The things that matter [Open]

So far it seemed the defenders were doing well in handling the encroaching threat of the pack of wolves that had turned toward the village. While the dragon lady had succeeded in dispatching some of the wolves, the Saibaman's cry had led to a timely rescue that had ensured Midori didn't join the increasing amount of corpses that littered before the fence. The presence she felt earlier had left the Homunculus in a state of wariness, and in the end she slowly walked over toward the duo during their moment of respite, a hand reaching out to Midori's chest, a gesture that was accompanied by a moment of hesitation before she spoke.

"Listen carefully Midori. After this power I'll plan to use to mend your injuries I will be turning into a monster for a bit. Whatever you do, don't chase me into the forest. The dragon lady and the villagers need you to be a hero."

She smiled softly at the Saibaman before turning her gaze toward the yet to be identified ally they had gained. It was best that she knew what was about to happen, in the end it was the least she could do for an ally who was about to throw herself willingly into danger for the sake of strangers.

"I believe those wolves are controlled by a power similar to my own. The moment I heal Midori--- I mean the Saibaman's injuries my power will likely manifest and try to dominate my mind. While I'll be able to retain control for several moments, the sheer power that will be unleashed will likely be enough for me to track down the one controlling them. It's kind of like using a magnet to find another magnet. Nevertheless, you can't let Midori chase after me. The remaining pack is likely about to attack any moment, and while I will take some down while penetrating their formation it's likely the pack's leader will enter the battle."

With her explanation done Reikiko allowed the familiar power within her to stir lightly. For Maeve with her Serene Mind she would likely be able to visually see that something was happening with the wolves that they had slain. The darkness that had tainted them seemed to resonate, a ominous presence that seemed to flow toward the Homunculus. In the meanwhile an obsidian aura had started to flow around Reikiko's hand, and a few moments afterwards the areas where the Saibaman had been injured started to mend themselves, a powerful regeneration ability having triggered in Green's body.

"There~ All better now---"

Yet the smile of the woman had lasted for only a moment, a groan of pain escaping her lips as she rose onto her feet, staggering backwards while her hands reached toward her head. A cry of agony followed that caused the tainted presence around the wolves their corpses to disappear entirely, and instead a visible purple glow started to appear both in the woman's eyes and the ki aura around her.

"Hah! You think you're able to lurk in the shadows when you're entire body is flowing with a power that is rightly MINE?! Come out of hiding brat!"

The words that were shouted by Reikiko were cold and harsh, almost as if they were spoken by an entirely different person. Nevertheless, while she started to hover above the ground several wolves, roughly around six more were accompanied by a rather huge canine creature. While one might had considered it the alpha of the pack, the wolf seemed to look more like the type of monster one would call a Cerberus, and its entire body seemingly was twisted and corrupted.

As if she intended to keep her promise Reikiko's dash through the enemy ranks had caused two wolves at the back of their formation to suddenly be pushed aside by an invisible force of energy, one that knocked them straight into the nearby trees while she darted further into the forest. It seemed that Maeve and the healed Midori had their hands full, but judging from the huge power that had disappeared into the forest it was clear that something even more dangerous was lurking within.

It was that being that Reikiko had been tracking down, her body rushing amidst the trees and heading in a bee-line toward the source of the sensation she felt earlier. And indeed, just like she had expected a cloaked figure had been hiding in a small clearing within the forest, mumbling a chant while a purple glow surrounded the orb before them.

"Found you. Now to decide on how to kill you."

The Homunculus licked her lips, a hand raised into the air before suddenly dashing forwards, the thrusting motion causing the sphere to explode into a flurry of shards that dissolved into a shadowy mist.

"Now that you're finished corrupting this forest's inhabitants I guess we can figure out who made you do this nonsense."

The cloaked figure laughed in amusement, turning to face Reikiko while a hand reached toward the hood, lifting it lightly to reveal a pair of crimson-colored eyes that were partly concealed beneath a crop of silver hair.

"Impossible..."

What could it be that Reikiko had seen under that hood? Whatever it was, it clearly seemed to had startled her, for she needed a moment to recover before she darted toward her opponent, a hand grasping for the figure's throat, and when the hood slid off a face that seemed an exact replica of the Human form of Reikiko stared back at her.

