( Scene takes place on January 29th. )

I'll lure you into the dark...The danger is I'm dangerous and I might just tear you apart. Instead of lurking in dark alleys and crawling out of the sewer system of RhyDin, tonight the Chemist was beginning a hunt alone and was moving in and out between barren trees that were laced with ice and leftover snow. Stepping in time with other faintly rustling sounds, she was blending in with her surroundings in an effort to catch a present for an old friend. Sure, you could make a meal for someone's birthday or give them a gift card and let them buy something without any concern that they would return it --or you could hunt for the hide of a mythical beast known to roam the woods around RhyDin. Granted, in this particular case, Jessica was hoping to catch a fourteen point buck, which could be just as mystical and rare. Pausing a moment at the base of a large tree, her ears were alert for any sound that would be an indication of rustling that wasn't her and maybe something bigger.

Cianan had been there for a different reason, boredom. Boredom that allowed him to take a job that might give him a bit of excitement, silently he moved, shifting and darting between the trees. His was sliding down behind the log, and peeking over the top of it. Taking a slow sniff, he was peeking around. The tracks were hard to follow, often sending Cianan off in the complete wrong direction. Now, the cold was starting to catch up to him, leading him to be unhappy, frustrated and determined to get whatever it was. Snow, off of a branch was landing on his shoulder, his lips puckered and his own snarl curled around. At least, he wasn't starting to swear and kick at things, no. The boil in his veins was kept under control, at least for the moment! Now, where were those tracks.. that looked to be close. He taking off once again, to the next spot that would offer him some sort of cover.

It wasn't steps she could hear, but movement caught the corner of her eye and so soon she dropped to the ground and began an attempt to stay low. Keeping downwind, because that sickly sweet smell that was nearly the chemical makeup of her veins would give her away every time. Following after the moving creature in the dark, she didn't even dare yet move her sunglasses out of her hair to track after its body temperature. She'd have to wait until it stopped and then she'd decide and consider her next course of action. Sadly, she wasn't sure that she spotted any horns. Sure, wrestling a buck to its death was not going to be an easy task, but it would be quite a bit of fun! To her at least.

He streaked again to a hiding space, his knife was drawn. A beautiful obsidian blade tucked against his forearm, his vest was undone, darker clothes for this, but still, he was primly dressed, just now he had his pants tucked into his boots. Why? Because he liked his pant cuffs. There. The tracks! His tongue peeked out, and he started to grin. His eyes started, broken twigs, something brushing through trying to make a path. He started gingerly approaching, his mind on the hunt, whatever it was, was still a mystery to the Drow, had he looked up, he might have seen some of the marks higher up on the tree. Slinking, he pushed his hand against the tree, he vanished from view for a brief second, only for there to be a sharp yelp, and soon the Drow was beating feet back into the snow to find a wider spot. Whatever he had bothered, was awakened, and made a horrible noise as it followed after him. And then, it stopped, only for that same, continued yowl to pick up in different position.

It stopped, and then started again --slowly this time with careful movements she assumed because all was becoming fairly quiet. Jessica then decided she would waste no more time and came rushing forward with a tackling attempt being made. As she was racing forward, the yowl flooded her ears and confirmed that while it wasn't a buck, it was still something she could amuse herself with. The rustling and angry sound indicated that it was going to be bigger than a stray house cat too. What Jessica had not planned on was to discover that she had been chasing after Cianan in the first place. It would register a half a second too late and be followed up with Italian, thick and nearly spat out in frustration as she was tangled up in limbs that were not hers. The real question is, were they Drow limbs or something else?

For the moment, there were just Drow limbs, bloody Drow limbs at that. He had been spiked something nasty, which is what caused his retreat. Of course, now Cianan was confused, he and Jessica had turned into a horrible spider of tangled limbs, and Italian curses, he was attempting to pull himself free of them, to get some sort of distance. That yowl was coming closer again, and Cianan had learned last time what that had meant. Soon there'd be another thrashing, toothy.. whatever it was, coming their way. "What the ****?! Who the ****." poured out of him was he finally freed himself, before he turned his head. "****! Move!" Cianan was hitting the deck, as as dark blur came slashing through the air in their direction.

Blood smeared her empty hands and the scent of iron flooded her nose while she assisted Cianan in his attempt to get away from her. The feeling was mutual, and that was clear in her tone. A few more choice words were sent his was too before the woman was rolling onto her back and reaching out to grab onto a tentacle flying overhead. Could this be used as a reign or a leash to tug the beast forward or backwards? That remained to be seen, but it did clearly just piss it off more. "Oh it's got spikes." She is in fact having this conversation in mid-attack.

