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Post by okami1reeka333 on Oct 28, 2018 17:38:22 GMT -6
[OOC: zavijah, confused by the spilt up at first tries to question what was going on but was inadvertently directed to follow the remaining of the group despite wishing to go aid in finding Sara as well. she takes notice of Dust's uneasiness and takes it as a sign to not enter the home. . . the fact Sara's husband and Stenson could still be seen perhaps it would be wise to regroup with them now before there is a turn for the worse. she graciously thanks the elderly woman and respectfully declines the invitation inside, tries to suggest to Cassius to regrouping as well. before following Dust onward to where Arron, Simon, and Stenson are. ]
zavijah:
glancing between the two groups as they split she wanted to try and follow Stenson and Sara's husband before finding that she has merely followed the others towards the house next to the heavily overgrown one. she felt torn and confused as to why they sought to continue this while sara was gone, and hay why is she following along and leaving her ally for dead? . . . she felt guilty for this. . . she blinked when the elderly woman dropped a single piece of candy into her bucket. . . if they find Sara again, she will give this candy to her. . . . but she tilted her head when the woman began to offer for them to come inside. . . she also notice the thin kind one who gave her candy seem to pull away with the bird masked one. . . before she spoke up. " . . . No thank you. . .we are very grateful for the treats you have gifted us. I thank you greatly for the candy. and I thank you greatly for the invitation into your home but respectfully, I must decline and return to where the others are. . .for they are waiting, and I cannot in good conscious ask more of you, ma'am. " she bowed. " Lucidus? . . .perhaps we should met with the others. . . we need not to keep them awaiting us for they may worry. " she suggested to him . . or tried. she doubts she will be strong enough to drag him along. . . " have good night, ma'am." she stated smiling.
she then followed dust as he too, parted with the group. . . she felt the pit of her stomach churning. . . . she hated this. . . . please for the love of God, follow suit. . . .both of them. . . she stays with Officer Lucidus, she feels as though she is abandoning Sara to only God knows what. . . she leaves as she is nao, shes abandoning Officer Lucidus. she glanced over to the boy she still knows not the name of. . . as they hurried towards where Sara's husband, Stenson, and the puppy were, before looking back towards the two(three, she doesn't know about Simon yet) were.
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Post by MP on Oct 28, 2018 21:35:25 GMT -6
[OOC: Aaron stops at the street corner and scans the new street while he waits for Hodgepodge. Splitting up is dangerous and will put everyone at risk- regardless how much he's dying to go after Sara. When the group catches up, he informs them of the voice in his head and requests that they look for Sara down the new street Cassius advise their course of action. ]
Aaron followed the puppy down the motionless street, his heart sinking with every passing moment. If these people were immobilized, distracted, why didn't Sara come back to them? She should have been able to slip free, find her way back to the group. They should have at least been able to see her. But the trail just kept going - too far for such a short time. It didn't make sense, he thought. Not unless...
That was when the sound started: whispering, barely there. An unmistakable tone of distress. Aaron paled, glancing around at his companions. The others didn't even seem to hear it - not even the dog. It was just him. And he recognized it - animal sounds, but familiar. It was Sara. He knew it was Sara. But it couldn't be. Aaron stopped at the corner, hand on the puppy's back to check its momentum, staring down the new street as far as he could. Dust was calling him. The agent waited, but he could hardly focus through the sounds.
"Sten," he said. "I hear her." The words were spoken in an undertone, tight with strain, leaving no doubt as to the shifter's condition. He wanted to charge down the street right then and there. Tear through the houses until he found her. It was a human voice now, pained and desperate as she called for him. But... Drilled and natural logic nagged at him.
But how could she? Sara wasn't a telepath. Neither was he. They hadn't used any charms or artifacts, weren't under the influence of detectable magic. They shouldn't have been able to contact each other. Aaron stood there, torn between his trained and natural caution, his responsibility to the group, and his desperate need to reach her in time. People often claimed that in moments of crisis, you could feel a loved one in danger. That some buried instinct knew. Aaron's told him nothing. Instead it was experience and drilled habit talking: a reckless agent was a dead one. When you broke ranks, lost your head, you only put people in danger - the victim included. So he made no move toward the new street just yet. He waited for the group to catch up, beckoning them to hurry away from the house. Visions of a savaged, dying shifter flashed before his eyes. Memories of a maze - of a scattered, ragged group rose to counter them.
