Fantasy Hunter's Moon: The Sin & Sentence [IC] [CLOSED]

[ANIMAL MOTHER]

It's all coming back, all of it. Slowly, but surely, and intensely too. The details of the landscape before Loque and the rest all pop out at her, striking every single one of her senses until it feels as if she's staring at a photograph taken a long time ago. The crooked rocks scattered around like some messily carved obsidian canyon, the depressingly pitiful attempt at a sun with it's dim rays barely even reaching her skin, the cold and dense mist with shadows of things inside being projected onto it; the land may have shifted over the years, but none of it felt out of place.

"So, how do you like my home so far?" she asks the others around her.

 

[Frankafurter]

Uloth surveys the land, she only feels the barest of chills go down her spine. She wishes she had asked for a basic map or something that would give her a general idea of where they were, but something tells her this place is in a constant state of shifting and a map would be rendered useless a few times over during the course of a day. She's not here to be scared though so she girds herself and looks at the rest of the party, "As much as I love lookin' at tha' landscape'n shite, I would fancy gettin' tha' feck off this rock an' gettin' on with tha' job, yeh?" She turns and takes a few steps down the vaguely marked path towards presumably the demonic helpers they have waiting for them. She stops and looks back, "C'mon, less'getta move on, ya wee gits, dawdlin' ain't gonna get us anywhere. Plus, I dunnae wanna keep the local help waitin' for us to get our thumbs out our arses."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

"Is not so bad. A little dim. Cold. Like winter, but no snow. No trees I can see. Strange place. Expected more fire and kill. Good start so far, I say," Inari said to Loque. The place was rather like a dreamscape, in a way. Hopefully it wouldn't shift into a nightmare.

When Uloth spoke, Inari glanced around at the others nearby. "What language she speak? I know some word, other word not."

 

[SniperComZero]

...Gwen might've given the kitsune a little bit too much credit. "...She is speaking, ah, Atracan. Poorly, but the point stands." They both were far too hard to understand for their own good. Good thing at least that they were the meatheads that'd be up in the front and not exactly have to communicate through a non-kinetic medium.

"So, how do you like my previous home so far?" Gwen, having been able to look up and around at the landscape now, was, not the most impressed, let's say. "...Underwhelming is a word for it. But, perhaps that is unfair to say, non? Little would compare to the verdant plains, the lush forests, and the, ah, scenic mountains of the Monrouxelles." A wistful sigh escaped the elf, her voice seeping with a more ethereal accent as she reminisced. How desperately she wished to be back home, and not in this over glorified magic cavern.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

"Oh, she is? Strange dialect," Inari shrugged. She'd just have to get more used to the language, it seemed. She listened in to Gwen and nodded along as she explained her, presumably, homeland.

"Monrouxelles..." She sounded the word out, tasting it like it was fine sake. "Sounds like my home! Kyokomori. Big dark forest, with rivers, and mountain tops all around. Many kami and spirits!"

 

[Frankafurter]

Uloth pipes up, "I speak whateva' th' feckin' humans speak. If I spoke my own tongue, none of ya would understan'." With that she adds what sounds like gutteral barking and snarling, clearly a demonstration of her native tongue. It sounds way harsher and more violent than any of the Atracan she's spoken thus far, definitely very brutish and inhuman. She notes the little thing hanging off Riberta and cocks an eyebrow behind her faceplate, "Ya gonna hang off'er the entire way or wha'? Try standin' on yer own fer a bit and get yer legs about yah. If yer scared, jus' remember tha' we all are in our own way fer our own reasonin'. Is' how ya face tha' fear tha' makes all tha' difference, aye." She gestures a heavy gloved hand at Gwen, "Y'see, she's probl'y scared shitless but keeps up'er hoity feckin' toity knife-ear bullshite to hide it." She points over at Henderson, "An' tha' big fuck'r probl'y a bit scared too, but e's meaner than'a golem ta make up fer it." She points a finger at Inari, "An' she's just bat feckin' shite crazy so bein' scared jus' ain't even on tha' menu fer her." Uloth points to Hudson, "An tha' wee prick jus' got'is feckin' convictin's an' hate to fuel 'im good fer the fight." The meaty finger aims at Jakob next, "An he worryin' a bit too, but 'e jus' got determinatin' an' confidence in spades, aye." Finally her finger of judgment rests on Loque, "An this'un's jus' takin' a proper stroll through th' ol' neighborhood fer old timey's sake." She regrips the her MG and looks back at Aliana, "So, ya can either hide under yer mother's skirt'n ride out the storm, or ya can put yer face to tha' wind an show'em ye ain't scared of nothin' an' be proud of yerself." After her little pep talk to Aliana she goes back to scanning the surroundings for signs of trouble, letting her mind settle back into the task at hand.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

"I don't know all she say, but it sound good," Inari said, pointing at Uloth. Aliana was definitely a fragile and scared little thing. She seemed young. Inexperienced, undoubtedly. No shame in not having experience - not everyone had the opportunity, ability, or desire to strive the battlefield. If the little one was going to make it, then she'd need some skills on top of luck.

