deercountry | [Open] 🚬 June Flames

[dabi cocks his head to the side slightly, eyeing the other man with a bit of a distrusting air. not distrusting him per say, but more wondering what he's gonna look like when he's completely seared. the scent of burned flesh isn't a stranger to hsi senses. seems like if he burns the creature on his back, then it's gonna burn nara'a as well...

pretty parasitic, huh.]

If ya die, don't blame me.

[he's already killed one sleeper before. it's no problem to him if he kills another. that said, with nara'a giving him permission, dabi brazenly shoves his hand between the front of the demon and the man's back. the palm of his hand plasters to the creature's front, and a second later-- BWOOSH! blue flames explode outward like a flamethrower breaking along the nozzle. nara'a's back gets a few flecks of fire that spill backwards over dabi's hand, but the grand majority of the flames blast outward and forward, completely covering the creature like it were trying to stand against a tidal wave.

one second. the flames roar forward, filling the top half of the room. two seconds. they strike the walls, splashing around the stone and immediately start melting the cobbling holding the walls up. the roof's fucked if there even is one. three seconds-

and the creature's ashes blow off in the stream, consumed by the azure flames. maybe its forearms and lower legs are still hanging around nara'a's shoulders and thighs, but... those aren't going to do much on their own.]

[ooc: you got it! and yeah, he low key never expects people to stand up to his flames for long.]

[He doesn't respond other than with a huff. If he dies, he's got no one to blame for himself.]

[The fire burns - doubly so both by being in sheer proximity to such high heat and by the creature passing on its injuries to Nara'a. He grunts in pain, feeling it reach his head and cause him to grow dizzy, the room swimming as he keeps his body standing still. This is... fine. He shakes his head and keeps standing, the long seconds ticking by.]

[But his body is sturdier than most think of the thin, almost graceful miqo'te. Hardened by battles, he's stood up to worse. His back feels like it's rolling in Garlean fire at twice the temperature, but he's faced tougher opponents than this.]

[And then it's over. He feels... something on his back and shrugs it off, the claws of the creature detaching and falling to the ground. His body hurts and he's exhausted, but... maybe he's free? He turns his head to look at Dabi.]

Is it gone?

[he half expects to see the man burst into flame as well. it's only three seconds of the intense fire, but while the creature itself is incinerated to ash, nara'a remains standing. if not tense and covered in burns. though the lack of blackening and peeling skin is... somewhat irritating. it reminds dabi of another person he fought against a while ago, who didn't burn up like a normal person should. though with the cat ears and tail, maybe he shouldn't be surprised... tch, these otherworldly people are bothersome.

dabi lowers his hand from the man's back and steps away, letting him move and brush at the claws of the creature hanging onto him. they fall away onto the floor and so long as they don't move beyond that, the villain's not going to waste his time burning them.

slipping his hands into his pockets, the man grinds one of the demon's hands into the ground under his boot... and then ignites his foot to scorch that part too. for good measure. the flames blow off a second later, leaving it blackened and crumbling under his sole.]

Yeah.

[though now the roof's on fire, what of it that still remains...]

[He watches Dabi grind down... something. Maybe he can't see his own demon. He opens his mouth to try to talk about killing Dabi's demon, and then he looks up.]

We should get out of here before it collapses. I've got a few options for taking care of yours, I think. Not fire - I don't think mine gets hot enough.

[He's not going to even pretend he can match that level of elemental mastery that this guy has.]

Come on. Let's go.

[He heads for the door. There's no one else around, so he doesn't feel bad about the fire. There's no reason why he should.]

[dabi glances up at the roof. oh yeah. probably should've seen that coming. the fire's hungrily consuming anything that's up there, made even worse with how old this place is. tsk, sometime he feels like he could set this entire city on fire in a night.]

Great. [a more varied toolkit over there. whatever. so long as it gets it off him.]0 This place served its purpose.

[dabi may be a one-trick pony when it comes to his quirk, but it's a hell of a trick. he follows after nara'a, coat tails and cloak brushing against the doorway after him. the guy was right to pick a house with the open space around it. most of the roof would fall inside anyways, trapped within the stone walls.]