"She went this way," he said once Cassius was in earshot. "I think she's in trouble. Could be a trap, but it sounds - I don't think we have much time."
His eyes searched the officer's, almost pleading. They would be stronger as a group, better equipped to handle any threats. More searchers meant more area covered, and more people to stay in eyeshot of each other. At the same time, Aaron couldn't knowingly drag them into danger. He didn't know what to do - didn't know whether he was asking for help or permission to leave. He only knew that he needed to find Sara, and fast.
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Post by kilnarak on Oct 28, 2018 23:44:57 GMT -6
[ Ari tries to help get Kail away from the children and cautions the others not to take any candy. Then he suggests they hurry on to the lab house. ]
Ari was a little surprised that his bluff seemed to work, and with Raine he hurried to try to help Abby extricate Kail from the clinging children. And then Kail slapped one of the other children's candy pails aside, sending it flying and scattering candy across the concrete - the crowd froze and turned as one entity, and Ari instinctively froze in response, his grip on Raine's arm tightening. They way they all moved and spoke... it was unnerving, like something from the Twilight Zone.
He held still a long moment as the people began to chant, then he shuddered, trying to shake off his unease. He hurried, with Raine, to finish extricating Kail and hopefully get him away from the horde.
"Don't-Don't take any of it, l-leave it alone, they can-can clean it up themselves," his stammered words were near a hiss, low and frightened. He just wanted to get away from them all. Back down the street? But Raine had insisted that was a bad idea... The next house looked like some sort of laboratory, and that made him uncomfortable, memories of the place where Marchelute had been stolen away to coming to his mind... But it was the closest, wasn't it? The closest one they hadn't been to yet, at least...
"Raine? Let's... Let's keep going?" He gestured toward the house, loathe to let go and start out on his own.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 29, 2018 2:24:39 GMT -6
(Cassius decides to politely decline the elder gentlelady's request, and recommends that the others in the group join him, rather than look for more candy. He brings them back to rejoin Aaron in the new area, and agrees to help look for Sara.)
Cassius shakes his head. They had all received at least one piece of candy, and that would provide sufficient. Beyond that, Aaron and the others were out of sight and the group was breaking apart. It was dangerous now. The more they broke up into smaller components, the closer they were to the end game. It would not have been fair for them to seek more candy, even if he did trust it. And he had to admit, this all seemed a little too Hansel and Grettle.
"No thank you, but thank you for the candy."
He leads the remainder on, who had already started to trail away, back towards Stenson and Aaron. A part of him, the cynical part, reminded him Sara is probably gone now. Like the time before, we will all die here in agony. He could not even blame this pessimism on the Beast this time. It was just the part of him that knew deep down, nothing could stay good forever.
He turned and headed down the street. Aaron was waiting, and the others were eager to rejoin. Whatever he may have thought, Aaron and his lover were really the heart of the department. He sighed and both hands clasped his pail as he inclined his head towards Aaron. The others were waiting, as if looking for something. Sara being in trouble was never good. Maybe she was gone for good...
"We'll help you, but..."
He didn't finish his sentence. Instead he started eating his candy. Every piece he could. If the note was true, he might gain powers from it. Maybe he'd be able to find Sara.
"Let's go. No time to spare."
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Post by Salandis on Oct 29, 2018 4:25:01 GMT -6
[OOC: Raine agrees with Ari, avoids cautioning Kail outright (might as well tell the tide not to come in) and, while working his way with Ari to the Lab, wonders aloud what other rules this place might have.]
Ari’s words were firm echo’s of Raine’s sentiment. Reaching out from where they had stopped near to Kail, Raine gently rested an arm on the Wendigo’s shoulder, trying not to make him jump. “Weel. They are all one mind then, y’ken.” Raine sounded shaken, but then he really was. The uniform way they had all looked at them, and the words spoken in unison – the sounds layering slightly only due to the different distance of the speakers – was eerie beyond anything else he had seen here so far.