"Yeah. And they're pretty nasty ones, too." Cianan rolled slowly over to his feet, springing back up to his feet. His knife, was shifted, into a thrusting position. "Caught me by surprise." He grunted, "Did it get you?" He paused, looking at Jess, as a second tentacle was headed his way, and Cianan was sliding off to the side. He positioned himself at the ready, looking to move in on it, there was a nice lunge! Beautiful, and Cianan was stretching forward. Only for the creature to suddenly, not be there. He thumped hard upon the snowy ground, and soon, scrambling back up to his feet, "Dammit." He hissed, "Jess you're covered in blo..oh, nevermind. It's mine."

When it blinked out of sight, her eyelids fluttered and then narrowed in a squint for where it had once been and now no longer was. Grrrrrrunt. "They look fun." The venom had left her tone and was now replaced with eager interest. So much so that she had nearly completely forgotten that not moments ago she had been in an awkward embrace with Cianan. That is, until he pointed out his blood all over her. "Huh. Yeah, so I am." It was not really a new thing for her, being spotted and smeared with blood that wasn't hers. The fact that it was his may have caused an additional edge of amusement in her smirk, but soon she was rolling up to her feet. "He's angry." Delighted. And then her nose twitched. "And still.....here..."

Cianan shifted around, backing along, trying to decide if getting close to Jessica was safer than being close to the creature. "I'm bleeding and hurt. Probably thinks it has a good, free meal on hand." Stupid. He was bumping his shoulder into Jessica's, turning to look over his shoulder. He still held his knife at the ready, waiting for it. "It does look fun. I'd kind of want one as a pet, honestly." Six legs? Spiked Tentacles. He'd call it fluffykins. "What the hell are you here for?" He had to question it, he couldn't recall her ever being out of more civilized areas. Wait! Was that something?! Cianan was jerking over, pointing his knife!

Jessica might not have had spikes on her hands, but she had razors and scalpels often between her fingers. At the shoulder bump wild green eyes looked to her shoulder, with possibly more blood smeared against it, and then to his --and then back to her own shoulder before looking to Cianan's face. He was much more concerned with where the creature was, while she was very mindful that he had just intentionally touched her. "Are you trying to paint me with your own blood?" Grrrrrrunt. If she seemed unconcerned about the animal or surrounding noise, it was because she was! The woman has priorities! "I'm looking for a present." Another grunt. "It's Cooper's birthday." He's now getting the hide of this beast from her. With possibly some parts missing for her own private collection.

Cianan snorted, "What? He wouldn't be happy with you just lifting your top?" They could cover more ground if Cianan kept his eyes to where Jess wasn't looking. Tension? Waiting for it to pop back into whatever reality this was, from wherever it currently was. There! Cianan snorted, "Behind you." At least, he thought he saw something in the brush over that way. It could be just waiting to pounce on them. He was jolting forward, "Fine. What do you want from it?" Ugh. He was going to have to Cooper something too. Maybe that bag of werewolf teeth he'd added to? Or a party hat. He made no mention of painting Jess with his blood, mostly because he was tempted to draw a happy face on her cheek with it, and that, that just wouldn't end well.

The snarl that followed his quip was certainly not from the beast, but from Jessica. As he lurched forward, she turned a step down and outwards as though she was backing into the beginning steps of a dance. Fingers twitched at the hemline of her skirt, and while he could seek out the creature's location, she would attempt to blindside it at its flank. "Eyes, and at least one of the tentacles with the spikes." The spikes, she really wanted the spikes. Her natural makeup was flawless and did not need the Drow Tattoo Artist extraordinaire to try to paint up her face! Granted, her requests and laying dibs on certain parts of the body were unlikely to end up as Cooper's birthday present. Unless...... "The head?" Who wouldn't want a gnarled cat like creature's head for a birthday gift? She could fill it with honey. He'd love it for sure then.

"So, basically, you want all of it." Cianan was slipping out, swinging again with his knife. Only to come up short once again as it vanished once again, appearing directly behind Cianan. He tried to turn quickly enough, skidding along the dirt, and kicking it up. He slid, foot placed upon the ground trying to get his feet back under him so he could make that quick turnaround. He was up, and heading for it, stabbing out quickly with the knife, while shifting sideways, to dodge an incoming tentacle that was moving towards his head. "Whoa! I at least want one of the tentacles." The thing was hard to pin down it seemed to blur, even! It's form flickering and fluttering along almost seeming like a hologram. The knife was sliding through the form, not hitting anything solid at all. "...The hell?"

"I will take all of it, sure." There was no denying that she would and she didn't even bother to pretend that most of it would go to Cooper either. Grrrrrrunt. "Good thing it's got two of them." See. They can share with limited issues! "You missed it." Helpfully as flicks of silver colored metal soon were twisting about at the ends of her fingertips and the beast fluttered out of sight. "Hmmm...." Thoughtfully before she was sliding her sunglasses down over her eyes. A scalpel lifted and the flat blade of it was pressed to her lips in hopes he would catch on and be silent. Slooooowly she was turning her head to see if she could track any sort of motion or movement that would remain unseen to the average eye.

