Ornature

Sometimes all the warning you get is no warning at all.

A change in the air. Silence where before you heard birds or traffic. The scrape of metal against concrete. Something once still now moving. A scream.

The three thin-mooned were in the area when they felt the creeping coming of something that did not belong here. Heavy silence hitting an area of the city that teems with life most hours of the day.

And then the scream.

And then the terminal sound of bones.

Sense Wyrm.

Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 4, 4, 9) ( success x 1 )

[whoops forgot: WP]

Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (1, 4, 5, 7, 10) ( success x 2 )

Why is Yukito Hayashibara in the area? That's easy, his cousin has a friend who's in a band playing in one of the bars. A bar and a quiet Ragabash on a Saturday night? Not really Yukito's scene. Which is why he was out in the parking lot when he felt more than heard the sudden silence, the scrape of metal.

He's already making to leave the parking lot when the scream pierces the air. The sound of it sends a chill up his spine, but for the time being memories of another time do not threaten to overwhelm him. Keeping his cool as much as he can keep his cool, he creeps forward on quiet, sneakered feet toward the source of the madness.

[dex+stealth]

Dice: 8 d10 TN6 (6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 8 )

Goldie had started her day like a fucking rockstar. She woke up at 9 a.m. that morning only because she had a work schedule to adhere to, and she had to be there within an hour with no car to drive. She got slapped herself together in ten minutes (hair twisted up into a knot, scarf tied about her hair to keep it in place, bright pink make-up and a white T-shirt and dark jeans tight enough to wonder how much effort they were to put on in the morning), smoked a small bowl of weed, and went to work slinging coffee for the people of Denver city.

It was a miracle that she made it to work within fifteen minutes of the start of her shift (fleet-footed and rude thing that she was on the sidewalk), and further magic that the manager believed her excuses (a gift taught by Spirits, you responsible and gifted thing).

She'd stayed later into the evening for the extra money (some scheme in mind to save up funds for), and so was on her way somewhere as a point B between the point A that was work and the point C that was home. On-foot, with a brown bombadeer jacket to keep her warm in the chill of the autumn night, with an earbud of music in one ear when she heard the scream.

She paused, looked up and pulled an earbud out. The scream sliced through with an extra crick-crack of bone to go along with it. Goldie shoved the headphones into her coat pocket and, with a quick one-two glance in either direction across the street to make sure she didn't get run over, scooted across the road to the source of the violence.

One understands the moon. The night air on one's skin. One understands that the stars are present even when the night is bound-close. One understands the ground beneath one's feet, wrapped in asphalt, yearning. One understands a change in the space-of-things. Vibratory, new -

wrong.

One stops eating tacos, then. Slips out of the weird little outdoor picnic table with its jaunty but rather tattered umbrella, alert and slight and aware.

Slips her hand into the small messenger bag that is always dangling against her left hip.

Follows the sound.

(Gnosis roll: activating fire tooth talen)

Dice: 6 d10 TN7 (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 4 )

The scream came from the now-headless body lain in the parking lot of a store that closed hours ago. No cars to speak of and no lights. Maybe lights from a neon sign that never goes out. Some sick wash of red and blue painting the scene a lurid color that shouldn't exist.

That body lies with blood still spurting from the stump where its head was up until a moment ago. Maybe the head is nearby. None of the Garou can see it.

They can see what killed this person though. It's still stood over the body unsteady on its feet because its feet are rotted and mottled and near to disintegrating. So is the rest of its body. From the looks of it the corpse was lain in the earth beneath a manhole cover or a grate something that it had to slide out of its way. Long enough dead that its lower limbs its pelvic girdle its spine are nothing but bone. Internal organs gone to mush long ago. Strips of gray flesh hanging off its upper body and a few sprigs of hair holding onto what's left of its scalp.

It looks at Goldie as she comes upon the scene of its first spate of violence. Makes no noise because it hasn't got the organs necessary to make noise and yet this is not a mindless corpse waiting for her.

It shouldn't be able to walk. It doesn't have the musculature. And yet it starts towards her as if anatomy is no constraint.

The headless body's heart stops beating then.

There is a parking lot outside of a bar that barfs music into the night every time the doors open. There are a number of cars in the parking lot. There is a young man of average height and lean build with light-brown hair, and then?

Then the parking lot is empty, the young man gone, carrying his weight just so, landing on the balls of his sneakered feet so lightly a hound wouldn't hear his footfalls. He slips into the shadows, traveling between lots and shops and lots again. A ghost.

There are footsteps. The purity of Falcon. If he can only put down this threat fast enough these others might never know something is amiss.

This is why, in a burst of what little Rage he carries within his heart, he becomes senpū. Whirlwind. Striking out with his claws to bring the abomination to the ground.

