awashlogs | May Quests (and etc) [closed]

As always after the appearance of Mr. White's quests, Tonbokiri has them on his mind as he walks about town.

Today, he happens across Asano-dono, and it is only a matter of time before the light greetings turn towards that topic.

"Asano-dono, you have helped me with understanding so much before. May I ask now, do you know of the 'Philosopher's stone' mentioned in the quests?"

It's always good to see Tonbokiri around, so running into him is a bright spot in a walk that otherwise had him wondering about the creepy (and creeping) forest and what the next bad thing that happened to the town might be.

And when he asks about the quest, it gets even better. Tonbokiri makes him feel competent in a way that few other people manage. Part of it is from his general encouraging attitude, but part of it is because Keigo feels like he actually has something to offer him. He never thought being an expert at living in the era he was born into would be a thing, but here he is. Buoyed by that confidence, he's not going to let a little fact like not actually knowing that much about the Philosopher's Stone hold him back!

"You know, it doesn't have anything to do with philosophy!" This much he's sure of. "It's more like chemistry!" Close enough?

Although anything would have been news to him, this is entirely unexpected. Tonbokiri's eyebrows rise in surprise.

"Is that so?" Encouraged by Asano's air of confidence, he encourages, "Do you happen to know what kind of chemistry? Not that I know much of the subject myself..."

"Magic chemistry! Like turning rocks into gold!"

"You know, I've had good luck finding things in the woods." As long as someone stronger was with him. Tonbokiri qualifies. "A Philosopher's Stone can't be that much harder to find than a unicorn or a sphinx, right?"

Rocks into gold? He blinks and smiles incredulously at the absurd thing the stone is proposed to do, but Asano did say it's magic...

Not hard to find, eh? "You are quite right! Let us go, then. I trust your luck shall continue to hold and we shall fulfill the quest in no time at all."

Decisively, Tonbokiri turns to walk towards the forest.
(This is absolutely what Keigo meant, right?)

Oh, he's already heading for the forest. It is what Keigo meant, that he was offering himself as the required blue for the quest. Just...maybe not right this second. How are you supposed to work yourself up to heading into the forest if you just turn around and walk into it?

He can't hang back now, though, when he already told Tonbokiri how confident he was in his chances for success.

"Let's go find a Philosopher's Stone!" And hopefully not die horribly in the forest.

Hahaha! Keigo-dono is braver every time he meets him! When the boy matches pace with him, he gives him an encouraging, bracing pat on the back.

"We shall, indeed."

The trip through the forest isn't anything unusual, for the forest. Malformed creatures, the ominous sense of being watched, and perhaps the feeling that the atmosphere is getting even darker as the year goes on in this place.

This time, the forest has seen fit to set brambles upon their path, constantly trying to trip them, and catching at the hem of his yukata.

"Ah, but this makes for slow going. Are you all right, Keigo-dono?"

"Were the woods always this..." He tries to shake off a branch clinging to his pants but has to stop and physically pull it away. "Woodsy?"

Keigo doesn't remember everything being quite this oppressive and clingy before. But maybe this is what he gets for not mentally preparing for a walk in the woods.

"It seems to depend, a little. On 'what', I could not say exactly, for the forest appears to very much have a mind of its own."

As patient as he is, he's almost becoming exasperated with the brambles. He has only so much clothing in this town, you know...

"I am certain that the forest will eventually give us what we seek, though. Perhaps this is simply the trial to arrive at it."

"I know what the "what" is! It's making everything as hard as possible for us!"

But he keeps pushing forward until the moment when he steps forward and gets yanked right back.

"It's got me! The trees are trying to eat me!"

There's a branch stuck in his hair.

"Asano-dono--!" Tonbokiri quickly turns around, and suppresses a chuckle at the situation, keeping his expression composed for the boy's sake.

"Do not fear, for I am at your side. Be still a moment." He snaps the branch with one hand and brushes Asano's hair to get out bits of twig and leaf.

"There. Surely, our goal will be close at hand after enduring such trials."