“Takin’ candy looks tah be an invitation fer everyone in sight tah tear yeh apart, so ah agree with Ari. Lets take this nice lull tah get into the next house.” The laboratory looked far from inviting, but his mind was racing as he guided Ari out and around the frozen spectators. What other rules would there be to this place? The eerie, final way those words had been spoken boded poorly for anyone breaking said rules. And yet until one broke them – or looked to be breaking them – how could you even know what they would be?
“Nae stealing candy.” He muttered to himself. “Tha’ would mean also tah follow the rules on any signs, such as ‘only take one’. Like as not each of us can only visit each house once. They’ll be kids rules, too, but maybeh horror movie rules too… what other rules would be part of this place?”
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Post by Marshmallow on Oct 29, 2018 8:08:43 GMT -6
[OOC: Walter nopes out of Hansel and Gretel house with Dust. He is momentarily baffled by Dust's manner of speaking, but doesn't argue and follows Dust when he goes to regroup with Aaron and the rest of Team Hodgepodge.] ----
All at once, the noise and bustle of the crowd snapped to a halt. Suddenly the street was eerily silent, and the gaze of every figure turned as one in the same direction. And then the chanting started. "Do not steal candy."
For all that they had been brought here without consent, the game had thusfar been benign, even pleasant. Now, with the figures frozen in place and the deadpan chanting of dozens of voices filling the air, the atmosphere had gone from benign to ominous. The hive-mind-like awareness of the crowd was unsettling. Even Hahn's analytical distance couldn't fully suppress the chill that ran down his spine.
At least the crowd's collective gaze was not on him, or any of the immediate group. He hurried his steps as they continued up to the homey house, keeping a wary eye on the crowd right up until they reached the porch. There he paused. It was a house made of gingerbread. And of course, when the door swung open, it was a kind-faced elderly woman that answered. A woman remarking on how thin they were as she handed out their treats. A woman inviting them inside, where she promised them more.
Walter didn't need any convincing to leave the gingerbread porch. He was well-acquainted with the works of the Brothers Grimm. And while he may have found the decor a pleasant homage under other circumstances, in the here and now, the woman's invitation was nothing short of suspicious. If this odd world held true to the folktales, children who entered candied houses were not likely to return. Walter shook his head at the woman, uttering a blunt "Nein" as Dust took hold of his sleeve. He followed the Genasi back down the footpath without argument, feeling perhaps more than a little unnerved by the recent turns the evening had taken.
"I'm going to regroup with Aaron," Dust had said. And the look he cast back at the doctor was almost pleading. "I don't like this. I have - a bad feeling."
Hahn was briefly caught off his guard, and simply stared back at Dust in mute surprise. Such phrasing was not what he expected from Dust, of all people. Though it was not as if Walter could disagree. Even the air felt oppressive with the near-silence and dead-eyed stares of the other revelers - or whatever they were. The doctor sincerely doubted that any of the figures in the crowd were actually real people.
A heartbeat later saw the youthful doctor jogging down the sidewalk to catch up with Dust, and Aaron further ahead. He really didn't feel like playing 'trick or treat' anymore...
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Post by NightshadeVII on Oct 29, 2018 10:13:06 GMT -6
[OOC: Aberdeen attempts to assure the children, that Kail wasn’t trying to steal candy. He will then proceed to try and guide Kail away from the children, stopping if they seemed to get hostile in any way. If they get out, he will walk with Kail to the lab-house-thing.]
Chaos became dead silence in mere seconds. The giggles and squeals of children was gone, none of them moved or spoke. As if all time had frozen. In a way, it reminded him of stepping into a fae circle, watching the falling of dust in the air slow visibly as he stood there, the wind losing speed. Otherworldly, but not quite isolated. Aberdeen scanned the crowd, as everyone spoke at once, chanting that no one were to steal candy. Mindless little things. However, this intrigued Aberdeen, orchestrating all this, making everyone seem like an individual, so it all seemed alive. And now it was gone.
Once everyone stopped talking, Aberdeen stepped closer to Kail. “He wasn’t trying to steal any candy.”, the nøkk said, his tone soft, pacifying in a way, “It was an accident, I promise. He never meant to offend any of you.” When Aberdeen finally stood beside the wendigo, the two gained eyecontact. Some kind of strained, unplacable expression touched the nøkk’s features, a smile he decided against or a frown he muted.
