[WORLD ONE | UVI ATTACK]

[spellbindmods]

Who: The Uvi and coven members
Where: In and around the city land of Aimintas
When: Day 32 & 33
Open/Closed: Open to All

For coven members who haven't been in Aimintas very long, the panic of the Palai the past few days may seem like overkill. The day goes by rather quietly and Aimintas looks like a ghost town throughout the morning and most of the afternoon. Not one Palai can be seen, with shops closed and the roads virtually empty, aside from coven members. It isn't until the sky is turning a nice shade of pink that things begin. Observant people who may be gazing up at the ocean will see the very small dots in the sky that begin to approach at a very quick speed. If you're outside, you may get to see the Uvi up close -- but perhaps not for very long. The Uvi have rubbery bones, and they hit the dirt in a curled up position, unrolling themselves and leaping up on long, scaled legs. The shortest Uvi might come in at five feet tall, but most range from six to seven. They're lithe and gilled -- you may think they want to rely on stealth, but the sound coming out of their gills is very loud and raspy. There's no way you can't hear them coming as the ominous and rapid noise follows them everywhere. Some of them are walking around empty handed, eyes scanning and striding up to buildings, banging on the outside and observing the inside of the house as much as they possibly can. Others are carrying large, bleached tools made of fish bone and teeth. Some look like long blades, while others look like long axes. These are used for cutting into doors and other violent tasks they feel the need to complete. A ▢ If your character is wandering the streets, whether of their own ignorance or because they're part of the team trying to protect/negotiate with the Palai, they're very likely to run into one of the Uvi. While left to their own devices they'll only be focused on sniffing out Palai, but they're committed to going after anything they see alive and moving. If your character confronts the Uvi, they better be prepared for an attack. B ▢ Alternatively, maybe your character is caught outside and ill-equipped to handle the Uvi. Running is an option! ...But they better be able to run fast. Maybe your character gets lucky enough to run into someone who can help them, but they'd best hope they find each other fast. C ▢ Your character may also be committed to love and justice, fighting the forces of evil with good. It's very unlikely that Palai blood goes unspilled tonight, but your character may be able to prevent it as much as possible. Just be warned: if they confront the Uvi who are trying to break into a Palai house, they're going to be in for a fight. D ▢ Other characters may already be hiding, whether in the coven house or with Palai in their own homes. They'll hear the Uvi's harsh, gasping breathing before they see them, but if they do hear that raspy noise, they'd better be quick thinkers. Whether the Uvi visiting turns into a brawl or a blood bath, eventually the Uvi will return to the ocean with Palai bodies in tow. At around 4 AM, the Uvi begin to shriek, some making noises that are too high pitched for most ears to hear. From the sky, large flying fish descend from the sky and find their masters. The Palai are hoisted onto the back of these creatures and they take off, flying back into the ocean. E ▢ If your character is committed to defeating the Uvi, they may want to try and target the large fish they'll be flying out of. It's possible to kill them in the air, but watch where they fall. They're incredibly large -- larger than the sharks and bigger fish that have fallen out of the sky before. They can also be killed on the ground, but you'll also have to do with their protective Uvi owners. F ▢ Maybe your character is more into the idea of following the Uvi back home. It's possible! Once the Uvi breach the ocean, they swim fast through the dark water for miles and miles. The journey is treacherous, and some may stop the trek to attack in the water where they're more at home. If your character makes it to their lair, they'll find that it's a dense wad of seaweed that stays static in the ocean. The Uvi are used to the toxicity of the leaves, but trying to enter means touching these leaves that leave large, skin-melting welts as they grow and burst. G ▢ Wildcard! How will your character handle this violent and volatile situation.

Comments

[deem]

I don't know what mana is, but I'm not sure fighting these things barehanded is advisable.

[The day 9S is cautioning somebody else about anything advisable in combat has arrived]

[talim]

Mana is just another word for magic. And don't worry! I've been training in martial arts since I was a kid. I learned from the best.

[ maybe he's missing the point... a little... ]

[deem]

[...His first human friend certainly is cause for worry]

So if these creatures have natural armor and are resistant to blunt force, what do you do then?

[talim]

That's where breaking them down with spirit artes comes in. Nines, I'm not that reckless...

[deem]

I don't know what "spirit artes" are, but they might have a natural resistance to your attacks. If that's the case, you're in a disadvantageous situation.

You should take someone with you, at least. A partner.

[He knows that he was considerably safer, perhaps ironically, with 2B than otherwise. And even without her around, he had his pod for backup and cover fire]

[talim]

[ jude is glad 9s can't see the frown tugging at his lips, eyes downcast. right. a partner. that'd be nice, huh?

it's not just milla's lack of presence that leaves a hole in his chest; it's alvin, elize, leia, rowen... back home there was always someone linked to him to back him up in battle. here, though? things are different. ]

Hey, just worry about yourself, okay? I'll be sure to stay out of trouble.

[ that's a total lie. when has jude ever stayed out of trouble? ]

[deem]

[Worrying about himself, that's a good one. A really good one.

There follows a thoughtful hum that might or might not be transmitted]

Even a combat unit like 2B has a pod to back her up.

[A pause, and then-]

Why don't you ask her along? You know her, and then you don't have to worry about crowd control if you find someone who needs help stuck among hostiles.

[talim]

[ he'd never even entertained the idea of asking to partner up with someone. like he told 9s, he's just here to do his job — to protect everyone to the best of his ability. he doesn't need to involve 2b. ]

Combat unit or not, I couldn't possibly drag her into this. I'm sure she has her hands full already.

