foxhounds | night five

[ They're both decently light and quick then! Though y'know, Kashuu does it in heels, which is vastly more impressive. And he's way less injured, which means Kashuu catches up easily. He slashes for Royce's legs and he gets them just fine, puts two matching gashes across the backs of Royce's calves. It makes Royce stagger, but he uses it to his advantage, or tries to, anyway.

Twisting as he falls, Royce brings his dagger straight down overhead and stabs it down through what he hopes is Kashuu's upper back or shoulder. He's aiming to not only injure but bring Kashuu down with him (on top of him, not his brightest idea but he's working under pressure) to the floor with the momentum.

Unfortunately, once he's down, he's down. He's winded, breaths dragging and bleeding all over everything. There's no way he's going to be able to get up and run. He tries, he really does. If he manages to bring Kashuu down he'll struggle to get out from under him, but there's not a whole lot he can do with his legs out of commission and the blood loss that's making him dizzy. ]

[He's trained for this... Who takes off their heels for battle?? No one cool, honestly.

But the dagger hits its mark, sinking into the top part of Kashuu's shoulder where the muscle is. The force behind it is enough to drag him down, but certainly not enough to stop him. He's used to being stabbed in battle, basically. When you're a sword, stabs happen a lot! Look, his other shoulder has already been stabbed, and that was by Yamato.

Either way, he works quickly once he hits the ground, ducking so that Royce can't drive the blade in any further and reaching out to pin down one of his arms. He's sits on Royce's stomach, movements still quick even with the gash.]

Ugh, look, I don't wanna drag this out—

[Because he doesn't have time, honestly...

Which is why he almost throws his own vessel to the side so he can unsheathe the blade on his left hip. It's Yamato's blade, of course - Kashuu is very sentimental despite being a sword. But there's no gloating or talk of vengeance or anything like that; there's just a sharp downward jab, where he aims for Royce's throat.]

[ Kashuu sits on his stomach and pins him, and that's it, he knows. He can't move, he's lost a lot of blood, but something in him is screaming to keep struggling, to keep moving. He doesn't lay down and die - no, he knows he's going to be dead in seconds and he's going to end it fighting, like he always has, and his mind whirls.

Somehow in the last seconds he has, he finds he's... really sorry that he won't make it back to them. For the others, the ones still living here. Matt, and Max - but more than anything, back home, in a world far away from here. Hadrian back home, too trusting, and... the only person Royce has ever called a friend. The only person who had ever called him a friend in return.

But Gwen. Gwen, who probably died without him there to find her. Gwen, who he loves and will always love, the only person in his long life to ever bring that feeling around in him. Gwen, he'll miss, Gwen, he regrets and this hurts more than he thought it ever would because of her. His side burns and he hears the sound of the blade unsheathing, and Royce digs his fingers into the blood at his side the best he can and reaches, drags the blood on his fingers across Kashuu's front, across any cloth he can reach.

And then the sword jabs down, into his throat, and he chokes, gurgles, there's a burst of pain, and -

He's gone. His hand falls to the ground with a light thud. ]

[Kashuu's quiet and still for a few seconds after Royce's hand drops, just breathing in and out through his nose in a carefully measured way. In, out - another person's blood on the blade. He'll have to clean Yamato up well later.

...And himself, he notes as he looks down toward his scarf with a grimace. His jacket and vest are black, which is good for him, but he's wearing Yamato's scarf - it's white, and the blood stands out on it starkly.

That's something he can deal with later, though. For now, he takes another breath in and then pushes himself upright, wincing and tapping his fingers against the wound on his shoulder. Not too bad. He should still be able to swing his sword-wielding arm, at least, even if it might be a little hindered. The bigger problem will be figuring out how to hide the wound and the gash in his clothing. With an irate noise, he stoops over to pick up his own blade, turns, and heads back toward the bush where Kasen had fallen.]

Hey— you okay? What the hell did he hit you with?

[ Kasen is at least starting to right himself by the time it's done, since it's really the combination of the fall and the taser that had winded him so badly. If it were just one, then fine. He was a sword, he could handle pain. But the combination was certainly enough for Kasen to be all the more glad for Kashuu's company, at the very least.

He's starting to stand from the bush with a groan, and he's quick not to right himself, but to start to dig through the branches for Horikawa. It's not hard to find him, so Kasen picks him up with a relieved sigh once he sees he's not any more damaged. ]

...I have no idea, to be honest. It was some sort of— [ Kasen pauses, since he really doesn't have any idea. He's too Ye Olde for this, and he doesn't want enough television to know. ]

It was painful, and it was like all my muscles froze up! I don't know how to describe it. [ He stretches, groaning again. ] I'll be fine, though... The fall hurt more than that thing.

[He's here to help...

And help he will! After Kasen fishes Horikawa out of the bush, he holds a hand out to help him upright. No one looks elegant and dignified when they're collapsed in a pile of twigs and leaves...]

