-

[wise_maiden]

Who: fortunefail, wise_maiden, divinepooch
What: "Saving Private Yuan"
When: Late afternoon on the 11th (Saturday)
Where: Forest / that one cave that Yuan likes to hang out in :|
Summary: After hearing about Yuan's disappearance from his roommate, Raine knows just where to go to investigate. What she encounters is not exactly what she expects.
Rating: ... idk. PG? Higher?



All things considered, it was probably a foolish thing to do -- heading out into the forest alone. Not that she didn't have her staff with her, or have some experience on these paths. She knew exactly where her destination was, even if it would be a couple of hours walk to it. Yuan was nothing but a creature of habit, after all.

It wasn't the first time Raine had to track the man down, though perhaps the first in over a year. If his illness was what was prompting him to go into hiding - without a word to anyone, no less - it was also obvious that he wasn't willing to wait to see if there was any hope in curing it. For a man who had dedicated a good portion of his life to trying to change the worlds, he had certainly become quite a pessimist.

She wonders if she should have taken Astrid with her - but she needed the walk, really. She had too much on her mind these days. It was good exercise. And there was the cave. She was certain this was the one - Yuan's presence was all over it. ... As well as something else. Something stronger. It was a little unnerving, but now that she was here, there wasn't much of a choice but to continue inside.

Comments

[wise_maiden]

The little light slowly gets smaller the more that Raine's concentration goes toward the horn. It's harder to concentrate on a spell while moving, but as long as she can maintain that pace -

"Purify."

[fortunefail]

Yuan froze for a moment as the spell took effect. His breathing got easier and the searing pain in his throat lessened. The mild case of dizzyness he was suffering from dissipated mildly. Other than that, nothing happened. The spell eased some of the symptoms, but had no effect on their cause.

"What... are you doing?"

[wise_maiden]

She was hoping that the distractions of the illness would help him concentrate enough to regain some semblance of control.

But she had been thinking too automatically -- too short-sighted - in the hopes that any actions she made could be followed up just as quickly -

Getting back outside was the priority, with the cave growing dimmer. She doesn't answer him - she needs to save that energy.

[fortunefail]

The lack of a response isn't making Raine look any better, though. She used magic on him without warning. She was still trying to defy him. Apparently, she didn't plan to do as he said at all.

An impatient snarl left him. This was taking too long. He reached out to touch the wall beside him, his fingers scraping past it again. It was a warning. If she didn't hurry the hell up, he'd just have to attack her and toss her body outside with his own hands. Alive or dead, that made little difference.

[wise_maiden]

"I'm trying to - help you. If you'd let me."

She's still moving, at least. She's not going to run, but acting without thinking would cost her even more time. Learn from miscalculations.

[fortunefail]

"Pointless."

They were nearing the cave's exit. Outside, the sun was still shining brightly. What time was it, anyway? Yuan had lost track. Well, it didn't matter much.

[wise_maiden]

"If you're supposed to be looking within yourself, you must have tried a starting point. What was... it, exactly?"

Conserve her energy, but distract him with talk. If it could be managed.

[fortunefail]

"That's none of your damned business!"

His hand clenched into a fist, which he rammed into the wall. Normally, that would hurt like hell, but Aku's essence had encased it so thoroughly, he barely felt anything at all.

[wise_maiden]

"I'm not asking for myself."

Because Yuan was still in there. Somewhere.

[fortunefail]

The lightning crackled again, more ominously this time. She was almost at the exit, all she had to do was go through it. What was keeping her? If she wanted to die, that was her choice. He'd be happy to cater to her needs.

[wise_maiden]

It felt eerily familiar to a situation she still had occasional nightmares from. Possession was always such a messy business. Especially by demons. And the hope that Yuan could keep himself from striking out -- enough to listen. Possibilities.

... She really could be foolish.

Raine had to try one last thing. At least that, so close to the exit. Then she would go, perhaps-- regroup. Reconsider. Not a pleasant thought, if this is what he would be left as. And if Yuan were no longer in control of the demon -- ... well, that didn't leave many options.

"... Do you remember when you first found this cave?" Almost there. It was almost reassuring to have that sunlight peeking through.

[fortunefail]

What the hell kind of question was that? She was trying to trick him. She was trying to catch him off-guard and then pull another stupid stunt. He wouldn't fall for it, though. Lloyd and his companions had made Yuan look like a fool far too often. This time, he wouldn't bother wasting time on petty small talk. His first strike would be true.

He pulled the hand away from the wall again, assuming an offensive stance. He'd just have to run Raine through with one clean jab. Ironic, that's exactly how Aku managed to take Kratos down in the end.

[wise_maiden]

As soon as it's obvious that he has no intention of answering, Raine quickly steps back completely outside of the cave, attempting to block the incoming blow defensively with her staff. She does have some reflexes.

[fortunefail]

Yuan moved out of the cave with her as he made his lunge, but his razor-sharp fingers were stopped short when they came into contact with Raine's staff. Now that he was out in broad daylight, the full extent of the damage became visible.

He'd removed his gloves and his shoes, as they'd grown too small for him, only to reveal clawed appendages. His clothes covered most of his body, but the black rash was inching up above his collar, towards his chin and ears. His cloak had been discarded somewhere in the back of the cave as well, revealing that his once pink Filial wings had turned black.

Yuan wasn't going to waste too much time with showing himself off, though. After a few seconds of pushing back against Raine's staff, he jumped back and prepared for a second attack, this time aiming for her face.

[wise_maiden]

Now that they were in the light, it was easy to see that it was worse than she had imagined.

