Event || Mysterious Fathoms Below

[eternitymods]

Who: All characters who signed up
When: June 23rd-25th
Where: Ka'Pandol, the underwater city
What: While the outworlders and their guides are touring the new arena at Ka'Pandol, the city begins to flood. It is up to them to activate the ancient drainage system beneath the city before the Blitzball Association is forced to cancel the upcoming tournament.



The Zora guide, Pharce, is leading the group from the Curti Center through the center of town, waxing poetical about the legend of the First Zora, when the sirens begin to wail. At first, the residents of Ka'Pandol wave it off as a drill, but the sirens do not stop, and as they walk, the visitor shoes are beginning to get soaked through with sea water that is slowly rising.

"Come along, quickly, all of you!" the guide calls, leading the group to the Bureau of Tourism near the city center. As they walk, the group will see the aquatic residents quickly deploying bubble helmets around their 'exotic' pets -dogs, cats, parrots, squirrels- heads, just in case City Management takes their time righting whatever issue the dome is having.

"Inside, please. Safety first is our motto, so let's get you outfitted," Pharce says, waiving them inside. Each person is given one of the patented Ka'Pandol Bubble Helm, which will allow them to breath comfortably for several hours. Those that cannot swim are issued an emergency life vest as well.

The water had reached knee-level now. An emergency evacuation message broadcasts from loudspeakers.

"Well, yes, you could...but where's the fun in that?"

Pharce waves at the Hypello gift shop owner, and the two bow their heads in discussion for a moment. When they part, Pharce pats the Hypello (whose nametag declares him 'Shtan') on the back.

"My good friend will lend us some of his wares, if you will join me in saving the city. We wouldn't want this little mishap to delay the big game, after all."

Those that agree to hold off on fleeing the city will be split into groups and given instructions on where to go in order to help the sinking city of Ka'Pandol.

Comments

[remnantofzeboim]

[Emeralda swung her axe off her back as everyone else started moving, but she hung back at first, unsure how to actually help. She was still adjusting to the idea of fighting without her old abilities, and so far 'Berserker' had just meant hitting things with an axe.]

[Well, she was good at that, at least!]

[When there was a space between the others, she darted forward to bring her axe down in an overhead physical attack at the shark.]

[eternitymods]

[The Demi spell seems effective on the giant shark, leaving it thrashing for a moment, but the spell will, by nature, decrease in effectiveness with each recasting in this battle. The bladed attacks and Shock Break also hit, managing to pierce the shark's thick skin and, in Baiken's case, nick the fin. This attack slightly reduces the shark's agility, as well as dealing damage. The blood in the water, though, leaves the shark chomping even more menacingly than before.

The shark surges forward to Bite at Rutile, who the dice were unkind to by nature of their unique physiology, does not add to the blood in the water.]

[garyoutensei]

Damnit, keep the healer safe! -Not an admonishment of anyone in particular, but more a directive they all needed to follow. As for Baiken, she fired off Shooting Star, still aiming for the fin more than anything else. She figured if they couldn't stop it from bleeding, they could at least dull its teeth a little.-

[transect]

( looking up, rutile narrows their eyes as the sharks dart straight for them. there's a small smile, and a jump— as they move their body to flip backwards in the water, slower than expected, thanks to the water. with an annoyed— )

Tch.

( as an ankle catches in the beast's mouth, a loud enough CRUNCH sounds from the point of impact but... it's true, there's no blood.
landing, though now favouring that leg, rutile waves an arm forward to cast advanced libra, assuming a defensive stance, and relying on the next moves of their team mates. )

[righthandstand]

[Okuyasu is no tactician. He sees that his initial Demi spell worked, and despite the drain it took on his magical energy, spamming the same move repeatedly seems like a viable strategy.

He releases another Demi, this one much weaker.]

Redhead! Your leg! [He stares at the injured leg with no blood gushing out of the wound. This is weird. What is happening.]

[hashtagdaddy]

[Damn, he'd let himself get distracted and missed the shark heading for the group's healer. This is no place for stupid mistakes.]

Comin' to cover you, Rutile! [Gladio's shout reverberated through the cavern as he darted around Ravus to use Shock Break again, though this time he moved to take up a defensive stance in front of the redhead who ... wasn't bleeding from the jagged gash in her ankle.

More questions for later.]

[sonoftenebrae]

[Ravus spares a sideways glance toward Rutile, impressed with their composure in the face of that attack. He'll leave the healer's protection to Gladio. It's a good use for the man, who is built like a damned wall.]

