ic The Sick and the Serpentine (IC)

[Supercape]

GM

 

For all Dukes furious strength, and incredible size, he was still a man. And more pertinently, a man who had relied on strength to fight rather than skill. He was dull of wit, clearly, and no match for Kimo in either power or finesse. 

 

"Let go me!" he shouted, almost squealing. "You killed mama! You killed mama!" he cried, with actual tears rolling down his face. 

 

Billy Bob shrieked as the flames licked his face. That would hurt, and scar. But right now, he jumped into the waters nearby, full of green scum and disease, but unquestionably effective at quenching the flames. 

 

Captain Hammer was plowing through the swamp, shocked at the sight of the swamp beast. But he carried on, and gave a cruel smile as Billy Bob got burnt. He rubbed his metal stump, and something nasty entered his eyes. 

 

Rosa wept, not in cowardliness or fear, but pure sorrow, seeing her brother so changed. The blind beast seemed to be more inflamed by her tears and sobs, and swung clumsily around. "Is she dead? Is she dead?" it gibbered. 

[Kolohehonu]

"No one stay dead." Kimo said just loud enough to be heard but kept his tone comforting. "Now if you like for keep scrapping I can. I no like for fight. Let's all calm down so we can leave all of you alone." 

 

"And you," he looked at the brother. "I can help." Lono please let me be able to help. It might stretch his powers, but he had a few ideas as far as how he could help, but he couldn't do it with the Slaughterhouse cousins trying to kill them. 

 

"I no like for hurt nobody." Kimo declared. He hoped they would back down. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Wha...?" grunted Duke, his voice high pitched and infantile. Not used to someone stronger than him, the certainty of being firmly held, without being hurt, was paradoxically reassuring at some primitive level in his brain. He spared a glance at Vesper, seeing her breathing but hurt. 

 

"She no dead? You no kill?" he said, his brain slowly rotating around the concept, although his adrenaline was still slick in his sweat. 

 

"No more...please...! No more! I'm sorry!" said Rosa, crying, although she herself could not be sure what she was apologising for. She was in a storm of emotions, and guilt seemed to have the upper hand. Propelled by her heart, she jumped onto her brother, clutching him, despite the risk. 

 

"Nooo! Nooo! Get away!" grunted the deformed beast, as the vines that were his skin and substance grew and wrapped themselves over Rosa, who fell to the floor, encased in a cocoon of flora. 

 

"What the hell is going on here?" demanded Captain Hammer, afraid and angry. He was torn between helping Rosa and killing Bobby, and weaved as he stormed through the swamp towards them both...

 

Billy Bob gave a sardonic grin and pulled his machete out of the tree. "This thing gonna be eatin' our bones...." he muttered at all and sundry, almost resigned. 

 

[Kolohehonu]

"Duke." Kimo said levelly. "I like for let you go, let you try make sure your mom stay safe. You no like for scrap with me right?" If he gave an ok answer Kimo could let him go. 

 

"Eh Billy bob. No like for scrap with you either." At least not now. "I like for try help this guy. You like for scrap... I'll scrap." Kimo smiled. No natural charm here. Just an honest answer. He wasn't sure, but he felt like he could fix the brother, but it would take some time. Time he wouldn't have if this turned into a massive brawl. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

 

"There ain't no helpin' him" muttered Billy Bob, breathing ragged as he waded through the swamp. He had burns and bruises, and one could almost hear his broken rib. He was moving on will power and blood, gripping his Machete tightly. 

 

"That thing...it ate the flower. Nobody does that, not round these parts. Turns em into beasts" he explained, all the time forcing his way through water, mud, and pain. "Its taboo..."

 

Duke was a few atoms calmer. "It's trying to kill mama! we gotta stop it!" he yelled. "Let me go! I gotsta stop it! We gotsta kill it!" 

 

He struggled against Kimo's iron grip, imploring the young man to help him. 

 

"No! He's my brother!" said Rosa, from the ground, tied up in vines, struggling to get out of them...

[Kolohehonu]

Kimo sighed. Negotiations were out. 

