Gotta catch them... All?

Katsumi nervously adjusted her tank top. Her fingers played with the edges that threatened to mutiny over her fretting. Ghost hovered nearby, its singular eye rolling sarcastically. Katsumi didn't notice. Luminous Rose held court to many of the idols across Fiore - as far as the swordswoman knew anyways. Each of them ethereally beautiful and confident as they stole breath from their fans. They might be stealing hearts too. The gamer girl wanted to emulate their ease with people in whatever way she could manage. However, she couldn't sing. Dancing turned into sword kata every time. She'd been at a loss on how to 'put herself out there'. Then she'd seen a video on Spasm.

The girl in the video had been showcasing a video game with commentary. The mere idea sent Katsumi into a brainstorm. Her INT had started working overtime. Ghost may or may not have secretly recorded their master's silly victory dances. Katsumi had figured out how she wanted to debut and where. She only needed to push past her PTSD to actually do it.

Now Katsumi stood, in a blue tank top with short shorts and good hiking shoes, in the Sakuramori Forest. Her weapon hilt clinched to a belt loop along with her armor. It didn't hurt to be prepared. A small white device encircled her ear. That little thing stole her breath. This device held many similarities with the one that had trapped her in the death game LAO. It fit near perfectly over the scar where the previous device had attempted to fuse to her skin before her escape. Deep shuddering breaths wracked Katsumi's body.

"I can do this. My charisma has been improving. I just need my performance skill to level up and I can emulate Guild mistress Desiree or the twins. This is my battle ground. That stupid game and my uncle can't steal my life anymore" She finally murmured to herself. Enough was enough. Katsumi signaled Ghost. Let her Spasming (streaming on Spasm) begin.

Katsumi flashed the peace sign and tried to smile brightly as Ghost beeped. "Hey y'all, its your girl Katsumi! I'm here to bring you the sights of the Sakuramori Forest as I play Imaginary Companion, the LR game that just released! LR is Layered Reality for all my non-gamers or casual gamers!" She flashed another grin. Her fingers hesitated as she went to touch the device on her ear. A deep breath allowed her to finally activate it. The game blossomed into existence, layering itself over what Katsumi could see. "Alright! This game looks beautiful at first glance. I'm supposed to catch the companions and help them mature as I conquer the regions of the map. Apparently some buildings will act like keeps or castles? I'm not sure but lets dive in!" This actually felt really fun! Katsumi felt the grin come more naturally as she started into the forest. Let her start to gamer idol begin.

WC: 491

Crash 

Reina crashed through the trees as a large winter bison with some kind of panther creature held by her horns. The panther's bloodied mouth suggested a attempt on reina, which now it must had been regretting as she smashed it into a nearby tree. It quickly scurried up, giving off a warble growl before disappearing higher. Reina merely huffed her annoyance, but didn't pay any more mind to the failed hunter. After all, today was for her! She had missed her shapeshifting into wildlife and really desired to stretch her wings! Or hooves, just limbs in general. Now that she was known at silver wolf though she couldn't idly transform around them. She could see it now, Proud daughter of Chalybe caught as furry dumb creature! She would never be able to live it down if anyone discovered her like this. 

But what were the chances anyways right? Out here, their really wasn't any people. Which was just the way she preferred it. A half hour would pass of Reina's frolicking around, traveling through trees either wide enough or made wide enough for her. As she was beginning to itch her side from probably a sticky leaf a scent caught her attention, making her blood run cold. Scent of dragon, and a odd one of that. Images in her mind began of lurking in underbrush, the chase over wide plains, Savor the fear, it adds to the taste. She had never smelled something so ferocious, and for it to come from a dragon! It had to be a long lived one, maybe it was that hungry or worse, both. This created another dilemma, Reina couldn't decide what was worse, being preyed upon by this mystery dragon or being found out by it! The embarrassment seemed to be just as bad as the ordeal of being preyed upon in her head. Fortunately she knew how dragons thought and acted, and knew the best way to avoid being a meal for it.

