central_librarylogs | Valentine's Day Mission [OPEN TO ALL]

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Valentine's Day Mission [OPEN TO ALL]

Who: (Future)Trunks Briefs (

light_of_willpower) and you!
What: Of COURSE Trunks is going to go to Ancient Greece and try and help retrieve Cupid's bow and arrows. It's not going to be easy though.
Where: Non-fiction-History-section, Ancient Greece
When:Valentine's Day
Warnings: ...fanservice?

Scenario 0: Research

Trunks wasn't kidding when he'd said he had no knowledge of Greece or anywhere like it. Which meant, even if they were in a hurry, he was still going to take an hour at least and go get a primer. Running through the halls, getting some direction and then heading for History. Time to get some basic information on customs and culture, who these gods were, and so on if they were supposed to 'blend' in.

Scenario 1: Hate Arrows

This had not been what Trunks was expecting, not least of which because of how he was dressed. He'd been assured his clothing was appropriate given he was a warrior... But it was definitely not what was used to. At least he was able to take his sword, even if he'd be trying to blend in.

Heading through the portal, it wasn't far to find things had already gotten bad. People fighting with each other, and thank Kami it was farmers and villagers. Children fighting each other with rocks and sticks against their parents, small brawls of adults of both genders, and he sighed to himself. Okay, time to start cracking some heads. He could knock them out, and that'd stop the fighting right? Just had to defend himself too.

Which meant, unless it was needed to parry, he kept the sword at his back sheathed as he waded into the fray.

Scenario 4: SO CLOSE

Trunks had managed to meet up with some of the other Library-people, and they'd been so close! The tangle of chaos as some people loved and others hated, and everyone argued and fought had been a mess. So far he'd managed to avoid most trouble, but this group of citizens was too large to handle on his own. Not and be 'discreet' about it. Good thing they went in a group in the city—but they must've just missed the culprit!

Scenario 7: Wandering around

This is the open option if you want to encounter Trunks while running around trying to deal with retrieving arrows and bow. He's at least dressed time-period appropriately (minus the shield and helmet above) and did some research before coming here, but this is definitely not his favorite situation to be in. (Darn fussy Gods....)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Keeping the arrows safe was a pretty good thing to do, as far as Trunks viewed things. The fact that he wasn't as sweaty as he might be, was the only plus side he'd found in the clothing here so far. Then again, it wasn't as if he'd cared before--he still did what was needed.

"Nita" Greeting her politely, although his head tilted slightly at the speech she used. It..it had an odd accent, and didn't seem like how she'd spoken in the Library. "Yes and no. Yes, in that I've found effects of the arrows, no in that I haven't found the culprit."

Nita sighed.

/Figures. They're probably trying to keep us running in circles and handling the crowds, rather than following them./

The fact that there hadn't been much description of the culprit wasn't helping either. Nita would have had her own ideas of who was behind the theft, but she hadn't seen the Lone Power since showing up in the Library, so the odds of It being tied in were slim.
If It's even aware of the Library, It's probably not gonna be involved directly, anyhow, Nita reassured herself.

/You didn't get shot, did you?/

Nita was trying her best not to get too caught up in the more sedate crowd around them.

"Probably. It's a decent strategy, IF they know we're even coming after them." A sigh, and he rakes a hand through his bangs. "It also makes perfect sense, as they clearly don't care about being discreet or causing trouble--it might even be a deliberate insult TO the Gods, but knowing they won't trouble themselves to fix it."

Someone had done his research.

"That we all have to be discreet, just makes it harder for us too. I REALLY don't want to have to find out which is more important: getting the bow and quiver back or keeping our own presence here deniable." The question about being shot though, brings a head shake in the negative. "Even if I can't cut loose the way I'd like, I've been managing. I've been knocking people out too, because I really don't want to have to kill someone I don't have to."

Nita nodded.

