towerofanimus | Log 022 | Monster Hunting

Entry tags:

Log 022 | Monster Hunting

Characters: Sephiroth, Any Monsters & Anyone Else
Setting: Floors 41 -43 - 45 as in below & Sub-threads - throughout the Monster ~~game~~ event (15th-26th June)
Format: Usual long-Prose, Action prompts as Sub-threads. Can switch.
Summary: Somewhat catch-all: The ~~ULTIMATE~~ Jail-cell Tactic & Sub-threads as described. [Open at any point to All] *OOC Note: This may turn into a 'running-log', depending on how the event progresses. I'll add more sub-threads/update the date range/warnings later. Sephiroth may not even keep this tactic up all event but this is the plan at least to start with.*
Warnings: Monsters-related fights/gore/injury/death. Sephiroth-related general warning.

Well clearly then, he's been playing the game wrong.

Though he's fairly sure that the first monster hadn't gotten back up after being decapitated Sephiroth hadn't hung around to check. Fact remains, it was becoming more and more dangerous every night after dark and more monsters had to be coming from somewhere. He'd started out so keen to hunt them all down personally if that's what it took to end this silly game.

Then there had been Ruana, taunting them all from the safety of the network. Though at least that had been a relatively good use of his time. He'd have to start putting monsters to people before this would get any more out of hand; not just for his own personal safety around the Tower anymore though. No, just to prove that he could do it. He could win. This game called strongly to a part of him that he'd spent a lot of effort keeping in check and only indulging in when it suited, that part that liked to kill. There was a certain jubilation in asserting enough control over another being to have the power to end it's life.

Each victory. Even against the usual fare of monsters in the Tower, reminded Sephiroth that despite the limited containment within the Tower, his skills weren't suffering as a result. He's still as sharp as the first day that he came here, perhaps more-so on account of what he- or rather, his soul- has ~~learned~~ experienced here.

There was a tactic that begged to be tried, but it could only work under the right set of delicate circumstances.

Step One, find a monster.
Step Two, capture/lure, or otherwise incapacitate/kill said monster and drag it to the 43rd Floor
Step three, throw it in a cell until morning
Rinse and repeat.

Then he'd deal with whomever turned out to be a monster, after they turned back.

Simple right? Not really. There was the question of how many floors around the jailcell floor he could afford to monitor whilst at the same time making sure (provided he caught one) that nothing somehow came out of somewhere to release the monster. Dealing with one at a time was bad enough, and sitting all night guarding one jail cell for one monster per night wouldn't be enough. Other monsters could be making more even as he ensured one wouldn't. On the other hand, Sephiroth knew he'd have big problems dealing with more than one of those at a time if they did get loose again before day. He might be an expert, appreciating of the challenge as well but he figured it'd take them all of a few seconds to rip him to pieces.

What a way to go. Though if this proves fruitful...

Sephiroth had settled for patrolling the stairwells between Floor 41 and Floor 45 to see how well this plan could be worked. Two up from the Jails, two down. Seemed logical. Floor 41 is an elevator-serving floor, this would be where the monsters could get under his radar. He wouldn't even have to step onto the floor much to launch a fireball at a mask if he saw one dancing inside the swarming, crushing mass of insects - just to attract attention before darting up the stairs. Floor 42 could be looked in on but he'd best be careful if one managed to chase him in there, he's not too sure about the extent these monsters disable powers but his telekinetic flight would be crucial there. He'd avoid leaving the stairwell on this Floor where possible. Up to Floor 44 and 45 would be patrolled as well just in case any one of them would come down behind him.

15th - 21st June Prompts:
A Bathroom Infirmary Cafeteria Dormitory Level 3 - Dorm 03-02

June 20th: 3rd Floor Library

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[Sephiroth shifts a little closer to the monster while it's regaining it's footing and again, slashes at it with his sword when it tries again. It's really going to have to try a different technique if it hopes to even get a taste of this one.

He just needs to herd it a little closer to the waiting cell...]

