Zoe upgrade no. 2! Added to CS.
Lasrever
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After a surprisingly eventful morning, Amy had taken some time to relax - or that would have been the plan, if she didn’t have to get ready for the rest of the day. At least she’d been smart enough to actually buy an outfit, seeing as none of her usual wardrobe really screamed Halloween at all. Not that she was really a fan of over-the-top stuff, but she couldn’t exactly turn up without anything. That seemed like it was breaking some kind of unspoken rule.
So instead she’d bought the first thing that fitted her and she was willing to wear - which had turned out to be a pirate costume of somewhat questionable historical accuracy. Okay, so the neckline was a bit lower than she was used to, and the pants were definitely, um, form-fitting, but it wasn’t enough to be impractical and she’d left her shopping a little too late to be spoilt for choice. At least it was comfortable enough, and she’d tracked down a pair of boots that meant she wouldn’t break an ankle going down any stairs. Could be worse.
Once she was ready, she’d just spent her time relaxing, reading a few chapters from a book she’d borrowed from the library. Virgil said he’d pick her up here, right? Okay, so technically he should’ve been here by now but it had only be a couple minutes and she wasn’t the type to get impatient unless someone was seriously late. As long as they didn’t miss the bus, anyway.
Sure enough, it didn’t take too long before there was a knock on the door, and she heard Virgil call through. "You all good?"
”One minute!” She called, as her eyes scanned the pages of the novel. Folding over the corner of the page, Amy shut her book and placed it on her nightstand. Fairly sure there wasn’t anything else she needed, she grabbed her phone and headed over to the door. Pausing for a second, she looked back at the room one last time to check she hadn’t forgotten anything before heading out.
”I guess Fear Fest is still on, then?” she laughed softly as she stepped outside, eyes sparkling with mischief as she pulled the door closed behind her and looked him over briefly. The outfit definitely suited him, and she didn’t comment on the stereotype, mostly because it didn’t really occur to her. After a second, she looked up at him with a teasing smile. ”I’ve got to say, Virgil, I didn’t take you for the fashionably late type of guy.”
Like a wounded puppy, Virgil pouted at her teasing. She was right. He was rarely fashionably late. His late mom would have whooped his ass if she knew he was even a second late picking up up a girl, specifically one he was going on a date with, saying things like ‘I’ve raised you better than that’ or ‘You’ll never get married at this rate’. That’s what she said to his brother, the infamous Cerberus, at least. Hey, now his brother had the gorgeous model Carlotta Milano (Hart) as his wife. Parenting done right.
Although Bianca had the most potential of maxing her necromancy abilities out, since she was their grandmother’s legacy, Lucio Jr, his older brother, had the militant mindset to control an army of the dead strategically and for the benefit of the family. Of course, his operations were in Los Angeles but if anyone had the brains to be the legacy of Witching Hour, it should’ve been him. And yet, Lucio could careless, so long as he was respected and could continue to build onto the Hart name, keeping their grandparents’ traditions alive, he’d be satisfied.
Lidia, one of his sisters, on the other hand, was quite bitter that she was the third necromancer born into the family. Their father and Uncle Leo value the feats their children can and could accomplish while alive but there would always be a hint of favoritism and unfortunately for Lidia, since she was neither the legacy nor the strategist, she would never be seen as great (constantly second-rate). One can say Lidia didn’t like Bianca all that much because of how reckless, foolish, and ‘not all there’ her dear cousin was. Someone who did not have the mental capacity to be the great Romilda’s successor.
Vincent would have gone far as Amadeo’s descendant, the next best Ultimatum, if only he didn’t die... but enough with family politics! It was time to make an impression on his new friend. “My bad. I’m usually on my A-Game. Today, not so much.” His brown orbs surveyed her attire and his lips curved into a dimpled grin, “I better be careful. People gonna’ notice you.” Leading the way down the hall and ideally out the building walking in the direction of the bus, the Italian pup shrugged, “Halloween is cool, I guess, but I’m lookin’ forward to catching the mischief on tape. The stories my cousin’s told me… legendary. Are you prepared?” Virgil pulled his camera up and pointed it at Amy’s face, quickly hitting record.
Honestly, the majority of footage he gets on tape he keeps as stock. Rarely does it ever make it to the final film - plus, it was nice having a collection of footage of his friends. Memories he can look back on when he’s older and possible gift material for the holidays or birthdays.
As Virgil spoke, Amy found herself holding back a laugh. It was obvious she didn’t mind him turning up late or anything, and honestly the look on his face would’ve made up for it either way. Part of her was curious about what had made him late, but it seemed nosy to actually ask so she stayed quiet. Of course, she wasn’t oblivious enough not to realise she’d get ‘noticed’, considering the circumstances. Eh, she’d deal with it if she had to - but there’d no doubt be plenty of people at the Fear Fest who’d draw a lot more attention than she would. Hopefully, anyway. Being in the limelight wasn’t really her thing if she could avoid it.
Despite that, she felt relatively comfortable as she followed Virgil down the hall. Now that he’d turned up, she found herself looking forward to the rest of the day. Speeding up to walk alongside him, she didn’t actually notice him raise the camera at first, speaking lightheartedly. ”I’m as prepared as I have to be. What’s life without a few surprises anyway?” she grinned brightly as she turned and spotted the camera.
”Besides, it helps us get to know each other, right? I’m looking forward to it - although you could at least try and get my good side on camera, Spielberg.”
He gave her a coy smile to her remark. She was witty, he liked that. People needed more humor in their lives, especially during this day and age. Staring at the screen, he gave her fair face a closer look, while complementing, “You have a nice voice. It’s kinda soothing. Has anyone told you that before?” Was he being creepy? Maybe he was… he didn’t really know. He just liked the air she carried around her, a pleasant girl to be around, unlike a good portion of people he knew, and her voice was bright, warm, as if beams of sunshine had melted into sound.
It was nice...
Not wanting to make this awkward between them, he brought his camera to his side and shyly ran his hand through his hair, “So yeah, how about that bus?”
"Really? I always thought it sounded kind of weird." Amy looked equal parts surprised and happy with the complement, glancing at Virgil with a smile before continuing. "I'm glad you like it, though. I mean, I kind of ramble sometimes, so it'd probably get annoying otherwise." She paused, mumbling absentmindedly just loudly enough for him to hear. "Especially when I'm nervous."
Catching sight of Virgil once again, she looked slightly embarrassed. "...I said that out loud, didn't I?"
Virgil chuckled and gave Amy a nod, not saying anything in response, simply observing… her. He didn’t mind listening. He was loquacious himself, so at least they had that going for them. Two people who got lost in their words.
