[ It's been a while since M'ahina last sought a hunting mark, not so much from lack of desire, but a simple lack of time. The truth was, she hadn't so much as checked the boards in a while, but this particular mark was a bit... different. Both in notoriety, and the fact that she did not seem to remember taking this particular bill from the board before finding it lodged into the bottom her bag. It was possible that she did indeed shove it in there and forget--her travel bag is an absolute disaster on the inside--but she could not help but feel she would have remembered seeing a bounty this high. Though the fact that it was so high rather caught her attention. She cared little for the prospect of the gil in and of itself, but it sounded... interesting. Maybe even exciting.
So it was that she found herself making her way to the designated location, to wait with the others who had the monster in their sights. Power in numbers, as such affairs usually went. Many kept to themselves, but she wasn't like that; she liked to know the names and the faces of the people she was working with. Who knew where she could find a friend, or even a potential ally?
And so, she's been making her away around to systematically introduce herself to everyone she can before they head out. Mercury is no exception. ]
Hello there! I don't believe we've the had the pleasure?
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It certainly helps that this mark has an extraordinarily high payout. He assumes it's much more dangerous than advertised, and that no small number of the adventurers on hand will inadvertently mess up and die trying to cash in on it. Maybe he could find a way to get their pay, too, if he ends up having to work harder because they screw up.
But there's one adventurer making the rounds who likely won't kick it, from her reputation. The infamous Warrior of Light herself was taking the field on this venture. It wasn't uncommon that she ended up on the hit list of some underground criminal looking to get the world's largest thorn in the side out of their way, but Mercury wasn't so stupid as to take a job like that without any recon first. Amateurs go at their marks blind - you win by knowing your enemy before they even realize they're your enemy.
So it must truly, honestly be a coincidence that she happened to end up with the flyer for this bountry. He certainly wasn't planning to use this as an opportunity to gauge her firsthand.
He's in the middle of some basic stretches when she approaches him, and he turns to glance her way with an air of indifference. ]
Can't really say it's a pleasure just yet, can we?
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Indeed. Not yet. [ She gives a wry smile. They'll have to see how this turns out first, though she can't say that she's terribly concerned. Then again, she never is, and she is not always correct not to worry. She shrugs, and continues undaunted. ] M'ahina. You are?
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But he does, eventually answer. ]
Mercury.
[ He looks around briefly before looking back to her again. ]
You seem to be taking this whole thing pretty lightly, if you've got time to chat it up with everyone.
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[ Just a joke--she's not that bad. ... Usually. But more the actual point, ]
Worry not, I can be serious when it counts. Besides, none here would be sanctioned if they weren't at least moderately capable.
[ They've all proven themselves with smaller marks, and she isn't going to behave frivolously when it comes down to life and death. ]
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[ A shrug, as he bends forward to stretch his back, then his thighs. There's no need to stretch his calves, what with him not having any. ]
But I guess whoever posted the job figures that if you throw enough bodies at a problem, eventually some of them will solve it.
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[ For this sort of job, at least. But the more the merrier, as she's concerned. Who doesn't enjoy a bit of friendly competition with a side of potentially getting maimed to death? ... Among other things. They all have reasons to be here, in any case. ]
I'll try not to get in the way.
[ Not that she's concerned about it. Far from it. But actions speak louder, as it were, and she doesn't feel she has anything to prove. He'll see if she can be judged more than moderately capable soon enough. ]
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[ If even half the stories were true, she could perhaps fell the beast herself. But then again, those stories often told of her leading groups as opposed to tackling every threat alone. ]
But don't worry. I'm sure this will be another fine notch in your belt.
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[ She's cut off. Someone among their ranks is feeling a tad overeager and charges in before it's time; a handful of others follow in confused panic. They're rewarded by the target puffing up--to spew some kind of vile (and putrid) stomach acid at them. They all drop like flies before anyone has much chance to react. ]
Oh. That's.... fun. [ She shoots Mercury a glance. ] I suppose that's our cue?
sorry for the tag lag, work has been A Thing this week
He straightens up, returning the glance from M'ahina with the smallest hint of a grin. ]
Showtime.
[ And he's... off. He's fast, for sure, taking off as if there were explosions under his feet to blast towards the beast. He changes course, though, circling around to its side while another wave of tankier adventurers approach it head-on, and with a jump that would make a dragoon go "hmm, not bad" he rockets up to smash his knee into its face.
It certainly isn't enough to fell it in one shot - he didn't expect it to - but the monster is at least stunned for the moment. ]
no worries! also I have no fuckin idea how to write this fighting style so this will be an adventure
She waits to see if those in heavier armor can manage to lure the creature's attention or if she'll need to intervene to pull it away from the fallen, but thankfully, those remaining seem to have a modicum more sense than those who took the initial charge. That is well, because her first inclination is to draw not a weapon, but a harp. She strums a few lines of an old melody, imbued with aether and the memories contained in her soul stone. It provides a tangible morale boost; the adventurers around them who are managing to make clean hits seem to be getting a little more out of them.
She draws her bow shortly after, loosing a single arrow that straight through the heart of the all chaos, somehow just missing the many combatants and striking their foe in the neck with perfect precision. And more importantly, poison. It's followed by a second, this one imbued with enough wind to burn. They're far from enough to fell the creature, but they're certainly enough to distract it; they're the kind of wounds that erode over time. Rather than ending this quickly, it would seem she's in it for the long haul. ]