[Hard to have much of a strategy without long-range attack capabilities against a guy with a six-foot sword. That slash nicks the monster's side, doing little to slow it down aside from drawing some blood. It doesn't try to attack Sephiroth this next time, but rather the sword itself, swiping at it in an attempt to knock it out of the man's hands.]

[Fair point. ~~No pun intended.~~ It's all about keeping an enemies distance within range.

Sephiroth thought to press the advantage even more when the monster looked to be launching it's next attack. Though once he raised the sword for his next strike a swipe to Masamune itself near the hilt sent vibrations right through his arms. Not enough to disarm him but to at least block the next strike from coming.

If it was quick enough it may be able to get inside his defense in that moment.]

[Blocking isn't as good as disarming, but it works. Well enough for it to go for another attack, lunging for Sephiroth's blade arm--he can't swing a sword as well if that limb gets bitten off, right?]

[Always the arms, apparently.

After somewhat of a struggle against the leather of his jacket the teeth will sink through and into Sephiroth's left forearm, though immediately the blade is switched into his other hand and the pommel is bashed onto the top of the monsters head. Trying to get it to release enough for him to wretch his arm free and then kick the monster back into his attack range.

Clearly, he can't afford to lose a limb here.]

The forty-third... [It only takes a moment for her to understand what he means, and she can't help but chuckle. How many months has it been since she suggested the very same thing to Allen, when he was worried about being a danger to other people? And in April, she'd lost a fight and had been thrown into one...] That's a great idea.

[Assuming it works, anyway - which it should. Once the cells are locked, it's impossible to get out from their side. She knows that from experience.]

Have you had any luck with it so far? [She thinks he might. He's clearly capable - and if she didn't think it was possible for him to have succeeded, she wouldn't have bothered to ask.]

[Of course, he knows it's a good idea but that doesn't stop the slight grin that stretches across his features. He wouldn't have been spending every night doing it if he didn't think it was workable. Though he has had limited success so far, one or two at best and that's not without difficulty. Sitting back from the terminal a little he stretches his hands out; Sheba may or may not be able to see the telltale holes in his leather jacket on the left arm - the white dressing poking through the black.

There is, of course no guarantee that any of the monsters would come within those floor ranges he's been monitoring. But he doesn't dare to chance hunting further and then having to go further up or down flights of stairs to deliver them into a cell for the rest of the night.

That smirk-like grin quickly fades back into neutrality and Sephiroth shrugs, only once though before answering Sheba.]

There have been a few successes. Though I imagine it's doing nothing really, we need to find these starter ones.

[He doesn't want to go into how tedious it is patrolling the same five flights of stairs all night, how tiring it is even just watching for when the monsters transform back...and then having to deal with them before hitting the showers, before trying to sleep.]

Right. I think... anyone who comes across any monster might be at risk for turning into one, but the ones who aren't monsters originally are easier to handle.

[If it hadn't been for the original Growling Monster's powers, she probably could have defeated it easily. But then...]

At least, while they're monsters. There has to be some way of figuring out who the ones who started turning into monsters after this all started...

Yea, these clues apparently.

[Sephiroth looks back to the terminal screen for a moment and then shakes his head. It's not like he's ever thought it necessary to take the time to get to know everyone and their abilities in the Tower. Sure he keeps an eye out should be come across someone fighting monsters usually but no one he has ever seen has fit any of Ruana's so-called 'clues']

[The arms are the most delicious.

That said, it's mouth remains clamped down on Sephiroth's arm for as long as it can, attempting to tear the limb off at the elbow while it's being beaten over the head. If Sephiroth's tangled with a monster of this type before, he might recognize the sudden building rage he'll feel as a side effect of being bitten.

It keeps trying for a couple minutes before releasing, shaking its head like it would help get rid of the feel of the sword pommel and ignoring Sephiroth for long enough for the kick to connect. This causes it to stumble closer to it's potential cell--possibly a good chance to get it inside if Seph cares to attempt it again.]

