1721/Strange New World

Strange New World
Date of Scene:	04 March 2015
Location:	Spring
Synopsis:	Strange New World Reward: 11,200z Contract Fee: 1,120z Location: ??? Quest Level: ***** Goal Condition: Return the Zinogre pack to Wyveria Client: Disgruntled Wyvern Scientist Quest Details: This is terrible! Awful! A mated pack of Zinogre just...wandered right out of one of those big gates and vanished! Who knows where they are now? Other worlds aren't prepared for things with abilities and power like /that/! Please, get them back here before they do something we'll all regret!
Thanks to:	To Ysabel for running~.
Cast of Characters:	481, 581, 655, 712, 720

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Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    The land of Spring. A wilderness of blooming trees and flowers, lush orchards, adorable wildlife...and, currently, a pack of musclebound lightning wolf dragons. It's a troubling day.

    Crashing footfalls shake the trees and send colorful flocks of birds screeching into the air. Animals from bunnies to bears flee, hiding in their burrows or simply dashing between the trees. It's not hard, therefore, to find the source of the commotion, especially considering how /large/ that source is.

    Not one, but /two/ great beasts stride through the forest, each nearly seventy feet in length and at least twelve feet from ground to shoulder. The pair of Zinogres resemble a mixture of wyvern and wolf all bound into a form of raw power: a frame of turquoise scales armored by golden plates and decorated with fur that practically glows a regal, heavenly white; a crown of massive, forward-curving horns over a primal wolf's head, backed by a radiant mane along its neck; forelegs like stone pillars, equipped with dark claws and the long blades of vestigial wings; a long tail, cresting into prongs of gold that frame more of the lightning wolf's brilliant fur. They walk side-by-side, upright and confident with steady strides, assured of their total supremacy even in this foreign land (http://goo.gl/0If6MW).

    They're not alone, however: four smaller figures dart around them, each only about the size of a large dog. The pair's pups, their armored plates much less defined and their billowing white fur covering most of their bodies instead, prancing around their parents and playfighting with one another (http://goo.gl/1PwLwQ). They don't seem at all concerned about their strange new surroundings, and why should they be? Their parents show such overwhelming confidence and strength that they have no reason to fear the world while in their shadow. Now and then a plucky bear might snarl from a distance, but when one of the adult Zinogres releases a tremendous wolf's howl that sends the trees shuddering, it scurries off quickly enough.

    It's probably reasonable that Ysabel is keeping a significant distance from the pack, all things considered. The huntress crouches behind some bushes a good distance ahead, yet still off the path the Zinogres seem to be heading. She's wearing her own Zinogre armor, suitably: the turquoise plates, golden spikes, and arcing lines of glowing blue energy and claws make it obvious enough what her armor's made from and lend her a slightly more feral look, especially with the glowing lightningbolt markings down her back, underneath her flowing blonde hair, and the pair of horns/ears rising on top of her head. She's brought Daora's Razor with her, too, the metallic shield resting over her right arm and the frost-wreathed sword tucked horizontally on her back. For now, she's not making any moves toward the Zinogre pack, but instead simply glaring at them from afar as she tries to consider exactly /how/ to go about this task.

Shadumbra (712) has posed:
Something else is skulking at the Zinogre family's heels.

Sleek and black, the large, saber-toothed panther prowls all but unseen through Spring's dappled shadows. The panther's broad paws draw no sound from even the driest twigs and leaves found among the gnarled undergrowth. A graceful huntress positioned downwind of her prey, she wouldn't look at all out of place in some nature documentary about predators in the wild, except for the fact that she's a fraction of the size of the beasts she's after, and there is a strange gleam in her eyes that's not all refracted light.

Until someone should spot the panther, she'll continue to prowl along uninterrupted, fearless of both her massive Zinogres, and --

Wait, what's that?

The panther freezes in her tracks as an unfamiliar scent pricks at her nostrils. Rotating like radar dishes, the panther's long, pointed ears cup this way and that, trying to pick up any strange sounds to explain the strange scent. The end of her tail gives a wary flick.

Someone else is here. That /must/ be what she's sensed.

Kirika (481) has posed:
    Not arriving from the immediate warpgate in the area, but a good enough distance away to cover ground by foot, Kirika's steps are surprisingly light for walking around in full plate. She prowls amid the foliage as she tracks Ysabel decently enough, crawling beside the bushes before dropping to a knee beside the huntress.

    Her spear is shortened, but Manatoobuki's tip is still deployed as she keeps a good grip on spear and shield. Crimson eyes observe the Zinogre, her furry ears twitching a little as the kitsune remains still and silent.

    She knows a thing or two about stealth and tracking wildlife, that's for sure. Having spent time in the wildest parts of Kasun at a young age amid the spirits helps with that much.

Dominic Masoch (655) has posed:
A large, two-legged yellow bird emerges from one of the warp gates in Spring. It is approximately the size of a racehorse and moves about as quickly. It lets out a very bird-like squawking noise before it sets itself into an easy gait that carries it across the field. On its back is a saddle, in which sits a late-teens blonde man with the reins in his hand.

Swiftly, he guides the bird to chase after the beasts as they run and crash around. He had heard there were monsters to be hunted, which was an excellent experience for a Galiandan adventurer to see the Multiverse a bit more closely. The swift-moving avian mount scurries across the fields, well-trained enough not to turn and flee at the mighty howls. A wild Chocobo may have, but a trained one is a steady mount.

Three swords of differing length are hanging from the saddle as he chases after the beasts, circling the bird and trying to best figure an angle of attack to approach on.

