[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019da7cb-a89b-72d1-9319-2f3dab5a65a1.webp[/img] [color=a4f4f9]"We’ve got 14 more seconds before she blows!"[/color] [color=888888]— Dan Daggernose[/color][/center] Let it never be said that an esper’s powers can only be used to hurt people. Mika, Brittany, and every able bodied esper that wasn’t slinging spells was piling up bodies for Ashley. Minus the ones that didn’t need it. Nina’s spell proved to be pretty effective at removing the alien gunk from the esper’s airways. Several espers sat up and started coughing. There wasn’t much to discharge, as most of it had been pulled straight out of them and was slapping the back of Nina’s heels [color=75c159]"Ugh!"[/color] Luna reached her finger into her mouth to get a fragment of slime. [color=75c159]"Does anyone have some floss?"[/color] But it wasn’t long before she stood up and helped arrange the remaining captives for Ashley, despite being a little queasy. The remaining captives were trembling, likely starving for oxygen. But a blast of technolight dissolved all the slime in and around the remaining victims. Among them, Binky rolled over onto her palms and dry heaved. [color=baddab]"I could use a glass of water."[/color] The ship didn’t seem to understand the request, as the water that the ship provided was sea water. The ceiling was starting to give way when Marie opened her portal. Then she tried to open the door to the inner lab. It was moving slowly, but a moment later, a pair of giant grey fingers slid through the crack and shoved the door all the way open. It was Billy Black, with an uncountable amount of espers and monsters behind him. It looked like the rest of GEMINI and Maverick Alternative had been accounted for. [color=d3d3d3]"Hells bells! I say HELLLS BELLS that was a weird vacation!"[/color] Billy stepped into the room and extended a hand just in time to catch a falling ceiling block. Scypho also helped a little with the captive/slime extraction situation. [color=ff6347]"Get out of here, before everything falls!"[/color] Mika decided to give her own very obvious order, since everyone else was throwing them around. Though she didn’t heed her own advice, and ran down the hall after Marrie. [color=ff6347]"I’ll be fine, I’ve still got a few lives left."[/color] [color=d3d3d3]"Might as well delay things a bit!"[/color] Billy extended his arms, and the main part of the lab that the portal had been opened in was reinforced with steel beams. Rusty car chassis parts held the room in tact as water spilled into it. [color=d3d3d3]"The walls’ll hold, not sure if the floor will though!"[/color] The blocks under the mechromancer were especially unstable. Perhaps sensing his presence was a problem, he climbed through the portal and put himself on the opposite side. [color=d3d3d3]"Come on! Billy’s gotcha!"[/color] He said as he offered his hand to those inside. And there were quite a few people still inside. Fortunately, the dozens of espers and monsters in the other room had never been slimed and were merely in holding. They were healthy, just a little confused and likely panicked with everything that was going on. [color=a4f4f9]"I don’t know!"[/color] The shark man growled, seeming to have developed a backbone. [color=a4f4f9]"With the ship like this, I can’t keep track of everyone! There’s a lot of people in the other room, are we missing anyone?"[/color] He whipped his head around. [color=a4f4f9]"Where did Marrie go?! We gotta catch up to her!"[/color] Mika was still in view, and Jack, Dan, and whoever else wanted to follow was close on her heels. [color=ff6347]"She’s this way. Looks like she’s going to open another door."[/color] Though while the group followed after Marrie, another group was coming up behind them. [hr] [center] [img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019dad5c-bb82-776c-bbcc-1e64d1440bf9.webp[/img] [color=8c5673]"[i]Your call is important to us[/i], my ass."[/color] [color=888888]— Alice Mason[/color] [/center] While the other espers continued their fight elsewhere, Alice and Sharr continued their fight in the sealed off room. She had managed to stop herself from flying away, and fired both at her opponent and the butterflies that were hovering behind her. While the butterflies didn’t shatter, each bullet knocked them out of the air. Their shape held solid, but the featherweight fliers were thrown into the opposing wall and fell to the ground. Sharr’s wings closed around her, preventing any of the shots being fired her way from landing. [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]At least she’s not flapping at you right now.[/i] [/quote] [color=8c5673][i]Even a goddess can be infallible.[/i][/color] [color=8c5673]"I come in to help get things back in proper order, and this is the thanks I get!?"[/color] Alice shouted, swiftly launching herself up at Sharr while her wings were closed. She needed to knock her back down from the air, aiming a roundhouse kick to her side. [color=8c5673]"Then humour me: How did you create this world?! I'd expect this to be a horror's dream, but you're of no eldritch blood as far as everyone's aware!"