SoulCoil

Must I do this?
The impression ran out long and clear in Cassidy's head, as the deer-like creature sat on its skeletal, dog like back legs, it's front hooves pressed into the dirt.
"Depends. Do ya wanna go into that void place?"Cassidy asked grumpily. Last night they had almost gotten caught. Now, he was tired. Besides, this whole competition had him on edge. One wish, but the possibility of dying... It was scary, for sure.

The Revenent sighed, but open its jaw, and began to sing. It was a wonderful, beautiful song, that attracted Revenent to the clearing. And humans that knew of Revenent.

Cassidy pretended to care, but he really didn't. He would do anything to get out of this competition and back to his boyfriend.

"Oh yeah, the forest! A perfect place for a rebellious teen to hide out!" She cheered, running down the grassy slope with a big 'whoop'. Mortimus followed close behind, watching her antics with an air of curiosity, tail waving about.

"I would not exactly classify you as.... 'rebellious'. I believe you are rather obedient, are you not?" He paused as they got down the end of the small slope, scanning the area before he continued. "You are much more tolerable than the other young adolescent mortals I have studied during my time here."

Vera furrowed her brow a bit, sticking her hands in her pockets as she seemingly stared into space, trying to decipher what he had just said. It was always a puzzle when talking to Morty. Finally, she shrugged and continued on through the trees.

"Thanks Morty. You're a lot better than normal dogs." She snickered. Mortimus looked as though he was about to answer when he suddenly halted. The faint sound of some sort of twisted melody filled the air soon afterwards. It had seemed that Vera heard it as well, as she had completely stopped too.

"....What in the....? Ugh, man, everything's kinda fuzzy...." The teen muttered, placing a hand on her head.

Mortimus had went off into the trees to the right without a word. Vera noticed this, and she blinked, going after him. "Morty? Wait, Morty! Where the hell are you going?"

The Revenant soon reached the edge of the clearing, and his attention fixated on the pair in the center. Vera had soon caught up, following his gaze to the Revenant and the guy there. A shiver went down her spine.

"Oh man, let's just get outta here...." She turned to leave before they could notice she arrived.

((I'm sorry this got waaay longer than I meant it to.)

This city was lucky to have such an active department of Parks and Recreation. Or, rather, one focused on maintaining ample green spaces. And near enough to take a cab or walk from the nearest train or bus stop.

Enri usually preferred the hustle and bustle of the city to the hushed rustling of leaves in the trees, but lately.... It was just, reassuring. This small chance to get away from the chaos. Just a walk. Through the woods. With no strings attached.

He realized his mistake the moment he registered a song on the breeze. No. When he realized that it had nothing to do with the breeze. And that his feet fell into step without his asking. From the pleasant melody seeped an unpleasant mental fog: the will of another, beckoning him closer.

The horror ended abruptly as a wave of impressions flooded through him and the sound became muted to his ears.
"Thank you," he gasped, stumbling to his knees. "I never once thought I'd be grateful to hear so little in my entire life."

His Revenant, her lithe mountain-cat body stalking out of the trees, pinned her ears back and sneered towards the source of the song. Steel yourself, filtered over their sync, saturated with agitation and spite.

How dare another try to force their will on them? Her tail thrashed while she dug her talons into soft dirt, her face was fixed in a scowl. A scowl not unlike those plastered on baleful spirits in Kabuki theatre.

"Will do," Enri growled, rising. His hands closed around his blades. They never left his hip anymore, police be damned.
"Let's pay this singer a visit, hm?"

Amanita answered by fading from sight, midstep towards the song's source. Enri no longer sensed her, but followed. As cautious as he was able, struggling now against the song's suggestion. It was probably good, then, that he was so willful a man. It might well be the only thing between him and succumbing once more to the brain fog.

Cassidy smiled, and snapped his fingers. And around the two pairs fell spiderweb thin strings of silver, pure silver. No one could get in, no one could get out. Not unless Cassidy wanted them to.
The deer dog hybrid stood up, bowing her head.
"Welcome to tha arena, pardner! We're gonna hash it out, fair and square, see."He says to the dog Revenent and their human.
Cassidy pulled a gun from his belt, aiming it at the dog, while the deer stalked slowly towards the human.
Cassidy grinned.
"You ready?"

The net had startled her as its emergence had cut her off from her escape. Turning around was a mistake on her part, as the gun the man had pulled had clearly alarmed her.

"Holy shit, he has a gun." Vera breathed, eyes widening slightly. "He has a friggin' gun." Her attention soon fixated on the deer-dog Revenant stalking her, then back at the man. Eventually she looked at Mortimus, who now was in a defensive stance, taking his place right in front of Vera.