Do not lose focus! Keep attacking. [There will be time for bandaging their wounds once the threat has been eliminated. Until then, they do not have the luxury of distraction. Ravus jets forward and aims a bladed attack at the shark.]

[eternitymods]

[[The Demi spell does less damage than the first go-around, but the Shooting Star and and Shock Break are still effective. As the swords swipe at the shark, more blood swirls in the water around them.

Rutile's Advanced Libra will reveal the following information:
-The Megalodon is a little over half of its max health.
-The Megalodon's speed and attack power have both been reduced by 10%.
-The Megalodon's weakest point is its underbelly.
-The Megalodon has no elemental weaknesses, but is vulnerable to physical attacks.
-The Megalodon's physical power will increase as it smells more blood.
-The Megalodon's fins are used as ingredients in several traditional Hypello recipes.

The Megalodon darts at Okuyasu and delivers a brutal tail swipe attack.]

[hashtagdaddy]

[Damn this thing is tough. If he had Iggy or Noct maybe he could do a link strike or something, but there's no way he can -- wait.

Gladio may not be able to link strike here, but he can try something similar.]

Tiny! Emeralda! Come here, I've got an idea.

[He straps his blade as the adorably small Berserker heads to him and quickly grunts out his plan, wincing when he sees the shark attack one of their other party members.]

If you're game, I can throw you so you can hit it even harder with your axe. [With her approval, he hooks one arm through hers and spins the two of them once, twice before letting her fly straight towards the giant shark. Hopefully her attack makes up for his lack of one this go around.]

( (OOC: For a reference, it's a version of the throw you see at around 8:09 of the linked video.) )

[remnantofzeboim]

[Emeralda had dropped back after her last attack, trying to find an opening, and wound up out of the way as the giant shark darted forward and bit Rutile through the leg. She winced in sympathy, and started to move towards him, weaving her way through the group and had just about gotten there when Gladio was calling her over.]

What?

[She slid to a stop, eyes wide. Throw her? He was going to throw her? That was crazy! And...and actually sounded like a lot of fun? And he was right, she'd hit it harder!]

Okay! [She grinned, practically bouncing in place at the thought, and then hooked her arm through his. She was quite light, and he was easily able to spin her around and hurl her down the tunnel at the shark.]

[She made an excited shout as she shot through the air, swinging her axe with both arms as hard as she could at the shark.]

[transect]

( gloved fingers press against a temple as rutile concentrates on the information, eyes moving as though they were reading words on an invisible page.
the launching of emeralda didn't seem to faze them in the meantime... the gems at home did ridiculous things like this too... )

The underbelly, aim for it's underbelly! ( surely it would lead to more blood and perhaps an even greater frenzy... but without being able to control their environment, perhaps a quick and steady offense was their best chance.

illuminating the water around them in a up-winding spiral, a fairy materializes, with a fae's blessing of healing for okuyasu. ) And be prepared for it's counter-attack, the blood in the water makes it stronger.

[righthandstand]

[Okuyasu receives the supportive spell with the feeling that he has to take much more responsibility than spamming a single powerful speel repeatedly. Demi isn't going to hit it in the underbelly.

Oh well. Illusionist did its job and was pretty neat, but this might be his only chance of punching a shark. Wouldn't Jose be jealous!

He nods at Rutile and uses his turn to switch to Monk. His torso faintly glows as hid asterisks swap their active and passive positions, ready to pull him I to close range combat.]

[garyoutensei]

-Baiken took Rutile's tactics to heart, aiming her next Shooting Star instead at the underbelly, no longer focusing on the fins.-

I'll make you into sashimi, you bastard!

[sonoftenebrae]

[Ravus nods a quick acknowledgment to Rutile. With this intel to act upon, he uses his air tank to jet forward and aim his sword at the shark's underside for a physical attack.

They're all in the heat of battle, but he spares a moment to direct a glare at Gladiolus for throwing a child at a giant shark.]

Astrals, what were you thinking?

[eternitymods]

[Emeralda and Gladio's combo attack drives the berserker's axe deep into the shark's upper side. Even though it's not the creature's weak spot, it is effective. That, coupled with the two swordmasters' attacks aimed at the shark's undersides, leaves the shark looking worse for wear. It also leaves the water bloodied. The water in the chamber is now pink with dispersing blood.

The shark chomps furiously and swims forward, wavering slightly with its wounded fins, to bite at Baiken.]

[garyoutensei]

Son of a bitch!

