Mercy’s Beast Brawl

April 13, 2026

Date: 2026-04-12 21:03

(Mercy’s Beast Brawl)

[Sun Apr 12 2026]

Between Ancient Bones in the Field/span
The field stretches wide beneath the open sky, its grass growing in uneven
patches between massive skeletal remains that jut from the earth like ancient
monuments. Enormous rib cages, some reaching twenty feet in height, create
natural archways across the landscape, their weathered bone surfaces pocked
and grooved by centuries of exposure. Mammoth tusks, yellowed and cracked,
curve upward from the soil at irregular intervals, while scattered vertebrae
the size of wagon wheels lie half-buried in the loam. The grass grows
thickest where the bones provide shelter from the wind, creating small
meadows of wildflowers and clover in the shadows of colossal skulls. Femurs
as thick as tree trunks rest at odd angles, some standing nearly vertical
where the earth has shifted over millennia. The pathways between these
ossified remains wind naturally, following the contours where rainwater has
carved channels around the denser bone deposits. Here and there, fragments of
creatures less easily identified emerge from the ground – spiral shells
larger than carriage wheels, segmented plates that might have been armor, and
peculiar formations that suggest anatomies unknown to modern science./span
It is night, about 40F(4C) degrees, and the sky is covered by dark grey stormclouds. The mist is heaviest At Birch and Lynch/span
There is a waning crescent moon.

Mercy gasps softly at Sofia and touches a few fingers to her decolletage. “Bum fight?! How dare you, this at least a couple steps above a hobo brawl. But honestly, not many; was jus’ an overdue fight I figured we’d make into a thing just cause.”

Snapping out of his reverie, prone to wandering thoughts or bouts of not-quite-sanity, perhaps, Edward pulls his attention back over to Sofia and Dovie, and then to Mercy by proxy. “Ed, yeah. Eddie, Edward, whatever — whole laundry list of nicknames and go-bys and what-the-fucks. ‘Asshole’ is pretty popular.” Perhaps prone to a ramble, too.

A couple bobbling nods aside to Mercy after and figures, “Whoever shows up, sure. And if you want some, take some. Ain’t like I paid for it.”

Contrariwise to Mercy, Edward snags a bottle for himself on his next pass by.

“Dovie,” Dovie tells someone, “It’s Dovie!”

“Dovie,” Dovie tells Mercy, “It’s Dovie!”

Sofia squints at her choice of words, gesturing around the boneyard, then gives Edward a nod of assent and shuffles over to the pile of booze to pick something out.

“Waffle House was a strong contender,” Edward figures between slugs.

Mercy flashes Sofia a toothy grin. “M’all about that theatric flair. An’ uh, you know, didn’t wanna deal with more property damage incidents on my rap sheet..”

At Dovie’s outburst Mercy does her best to look taken aback, confused, genuinely. “It is?!”

Dovie seems to not pick up on the sarcasm, “Yes, it’s Dovie. You may have misheard incorrectly in the past.”

“A naturally forming combat arena,” Sofia figures to Edward, before telling Mercy, “Waffle house does build it into the budget.” As her gaze lingers by the Anupharian wine, she sighs and crosses her arms. “Last time I drank from a bottle of this there was a roofie in it. And it wasn’t intended for me.”

“People got no class,” Edward grouses at someone’ words, continuing to wander and stretch out his arms, his hams. “What a fuckin’ waste.”

“People got no class,” Edward grouses at Sofia’s words, continuing to wander and stretch out his arms, his hams. “What a fuckin’ waste.”

Mercy hmphs at all the mentions of Waffle House on principle. “Ain’ wanna like give that place more street cred, so we disrespectin’ the dead instead.”

Edward shucks the strap of the bag tucked behind his cloak and hucks it aside, lightening his load fairly significantly.

Sofia finally decides on some hair of the dog that bit her and picks up the wine, tilting her head back towards Mercy. “I mean, drugging booze or lacing drugs is usually more expensive than it’s worth, takes an awful lot of effort.”

“Never has a less surprising sentence been uttered,” Sofia replies to Mercy, hiding a smirk in her drink.

“Never hurts to be prepared, but I mean, number of times I’ve wound up usin’ it has been pretty slim. Situational at best. Then again, I ain’t a pesty type, so,” Edward peanut galleries as he wanders along.

