genessia | The Case of the Missing Cooki--er, Children

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The Case of the Missing Cooki--er, Children

WHO: Various Interested Parties (i.e. Anyone! Newbies, Oldbies, Applebees -- )
WHAT: The Mystery of the Missing Children!
WHEN: in...abouuuuuut... RIGHT NOW
WHERE: Fayren Woodlands and Fayren Farmlands mostly

Whoever you are, wherever you are, if you're in Genessia City or Fayren today, you may find yourself being accosted by an elderly woman in her late sixties. Her wrinkly sun baked skin is dotted with freckles, a long white braid over one shoulder with stray wisps of hair coming loose. Her posture was stooped and she walked with a slow hobble, muttering to herself and trying to get the attention of anyone who would stop.

"Sir.. Sir have you seen this girl?"

"Madame, have you seen this boy?"

"Oh poor me... poor me..."

"Wherever could they have gotten to..?"

- whenever she drew near enough to someone or if they slowed down to listen, she grabbed for their arm with a surprisingly strong grip, and spoke in a voice that was raspy.

"Such a sad fate...such poor children. Please, won't you hear me out?"

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The woman gave her name as Wuada Tuis and she solemnly informed anyone who listened to her, that several charges under her care had seemingly disappeared overnight. She and her cousin Ai Xudanon have been searching for the children (a total of six missing little ones in all) who may have been kidnapped somewhere between the farmlands and the forests in Fayren. Unfortunately they can't travel there as it is perilous for such elderly souls and won't such fine, strapping young creatures help them out kindly please. A reward of course, is offered.

[ OOC: OKAY. I'm going to be setting up multiple threads so HOLD YER HORSES <3; you can talk with the old lady, go straight on to investigate places, sit back and eat cheese or other. I encourage threadjacking because who doesn't like new CR? Also as a side note even if you didn't respond to the OOC post you can participate. The more the merrier :3 ~~I lied. You can't really sit back and eat cheese.~~ ]

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"Don't you worry. We'll find those kids and bring em back for sure." In Natsu's dictionary there was no word for failure.

He took the doll from the old lady and gave it tentative sniff before doing it again only breathing in a lot more.

"Yeah. This'll help. It's strong enough to tell me what I need to look for."

Juada's eyes widen at the confident affirmation, and she cackles a dry laugh. "Oh dear, you have no idea how happy that makes me, child. Being able to see my sweet angels again. I may be able to sleep peacefully tonight knowing such a strapping young lad is going to retrieve my little ones. Thank you - thank both of you."

Lucy might joke about Natsu's ability to pick up scents like that, but it was coming in extremely handy at this point. Smiling at the elderly woman, Lucy glanced towards Natsu. "We should go before it gets too dark. There's no telling how far we'll have to follow the trail."

"No problem. Solving troubles is what we do best!" That and property damage but this nice old lady didn't need to hear that part.

He looked over to Lucy and nodded to her idea.

"Yeah you're right. Are you gonna be alright, old lady?" He hardly meant any disrespect. It's after all true.

Pfft, Lucy shot a look at her friend. "Natsu..!" Jeez, manners.

But Juada only laughed again, that same dry cackle. "Oh it's all right, dear, he means nothing by it. Hoho." Well she assumes such anyway. Her attention shifting to the boy with the odd hair, she nods once, "Yes dear, I'll be just fine. I'll make my way back to my home once I've rested."

She would be right in her assumptions. Still he looked a bit uncertain. Leaving an old lady like this on her own was something that sat wrong even with him?

"You're sure? We could probably find someone to help you get back home safely."

Juada smiled tightly, waving a hand. "You're such a dear boy, thank you for your concern, but I'll be all right. I'm much more concerned about my little ones. No need to worry about me, but.." She waved Lucy over. "May I see that map again dear?"

Lucy trotted over, obediently opening said map and the elderly woman poked a long finger at a spot. "My home is just there. If - no, when you find my darlings, please bring them there. I'll be forever grateful. We'll have a big dinner all of us together." Smile. "Like a family - wouldn't that be nice?"

Lucy took a moment to pull her feather pen out and mark a spot on the map, nodding at the woman, "If you're sure you'll be all right.." She could understand the woman's urgency though. ... she had quite a ways to go to get home if that mark on the map was right though. Lucy didn't want to leave the old woman on her own either, but she was insisting so.. she glanced towards Natsu, nodding slightly. Time to go~!

The mentions of a family brought a smile to Natsu's lips. That word was quite important to Natsu and he would do in his power in its name.

"Got it. Don't worry. We'll have the little guys back in no time." That was a promise and like LUcy, Natsu never broke promises.

He nodded to Lucy and straightened up from the old lady before nodding to Lucy and joining her side.]