“Let’s move on Kail, no need to agitate them further...”, Aberdeen suggested, eyeing the children and adults around them. It took him a little moment, a few heart beats and fewer breaths, to find a suitable opening in the crowd for them to move through. Aberdeen nodded at the opening, so Kail could see it. “Try not to touch the candy...” he said, a strained smile making the corners of his mouth tug up, before it was gone again, “or them.” As the two began to make their way out of the crowd of children, Aberdeen walked carefully, eyes constantly scanning through the crowd. The moment he saw anything he interpreted as hostile or a threat to either Kail or himself, he would stop, motioning for the wendigo to do the same.
If they got out of the crowd now, he would walk with Kail to the lab-looking building.
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Post by Pearl Dragon on Oct 29, 2018 14:58:45 GMT -6
[Stenson is thoroughly creeped out. Once the others catch up, he will take position at the back of the group and follow, making sure to watch behind them in case of danger.]
Stenson followed along, keeping a steady pace with Aaron while keeping a constant lookout with quick glances back and to the sides in case danger should approach. As they rounded the corner onto the new street, Stenson took on one major detail. The crowd was now completely adults, and all were frozen in unision staring in the same direction. Not only that, but they were chanting... The sound of their voices, and the added children's voices from afar, sent a horrible chill down Stenson's spine. Something was happening, and he could only hope and pray that it wouldn't affect them. They didn't seem to be looking at them, despite their little group seeming incredibly out of place among all the adults, but he was nervous nonetheless.
"I think we should keep moving, once the group catches up..Nobody make any sudden movements, and try not to touch any of them..." He whispered, looking all around at the frozen adults. Once the others caught up, Stenson would take position at the back of the group to watch the flank of the group. He had a terrible feeling, especially with the eerie silence...
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Post by beastly on Oct 29, 2018 15:25:59 GMT -6
{{OOC: Simon is ready to go find his friend, why are you all standing around???}}
Simon whined when they came to a stop. He promptly circled Aaron, yapping. Lets go!! Lets GO!!
As more people join up, he yaps at them too.
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Post by tsukikoko on Oct 29, 2018 17:19:56 GMT -6
Kail is successfully extricated from the hoarde, who are all still staring at the wendigo even as he tries to growl at them. Their expressions do not change and they do not say or do anything else; the exception being the small child who’s pail was knocked onto the floor. They begin to gather up the scattered candy, placing each one back in the bucket, one at a time, as though they might be counting it.
Team DisneyShips go to the laboratory house. With Raine and Ari in the lead, Kail and Aberdeen following now that the wendigo is free, the group make their way towards the front door. While the building itself is rather elaborate and ominous flashes of light explode from within, the front garden is nearly empty. Devoid of plants save two identical fir trees near the front door and close cut grass to either side of the path. However, before the group has chance to reach the front door, there is a burst of sound. Static. Brief, there one moment, gone the next. But a second later, there again, for longer this time. The path begins to shear and the surface becomes full of pits, angles falling in on themselves. It begins slowly, but then cascades out and around into the surrounding grass until the world is falling away into a cavernous pit. The edges twitch and glitch as the phenomenon spreads, soon sweeping beneath Raine and Ari in a torrent of red, black and white. Both children soon find the ground open below them and they’re sent sliding into a tunnel. Kail has a chance to avoid the new chasm in the ground, but with his lingering jumpiness from the horde crowd, he loses his footing and tumbles after Raine and Ari. The three children have a moment to try and control their slide down two choices that open up ahead - left or right. Only Aberdeen is able to avoid the gaping hole, which is already beginning to knit itself together from glitching edges. He has maybe a few seconds to decide whether or not to follow the rest of the group, otherwise he will be left alone.
Team Hodgepodge say no to the old lady and reconvene with Team Bros to become one again! The old lady smiles, waves and bids them on her way, but there is a venom in the air as the group makes their escape. Heavy and oppressive, a weight that follows them all the way to the bottom of the path and only disperses once the children are back out in the street. The group head for Aaron, Stenson and Simon at the beginning of the new street. Together again, they make their way a little way up the street, amongst the currently frozen adults. Similarly to the previous street, decorated houses line each side. However, where some of the previous houses were of a cute and cartoonish nature, all of these properties were clearly decorated to scare. With torn open bodies, blood and gore at every opportunity, what appeared to be real fire outside at least one house, amongst a great many other things. Simon can still track Sara’s scent at this point, which crosses to the left-hand side of the street and continues on past the first couple of houses at least.
