♙ 10

[howruthless]

[So sometimes the castle decides a person is spending too much time with themselves. It's in those instances that it decides to do something about it. Today, it is working it's magic on Tess Mercer.

She was walking through the lobby, trying get out to town so she can get some work done, when all of the sudden she's ... stuck. As in her feet just won't move, at all. She tries taking off her shoes, tries going backwards, but any way she tries to slice it, she's not going anywhere. Sighing heavily, she reaches into her bag and pulls out her journal.]

[Friends]

I could use a little assistance in the lobby.

[a beat]

And if you happen to have one, bring a crowbar?

[/Friends]

[And with that she'll just have to wait. And talk to whoever happens to come along. Which may have been the castle's plan all along.

Think about that.]

[ACTION is open to all! The castle is going to keep her stuck there until she talks to a certain number of people, but it's not all that clear on what the number is, so she'll probably be there all day. Also, if you think you're on the friends filter, you probably are.]

Comments

[madetosin]

[Well, the doctor will passing through, though he doesn't appear to notice Tess' plight just yet...]

[howruthless]

[Tess notices him, gritting her teeth before she calls out to him]

Excuse me?

[supes]

[Shortly after reading this, Clark will be popping up a number of feet away, just out of her line of sight so he doesn't startle her... then he steps into view, with a bit of a smile.

Who needs a crowbar when you have fingers?]

What's going on, Tess?

[howruthless]

[she gives Clark a small, tight smile before she extends her hands out to the side]

I'm ... stuck.

[supes]

[Slight raise of an eyebrow.]

Stuck how? You just can't walk, or...?

[howruthless]

I can't even take off my shoes.

[there's a slight pout as she crosses her arms in front of her chest.]

I was just going to work and suddenly I couldn't move.

[supes]

[He gives a considering pause. He's not going to try to mess with how strong the castle's grip on her feet are, really, at least not by pulling on Tess. That's liable to dislocate an ankle or two.]

That's certainly a new one from the castle.

[He offers her a hand for balance.]

Hang on. I'll see if I can crack the tile badly enough to break it loose, then we'll tackle the shoes themselves.

[howruthless]

[she takes the hand with a nod, and waits for him to do his thing. The benefits of having a friend with super strength.]

[madetosin]

[He stops and turns to look at her with a mild expression, as if she'd been as good as invisible until she bothered to speak up]

Yes?

[howruthless]

Do you think you could give me a hand? I seem to have run into a bit of a bind?

[madetosin]

What sort of bind?

[howruthless]

I'm stuck to the floor.

[madetosin]

[He blinks] I can't say I expected that... [He moves closer] How did that happen?

[howruthless]

[she really doesn't have a clue.]

I was just walking through the lobby, and suddenly I couldn't anymore.

[madetosin]

Hmm. I don't suppose it's a localized paralysis...or did you just step in something? [He glances at her feet]

[howruthless]

[she shakes her head]

I believe if it were paralysis, my legs wouldn't be able to support my weight.

[madetosin]

Most kinds of paralysis, yes, though there are other types that present with muscle rigidity [Like, if he'd paralyzed you]

[He kneels down in front of her and carefully inspects the section of tile she seems to be adhered to]

[howruthless]

[she sighs, but lets him do just that. She'd tap her foot if she could actually move it.]

Tess ]

[yeahihidmypants]

Why am I bringing a crowbar to the lobby?

Are there Sarcophagi?

oliver }

[howruthless]

.... I have to say, I'm impressed you know the proper plural for sarcophagus.

[but that's not the point.]

I'm ... stuck.

Tess ]

[yeahihidmypants]

I'll have you know I'm highly educated and I speak at least a dozen languages.

[anyway... including whatever he was speaking when Lois was in Egypt.]

Stuck? Stuck how?

oliver }

[howruthless]

Knowing how to speak foreign languages doesn't always guarantee you can speak this one.

[a beat]

Stuck to the floor?

Tess ]

[yeahihidmypants]

[he's going to pause and wait for the transcription and yep, that's what she said.]

I'm going to voice something that I'm sure you've already realized:

The castle put you there, Tess, and you're not going to get out of it with a crowbar.

[supes]

[He lifts one foot and firmly stomps the tile next to her feet, cracking it instantly and putting a considerable pothole in the floor. Whether it frees her from the ground remains to be seen, though...]

[howruthless]

[she tries to get her foot to slide, just a little too towards the hole, but as evidenced by the frustration on her face, it's not really working.]