>>108535
Um, try jumping forward while flapping your wings.

>>108537
I leap forth and flail my wings frantically. For a few seconds I think I have it, but then a tumble onto my face.

Hrm, first try flapping your wings while standing still. You need to get a feel for it before you try an actual launch.

>>108542
I practice flapping my wings without leaving the ground, and the science behind it becomes more clear to me. The body shape is idealized for long glides and dives, not flapping as a bat's are. I need to get somewhere high first!

>>108555
That shouldn't be necessary according to our knowledge but it might be easier that way anyway. Shouldn't need more than say, a tree stump's height.

By the way, Hattori, does the name Peregrine Falcon mean anything to you?

>>108558
It does not.

>>108557
Unnecessary to a creature that grew up like this. I may need a little more help...

>>108560
Ask ella to throw/jump you to a more suitable height

>>108560
Maybe you can ask Ella to put you on the roof?

>>108564
I know this seems stupidly masculine andfull of stupid machismo, but I want to accomplish something on my own, for once.

>>108570
Okay... Try finding a way up onto the roof then. It's either that, or hop a long way into the forest trying to find an overturned tree trunk or something, leaving yourself open to attack by a predator. ...you're pretty vulnerable in this form in general actually.

>>108574
Oh, wait, I know. The top of the cave! I'll just wait until I un-bird and walk there.

...

Alright, I'm here. The drop looks longer than I thought...

>>108578
So long as you don't dive directly into rocks or something you should be fine. Though... the landing may be slightly tricky.

Now suck it up. The first step is to figure out how to get a stable glide going, then how to flap your wings to get more height. Then how to slow yourself down via flapping. After that, it's more subtle things like maneuvers and stuff.

>>108598
I'm about to leap off when I hear a familiar voice.

"Pointless! Utterly pointless!"
Shi! "Why the hell would I work with you?!"

>>108603
What- how- How did she get here so fast? Wasn't she just in a town last night? Stay put. Listen in.

>>108606
A bark. Like a dog, and a laugh.
"'Cause we got the same enemy. The guy's got so many allies and weapons and tools at his disposal, we couldn't possibly get close ter him."
"You damn animal... let me loose or will kill you here and now!"

>>108611
Damn. Are you still in bird form? I want to keep her alive so long as she's NOT actively working against us.

If possible, try to hop down the side so you can get a look at them.

How do I shot trip?!H508X.HbJ6 2010/01/10(Sun)01:34 No. 108630 ID: 6faa8c
File 126311607961.jpg - (125.13KB , 815x850 , Ill-GriptheAvatar.jpg )

I peer inside. Shi is trapped, tied tightly to a series of poles.

!!!
She's normal age again!

"Aye don't see any reason why you think you can possibly turn this aroun' lawbreakah. Mah fathah 'as already given' ye a chance, he ain' the forgivin' type."

>>108630
Are you in bird form right now?

>>108644
I am currently of the avian persuasion.
"Now, Ah'm willing ta turn a blin' eye to one ah two mistakes. But it was your jahb to cripple dis bastahd so we could plow right through and ovah 'im. Yer was supposed ter steal the damn hat. And instead yeh gif me dis!"

There's a loud crack and an a cry of paun as he strikes her across the face with the head of the cane.

My cane.

"Do yeh have any idea how... how badly we were hurt by that one.... little... change?! How much you... and yew alone... ruined our plans?"

"I... I won't let you kill him." she mutters. "He deserves better than to die at the hands of a mongrel bitch like you."

"SILENCE, YEW FOUL TRAITAH!"

Crack. Scream.

She spits in his face.

"Kill me, then. I don't care. You lost the moment you decided to target him and his friends! There's no way you, or me, or the gods themselves could stop him now!"

"Yew watch yer mouth..."

He winding up again...

>>108651
I don't care what she has done to me before.

If it wasn't for second chances, I wouldn't exist.
I let my body work on automatic, running forward anf leaping into the air, flying forward at a dizzying speed to slam directly into the bastard's eye socket. He flails, throwing the cane away, sending it clattering out of the cave and sight.

After a few moments of struggle, he knocks me away, reaching for his weapon while covering the ruined socket with one hand. He unsheathes the sword attacked to his leg, growling lowly.

It's HIM. That's the "Avatar".

>>108656
Uh jeez I've been pretty slow reacting here. I suggest trying to get him to slash at you in a way that frees Shi.

>>108657
I'll do one better!

I dive between his small legs, wings speard, and knock him to the ground. I fly forth and land on the ba-

------------

What's going on?! Hattori just appeared out of thin air, some crazy bird attacked the Avatar of Assholes, and now he's pissed even worse than before!

Oh, and I'm tied up.

Again.

>>108658
Oh, um... Hi Shi.

