be the one that they could rely on. To add to that, during the fight he had to relinquish his weapon not once, but twice. A question from Calen snapped him out of his thoughts, leaving only one remaining. He had to get stronger.
"While we are here does anyone know anything about where these ruins we are looking are? Or is it a we will know them when we see them thing?"
"Hm? Sorry, regrettably I haven't had the chance to explore much of this area since coming to Vale. I think I remember something I read from a book once, but i'm not too sure."

"Requiescat in pace,"
Faintly hearing this, Taro turned his head to see Setsuna, sword stuck in the ground in front of him, whispering. Requiescat in pace? Yet another thing Taro had remembered reading about, though he wasn't quite sure of the origin of the phrase. 'Guess I'll ask him about it later.' Taro thought, returning his attention to his friends.

(OOC: So sorry for not posting, I had completely forgotten about this site, I'll try not to let it happen again. If I'm inactive for 3 or so days again, PM me.)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on May 10, 2017, 03:48:59 PM
Unlike Taro, Calen lived for the rigours of combat and even this small skirmish caused his bad mood from before to vanish. 'Well that's good to hear' Calen remarked cheerfully as no one brought up any injuries. He was a little disappointed that no one know what they were looking for though but continued his glib remarks none the less. 'I'm sure you are right Master Setsuna, I mean what are the chances someone could get lost in a forest' Calen broke into full laughter at the last line before quickly waving his hand in front of his face and apologising. 'Sorry, private joke.

Setting off in the direction their scrolls had indicated before Calen was quite for a long while simply taking in the beauty of the forest but he had grown quite curious of his team mates and was unable to fully relax without knowing a bit more about them. 'So..... how about a game of three truths and a lie to pass the time.'
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on May 10, 2017, 04:22:20 PM
Anna listened to her teammates, pulsing her semblance every now and then to see where she was going. Until, that is, Calen spoke about 'three truths and a lie' and although she didn't know exactly what that was, it didn't sound very good. Therefore, all Anna did was blush, lowering her head in order to use her hair to hide it.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on May 11, 2017, 02:02:19 AM
Setsuna was still baffled by what Calen called a "private joke", and spent considerable time turning it over in his head, before putting it aside and, now that they were moving again, started analysing his battle performance from just now. His sword swings didn't do enough to actually cripple, but it was his only option to strike quickly, while the buster sword was just too slow against several types of Grimm, though it did pack a punch. His shield...well, he'd always considered himself a balanced fighter, but all his shield did was mostly stay on his shoulder and not really block much. All this would need to be rectified, and fast.

Hearing Calen say something about "three truths and a lie" snapped Setsuna out of his trance. "Huh? Sure, give me some time to think." He pondered about it for a while, before giving up and saying: "Sorry, not too sure what I should say. Someone else go first?"
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Spoodnick on May 14, 2017, 07:46:54 AM
"Three truths and a lie, huh?" Taro asked, rubbing his chin in thought.
"Sorry, not too sure what I should say. Someone else go first?"
"Hm, yeah sure. Guess I'l go first then." Taro answered, taking a moment to ponder his four statements. Three truths and a lie. Truth be told Taro was stumped, but he figured he'd just go for something simple.
"Alright, here goes.
One, I can only control the size of inorganic matter.
Two, my favourite colour is blue.
Three, There is actually nothing special about my sword
and Four, I'm a faunus."
He listed off smiling, hoping at least one of them would guess wrong.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on May 14, 2017, 08:28:14 AM
'Well you are wearing mostly blue so it being your favourite colour is probably true, you didn't do anything special with your sword against the Beringel except for your semblance and most people would have shown most of their tricks to impress their team mates so that's also probably true.' Calen shot back quickly before taking a fair pause before answering the last two. 'Well just to keep my joke from before alive you have to be able to control organic matter with means you have to be a filthy filthy faunus'

Calen gives another slight pause before adding. 'Kidding..... Anyway how did I'll throw mine in; 1). I'm Mistali, 2). I'm an only child, 3). I didn't attend one of the preliminary combat schools, 4). I ran into a giant Nevermore on my way to Vale.'

Calen had noticed that Anna didn't seem to be really engaging with the rest of the team. Assuming it was because of an injury that she was too proud to admit to, like he himself would be, Calen started to study the quite girl carefully. His dancing around in the undergrowth as they made their way to the ruins gave him plenty of opportunities to look back on the rest of his team.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on May 14, 2017, 01:49:13 PM
Anna relaxed a bit as Taro took the potential heat to himself. Oh, so that's what it was. She should've guessed, honestly. But hey, she wasn't the one under the spotlight, so yay for that. She listened to Calen's reasoning after Taro pronounced his 3 truths and his lie. It was mostly sound.

Then Calen took his turn and, as she thought about it, she couldn't really come to a definite conclusion. They were all definite possibilities, although the Nevermore one seemed a bit far-fetched.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on May 14, 2017, 02:21:46 PM
Oh, so it's that kind of question. That clears it up. Setsuna realised. He took his time collecting his thoughts before speaking up, his eyes still scanning the forest for potential threats. "Well, you haven't shown us your semblance enough for us to conclude that matter, and you are wearing a lot of blue." Setsuna examined Taro in a bit more detail, eventually letting his gaze fall upon his sword. "And as far as I can tell from both sight and usage of your sword, that has to be true. I'm calling your bluff on being a faunus."

Setsuna then paused for a short while, considering Calen's options. He really didn't know much about the boy, apart from being a glib speaker, excellent observer and a good fighter. Both his first and second claims held water, but those were only mere conjectures. The other two, however, showed less promise. Sure, Calen could have run into a giant nevermore, but unless he had help, Setsuna doubted he could have fought and lived to tell the tale. Or maybe he was just that good. On the other hand, Calen would have had to train via an outside source if he didn't go to a prelim combat school. Unlikely...but eliminate the impossible, and whatever remained, no matter how improbable, had to be the truth. "For Calen, I'm saying you didn't run into a Nevermore. Either that, or show me your battle scars."

For him, well... "My turn. 1). My weapons were reforged twice over, 2). I got impaled by my own sword once, 3). My semblance's afterimages are just for show, and 4). One of my hobbies is to do with anything mechanical." He couldn't wait to see what his team thought of him.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on June 05, 2017, 09:31:01 AM
'I actually got away from it in pretty good shape actually, someone else was hunting it and I barely got any hits in....' Calen began, pausing as he noticed Taro staring off into the distance. Following his eye line Calen saw a ....golden bell seemingly floating in the forest. Taking a step forward for a better look Calen was caught completely unaware by the bell striking forward revealing itself to be the tip of a Death stalker's tail. Taro on the other hand did react fast enough knocking Calen out of the way and taking the blow himself.

With it's ambush sprung the large Death stalker charged the rest of team ASTC grabbing the still dazed Calen in it's claws and throwing him further into the woods. Roaring almost happily at the prospect of another meal advanced slowly on the last two members of team ASTC standing, using it's tail to upset their balance before trying to them grab with it's claws.

Death stalkers battle data
Light Tail strikes 4x5%, two at each Setsuna and Anna
Claw 2x8% Again evenly split

Calen's Battle data
Fatigue: 70%
Aura: 70%(Claw+Being thrown)

Taro's Battle data
Temporarily down
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on June 11, 2017, 08:35:30 AM
(Sorry for the stupid delay. My mind was telling me no, but my body was also telling me no.)

Anna was in the process of thinking over Setsuna's four statements when Calen started responding to the former's disbelief of an encounter with a Nevermore. She was listening when an... abnormal light? showed itself during one of her regular semblance pulses. Partly curious and partly worried, she boosted her semblance into the third phase.

She instantly recognized the chaotic jumble of movement that characterized the inside of a very specific kind of body. A Grimm's body. She almost instantly reacted, her chains dropping from her forearms to the ground as Taro tackled Calen to allow him to avoid the beast's stinger - although it wouldn't have actually done any damage because Aura.

The Grimm seemingly toyed with Calen, flinging him away like a random stuffed animal. Anna dodged the tail swing by dodging to the side while simultaneously singing her arms forward, right to within thirty centimeters of the Death Stalker's tail. The chains followed suit, quickly beginning to wrap around it. Her goal was to either get carried by the tail when it would be brought back from the deployed position it was currently in, or slice the top portion right off when it would do so.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on June 11, 2017, 10:54:53 AM
Setsuna might have been too late to block the initial sneak attack, but he moved as quickly as he could, putting his shoulder against his shield and blocking the two tail stabs, then shield-bashing the claw away, before standing protectively to the side of Anna as she threw her chains forward. He could see what she was trying to do, but if she unfortunately failed, he could quickly slice the stinger off.

Remaining in his defensive stance, he looked back over his shoulder. Taro fortunately didn't seem to have suffered any visible harm, but was unconscious on the floor. Calen, more worryingly, was nowhere to be seen. For now, he would simply have to buy time, get the Death Stalker's attention, take the hits until the remainder of his team showed up to assist him. To that extent, he spread the sword bits on his shield wide for more coverage, and dug his heels in,
bracing for any impact. It will not get to Taro or Calen, he vowed.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on June 11, 2017, 09:06:19 PM
With it's initial attacks being battered reasonably easily the Death Stalker slowed down it's assault, eyes twitching between the two students as it watched them, studied them, played with them. This pause allowed Anna's chains to take hold on the Grimm's tail as in retracted. Instead however, of bring it's tail back to it's resting position the Death Stalker dangled Anna in front of it's open maw. It's two claws then moved in to pin the huntress-in-training's shoulders making the coming bite attack almost impossible to escape from. If the chains sharped edges were doing any damage to the Grimm's tail it wasn't showing nor was Anna noticing any increased give.

Calen stood up groggily, shaking pieces of masonry out of his hair. and stumbled forward a few steps towards the new Grimm before he managed to regain himself. Not a bell. Calen thought giving a quick glance at the wall he had just been thrown into. A tail but at least I may have found the ruins His mind mostly clear Calen noticed the Death Stalkers attentions were completely focused on the other two members of his team, mostly Anna who was dangling in front of it. Using the distraction Calen launched himself forward with an application of his semblance for a long strike with his sword along the beast's underside. Sparks flared as Calen's blade was unable to find purchase although the strike did still divert the creatures attention some as it tried to stop Calen beneath it's many legs. Calen managed to dodge these, finding his rhythm once again.

Ending up on the blade side of Setsuna Calen reported. 'There are some ruins through the undergrowth behind this thing. Maybe whatever we are after is in there.' Calen coughed up a bit of dust but otherwise made himself ready to leap towards Anna  if she was unable to get herself out.

Death Stalker's Battle Data
All attacks seemed to cause minimal damage
Two claws at Anna for 8% each, if they hit grab is initiated

Calen's Battle Data
Fatigue: 65%(One Semblance use)
Aura: 70%(No changes)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on June 12, 2017, 06:01:24 AM
As the Deathstalker didn't retract its tail, Anna knew what was coming. Or, well, that much made sense, anyway. She barely had the time to swing her legs up and wrap herself around the tail before the claws swung past. Well now, this was a rather precarious situation. While keeping her hold of the tail, she made sure the chains had at least one turn around the stinger's articulation before pulling as hard as she could.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on June 12, 2017, 07:48:31 AM
Seeing Anna swing clear of the danger that was the Death Stalker's claws, Setsuna gave a small sigh of relief, before switching his mindset over to a more offensive approach. Hoping Anna would occupy the stinger, he reformed his sword into buster form, hoping that the extra strength would be able to do something to the armor of the beast.

Suddenly hearing Calen's voice made him flinch a bit, before processing what exactly he was saying. "Well, I guess this thing's the guardian of the ruins." he commented idly, looking for any chinks in the bone-white armor. "Calen, can you distract and possibly cripple it? Without Taro's Semblance, my buster sword's the next best option for breaking that armor and chopping it's claws off." He raised his sword high over his right shoulder, channeling his aura into his arm, then bringing it down as hard and fast as he was able, aiming directly for the plate armor in the centre of the head.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on June 12, 2017, 11:10:20 PM
As Anna's chains tightened around the Death Stalkers tail sounds of buckling plates could be heard and the Grimm went into a rage. Smashing Anna into the ground repeatably as it whipped it's tail side to side.

Calen bristled at the idea of taking suggestions from basically a stranger so he turned back his head to face Setsuna and sardonically replied. 'Sure right away boss.' Before launching forward and extending his weapon out into it's glaive form. Vaulting over one claw Calen made himself a seemingly easy target for the Grimm's other claw leaving the creature's face open for Setsuna's strike. Dodging the claw with another application of his semblance Calen shot forward through the air giving Anna a small window to jump off relatively safely if she would take it.

The Death Stalker reeled at Setsuna's heavy blow, leaving a heavy indent and black ichor flowing from the wound. Quickly moving it's claws to cover it's face the Grimm tried to blindly stomp Setsuna while he still remained under it.

Death Stalker's Battle Data
Armour has been breached in some places but little true damage has been done
6% Smash attacks at Anna, it'll get three off before Setsuna's strike hits home
4% Stomps to Setsuna, around five or six strikes but some will go wide due to the blind nature of the attack

Calen's Battle Data
Fatigue: 60%(One Semblance use)
Aura: 70%(No changes)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on June 13, 2017, 10:06:59 AM
Anna felt the... well, not chitin, but whatever the scorpion's carapace was made out of, start to give a bit. A little more and that stinger would no longer be a problem.

The the damn thing started trying to smash it on the floor. She began repositioning herself on the other side of the tail - where she's be fine - but wasn't able to do it quickly enough to avoid all damage and wound up getting smushed. After that, she avoided further damage while using the tail's sudden jerks to force the chains further between the plates.

Please, let this end quickly before the headache sets in.

(Aura: 94%)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on June 13, 2017, 10:57:58 AM
Setsuna would honestly had laughed if he was a spectator watching this fight unfold: the Death Stalker was basically tap dancing. With all of its legs, no less. Unfortunately, he had no such leisure as two of said legs smacked him straight in the chest, sending him stumbling back a few paces, away from any other hits. Luckily it didn't wind him so he pulled his arm back for another aura-charged smash, at the same location where the last strike hit. The armor seemed to be worse for wear, and this should do some good damage to the beast.