"I did." Cianan hissed, pulling his knife back, and drawing it back. The creature was stepping back, slinking away, still, looking like it was in several places at once. "It's like it's.. in flux between, stuff." Cianan snarled a bit. "I go right, you go left. Let's see if we can stick it between our knives?" Just an offering out, over to the side for Jess. The beast was leaping forward again, teeth and tentacles being swung towards Jess this time. The teeth were going forward; the tentacles were on either side. Cianan was lurching, trying to find a good point of attack, maybe if he could slip a knife in its spine? He was heading for it! Thrusting that knife out once again, looking to catch some flesh with the blade.

"What it goes between different dimensions or something?" This may have been the first moment that she's realized she missed the Voice that lived inside Michael's head which was prone to spout off an encyclopedia of knowledge mid battle. Now really wasn't the time to be asking questions, and she was possibly learning this as the mouth and spikes were in reach for her face and neck. Not lunging forward herself, but solidifying her stance and holding her ground as it leaped for her, her right hand curled into a fist to slam into its throat while her other hand with the blade sliced through emptying air as it disappeared on her. Cianan's blade caught flesh all right through. But it wasn't the beasts. Jessica was in the process of doubling over and taking a step back as the profanities started flying. "You scum skank rectum glob muff fungus **** face! You stabbed me!"

"..Huh.. Well. ****." Cianan scowled a bit, looking at the blade stuck in Jessica's flesh, his eyes going wide. He paused a bit, looking at the blood trickling down, "I've been wanting to do that for years." Of course, give him a second, the blade that she had sliced through the air had cut his face! There was a thin line starting, and a line of blood starting to trickle down. "****!" This part, wasn't going to help at at all. He was seeing what could be another tentacle coming for them both. Jessica was getting tackled, on top of stabbed, and the Drow was quickly rolling away. On his back still, he was plucking a few needles from one of his hiding spots, throwing them at the beast. One after one they were missing, and Cianan scored a nice, fat goose egg. He was bleeding more! He pulled, or, rather now, tried to pull his feet in closer, well, at least that was the idea. Soon, the spikes in the tentacle were sinking into his lower leg, pulling the Drow in closer! "Found the real one!"

Being tackled after the stabbing along her side wasn't going to help matters, but while Cianan was busy rolling away and playing a very poor game of darts, Jessica pulled his blade out and managed an exhale of minor relief. At least the blade wasn't toxic or poisoned. "I'm getting that ****ing head now." Weighing his blade a half a second in her palm before she threw it at the creature while it tried to pull Cianan in. Hopefully it would remain distracted and the blade would strike it without it disappearing. Up off the ground and once again back into the mix, her side was ignored, stitches could happen later. The night wasn't going to be over until she managed to rush forward and choke this thing into submission or break its neck. Trying to get into its back would be the first step.

"Go for it! I'm a bit busy at the moment." Cianan responded to her quip about the head. Oh. The thing was distracted just a bit, Cianan grabbing onto the tentacle got the Displacer Beast to decided it needed to pound it's prey into submission. Hunkering down on it's six legs, it pulled Cianan up by his leg and slammed him down on the ground with the tentacle. Cianan grunted! Cursing up a storm in every language he could manage, the second tentacle was coming in, and Cianan was catching it under his arm, this? This seemed like a good place to use his knife. The blade was starting to sink in, hell, he might even be using his teeth. Stabbing, and snarling. Soon there would be surprise, Cianan was holding onto that tentacle like his life depended on it, as it started thrashing vigorously. What the hell? Oh, right. Jess. Cianan was hoping Jess had some secret rodeo experience, because she was going for a ride! Cianan was taken along, grunting, and flailing as well, there was still plenty of slack in those tentacles to try and ward the chemist off. "**** you. **** **** Fa.ah! uaaaakk! GAH! Hoshit! NONO!!!"

As much as Jessica may have wanted to watch Cianan be whipped about in the air like a ribbon, or watch him break a dozen bones and a few ribs being slammed into the ground, her attention was focused elsewhere for now. This wasn't much like a bucking bronco or a bull ride, but it also wasn't the first time that she had climbed up onto the back of something that did not want a monkey of a Chemist on its back. Losing her grip only once, and managing to latch onto the thrashing tentacle that was attempting to knock her off, Jess managed to get a hold of the beast long enough to wrap an arm around its neck. Spikes scraped and scratched at exposed skin, but she kept her head ducked into its shoulder while seeking something in one of her pockets. With no time to spare, she couldn't even check to see which of the small grenades she grabbed to shove into the creature's mouth and force it to swallow.