>>108661
Oh, it's you. Look, real touching that you got Stitches to save me there, but you got any bright ideas right the hell now?

>>108664
We don't have time to fight with you so just get the hell out of the ropes! Or do you have any magical items still on you in working condition?

>>108667
Nothi-eeep!

Good thing I'm not tied to the wall or anything... My arms are secured, but not my legs. I managed to get him to swing and hit the bars.

{Scream | Panic | Tackle | Attempt to untie ropes | Run like hell}

>>108670
Tackle the mongrel.

>>108670
Untie the ropes. You should be good at that.

You should be pretty dexterous Shi. Untie the ropes.
If that proves too difficult of time consuming, tackle.

Also, what the heck did you do?! Not only are you back to normal but you can make noise?! Get some kind of God-Power-Nullifying-Arti?

I'm going to go with untying the ropes.

Er, actually you're pretty limber, right? Any chance you could use your body weight to just wiggle out of them now that your captor is indisposed? I assumed you used the old trick of puffing up your body when he was tying you up to make this easier. You're a smart woman, after all.

Who is this fuck anyway? And why are you working with them, I thought you had more class.

I manage to slip out of the ropes as Stitches comes to. He draws a pair of knives and hucks them at the Avatar, who knocks both from the air. I catch voth of them and stab him in the back!

?!?!

The blood... it's... AAAGH!?

^#%^$

The blood just... stabbed her.

>>108842
Okay, this guy can cancel out magic and attack with his own blood.

Well, our first priority is making sure he doesn't break Raven's cloak. Second is making sure he doesn't break the hat. Third is keeping Shi alive. Just being realistic, here.

Can you try to knock out the Avatar, or otherwise fight him without drawing blood?

Teleport to just above him.

Utilize gravity.

>>108855
Shi stumbles out of the cave. She;ll be fine, I can tell from here she won;t bleed out.

Speaking of blood...

He moves in to assault me, swinging the axe overhead. I smoothly slip to one side, then bring my hands down in a hammer blow. Through the fur, I see his skin blacken before I strike, but it's too late to stop.

I might as well have struck iron! It's like hitting steel!I feel a pinky break and stumble away. Incredible...

>>108866
Oh for fuck's sake.

I would suggest Show Stopper but he knows about the hat and will likely try to prevent it. Instead, do a bunch of teleports beforehand to confuse him, THEN Show Stopper.

Uh, hopefully the hat is still operational...

>>108866
Finding the cane might be a good idea. That is, if Shi hasn't found it first.

This guy reminds me of a Kishin. Hopefully he's not Coyote's champion.
In lieu of actually calming the situation with words (highly unlikely giving the circumstances), I believe we should retrieve the cane. Having a weapon that can reduce things to ash is useful.

>>108917
He is not Coyote's champion, but his AVATAR. The blood power is probably only part of his vast repertoire. I must escape! I doubt even severing his head would kill him.

No, I must find a place where Coyote has no influence and lead him there. For now, though, escape!
I tip my hat, teleporting away and out of the cave. As I land, I pick up my cane an-
Oh god.
The wound that Shi had has literally exploded, her shoulder a mere mass of bone chips, torn muscle, and blood.
Shi is unconcious, but certainly alive. I cannot carry both her and the cane, and I do not have time to stow the cane....

>>108945
Take Shi.

>>108946
Take Shi.

Take Shi!

>>108945
You are a DOCTOR. The cane is certainly powerful, but its main usefulness- that of earthquakes- is dangerous and hard to predict.

Save Shi. We can't trust her in our party, but she can work independently.

>>108949
Keep in mind it can burn/cut through anything.

>>108945
>>108945
...
......
.........
Oh godDAMNIT!
Take the bloody well traitor girl!
Save her worthless life!
Loath as I am to admit it, it is the right thing to do.

How do I shot trip?!H508X.HbJ6 2010/01/10(Sun)19:31 No. 108953 ID: 6faa8c
File 126318067350.png - (7.25KB , 640x480 , PATHCHOSEN.png )

>>108946
>>108947
I toss aside the cane, picking up Shi in my arms.
Her eyes flutter.
"W-why?!" she manages.

I say nothing. The avatar howls, succumbing to his bloody hollow's pain, and the scream cuts out suddenly.
I kick open the door and lay Shi hastily on the table, pulling out the red string and needle. I don't have much time.

Elle enters, blinking in the morning darkness.
"Wha- Why?"

"Life is the right of all peoples." I mutter. "Rogues, backstabbers, traitors, knights, heroes and children. Everyone... deserves a second chance."

I feel something strange come over me.

"There is no greater cause than life itself!"

>>108953
Uh, can liches become self-sworn?

This one can.

Heck yes, life/healsworn.

Tell Ella to call Raven. Warn her about Coyote's Avatar being around. Worst comes to worst she has to take her power back for awhile.