Looking for something to distract from her admission, she looked over Virgil's appearance once again. You know, now that she thought about it he did seem kind of cute in a cheeky, excitable sort of way. Then again, she needed to get to know him properly, but they had the whole of Fear Fest for that - God, she didn't even know what went on at Fear Fest yet either!
Okay, Amy. Not helping.
She took a few seconds of walking in silence to calm her thoughts before she looked back at him, confidence returning slightly. "Anyway, you’re right, we should probably get to the buses. I think it'd sabotage both our plans if we don't even make it to the Fear Fest, right?"
“Right.” Virgil led the way and held the dorm door open, only to meet his gaze with her’s and unexpectedly ask, “Do I make you nervous?” His expression grew serious and was filled with genuine curiosity. If he made her nervous, he’d have to make sure to hangout with her more so she wouldn’t be uncomfortable around him. Unfortunately, before Amy could answer, Virgil’s attention was brought to his vibrating phone and he gestured for her to give him a second. While still holding the door, he grabbed his phone and saw a text message from someone he rarely received text messages from. His older brother.
In Lucio’s terms, soon meant… very soon. Wait were they all coming or just him and his immediate family (Lucio’s wife and children)? Walking away from the door, Virgil looked visibly sick to his stomach. He was not ready to see his older brother or worst, his father… why did he have to be in the tournament again?! After pocketing his phone, he cleared his throat and nervously laughed, “If I broke a leg or something, do you think I’ll get a ‘get out of jail free card’ or in this case, tournament? I’m…. going to be so bad, Amy. I’m nothing like Vince.”
”Okay, you weren’t making me that nervous, but now I’m definitely nervous. What brought this on?” Amy looked genuinely concerned about Virgil, trying to figure out what could have gotten him in such a state so quickly. ”You can’t go hurting yourself to get out of the tournament. As much as anything else, if they really want you to compete, they’ll probably just find a healer.”
After taking a second to actually look at how freaked out Virgil was, she shook her head slowly. She was curious about why he was so worried, but the content of the message wasn’t her business. Interrogating him probably wasn’t about to help anything. She spoke softly, gently, making eye contact with the panicked Hart in an attempt to calm him down. ”Are you listening to me, Virgil?”
As much as he could have zoned out, when Cerberus (his brother) or Empyrean (his father) were brought back to his reality, Virgil’s senses scaled from 5 to 11, real quick. Attentive and alert, he looked back at the girl, who was making sure he was alright. Man, now she knew he had family issues.
Way to go, Verge! You’re not suppose to make a lady worried.
“Uh, yeah. I’m listening…” He took a moment to breathe in and out, a couple of times, something his mother taught him when he was struck by the fear of his family. When he was all good and done, his cheeks were kissed a light pink, embarrassed that she had to see that, “My family can be rather intimidating, more so my side in LA than my family here. But that ain’t saying much since this side is pretty bad too.” He gritted his teeth. His family’s reputation wasn’t something he was necessarily proud about but it was the family he was brought into and the reputation he HAD to add to with his own.
“Eh-hem. Looks like my big bro will be coming down soon… He didn’t give me a date or anything, and I know he ain’t gonna reply to my text since he’s a massive troll… like, he KNOWS he gets under my skin. He’s just like my father, it’s kinda stupid, really. Being in the tournament is not the problem. It’s my family… being there…. watching me. That’s the problem.” Steady cowboy. Ranting to an acquaintance sorta, friend sorta, was dangerous for a Hart. Tightening his grip on his camera, Virgil brushed all his building anger to the side, “I’m not here to bring the mood down, we’re here to have fun! Let’s go have fun.”
”Virgil.” Amy spoke in a level tone, concerned but still firmly refusing to leave the topic without saying anything. ”If it’s about the tournament, I can help you. I’m competing too, after all. I’m not going to pretend I know what you’re dealing with, but there has to be something I can help you with, even if it just means helping you get ready.”
She was worried she might be overstepping some kind of boundary by refusing to leave it alone, but Amy was nothing if not stubborn. If she could help, then she would - if there were consequences, then it was her choice to bring them down on her. ”Just keep it in mind, alright? You don’t have to do everything yourself.”
After that, she decided it was probably time to leave the subject alone. With a placating smile, she looked up at him. ”But you’re right. Today, we’re here to have fun. So let’s worry about all of that later, okay?”
...she was so caring. Virgil blinked dumbly at Amy as he listened to her words. The only living person he knew that had a heart pure as gold, which Amy reminded him of, was his aunt Belissa, who honestly shouldn’t even be with his uncle, but c’est la vie. She was forced in a situation she couldn’t refuse and now she belonged to the Capo Famiglia of the family.
Did Amy know the dangers she could face by getting closer to him? Probably not. That was for another time, he guessed, and yet learning to train with a fellow classmate sounded rewarding. Exciting, even. He didn’t really know much about Amy or her powers, maybe they could train together in the Control Room? He had yet to really explore that building besides during class… has it been two weeks since Delirium? Eh, regardless of how long he’s been in upstate New York, anything to help him not make a fool of himself in front of potentially his father, assuming his father was coming along with his brother, would be grand! “Got it. No serious talk. Just fun. Yes, sounds good to me.” Stopping in his tracks, he saw the busses and noticed how PACKED they all were.
“Time to go hunting for seats?” He noticed Gianna, with a mysterious masked girl he did not know, in one of the busses, sitting and talking to… Brenna and Lucas? Yeah. That’s the bus he wanted to be in. Wait. No. He should let Amy pick. That was the gentleman thing to do. “So which bus would you like to start at first?” On his back was a backpack filled with clothes and other necessities. Nothing over the top. He’d probably keep it on him rather than put it in the luggage compartment.
Looking at the busses and having been completely oblivious to Virgil's dumbfounded look, Amy just shrugged. It didn’t really bother her where they went either way, so she just pointed at the one he’d been looking at without really paying attention to who was inside - although whether it would have changed anything if she'd noticed wasn't really certain. ”That one’s fine. Hopefully we can find a couple that aren’t taken yet.”
Despite her worries about everything, Amy found herself smiling brightly at Virgil. She wasn’t sure what Fear Fest was going to be, but for some reason she was looking forward to it regardless. If nothing else, she had a feeling it’d at least be an experience to remember. ”Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get going!”
So instead she’d bought the first thing that fitted her and she was willing to wear - which had turned out to be a pirate costume of somewhat questionable historical accuracy. Okay, so the neckline was a bit lower than she was used to, and the pants were definitely, um, form-fitting, but it wasn’t enough to be impractical and she’d left her shopping a little too late to be spoilt for choice. At least it was comfortable enough, and she’d tracked down a pair of boots that meant she wouldn’t break an ankle going down any stairs. Could be worse.