(Aura: 76%)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on June 13, 2017, 05:38:32 PM
Shielding it's face with it's claws Setsuna's second strike bounced off the Death Stalker's hardened chitin, the Grimm then tried to swipe the shieldsman away. Anna on the other hand had, possibly, a far worse time of it. Her chains had made measurable progress, through the first layer of plates but this ends up creating a vice like hold as the tail moves. Coiling it's tail so the huntress-in-training is held in place the Death Stalker deciding to cut it's loses and retreat back into it's cavern below. Although it moved quickly it's path was obvious and they would be able to follow it easily. That is until it found what it was looking for, an upward opening in the cave below. Leaping down, trusting it's armour and strange body to survive the fall.

Calen, who had landed behind the Death Stalker after Anna decided to stay on, braced himself for the Death Stalker's retreat. Using the ground as additional hold he tried to resist the coming storm of claws and fangs to no avail. Being able to slip under it's shielding claws Calen managed to get at one of the beast's eye before being trampled. Slow to his feat Calen could only watch dazed as the Death Stalker vanished from sight, maybe or maybe not carrying Anna.

Death Stalker's Battle Data
Noticeable wounds have been dealt although the creature is still at full, minus one eye, fighting capacity
4% Lazy swipe at Setsuna, it's more to push you away than deal damage
6% Trample on Calen
10% Super smash if Anna remains trapped on the tail as the Death Stalker will smash you on the ground as it falls.

Calen's Battle Data
Fatigue: 60%(No changes)
Aura: 64%(Lightly Trampled)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on June 13, 2017, 08:41:42 PM
Anna, well, "saw" the Death Stalker start to wind up its tail. Again, she changed position around the tail, avoiding getting caught in the coiling menace.

Her chains, however, were still firmly holding on and, for all intents and purposes, were also nigh-unremovable at this juncture. Now that it was merely trekking, she didn't waste time, Cranking her semblance down a notch because fuck headaches, she rapidly rummaged through her small bag with one hand while holding both chains with the other.

Taking out two knives, she examined the damage and her options. The chains were tightly wound, so getting one of the pointy utensils in there was a no-no. She did, however, have an idea.

Passing one of the knives through both chains, she quickly looked for the weak spot created by Stsuna's previous strike. Then everything went dark.

Crap. She knew what was coming. Working her semblance at full power again to be able to see well in the pitch black surroundings lit only by the Grimm's red bits, she loaded a kinetic canister in each knife. She stabbed the first one in the weak point, nudging it in a slight crack. She wasn't really sure that did any damage, though.

After that, she scampered back to the tail and took out yet another knife, which she also loaded with a kinetic capsule. Holding it in one hand and grabbing the one inserted into the chains' links with the other, she pointed them upwards before holding both knives with her left hand. She made sure to have a death grip on those, as it'd be essential for the next step.

She then flicked open the device on her belt and waited for the beast.

Ah. There it was. A big load of nothing came into her field of vision, and relativity took her for a ride as she sped down the hole - or was the hole speeding past her? She honestly couldn't tell.

The moment the hole ended - floor came into viewing distance - she activated the transmitter, detonating the Dust capsules. Her plan was to genuinely punch a hole through the weakness made by Setsuna, sever the tail's end and slow her descent to a grinding halt, all at the same time.

She didn't know if any of that would remotely work.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on June 14, 2017, 01:42:34 AM
As Setsuna's sword bounced off the claw's armor, the recoil of the hit plus the claw moving in to smack him in the face made him decide to drop the sword, which shattered into it's respective pieces upon hitting the floor. He then blocked the claw with his shield with considerable effort, sending him sliding back a few steps, only for the Death Stalker to retreat to what might have been it's den, Anna in tow.

Decisions needed to be made, and now. There was no way Setsuna was just going to let it get away with Anna. On the other hand, he had no idea what he was jumping into, and if there even was a way out. However, saving people came before his own safety. Picking up his sword and storing it on his waist, he picked up two of the longest sword bits and reattached the rest where they belonged, before utilising his Semblance and surging past a dazed Calen, leaping into the hole in hot pursuit of the beast.

Using a similar technique to how he landed, both blades stabbed into the wall and slowing his descent, he could barely see anything apart from the glowing stinger and the 10 red eyes of the Grimm. He couldn't see Anna, but he could see a knife lodged in some armor. No matter, he jumped off the wall, landing on the Grimm carapace mid-fall, and started slashing whatever he could touch, attempting to distract the Death Stalker long enough for whatever Anna had planned to work. It didn't matter if all he was hitting was armor.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on June 14, 2017, 02:45:22 AM
Anna's kinetic dust knives end up doing serious damage to the Death Stalker. The one at it's head flakes the armoured plate straight off leaving a very vulnerable point on the creatures armour. The one on it's tail manages to blast away the partially broken plates trapping her chains. Black ichor starts leaking out of both wounds signalling that at least one part of the tail was now vulnerable to attack. Screaming at the pain inflicted the Death Stalker rolled into the darkness, shaking off Setsuna and his heavy but not truly damaging attacks. The creature then fled into the darkness, leaving a cloud of dust but when that passed other groups of red eyes could be seen around the cave walls. For now they held back seeing if these hunters-in-training would fall prey to the other dangers first.

Setsuna rushing past him shock Calen out of his stupor and he made a split second decision to bring Taro down into the caverns with them rather than leave him up there alone in the Grimm infested wilds. While falling Calen managed to catch sight of Anna who had been blasted free of the Death Stalker by her own daggers. Catching her just before all three collided into the cold cold hard ground Calen had to dig deep into his semblance to halt their velocity in time.

'I wouldn't suppose anyone brought a torch?' Calen's voice rang out through the darkness, strained humour straining further still as it echoed accompanied by the never ceasing sound of scuttling coming from all around them.

Death Stalker's Battle Data
Although little damage was caused to the Death Stalker itself, it's defences won't be as substantial next time.... if you survive that long.
No attacks made by the Death Stalker this post

Calen's Battle Data
Fatigue: 45%(One application affecting three people)
Aura: 64%(No Changes)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 14, 2017, 03:25:51 PM
(Hey, look! I totally failed to realize it was my turn to post! *cringe smile*)

Oh. Neat. This had almost gone as planned, which was pretty stunning in and of itself. Taking a breather and vaguely waving a thanks to Calen, she throttled back her semblance to null, taking the opportunity implied by the somewhat panicked screeching that was moving further and further away.

When Calen spoke up about a torch, which was probably an attempt at humour that Anna didn't bother to try and actually decode, she took out her scroll from her pocket and gently threw it towards the source of the voice. A bit too spot-on, mind you, as even if she wasn't looking, it was aimed right at his head. She then started to gather back up her chains around her forearms, relaxing in the meantime.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 20, 2017, 05:47:26 PM
Spoiler: ShowHide

You're not the only one in that boat, Nathan. A thousand apologies. Let's get this show on the road.


The ground was much closer than what Setsuna had expected, causing him to be completely unprepared when the Grimm shook him off. Landing on the floor with the air knocked out of him, he lay there looking at pitch darkness, breathing heavily in an attempt to regain his footing. While he was doing so, however, a dim flash of red caught his attention, and instinct kicked in, groping for his weapons. Thankfully, they were both close by, and he staggered to his feet, trying to find his teammates. "Guys? There's more than just us in these caves. Where are you two anyway?" he called toward Calen's voice.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 20, 2017, 08:14:54 PM
It's cool guys I love you all anyway.

Unable to operate as well Anna in the dark Calen had to rely on his aural danger sense to feel the scroll being thrown towards him. One arm still holding up Taro and tired from the battles topside Calen put on quite the dance failing to catch the scroll and instead juggling it a few time before finally getting a tight hold of it. Taking small solace in the fact that no one could possible see him Calen quickly turned on the scroll and used it’s artificial light to illuminate their surroundings revealing that the team was trapped in a large cavern with two exits, one the Death Stalker must have fled through.

Indignant over the incident with the scroll as well as Setsuna ordering him around before Calen’s limited self-control broke and he responded to his leader’s comments with more venom and volume than that would be appropriate. ’Of course we aren’t alone you followed a grimm into this cavern in the first place you little…’ Calen’s tirade was cut short by being lunged at by one of the smaller grimm. Both arms occupied Calen had to  make do with a series of sharp kicks to dispatch his new foe. The light had seemed to send the grimm into a frenzy and they began throwing themselves at the hunters-in-training. They are small death stalkers , weak and seemingly without number but are charging straight towards Calen whose kicks will only be able to deal with a few at a time.

’I vote for the way papa grimm didn’t go.’ Calen remarked through gritted teeth as he backed off in that direction. Aware how low his aura and how tired he was Calen fell back on a more practical fighting style, losing all of his grace and dance like movements for pure savagery and speed.

Grimm Battle Data
Grimm killed 1/lots
They will go down in one or two light swings so feel free to have your trailer moments

Calen’s Battle Data
Fatigue: 45%(No change)
Aura: 64%(No change)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 21, 2017, 04:33:55 AM
Anna honestly hadn't been expecting this. When a screeching sound, accompanied by struggling ones, came to her ears from Calen's position, she ratcheted her semblance straight into third gear and let loose her chains. After 'carefully' analyzing the situation, she started swinging her chains in large circles around her teammates, putting as much power in it as she could. She'd just follow them anyway with the way she was handling the Grimm, so she didn't really pay attention to the ongoing discussion(s).

...Though, to be honest, she was too busy resting before the Grimm jumped Calen to have listened to much of what they were saying at that time, either.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 21, 2017, 07:07:21 AM
"What, did you expect me to just let that thing go with Anna? I'm not about to make it two members down, dammit!" Setsuna protested in self-defense of his actions, using his shield to smack any Grimm out of his path, making his way back toward the group. Once regrouped, he drew two of the shortest bits and started stabbing away at anything in reach. He could tell Calen was ticked off, and his words did ring true; jumping into a cave wasn't one of his best ideas, so he silently accepted defeat and mentally prepared for any abuse that might be thrown his way.

It didn't take a scroll to tell that Calen was lagging in both aura and fatigue. Carrying two people plus himself must have put significant strain on his body. With that in mind, he hastily formulated a plan. "We need to get out of this. When we move, and hopefully soon, I'll take over carrying Taro, and try to clear a path via my semblance. Aye or nay?" he shouted over the noise, mainly at Calen as he didn't feel right ordering people around who didn't like being told what to do.

(Grimm killed: barely enough to hold their ground)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 21, 2017, 07:49:09 AM
'No you're right it's far better to leave someone unconscious, in Grimm infested wilds, did you even look what I was doing? What if I was already jumping down as well?' Calen continued, he would have kept going but he could tell Setsuna wasn't going to defend himself more so in a huff took out his frustrations on a near by Grimm. Getting some serious height on the kick was enough to, a bit temporally, lighten Calen's mood and only made a slight quip as he made his way over to Setsuna to pass Taro off to his leader. 'You can take my pack to if you want?'

Finally drawing his sword Calen could actually go to town on the oncoming hoard of Grimm, those who got passed Anna anyway. Quickly realising it was the light that the monsters were aiming for Calen didn't deactivate the scroll but instead used it to bait the small Grimm into easy chopping angles and slowly began to move back into his more graceful styles of fighting. Taking a few nicks Calen still managed to put down a fair number of the scorpions while slowly making his way towards one of the exits, being aware to give Setsuna an open line for when he decides to power up.

Throughout all of this the Grimm continue their mindless frenzy, only really attacking the hunters-in-training if they get between the creatures and the light and even then it's more to push them out of the way. For every one which the team puts down another seems to be already advancing and the air is becoming thick with the smoke of dissolving Grimm.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 22, 2017, 10:56:01 AM
Anna just continued mauling dozen after dozen of the tiny buggers. Their movements seemed a bit odd - not going exactly towards them - but that was the only abnormal thing she noticed. Seeing as Calen had her back, she throttled down her semblance a bit, pulsing from second to third stage every so often to keep on top of the situation.

Besides, laying waste to the enemy like this was incredibly exhilarating in its own special, perhaps twisted way.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 22, 2017, 06:33:01 PM
Setsuna deflected Calen's quip with a slight wave of his hand, the other already holding up Taro. Man was he heavy. Feeling a slight twinge of respect for Calen being able to carry three people down with his semblance, there was no way that he couldn't at least keep Taro safe. Pulling his sword out from it's place on his hip, he shuffled the deadweight on his left shoulder and charged up, ready to rush straight in and wipe the path clean. "When I go pink-reddish, wait for me to clear the path, then rush through the gap. I'll stay behind you guys and cover your backside, since Calen has the light."

He stayed still for a few more moments, then abruptly surged forward, his body and aura turning the aforementioned color, disemboweling everything that jumped in his face with his increased speed. He wasn't sure if the light coming from his body was attracting the Grimm; if it was, he was a better target, thus hopefully keeping the others safe. Slicing through even more of the endless horde, he hoped the others were already moving so he could retreat safely.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 23, 2017, 02:40:32 AM
Calen barely looked up when Setsuna raced off and instead kept himself busy by slowly advancing alone the path his leader had created trying to keep it clear. Getting more and more into his rhythm Calen made mincemeat out of his opponents with a lethal dance of quick strikes and graceful foot work. Setsuna’s rush had other affects to, splitting the Grimm lines created the illusion that the hoard was decreasing. Some Grimm did turn their attention to Setsuna as the light caused by his semblance drew them in but not enough to seriously lessen the hoard.

With light sources moving closer and closer to the exit tunnel seemed to narrow substantially and it looks like further along the hunters-in-training would have to crouch to get through it. Also as the team got closer, evidence of past human inhabitation becomes apparent with ruined foundations sticking out of the walls and ground too precisely carved to be natural. Even wall paintings telling the fall of the settlement which before were discounted as odd colouring of the rock became apparent.

A mistake with his footing on the uneven ground almost sent Calen scrambling on the floor but swinging his arms to maintain balance did cause Anna’s scroll to collide with a Grimm sending it flying towards Setsuna or more accurately the Grimm swarming Setsuna. It was still functional upon landing but wouldn’t stay that way for long if the mini-Death Stalkers had their way with it.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 23, 2017, 09:17:11 AM
Anna  vaguely nodded an acknowledgment at Setsuna's plan before focusing on whatever Grimm would come from behind, mauling dozens upon dozens of the damned things with every swing. As she crouched to get into the tunnel, still spinning her myriad blades with gleeful abandon, she noticed her scroll was sent flying. Well, it wasn't like she actually used the thing, anyway. Still, she'd prefer to get to it before it became unusable.

...Not like she could speed up at the moment, though.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 23, 2017, 09:40:11 AM
Gritting his teeth at the physical strain, Setsuna spun around in a glowing circle of death, every movement leaving glowing afterimages that would be disorienting to any viewer, his blade swirling and dancing in and out. This couldn't last for long, though--his left shoulder was screaming under the weight of both his shield and his unconscious teammate.

