Dr. Q !4WBwMSuyxE 2009/10/19 (Mon) 16:48 No. 2770 ▼ File 125597089438.jpg - (257.14KB, 500x600 , 1dbd295ad8a7a0f722a89b0af69d8e72.jpg)
Feel free to imagine "Eye of the tiger" playing while you read this.
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[X] Erinyes Shot (Hunting)
The heat shifts with barely a thought, molding itself into the shape you want.
"Open your eyes."
You do, and raise your arm, mimicking her earlier actions.
"Release it."
Three red, gently burning orbs fly out as your hand snaps open. They go a few feet, before suddenly elongating and tearing apart. You stare dumbly at the rapidly fading sparks, all that remains of your first shot.
Koishi gently drops your hand and strolls over to examine the area. She turns on her heel, and you see her eyes flicking quickly between you and the ground at her feet.
She frowns, one hand on her chin.
With a wave of her hand, a greenish bubble forms in the air. Bringing two of her fingers together in a pinch, she makes the dull red sparks spring to life, flaring brightly as they swarm together into a bullet again. She holds up the sphere and examines it critically, looking at it from all different angles.
"Oh! That's the problem." She looks back to you. "You tried to make it change shape in mid-air."
With a flick of her wrist she sends the bubble, and your bullet, flying out into the center of the room. They promptly dissolve in a green flash and a shower of sparks.
"But, I made it work before." You insist.
"Oh?" Koishi looks interested. "Show me, then."
She leaps back, landing a good thirty feet back with little effort. Show her? Does she mean attack? She looks at you expectantly.
You take a deep breath and raise your arm. The shape flows into your mind.
Hell Sign ?Wall of Perdition?
A massive ball of black-red flame hurtles toward her. She dances easily to the side as it slows down. It's core pulses once, and the ball breaks, uncoiling two arms of flame that lay across the ground, forming a wall. Koishi steps back, unphased by the heat. A second volley flies through the barrier. Instead of going back again, Koishi slips around it, running parallel to the flames as they emerge.
You grin a little despite yourself. She's already trapped between two walls. You launch the next shot.
As soon as it leaves your hand, she stops. Is she just going to let herself get hit?
The bullet begins to slow, and she runs back the other way as it explodes, harmlessly boxing off one side. She repeats it flawlessly on the other side.
All four sides are closed off now.
When you shoot the fifth attack, the first wall fades out. Koishi rushes through opening, advancing toward you with incredible speed, springing back lightly in front of the bullet and allowing the wall to form in front of her.
She continues this pattern, letting herself get boxed in with four shots, only to advance as you begin the fifth. When the pattern ends, she's standing only a few feet away, completely untouched. You drop cross-legged on the floor.
"Not bad for your first spell. Not much for offense, though. It could use some work."
She nods to herself and squats down in front of you.
"I think I know why this works. Before, you were trying to make your bullet change like this-" She curls up her fingers, then extends them quickly, "-and so it broke. But this time-" She makes a fist with one hand, and wraps the other around it, "-you did it more like this." She unwraps her hand and flattens her fist quickly. "One bullet inside another."
Her implication isn't lost on you. Maybe if you tried that with your shots...
You grin broadly, and you think you can see a hint of a smile on her as well. You pull yourself up.
"Let's try it, then."
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You fling out a trio of red balls that spread out in the air. They shatter in unison after a few seconds, each releasing a small, fiery arrow. The arrows accelerate ahead, vanishing in swirl of smoke just before they hit the wall.
Yes!
Your shoulders sag from exhaustion, and the feeling of dogged victory. Behind you, Koishi starts clapping. You've finally got it down perfectly. They're harder to make than you initially thought, but you can easily fire twenty to thirty volleys in a row now. The feeling of the heat on your palm has become familiar now, almost comfortable even.
Lying back on the floor, you stare up at the ceiling. How long has it been since you last felt like this? The giddy feeling of success, of accomplishment. It makes you want to run up and hug somebody. Koishi bends over you.
"I think that's enough training for one day. You should rest for a while."
You nod dimly, struggling to your feet. Koishi takes your arm and leads you over to a chair. Huh, you didn't see these before. It's not nearly as nice as the ones in the sitting room, but it's still pretty nice. You lean back and close your eyes. Well, what should you do next?
[ ] Stay here and try to strike up a conversation with Koishi.
[ ] You promised you'd visit Orin. Why not now?
[ ] Find out who cooks the food here.
[ ] You're a bit sweaty from training, maybe a morning bath could help.
[ ] Something else? (Write-in)
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You'll have a chance to revisit the choices you don't pick later.