Dovie calls out to Edward, “What type would you call yourself, Spartacus?”

“Dionysian,” Edward calls back to Dovie, unhesitatingly. “Or Silenusian, depending.”

Mercy puts her hands on her hips and stares to the northwest.

Sofia says “I guess goats eat paper…“

Mercy points at Sofia.

“Dionysus was a god. Silenus was his tutor,” Edward prattles to Dovie, queer eyes bouncing between Sofia and Mercy at the chatter.

Dovie huffs at Mercy, stamping her foot on the ground like a little prissy, graveyard voyeuring princess.

Sofia rubs at her chin, asking Edward, “Which one partied harder?”

Thomas steps into the area, his hand on the small of Seraphina’s back. “It’s been some time since I was here,” he admits. “I rather like the boneyard, though.”

Sofia says “If it were the heat of summer I woulda worn my BONE ZONE bikini.“

As Seraphina and Thomas enter the improvised arena Mercy upnods them with a wry grin, telling the latter, “Seems a lot of us secretly been hangin’ here an’ just ain’ run into each other. It’s a popular spot.”

Dovie waves to Thomas and Seraphina and Teagan.

“Depends. Dionysus was the root of all partying, but Silenus taught him his ways. Dionysus brought us wine and drunkenness and ecstatic revelry, but the Dionysia provided that,” Edward continues on a-prattling. “I got… a deal, got its ups and its downs. Nothing without a price and all that jazz.”

Mercy says “Ain’ that the fuckin’ truth.“

Edward drinks from his goblet of red wine.

She’s ‘late,’ but Teagan is here. She meanders in with Lockheed on her arm because she doesn’t really go anywhere without the purple dragonling. She comes to a stop before the stop sign discarded on the ground and nudges what appear to be some blood lines on it with her toe.

“Remains to be seen,” is all Edward has to say about that.

With there being a small group now Mercy gestures to the fossilized spiral shells that have been chosen as the venue seating and ducks under the caution tape to enter the ring proper.

Sofia squints towards Mercy and considers this for a beat too long, before deciding, “I’d be an awful ring girl. Probably.” After hearing Edward out, she figures, “I guess you just haven’t hung out with them enough to be sure.”

Pink swirls about Seraphina’s upper legs in satiny sweeps, peeking lace beneath it. It is, perhaps, the wrong dress, for a brawl, but the woman is much the living version of Barbie, so perhaps it is fitting. She wiggles her fingers to Dovie. “I’d say its been months since we’ve been here. We still have to make a trip to a few sites…”

“I feel as if I could find a way to work some weather magic,” Thomas muses to Sofia.

“I mean. I’ve had my share. Don’t remember a lot of it,” Edward murmurs as he wanders along, stretching out one shoulder and then the other, before he reaches back over one to haul out his overly long spear. “One of the domains is madness, so. Fair bit of the batshit.”

“I’m sure that a lot of people around here would like to see that,” Seraphina says to Sofia.

“Anything to see me in a bikini huh?” Sofia says with an eye roll back to Thomas, and her gaze drifts over to Seraphina, to whom she beams a smile. “Hey babe, missed you. Punch your man in the arm for me, wouldja?”

As requested, Seraphina punches Thomas in the arm, and she is not light and gentle about it.

“Fuck!” Thomas cries to Seraphina once that blow lands, turning to look at her with some criticism in his eyes.

Mercy calls back to Seraphina and Thomas, “EY! IF YOU WANNA ENGAGE IN VIOLENCE SAVE IT FER THE RING!”

“I see you’ve chosen our seat for us,” Teagan murmurs to Lockheed as she follows him to the shell to sit down. There is a snort of amusement as Seraphina slugs Thomas. “I give that a six out of ten. You can do better.”

Edward isn’t too bothered with the presence of Lockheed, and isn’t threateningly posturing at it, particularly. It’s not at anyone. The seven-foot spear’s upright. He’s just missing a shield to round the picture out. And also has a pretty anachronistic rifle over the shoulder.

Sofia snorts at Seraphina’s strike at Thomas’ misfortune. “Perfection. You got off light, book boy, if I was doing the slugging it woulda been harder. Got my old strength back.”