Not that she has much time to be horrified by his appearance with his second incoming attack. She's had far too much experience being defensive though, attempting to duck the blow while still blocking with the staff.

[fortunefail]

When his second blow missed, Yuan lost his patience entirely. The staff was still beind held up in front of Raine, so he instantly made a grab for it. It was an eyesore and he felt he'd have to get rid of it. He gave it a powerful yank and if, by some miracle, Raine still managed to hold on? Well, then he'd just have to snap it in half. He had enough power to crush the wood with one hand.

[wise_maiden]

Raine's not exactly Wonder Woman. Sure she has some defensive tricks and flashy spells, but strength has never exactly been her forte. The disarm succeeds, leaving a burning sensation in her palms.

... Now really would be the time to take the run option.

[fortunefail]

Yuan's initial thought was to fling the staff away, but he stopped himself just in time to grasp it firmly with both hands and bring it down on his knee. Best to break it in half for good measure than to regret it later on. There was a loud snap, then both pieces were sent flying.

The battle wasn't over just like that, though. After the insolence Raine had shown, he couldn't just let her walk away. He needed to teach her a lesson. A mean smirk appeared on his face, before he readied himself for another charge. A horizontal slash, using his new talons, seemed like an excellent idea.

[wise_maiden]

As she had already turned around to begin her run - really, there seemed to be no reasoning with him at this point - after she got over the surprise of him destroying her weapon, progress with that is halted as his talon-like fingers slash just below her left shoulder, dangerously close to a wing.

She can't help that sharp intake of breath, and the cry of pain as the attack hits, though she quickly bites down on her lip to halt that, instead struggling to concentrate. Filial magic. She had those tricks. If she could just ignore the pain, focus on the ground instead. If she could make it move just under his feet ... if she had the time to concentrate enough before his next attack.

[divinepooch.livejournal.com]

Amaterasu had been on patrol in the village when she felt more than heard the battle raging in the forest. There was an evil presence at work there, and an innocent life was on the line. Ammy was not about to have that. Not if she could help it.

Whatever she was doing would have to wait. Ammy gave an abrupt about-face and ran as fast as she could towards the commotion. Being on the other side of the village brought her to a severe disadvantage, but luckily, Ammy was very, very fast. The buildings whizzed past her, and soon, the trees joined them, until the two came into focus.

The goddess could see the dark force curling around Yuan and affecting his mind and body. She could see it controlling his actions, driving him to attempt to murder the woman before him. One glance confirmed that it was Raine, and that she was just seconds away from death.

A longer glance told her that Raine needed some time to complete a magic spell.

With an extra burst of speed, Ammy came barreling towards the scene like a bullet, and once she reached Raine's side, she leapt forward, aiming her jump - and her jaws - to Yuan's upper arm.

[fortunefail]

It was an unfortunate thing that the wolf appeared when she did- Unfortunate for Yuan, but very fortunate for Raine. He wouldn't have hesitated to land the final blow while she was down. Not now that Aku's rage had taken over. When Amaterasu neared the scene, Yuan barely had time to look up, automatically raising an arm in defense. An arm that, soon after, was host to the wolf's jaws.

Yuan staggered backwards, roaring loudly in frustration. He wasn't in much pain, but damn, was he pissed now. This wolf was just another creature that'd dared to defy him, so it'd have to share the same fate as Raine. He moved his arm in one quick swing, attempting to throw Ammy off.

[wise_maiden]

The appearance of the wolf was surprising -- while Raine had known of its existence, she had never actually seen her this close before. But there were more important things at stake right now.

One hand clutching her bleeding shoulder, she stumbles away from the pair, trying to get out of the immediate radiance of Yuan's reach, and at the same time, struggling to focus - earth magic to shift the ground beneath his feet, in the hope that it would trip him up somehow. If not, there was always plan B.

[divinepooch.livejournal.com]

Ammy couldn't be shaken off so easily. She clamped her jaws tight around his arm and dug her lower claws into his side with her front ones extended to the arm she had attacked. She took a glance at his enraged face - perhaps he shouldn't be able to see for a few seconds.

In an instant, Ammy opened the Celestial Canvas in her mind and covered Yuan's body in ink, most especially the eyes. Hopefully, she thought fleetingly to herself as she mentally pulled the Canvas away and waited for her power to take effect, it would work.

[fortunefail]

"Goddamn mutt!" Yuan was just about to grab hold of Amaterasu with his other hand when he suddenly felt the ground shudder beneath his feet. A loud rumble followed, nearly drowning out his surprised cry as he staggered further backwards in hopes of regaining his footing. It was no good. At this rate, he was going to fall.

His eyes darted back to the wolf still hanging from his arm and then he saw it. Her true form. Yuan, possessing no real celestial qualities, was never able to see beyond the white wolf before. Aku, on the other hand, had the ability to do so only too well. Now that the infection had progressed to consume most of the Seraph, it finally became clear to him that she was no ordinary wolf.

Sadly, that was about all he could see before the ink came out of nowhere. He cursed fluently and keeled over backwards, his vision impaired entirely. Amaterasu's ink ensured that Yuan's face and hair now matched the rest of his body- as black as it could be.

[wise_maiden]

Success -- a little unexpected, but at least that gave them a second to breathe. What a curious power, for a wolf.

All that Raine could do for the moment was continue to try and get out of the way - at least, move near a tree that she could watch from and maybe provide support from if it was needed. She winced in pain; she'd need to take a moment to tend to her shoulder as well. If she had a moment -- who knew how long he would remain down. If something else would be needed.