Journey into the Dark [P]

[Flower]

Journey into the Dark [Private]

Titan of Stone

[enter.]

Valerys looked around at the countryside as the sun was beginning to fall below the horizon line, casting the landscape in a net of dim light and growing shadows. The desert heat was finally beginning to subside, although she was rather accustomed to it by now. Her short, auburn hair blew slightly in the wind – part of her truest appearance that she often did not wear but, as usual, out here in the desert she didn’t fear so much that someone might know her face. She wore her regular clothing as well, her maroon tank top and matching skirt leaving much of her skin bare to be touched by the sun. The messenger pack was strapped around her shoulders and held her headband as well as a map of the known world, a tracking device, two tracers, and a kunai. Basic equipment, along with the polearm that was strapped to her back. She’d foregone the usual necessities not expecting too much trouble on this run, and also not wanting to look suspicious on her way into Sukuinushi.

At one time she had been meeting at a headquarters there to plan the village’s demise, but lately things had gotten quiet. Now she found herself wanting to regroup and check up on the situation. She sent Akumu on a mission a while back to find a master and to increase his skills, leaving her alone on this trip. It was odd how much she’d become used to his presence after such a short time – but after riding upon his back she found that the thought often did not leave her mind. Having walked most of the day until this point, she stopped near an outcropping of boulders and rested up against them, giving herself a moment to relax before continuing. Really it wasn’t that much further and as long as she didn’t run into issues she thought she could get there by sunrise.

Valerys let out a sigh and looked up at the moon, a bit dim and sharing the sky with the sun for a short moment before nightfall. “Yin and yang huh?” she said beneath her breath. “Wonder what that could mean?”

[Titan of Stone]

Lightning and thunder crashed around Krystal as she stood on a cliff facing down a storm, her own body shrouded in electricity. Her body buzzed and hummed with the selfsame energy as if they had been at war for hours if not days. Muscle strained and burned but didn't relent as she drew back to throw a punch but as she did her fist was caught by a gentle hand that slowly moved to encompass her forearm in an oddly comforting way and before her vision flashed the lightning one last time searing an image of a fit man clad in robes.

Then she woke up.

With the faintest of mumbles Krystal shifted above the large rock she was sleeping on while the sun shined down from above. Regardless of her relative immunity to the desert now she still preferred to be awake at night if for no other reason than to spare her eyes the harsh sunlight. However the sudden voice woke her from her sleep and she shifted over the edge of the boulder looking down. Much to her surprise she found Valerys making a comment about someone called Yinanyang?

"Boo~ What's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?" Krystal teased playfully while purring low reaching her arm down the side of the rock towards her while her tail flit behind her amused.

[Flower]

As she was sitting and contemplating the omens that surrounded her in the natural landscape, a familiar voice accompanied a hand that dropped down the side of the rocks. "Boo~ What's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?" Valerys looked up, not losing her composure, but suddenly seemed to perk up when she saw the familiar hair, eyes, and body of Krystal Solara.

"Why if it isn't Krystal," Valerys said, pulling herself up from the sand, "Heading out in the direction of a little village on the coast, actually, where I have some business to attend. And what about you?" As per usual, their meeting came at the most appropriate time -- just as she was heading into Sukuinushi. She had been meaning to take her here for some time, along with Set the demon that resided inside of her, but she never got the chance. It had been a while since they'd seen one another, but twas the life of a shinobi especially with all of her travel and training.

She found it a bit suspicious that the tsuchikage was always hanging out in the Land of Wind, but she chalked it up to their relationship and decided to ask her about it later. For now she grabbed Krystal's hand affectionately and squeezed loosely, letting her know that she had missed her touch as well.

[Titan of Stone]

Krystal's smile played with her purr and half-lidded eyes as her lover perked up at her presence before rising to her feet. Given the boulders size she could tilt her head up a bit to keep her gaze connected. Though her head would tilt a bit as Valerys told her about a city on the coast.

"Mmm I was napping, I prefer the dark." The neko purred as the redheads hand met hers holding it. Given that her body was unbidden by gravity she would slip down the rock face until she was near enough to kiss her shapeshifter with a smile.

"So is it a date?"

[Flower]

Valerys put her finger to her lip and looked up, as if she were lost in thought, and said, “Hmm, I guess so.” Then she smiled at Krystal. It was strange for her to do this, and in fact be so kind to anybody, but it was different with Krystal. “Come on then.” She would motion for Krystal to come along and look out into the desert. The sun was beginning to set at a rapid pace now, and the moon taking on a greater solidified form. The rest of the land became darker every second. “You're not afraid of the dark are you?”