Mortimus glanced back at her. "Just remain behind me." Then he turned his head to the other pair, focusing on them intently, watching if they made any sudden advances.

Soon the teen managed to recompose herself a bit. "Dude, it ain't fair and square if I'm unarmed and you have a goddamn gun!" Vera exclaimed.

Man, I knew I should've brought my rapier today.

"Shit," Enri snarled as the netting came down. He should have known it was a trap. Or, well, this much of a trap. Even though he wasn't close enough to have eyes on the situation, he could hear the man clearly. Just through the bushes. 2 o'clock position, the way Enri faced right now.

The only benefit of that, was that he himself couldn't be seen. Or so he hoped. It sounded like the stranger wasn't looking his direction, either.
Not that Enri would go out of his way to change that.

Then he heard Vera's sass and gave a low growl. A grumbled string of curses, really, but that didn't matter when the words weren't loud enough to be heard.

Ay, Ramirez, why didn't you invest in a gun of your own? You're gonna need them soon, anyway! So why do you keep putting it off?
He mentally kicked himself and hoped Amanita had managed to get in before this trap was sprung.

Otherwise, fighting this... cowboy.... would be difficult.

((Is it alright with y'all if I don't yet reveal where Amanita is/what she's doing?))

((That's fine!!))

Cassidy smiled.
"Don't worry, Darlin'. I won't attack you. Just the monster."
And he aims at the Revenent, and he shoots.
However, distracted and prideful as he was, he missed and it ricocheted off the silver net, nearly hitting him. Now it's your turn.

((fine by me man))

A large grin appeared on her face. "Well, I'm definitely glad you aren't, but you nearly shot your face off." Vera stifled a chuckle.

Mortimus cocked his head to the side, obviously a bit caught off guard by the miss. "....I was anticipating us to be in great peril.... I see I was incorrect in theorizing that." He uttered. Then, looking up, he continued, addressing the man this time. "Sir, I possess a rather ghastly appearance, no doubt, but I am no monster. Perchance, is there any way for us to discuss this like the gentlemen we are?"

Enri heard the bang and ducked on reflex. Which served him well, if the sound of a ricochet was any indication. He heard it tear through the bushes somewhat nearby and his scowl only deepened.

Fuck. So that web could deflect a bullet, too? So cutting an exit with his blades was out.

At least Vera was taking it all in stride. Enri shook his head. That girl's tough as nails.

Still crouched, Enri moved to where he could see. In the direction of what he assumed was behind the cowboy. Hopefully it would also keep him hidden from the Revenant, but that was harder to tell. Ghost sense said it was in the direction of Mortimus and Vera, but that could be a trick.

He scowls and shoots again, this time at the girl's foot.

Come on rpr what are you doing
He shoots her squarely in the foot!

((polite, please use a 6 sided die; even numbers are hits))

She raised her palms up as a sign of surrender, seeing as he pointed the gun right at her. "Wait wait wait! Calm down, I was just―!" The bang of the gun made her jump, the bullet just narrowly missing her foot.

Clearly shaken, she looked down at her foot for any injury, and then back up at the man. "Dude, what the hell?! What happened to not aiming for me?"

Mortimus shook his head slowly. "Aim for her again, and there will be consequences." He threatened.

((Whoops, sorry!))
"She's the one who laughed at me. I wanted to make sure you both understood. There's no not taking the competition serious. You gotta be ready for anything."
He shoots are Mortimus.
"Consider this your first lesson in the real world, little lady.

The bullet hit Mortimus square in the shoulder, but he only shook it off. It didn't seem to be made of silver, so he was fine.... for now. However, things were getting way more serious for her now. No weapons, and the odds seemed to be against the pair.

Vera furrowed her brow. "Yeah, but you were basically making a fool outta yourself with your garbage aim. Not my fault that I had to laugh." She looked directly at him.

"Now put the damn gun down so we can talk this out. We ain't trying to kill anyone in this stupid game, we just wanna end it." She stated, voice stern.

Three shots. Three.
Seemed this man was playing for keeps. Even if his aim was spotty.... Heck, even if he wasn't actually aiming to kill.

Three shots.

Enri darted forward, flinging his dagger past the man and across the clearing. If his aim were true, it would bury itself in the stranger's Revenant. Or whatever silver did when it stabbed these things.

Either way, he continued with his momentum and barreled into the cowboy, shoulder-first. He wasn't at the right angle to stab the man, but hopefully Enri could throw off his next shot.

And the gamble paid off. Mostly. He'd hit the mark on the cowboy, at least... He'd misjudged the distance between himself and the Revenant, what with the dappled light filtering through the trees. The dagger struck, but not in the neck or chest, like Enri'd hoped. Just the outer-muscle of the deer-beast's shoulder.