"You're so cute when you're playing clueless. However, no matter how much you try to hide your past, your mother won't forget you."

Was it a part of the secret memories that Reinforce had tried to show her? Then the fact that her 'mother' was looking for her pretty much confirmed those memories were the real deal.

"What nonsense are you talking about? That fiend dwells in another dimension! There is no way she'd be able to come here!"

However, at those words the Homunculus clone merely laughed, whispering softly.

"She won't need to... You'll come to her in due time. And at that time I'll look forward to see how tainted you'll become."

The laughter of the clone didn't last last, for Reikiko's hand had tightened around the cloaked lady's throat and with a firm squeeze snapped her neck. She had heard enough...

----

4 regular wolves + 1 Cerberus left to deal with for Maeve and Green

Reikiko knocked out two wolves and killed the 'mysterious magician' who was controlling them, preventing reinforcements from arriving.

Midori has been cured by Rei's Dark Blessing
Rei has gone corrupted mode due to absorbing the dark energy from the blessing and the surrounding wolves.

Maeve blinked and cast her glance towards the strange woman as she was spoken to. She looked over the woman with curiousity as she explained her plan to her. The demonic dragoness' amber eyes would widen in shock as she spoke. She questioned the practicality or wisdom of her plan. From the sounds of it she was going to tap into her power but lose control. It reminded her of her own latent power...The corruptive force that pumped through her veins was a constant struggle she was forced to overcome. Did this woman... This Rei-Rei have a similar struggle? If so, she sympathized but she couldn't condone her using it's power if it were going to threaten her, Green, or the villagers. The way she was speaking made it seem as if she was she going to end up like the savage beasts they were forced to do battle with. Would she just end up being another threat for them to overcome? She wasn't sure, she wasn't even sure if she could trust the woman.

She stepped forward, readying to stop her from activating this 'dark power' she had been going on about but stopped as her hyper focus caught sight of the wolves' corpses stirring at the sudden release of twisted black ki. She looked to the defeated beasts as an inky black darkness seeped from them and were drawn into the woman. She stared at the homunculus in a mixture of fear and awe as her stance shifted to reflect something menacing and powerful. Though she used this hellish power to restore the little alien man she felt that in her current state, this strange devil of a woman was going to take far more life than she restored.

Sure enough she launched forward, effortlessly cutting down a few more frenzied wolves as she bolted towards the source of the ill magic that warped their minds into such a crazed and violent state. As long as her destruction was aimed to the wicked Maeve wouldn't interfere but she would remain weary.

She tried to keep her attention on the homunculus but it was diverted as she heard the cries and screams of the saiba hero. She turned to face him as he seemed upset, as if he hurt her or something. "Green..." She said in an even tone, unsure if she should scold him for panicking or comfort him to soothe his fears. She didn't have time to do either however: for as soon as he finished he launched himself to the biggest beast of the oncoming pack, the bloodthirsty Cerberus.



"GREEN!" She called out, the little creature had no right to challenge the hulking beast, at least not by himself... The homunculus' gift of restoration would be completely wasted if he went and got himself killed! She growled, her eyes narrowing in on the remainder of the beasts, all crowding around their alpha as Green was busily ripping it apart.

"Don't turn your back on me." She growled as she jumped forward holding her mighty cleaver overhead as she closed in on the first wolf. The wolf turned, the scent of the demoness mixed with wolf blood catching it's nose but it was too late. Maeve cried out as she cut Fateburn down in a mighty cleave. The blade's arc was strong and fast enough to leave a clean, even split. A fountain of blood exploded from the freshly split skull and sprayed into the air like a scarlet rain as the wolf's body collapsed. With her serene state: she could see each individual droplet of blood in the thick spray as it was released into the air. She watched as the remaining beasts turned and bared their gnarled teeth.

She spat to the side titling her head lightly as she matched their fiendish snarls with a cold, unforgiving glare. Before they could lash out at her: Maeve would cut the stream of blood with her blade in an instant. The way she angled her arc ended up plastering the wolves' eyes in a violent splash of the warm thick substance. They howled in a mixture of shock from the sudden blindness and pain as the blood stung their eyes.

"Useless."

