genessia | (no subject)

(no subject)

WHO: Anyone who wanted to confront the old lady from plot + anyone else who might be curious by a shady old woman with a kid that isn't hers
WHEN: In the morning today
WHAT: Confrontation times!
Summary: Hey, Hey guys, remember that old lady who asked some ~~gullible~~ kind heroes for help? SHe's baaaaack~~! <3

Today in Genessia, some people may come across a familiar (or not familiar) old crone. To those familiar with her, it's the same suspicious old woman that requested they 'rescue some kidnapped children. Whether or not they were able to - well. That's no matter now, right?

In any case, she'd got a stick in one hand as she hobbles along back through the gate, holding something in her other hand as she goes. She doesn't stop for anything, but stealthily slips through the gate to Fayren and, if one were to follow her, will eventually pass through the forest into a heavily wooded and foggy section until the ground gives way to a hardened path of bones bleached white by the sun, leading up to a cottage. Mind where you step, it's rather hard to see here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Lucy would have preferred to go along with him, but she wasn't about to leave the kids alone. Especially since as long as that witch was a threat, there was a chance that they'd come after the children to the guild itself. Which would actually be a mistake. A huuuuuuuge mistake.

As Natsu drew close to the cottage, he'd see the door open and an a man in his late thirties slouch out, plopping down on the steps against the door with a heavy sigh like his life is just the hardest thing ever.

Honestly he felt better when she decided to stay there with the kids. Natsu was going to really give a piece of his mind to this fake old lady. Even so for now he was going stake out the house first before making his entrance.

He tensed up when the door opened and quickly dove behind one of the bigger trees and looked over to the cottage again. His eyes narrowed as he saw the man sitting on the steps. An accomplice? No matter. He paused for a moment when the scent came to him riding on the wind. Earth. Earth and magic again. So it was one of those guys again. Though he looked way more convincing than the goons who attacked them on the fields. Hmmm maybe he could get some answers from him. If he actually got up from the steps.

Maaaaaaaaaaaybe! He glanced up briefly to glance around, but spotting nothing at the moment, sighed loudly again and rapped against the door. "Old Lady, no one's out here, it's all in your head." A moment of silence, and he grumbled something under his breath. Old bat. He could be sleeping right now.

The grin on Natsu's face put in question his status as the hero of this twisted fairy tale. So the old bag had somehow felt him trailing after her. But now he had ceased to exist since her morose bodyguard had sounded the all clear. Excellent. He moved back behind the tree and climbed up onto the higher branches. Maybe he could drop a fireball right down the cottage's chimney and end it in one fell swoop.

...maaybe he's NOT the hero with a grin like that! Well actually it's probably a good thing Lucy isn't present, or she'd get worried. ANYWAY don't do that, they're trying to cook. Maybe.

Moving higher into the tree, Natsu would actually be able to see a small barred window from that height, looking into a very very barren bedroom. Not big enough for someone to climb through, but he might catch sight of woman in her late twenties standing in the room. Nothing curious about her - unless you count that she's bound and gagged.

And that plan was scrapped instantly seeing the captive through the window. "Damn!" He cursed under his breath and looked down to see what the lookout was doing. As soon as it was clear he jumped to another branch and then on top of the roof of the cottage. As soon as he landed he froze and stood prone on top of the roof and completely still. He just hoped the captive girl wouldn't give him away.

The lookout is very diligent! He is.. .. he is totally not paying attention, but watching a butterfly flutter about his finger.

He is the worst lookout ever. Not too quick either, once Natsu's moved, it takes him ten more seconds to actually turn and look in that direction. By then Natsu's already gone still and quiet on the roof.

The captive in the meantime, let out a confused grunt from the sound of someone landing on the roof, glancing around. A few seconds later, a door from her room opened and a man's voice - one different from before - spoke. "Eeh? That you making that racket in here? Quiet down or I'll eat you." THreat made, he slammed the door shut again, chuckling.

Silence followed, thought the captive girl was listening for a repeat of that noise from earlier.

Charming bunch weren't they. Though that threat was empty to Natsu since they clearly were going to eat her regardless. Still he waited a few more moments before he started crawling on his stomach to the edge of the roof and then leaned his upper half over and in front of the barred. He peered into the room hanging upside down. If the captive were to look in his direction he would quickly put a finger over his lips in a shush before putting his hands on the bars and giving them a few tugs to see how sturdy they were.

The poor woman knew it too. She hung her head for a second, then looked sharply towards to the window when Natsu leaned in the way of the barred window. Her eyes widen in surprise, and her attention shifted from the window to the door and back, shaking her head. Don't do it, these people are crazy!
The bars are pretty sturdy; they're not going to give with just a few tugs.

Don't do it was not in his vocabulary. Besides it was either that or get eaten eventually. But he could see that the bars wouldn't come off by force so instead he resorted to what he did best.

He gripped the bars rightly and heated up his hands to the point that the metal began to boil and buckle. He repeated this process for each bar until the only thing keeping it attached to the window was him holding it up that way.

Yet more surprise on her part, but she's watching with a lot more interest this time, until each bar was no longer connected to the window. Cautiously she got to her feet, staring at Natsu in disbelief. There's some rattling outside her door, but so far that man who had threatened the girl earlier hasn't come in. He can't be far though.

He pulls the bars loose and then carefully puts it back on the roof before melting the latch on the window and finally entering, landing in a crouch.

He listened for any sounds from the door before slowly walking up to the woman He could have released her right away he realized. But that would only slow him down.

"Sorry but I can't takes those off you yet. Just bear with it a little longer." Natsu said and moved to pick up the lady and throw her over one shoulder.