It really didn't help when the sole source of light was sent flying toward him, undoubtedly portraying him as a tasty snack. Groaning inwardly, he made an attempt to kick the scroll away, while backing up under the pressure of the overwhelming horde, still avoiding the chains that Anna seemed to be flinging around, and keeping more of those things off him in an endless repetition of swish-swish-stab. He was aiming to eventually deliver both his load and the scroll (hopefully still functional) through the tunnel while simultaneously keeping himself safe. Much, much easier said than done.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 23, 2017, 06:47:15 PM
Even though his aura prevent any real damage to the ankle Calen still had to bite back a curse as the pain rocketed through his leg. Stumbling forward Calen saw the scroll go flying and leaped forward with his semblance to intercept the still mostly functioning device. The light seemed to flicker randomly as if some of the internal cabling had become loose. Making his way over to Setsuna because Calen knew his team mate's semblance had to be running out soon and Anna seemed to be doing fine by herself. Team ASTC was making reasonable progress and had gotten to the mouth of the tunnel and it was quickly getting tighter, only able to go through one at a time. The good news was that the Grimm swarm was only coming from one direction and being funnelled into the tunnel made them easier to deal with.

Grunting in annoyance as part of his suit was caught an exposed piece of masonry Calen smashed the closest Grimm into the wall and the entire cavern shook with small pieces of debris crashing down. Not enough to cause damage to the hunters-in-training but the falling dust(normal dust not explosive dust) clouds did disguise the students some what and the Grimm hoard started to slow; the light being filtered through the cloud was harder to track, the debris which couldn't hurt the students could hurt them and their simply wasn't as many as before. With the passage where the hunters-in-training would have to crawl through coming up the respite would be valuable as who knows what else is waiting in the caverns below.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 24, 2017, 07:30:32 AM
Anna continued swinging her chains, though as she got closer to the tunnel's mouth, she switched from her more normal horizontal slashes to slightly helicoidal ones, which became gradually even more pronounced. There was so much things being shredded and flung about, it was insane.

She waited until all her teammates made it through the tunnel safely before giving one final big swing and lunging in herself, her chains trailing behind her.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 24, 2017, 08:02:46 AM
Geez, Anna really needed to rope in her tendencies to fling that chain around like a maniac. Using the cover provided by her wide swipes, he lowered Taro from his shoulder and edged him inside, before dropping to his knees and crawling through himself. Once Anna was through as well, he dropped his semblance and promptly collapsed on the floor, gasping for air like he'd just been drowned. His sight was blurry, he was dripping sweat from that engagement, and his shoulder was literally on fire. Despite this, he started edging forward at a snail's pace, knowing Anna was behind him. He had to fight the urge to just conk out though.

(Fatigue: 65% from fighting and carrying an extra person--will visibly be struggling for the next few posts)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 24, 2017, 09:33:24 PM
Initially wanting to go through the tunnel last because his semblance would allow him to slip through quickly but Calen saw that Anna was having her.... fun and decided to crawl in after Setsuna. Patting his leader on the back as he collapsed in front of him for encouragement and a genuine show of respect Calen sheathed his weapons and heaved both downed team members on to a shoulder each. Looking around at the new cavern it was substantially different than the last. It had clearly less Grimm traffic with the evidence of human in habitation being far more prominent, with if not intact reasonably structurally secure buildings still crowding the cave floor. Deciding on a building near by to hold up and rest, as much for himself as his teammate although Calen of course would never admit to that.

With the buildings more intact small evidences of home life came into view, small statues which could be anything from garden gnomes to shrines, tattered remains of curtains and sheets  and even children toys lying scattered around. Another thing that quickly became apparent was as the team moved further into the caves the air was getting staler, not enough to cause serious concern but a constant pressure on particularly Setuna's and Calen's lungs as they tried to recover from the fights above.

Most of the Grimm swarm didn't follow the hunters-in-training and the whole caves went strangely quite, a dripping of a liquid far too thick to be water echoed through out the area. Half collapsing into a heap Calen none to gentle dumped whoever he was carrying on the ground and waited until Anna caught up.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 25, 2017, 10:19:19 AM
When Anna made it safely past the tunnel, she took precautionary measures. Pulling a knife from her sash and inserting an Ice Dust phial, she threw it at the entrance, creating a thick wall of ice that completely sealed it.

She then throttled down her semblance to first stage, sat down besides the wall and started digging out her knife with another one, chipping away at the block she'd just created. "I'll be with you guys in a bit, just need to... relax a bit..."

The pain was on the verge of starting, she could feel it. She'd need to rest for several minutes, if not outright half an hour or more before feeling refreshed.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 25, 2017, 07:01:24 PM
Powerless to do more than moan something illegible and shift slightly, Setsuna lay like a sack of limp potatoes on Calen's shoulder, still feeling drained yet grateful to Calen for his kind gesture. That view was slightly lessened when he landed on the floor, eliciting a sharp gasp of pain. Nevertheless, he lay on the floor, both thankful for the respite but also struggling to breath in enough air.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 25, 2017, 09:10:13 PM
After a few moments on his back starring aimlessly at the roof Calen sat up, closed his eyes and tried to meditate. Taking in the stale air Calen calmed down his breathing but he could never truly relax, the horrors of what must have happened here played out in his mind as he took ques from the claw marks and ruined walls. It got to the point where the stories in his mind forced Calen to choke back a scream. Stumbling to his feat Calen kept his face down cast so no one could see his tears and slung off his pack. Reaching inside, the boy took out two pastries and some water and passed them gently to his downed team mates. The pastries were soft enough, slightly warm, to be easily bitten through but still not doughy enough to be a trouble chewing and full of enough honey, nuts and dried fruit to give his team mates a bit of an energy boost.

In an attempt to keep his mind busy Calen continued walking about, leaving the light by Setsuna as he didn't want to see any more of the ruins. Although the swarm had stopped there was still danger around. Medium sized death stalkers roamed around the ruins but them seemed strangely passive even around light compared to mindless swarms in the previous cavern. They would still attack if they caught one of the students but the ruins are so large and the Grimm so few that simply staying still would likely avoid most of them. Of course Calen wasn't staying still but a fight would be the best way to get his mind off the death soaked ruins around him. The sounds of fighting, metal on chitin and chitin on stone soon spread through the cavern as Calen made slowly growing circles around his two resting team mates.

Building a map of the area in his mind Calen started to notice that a lot of the building seemed to have sealed doors in the floor, some even have remained sealed. More to keep himself busy after a lull in Grimm activity Calen decided to report back and check on his team mates.

(This came up in the staff chat about darker elements being used in threads. I promise it, in my opinion, won't be anything too gruesome and definitely won't be gory but if either of you don't like how the thread is developing please just say so and I can cut the rest out.)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 26, 2017, 06:02:07 AM
(Mate, I draw the line at rape. It's fine, I tells ya)

After five-odd minutes, Anna successfully pulled her knife out of the ice. After putting both weapons back in her sash, she slowly, gently rolled up her chains around her forearms, ensuring that they were tight and taught before getting up, flashing her semblance's second stage and walking over to the light.

The headache wasn't showing its face yet, and she hoped it'd stay that way.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 26, 2017, 06:16:10 AM
Pulling himself into a sitting position, Setsuna nibbled at the pastry. It was fantastic, full of sugary goodness--just the thing he needed after that brutal stretch. While not fully recuperated, he was able to look around and see more than just a blurry canvas of color. Only then did he notice the wall paintings, signs of civilisation and carvings. They had to be old since he hadn't heard mention of the Forever Fall forest being home to anything but Grimm. It also didn't take a genius to realise what had happened to the previous residents.

With both teammates converging on his position, Setsuna decided to take a step back (well, mentally) and assess the situation. "Regarding our original mission," he spoke, his voice raspy from dehydration, "I think we've found the ruins. However, seeing as we're one man down, we should finish this as soon as possible and seek medical assistance." His expression starting to fill with worry, he glanced at the unconscious Taro. "Can we do anything to help him right now?"
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 26, 2017, 08:06:58 AM
'I could make a tea or a salve which should help. I gathered the herbs while looking for you guys before and there is plenty of scrap for a fire but I don't think that's a good idea given how stuffy the cave is already.' Calen remarked flippantly as he dusted himself off and otherwise straightened out his appearance. 'So as I see it we have two options; we could keep moving on and hope we either complete the mission or get to an evacuation point before before Taro expires or we might be able to find some supplies in town. I felt some hatches in the floors, might be worth checking out if we are sticking around. Calen continued, his tone only getting more and more grating. Although Calen knew no damage could have been done to the suit through his aura but he still spent a lot of time looking over the suit making sure the buttons and stitching was all still immaculate to enhance his smug aura.

Taro was stable, falling poorly on a rock had knocked him out and as long as he had air to breath he should be fine. Brain trauma is difficult to scale with an unconscious person but there was no reason to think Taro couldn't recover at any moment. Remaining standing Calen leans on his weapon in it's glaive form and made a subtle show of being frustrated at how long his team was  taking to make a decision.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 26, 2017, 08:41:34 AM
Anna arrived besides her teammates and unceremoniously sat down next to them, her eyes closed out of temporary exhaustion - not that anybody could've told, since her hair was in front of her face. After hearing both (conscious) people speak, she said "I can check him for bleeding and internal injuries.", simultaneously raising her right hand. If he was alright, they'd probably have to get him airlifted out as soon as possible, since lugging a person around was kind of a bad idea.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 26, 2017, 08:52:48 AM
"Do that, Anna," Setsuna decided, "and thanks. In the meanwhile, Calen, let's go look at those hatches you mentioned." Choosing to ignore and clear Calen's frustration of impatience since a argument was the last thing they needed, he staggered to his feet with the help of his sword. "I don't think we can take on any proper fights while simultaneously protecting Taro, but we do need this mission. If there's nothing doing in the hatches, let's evacuate. Otherwise, we'll get what we can find and scram anyway." He gestured toward the darkness with his sword. "Lead the way, please."
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 26, 2017, 07:52:59 PM
'I don't think he's bleeding, we would have noticed by now.' Calen interrupted, shrugging as he walked off. Taking the light with him Calen then lead Setsuna to the closest hatch, keeping his head downcast as they walked throughout the ruins. Trying to maintain an air of nonchalance Calen began to make small talk with his team mate as they picked their way through the ruins. 'Not how you thought the first mission would go Master Antiqua?'

Bathing one of the hatches in light it become very apparent that time had not been kind. The wood had rotten, the metal had rusted over and some debris had fallen on the door holding it closed. The added leverage of being top side made both students able to shift the heavy rocks and bust through the hatch if they worked together and Calen shined the light down. The smell was intense and putrid, of death and long decayed flesh. Barely managing to resist gagging Calen gave Setsuna a forced smile and quipped before jumping down. 'Well maybe no one is home.'

Two bodies remained mostly intact, without insects or other carrion to breakdown  their flesh they remained in a horrific embrace. Other bones were littered around the room with dark discolourations on the floor, walls and even roof too random to be paint. Calen's mind immediately went on the defensive 'Oh hi Mr and Mrs Henderson I hope you don't mind us coming over so late, we've caught ourselves in a spot of bother and hoping you could help us out. What's yours is ours? So kind, we will be sure to repay you later.' Calen joked as he set the light up on a high point, managing to hide the two intact bodies in shadow before turning to search through the cupboards. As expected anything with a nutritional value was gone there still might be medical supplies somewhere.

Comparatively topside Anna 'looked' over Taro and did in fact find tell tale traces of blood coming from his nose but at least some of his aura remained. More troubling however was how limp the boy was and how he showed no signs of regaining consciousness. The noise Anna's team mate were making was attracting some attention but nothing the huntress-in-training couldn't deal with. Emerging from the darkness with it's tail fully coiled the medium sized deathstalker approached using the remains of a wall to hide the majority of it's body. Suddenly  the tail extended and tried to sting the conscious student from it's hiding place.

Grimm's Battle Data
Stinger 4%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 27, 2017, 09:23:28 AM
As Anna ratcheted her semblance into third gear again, she quickly examined Taro's body. All blood flow seemed to be normal, there weren't any anomalies, apart from what could be interpreted as a few coagulations spots. Basically, he seemed to have fainted for no reason, as far as she could tell.

Right before she turned her semblance off to rest a bit more, a Deathstalker seemed to think it was a good idea to hunt the Huntress. ...In training, but that wasn't the point here.

Anna more or less nonchalantly threw out her arm, letting her chain spring out and coil around the incoming stinger, all the while lowering herself onto her back without moving from her prone position. Question now was, should she just pull and slice its stinger right off, or use the grip she had to shove knives into its face?

Nah, let's just cut the stinger off for now.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 27, 2017, 06:56:07 PM
Setsuna had to force what he hoped looked like a smile onto his face trying to reply to Calen."Yeah, well, let's just say it's gone from a mission to a bug-exterminating session." He eventually chose to return quip with quip, trying to keep his mood up. It wasn't easy, seeing the remains of the civilisation driven to ruins by the Grimm once again.

Shoving the debris out of the way, Setsuna pocketed a palm-sized slab of rock. Never knew when these would come in handy, right? His train of thought was cut short by a repulsive smell. Scrunching his face up, he followed Calen down the hatch and looked up to see two corpses, still linked together even in death. Hearing Calen simply dismiss the deaths seemingly so lightly, his face darkened and he had to turn away to attempt to hide his sudden mood shift, which was now seized with anger mainly at the Grimm, but also a small portion directed at Calen for just shrugging it off.

Trying to conceal his emotions, he set to arranging the corpses as best he could, covering them with a nearby blanket and laying them to rest. When he was done, he set off in a different direction than Calen. He needed time alone.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 27, 2017, 09:26:40 PM
As Setsuna approached the two intact bodies he would notice a few oddities. The smaller body had something shiny in it's hand, a small metallic object rusted or otherwise turned red, probably a dagger or knife while the larger body whose arms further away looked protective seemed locked far to tightly around the smaller one's neck. Despite being protected from creatures down in the basement both bodies had still lost all their moisture making moving them far more likely to snap off whatever part of them is being pulled unless Setsuna is very careful. The basement isn't particularly large but there was a few alcoves which he could check away from Calen fruitlessly scours his side of the room.

