[ open ] Givin' my all, givin' all that I've got

[apshot]

🧙 WHO: Bakugou Katsuki + YOU
⚔️️ WHAT: Quests, Open Prompts
🕒 WHEN: All throughout March
🗺️ WHERE: Various!
⚠️ WARNINGS: Spiders in Prompt 3


( Librirynth )

[ A quest to take down monsters? To test his skills through sheer combat? Like anything else is going to really appeal to Bakugou, let's be real. Now that he has more than one magic type to master, it's more important. His philosophy is that he would best develop under pressure. Through practical means rather than being tied up at the training grounds.

It's with a feral expression that he takes on this task, cracking his knuckles as he dips into the labyrinth. ]

DON'T BOTHER SENDING ANYONE ELSE! JUST WAIT AND SEE!

[ Time for a classic RNG adventure! Just how far will our heroes get, because Bakugou isn't actually going in there alone is he? ]


(  These Bumbles Don't Bounce )

You're going about this shit all wrong.

[ So says the blonde just sitting there with his hands in his pockets. Bakugou doesn't seem to be offering any assistance and will not elaborate unless asked further. Instead he just keeps watching with judging expression. This isn't something that is going to really be something done for "notoriety" so it's not something he's interested in doing. ]

Don't you have any brains in that head of yours?

[ It's not that, really. Not everyone is a nerd like Katsuki secretly is and has weird personality quirks. The reality is that Bakugou knows things that people wouldn't expect for him to. This is just one of those things... ]


( Vital Venoms ) **SKIP FOR SPIDERS**
[ Isn't spider venom a pretty common ingredient used in magic and potions in general? So it's not surprising that there's a quest to go out to collect some since apparently they are getting a little too active and coming out and saying hi to people. That's why he's out here and not because a certain nerd would also probably want some but likely get bitten in the process to deal with them even though this usually isn't something he'd be bothered with doing. ]

The hell does it matter if they are alive or not? Venom works regardless of the host still breathing!

[ Wouldn't it just be easier to collect the venom producing parts and bring them in? Katsuki is kind of grumbling about it when, wouldn't you know, he is the one walking right into one of those icky sticky webs! ]

Shit!


( Very Friendly Vines )

BACK OFF!

[ Anyone else coming into the forest is going to be met with a rather interesting sight - Bakugou dangling in the air by the ankle. One of those vines has wrapped itself around the area. Missing people is definitely something to look into but he hadn't anticipated this. ]

Shitty plants!

[ He blasts at the vine with a weakish fireball. Enough to be let go - only for another one to grab him by the arm. ]

Argh!

[ To be honest... Bakugou is going to keep trying to break free with sheer force and destructive magic. ]


( Double Trouble )

[ Let's say you're enjoying your day in Camelot City. Maybe you're having a good time shopping or eating at one of the cafes in the area. It's a great day and even better weather. It should be spent outside, right? Yeah, well... There's a loud blast that's going to totally ruin the ambience. Smoke billows into the air and being thrown from it is one Bakugou Katsuki. He rolls across the ground a little, looking a bit roughed up as he catches himself. Pushing himself up, he coughs.

That's when his opponent then launches themselves from the dust cloud, another fireblast obscuring everyone's vision. Bakugou throws up a barrier to block the incoming attack - smoke once again billowing all around them...

And when the smoke clears... It's not one Bakugou Katsuki that stands there. It's two. ]


( Wildcard )

[ You know what to do! If you want a closed prompt or to plot, hit me up on plurk @ jarddan or on Discord at verthunder#9612 ! ]

Comments

[sparkstrikes]

[Sighing, she picks up a single book and slides it back onto the bookshelf, all alone.]

No one told me about this damn maze.

[Maybe! If! She! Listened!

That's neither here nor there, though. This is where she's at, and she strides down the corridor of shelves to meet him.]

Wouldn't mind a way out and down, if you know one.

[apshot]

Just what do you think a labyrinth even is?

[ Of course it's going to be hard to navigate. Katsuki huffs and rubs at his neck. ]

Come on then.

[ At least he knows where to go. His hands might be in his pockets but he's heading towards the entrance to the lower levels. ]

Are you gonna be able to navigate down in the depths or am I gonna need to watch your ass down there too?