“I’m not dressed for violence,” Seraphina says to Mercy with a flutter of mascara coated lasshes, in her cutesie pink dress, and she has, in fact, slugged Thomas in some act of violence.

Dovie shivers after taking another slug of whiskey from the bottle. “Strong stuff, this.”

Mercy finds a spot near the center of the octagon-shaped ring, kicking at the dirt beneath her boot a little to feel out the ground more, and seeming pleased when a cloud of dust kicks up from it. Then she pivots around, reaching out to swipe an invisible microphone from its equally non-existent stand, hunkering forward as she holds it up to her face and sets her eyes on Edward. “YO, EDDIE! Get yer ass in here an’ show me the BEEF.”

“But he did deserve it,” Seraphina admits, swaying over to where Teagan has taken a seat. “He constantly mentions other women’s looks or if not mentioning it, oogling.” To which, she narrows her eyes at Thomas, but pats the spot beside her for him with some fondness creeping in despite his tendencies.

Settled, Seraphina says to Sofia, “It has been a while. I tried to contact you a couple times but I couldn’t get through.”

Thomas goes to settle next to Seraphina. “I can appreciate delightful views,” he comments mildly.

Edward wanders through the ring a little more squarely with Mercy, hefting the strap his his rifle on his shoulder and tucking the haft of his spear more level, pointed vaguely her direction. “We’ll see what comes to surface. Maybe if you’re lucky.”

“Go get me one of those,” Teagan tells Lockheed quietly, pointing to the bottles of whiskey. Hey, if she doesn’t have to get up…

Dovie watches the dragonling, delighted, whispering to Teagan. “They’re so cute!”

Seraphina lofts her eyebrows up at Thomas. “Mhm.”

“Weird, did someone tech hex me or something?” Sofia asks of Seraphina, moving towards her, getting ready to watch the fight as she does. “I’ve just been at home for the most part, nothing weird.” At the little retort Thomas gives, she says, “You can appreciate quietly, be nice to your lady, cause she deserves it.”

“Isn’t he just?” Teagan says to Dovie with a grin. She plucks bottle and Lockheed both up once they’re close enough, drawing the dragonling in against her. She even gives him a kiss on top of his head in praise. “Thank you.”

Dovie nods at someone before raising her eyebrow in Sofia’s direction. “There hasn’t been much town chatter if that’s what you’re worried about?”

Dovie nods at Teagan before raising her eyebrow in Sofia’s direction. “There hasn’t been much town chatter if that’s what you’re worried about?”

Sofia shakes her head back to Dovie and says, “Apparently Sera’s texts to me haven’t been going through? I dunno why though.” She bounces a shoulder at Seraphina and says, “Try now I guess?”

“Camayel is just sleepy,” Seraphina says of the imp that is curled about Thomas’s shoulders. “But when he is awake, he’s pretty cute too. He usually is cuddling with me.” She gives Lockheed a look over, a small smile on her lips. “I’d try to pet him again but …” Then her eyes alight. “Maybe…” She then, in an act of trying to impress the dragonling, holds her hand out, palm up, and a flame ignites in its center.

“I suppose with most of the city in the 63rd’s hands,” Thomas says, nodding towards Edward, “There’s only so much we can really do. We’re almost entirely living in their world.”

“Well, apparently that’s all you needed,” Teagan says with a snort of amusement as Seraphina shows Lockheed a bit of fire. She lets the dragonling go so he can get closer to investigate.

“Have it yer way, but you still the livestock an’ this my slaughter house.” Mercy tsks and whirls around again, pacing short circles in her side of the ring and raising her voice even higher to keep up that pre-fight pro wrestler preamble. “COMIN’ FROM THE HARD STREETS OF ELYSIA, WEIGHIN’ IN AT OVER TWO THOUSANDS POUNDS, CERBERUS’ REDHEADED STEPCHILD AN’ THE BIG BAD WOLF ON ROIDS-” She drops the pretend microphone and SNAP, CRACKLE, POP, shit’s about to be on.

Dovie stares, “Oh dear-”

“Lord,” Thomas says. “That’s — an unreasonably sized creature,” he says.

