[Day 2, Night - A House South of Town]

[direstnews]

[Written into the ground alongside one of the houses to the south of town tonight are a series of strange letters, forming a rough circle near the wall. A figure of approximately Loki's build, not there during the day's exploration, leans against the wall at the corner. The door to the house is open.]

[Some hours after the sudden switch from day to night, Loki stands in front of the door, a candle before him, a kitchen knife in one hand and a spoon in the other. He checks the mirror set carefully in the darkness, nothing yet visible in its surface. Then he strikes the knife with the spoon's handle, and he holds his breath - and he waits.]

Comments

[tearsinnajar]

[Backing up and firing as well.]

What about you?

[12npcs]

[The shots make holes in the glob, crack the wooden appendages. Something wet and noxious bursts up and splatters the ground harmlessly with each impact... Even losing mass, it continues to advance with whatever it has left..]

[assworthsaving]

[Eugh. Well that's kind of gross. Aiming again--]

I got it- just go!

[And fires another shot. Like hell he's got it. He doesn't even know what he's got but he's trying to keep his distance and keep it away from Elena.]

[tearsinnajar]

[She's unmoved—well, in a metaphorical sense, in a literal sense she's keeping a gap between her and it as she fires.]

Do you think now is really the time for the heroics? It's after you, too!

[12npcs]

[Drake and Elena's shots impact the middle almost at the same time.. causing it to shudder and split again, ripping apart again into two halves.

They begin to drag themselves towards you... only pausing as a young man finds a high perch and calls out a taunt.

Stricken by some senseless indecision, they both pause for half of a second...]

[assworthsaving]

Really? Hadn't noticed!

[Then they stop. And Drake's attention is briefly directed at the man causing it, confused, but reality sets in and he realizes that now would be a good time to shoot. He motions at Elena and takes aim at the mass on the left.]

Aim for the one on the right- I got the left!

[This time he fires two consecutive shots at it.]

[tearsinnajar]

Got it!

[She takes aim accordingly and squeezes the trigger with the sort of surreal composure one has when facing down an otherworldly monster.]

[12npcs]

[The speed tears into the mass, again and again, bursting into peacock plumes of some gelatinous mass. Under Drake's shots, the creature's remaining mass is pushed up into a heavy bubble... the next sharp shot pops it... the hands clatter to the ground with a sad finality.

It's Elena's steady shot that seems to make SOMETHING crunch... liquid melts down around a mass of gears as the broken clockwork drops to the ground.

The remaining pieces likewise seem to shift and then dissolve as if had never been summoned at all.

The despondent people begin to feel their energy and interest return, numb and heavy in their mind. Instead, something settles, a simple drive, a singular sensation that something is wrong... something is missing.



In the very far background, behind Rosette and Chrono, one of the painted door buildings, having had bullet and grenade blasts totters and collapses.... taking down the two next to it as well in heavy, unsteady chunks.]

[allsneakandnoplay]

[on his knees holding his head in both hands. . .]

. . .What was. . .?

[assworthsaving]

[Drake gives Elena a once-over to make sure she is okay and, satisfied, gently claps her on the shoulder and makes his way over to... cyborg-ninja guy. Who doesn't look too hot right now.

He offers his hand should he need help getting to his feet.]

You all right, chief?

[direstnews]

That? A timely intervention.

You have my thanks.

[overclocking]

[... Glances around at the assortment of idiots, then sets the ammo box down with a heavy THUNK and a sigh.

IGNORING FALLING BUILDINGS]

Does anyone need medical treatment?

[soul_sister]

[Brushing debris off her shoulders.]

Did you catch what happened?

[direstnews]

[Rubbing at his chest.]

I've escaped injury.

[direstnews]

Have we all of us come out of that whole?

[Rubs absently at his chest - and then again, as the sensation that something's gone refuses to be budged.]

[soul_sister]

I think so, somehow.

You okay, Puzzle?

[charmed_life]

I'm not...

[Shakes her head to clear it before turning to Loki (though the feeling persists)]

Are you all right?

[tearsinnajar]

[Leans down, hands on her knees, panting. She's a bit shaken, but otherwise alright.]

Is everyone okay? What was that thing?

[soul_sister]

It had to have been at least a little demonic in nature for my weapons to affect it.

... I've never seen anything like that, though.

[direstnews]

[Conveniently looking somewhere else.]

It was in search of the puppet buried in the garden's soil.

[assworthsaving]

[His hand is already on her and rubbing gentle circles on her back.]

You okay? Didn't get any of that stuff on you, did you?

[atacarme]

[just gonna stay over here sitting, tyvm]

[direstnews]

...have you been injured?

[charmed_life]

[Gets shakily to her feet, moving over to the others and just staring at the ground where the last piece dissipated]

[Brings a hand to her temple]

What is this...?

[beeductionist]

[ slowly kneeling down next to a dissolving chunk, watching it dissipate. ]