[sparkstrikes]

[Lightning makes a noise under her breath before following behind him, keeping a healthy distance between the two of them as he leads her out of the maze and to the next door, going to where she assumes is the lower part of the labyrinth.]

So long as there aren't any more stupid book mazes.

[If she stares any harder at the back of his head, she'd drill a hole right through it.]

Came here to fight things and make some money doing it, not to get lost in a library.

[apshot]

[ That gets a little snort out of the blonde. ]

You know you're gonna have to work backwards through them to get out, right?

[ Though the name of the game here is to see how deep they can get. How many monsters can they clear out? Of course he doesn't know how long he will have to wait to see something. Granted, Bakugou hasn't actually seen one of those slimes that they've talked about. The same is probably true for Lightning, right? ]

You ever fight one of these things?

[ Well they're about to get some experience either way. There's a wet blooping sound coming from further in. It's heading their way. ]

[sparkstrikes]

[That just gets another groan from Lightning. Yes, she knows she's going to have to do just that, and she doesn't want to think about it right now.

... Because here comes their first challenge.

She can see it coming, and the sound it makes doesn't fill her with any dread. If anything, she's a bit confused about why they've been sent down here to fight their way through these things. They remind her a little bit of the flans she came across on Pulse, and they were anything but a challenge.

Drawing her blade, Lightning puts a foot forward with a laugh.]

No, but shouldn't be too hard, right?

[Famous last words?

The moment the slime spots them, it grows bigger, like it's inflating itself until it's almost as tall as they are, with spikes poking out around its back. And then, without any sort of warning, it tumbles forward, rolling like a goddamn boulder in their direction, kicking up sewer water with its unexpected speed. What in Etro's TITS is this thing!?

Lightning is quick to jump out of the way once her initial surprise wears off, while trying to shove Bakugou in the other, but the slime careens back when it misses and stares at them through its large, black, beady eyes...]

[apshot]

You wouldn't think so -

[ BUT HOLY SHIT THEY'RE FORMING SPIKES AND ROLLING. Bakugou is already getting ready throw down with one when he shoved in another direction. ]

HEY! MIND YOUR OWN!

[ No need to push him or defend him. Bakugou is capable of handing things as he sees fit! Especially since the thing isn't done with them. It zips back towards the two of them and Katsuki? He throws a barrier up. ]

Look, lady. I don't know what your magic is but you better use it while it's grinding away here!

sorry for the wait!

[sparkstrikes]

[Just a hard to break habit. She only responds with a click of her tongue before turning her attention back to the slime, the grip on her sword tightening.

Lightning watches, waiting, for it to come at them again. At first, it doesn't look like she's going to do anything as it barrels back down the sewer's tunnel at them, but the moment it's inches away from her, she pushes off the ground and over it, landing a kick from over it and steers it off course, sending it rolling sideways and crashing into the wall instead. Its armour breaks against the concrete, and it has to pause.

It doesn't do much to injure it or stop it altogether, but it gives her a moment to think while it tries to right itself again.]

Healing. [She spats out the word as if it's the most offensive thing ever. It kind of is, since it won't be very helpful.] Gonna have to find other ways to fight it off.

I will wait forever

[apshot]

[ Healing... That's what she is given to work with? Yeah, he would be aggravated about that too. However that's just the primary, right? There's still the secondary. Maybe that's not all that great either. Who knows. He won't press. ]

Guess I should just be grateful you're no slouch. As long as you can move and cover my back, I got yours.

[ She still has physical prowess. Knocking the slime against the wall? Great idea. Because the armor breaks and that is going to make it easier for Katsuki. Light magic isn't really going to work - not until he can get lasers working or manipulate his barriers to incorporate spikes. So he has to rely on his Elemental magic instead. More draining, but definitely more offensive. ]

Step back!

[ Because Bakugou is going to go full out with a fire blast. But will it be super effective? ]

[sparkstrikes]

[At least she knows she can still help in other ways!

Lightning leaps back, pinning herself as close to the wall as she can as she sees the magic forming, and then coming out in a full blast of fire. She's thankful for that, at least. Two people stuck down here with healing magic would have been the most unhelpful thing ever.

