The sound of flapping lizards is new and attention grabbing, and Mumei has the sense to look, despite every desire to pretend the world couldn't encroach on the moment. Her throat dries with sudden fear. "Or...we could move very quickly away from the very life-supporting water now."

About to do as she asked, Yul looked with annoyance at the shadow moving under the water.

"It's probably nothing to worry about." He said, shrugging.

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D5LA Overconfident: 2d10o10k2 3

This is where Yul rolls initiative and Mumei decides if she flees (with appropriate honor loss) or if she stands with Yul and rolls initiative.

Yul was all too ready...

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D5LA Init: 5d10o10k4 40

Mumei glances at the size of the fin cutting above the water. "Maybe...but I'd rather let it eat whatever it usually does out here rather than bother it. Or...at least back away from the water a bit so it can stay there and we can stay here?"

Initiative: D5 LA, Initiative: 3d10o10k2 6

The drifter rose from the water like a gargantuan dragon of the legends, its long, sinewy legs carrying it towards the shoreline with an alarming speed. Perhaps there was a reason to worry, unlike Yul had first thought.



__________

Initiative

Yul 40 (unarmed)
Drifter 22 (Jaws wide open)
Mumei 6 (unarmed)

Yul and Mumei are 80' from their craft.
Drifter is 30' from Mumei and Yul

Yul grit his teeth. "Stay behind me, Mumei."

Stepping in front of her, he drew his pistol in a smooth motion. He leveled it, taking careful aim... and then shifting his aim, firing the blast into the creature's open mouth. Perhaps that would damage its appetite...

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Drifter fight round 1, Shoot, 2CR in mouth: 7d10o10k4+6 48
Drifter fight round 1, damage: 5d10o10k2 15

ATN:25
Wounds:3
Void:0/2

The beast roared in pain, but did not slow down much. It lurched towards the two samurai, swinging its massive claw at Yul, but missed.


_________

Yul 40 (armed) / Attack
Drifter 22 (Jaws wide open) / Attack
Mumei 6 (unarmed) / Defense

Yul and Mumei are 80' from their craft.
Drifter is next to Yul, 5' from Mumei.

Remember that shooting in melee range incurs -10 penalty to attack rolls.

ATN:17
Stance: Defense

Mumei backs up slowly, pulling out her holoslate as she moves. "OK, so, this is definitely not fine. This is, in fact, very dangerous and I do not want to be eaten by that and I really do not want you to be either. Yul...please do not make me try to fly back through those peaks on my own." There's genuine fear in her voice at the thought.

________
Simple action: backing up 30'
Simple action: Could we please not with the Overconfident?
Free action: ready holoslate and spell.

Yul glanced back, his handsome features twisting in distress as he heard the fear in her voice. But then his jaw clenched. "I can do it!"

Raising his pistol, Yul backpedaled, firing another blast into the creature's open mouth when he had a clear shot.

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Free - Move 10' back
Perception reroll, LISTEN TO HER!!!: 2d10o10k2 17
Drifter fight round 2, mouth shot 2CR: 7d10o10k4+6 30
Drifter fight round 2, damage: 5d10o10k2 13

ATN:25
Wounds:3
Void:0/2

The beast groaned, faltering for a moment before lunging after Yul, its large jaws wrapping around his body, the serrated teeth sinking into his flesh as the beast shook its head, tossing the badly mauled Unicorn pilot at Mumei like he was but a ragdoll.
_________

Free move 10' + chomp.


Mumei is 45' from chopper
Yul is laying on the ground next to Mumei.
Chomper is next to 25' from the both.

The Osprey screams as the giant lizard mauls Yul right in front of her. Tears come easy to the water-aligned priestess, but so does a surprising strength. "Nonononono," more of an unthinking drone than words as she grabs the pilot's arm, and whirls into the most graceful deadweight lift anyone's seen if anyone were there to see it. Scrambling up the rough stone toward the safety of the metal vehicle that had clipped mountain peaks, she tries to outrun fate.