Once she was ready, she’d just spent her time relaxing, reading a few chapters from a book she’d borrowed from the library. Virgil said he’d pick her up here, right? Okay, so technically he should’ve been here by now but it had only be a couple minutes and she wasn’t the type to get impatient unless someone was seriously late. As long as they didn’t miss the bus, anyway.
Sure enough, it didn’t take too long before there was a knock on the door, and she heard Virgil call through. "You all good?"
”One minute!” She called, as her eyes scanned the pages of the novel. Folding over the corner of the page, Amy shut her book and placed it on her nightstand. Fairly sure there wasn’t anything else she needed, she grabbed her phone and headed over to the door. Pausing for a second, she looked back at the room one last time to check she hadn’t forgotten anything before heading out.
”I guess Fear Fest is still on, then?” she laughed softly as she stepped outside, eyes sparkling with mischief as she pulled the door closed behind her and looked him over briefly. The outfit definitely suited him, and she didn’t comment on the stereotype, mostly because it didn’t really occur to her. After a second, she looked up at him with a teasing smile. ”I’ve got to say, Virgil, I didn’t take you for the fashionably late type of guy.”
Like a wounded puppy, Virgil pouted at her teasing. She was right. He was rarely fashionably late. His late mom would have whooped his ass if she knew he was even a second late picking up up a girl, specifically one he was going on a date with, saying things like ‘I’ve raised you better than that’ or ‘You’ll never get married at this rate’. That’s what she said to his brother, the infamous Cerberus, at least. Hey, now his brother had the gorgeous model Carlotta Milano (Hart) as his wife. Parenting done right.
Although Bianca had the most potential of maxing her necromancy abilities out, since she was their grandmother’s legacy, Lucio Jr, his older brother, had the militant mindset to control an army of the dead strategically and for the benefit of the family. Of course, his operations were in Los Angeles but if anyone had the brains to be the legacy of Witching Hour, it should’ve been him. And yet, Lucio could careless, so long as he was respected and could continue to build onto the Hart name, keeping their grandparents’ traditions alive, he’d be satisfied.
Lidia, one of his sisters, on the other hand, was quite bitter that she was the third necromancer born into the family. Their father and Uncle Leo value the feats their children can and could accomplish while alive but there would always be a hint of favoritism and unfortunately for Lidia, since she was neither the legacy nor the strategist, she would never be seen as great (constantly second-rate). One can say Lidia didn’t like Bianca all that much because of how reckless, foolish, and ‘not all there’ her dear cousin was. Someone who did not have the mental capacity to be the great Romilda’s successor.
Vincent would have gone far as Amadeo’s descendant, the next best Ultimatum, if only he didn’t die... but enough with family politics! It was time to make an impression on his new friend. “My bad. I’m usually on my A-Game. Today, not so much.” His brown orbs surveyed her attire and his lips curved into a dimpled grin, “I better be careful. People gonna’ notice you.” Leading the way down the hall and ideally out the building walking in the direction of the bus, the Italian pup shrugged, “Halloween is cool, I guess, but I’m lookin’ forward to catching the mischief on tape. The stories my cousin’s told me… legendary. Are you prepared?” Virgil pulled his camera up and pointed it at Amy’s face, quickly hitting record.
Honestly, the majority of footage he gets on tape he keeps as stock. Rarely does it ever make it to the final film - plus, it was nice having a collection of footage of his friends. Memories he can look back on when he’s older and possible gift material for the holidays or birthdays.
As Virgil spoke, Amy found herself holding back a laugh. It was obvious she didn’t mind him turning up late or anything, and honestly the look on his face would’ve made up for it either way. Part of her was curious about what had made him late, but it seemed nosy to actually ask so she stayed quiet. Of course, she wasn’t oblivious enough not to realise she’d get ‘noticed’, considering the circumstances. Eh, she’d deal with it if she had to - but there’d no doubt be plenty of people at the Fear Fest who’d draw a lot more attention than she would. Hopefully, anyway. Being in the limelight wasn’t really her thing if she could avoid it.
Despite that, she felt relatively comfortable as she followed Virgil down the hall. Now that he’d turned up, she found herself looking forward to the rest of the day. Speeding up to walk alongside him, she didn’t actually notice him raise the camera at first, speaking lightheartedly. ”I’m as prepared as I have to be. What’s life without a few surprises anyway?” she grinned brightly as she turned and spotted the camera.
”Besides, it helps us get to know each other, right? I’m looking forward to it - although you could at least try and get my good side on camera, Spielberg.”
He gave her a coy smile to her remark. She was witty, he liked that. People needed more humor in their lives, especially during this day and age. Staring at the screen, he gave her fair face a closer look, while complementing, “You have a nice voice. It’s kinda soothing. Has anyone told you that before?” Was he being creepy? Maybe he was… he didn’t really know. He just liked the air she carried around her, a pleasant girl to be around, unlike a good portion of people he knew, and her voice was bright, warm, as if beams of sunshine had melted into sound.
It was nice...
Not wanting to make this awkward between them, he brought his camera to his side and shyly ran his hand through his hair, “So yeah, how about that bus?”
"Really? I always thought it sounded kind of weird." Amy looked equal parts surprised and happy with the complement, glancing at Virgil with a smile before continuing. "I'm glad you like it, though. I mean, I kind of ramble sometimes, so it'd probably get annoying otherwise." She paused, mumbling absentmindedly just loudly enough for him to hear. "Especially when I'm nervous."
Catching sight of Virgil once again, she looked slightly embarrassed. "...I said that out loud, didn't I?"
Virgil chuckled and gave Amy a nod, not saying anything in response, simply observing… her. He didn’t mind listening. He was loquacious himself, so at least they had that going for them. Two people who got lost in their words.
Looking for something to distract from her admission, she looked over Virgil's appearance once again. You know, now that she thought about it he did seem kind of cute in a cheeky, excitable sort of way. Then again, she needed to get to know him properly, but they had the whole of Fear Fest for that - God, she didn't even know what went on at Fear Fest yet either!
Okay, Amy. Not helping.
She took a few seconds of walking in silence to calm her thoughts before she looked back at him, confidence returning slightly. "Anyway, you’re right, we should probably get to the buses. I think it'd sabotage both our plans if we don't even make it to the Fear Fest, right?"
“Right.” Virgil led the way and held the dorm door open, only to meet his gaze with her’s and unexpectedly ask, “Do I make you nervous?” His expression grew serious and was filled with genuine curiosity. If he made her nervous, he’d have to make sure to hangout with her more so she wouldn’t be uncomfortable around him. Unfortunately, before Amy could answer, Virgil’s attention was brought to his vibrating phone and he gestured for her to give him a second. While still holding the door, he grabbed his phone and saw a text message from someone he rarely received text messages from. His older brother.
