Zeroth

In Hunting Beasts and Monsters

So they're not safe to eat...and was that line including birds meant to say that -nothing- in this world is edible? What about plants? Do these people even grow crops? He thought he could remember Maria mentioning something about "if you don't want to be a Hunter, you can try to grow something in this miserable ground" or something to that effect, but he wasn't one hundred percent certain.

He sucked in a sharp breath of surprise and jumped a little when the two girls came out of the darkness. He couldn't hide his expression, but at the least they didn't seem intent on harming him...

They left him with the map and scampered away. He didn't like the feel of the thing in his hand. He could feel some unusual, yet somehow familiar, bumps on the back. He turned it over...and immediately turned white as a sheet. If he hadn't already thrown up everything in his stomach back in the church, he would have done so here. He couldn't even begin to imagine how a place such as this could have ever come to be.

But, nonetheless he had learned something. And he might still be able to use it...Highball had said that they were supposed to head to some ravine, somewhere. He was pretty sure no one had followed him or headed back to the church yet...did that mean they had all gone on that wild goose chase without even turning in their kills? Maybe even if they had taken their spoils, they had only taken the heads as proof. That meant the bodies were still there.

Using the makeshift sack he was keeping the other two heads in, he scooped up the third one the butcher had thrown at him. He certainly wasn't going to look a severed gift horse in the mouth. He rolled the map up as best he could without touching it for too long, and slipped it into a pocket. Bag, spear, and map in tow he headed back to where he had last seen the others. At the moment, it seemed there were only two left...

@Spriggs27@Savo "Hey, you two." Kenji called out to Sinthe and Omen. He couldn't see the Mayor, or Donny, or Maria, or really anyone else--either they had headed towards that Ravine, or were just exploring the rest of the town. "If you're as distrustful of that freak in the Church as I am, help me haul those monsters' bodies somewhere. I think I know where we can find a tannery, and according to someone I just talked to, their hides and bones can be used for leather and other stuff. If we turn in all five of them, minus their heads, I'm sure we'll get something out of it."

FT | The Sky And The Earth

Travis Ziegler

---

After the business with Vega, Travis found his way through the sea of people and the lines of stalls to the salty, greasy, terribly unhealthy, but oh-so-convenient carnie food he wanted. With three corn dogs between his fingers and a plate of nachos in his other hand, he found his anger ebbing away. Yeah, he had definitely made the right choice not starting shit with Vega. The townsfolk looked happy, the guilds didn't seem to be at each other's throats yet (little did he know), and maybe they would all make it through the day without something going wrong.

Well, except for that guy whose waitress just passed out on him. Taking a bite out of one of the 'dogs, Travis watched as Hans caught the girl. Approaching the outdoor cafe, he leaned on the railing of a small fence they had to separate their patio from the street.

@hatakekuro"Y'know, ya could wear sunglasses or somethin'." he said off-hand to the other mage. "Maybe some spray tan. Although you'd think folks would be used to it by now." He didn't blame people for being creeped out--he didn't entirely trust the Bone-Maker himself. But the guy had never been a troublemaker, as far as he knew, he just had the misfortune to be spooky as all get-out. "Also, uh...I don't suppose you were heading to the game booths, huh?" Travis glanced to one side nervously. "Uh...just so you know the baseball target one is, um...rigged? I'd avoid that one."

FT | The Sky And The Earth

Travis's fist grew tighter as he kept his gaze locked with Vega's. His own magic--dark blue at the moment, because he was considering calling up Arzuros Arm--began to leak as well, and between both of the mages' pressure a few pebbles lying upon the cobblestones began to rattle. Right now he wanted nothing more than to smash the other guy's face in. If Vega thought everyone around him was an annoyance, then Travis thought he should have just gone back to whatever he did before; there was no point joining a guild just to be a high-and-mighty lone wolf. Most of the time it took a few tries to get Travis to pop his top, but Vega got under his skin like few could.

But today...

"Feh. You ain't worth it." Travis spat on the ground at Vega's feet. "The Boss and the rest of the guild worked hard on this festival. As much as you piss me off, I respect them more than that." Shoving past the taller wizard with his shoulder, Travis kept walking down the street. "If you want a festival of blood so bad, take your tampon out. Later."

His fist was still clenched, knuckles turning white. At moments like these he just wanted to run wild. Maybe a year ago, he would have. But now there were times when he had to put his guildmates first, which was something he didn't think Vega could understand. And, maybe even more than that...