 

"Eh brah I'm so sorry." He said. Ohana was important. Well time to try kill two birds with one stone. Or rather one man. He shifted his weight and turned. The change in momentum, fueled by the might of the volcano goddess sent the man flying. Kimo had taken aim and thrown him straight at his brother. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

Duke when straight into his brother, and the two of them embraced in a chaos of limbs. They tumbled through the mud and sludge, falling together a dozen feet away. 

 

"uhhh...Duke....stop the beast...." muttered Billy Bob, passing out. 

 

Rosa screamed as Duke picked himself up and grasped his brothers fallen Machete. 

 

"You try kill mama, I cut you up!" he said to everyone, although his pointed Machete fell last to Rosa's deformed brother. He was intent on hacking it to pieces. 

 

And the swamp beast was intent on...flailing about in a mania. This time, one of his thick stumpy arms wheeled into Kimo, and the young man could feel the vines spreading over him...

 

Captain Hammer, struggling with his duties and emotions, turned away, taking a few strides through the swamp and reaching out to pick up Dukes discarded Shotgun...

Edited May 1, 2017 by Supercape

[Kolohehonu]

Kimo held up his hands and leapt forward at Duke. 

"Eh Brah, no can let you kill nobody." He landed breathing hard. The vines had hurt when they smacked into him. Which was a surprise. Few things could really hurt him. He instead slammed his palm into Duke's face and aimed to grip it.

 

The last thing he needed was Captain Hammer trying to kill anyone. That or trying to use the shotgun with Rosa around. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

Duke shrugged off Kimo's hand, full of fury. "Billy Bob tol' me what to do. But me hurt you afterwards" he said in a more rumbling voice, glaring at Kimo. He swung his brothers Machere straight into the shoulder of the Swamp beast. 

 

Another mournful wail from the creature, this time oozing a green putrid sap. It did not smell pleasant, a kind of sickly, sweet smell...

 

Captain Hammer fired the shotgun at the creature, with a fizz. A misfire. Swearing, he shook it twice, and pumped it again. His aim was off though, with pellets whizzing overhead. He swore again. 

 

"Me hurt you too..." he shouted sarcastically at Duke, waving his metal stump. 

[Kolohehonu]

Kimo stepped behind Duke and aimed another blow straight into the kidney. Yeah he didn't need everyone killing one another. Which meant he had to put Duke out of the fight. 

 

As the blow connected he wrapped an arm under Duke's armpit and around the massive meaty neck. He set himself up for another throw, this time he'd let gravity do his dirty work. He continued to pull the raging brute away as hard and fast as he could. 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2017 by Kolohehonu

[Supercape]

GM

 

Duke seemed surprised that anybody could best him physically, and with good reason given his size and strength. He slithered to the left and right as Kimo dragged him through the mud, not quite understanding what was going on. 

 

"Whats happening? Whats happening?" he cried, with tears and fury. 

 

The swamp beast answered, in a rumbling, bubbling monologue, still oozing that sickly sweet sap. 

 

"I came...to be healed....the witch gave me the orchid...I did not die...but was changed....forever...." he moaned. "A blind beast forever tied...to this strange place....of mud and green...."

 

He battered his head in frustration. 

 

"Only the dead can pluck the orchid. The living...it changes...how I long for death....but from my body....a new orchid will flower....it is a terrible cycle of death...and life...." it moaned. 

 

"I cannot kill...myself....not unless I know the flower....I leave....will be burned too...."

 

He snorted, a kind of snarl. 

 

"The witch....I cannot touch....she made sure of....that....you must kill her...and then ME!!!!!"

[Kolohehonu]

"Eh I can help you!" Kimo shouted. "No one need for die today!" He had an idea to fix the young man. But he couldn't do it with Duke struggling. 

 

"I need for everybody stay calm. No one need for die." Gods protect. Kimo thought to himself. It was complicated that was for sure. But this was a test of the gods. Their champion needed to overcome this.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"That's easy for you to say...." say Rosa, keeping her nerve despite the situation. Not so easy, encased in sickly sweet vines that still slithered over her body. The sap coated her skin and clothes, leaving a slightly red inflammation. Mosquitos were already landing on her, attracted to the smell. 

 

"I don't know about you" said Captain Hammer. "But that murderer killed a woman. And left my maimed for the rest of my life" he complained, waving his shotgun. "And wrapped up in all...of...this..." he said vaguely, not quite comprehending what was going on. It looked like he didn't quite care, either. 