As she spoke, her own eyes would adjust to the growing shadows with ease. She was, perhaps, made for this. If Krystal agreed to come along then Valerys would start moving across the sand at a fast pace, being a taijutsu specialist after all, but she thought Krystal would probably keep up. The two would pass into more of the same: barren desert speckled with the occasional cactus or rock outcropping. For the most part it was quiet, except the usual far-off sound of animals in the distance.

And the longer they ran, the more the shadows crept in until everything became (for the common world) black.

[Titan of Stone]

"Not while I'm with my little devil~" Krystal purred playful having come down the rock to hug around Val's shoulders from behind floating along like a garment. Krystal's cat eyes honed in with the night and her sight in particular enhanced with soul sight. All the while Krystal stayed attached to Val while she began to run off trailing along with her weightless like her hair.

As unusual as it may seem with the way she stayed cuddled against Valerys' shoulder would be reminiscent of a small animal perched upon her shoulder while she allowed her devil to take her along for her journey.

[Flower]

Krystal floated down the rock and fell around Valerys’ neck, hanging on light as a feather as the two of them ran through the dark. She would be very close to Valerys’ polearm from there, the first one that she ever owned – no better than an average weapon bought in a store (maybe even a bit weaker after the years of wear and tear). “So,” Valerys said as the two of them ran, “I’ve been thinking, if we are always together wouldn’t it be beneficial if we learned how to fight together? Honestly I would kill someone for you, and I feel like maybe you’re the same. Or at least bloody them up pretty bad.

“So why don’t we work out some strategies together?” They already had an idea of one another’s powers from training. “My best positions are close and long-range. Even if I’m separated from an opponent, my genjutsu is fairly adept. In a second I could enhance all of your taijutsu as well as attack the opponent’s mind, or protect you from an opponent’s genjutsu. So, in other words, if you swing the punches, I can be a pretty powerful offensive support.”

[Titan of Stone]

"Mmm sounds good~" Krystal would purr low recalling her shapeshifters abilities as she said them, along with Akumu as well theyd make a good squad for frontlines at the very least, perhaps infiltration and stealth as well. Although the thought made her cheeks puff up in a pout as she remembered that Valerys wasnt her own shinobi.

"Hm well I've also picked up more tricks since last time we met." The neko commented, less sexual than one would expect as her terran and zephyr alignments had grown. Part of her attributed it to her fiance but that wasnt exactly prompt. "I'm still mainly hand to hand but discovered some things to supplement the gap."

[Flower]

As the two of them ran, all of a sudden they would spot three faint lights in the distance – too far for Valerys to see in the dark but Krystal might be able to tell what was out there. Valerys wanted to inquire further into Krystal’s abilities, but it seemed that now an opportunity had reason to see it for herself perhaps. “Do you know what’s out there?” she’d ask. Krystal would be able to detect three individual about 100 meters away with her soul sight, while Valerys gazed into the darkness past the point where her eyes were useful. She would be able to make out three people, a woman and two men, bearing torches across the crater. None of them would appear to be armed.

The three dots of light moved back and forth as the group approached from their distance. As it were, the two parties should meet one another in a moment. Normally they could have just moved around them, but Valerys and Krystal had just entered the rim of some wide crater formed entirely of sand, and the three lights were somewhere in the middle of the round embankments. Getting around might get the girls caught if they weren’t careful, requiring them to move along the upper walls of the crater on either side of the light-bearers as it were.

“Guess that we’ll cross paths and find out?”

[Titan of Stone]

The neko would hum softly against Valerys' neck enjoying the warmth of her lover until a few bright lights glowed in the distacce of her vision. Looking ahead she squinted slightly as she stopped her movement drawing her lover to a stop before slipping around in front of her. In this moment she would step forward while staying in place splitting in two, the Krystal behind would enshroud in shadows while floating back against Valerys while reaching back to pull her hips close silently telling her to climb on.

If Valerys climbed onto the wraith's back her hair would shift around her body and up over the redhead's form cradling her close with her black shadows. Meanwhile the other Krystal would float forward while holding out her hand and generating light from her clawed fingers infront of her at an angle that would only illuminate herself as the wraith lifted Val into the sky staying in the darkness with Valerys rather than skirting the edge of the crater.

"Hello? Who's out there?" Krystal would call deep and clear across the air, a voice Valerys only heard a handful of times.

