Runic Expiramentation

Shinra was... well she was beaten pretty badly. She wasn't exactly heavily injured, but she felt like the human made a fool of her. She wasn;'t moving well, her own evasion and shifts slower than she would have liked, and her attacks were missing at every attempt. Even her dash attacks were missing... somehow.

Her attacks were deflected and avoided at every turn, just for a solid knee to slam into her gut from beneath, knocking the wind from Shinra's lungs and sending her tumbling to the floor. For a brief moment a roar or dull rage screamed through the Yokai's mind before it went silent. The two observers would have heard nothing other than a short growl before she forced her emotions under control. If she didn't, she was prone to evolve on pure raw rage, which could never end well. She needed to keep it in... if she revealed her true strength too early, she would be hunted, by both exorcists and Dumuzid.

She took long slow breaths, and turned to stare at Vindictus. Her telepathy rang out after a moment. "Good match, human. (She said before Saiya just up and left) and... Runic upgrades? Explain yourself before I reply."
(Shinra)


[12:15:31] He looked at the tailed Yokai. He smiled at him with a big sinister grin. His occultic miasma becoming palpable. He opened his notebook and showed him a few simple designs he had formulated "They are a mix of occultic, the usual sorts, and the usual runic language. I have extensive study on the lower forms of your kind.” He gave a snicker. He knew that he would look down on him, especially considering his age.

He looked from side to side, before he opened his mouth again, “It should increase your magical potency as well as bring out more of your… latent power. As well as fortify you against any tampering on a spiritual level.” He snapped the book closed. “Of course… most of the plans are in my head. Not on the paper, but you understand the gist, do you not?”

The yokai had a softness to its voice. An oddity amongst its kind. It was also quite graceful, he cared to study it as well as to study the runes he was placing on it.
(Vindictus)


[12:22:20] Shinra frowned a little, flicking her tails around some, eyeing the man over. The deal SOUNDED good.... but could she trust him? She severely doubted it. A graceful voice and a sweet deal were the tools she used to trick others into helping her too... but at the same time, being able to increase her abilities and resist control? That would be.... favorable for her plans regarding the Imperfect Dumuzid.

"How many Runes are you seeking to inscribe? And what is required for them?" she asked in turn, eyeing the man over. She had seen Runes before.... Noctis had been seeking Mornegale runes for his body, although whether he was successful or not Shinra didn't know.

"And I understand fully well."
(Shinra)


[12:27:28] He looked at her. A smug grin on his face. He walked over to a bench and placed down his pack. He removed some tools, "Only those Runes you would allow, your grace." He chuckled as he said it. He knew that his runes worked. To a capacity. He needed to test them on someone who could actually utilize them. And not on himself, how the hell was he supposed to carve them on himself without any machinery? He was the only one he knew with a steady enough hand for this.

"It should not be painful, the scapel and the fire cut well enough that you should not even feel it. But you should feel the power, that is." He smiled fully, as he halfshifted, catching some of the tools with his tail. She would full that his Occultic power was well higher than those his age should possess. But there was another thing. Something that would definitely defy comprehension.

Was that... depravity?Shinra wasn't too surprised the one willing to carve occultic runes into her body was a depraved Occultist. Especially considering he was asking to help a Yokai. "Do not try to flatter me. I manipulate people on a daily basis. However, your offer has definitely peaked my interest. You can consider me in." she states, flaring her tails outwards. "However, I know very well that these Runes tend to be... noticeable. I would want them on the underside of my tails, something I can hide with ease."

She flicked a tail forwards as if to show exactly where, using her paw to gesture along the underside of the tail's tip, where the fur from lower down easily covered the area.
(Shinra)


[12:42:49] "Interesting..." He took a look about the tails, It was a Yokai, but he did still have the common decency to ask. It wasn't a beast anymore, "You don't mind if I touch, correct?" He looked at the patterns going about the tails. Almost all semicircles, and spiral patterns, "They have a tendency to glow, as all mana does, but I observed the fight correctly, if I were to place them, strategically along the patterns of the fur, it should like a natural glow along those mana circuits."

He looked a t the yokai Cheerily, "Aw yes, manipulation is what your kind supposedly does best correct? But hear me now, there is no manipulation. I care only to help you as I can. Your success... is in line with my goals. Besides the obvious testing of these things, of course." He looked back at the creature. He removed his notebook, and began taking notes on the movements, the patterning, and of course mana circuits.