She simply backed up to the corner of the tree, and laid down on her bison stomach, laying as still as a statue. Sure, she was still in direct light and plain to see from anyone on the ground, but the dragon had to be in the sky. It was the most ideal way to hunt after all, and the thrill of seeing prey scatter before your shadow? It was often sought after, and her looking like a mound of dirt wouldn't attract attention. Speaking of it, her attention had caught the sound of...a human? Sounded like they were speaking aloud, maybe to another? Well better for Reina, maybe the human will attract the dragons attention, and at least she'll have a chance to turn back to normal so she could face it dragon y dragon.

WC:467

Katsumi had to really dig deep into her CHA. Her mind frantically latched onto the images of the LR mages as she attempted to continue her stream smoothly. The game had a steep learning curve when it came to approaching and then enticing companions. She'd nearly snarled in frustration. Then LAO would pop into her mind. That game's learning curve had been deadly - literally. This Imaginary Companions game couldn't even stand on the same stage. If she'd beaten the LAO curve, she could overcome IC's curve.

A giant white bison sat in the corner of her view. It seemed like the typical low level companion. Perfect for her first success. "Alright guys, I'm going to try one last time before I call it quits for today. I didn't think this game would be so hard to get into." She tried for comical, sticking out her tongue. "Guess that's what I get for skipping the tutorial." The swordswoman approached the bison companion slowly. No stats popped up on this one as it had for the others. Perhaps it was a glitch or rare companion? "This game feels so real. I can feel the air coming from the companion's nose." Katsumi flattened her hand on the bison's forehead. It felt solid underneath her touch. "Huh, it feels..."

The slayer's nostrils flared. This close, the scent of blood overpowered everything else. The predator lurking in her chest slammed against her ribs. It wanted out. It hungered. Katsumi screamed. "Shut it off! No more!" Her fingers scrambled for the game device, ripping it away from her ear. The scent didn't vanish. Katsumi's eyes widened with horror. The white bison still sat before her, the scent of blood still clogging Katsumi's nose. "Oh, Kami. No. Please." Her hands flattened on her stomach as if physical pressure could deny the hunger. As if the pressure might hold in the beast attacking her mind. It wouldn't be near enough.

The predator dragon flared outward. Bony wings with sinuous strands of muscle popped from Katsumi's back. The force toppled nearby trees on either side of the mage. She screamed, a torrent of bone, blood and flesh bits rippling into the sky. A desiccated tail whipped out. Another tree fell. The aura around Katsumi became dark with blood, with hunger. Her teeth sharpened as the bison fell under her now yellow gaze. The aura combined with the torrent, ripping into the area around Katsumi. Trees splintered, plants died and at the center, a feral slayer eyed her prey.

A tiny floating device hovered over Katsumi's shoulder. It struggled against the buffeting torrent. A small spark of electricity hit Katsumi in the base of the skull. She blinked and howled. "You cannot have me, monster! I'm not yours!" The predator magic vanished with those words. Katsumi slumped to the ground. A wary eye stayed upon the bison. If she'd spooked it, Katsumi would need to move quickly.

WC: 488/979

The humans was actually just one, a average size long haired one from the look of it. She seemed to be talking to herself? Well humanity was a odd one, so this wasn't surprising. However the smell was close now, and this woman was now a issue, her attention would surely draw the dragons ire. So that is why Reina had to bear the indignity of having to be pet like some, dumb, furry beast! Well...it didn't help she looked like one at the moment. 

Suddenly the air grew tense, Reina picked up on it as soon as the woman did, the dragon was going to make it's move. Reina's eyes darted to the air, damning the clear tree line she decided to lay under. However their was no shadow, and in confusion Reina returned her sights on the human. What she first thought was the human acting of fear seemed to be instead discomfort? No...something was definitely off about this human and the smell this close could only mean...

