We're more than carbon and chemicals

[lucetimods]

Who: All Draftees
What: Fighting Third Party
When: 26th, 27th, 28th, 1st, and 2nd
Where: The Southern Farmlands
Summary: See here for overall details.
Rating: Probably gonna be gorey in places :|a

DOESN'T NEED A CUT. People should know how this works, if not, just follow other people's lead. I'm gonna set up some strategist threads at the top, for the four strategists to use if they want to, otherwise people should start their own threads.

((Mod Note: Since this has been asked a few times, just fyi, the livestock do not talk. Happy hunting!))

Comments

Day 3?

[all7seas]

[Having served with the clearing team, Jack has fallen back to join the main body of fighters. It may be that on the battlefield they will meet.]

sounds good to me!

[herotypical]

[ buffy is less accustomed to fighting during the day; the sun is only recently risen and the daylight reveals so many more details about the playing field. so many that they do have their own, minimal effect on the slayer. blood looks different in the daylight.

she has been toe-to-toeing it with one of the non-elites for a few minutes, now. she had tripped on an abandoned sword sheath and is only now regaining her footing. she shoves a shoulder hard against the enemy's chest and barrels her backwards, following up with a stomach punch and looking to daze the female soldier. buffy only needs a moment.

she reaches for either side of the soldier's head and with a clean sudden snap, buffy breaks her neck. she is catching her breath and shoving the body away from herself when she looks up and sees jack sparrow. her mouth is a little ajar, greedily inhaling. she lifts one hand in a slow, silent greeting. ]

[all7seas]

[Sparrow nods at her. Ordinarily the sight of a soldier dying wouldn't fill him with admiration, and by day three it had become a routine enough sight. He is more pleased just to see her, out here, alive and in good shape.

Soon enough he becomes embroiled in his own fight, distracting him from her momentarily.]

[herotypical]

[ buffy has never before seen jack fight someone who wasn't her. she would find it easier to work out his style if she were on the receiving end but this does not mean she won't appreciate the third-person perspective; it is a chance to try and objectively evaluate what the pirate is capable of. except an elite is between her and his fight and so obstacles must be dealt with.

this altercation is more drawn out. the elites are faster, stronger, better than their underlings. the slayer takes more hits, this time. the bruises won't take long to heal. she kneels down on the fallen soldier's chest and whatever she does to end his thrashing could not be seen even if jack was not distracted with his own fight. but when she stands back up, there is fresh blood on her scythe.

she sprints the distance between the second body and the pirate's embroilment. ]

[all7seas]

[The fighting IS keeping the pirate occupied. Two rank-and-file third party soldiers are trying to take his life, and Sparrow is very busy not letting them. He manages to come between the two, ducking in time to avoid a slash by the first soldier that accidentally takes out the second; the third party member has a moment to register surprise before Sparrow slices his throat.

He has a moment to breathe and wipe blood from his cheek.]

[herotypical]

[ back home, these moments would usually be punctuated with buffy being able to make a stellar move at the last moment and swoop in on a final soldier to save the pirate. only there is no final enemy. but this isn't home and they are left in the awkward position of being just far enough from the next set of baddies to not turn immediately to work. ]

That...that was good. Fast. [ she swallows. it isn't supposed to be a compliment; it is just an observation. appreciation. ]

[all7seas]

Not a time to make it stylish, is it. [There is no humor in his voice; Jack despises killing.] You alright, Annie?

/reads everything very carefully a million times

[herotypical]

[ she nods. ] I'm going strong. [ she wrinkles her nose at the scythe blade before wiping it off on the thigh of her jeans. ]

XD SAVE THE DOOR! SAVE IT!

[all7seas]

Perhaps I will get the chance to clean you up after all. [He doesn't wait for her reaction.] The elites---hard to kill?

i feel woe for the door.

[herotypical]

Hardish. And those wings...armoured. But, lucky me, I'm harder.

[ she therefore saves her reaction for post-answer. catching his eye for a moment and judging his sincerity. the keyed up energies of the battle lead her mind to a particularly physical scenario that she has to shake out of her mind. since when should she ever realistically imagine jack sparrow in the shower, anyway? ]

yus

[all7seas]

[When Jack Sparrow was still living in the heat and hot water world of C4, he adored showers. The sensual creature in him enjoyed standing under the hot water for an hour at a time, especially as the weather got colder and he began to miss the Caribbean heat.

The case was different, of course, in the cold wilderness of Cullen House. But the draftees' hotel had its perks.]

You are a hard sort, mmm. When you've a mind to be.

[Jack kneels by the body of the soldier he just dispatched, removing a dagger from its waist and stashing that in his coat.]

[herotypical]

[ she looks away from him, scanning the field. ]

When I have to be. [ it's a point of contention. her friends would often say she goes too cold, becomes like a wall to her loved ones -- too often. buffy doesn't like to think of herself as a permanent cold fish. ] So...do we head towards or away from that pack-o-three cresting that little hill.

[all7seas]

Toward.

[herotypical]

C'mon, then. [ she shoulders her scythe after switching it to her off-hand, unslinging the bow and holding it at her side. ] Watch my back.

[all7seas]

I'll watch all of you, Annie. [Jack has used up powder and shot; it will be swordwork from here on in.]

[herotypical]

Don't forget to watch the big scary bad guys, too. [ she doesn't turn her head, but the joking deprecation is unmistakable. ]

[all7seas]

[Jack does not answer. This is not his kind of warfare, not even close. Still, he knows that they won't be allowed back until the mission has been achieved, and this keeps him going.]

[herotypical]

[ the party-o-third-partiers has clearly spotted them, now. alarm bells should be ringing. such a small contingent of soldiers coupled with the fact that the shifting works on all in the vicinity -- including their own soldiers.

buffy brings the crossbow up and lets off a bolt when they've come into range. at this point, her aim is still fine although the bolt (thanks to the distance) doesn't make much of a difference.

she reloads from a narrow quiver. ]

[all7seas]

[The pirate draws the new dagger in his free hand and waits to see whether this next shot will do them any good. He will stand just behind her.]

[herotypical]

[ the next few bolts are off the mark. realization is setting in to buffy's mind -- the ultra-battened-down california girl swears colourfully under her breath and abandons the crossbow. discards it to the ground. plan b was always going to be a terrible plan because what were bolts against these guys? stupid medieval weaponry and their limited ranges and maybe a gun would have been g--no.

she keeps advancing, despite knowing that at least one of the approaching figures must be a shifter. ]

[all7seas]

Bugger. Annie! [Jack's tone is sharp as he catches up with her.] Be wary!

[herotypical]

It's too late to run. Let them get away and they'll get someone else. Or us again. [ fastidiously avoiding the word me despite the fact that she is the only one of their duo affected by the shifting. ]

[all7seas]

[The pirate consults his compass, and mutters several choice swears as he goes forward to meet them.] Then you will do me the honor of staying behind me, madam.

[herotypical]

[ reluctantly, she falls a few steps back. it isn't exactly obedience. there are three of them -- she won't be left unemployed. ]

Gee, since you asked so nicely. [ she sounds hostile, sure. but she's not hostile towards jack. ]

[all7seas]

[Jack wastes no time with a comeback. Even though he hates doing it this way, he charges in with sword drawn, aiming to cut the Achilles tendons of the first of the fighters--a regular soldier, nothing special about him. Once the man is moaning on the ground, he leaves and launches against the second...an Elite.

This is going to be significantly more difficult. The Shifter remains just behind, eyes glowing.]