[-1R snapshift to Crinos, claw dat nasty thing: dex (swift)+brawl]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (2, 2, 3, 5, 5, 7, 7, 10, 10) ( success x 4 ) Re-rolls: 2

[dam: +1+3]

Dice: 10 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 3, 3, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 5 )

[soak!]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (1, 1, 4, 8, 9, 9, 9) ( success x 4 )

Neon red and blue cast a hell of a light on this scene, and Goldie found it absolutely cinematic for a single striking moment. She was wearing sneakers that skidded sharp and short on the parking lot asphalt when she came upon the body, arms windmilling in the air to catch and balance the sudden stop of momentum.

Sure, it was gross, and her stomach dropped to see the body still spurting blood into a growing pool that spanned and started to make small rivers in the pavement. But something had to have done that, and like any wolf that has earned a lick of Glory to their name, she recognized simultaneously that something had to be responsible, and so her head swung up to search.

It was in that moment that the neon struck her as strangely perfect. In that moment that she spied the sewer-slick monstrosity responsible. She made eye contact with it, then registered that it was somehow walking on legs that shouldn't be able to hold it up. That it was walking toward her.

Goldie had rolled her shoulders back and straightened up-- fished a knife out of the knapsack she carried with her all the time. Took a few steps back and smirked and was about to say something witty, you could tell with how those bright pink lips curled away from bucked front teeth with some kind of perfect irony dripping from them when--

--silent and swift, more a sensation of air and a grip in the chest as though a bird of prey had screeched and skimmed the hair atop your head but with literally zero sound to accompany it, a Werewolf whirled through the air claws first into the creature's chest.

"Badass!" Goldie shouted into the parking lot, then bucked her human skin in favor for something to let her join the fray.

Charlotte is light on her feet. Aware. Swift, see, and she still has a mouthful of taco when she comes 'round the corner as Goldie comes 'round the corner as Senpu comes 'round the - well -

Slyph-like creature sliding up behind Goldie sure enough to recognize her just sure enough to reach for something just sure enough to throw it - aiming for the monster's path.

Charlotte is light on her feet. Aware. Swift, see, and she still has a mouthful of taco when she comes 'round the corner as Goldie comes 'round the corner as Senpu comes 'round the - well -

Slyph-like creature sliding up behind Goldie sure enough to recognize her just sure enough to reach for something just sure enough to throw it - aiming for the monster's path.

[Init + Dex 4 + Wits 4]

Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (5) ( fail )

[+7]

Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (8) ( success x 1 )

+8

Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (8) ( success x 1 )

ROUND 1 - FIGHT!

charlotte: 16

revenant: 15

goldie: 13

[Called Shot! Throat Slice with the knife! Spending WP]

[action: punch goldie!]

[1. Throw Talen. Then reflexive shift to hispo. Rage 1: BIIITE IT. ]

Dex + Ath

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 8, 9, 10, 10) ( success x 4 ) Re-rolls: 2

Damage!

Dice: 8 d10 TN6 (3, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9) ( success x 7 )

[soak!]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 6, 9) ( success x 3 )

Int + occult?

Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (1, 6, 8, 10, 10) ( success x 4 )

[OW!!

punch goldie!]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (5, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 6 )

[+5]

Dice: 11 d10 TN6 (1, 1, 1, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9) ( success x 7 )

[ :x Soak ]

Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (2, 3, 4, 7, 10) ( success x 2 )

[LOL I ROLL ONE TOO MANY HANG ON]

Dice: 10 d10 TN6 (1, 1, 3, 4, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10) ( success x 6 )

[Spending 1 Rage to ignore a dice in damage penalty

Knife to Throat! Dexterity 4 + Melee 2, + 2 diff called shot, -1 dice for damage penalty, spending WP]

Dice: 5 d10 TN8 (2, 4, 6, 6, 10) ( success x 2 ) [WP]

[Damage (L): Strength 6 + 1 Suxx + 2 Called Shot]

Dice: 9 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 3, 6, 6, 9, 9, 9, 10) ( success x 6 )

[soak!]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (3, 4, 6, 6, 7, 9, 10) ( success x 5 )

Rage 1: BITE.

Dice: 7 d10 TN5 (1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) ( success x 3 ) [WP]

Damage?

Dice: 9 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6) ( success x 1 )

[soak!]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10) ( success x 5 )

ROUND 2 - FIGHT

charlotte: OK!

revenant: 5A

goldie: 4L

[Defensive/Dodge primary action!

Rage: Knife again!]

[action: punch goldie again!]

1a. bite. 1b. Gaia's Breath on Goldie.

BITE. -2.

Dice: 5 d10 TN5 (8, 8, 9, 9, 9) ( success x 6 ) [WP]

hahahahaha. Damage.

Dice: 12 d10 TN6 (1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 5 )

[OW!!]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (1, 1, 1, 3, 4, 5, 9) ( success x 1 )

[swing, battah battah!]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10) ( success x 3 )

[+2]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 10) ( success x 4 )

[Dodge!]