The stinger reached just above Taro's resting head before Anna's chains sliced through it's chitin. Letting loose a piercing shriek as it's stinger was cut off the Death Stalker desperately tried to flee, crashing into wall as it went. It's cries did not go unnoticed however and soon their cave once again became alive with the sounds of scuttling converging generally on the students. Anna's finely tuned senses also started to pick up a slight clinking noise, almost like claws on ice.

Searching through the containers Setusna did manage to find what looked like it could have been medicine. Processed, it didn't look much different than similar treatments would look like from your local Vale pharmacist only different colours. The label read it as a stimulant nasal spray, only recommending a few squeezes a day. No expiry date was on the medicine which is unusual but it was probably better than nothing. Both of the students would hear the Grimm's cry and it caused Calen to drop what he was holding in his hands, a cleave caked heavily worn with rust and covered with the unmistakable colour of dried blood.

'Where I come from funerals are marked with songs and drink, which we don't have time for now. If you have anything you want to say we can wait but I feel like there isn't anything here and we better be moving on.' Calen explained turning serious for a moment as he gathering the light and made his way to the exit.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 28, 2017, 05:54:51 AM
Oh great, now there was scuttling everywhere. No matter, she'd cut however many limbs off the things as she needed to make them understand that they were asking for death.

She quickly - and, as much as possible, quietly - gathered her chains back around her forearms before sitting down again and deactivating her semblance, only pulsing its third stage when sounds came too close for comfort.

Please let this not end with a headache.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 28, 2017, 08:08:58 AM
Returning to the main room, and also picking up both the medicine and the metal object, Setsuna caught what Calen was saying, and gave it some thought, before shaking his head. "No, you're right. Better to keep moving forward."

While his senses weren't nearly as sharp as Anna's, he still heard the shriek as something got sliced off and the recipient crashed into a wall. "Crap. More Grimm? We better find a way out fast." he said, drawing his sword--and coming up empty. Wait, what? Only then did he remember his sword's resting place, near where he was unceremoniously dumped on the floor. Heaving a sigh, he detached two different lengths of sword bits and put them together. Poor substitute, but it would have to do. "Let's move."
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 29, 2017, 04:21:44 AM
Rigor mortis had long set in and the grip of the smaller intact body was still tight meaning that if Setsuna did want to take the knife he would have pry open the fingers which would likely snap given how dry they are. Calen on the other hand was in a rush to get out and quickly leaped through the trap door back out into the cave and stood guard until his leader got out. They weren't far from Anna but already a small group of death stalkers where closing in, spread out in a rough semi-circle away from their team mate advancing slowly.

Some disturbance off in the far end of the cave caused Anna to pulse her semblance revealing a trio of Death Stalkers crawling through the ruined rafters to attack the huntress-in-training from above. Other Grimm where approaching the house seemingly trying to drive the students together.

Finally getting a good look of the ruins for the first time thanks to the light Calen noticed a mostly intact building at the opposite end of the cave where the Grimm seemed to be spilling out of. Pointing over to his discovery Calen called out. 'If they are coming out of there, there might be a way through. That or I hope your sword makes a good ice pick.' Finally turning to face his team mate Calen did notice that Setsuna didn't have his sword with him, grimacing Calen extends his weapon into it's glaive form to give Setsuna a boost getting out. Deciding not to risk using his knives were he might not be able to reclaim them the boy then backed away from the Grimm heading back to Anna.

Anna on the other hand had to deal with a much more immediate threat with the Death Stalkers dropping down from the roof. Two rushed the blind girl but one tried to grab at Taro pulling into the darkness. More of the creatures enter the room with an almost ordered beat swarming the unfortunate girl.

Battle Data
2x3% Death Stalkers charging Anna
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 29, 2017, 03:26:12 PM
Anna first pulsed her semblance, analyzed the situation briefly, and quickly took out about 3 knives, shoved Ice capsules into them, and threw them at the openings, hoping to delay the flood. She also drew two knives, loaded them with Fire Dust and propelled them towards the Deathstalkers that were currently in mid-air, rolled to the side while taking Taro with her and whipped a chain at the untouched Stalker's face.

And yes, the chains did make a cracking sound.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 29, 2017, 07:39:58 PM
Setsuna started backing up toward where Anna and his sword lay, temporary sword held in a defensive stance in case any Grimm got the idea in their heads to make a suicide jump. Preferably he'd use his semblance, but he doubted that it would last for long before he would collapse. Instead, he took his shield off the holder on his shoulder and continued steadily moving toward Anna.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 29, 2017, 10:57:19 PM
The clicking of the Death Stalkers took on an most annoyed tone as Anna started to seal up their entrances. Leaving two of her prey as flaming husks as the daggers found their mark the huntress-in-training found herself pulled back as the surviving member of the trio of Death Stalkers grabbed the chain flung it's way. Hoping to take advantage of the students compromised position the rest of the Grimm scuttled forward in two, well claws, aiming to flank. Although the Grimm's focus was clearly on Anna they did aim for her grip holding Taro and pull the unconscious student into the shadows as they advanced on the girl.

Setsuna and Calen did have few Grimm to get through before they reached their team mate. Calen focusing more on speed than extermination only struck down the scorpions directly in his way or stunning those attacking him with quick ripostes. This left most of the swarm for Setsuna as his team mate simply running regardless how far his leader got behind. Regardless Calen did account for himself reasonably well, his experiences walking around before without a light had hinted at the better hiding spots as these Grimm seemed to use the same ambush points.

The chipping of claws on ice got louder and louder reminding the students that the swarm from before hadn't forgotten about them. As all this is going on Anna's scroll, which was still with Calen started giving off static as if it was receiving a call but was just out of reception. The damage it took when Calen dropped it wasn't helping but at this stage he was more focused on getting to Anna before they lost another team member. And get there they did, arriving just in time to she the blind girl get swarmed again by another wave of three Death Stalkers.

Grimm Battle Data
4x2% Flurry of claws at Anna as the swarm closes in.
2x4% Stings at Setsuna and Calen as they run past

Calen's Battle Data

Aura: 60%(One Sting connected)
Fatigue: 45%(No change)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 30, 2017, 06:19:40 PM
Anna felt satisfied at what she'd done so far, which did succeed in buying her some time, but since dividing a very large number by 3 still yielded a considerably big number, the impact was minimal.

While a Deathstalker was trying to pull Anna back, she grabbed a knife and locked a Kinetic canister into the handle, after which she flung it right at the beast's eyes. Still holding onto Taro with the other hand, she jumped and singed out the currently free chain around a bit of seemingly solid construction, aiming to have and anchor point that'd allow her to rest a bit above the noise. If she grabbed a good purchase, she'd climb a bit higher by flicking herself, and the chain, higher, allowing the chain to slowly pivot around the anchor and more or less permit Anna to climb at a snail's pace.

If successful, she'd reward the crowd below with quite the surprise gift.

(Aura: 96%)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 30, 2017, 06:51:58 PM
Blocking both stings with his shield, Setsuna held off the remainder of the swarm that was left by Calen with a mixture of parrying and shielding any attacks, still back-stepping toward his fallen sword. Buying enough space and time for himself to reach and assemble his buster sword, he dropped his shield and held the much longer sword in both hands, keeping the bulk of the Grimm off Anna and Calen with wide, sweeping strikes.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on July 31, 2017, 03:10:53 AM
Unperturbed by the verticality which Anna was adding to their fight the Death Stalkers continued to swarm the huntress-in-training. Holding on to the ruined walls and ceiling, their arachnid physiology giving them stable purchase on even the ice patches left being by Anna's previous volley.  The Death Stalker trying to pull Anna down took some serious damage from her dagger but kept trucking and even got some assistance from it's nearby swarm mates. They were however, not strong or heavy enough to stop Anna flicking herself, the chain and them, allowing for the belaying team from hell to try to sting the student a few times as they passed.

Calen was back into the room first and begun making his way to Anna as fast as he could which turned out to not be very fast at all. Aware of his relatively low aura levels Calen was hesitant to fight too riskily and instead set about an evasive dance felling Grimm with quick, precise strikes from either end of his glaive. Setsuna on the other hand had much more success once he got his buster sword operational. The sharpness and sheer mass of the weapon allowed the student to cleave through the swarm a lot faster than his team mate. This did end up making him more of a target than his mono-coloured not-quite-friend-it's-complicated as the scorpions tried to avenge their fallen swarmers and swarmetts.

The scuttling outside had mostly ceased, although the chipping at the ice continued, signifying that most of this swarm was inside the building and although there was still... well a swarm of them the students together were steadily grinding them down. For counter attacks Anna mostly had to deal with tail stings as her elevated position made it harder for the Grimm to lay their claws on her, wall walking or not. Setsuna and Calen on the other had the Death Stalkers grabbing at their weapons and charging at their feet all the while raining down a flurry of claw strikes.

Calen's evasive dance let him easily move around the charging scorpions and quickly swapping between weapon forms allowed him to shift all but the most persistent of his weapon's admirers. Still Calen wouldn't remain untouched forever, he let out a few grunts as the Grimm managed to breach his formidable guard. Deciding the defensive strategy wasn't working Calen drew one of his knives and shot through the air with a burst of his semblance. Using his knife as a handhold by embedding it into the ice Calen started focusing on the Grimm attacking Anna herself. Phenomenally Calen still managed precise and graceful strikes despite hanging upside down in a crumbling ruin.

Grimm Battle Data
4x4% stingers at Anna
3% charge and 3x2% claws at Setsuna+disarm attempt

Calen's Battle Data
Aura: 56%(Two claws)
Fatigue: 40%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on July 31, 2017, 02:01:10 PM
Anna was starting to feel the headache's onset again. Not having any hands free, she swung her legs and feet up, trying to avoid collisions between any of the chains and Taro. Although this put her out of harm's way for now, she wouldn't be able to keep that silly pose forever.

But this was all she could do right now. She completely deactivated her semblance and just hung on, concentrating on maintaining her height as stingers nearly grazed her several times.

(Aura: 96%)
(Dust left (about time I start counting): 2 Kinetic, 2 Ice, 4 Fire, 6 Lightning
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on July 31, 2017, 04:47:30 PM
Despite getting his buster sword up and swinging, and managing to scythe down most of the critters headed his way (which was most of them--despite Calen's efforts, a giant glowing sword was bound to grab more attention), several painful nips from the claws made Setsuna wince, but kept his grip on his weapon. He was starting to regret dropping his shield without his semblance at this point...

(Aura: 70% from 2 claws
Fatigue: 60% as a reminder)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 01, 2017, 08:53:54 AM
Even without her semblance Anna could feel the Death Stalkers climbing up her chains and falling on to her from the ceiling. Despite the poor positioning of their team mate the rest of Team ASTC was making short work of the Grimm arrayed against them. Larger than those fought before they where clearly not fully matured and lacked the guile and cunning of their older counterparts or the fury of their younger. This did not mean that the scorpions went down without a fight and they still fought back despite their rapidly shrinking numbers.

Calen from his vantage point managed to see the ebb and flow of battle much more clearly than on the ground and darted around their enclosed room focusing on breaking up the swarm which would make them easier for Setsuna to manage while trying his utmost to keep as many Grimm off Anna as possible. Despite not using his semblance or taking much damage in return the exertion was exhausting the huntsman-in-training and soon any breath he had recovered in their brief rest was lost. This didn't slow him down too much though as Calen added a few more of his knife hand holds to the ceiling to assist him in his athletic endeavours.

Setsuna probably had a hard time telling the rapidly decreasing numbers of foes he face, being the only student still on the ground he was by far the easiest target as well as his vision being limited by that angle. Still as long as the boy kept swinging he would be in little danger of being overrun, assisted by Calen's disruptive tactics and Anna being a very effective distraction.

Grimm Battle Data
3x2% Claws + 3x4% stings at Anna
2x3% Charges + 3x2% claws at Setsuna

Calen's Battle Data
Aura: 56%
Fatigue: 40%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 01, 2017, 09:23:31 PM
Anna kicked the Deathstalkers attempting to climb down her chain towards her, albeit she didn't get rid of them for free. Bastards clawed at her ankles more than once.

Keeping herself out of reach of the stingers from below, as well as shaking the chain that was still being pulled once in a while to shake potential alpinists off the razor-sharp links, she very carefully switched Taro to the side holding her above the crowd, after which she used her free hand to fiddle with the knives and Dust capsules in her pouch, preparing for the moment where she wouldn't be able to hold herself up anymore.

(Aura: 92%)
(Dust capsules remaining: 2 Kinetic, 2 Ice, 4 Fire, 6 Lightning
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 01, 2017, 11:02:14 PM
To Setsuna, the swarm seemed endless, even through the smoke rising from the numerous corpses littered in a circle. His positioning didn't help as the Grimm approached him from the back and managed to charge him before he could get them off. That in turn meant he wasn't protected from the front, and more of the beasts took advantage of that to pinch him. Wincing in pain, he forced his semblance into action, starting to clear a wider and wider circle around the two members of ASTC.

(Aura: 58% from all attacks connecting
Fatigue: 55%)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 02, 2017, 06:48:47 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/uDMsviI.png)

With a hiss, crack and a thud the last Grimm fell at the feet of Team ASTC. Breathing hard Calen retrieved his knife hand holds and carefully looked over both his sets of weapons for scratches as he walked out of the black smoke billowing up from their defeated foes.The boy stopped suddenly as he left their ruined shelter, the sound of claws chipping at ice had faded and replaced by a the sound of scuttling growing louder and louder and far more numerous than ever before. The echo of the cave made it sound like the swarm was coming from everywhere but double checking with the light Calen saw the possible exit he noticed before was still clear. Turning back to his team mates Calen was slightly more pale that usual and simply said. 'We've got to move.' Before rushing back inside to check on Setsuna, he had seen his team mate's semblance in action a few times now and knew he might need support if they are going to say ahead of the swarm.

As the group gather outside getting ready the sound has become almost deafening and the vanguard off the swarm are  becoming visible, still attacking with the same frenzy they showed before. Calen was paying closer attention to the terrain they would have to traverse to have a chance of escaping. Most of the building were mostly intact making running along the roofs a possible quick if dangerous option while there was little enough rubble on the cave floor it would make it harder to see where you are going.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 03, 2017, 03:18:22 PM
As soon as all Grimm finally got owned, Anna turned off her semblance and let herself hang the right way around again, flicking her chain off the anchor point. Falling to the ground somewhat heavily, she lay Taro on the ground before quickly gathering her chains, then picking up her knives.

