[@MelonHead]

[i]A septic tide of wretched triumph filled the Magna Pater's glazed, stupid-smart eyes. It had been wanting the metal thing to try this. It had over-extended itself on purpose, and for a singularly simple reason. If it ruined the metal thing's sight, then it would have no trouble traversing the front of the body as it did the back, for the mech would know not where it was. Perhaps the occupant would have another lucky guess, but it would be blind luck in every meaning of the word. It was hard enough to harm the Magna Pater with sight, but without, even though the monster was injured, the chances of catching it would be slim to none. The rock would impact as the mech again tried to ram and grab the creature. It would grab only air. The target would have ducked to Higan's left after the rock struck, flattening itself and dipping over the metal thing's raised bicep and beneath the forearm as fast as it could push, passing through the semi-triangular gap made by the reaching arm. Was the space too small to get through without pushing the arm and alerting the pilot? Normally it would be. If the damn metal thing had a head, which it didn't. It was a tight fit, but the monster had gone through worse. The ancient horror could almost feel it. It felt like it knew what the two-legger was thinking. Higan didn't know that his beloved "Slimy" was one hell of a contortionist. As long as its head could fit, so could the body. 

The anticipated escape route would probably be over the opposite shoulder. No doubt such a notion may easily enter Higan's head, and he'd try to reach a little further. Even if he reached all the way, there would be nothing there, and the creature would squeeze through the unsuspected opening. What if the mech could somehow reach far enough to conveniently squish the Magna Pater within the crook of its arm? As if it could bend its elbow like that. Besides, the monster was too slippery, too flexible. This time it would have the foresight to use what powerful control it still had in its tail to jerk the appendage sharply after it, so that it would not be snatched or smashed. The end could conceivably be smashed again, but it it was the creature would cut its losses and pull free its tail minus the ruined bit.

If the metal hand were not too close to the optics, the monster would still try to seize upon whatever scraps remained of the metal thing's sight with its left claw, tearing off the last bits as it slipped wetly down the mech's front. There would be no definite way for Higan to know which way the screwed optics were being pulled off. In fact he probably wouldn't even know it was being pulled off, as the sound of the mech smashing into the wall would mask it.[/i]