Oh, come on--it's not my fault Hierophant's built for a lot of things. [Kakyoin rolled his eyes in mock annoyance.] I'm sure you could use Chariot to help you if you got a little creative.
[He narrowed his eyes and shot the ball, bouncing it off one of the walls before it made contact. It got close to a pocket, but didn't land, and Polnareff huffed in annoyance.]
I would never have--
[The words trailed off. Polnareff's eyes were trained on something behind Kakyoin, nestled in a shadowy corner on the other side of the Den.
They could come into houses now, of course. He'd known that. He'd woken up to one at the foot of his bed yesterday. But there was something terrifying about the way the Strangers could suddenly appear, there with no noise or warning. He'd been certain they were alone, and he'd let his guard down, and now--
It wasn't even doing anything. Just standing there, head tucked down, face blank. It didn't seem to notice the lapse in conversation, nor the way Polnareff stared. He couldn't hear it breathing, not this far, but he could well imagine that ragged wheeze.
Did it know he'd seen it? Maybe. But maybe not. Chariot appeared behind his user, blade drawn, as Polnareff said slowly:]
--cheated. With you. Not you.
[It was an attempt at casual conversation. If they could attack it without it knowing they knew, maybe this could be over before it began. Those things could move lightning fast, darting around in the blink of an eye. It would be too easy for it to get close if they just charged forward.]
I wasn't seriously going to cheat at this whole thing, I was just-...
[Kakyoin trailed off as well once he realized Polnareff was looking at something behind him, glancing to Chariot in concern. It was Hierophant that moved--turning its head just enough to look behind them--and Kakyoin that reacted, turning pale as his shoulders went rigid.]
-...just joking around, that's all.
[He looked from Chariot to Polnareff again, silently waiting for some kind of signal for what to do or how to react.]
[It's not an eloquent response, but he's too busy trying to think. The Strangers move so quickly, quicker than any of them can track. So maybe . . . at his side, Polnareff waves his fingers minutely. It's a somewhat ineffectual way to try and indicate to Kakyoin that one of those barriers might come in handy. Kakyoin can tell if the creature moves, and when he does, Polnareff will know where to have Chariot stab.]
[He didn't like this at all. Having his back to a threat made Kakyoin's skin crawl for several reasons--but this was different than one night down the wrong Cairo alley. No matter how fast this enemy was, he wasn't alone in dealing with it.]
[He glanced down to Polnareff's hand and then in the direction of the door, silently offering an alternative; Hierophant's barrier could give them a headstart, and their range would make it a sizable one.]
[Was it ever. Hierophant's entire body disengaged in a flash, separating and latching on to the floor, walls, and ceiling directly behind Kakyoin in a glittering green net of tripwires. The redhead himself darted forward and away from the figure Hierophant now separated him from, a safer distance away.]
Come on--that'll fire back when it's touched but it won't hold up forever.
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[He narrowed his eyes and shot the ball, bouncing it off one of the walls before it made contact. It got close to a pocket, but didn't land, and Polnareff huffed in annoyance.]
I would never have--
[The words trailed off. Polnareff's eyes were trained on something behind Kakyoin, nestled in a shadowy corner on the other side of the Den.
They could come into houses now, of course. He'd known that. He'd woken up to one at the foot of his bed yesterday. But there was something terrifying about the way the Strangers could suddenly appear, there with no noise or warning. He'd been certain they were alone, and he'd let his guard down, and now--
It wasn't even doing anything. Just standing there, head tucked down, face blank. It didn't seem to notice the lapse in conversation, nor the way Polnareff stared. He couldn't hear it breathing, not this far, but he could well imagine that ragged wheeze.
Did it know he'd seen it? Maybe. But maybe not. Chariot appeared behind his user, blade drawn, as Polnareff said slowly:]
--cheated. With you. Not you.
[It was an attempt at casual conversation. If they could attack it without it knowing they knew, maybe this could be over before it began. Those things could move lightning fast, darting around in the blink of an eye. It would be too easy for it to get close if they just charged forward.]
no subject
[Kakyoin trailed off as well once he realized Polnareff was looking at something behind him, glancing to Chariot in concern. It was Hierophant that moved--turning its head just enough to look behind them--and Kakyoin that reacted, turning pale as his shoulders went rigid.]
-...just joking around, that's all.
[He looked from Chariot to Polnareff again, silently waiting for some kind of signal for what to do or how to react.]
no subject
[It's not an eloquent response, but he's too busy trying to think. The Strangers move so quickly, quicker than any of them can track. So maybe . . . at his side, Polnareff waves his fingers minutely. It's a somewhat ineffectual way to try and indicate to Kakyoin that one of those barriers might come in handy. Kakyoin can tell if the creature moves, and when he does, Polnareff will know where to have Chariot stab.]
no subject
[He glanced down to Polnareff's hand and then in the direction of the door, silently offering an alternative; Hierophant's barrier could give them a headstart, and their range would make it a sizable one.]
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Fuck it. If you're going to cheat, we might as well head home.
[Three, two, one . . . his muscles tensed up, but he waited for the signal from Kakyoin.]
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[Was it ever. Hierophant's entire body disengaged in a flash, separating and latching on to the floor, walls, and ceiling directly behind Kakyoin in a glittering green net of tripwires. The redhead himself darted forward and away from the figure Hierophant now separated him from, a safer distance away.]
Come on--that'll fire back when it's touched but it won't hold up forever.