Kaname Madoka (720) has posed:
    Shortly after Ysabel settles in to her cover, she might see a pink light flash some ways to the northeast. It's distant at first, but it quickly grows closer, and closer, until finally it resolves into a human shape. There's a girl there, four fuchsia 'wings' comprised entirely of magical energy surrounding her. She would pause only briefly once she's arrived to get a closer look at the beasts before quickly skating back out of view and easing her way toward Ysabel's coordinates. Once she spots the bushes she's fairly sure must conceal the monster hunter she would join her in an adjacent shrub, doing her best not to draw attention to either of them. This would likely be an effectual gesture so long as her more conspicuous approach didn't already do so.

    Over the radio, she would whisper, "W-Wow. I don't think I've ever fought anything so big. And there are so many of them!" She likes to think that she's pretty good with animals, but probably not good enough to tame -these- things. Or at least, not by herself. "So... what are we going to do? Capture them and then release them back where they came from? Or..." She hesitates. "... or do you think we might have to kill them?" She really hopes not, but she will if it comes to that. Just, she would like to try as many alternatives as possible first.

    Regardless, she would start out by summoning her bow. Glancing at it, she would pitch an idea: "I think... I might be able to fire a rope or something from my bow if we want to try that first thing. I mean, I could fire an arrow and someone else could try to wrap it around their legs to stop them. Would that work?" She knows that such massive beasts would likely make short work of a -normal- rope, but maybe if she conjured a magical one or something? Hmm.

    God, but first she needs to stop shaking. Sheesh.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Ysabel is still slightly weirded out by people of the Multiverse, and Kirika's appearance gets a briefly confused and leery look from the hunter before she can respond to her presence. Animals that look like people have been a thing, and people that turn into animals, but...people with animal parts are still pretty strange to her. "...hey," she mutters, before turning her attention back to the pack crashing through the forest.

    Shadumbra's presence is still unnoticed, thanks to a mixture of her own skill in stealth and the very obvious distraction posed by the Zinogres, but Dominic's approach is a different matter. The swift Chocobo he rides gets the attention of the fanged wyverns as it approaches, causing the much larger adults to stop their forward approach and turn to watch his steady circling. One of them turns its whole body toward Dominic, making a point of slamming its feet hard enough into the earth to make the ground shudder with each step and releasing a low, rumbling snarl of warning. Streams of small lights like cyan fireflies start dancing around it as electricity begins to build in the air.

    Madoka's glistening appearance doesn't go unnoticed, either. The other adult steps back slightly from its mate and looks up at where she is - or was, a moment ago - before determining its own course of action. Rather than move to aggression, it acts defensively, pawing the fluffy children to huddle under its muscular bulk for safety. The pups, smart enough to be concerned whenever their parents are, quickly bundle up under the massive Zinogre and peer out with wide blue eyes of curiosity.

    Ysabel looks back at Madoka with a faintly annoyed frown. Not necessarily at /her/, just at the situation in general. This is much more complicated than her usual work. "We can't kill them, that's going to go against the job I signed up for. Capturing them...might work, but not with the equipment I have. That takes wearing them down really hard and then tossing a couple of tranqs at them, since they're way too resistant to fall asleep without a fight or a stronger injection that I don't have. I brought a couple of pitfall traps just in case some of you have an idea, though they'll take a minute to set up."

    Her glare shifts back over to the Zinogre preparing to defend their young. "That guy's making a good distraction. If you can do that trick with the arrow, maybe Kirika here can run it around them. The one that's charging up; don't want to risk crushing the pups under the other one. They're strong, though, /really/ strong. Just make sure your rope can handle it." She looks to Kirika next, silently looking for her input on the mentioned plan.

Shadumbra (712) has posed:
Among the local birds startled into flight by the male Zinogre's massive stomp is a large raven at least twice the size of any mundane raven. Thick, beaded whiskers dangle down around the raven's cere like an old man's drooping mustache, and bushy eyebrows sprout in feathery clumps above its shining yellow eyes. A heavy jeweled collar rings the raven's neck in addition to a clawed necklace, and jeweled bracelets wrap its legs just above its feet. What looks like tooled leather armor is fitted to the shoulders of the raven's wings. Strange, pointed ears sweep back from its head, each one given a gleaming earring.

It's not a normal raven in the least.

The 'raven' gives a hoarse call and swoops into a wide, graceful circle above the Zinogres. She comes to a halt above them, and beats her wings in steady flaps to maintain a hovering vantage over what she believes will soon become a scene of conflict.

The raven cocks her head to take in the others present. She swoops toward Dominic, first, and --

A long-limbed elven woman marked by feral grace, dusky purple skin, and moonlit eyes somersaults mid-air to land in crouch before the chocobo, hand outstretched. Wild blue hair frames her tattooed face in a blustery tangle, and long eyebrows cant down toward one another in an angry angle.

The voice she possesses is elegant and musical despite its harsh tone. "Stop! These creatures are to be peacefully moved! I won't have you harm them!"

Kirika (481) has posed:
    Kirika nods to Ysabel. "Well met." The kitsune is rather to the point, and her manner reflects that as she quietly notices Dominac and Madoka's arrivals. She raises a brow at the noble before eyeing Madoka curiously. Having read past reports regarding the other Madoka and her world in the Union, this ought to be an interesting experience for Kirika.

    "At the veyr least, Sir Masoch seems to be getting them mobile, hopefully he does not provoke them too badly." She muses. Her spear folds the blades into place, until resembling more a shepherd's crook than a polearm for battle. Absstractum are handy that way, aren't they?

