post-snek recoveries

[neonleon]

[You know?

That weird temple wasn't good, but it wasn't the worst. Not by far now that he's back in this dimension. He floats a bit aimlessly, body broken, shell cracked and falling apart, some bones and insides shattered. His head aches in a way that he can't think.

All he can really do is hope Prime doesn't find him immediately right now. The light off his ring catches his eye and he looks at it, not fully registering that it's lit up.

A promise.]

Comments

[neonleon]

[A shiver goes up his whole spine and up his arms as he hears that whisper.

Nope. NOPE. He did not hear anything, that was a trick of his hears.]

Right. So. Probably something else totally normal.

[pyrighteous]

[ Titan, Hunter is really getting nervous now. He can't help but stare down the tunnel without moving. ]

T-totally normal...

[ He says, just as something lurches in the gloom. Something big and shadowy at the end of the tunnel. ]

[neonleon]

[While he may not have the best ears, he has good eyes. He sees the difference in shadows and tugs on Hunter's sleeve, lowers his voice.]

Hold up. Some... Something's back there. [He has no sword, no ninpo or mystic power to help him. Just healing and telekinesis. Neither of which are the most useful right now.]

[pyrighteous]

[ And Hunter's own magic is based on borrowed staffs and the tiny flicker of his own power ... he hadn't thought to bring a weapon today. Normally this place is DEAD silent. ]

I ... I see it. What ... is something back there?

[ Oh something sure is. It lurches closer. And then another step closer. Something sounds wet back there, and the smell starting to drift down the tunnel is putrid and rotten. ]

[neonleon]

[Leo feels it coming closer and how big it must be, smells it. He gently nudges Hunter back. But his voice is an even softer whisper.] Go back. We gotta get out of here.

[pyrighteous]

I'm not just going to leave you -

[ It's too late anyway. There's a horrible, wet roar as the thing suddenly surges forward. Dimly humanoid but with ENTIRELY too many limbs, the creature sludges its way down the tunnel with startling speed, trying to reach past Leo for Hunter. ]

You!

[neonleon]

I'll be right with yo-

[SHIT. He's still too tired to fight effectively. But what he can do is focus his Snail boon, lifting Hunter out of the way and out of the reach of that- THING and back closer to the entrance of the tunnel.]

Hunter!

[pyrighteous]

[ Not a moment too soon, Hunter is lifted out of the way of the monster. It narrowly misses grabbing him, leaving a streak of ooze on Hunter's face. He cries out as it burns into his skin like acid. ]

I-I'm okay! Don't let it touch you!

[ That would be great advice if it weren't already bearing down on Leo and moving to body slam HIM instead. (If it makes contact, though, Leo will find that while contact does burn, it's not nearly as stark as an effect. Turtles built differently from a grimwalker.) ]

[neonleon]

I- Right!

[He grimaces a little, setting Hunter down so he can run but then he's left wide open. As soon as he sees the thing coming at him, he grabs Lucky in his one arm and rolls out of the way, shielding the little palisman from the creature.

Once it hits solid wall behind him, Leo makes a break to run past him and catch up to Hunter.]

Go go!

[pyrighteous]

I-I'm going! I'm going!

[ He runs too, then, keeping pace with Leo. Behind them ... the monster slows to a halt as it hits the edge of the tunnel. There's something it doesn't like about leaving that boundary? ]

[neonleon]

[He nearly skids, landing on his side and scrambling to get back on his feet once they're back in the main chamber area. But he sees that...]

Are you okay? What is that?

[pyrighteous]

I - I’m fine! But I have no idea!

[ His face is starting to drip liquid - blood? Sap? - from where the monster goop landed.

Meanwhile, the horror continues to writhe just past the mouth of the tunnel. Every so often it tries to stretch closer to the two of them, only to snap back. Another snaking limb reaches out to one of the bones nearest the tunnel. ]

[neonleon]

[Leo sees that, looks back at the monster. Seeing what it's reaching for, Leo focuses, clears away anything it could grab to be out of reach with the snail boon.

But then goes to Hunter to get a closer look at that dripping. Fuck. All right, healing hands it is.]

Looks like it can't come out here.

[pyrighteous]

[ Thanks Leo. A quick heal is all it takes to seal his face back up again. Meanwhile, the monster growls, frustrated by being unable to reach any more grimwalker bits. ]

I … I think you’re right? Is it stuck?

[neonleon]

Either that or something caging him in. [Seeing that heal, he smiles, leaning in to kiss where the injury was.]

Hard to say. But it was listening to us and was repeating back.

[pyrighteous]

[ Good fiancé. Hunter smiles a bit at that. ]

We can’t just leave it here. I think …

[ He watches one of the bones disappear into its bulk. ]

I think it’s eating their remains.

[ And tried to eat Hunter just now. ]

[neonleon]

Super gross. Okay so ...If we let it loose right now, it'll just eat what's left that we're handling.

We can't just let it out either.

[pyrighteous]

Y. Yeah. We have to do something about it. Or get it to the surface where it can’t come back.

[ He eyes the tunnel. ]

I think I might have a map of this area.

[neonleon]

...Are we sure it won't just try to eat you?

[pyrighteous]

I’m extremely sure it’s going to try to eat me.

… but I’m equally sure it’ll eat all of my brothers if we don’t figure something out.

[neonleon]

Oh, it definitely will.

If you've got a map, then let's take a look. See if we can guide it away and out.

[Even if... that does also risk it like. Destroying everything else.]

[pyrighteous]

R. Right. Let's go back to my bag.

[ hunter edges back, still eying the corpse monster. ]

[neonleon]

[Leo keeps an eye on the thing even though it can't get into the cavern with them. Just backing away following Hunter.]

What idea've you got?

[pyrighteous]

Well ... you're not gonna like it.

[ he starts digging through his pack. ]

But it REALLY wants to eat me. And - if it's stuck, it might be attached to something back there that could be the source of its power. So. If I bait it, you can get in and cut it loose. Or kill it.

1/2

[neonleon]

You're right I hate this.