He shook his head, banishing that last thought before it got too far. He finally managed to relax his hand, and slipped it back into the pocket of his coat.

FT | The Sky And The Earth

@Sho Minazuki"Eh? Oi, say that again, huh?" Travis said, as he made a face. "Maybe you oughta practice not being such an asshole. For a change." One of his hands had drifted out of his pocket and was already balling into a fist. "It's a festival, man, can't you drop the bullshit for just one day? There's 364 other days of the year you can kick puppies or whatever it is you do to make yourself feel so goddamn smug, how about today you at least pretend to be a worthwhile human being?"

The air between the two of them was filled with enough friction to throw sparks--maybe even literally, considering how magical auras would act under anger. A couple of townsfolk who recognized them as being mages of Golem's Hand started picking up their pace to get the hell out of dodge.

FT | The Sky And The Earth

You can try partial transformations if you want, a faster and more flexible alternative.

@Sho Minazuki

Yeah, that's already what he does at the moment--just transforming a single arm, or just his legs, etc.

MONSTER HUNTER!!!!! <3<3~~~~~~

@Salrynn

And the best thing is, Travis won't have to farm them.

The Jade Stream

I assume that running out of Qi is a thing that wouldn't immediately kill somebody, so I figure that'll be a good way to let Dai Xin slip back a little bit and let everyone else be more prominent.

The Jade Stream

"I killed seven more of the criminals." Dai Xin said after Kyang gave him the floor. "But it would seem that their master hired two martial artists as well. I defeated them...but given the events of the day, I have heavily drained my Qi reserves." He looked down at one of the places where Xu Lao's wind techniques had cut him. The blood had crusted over, but a clean cut like that would take more energy to heal. "I spared them, though Miss Kyang disagreed, because they were talented fighters. To kill them would deprive the martial arts of their contributions. I...and Miss Torako, as well, made it very clear that they were not to enter the services of such men again."

He looked at the man who was still tied to the tree, unconscious. Walking over to him, he pinched the bandit's nose shut with his thumb and forefinger, and covered the man's mouth with his other palm. There were a few moments of nasal, honking noises...then the man's eyes snapped open as he reflexively struggled not to suffocate. Xin let him go, then nodded to Liu as the criminal struggled to catch his breath with a cough and splutter. Dai Xin stepped back, as he thought that his companions would probably do a better job of interrogating the man. He would just stand here and be intimidating, giving off waves of killing intent.

FT | The Sky And The Earth

I think that he could benefit from one more, because what he has is more versatile than other forms of magic. Maybe instead of new spells, just add variations of what he already has.

@Raijinslayer

Aside from full-body take-over and another thing I've discussed with the GM that won't happen til later, the real variation of Take-Over is in the types of monsters one has to use--like ExQuip, it relies on having something in store that can counter a given situation.

Eh, I guess I'll go ahead and add one more, since I thought of one that would be useful aside from the Power-Speed-Endurance combination he has going on now.

EDIT: Added Kecha Wacha to the list. @Vongola_Hasayo, let me know if it's alright.

FT | The Sky And The Earth

Travis Ziegler

---

Travis walked down the street with an extra pep in his step, hands in the pockets of his jacket and humming a tune to himself. A big medal with two muscular arms clasping fists hung around his neck.

"Hm, what next?" His winnings--nothing spectacular, but enough to spend on the festivities--jingled in his pocket. "Of course! Ain't a carnival without carnie food!"

As he made his way through the bustling thoroughfare, however, he came across one of his guildmates. And the other man didn't look happy about something.

@Sho Minazuki"Yo, Vega!" he called out. "Quit scarin' the kids, man!" It was mostly a prod at the other mage, but at the same time Travis wondered what might be going on. Vega was a jerk, in his opinion, but surely even his attitude wouldn't be so sour on a day like today, right? "What's goin' on? Somebody piss in your cereal or somethin'?"

FT | The Sky And The Earth

Added Travis' updated relations chart. Again, if anything I say doesn't mesh with your idea of how your character and Travis might interact, let me know. I'll get a post up pretty soon.

I'm debating whether I should add some more spells to Travis, since I'm seeing others do it and he has like 3 compared to everyone else's big lists. What do you guys think? I kind of thought it would be better to save his new spells for after the jobs he does, because he makes a point of specifically going after monsters.