[/color] It was a ridiculous idea to try and pry information during a fight, but even she knew not to pass up a golden opportunity. While Alice was strong in her home world, her kick was not very effective here. Were Sharr a building or a human she’d have folded in half, but an esper was more resilient. She did move, in the same way a partially deflated balloon might hover away from a sudden tap. [color=e3bbc6]"Who can say?"[/color] The wings burst like shattered glass, but the shards had lethal intent. Fortunately, Alice’s time manipulation allowed her to [i]eject[/i] from the situation and fall to the ground safely. Sharr fell right in front of her, and a second pair of wings sprouted out of her back. [color=e3bbc6]"Why, are you in a talking mood right now? I thought for sure you’d want to put on a show for everyone."[/color] She pointed at Alice, and her wings stretched and contorted. One turned into the legs of a spider, and took turns stabbing at the time witch. [color=8c5673][i]Damnit, of course that’d be spoiler territory.[/i][/color] Alice clicked her tongue, raising the side of her rifle up to knock away the legs, stepping backwards to get away from the line of attack. [color=8c5673]"Whaaaat? Can’t a girl do some research during work hours?!"[/color] She shot back. [color=8c5673]"If it can't be me, someone else will figure everything out eventually! At the very least give some details about whatever this Genesis grimoire is!"[/color] [color=e3bbc6]"Oh, is that what you think this is?"[/color] She held up the tome. [color=e3bbc6]"Maybe it’s that strong. But you know how we’re on a beach trip right now? And how that’s just a funny way to say Beta Test? This little toy can do anything, really. Or at least it should be. That’s why I’m putting it through the paces."[/color] [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]Basically it’s effectively a deus ex machina. A do everything, power gamy kinda thing. But we can take her, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.[/i] [/quote] [color=8c5673][i]Just say whatever black magic bullshit I need to do to repay you later![/i][/color] [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]Okay, works for me. So the secret sauce to anything is to use love, right? You’ve watched enough Disney to know that true love’s kiss fixes everything, so I think this is a good place to put that to the test.[/i] [/quote] Alice had to stop a dumbfounded laugh from escaping her. [color=8c5673][i]You sure you won’t get jealous, Sweetie? Or more importantly, [b]you sure Titania here won’t shank me first if I tried?![/b][/i][/color] It sounded so stupid, she’d be amazed if it’d actually worked. [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]What? Why would you kiss the enemy? No, I think you need to kiss me. That should produce a better result.[/i] [/quote] [color=8c5673][i]Wording, Asto. But yes, much more preferable.[/i][/color] [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]Are you curious how we’re going to do that?[/i] [/quote] A temporal rift formed in front of Alice, from it formed a mechanical knight armed with a glaive. [color=8c5673][i]In which won’t cause an immediate collapse of reality as they know it? More or less, why?[/i][/color] [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]Hey, easy with the non-verbal stuff. Talking may be a free action but the second you move too much she’s going to come down on you. Anyway, I will present you with an object that will represent me and you can pour your affections on it. That is to say kiss it. But for this to work, you need to actually love me. So do you love me, Alice? If I were a worm, would you still hold me in your loving embrace?[/i] [/quote] [color=8c5673][i]Weeelll if you were a worm, I’d give you a little terrarium to roam around in and take care of you until you grow into a cute little silkmoth. Does that answer your question?[/i][/color] While Sharr closed the distance (with a flock of butterflies in tow) something sparkled into existence just above Alice’s head. Then, it dropped down and hovered in front of her face. She was staring eye to eye with an [url=https://www.pngkey.com/png/detail/312-3120030_astolfo-haunted-astolfo-bean-plushie.png]Astolpho Plush[/url] [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]Pucker up, bby.[/i] [/quote] She didn’t have time to stare at the somewhat-familiar little creature with a dumbfounded grin. Alice nudged the plush closer and kissed it on lips. Well. Where it [i]would[/i] have lips. Not the strangest thing in the world. Sharr was stunned. One of her morphed butterfly wings had Alice’s recently summoned knight pinned in place, but she was observing Alice with a raised eyebrow. Her usually smug smile was gone too. [color=e3bbc6]"Are you insane?"[/color] [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]Huh, I guess that didn’t work. By the way, is it annoying to get these giant text prompts for my messages to you? I would think that might get annoying after a while.