“I guess it is Beast Brawl, after all. The Beast Wars is taken, Beast Off, the…”

While someone speaks, Edward rambles back, and — especially when she starts to transform — he, too, starts to gradually, perceptibly mutate. Horns sprout through the helmet he wears, his hair grows longer, more shag sprouts elsewhere upon him, and most notably, without his opponent even drawing near, are the noises his legs make when they bend the wrong way.

Edward(Greek mythos) doesn’t really miss a beat, though, continuing to verbalize after the transformation — still a Floridian drawl, just with a little more gravel in his throat. “… Bleat Wars.”

“I guess it is Beast Brawl, after all. The Beast Wars is taken, Beast Off, the…”

While Mercy speaks, Edward(Greek mythos) rambles back, and — especially when she starts to transform — he, too, starts to gradually, perceptibly mutate. Horns sprout through the helmet he wears, his hair grows longer, more shag sprouts elsewhere upon him, and most notably, without his opponent even drawing near, are the noises his legs make when they bend the wrong way.

Sofia tugs her phone aside, distracted from conversation by the sight of a cute dragonling, before she wheels her gaze over to Mercy(wolf)’ voice just in time to catch the transformation. “Been a minute since I’ve seen that. Hrm.”

Seraphina stops showing off to a mythical beast, letting the flames peter out and disappear in some smoke, so that she can root about for her phone. “I got it, maybe I was just unlucky in my timing.” While she might have texted Sofia back, its the sounds of bones cracking and muscles straining that hold that off. Her attention drifts up from her phone, smoke still dancing and tickling at Lockheed’s grasp. She inches a little closer to Thomas. “Jeez…”

Dovie hums a moment in thought, “Beast Off might be a little… mmmm, how do we say…?”

“On the nose…?” Seraphina queries Dovie.

Dovie nods at Seraphina, “That’s one way of putting it, I would think. Though I’m looking forward to the fight itself.”

When Seraphina inches closer, Thomas slides his arm around her — eyes narrowed as he looks carefully at the beasts in the ring. “I am more and more outmatched,” he comments.

The booming crack of a monstrous canine roar rattles the dry bones in the area and Mercy(wolf)’s lambent eyes fixate on Edward(Greek mythos) eagerly, aglow in the shitty flashlight beam illumination. She’s never had chevon before, but there’s a first time for everything.

Teagan does not seem surprised by the size of Mercy(wolf). She’s seen it before. The satyr, however: that’s a new one on her. “Well, I’m just glad Mercy found someone to help her Beat Off for once,” the woman says in a deadpan. There is a look toward Lockheed and she sticks her tongue out at the dragonling. “Traitor,” she teases.

The best Edward(Greek mythos) has to answer Mercy(wolf)’s roar with is a ble-e-e-e-at, terrible and dread enough in its own right.

Edward(Greek mythos) also apparently still knows how to use a spear, and levels it at Mercy(wolf), couched under a shoulder with its sandaled hooves planting in the dirt.

Dovie lets out a giggle at Teagan’s words, and then a wince at that roaring bleat!

“I thought that curse had faded,” Thomas deadpans to Teagan.

Certainly, Seraphina wasn’t expecting Lockheed to scramble up onto her bared shoulders, the claws digging in and causing her to hiss softly. It is a good thing that her skin is so tough and pliant, despite being as soft as it is. But after the initial shock of it, she reaches her hand, still smelling of smoke, to scritch under the dragonling’s chin in a soothing manner. She eyes Thomas, “Hm?”

Sofia ponders Edward(Greek mythos) for a moment and snaps as she gets it. “Ohhhh. Goat, right.”

Some sounds, some posturing, all the necessary rituals owed in the ring. Mercy(wolf) paces with her head down low and her eyes wide with hunger even as they fall on the spear leveled her way. The look is more inviting than wary, her body language teeming with excitement. Though she can’t communicate with Edward(Greek mythos) through words, the sentiments are clear; don’t hold back. The bloodier the better.

The instant the proverbial green light goes on Mercy(wolf) erupts into an all-out sprint, massive paws kicking up dust and debris as she closes the gap between herself and Edward(Greek mythos) with what seems like tunnel-visioned intensity. She’s watching the spear though, and as that gap shortens to a few feet the animal strafes from a direct collision and lunges in teeth-first to seize anything he doesn’t move away fast enough- an arm, a leg, or the weapon itself.

Dovie waves to Obadiah.