 

"This is too good for him. But I'm gonna do it anyway..." he said, walking over to the unconscious Billy Bob and cocking the shotgun.

 

"Nooo! Let me gooo!" screamed Duke, spying the imminent assassination. 

 

And all the while, the Swamp beast slithered towards the water, moaning bitter moans. 

[Kolohehonu]

"I said Stop." Kimo grunted and flung the only tool he had on hand to stop this massacre. Duke. With a quick shift of his weight he flung the mass of a man at Captain Hammer, hopefully the impact would knock both out of play. 

 

"Goddess of the unattainable beauty, Hina goddess of the moon lend me your charm." Kimo invoked now free of the grapple. He felt the charm flow in his voice as he addressed the swamp creature. "Come back."

[Supercape]

GM

 

It was extraordinary that a seven foot tall man of that build could be lifted, let alone thrown, and Captain Hammer could not believe his eyes, his jaw agape. His reflexes went to sleep, and Duke crashed into him. He was knocked a dozen feet through the swamp, churning up mud and algae, and cam to lie flat on his back, out stone cold. 

 

Duke sat on his large behind, wobbling and dazed. "Wubble wubble...." he muttered, his eyes pointing in different directions. His adrenaline could only take him so far. 

 

Behind him, Kimo could hear the swamp creature slink into the river proper, submerging in a slimy hiss of bubbles...

[Kolohehonu]

"Eh get back here!" Declared Kimo focusing his mind on the creature. He couldn't let it drown Rosa. He was worried about Duke, but well he definitely wasn't letting Rosa drown. He glanced over his shoulder at the dazed Duke. He could bend that mind too. 

 

"Stay down brah or I'll throw you again." Kimo declared at the brute. He felt bad about slamming him about, but for all the training in the art of war, he didn't want to kill. He honestly didn't want anyone to kill anyone. But the brother's words were ringing in his mind. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Duke beat your ass..." mumbled Duke, slowly getting up. He had a swelling black eye, and bruises peppered his body. He was missing a tooth. Was that new?

 

He took a foot forward, but covered in mud, standing on mud, and ears ringing, he slipped over and fell over again. He was breathing heavy now, his fury starting to cash in on his body. 

 

"How come you so strong? Duke is strongest" he said confused. "You hurt mama, you hurt Billy Bob. Don't make no sense. Nobody ever hurt Billy Bob. He was one that did the hurtin'" he mumbled, eyes still trying to focus. 

 

Rosa was clawing at the vines, and beginning to make a little progress as they slowed their writhing. "Kimo, please...catch my brother. He is sick...he doesn't know what she is saying!" she said firmly. To both Kimo and herself. 

[Kolohehonu]

"I am the Hand of Hunamoku, champion of the gods of old Hawaii, and master of the ancient Mana." Kimo declared in response to Duke. The magic of Hina was full and powerful in his voice. "You best stay down or I will make you stay down."

 

"Eh you let your sister go!" He shouted at the swamp monster. "You no like for hurt her!" He felt exhausted from stretching his will so far. His mind was racing in order to find some way to save everyone or at least as many as he could. He wasn't sure if he could use Lono's power to cleanse the boy's mind, but he had the growing concern that this would still end in blood. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

Kimo could feel the slippery and wet mind of the Swamp thing. Somehow, he could sense the mark of a tortured soul. It was not even a human mind, at least, any more. A thing of rot and algae. 

 

Slowly, the creature surfaced from the shallow water, still dark green and writhing. It was silent now, with no moaning, a slave to the power of Hina. 

 

Rosa tore off the last of the vines, which had all but ceased their slithering. 

 

"Thankyou! Oh thankyou!" she breathed at Kimo. "I am sure we can do something. Treat him, reverse the effects of the flower. Exorcism, even....something has to work!"

[Kolohehonu]

"Eh I get one thing I can try." Kimo said before laying his hands on the swamp creature. "God of the wild medicines, Lono god of the wild lend me your healing." 

 

Kimo stretched his mind. He felt the power of Lono fill him. A connection he hadn't felt in a while. The might of the god of the wild filled him. It was plants and medicine, Lono's power flowed fully over him. He felt the mind uncloud under waves of divine power. Quiet went through him. 