"If you scared, no worry, I can show how to kill good." Inari drew out her tanto blade, the smallest of her knives, and flipped it around so that she was holding it by the blade rather than hilt. "You want borrow? Is good for throat cutting or quick stab. Good for starting to learn, yes? We can practice on prisoner demon we find. No big deal. Then work way up to bigger blade... but that take time. Some learn on field, some learn in temple."

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob looked over his shoulder to look at Uloth as she seemingly complimented him and the other members of the group and gave her a friendly smile. "Thanks! I... guess?" He shaked his head while smiling and then talked back to Hudson. "I mean, I have hope obviously... it's just that this team certainly isn't made by the best. Back in the Island, I knew I had the best people watching over my back. Here, while they all look like killers, can they all cooperate with each other?"

He looked over his shoulder again, seeing young Aliana still holding onto Riberta as tight as she could. She looked like she could use a talk from a fellow lycan. There was also the Tsavanian woman, who was walking on the back, it seems like she was avoiding Riberta and Aliana as much as she could, Jakob wondered what is that about. "We gotta shape some of them... the elves seem to have attitude problems, the weird Redonian might be a good warrior but I doubt she has any decent combat discipline... and frankly she seems insane." He looked back to Hudson, giving the man a more slightly more serious look. "I like Venextos, he certainly knows his way around Magic, I don't know about the Redonian monk but he seems to know his deal... Wesley, well... he can be good at times, just gotta watch over him."

 

[Dmaster]

He nodded slowly, the hunter staring at Vincent as they all kept walking along. It was nice that Jakob had a plan on how to get the team more cohesive but Hudson of course had his doubts. Working under Velin for as long as he has told him that the success rate was extremely slim. "Velin just picked the garbage that rolled in to the Church prison that week and put Vincent and I in with them. Hardly a great selection process." he said bitterly. "I'm just glad we haven't devolved into killing each other just yet. But if that demon tries anything I will end it quicker than it can cackle about whatever atrocities it dreams about daily."

"The others? I really don't care that much. Pull their weight and don't expect me to do any saving. Except you and possibly Wesley. If, and I mean a huge fucking if, we survive this and you didn't make it back - Cam would open a few new stab wounds in me." he added, shaking his head slowly. "I thought it would just be me going in when I was summoned by Velin. If things were different I would have had Camille come with me. But she's got her hands full nowadays."

 

[Frankafurter]

Uloth looks at Jakob as he thanks her, "Ach, dunnae get all soppy on me will yeh. I'm jus' tryna uplift the wee girl." She looks back to Aliana for a moment then notices something out of her peripheral vision, she looks at the mists in the distance thinking she saw a shape moving within it, but as the mist shifts and reveals that it's just a rather pathetic and scrubby looking bit of brush that somehow grew despite the ground conditions it sits in. She grunts and goes back to her plodding walk as she keeps an eye out for actual threats and not necessarily the ones within the party itself.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob looked back at Uloth and simply gave her a friendly nod before looking back at Hudson as the man spoke. He gave Hudson a little smirk as he mentioned Camille and how she'd actually 'harm' him if something happened to Jakob. "Good to know Cam remembers me fondly, we didn't agree on everything back then... we still don't I imagine, but I remember her fondly as well." As the two men walked alongside Vincent, with Uloth slightly behind them, Jakob imagined how things would be if the whole group was here. "Heh, Camille is great warrior and a fighter, don't know how she can handle demons." Jakob looked at Hudson as he mentions the fact that she was busy. "Busy, huh? is she hunting vampires again? or..." Jakob leaned in a bit closer. "...or hunting Aleister?"

 

[Dmaster]

"She told me you were a good and caring man. Too caring. I told you don't belong here because you have people that depend on you back home." Hudson said. "She and I make a good team together. While she isn't the best at fighting demons she is quick to learn. Whole reason she decided to work with me at first, actually." When Jakob leaned in to ask just what she was busy with, he shook his head negatively.

"That theatrical vampire is one tough case to crack. I had been assisting with the investigation even if she would have much rather beem doing it instead of me. But she... couldn't." he said, the pause quite seliberate as he failed to extrapolate on that detail further. "Doesn't matter, though. Wherever he is he has a whole lot of normal folk in his pocket to keep things under wraps." Hudson explained as he adjusted his hat by the brim slowly, left hand returning to his chain afterward. "No she's busy taking care of the kids right now."