_______
ATN 17
Stance: Defence
Burdened double move: 30'

The beast stomped towards Mumei and Yul, its heavy feet sinking into the soft ground. The Osprey shugenja could feel the monster's hot breath on her skin, the fetid smell of rotting fish and guts washing over her as the drifter caught up, swinging its claws, the blow catching her side, the talons sinking into her flesh

_________

Move to catch up with Mumei and swipe


Mumei is 15' from chopper
Yul is being dragged unceremoniously
Chomper is next to them both

She stumbles, but keeps moving, no time to look at the damage now. "ohshitohshitoshitoshit" There is no slowdown as she reaches the ornithopter, instead bouncing a hip into the side and letting momentum bounce her back, her hand on the door handle, yanking it wide. Getting in is more of a barely controlled fall before she scrambles to catch and close the door again, heedless of the blood on absolutely everything.

______
Void damage to 12 (nicked +3 to TNs)
Simple move 15" to thopter
Stance: Defense
ATN: 17 plus...cover?

The drifter lurched after the Osprey, trying to reach for her through the narrow door, but could not quite reach her, its fearsome claws just a little bit too short to find a purchase on the dancer. The beast did however, do a number of the bamboo-cloth covering the seats of the ornitopher, the insides of the comfortable pilot's chair oozing out from the large gash on the cloth.

______

Mumei and bloody mess of a pilot are in the can.
Drifter is outside without a can opener.

On hands and knees she scrambles for the door, dodging the bloody razor-sharp claws, slamming it on a lizard thumb with any luck. Her hands shake as slams the locks home.

_________
Simple action: slam the doors and lock them
Free action: hyperventilate
ATN: 17 plus a tin can
Stance: Defense

Furious for losing its meal, the drifter smashed its head against the door, sinking its teeth into it, the wicked teeth sinking into the soft metal and almost tearing the whole thing off.

_______

Samurai: Safe
Drifter and her brood: Hungry

Mumei sees the door warping and hopes that isn't going to make the flight extra fun, but it means they need to leave right now. She starts slapping switches, trusting practice rather than the checklist she cannot remember now to slap them in the right order. Throat tight and eyes burning from holding back tears when she can't afford blurred vision, she keeps glancing down, her heart sinking each time she sees how much blood there is, how pale *he* is. But...

Was that a breath or wishful thinking? She spares one more look as the blades whine up to speed. Definitely a breath. Blinking back a fresh rush of tear that surge with the relief buoying her chest, she steadies her trembling hand on the stick and takes them up...out of reach of claws and teeth.

She doesn't go far though. Those peaks are above her skill level, particularly with the oceans of adrenaline she's drowning in, and she desperately needs to make sure Yul keeps breathing. So she looks for the easiest landing possible with no water nearby. Sparse trees are a given.

Forcing herself to shut everything down first is one of the hardest things she can remember doing. Dropping out of the seat to kneel beside the Shinjo she begins imploring the water kami's aid, but they come only slowly at first. She knows simply begging isn't as powerful as an offering, and the entire place is splashed with blood. She reaches again for their help, to somewhat better effect.

________
D5 LA, Path to Inner Peace, TN 13: 5d10o10k3 20 7 wounds
D5 LA, Path to Inner Peace, TN 13, Void slot: 5d10o10k3 26 13 more

Yul's jacket and shirt were nearly torn asunder, his chest a bloody mess beneath. And yet, that chest did rise and fall, if only barely.

The first infusion of the kami's blessing was enough to bring him back from the brink of death, anyway. His breathing became less alarmingly disrupted, his eyelids fluttering. His lips moved, as though trying to speak, hands twitching down at his side.

The second infusion...

Yul took a deep, steady breath, his deep brown eyes opening a moment later. Large and dark they flickered about, uncomprehending, until they focused on her. "Mumei?" Yul said faintly. He swallowed. "What happened?" He reached out for her, his hand pale, and just a little bit shaky.

That was it, there wasn't an ounce of composure left in the priestess. Clutching his hand, she collapses with a sob. "Oh kami, I thoughtitwasgoingtojustdragyouunder and Iwouldn'tbeabletodo anything!" she wails, then pounding lightly at his shoulder "stupid, stupid, brave, dumbassed, cocky...why the hell wouldn't you just leave?"