07-09-2018, 07:55 AM
(This post was last modified: 07-09-2018, 08:13 AM by PepsiWhirda.)
Smoke streaming from her still-smoldering parasol, Yuuka gave ground willingly in the wake of each swipe of the beast’s broadsword. Down shadowclad alleyways, deftly maintaining her footing on rain-slick cobblestones, she led her adversary inexorably toward the looming silhouette of the galleon’s mizzenmast. As they drew closer, a jagged bolt of lightning lanced through the air, exploding with thunderous force into a nearby rooftop, showering the combatants with splintered wood and shingles.
Timid Ricter, thick fur standing straight up and eyes wide with surprise, threw his paws in front of his face, relinquishing the offensive. Never one to question good fortune, Yuuka seized on her furry foe’s distraction and leveled her parasol. The salvo tore through fur and flesh alike, its sheer force driving the beast onto his rump with a groan. But Yuuka knew her sturdy opponent would soon recover—would soon set upon her once more. Without pause, the Youkai’s feet lifted off the ground and she alighted on a nearby rooftop, scrambling across slippery shingles toward the nearby ship.
The whispered words of Whirda Windstrom echoed in her head, a litany against exhaustion. Weapons aboard the boats.
Aboard the galleon, Whirda’s daggers whirled in an indecipherable blur, defeating each swipe of the bio-android’s blade. Each time an opening presented itself in Cell’s defenses, a dagger darted through to dig greedily into green flesh, drawing a chorus of growls building quickly toward a crescendo of frustration. Still, both seasoned fighters recognized the undercurrent beneath their battle, the unspoken truth motivating their respective strategies.
Whirda Windstrom was slowing. The price of maintaining her guerrilla tactics, weaving in and out of the fight to strike only at the most opportune moments, had taxed her greatly, stealing the strength from her blows.
The more conservative fighter, Cell had sustained innumerable wounds in their protracted battle. But while his breathing had grown ragged, he seemed more than capable of maintaining his pace. The calculus had changed. No longer concerned with defeating the cunning movement, he now sought only to outlast her—to allow fatigue to finish his work for him.
Whirda sensed the subtle shift in Cell’s demeanor—the renewed confidence guiding his measured blows. The contagion’s grasp began to recede, a profound exhaustion taking its place. Rain-drenched and gasping, she skipped back and broke free of the melee.
The bio-android shook with mirth. Purple blood leaked from a dozen cuts on his face and chest, but his gleeful sneer oozed superiority. “Give into your rage, girl,” he taunted. “Forsake your discipline. The advantage is mine.”
Chest heaving with exertion, Whirda didn’t respond. She could not argue the bio-android’s logic as her measured steps faltered. She dropped to one knee. A deafening thunderclap heralded a renewed surge of rain, rivulets streaming down her face and obscuring her vision. She thought to shadowstep away, to place more distance between herself and her interminably advancing foe, but could she endure the strain?
Cell raised his Ki Edge, the rippling blade promising death. Feebly, Whirda interposed her daggers in some semblance of a defense, her defiant glare drawing another arrogant chuckle from the bio-android. The blade swept in a wide arc…
… and was promptly batted aside by a dipping parasol.
Yuuka landed in a crouch, darting forward with a wicked jab into Cell’s abdomen. The surprised bio-android staggered back with a howl of rage, but kept the presence of mind to leap aside as a barrage of bullets bit into the planks of the ship’s deck.
Grateful for the brief reprieve, Whirda offered the green-haired Youkai a weary smile.
“This fight isn’t over yet,” Yuuka said, flashing a wide grin of her own. “Get up. Put a little Pepsi in your step.”
Whirda frowned, not understanding the joke.
“Weapons aboard the boats?” Yuuka asked.
“Powder kegs,” Whirda replied, gesturing across the deck to a row of squat casks.
Yuuka understood Whirda’s plan immediately, her eyes glimmering with excitement. “Let’s give ‘em a show.”
A second sizzling bolt of lightning interrupted their planning, illuminating the charging form of the bio-android as he barreled into Yuuka, sending both women to the ground in a heap. The Youkai barely managed to snap open her parasol as the ki blade arced in, the impact showering all three combatants with sparks.
Whirda tucked into a backward roll and came to her feet, ignoring the clashing warriors and focusing her efforts on the thrumming leylines of shadow. Like wisps of cotton, darkness coalesced in the air around her, forming a thick barrier—an impenetrable cocoon of utter darkness. She glanced to Yuuka, mouthing a single word when she caught the Youkai’s eye, an unmistakable message.
“Now.”
Yuuka leaped toward Whirda, toward the safety of the umbral cocoon, as the roaring retort of her parasol echoed above the howling wind. With no time to see if her aim had been true, Yuuka rolled into the cocoon a second before it closed.