 

[K0mori]

"I...sadly was unable to travel to the end with them. I was wounded in battle against Archer. The others had to continue on without me...Mariette died." Jakob cleared his throat, as Mariette's death still hurt him. "...So did Rosanna."

Although Anya had tried her best to avoid the other werewolves she could sense, the Atracan lycan was telling an interesting story that she couldn't help but eavesdrop on, since most of the others were merely bickering with each other. But as the details went on, it began to seem more and more familiar to the Tsavanian, until, incredibly, she realized the connection to the conversation her captor from the Order of Velin had with the mysterious dullahan that freed her, weeks earlier. She waited a while before interrupting, as the coldness of the Abyss had taken her by surprise and it required a lot of concentration to avoid sprouting fur. When she felt able, she inserted herself into the conversation.

"Rosanna-" she said, loudly, so that Jakob could hear her and she didn't have to get closer to him. "She is dullahan, no? I met dullahan named Rosanna in west of Tsavania weeks ago, spoke with awful man from Velin's Order. She knew him, called him Francis. He mentioned a Duke. He asks her, why you leave and not fight Duke? She says she was killed, but came back. Must be same woman," she insisted. "Talked much of fate and gods, said I must come here, join you all. This cannot be luck only..."

 

[EdwardDewey98]

"I wish I knew what happened to Aleister, clearly the curse that affected all of us in the Inquiry affected him as well. I just don't know what drove him to act the way he is acting now." Jakob looked to the side for a moment. He had very fond memories of Aleister, despite some rough moments the two had, seemingly born out of Aleisters lack of trust over Jakobs authenticity, the two men became friends. Whatever happened to him must have really affected him emotionally. But as Hudson finished talking, he mentioned that Camille was watching over their children, this prompted Jakob to look at the man with a little surprised grin. "Ow you bastard, and then you give me shit for being here." Jakob said jokingly, he was about to speak with the man again.

But suddenly the quiet Tsavanian lycan interjected and caught Jakob by surprise. His eyes were wide open as he listened to the woman. "I... I beg you..." Jakob looked dumbfounded, a feeling of pure joy rushed over him as he heard that Rosanna was still alive. "Rose! Oh thank the Gods she's still alive?! You have no idea how happy that makes me madame." his amazement then shifted to a slight confusion as Anya mentioned Rosanna's talk of fate and the gods. "...yeah, can't be a coincidence if she sent you here, You were right out the door when we arrived. This is... strange to say the least but the strangest thing..." Jakob eyed Venextos for a moment before turning his attention back to Anya. "What is your name ma'am?"

 

[K0mori]

"Anya," she replied flatly. In fact, during all of Jakob's elation, she hadn't been moved at all by his emotions. "I am not a friend to werewolf," she added sharply, "but Adona sent Rosanna to send me to you, and here I am." The way she spoke of werewolves made it clear that she resented them, but not the sort of joyful hatred that true zealots possessed, which was impersonal in nature. The very fact that Anya was a werewolf herself told Jakob almost everything he needed to know; she resented their kind for robbing her of her humanity.

 

[Dmaster]

"Listen. It's different with me, alright?" he said rather sternly, Jakob's joking nature lost on him from the subject matter. Yet before he could explain himself further that woman from the forest chimed in. The revelation that not only Rose still lived but was ferrying people to fates on the gods' orders. His experience told him which god in particular.

"So now she's one of Adona's riders. Because we need more cryptic 'fate smiths' tossing their heads at passerby who don't give a damn." Hudson said with exasperation. "Good she's alive, I suppose. Even if she hates my wife with a passion."

 

[K0mori]

Anya turned her attention to Hudson. "She saved my life," she said plainly before cocking her head slightly, suspicion in her eyes. "Why she hate your wife?"

 

[Dmaster]

He titled his head slightly, the exact reasons why their relationship wasn't the best taking some time to come to him. "Think she told me something along the lines of Rose thinking that she was all for rounding up any supernatural being up for execution." he said with a slight shrug. "It's not like that. Camille's not happy about the purges either." Odd words coming from someone in the Order of Velin, as it would be typical for him to defend their methods.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob looked at Anya a bit surprised, her words carried a stigma he hadn't experienced for a while. He looked at Hudson as he talked with the Tsavanian woman. Jakob decided to just give her a smile and hopefully, gain her trust as they travel the abyss. "I still thank you for your information, Anya, means a lot to me." He looked back at Hudson as he explained Camille's relationship with Rosanna. Jakob witnessed firsthand how detached from humanity the huntress was at times, having even mentioned that due to their long lifespan, vampires are bound to turn evil in the long run, something Jakob found ridiculous, but he knew that she was no Velin, and gave Hudson a nod. "Look me and your wife still gotta talk about her investigation methods, but you are right, I doubt Camille would be happy about any of this... too many innocent blood has been spilled by Velins thugs." Jakob gave Hudson a smile, before continuing walking forward behind Vincent.

