[013]

[grip_on_reality]

[403 has had enough of being cooped up in that strange bathhouse. after all, when you're thrown into a weird situation, the first thing you do is explore, and that's exactly what she intends to do. with that plan in mind, she heads outside, stepping onto the Plane itself. for a moment she frowns at the ground, tapping it with her foot] What the hell is this?

[with no answers forthcoming, she continues forward, looking around her suspiciously] Some sort of...city? [she murmurs the words to herself as she looks around at the nearest buildings. her lip curls] Well, at least there's plenty to see.

[but before she sets out to explore one of those buildings, she cups her hands around her mouth and calls:] Oi! Anybody out 'ere?

[she waits a moment, her expression wry as she mutters:] We can probably rule out an egomaniac. They'd 'ave 'ad more to say by now... [but, cupping her hands, she gives shouting one more go before setting off on her own] Anybody around? Hello?

Comments

[grip_on_reality]

[she scoffs] Gonna take more than that before I let the people 'round 'ere stop me from exploring. We can't just let ourselves be trapped 'ere--not when there could be an easy exit if we just look for it. Or any exit, come to think of it.

[she wipes at the blood on her face again, glad that the cuts are minor. she'd do something about them, but she doesn't know where to get medical supplies either, so she figures she'll just have to hope they come across them] Which way to start, you think?

[ex_oneiromancer912]

[Morgana looks at Menzies, then glances around. Then she indicates the ballroom.] What of there?

[grip_on_reality]

Right, let's go. [and she heads toward the ballroom, ignoring her headache as best she can]

[ex_oneiromancer912]

[In the ballroom, Morgana is uneasy for a moment. That mannequin...

Somewhere, she starts to hear the sound of a mob.]

Did you hear that?

[grip_on_reality]

Hear what? [Menzies turns to her sharply, finding the question eerily familiar. she frowns, listening. it's almost a relief to realise she hears something, too] ...ah. The tapping, you mean?

[metallic clicking across the floor, coming from another room. her expression darkens]

Sounds like we're not alone.

[ex_oneiromancer912]

No, the voices. Like people. [It's growing louder. Morgana turns around, eyes searching for the source. She knows what a mob sounds like when it wants blood.]

[grip_on_reality]

People? [she turns as well. that tapping is getting louder, and there's a buzzing sound now] No, I hear a machine. What is this?

[ex_oneiromancer912]

I don't know--[She takes a step back again, hand going right for her knife. She can hear the word the mob is chanting: Witch! Witch! Witch!]

Get out of here, get out now!

[grip_on_reality]

[she nods, grabbing Morgana by the arm and starting for the door--]

[she's brought up short by the blast of an energy weapon, which she skids to a stop just short of. she turns in horror to look as creatures like giant metallic mosquitoes become visible through a doorway in an upper balcony, ordering her and Morgana to stop where they are] Damnit, go the other way! There must be a back exit!

[and yes, she is now trying to pull Morgana into the ballroom proper with her--away from both the exit and those creatures]

[ex_oneiromancer912]

[Those hands become those of another. They drag her in (she drags herself) to the centre of the room, and she is screaming, crying: "Please! Please, I'm not a witch! Please, stop!" and that doesn't do anything. The rope burns on her wrists, holding her in place, cutting her blood, and the wood is sharp and brutal under her feet, and she can't hear anything over the mob and her own terror.]

[grip_on_reality]

What? 806! [she doesn't understand what's happening. she glances at the front room, where she can still hear those creatures buzzing, and then back to her screaming comrade. it's the woman's words that answer her question, though, and she realises they're seeing two different horrors]

806, listen to me! I'll get you out. Which way is safe for you? 806! [she shakes her, trying to get the other woman to look at her and answer before it's too late]

[ex_oneiromancer912]

I can't-- [She tries to hear Menzies through the noise, past the flame they are bringing to her] You have to run, run before they take you, too!

