PSL: fullcowl

[hot_mes]

Original starter

(continuing from this)

[Even though he still has a long way to go to restore his strength, Law manages to last out the rest of the night without dropping off again. It helps that once or twice something a little too large passed a little too close to their hollowed-out tree, but whatever it was either didn't like fire or wasn't into humans and kept going on past. His haki alerted him in time, but he sat tense until it passed rather than wake Deku. Kid needs his rest, after all.

The gap in the tree must face east, because Law eventually can see a gray line in the distance as light starts to come up behind the hills, and then the approaching dawn getting brighter and brighter. The fire fizzles out about then, and he stretches out a heel to scratch some dirt over it lest the smoke attract attention. With dawn coming, he won't be able to sleep anyway, so he just lets Izuku sleep for as long as he needs. Besides, he's nice and warm.]

Comments

[fullcowl]

Sensing...? So the devil fruit power isn't the only one you have?

[He's fascinated!]

I've never had to run down a deer before- but... I probably could if it came down to that?

[The endurance wasn't quirk given, it's something he's had to work for. But he's been stubborn and strong-willed ever since he was small.]

[hot_mes]

[EYEBROW RAISE] ...you would chase down and tackle a deer.

[he'll believe it when he sees it but if you want it, Deku, you go get it. Do it. Law won't stop you.

He tosses his head slightly]

I'm just using my haki. It's not a special power, everyone has it.

[it's complicated, though, so he'll leave it at that. Observation is the only facet of it which is of any use to them right now, anyway.]

[fullcowl]

We don't have that many options out here. If we come across something, I should be able to run it down. I don't know how to uh... clean it properly to eat though.

Haki? ... I've never heard about it before.

[But if he doesn't want to explain, Izuku won't push it.]

[hot_mes]

[it's a matter for another time, particularly if he ever shows use of Armament in front of Deku. For now, the less stamina he's expending, the better. Law will slowly rebuild his strength as they travel if he can just stop using any power.]

I can clean game. We'll be fine if we can just find...

[oh, speak of the devil. His head turns swiftly to look out in the other direction, following a ping against his senses. Something super-large is coming into range.]

That's a lot bigger than a deer. [but what is it??]

[fullcowl]

[Izuku turns the way that Law does- so far he doesn't see it.]

How much bigger?

[He'll tap into One for All, body crackling lightly with the energy, and muscles buffing up as he prepares to use them.]

[hot_mes]

Significantly.

[no, really, it's at least larger than the both of them put together. Law braces himself, left hand in position to summon a Room if needed, but he's ready to leave the punching to Deku, first.

Thankfully, no tentacles. As it barges through the underbrush and comes into view, it's a massive boar-like thing with tusks and horns and shit it will fuck them up if it decides to. It is a mountain of potential bacon and once it sniffs out their scent, it turns toward them with a savage growl. Not friendly. Totally edible.]

[fullcowl]

[That's a giant boar- he's never seen an animal that big before in his life.

Going at it head on would mean hitting hit's tusks and horns, and there's no Recovery Girl here to heal any injuries they might have to deal with. So he'll jump quickly to the side and deliver a 5% punch to its side.

Judging from the size of the boar it's probably not going to be enough to kill it, but it might be enough to topple it- and that would mean it's unprotected underbelly would be exposed.]

Can you slit its throat?

[hot_mes]

[Law slides around to keep himself out of range of those tusks, looking the thing over as he does. The neck? Hard to reach]

No, but I can do one better. Hit it again, keep it it off its feet! Expose its heart for me.

[it's going to be an ugly shot, but it'll do.]

[fullcowl]

[Expose??

So the Law does need to be able to see the thing to manipulate it.

He isn't really sure where the boar's heart is, but he figures the chest is a pretty good guess. So he'll hit the boar, keeping it from getting back up. It's loudly squealing and attempting to right itself, but the constant pressure that Izuku's forcing is keeping it down.

He'll attempt to claw into the boar's chest- he grimaces at the blood and guts he's coming away with but they need this. They need to be able to eat something.]

Do you see it?!

[hot_mes]

[well, shit, Deku, he didn't need that kind of exposure. His move, now, will at least end the suffering rather quickly.

There's a Room around them quick as a blink, and then Law darts in right next to him, shoulder to shoulder, and thrusts his hand against the beast's chest]

Mes!

[he comes away with the boar's heart in his hand - but it's in a little transparent box, not a bloody mass of organ. Yet. He backs out of range of the boar's feet in case it decides to lash out at them and pulls out the knife, hastily stabbing it through the heart in his grip. It's a quick death, but not painless.]

Damn. You're thorough. [should have warned him, maybe]

[fullcowl]

[He jumps away once Law's got the heart in his hand, and then promptly deflates.

Gross...]

Eerrghh... You said you needed its heart exposed...

[Was that too much? Did he only need the boar on its side??]

[hot_mes]

[he's not going to blame, but still. GEEZ MAN.

I suppose I could have chosen my words better.