    As she is about to speak further, Kirika yelps in surprise as she emerges from her hiding place, and suddenly the elf tracking them reveas herself at last. The kitsune is more confused than anything else, tilting her head gently. "We are not here to harm them under any circumstances, we assure you." She says, giving Ysabel a glance as if asking 'Know this one?' The answer is self evident after a moment, and Kirika lowers her hood and hangs up her shield over her shoulders. "Our mission here was to herd them towards the warpgate leading to Lady Ysabel's world, without harming them." She explains further, bowing her head. "Perhaps we can help each other?"

Kaname Madoka (720) has posed:
    Madoka gives Ysabel her most resolute nod. "Right." Really, she's just glad to hear that they don't have to kill them! That realization will probably give her all the zeal she needs to get started. "Then here goes!" Madoka would make a gesture across her bow that would mimic pulling an arrow taught, only to coax one into existence in the process. Rather than launching this glowing dart, though, she would pluck it from the interstice between the bow's front and the extreme end of the magical filament holding it in place for some other errand. Namely, that task is to set down her bow and call into existence a long, glistening line of the same hue that she would tie into careful knots around the arrow's end. This particular rope -should- be more resistant to lightning and claws and other applicable dooms on account of its mystical nature, but she can doubts very much that she can be sure of this in an entirely different world.

    Still, she would pull closed the final coil in faith before taking another, deep breath. She would set the arrow back into its proper place and close one eye, aiming it at the field and the monsters bounding through its expanse. She would adjust her vantage this way and that, the tip of her magical bolt wandering hither and thither as she ponders the best arc and angle for a retrieval. Before long, though, she would lower the bow so that the flower at its tip would nearly touch the ground and glance back to Ysabel. "Okay. I'm ready." To the person whom she assumes to be Kirika, she would add, "If you think you could run fast enough to catch the end of the rope once it makes its way over to the Zin..." What was that word again? "Um... Zingers, then just tell me. I can use my bow to get it over there!" She would lift it up in demonstration, smiling in a way that seems deceptively calm.

    No, Madoka, Zingers are a kind of food. Just goes to show what's on her mind at the moment... or, alternately, at any moment.

    But! Another voice comes after that. She would immediately put her weapon back down to regard the... r-raven turned elven woman. Whoa, that's new. This is another of those things that probably shouldn't surprise her as much as it does, but it does anyway, and she would stare with wide, sparkling eyes for several moment before she can come up with any sort of meaningful reply. "O-Oh!" Immediately, she would become flustered. "We didn't want to hurt them, either! But if we wait for them to leave on their own they might mess things up here. S-So..." Briefly, she would glance to her bow. No, she really can't blame her for suspecting them, can she? But she can explain this! "I... wasn't going to use this to hurt them. I was just going to use this to tie up their legs!" She would gesture to the rope. "See? I would launch this toward them, and then she," Gesturing to Kirika, "would catch it. Then..." She would go on in this fashion for a spell, trying desperately to parse her plan for Shadumbra. All this while trying to come to grips with the profound feeling that she's just been whisked away into a novel by Tolkien. Or, alternately, an MMO; you know.

    Once she's done with her verbal flailing, she would rest her bow on her lap. "I promise, though -- we definitely want to help! And we definitely won't hurt them!" Squirming, she would clarify, "Well... it might hurt for just a minute, but I think everyone will hurt less in the long run if we do something now."

Dominic Masoch (655) has posed:
As the ground shudders around the bird, it wobbles a bit in its running and lets out a 'wark' noise, trying to keep its two-legged balance on the shaky earth below its feet. As the particles glow around the monster, Dominic tilts the Chocobo's reins and tugs, steering it into a veering pattern. He has an idea, albeit a dangerous one.

Of course, that plan does not survive contact with Night Elves. As the woman lands in front of him, Dominic pulls back on the reins. The massive bird scrambles to a stop, claws skidding against the ground and kicking up dirt. It also lets out a strained, bird-like warble.

"I was going to strike them such as to not cause pain, merely guide movement. If you have a better way, I will listen, milady," He says in a firm tone, looking down (Literally, not in a diminishing figurative sense) at her from the back of his mount. He doesn't take off again, instead waiting to see if she has a better suggestion for him.

Shadumbra (712) has posed:
"Forgive me. I knew not your intentions; saw only your weapons, and assumed you poachers. I am Shadumbra, Night Elf and Druid, come to these lands to answer a call for help...and to see these children back to their home." Shadumbra jerks her head toward the Zinogres to indicate what's meant by 'children.' "I will aid you in your effort as best I am able. The wilds are my home, and the wildlife my kin. Perhaps my understanding of both shall be of use to you."

Shadumbra's tone lowers into something hard and threatening. "Of course, should you prove yourselves liars, those same powers will return you to the earth as compost."

Without another word, Shadumbra's off again, mass increasing as she sprints toward the Zinogres until she springs across the ground with the spritely grace of a full-sized elk. Seeming to intuit at least Dominic's part of the plan, Shadumbra bellows a challenge at the Zinogres, and attempts to create a distraction in order to leave the creatures open to everyone else.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    "Zinogre," Ysabel corrects Madoka, slightly sharply. Once she and Kirika are both prepared, the huntress gives them a brief nod. "Great. Let's try to get this over with quickly, then. Worst case, we can probably tie a dozen steaks to that Masoch guy's bird and send him running off to-"

    Whatever else was going to be part of that terrible plan isn't voiced, because suddenly a bird turns into a person, and Ysabel has never been fond of that. Especially not when said person is shouting at them not to hurt the massive monsters threatening to wreck everyone present, as well as the surrounding landscape. With a frustrated growl, Ysabel stands and shouts right back at the dark purple elf, significantly more irritated-sounding than her companions. "What are you doing?! Don't get so close to them! /Whoever/ the hell you are!"