What he would pay to have one of Stella's lenses right now. Would make this process so much easier, but alas, it had to be done almost manually, "Anything in specific you care for, other than the fact that they be hidden and what I have offered before in terms of spiritual and magical potency?"
(Vindictus)


[12:50:30] The female Yokai tapped her paw a bit, lowering them to the floor. For once, someone asked before touching. Thank god. "You may touch them. And yes, placing them along the blue fur would be smart. However, I can not guarenteed those will still be there when I evolve..." she said calmly. She could keep them hidden either way, with the abilities she was starting to unveil.

"I would very much enjoy a boost to my speed... but I will take what I can get. If the first few are successful, I would be interested in getting many runes. One on each of my Tails." she stated. Her tails were, in a sense, her occultic channels. It was where her magic primarily gathered and was usually released from.
(Shinra)


[12:57:20] He looked, "If the mana circuits run along with the tail patterns... as I see here... then you should be fine when you evolve. Theoretically of course, all Yokai have thier own evolutionary quirks, but I don't think you'd exactly care for a lecture on that as of now, correct?" He moved about as he gathered his tools.

"Now then... I'm going to start with some basic runes. You should see some increase in your occult power when they are inscribed and charged. Charging them will recquire either some sacrifices, or simply charging them manually with our mana." He whistled as he removed the scapel, many runes utilized multiple circles within one another, and it needed a power source to draw from, these central runes, large and semicircular, some placed side by side into circles proper, would be the foundation of all future runes to come.

"As I said, almost painless, if I could get lessers to sit still during it, im assured that it works. And this rune should be the safest." He opened his mouth showing his pseudotongue, "I put one on meself." He closed his mouth as he grabbed a chair and moved around, "Permission to start. All you'll feel is a tiny prick on first cut."
(Vindictus)


[13:09:16] Shinra rolled her eyes. She of all people didn’t need a lecture on the evolution of Yokai. She had witnessed AND undergone it a number of times. She thought the idea of needing a lecture was a bit insulting, but not the time for that. She set the first of many tails down, holding it still. "Just go ahead and start. I will handle collecting sacrifices..." she says, closing her eyes to focus on something else.

She was hardly even paying attention to the man in front of her, who was about to start a procedure on her body. She didn't really worry that he would turn on her or something of the sort. She 'trusted' him in a sense. They were both twisted occultists after all... Plus, she could run really fast.
(Shinra)


[13:15:15] He gave a faint whistle, then there would be a prick, a little warmth, and that would be all that was felt. He worked quickly, placing the simple rune on each of the tails once. "That's the primer. Increased potency through simple demarcation along the mana circuit, a kind of transformer. And from that, we can become... more complex." He smiled as he looked. They seemed to glow faintly, when he moved the fur aside. Good, they worked on more complex non-humanoid life. Perfect.

"As of now... It is quite simple. I don't exactly want to move on with adding more, before the foundation is charged." He sighed. "My procedure was much more painful... forcing a carved rune into my own mouth is never pleasant." He chuckled.

"Of course... I want to maintain a look of naturality as you asked..." He began making sketches of the paterns, refering to his different journals for the patterns, "So I'll have to position each carefully." He laughed as his energy began to swell, he was already getting good data...
(Vindictus)



[13:24:38] the She-Yokai was not nearly as talkative as the man who was inscribing her tail with the runes. Instead she was focused intently on using her natural telepathy and Yokai Mind Control. There was a brief twitch in her other tails at the beginning, but the tail under the knife never moved an inch, still as if it was no longer a part of her.

Slowly but surely Shinra began to exercise her control over other Yokai, dragging them towards the cave, and soon enough they began to enter. "I will be controlling these Yokai directly. Do not kill them." she states, showing little to no other reactions to anything else the man said.

She wasn't ignoring him, but she did not have the focus to spare on chit chat while they worked. When the man was finished however, she opened her eyes. Standing nearby there were three Yokai. Two megas and a Terra. "This Mega has the most raw power. Then the other and finally The Terra. I could bring more if needed." she stated.