The slime seems to take some damage, because it's rolling backwards from the explosion, slamming into the other wall that Lightning has her back against. She follows it up with a shot of her gun for good measure, nailing it right in its side... Which doesn't seem to do much of anything. Instead, it's like its body absorbs the shock of the bullet and spits it right back out like it's a marshmallow. Great. Sword it is.]

You got another one of those in you?

[Because she has an idea.]

[apshot]

[ The fiery blast hits the target and Bakugou feels that first mad rush of adrenaline. A good thing that Lightning is able to press back against the wall. He'd prefer that she be out of the way entirely to avoid getting hit, but if she doesn't want to? That's her prerogative. If worst comes to worst, he can always throw up a shield to deflect the flames.

She what... Shoots? Is that thing a gun and a sword? What the hell is up with these otherworldly weapons? Honestly Bakugou kind of wants one. Not that it seems to do any good against the slime. So piercing won't do much good. So resistant to physical attacks? If that's the case then they may well have to rely on magic. ]

Yeah, I can do a couple more.

[ So he says as his hands light up again. Just tell him when and he'll fire another blast. If that's even what she wants to do. ]

[sparkstrikes]

Should be all we need.

[She hopes. With the idea she has in mind, she's praying for only one.

Lightning watches and waits for the slime to regrow its armour again, which means that it'll charge at one of them like it did before. Rocks form, jutting out of its back in spikes, and just like she was expecting, it starts to roll its body, slowly at first to gain momentum, before it charges full speed at Lightning.]

Get ready. On my mark.

[And just as it's about it hit her, she leaps onto its back, steers it around to give him some extra time to prepare, and now the two of them are charging full speed down the corridor at Bakugou...! It's a crazy plan, but she thinks it'll work.]

Ready!

[The moment she sees the fire spell go off, she'll plunge her sword into its back to reveal its more vulnerable underside.]

rolled a 17!!!

[apshot]

[ He'll wait for her signal of course. She's the one with the idea and Bakugou thinks he knows where she's going with this. Her intention is to give him an opening. So it benefits him to wait and trust her to know her limits and to follow through to give him that shot. Relying on others is pretty hard for him to do still. It's a skill that he needs to continue to foster and work on. There's no backtracking on it. That's not even an option... So all he can do is just sit there and force himself despite the fact that his jaw tightens and he can almost feel the pressure it puts on his teeth.

Bakugou hates waiting on standby, even if he knows it is for the best. He watches all the same, building up that fire magic in his hands slowly. The time that she provides is going to be necessary to attack with the amount of force needed to pop this slime.

When she does tell him to go for it, there's no hesitation. He reaches out his hand and fires the hottest blast of flame that he can - to the point where it flickers back and forth between red and blue.

Hopefully she gets out of the way in time, but Bakugou definitely hits the target! ]

NICE 😎

[sparkstrikes]

[She does get out of the way the moment she sees the fire light up the tunnel, making sure to give one extra hard wrench back for good measure so that the spell hits right where she wants it to. Her fall is anything but graceful—the momentum from the slime sends her flying back, tumbling violently in the direction she came until she comes to a stop at the other end of the corridor.

The barrier spell she'd put up at some point during her fall flickers away and she's sprawled on the ground trying to push herself up to see if it worked.

The slime has stopped its rolling, and is shrieking as it begins to balloon up to a size she didn't think would be possible for it. Bigger and bigger and bigger until...] Shit. Cover! [It explodes.

Rocks, slime, and shards of stone fly out in all directions, and all Lightning can do is press herself against the floor, hands over her head to shield herself from the onslaught of leftover slime.]

[apshot]

[ Upon that direct hit, Katsuki can't help but feel himself smirk - not that he'd ever try to suppress such a thing regardless. Feels good to finally start to get somewhere with this magic skill. However, that is short lived as the slime beings to inflate. This thing isn't going to go down quietly. It is going to explode.

And Lightning is way too close to the damn thing not to get caught up in it.

Bakugou moves, propelling himself forward with bursts of flame. He slides against the ground until he reaches the lady. That's when he throws up a barrier himself to protect the both of them from the debris. ]