Dice: 6 d10 TN6 (1, 1, 7, 7, 8, 10) ( success x 4 )

[goldie be like "fuck your punch, son"]

[Rage! Knife]

Dice: 6 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 6, 6, 7, 9) ( success x 4 )

[Damage (L)]

Dice: 9 d10 TN6 (1, 1, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10) ( success x 6 )

[OW!!]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (1, 1, 5, 5, 10, 10, 10) ( success x 3 )

x_x

The heart stops beating but the limbs take several seconds to stop twitching.

In the seconds that the nerves continue to fire an impulse to run that the body cannot indulge the Ragabash and the Theurge converge upon the reanimated creature. A small tooth flies across the parking lot and explodes like a grenade in the creature's face. The creature throws a punch that does not hit like flesh and bone against flesh and bone. Its fist punches through Goldie's skin as if she were made of paper. A crunching and a squelching and she knows if the punch had landed higher that she would be in the same position as the unfortunate to meet the creature before they had.

Her rage might have saved her. Might have.

It saves her now. It and the spirit-talker's fangs. The wisp of a girl becomes a lean swift dire wolf. Tears an arm off of the creature but does not slow it down or stop it.

It throws a punch with its other hand. Little Uproar dances back as if she could see the blow before it happened. Black Sheep is there to break a healing gourd across her shoulder. The pain and the injury bearing the pain evaporate quicker than the water inside the the gourd will.

A second later the Crinos wolf slashes out with the knife. Like a guillotine falling it takes off the creature's head. It hits the ground with a dull thud and rolls a few feet before the rest of the body crashes down after it.

Somewhere in the distance a car alarm begins to yelp.

The blue and red of neon was accompanied soon by a burst of red-orange fire, but through that came a big slimy fist. Goldie was a wall of golden-furred Werewolf, though, limber of limb but a Warrior of Gaia none the less. She was solid, she was sure she could withstand the rotting fist of a shuffling corpse.

Ah, but to be young and reckless. She underestimated her enemy, and for that she paid with a fist-sized hole into her body. Her muscle and bone had given way, collapsed inward with a burst of blood that had Goldie's arm falling dead at her side. She flashed hot, seared white-hot with pain and Rage and with her good arm, the one that held the knife, she stretched and sliced the blade toward the creature's throat. It would have been a good hit, but the beast was so much stronger than its flesh should logically make it.

But there was Charlotte, Charlotte to sweep in and tear away a deteriorating arm in her teeth (an eye for an eye, an arm for an arm, yes?). Somewhere in the mix the Theurge circled back to smash a healing gourd into Goldie's shoulder. She wasn't quite sure what angle the Silver Fang (ethereal, silver-spirited thing) came in from; Goldie was focused on that fist coming her way again. She wouldn't let it hit her again, she'd learned that lesson once before.

She may have been too slow, but a splash of water and trickle of warmth into the wound brought a surge of energy and strength back into the Ragabash. She ducked away from the fist, twisted off to the side and lashed out with a long arm as she spun away. The knife at the end of it sliced clean through the rotting hulk's neck, and it fell to the same fate as its prey in a sweet twist of poetry.

In the distance, a car alarm yelped.

In this parking lot, Goldie put her fists over her head and punched them into the sky in a silent celebration of victory-- no howling in the city, no no, but the energy of a coldsnap battle had the little Ragabash swooping over to Charlotte like she was going to try to hug her or high-five her or butt heads with her or something.

The Silver Fang seems haloed, right, lambent. Gleaming even in the ugly glare of the city lights and almost curiously untouched in the aftermath, shaking out her heavy coat, which is already thickening in anticipation of winter, cirling and alert, assuring herself that there are no watcher, tail twitching as she also waits a spare handful of beats to see if anything else like this will come.

And nothing does.

Just a car alarm in the distance.

So.

Abruptly girl is where wolf was and Goldie comes her way like she's going to try to hug or hive-five or butt heads with her and Charlotte-the-girl looks, you know. KIND OF SHY. A little bit abashed.

But also: smiling. Unreservedly.

"You okay?"

At first Goldie was still wearing her Crinos skin when she danced her way toward Charlotte, but to see the girl revert to girl-form, Goldie did the same thing. By the time she reached her she'd settled for a high-five over a headbutt, which was far more appropriate for lupine heads than human ones.

"Because of you! Your timing was perfect. I'll bet it looked so cool from the stands." As though there were bleachers here, and this was a sporting event.

There was a headless body, and another headless body to boot. Goldie didn't have anything on her to carry them away with. Unless Charlotte had another tye-dye body bag with her, the Ragabash encouraged her to leave the bodies where they were and amscray instead. Let the humans come up with their stories about serial killers in the night, this wouldn't come back on them.

Sometimes the dead just doesn't stay down. They'd done their part in putting it back in place, and so it was their time to part before anyone else came to investigate the screaming.