Maeve dashed in the center of the three wolves and stomped the ground, a violently jagged aura of black and red ripped around her form in a flare of demonic energy that had enough force to tear into the earth below her. She radiated with her dark ki as she took hold of her blade and readied her signature attack. She stared at the three predators as they tried to cluster together. Though, with the cold glare of killing intent the dragoness gave off, it was hard to tell who the true predator was.

"Chaotic Rebellion Star!"

Five seemingly random flashes of steel cut the air in a furious blitz as Maeve unleashed her deadly attack. Sparks of electricity exploded off her blade as the five murderous cuts split into the remaining wolves' flesh in a chaotic display of Maeve's power and her fury. At the end of it all the sword's woman would turn her back and sheathe her sword. She closed her eyes, and lowered her head.

"May your spirits rest peacefully." She said quietly as both the lumbering Cerberus and the remaining wolves collapsed into a heap of torn flesh, shattered bone, and copious blood. She didn't want to look at them, she was never fond of the results of her 'handiwork' and whenever she was forced to cut a life short with the stroke of her blade she always tried to apologize or bid the spirits she sent to the afterlife well. It didn't matter if it were beast or man.

As she was lost in her thoughts she was brought back to reality as the saibaman cried out in a desperate scramble to somehow help protect the woman with the dark magic. She rushed ahead of him and turned holding her blade out to her side in a firm attempt to intercept and stop the alien.

"Green. Relax. She will be fine." She said in a firm tone, clearly choosing to go with the scold side of the debate she had earlier. "She won't be fine if you or the villagers gets hurt while trying to help her though. This isn't over just yet, there could still be more out there that can hurt people. Do you understand?" She spoke, fierce amber eyes baring into the small creature as she firmly stood her ground.

She was given two tasks and two tasks only. Stop the wolves, and prevent Green from scampering off after the homunculus. She wasn't going to fail either of those objectives. Green might not like her for it, but what she was doing was for his. and Rei's, own good.

Green sighed and grumbled lightly shaking where he stood looking from one side to the next as if looking for a opening if he could get passed her but likely knew this wasn't gonna happen. He looked angry at her with cold fearsome.... then watery big... then saddening glazed in starting tear eyes! Green sniffled lightly standing before Meave who was clearly blocking path green had bite marks on his flesh here and there but wasn't torn up that badly at least not as he was the first time. He was hurt but would heal and his rage had aided him dropping the fowl beast that now lay dead in the field. But he clearly had heart heart ache from not being able to help Rei. He tried to fight back making tears but the more he did the more he just sniveled in his own little way sucking in a deep breath here and there as he lost his breath from crying before wiping his eyes and little nostrils with his green forearms. "Have to save people...But also Rei Rei... Rei in trouble cause me... Me want Rei happy..." Still settled with tears and seeming to have moments of little deep huffing struggling for a breath here and there as children do when severely emotional. 

Green would have hugged rei tightly before taking the bean still sniffling an ate it quickly more so to appease her then actually worry about himself upon seeing her. Likely looking antsy as if wanting to hug her again. "Glad you ok... Midori was worried... Didn't want you hurt cause me. Midori happy his friend is ok...Rei Midori's best friend!" He'd say softly still sniveling at both Meave and Rei clearly saddened tears turning into joyful ones his friends were find after that battle of mean evil wolves. He wanted to help people and discovered how dangerous it could be but he could also learn that even in danger if you held strong you could prevail as they had today. His wounds starting to fade from pain as well as he could feel his body healing. Kicked back up to great shape very fast as he'd wipe away blood here and there on bite wounds seeing the wounds closed! "Whoa! Bean magic! Like courage! Courage beans!" He'd say in light awe. 

Green was quickly swarmed with small kids and tugged this way and that way caught up quickly fading from his teared expression as he heard Rei had stopped the big evil. Rei was the hero here he thought when looking toward her waving while the teary eyed little guy seemed to get caught up in the fun and games of a small celebration. The night holding merry making and cheer for the strange saviors that had come in the night. "Me born on planet too! Came from ground! Remember little.... woke up... dug out! born from planet! Party! Party!" He was easily overwhelmed by good vibes and sensation. The kind people all around as before long he and a bunch of kids forming a rather odd looking Konga line of little dancing while other cheered and sang. It was a good way to end this night. Friends and a little town that didn't see three strange beastly people. But just kind people that came to aid in a moment of darkness. Not monsters at all. No sir just good people. 

[PL please x3 ]