Aaron is still hearing voices. The shouting, pleading and crying continues to get louder in his head. A few desperate swears, sounds of exertion as though someone might be trying to escape. Muffled breaths, something that was almost a growl. A grunt of pain. A low ‘bastard, fuck you’ that trembled with fear even as Sara’s voice tried to sound determined. Then screaming. Terrible, desperate, terrified screaming.
Cassius eats his candy. Or rather, he eats the first piece and his senses explode with incredibly delicious flavour, just as Stenson experienced. Smooth chocolate that already seems to melt in the mouth from that first bite, overlaid with his favourite accompanying flavours. The taste was so incredible it feels as though he might fly! Which… he would soon notice, translates into his feet quite literally leaving the ground as he comes to float a few inches off it. The young agent lands again a moment later, but he has a sense, a knowing, that he could take off again if he so chose. At the second, the deliciousness is abruptly interrupted by a sharp pain in the roof of his mouth. Blood coats his tongue a second later. Should he reach inside his mouth, Cassius would find, stuck in the ridges at the top of his mouth, a razor blade, at least an inch across.
The crowd returns to normal. As soon as all of the candy is returned to the child’s pail, the hivemind-like behaviour ceases and the entire crowd returns to their jovial activities. Apparently satisfied once again. Children run about in the street, adults and teenagers chatter. But something about the air has changed. Though the behaviour is excitable and friendly, there is an unnerving, malignant taint to the atmosphere.
Cassius now has 10 pieces of candy. Stenson now has 10 pieces of candy. (one bitten) Kail now has 11 pieces of candy. Aberdeen now has 11 pieces of candy. Aaron now has 9 pieces of candy. Data corrupted now has 9̴̗͕̭̰̥͐͊̽ pieces of candy. Hahn now has 10 pieces of candy. Dust now has 9 piece of candy. Zavijah now has 10 pieces of candy. Simon now has 8 piece of candy. Raine now has 11 pieces of candy. Ari now has 11 pieces of candy.
Quick house summary On Kail’s Aberdeen's side; bubbles and tall trees cartoon-y, castle shrine and lanterns Laboratory
On Kail’s side; Oh look a tunnel
On Cassius’ side; New road!
~~~~~
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Post by Pearl Dragon on Oct 29, 2018 18:02:12 GMT -6
[Stenson tries to help Cassius with his razor, if the other officer will let him. He will also follow Aaron along to the left-hand side of the street where Simon is tracking Sara's scent. He will remain at the back of the group to protect from behind unless otherwise requested to move up.]
"Sten, I hear her."
"You what!?" Stenson whispered harshly, straining to try and listen while everything was so quiet and still. Although, try as he might, he couldn't hear anything at all, and soon enough the hustle and bustle of the street suddenly resumed with its usual jovial chaos as if nothing at all had happened. The change was so jarring and unexpected that Stenson nearly tripped over Cassus who had begun to float where he stood. "Hey! Wh-!" Stenson reached up to grab at Cassius' levitating body when the other officer began to drift back to the earth, blood pouring from his mouth. "What did you do!? What happened?" He spun Cassius where he stood, still surprised at how easily it was with his increased strength and tried to get a look at Cassius' mouth. "Ooooh man, this looks bad..." His glasses slipped back down his nose and he swept them from his face with a frustrated swat, placing them in a pocket so that he could get a better look at Cassius' injury. Everything was suddenly getting weirder and weirder, and now they were headed to some houses that were decidedly less friendly and kid-looking. He'd begun to expect that eventually things would become more "adult" and now it seemed his guess was correct. If the decorations were more adult, then so would the "scares".
If he was able to get a good look at Cassius' injury, he would do his best to help pull the razor from the other child's mouth. The blood that poured from Cassius' mouth made it difficult to grasp and pull the blade out, but if Cassius allowed him to, he would make his best attempt while trying to avoid cutting his own hands. As an added precaution, he would granite his fingers as well as he could, but the shell of rock was nowhere near as thick or strong as normal.
