aterat | Panic at the harbor!

Entry tags:

Panic at the harbor!

Who; Waver and Anyone
What; Smart idiot needs ass saved
Where; Harbor district at night
When; During the event
Warnings; Being attacked by a wererat pack. So there will be fighting/injury/giant rat people.
Note; If you would like something specific or have an idea, you are welcome to talk to me about it. I am also open to writing personalized starters or doing other stuff, just drop me a line over on the plotting post or send me a message on discord @ WhimsicalSpook#8219

Waver had decided to head to his workshop in the harbor district that evening. He cut rather quickly through the more populated area with its businesses. Passing by the forges and the louder taverns where people were being sent away after last call, he started towards the more rundown area where his destination was nestled. It wasn’t too far from the docks, surrounded by a few equally ramshackle, dilapidated abandoned buildings. All he had to do was cut down another back alley stretch and a turn down another and he’d be there.

Truth be told, Waver had been more than a little lucky in his time here. He had picked the area, knowing full-well that it was less desired because of the occasional situation with creatures overrunning the area since they weren’t dealt with as often as they were in the main areas of the city. But he’d set up a solid bounded field to deter things (and strangers) from getting too close to the workshop, and he was mindful of what alleyways had reported sightings of the harbor's less pleasant denizens.

That said, luck had an unfortunate way of running out, considering the recent warnings going out in the city. As the professor fiddled with his lighter to try to get a flame to light a mystic code for the last stretch of his walk, there was the unexpected sound of footfall ahead of him. A group? “Hm?” His eyes narrowed slightly, and he lowered the lighter, the shiny gold glinting in the moonlight as he glanced around, only to spot a group of people-no... Wererats, ahead of him. Those… are definitely some rodents of unusual size… He mused with a growing panic, as one seemed to make a sound and all eyes turned to him.

He had been so confident he knew which routes were best to take to avoid things like this… It was then he realized it was signalling to another of its group, who’d been positioned in the shadow of the building. “When the hell did they get so organized?” The magus jumped back just enough to avoid taking a direct strike, but it still caught his side with a tear of fabric and a shot of pain that caused him to let out a shout.

A follow up curse on the tip of his tongue as he looked to the alleyway’s exit, backing up further to try to keep out of arm’s reach of the wererat that had attacked first. But… Well, there were a few more at either end of the alleyway. A whole damn pack? Fantastic…

Thunder rumbled in the distance as he dug a small glass bottle out from one of the inside pockets of his jacket and considered his options. A storm was coming, probably one of the fast moving ones that had plagued the weather recently. Not something he wanted to be caught in the middle of on top of this. Swirling the liquid inside, he activated his circuits and uttered a quiet word to add a little extra bang to the mixture, then wound back to throw it at one end of the alleyway to hopefully scattered the wererats there. The bang and the flash of light that lit up the night blinding and sending the creatures shrieking. A simple trick, but effective nonetheless. Probably wouldn’t work a second time, so he took off at a run to the next alleyway in hopes of getting to his workshop before they caught up…

Only to get tackled by the first wererat again, the others not far behind to circle around and close them off. Its jaws snapped at him and causing him to recoil and try to push it off of him even as he fell to the street. This was not happening. He was not about to become a wererat himself. Nope. Definitely not!

“Not interested in joining your little club, you fucking demonic beast!” He snapped, tone high in a panic, trying to push back against it and get in a decent opportunity for a feeble gandr shot that might deter it.

This just wasn’t his night.

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Oh, he's not wrong. There are totally some behind him. Huh, Zack wasn't expecting that. But he does twist around quickly, a green light flashing at his wrist as he thrust a hand out toward the approaching wererats. And bam, huge fireball shooting out to strike the ground between them and the wererats.

"Chill out guys. I'm sure we can all be friends."

Waver had never really seen what Zack was capable of before, given the situations in which they ran into one another. He knew the guy wielded a sword apparently, though he hadn’t realized what kind of sword before now.