But you're okay? No broken bones or anything? It'd be suuuper lame if I had to finish things up out here by myself tonight, y'know! [Shaking his head and making a mock-tutting noise.]

Anyway, he's dead. I'm gonna need some time later to try cleaning this blood outta Yasusada's scarf since that guy wiped his hands all over me. [GROSS.]

Ahh, good...

[ At Royce being dead, he means. The fact that he's not complaining about injuries or crying means that he's fine as well. There are only a few minor cuts and scrapes, so really, he's lucky. Kasen looks Royce's way thoughtfully, and he lapses into a silence at that, since he realizes there's a problem here. Perhaps earlier in the game, they could have gotten away from wounds that come from a blade, but by now? There are much fewer swordsmen amongst them.

...It's terribly inelegant, to have to dispose of a body. It feels a little dishonorable as well, but considering this man had spoken of not caring for honor, Kasen also finds he cares much less. ]

Hmm, we should probably hide his body if we can, though. It's a bit obvious that it's the work of a sword, isn't it?

[The lack of whining is what tips him off toward Kasen being okay, at least, so he doesn't ask further. He'll just keep an eye out to make sure he doesn't pass out or act concussed or something...]

Huh. Yeah... Even dismembering him wouldn't really hide that a blade was involved. You think we should push him out into the water?

[Though there's the chance that it might drift back to shore, of course.]

[ thank ]

Mm, no... I think it would still be found.

[ Like Mitsutada, he thinks, though he doesn't say as much. He takes another few moments to stretch as he thinks, but it's clear when the idea comes to him, since his features brighten. ]

Well, there is that giant hole. If we carried it there, they certainly wouldn't find it. [ A pause, and then, ] ...It's quite brutish. But I think it would work.

Oh! I totally forgot about that thing.

[Mostly because no one's fallen into it yet, by some miracle... It's easy to forget about the gaping hole in the jungle floor when you've got to worry about every other side of a war murdering you.]

Sure, sure - that should work just fine. We'll come back for your stuff later, okay? [Kasen's outer layers of clothing, he means.] Let's dump him now while we're out here already and then go find the next.

[ Kasen nods in agreement, then sighs as he starts to head over to Royce. He's taller and more muscular between them, so he takes on the task of carrying Royce without asking. ]

Certainly. I don't think it's too far from here, at least...

[ He's not carrying Royce ten miles that's for sure. With a noise of exertion, he carefully loads Royce up onto his back, since it's easier for him to carry him that way. ]

Ah, when we're done, I'll clean up too. We'll both have a bit of blood to wash off, won't be?

Mmmhm. Ugh, I'm gonna have to do something about this stupid cut, too.

[He can't blame Yamato for this one since he deda too... That's going to be a struggle, but he'll figure it out later. He'll just have to bear it in the meantime and hope that it doesn't impede his ability to strike quickly and precisely, because he knows he'll really need that tonight.

Anyway, Kasen will get a thanks for carrying the body! And after a little while of walking:]

Oh— Hey, I think that's it over there. See? [POINTS over toward what basically looks like a gaping spot of nothingness in the middle of the dark vegetation.]

Ah, good, good.

[ Kasen really does sound relieved by the time they get there, because even carrying a smol amount of deadweight is still deadweight, so it's not very easy. ]

You can just stay here. I'll take care of it, since it's probably better if we don't both stand there, hm?

[ He responds with a half laugh that's gentle, even though based on Megumi, that's not quite something to joke about. He gives Kashuu a nod, and then carefully heads to the edge of the sinkhole before setting Royce down at the edge. From there, it's just a matter of giving him a solid kick to send him into that abyss, but Kasen doesn't even bother to wait to hear if he hits any sort of ground. He simply returns to Kashuu's side with an encouraging smile. ]

Well! Shall we? He really did make a mess, so I think taking a quick swim will be quite a relief!

[Ah, there he goes... bye felicia.

Kashuu watches from a relatively safe distance, though after Megumi, he's still on his guard (never really drops it completely, honestly) like he's just waiting for the ground to crumble... But it doesn't. With Kasen's safe return and the body properly disposed of, he'll smile in response, nodding in agreement. He's still off-kilter, but he's trying to take his cue from the encouragement in Kasen's smile.

This is fine, right?

They'll be fine.]

Let's go, let's go! I think I could use something like that before we set out again. Better wash this out before it gets infected, too... And I gotta clean off Yasusada.

[So to the water it is!! He'll turn, though he waits for Kasen, not wanting to stray too far from his side.]

[ It's fine, Kashuu. Kasen's smile clearly says that, and it's matched in his gestures as he places an encouraging hand on Kashuu's uninjured shoulder. ]

Mm, let's. It's still early in the night, so I think we have a bit more time to work. Come—

[ And so off the two insane swords go to wash off the blood and then go murder more people, most likely. ]

night five - kill log.

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christy said to skip kasen until royce is deda bc he's taking a nap in the foliage

he deda

rip peperony and chease

we'll miss you [looks at smudge on hand] dustpan

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