From: The Hound of Hades
We heard you’re in the tournament. You’ll be seeing us soon.
In Lucio’s terms, soon meant… very soon. Wait were they all coming or just him and his immediate family (Lucio’s wife and children)? Walking away from the door, Virgil looked visibly sick to his stomach. He was not ready to see his older brother or worst, his father… why did he have to be in the tournament again?! After pocketing his phone, he cleared his throat and nervously laughed, “If I broke a leg or something, do you think I’ll get a ‘get out of jail free card’ or in this case, tournament? I’m…. going to be so bad, Amy. I’m nothing like Vince.”
”Okay, you weren’t making me that nervous, but now I’m definitely nervous. What brought this on?” Amy looked genuinely concerned about Virgil, trying to figure out what could have gotten him in such a state so quickly. ”You can’t go hurting yourself to get out of the tournament. As much as anything else, if they really want you to compete, they’ll probably just find a healer.”
After taking a second to actually look at how freaked out Virgil was, she shook her head slowly. She was curious about why he was so worried, but the content of the message wasn’t her business. Interrogating him probably wasn’t about to help anything. She spoke softly, gently, making eye contact with the panicked Hart in an attempt to calm him down. ”Are you listening to me, Virgil?”
As much as he could have zoned out, when Cerberus (his brother) or Empyrean (his father) were brought back to his reality, Virgil’s senses scaled from 5 to 11, real quick. Attentive and alert, he looked back at the girl, who was making sure he was alright. Man, now she knew he had family issues.
Way to go, Verge! You’re not suppose to make a lady worried.
“Uh, yeah. I’m listening…” He took a moment to breathe in and out, a couple of times, something his mother taught him when he was struck by the fear of his family. When he was all good and done, his cheeks were kissed a light pink, embarrassed that she had to see that, “My family can be rather intimidating, more so my side in LA than my family here. But that ain’t saying much since this side is pretty bad too.” He gritted his teeth. His family’s reputation wasn’t something he was necessarily proud about but it was the family he was brought into and the reputation he HAD to add to with his own.
“Eh-hem. Looks like my big bro will be coming down soon… He didn’t give me a date or anything, and I know he ain’t gonna reply to my text since he’s a massive troll… like, he KNOWS he gets under my skin. He’s just like my father, it’s kinda stupid, really. Being in the tournament is not the problem. It’s my family… being there…. watching me. That’s the problem.” Steady cowboy. Ranting to an acquaintance sorta, friend sorta, was dangerous for a Hart. Tightening his grip on his camera, Virgil brushed all his building anger to the side, “I’m not here to bring the mood down, we’re here to have fun! Let’s go have fun.”
”Virgil.” Amy spoke in a level tone, concerned but still firmly refusing to leave the topic without saying anything. ”If it’s about the tournament, I can help you. I’m competing too, after all. I’m not going to pretend I know what you’re dealing with, but there has to be something I can help you with, even if it just means helping you get ready.”
She was worried she might be overstepping some kind of boundary by refusing to leave it alone, but Amy was nothing if not stubborn. If she could help, then she would - if there were consequences, then it was her choice to bring them down on her. ”Just keep it in mind, alright? You don’t have to do everything yourself.”
After that, she decided it was probably time to leave the subject alone. With a placating smile, she looked up at him. ”But you’re right. Today, we’re here to have fun. So let’s worry about all of that later, okay?”
...she was so caring. Virgil blinked dumbly at Amy as he listened to her words. The only living person he knew that had a heart pure as gold, which Amy reminded him of, was his aunt Belissa, who honestly shouldn’t even be with his uncle, but c’est la vie. She was forced in a situation she couldn’t refuse and now she belonged to the Capo Famiglia of the family.
Did Amy know the dangers she could face by getting closer to him? Probably not. That was for another time, he guessed, and yet learning to train with a fellow classmate sounded rewarding. Exciting, even. He didn’t really know much about Amy or her powers, maybe they could train together in the Control Room? He had yet to really explore that building besides during class… has it been two weeks since Delirium? Eh, regardless of how long he’s been in upstate New York, anything to help him not make a fool of himself in front of potentially his father, assuming his father was coming along with his brother, would be grand! “Got it. No serious talk. Just fun. Yes, sounds good to me.” Stopping in his tracks, he saw the busses and noticed how PACKED they all were.
“Time to go hunting for seats?” He noticed Gianna, with a mysterious masked girl he did not know, in one of the busses, sitting and talking to… Brenna and Lucas? Yeah. That’s the bus he wanted to be in. Wait. No. He should let Amy pick. That was the gentleman thing to do. “So which bus would you like to start at first?” On his back was a backpack filled with clothes and other necessities. Nothing over the top. He’d probably keep it on him rather than put it in the luggage compartment.
Looking at the busses and having been completely oblivious to Virgil's dumbfounded look, Amy just shrugged. It didn’t really bother her where they went either way, so she just pointed at the one he’d been looking at without really paying attention to who was inside - although whether it would have changed anything if she'd noticed wasn't really certain. ”That one’s fine. Hopefully we can find a couple that aren’t taken yet.”
Despite her worries about everything, Amy found herself smiling brightly at Virgil. She wasn’t sure what Fear Fest was going to be, but for some reason she was looking forward to it regardless. If nothing else, she had a feeling it’d at least be an experience to remember. ”Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get going!”
@Lovely Complex I'd personally prefer to keep this thread because I'm kind of attached to it, but a new thread seems like the best idea if you're looking for new people to join, because you're right that it's always harder getting interest in a months-old thread.
You could always link this RP in the first post for anyone that wants to read it fully and just leave a summary of everything else, because I definitely agree that I don't want everything else before the tournament to be completely forgotten. As for character interactions, I'm not sure... I think that's something that might just end up needing to be discussed between people in PMs - but I understand the issue with all the potential development being missed.
I'm fine without being brought up to speed, though. From the sounds of it, things just slowed down as you were approaching the bulk of it, so that's probably just how things worked out. It's not a problem. I'm happy to just go with it, wherever that ends up!
You could always link this RP in the first post for anyone that wants to read it fully and just leave a summary of everything else, because I definitely agree that I don't want everything else before the tournament to be completely forgotten. As for character interactions, I'm not sure... I think that's something that might just end up needing to be discussed between people in PMs - but I understand the issue with all the potential development being missed.
I'm fine without being brought up to speed, though. From the sounds of it, things just slowed down as you were approaching the bulk of it, so that's probably just how things worked out. It's not a problem. I'm happy to just go with it, wherever that ends up!
