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[formidable]

MUSELIST This a post where I'll RP anything with you! Got a scenario in mind? I'LL DO IT. If you wanna chat IDEAS.GIF, contact me at maiscribbles or my Discord (Maiscribbles#6780). Have at it! ➢ Cool Mood Music No. 1 ➤ Cool Mood Music No. 2

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[supersoldier]

[Well, seems to be the last cask they will have to deal with, if the way forward means anything -- a large room with no more winding corridors, which is honestly suspicious in its own right.

But Sephiroth steps forward without any sort of hesitation. By now, the routine is simple enough; grab the ladle, remove the top, skim some off from the top of the liquid's surface, and take a drink.

He does so, not allowing her a chance to join. It burns on the way down.]

Last one. [He says, frowning, ignoring the humid air that surrounds them. He assumes they'll find out why that is soon enough.]

[emotive]

[The second Sephiroth finishes the wine the sound of drums begin to fill the room and the alcoholic fog begins to thicken in the room to the point where they can't see in front of them and Ai can barely make out her maze companion.]

Ah!

[Ai realizes that they're being separated and in her less-than-sober state, that only spells danger. The drumming beat reverberates throughout the room and a low sound between a moan and a growl penetrates the fog which signals the further danger they're both going to be in.]

[supersoldier]

[Immediately, Sephiroth is brandishing his sword, falling into a defensive stance with his weight pushed to the balls of his boots. His eyes narrow, trying to pierce through the haze, but even his vision is obscured with the endless humidity, this opaque thickness.]

Ai?

[He’s lost track of her, too, but for all he knows, she could still be near.]

[emotive]

[Ai audibly gulps and grips the handle of her lantern tightly. Her head is spinning and her vision is hazy, multiplied by the fog. She squeezes her eyes shut trying to think, trying to focus. They're not alone in this room, they haven't faced any monsters up until now... Where was that moaning coming from?

Her physical senses may be dulled, but her innate sixth sense... She's hearing and sensing something...]

Sephiroth! Above you!

[In the ceiling there's the sound of feet and hands crawling its way quickly over to where the SOLDIER is. Ai on her part tries to hone in on where he is and to the best of her ability, judge where she should stand so he can get the monster before it can get them.]

[supersoldier]

[Ai’s warning is all he needs.

It centers his focus above, sharp and direct, and the SOLDIER becomes cognizant of the scuttling noises overhead. He, too, can judge the generalized area of where the threat might be, and far be it for him to hesitate.

So he doesn’t. He leaps up — high, too high for a normal human — and takes action, slicing Masamune in a wide horizontal sweep to catch any monster above in its silver arc.]

[emotive]

[Whatever is up in the ceiling drops to the floor in front of Sephiroth. It had dodged, but not completely. This was a courtesan doll wearing slightly different robes from its other counterparts and instead of weapons, it holds several sake dishes in each of its hands that slosh with the liquid.

The haze noticeably thins around them after Sephiroth damages the doll, but it quickly gets back up and with its spider-like movements it consumes more sake rice wine and jerking its neck to screech at the man. From its mouth is smoke; well, we know where the fog was coming from now.

Ai was thankfully able to catch a glimpse of the sake wielding doll and its drinking vessels before both it and Sephiroth disappear from her sight. She calls over to him after coughing from the newly revived fog.]

I-I'll disarm it from here! You can take it on, right?

[supersoldier]

[The miss is disappointing, but Sephiroth is quick to realign himself on his feet, landing back on the ground and utterly unfazed by the new doll’s appearance. Smoke emanates from its mouth after a drink, all of which he notes with cold precision.

His reply to her is short and curt, readying Masamune and falling into stance again. His eyes narrow.]

Do it.

[emotive]

[Ai takes a few steps back before harnessing her energy and concentrating on the monster's drinking vessels and forcing them out of its hands. They fly and hover around the esper girl to shield her as the doll turns its attention on her. The doll has its head twist at a 180 turn and subjecting Ai to its predatory gaze and letting out a shriek that shakes the entire chamber.

The limbs of the doll stretch out in an attempt to grab Ai who can only direct the sake dishes to knock a few away before ducking to the floor and rolling out of the way.]

NOW!

[supersoldier]

[The screech is enough to rattle even his eardrums, but Sephiroth is trained, ever ready, hardly shaken. He’s prepared for a distraction, and Ai gives it well — and so, with an opening presented to him, he slashes at the monster—

Once, twice, three times. More, faster than the eye can track, for a grand total of eight cuts across its form.]

[emotive]

[The doll never saw it coming. It stops midway in front of Ai and within seconds, cuts and cracks appear on its visage. Consequently, it crumbles and falls into pieces scattering everywhere on the floor.

Around them, the alcoholic fog finally fades leaving the air around them clear enough to breathe. Ai, still red from all the drinking takes a deep breath before shakily standing up.]

O-Okay. Guess we know where all the fog was coming from then... I think that means we can exit now at least?

[supersoldier]

[He's silent at first, watching the doll to pieces, watching it scatter across the ground -- thrown by the momentum, clattered like a discarded toy. Frowning, Sephiroth straightens, pulling Masamune behind his shoulder again at a resting position.

The threat, for now, is vanquished.

The fog dissipates.]

Do you think that's the last of them?

[And he nears Ai.] You're uninjured?

[emotive]

I'm-... Hiccup!

... Not hurt. [She nervously chuckles as if she can't believe her luck.] Good thing my powers still work even after all that drinking.

[Now that the fog has cleared up, her face is lightening up and Ai is starting to feel more clearheaded.]

The fog's gone too! That's progress... I hope that means the next door is available to us.