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Post by MP on Oct 29, 2018 19:04:38 GMT -6
[OOC: Aaron picks up the pace, reporting whatever he can while they follow Simon. He recommends one lookout for the vanguard, rearguard, left, and right as they proceed. But he doesn’t care if they’re following anymore.]
Aaron powered after the puppy, eyes flickering from door to door with a deadly focus. He was speaking as he walked - not like the panicked, helpless child he felt like, but in the clipped tones of the agent. Efficient. Pragmatic. He clung to his training like a lifeline, using it to steady his thoughts, knowing the best thing he could do was to stay calm.
"One aggressor that I can hear. She's speaking to them - possibly humanoid, but I can't confirm. There's a struggle - c'mon, pup, hurry."
The last word quavered with desperation. There wasn't time to filter his logic. He spoke on instinct, moved forward in a habitual scanning sweep, reported the observations and thoughts as they came to him. Instructing.
"Eyes to the rear and sides. Make sure we're not being followed. Watch the windows and side yards in case they try to move her. She might be immobilized."
The words were authoritative and strained. He wasn't thinking of seniority now, or the rightful chain of command. Only of finding the shifter before the unthinkable happened. It wasn't enough. They weren't moving fast enough.
An exclamation behind him. Aaron looked back, hope and terror crowding in his throat at the sound. Then he saw what Sten was looking at: the new predicament. A second's hesitation. An anguished pause. Then he turned on his heel and hurried after the puppy.
"We're getting closer. Meet us up ahead," he called to the officers over his shoulder.
But Aaron no longer cared if anyone was following. The screaming had reached a desperate pitch now, and he was sure it was her - sure they were almost out of time. He broke into a run, scanning the shadowy lawns as he urged the puppy on. He was still alert, still keeping to a rained search pattern. But all hesitation had gone. He'd go after Sara alone if he had to. He couldn't afford to wait.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 29, 2018 23:49:54 GMT -6
[OOC: Cassius decides to help, but stops when he ends up getting sliced with a razor-blade in the mouth. He floats, if only just a little off the ground and knows it may happen again. He is still holding the wrapper to said candy in his hand. He's following Aaron. ]
A moment of triumph, however brief; Cassius floated off the ground, hovering just a little. A part of him knew that he could do it again if he so wished it. Maybe it would help them see Sara through the herd of tall people. The chant did not surprise him. There was a kind of artifice in all of this; he knew it was not real and that it would end up becoming dangerous after a while. There was never a nice experience in these things, and he had been waiting for the twist. This twist was just... a little more of a gentle curve than the last. Like the nightmare games of the Fae. He could not expect to escape unscathed.
Losing his mind to the beast was an experience he knew he would repeat someday. In the future, he would no longer be himself anymore, but he did not dwell on it. A distant thought. Not sad or fearsome as others considered. His thoughts were interrupted by biting onto something that gave him piercing pain in his mouth. Sharp like a blade. Sharper than a hard piece of candy. His mouth filled with the familiar taste of blood and he spat it out.
"Trapped candy."
He said, seeming far too calm for having a small waterfall of blood pool out of his mouth and cover the front of his costume. He pawed at it, realizing he could not take off his gloves; he'd have to use his tongue. Then, suddenly, Stenson stuck his hand in his mouth. The man was helpful, and had no hesitation. Soon enough, the razor-candy was dislodged. He handed Stenson the wrapper.
"Thanks. Don't eat this one."
He jogged a little to help flank Aaron. They had all agreed to go find Sara it seems. He had the distinct sense it wouldn't work out, but it was the right thing to do. He glanced behind him to make sure that the others weren't falling behind. If they were separated they would likely be lost.
Then Cassius concentrated. He decided to float up to look for Sara a little better. Better than being as small as he was.