"I've got the scent so lets start from where they were taken."

Lucy grinned, nodding to back up Natsu's words. She knew well how important family was to him. "You can count on us, ma'am." She assured the woman.

That being said, she started along with Natsu, nodding. "Okay. Which way? Erza's already gone ahead to check the woods - does the scent lead that way?"

Nice old lady just watches them talk as they walk away, sighing to herself. As for the scent of whoever owned the doll lead towards the farmlands.

"Hmmm not really. 'S far as I can tell it's leading to the farm lands. I'll now for sure when we're closer." Though knowing that Erza was in the forest area also helped a bit with that decision. Anything really scary in there would quickly find out they aren't on top of the food chain. That position belonged to one cake loving fairy queen.

Lucy nodded at that, frowning a little. "I can't believe someone would kidnap children from such a sweet old woman like that." Scum of the earth, they are!

She unfolded the map again, trusting Natsu to poke her if she was about to step in a hole or into a telephone pole or something. So far so good. "The farmlands are on the other side of Fayren- it's a bit far, but it shouldn't take us too long to get there."

Young legs compared to old ones. That old lady moved so slowly it'd probably take her half the day to get home again. ".. I hope that old woman will be all right."

Then we'll just have to kick their ass so they don't do it again." Natsu said simplifying the matter to its basest cores.

He did indeed navigate Lucy in such a way that she wouldn't hit any poles or fences along the way though not really by nudging as much as just stepping a short way away from form her causing her steps to follow him or just pushing against her lightly to lead her in the opposite way if that was easier.

"I know what you mean. But she said she would be so lets trust her. Though I'd feel a lot more comfortable if she was more like old Porlyusica. " He could only say that because the grouchy healer lady wasn't there to scream at them for being noisy brats that needed to get off her lawn.

Lucy grinned at Natsu simplifying it that way. He didn't need it anymore complicated than that anyway. And really it wasn't that complicated. Someone kidnapped children, so they'd beat sense into the culprit, save the kids and send them home.

Correcting her path whenever Natsu gave her that light push, or moved further away, she looked up from the map in surprise. "Eeh? Ahaha, no way, that'd be terrifying..!" Although yes, if she was like Porlyusica then they would know they wouldn't have to worry about her being on her own or someone taking advantage of her kindness. Or worse, being mugged.

They were in tune enough to allow him to navigate her like that. Either way they were soon leaving the town and entering the more rural areas.

"Yeah that's true. But ol Porly could probably kick anyone's ass. Even gramps. No way she wouldn't make it home safely."

Easily. She could be wearing a blindfold (and the way she was studying the map she might as well be). Still, once they've left town and started following the path along to the farmlands, the atmosphere changes almost immediately.

Farmers they pass seem friendly at first, and then indifferent. The further out they get the farmers are downright hostile, shooting glares at the pair as they pass by. One even goes so far as to spit on the ground in front of their path before turning back to his fields. Rude.

Natsu felt the change probably before Lucy. The scent stopped feeling as welcoming and there was a slightly discomforting aroma on the wind from up ahead. It put him on edge but not enough to worry Lucy herself.

However his eye did twitch faintly when that farmer spat at their feet. He had a good mind to set a small flame to the jerk's straw hat but he managed to hold back.

"Something's not right here. Just being rude like that for no reason..."

It's not just the attitude either - Natsu'll definitely pick up that the last batch of farmers even smell off. More earthy than a human should be. That could be from working in the fields for so long, buuuut, unlikely.

"I don't like it... let's just ignore them, Natsu." Lucy murmured with a frown. After all, it was more important to find the missing children than get into a fight with locals.

The closest farmers seem to have other ideas, on the other hand, breaking off from a few of their companions to stand in the way of the path they were on. The one who spat in front of them sneered, leaning forward, "Hmm? You got something to say, shorty?" Not that he was that much taller than Natsu.

Though the closer he was the more wrong he smelled.

The more the breathed in that scent the more off it felt. He narrowed his eyes when the farmer walked up to him. Something about this guy just begged for Natsu to blast him in the face with a fire wreathed fist.

"Do I have something to say? Nah I don't think so. But I know someone who does." He grins viciously and throws a punch straight into the jaw of the farmer with full force.

Ooh, a Face meets Fist sort of thing hay? Lucy of course, could only tell that there was a brewing altercation between the men gathered. No way Natsu was going to back down when someone - anyone - was challenging him.

Or being an ass, and that guy was being both right now. "Hold on, Natsu...!" Whoops, too late. There's a resounding CRACK as that fiery punch lands, the man knocked right off of his feet and landing a foot back, smouldering.

"Natsu! What are you doing - he's just a--" It's not that she's questioning his sense of smell or judgement. It just caught her by surprise. It caught her more by surprise when, after a few seconds, the farmer sat up again, making a few cracking noises and a low gurgling sound.