    Fortunately, the Zinogres aren't moving into direct aggression just yet. The night elf's sudden transformation causes the aggressive one to snarl deeply and shift its attention right to her, but these are very intelligent predators. They're able to recognize that the woman's abrupt interference is to block their own potential aggressors, and while the second Zinogre takes a few more heavy steps back with the young protected beneath it, they don't seem interested in attacking her just yet. That's not stopping the first from building up more crackling electricity in its white fur: cyan bolts are starting to arc between the hairs, spurred on by the insects granting the large creature their charge.

    Ysabel's still not happy, but when is she ever? As everyone else is making their case, and assuring the elf of the peacefulness of their current task, Ysabel just glowers with her arms folded over her chest. Finally, though, once Shadumbra introduces herself and accepts their situation, Ysabel gives a reluctant grumble. "...Ysabel Thibault, hunter. Don't worry, I'm not stupid or enough of a newbie to ruin a contract's terms. Just don't get in the way, alright?"

    And she sure doesn't. Quite the opposite, so far, as she charges toward the Zinogres and creates more than enough of a distraction. The one in front is the one who reacts, and it does so with its own show of incredible strength and threat. One paw /slams/ into the ground, and the Zinogre's head rears back to let loose a mighty, unearthly howl to the sky. At the same time, lightning seems to strike its body from the heavens, crashing outward into a brute-force wave of electricity just around its body. Cracks of blue energy appear along its scales; its horns flare upward into energized prongs; every plate along its body bristles out into a bladed spike, changing its form from sleek power and grace to bladed lightning and fury. Electricity crackles over its form, dancing over spikes and bristling fur, lending a glow to the cracks along its body and the interior of its maw.

    Well, she's certainly distracted one of them. "Ah, shit, shoot your magic rope thing before it does anything else!" Ysabel snaps to Madoka, drawing her own broadsword from her back as she settles into a defensive stance.

Kaname Madoka (720) has posed:
    "R-Right!" She would glance to Kirika. Ready or not...!

    As quickly as she's able, she would pick up her bow and fix the arrow back into place. She would pull it all the way back, building up the tension in the rope. Then she closes one eye, scans the sky, chooses her moment, and lets the thing fly. Given how lustrous it is, that strand might be a distraction of its own to any viewing it -- it would refract the light of the sun, potentially glaring into the eyes of the Zinogres to momentarily skew the aim of whatever attacks they may bring to bear on Ysabel and the others. It would pass where Madoka believes should be just out of the range of their claws were they to swipe at it, and then arc back down to Earth on the other side of one's head. The arrow itself would get lower and lower to the ground, guiding the rest of the filament along with it as it grows dangerously close to staking itself in the Earth. Still, given its position, it seems like Kirika would only have to run one revolution around the Zinogre Madoka was aiming for to get the whole arrangement securely in place at its knees. From there it's just a matter of tightening the grip!

    From there she would just lower her bow and watch. She crosses her fingers, watching both Ysabel and Kirika with copious trepidation. 'Be safe,' She would mutter, 'Please.'

Kirika (481) has posed:
    "I am Kirika, Warden of Kasun. This isn't the first time I've had to subdue misplaced wildlife before, believe me." The kitsune bows her head once more, before she nods to Madoka. "Not a bad plan. I should be swift enough to pull that off if you can fire in time." She says, rearing up as she awaits Madoka's word.

    Just as the magical girl fires, she makes a break for it, running like the wind was at her heels as she catches up with the rope in time and grabs it off the ground. Then, she begins to get to work.

    The vixen swiftly begins to encircle the Zinogre, raising the rope so that it reaches the beast's knees. Around she goes, until she manages to get a good grip on its legs.

    Then, she /pulls./ Kirika's strong enough to wrestle oni to the ground, no small feat in any way whatsoever. This should be only marginally more difficult than that.

Dominic Masoch (655) has posed:
"I am Dominic Masoch, Adventurer and Fencer," Dominic introduces politely, reaching towards one of the sword in his saddle. It's a long-bladed odachi-type sword. He swings the Chocobo around and takes off at a jog again, the bird moving quickly, if grumpily, at his commands. It seems very unhappy at the rough starting and stopping, ruffling its wings.

The huge sword is not used to strike too heavily, however! Instead, Dominic rides the bird around in a wide circle, swifting darting across the ground. The sword, when Dominic rides alongside the monsters, is used for masterfully gentle strokes against scales and armor. Deep enough that they know something cut them, not deep enough to actually hurt. It takes an incredible amount of precision to balance each cut, but he manages to do so from Chocobo-back.

Each one also tries to rodeo or herd the pack of monsters, nicking one if it moves away from the group too much and guide them where Ysabel needs them to be going.

Shadumbra and Ysabel both want these monsters alive for their own reasons, and so he's aiming for a very difficult strategy. It leaves him open to counter-attack from errant monster bites, if one gets too pushy or doesn't get the message from his shallow strikes.

Shadumbra (712) has posed:
Shadumbra's elk shape isn't meant to endure a lot of physical punishment; it's for travel, not for war! The first electrical charge knocks her from the transformation. Smoke rising up from the leather armor she favors, the Night Elf lies stunned and sprawled in the wake of the electric wave, so little movement in her body she looks like a cooked corpse.