/Whoever it is, they don't care about playing it careful - or they just really want people to hate rather than love./

But there wasn't much time to muse on the theif's motive.

/And I have some tactics for knocking them out without pain on top of that, but.../ Nita shook her head.

/Some of them aren't exactly discreet./

Talking the oxygen in an area away from a person for a short while was doable, but not necessarily practical in knocking out whole groups.

"That is the one plus side, to wading into a brawl." Trunks conceded, crossing his arms, and sighing. "I'm not used to having to hold back though--so it's been a bit of an adjustment." He'd gotten a scratch or 3 and a few bruises while learning that. "Then again, most of the fights I've been in if you hold back, you die."

Looking over her concernedly, he frowns. "You haven't been hit have you? Hurt?"

Nita made a wry face.

/I'd bet./

She'd had a fair few moments like that, long before she found the Library.

Nita shook her head.

/Not by any of the arrows, no. I- have been doing selective shielding, to avoid the worst hits,/ she confessed. /Makes most people just think they're missing, but I keep expecting someone to see through it eventually./

And either shatter it, or take another angle. Possibly a more painful one. She'd been holding back, too, so breaking it was possible.

That frown isn't leaving his face before he sighs. "No, I get that. Besides, your method of shielding is probably more discreet than mine. Easier for me to just take the hits." It wasn't as if he hadn't been beaten up and badly before. What were a few cuts and bruises? He healed quickly enough.

Nita made a noncommittal noise - and then a much louder noise to her right made her turn her head.

/If there's need, I can do healing,/ she got out quickly.

The louder noise had Trunks head turning too. Great--that sounded like trouble. A glance back at Nita, "Good to know." before he's sprinting in the direction of the roar of a crowd.

Definitely a crowd, as they came over and down the hill to a small farming house and barns, a soldier or two present among the farmers and workers. It wasn't clear yet just what had happened, but for a pair of laborers fighting while one of the ladies clung to one to try and stop the brawl. Another pair of women pulling at each others hair and clothing, fighting just as viciously, but over what it was not clear. As they came closer, one of the soldiers, who had been looking bored until that point suddenly yelled some kind of battle cry, and moved to attack his partner.

While it meant their quarry was likely still around, they'd have their hands full dispelling this chaos before they could start looking for him.

Nita fought the urge to crack her knuckles as she followed him - mostly because it struck her as something Dairine might do.

/Alright, looks like more hate than love's been in the air here. Should we divide-and-conquer or stick together?/

"You get the arrows, I'll handle the crowd." Trunks paused long enough to get that out, before he moved in. Soldiers first, because that had the potential to be bad--very bad. Not hard for him to dodge and weave through the group--with his hybrid-heritage no longer blocked, this was almost child's play.

It did require concentration though, as these were trained warriors and he'd done his research. Sword pulled out, parrying spear and sword as he placed himself between the two, blue eyes narrowed in concentration. Block, parry--ah ha!--there's the opening he was looking for. Sliding under the attacking soldier's guard, dropping his off-hand from his sword and twisting. Striking the neck and shoulder, pulling it so that it'd be a knock-out blow.

That took care of the one affected by the arrow, but his partner didn't seem to happy about random strangers showing up or the chaos that had been caused already. Trunks lashed out with a knee, aiming for the sternum and gut, as he grabbed the spear-haft with his free hand. When the soldier doubled over, he hit the back of his head and neck with the pommel of his sword--knocking him out too.

Resheathing his own sword, time to start untangling farmers and laborers and wives.

Nita nodded acknowledgement, then made her own move. The screaming and yelling continued on, providing surprisingly good cover. As long as it's not at us! Nita thought.

First following Trunks, Nita slipped in next to the affected soldier, kneeled by his chest - there was no real wound, but the arrow looked like it was in his lung, geeze! - then "put on" a glove of cushioned air.

/Alright, easy does it.../ Nita muttered, getting a firm 'grip' on the arrow; the last thing she wanted to do was give this guy a real wound. At least he was unconscious.