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Post by kilnarak on Oct 30, 2018 3:29:53 GMT -6
[ Ari falls in the glitch-hole. He drops his pail as he's falling to better cling to Raine, shifting into a costumed panther cub in the process. He leans to the left, but in the end will end up falling wherever Raine falls unless he loses his grip. ]
The shock of static made Ari jump, his fingers twitching, plastic claws scraping Raine's arm through his sleeve. He froze in his tracks at the sound, hesitating uncertainly. When the ground began to fall away around them, twitching and shuddering like some bad illusion, he began to back up. None of the houses so far had hurt them, but that didn't mean none of them would, and while he didn't have a fear of heights he didn't especially like the idea of falling into an abyss either.
He wasn't quick enough in backing away. One moment there was pavement beneath his feet, and the next open space was rushing up to engulf him. The ground gave way in odd flashes of red, black, and white - it was so fast, even as he realized that he needed to leap for solid ground, his footing was gone, nothing to propel himself off of. And then he was falling, or rather sliding down a smooth, steep surface. Flashes of red and white light allowed him to see the round walls of the tunnel, but he was moving too quickly to see where those lights came from, or if he could catch his claws on one. He managed to keep his grip on Raine's arm, but in falling he had lost hold of his pail in favor of gripping Raine with both arms, and after a spare moment, both legs too.
He had begun to change by instinct rather than intent - his body sure that four legs and claws would more easily find a grip than human fingers. The suit should have ripped with the change, but it seemed to readjust around him, pushing his fur down awkwardly. The plastic claws of his gloves became plastic caps on his own claws, the mask reshaping to accomodate a muzzle. A cub, rather than a full grown cat, Ari clung to Raine, yowling terror as they slid into the red-and-black depths.
He leaned hard to the left, although it was less to direct their fall and more to press more firmly against Raine. He didn't want to lose him. He clung on for dear life.
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Post by Marshmallow on Oct 30, 2018 7:43:15 GMT -6
[OOC: Walter wants to science and laments his lack of notepad. He observes Aaron and Cassius, speculates about the candy and looks around at their surroundings to get a lay of the land. Should Dust take off after Aaron, Walter follows close behind.] ----
Walter regrouped with the others just as Aaron and the pup began leading the way down a far less inviting street. The miniature agent was speaking, directing them to watch the flanks amid descriptions of what he "heard" in regard to the missing girl. It was the tone of Aaron's voice, rather than the words themselves, that held the doctor's attention. He could hear the strain, the wavering notes of fear and desperation. Walter could not empathize with the boy's plight. Rather, he was more interested in the nature of Aaron's emotional responses, how he functioned under duress, and the means by which he claimed he could hear the girl. His fingers twitched. He was once more keenly aware of his inability to record any observations and clicked his tongue in disappointment.
The doctor ghosted along beside Dust, trusting the genasi to warn him of any impending danger from that side, while he scanned the yards on the opposite side of the road. The crowds were moving again, chattering and yelling and reveling just as before. Yet somehow, the ominous feeling hand't lifted. Now that they had already glimpsed the uncanny behaviour, the illusion was shattered. He gazed across the street, studying the gory decorations and shadowed houses for... well, he didn't know what he was looking for. He just focused on committing key details and landmarks to memory in the event he was separated.
One of the voices behind them abruptly rose in alarm. Walter paused and turned, more curious than startled. Apparently the wolf-boy had spontaneously gained the ability to float, while also developing a sudden hemorrhage in his mouth. The cause was soon clear, as the grey-skinned one pried a razorblade from the mouth of their companion. Judging by the wrappers in his gloved hands, it was easy to conclude what had happened: Wolf-boy had eaten two of his candies. Rather remarkably, one of them seemed to give him the ability to float or hover. But the other had held a much less pleasant surprise.
Walter tapped his chin in thought. It appeared that the candies had the chance to grant special benefits once consumed. But it apparently meant gambling with the potential for less favorable, or downright dangerous side effects...
He scoffed and shook his head. "Trick, or Treat," he mused as he glanced down at his own pail of mysterious sweets. "Literally. Vee musht be kareful, ja? Razors may not be zee vorst of it."
No time to consider further testing with the candy however. Aaron and the pup were still on the move. The agent asserted they were "getting closer", though it was anyone's guess as to how he could know such a thing. Regardless, the doctor presumed Dust would follow, given his apparent obsession with this Aaron character. So Walter jogged after them as well, avoiding the thickest parts of the crowds as best he could.
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