Ah, but corpses don't cough, do they? Shadumbra lets out a few breathless hacks, and before she can be flattened under stompy Zinogre feet, she rolls onto her side, and springs up to dash away with beams of burning moonlight crashing down in her wake as a deterrent.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Everyone acts, and, better yet, they show a remarkable sense of teamwork. First Madoka's arrow goes flying, and while the first Zinogre is too slow to react, the second swipes its paw out toward the shot as it flies along its course. The thunder wolf's reaction time isn't so great, however, and its massive claws sweep just too late after the arrow flies, and just too short to catch the magical rope behind it. The second barks a warning to the first, but it can't manage much else: Dominic is starting to harass it, expert swipes scraping across hard scales and drawing out surprised snarls from the Zinogre. It doesn't register them as a threat, considering how shallow Dominic makes them, but the threat to its pups is another matter.

    Its first instinct is to goad the pups into safety, and it does with a sharp bark that sends the dog-sized adolescents scrambling out from under it and rushing back toward the warp gate in the distance. Hopefully its mate will have things in hand, because the second Zinogre immediately follows the pups, heavy, loping strides carrying it across the ground with remarkable speed for its size and bulk. Dominic isn't given a free ride, however; still perceiving his presence as a threat to its children, the Zinogre suddenly rams its stone wall of a shoulder toward him and his mount mid-run with enough force to send them both flying if he's not careful.

    As for the first? Kirika's speed comes to the forefront at first, as she scoops up the arrow before the electrically-charged Zinogre has the chance to turn around. Shadumbra is still a threat in its opinion, even as she starts to try and run with those glaring blasts of moonlight, but now it's forced to split its attention between her and Kirika's swift interference. It manages to give a sharp twist of its shoulder to Shadumbra, but it couldn't possibly strike her from this distance: instead, a briliant, electrified orb formed from a small swarm of thunderbugs flies out from its fur and swoops down to chase after the druid, ready to strike like a bolt of lightning.

    That's all it manages for now, though. Kirika's swiftness is winding around the Zinogre's sturdy legs, and that attack against Shadumbra bought her enough time to finish her swift rotation and /yank/ at the beast's legs. The Zinogre is a sturdy and powerful creature, but Kirika's strength is remarkable in itself. The rope tightens and drags the thunder wolf wyvern's legs together, its claws digging furrows in the earth as it attempts to resist. More than once it yanks and pulls to try and dislodge itself, but Kirika's power is enough to hold it off for the moment. Even then, though, the Zinogre is stubborn, snarling and wobbling and striking out with its legs where it can to ensure that it does not fall over at any cost, though a solid blow could manage to blow through the last of that stubbornness.

    Ysabel, meanwhile, finds her opening. She rushes forward, sword drawn, and delivers the strike needed. Ice crashes up from her blade's impact against the Zinogre's foreleg, and the creature howls and tumbles onto its side with a crash to make the trees shudder. Getting up again isn't such an easy option; its legs flail as it barks and snarls, trying to find its footing once more where it lies.

Kaname Madoka (720) has posed:
    Madoka breathes a long sigh of relief as she sees the monster collide with the ground. /Phew/. That looked really, really, really dangerous. Truth be told, she feels somewhat guilty that she wasn't up there in the fray with the rest of them, but more rationally she knows that she was and will be more helpful from this distance. She's wielding a bow, after all; those aren't exactly ideal in close-up melee confrontations. Ysabel, Dominic, and Kirika seem much better suited to that, so she'll leave them to it.

    There is one other person, though, whom Madoka suspects could use a helping hand: Shadumbra. She happens to conveniently look over as she's struck by that bolt of lightning, prompting her to, in spite of her own prior deduction, slip right into the fray. She's already up and running again by the time she sprints over, but assuming she's allowed to come within shouting distance of her she would reach out her hand and plead, "W-Wait!" She wants to heal you! But before she can verbalize that, the Zinogre would hurl a -ball of lightning at her-. That prompts Madoka to freeze in place and draw another arrow. This time, though, it glows green rather than pink, and exudes an aura of swift airs rather than pure light. It's imbued with the power of wind.

    After a moment of focus, she would attempt to launch this bolt directly into the heart of that ball of lightning. The intention is to either disspell it completely via elemental contrast or to at least disperse the blast so that it isn't so concentrated when it hits its mark. Assuming the latter circumstance, Madoka is likely in range to be hit by the ensuing electric pulse too.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Madoka's arrow flies with remarkable precision, rushing right to the center of the electric orb. Fortunately for her, it's not just a concentrated electric ball. When the arrow flies, it crashes against the energies of the orb and startles the firefly-like bugs within, sending them scattering every which way. A few might still land on Shadumbra and Madoka, but their electric charge when alone isn't enough to cause more than something like static shock on impact. Definitely much better than the full orb.

Shadumbra (712) has posed:
Madoka's voice isn't heard over all the roaring, stomping, and electric crackling, so Shadumbra can't stop to appreciate a little healing magic, but she sure can stop whenever another lightning orb gets flung her way! It's a smaller one, at least, but still provokes a BELLOWING roar that --

Wait a minute, she's roaring, now? And when did she get to be twelve feet tall, and so /hairy/?

Now bear-shaped, Shadumbra continues in a sprint after Dominic. From bear to elf to elk to elf she shifts, until she appears beside him as her still-breathless self. Between gasping attempts to refill her lungs, she stretches her hands out toward the Zinogre mother in what is meant to be a soothing gesture. Shadumbra ignores the conflict at her back, looks into the Zinogre's eyes, and does her best to soothe it of its fury.

The trick is as much mystical as it is good training. Shadumbra taps into the wild forces of the world to find and calm the fear raging inside the Zinogre's heart.

"You -- will be -- safe -- "

This, in conjunction to whatever Dominic is doing to push the Zinogre (Zinogress?) toward the warp gate with her...pups.