/You don't get to stay there,/ she whispered to the arrow itself, /Not if you want to get clean again!/

With that, she pulled out the arrow using her 'glove,' arrowhead and all. Shaking it lightly, and taking extreme care not to let it touch her, she put it into her carrying pack - a modified version of her backpack that fit in better in this place - letting the arrow tink against the shielded interior.

/Nice work,/ Nita remarked, getting back up.

While Nita was busy with the arrow extraction, Trunks was busy with his knock-out, and then moved to stand between Nita and the crowd. Just in case.

Blue eyes still narrowed, expression serious as he studied the groups, trying to discern who was involved with what and how best to deal with this. "Try and find the other arrows." Before Trunks was off, heading for a group of about 5 or so laborers. A woman was off to the side, holding a toddler--and the biggest farm-hand had just started to go for a weapon. Trunks had his priorities, at least--keep weapons out of these people's hands.

Too bad no noticed another arrow flying!

Nita turned her head, then gave up on actually following him.

Mostly because she noticed something.

"Incoming!"

She shouted - in English.

Then she fully turned, darting out in a direction more under cover, but still in the direction of the group.

The shouted warning was appreciated, Trunks' head turning from where he had managed to knock out one of the laborers. Then his attention was taken catching the punch of another, and a quick shift of his posture and body, throwing his opponent over his shoulder. The impact knocked out the laborer--and hopefully he didn't suffer worse than a broken bone or two.

"Nita, can you shield this area?" Because the last thing they needed was one of them getting hit. A pivot and dodge-back, and then another laborer in the group down--the mother-and-child rushing over to check her husband.

The arrow hadn't been aimed at either of them however. It wasn't even clear if it had been aimed at all, or simply thrown-away. However there was one other-farm hand who'd started to move in to help stop fights. Tall and broad, with a strong jaw and skin that clearly showed he worked in harsh weather. He'd been fending off a friend of his, when an arrow hit him in the shoulder. Right as Nita scrambled by, as the farm-hand reached up to rub at his eye.

/Yeah!/ Nita got out, before making eye contact with the one person actually looking at her.

Drat.

/Ah, don't move, okay?/ Nita said to the farm-hand. /This is kind of important-/

If this person was going to get in her personal space, whichever arrow it had been, then it was going to disrupt her spelling.

/What ever it is, can't be more important than hearing more of your voice, of gazing at your loveliness./

Welp--that solved which arrow it had been, as the farm-hand immediately turned, speaking to Nita and smitten. Mind, his friend who'd been hit with a hate-arrow was seething at now being ignored, and grabbed a pitchfork, preparing to strike while his target was distracted.

"Nita!" Trunks called as a warning, before his attention is taken by the rest of the small group. A dodge, a combo and pivot and another combo, and that group's arrow-afflicted knocked out. But there are still small clusters of fights between him and Nita.

[OOC: The above italics are meant to be in Greek. Also it's up to you--Trunks CAN get himself over there fast enough to help Nita easily, or she can handle it herself. ^^]

Edited 2017-02-19 07:18 (UTC)

Nita's expression went flat.

/Ah, yes it is, actually. Mind listening to my voice while you hold still, then?/

With that, Nita went to work with her "reverse air bubble" spell - lowering the oxygen content of the air immediately around the two farm-hands. She was aiming to knock them out, or at worst leave them too light-headed to fight or come after her.

She chanced a glance in the direction the arrow had come from, figuring she was too late to actually spot the culprit but not wanting to say she hadn't at least tried.

/But lovely one, how can I hold still when you make my very being feel alive?/ He doesn't seem to be listening, as the farm-hand moves closer to her and goes to take her hand. He wobbled a bit, falling to his knee.

His buddy however, had grabbed the pitch-fork and was just starting to raise it in preparation to strike with a snarl of anger on his face. Adrenaline was coursing through him and he hadn't yet realized his balance was off.