She nodded as Calen declared the urgency of their situation, still feeling a bit spent from having held herself up like that. Still, she was ready to run along with them, but wouldn't resort to her semblance outside of pulsing the second stage, and would avoid it entirely if at all possible.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 03, 2017, 06:32:25 PM
Still flickering and glowing from the effects of his semblance, Setsuna waved away Calen's support, but not without giving him a grateful look of appreciation. "I can still keep this going for a bit. Enough to get me out of danger faster than without it." He said, breathing heavily from that sudden burst of movement. Wordlessly, he motioned toward the exit. Lead the way.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 04, 2017, 01:38:49 AM
Nodding as he left Setsuna's side Calen gathered up Taro and moved out the door. Aware it might not be long before his leader's semblance runs out Calen tries to keep up a fast pace leaping from ruined building to ruined building as the team races away from the encroaching Grimm. As for the Death Stalkers they kept up a relentless pace chasing these invaders through the ruins of their last meal. Rushing along the walls and roof of the cave the tips of the swarm become visible when ever Calen shines the light behind him, which happens less and less as the gap closes.

The rock walls of the buildings have stood up remarkably well given the passage of time providing a highway elevated above the swarm. With the light in one hand and his sword in another Calen kept up his furious pace, constantly scanning his surrounds for dangers. Although the team managed to keep ahead of the main part of the swarm a small number of the outriders managed to catch up and lunge at the students trying to slow them down. More aware of his companions behind him this time Calen made sure he took out his own fair share as the creatures lunged out of buildings or dropped down from the cave roof.

Reaching the opposite side in record time Calen stumbled against the wall trying to find the exit he caught sight of before. However, in his exhaustion and looking only where his light was shining the boy didn't notice daylight shining through some of the crevices, the largest would be large enough to crawl through. The next 'cavern' was still below the surface but open to the sky with more piles of rubble from what must have been another cluster of houses. Remarkably one building remained mostly intact if half buried under rubble. It was a squat thing, metallic colours making it stand out against the pale stone of it's surroundings
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 04, 2017, 12:36:01 PM
As Calen started gunning it with Taro, Anna followed suit, pulsing her semblance to avoid falling.

As the swarm slowly encroached onto the Huntsmen in training, she threw her arms at whichever Deathstalker ventured within range, cracking a nasty whip at it before the chain coiled back up around the relevant forearm by itself. She continued this routine when they arrived at the wall of the large cavern, defending Calen as he searched for the exit.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 04, 2017, 08:09:35 PM
The run across to the other side was fast and easy with the help of his semblance. That being said, Setsuna could feel his power flickering and fading as he reached the other side, but he tried his hardest not to let it show as he guarded the team's back.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 05, 2017, 03:54:51 AM
In desperation Calen looked around hopelessly and finally caught sight of the light streaming in above them. Calling out his discovery to his team mates Calen began the short climb to the lowest person sized gap. Calen's dress shoes gave him poor purchase on the cave wall but after a few slips managed to push himself through the hole, staying close to the other side Calen then helped his team mates get though. If Team ASTC hurried they would get through the gaps before the main heart of the swarm but the vanguard had caught up to them with even Calen of the other side of the rocky wall having cut down several as they crawled through the smaller gaps around the students.

Only when his team mates had gotten through the gaps did Calen have time to look around at the ruined landscape around them. No high points for last stands, no new cave mouth to run to and no choke points to reduce the Grimm's advantage of num+bers. Dismayed at what he saw Calen muttered callously to himself. 'I guess this is as good a place as any.' Before taking a few steps back, placing Taro behind him, extending his glaive and giving it a few swings before turning to face the oncoming hoard of Grimm.

The pale boy's even more dour than usual demeanour implied that he did not think any of them were getting out here even as the sky watched mockingly from above. The stream of Grimm was getting faster and faster and while for now the student could hold the line it was only a matter of time until the numbers won out. A series of cracks started to ring out from behind the cave wall the students had just passed through as the scorpions pressed against the thin barrier.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 05, 2017, 11:20:43 AM
When Calen called out that he'd found the exit, Anna briefly looked back to get a precise read on the location, then turned around again to continue dealing with any Grimm with a death wish. When her turn came to climb, she took out two knives and scampered up the rock with impressive speed.

While waiting for Setsuna to get through, she quickly shoved two Ice capsules in the knives she was holding and used them to completely seal the cave entrance when Setsuna made it out.

"I won't be able to seal anything else." Those were her last Ice capsules, after all.

(Aura: 92%)
(Dust capsules remaining: 2 Kinetic, 4 Fire, 6 Lightning
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 05, 2017, 05:31:21 PM
Setsuna stayed down in the now Grimm-filled cave, killing as many as he could with quick stabs and cuts, and receiving minor cuts and stings in return, before rushing to climb up the wall, using a method identical to Anna's; by using the two shortest bits on his shield. Once the cave entrance was sealed courtesy of Anna's Ice dust, he stumbled a few paces before dropping to his knees as his semblance flashed and finally faded, and slumping to the floor, blacked out from the strain.

(Aura:54% from minor attacks
Fatigue: 40%, will recover from fainting but will not know what has happened in the next posts)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 05, 2017, 11:14:22 PM
The cracking sound of rock breaking got louder and louder until it reached a roaring climax to overcome the scuttling of the Grimm trapped behind the wall. The entire intervening wall broke and that was flung towards the haggard remains of Team ASTC. Seeing his leader slump over only a few passes away from the wall Calen sprinted forward, grabbing Setsuna just as the first rock was about to hit them and then launched both back to Taro with a burst of his semblance. This was still too close to the unfolding avalanche for Calen's taste and grabbing both downed members of his team shot forward again trying to ignore the immense wave of fatigue which followed his last jump. This fatigue did not ignore him however and Calen sent the male members of Team ASTC crashing into the cave floor, a painful experience but left them mostly safe from the rocks. So tied up in helping Setsuna and Taro Calen had almost completely forgotten about Anna until the rock fall subsided and started to call out, coughing heavily from the cloud of dust. 'I *cough* I've got them. *cough* *cough* Are you all right?' This rain of stone was followed soon after by a black tide of Grimm as their last obstacle between them and the hunters-in-training was shattered. Unfortunately for the Grimm that wall also provided stability for that entire cave section and with another even louder crack that cave section came crashing down on top swarm squishing them against the cold hard stone.

The few Death Stalkers which survived the collapse would be easily cleaned up by Anna and Calen even with the dust disrupting the vision of the later. Slow to rise as his head was pounding and his body shaking from exhaustion Calen forced himself up to hold his ground and defend his team mates from the last remaining Grimm. As the dust started to settle an exit became clear as the cave in had built almost a ramp back into the Forever Fall. Also however the metallic glint of the still standing building in their cavern became more and more prominent as it became exposed to more and more sunlight, cutting through the dusty haze, and if any relic worth reclaiming remained it would be there. Calen however wasn't in any state to make decisions as he half blindly fought both his own nausea and the Grimm refusing to let himself rest until he knew they where safe.

Battle Data

Rocks fall and everyone dies 10+%

Calen's Battle Data
Aura: 46%
Fatigue: 15%(Two semblance uses, one with one extra person and another with two extra people)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 08, 2017, 09:55:35 AM
When the rock itself started cracking, Anna began backing off the wall, mostly to be at an alright range to use her weapons. She also prepared a knife with a Lightning capsule, hoping for it to arc between the crowd and therefore easily subdue a large amount of Grimm.

When the wall exploded, though, she merely jumped back like a terrified cat, pulsing her semblance to get the gist of what was happening.

Well, shit. Her teammates weren't quite as lucky as her, as they were showered in projectiles before going back into the cave, even with Calen's best efforts. Meanwhile, all Anna could do was continue to scamper away from the falling stones.

When everything calmed down - and a very loud rumbling noise was heard from within the cave, Anna ran back to the edge of the hole, climbing over the debris along the way. She was greeted by Calen. "Yeah, I'm okay. Coming down to help you." With that, she used one of her chains to grab a rocky outcropping, lowered herself to the cave floor and proceeded to whip the remaining Grimm into oblivion.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 09, 2017, 09:54:15 AM
Darkness. Everything was dark. There was nothing around him. He was floating in an endless void. In a way...this place had that sense of familiarity. Like he'd been here before. It was a long time ago. Also fighting Grimm. If he could have, he would have laughed. It was ironic. Sent to the realm in between reality because he was fighting. To protect. Protect...

Protect...his...

Setsuna awoke from his faint, staring at the dull, smooth rock ceiling, streaked with the softest tinges of sunlight, like strokes of light yellow on a blank canvas. He tried to raise his hand, to grasp at that which could not be held. Nothing moved into his line of view. Tried again. This time, his dust-covered hand shakily moved upward, before falling to his side, making contact with something cold and hard. His sword.

Tilting his head forward, he noticed the rockfall, the trees of the Forever Fall forest, the dust clouds of fighting as Calen and Anna engaged the remaining Death Stalkers. Straining every muscle in his trembling arm, he pulled his sword close and transformed it into its ranged form, before slowly aiming and firing, one unsteady shot after another, in the vicinity of the Grimm.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 09, 2017, 10:23:52 PM
Calen was so drained that when Anna came in to view that he only reacted to the noise, thinking his team mate was another Grimm Calen set up a defensive stance as the blind girl approached. After a few moments had passed recognition sparked in his eyes and Calen lowed his weapon and began leaning on it heavily. The flood of relief of seeing both Anna and Setsuna active triggered another wave of nausea. It would have caused the pale boy to throw up, if he had anything in his stomach, so instead sent Calen through a fit of wrenching. Recovering slowly Calen looked around and caught sight of the metallic glint of the building further in the cave. Although it took some time for the connection to click in Calen's mind he did eventually understand what the building could represent and to make his way over.

The open air was much better for scroll reception and when Anna's scroll which Calen had almost forgotten about gripped tight in his hand started giving off static again. This time however words could be made out 'CALLING ...VIBLE HUNTERS ....VER FALL ....LOST DOCTOR ....NEAR RUINS..... GRIMM.... REWARD.... VAR INDUSTRIES.' Calen cocked his head to the side trying to make more out but was unable. Shrugging and deciding it wasn't something that their team could deal with Calen decided to simply finish the mission and get out.

The path further into the cave was safe if difficult to traverse with ruins and Calen stumbled several times from obstacles and his own fatigue. Still reaching the squat building Calen found his entry barred by a series of chains and locks on the door. These had degraded over time and with a few heavy breaths Calen started to tear these down, using his knives to try to slip through chain links or gaps. Getting closer to the building the students could notice the remnants of it's old paint job and even it's name 'Lexkvar Industries Research Lab 1' was still reasonably visible. In fact there was no evidence that any Grimm had even attempted to damage the building at all.

The dust had mostly settled and the caves fell into almost complete silence only interrupted by metal clinking of Calen trying to break the chains and the occasion sparks of static.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 10, 2017, 03:43:33 PM
As the last Grimm burst into a smokey cloud, Anna felt relieved. It was over, thank goodness. She gathered up her chains, retrieved the knives she could find and followed Calen to the shiny, shiny building, pulsing her semblance every now and then to see where she was going. She also took the opportunity to carry Taro along, as her teammates were in quite the sorry state already. Besides, she seemed to have more energy than them at the moment.

The ground, probably partially due to the recent cave-in, was extremely uneven and highly unstable. Anna kept having her foot slide along with the odd rock that decided it wanted to roll away, right now, at this very moment. Still, this was quite the relaxing trek after the ordeal they'd just been through.

She stopped behind Calen, watching him relax in his own way by prying open what blocked the entrance. She turned around and kept her second stage on, admiring the (restricted) sight of the cavern and, albeit with less details, the building behind her. She also took the occasion to get her hair out of her face.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 15, 2017, 09:08:56 PM
The exhausted Setsuna just dropped his sword and fell back on the floor, staring back up at the ceiling. Maybe, just maybe, the fighting was over for more than just a minute. Normally he'd reflect back on what happened in the fight, but his brain was muddled. Tired. Confused at what he saw in the cave, specifically the long-gone civilisation, and that metal object, which he still had. Bringing it out of his pocket, he examined it with some detail, trying to figure out if there was something more to it than just the look of a dagger. Ah, screw it. I'll show it to them later.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 16, 2017, 09:01:26 PM
Although the dagger was well made it was clearly more of a trinket that a real weapon. Scratching back the long dried blood reveal thick gold filigree as well as a handful of gems embedded in the metal. Still despite the decorations the weapon's edge was still sharp and showed no sign of rust. While Setsuna sat studying his the more passive wild life of the Forever Fall forest went in to investigate the noises brought about by the cave in. Birds squawking as they flew over as well as a few braver ones landing amongst the upturned soil hoping for worms or the like.

As for Anna and Calen progress was slow. Knives were not the most effective tool at cutting threw metal and even if they were Calen's tired state would have dampened progress substantially. Luckily however slow progress is still progress and soon Calen had made enough of a hole to work on the wood behind. This gave away much faster, the door seemed braced to resist blunt impacts rather than the sharp edges of Calen's knives. This combined with substantial rot which had taken up within the wood itself a hole to crawl into the building was soon open. After taking a series of deep breaths from the several minutes of cutting Calen made his way through the gap and was taken aback by what he saw. Except for a thick coating of dust the room seemed perfectly intact; magazines, a vending machine and even a bowl of lollies sat in stacks or on tables. Seeing a few couches Calen had to desperately resist the urge to crash to keep looking for anything that might be a 'relic'.

The interior of the building seemed to be split into three evenly sized rooms, the receptionist-like room and two storage rooms. In the centre there was a spiral staircase leading further down to a laboratory. Despite how well the building had stood the test of time batteries had long since leaked dry but luckily hand written notes remained in books and magnetised to walls. They spoke of attempts to develop the technology which repels Grimm although no reference is made in how successful the experiments were and while the notes gave no explicit reference to how these experiments the claw marks along the walls gave hints. Not wanting to go down the stairs Calen searched the ground level storage rooms finding large amounts of dust, food, medical supplies and scientific equipment. It was all substantially out of date but there was some of the nasal spray which Setsuna had found before which Calen helped himself to. After the coughing fit subsided he did feel a bit better.

'So do you think they have something in mind when they don't use to find a 'relic' or is it more of a symbolic thing' Calen called out to Anna as he continued his search getting more and more frustrated about the entire situation. All throughout this the same message asking for assistance came through Anna's scroll and Calen was clearly purposely ignoring it.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 17, 2017, 04:49:36 PM
Before following Calen inside after what seemed to have been a relaxing eternity wrestling antiques into submission, Anna sat Taro along the external wall and called out to Setsuna. "Hey, Set! Watch over Taro for a bit, please!" This being said, she followed Calen inside.