Saving him from the clutches of the forest seems to take little effort. No, it was probably only that simple because Tonbokiri is a strong sword spirit. This is exactly why he doesn't go into the woods without a companion who can protect him!

"Thanks, you saved me! And it better be close now."

It is, in fact, not that long before a small clearing emerges, and Keigo perks up. Too bad there isn't a shining magic stone waiting for them there, just a cauldron and a bunch of things that look like they could be from an old-fashioned chemistry lab. Wait, chemistry...?

It is a relief to see the clearing appear before them, but at the edge of it Tonbokiri pauses then approaches slowly, crossing his arms and looking curiously down at the items.

"A pot? Did we come across some other quest? ...No, none of them mentioned cooking, I am certain. And these do not look like normal ingredients." Lifting a slender glass vial of something silver that moves surprisingly like water, he turns to his companion.

"What do you think, Asano-dono?"

Keigo eyes Tonbokiri's tube of probably mercury.

"Remember I said it was like magic chemistry?" Keigo picks up a glass apparatus. "You could put some chemicals in here - but don't open that one you're holding! - and maybe heat them up and wait for them to react and then see what comes out."

So maybe they've found a sort of alchemy lab in the woods, but there's still one big problem.

"The quest said find the Philosopher's Stone! It didn't say make one!"

The edge of warning in Asano's tone makes Tonbokiri put back the vial carefully.

"You are right. Could it be... that this is all to distract us from us finding the true stone?" He looks up from the odd apparatus and ingredients, confident in what Asano has said. "The forest is crafty, indeed. Let us continue the search."

"It may be crafty, but it's no match for us!" He puts down the apparatus with finality. But not too much finality, because it's glass.

Even though he is walking away from the true path to success, right now Keigo is nothing but proud of himself. He saw right through the distraction! No wasting time mixing things and breathing in strange fumes for them!

And so the search continues. For quite some time.
Eventually even the patient Tonbokiri has to admit that there seems to be nothing to find.

"I am sorry that we did not find anything today, Asano-dono. Perhaps the Stone is harder to see than we first thought. It would not be a quest if it were easy, after all. Let us go home for now, and try again another day."

There was those chemistry things they'd come across, but... he simply cannot imagine how finding the stone and that could be connected.

By the time Tonbokiri decides to call it a day, Keigo is more than ready to head back. His scratches have scratches.

"They didn't have to make it impossible! I guess my luck ran out."

He had been so sure of his abilities when it came to "find X" quests. Then they avoided the obvious trap! Maybe Kaoru is some kind of lucky charm when he takes her along, or his finding skill only applies to creatures.

"Thanks for coming along with me."

"I should say the same. Thank you for accompanying me, and for your insight. I don't believe your luck has run out. It shall simply wax fuller tomorrow."

He gives the boy a reassuring clap on the back.

Regardless of any personal growth since he first arrived in Chroma, Keigo is still not quite up to claps on the back from someone of Tonbokiri's size. He tries not to stumble.

"OK. I'll try to keep my hopes up." If he makes it through the forest without getting caught by a tree again, he'll consider it a lucky sign.

It always feels nice to go riding, and for Tonbokiri, even more-so after the recent event the town gave them.

Worried over the way the forest seems to be encroaching and 'watching' even more closely recently, his patrol takes him a little further into the forest, his senses keen for anything ... further out of the usual in this unusual forest.

Mikuniguro steps firmly upon the narrow path, his hooves crushing the thin layer of dead winter grasses the only sound. For now.

After a near week of oversleeping, which is simply unacceptable, Berkut enters the woods on Buceph's back with his lance and shield in tow. The forest is a curious place—one that takes him away from the larger population within the town proper—and so he decides to spend the morning hours here.

The first hour is blissfully quiet, peaceful. Upon venturing deeper, he notices the prick of Buceph's ears and hardens his expression. The telltale sound of hooves rhythmically clapping against the ground tell both rider and steed of another such pair around these parts. Berkut grinds to a halt and waits, curious and alert.

Some part of his face twitches at the sight of Tonbokiri. Otherwise, he does a remarkable job of feigning impassivity.