The sound of ripping flesh filled the air, and was Reina's cue to book it. Through the sound of collapsing trees, she hopped from her position to the side away from sight, finding a ditch to fall into rather ungracefully. This also meant her animal form was gone, which was a slight relief in this situation. She then would race back up to see whatever was going on with the woman, and upon seeing realized the truth. She had been the dragon, the hungry presence she had picked up on. It was now more clear with her oddly gruesome features still draconic at its core. Reina watched as her yellow eyes scanned the landscape before she suddenly reverted? Probably from the small sprite floating around her maybe, but regardless the woman sat on the ground. 

Reina only spared a moment to take it all in before a smile settled on her face. "Hey! Impressive wings you have their kin!" She would shout and move out of the clearing she dove behind before, Reina speaking in grunts and hisses of the draconic tongue. She had worn her scales as normal, simple chainmail armor, walking with a relaxed ease despite the show of fearsome magic beforehand.  She would stop at a respectful distance, noticing the fallen white object. She would pick it up, taste it briefly before tossing it aside. "Tell me, where do you hail from where such dragons roam?" After a few seconds Reina's expression suddenly changed from excitement to caution, a thought entering her head. She then spoke again, this time in the common spoken in Fiore, her words coming out slow and deliberate. "Do you understand the dragon tongue?"

WC: 451/918

The game had been terminated with the removal of the device. It made the person appearing before her to be a real world NPC. Or worse, a potential player that had just witnessed her break down entirely. The language or whatever the woman attempted to communicate with felt oddly familiar. That scared Katsumi more than someone seeing her lose control. Why did understanding of whatever was being said slide around the outside of her mind? The dragon in her chest prowled, still close to the surface. The arrival of this newcomer made it perk its head up. Katsumi felt oddly inclined to listen to it as the dragon regarded the stranger with wariness.

When the stranger tossed aside the game controller, Katsumi sent Ghost to retrieve the device. She didn't have the jewels to spare for another one. The stranger had stopped at a respectable distance but Katsumi had her sword hilt in hand regardless. The other hand rested upon the cube that would unfurl into her armor. No matter what quest lines she thought of, meeting a stranger in the middle of the woods never turned out alright. If this NPC held the bearing of a fae creature, Katsumi would watch her words. A trickster would be Katsumi's worst nightmare given the blackmail material she'd unveiled. Worse would be a powerful creature that saw Katsumi's transformation as a challenge or threat. The swordswoman wanted to avoid a fight.

The woman finally said something understandable. Katsumi cocked her head. "The dragon tongue isn't on my list of known languages, no. Why would I be able to speak dragon?" Sure, a cursed dragon lacrima with the worst timing resided in her chest but Katsumi wasn't about to cop to that. The cursed magic item hadn't been her choice. Stupid thieves taking powerful magic items. If only she hadn't been a Rune Knight at that time, Katsumi might have avoided this curse. "What do you want of me? Why are you here in the woods?" She asked, figuring she could try to be cordial. Harmless talk wouldn't hurt too much.

WC: 349/1328

Reina looked rather disappointed at the answer she gotten, and lamented about it aloud in draconic. "Here you are given a blessing to elevate you from the rest of the mongrels in the muck and you don't have the courtesy to learn your benefactor's tongue?" She finished her grunts and hisses with a deep sigh. Her mind was briefly distracted by the movement of a small white creature retrieving what reina had thrown on the ground earlier. Reina was wondering if the creature was made of metal when the woman asked her own questions. 

Reina was a bit caught off guard by it, suddenly a intrusive thought told her that she might be found out. "Oh well...you know I walk around here. Yes, the trees remind me of where I come from." She eagerly shifted topics to the stranger's other question. "As for you, I am happy to meet my kin in this land! It seems there's so very few of us, why I have only met one other in the mountains. Of course, it is rather disappointing that you do not know the proper tongue to speak in." She took a moment to think looking away from the stranger, "Then again, I suppose not every dragon would teach their child their tongue for, whatever reason." 