There was so much dust everywhere, nearly all surfaces had taken on a uniform grey look. She more or less followed Calen as he looked around, using her semblance's second stage to look at the very same things as him. As she was about to head downstairs to search for anything matching the description of 'relic', Calen talked to her. "Well, uh, I guess anything that could be considered old-ish and/or with some sort of historical or scientific significance could fit the bill. Preferably well-preserved. And dunno, maybe it's half symbolic? Sorta?", she finished before going down the stairs and ratcheting her semblance into third gear to actually see something.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 17, 2017, 08:30:39 PM
Set? Setsuna thought, a slightly amused smile coming to his face as he dragged his stuff over to where Taro was lying, before collapsing next to him along the wall. Turning to look at his unconscious teammate, he checked up on him, before rustling through his backpack to see if he had any spare water. It turned out he had, along with his scroll, which was buzzing with an unknown message, the same as the one currently being ignored by Calen, though Setsuna didn't know that. After trying to give Taro some water (he refrained from mouth-to-mouth), he turned his focus to the jumbled and static-y message, attempting to understand more.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 18, 2017, 02:36:29 AM
Setsuna wasn't able to pick much more details with repeated listening to the distress call. The voice was clearly getting more and more distressed muddling even the original message. This was punctuated by a piercing scream and a long pause and a new voice, female, began repeating the same message. It was clear that no one else had responded. Calen turned the volume off Anna's scroll.

As for searching for the relics Calen wasn't making much progress, he had found several heavy containers of dust which he had put to one side. Without knowing if it was still explosive, in theory it could be, Calen was leaving it on one side to either take or just to make sure it didn't fall and explode, he hadn't decided yet. This is why I hate working with dust, you never know the quality. Calen muttered to himself as he continued rummaging through the storage rooms finding little else of value.

For Anna there was no bodies waiting for her in the laboratory, the darkness might not have fazed the blind girl so as such she would find no difficulty navigating the area. Traditional scientific equipment, test tubes filled with strange coloured liquids sat in organised collections while beakers and whatnot were all stored carefully away in draws. One of these draws however was locked and the steel had held up a lot better over the years this place had been abandoned. If Anna would be able to get inside she would find a journal detailing several devices that the scientists where working on and fears that at least the author had that at least one of the experiments was attracting Grimm rather than repelling on a larger scale.

Tired of searching Calen called out to Anna. 'I found a paperweight, that'll do for me. We've got to get Taro out of here anyway.' Calen then made his way out of the research centre and went to find Setsuna.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 18, 2017, 10:32:44 AM
As Anna moved around, she took in all there was around her, trying to notice if anything was behaving oddly. She decided it'd be best to not touch any of the filled tubes, beakers and whatnot, instead going for the drawers that were here and there.

Opening them one by one, she took the opportunity to further analyze their contents, which became clearly visible as the drawers slid in and out of their slots. She was about to give up - seriously, who the hell stores that many beakers? - before coming across one that looked... locked? There were metal bits going from the drawer to the piece of furniture it was embedded in. "Yeah, hold on, just picking this lock.", she answered to Calen.

Not bothering to spend 5 minutes of her somewhat precious time picking the lock, she took out a knife as well as her second-to-last Kinetic capsule before wedging the assembly right in front of the piece of metal holding the drawer in place. She backed off a bit and detonated it.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 18, 2017, 06:45:51 PM
As Setsuna started getting both confused and frustrated at not being able to make much out of the message, the sudden scream made him jump and look around in fright, before calming down. Whoever was sending this message clearly needed help, that much was certain. He attempted to call the transmitter back, but got little more than static: the cave was blocking any clear connection. Leaving everything behind and climbing up toward the exit he tried again. This time, he got the original muddled message, and he attempted to reply. "Hello?" he shouted into the scroll. "Can anyone there hear me?"
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 19, 2017, 08:04:10 AM
Looking back down the stairwell which Anna descended Calen stated to feel gears clicking in his head. Anna was operating in complete darkness without any light source. Mentally filing that titbit away Calen waited on one of the couches reading a magazine while Anna 'picked the lock.' The small explosion rattled the building and did some reasonable damage to the journal. Luckily the thick leather binding kept most of the book intact, if blackened and disintegrated the last remnants of the glue forming the spine. Anna would now have to take great care handling the journal if she didn't want to lose pages.

A desperate but relieved voice met Setsuna's question. 'Thank...ound someone ...We've been sea....Lex..lab...iant Grimm....playing with us.....coordinates ASF..... Repeat F890... you copy?' The coordinates given aren't far from here and should only take a few minutes to get to now that team ASTC has an easy exit from the caves.

Once Anna has made her way out of the labortory Calen will depart the research centre and go to find Setsuna, deciding to take one of the heavy satchels of dust.  Hearing that his leader had begun talking to the distress call Calen let out a long sigh, this day was about to get even worse. Never one to really pay attention to proper dust handling procedure Calen dumps the heavy satchle on the ground, it luckily doesn't explode, and squats down to be eye level with Setsuna. 'This is a bad idea Master Setsuna, I've heard three different people on that distress call meaning what ever is hunting them at least incapacitated two people and I don't know if you noticed but we are in pretty bad shape. You've passed out, Taro is still unconscious and honestly I'm not that far behind, we have one person at even close to full strength and her power is seeing in the dark.' Calen argues, keeping his voice low so the people on the other side of the scroll can't hear him as well as trying his best to seem empathetic when in reality his fatigue was making him apathetic.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 19, 2017, 11:50:47 AM
The knife managed to not only break the lock, but also make fire, punch through the entirety of the desk, make it explode slightly and embedded itself a good 6 cm into the concrete wall. After picking it back up, Anna opened the undoubtedly traumatized drawer to find a journal - now slightly singed and falling apart, thanks to her lock pick. Welp. She carefully gathered everything and put it in a now-empty pocket of her satchel, where knives wouldn't be able to accidentally turn it into confetti and where it would also remain in order.

Running back up the stairs after her task was complete, she toned down her semblance back to pulsing the second stage and followed Calen out of the building. Bifurcating from her teammate's path, she picked up Taro before resuming her previous course.

After arriving and listening in a similarly crouched position (whilst making sure Taro wasn't having a face full of dirt), she waited for Calen to stop speaking and inserted her own two cents. "One, that's not exactly my semblance. Two, are you really saying we should, as Huntsmen-in-training, leave however many possibly non-combat capable people are being tormented by a single Grimm to their own devices without even attempting to help them evade it, much less try to kill it?"
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 19, 2017, 06:24:24 PM
When the person on the other end of the scroll started replying with the coordinates, Setsuna sighed partly in relief, then jumped when an unheard Calen started speaking to him. Instinctively he covered the scroll, but as Calen expressed his thoughts his grip lessened further and further as Setsuna got more distressed and conflicted. Thankfully Anna threw in her own look on things; that eased things in his mind a tiny bit.

Calen's words rang true: to even reach the survivors required traversing pitch-black rooms with Dust knows what inside, in addition to bringing Taro with them, only slowing them down. In addition, both he and Calen were in bad shape, ignoring the elephant in the room which was, again, Taro. But how could he vent his own thoughts without possibly sounding selfish? There were people down there in need of help! He couldn't possibly just leave them and still call himself a Huntsman. And yet he couldn't just order them to aid him in such a suicidal mission...

"Anna. Calen. While I might be your team leader, there is no way I will order you to follow what I am doing. Take Taro and whatever you managed to salvage from that building and get out of here. Return to Beacon and request support. As for me...you know my decision. It doesn't matter to me if I get injured. What does matter is getting innocents out alive." He thumbed several buttons on his scroll, which had shut off, and returned it to his pocket. "Of course, you are free to help me, and if you do, know that this is much more dangerous than what we faced before. But also know that you have my eternal gratitude. If you do leave, all I ask is that you return with help." A rocket locker, trailing fire, zoomed across the sky and slammed down somewhere behind him. The front of the locker had the words "Full Saber Kit" marked on it. Opening the locker and attaching the equipment onto his backpack, he returned to the group.

Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 20, 2017, 02:31:41 AM
Listening with both responses with barely contained contempt. 'Do you honestly think anyone would go into these forests who doesn't know how to fight? Or at least have a protective detail. And with all do respect Master Setsuna...' Calen began before being interrupted by Setsuna's locker landing nearby. Frowning as the consequences of the locker became clear Calen. 'Couldn't we just put Taro in the locker, mark a message on the outside and send in back to the school?' Calen continued only realising afterwards he was arguing against himself. 'No need to be so dramatic, I was just outlining the more sensible option. Anyway last time I let you out of my sight you decided to have a nap under a rockfall.' Calen finished completely reversing his previous position.

Making a move towards Anna to take Taro to put him in the locker answering any questions of safety or practicality with. 'What? Haven't you ever shoved someone in one of these? They have to transport dust it can't be too much of a bumpy ride.'A particularly harsh blast of static erupted for Setsuna's scroll and the line went dead. An equally harsh squawk follows all the avian wildlife which had been collecting around the cave to fly off abandoning the team to their last fight.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 20, 2017, 09:16:52 AM
Anna was about to reply to Calen with something about people being generally more stupid than you'd expect, at least until a locker fell out of the sky in a thunderous roar.

Just as Calen started mentioning Taro, Anna had an idea - they could just put him in there for the return trip. It was the next best thing to an airship extraction, really. Oh, neat, seemed like Calen had the same idea. She handed over the unconscious teammate without a word.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 20, 2017, 09:36:01 AM
"And here I was having my heroic moment..." Setsuna muttered under his breath. "Also that rest was both deserved and very comfortable. Just had bad timing." Removing as much stuff as he could from the locker, he waited for Calen to deposit his load, made him as comfortable as anyone possibly could in a rocket locker, then shut the door and sent the locker flying back to Beacon. Hopefully, if he had keyed in the correct coordinates, the locker should land smack in the middle of the school courtyard, where people should find it easily.

"Let's take a minute or two, prepare anything we need. Can't wait too long, though." He moved back to where he left the rest of his kit and reequipped it, testing the synchronisation of the rotating joints. His shield moved kind of slowly, but the new weapon seemed fine. This would just have to double as its field test. Hopefully it didn't break apart on him.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 21, 2017, 01:11:35 AM
Taking Taro to the locker Calen quasi-gently shoved him inside, closed the door and then started to carve into the metal with his knives. Send assistance to Coordinants ASF890, lots of love Calen. Turning back to his team mates Calen remarked laughing. 'Then we should get going now, it would be an anti-climatic if we got there just as they all died.' Gesturing at Setsuna to send the locker back to the school Calen picked up the satchel of dust and set a fast pace running towards the coordinates. The forest is empty of wildlife or sounds of any kind but after a few minutes the sounds of fighting could be heard. In a small clearing team ASTC caught sight of the Grimm attacking the research team, and it's familiar. The giant Death stalker from before still with an armoured plate missing from it's head and black ichor trailing from it's tail.

The clearing has a small hut where the research team was taking shelter while the giant Death Stalker was covering the door and striking in a seemingly random pattern through the roof. Each strike crushed through the ceiling, clearly demonstrating that it had the strength to destroy the structure but is playing with it's prey instead. Stopping just before the treeline ends Calen positioned himself behind a tree and turned back to his teammates waiting for a plan to move forward. Neither Grimm nor research team had noticed the hunters-in-training so initiative was theirs.

'Fighting this thing in the open didn't end too well last time. Maybe we should try to draw it away into the forest, use the trees for cover and keep it away from the others.' Calen offered breathing heavily, the medicene from before help but it could only do so much. Drawing his weapon in sword form and the satchel of dust Calen continued. 'If it goes off it'll definitely get it's attention or we might want to keep it as an ace in the hole so to speak. 
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 21, 2017, 11:13:19 AM
Anna snorted a laugh when Calen wrote 'lots of love' on the locker's side. That was hysterical. She then followed her teammates through the forest to the specified location, pulsing her semblance every now and then to see things.

Ooooh yep. Just as she thought. The beast tormenting the research team was just the one she'd predicted. Since it now had weak spots and lacked a stinger, it'd be easier to deal with. She turned slightly towards Calen as he explained his view of things and a plan to go along with them. Nodding, she added "I still have a few Dust capsules left. This shouldn't be too-too hard to deal with."

(Aura: 92%)
(Dust capsules remaining: 1 Kinetic, 4 Fire, 6 Lightning
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 21, 2017, 05:48:32 PM
"And I've got something new to try out. Hope that thing likes the extra power Equilibrium's going to be bringing." The mentioned weapon embeds itself in the floor, tip-first. "I think we should keep the bag of Dust in reserve. Shove it down its gullet or blow its claws off."

"Once someone lures it into more dense cover, split up and attack from three sides. That should make it easier." Setsuna split the large shield into two, picking up both pieces. "Also, Calen, you owe me a new locker." he deadpanned, attempting to mimic Calen's sarcastic voice.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 21, 2017, 09:50:16 PM
Calen laughed, glad that Setsuna was firing back.'Really Master Setsuna? I didn't think you would care aesthetics given...you know...this' Calen remarked gesturing at his leader before striding confidently from cover, throwing the satchel in his pack and drawing three knives. Shouting loudly to get the creatures attention as well as throwing the trio of blades for good measure. An accurate throw and the Death Stalker was stationary but still only the blade which hit the weak point on top of it's head stuck with the others bouncing off it's armoured chittin. Roaring more in surprise than pain the creature turned to face Calen and it's cry only got harsher as recognition gleamed in it's insectoid eyes. Charging forward the Grimm was on Calen within seconds and Calen stood firm, using himself as bait until the last moment. Launching himself upwards with some of his last reserves to evade the charge, lure the creature into the forest as well as delivering counter attack of his own. Two of these succeed, extending his sword into glaive form scored a directed hit into the mouth of the creature and the Death Stalker careened straight into the dense forest however in the air Calen was an easy target for the Grimm's tail and even with it's stinger hanging limply still smashed Calen into the ground.

Because of it's immense size, weight and strength the Death Stalker wasn't slowed down as it crashed through the tree line sending many plants flying as it chased after Calen. Rearing up on it's four hind legs the creature prepared to crash down it's claws on the slowly rising student. Black ichor had started to leak out of the Grimm's mouth as it closed in hungerly, pooling just before Calen bubbling evilly. The research team looked out curiously from their shelter unsure if it would be safer to run where they might run into more Grimm or stay where there new protectors are but also the giant Grimm.