[ a sudden thought crosses his mind, and then there's a brief pause on his end this time before he communicates it. ]

... I remember you mentioning that you perform your own maintenance, right?

[deem]

Yeah, I do, as long as my systems aren't critically impaired. I'm responsible for 2B's maintenance too.

[It's impossible to drag someone into something they'd willingly pursue, 9S wants to say. But there's a simpler means by which to convey just why Jude's reasoning isn't at all necessary when it comes to YoRHa units.

He'll just state the facts]

We exist to protect humanity...don't forget that.

[talim]

[ don't forget that? 9s won't let him forget it. jude's feelings on the matter seem more or less irrelevant to him, and jude doesn't blame that on 9s; he blames it on the society he and 2b came from.

it really gets under his skin. ]

Then why don't you come back me up, instead? I'd appreciate the company. We'll take turns keeping watch. That sounds like a fair compromise, right?

[deem]

I've volunteered to help with recon.

[Is the simple answer. He knows 2B isn't liable to participate in that kind of work where her combat prowess is best used here on the ground, but...still.

There remains some hesitance about just leaving it at that]

But... until then, I suppose I could. The thing is, my combat ability is inferior to 2B's.

[talim]

Like I said, we'll have each other's backs. Trust me, my combat ability is far worse than 2B's. Seems pretty hard to beat that.

[ jude huffs out a small sigh. ]

Nines... Just because you might be inferior in one area doesn't mean you don't excel in countless others. Focus on what you can do.

[ well, he's more or less said what he needed to say. with that... ]

So, see you in a bit?

[deem]

[9S doesn't lack for confidence, in the areas where he knows a Scanner excels. If anything, he knows himself to be prideful. Before the things he'd learned, before so much was ripped away, he believed in himself. In his mission. In YoRHa.

He believed in a future living among mankind.

Now that it seems he's been given that impossible thing, the absence of the rest almost seems too palpable. But 2B is here. He is here. They can do what they'd always been told they were meant for, even if it was a lie]

She's the strongest person I know.

But I'll do what I can. I'd be more effective against machines, but I can still fight.

[talim]

Trust me, I understand. Back home, there's someone who reminds me a little of 2B — a lot of 2B, actually, combat abilities included.

Anyway, I'm just outside the marketplace. It shouldn't be difficult to find me.

[deem]

[9S can only wonder what sort of person could compare with someone who was created for combat, but there isn't really time for that sort of question, not when battle has broken out already]

Even if it was, I'm pretty good at finding what I'm looking for.

[Another ability that comes of being a Scanner. Details are his arena.

It doesn't take him very long to find Jude, and he hops down from a rooftop nearby upon spotting him. Good vantage points are always worthwhile. Don't mind him seemingly dropping out of nowhere, human friend]

[talim]

[ ... ! ]

— Where the heck did you come from?!

[ jude stares up at the sky and remembers 9s' drawing, back when they first met not too long ago. was he seriously jumping from roof to roof again? ]

[deem]

[Without missing a beat, 9S points toward the roof of the building behind him]

Just up there. [A moment to take stock of Jude's expression here prompts a follow-up] ...What's wrong?

[Other than chaos breaking loose here since they both seemed to be rolling with that punch just fine]

[talim]

You...

[ jude pauses and shakes his head with a bewildered look. he supposes it's just an android thing. ]

Never mind. I'm just glad you're here. It's been pretty quiet over the last 30 minutes or so, but keep your guard up. They tend to strike when they're under the impression nobody is looking.

[deem]

I'm used to hostiles being everywhere, you don't have to worry about me.

[Well, at least not with respect to his expectation that enemies can and will attack whenever it's opportune for them. And sometimes with blind aggression regardless. It wouldn't be the first time.

9S turns his head one way and then the other, glancing around]

...There're signs of life in that building.

[As he speaks, he points to a shopping complex a short distance away]

[talim]

... How can you tell?

[ jude cocks his head to the side. is this what 9s meant by being a scanner? maybe it's the goggles. ]

[deem]

[There are quite a number of details 9S takes in about any environment, once he's in it. That's the sort of thing he's made for. Sometimes, it's incredibly distracting, even in the middle of a battle.

In this case though-]

I can hear them moving, and there aren't any electronic signals. [Meaning it's not machines, though he knows that's not really a factor in this place. On the other hand, there's a fairly telltale sign] There's also the blood...

[talim]

Blood... ?

[ jude's expression grows concerned as his fingers curl around his wrist, wringing it in a familiar nervous gesture. ]

We should go check it out. No — we have to. Are you with me?

[deem]

[9S nods, and starts toward the commercial facility, strides quick despite his small stature]

I'll take point.

[If any hostiles appear, it would make the most sense for him to dispatch them so Jude can attend to the wounded]

[talim]

Got it!

[ jude jogs behind him to keep up, his mind flashing back to the sketch 9s drew once again. he is pretty fast. it'd be neat to watch him and 2b jumping from roof to roof like the sketch depicted. ]

[deem]

[It doesn't take 9S long to reach the structure, entryway half-collapsed under its own weight, rendered brittle by the Uvi assault. He glances around before spotting a broken window, glass littering the pavement now.

This space is sufficient for someone his size, and Jude's, so he gestures for the other boy to follow before ducking inside the building to have a look around. If there are any enemies milling about, better that he be attacked rather than his human companion]