[Flower]

It would seem that Krystal already had a plan in place, as usual she was the first to get to action. Valerys sighed and allowed the cells that made up her body to start multiplying and compounding – suddenly she was taking on a new appearance. It was a face that Krystal had never seen before that hopped on the wraith’s back as if she recognized the soulform. And, in fact, Selyse did remember. From somewhere deep inside all of the memories. Her ordinarily short, auburn hair turned into cyan pigtails and her body started to shrink a little bit taking on the appearance of the new personality. A long black cloak covered her more tactical full-body outfit underneath, also black, and a hood over her face. Red eyes blinked and opened up a sapphire blue. “Don’t go too far,” Selyse said with a grin, “I want to watch.”

Before Krystal was out of range, Selyse wove a set of handsigns and suddenly the original Krystal and her wraith would be surrounded with a strange, overwhelming burst of chakra. Their attack power would increase slightly, but also there seemed to be some armor around their bodies now. “You’re welcome,” Selyse beamed and hugged the wraith’s neck affectionately. Silently wondered about their guests and watched the scene take place. For now.

SPOILER: Click to show

Aid, Legion's [25 minutes, +1 attack damage and saves against fear effects, 8 + 5 per class level temporary armor points]
Rank: "B"
Skill: GenJutsu
Effect: A version of Aid that can be performed on multiple people.
Special: "Handseals"
Drawback: ---
Description: A Mind-Affecting Technique. Affects all allies within a 10 meter radius burst. The user is able to perform this technique at a distance of 30 meters plus 15 meters per class level. The duration of this technique lasts for 5 minutes per class level. This technique may be negated. This Jutsu functions like Aid, except that it affects multiple allies at a distance and each ally gains temporary Armour Points equal to 8 + 5 per Class Level.
Limit: Must know the Enchantment Perception. Must know Aid.

---

As Krystal asked who was out there, the group did not back away – seeing the light of her claws from across the crater – but said, “Villagers. Just passing through, thought we’d meet less trouble along the back way,” said one of the men. All of them were dressed in crude robes that covered their faces, but it was clearly a man’s voice from underneath the veil. They didn’t seem to have much with them, at least from the outside. Two of the figures stood in front of the person in the back, a woman Krystal could tell with her soul sight, as if to protect her if they had to.

[Titan of Stone]

The wraith glanced back at the blue haired woman confused for a moment but given that her hair had felt her form shift against the wraith's body she knew it was still her lover and licked her cheek as she felt the pulse flow through them. A low rumble passed through the wraith as it empowered her while the blue-haired girl hugged against her and they remained aloft against the black sky.

---

"Village? Sand?" Krystal's claws were meant more to show her own light rather than as any threat as she floated closer curiously inspecting them. In a flicker she would vanish and reappear within the space of the three now curiously looking over the woman angel. At this proximity Krystal would also be fully illuminated granted her hands still glowing as her own mark as she leaned close looking over the woman taking in the feel of the air around her, the scent of the light.

:I don't mean any trouble either I'm just curious~" Krystal hummed lightly trying to decide if the woman was attractive or not regarding the men very little besides her typical awareness and precautions given her frequent movement into people's personal space.

[Flower]

The men deferred to the woman, who looked beyond the hood and robes that covered her dark skin, violet hair, and a pair of multi-colored eyes: one purple and the other red. There was a flower in her hair, a rose. “We’re coming from Sukuinushi,” the woman explained, “a city on the coast. Where are you from?” The light from her claws shone over their bodies and seemed to suggest that Krystal was no ordinary traveler. But then again, who was?

---

Selyse watched from above, aching to know what was being said but knowing that it would be unwise to make any sudden moves if they could sense her soul. A dark blue viper began to form out of her right shoulder, scales the deep hue of a sapphire and oily against the night-time sky, and crawled to curl up around Selyse’s neck. She whispered into the wraith’s ear, “If you could take us out of sight so that I can deliver her to the ground, that would be great.” The snake hissed near her right ear, sticking out a forked tongue. She was certain that the travelers would have a much more difficult time sensing one of her children, other than noticing that it was an animal of some sort. If the wraith took her close enough to the ground, she’d let the sapphire snake slither into the sand and make its way across the desert. Getting just close enough to listen in on the conversation, but still on the outskirts of the light.

[Titan of Stone]

"Sukushi?" Krystal questioned with a noticeably confused expression, she had never heard of the place but she also wasnt great with big words. Although Krystal did take note that none of them seemed bothered by her sudden teleportation within arm's reach of them all to inspect the woman. Which meant they underestimated her, they diddn't care, or the woman wasn't all that important. "I've never heard of that place, but if they have beautiful women I wouldn't mind visiting~"

"Oh I'm from Lightning~" Krystal responded without hesitation finding the answer odd yet right as it left her lips before smiling.