He had expected the fireball even less. Had Zack ever mentioned being able to use magic? The professor couldn’t remember it, and really it didn’t matter because it was aimed at the wererats and breaking up the group. Not that it didn’t stop him from feeling the tiniest bit jealous for a fleeting moment. If he had that kind of power, he wouldn’t need help in situations like this. Such is his life.

“I think they disagree with that idea.” Waver commented in an attempt to sound more collected as he finally pushed himself to his feet, swaying a little as the world tipped slightly in an uncomfortable manner. The group was driven back by the fire, at least. The second time they’d been faced with a bright light that night, and this one actually hurt if they got too close. Made them more cautious as they circled, trying to regroup and pick their next attack.

"I'm not sure I agree with their disagreeing," Zack said, swinging his sword a bit just to keep things back. "Get your back to a wall, okay? Makes it easier."

And he doesn't want to lose the guy he's fighting to protect.

Waver doesn’t need to be told twice. He does have some common sense after all. Knowing he’s fairly useless in conflicts without something at his disposal, he easily backed up and rested his back to the wall. If anything, it helped to keep him standing. It also made it easier for him to focus and to warn Zack if he saw something moving. Which didn’t take long as they finally decided to splitting up enough to organize alternating attacks. “Two on your right. Seem to think they’re clever and that no one’s watching.” He gestured with a free hand at the wererats, trying to sneak in again, while his other went to see if he had anything useful in his pockets.

Well, that's going to get another fire spell thrown at them, driving them back. Meanwhile he slashes in the other direction, to keep the other wererats at bay.

"Any chance you can get higher? Like, climb out?"

“You want me to what-?” He’s suggesting you climb, Waver. To get to higher ground, that’s out of reach of the giant rodents, so he can focus on them. It’s a good strategy. Sensible.

Still, the look on Waver’s face, in any other situation, would have been comical. He is not someone who anyone would describe as physically fit or the sort to excel in most forms of physical activity. So much so that it amuses his adoptive sister to no end, and it’s not strange for her to describe him as a frail little boy.

The alternative is a wererat bite, or getting in Zack’s way while he tries to prevent that… So between that and the sound of Reine’s laughter at his pathetic constitution in the back of his head, he looks for a way up that he can manage. It takes him a few seconds, but he lets out a groan of frustration and finally pushes away from the wall. “I might be able to get up there if you keep them distracted.” He comments through gritted teeth and nods in the direction of a lower eave and a stack of crates that he can probably use to reach it.

Removing the hand from his side, he applies a reinforcement enchantment on his arms and legs to give him a little more stability as he makes an embarrassing attempt at climbing.

Yeah, it’s going to take him a minute, Zack. Maybe five.

Good thing Zack's not looking, what with the needing to fight.

"I'm really good at being distracting," Zack promises with a grin. Maybe it's time to see if he can summon his little friends.

"Be as quick as you can, I've got so much to do."

That his embarrassing struggle is not witnessed will be a point of relief later, certainly. He’s already kind of dangling there, trying to pull himself up the rest of the way. He really sucks at this climbing thing. “Well, you’ve got a hell of an audience.” He commented with a wheeze over his shoulder, finally managing to get his elbows up and over the edge to balance there as his legs kicked a bit to find a purchase to get the rest of the way.

“Sorry that my moment of peril is interrupting your busy schedule.” He quipped back in a clipped tone as he nearly slips back off the edge. Recovering the slip, he finally managed to find purchase in a crack in the wall and resumed pushing himself up and slowly onto the ledge. He’s almost there!

Whatever Zack was planning with those little friends of his, it’s probably as good a time as any as the rats ready another charge.

"I'm an expert performer," Zack says with a chuckle. This was something he could do, pretty well. He still had some MP to work with too. But he needed Waver to get away before he could do the Exploder Blade.

"I need you to tell me when you're about ten feet up. It's important."

Ten feet up… Ten feet… Waver, for a brief moment, despaired slightly at the poor life choices that all probably lead to this particular moment in time. He could have set up his workshop in the noble district, but no he wanted the extra privacy found in a less desirable part of the city. Groaning slightly, he finally pulled himself a little further up. “Yeah, I’m getting there.” He responded awkwardly as he managed to drag himself over the edge and getting his legs under him again.

