(no subject)

[gryphon_leaper]

In the third and final month of their training, a team of bull-dancers is expected to go to the field, and take their bull. It's simply enough done, in theory: go with ropes and nets, and tether a cow under a tree, and wait. Bulls being what they are, even the Cretan ones with their slow wits, simple does not always mean safe. Sometimes, someone is hurt, or killed. The bull is sacred, after all, and the dancers are not allowed to hurt him even to save their lives. Only to distract and restrain him.

Sometimes, the bulls seem almost to know this.

The front door SLAMS open in a tumult of hooves and dust and the bawling of angry cattle. Splinters fly everywhere- from the floor, mostly, though there is a hoof-strike that does the door itself some damage. The beast that thunders through, snorting and pawing the floor, is typical of his breed: a great red-brown beast with a splash of white across his muzzle, long curving horns that stretch straight forward, fifteen hundred pounds of muscle and sinew.

And one bull-dancer, a dark-haired girl of fifteen years and slight build, frantically clinging to his left horn and shouting, "Someone distract him before he kills someone! I can't hold on much longer!"



[OOC: Feel free to react however you like, but Thalestris has to return a living, unharmed bull to Crete when she goes back, so I would greatly appreciate it if pups who tag this post refrain from shooting the beast or other such unpleasantness. He'll be causing property damage, but I've got the okay for that. Also, as usual, Thalestris visual appearance notice. Thanks!]

Comments

[ever_lovin]

Ben should have known better than to expect that even here, at the End of the Universe, that he'd be able to finish a pastrami Rachel in peace but no, a hero's work is never done.

"Sweet Aunt Petunia!" He yells as he leaps up and throws himself between a hail of splinters and some patrons. "Here Toro, here Toro," he adds as he starts waving his arms and basically making himself a big target.

[gryphon_leaper]

The beast snorts, tossing his head and glaring towards the unfamiliar voice. Thalestris takes the opportunity to let go of the horn and tumble away, arms nearly nerveless from the struggle. "Mind him, sir, he's in a foul mood-"

The bull lowers his head for a charge.

[ever_lovin]

Ben braces to meet the charge but doesn't set as he doesn't want to break the bull's neck. When they meet, there's a loud crash as the bull pushes Ben back through a few tables but Ben has a hold of the bull's horns now and pushes down. "Easy there fella. You okay back there?"

[gryphon_leaper]

"Yes, yes- what-"

And then there are no words, because Thalestris has never seen a Titan before, only heard the stories the Hellenes tell of them.

"Oh my."

[ever_lovin]

"I'm Ben," he calls out just as 'Toro' proves you don't need to be smart to be crafty by sweeping Ben's legs out from under him. Ben manages to keep hold of the horns though so the bull can't sweep him around too much. "Yer a willy one ain't'cha?"

[gryphon_leaper]

"Thalestris," the girl says, and then, "I can draw him off, to the door that leads out, if you can bring him around in my direction. He won't hurt anyone outside."

[ever_lovin]

"Sounds. Like. A. Plan," Ben says as he fights with the bull to get it turned around. "Wait, yer gonna be the bait? Fer a," he pauses to gauge the bulls weight, "one ton bull? You crazy or somethin'?"

Ben's known lots of ladies who can take care of themselves but his default is still that woman don't put themselves in front of mad bulls.

[gryphon_leaper]

"I'll have to dance with him in the ring in a month anyway!" says Thalestris. She darts to prop open the doors, then back as swift as she can. "Best I know now if I can face him!"

[gottadealwithit]

Korra is outside by the lake, practicing waterbending forms. She looks up when the door to the bar is flung open, and when someone runs out, she runs over, dropping a ribbon of water into the ground with a splat.

"What's happening?"

[ever_lovin]

"You gotta what?!?" Ben exclaims at Thalestris while he wonders why they weren't taking the bull to the front door. Too late to argue now.

"Crazy gal here wants to dance with this here bull!" Ben exclaims at the other voice he hasn't quite identified yet. "CALM DOWN FERDINAND!"

This last was likely directed at the bull. How effective it was remains to be seen.

[gryphon_leaper]

Oh, the thought crossed her mind, but- well. Thalestris saw that bull kick, back in the pasture. Ben only has him by the horns. She's got no desire to have a hoof planted on her should she pass too close as they turn him around.

As for now... well, she's been training these months how best to attract a bull's attention, draw him off from the people around him and set him running her way. All the better, she hopes, to see now if she has what a bull-leaper needs.

All she needs is for him to be free, and run her way, towards the outdoors.

[gottadealwithit]

That's a giant man made out of rocks.

This place is amazing, Korra thinks.

She stops running, not out of surprise at the rock-man wrestling the bull, but because Thalestris presumably knows what she's doing. Korra just stands firmly behind the younger girl, adopting a stance ready to earthbend.

"Let him go!" she shouts at Rock-Man. "Thalestris knows what she's doing."

And there's no way he's getting past Korra, anyway.

[ever_lovin]

Ben is tempted to argue but he's currently experiencing a instinctive reaction to Korra's voice (comes from working with Susan Storm-Richards for so long). He relaxes when the bull rears his head again and lets teh bull throw him, letting go at the last minutes to tumble a good ten feet away.

"I hope you know what yer doin'," he calls out as he's air born.

[kamehamehaaa]

This looks like a job for a super powered six year old!

Gohan drops down off the rafters in front of the bull, puts out his hands, and braces his feet.

[gryphon_leaper]

The bull is a great beast even by the standards of his kind, the sort of thing that incites tale-tellers to speak of god-sent monsters and be believed. More, he was the greatest of his herd; it is always the king, the bull all the others give the best to, who comes up to claim what the dancers bring to offer.

But there are no Saiyans in Crete.

The bull is about to have a very, very bad shock.

[kamehamehaaa]

Gohan raises his arms to his face.

"SOLAR FLARE!"

A blinding flash erupts, and in the same instant, he moves forward and almost gently holds the bull firm, digging his feet into the wooden floor.

[gryphon_leaper]

The flash alone would be enough to throw the beast off his pace. The bull tosses his head up, snorting wildly; Thalestris lets go of his horn and springs away, then turns to see what aid she'll need to render.

And stares, as the child appears not to need any at all against the weakly struggling bull.

[kamehamehaaa]

Gohan holds the bull steady, trying to find something good to grip. Hm. No good being able to hold onto it with it wriggling around like this.

Eventually he settles this by lifting the bull upside down over his head, so that his legs can only flail in mid air and the head can't gore him.

"Where do you want him?" he asks the bullfighter.

[gryphon_leaper]

"Outside," says Thalestris to the godling. "He'll need calming before I can take him back, I think."

[kamehamehaaa]

"Could you get the door please?" Gohan asks, carefully balancing the bull.

[gryphon_leaper]

Thalestris nods and darts over to throw open the doors. It doesn't do to keep a godling waiting, after all.

[kamehamehaaa]

Gohan quickly carries the bull outside, trying not to damage the door frame.

"Should I just put him down or do you want to harness him or something?"

[gryphon_leaper]

"I haven't the means, my lord," says Thalestris. "Only let him go, and I'll find a way to bring him back to Crete when the time comes. Somehow."

[kamehamehaaa]

"What about in the stables?" Gohan asks.

"What's a lord?"

[gryphon_leaper]

"It will do, I think, if he can be kept from the horses," says Thalestris. "I wouldn't want him to do them harm. I don't know what name or title I ought to give you, so that is what I called you."