---

The wraith tilted its head at the request but did as asked and lowered down the side of one of the craters out of view so Selyse could plant the snake while the wraith's tail idly shifted back and forth her attention largely on her mate.

[Flower]

The sapphire snake curled just out of the distance and listened as Krystal asked about Sukuinushi and said she was from the Land of Lightning. The two companions seemed to be assessing whether Krystal was lying, but the woman was calm and collected -- as if it all made sense. "It's a village off the coast run by non-ninja," the woman said from beneath her hood, "under the authority of angels. You could say that some of them are quite beautiful. If you ever want to join, you are welcome. But unfortunately we can't show you the way -- at least not right now -- we are heading in a different direction." The woman seemed like she was getting ready to head off, so the snake slithered back to Selyse.

Selyse could see its blue body making its way across the sand in the dark. She felt it coil up her leg and up toward her ear. Instead of merging with her, the snake whispered to her in a familiar voice so that the wraith-Krystal could hear. "They're from Ssssukuinushi," it said through a hiss, "Getting ready to head out." Selyse smiled to herself.

"I see," Selyse said, "in that case, Kyrstal, I'd like to look through their memories..." She held to her companion's neck and prepared herself. There'd be just one way to do that. They'd have to disable them, but keep them alive. "Do you think you could help me with that?"

SPOILER: Click to show

Still Active:

Aid, Legion's [25 minutes, +1 attack damage, +1 saves against fear, 8+5 per class level temporary armour points]

[Titan of Stone]

While they were trying to assess if Krystal was lying they would find she wasn't granted she didn't mean the Land of Lightning when she had said it. Angels were an interesting concept but these seemed far less interesting than she may have guessed, but if they were all quite beautiful than she may be able to find some fun. Regardless as they told her they couldn't guide her due to other business she nodded with a smile gliding around he woman to her back so they may move on.

However her ear twitched as Valerys spoke and a faint and silent sigh passed her lips. Before the angels could move on blackness would surround Krystal creating another wraith as she bolted forward hidden in darkness slamming a blow into each of their back in rapid section using just enough force to knock them unconscious with the heavy slam. As her first set of knuckles connected she would curl her fist with each punch resulting in three rapid pops as the air would ripple from the shockwaves.

Hopefully if the ambush went as planned they would fire down into the sand like fallen comets, alive but outcold for some time. If not her shadows would aid her in dodging at the very least.

/used wraith form and Two Layers learned 10 times.

[Flower]

As Krystal began to walk around the trio and appeared to leave them be, the guard on the right of the woman swung back a little to put himself between the stranger and the hooded woman -- not leaving an opening toward his charge. The three lights that they held, which had flickered across the crater, put off dim auras as Krystal's claws faded and suddenly dark, wraith-like energy began to cover her. In a moment she rushed forward to deliver the first two layers attack. The guard that stood between her and the woman would let out a muffled groan as the attack hit him in the gut, leaving him vulnerable and falling to the sand.

In the same moment that his let out his grunt, however, the second bodyguard dropped his light and used the body flicker technique to put himself right between Krystal and the woman he was obviously protecting. If Krystal were to continue with her assault, then the man would use a 360° Defense With Counterattack in an attempt to block her punches (at the risk of taking some damage along with the block) and countering with his own fist -- even if it was difficult to see in the dim light.

In the same moment that the first guard fell and the second one body flickered, the woman would drop her torch as well and form a quick set of handseals in an attempt to fire a thorn dart from the palm of her right hand. If successful it would be able to do at least a little bit of damage to her would-be attacker during the time that she was dealing with the second guard and his attempted counter -- waiting to be shot off until such time as her bodyguard fell.

SPOILER: Click to show

360° Defense With Counterattack [360 Defense A-rank]
Rank: "B"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: "Defend and Counterattack at the same time" is a basic principle of Krav Maga. 360° Defenses can easily be made with a simultaneous counterattack.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Starting Position Left leg forward fighting stance. Defend against any attack with a 360° Defense. Add a punch to the face with your free hand. Tips The punch should be simultaneous with the defense. You should train from different states of readiness. If you are early, you should burst forward with your feet. If you are late, you may not have time to move your feet but should still put weight into the defense and counterattack. User's ability to perform 360° Defense (Outside Defense) works the same for this Technique.
Limit: Must learn from a Master of Krav Maga. Must know Defenses in Level 1 - Yellow Belt.