Not ten feet, though… He’d have to try for the next accessible ledge and that should do it. This too takes some maneuvering, and some definite noises of exasperated frustrating and pain at the tug on his side, but he does finally makes it to the next ledge. He sits there for a moment, gasping for breath and trying to catch it enough to speak. “Should be… Should be good now.” He finally called down tiredly, finally tugging off his scarf to tie around his side as he looked below.

Zack, meanwhile, had to fight the damn wererats off. Because he didn't really want bit while he was waiting. The indication that it was clear came as a relief though, and the yellow stone on the metal bracelet at his wrist started to shine. Zack leapt a bit up into the air, performed a whole flip while in the air, and his sword started to glow just as he came back down, striking the ground with the blade.

And damn if the air around him didn't seem to explode with concussive force, knocking the pursuers back.

Waver could only sit there on his safe patch of the roof and watch, eyes darting from Zack to the wererats with the intent to try to offer some warnings should they try to catch him off guard, but it seemed like that thought was unnecessary. Instead, he had a clear view of Zack’s very impressive display. There was some kind of shine coming from something around the man’s wrist, some kind of magical item (always something that got his attention, given his penchant for studying those found), perhaps?

There wasn’t much time to think about that though, as he witnessed the flip and the way the sword was brought down heavily against the ground. The intended effects become rather clear as the force struck the wererats that had been trying to surround him and throwing them back, either to hit the walls of the alleyway or to skid across the ground.

Does Waver look a little impressed? Yes, indeed, he does. But there was also the relief that hit once it seemed like the wererats had either been solidly knocked out or realized their numbers had dwindled to the point that they no longer had the advantage and didn’t regroup.

Good. Zack noticed it too, and he didn't see a reason to hunt the things down. That would be mean. Instead he smirked and jumped.

Jumped up and back. Jumped up and back to a serious height, letting him land on the window ledge one level below and to the left of Waver.

"So, what's their deal?" he asks of the guy he saved, as if the feats he had just achieved weren't impressive.

Waver frowned at how darn easy Zack made that look as he landed on the window ledge below him. That just felt like showing off, making it look that easy when he was still winded from climbing in the first place. Hero types were generally showoffs in some manner, though, so maybe that was to be expected. The question gets his attention first (figuring out how to get down can come after that).

“Don’t know. They’re not usually that organized in their attacks, to my knowledge. Not usually found along this route, either.” He added with a deeper frown, puzzled himself as he finished tying off the fabric around his side. “It’s why I usually go this way to get to my workshop, have been for months and never seen anything like this before.” It’s jarring to have his routine upset like this, without counting the weird fuzziness to his thought process thanks to exhaustion and injury.

Huh, that's not good news. Well, Zack can probably round up Angeal and Cloud and Aerith to help him deal with it. After he got this guy to safety.

"Well then, let's see about getting you back where you belong without injury first. That sound cool?"

That sounds good right about now, though he offered a slight awkward frown as he finally admitted what he’d been unwilling to while the rats were present, shoulder’s sagging a bit with a gesture at the fabric he’d tied in place over the claw wound in his side from the earlier ambush. “A little late for one of those things, I’m afraid, but I’d appreciate the help to get to the workshop so I can try to deal with that.” Because if he knew how his body tended to react to these things, he’s damn lucky he hasn’t passed out and fallen off his current perch.

The safest place for a mage to be was in their own workshop, really. Waver wasn’t powerful by any means, but he was good enough at setting a bounded field that those damn things weren’t going to be able to get past it.

Well then, that sounds like a plan.

"You're going to have to climb up a bit more so I can get to you safely."

More Climbing?? Waver officially hated tonight. This place is clearly trying to kill him either by creatures, weird magical mirror worlds, or people who insist on making him climb when he’s already hurt. Okay… Maybe that’s a little dramatic, but he thinks he has a right to be at this point in the evening.

But considering he doesn’t think he can get to his workshop from here on his own… He hung his head slightly with a sigh. “How much further up are we talking, Zack…” He asked, tone tired and resigned. “I’m not exactly built like you hero types, you know.” He added with a grumble, making sure the fabric was secure around his waist and looking to see if there was anything that would make the climb easier from his current position.