Kirika (481) has posed:
    According to common knowledge in their native land, Zinogre seem to have a footspeed of thirty miles per hour, thirty-eight at full sprint. A normal man would be completely destroyed by such a beast were it coming right for them.

    HOWEVER. Kirika is not an ordinary mortal, no sir. She is far faster, for one, and she knows exactly what to do with this remaining Zingore. "Ysabel,"

    She gives the huntress a very significant glance. "I think now we've but one option."

    And then the kitsune releases her grip on the rope that holds the zinogre down and runs like hell, knowing that the beast will have her in its sights the moment it gets its footing as she makes a break towards the warpgate.

    How she pulls this off while in full plate is a miracle, once again.

Dominic Masoch (655) has posed:
One of the Zinogres comes in towards Dominic's mount and the bird lets out a pained cry as it and rider are sent tumbling through the air as a single mess. The bird's pitiful 'wark' noise is plantive and its wings flap frantically. It bucks and resists in the air, trying to right itself but so dazed from the impact that it has some trouble.

Eventually, clawed feet grip at the ground and the fluttering stops as Dominic tries to bring it towards a calming influence again. The sword in his hand has magic run through it and he turns the bird around. It seems upset to be going back into the fray, but it'll get some greens later as a reward.

An off-blue essence starts to run through the blade as the bird charges back in, its rider nursing the shoulder holding the reins. It may be dislocated. The hand with the sword, though, swings it. And it trails with mystical energy up until the BLUNT SIDE impacts the side of the beast Shadumbra is trying to calm.

The impact discharges the stored SLEEP BLADE, which won't be fully charged yet. Dominic is trying less to inflict 'sleep' upon the beast, but rather a partial sleep-like calming effect to help along the Druid's much more practiced work.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Shadumbra's presence draws the second Zinogre's attention again, but before it can make any aggressive actions toward her, the druid...does something. Though the beasts of Wyveria may certainly be unusual by most worlds' standards, they all can be described similarly: wild and untamed. Shadumbra's own knowledge of how to work with that energy is put to potent use as she communes with the loping beast, instilling in it an assurance of safety and peace. Dominic's own blade crashes into her side, and while the impact is certainly /not/ calming, enough so to draw an abrupt /snap/ of the Zinogre's teeth after Dominic, the result of it is. Narrow blue eyes blink as the calming effect settles in, doubling with Shadumbra's skills to lull the Zinogre into a sense of security.

    The thundering beast she leers briefly at Dominic, but her barreling stride is slowed into something slightly less swift, and her next bark to the swifter, smaller pups is slightly less harsh. At least the mother doesn't try slamming into either Dominic or Shadumbra again, and while she seems ready to if necessary, it's not much further to the gate. The pups sprint through ahead of their parent, and the mother soon vanishes after them, back to the forests of Wyveria.

    The other Zinogre is providing a significantly less peaceful exit.

    Now that it's toppled, Ysabel has a second to breathe and consider the situation. She watches the Zinogre, looks at her allies...and then Kirika is dropping the rope still faintly binding the beast's legs and sprinting off toward the gate. Ysabel blinks, then looks at the flailing Zinogre, then looks toward Madoka. A second is taken to pull out a fist-sized vial of some kind of yellow fluid, and Ysabel tosses it at Madoka. "Drink that. Then /run/."

    The vial is an energy drink, concocted to instill an endless stamina in the one who drinks it for a brief period of time. If Madoka chugs down the citrusy drink, she won't have to worry about getting tired while she's sprinting. That's something, right?

    Exactly how useful it's going to be will be quickly learned, as Ysabel starts sprinting toward the gate as fast as her legs can carry her right as the Zinogre rights itself. It spins around, leveling its furious glare at its fleeing attackers, and with one last ROAR of rage, it barrels after them. Every footfall crashes down with a bolt of lightning where it lands. Its maw hangs agape as if prepared to snap up anyone it comes close enough to. And all those tons of angry electric wolf charge after Kirika, Ysabel, and Madoka with no intention of stopping.

    If they're not going to interfere, Dominic and Shadumbra might do well to get out of the way.

Shadumbra (712) has posed:
"Elune be praised," the Night Elf murmurs in relief. The Zinogre mother disappears through the warp gate after her pups, and Shadumbra can let out a pleased sigh. A job well done, she thinks to herself, before quirking a silent but appreciative brow Dominic's way. He had helped. He deserves --

Oh, NOW what?

The ground rumbles. Shadumbra whirls around to find out exactly /why/, and her silvery eyes become huge. "Oh."

In the next instant, she's lunged instinctively into panther form, and begun to race away from the gate at a fast, unstealthy lope, a startled 'yowr!' and a puff mystic motes left behind.

Kirika (481) has posed:
    Kirika does not need much more encouragement to continue running as she glances behind her to confirm. It's a bitter pill to swallow that her plan did indeed work; The beast is charging right after her and Ysabel, as well as Madoka, and they are going to need to hoof it like never before if they're going to survive this.

    Clearly she only needs a second's glance as she goes back to sprinting, terror written all over her face as she tries to focus not on the zinogre but the warpgate ahead of them.

    While she was charged to protect Kasun's people and its natural wildlife, among other things...she's not so accomplished at dealing with animals beyond improvised strategies to not get killed by them when their wrath is provoked.

    "OHDEARLADYIDIDNOTTHINKTHISTHROUGH!" She yells, mostly in anger towards herself for getting everyone in this situtation.

    The vixen takes a flying leap towards the warpgate during the final stretch, hoping her legs carry her the rest of the way.