[/i] [/quote] [sub]Frankly she was more concerned for everyone having to read through this post.[/sub] But of course it didn’t work. Unless confusing Sharr for a second was the intention. And unless Astoponio had any better ideas, Alice was still on her own here. Sharr snapped her fingers, and the formerly defeated butterflies sparked to life and raced towards her. [color=8c5673]"Eh, Disney’s nothing but a creatively-bankrupt monopoly these days. I kissed a plush for nothin’."[/color] She sighed, and seemed to vanish out of sight soon as the butterflies were within striking range. It was like she vanished. Would Sharr be able to sniff her out easily? [color=e3bbc6]"Hmmmm?"[/color] But Sharr seemed to be confused. The woman’s sudden disappearance had confounded the strange girl. [s]Even the GM wasn’t sure what was going on[/s] [color=e3bbc6]"Are you going to run away now?"[/color] The butterflies had finished their course through where Alice had been and hovered beside her. [color=e3bbc6]"I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised."[/color] [color=8c5673]"As if! Someone has to keep you from killing the others, it’s disruptive!"[/color] Alice called out from the darkest corners of the room. She could've. She could’ve gone back to help the espers. But she didn’t think she’d get out of this easily. What would happen if she had left Sharr alone? The witch needed to come up with a plan, quickly. And if not that, maybe some well-timed deus ex machina would give her what she needed. And that seemed to be exactly what happened! The ship started to move erratically, and Sharr only had a moment to anchor her wings to the floor. They stretched and bent into claws that prevented her from sliding away. Even the butterflies were scattered to the corners of the ship, and they were hardly moving. That would have been unexpected enough, but it looked like the floor was starting to separate, and the room was taking water. Sharr raised an eyebrow. [color=e3bbc6]"Did we crash into the sea? How did that happen?"[/color] Alice sighed. [color=8c5673]"One of the others managed to break the ship open, I think. I did say these morons needed stronger tech. You plan on staying and drowning?"[/color] [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]Dude, you should try and kill her already, you’re gunna get mogged by the secret series antagonist otherwise.[/i] [/quote] [color=e3bbc6]"Oh, there you are."[/color] Sharr pointed her tome at Alice. [color=e3bbc6]"Actually, I plan on staying and drowning you."[/color] [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]Nice one, you stupid kaka! Real 10 IQ move there Alice![/i] [/quote] [color=8c5673][b][i]Hang on a second, what do you mean by secret-[/i][/b][/color] Though with the ship breaking up, not only was water leaking into the room, but something else was leaking out of it. Given that Alice had phased into a dark room she hadn’t noticed that the place was filled with a near colorless fog. But with water and fresh air coming in, it was evident that something was amiss. The mysterious substance leaked out of the room at an alarming rate, and a pressure Alice hadn’t noticed released its hold on her mind. Sharr’s wings, stretched out like the limbs of a spider, suddenly looked like spider legs. The butterflies that few about the room were small black shards with slime wings, and Sharr herself was actually Iris. Despite Sharr coming across as an almighty badass, she had been hit a few times by Alice’s guns. The magic flames had done a number on her too, arguably more than the bullets had. Between pants, she raised her head and looked at Alice, but she seemed surprised. [color=a470fa]"You?!"[/color] [quote][h3][color=8c5673]A[/color]lice hears the chattering of the lonely lunatic....[/h3] [i]Oh wow, that’s weird…[/i] [/quote] Alice could only give a mental shrug to Astoponio. She stepped back into view, her melody wearing off. [color=8c5673]"Alright, I’ll give them credit for this one. I did not factor in an aerial hallucinogen."[/color] She walked over to Iris, offering a hand to help her up. [color=8c5673]"I do wonder what it caused you to see in my place. Need healing?"[/color] No wonder she wasn’t able to get answers if it wasn’t the real Sharr. Then again, she wouldn’t be surprised if the real one was just as vague. Iris looked around herself. [color=a470fa]"Healing would be appreciated, as would an explanation. However…"[/color] She looked to the ceiling where a block was starting to give way. [color=a470fa]"Later, perhaps. I am well enough to move."[/color] Alice quickly pulled Iris out of the way before she got crushed, moving them both to the door. [color=8c5673]"Got enough energy left to phase through?!"[/color] As she asked, she turned herself intangible again, stepping halfway across. [color=a470fa]"I wouldn’t have come in here if I didn’t."[/color] She remarked before they both stepped into the hallway. [color=a470fa]"Looks like there was a fight here. I suppose we should search for them."[/color] [color=8c5673]"Hopefully they fared better than we did."