After her thought, she would face the stranger again with a smile, exposing her iron canine. "But I'm not treating you with respect! I am Reina Darksteel, daughter of Chalybe the living furnace. Now, who are you and what dragon do you come from that is so fearsome and odd! Most dragons I know have a element to their name but you gave off a aura of...well complete hunger! What kind of dragon could they be, let alone look like?!" She finished, either uncaring or unable to hide the excitement in her voice.

WC: 309/1,227

The grunting and hissing sounded a tad admonishing. Katsumi's eyes narrowed wondering if she'd been insulted in another language. Her hand tightened upon the hilt at her back. The silver worked bladeless hilt made her feel more comfortable. Katsumi had spent blood, sweat and tears to bring it into the world. In an odd sense, the piece felt like her own child. Ghost hovered nearby. She glanced at the robot. He held the game device in an anti gravity field. Another creation of her own, if bits and pieces had been stolen from her various journeys. Katsumi felt somewhat calmer. Whoever this stranger was, Katsumi could meet her head on.

Katsumi's brow furrowed as the woman answered all questions rapidly. The answers were increasingly confusing. Further, some of the answers kicked up Katsumi's ire. The first answer didn't merit a response according to her CHA stat. "How am I kin to you?" She asked, putting her free fist on her hip. "We cannot possibly be related, gaijin, unless you hail from Midi or a parent does." Katsumi's cultural upbringing regarding bloodline and honoring a family name had boiled up. She could hear the ghost of her father's voice drilling those aspects into her. "And what is the proper tongue? Dragon? Doragon shūchaku baka." (Dragon obsessed idiot, for you, dear reader) Katsumi huffed, trying to resist the urge to cross her arms. Midijin clearly came in first of all languages.

The woman's unexpected flash of an iron canine took Katsumi off guard. The exposition demanding her dragon patron, she assumed caused Katsumi to start laughing. "Gomen, gomen. I'm sorry." She said after a moment, trying to control her laughter. A short bow in the direction of the woman. "I'm Katsumi Akahoshi. I come from no dragon, nor do I wish to. I'm not sure what caused you to make that mistake. I've not the markings of a dragon warrior." Katsumi hoped the woman didn't see her hand trembling. Had the cursed lacrima been created by a dragon? Could that dragon be out there somewhere? She'd always imagined the lacrima as normal until the curse corrupted it. Now... the thought of an eternally hungry, hunting dragon chilled her blood. Hopefully this woman would walk away, letting Katsumi resume her livestream. Katsumi didn't want to keep discussing dragons and she hoped the livestream would help her come out of her shell.

WC: 398/1,726

Reina's smile faltered a little, then completely fell from her face after receiving the answer. She looked away, processing the information while rubbing the back of her neck. If one's senses were acute enough, they may hear the faint sound of metal groaning under pressure. Then after the minute of silence she would suddenly snap back to now glare, no, stare Katsumi down. She would had begun to close the distance between them step by step, all the while yelling and not letting any room for her to respond. 

"I cannot believe the idiocy before me! You who have been given the chance to become so much more then what you are, and you would spit in its face?! No, the face of your benefactor?! They who saw you wallowing in mud with the rest of mankind and took it upon themselves to make you better? To be timeless! To soar above the clouds for centuries while civilizations rise and fall below you, mankind trying and failing to leave their mark for the short pitiful lives they lead." By this point Reina was within arms reach of katsumi, and would had made a grab for the collar of her clothing to pull her down to Reina's face. 

"You are right Katsumi Akahoshi, you are certainly not a dragon warrior and not worthy to be called my kin. You are far too ignorant and fragile to be so. The fact that you posses that power and walk around in arrogance of it is proof enough!" She would had let go of katsumi by that point and walked a meter away before stopping, her back to katsumi. Reina should leave now, clearly the woman here was just like the rest of them. No, even if she behaved like the rest of them, she still was a dragon, or at least had the seed needed to grow into one. To let it wither and die in a world where dragons were so rare would be a insult to dragonkind itself! Surely, all she would need is a demonstration...