 

[Fubuki]

After her little pep talk to Aliana she goes back to scanning the surroundings for signs of trouble, letting her mind settle back into the task at hand.

Aliana hung onto every one of the green womans words. Even through the...interesting dialect, she parsed a few things here and there she could take to heart. Maybe this big scary woman wasn't to be feared...

Everyone was scared, especially her, but they were all dealing with it in their own ways. Except for the special few cases who just couldn't be arsed to feel fear.

Then the cheery woman, whom she'd probably guessed was 'Inari' from eavesdropping, comes up and starts speaking in even more broken words, and then flips an oddly shaped knife around in her hand. She...was confused, and now scared of her somewhat just from sheer confusion. She...had good intentions, Aliana could only guess. She gently waved a free hand to decline the offer while nervously chuckling, as she still had to learn her primary weapon first. She then looked to Uloth, finding it within her to smile just a bit.

"T-Thank you, big green woman. I'm...uh, I'll do my best, ma'am.." She stutters out, more than a bit of confidence restored. She looked up to Riberta, before separating her arm from Riberta's, owing to her newly found speck of independence.

Her expression elevates from petrified worry to cautiously optimistic worry. She still stuck next to Riberta, finding the presence of her still reassuring. She could smell the scent of lycan from a few people, most notably the loner, Riberta, and of Jakob. She overheard conversation between the loner and Jakob, but found the specifics of the conversation too complicated for her to piece together. Aliana thought to herself as far as she could reach within her mind.

She was surrounded by people who are pushing through their fear, and it's up to her to find a way to do the same. The impending storm may come calmly or suddenly, she'll have to keep walking even though it may hurt.

 

[K0mori]

When both men had finished speaking, Anya nodded. "The Order's men and women are cruel," she said. "They burn vampires and werewolves in village square, carry guns and shoot in arms, hands, shoulders... For pain, not for kill. They are cruel," she repeated, "and they enjoy the kill. But while evil, they fight evil. The few good do not make up for the many bad, the ones that take more than they give, if they give at all. I am not good either, and so I am here. Hell take me without dying."

 

[Dmaster]

"She's making an effort. Everything that has happened has left us with something to think about." he insisted. Her reputation in Escaria was her being a ruthless killer, but with her hunting taking a lull and several exceptions she's made the climate was different. Still feared among vampire kind, but now it was more of a fear for those vampires that made names for themselves with their various evils.

"Don't forget that you're talking to one of Lady Velin's 'thugs'." Hudson interjected, yet he stopped when Anya gave her piece. "What she said. I'm not the type to cause as much pain as possible for what I hunt, and neither is Camille. You don't fight a monster by getting thrilled off of their suffering. You put a stop to it so they can finally find peace." he added. "Even with demons I don't stoop to their level. You shouldn't be grinning when you perform a kill."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Inari shrugged at Aliana's refusal of her tanto blade, and she slid it back into its sheath without needing to look at it. A trick that could earn an amateur an easy stab in the gut. "No worry, I still teach later. Everyone should know best way to cut off head regardless of tool."

She was only vaguely aware of the conversation between Anya, Hudson, and Jakob, and with Aliana turning away she caught the last few words from Hudson.

"What? No grinning when killing? Why not? That sound so silly. If happy kill, smile. If sad kill, have tears. If just business, maybe no grin, but business is fun so maybe also grin?"

 

[Dmaster]

Hudson didn't even bother to look at Inari as she piped up. "We're in the right place alright." he said with a clear grumble in his tone.

"Some belong here more than others."

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Inari frowned a bit at being ignored, her head tilting slightly to the side as she slowed her steps to get nearer to Hudson. "What do you mean by that? You say I belong in Abyss? You say silly thing, I point it out to correct, or to laugh. But I'm not laughing. You were boring man back in prison and are here, too. Where is your heart and passion? How can you be warrior without passion?"

She shook her head. "Without passion, might as well be dead. I say you belong here more than me. My place is up there," she says, pointing upwards. "Among comets and stars. But only when I become tired, or water spirits take me. And if I stay away from water spirits, they can't take me!" Inari adds with a laugh.