[/color] Alice nodded, maneuvering around the remnants of the fight against Slimegirl!Penny [s]What is with these aliens and slime?? How unsanitary[/s], and whatever else of the ship that broke in their path. She quickly peeked into each room until she saw the group running ahead, and gave chase. [color=8c5673]"Hellooo, everything alright?!"[/color] Alice called out. [hr] Cowardice? A lack of empathy? A hope that everyone still inside would escape soon? A logical deduction that there was nothing she could do? Regardless of what it was, Nukkelina was content to leave the weird spaceship after vanquishing the slime queen. The main door that had shut behind them would normally take some effort to knock down, but the landing had been so hard it partially dislodged the door. Pekka had little difficulty pushing it open. The damn thing creaked and fell sideways into the water. They were not beside the beach anymore. Whoever had chosen to pilot the ship had driven it nose first into the sea. Fortunately, the beach tapered off very slowly, so most of the ship was still above water. The sea water was still trying to rush into the ship though, which prevented the hatch from floating away. Though when Nukkelina stepped onto the ruined door, it remained afloat and was able to take her weight as well as Pekka’s. Once the ship flooded, it would be much easier to push off and reach the beach, provided she didn’t wish to use a melody and get there early. But Nukkelina’s train of thought would be interrupted. Directly above the opening she had come out of was what appeared to be a magical girl. One in purple with a butterfly motif. Were Alice here she’d immediately identify the girl as Sharr Webber. While this girl’s identity was not known by everyone, Nukkelina was well read enough that she might have known about the former GEMINI researcher. [color=e3bbc6]"Not going to help your friends inside?"[/color] The girl hopped off the roof of the ship and landed at the opposite side of the floating platform. [color=e3bbc6]"I guess they don’t really need it, things are winding down, and it’s not like you’re that close to any of them, right? You’re really just here to find that puppet that stole your heart."[/color] Her grin got a little wider. [color=e3bbc6]"Well, there’s not much to do out here. I’m sure they’ll be out shortly, so let’s play a little game. You answer one of my questions, and I’ll answer one of yours."[/color] With a wave of her wand, a massive fluorescent butterfly dove out of the sky. It painted a streak of white through the sky as it swooped down and under Sharr. But it stopped abruptly before hitting her, and hovered in place with perfect precision. It was the perfect height for Sharr to sit on one of its antennae, which she did. Then she threw one leg over the other and folded her arms in her lap. [color=e3bbc6]"For someone who pretends to have no emotions, you reacted pretty strongly to Miss Asimov’s slimy doppelganger. Was there a reason for that?"[/color] [hr] Marrie was leading the pack, and soon she would arrive at the last door Tim had mentioned. He had said that the device in her hand would open the doors in the ship and that the captured beach goers were in the lab and behind a door deeper in the ship. He had also specified not to let them free, but Marrie was never actually going to heed that order. More importantly, the ship was collapsing. Clearly this was not something Tim had foreseen, and surely even didn’t want his test subjects to get crushed to death. On her way over, Marrie noticed that the door Tim had walked through was open now. Or rather, it was laying on the floor. Rika had wandered into the room, wet but otherwise unharmed. Now wasn’t the time to talk though, so she immediately approached the door Tim had told her about, the northern door in this room, and used her key to open it. The door slid away, though it only opened a few inches before becoming stuck. Before Marrie could try to open the door the rest of the way, several [i]slimy[/i] fingers reached through the crack and shoved the door open the rest of the way. This allowed Marrie, and soon everyone else, a glimpse inside the door she had wordlessly opened. There were no espers inside, or any captives for that matter. What was there were several more slime queens. It was difficult to count their exact number, as the room was dark and they were packed in densely. No sooner did the door open did the slime queens step out. Within seconds, they were starting to fill the room. What happened? Had Tim lied? That was the only explanation. Then when he told Marrie about the prisoners in here, was it a trap set to spring should she betray his trust? And if so, did that mean he was keeping other prisoners elsewhere? Marrie didn’t have much time to reflect on those questions, and the espers that had followed her here didn’t have time to fight all of these slime queens. Already the structure was starting to give out. A ceiling tile fell on top of two pennies and crushed them flat, but they effortlessly slid out from under what would have been lethal to less malleable creatures. Their time was up. The espers had to leave now.