"I see, you are ignorant because you don't know." Reina would then suddenly turn and launch a dull iron colored scale at the woman. Following up on it, she would then launch herself forward, her arm growing three times as large in the shape of a metal dragon's talon. While moving forward, she would swing the elongated arm at her, aiming to close the distance so she had less chance to dodge.

WC: 417/1,644

Katsumi couldn't understand what was going on. Why had this person accosted her over dragons? Her collar suddenly got grabbed. Then the female insulted her before walking away. Katsumi unhooked her armor box and her sword. Whatever was going on here, the swordswoman didn't trust the female. She was proven correct a moment later as the female launched a scale at her.

In a moment, armor snapped into place on her body. Swords blossomed into each of her fists. Energy started coursing through her body. The scale nearly reached the swordswoman and she vanished in a flash of shadows. Katsumi reappeared near Reina. Her blades flashed in twin strikes at the woman. She spun off to the side to let Reina slip by a moment later. Turning, Katsumi struck out towards Reina's back. Her weapons vibrated as they shifted form into a massive scythe.

A click sounded as the shaft separated. Chains connected the parts as Katsumi threw the scythe. She started gathering her chi again. If this dragon lady wanted a fight, she'd picked the wrong person to attack. Katsumi whipped the scythe back into her hands, vanishing. The swordswoman reappeared, her weapon crackling with lightning. She thrust it forward to attack. "Who are you calling weak, you baka?!" She screamed.

WC: 213/1939

Tch! Where did she-

Reina's question was answered through the wind rushing past her after her metal arm whiffed, the only warning of the onslaught to come. The first strike carved through scales once thought impenetrable, the metal shattering into flakes fading into the air. The second strike followed up too quick for her too respond as it scraped on her armor, the pain very real. 

Reina, her senses now heightened from the pain of the last two attacks watched as Katsumi thrusted once more behind her. Taking a gamble, she would had turned and used a hard part of her armor on her arm to receive the blow. Even though she was more prepared for the blow this time around it still hurt bad enough for her to yell in pain from the impact. However her gamble would had paid off, using the force of the blow to propel her backwards away from her foe in a effort to gain time enough to cast a spell. After landing from the air she would had let out a battle cry,  her exposed skin soon took on a dull grey color as the scales thickened and became more noticeable.

Reina knew she was in a bad position. Fact was a ignorant dragon slayer was still a dragon slayer, and this Katsumi was quite powerful at that. But a Darksteel does not coward away from a fight, they outlast their foe before delivering the deciding blow! But that wasn't this fight, her armor had barely held from such light attacks previously and she knew another round of hits would break it. Not to mention her scales were not tough enough to absorb the blows as she wanted to. No this fight would have to end quick less she would bring shame to her name. 

Reina was forced on the defensive yet again as the two blades the woman had transformed into a scythe and was thrown at her. With more distance to react she was able to parry the blow better this time and fortunately with the addition to her defensive capabilities she barely felt the blow. Still the shield was gone and she was down to one again to weather the next barrage of attacks, Reina's mind racing with a way to strike her opponent. Which meant she was caught off guard as she saw the scythe retract and land next to Reina's position as once again Katsumi had managed to outmaneuver her.

Reina watched as the scythe gained lightning and swung right at her. Reina conjured a spell in response, her arm webbing out and taking the form of a metal dragon's wing in a attempt to block the blow. What she failed to realize that the alloy she chose to cover herself made an excellent conduit for electricity as the energy from the impact shot through her. She screamed out in pain from the blow but held firm, the scythe's blade piercing her shield and cutting deep into her arm. A fountain of blood and dragon slayer etharno would had erupted from the wound splattering both Reina and Katsumi. 

However Reina on instinct would had capitalized on a consequence, using the metal from the pierced shield she closed on the weapon's blade in a attempt to hold it there. Even if it was for only a moment, it was all she needed to deliver a fierce jab aimed at Katsumi's face empowered by the electricity still flowing through the iron dragon slayer. Reina's face from the pain going through her had twisted into a snarl as she responded to Katsumi, "YOU ARE MONGREEEEEL!" If Reina had a chance after the blow she would had attempted to punch again, but it would had been far slower and weaker due to the exhaustion overwhelming her own adrenaline.