"So it was you."

Lips parted to say much the same thing, Tonbokiri changes to a nod, both a greeting and a confirmation. Although it hasn't been said in so many words, Tonbokiri knows that Berkut would rather not meet him.
But, it is a small town. Hopefully, eventually, they can find some way to get along.

"Yes. I am glad to see you and Buceph looking well. I encountered nothing unusual on this side of the forest." He spreads a hand to indicate the direction from which he'd come. "But of course, the forest can change on a whim. Will you be continuing on this way?"

Glad, he says. Berkut can only grunt lowly in response, turning his attention to the woods around them.

"It is as you say: the forest can change on a whim. The path I've taken has similarly yielded nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps you or I will find something that is."

That's to say, he will indeed be continuing on that way. There's no reason not to.

"Perhaps so. Although, I would hope to find nothing unusual at all." He smiles gently and nods again, kneeing Mikuniguro to continue on forward.

In that moment, the ears of both horses twitch in one direction, their animal instincts sensing something even before Tonbokiri's ability. Facing in that direction, Tonbokiri shifts his grip on his spear. Something more is watching them.

"Perhaps, we shall find something at the same time."

Abruptly, Mikuniguro steps to the side and rears back, snorting sharply. Glancing down at what startled his mount, Tonbokiri glimpses a long, dark spine-like thing protruding from the ground.

Forest animals are usually not too aggressive. What are they up against?

From a distance, Berkut is able to see the larger picture. The spine-like appendage connects to something much larger behind the nearby thicket, from which a rumbling growl originates.

The tail lifts, splintering the web of branches in its path when a creature rounds the thicket. Even with half of its monstrous body obscured by the dense vegetation, the menacing aura it emits is all too palpable as it fixes its gaze on the four of them. Every step it takes is accompanied by heavy footfall, and each step is one closer to its intended prey.

As still as the trees around them, Berkut watches in silence. Tonbokiri is closer and free to do as he pleases; however, sudden movements will do neither of them any favors.

Tonbokiri's eyebrows raise in surprise at the formidable foe that appears before them. This is no ordinary forest creature.

Wait-- he'd first met Berkut in the Ruga area. If the young man is designated 'red', then one of the quests is--

"Would this happen to be the 'manticore' we are to fight off? What good fortune, Berkut-dono." With a thin, resolute smile he unsheathes his spear and faces the grotesque creature that has near flattened the thicket it emerged from. "Let us drive this thing back so it may not encroach upon the town."

The manticore obviously has plenty of fight in it, so this will be no easy battle. Although he wants to be cautious to the word of the quest and simply 'fight it off', what if it fights back so violently they have to kill it?

There is no further time left to contemplation, as the beast lunges forward, its sharp teeth bared and lion claws extended. Mikuniguro sidesteps the attack, fearlessly closing with the manticore that is about as tall as he is, yet larger.

Even as Tonbokiri's spear is attacking the lion-like body of the manticore, the scorpion tail is out of his sight for the moment... A moment that the manticore could use advantageously against the other man present.

The directive, he recalls, is to fight off the manticore. The youthful desire to test his strength beckons for Berkut to destroy the beast entirely (what good is a victory that fails to be total?), but whether this can be accomplished by two men remains a mystery.

No matter.

The advantage of maintaining his distance makes itself known when the scorpion tail comes rushing into his periphery. He steers Buceph around as if to leave. Using the turn to gain momentum, Berkut meets the tail head-on; with a well-aimed thrust, he knocks it off course and continues to charge until he's joined Tonbokiri's side.

Despite his feelings toward this man, he knows how to battle beside another horseman. If they're to win, it would be best not to get in each other's way.

Despite how it looked, Tonbokiri didn't think for one moment that the young man would desert him. When Berkut comes to his side, Tonbokiri acknowledges him with a small nod as he professionally gauges the reach of their two spears so they won't hit each other.
Even with that scorpion-like tail, the creature doesn't stand a chance against two spearmen mounted on warhorses.