-She'd attempted to raise her guard in time, but those teeth still got in deep and nasty on her arm. It was now, more than ever, she missed her Demon Tools, and is unable to get her arm free for the moment.-

I'm gonna rip out every single one of those teeth as we both head into hell!

-And while it's hardly a sword attack, she responds by literally slamming her head into the beast's snout. So, a headbutt/physical attack. Never let it be said she went down easy.-

[hashtagdaddy]

[Gladio whoops when Emeralda connects with a powerful hit, glad the young fighter managed to make the attack and her retreat unscathed.

Instead of acknowledging Rutile he catches Ravus' glare and returns it with an eye-roll.] Figured she's a capable fighter and hey, it worked. If you're that worried, I'll just throw you next time.

[Deciding he wasted enough time justifying his actions to the irritating man, Gladio dashes forward and lowers his sword - intending to sweep it up from the ground in a Shock Break attack on the apparently-weak underbelly.] Gonna split you in half, ugly!

[remnantofzeboim]

[Emerald was ridiculously excited as she felt her axe plunge deep into the shark's side, the blade sinking in nearly to the handle and sending out a burst of blood that splattered into the water. Her momentum carried her onward, but only a foot or so until she let out a yelp as she was pulled up short by her arms as the axe didn't come loose from the monster.]

[She nearly lost her grip on the handle, barely managing to keep it, and found herself pulled back to the shark, her hands clinging to her weapon as it remained buried in the monster. Which left her standing one the monster, the axe handle her only balance as the creature charged forward to bite at Baiken.]

[She tugged at the weapon once, twice, letting out a frustrated noise as her knuckles turned white.]

Come out!

[SHe kicked the shark in the side several times, and then resettled her grip and wrenched at the axe, pulling it free, the force of the motion sending her tumbling off the shark with another surprised yelp. Whoops.]

[transect]

( there's just the faintest of groans as rutile watches the green-haired girl jettison herself off. funny how that brought back memories of another green-haired klutz.

but now wasn't the time to reminisce, and as far as the doctor could tell, emeralda didn't need to be pieced back together— at least not yet. so with another flick of their hand, a restorative fae's blessing once more comes from the fairy, this time for baiken's mid-mangled arm.

with more and more blood seeping into the water, there's a steely look in their eyes— rutile would be ready again with another spell to undo the damage the shark may do next... if it yet lived. )

[righthandstand]

I got it!

[Okuyasu triumphantly poses now that he's a Monk, though is obscured thanks to the pink haze spreading across the water. The outline of the shark is a dark shape easily seen from where he's floating while his teammates are faint shapes. Judging from what he hears, it's not pretty.]

Hey, behind you!

[Okuyasu throws himself at the shark with a Dragon Kick aiming for the underbelly and ignoring who he has to shove aside for the assault.]

You cool? [He addresses Baiken. Unlike Rutile, she seems to actually bleed when injured.]

[sonoftenebrae]

No need to throw anyone. You've a sword and you know how to use it. [Ravus grumbles under his breath. He's relieved when Emeralda unfixes her axe from the thrashing shark. The girl is brave, he'll give her that.

He rushes forward for another bladed attack against the Megalodon.]

Die, fiend!

[eternitymods]

[The Megalodon releases Baiken's arm when she headbutts its snout. It shakes as Emeralda's axe comes loose. The repeated attacks on its weak point leave the creature visibly weakened, but doubly angry.

The shark turns its teeth on Ravus in a furious bite. The pink water darkens to red.]

[garyoutensei]

-Baiken was free, but her arm was pretty badly mangled, and it'd take some time for the healing to get her back in the fight, much to her frustration. For the moment, she felt pretty useless, but at least she could still hold her sword.-

Tch... Finish it off, already!

[hashtagdaddy]

[Any elation Gladio felt at the successful throw and attack sequence burns away as Ravus falls victim to the shark's next attack.

His vision turns as red as the water and he heaves a mighty two-handed upward swing of his sword, this time wanting to cut the beast's head off from its underbelly up through its thick neck.] Just fuckin' die!

[His sword almost gets stuck in the shark, but he successfully pulls it through the cartilage and looks to Ravus, trying to gauge the man's wounds. He really missed potions and elixirs in this moment.]

[transect]

( with everyone hammering away, rutile would take this chance to add to the damage. drawing a geometric pattern in the air, there's a determined— ) Hup!

( from rutile, as they cast shadow flare right beneath the megadolon, aiming straight for those sore spots. )