Obadiah ruffles Dovie’s hair as he walks past her to lean against the shells near Teagan and the others. “So… who is winning?”

A still as Edward(Greek mythos) was, good fuck if it isn’t fast. Faster than it has any right to be, honestly — the creature’s a blur of fur and muscle, bounding along on backbent legs out of the strike zone of Mercy(wolf)’s incoming impact. Unfortunately, it predicted this movement, and someone predicted its prediction. The arc leaps out of the way puts it directly in the creature’s new snapping distance, catching a hoof and flinging its momentum into one of the massive ribcages surrounding the makeshift arena, which cracks audibly and visibly.

Edward(Greek mythos) still lands on his feet, spear lifting.

Dovie swats at Obadiah’s hand. “Fight’s just starting, you got here just in time.”

A still as Edward(Greek mythos) was, good fuck if it isn’t fast. Faster than it has any right to be, honestly — the creature’s a blur of fur and muscle, bounding along on backbent legs out of the strike zone of Mercy(wolf)’s incoming impact. Unfortunately, it predicted this movement, and Mercy(wolf) predicted its prediction. The arc leaping out of the way puts it directly in the creature’s new snapping distance, catching a hoof and flinging its momentum into one of the massive ribcages surrounding the makeshift arena, which cracks audibly and visibly.

Edward(Greek mythos) still lands on his feet, spear lifting.

Since Lockheed betrayed her by going to Seraphina for comfort when the two in the ring shifted, Teagan is ALL ALONE. She has a bottle of whiskey at least. And free hands, thus, to reach out toward Obadiah when he arrives to silently summon him nearer. “Lot of growling and bleating so far.”

Cristal walks in, looks at the fight, and then backs out.

Thomas smiles to Obadiah from where he sits near Seraphina. “It’s nice to see you.”

Edward(Greek mythos) shifts the spear to one hand, the other baring the grotesque talons that hang from it.

“It is nice to be seen,” Obadiah says to Thomas after grinning at Dovie’s swat. He doesn’t apologize though. His offending hand snakes around Teagan’s waist as he watches Mercy(wolf) and says, “I do love myself a good fight.”

Thomas leans in — eyeing, perhaps the way that Mercy(wolf) moves.

They’re an interesting contrast, one small and fleet of foot the other large and tantamount to a furred wrecking ball with grace to match. The second he’s collided with something solid Mercy(wolf)’s sweeping in to try and pin him there or outright crush him against it; she can’t match his speed and knows she’ll tire if this becomes an extended chase.

A still as Edward(Greek mythos) was, good fuck if it isn’t fast. Faster than it has any right to be, honestly — the creature’s a blur of fur and muscle, bounding along on backbent legs out of the strike zone of Mercy(wolf)’s incoming impact. Unfortunately, it predicted this movement, and Mercy(wolf) predicted its prediction. The arc leaping out of the way puts it directly in the creature’s new snapping distance, catching a hoof and flinging its momentum into one of the massive ribcages surrounding the makeshift arena, which cracks audibly and visibly.

Edward(Greek mythos) still lands on his feet, spear lifting.

Seraphina wiggles her fingers at Obadiah, scootching herself closer to Thomas to make a sliver of room for him to take a seat beside Teagan. Her attention drifts on back to the fight, fingers growing tense as she grasps hold of the hem of the lace trimmed skirt.

Unfortunately for Mercy(wolf), not only is Edward(Greek mythos) fast — he’s impossibly fast. When the creature lunches to pin, by the time it’s landed, Edward(Greek mythos) simply is not there. It’s a behind the creature, on a blink, about six feet back and two closer than he needs to answer with his spear.

Teagan leans into Obadiah’s arm as it goes around her. Her eyes are on the fight, watching in some amusement. “It’s almost a shame she can’t talk when shifted. The fun of hanging out with Mercy is like, ninety percent in not knowing what she’s going to say next.”

Unfortunately, all that Edward(Greek mythos) really has time for is an ass-poke to the back end of Clifford the Big Red Problem, before it’s time again for the thing to move. “Yeah, now she just gets to listen,” it huffily bleats between bounding steps, careful to put some warding space between itself and the colossal critter.