Ya don't think these things are the beasts everyone's fightin about, do ya?

No, I don't think so. I doubt these things were people.

[He heads out the door, careful not to get any embers on him, and looks at Dabi's demon carefully. There's not a lot of wiggle room to get a weapon under there. He could try elemental spells, but he's not sure he has anything strong enough to destroy it.]

[Any big spells he has would hit Dabi, too. So he has to use a sword to get it. If only he could cover him from... injury... oh.]

I've got an idea.

[He pulls out a small crystal and holds it for a moment, his attire changing in a flash.]

I can slice it off like this... and make sure you don't take any damage.

[Provided Cover works and the demon doesn't just transfer damage through some means that can break through it.]

Good. Don't need that group comin after me bitchin.

[dabi shuts the door behind him, if only to keep the fire inside once it takes the roof down with it. as for his own demon, it's apparently decided to cling tight, though there's still three layers of cloth between it and dabi's skin. so technically something could be wedged between if they went under his clothes...

the villain heads away from the house, preferring not to linger around in case other people come running towards the blue fire starting to raise smoke into the sky.]

Yeah?

[he glances over at the mention of an idea, arching a brow when the man suddenly opts for a quick change. and ends up encased in some pretty thick armor.]

Ya just layered a buncha metal on yourself. How's that supposed to prevent damage to me?

[He summons his internal strength, the valor he has as a paladin, to protect people. He can feel the urge rising in him and he knows that he can cast the spells needed to protect this person - even if protection isn't what he wants. He flexes his hand in his gauntlets and nods.]

Good question. I can cast a spell called Cover, and it'll prevent the damage from transferring to you. It's like a shield of sorts.

[Of course, the damage gets redirected to him, but the other doesn't need to know that - he probably doesn't care.]

I use job stones to change my abilities, so I can do different things with them. The armor coming with it is just a plus.

[the clack of metal against metal answers those fingers opening and closing in the man's gauntlet. considering he burned off the demon from this guy's back and he hasn't suffered any major injuries is at least a positive, compared to the initial speculation of the damage being transferred.

though dabi's still unsure of whether he wants to take that risk. he's not exactly the strongest guy out there physically. stamina's impressive, but...]

And ya know it's gonna work on this thing? [so far his quirk works just as well in trench, so it's probably the same on this guy's magic. the rest is more details he probably doesn't need, but dabi listens with a quiet curiosity.] And that crystal thing ya just had... that's a job stone?

[might be valuable...]

It should. And yes, it is.

[He tucks it back into his pocket, eyeing the other carefully. Don't get any ideas, Dabi. He's had plenty of practice thwarting pickpockets before. He may not be a good hunter, but those ears aren't just for decoration.]

It wears off quickly, so we'll have to do it fast. I can wedge my sword between it and your back, cast it... and you shouldn't feel anything.

[Ideally. Because otherwise, it's going to hurt like a bitch when he slices that thing.]

[good to know. dabi eyes the pocket nara'a puts it in, though with all that armor on, isn't planning on trying to pick it later. probably get his hand stuck between the plates. and yeah, he does keep in mind those cat ears up there, to say nothing a that furry fifth appendage. he'll behave. this time.]

What're ya gonna do after you wedge it in there? [he's assuming either bisect it or try and up-and-down slice to take its limbs off. neither of which sound like a good experience to feel along with the beast.]

[Good choice, Dabi.]

Slice through it. It'll be the cleanest way to hit its vitals. I'm quite handy with a blade, so I don't have any doubt that I can do it. It's safer to do it that way than try to stop right before your clothes.

[He's no fool - he knows how momentum works. Has been a victim of it far too many times to not. He nods at the other, offering him a small smile.]

I won't cut you. I promise. You can burn me if I do.

And that spell's gonna make sure ya don't end up slicin my vitals when it tries to damage share.

[making sure that's the plan here, going off what nara'a said earlier. the creature was ash after three seconds in his flames, though the man had some obvious resistance to the pain and damage. after learning of his magic, that makes a bit more sense (even if it does irk him a little).

dabi eyes him for a few more seconds. burning him in exchange for a cut would be petty, and amusing. he totally would.]