WC: 636/2280

The blood splattering on Katsumi brought the world to a halt. Blood had always called to the cursed thing but there was something different about this crimson liquid. Something inside it called out to the predator that prowled the gamer girl's chest. Too shocked to hold it back, the predator surged past Katsumi's mental defenses. As the creature slid into place, Katsumi shouted one word at her opponent. "GO!"

Reina's blow caught Katsumi's cheek. She sits there unfazed. It has barely scratched her armor. A mysterious calm descends over the swordswoman. Her weapon retracts, placed on her belt once again. An aura starts to build. Its hunger awakens the forest itself. Animals shriek as they run for their lives. Trees groan, trying to upend their roots to run. Grass vanish into the dirt. Katsumi watches Reina attempt another blow. With a yawn, she catches the attack.

The helmet retracts from Katsumi's face. Her eyes are pure yellow with white slits dividing them in two. Thin bony carapace has formed protecting her chin, cheeks and eyes. As her lips part, a multitude of sharp jagged teeth create mountain ranges within. Saliva slowly falls from her mouth. "Run, little mouse. Run and provide me with a hunt. I will show you who the mongrel is before I devour your heart." Katsumi grins impossibly wide. Twin sets of wings burst from her back. Talons rip forth from the point of every finger. The air splits with a crack as Katsumi's legs shift form. The swordswoman spreads her arms and a haunting song begins to spill from her mouth.

All around the fighters, wherever creatures or plants weren't fast enough, death finds them. Streamers of white rise from their body and surge towards Katsumi. As the circle of death expands, the forest screams. Katsumi finally stops singing to look towards Reina. The hungry aura around the swordswoman has only grown in spite of the feasting. Nothing will ever fulfill this beast. Therein lies the source of its power, the undeniable agony that is the predator dragon. This one has caught the scent of its favorite prey - Dragon.

WC: 354/2634

Reina bore a smile as the hit found true on her face, satisfaction for the pain that had been inflicted on Reina so far. The hit landed so hard it even left Katsumi speechless! "I won't go until you admit that you've been-" the swords would had disappeared from her grasp and Reina paused waiting for the next move. "-outmatched?" she finished her own sentence in confusion as she felt the rise of magic in the air, soon followed by a unknown pressure. It muted her ears, muffling much of the cries of scared and panicked animals, even the ground seemed to groan in response to the new aura. But it wasn't new to Reina, it was familiar from earlier in their encounter. This time though it was far stronger, enough to immobilize the dragon slayer where she stood.

Only momentarily though, she gritted her teeth as she made her second swing at Katsumi, refusing to cower now to the human. Only for the blow to be caught easily. Watching her yawn, the helmet retreated from Katsumi's face revealing new features growing on it of bone, her eyes now becoming very familiar.

Those of a dragon

Reina could only stand trembling at the sudden changes, combined with the new aura in the air she could not move nor speak, sweat beading and going down her face. And then the song began, and in that moment she had truly realized the hole she was in. Stories and warnings came to her head of the threat a dragon carried; tales of their gruesome power carving through armies of men, the elements they commanded enough to triumph over any mortal, of how sadistic they could be when they were hunting their prey.

Prey, she was prey now

Reina watched clouds of white whip and twirl around the half dragon in front of her before the song ended. The silence of death hung in the air, ambient noises of the jungle around them no longer present. Suddenly Reina found the strength in herself to turn and run, a single leap would be enough to enter the shelter of the trees...or what remained of them. Reina knew that escape by air was suicide, and even if only the corpses of trees were left, they still provided more cover. She just needed time to think of a way out of this mess and to enter the parts of unravaged jungle, away from the hungry eyes of her opponent. Her metal form would provide some time but only seconds, knowing that a dragon's strength was more then enough to crush her defenses that were already damaged from the earlier blows. Still, even a second may be the difference between life and death here.

WC: 457/2737