Grimm Battle Data

4% from flying debris to Setsuna and Anna.
8%+2% Tail slam+Acidic black ichor to Calen

Calen's Battle Data
Fatigue: 10%
Aura: 36%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 22, 2017, 06:59:46 PM
Anna remained hidden as Calen lured the beast away from the (relatively) defenseless troupe cowering as best they could.

When the semblance's pulse returned an image of her temmate being the target of a full power charge by the Deathstalker, she went full power. Her first order of the day was to get the fuck away from the rain of debris caused by the Grimm's total loss of control and subsequent crash. Afterwards, she dashed to Calen's left, taking a detour to avoid catching the beast's attention.

As she arrived where she wanted to go, she started assailing the scorpion with vicious whips from her chains, keeping an eye for a lull in combat to grab the occasion and shove a Dust-augmented knife in its head.

(Aura: 92%)
(Dust capsules remaining: 1 Kinetic, 4 Fire, 6 Lightning
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 22, 2017, 07:52:16 PM
After lifting his arm and blocking/deflecting/reflecting the shitstorm of rocks, dirt and other bits sent Setsuna's way, he darted to Calen's right after seeing Anna do the same to her left. While the beast was occupied with Calen's antics, he slashed at the exposed legs, hoping to cripple the Death Stalker, before stabbing the cracks between the armoured plate on the main body. All the while, he keeps looking back at the research team to ascertain if they are safe.

Battle Stats:
-Aura: 54%
-Fatigue: 40%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 23, 2017, 01:01:24 AM
Seeing the other hunters-in-training which tormented it before gather together the Death Stalker roared again spitting it's acidic black ichor at the collected students. As the attacks of Anna and Setsuna glanced harmlessly off it's armour the Grimm crushed it's claws down on the grouped students for an earth shattering smash which sent shock waves out. The creature then reached out and grabbed the hopefully stunned forms of Anna and Calen. For now the Death Stalker kept it's tail covering the gap in it's chitin, using it as a last line of defence.

Calen was barely back on his feat by the time the acid rained down open him, Gritting his teeth as he was immersed in a burning sensation but it wasn't enough to break his concentration. Dancing forward under the creatures crushing smash Calen manged to both slip under it's guard and get too close to be grabbed. Plunging his sword straight into the creatures primary left eye scoring a serious wound and earning another piercing shriek. Just as Calen withdrew his blade for a second strike he was knocked away by another strike of the Grimm's tail. Although Calen did disappear out of sight behind the forest it did open up the Death Stalker for a counter attack for at least a moment.

The research team seemed safe. They looked like they had decided to stay where they were. A few of them had started to fix the damage the Grimm had done to the hut in case the creature turned back to finish them. That seemed unlikely for now as the Death Stalker seemed determined to down ASTC or tear down to entire forest trying.

Grimm's Battle Data
Acid Spit 4% to all
Claw Smash 6% to all
Grab at Anna and Calen 2%+being grabbed
Tail smash 8%+2% at Calen

Calen's Battle Data
Fatigue: 10%
Aura: 26%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 23, 2017, 10:28:19 AM
As Anna got slightly miffed that her chain was only hitting armor, the Deathstalker decided to bleed all over everyone, then smash them. The former proved to be an easy-ish dodge, whilst the latter was just too damn far away from Anna for her to give a damn, what with being roughly 3 meters away from the creature.

When the Grimm swatted Calen away, Anna took the opportunity and launched two knives right at the creature's more and more damaged head and face areas, one with Fire Dust and the other with Lightning Dust, both set to detonate on impact, all the while keeping on her toes to dodge any retaliation.

(Aura: 92%)
(Dust capsules remaining: 1 Kinetic, 3 Fire, 5 Lightning
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 23, 2017, 10:45:07 AM
As with before, the damn armour plating was too tough to dent, even with a heavier weapon. Setsuna was starting to wonder if he shouldn't make his shields with Death Stalker shell when it...spat on him. Ramming both parts of his weapon back into a shield, he took cover behind it, then peeked out just to dive back into cover to block the oncoming claw.

Picking up the whole weapon as a greatsword, he started smashing away at the Death Stalker's legs, while repositioning himself with each strike, moving toward where Calen originally was. By his reckoning, this was his heaviest weapon. If even this didn't do something, he'd need something apart from just force.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 23, 2017, 07:30:48 PM
With another shriek Anna's daggers hit home the Death Stalker backed off slightly, kicking Setsuna as it pulled back. Twisting and writhing as the daggers detonated and jets of black ichor flew from the wound. The creature then charged straight back into the fight clawing at both remaining students. The Grimm's movements seemed slower than before but it's tail was back into it's defensive position over the still leaking wound. Realising the hunters-in-training were targeting the weak points in it's chitin the Death Stalker started thrashing around once it got back into combat. Although slower it still moved with impressive speed for it's size and it let loose a volley of light stomps and claws.

Calen was no where to be seen.

Grimm's Battle Data
Kicking at Setsuna 3%
Thrash around 5% at Anna and Setsuna
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 24, 2017, 06:09:27 PM
Apart from a slight worry at Calen's absence from her field(s) of vision, Anna was pretty okay for now, continuing the battle. She backed off as the Grimm went a bit haywire, rolling back when necessary. She was just waiting for an opportunity to overwhelm it.

(Aura: 92%)
(Dust capsules remaining: 1 Kinetic, 3 Fire, 5 Lightning
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 24, 2017, 11:00:55 PM
Springing back from the Grimm's thrashing assault, Setsuna circled around the flurry of blows slowly, blocking any stray kicks sent his way. A quick glance at his scroll indicated while he and Anna were still doing fine in Aura--well, Anna--Calen's was at an alarmingly low level. That being said, he wasn't anywhere near Setsuna, but he wasn't depleted yet. Trusting Calen to have his own plan, he kept observing the Death Stalker, waiting for the beast to stop its frantic movement.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 25, 2017, 04:02:49 AM
As the hunters-in-training slowed their assault the Death Stalker seethed but stop it's thrashing about. Eyeing it's opponents the creature circled slowly through the undergrowth. Cocking it's still leaking maw the Grimm looked for weaknesses but it left itself too focused to see Calen climbing through the canopy. Jumping on the Death Stalkers back with two of his daggers trying to get purchase on it's carapace. Almost sliding off Calen did manage to attach himself precariously much to the Grimms annoyance. Incapable of clawing Calen off it's back or flicking him again with it's tail as well as being unwilling to roll over and expose itself to the other students the Death Stalker tried to buck Calen off by charging forward. Crashing through trees Calen lost one of his hand grips and almost slide off it's side and the Death Stalker trampled over Anna and Setsuna. Reaching up for his embedded blade Calen ripped it out and slowly made his way to the creatures head using his knives as climbing picks.

Snarling as Calen remained stubbornly attached to it's side after trampling through his team mates the Death Stalker charged again deciding to focus on the ones it could hurt. Again trying to grab Anna and Setsuna up in it's claws the Grimm relentlessly pursued it's prey all the while bucking it's arachnid budding to fuirtless try to get itself free from Calen's knives.

All the while the survivors of the research team and started to emerge from their hut making sure they always had an eye on the erratic Death Stalker. Making sure they had as much of a head start if things started to go south they where getting closer and closer to the enraged Grimm.

Grimm's Battle Data
Trample 4% at Anna and Setsuna
Claw Grabs 2%+Grab at Anna and Setsuna
Debris 4% Calen

Calen's Battle Data
Fatigue: 10%
Aura: 22%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 26, 2017, 05:59:04 PM
As the Deathstalker started pacing about, Anna made sure to keep at an even distance. The slight tension that had started to take place in her head was slightly distracting for a moment, but she rapidly overcame it.

Then Calen dropped down onto the Grimm, which promptly went nuts trying to get him the heck off. To do so, it ran right into some trees, throughly defacing them, before coming back around at high speed towards the two other conscious teammates. Anna rapidly threw a chain around a nearby, intact tree and used it to pull herself out of the way, gathering the links back to herself after the immediate range had passed.

As it turned out, that moment without danger was shortly lived: the large arachnid-like creature turned back and this time, tried to grab them. Anna ducked under its first try before launching her right chain around the right pincer, attempting to clamp it shut. Whilst doing so, she yelled at Calen "Just yell out if you want a Dust-powered knife or anything!"
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 26, 2017, 08:03:34 PM
Yep, Calen had a plan alright. Whether it was working or not was up to him. Unfortunately, his presence on the Death Stalker's back made it go rampant again, rushing at Setsuna and scraping its claw off Harmony. When the Grimm reached for both him and Anna, the latter responded by trying to keep the claw shut. He doubted she had the strength to do that for long, and neither did he. Which gave him an idea...

Setsuna did the opposite; wedging Equilibrium into the oncoming gaping claw and keeping it open for the time being, he drew his sword and started slashing, as many strikes as he could, at the exposed flesh left from previous encounters, hoping that the injured eye would give him some breathing space.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 27, 2017, 07:56:12 AM
Tightening his whole body, Calen dared not reply to his teammates unless it somehow loosen his grip and caused him to fall back on to the ground. Bad idea, bad idea. Calen thought to himself as he slowly made his way along the flank of the Death Stalker. Why couldn't we have someone with a gun, not just chains, swords and knives. Calen did however start making some decent progress once the Grimm had stabilised, turned it's focus on Anna and Setsuna and he managed to climb up on it's back.

The surface of the Death Stalker's claws was too smooth for Anna's chains to find much purchase and they started to slip off even before they had fully tightened. Still by angling it's claw up the creature managed to try to flick the blind huntress-in-training behind it before spinning it's claw and trying to direct the girl into Setsuna. The teams leader on the other hand managed to keep the claw open at least for now and do some damage with heavy blows against it's claws. The carapace started to crack and buckle under Setsuna's sustained pressure but the Death Stalker kept advancing, even if it couldn't grab the swordsman it would try to pin him, and his blind team mate, to a nearby tree.

Calen progress along the creatures back brought it's own punishments however as the hunter-in-training was now far enough away from the tail for the Death Stalker to strike at him with it again. Luckily finally managing to predict the blow coming Calen dove forward managing to slip down past the Death Stalker's primary shoulders and get another few good knife stabs along it's left eyes. Roaring again in pain it showered Setsuna, and Anna if she crashed into him, in black ichor before smashing the left side of it's head into the ground. Bringing Calen with it the retribution only sped up the boys stabs as he seemed determined to lock himself in a race with the creature, neither one going to give up until the other did. At least temporarily with it's tail over extended and it's face preoccupied, and eyes half missing, the Death Stalker slightly stumbled backwards as if subconsciously aware of it's vulnerable state.

Grimm's Battle Data
Anna: 4% Whip lash from being swung around, 4% from crashing into Setsuna, 3% from ichor spray
Calen: 2x4%+2% Being smashed into the ground plus acidic ichor
Setsuna: 4% Anna being crashed into him, 3% from ichor spray

Calen's Battle Data
Fatigue: 10%
Aura: 10%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 27, 2017, 04:03:11 PM
As the chains began to tighten, then failed to grab anything, Anna didn't have much choice but to be thrown behind the Grimm with too much goddamn acceleration for comfort. After a passable landing to the left and behind of the Deathstalker, a small noise - one she'd personally set - as well as another, different noise coming from somewhere else grabbed her attention.

Oh. Oh no. It was the sound notification for someone with low Aura.

Seeing that Setsuna was more or less doing fine, she outright lunged at Calen, a knife with a Kinetic phial inserted in her left hand. As she was about to crash into him to knock him away from his somewhat probable doom, she went right for what she believed to be the center of the beast's head, attempting to stab it into oblivion which would simultaneously give her an anchor, if a somewhat temporary one.

(Aura: 88%)
(Dust capsules remaining: 0 Kinetic (upon successful stabbing) , 3 Fire, 5 Lightning)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 27, 2017, 10:54:13 PM
Once more blocking the acidic spray with Harmony--Equilibrium was still clamped between the claw--Setsuna was forced to pull back for a bit, when Anna went flying his way. Thankfully she changed course, but another noise, coming from two sources, reached his ears. While he didn't recognise one of them, the other made him cold with realisation.

Shit. This is really bad. Apparently Anna recognised the situation too, as she launched herself straight at Calen, the first really offensive move he'd seen her do. Need to distract it, or outright kill it before Calen gets injured. But how?

Concluding that the situation warranted it, he used his semblance again, once more gaining that pink glow, before starting to run circles around the Death Stalker, creating a blurry band of images surrounding the body in hopes of confusing the Grimm. As he ran, he rained as many strikes as he could on the body, the legs, the tail, any part that his sword could reach. "Calen, get out of there NOW!" he yelled.

Battle Stats:
-Aura: 54%
-Fatigue: 35%
-Semblance Activated
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 28, 2017, 04:24:47 AM
When Anna collided with him Calen needed to use one last application of his semblance to absorb the impact holding them both still hanging off the now blind left side in perfect position for both of them to drive their blades deep into the creatures skull. Unfortunately it also left them in perfect position for one last final crush before the kinetic charge detonated and the Death Stalker reeled backwards, trying in vain to limp away from the vengeful hunters in training. The last crash shook all but the tiniest sliver of Calen's mind into unconsciousness but he remained hanging limply as he the creature tried to flee.

The Death Stalker knew it was going to die. It could feel it's life ichor spilling out on the forest floor, killing even in it's last moments. Decades of hunting and killing ending with it's nest destroyed and most of it's scourge lay broken beneath it's rubble. But it could still kill once more, it could still take more from the world even if they aren't the hunters-in-training which have given it so much strife. The research team had left their hut and unlike, most, of the students their aura were almost gone. Thrashing halfheartedly as pulled back the Death Stalker surged back into clear angling to crash straight in the middle of the fleeing research team ignoring Setsuna.

The Death Stalker was in so much pain that it had completely forgotten about Calen. The screams of fear and panic shocked Calen out of his stupor and the situation quickly dawned upon him. With the last of his strength embedded the dust satchel in the gushing wound on top of the Death Stalkers head with a knife.

Grimm's Battle Data
Anna:4%+2% Smash
Calen: 4%+2% Smash

Calen's Battle Data
Fatigue: 5%
Aura: 4%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 29, 2017, 12:03:39 PM
After immediately losing her anchor as it plunged deep within the Grimm, Anna held herself on by leaning on Calen, getting smashed alongside him, before resorting to balancing herself on the creature. Seeing Setsuna whirl around them was a weird experience, her sight still keeping good track of him even at such speeds.