"If you can understand human speech, curb your madness and return to the forest, lest we near kill you as we drive you back!"

Whether it can understand or not, the manticore answers with a blood-thirsty roar, making clear its only intention as it reaches out with fierce claws and swipes at Mikuniguro. The steed evades nimbly, but he is already breathing heavily. All the exercises they have done to maintain his condition does not equal the exertion of being in real battle.

Tonbokiri in turn swipes his spear at the beast's face, intending to quickly blind it.

Ridiculous. What can he gain by attempting to reason with a monster? As if the words of a human could override its thirst for blood!

But this is not the time to dwell on such things. The manticore strikes out, and Tonbokiri responds in kind; the spear strikes true, blinding the beast in one eye. Recoiling in fury, the manticore retaliates by swinging its mighty tail at both horsemen.

To meet this attack head-on would effectively mean dismounting by force. With little room to evade, Berkut opts to duck as low as he can go as he maneuvers Buceph to the beast's blind side.

Undeterred, the manticore gives its tail a wild shake, dislodging the spikes on the end and shooting them into the ground to disrupt the horses' movement. Buceph reels from the sudden threat on the terrain, and Berkut just manages to hang on with a short gasp. The beast's grudge lies with another, however, and it quickly turns back to swipe at Tonbokiri once more.

Though it takes a moment, Buceph makes a recovery from the fright. Berkut makes his way around the spikes and lunges for the manticore's flank with a shout.

Unfortunately, Tonbokiri has less leeway to evade the tail's swipe than the slighter Berkut. He slips from Mikuniguro's saddle and rolls to the side of the manticore he did not blind. Good for the creature's focus to be on him, and only on him.

The sheer number of spikes that the manticore shakes from its tail takes Tonbokiri by surprise, though, and one spike slides down the armour on his legs only to graze his foot. He exhales sharply. Unfortunate, that. But it will not slow him.

He takes on the manticore's retaliatory swipes, blocking, deflecting, and stabbing again. He touches the beast's great lion-like paw, and blood springs from the cut.
At the same time, Tonbokiri hears Berkut's voice raised in a shout and the body of the beast shudders. It seems the young man has scored a sound hit as well.

Tonbokiri braces himself for the manticore to retaliate even more desperately, although he hopes that this is now enough to drive the thing off.

With surprising speed, the manticore spins on its feet instead. Its tail curves with the motion, catching Berkut's side in a high sweep.

Caught in the stirrup, Berkut's ankle twists in his descent as he nearly crashes into Tonbokiri. But his weapon remains in his vice-like grip, and he rolls onto his feet straightaway, ignoring the prickly sting of his wounded ankle. Having completed its turn, the manticore leaps at its clumped prey with its fangs bared.

Berkut meets the beast head-on, poised to thrust the point of his lance into and up the manticore's maw. Barring Tonbokiri's intervention, he means to land a potentially fatal blow.

Tonbokiri grunts as he defends through the sudden and powerful spin, and his eyebrows raise when Berkut nearly runs him over as he comes off his horse. But the youth is resilient, already rolling to his feet and--

Tonbokiri can read the situation in an instant. Berkut's posture, the manticore's movement; it is clear what it about to happen. And if Berkut succeeds, they will fail. So Tonbokiri moves.

One foot pushes off the ground, and he very nearly flies, dashing directly into Berkut's side to stop his attack and push him out of the way of the manticore's leap. But when Tonbokiri's other foot touches the ground for that last push, it betrays him and he falters, tripping to the ground. There was some poison on that spine that grazed him a moment ago. So although he is able to shove Berkut out of the way, the beast falls upon Tonbokiri's foot, sinking sharp teeth into his ankle.

His eyes narrow, but he shows no other reaction to the pain. Instead, his voice raises in a defiant shout as he shortens his grip on his spear and slashes out the manticore's other eye.

At that moment, the quest is the furthest thing from his mind. Tonbokiri's tackle catches him by surprise (the time to be livid will come later), causing Berkut to stumble. His injured ankle gives and sends him crashing to the ground with a stifled cry while the manticore reels from the blow to its eye.