"What's... wrong with his face?" This time Lucy backs up a little.

Because damn Natsu, the lower half of the guy's face is GONE, the jaw torn clean off. It gives him even more of a grotesque look, but now that he can't speak properly, he can only gurgle. Somewhat. Nevermind no one should have gotten up after that so easily, but there's no sign of blood or bone, and his movements have lost the fluidness he had before. Now his body cracks and twists like a marionette who didn't quite know how to move properly.

And his three other companions don't seem particularly troubled by this. Rather, they start laughing. They have the same scent as he did, backing away a step from Natsu. They don't have weapons - just gardening tools, but those could do pretty well in a pinch. Against a normal person anyway. Maybe not so much against a Dragon Slayer.

Natsu's eyes widen for a moment before he scowls and pulls back until he's right up against Lucy. "I knew something was off about all of this. I could smell your fishy stench from the very start." "Lucy take your whip out. There's more of these guys not too far from here!" Natsu warned and whipped his head back towards the farmhands.

"Laugh while you can you shitty dolls. You're gonna burn either way." Natsu roars and bellows out a cone of flame from his mouth.

Eugh those things were gross. Their one saving grace is that they didn't have flesh- not real flesh - so no stink of burned skin. At Natsu's warning though, she nodded firmly, pulling her whip off of the loop at her belt and pivoting so she was back to back with her partner.

He wasn't kidding either - two more farmhands were standing a short distance away, but hadn't yet flung themselves into the fray, perhaps waiting to see how things played out. Lucy clasped the whip in both hands, figure tensing.

The farmhands continue laughing, even as their jawless companion rushes forward, straight even into the flames with a move that said he clearly did not intend to survive it, and didn't care. Its body twisted in the flames, clawing wildly in an attempt reach past and strike at Natsu himself. Its limbs were already seemingly drying out, clothing on fire - the hand that comes closed crumbles before it manages to touch its target.

That's when two of the cackling dolls abruptly rush forward to catch Natsu between them, one swinging a gardening scythe at his neck, the other just going for a grapple.

Natsu felt the two charge at him from behind the flames. The fact that they were the furthest thing from a living creature meant, Natsu didn't need to hold back at all.

However he had Lucy at his back so that meant he couldn't dodge out of the way. So instead he focused his magic around his fists and threw one at the doll trying to cut into his neck while the other ended up suffering an elbow from above to knock the creature down to the ground.

"That old lady. Did she set us up?!"

"No way...! She couldn't have.." ... did she? She seemed like such a nice old lady, Lucy couldn't believe she would have known about something like this. She doesn't stay at Natsu's back for long, if only because the dolls that had been watching are now deciding to involve themselves, moving forward steadily and slowly. "No you don't-!"

As for the creature on the left of Natsu, it's just a bad day for him all around - the most the scythe might do is nick him a little as the punch throws the manthing off balance, the heat from the attack seeming to burn into whatever kind of skin he had. It didn't tear off the way their first companion's jaw had - either because they were made of sterner stuff or the punch didn't have the same force behind it.

The other creature, hit the ground heavily, dirt and sand rising up from the impact with the blow. From that angle, it reaches out to grab hold of Natsu's ankles - but its grip feels sticky, like quicksand. Its arms no longer solid, but merging into a thick muddy substance with the ground.

"I'm no so sure right now!" Natsu growled in annoyance before driving his knee into the scythe wielding doll man/thing making sure to focus an explosion at the contact point to enhance the damage.

However he then had to deal with the other guy trying to get all slimy with his leg.

"Get the hell off of me you slimy freak!" Natsu roared and drove a flaming kick at the creature's face.

Lucy doesn't have the opportunity to answer him there, busy with her own opponents, resisting the urge to glance towards Natsu at the sound of that punch.

The scythe wielder lets out a gurgling scream at that punch, the point of contact actually caving in like so muh dried dirt and rock. The creature glances down at the hole in surprise, before the rest of it crumbles.

Leaving the slimy compatriot who just wuvs Natsu's leg to bits. Or at least it doesn't want to be kicked free. Fire is super effective though, and since it only muddified part of its body, the kick punts its head clean off.

A few seconds later another creature tumbles to the ground, shattering into pieces of stone and dirt, while Lucy hops back to get some room for dealing with the last one. "Natsu! You okay?"

He didn't want her looking his way anyway. His battle wasn't the nicest to look at even if those bastards were puppets made of earth and magic. Natsu stomps on the remains of the creature before Lucy's own kill falls onto the scene.

"I'm fine. Damn thing just nicked me a bit but nothing serious. What about you?" He said as he eyed the surroundings, trusting Lucy to deal with the last creature.

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