Dominic Masoch (655) has posed:
The teeth land home, Dominic steering the bird out of the way to catch the jaw on the shoulder. There's a clatter and a cry of pain as his large sword drops to the ground and blood soaks through the leather armor he wears. Despite that, he has a remarkable tolerance for pain as he keeps the Chocobo running steadily as his shoulder slowly turns red.

Still, it wanders off, and he is glad for this. He is notably less glad for the angry and rampaging remaining one. As he nurses that injured arm and guides the reins with his dislocated arm, he steers the Chocobo away. He can't attack, for the moment, and so merely elects to get out of harm's way.

'Harm' being a gentle euphamism for 'giant rampaging lightning monster'.

This world feels fairly home-like to him, come to think of it.

Kaname Madoka (720) has posed:
    Madoka barely turns around in time to catch the vial that Ysabel tosses her way. It would bounce around in her hands a few moments before she gets and maintains a more firm grip, and only then would she turn to its supplier, nod her head, and thank her profusely. Not as profusely as she would like, perhaps, because she makes a run for it! Whiiich, incidentally, is something that Madoka should probably be doing herself. So she would promptly begin to run whilst she downs the yellow liquid and, once it's all gone, her pace would likely quicken by quite a bit! She would break into a full-blown sprint afterwards, but, unfortunately, she was never a track star. She has immeasurable amounts of trouble keeping up with everyone else's speed and, in a matter of moments, she's likely on the cusp of being run over.

    It's a good thing, then, that she has wings. Using that energy afforded her by the potion, she would push herself to the limit to put herself just slightly ahead of the Zinogre, and then she would -jump-. As she takes off she would sprout her wings to give her some more air time, and to propel her further into the air. Whilst there, she would briefly linger above the monster's back. While she's there, though, she has more than enough time to see the others running, the chewed up Earth in the wake of its rampage... and then, she decides, she has to do something. She's not content to just run when the others are in so much danger, but what exactly -can- she do? She thinks as quickly and as fervently as she is able until, finally, she drafts a solution:

    She'll take its anger away.

    That would be a win-win, wouldn't it? It would soothe the pain of the monster itself while taking her allies out of harm's way. Sure, it might have some repercussions for her, but that's irrelevant! The others come first. So, using her bonus stamina again, she would fold her wings and attempt to land on the papa Zinogre's back. She would do so as gently as possible so as not to startle the creature, but she can only be concerned about that until the moment she physically touches down; the moment she does, she would start to feel the pain. Electricity coursing around the beast would find its way into her body. She would cry out in pain, and wince, but again, none of that matters. What matters is that she does all she can to help, and she will.

    So she would trudge and climb her way forward on the creature's back until she reaches its head. There, she would soothe it as Shadumbra had done, only in her own, unique way. She would stroke its head two times before pulling a ring, adorned with a pink gem, gently off of her finger. This ring would then transform into an egg-shaped, crystalline object, itself comprised of a predominantly pink coloration, interspersed here and there with flecks of black.

    After what she does next, though, those black dots would quickly begin to multiply. Fuchsia fades to pitch as the gem absorbs... something... from the head of the Zinogre. This symbolism would likely be lost on many, especially considering the urgency of the circumstances, but Madoka is attempting to literally extract the monster's anger and convert it into corruption which enters her own soul. This is even more taxing than it sounds, however, and she can only maintain this endeavor for so long. Once she's reached her limit, the 'egg' would transform back of its own accord, and Madoka would fly off of its back with no further resistance.

    Before she collides with the ground she would summon her wings to lessen the impact, but after that foolhardy maneuver there's little else she can do. This leaves her entirely drained in a span of seconds, and this is to say nothing of the lightning damage she sustained in kind. Evidence of -that- is abundantly clear from the smoke wafting off her being and the frizziness conquering her hair.

    That was painful, but let's hope it helped somehow.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Ysabel's expression is a strange, uncomfortable mixture of determination and a concerted effort not to panic. Sure, this isn't the first time she's had to haul ass from something ten times her size and angry, but she's never really done it on such a long stretch before. It's...daunting, to say the least.

    Fortunately, she manages, and Madoka's gambit certainly helps. The Zinogre's next instinct is to get Madoka off its back, and it snaps and snarls at her, putting just a bit less effort into charging straight ahead. Even as electricity blares from the spikes lifted down its back and the fur bristling along its spine, however, she endures, and manages to at least take /some/ of the boundless anger the beasts of Wyveria are known for. It's enough to return a little bit of sense to the creature, as it stops thrashing at her and realizes that the rest of its pack is across the gate. These people are now a secondary issue...but not one it's fond of.

    It still barrels toward them, but its efforts are less on trampling its attackers and more on getting to the gate. Its lightning-wreathed footfalls come dangerously close to Kirika and Ysabel, but both of them quickly leap out of the way at the last moment, and Ysabel falls into a crashing tumble that ends with her flopped face-down in the grass and flowers.

    Finally, the second adult breaches the gate, charging through back into its home in Wyveria. And hopefully it'll stay there this time. Victory! (http://goo.gl/D6bBS0)

    Ysabel rolls onto her back, still gasping for breath as she stares up at the sky in a mixture of shock, exhaustion, and /relief/. It takes a minute for her to get her bearings enough to remember that she does, in fact, have allies here, at which point she finally sits up and offers a dazed remark to those around her. "Well. Uh. Good job, guys. That went pretty well, I think. Any of you need...healing or something?" Another rush of breath falls from her. "Hooooly crap. I'm never doing a quest like that again."