[To say his arm is left in a bit of a mess is an understatement, the ripping and determined tearing of the monster to get it removed at the elbow is brutal. By the time the monster lets go it's bleeding profusely through the tears in the leather and the muscles inside are ripped into pretty savagely. He doesn't have time to check, but his left hand would be pretty hard to move now. It throbs, and it hurts almost blindingly, not that Sephiroth is going to let that stop him.

Newly enraged from the bite, he lunges for the monster, Masamune still gripped tightly in his right hand. He makes a bold slash for the monster, putting all of this newly sparked rage behind it. This emotion is not foreign to Sephiroth at all, though nothing is now more important to him than ending this fight.

Hopefully it'll back off or be knocked into that cell now and he can quickly press the button for the door before it can get back out.]

[Not backing off, nope. It's still determined to kill, growling as it's forced back by the sword swipes into the cell, trying to duck under or around the point of the sword to get at Sephiroth again.]

[He's not letting go of the sword now, despite the weight holding it in only one hand. Sephiroth holds the sword out directly at the monster, taking what necessary swipes at it to keep it from dodging around the blade again.

Once he'd backed the monster into the cell far enough, he'll drop the sword and punch at the nearby button to close the cell. Hopefully the door responds in time.]

[Just in time, as as soon as the sword goes down, the monster's lunging again, getting to the jail door just as it shuts and crashing facefirst into the barrier.

And then again, trying to claw at the barrier before slamming its weight against it. Nope, it's trapped.

~~You've caught your monster, would you like to name it?~~]

[Sephiroth takes a few seconds to register that the monster is actually contained. He backs up from the door with Masamune poised as best it can be in one hand; he doesn't trust the door not to fail.

After a few minutes, Masamune is dropped from reality and Sephiroth takes the next moments to gingerly examine his mauled left arm; that's going to need some patching up. Grunting a little against the pounding pain he tries to flex out the fingers on his left hand. The digits respond alright, but it's delayed. Trying to steady his pulse against the pounding rage still ripping through every fiber, he sits down next to the door and will wait for the effects of the bite to wear off so that he can concentrate on healing some; at least to stop the bleeding before it may become a problem. It's still night time and there may be other monsters around.

As for the monster itself, well now would be the time for waiting. He's no idea what exact time it is, but he has to make sure the monster somehow doesn't get free before day time. Then he'll finish it.]

[ooc: ~~How about arm-mauler?~~ Also are we going for the finish as well??]

[Ooc: Sure, if you'd like! Should we skip the next couple hours until it's morning?]

[While Sephiroth is tending to his wounds, the monster inside the cell is alternately trying to claw the door down and prowling back and forth, growling irritably. It's all it can do, really, unless the door is reopened.]

Maybe if we're... "too slow," she'll give us more of them.

[Or maybe she wouldn't. There was no way of knowing how or why Ruana did any of the things she did - she was just too difficult to understand. Sheba can't decide if she wants to understand or if she doesn't. The more you know about someone the harder it is to fight them.

If there's anything she wants right now, it's to fight Ruana.]

[ooc: yep yep!]

[Once his mauled arm isn't bleeding out or twitching quite so much Sephiroth will periodically patrol to the stairwell and back to the cell containing the monster. Then watching the monster for a while with a slight smile on his face.

Just to make sure nothing else will come along that may present a problem to keeping the monster in the cell.

It's tedious keeping this up for the rest of the night but necessary. Sephiroth's determination is iron-willed. He will kill whomever this monster turns out to be.]

Hm. She might. She's not getting her desired effect with this game, clearly.

[Sephiroth is good at killing monsters, though this is starting to get very tedious now. He's slipping into part-nocturnal-ism and it's taking it's toll because he needs to keep all of his energy for the night time. He's a patchwork of half-healed scrapes, cuts and bruises right now.

Finding them during the day time would be less risky as well.]

Or maybe she intends to drag it out like this. I worry for what reason that might be.