@Lovely Complex
Disclaimer: I can sound harsher than I mean to sometimes, and I think that might come through here, but I want you (and everyone else) to know that I genuinely do love the setting and characters, you guys are all great, and it's been really well put-together. Still, I think there are some things that you kind of need to consider whatever you may decide to do with the RP.
Again, though, this is just my two cents. I'm not really a GM or anything like that, but from personal experience when I've seen RPs slow down like this it's because there's some kind of disconnect between the characters and the plot. Then again, this is quite possibly all nonsense, by the way, and feel free to tell me so. I'm not and never have been a GM of anything, so I probably have a slightly skewed view on everything.
Disclaimer: I can sound harsher than I mean to sometimes, and I think that might come through here, but I want you (and everyone else) to know that I genuinely do love the setting and characters, you guys are all great, and it's been really well put-together. Still, I think there are some things that you kind of need to consider whatever you may decide to do with the RP.
Again, though, this is just my two cents. I'm not really a GM or anything like that, but from personal experience when I've seen RPs slow down like this it's because there's some kind of disconnect between the characters and the plot. Then again, this is quite possibly all nonsense, by the way, and feel free to tell me so. I'm not and never have been a GM of anything, so I probably have a slightly skewed view on everything.
Afternoon, Sept. 4
Zoe woke up with a start, a smile quickly fading from her face. Glancing at the clock, she could tell she'd been out for ages. It was almost midday. She didn't mind a lie in, but it was normally nowhere near this late when she woke up so she must've been a lot more tired than she'd realised.
It had been one of her usual dreams, or what passed for usual since she became a subnatural. At least it had been vague, not the hauntingly real reenactments it could present her with. This dream was more of a warning - a hint of the memories that would slowly start occupying her thoughts if she didn't eventually sort it out. Normally, she'd take it as a cue to go and train or something, but...
Well, she didn't feel up to it today. After yesterday, a break was a pretty welcome idea, especially considering how late it had been once she'd actually gone to sleep. Besides, she had a decent handle on things now. There would be a while before things got out of control enough to warrant actually dealing with it unless someone picked a fight. Today? Today, she just wanted to sort things out. 'Things' being the assorted stacks of forms that were looming on her desk.
Paperwork. Ugh. I think I'd rather fight another spaghetti monster.
Despite her cheerful thoughts, Zoe had resigned herself to going through it. As much as she wanted to ignore the things just to make a point, she had a pretty strong suspicion that they wouldn't care in the slightest. And the satisfaction of dumping the tests probably wasn't worth getting stuck in remedial classes. Of course, it could happen anyway. Depended how much of this she actually remembered from school - it had been a while, now that she thought about it.
Not that she hadn't tried to keep up with some kind of study. Hell, she'd gone through more textbooks than she could count, but that only meant so much. There'd been other priorities, really. Getting enough cash to look after the others, for one. She wondered how they were getting on without her, actually. The last few years had been tough, but they'd looked after each other as well as they could. A dysfunctional, scared, reckless family of kids with no-one else to turn to. But a family nonetheless. Part of her really did miss them.
Reminiscing was always dangerous, though. After all, it made her think about--
She shook her head. This wasn't the time. No more memories. Just finish all the boring-ass work, and then move on with her life. Tomorrow. She'd deal with it tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next. Not yet.
Looking at the papers, Zoe focused on the requisition forms first. Her list was mostly practical, with a few basic comforts thrown in, but it all seemed worth getting a hold of to her. In terms of more doubtful requests, she'd asked for a knife - and although the odds on how likely they were to hand one out to a 'violent X' seemed dubious at best, there were a lot of practical uses to having one beyond just stabbing people. Not that you couldn't or anything, but if she wanted to commit murder she didn't exactly need one anyway.
Once that was filled in, she looked back at the tests with a sigh. This was going to be a long afternoon.
Finally!
Zoe tossed the calculus paper on top of the rest of them and leaned back with a satisfied grin. It felt good to have finished everything up now, because it meant the next few days were hers to do whatever she liked with. Most of her results had come out what she'd assumed was slightly below average - but she wasn't really that sure. As long as they were done, she didn't really care either way.
It was almost nighttime now, though. The work had taken up pretty much her entire afternoon. She sighed, looking over the form one last time before placing it next to the stack of test papers. Honestly, she was more tired than she'd expected. She'd maybe go walk around outside the dorms a little, but then she was getting some shut-eye. By tomorrow, Zoe figured she'd be back at one hundred percent.
Zoe had left the hospital as soon as they got the all clear. Sure, part of her was curious about why Benediction would be here, but it didn't seem like he'd helped them on much more than a whim to her. More importantly, she wouldn't get the time of day if she tried to find out from anyone who actually knew anything. Besides, the Precursor's unexpected arrival wasn't her priority. She had more personal issues to deal with right now.
Well, more like issues to try and avoid, if she was honest with herself. The truck ride back to campus had given her plenty of time to think over her outburst and it wasn't hard to figure that she wouldn't have made many friends in Green Team. Which normally wouldn't be an issue, but several of them were in the 'violent X' dorms, and running into them wasn't something she felt like dealing with until she cleared her head. Best case scenario, they'd scream at her, which she could mostly ignore. Worst case scenario, they'd start lecturing her about what she did and why it was a very very bad thing. Which was way more infuriating, because if you hit those people it apparently made you the unreasonable one.
Besides that, there was the fear that she'd snap again if they started to get on her nerves. Even with the suppression bracelets on, she didn't want to see how far her ability would work through that if she got into a fight. Even if it didn't work at all though, there was still the possibility of just straight-up punching them in the face. Which would probably get someone in trouble.
Either way, it wasn't a ideal situation, so she'd figured the best thing to do was clear her head. Walking around town wasn't exactly exciting, but it was nice to finally have some kind of calm after the rest of the day had been so chaotic. More importantly, she doubted any of her 'teammates' were there, so she'd been able to relax without looking over her shoulder the whole time. Smiling to herself, she leaned back against the front of a store that had closed for the night, just watching the world go by.
"Christ you're impatient!"
Came a voice from around the corner, followed by a crunching sound echoing into the night. Footsteps slowly became audible on the sidewalk, as well as the pitter patter of paws clicking against the ground. More enthusiastic crunches followed, with only a sigh to respond to them. On the deserted streets nearly midnight, anybody nearby would have heard the two. Zoe, of course, would be no exception. It was almost a few moment more though before the sources of the noise rounded the corner. Lawrence, unsurpringly, holding a cup of coffee, and Lizzy behind him, staring intently at his other hand. It was hard to tell in the middle of the night, but it appeared he was holding sticks of some kind, halfway stuck in some orange wrapper.