 

"Eh brah how you feel?" Kimo asked dropping to a knee. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

the Swamp thing shuddered, its vines wilting and stilling. 

 

"I feel....hurts...." it muttered. Its voice was ponderous, thoughtful, and hurt - and spoke through the strange vines and algae that comprised the creatures vocal cords - or what passed for them, anyway. 

 

"Roberto!" cried Rosa, crying. She dropped to her knees and clasped her hand to the crucifix around her neck. 

 

"Rosa...I am sorry...so sorry....I tried...to live...despite dying....And look where it got me..." he said dejectedly. 

 

"But you are alive!" she whispered through tears. 

 

"Alive, yes...how I wish I was not! In this decaying body, worse than I was before...the flower is growing inside me...and will kill me anyway...with some poor fool to pluck it and repeat the cycle...or some sorcerer to garner it from dead hands to use for even worse purposes...." he groaned. 

 

"Please...the cycle must end...I must die, and be burned....for the sake of others..."

 

Rosa cried and pleaded with him. "No! We can cure this...this...whatever this is!"

 

Roberto turned to Kimo, blind but aware. "You....you can do this? My sister cannot....and we have a pyre already..." he said, indicating the blazing Lemurian shrine. 

[Kolohehonu]

"I can try." Kimo managed reaching out again. He felt the power of Lono move through him again. He laid his hands on the vines. He felt the power move and flow through him. It was a totally different almost alien thing. He poured as much power into it as he could. 

 

Gods protect. He wanted under no condition to let the young man die. He also didn't want this wretched unhallowed flower to find a new master. It might be necessary for the boy to burn, but he didn't want it to come to that. Come on Lono one more?

[Supercape]

GM

 

There was a faintest sensation of presence. A sense, a message, to Kimo. This is why you came. This is why we sent you...

 

Kimo became a conduit to the will of the Gods. And yet something struggled against it. Ancient Gods, more terrible, more sick, more serpentine. Cold and callous, they had faded from the world but here, they lingered. 

 

Roberto was like stone, unmoving as if frozen in space and time. Rosa was paralysed with the tension, only falling tears differentiating her from her younger brother. 

 

Then, a spasm, and the sickly sweet smell stewed in the air. And faded. 

 

"I can feel it...gone...for now!" siad Roberto, falling to his hands and knees. 

 

"But then...what of me...I am tied to this place by forces I neither understand nor embrace, but they press on me nonethless...and whilst the orchid has gone...I remain, no longer of bone and sinew, no longer human. I am not Roberto, but an echo" he said to weeping Rosa. 

 

"What am I to do?"

[Kolohehonu]

"Eh brah there stay things far stranger and more dangerous." Kimo says. "You seem like you can manage to protect the things here." 

 

"And yeah brah for now you stay alive." Kimo said. He wasn't sure. He wasn't sure how long this power would stall the orchid. "Eh all us have a time for our dance to end. But not today, today you and your sister are together." Kimo smiled. 

 

"Eh now what to do with these three." Kimo said looking over Vesper, Duke, and Billy bob. "Goddess of the dance, Laka goddess of the hula lend me your agility." Kimo said feeling his body change again and the world seemed to slow. In the blink of an eye he switched into his Kid Kamehameha costume. "These guys did all kine illegal stuff. Just gotta bring them in."

[Supercape]

GM

 

Roberto thumped his heavy green fists into the swamp mud in frustration. He moaned and groaned. "Curse this life, I wish it would end, so bleak its nature. But I have a duty, and in that duty, at least a meaning...."

 

Rosa was openly weeping, and embraced the thing that had been her brother. 

 

"You make me proud. Sad, but proud. I love you..."

 

Roberto did not answer, but turned, and with a shudder, threw himself into the fetid waters, swimming away. 

 

"Its...our word against theres, isn't it?" shuddered Rosa. "I have a feeling Billy Bob and Duke have a long history with the law. Let us hope Vesper does too...and I hope our Captain will back us up..." she mumbled, trying to process it all whilst wiping away tears. 

 

"But are you sure bringing them in will mean locking them away?" she asked.