Zeroth

In Hunting Beasts and Monsters

<Snipped quote by Zeroth>

Yes. And doubtful, since Kenji did just drop kick him.

@TheWindel

Well I mean you said it wasn't enough to kill him, and Kenji's also threatening him with more violence if the questions don't get answered... >__>

In Hunting Beasts and Monsters

@Zeroth

Rotting Bone isn't even in the room. That's just an old man bleeding to death. KoL's character was just talking to themself I think when the name was mentioned.

@TheWindel

The old man's still the same as the thing that was mentioned as getting ready to eat us, though, right? Can he answer the questions?

In Hunting Beasts and Monsters

@TheWindel

Despite the whole bleeding to death thing is Rotting Bone capable of answering Kenji's questions?

In Hunting Beasts and Monsters

Others were waking up, each having the typical reactions. Wiggling about, trying to look around, some crying or whimpering. The one who had felt his way about the darkened room now made his way to some of those who were having trouble with their bindings. Kenji could hear well enough to pick up his name. Donny.

Doesn't sound like he's from around here...

No, wait. Where is "here?" Where was I...before?

My name is Kenji. Nakamura Kenji. I'm Japanese. Donny's not a Japanese name. Before I was here, I was...

...

What the hell?

The boy felt gingerly around his head with his fingertips. No bumps, no blood, no cuts, no suspicious microchips sticking out of his skull. He was fine, from head to toe, aside from the chafe marks of the ropes and a general sense of unwellness, likely from the atmosphere and environment he'd found himself in. No head trauma. So why was he missing such a huge gap in his memory?

Two plus two is four. Yeah, that's definitely right. Sine, cosine, and tangent are functions derived from quadratic equations that produce predictably shaped graphs. I have a high school education. I WENT to high school at...

At...

Dammit, okay. Japan, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, South Korea...I'm pretty sure I remember a lot of the names of countries from wherever I was. I'm Japanese, I have a Japanese name. I must have lived in Japan. Therefore, I LIVED AT...

...Dammit!

The woman with the gun was speaking. Kenji's eyes cut to her sharply, not wanting to miss anything she might do with that firearm. She said something about "hunters," putting enough emphasis on the word that Kenji didn't think she meant regular game hunting. She told them that she would answer their questions, if they followed her to meet someone--or something--called the Absolute.

...I think they're speaking English, not Japanese. I know, despite these gaps in my memory, that I cannot speak fluent English. But I understand these people perfectly.

That woman says she'll explain everything, but let's see what I can figure out on my own.

Slowly, he stood up against the wall. He looked around at the others, who for the most part seemed just as lost as he was. Maybe more so.

Now that I think back, I do remember hearing...sounds, before that old man's cackling. Metal, clanging on metal. Things...things that I want to say perhaps sounded bestial. The old guy talked about blood and eating people. This woman talks about Hunters. The old guy was scared of her, and...

Huh. If that old guy's not dead yet...

Kenji looked into the corner where that freakish cannibal had retreated. With another look back towards the group, Kenji approached the old man freely, no longer bound by the ropes. Instead his bindings had been fashioned into that makeshift flail, which he spun fast enough to make it whistle lightly. Standing in front of the twisted, blind creature, he hardened his eyes and his heart.

"Alright, freak." he said, the first words he'd spoken aloud in this place. "That lady says she's gonna do the explaining, but I figure you're already here. So why don't you give me some answers first?" He popped the short length of rope like a whip near the old man's face.

"What building, in what town, within what country, on what planet, are we currently, in that exact order?" he asked, his voice like flint. "And what is a Hunter?"

The only answer was a pained gurgle. The man's throat wound was apparently bad enough to damage either his airway or his vocal chords. Either way, he couldn't give Kenji the answers he wanted. The threats wouldn't change that, so the boy sighed and simply left the creature there. He thought about maybe trying to kill the old man again--to at least make his passing quick--but when he thought about how utterly fucked everything around here seemed to be, he decided that he didn't have enough pity to do that.

"I don't suppose anyone else would be willing to pool our resources and information, before we go out there blindly believing everything we're told by a woman with a gun, huh?" he asked, though his voice had lost its edge and become rather half hearted. He kind of doubted some of the other people would even bother responding to him, as little communication as there had been so far.

The Jade Stream

I'll go ahead and change it, then. Apologies, I just figured she'd have habits or something that would tip off somebody who knew what to look for. I'll probably just have Dai Xin say something to that effect that doesn't involve the mention of killing and such.

In Hunting Beasts and Monsters

The man reacted alright, throwing off Kenji's aim, but the boy still managed to catch him with his awkward, hysterical blow. Somehow he'd torn the leathery, mottled, sickly skin, and the old man's blood began to bubble out with the weak, unsteady beat of his heart. The old creature let out a screech and scrabbled backwards, falling over himself. Kenji did much the same with less noise, the bindings making it awkward to distance himself. At first he was terrified, thinking that the cannibal would recover and come after him--but a shot rang out, and the creature scurried to the corner where he collapsed, twitching and sobbing, no doubt in incredible pain and trying in vain to hold back the blood with his gnarled fingers. Soon his clothes and the dirt around him were even filthier as the thin, watery fluid refused to be staunched.