As the Deathstalker seemed to have forgotten about Calen, she didn't make a too-too big case of his unconsciousness or position. What she did worry about is that it was going straight for the research team.

As Calen stabbed the Dust pouch into the beast's head, she unceremoniously took him by the belt and collar then threw him with all her strength, right into the first bush she could see. As soon as he'd left her hands, she took three knives loaded with Fire Dust, held them with both hands in a bundle and attempted to stab the Deathstalker, right through the pouch and into the ever-deepening wound.

(Aura: 82%)
(Dust capsules remaining: 0 Fire (upon successful stabbing), 5 Lightning)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 29, 2017, 11:48:10 PM
Of course the dumb beast ignores the pink, whirling blur constantly hitting it and chooses instead to go for three far-away figures who have done nothing to attract its attention. Gritting his teeth, Setsuna put one hand on the carapace and jumped over it, using the airtime to get a few more slashes in, before intercepting Calen as he soared rather ungracefully through the air toward an uncomfortable-looking bush. Better him than the floor.

Still carrying the near-unconscious boy, he then made a mad sprint toward the research team, tackling them to the side, before raising his shield over the five of them to try and hold the Death Stalker off as long as he could. Alternatively, if Anna could detonate that Dust satchel, he would absorb any of the explosion damage that would reach the 4 people behind him.

Battle Stats:
-Semblance Activated
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 30, 2017, 07:50:15 PM
Calen had a few choice words he wanted say as he felt himself get thrown off the creatures side by Anna. Try as he might the gaunt boy couldn't activate his semblance one last time leaving him flying limply into the closest bush. Luckily Setsuna was still keeping up his blistering pace and managed to intercept Calen before he crashed and then set himself up in a defensive postion against the charging Grim.

Completely blind on that side the Death Stalker could do nothing to prevent Anna's assault as she plunged a trio of knives through the dust satchel which then burst into flames. For a long moment the satchel seemed inert but as the fire burned around it the dust started to crackle then after a few seconds detonate in a huge blast of air. Luckily Calen and the research team were protected from the gale by Setsuna who acted as a wind break against the on coming storm. Every tree within sight had all it's leaves blown right off while the ones closest had been ripped out the ground. Even the hut which the research team had worked so hard to fortify was complete gone in the face of such an explosion. The Death Stalker being at the epicentre fared far worse and almost completely vaporised even before it started dissolving.

As the defining affect of the wind dust explosion finally faded the research team started cheering wildly for their saviours. One member of the team wasn't carried away however and after taking a few moments to compose herself strode towards Setsuna and coughed quietly to get his attention. Calen was still active, barely, and he tried to give Anna an evil glare as he slowly got to his feet not knowing how useless that gesture was. Stumbling a few times Calen none the less once again got to his feet and after giving a quick glance to make sure the Death Stalker on the other hand wasn't going to get went off to try to find his knives including the one blasted away and probably still falling.

Battle Data
Anna: Full Blast 20%, 6% Exploding knives?
Setsuna: Partial Blast 10%
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on August 31, 2017, 04:16:46 PM
Anna successfully nailed the bugger. For a few instants, nothing happened, making her worry.

Then she was sent flying, hitting a tree trunk at breakneck speeds before slumping on a nearby branch, her head ringing. Her semblance turned off by itself while she recuperated.

(Aura: 22%)
(Dust capsules remaining: 5 Lightning)
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on August 31, 2017, 04:42:03 PM
The wind rushing past his shield forced Setsuna to dig his heels in against the shockwave of the explosion. For a few moments, there was nothing but the loud howling sound of the wind. Then silence, followed by cheering. The timer on his semblance running out, Setsuna slumped visibly, leaning on his sword for balance. Equilibrium was lodged in a nearby tree, likely from the force of the blast, but he was in no shape to retrieve it. A weary look at his scroll indicated his teammates were no better off; strangely, he was the one with the most Aura, with Anna dropping to an alarmingly low level from that blast. However, both of them were still active with no injuries, and that's what mattered.

A cough from behind him caught his attention and turned him around; it was from a woman of the research team. "Sorry if...we were...a bit late...we had to kill...most of the...Death Stalker's family before...responding." Clearly out of breath, he took a few seconds to compose himself. "How may we help you, ma'am? I'm Setsuna, and this is Anna and Calen. We make up Team ASTC--well, one of us is currently away. We were on our initiation when we received your distress call. I do hope you are all right?"
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on August 31, 2017, 09:42:28 PM
The woman bowed repeatably in response to Setsuna's concern. 'We're just thankful you came when you did, I don't know how much longer we could have held out.' The woman responded still bowed over and held the position for an unnecessary amount of time. When the woman finally looked up she had tears in here eyes and had to choke back whimper before continuing. 'And to think you are all still students....not that I'm saying you are children... I'm just... I'm just saying you must be really strong.' The woman was clearly on the verge of breaking down as the reality of what she had lost started to dawn on her. Calen snorted contemptuously at the mention of their strength loud enough for everyone to hear and to have required a fair amount of force to communicate. Bowing again to hide the tears streaming off her face the woman introduced herself and their purpose here. 'My name is Mara Shine and I am currently... the most senior researcher of this Lexkvar Research team. Before the Greyed War my firm had set up these labs all over Vale, they were kept off the books but found a number of them by cross-referencing....' Mara would keep going until someone stopped her taking some small solace in keeping her mind off her surroundings. The other members of the research team started to calm down as the adulation from being saved was replaced with despair over what they had lost and concern over Mara oversharing classified intel. They didn't interfere or anything but the started to crowd around Mara providing both comfort and physical wall between their leader and Setsuna.

Calen had finally found his last knife, the one which had been blown away. The dust explosion hadn't warped the metal but the sheer force of the explosion had damaged the grip. Failing the brush the wear back down Calen stormed over to Anna as his brained whirled in a way to blame his team mate for damaging his weapon. Stopped in his tracks by the mention of Lexkvar, the name which had been on the research lab he and Anna had explored earlier. Giving his blind team mate another useless glare Calen walked back to the research team, interested in what the purpose of the lab was.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on September 01, 2017, 05:12:10 PM
Anna finally sort of came back from the in-between, or whatever that place where you're half-conscious is called. Reflexively, slowly opening her eyes, to no avail, she felt that her hair was dangling in front of her - or even above her head. Something hard supporting her at the mid-section, her abdominal muscles resting on it, was the only external contact she had. Why was she...

Oh, right. She'd been sent flying. Riiiight. Turning herself, she swung her right leg over the large branch, straddling it, then pulsed her semblance to try and chart a way down. She vaguely heard Setsuna mention her name, waving towards the source of his voice as a response.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on September 02, 2017, 01:21:29 AM
Setsuna gave Calen a warning glare, before turning back to the research team."Well, ma'am, Beacon staff should be on the scene fairly shortly, we sent a message asking for backup before we arrived here." He was temporarily stopped by the other researchers gathering around Mara. "If I may. We came across one of your research labs within a cave, surrounded by ruins of an ancient civilisation. I personally did not enter the lab, but we retrieved Dust and an old book which we have yet to read. Are you allowed to disclose what you were doing inside? And what of the civilisation?" Setsuna pulled the small knife out of his pocket and held it out on his palm.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on September 02, 2017, 03:52:21 AM
Mara had been shuffled to the back of the group and a more professional woman seemed to have taken her place. She didn't introduce herself and simply continued the conversation while staring intently at Setsuna with cold blue eyes. 'The dust can be forgiven considering it played a role in saving our lives but I must insist on the return of the book and information on where the find the research lab you came across. Simply looting is a crime but because of the possible scientific importance of that research lab not returning anything taken would constitute grand larceny carrying a jail term of 20 years and I ensure you we will push for the maximum sentence. Anyway the specific research goals are not public knowledge but you should know it wasn't some different civilisation. The ruins should be less than a century old, and you can keep the knife. It is still looting but it isn't Lexkvar property.' Her tone signified that she considered to conversation was over and although a few of the other researchers threw sympathetic glances at Team ASTC they walked away, deciding to wait out the air ship away from the students.

'Smooth.' Calen remarked sarcastically. 'Between you and Master Taro I don't think there will be anyone else for the rest of us.' The Lexkvar representative seemed to want the journal which Anna found and Calen could understand that. He wasn't going to give up the paperweight-come-relic although thinking more about it maybe that dagger would make more sense. In the distance an airship could be heard and Calen walked off to check on Anna to make sure they would get out of here as fast as possible.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on September 04, 2017, 12:14:56 PM
Anna started the mildly long trek down the tree, not even bothering to use her semblance and relying entirely on her memory of the route she'd mapped. Midway down, she she vaguely understood that someone was being whiny about a research journal or something.

Finally arriving at her destination, she let herself go and landed, then proceeded to walk over to her teammates' voices whilst rolling back her chains.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on September 04, 2017, 01:22:48 PM
"That woman could be slightly more grateful that we just saved their lives, I agree." Setsuna murmured, pocketing the knife and walking over to retrieve his lodged weapon. He could hear an airship in the sky, meaning that Taro should be resting in a infirmary, and the last of his worries faded into the dust.

Those feelings were rapidly replaced by exhilaration. They'd survived numerous Grimm encounters, retrieved--or looted, as that woman called it--two relics, and most importantly to Setsuna, they'd saved innocent lives. If he wasn't in public, he would most likely have jumped in the air and shouted for joy. Instead he controlled that urge and turned to his team. "Well...we passed. That's our initiation complete." He said with a big, unrestrained smile on his face.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on September 05, 2017, 12:20:04 AM
'Unless something takes out our flight in mid air.' Calen grinned. In truth Calen was as relieved as Setsuna was and likely to collapse as soon as they got to the airship. Still Calen was not looking forward to a chance of spending any time in jail as such was insistent on having Anna turn over the journal. 'Come on, I know you won't have this problem but this face wouldn't last a week in prison.' Calen remarked as he turned away from the winds kicked up by the airship. The research team embarked without a word, Mara was despondent and kept her eyes firmly on the floor. The woman who talked to Setsuna on the other hand kept watch of the students while she awaited the journal.

A medical team had flown in with the airship and while Calen shooed them away others swarmed Anna and Setsuna to make sure they where OK. There wasn't a member of the Beacon staff which was unusual, if questioned the crew will say the teachers want to speak to the team in person but did remark that Taro had arrived and was being treated. Calen took a seat quickly and had to actively fight to remain conscious. Reaching into his pocket he found Anna's damaged scroll and tossed it over to the blind girl and looked out the window while the airship took off.

Using the noise of the take off to cover the compliment Calen quietly remarked. 'Good job everyone, you all did well.'
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: nathan67003 on September 05, 2017, 07:08:28 AM
"Yyyyyep.", said a somewhat tired Anna after Setsuna pointed out that this was the end of their initiation. This had been long, tiring and involved slaying far, far too many Grimm for comfort. Most people just probably wouldn't believe them, either.

Anna made a 'wha?' face at Calen when he mentioned she "wouldn't have this problem", after which she briefly pulsed her semblance to get a read on the airship's location. She started walking towards it, only to be swarmed by medical personnel. All she was able to do was mutter a series of quiet "I'm fine."s, lowering her head to hide her face behind her hair and speeding past the contingent.

She got on the airship, half-slumped into one of the comfy seats and took the journal out of her satchel, all pages as intact as they first were when she put it in there. She pulsed her semblance before handing it over to the whiny woman. "Here. Your 'confidential stuff' or whatever." As she lay back in her seat, something hit her on the head, prompting a small squeal of surprise. Pulsing her semblance, she saw her scroll land on her lap - bruised, battered and otherwise massacred, but still in perfect working order. "Thanks.", she told Calen - both for his compliment and returning her scroll.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on September 05, 2017, 08:21:21 AM
As the airship landed and the medical staff swarmed the trio, Setsuna stood there and endured the probing questions, before climbing on the airship and collapsing into a seat, softly resting his weapons on the floor next to him, before hearing--or rather, feeling--the airship taking off.

While he did have something to say, he reckoned they had earned their rest, so he sat among the two in blissful peace and quiet after the chaos and mayhem that was their initiation, looking out on the Forever Fall Forest. He thought he could see where they started off as four individuals, then met as a team at that stone clearing. Or maybe that was just his imagination. He would never know.
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: Kingnoname1 on September 05, 2017, 07:23:12 PM
Calen was asleep by the time the airship landed, unable to maintain his facade for the entire trip. The research team departed without a word as quickly and as silently as they boarded. The crew seemed to be needed else where as well and left Calen resting in the hold as they went off to do whatever else was expected of them. The team had arrived just in time to catch a beautiful sunset, sunlight filtered by the clouds creating an array of reds, oranges and yellows. With birds chirping as the flew back to their nests as well as a near empty landing bay it all seemed to magnify the call of bed and rest, it had been a long day after all.

In the following days the team would be officially recognised as passing their initiation with special recognition to their rescue efforts. Taro was still unresponsive, they wouldn't know exactly what was wrong with him until he woke up but it was likely some kind of aneurysm brought on by the stress of combat. The Anna, Setsuna and Calen would all find a significant amount of lien deposited in their accounts, the reward of saving the research team.

Important Decisions
Delayed the rescue of the Research Team
          Saved the remains of the Research Team
Stole from the research lab
          Returned Journal
          Revealed location of the research lab
Completely destroyed the Grimm infestation nest
Completed initation
 
Title: Re: Within the Ruins of the Aztec [Team ASTC][CLOSED - Initiation]
Post by: MonsterManic on September 11, 2017, 05:11:22 PM
It was like something out of an old adventure story, where the team return, successful, walking off into a falling sunset. Except this was real life. They'd returned to Beacon. Setsuna slung everything onto his back, softly and quietly picked up the sleeping Calen in his arms and returned to their dorm. There, after tucking Calen in, he and Anna wordlessly fell into deep, well-earned slumber.

During the days that followed, the school would be abuzz with chatter about the team that passed initiation with only three members, not to mention the unorthodox method of evacuating their injured member. The locker was still engraved with Calen's message, and Setsuna had decided to keep it as a memory of their adventure. As for the knife, he put it up on Team ASTC's dorm door, where it would greet them every time the team returned from whence they came.

But in the end, this was but one team out of many. They'd have to prove themselves twice, thrice, manyfold over before standing out as an unique team. There was one fact that wouldn't change, however, no matter the events that would unfold.

This was, undoubtedly...

(https://i.imgur.com/ZexqP2d.png)