“I do not like the idea of one of the 63rd hauling Mercy away,” Thomas tells Seraphina, Teagan and someone. “Though grotesquely large as she is…”

“I do not like the idea of one of the 63rd hauling Mercy away,” Thomas tells Seraphina, Teagan and Obadiah. “Though grotesquely large as she is…”

Dovie calls out towards the shifted wolf, “I believe in you!! DUVET BELIEVES!”

“I would say something about angry red headed women,” Obadiah says then looks between Dovie and Teagan, “But I am too close to two of them and would likely need Hale to intervene lest I get my ass whipped.” He nods sagely then adds, “I think she has it though. Probably.”

“I’m sure that she was aware of the danger… as all of us who came here to watch are, too.” Seraphina says to Thomas. She does, however, purse her lips softly. “Though perhaps this will end all in good sport.”

“I doubt he’ll haul her away,” Teagan says after some thought. “I think he’s smart enough to realize it’d be more effort than it’s worth. Just beating her and leaving her behind would actually be more damaging to her ego.” She does lean a shoulder into Obadiah. Not hard, playful. “Considering Sera nearly put Hale on his ass earlier, I’m not sure how much he’d intervene.”

Dovie nods in agreement with Teagan.

“Redheads are the Devil’s bride,” Thomas agrees with Obadiah. Is he agreeing?

Seraphina rolls her eyes at Thomas.

Dovie shakes her head at Thomas.

Thomas offers Seraphina and Dovie a bright smile.

“As far as Sixty Third go,” Sofia figures with her arms crossed, leaning back and watching the fight, “There are others I’d be worried about. Like if he just wanted to cause chaos among a bunch of people, he coulda easily done that in the Other, but he didn’t. It’ll be fiiiine.” Perhaps she’s rambling for the benefit of Teagan and Seraphina as they discuss the topic, but her eyes stay fixed forward, watching the Edward(Greek mythos) and Mercy(wolf) clash.

Now the dust is really kicking up as the considerable weight of Mercy(wolf)’s body crashes into the chunk of hanging rib, the end of which snaps right off after having the courtesy to at least slow her momentum and prevent what would have been kind of like an SUV rolling over. Somewhere in all her thrashing to course-correct she feels a sharp sting in her hindquarter and gets even zestier, whipping around to get Edward(Greek mythos) back in her sights and pursuing- though she moves more around the perimeter of the octagon rather than a direct chase, watching, keeping him in view and taking stock of the situation. This has the unfortunate side effect of some dirt getting flung up at everyone sitting on the shells when she darts by like an oversized bull in a china shop.

“Either way, I have no desire to have my ex and my girlfriend teaming up against me,” Obadiah says with a wry grin. “It seems bad for my health, in the long run.” He then motions absently, “If he does try to drag Mercy off though, I think there are enough of us that we can put an end to those thoughts.”

In return, Edward(Greek mythos) also prowls in a low circle, mirroring Mercy(wolf). Just a whole fuck-of-a-lot smaller, and bipedal.

“I am not so sure,” Thomas tells Obadiah. “But I think Sofia’s not wrong,” he says, indicating Sofia. “We live in their world now, don’t we?”

Dovie snaps her attention away from the group to stare intently as the wolf and the satyr battle. She raises her arm to shield her face from the flung dirt.

Teagan glances over to Lockheed to make sure the dragonling is still behaving… or if he wants to return to her lap yet. “And if that one that texted me today is to believed, they’ll have a fit if they don’t keep the majority of the boroughs. Which just makes me want to claim them all the more.” And then attention back on the fight.

Seraphina has Lockheed still on her shoulder, and she isn’t giving him the loving she was before, as the fight continues to get more intense.

If only a certain vampire were here to see how much she’s learned when it comes to fighting more intelligently instead of barreling face-first into every fray. There’s a bit of a dip of one hind leg when Mercy(wolf) pivots too hard around the corner of another rib arch but she needs the momentum to launch herself at one of the tusks sticking up from the ground; it is seized between her enormous jaws and a terrifying bite force that breaks a length of it off like it’s a twig before being unceremoniously whipped at Edward(Greek mythos) like a projectile while she closes in behind it.

Obadiah twitches his lips in a smirk, “Well then I wouldn’t want to keep the Warden, the Speaker, and The Spring Queen from their war council.” He bumps Teagan with his hip, “I just work here.”