Expect some sort of surprise in three...two...one?

Oh. This wasn't going to be good. Cianan was thrashing about a bit, using his spurs on the tentacles. He kicked and squirmed, "Jess? What are you.." His eyes were going wide, and his jaw dropped open, "Oh. **** You're kidding me!" He was trying to get the Displacer Beast to let go of him now! Thrashing as he was thumped against the ground once again! Oof! Owch! No! No!" Oh. Hell. He just went as limp as possible, squeezing his eyes shut.

Jessica didn't so much let go of the beast as she did try to use a flailing tentacle like a swinging vine and let it throw her off just in the nick of time. An unpleasant crash landing against a tree branch, she was draped over it and hung on in the moment that the Displacer Beast burst apart at the seams. Come on Cianan --it was Jessica. There needed to be some sort of fiery explosion. This one, you just didn't so much see the fire as you did the entrails and blood and guts of the creature flying and falling down from the sky. It exploded and showered its insides down all over them outside, along with bile and bits of bone. After a thick and warm smear of ichor slid down her arm, she turned to look down to the ground and survey the scene. Hopefully the head was still intact!

Cianan was also sent flying by the blast, the head of the displacer beast was flying forward, and planting into his chest. A final headbutt to go along with the tentacles he was holding onto. Cianan just slammed against the trunk of a tree, and gasped for breath a few times, before finally sucking in a gasping breath! Inhale! Oh. Holy hell.. he had, intestines draped on him like a scarf. Ugh. Cianan frowned a bit, his head falling back with a thunk against the tree. "Really. You couldn't have just slit it's throat or something? REALLY, JESS?!" He squeezed his eyes shut, and then threw the head at her, ready or not. Here it comes. Now, he was slowly sitting up, and he was starting to peel all the spines out of his leg from the tentacle. He was dripping, mostly in stuff that wasn't his.. ughhhhh.

Oh good! It was! Dropping back down to the ground, she caught the head thrown at her as though they were playing a quick game of basketball. Only, she wouldn't be passing the head back to him. "Don't get too comfortable shouting my name." The only reason why she hadn't pointed it out earlier was because of their preoccupation with the beast. That and the fact that they were alone. "Because stabbing or slicing it was working out so well before. Besides..." Grrrrunt. "I like fireworks better." Especially when the finale had them bathed in blood and guts.

Cianan snorted a bit, wadding up the intestines, after pulling them from around his shoulders. Throwing it at Jess after that! Ugh. He was already covered, it's not like it was going to matter at all. "Yeah. Whatever." Cianan waved his hand, he finally pried the tentacle off his leg, and tossed that at her too. "There. You have yours. I got mine." The one that didn't cut into him. "Oh. Yeah. Something about stabbing you." He snapped his fingers, oh. It slipped his mind. Cianan pushed himself up to his feet, with a grunt. "Yeah. Fireworks." Let's not forget how close he was to that blast, he smeared.. the goo, down the side of his face. "I suppose it's a good finale, isn't it?"

Strange woman she was, she accepted the intestines as further gifts with a noticeable smile on her face. Shuffling the head and intestines to be cradled in one arm, she used her newly freed hand to ease her sunglasses back up into her hairline. It was almost as if she had raccoon eyes, only her face was not sunburnt but only bloody. "Eh." Grrrrrunt. "No worries. I won't hold it against you. Seems fair." Referring to the stabbing. The head was given another look and she turned it around to aim the face back at him. "I think I'll fill it with honey for him. He'll like that." Deciding more so than asking his thoughts on the idea.

"Yeah. Probably." Cianan rolled his shoulders back, "Especially if you tell him about how you covered me in gore to get it." That would put an extra ribbon on the gift. Cianan could already feel his shoulders getting nice and tight from his impact with the tree! Cianan snorted when he saw the eyes. "Fine, fine." He snorted, he was half expecting her to walk off at whatever point, he was gathering up a tentacle himself, tossing it over his shoulder. "We should do this again, sometime." He'd just change his wardrobe accordingly.

Her expression faded and went flat as she stared at him. "Again? You stabbed me and then bitched about how I didn't slit its throat." But soon the head was turned about to face her as she did in fact start to walk off. "Next time I might let it play with you a little bit longer. And I'm not paying for your dry cleaners." Adding on as she moved along, dripping blood that mostly wasn't hers in her wake.

"Did I say anything about dry cleaning?" Cianan snorted, "Good. That'll be fun. I would have gotten to it, once I got free." Cianan scoffed, "Next time, you're getting grabbed by the monster." He flicked a last piece of muscle at her, and it'd come nowhere near close to hitting her. "Should be fun."

( Taken from live play between Cianan and Jessica Lucino. )