"I felt their occult mana would be the most fitting. And a good meal afterwards."
(Shinra)


[13:34:01] He wasn't talkative for no reason. It helped give himself something to think about other than the fact that he was carving runes. He didn't want o fuck up such a golden opportunity to himself. "That seems simple enough. A nice good sacrifices towards powering the runes. More are always helpful, although, the way you bring these lambs to the slaughter is extremely fascinating in its own right. One day, I'd hope to study your telepathy and how it works. But for now, the sacrifices, are what are needed."

He took the creatures, impaling them with a dagger and siphoning its energy with occultic power, charging the rune as his crimson eyes pulsed with energy, transfering its power to the rune, as the mega screeched in pain. He then turned and did the same to the Tera, a terribly malicious and horrible grin on his face.

Thier husks, dried and already becoming wasted, peeling away "That's simple. Next targets." He began laughing like a hyena. He was ecstatic at his current position.
(Vindictus)


[13:37:26] Shinra sighed softly. The Yokai definitely got finnecky and panicked as each one was slaughtered one at a time, but they appeared completely unable to run away. Their legs were as if they were stone, stuck in place and heavier than an anchor. "It is not just telepathy. I am bearing down on them with complete control. I impose my will over those lesser to me. That is the way Yokai are." she says calmly,

"How many do you need? Mega and Terra Yokai are not very common in this area. Lessers are more easy to come upon and in large numbers." she states, as Lessers began to fill the cave instead of Mega and Terra Yokai. They would have to travel far north for beasts such as those.
(Shinra)


[13:40:51] As she spoke, or rather, communicated with him, he took notes. He would derive the secrets of this too. "Four more runes to charge. Four more of those things to siphon from. Or if you can bring enough lessers to make up one of those." It was a simple enough question and a simple enough answer.

He gave another sneer, "Thank you Vin! You're so kind to be helping!" He laughed out, "Kidding! You're helping me at least as much as I am for you my new compatriot."
(Vindictus)


[13:44:16] Shinra frowned slightly at that sneer, eyeing the man as she laid down her other tails. Whichever he needed to inscribe on, she didn't care. More lessers would start to enter the area. If one was to gauge a Lessers power, she supposed it would be about 2 average Lessers to match a low end Mega... three if you wanted it to be at least mid tier. Therefore she summoned up 12 Lesser Yokai from the surrounding forest, forcing them to crouch down and cover their eyes so they could see nothing of what was happening.

"These are equal to four Mega Yokai. It will have to do. If you need more, I can expend my own mana to complete it, and regenerate it from elsewhere." she continues, opening her eyes fully to now watch the carving process.
(Shinra)


[13:47:40] "No need! That should do!" He siphoned the might from the creatures one by one, thier cries of agony and displeasure were music to his ears. He laughed softly while he did it. He was taking this laughter to a whole new level, he just couldn't stop.

He looked at the yokai, as they were charged, then removed his notebook, "Could you please make a few movements, exersions of mana through spells of any kind? Tell me what you feel, any discomfort, noticable differences, etc. I need to correct any kinks early, before you body wholly incorperates them."
(Vindictus)
[13:57:04] Shinra shrugged. "Sure." she says, lifting her tails up and swinging them around as usual. She wasn't sure what to expect, but the routine she carried out was standard, assuming nothing stopped her through it.

Lifting her tails up, she encased them with an Occultic Flame, and fired off a Torment bolt into the wall, followed by a Shadow Orb, and a Darkness shield. Basic spells that required at least a little oomph behind them, and a decent amount of mana.

She wasn;t sure if the spells would function as expected or not, but she supposed that was the purpose of testing them, as well as slaying so many lesser Yokai.
(Shinra)



[14:02:11] He smiled as he took notes. They worked to perfection. "Extrordinary... they worked, they sxceed my base expectations. Although that may just be that your occultic affinity makes them more potent. Regardless... they should be quite empowering, at least to an extent you should feel, yes?"

The destruction was a work of art on its own, soon, he'd apply those more unstable and much more difficult runes and see how they fared. Those which bound and defended the soul itself. Those that safeguarded the life force and the mana source itself.
(Vindictus)


[14:07:18] Shinra nodded some, rather shocked at the bursts of power flowing outwards from her spells. Since when did Torment make a hole that big in stone? And Shadow Ball just caved in a small section of the wall! Her Darkness Shield was a nearly solid wall of darkness around her form. It was... invigorating! Not unlike the rushing sensation of evolution.