What the hell. [resigned, he shrugs, closes his eyes, and turns his back on nara'a.] Go for it.

Yeah.

[He takes his sword and carefully slides it between Dabi and the demon. He's cautious not to fray the other's clothing too much - his sword is quite sharp, after all. He focuses and sends a thin goldish translucent line between himself and the other, then quickly yanks his sword upwards to bisect the creature.]

[It mostly does, cutting it diagonally. He has a lot of muscle underneath those scrawny-looking limbs, after all. But about a second after the sound of the sword slicing through... something... rings out, there's a grunt of pain from Nara'a. The line fades and he lowers the sword, wiping at his mouth with a gauntlet. The feeling of cold metal helps pull his focus away from the pain - he didn't feel like he was getting bisected, necessarily, but there was definitely pain on his end.]

Ah... ugh.

[He shakes his head, ears flicking as he tries to regain his senses, and he nods to Dabi.]

It's done. There's pieces hanging on you, but I didn't want to touch you without permission.

[Consent! It's important!]

[that's a sensation he's not able to say he's felt before. having a blade pushed flat across his back (at least what parts of it can still feel to any real degree...) it's at this time that dabi actually "notes" the presence behind him, though the real tangible nature of it escapes his mind and burned nerves. annoying and unnerving, making him more than ready to have the damn thing removed. if it's also getting rid of the nightmares, double win.

oy, if you're gonna cut anything, cut the cloak; trench can replace that, not his coat beneath.

there's a quick yank and he doesn't flinch, though dabi tenses up in preparation for the pain- ... and it never comes. guess the spell worked. the grunt behind him he chalks up to the exertion of the sword motion. it's a strange sensation, almost "lighter" in the cliche sense. instinctively he arches his back, rolling his shoulders to shrug off whatever might still be clinging to him. no thanks on the touching. he can shake them off himself.

turning his head to look over his shoulder, he brushes at his back a few times, not hitting anything, but still able to ironically dislodge the now-dead creature. turquoise eyes land on the other man, wiping his mouth and shaking his head. looks damaged...]

I got it. What's the matter with you?

[He chuckles a little bit at the question.]

Cover does what it says - it covers you. But someone's got to take the damage.

[In hindsight he should have just used a spell to make sure he didn't take damage from Dabi removing his own, but ah... hindsight. He's a paladin, but that doesn't mean that he primarily thinks of himself as one. And red mage doesn't have any answers for that.]

I'm... ugh. Fine. Probably.

[Shouldn't have done that so soon after taking damage of his own. If he had a healer here they'd be yelling at him. Never mind that he gets hit so others don't have to be... but that's a constant debate between healers and the people they're healing.]

Are you okay? That's the more important question.

[dabi may not come from a world with magic, but he's aware of "powers" in general thanks to the quirks from his world. a damage transfer quirk could theoretically operate the same, plus he's not an idiot, so the pieces click into place easily.]

Idiot.

[there's no monster on the ground he can see to burn, so that's going to have to go unrewarding. leaving nara'a to suffer for his own "heroic" choice, dabi checks the back of his clothes. tch, there's a slice through the cloak, right up the back, and much to his annoyance, it hit the coat from home beneath. luckily didn't get to his shirt or skin, but... irritating.

he knows how to stitch at least.]

"Probably" ain't reassurin. [he shrugs his clothes back into more comfortable place before turning cold eyes on the other man. job's done, one for one, fair trade's fair. should walk right out on him and leave him to lick his own wounds.] Yeah? That's why ya cringin over there.

[he cast the spell, so he should expect the answer, unless he doesn't trust his own magic...]

This a habit for you, takin hits for other people?

Yeah, I am.

[He’ll freely admit his idiocy - he knows it all too well. He keeps jumping into things with no regards for the consequences. He’s got a long history of doing that, to the point where it’s a Problem.]

Wasn’t sure if it’d even work. But yeah, it is. When I’m in a group with a lot of other adventurers, it’s a Paladin’s job to keep the enemy focused on them. We’re sturdier than others and have abilities that help keep us up.