There are sounds near the door, but faint. Of course with Natsu's hearing he can pick up the conversation better than the captive girl. There's mostly mumbled talk between the old woman and the man, before there's a nasty chuckle from the old woman. The most relevant part is where she directs the 'guard' to 'put him in the room and get the girl'.

The woman let out a quiet squeak of surprise when Natsu threw her over a shoulder, but she did her best to keep her balance given the circumstances. Though she started to tense up when the sound of footsteps grew louder.

She would feel a strong arm over her back holding her in place as he set one foot over the window and then another. He quickly jumped from the window and onto a thick branch before turning around. The woman would likely see a fireball quickly form in his free hand and after adding a bit more punch to the magic he viciously pitched it through the opened window so that it would explode inside the structure.

And this time she can't keep from letting out a half scream when Natsu jumped out the window with her. At the same time, the door to her room opened, and her guard, so to speak, walked in. "Okay buddy do you- HEY, what the HELL?" And then fire. Fire and explosions and no one will be using that room again any time soon. The startled yell of anger and pain might be a little satisfying, but it's also put everyone in the cottage on alert. First one to arrive on the scene would be the lookout who jogs around the corner with absolutely no urgency to his steps.

"Eeh? Hey. Hey where do you think you're goin', huh? Man, and you wrecked that room too. Listen, buddy, just put the girl down and walk away or..." He sighs. What a botherrrr.

Natsu stands his ground with the woman still draped over his shoulder. He's not impressed by the lookout's threat and he somehow manages to channel some of his former persona as Demon Lord Dragneel.

"Or what? I destroyed your friends out on the field with the flick of my wrist. You think you can do better?"

"Wha? Thos guys? Never met'em. I totally was only born yesterday. I liked it better when it was quiet." The lookout sighs, scratching his head. "Man, you can't be quieter? I was havin' a nap n' everything." Grumble, as if it's Natsu's personal fault for all of this.

"Boy..! Boy, what are you doing out there. You're supposed to fight him, boy, not talk to him. He's stealing away our precious resource." This... this is the hag's voice, though it's definitely less 'granny'like than before.

"Now look what you did," the lookout scowls. "Now I gotta work."

"Born yesterday huh. Well sucks to be you. If you had any dirt brain at all you'd run." Natsu growled before the witch's (was it her? It sounded different. No matter. It was giving orders) voice sounded from inside of the cabin.

"Oh don't worry. I'll make it quick and you can go back to sleep for good." Natsu sneered and opened his mouth revealing the inferno he'd been building up as he blasted a cone of concentrated fire in the direction of the look out and the house the blast fanning out more and more as it traveled away from his mouth.

"Well that's not very nice. Words hurt, man." the lookout drawled, "I got brains.. somewhere... ...I think. Hey, Haaag? Do I have brains!?"

"SHUT UP AND FIGHT HIM!"

Wow that REALLY didn't sound like the old woman. The lookout pouted. "Now she's pe-" ACK FIRE!! He recoils as the destructive flames engulf his body and fan across the front of the house. Clothing burns away, flames ripping across the wood of the house and shattering glass, but when the cone finally died down, th...the look out is still standing.

Badly burned granted, but his body was composed of harder stuff than the others. Stone and earth both, now that the 'skin' layer was burned away, leaving cracks in his body, steam hissing into the air. "Buddy you need to be more careful. You could hurt someone."

Somehow he's getting the distinct suspicion that staying any longer is gonna only make things worse. Something that is confirmed as the lookout takes his breath attack head on and surfaces mostly unscathed.

"That's what I was freaking trying. I don't want you guys following me." Natsu growled and immediately lightning erupted around his body as well alongside the fire. He didn't expect it to work though. The enemy was stone. This display of force though was not meant to foretell an attack. Natsu slowly circled around keeping his face towards the house and its survivors until his back was facing the path out of the area. One heel turn and he would be gone.

Mostly unscathed.. if you discount his feelings!

The lookout brushed his hand against his body with a grimace, but when Natsu answered him, he seemed to brighten a little. "Oh yeah? Oh sure buddy, go on. I'm not gonna follow. Can't be bothered." He waved a hand. Besides, he didn't wanna messs with someone who used fire and lightening. The elements might not have much effect on him but he didn't want to take any chances of getting into a fight. "I can't make any promises for anyone else though. Especially since you're takin' her with you."

He paused, glancing up at the window where the smoke is still billowing out, "Pretty good guess that that guy up there is still alive, so you might wanna run while you can. Before he wakes up."

This guy...was weird. But not in a bad way strangely enough. "Fine then. But I won't hesitate to take out whoever comes after me." Natsu warned and took a step back before bolting out of the clearing with his lightning infused body boosting his speed to inhuman velocity.

He didn't stop running until he reached Fayren's outer limits and even then he still kept going, eying the farm hands warily even though they did not react to him. Eventually he would burst past the gates to the Guild only then turning off his magic completely.

Weird is a good way to describe him. And true to his word, he made no attempt to go after Natsu, much to the irriation of the witch inside. That speed he fled to get his current survivor to a safe place successfully took him well far away from the witches house (though was pretty dizzying for someone unused to that method of transport of course). Once Natsu stopped again, the woman on his shoulder protested again behind the gag. Freedom pls!

Odd? What was she complaining about it. Lucy got used to it just fun after a while. Oh well. He walked up to one of the benches in the courtyard and set his recused lady down before moving his hands around to untie her gag before moving on to the rest of her binds.

"Sorry about the rough ride. But I wanted to get us as far away from that place as possible. We should be safe here though." he explained.

The woman shook her head, smiling sadly, "No, it is okay. I am grateful for your assistance Sir. My name is Regina." She rubbed her wrists hesitantly, glancing around, "You are.. certain we are safe in this place? That woman... she is quite persistent."