Kenji managed to roll over and turn his face enough to see what was going on. A door had been thrown open, allowing more light into the room, though the darkness still ruled this grim place. The others had begun to stir; Kenji watched several of them use their hands to frantically work at the other knots binding them.

Holy shit why didn't I think of that. I pride myself on doing smart things, holy shit I just completely missed that.

You were panicked and thought you were under attack. Also are you seriously just going to ignore that you just killed that guy?

Someone else in here has a gun.

I have to ignore it, if I acknowledge it now everything goes to hell, I have to stay calm...have to survive...safety first, think primitive, think simple, find safety...

A white haired man, muscular, had managed to break his binds with a grunt of effort, the rotted ropes fraying and crackling as they came apart. He had moved to help a woman who was rocking back and forth, whimpering. The pale woman who was the one responsible for the gunshot, judging by the weapon at her hip, was near the door, apparently blocking the exit even though she'd been the one to open it from the other side. Near her was a man with his hand on the wall, likely feeling his way before the portal to the outside had been opened. This fellow had completely undone his bindings with what seemed like practice skill, as opposed to hastily tearing at the knots or just breaking them with sheer strength.

Some guy with the whole "hooded mysterious figure" shtick was in front of the woman with the gun, having been knocked on his rear when the door had opened. The guy who'd been feeling his way through the dark, now able to see, moved to help the other man and undo the bindings on the still-catatonic woman. He used the ropes to jury-rig himself a weapon. The now-freed woman still lay there, completely still...was she hurt? Dead?

Another girl, a blonde, screamed as she woke up, and like Kenji had she began struggling to get herself into a position where she could see something. When she finally laid eyes on the woman with the gun, she froze.

The white haired man, who Kenji now realized seemed to be wearing some sort of martial arts uniform, spoke up in a louder tone than most of the others thus far. He made a snarky remark about the woman with the gun and her treatment of the old man.

Must not have noticed I literally kicked that man's jugular out just a few minutes ago. Maybe he won't notice. If he does I hope that doesn't put me on his bad side.

There was another girl in the room, this one with brown hair, and she merely seemed to be taking everything in silently. There were still others, but they seemed to either still be sleeping, or at least not moving around much. No one yet had apparently taken notice of Kenji even though he'd been the first one to try and do something about the crazy old man aside from this woman with the gun.

Maybe that's a good thing. Let's focus on freeing myself and getting some room to think, here. Everyone else is already asking the questions--let's just wait until the woman with the gun actually answers.

He scooted backwards until his back was against the wall, and he could look out over the room and see everyone, make observations. He managed to loosen the gag around his mouth enough to let it hang down around his throat. Then he untied his ankles, then his legs. Using his teeth he undid the knot around his wrist--finally, he was free. Like the other man, he decided that the rope would probably make a good weapon, but he wasn't very good at tying knots. He just did a basic over-and-under, like he was tying a trashbag shut, then did another one on top of that and another on top of that, eventually binding all the robes together in an awkward flail-shape, the knotty bits forming a heavy weight at one end. The whole time he was doing this, his eyes roamed the surroundings, explored faces, took in expressions. His ears were pricked for voices, trying to pick out anything that would help him figure out just what the hell was going on.

In Hunting Beasts and Monsters

@Zeroth

To answer your question long ago, no, Kenji did not kill the man. Instead, he severed his neck just enough to let him drown in his own blood while he twitches along the floor in unbearable but still conscious pain.

@TheWindel

Excellent.

In Hunting Beasts and Monsters

It was more of a jumping stomp, to be honest. And having someone's body weight come down heel-first on the back of your head is definitely enough to kill someone.

Rather than silly I wanted it to come off as the panicked, but determined thrashing of someone who was completely in the "kill or be killed" mindset.

In Hunting Beasts and Monsters

So, what's the word on whether or not Kenji killed the poor old blind man before Maria shot at him?

Also wow I'm the biggest idiot for not realizing Kenji could have just untied himself like everyone else did.

The Jade Stream

"Indeed, it is." Dai Xin said, confessing to extortion as easily as another might say "why yes I did get a haircut, thanks for noticing." He didn't look proud of the fact, but nor did he look ashamed. He didn't even react to Kyang's disapproving look or tone of voice. There was a word for what he was doing, extortion fit the definition, and he didn't care one way or the other about it. "Many others have been angry with me, but I am glad to accept their challenge any time. It is thanks to them that I am able to eat and afford lodging through my travels, as I cannot open my own school right now."

As they sat down, Dai Xin chose the seat that placed his back closest to the wall, and sat facing the rest of the establishment. Just once he slowly turned his head, sweeping his gaze from the entrance all the way to the opposite side of the dining hall, towards the kitchens.

"Indeed, young master," he called to Liu alongside Kyang. "Are you sure only thirty will be enough? Also, may we have tea?"