Nita could handle herself right?--but magic required concentration, and she couldn't get that if she was dealing with a love-struck fool and his buddy. Stupid need to blend-in; letting out a snarl of frustration himself Trunks moved. Upping his speed a bit, dodging and weaving to get from afflicted person to afflicted person--still pulling punches just enough to knock them out. There are probably going to be bruises too and some broken bones along with people hitting the ground or a haybale or a wall.

Edited 2017-02-19 16:37 (UTC)

It's not working! Nita thought, It's not fast enough!

Then she ducked, bending her knees, and shoved the farm-hand into his friend, using torque and leverage to make the hate-struck friend drop his pitch-fork.

Nita was going to need to do a lot of healing when they were done.

Her spell was working; part of the problem being people excited and engaged in fight-or-flight often had higher levels of adrenaline. Which meant the battle of 'lack of oxygen' vs. 'continue to do things' was a battle for seconds of time.

Her spell made their jobs easier. The farm-hand who'd been reaching for her looked pleased then surprised at the sudden shove. Especially since his balance was already shaky because of her spell. Likewise, his afflicted-by-hate-buddy didn't react well to suddenly having a body shoved at him. The pitch-fork started to go flying, as the two collided from Nita's shove.

Then caught, and Trunks used the haft to strike the hate-afflicted farm hand to knock him out. His buddy was already unconscious due to the collision and lack of oxygen. Everyone else was either knocked out (by Trunks) or unconscious (thanks to Nita).

"Nice job, you okay?" Genuine admiration and relief there with a smile. Tossing the pitchfork carefully away, offering Nita a hand if she wanted it. "The love-arrows almost seem to be going out at random, and less so than the hate-ones. I don't think the thief is actually aiming those, so much as just getting rid of them."

Well, that didn't quite go how Nita had planned... but at least it worked!

Nita spent a few moments breathing deeply - half because of the energy drain, half out of exasperation.

/Yeah, I am now,/ she replied.

/And that's what I was figuring - maybe the thief just hates love?/

Which would be seriously ironic.

/Be nice if we could work that into some sort of trap for them.../

Even if it's not as necessary now, Trunks is still on alert while she's recovering. It's prudent, and they don't need either of them getting hit with arrows either or ambushed or something. "I'm not sure I'd want to have a trap without us being able to counter the arrows."

Too many ways that could go wrong for them, since they wouldn't be able to properly control or counter the arrows.

"Any chance you're able to modify or erase memories, or put people easily to sleep or something?" Which for this group, Trunks really wasn't worried about anymore. Even near the end, where he'd been moving faster than all but an expert-athlete, things had been so chaotic it hadn't been too hard to disguise it. IF Nita could though, that might make things easier.

/Good point,/ Nita conceded. While her internally-shielded backpack was holding up well enough, she wasn't excited to try a shield against an arrow moving at speed.

She looked out at the slew of people now on the ground.

/As long as we clean up after ourselves, we should be fine. Never underestimate the human ability to wave away 'magical' happenings./

At that, Nita went to pull her air-grip trick on the two arrows embedded in the farm-hands.

Clean-up...right. Well, at the very least Trunks could make sure he hadn't done too much damage to anyone when knocking them out. As well as identify those who had been hit with arrows. Pulling those people over and leaning them carefully against a hay bale would make it easier for Nita.

"No, I'm well aware of that ability. But we're also in a time when people believe a lot more readily in the abilities of magic and the gods, than most. We don't want to accidentally start some legend or myth." Both because that would not help, AND that would likely bring divine wrath upon them. Stupid touchy Greek deities and their pride.

Valentine's Day Mission [OPEN TO ALL]

Re: 7!

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I /think/ this is safe to handwave, since they're not in the Library.

handwaving the shielding? yeah, since their powers are all active again.

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Lemme know how this sounds!

Sounds good to me!

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/thumbs up!/

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