[Unfortunately, Cover doesn’t work with them. ~~Damn game mechanics.~~ He stands and casts Clemency, a white light illuminating him for a moment. He feels the pain fade slightly, and he stands up straighter.]

[It helps, but only a little. A painkiller in the path of a migraine.]

[huh, he's willing to admit it. that's either a good or a bad thing. some people can at least pretend they're not and then surprise you later. other's are open about it and then it's shit working with them the entire time.

but if this guy's going to throwing himself on the pyre like that, dabi's not about to stop him. especially if he's getting the better hand out of the deal.]

So you're the party punching bag. [sorry, he doesn't play video games so has no idea what a "tanky cleric" paladin is. you'll have to go see his boss if you wanna do nerd references.] Kinda explains why your bag ain't a boiled mess.

[dabi only sees another light, not even sure what that one does, but rather than ask, merely gives the man a questioning look. must've done something beneficial, since he stands up without as much a crumple.]

Ya heard anythin out there about these things?

Pretty much. It's a job that someone's got to do. Usually I let someone else handle it, but...

[If he got brought here with his Paladin job stone, there's got to be a reason for it. Even if it's just random chance, chance can be important, too.]

I haven't heard anything about these things at all... I've been listening on the network a bit, but the most I've heard has been about ghosts.

[His isn't around right now. Lucky him.]

I'm still getting used to this place. I've been trying to interject where I can, but it's a lot of listening and information gathering.

So ya don't normally do this kinda thing?

[he understands being variable in your skill set, but it's kinda surprising he'd let someone else do this sort of thing in his party when (as far as this little instance has shown) he seems to be good at it. stupid, but good.]

Maybe these things are related to the nightmares people've been havin...

[either way, only time's going to tell if that was the cause or not. a good night's sleep wouldn't be remiss after all the sleepless drudgery dabi's been going through the past several days.]

Uh-huh. So far no one's been shovin information or suppressing it.

[so far.]

No, I tend to be the one behind the enemy giving it a good smacking with spells or a scythe.

[He's very good at it! And it gives the healers less of a headache.]

They might be. And I've just been staying quiet. A lot of the time people just don't realize you're there if you don't say anything. They forget things are public...

[It's a little strange to have so much information all at once, but he's getting used to it. His journal is getting a workout, though.]

... I should probably... go and get this stuff healed up properly...

[Speaking of healer headaches...]

[dabi regards him in silence for a while. seems strange to have a group if one person can be both the attacker/defender and the healer. but then again, he's not one to talk, since he's allied with his own group in his world. as much as "alliance" is more an agreement to mutual benefit. they simply happened to be going his way and he could use them to further his own plans.]

I know. [he's done quite a lot when it comes to stalking other people and gathering information certain figures thought no one would be able to find.] Idiots make things a lot easier to gather.

[dabi's used to the information being so much, having come from a world with news feeds, internet, smart phones, and all the rest those things bring in. just... they certainly didn't do their work on a "magic rock" like the omni.]

Follow me.

[he heads off, gesturing with one hand for nara'a to come with.]

[He nods at the assessment of... well. Idiots. While he wouldn't say everyone is, he's much more comfortable talking one on one. He's dealt with sensitive information before, and the idea of everyone knowing your business is... awkward, to say the least.]

[He hesitates a moment when Dabi tells him to come with, but nods and follows along. He doesn't have much to lose by following the other guy, and he's been relatively decent so far. Granted, his bar for social decency isn't the best to measure by, knowing some of the adventurers he's worked with... but still.]

... Thanks.

[It still hurts somewhat, but he can manage through the pain. He's used to fighting when injured even if he really shouldn't be.]

[guess someone hasn't figured out to put his videos on private? that or the people on the network either haven't half the time or simply want everyone in the fucking city to hear them and see their business. like a lot of the social media happening in dabi's own world. something he used to his advantage.

ignoring the thanks, dabi leads them further away from the marketplace, skirting the forest until they can get to a less traveled area. there's a house here that his little brother brought him to when he first arrived and it's sort of been a rest stop for him when he was out this way.]

When we get where we're goin, I'm gonna leave ya for a bit to get some stuff, and then come back. Wait for me.

[warning him now so he doesn't think dabi just dropped him off and vanished.]

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