[the closest he comes to an apology. Law tosses the heart down as the Room fades]

It still worked. Give me a bit, here. [hopefully Deku's not squeamish but...] Refill our water bottles, we'll need it.

[there's no time to stop and build a fire and cook just yet, but if he can cut off enough meat to carry, they can put some distance between themselves and the kill before working on a real meal. Something this big bleeding out like that is going to attract scavengers in no time - carrion birds are already circling overhead, cawing noisily]

[fullcowl]

Sorry, I don't know exactly how the Room works.

[He'll take the bottles though, and head over to the stream. He'll clean up his arm before filling them up, his back to the kill.

They definitely can't stay too close to the boar though. The scavengers aren't the problem- it's what might notice the scavengers...]

[hot_mes]

[he'll remember that for next time, to warn Deku before showing another new technique. For now, Law works as quickly as he can without using his power, to conserve it after using Mes like that. He skins as much of the boar as he can to use the hide as a makeshift bag, filling it with meat and turning it into a portable parcel. When he's done, he heads back to the stream to wash his hands and the knife.]

Let's get out of here before something smells the blood. We'll stop and eat when we can.

[he promises! but now they have a bag o' meat to carry on top of their other supplies]

[fullcowl]

Right, that's- that sounds good.

[He'll hold out Law's tin for him to take as he rises and gets ready for another long walk.]

It'd be nice to have a bag for all this stuff, huh?

[hot_mes]

Yeah, wait until it can be washed off before you start doing that.

[look at them, already making their own supplies like real woodsmen. Thanks, boar-like beastie, you'll taste great and help them get even further toward their goal. Hell, once he has the freedom to use his power as much as he wants at any time, Law might even use it to turn the hide into a real bag, sewing it up with invisible stitches. Later, though.

Between the hot sun, the heavy burden, and the gnawing hunger, Law doesn't keep them moving for too long. The stream bends again in the wrong direction, so before they have to leave the water and strike out eastward again, they should stop and get a fire going.]

[fullcowl]

Right...

[Once they stop Izuku goes and pick out the tinder and branches to get the fire going before lighting it. He's glad he went on that camping trip, even if a lot of things went wrong...]

Do we need anything else?

[hot_mes]

[while he does that, Law cuts some of the meat and then deftly offers the knife handle-first to him]

Cut some green branches to use as skewers.

[this is real camping, Izuku! Roasting meat over the fire on sticks, quite literally. It'd be even better if they had something to balance all that meat, but survival means getting something, anything, into their bellies, not worrying about a balanced meal.]

[fullcowl]

Got it.

[There's definitely nothing like being on the run from people who want to recapture them and turn them back into slaves.

But he'll come back with some green branches, settling next to Law.]

[hot_mes]

[Meat go on stick, stick go over fire...there! Now they wait, because nobody wants to get sick from undercooked meat out in the middle of nowhere.

Even if they've been walking half the day and had a little hunting excitement, Law is looking a lot better than even when they woke up that morning. He's using his right arm more, though he occasionally rubs at the spot where the scar is now hidden underneath his sleeve, and despite the dark circles under his eyes (those never go away) he looks healthier and less wan. He looks down at Deku beside him, wondering what else there is to know about his tough kid.]

Once we reach the territory controlled by the empress. What do you want to do?

[fullcowl]

Me... um...

[He looks into the fire for a moment.

Deku didn't look that bad off before, but he looks a bit more like himself now that they've stopped running for their lives (well the running bit is over for the moment). Like this his slightly mangled right hand and the scars on each side of it are obvious, and the wound to his upper right arm is clear as day.]

I mean, I guess I wouldn't mind helping her. But... I'd like to help everybody who's still stuck in the Warlord's dungeons. Nobody deserves something like that. And joining her faction is probably the most straightforward way to help them.

What about you?

[hot_mes]

[he's noticed the scars, but even if they're recent, there's not a lot he can do as a doctor to erase them once they've scarred up.]

I hadn't thought about setting out to sea until yesterday, when I mentioned it. I have nothing against the empress herself, but there are other ways to go about winning her war besides just throwing soldiers onto the front line. [he's thinking aloud while he pokes at the fire, turning some of the boar-steaks] With a ship, there's a lot I could do. Maybe even rescue slaves.

[fullcowl]

[Izuku himself has already accepted them- if he goes over his 5%, two more times his arms will be permanently disabled.]

You think you could do that- rescue them?

Maybe we can ask her for a ship... Since we all have the same goal of defeating the Warlord, she might be willing to part with a ship. But that's assuming she has that many to work with...

[hot_mes]

Among other things. I know that the only way home is through one of these countries, and won't come until the war is over. So just sailing off into the distance isn't in my best interest, ending the war is. I'll do what needs to be done.

[he heard that 'we,' there. Law looks at Deku again]

Warming up to the idea of joining my crew?

[fullcowl]

[He did say we, didn't he?]

I don't know if I'm ready to be a pirate... But I think we work well together, and I think we could do a lot of good.