Deciding where to go next, he looked both ways down this new street, and saw Zoe almost immediately. Of course, Zoe was a hard figure to miss. Tall with hair that was good at catching the light, and a presence that made itself easily known. Coupled with a personality that made no attempts to hide it. Just about as intimidating as a woman could be, unless that woman's name was Zhang. Still, if Lawrence was surprised at seeing her, he didn't show it. Instead he tossed one of the sticks in his hand at Lizzy- who snatched it out of the air with practicd dexterity, and took his place leaning next to the taller woman. He stayed there silent for a few seconds, taking a long sip of his coffee, before saying:
"Couldn't sleep, or didn't try?"
Zoe looked at Lawrence curiously, slightly surprised to see him out this late. He hadn't looked much like the type to be out wandering town with his dog at midnight to her, but her impression must have just been off the mark. Maybe it was true you shouldn't judge a book by its cover - although now that she actually took time to look at the guy's appearance it seemed a lot less weirdly professional than she'd initially assumed. If anything, he actually seemed kind of scruffy, like he didn't care about it at all.
She thought for a second on how to go about responding to his question before deciding to just be straightforward with him. There was something calm about Lawrence and she'd gotten a lot more relaxed over the past hour anyway, which tended to make her more open with people. Besides, she didn't have any reason to lie to him right now, and he'd been there longer than the rest of them from what she remembered. Maybe talking to him could actually be helpful. With a sigh and a shrug, she turned her head to look at him.
"Things got pretty heated after the fight. Guess I figured it was a good idea to clear my head so I don't do anything stupid."
"Yeah, it probably wouldn't be a surprise if I said I heard you, at least enough to get the idea. Then there was Emma hitting the guy who saved our asses as a 'Thank you' and Sander trying to attack Christmas. I heard blue team bickering pretty hard as well. Yeah, pretty heated."
He took another sip of his coffee, but a much shorter one than the last.
"I don't know if I'm trying to clear my head, but I like to unwind after a situation like that. Makes you appreciate the time you have to relax."
Zoe chuckled slightly, not really seeming bothered by the observation. It was true, after all, and she at least wasn't ashamed of what she'd said.
"Hey, in my defence, someone had to say it. But yeah, it's good being able to to take some time out. At least 'til they send us out to die again."
Pausing for a second, she looked at him curiously before speaking again, her tone fairly blunt.
"Was today normal? You've been here longer than the rest of us, but sending us out that quickly... So many of them are just kids. Not that I'm much older, but I can handle myself. Can't say that about everyone though."
Lawrence had to stop himself from laughing at the absurdity of the question. The fact that anything surrounding subnaturals could at any time be normal was... amusing to think about, but he held back at the moment. Instead, he tossed another stick towards Lizzy as a brief distraction, letting her finish it with another satisfied Crunch before responding:
"Normal in that new students are thrown into the meat grinder immediately upon arriving? No. Normal in that new students are thrown into the meat grinder immediately upon arriving when Menagerie or another Precursor attacks us? I can't answer that. I can say things went surprising well, so who knows if it was the right decision or not?"
Another sip.
"I sure don't."
Zoe nodded slowly at his words. So it was true that they weren't normally sent out that quickly, she'd been right about that. But it was also true that it hadn't been a normal situation that lead to it, so whether they were being targeted for something or just unlucky was up in the air. She looked up at the night sky, considering the situation.
"I just wish we'd get told what was going on. I know that's not gonna happen, though. We're subnaturals, after all, so I doubt they care how any of us feel about this. At least until it starts causing them trouble, that is."
Sadness crossed her expression for a brief second.
"As long as they get whatever they're trying to, we're just collateral damage, aren't we? Don't think it really sunk in before today."
"You're not entirely wrong, but...
He paused once more watching the steam rise from the cup in his hands.
"Would they feel pity for us? Probably not, on a whole, but if they didn't give a damn at all about your well being then they would be shooting themselves in the foot. They need us to kill monsters, even if we're only weapons, a broken weapon is useless, it needs to be maintained. They're not so stupid as to throw us away for no benefit, or completely ignore all our needs as human beings."
"You know what they can't do though? Kill monsters. Doing that, I feel like I've found my purpose."
"So, even if it's only as weapons, we always have value. It may not seem like much, but I'd rather be something at the end of the day than nothing. Something, at least, has a reason for being alive."
"I guess it's better than nothing, then. At least we're useful."
Zoe couldn't help but be slightly bitter about it, but she knew how people thought of them. Besides, it wasn't like she'd never felt the same way before she became a subnatural herself. People with their kind of power were frightening to think of - she supposed it could have been a lot worse than 'useful'.
"I'm not really thrilled about it, but if being a weapon gives you a purpose then that's what works for you. All the same... I feel like most of the others deserve better. Don't belong on a battlefield. I don't want to see them getting hurt for someone else's fight."
It was an interesting thought, though. A purpose was something she'd never really considered, finding a real reason to keep fighting that wasn't just survival. She'd have to give it some thought.
"Someone else's fight?"
His tone changed, suddenly. A slight bitterness of his own leeching into it. The delivery was still calm, but there was a definite air of chastizement- or combativeness- to it:
"Who else's fight exactly? The owner of the shop I bought this coffee from? The military that was forced to nuke China into a wasteland? Any other option causes too much harm or too little good to be worth considering. We might fight because we have to, and I'll be the first to admit I probably wouldn't be anywhere near a battlefield if I had an actual choice, but it's still ours as much as it is everybody else's. We just happen to have power. Whether we belong on a battlefield or not, I'd much rather see us out there than civilians getting slaughtered or the military bringing a new definition to 'Collateral damage'."
Trying to soften a bit, he threw another of the sticks at an ever appreciative Lizzy.
"Maybe they do deserve better, but someone would have to take their place. And the people that would deserve just as much as them. It's a way of thinking that leads to more questions and regrets than answers. Personally, I work with who I'm given, we're all equals in misfortune. I don't think you're any more deserving of being out there than I am, or Shane, or even the children. World's fucked up whether we adapt to it or not."
"I never really thought about any of that. The fate of the world, the lives of whatever random people are walking down the street? I've never looked past the people on my side, not really. Doesn't stop me fighting, but saving the world was never really my thing. As long as I can look out for the people close to me, everything else was never really my problem. There's only so much I can care about."
She shook her head, almost looking angry at herself. Resentful.
"Selfish, right? But I'm sure you already figured that out."
Smiling wryly, she raised her head, slowly tapping a finger against the X mark on her throat. That was why she had it, after all. One stupid, selfish decision. Death, destruction, blood on her hands - she'd chosen that for the world, just to protect the people she cared about. Maybe it was just a dream or a vision, but there was no denying reality.
"I'm not going to stop fighting. But make no mistake, my fight was only ever for the people I personally care about. Say whatever you like, but that's not changing any time soon."
He shook his head.