The trick play pays dividends. While Edward(Greek mythos) seems to be anticipating something else, the incoming tusk whipped at him comes hurtling too rapidly for a proper repartee, and the spear comes up — sans shield — to attempt to parry the thing.

And while Edward(Greek mythos) may be fast as all hell, and may be particularly skilled, deft, adroit even… without a shield to absorb the blow, the thing glances off the long spears haft, rolls over the critter’s shoulder, and bowls it backward a dozen or so feet before it skids to a stop.

Damned if goats aren’t tenacious, though. Edward(Greek mythos) just gets right back up onto its cloven feet and snorts.

The helmet’s cast off. Another snort, and Edward(Greek mythos) dips his head a little, staring at Mercy(wolf) through the thicket of its eyebrows with those queer eyes. And then, in a flash, it’s putting its whole inhuman, bounding speed into running back at someone.

Forehead first. To the snout. The horns might catch some action, too, but the bulk of that momentum’s putting that thick skull to use.

Sofia watches the charge of Edward(Greek mythos) with her arms folded as she continues to chill by the shells, and quietly mutters a bit of commentary. “Heh. What a butt-head.”

Dovie snorts a laugh in Sofia’s direction before leaning in for a better view of the intense fight.

Obadiah rolls his eyes at Sofia’s pun, but it does cause grin to linger on his features

“I’m sure there is a better time and place to talk about war, anyway,” Seraphina suggests to Obadiah, despite violence has exploded around the group. She does release her grip on the hem of her skirt though, finally, sinking her shoulder into Thomas for his warmth, though she does throw off a good amount of heat, herself. She snorts softly at Sofia’s comment, trying to not full out chuckle. Dad jokes don’t deserve full out chuckles! Mostly groans.

At least it’s not winter-cold anymore. “I am happy to not talk war,” Teagan agrees, eyes on the fight. She does snicker, too, at Sofia’s commentary. Some of the redhead’s attention, however, does stay on Lockheed. Just in case. Can’t let him get up to too much mischief.

Between Mercy(wolf)’s earlier shifting and the obstacles in the battlefield itself there’s no shortage of bone-snapping sounds going on tonight, but there’s definitely a change of tune in that CRUNCH when Edward(Greek mythos)’s literal thuck skull gets up close and personal with her face. Definitely lost a few much-needed brain cells after that.

After that kind of blunt force trauma to the head Mercy(wolf) is understandably a little dazed for a second, but not long enough to lose the window of opportunity of having Edward(Greek mythos) so close to snap at his spear-bearing arm with intent to crush it between her teeth with similar force as the tusk had suffered.

Certainly no shortages of crunches. This one, though — the goatman’s arm crunching in Mercy(wolf)’s mouth — it’s echoed and drowned out by another ble-e-eat from the Edward(Greek mythos), a bellowing rumble in its diaphragm. It might be due to the impact, but his form starts to bleed back toward humanity. That inhuman noise it makes, though, just continues. It lowers in register, even. Another headbutt thunks into the muzzle of the critter on his arm, if only to detach it, and causes the only warble to its noise.

Obadiah snorts at the fog horn. More of a sniff, but he is more intrigued in the fight.

There’s no snapping, this time. This time, Edward(Bos Taurus / Homo Sapien) just swells in size, presumably in power. The horns come back out — from the temples instead of the forehead, this time around. “Motherfuuuuuurngh.” The third headbutt down toward the maw holding his limb captive is followed by a fourth, and a fifth. It’s just using its body as a weapon, at this point.

“This isn’t looking great,” Thomas observes to Seraphina, Teagan, and Obadiah.

There is a grimace as the satyr grows larger. “Well, that might change things a bit. But I daresay she deserves it.” Teagan looks over toward Lockheed, because only one creature she knows likes to puff such little smoke rings. “Do I need to leave you home next time?”

Seraphina resumes a scritch under Lockheed’s chin, telling Teagan, “I think that is a no.”

Sofia whistles lowly as the satyr shifts into a full on minotaur. “I can only imagine what Preston would say if he saw this. Probably lose his shit. Man has a minotaur vendetta.” Glancing to the side, she gives a bit of a pitying glance to the fight. “He was just toying with her, wasn’t he?”