[Understanding Ruana is important, but Sephiroth won't go on a Tower-wide rampage over a silly game. Though it might certainly kill off some of the monsters, precision is required here.]

I want to say it's good that we're not doing what she wants... but then I worry that if we drag it out, she'll find some way to make it much, much worse.

[But though she worries about that, the amount she really cares is diminishing. The Tower has taken away their homes, it's taken away people they care for, it's even taken away their bodies and replaced them with false ones. What more can the administrators possibly take from them?

She's so glad that this will all be over in a year, one way or another. She can't imagine how the people who have been here for two years already must feel.]

But, as for what she's trying to get out of all this... [Sheba shrugs.] I just don't know. She claims it's good entertainment. But aren't there so many other ways she could find things that entertain her?

[The monster's teeth dig into Sephiroth's boots and though it can't break through to his skin, it jerks its head back and forth to further try and pull Sephiroth off-balance. The kicking doesn't seem to bother it overmuch. At least, not the way the slicing did.

Eventually, though, a kick does land in just the right way so as to make the monster release his leg with a whine that almost sounds like a strangled laugh. The monster backs off a few feet and then leaps, jaws wide, aiming for Sephiroth's neck.

Of course, with the man's giggling, he could probably easily dodge it. It wasn't as if he was entirely incapacitated.]

[Lancelot bears a single Mark on the reverse of his hand, and he glances at it blank-faced before answering.]

I have been more active in securing my Master's safety-- and that of his Nephew-- and have not sought Battle. Nevertheless, it did find me.
The Blood is not my own or the Monster's, but my Master's.

[He returns his attention to Sephrioth.]
Have you been seeking out foes then, to have tallied so many and taken such hurt?

[For a while, Sephiroth will return to a monster, who snarls when he approaches and tries to break through the door to get at him.

Then, after a couple hours, there won't be a monster in the cell anymore, but a confused teenager with no recollection of ever coming near this floor, let alone ending up in a cell. Coincidentally, his hair matches the monster's mask.]

What the...? When did I get in here?

She's believed to be over a thousand years old right? Wouldn't you be searching for any and all new ways for entertainment? Something to give your existence a purpose.

[What's this? Sympathy for Ruana? Hardly. Sephiroth spent only a couple of years spreading his stigma from within the Lifestream and even after that comparatively insignificant amount of time he wanted them all to know it was his doing. He'd wanted nothing more than to have his own body again to make that clear...

Ironically, it's the same old story now. This gilded cage made to look like him isn't his body. Sephiroth snorts a 'hmph' before drawing his gaze from idly staring at the monitor back to Sheba, a displeased expression in his eyes if no where else..]

We still don't know what the losing conditions are.

[That concerns him. They've all been told how to win this game, there has been no mention of how they would lose.]

[The kicks just got harsher and harsher. If he kicked much harder, coupled with the way the monster thrashed around, he might end up breaking his own ankle inside the monster mouth. He could already feel the captured limb being strained and twisted in ways that wouldn't do him much good for getting away by putting weight on it, the adrenaline coursing is just heightening his euphoric state though. The world is narrowed to this encounter alone.

Though finally, that last kick succeeded to get the monster to let go. Sephiroth finds this highly amusing at this point. He's laughing as he clings to the railing and watched the monster back off-

A split second later and it might well have found it's jaws slipping through silver hair to find the side of his neck but Sephiroth reacts at the last instant. Tucking his head down so that his pauldrons will deflect the incoming attack and then rolling away.

He must move, now. Grabbing onto the railing on the other side of the stairs he hauls himself to his feet. Putting weight on that twisted ankle is like putting the bottom of his leg in molten fire though, he 'hmphs' much too happily about it and takes his weight off. Trying to focus through the euphoria now to get his telekinetic abilities to help. As natural as breathing, a large black wing sprouts from his right side and he makes a leap down the next flight of stairs; trying his hardest not to land not to heavily, if at all, on that damaged ankle.

The result is a part-leap, part-fall, part-fly down to the next level.]

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Log 022 | Monster Hunting

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