Dart [44 ap]
Rank: "C"
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: User releases a piece of wood to pierce an opponent.
Special: Handseals
Drawback: ---
Description: Range of this technique is 7 meters + 6 meters per Class Level. Target is 1 creature. Duration of this technique is instantaneous. This Jutsu creates a long, sharp thorn dart from the ground and hurls it at a target within the range of the Jutsu. The dart deals 11 Armour Points of Piercing Damage per Class Level.
Limit: Must know Wood Release.

---

Meanwhile, as Krystal focused on subduing the Sukuinushi residents, Selyse could not help but smile. She didn't think it mattered if they knew about her presence now, so she strolled closer toward the gathering from the behind the woman about twenty meters -- still out of sight. The sapphire snake still curled around her shoulders as Selyse formed her own set of seals. She pointed her finger toward the hooded woman and said, from the shadows, "You are truly a sad, pitiful creature aren't you? What shame that angels have looked out for one such as you." If her technique succeeded, then chakra would soon begin to corrupt the victim -- leaving them in an even weaker state.

But really, she was ready for Phase 2.

SPOILER: Click to show

Still Active:

Aid, Legion's [25 minutes, +1 attack damage, +1 saves against fear, 8+5 per class level temporary armour points]

Denounce
Rank: "C"
Skill: GenJutsu
Effect: User points their finger and pronounces judgment.
Special: "Handseals"
Drawback: ---
Description: A Mind-Affecting Technique. Affects 1 Outsider. The user is able to perform this technique at a distance of 7 meters plus 6 meters per class level. The duration of this technique lasts for 5 minutes per class level. This technique may be negated. User points their finger and pronounce judgment. The user instills feelings of shame and guilt in a target outsider, imposing a -4 insight penalty Attack Damage, Saves, and -20 to Skill checks. Each round on its turn, the subject can attempt a new Save to end the effect. (This is a weaving movement that does not provoke Opportunity of Attacks). Outsiders with the good subtype are immune to denounce.
Limit: Must know the Enchantment Perception.

[Titan of Stone]

Krystal sighed as the first angel took the blow to his stomach and dropped as the second male moved closer to her. As he tried to counter her punch and the woman fired some kind of spike at her the gold slits in the darkness narrowed before the wraith vanished in the night. Reappearing in a blink just behind the woman slamming the two layers blow in her back potentially sending her flying into the last man as Krystal moved forward in an arc to flank the man and slam the last punch into his stomach, slightly aggravated that she had to put more harm into the attacks than needed.

Assuming they had all fallen the wraith would move closer before licking Selyse's cheek as they neared the carnage.

/blink

[Flower]

As Krystal blinked out of existence, the man swiveled around worried about his charge. But by then it was too late and she was falling to the ground -- unconscious -- and he was too slow to counter the flying taijutsu specialist as she knocked him out as well. In a moment it was over and all three bodies laid on the ground. Selyse would accept the lick with a laugh and say, "Oh good, now it's my turn." She walked over to the body of the woman and flipped it over. She no longer looked the way she had before.

In place of her purple hair, she was now a brunette and her multi-colored eyes had changed to hazel. It had been some sort of transformation apparently. Selyse pouted and said, "Boo, thought it was really an angel. Oh well..." She began to run chakra through her hand as she placed it on the woman's head, slowly diving into her thoughts and memories. Soon Selyse had been able to determine all sorts of things about the party. It was less than a couple of minutes and Selyse returned to her lover.

"They were taking a scroll from an organization that threatened Sukuinushi," Selyse said and reached into the woman's robes -- pulling out a scroll bound with a red thread. "This," she said, "is supposed to contain some ancient beliefs of the Order of the Ancient Ones. But besides that, this woman was an assistant directly to one of the Seven Angels."

[Titan of Stone]

After the three had dropped Krystal slowly tilted her head confused by the sight of the broken transformation, the bright purple hair was nice, almost a contrast to Krystal's own but now she looked plain, kinda nun-y. With a quiet sigh she would merge with her wraith again as Selyse and it came over causing her tiger stripes to pulse a starker black in the night before she noted Selyse scanning the woman.

While she did so Krystal would quickly float around the area pushing any remaining torches into the sand to snuff the light out and once that was done she would hover over to like a scarf once more yawning in a sort of cat-like whine.

"History isn't really my thing, I don't know my own.~"Krystal joked with a smile against the woman's neck nestling close after her 'fight'. Now realizing this blue-haired female wasn't the red head she had left a moment ago she began to explore her figure curious.