The beast releases Tonbokiri none too kindly as it twists and turns. Its mad rampage allows Berkut the window of time to mount Buceph before he leaps between the manticore and Tonbokiri; his shield blocks a shower of poorly aimed spikes, and his lance slashes at the lion's face. In the same motion, he turns the lance around to strike using the blunt end.

Blinded and dazed, the manticore gives another short-lived roar, then finally spins around to take off in the direction whence it had come. The trees and bushes cave to its massive frame. Silence soon descends upon the once battlefield, carrying with it the question of the manticore's possible return.

He manages to roll away slightly once the manticore roughly releases him, clutching his spear close to his chest. He can hear Mikuniguro stomping the ground behind him, and wants to reign in his steed, but his gaze is fixed on the battle.

Berkut and Buceph valiantly defend him against the manticore's frenzy, and the young man deals the final blows that finally turn the beast away.

He lays there, unmoving but keenly listening and watching to the manticore's retreat. It feels like a long time, but at last he breathes out slowly.

"It is finished." He gets an arm under himself so he can lift into a sitting position. His ankle is badly torn up, and given his previous experience he worries about the poison. But even this much damage is nothing to complain about. Mikuniguro comes to his side, lowering his head as to give Tonbokiri something of a hand up. But first Tonbokiri turns towards Berkut.

"Well done. Are you unharmed?" It looked like he'd weakened his ankle when he'd dropped from the saddle, but hopefully other than that...

Why did he stop him?

The question nearly tumbles out of his mouth. Instead, Berkut says tersely, "As you can plainly see."

The entire leg of the affected ankle aches, and a merciless throb ails his side where he was struck by the tail. He'll be nursing these injuries for some time; but to admit this would be the same as an admission of weakness, especially when Tonbokiri appears much worse off. Better to hold his tongue and keep mum.

He glances down at Buceph. His horse looks just fine. Good.

A strong man like Tonbokiri doesn't require help. Berkut makes no offer of assistance. Rather, he looks off in the direction the manticore had taken, leaving behind a trail of destruction in its wake, and he sounds a touch wistful.

"We could have eliminated it then."

The terseness of Berkut's reply makes him think that he's worse off than he'll admit, but still fine enough. So he simply nods in acknowledgement. Then using Mikuniguro's bridle, Tonbokiri uses his help to stand.

At the young man's wistful statement, he smiles patiently.

"Yes, we could have. But it is good that we did not. Not only would we have failed the quest, but it would have been a pointless slaughter. Such creatures, while dangerous, are probably as much at the mercy of the forest as we are. We need not make their role worse than it already is, and we need not exceed the role given to us."

"Such complaisance . . . "

To exceed is to surpass expectations—to succeed where others might not, thereby establishing one's superiority over the rest. What role does a creature that thirsts for the blood of humans play? Allowing such a dangerous predator to escape was a foolish decision, one that's only offset by the demand of an arbitrary quest.

He huffs.

"You fought valiantly. I'll give you that."

Call it 'complaisance' if you will, Berkut-dono.
Tonbokiri is curious what the young man really thinks, but... he does not want to seem like he's forcing it from him.

The compliment is more than enough.

"Thank you. And you as well. You have fine technique, and your partnership with Buceph shines true."

[ooc: Quest reported here!]

How different, he thinks, from the first time they met. Spurred on by both the memory and the compliment, Berkut turns his head away with a haughty look.

"Of course. I don't need you to tell me that."

Guiding Buceph back onto their originally intended path, he speaks over his shoulder.

"See to your wounds. You never know when that beast will make its return."

Hahaha, of course. But he'll compliment the young man anyway! Even if he brushes it away so easily, it's still good for him to hear.

Likewise, Tonbokiri doesn't need to be told such a thing, but he nods in acceptance of the advice to Berkut's back.

"This much is nothing, but thank you. Take care yourself, as well."

It is important to be in their very best condition to face whatever may come at them in this place. Later, he will quietly make sure that Berkut had his own ankle tended to.

May Quests (and etc) [closed]

May 4

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May 18

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