"This is,,, amazing! So much more power! What other Runes do you have to inscribe?" she asked, rolling out her other 4 tails and returning the already inscribed runes to flowing behind her. She knew these were probably.. less tested, having not been inscribed onto the man before inscribing them on her.

"And do you need more sacrifices?"
(Shinra)



[14:14:59] "So very willing aren't we now? Well, I hope to add the basic design to all the others, but I care to give you the spiritual defence you would need so that you never end up like those other poor fools you just finished slaughtering. Incapable of divining the movements of your own soul. But... that would need sacrifices of more than just Yokai."

He went over to the tails, taking a few more notes and reading that he needed, they were radiating and he needed to see that they wouldn't cause any issues. "But, I can add additional power and capacity, that should be easy enough with what you provide me. There will come a time where these upgrades, if you care for them to increase in potency, necessitate stronger magi to draw from. Unless you have any relics lying around."
(Vindictus)



[14:23:31] Shinra nodded some, and chuckles. "Of course I am willing. These are quite powerful... and I would benefit hugely from being immune to mind control.... Although soon the only one who can control me will be Lord Dumuzid himself." she chuckles. she had to close her eyes again, focusing magic through her newly created runes to extend her control a bit further, focusing heavily.

Slowly but surely she drew in more Lessers. It took much longer this time, drawing in more of them from the surrounding area. It would take almost a few weeks for Lessers to repopulate the area around the cave entrance after she robbed nearly 30 of them from the forest. Another 12 marched into the cave, one after the other, like lambs to slaughter.

"Go ahead and inscribe them. We can get better sacrifices at a later date."
(Shinra)



[14:29:29] He smiled. He looked at her as he sat down again, adding the circles. He would whistle as he carved the additional circles intricately, "It would be nice not to have Dumuzid all up in your mind, now wouldn't it?" He continued carving the circles, and semi[-]cirlces, along with it he would inscribe some minor runes that should add some ability of mobility as she had wanted. Would be a shame to make these other sacrifices go to waste!

He took them, sacrificing them once again, draining them of all energy and life as he cackled. "Soon, I'll be putting some of these runes on myself... if I can find someone with a steady enough hand that is."
(Vindictus)


[14:40:35] Zack had spent enough time in the forest to take himself straight to the Ookami den, he didn't know if the lead that kid gave him would be very true but it was better than looking for a needle in a haystack. Sure enough though he saw a number of lesser yokai heading into the cave. It would tick him off if she made herself so hard to find just so she could feast in private.

He waited until all the yokai were inside the cave-he didn't want to waste any mana on them, before walking into the cave, honestly he hadn't actually explored this part of the woods, but it was slightly nicer than he anticipated..

"Hey Shinra, you in here?" His voice would call out, searching through the cave.

Of course a giant fox yokai and- surprisingly, the one kid he met in the desert, performing runewriting rituals weren't that hard to spot. Looks as if the kid wasn't mute as he suspected, as he heard him talking. He hadn't seen runes in a while, albeit he knew it wasn't a very common magic, he had only seen it used once- by the faceless Ookami spirit.

"Well atleast you weren't doing boring like eating in here..." He would mumble in a low voice before his voice rising to be heard, "Sorry to interrupt on your.. Runes, but I got something I need to discuss with you." He said, before finally acknowledging the prescence of the person actually writing the runes, "Hey there again." He would simply say, obviously he wanted to pay more attention to Shinra, as he had something important to talk about with the yokai.
(Zack Eden)


[14:47:24] Shinra just nodded some, shifting her tails side to side with the newly inscribed runes. They were far from complete, and of course, they weren't enough to make a major difference yet... but that is why she needed to gather more beings to sacrifice... stronger beings.

She turned to look at Zack as he entered now, lifting her tails up and shifting them around. The new runes swiftly vanished under a veil of magic, and she brushed her fur over to cover them up. She didn't mind that Zack had seen, but it was good to cover them up anyway.

"Greetings, Zack. You need to speak to me? We were just finishing up anyway." she says, standing now. She connected her mind to Vin's for a moment, speaking to him and him alone. "I shall work on procuring some more... powerful, sacrifices. I will find you when I have them." she told him before stepping forwards towards Zack, ready to listen to what he had to say.
(Shinra)