"I'm not what you would call a bleeding heart, all I mean to say is death is equal. Whether it's us, or a random joe, someone has to be risking their life or the entire world does go to shit both for the fighters and the idle. It just makes more sense for the fighters to be us, and things that make sense are what I choose to follow."
Tossing the last stick to Lizzy, he shoved the empty wrapper in his his pocket and pointed to the Arbiter mark on his face.
"Besides, your mark doesn't make you selfish any more than mine makes me selfless. We made the choice we felt was best, and we live with the consequences of that action. But..."
He extended his now-free hand, offering a shake.
"This is all a rather deep discussion for a woman whose name I haven't even caught yet."
So he was just being logical about this? Wasn't how she looked at things, but at least she knew where he was coming from now. So she could sort of understand it, even if they didn't exactly see eye to eye. Logic was as good a way as any to try and sort out the mess they were in - but she was never going to be the type of girl able to view things objectively.
Although it was interesting to hear him talk about the marks. She'd always just assumed she'd made the 'wrong' choice, considering the consequences she'd ended up with, but in a way he was telling the truth. It had been what she thought was important that had mattered in the end. That was different for each and every one of them.
Zoe looked at the offered hand for a second before relaxing and accepting the handshake with a smirk.
"Guess that did get pretty deep, huh? Name's Zoe. You're Lawrence, right? I think Zhang introduced you to us all earlier."
The smirk was returned as he retracted his hand.
"Right, right, the whole arrival in chains thing. Yeah, still Lawrence here. And this-"
Stare.
"- Temperamental little dog-"
Stare.
"- Is named Lizzy."
STARE.
Upon finishing the last of her snacks, Lizzy could only be described as enormously satisfied with her life and the direction it had taken. However, the second Zoe and Lawrence had shaken hands she completely transformed. With almost unnerving stillness she inched closer to Lawrence and fixed a steady gaze on Zoe, almost startling in its intensity. No growl came from her throat, and no teeth were barred, but the message was clear: The dog was issuing a challenge.
"I'd just ignore her- she gets like this around women. Food's usually a good peace offering if you have any."
Zoe looked at Lizzy. Someone was pretty protective of her owner apparently. Not that it was a bad thing, although it was kind of inconvenient to deal with right now. Still, it was Lawrence's dog so taking his advice seemed like the best idea. Better than possibly making the dog angry anyway, because she'd been attacked enough for one day. Not that Lizzy seemed like she'd do that, but still.
Of course, she didn't exactly carry dog treats around with her. Although she had grabbed some snacks on her way around, seeing as the fight had left her with a bit of an appetite. Most of them were finished searching her pockets, she pulled out a small bag of apple slices and gave Lawrence a questioning look. She didn't want to go poisoning his pet or something.
"Yeah, this is all I've got on me. Can dogs even eat apples?"
"Yeah, although it's hit or miss if they actually like them, Lizzy though-"
At the word apples the dog walked up and snatched the package from Zoe's hand, strutting away with her head held high in arrogance. As if to say she had won the first round of a game Zoe didn't even know she was playing. Then, once behind Lawrence, she tore into the small package on the ground and devoured it's contents, leaving Lawrence to pick up the trash with a sigh.
"- Will eat anything. Sorry about that. I'll pay you back sometime, lord knows enough smartasses hand me apples on a daily basis."
The statement was followed by another sigh that spoke volumes about the truth behind it. The sound of a man resigned to his fate. Running a hand through his hair, he looked down the empty streets, and to the now-pacified Lizzy. Finally, his eyes settled on Zoe once more, and he tilted his head in the general direction of her new home.
"Need help finding your way back? I'm in no hurry either way if your head still needs clearing."
Zoe looked at the dog's actions in bemusement. At least she didn't seem to be mad anymore, although the reaction had been almost arrogant. Lawrence definitely wasn't joking about the dog's appetite either, seeing the speed that the apples disappeared at. It was kind of funny, actually - drawing a slight chuckle from the girl.
"No need to pay me back. It's just a few pieces of apple, I'm sure I'll live."
Still, there was something about the way that he spoke. Almost like he was tired of something or other. She gave him a look of concern, but didn't call him out on it. Instead, she looked back up at the school, following the direction he'd indicated. As much as she resented the circumstances, she had to go back eventually.
"I think I've just about cooled off. So long as we don't get there too quickly, it should be fine. Can't stay out here forever, right?"
"Well, as the one with longer legs, I'd say you have the honor of setting the pace."
With a sip of his coffee and an "after you" sweeping of his hand, Lawrence fell in beside Zoe on their trip back home. The three walked in silence, man, woman, and dog, although at least to Lawrence it was a peaceful one. A last chance to enjoy the night air for what it was, with the sounds of a mostly-slumbering town to soothe him. It had, in the end, been a successful trip into town. The battles of the past gave way to the relaxation of the present, and he felt like he'd sleep with little difficulty that night. Still, it wasn't entirely without reluctance that he approached USARILN East once more, and the cold embrace of the new life he had come to accept. For awhile at least, on the nearly deserted streets of a slumbering town, he had felt less like a weapon, and more like Lawrence. Losing that again came with no small reluctance.
Yet still he approached, and as the two stood in front of the Aberration wing, he looked up at Zoe once more, finishing off the coffee that had since gone cold. It took another moment after the cup was empty to settle on what he wanted to say, but finally he offered:
"When your stigma starts acting up, I'm usually around in the library. If you feel like getting some peace without having to destroy a bunch of shit- or you can't wait to get to ground zero, I'll do what I can for you."
As a demonstration, the two were briefly engulfed in a white light, although Lawrence didn't let his power take full effect before turning it off once more. It was merely meant to be a sample.
"Most Abes seem to like it, anyway. I'm sure word would have gotten to you eventually, but an invitation never hurts either."
As the white light surrounded her for a brief second, Zoe had felt ever so-slightly calmer than normal. It wasn't too potent, but then she doubted he was putting it on full blast right now. But it was nice, just having a few less worries for a moment. For once, she was calm enough on her own, but on a bad day... Well, she could see how it'd help out. Keep things under control.
"I can see why they would. It's... peaceful. I'll make sure to keep the offer in mind. Although if you wanted an excuse to talk to me, you could always just ask."
She smirked confidently, clearly joking, and looked at him with a slight laugh before turning to go back to the dorms. Pausing, she thought things over for a second. It didn't seem fair not to at least acknowledge his help properly before leaving. As she reached the door, she stopped before going in and spoke more sincerely.
"Seriously though, thanks for speaking to me back there, Lawrence. I appreciate it."
He chuckled in response, starting to move away and throwing a wave towards her with the back of his hand.