If the scene had been loud before, surely it paled in comparison to the thunderous explosion that came next, engulfing the ship, and, hopefully, the hapless bio android, in a raging, concussive inferno.
Timid Ricter, thick fur standing straight up and eyes wide with surprise, threw his paws in front of his face, relinquishing the offensive. Never one to question good fortune, Yuuka seized on her furry foe’s distraction and leveled her parasol. The salvo tore through fur and flesh alike, its sheer force driving the beast onto his rump with a groan. But Yuuka knew her sturdy opponent would soon recover—would soon set upon her once more. Without pause, the Youkai’s feet lifted off the ground and she alighted on a nearby rooftop, scrambling across slippery shingles toward the nearby ship.
The whispered words of Whirda Windstrom echoed in her head, a litany against exhaustion. Weapons aboard the boats.
*****
Aboard the galleon, Whirda’s daggers whirled in an indecipherable blur, defeating each swipe of the bio-android’s blade. Each time an opening presented itself in Cell’s defenses, a dagger darted through to dig greedily into green flesh, drawing a chorus of growls building quickly toward a crescendo of frustration. Still, both seasoned fighters recognized the undercurrent beneath their battle, the unspoken truth motivating their respective strategies.
Whirda Windstrom was slowing. The price of maintaining her guerrilla tactics, weaving in and out of the fight to strike only at the most opportune moments, had taxed her greatly, stealing the strength from her blows.
The more conservative fighter, Cell had sustained innumerable wounds in their protracted battle. But while his breathing had grown ragged, he seemed more than capable of maintaining his pace. The calculus had changed. No longer concerned with defeating the cunning movement, he now sought only to outlast her—to allow fatigue to finish his work for him.
Whirda sensed the subtle shift in Cell’s demeanor—the renewed confidence guiding his measured blows. The contagion’s grasp began to recede, a profound exhaustion taking its place. Rain-drenched and gasping, she skipped back and broke free of the melee.
The bio-android shook with mirth. Purple blood leaked from a dozen cuts on his face and chest, but his gleeful sneer oozed superiority. “Give into your rage, girl,” he taunted. “Forsake your discipline. The advantage is mine.”
Chest heaving with exertion, Whirda didn’t respond. She could not argue the bio-android’s logic as her measured steps faltered. She dropped to one knee. A deafening thunderclap heralded a renewed surge of rain, rivulets streaming down her face and obscuring her vision. She thought to shadowstep away, to place more distance between herself and her interminably advancing foe, but could she endure the strain?
Cell raised his Ki Edge, the rippling blade promising death. Feebly, Whirda interposed her daggers in some semblance of a defense, her defiant glare drawing another arrogant chuckle from the bio-android. The blade swept in a wide arc…
… and was promptly batted aside by a dipping parasol.
*****
Yuuka landed in a crouch, darting forward with a wicked jab into Cell’s abdomen. The surprised bio-android staggered back with a howl of rage, but kept the presence of mind to leap aside as a barrage of bullets bit into the planks of the ship’s deck.
Grateful for the brief reprieve, Whirda offered the green-haired Youkai a weary smile.
“This fight isn’t over yet,” Yuuka said, flashing a wide grin of her own. “Get up. Put a little Pepsi in your step.”
Whirda frowned, not understanding the joke.
“Weapons aboard the boats?” Yuuka asked.
“Powder kegs,” Whirda replied, gesturing across the deck to a row of squat casks.
Yuuka understood Whirda’s plan immediately, her eyes glimmering with excitement. “Let’s give ‘em a show.”
A second sizzling bolt of lightning interrupted their planning, illuminating the charging form of the bio-android as he barreled into Yuuka, sending both women to the ground in a heap. The Youkai barely managed to snap open her parasol as the ki blade arced in, the impact showering all three combatants with sparks.
Whirda tucked into a backward roll and came to her feet, ignoring the clashing warriors and focusing her efforts on the thrumming leylines of shadow. Like wisps of cotton, darkness coalesced in the air around her, forming a thick barrier—an impenetrable cocoon of utter darkness. She glanced to Yuuka, mouthing a single word when she caught the Youkai’s eye, an unmistakable message.
“Now.”
Yuuka leaped toward Whirda, toward the safety of the umbral cocoon, as the roaring retort of her parasol echoed above the howling wind. With no time to see if her aim had been true, Yuuka rolled into the cocoon a second before it closed.
If the scene had been loud before, surely it paled in comparison to the thunderous explosion that came next, engulfing the ship, and, hopefully, the hapless bio android, in a raging, concussive inferno.
Quote:849/850 words
Whirda used Umbral Cocoon, 1/5 SP remaining
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