[grip_on_reality]

No one has you! [she can't think of what to do. the obvious seems like her only option, so she keeps her hold on Morgana and starts trying to pull her through the room] Come on, we have to move!

[ex_oneiromancer912]

[Miraculously, with a brutal tug, the ropes on her wrists break away. Menzies is pulling her through the crowd and she's terrified but they have to get out, they have to get out.]

[So Morgana's eyes glow gold, and she blasts a hole through the ballroom wall.]

[grip_on_reality]

Come on! [she's relieved when Morgana starts moving, but the creatures enter the room then--hovering and buzzing as they line up for a shot] Damnit!

[and then Morgana blasts a hole in the wall. Menzies doesn't even have time to stare; she just starts running, still holding Morgana to stop her from hesitating] Go! Go! They're going to blast us!

[ex_oneiromancer912]

What? [She's confused, but she keeps running. Even outside, she can still hear the chanting of the mob.]

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies is in no hurry to stop either] Keep going! They could still be coming!

[by which she means the Terravore, but it works well enough either way. her head is pounding as she runs, but she's determined to get as far from there as possible. unconsciously, she's heading back in the direction of the bathhouse as the only safe place she knows]

[ex_oneiromancer912]

[Wrists bleeding, Morgana chases after her. And it's at the bathhouse doors that she realizes the noise is gone.]

[Her heart is still pounding. She stares at her wrists, burned and a little bloodied, at the dirt now on her skin. And the faint smell of smoke clings to her.]

What... what happened?

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies stops there, too, finally letting Morgana go. she's surprised as she looks down to find blood on her hands. she notices the smell of smoke as well, but she thinks it's from her. a couple of those blasts were close enough to singe her hair] I...I don't know. [she shakes her head, trying to will her heart to stop racing--which she hopes will also help her head. she steps back to lean against the wall] I think it was different for each of us. I saw these giant...robot mosquito things...

[looking at her bloody hands, she can't quite work out how the two are connected--and then she realises they aren't] Hey! We've gotta patch you up. [she frowns at Morgana's bleeding wrists, thinking through the supplies they have to hand] Can you tear that dress? We should put pressure on your wrists.

[ex_oneiromancer912]

Oh. Oh, yes. [806 quickly takes to tearing her petticoat. She does not know why, but it seems she knows exactly what to do.] It must have been as before: an illusion cast over each of us and made real in its effects.

[grip_on_reality]

Except this time it was both of us. But why two different illusions, I wonder? [she pauses thoughtfully. that seems like it would create more work when either option would have been just as dangerous. she frowns; she can think of one possible reason, and she doesn't like it]

Let's go in. We ought to wash those wounds in the baths at least--and see if we can find something proper to patch 'em up with. But here, let me 'elp you wrap 'em up first. [she reaches out to take the strips that Morgana is tearing since she's sure Morgana would find it rather difficult to bandage her own wrists]

[ex_oneiromancer912]

Yes, thank you. [She looks at Menzies as the other woman bandages the injuries.] Do you have any theories?

[grip_on_reality]

[she makes a face] They seem a bit...personal, don't you think? I see giant robots--which I very much doubt they 'ad back in Camelot. And you see people calling you a witch. [because even if she couldn't see what was happening to Morgana, she did hear that much--and has a pretty good guess about what else happened, too] We're being attacked by something that's...familiar, maybe? Something that's meant for us, at least.

[she finishes wrapping the bandages] That should do for a start. Ready to go in?

[ex_oneiromancer912]

[Morgana nods to the question. She considers Menzies's words.]

I wonder why the pub gave only you a vision like this, but we were both afflicted in the ballroom.

[grip_on_reality]

[she frowns thoughtfully as she heads inside] Dunno. Maybe this place didn't 'ave a read on you yet? Maybe telling me what you did remember gave it an idea. Or it could be something else. 'ard to say; we 'aven't got much evidence to go by.