"Yeah yeah, let me know next time if you prefer taking up a career as a street sign instead. Goodnight though!"
Looking up as she felt the cold wind on her face, it took a moment for Zoe to control her expression as she took in the scene in front of her. It was a scene which she had mixed feelings on, to say the least. On the one hand, whatever the new arrival from the other team did seemed to have had a pretty big effect on the creature, and Zoe thought she could finally see an opportunity to end it. Taking out the last spaghetti monster meant their fight would be as good as won as far as she was concerned.
On the other hand, she hesitated. Her teammate was up there, and not in a great position from what she'd seen. If she didn't think about what she was doing and made the thing angry too quick, it seemed like there was a very real chance it'd get the other girl killed.
Could always do it anyway. Might be fun! The thought wasn't completely unexpected, but Zoe pushed it to the back of her mind as well as she could. Although it would be the fastest way out... And besides, didn't she kind of want to? Since she got her powers, didn't it always feel pretty good to watch whenever someone else got--
"Stop." She hissed sharply under her breath. This wasn't the time to let those thoughts come to the surface. It gave her a sick feeling in her stomach, and she'd got enough of that from the poison. It was just the stigma talking, she reminded herself. Apparently it didn't mix well when she let herself get angry on top of it. Still, she didn't want to do anything that'd get Allison killed. She was pissed about this whole fight, but not that pissed.
Still, Zoe wasn't going to personally help Allison's escape for a couple of reasons. One, her powers seemed like they'd be more effective in actually killing this thing than anyone else around here, and two, right now she'd be as likely to somehow hurt the other girl as she would be to help pull her out of there. No, she'd just have to do her job and hope everyone would be out of the way when the creature died.
Besides, making sure the monster couldn't get a hold of anyone else was priority number one, so it looked like it was time for her to be the one getting actually getting shit done. Again. If this kept happening, she was gonna start keeping score.
Because of the risk that it'd send the thing into a frenzy, Zoe wasn't going to take out any of the noodles right now - instead running without a word towards the edge of the plate that they'd emerged from. What she was planning on doing was probably reckless, but she was desperate to tear this thing open as quickly as she could because maybe that'd be enough to make the urges stop. She didn't want to hurt anyone when the fight was over, so she was hell-bent on landing the killing blow.
Once she reached the source of the noodles, she looked at the gap between the edge of the plate and the ground. It wasn't huge, but it looked big enough for her to get through. Now that she knew where the stomach was, she figured tearing it open would be a piece of cake once she got underneath. Good thing the creature was upside down. Steeling her nerves, she took her last few steps towards the plate.
It's almost over. I can finish this.
Gritting her teeth, Zoe grabbed the edge of the plate, pulling herself through the gap and underneath the monster. Holding her breath and closing her eyes in anticipation of the stomach acid that she expected to follow, she lunged upwards, power once again active in her arms as she attempted to rip open the stomach the same way she'd managed to kill the other one. She really hoped this worked, because otherwise she was completely screwed.
Just as Zoe pulled herself through onto the 'surface' of the creature's body, the creature collapsed to the ground and she found herself grabbing one of the meatball lumps as a handhold to keep her balance and avoid falling back in. The hiss of the acid did draw her attention, though. In her shock, she didn't really react, acknowledging it with no more than detached interest. Without the panic of imminent digestion to push her, everything just felt numb as shock set in.
The creature started to drag itself away with a movement that was so pathetic she almost would've felt sorry for it if the fucker hadn't just swallowed her whole. As it moved, she briefly caught sight of Alexis' corpse, a view which brought with it a sudden flash of anger. Anger that wasn't all directed at the monsters either, but there'd be time to deal with that when the fight was done.
As it was, the rush of emotion at least brought her out of her shock enough to take action. She couldn't afford to quit yet. She had to keep going, even if that meant hanging on to every shred of anger and confusion she could just so she wouldn't be able to shut down. Keep moving. Keep fighting. If she just kept doing that, maybe she could ignore everything that was going on in her head.
Grasping the edge of the hole she'd torn in the monster with one hand, Zoe channelled her power into the other, driving it into the stomach's surface next to it and dragging it along to tear the flesh open in an attempt to spill what was left of the monster's guts. From the damage the acid had done, she was sure this would finish it off. And for once, she was right.
What was left of the creature's insides spilled out with a sickening squelch, rendering her attack almost as disgusting as it was effective. And effective it was, the creature letting out one final agonised shriek before it finally went still. Every last noodle, every piece of meat, completely unmoving. It was dead. She'd managed to kill it, finally. Laughter rose in her throat, nervous and unstable. She was alive! It was dead, and she was still alive!
"That's what happens when you pick a fight you can't win."
She made her way up the side of the plate, climbing the now-still noodles until she was stood on the rim. From her new position, she looked around the battlefield - and was more than a little annoyed to see that two of the monsters were still alive. The one nearest her had a hold of Allison, though, so she decided to focus on that. There wasn't time to pay attention to everything that was going on. Glancing at the ground, Zoe felt confident enough in her jumping skills that she could fall that distance without being hurt, but she wasn't sure she'd reach the creature in time. The next best thing she could do was try and distract it.
"Hey, how about picking on someone your own size?"
Of course, the only way she really knew of to distract things was to royally piss them off. It was with that idea in mind that she grabbed one of the nearest now-dead noodles, separating the end from the rest of the main body and tossing it as hard as she could at the monster which had a hold on her teammate. What better way to piss something off than by throwing its allies' remains at it? Thinking about it, that was probably kind of fucked up, but Zoe couldn't have cared less.
Instead of waiting to see its reaction she jumped, landing and rolling to deal with most of her momentum before she got shakily to her feet. The dizziness and nausea from the fog along with the shock of the whole ordeal left her struggling to gather her thoughts. She just needed a couple seconds to think about what was going on. Or maybe not to think about it.
To her credit Zoe was maintaining a reasonably convincing expression of confidence, but despite her attempt at keeping up the cocky act, her eyes betrayed her true feelings. Barely restrained panic, fear, and anger shone through them in conflict with her expression. Her breathing wasn't quite under control yet either, and her fists were clenched unnaturally tight, little cracks in her facade that would show anyone particularly observant that she wasn't anywhere near as okay as she was trying to pretend. She doubted any one of her teammates was close enough to figure any of that out quite yet. As far as they were concerned, Zoe would no doubt seem as cocky and unbearable as ever from a distance.
Just gotta keep it together until we're done fighting. Can't be weak until no-one's there to see.
Even though the overwhelming nausea and dizziness was bringing her way too close to throwing up for comfort, part of Zoe was thankful for the fog. It hid her expression at least. This way, no-one could see how close she was to falling apart.
Made an attempt at a CS! Just tell me if anything needs changing.
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