If Mercy(wolf) could emote right now she might show elation when Edward(Bos Taurus / Homo Sapien) finally obliges her, even if that excitement surely dwindles with each consecutive slam of his great horned head against her aleady fucked up muzzle. It takes a lot to convince a predator to let go of its prize but after the fifth whack the animal lets go, staggers back on unsteady footing, and does the worst possible thing. She shakes, roughly, and all that blood dribbling out from her nose, mouth and the open wound on her forehead goes flying at everyone too close to the edge of the ring.

“I think he thinks it’s a no,” Teagan says to Seraphina, “but if he keeps acting out when I bring him with me, he’ll get to stay home and be slobbered on by the dog.” She looks right at Lockheed as she says this. Meanwhile, setting down her whiskey, she pulls out her phone and lifts it to start recording the fight. “Gonna have to save this for Calaza-” and then there’s an “eek!” and she’s using Obadiah as a shield from the bloodly drool splatter.

“The Legion may be toying with all of us,” Thomas observes.

Obadiah takes most of the mud and blood splatter as he watches the fight, a goofy grin on his features. “Oh I am sure they are. But that is where the fun and games come into it.” Fucking fae.

“If you say so.” Seraphina says, not quite believing it. Though, her brain works differently than most, so once the fun and games were to start, she might agree more fully. Until someone loses an eye, at least.

There always comes a point in any fight where the human parts of Mercy(wolf) switch off in favor of pure, undiluted predatory instinct and this is that moment.

Unsteady though she may be she dives right back in at Edward(Bos Taurus / Homo Sapien) the second the curtain of disorientation lifts a little, a loud, wet snarl gargling in her throat as she clamps her teeth down on one of his horns and hurls the entirety of her colossal weight him like they’re about to do the death roll on land. He’s from Florida, he should be familiar with the move.

Sofia says “Dog just want bone.“

Absently, Seraphina says, “Me too,” after Sofia’s commentary. She turns to Thomas, “Can we head out?”

There’s a wry look at Seraphina. “Mmm,” Thomas says to her. “I think it’s all over but the blood, now,” he says in agreement. He glances to Sofia. “Come by soon?” he says. And then Teagan and Obadiah. “Always nice to see you.”

Unfortunately for Edward(Bos Taurus / Homo Sapien), with his arm lodged in Mercy(wolf)’s mouth, he wasn’t going anywhere. The burly minotaur form, it appears, is not nearly so quick and so limber. And, to boot, when it looks like one of his old tricks might get employed, rather than just straight up fucking disappearing, the minotaur just flickers in place like a corrupted feed.

And then Edward(Bos Taurus / Homo Sapien) is promptly lifted airborne, and introduced to the ground. Roughly, and repeatedly, as Mercy(wolf) shows little mercy and goes chewtoy mode.

Sofia rolls her eyes in amusement at Seraphina, though not enough for her eyes to completely drift to the fight, and gives a slight nod of acknowledgement to Thomas’ words. “If my phone gets texts, apparently. Drive safe, don’t get caught out in the mists.”

“She’s hulking out on Loki there.” Seraphina says, nodding. “Perhaps tables have turned… But I am starting to get sleepy, and its probably going to be a little trecherous getting home. And I simply don’t have it in me…”

“I’m sure we can find some way to get it in you,” Thomas comments to Seraphina, rising to offer her his arm.

“It was lovely to see everyone’s faces.” Seraphina agrees with Dovie. “I was considering smooshing everyone’s cheeks because … people. But — it didn’t seem like the right time.” She winks, and wiggles up from her shell seating. “Good night.”

“Drive safe,” Teagan says to Seraphina and Thomas as she gets Lockheed situated back on her shoulder. There’s a snort at Thomas’s words and she shakes her head a little. “We will have to find a time for Obie and me to come by for dinner, though.”

With Seraphina fatigued — Thomas takes her arm to leave the fight behind.

Down the two monsters go in another dramatic flurry of dust and dirt with Edward(Bos Taurus / Homo Sapien) at a disadvantage in weight class if not much else. By the time the cloud of debris starts to settle only Mercy(wolf)’s silhouette is still standing, with her opponent firmly pinned underfoot, and to the surprise of likely no one the giant canine celebrates her victory by throwing her head back and disturbing the rest of everyone in this borough and probably the adjacent ones too with an ear-splitting howl.