    Her attention shifts to Shadumbra, then, as she rises to her feet and dusts herself off. The look she gives the night elf is definitely uncertain, but...grateful, in her own irritable, crotchety way. "...thanks. Normally I'm not a huge fan of shapeshifters, but you really helped out with that one. No idea what you /did/, but..." Ysabel just gives a halfhearted, uncertain shrug to finish her statement, before something comes to her. "...say, where'd-"

    Oh, there's Madoka. Ysabel mutters under her breath before striding over to the girl to check on her and make sure she's stable. Or at least not dead.

Kirika (481) has posed:
    THUMP

    Kirika's relief is palpable as she collapses to the ground with a hearty, metallic thump. The kitsune takes several deep and long breathes before she glances over to the huntress with a nod in her direction. Thumbs-up are given, and she then tries to pick herself back up, getting on her feet once more. "I call that...somewhat successful." She muses tiredly, too winded to even cough as she tries to get some air into her lungs.

    "Let us never speak of this again." agrees Kirika, as she wanders towards Madoka, trying to confirm her safety before moving on to find Shadumbra and DOminic next. "Is everyone alright?"

Shadumbra (712) has posed:
As if reluctant to do so, it takes Shadumbra time to return to her elven form. Even after she rejoins the group, she sits in their midst as an over-large cat, broad tongue rasping across her left paw in an attempt to give it a casual cleaning. It takes Ysabel's direct address to remind the Night Elf of her company, and of her manners. She gives a hefty sigh before standing up to shift shapes again.

It's remarkable how easily she does it.

Shadumbra clasps her hands together before her chest and bows forward. "You have my gratitude. You kept your word, and demonstrated both honor and valor. Those beasts are returned to their home, and with their leavetaking, perhaps this forest might rediscover some peace."

The Night Elf straightens from her bow. "If any of you are injured, I can invoke some healing powers. It is not my specialty, but all Druids know the arts."

Dominic Masoch (655) has posed:
The pacing Chocobo comes to a stop near Shadumbra as she offers healing. Dominic is bleeding through his coat and his other arm looks somewhat bruished, "I would not turn down a minimal amount of care to tide me over until I can return to the Academy to be tended to by a White Mage."

He doesn't need too much healing, though. A Rejuvination or two. Not even a full rotation or a Cooldown is necessary for him to be able to manage to get home.

"If it is not too much trouble, that is. I do not wish to overstrain you over injuries so trivial."

Kaname Madoka (720) has posed:
    Madoka looks... pretty fried, but at least she's still conscious. When she's able -- or, at least when Ysabel arrives -- she would sit upright, likely rubbing at her disheveled hair. She would give a nervous sort of giggle and the best smile she can manage. She would mouth that she's fine, ask whether Ysabel and the others are okay, confirm that the monsters made it across the gate, and... promptly slump back on to the ground. There's probably no use in trying to hide that she's beat, and most people would probably assume as much after... after -that-. So she would gladly accept any healing that offered before, when she's finally got her bearings, making way for the warpgate so that she can get back home. Though, she might need some help finding her way, actually; she only recently started bunking at the Heaven or Hell Tower, after all.

    Ah, and she wouldn't leave without another word to the others either! She would approach Ysabel first, thanking her for the opportunity to get out and see more of the Multiverse. And she would express her gratitude to Shadumbra, too, for trusting the group, and then Kirika for going along with her crazy plan toward the beginning of this little sojourn. The only one she doesn't have much to say to is Dominic, but she would still find -something- to thank him for, and exchange the usual 'Nice-to-meet-you!s' and other things in that vein. She's careful throughout all these exchanges to not show just how weary she is; she doesn't want to worry anyone, but geez is she looking forward to more cream stew and a bed when she gets back.

    ... that is, when she remembers -how- to get back. The Multiverse is a big, big place, and even with the warpgates this whole 'navigation' thing can get kinda confusing!

Shadumbra (712) has posed:
Meanwhile, Shadumbra flings her hands cheerfully into the air, and washes everyone nearby in a mystic green glow which takes the form of fast-fading green leaves. Each leaf seems to sink into whatever injuries or exhaustions are endured, countering all those aches and pains with a rejuvenating flow of energy.

Easy peasy.

Kirika (481) has posed:
    As Shadumbra works her magic, Kirika can almost immediately feel its effects. Bowing her head to the druid, she pops her neck and approaches her, producing a communications device. "This will no doubt prove useful to you soon, the switch on the upper-right end turns it off and on, and this knob here..." Kirika continues talking Shadumbra through how to work the device, it might help to handle that first before getting her up to speed on further matters.

    "You will have a lot to take in, I must warn you first. I should know, I've been in this situation before, more or less." She says with a lopsided smile to the elf. "I am Kirika, by the way. Well met."

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Ysabel takes a minute to help Madoka up, but when the girl tries claiming that she's perfectly fine and not in need of any help, Ysabel just gives her a look that practically screams 'you're full of shit, and I know it.' "Right. I'm walking you to the office, don't try to give me that. I can pick up the reward once I get back, anyway."

    Fortunately, Shadumbra uses her magic once more to cast strange healing magic over the group. Ysabel blinks as she feels the effects coming over her, easing out her exhaustion and any lingering aches. "...well, that's handy," she mutters, nodding to the elf again. Kirika seems to have the formality of the situation in hand, so Ysabel just gives a brief nod of thanks to them again before her attention shifts to Dominic. He gets another frown. "Either you're the most sarcastic person I've ever met or /you're/ full of shit, too. Don't die on the way back to wherever you live, okay? You did good yourself."

    And with that, Ysabel's practically dragging Madoka off toward the Heaven or Hell Tower, as long of a walk as that's going to be. She may not be the best company, but at least she doesn't seem to mind.