"Roof," Zack said. "Unless you can find a way to get inside. I need somewhere that I can pick you up."

He's got a whole plan here, man.

“Was afraid you were going to say that.” He muttered, glancing further up than he’d hoped to hear. He’ll worry about the second part of Zack’s plan later, because that was a whole other thing. Getting inside wasn’t a bad alternative, though, if he could manage that. Though the mage wasn’t about to hold his breath on that, glancing at the window nearest to him. If it was unlocked, they’d be in business, but who in their right mind would leave a window unlocked in this part of town?

Finally, forcing himself to move and test out the window first in some futile hope that he was wrong... Shut tight and clearly latched. He wasn’t going to be able to get that open unless he had something to force it. This means climbing again, and he’s on his feet with a slight sway as the world tips uncomfortably for a moment, then settles.

The mage gives himself a stern mental talking to about not passing out before on solid ground and reminding himself that he’d been in worse situations than this. He can will himself to last a little longer. Applying a reinforcement spell to his arms and legs to give him just a touch more stability, he starts trying to pull himself up.

Yep, have fun watching ‘Waver Sucks At Climbing - The Sequel,’ Zack.

See, this will be Zack's first time watching. Which he doesn't actually do. He just jumps from his ledge, throwing himself at the building across the way. And he seems to almost bounce off of it. Yeah, wall-jumping. Totally a thing.

IT takes no time at all with the jumps between buildings for Zack to reach the roof. Isn't he grand?

On the one hand, Waver would be utterly relieved that his embarrassing display was once again missed. It’s a rare thing that he gets to avoid someone poking fun at his slightly sub-par abilities in general. That said, he feels a frown tugging at his face again as he finally managed to get his arms up over the edge of the ledge above and sees Zack literally wall-jumping to get up to the roof with just as much ease as when he jumped onto the window ledge before. “Why do they always have to make these things look so damn easy?” He mumbled with annoyance as he struggled to get a foothold to finish pushing himself the rest of the way up.

Taking far longer than the mage is willing to admit, and longer than he wanted to think about given how utterly drained he was, he finally dragged himself onto the roof properly and promptly sat there wheezing slightly and trying to steady himself. On the bright side, lots of stuff hurt from struggling so it muted the pain in his side… “Please tell me there isn't any more climbing in your plan.” He finally commented once he could breathe properly again.

"Nope, no climbing," Zack agrees as he takes his sword off of his back. He holds it up, pressing his head against the flat of the blade for a moment before inverting it and driving it into the cement of the rooftop. It's clearly well sunk there, it would take an impressive feat to pull out the weighty weapon.

"Okay, piggy back time."

The relief at the confirmation was fairly obvious as his shoulders sagged slightly and he took a moment to collect himself. “Good.” Eyes going to Zack as the man removed the sword from its resting place at his back. There is some kind of reference or comment one could make about swords embedded in stone, but he’s too tired and not keen to invite the nightmares that went along with her at the moment. Instead, he tried to figure out what the hell Zack was doing that for.

“Huh?” Really, he should have seen this option sooner, but to be fair to Waver? He wasn’t at his best at the moment. “Ah, right…” As much as he wants to complain about the idea… Well, it’s better than being thrown over someone’s shoulder like a sack of potatoes, right? That’s happened on more than one occasion. And there’s no way he’s getting down from here on his own, let alone to his workshop. So his pride was going to have to take a backseat to practicality here. “Alright, then. If you’re sure about this plan of yours.” He added, eyeing the guy for a moment. Waver wasn’t heavy, and Zack carried that sword around so… That much wasn’t a concern, but it just seemed right to double check before continuing.

Pushing to his feet finally, he winced a little and waited for things to settle again before going to Zack. Yeah, he was ready to get out of here.

Sacks of potatoes weren't as centrally balanced and thus less useful to have when jumping between roofs. Backpacks were a lot better.

"You're pretty light," Zack says, though he's mostly guessing. He does go down on a knee to help the guy get up easily. "Don't worry. I've carried Cloud and my sword for really long distances before. This is simple."

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