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

[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.]

[herotypical]

[ buffy has no intention of hanging back more than is absolutely necessary; in fact, she is keen on distracting that shifter for jack's sake so he isn't left engaging two enemies at once. the elite will be challenge enough.

she circles the two engaged in combat -- keeping half a glance on the downed soldier in case he should prove to be a problem again. her slayer abilities may be gone but her tactical training under giles is still firmly at play. ]

[all7seas]

[The pirate dances in and out, just out of reach of the other soldier. He is badly outmatched.]

[herotypical]

[ it's a thing she hates to see but joining that particular match would be a worse decision that going after the shifter. the sooner he is out of the way, the sooner she could clean up the one on the ground and give jack a hand. but the important question is whether she can get him out of the way at all.

she stops just short of the shifter's reach. the valentine's fight with kadaj was just over a year ago but she can still remember the shocks of pain and the debilitating hits. it puts more hesitation into her than she is used to. ]

1/?

[all7seas]

[It's not going all that well for Sparrow. He has landed a few superficial cuts and taken a few as well--to the arm, the side, the jaw. His quickness and canniness are keeping him in the game.]

[all7seas]

[At one point, though, he seems to catch a break; he darts in and opens a long, bloody gash along the elite's throat.]

[all7seas]

[And celebrates maybe too early.]

[all7seas]

[And doesn't realize his foe is still more than capable of delivering a crushing blow to his knee...]

DONE

[all7seas]

[And of lifting him clear off the ground by the throat. Until it is too late.

Sparrow kicks and struggles in his grip as the elite soldier laughs at him.]

[herotypical]

[ meanwhile, buffy was just tossed backwards a few feet. now? now there is definitely more of her blood in the mess.

but this puts her close to the elite and she scrambles to her feet, risking taking her eyes off the shifter in order to thud heavily into the elite's back. no strength behind it, but maybe she can give jack an opening. ]

[all7seas]

[The pirate is suffocating to death. Buffy's efforts only earn her more gruff laughter from the Elite; the monstrous warrior turns toward her, aiming a blow with his sword.]

[herotypical]

[ desperate measures. buffy's duck and dodge doubles as a chance to wrench the pole of her scythe between the elite's knees and twist brutally, hoping to trip him up. it leaves her on the ground -- vulnerable -- but freeing jack isn't pure self-sacrifice. she'll need him to get through this. she just needs the elite to drop him and so needs to use methods that depend less on strength and more upon the weak parts of her enemy. ]

[all7seas]

[Jack is tossed aside as the Elite, thoroughly angered now, stumbles and turns on the woman.

The pirate manages to get to hands and knees, taking long, choking gasps of air. He shakes his head to clear it and tries to gain his feet.]

[herotypical]

[ the whole maneuver sends her scythe flying. she can see it, but she can't reach it. not with the elite turning on her. she comes up with a punch -- hissing loudly when her knuckle crumple on the elite's jaw. ]

[all7seas]

[Jack finally manages to stand and retrieve the fallen sword. His left leg will not bear weight.

The choice is not a simple one: kill the shifter, and re-strengthen Buffy, or try to kill the elite captain, who looks ready to spit her on his sword.

Sparrow trusts her. God, he trusts her. Muttering not swears but a quick prayer he turns away from her to engage the shifter, aiming to behead the devil.]

[herotypical]

[ after the failed punch, the elite catches buffy's wrist in his hand, twisting brutally until there is a snap. something in that arm is broken but the pain flares up so high that she can hardly pinpoint the exact where of the break. she claws out with her opposite hand. girly fight techniques -- dragging nails across whatever skin she can reach. digging in and trying to play the old game of redirecting pain into power. it's not working.

she stumbles backwards. jack going after the shifter? good. she is glad he made that choice. it's the best opportunity they have. she needs to get back to the scythe -- so she side-steps, hoping to avoid the elite's reach but only ends up caught up from behind. too slow. unable to react.

she bites down hard on the thick arm acting as a restraint across her chest; the elite twitches but doesn't let go. ]