23 - dictated

[takethat]

[It's late at night when Phoenix spots the cat, as he's traversing the halls of the castle, headed back to his room.]

Oh--uh, hey there?

[Although the creature is a little too deep in his uncanny valley, he still puts on a friendly smile. It's not that much stranger than meeting a lion here, after all, right? Probably just a new resident from some weird world with bizarre cat things.]

...are you new around here?

[But the cat doesn't say anything. Phoenix shrugs and is about to wander on toward his destination, when suddenly there's a heavy weight flung into the left side of his body; he's knocked over, the journal skidding some distance away and falling open, to record the full attack.]


What--aaaaggghh!!! Get off me! Get... get away! No!

[The sounds of a struggle are plainly evident for a few moments more, before a rustling as the journal is quickly retrieved, and desperate panting, running--]

GLaDOS!!

[He reaches her door, on the same floor as his own room but further down the hall, and bangs frantically, begging to be let in.]

GLaDOS, please please open the door, please...!

[But no answer comes quickly enough, and the cat is there again, and Phoenix takes off once more, already knowing the sprint to his own room is fruitless--]

H...help! Somebody, please--it's following me! It's--

[And then a scream filled with fear and agony... and then silence, for a long while before Phoenix speaks again.


This time, his voice is hollow.]

Oh my god...

Comments

ACTION! 1/2

[sawadeertoday]

[ She was about to fall asleep, in fact, when she heard the pounding and the call- and GLaDOS found herself furrowing her brow, scrambling for the door in a half-asleep daze, donning the usual bright orange pajamas...

And he wasn't there when she opened the door. But her breath caught when she saw the spectacle.

GLaDOS was used to seeing gruesome things- humans conveniently losing limbs in the name of Science.

But now that she was a human, and she saw someone she felt she may have valued the tiniest bit over there...

She was quick, padding towards him- ]

... Phoenix?

2/2 =w=

[sawadeertoday]

[ And before she could even react, besides a sharp gasp as the creature suddenly came for her- what was that!?- and suddenly... there was an excruciating pain.

GLaDOS didn't scream out of fear- it was the terrible pain that caused her to shriek, and she collapsed on the floor nearby, face-first, taking gasping breaths... what was that? Not knowing made her shiver in fear. ]

...ghh...

[takethat]

Shit... GLaDOS...

[He'd been about to yell, to tell her to go back in her room quick, but the cat was there before he could even breathe a word of it. He staggers to his feet, clutching at the space where his left arm once was (but unwilling to look at it), and crosses back to her before collapsing at her side.]

Are... are you okay?

[He's aware what a stupid question this is, but has to ask...]

[fistfullofmagic]

[There is a slight noise close to the end of the hall. If either of them look up, they may just be able to make out a head of blond hair in the darkness, but - perhaps it's because of the shadows? - the face of the person is unable to be made out.]

1/2

[sawadeertoday]

[ She shivered and shook a little from the aftershocks of such a pain, finding that it burnt quite deeply into her mind- and she tilted her head up to look at him, furrowing her brow.

She didn't know yet. ]

I'm fine... [ she breathed, as neutrally as she could, pushing her hands down on the ground in an attempt to push herself to her knees-...

Her face promptly blanched when only one knee obeyed her... or rather, only one knee was there.

She fell on her side, the lack of her right leg making her start to shake uncontrollably. Her right hand moved, fingers curling over the nub, and she felt her chest heaving, her eyes wide with fear.

She was missing a leg? She couldn't possibly function now. ]

Oh... oh god.

[silentrunning]

[The sounds of the attack filter over the journal, loud and clear. And journals being the way they are, one journal owner in particular hears that struggle.

She's standing at the base of the staircase leading up into the tower she lives in...

But on hearing that, she freezes for half a second, taking off for the elevator in a dead run.

Flinging herself inside, she punches the button for the fifth floor, and is out and running again, almost before the elevator has stopped. Where is he?

Her boots thud harshly on the stone floor, and woe be to anyone who happens to be in her way.]

[takethat]

[Should Chell find Phoenix, he's curled up in a heap on the floor, holding the stump where once his arm was, and simply staring in stunned silence at the wall nearby.]

[silentrunning]

[She finds him, all right...But almost in the wrong way. She almost trips over him, only her reflexes and ability to stop on a dime saving him from getting tromped on. But as soon as she realizes it's him, she drops to a crouch, reaching out to touch whatever part of his anatomy is nearest her. She doesn't say anything, or write anything just yet.

Wait a minute... She can see Phoenix's write hand... But not his left...

And then it all comes to her. Her eyes widen slightly, but she doesn't freak out. Instead, she reaches out, prodding at his right shoulder with her finger, trying to get through to him.]

Your arm, Nick? What happened?

[takethat]

I don't know.

[He answers her just as hollowly as he was speaking over the journal after the attack, although he's still curled up near-fetal position on the floor.]

It's... gone. The cat took it.

Dictated

[not_mafia]

[holy shit???]

Phoenix-san? Phoenix-san?? Are you there? Talk to me!

Dictated

[takethat]

Tsuna...?

[He reaches for his journal, all too aware that he's got only one arm with which to do so.]

S-something... something got me.

Dictated

[not_mafia]

Are you alright?! What happened??

Dictated

[takethat]

It came out of nowhere--it just jumped on me--oh, god, it's still out there somewhere... Tsuna, be careful, okay?!

Journal; Dictated

[cantacquityou]

[Oh God not again.]

Phoenix? Phoenix, is that you?!

Dictated

[takethat]

...Miles.

[He's lying sprawled on the floor in the hallway, rubbing idly at the place where his left arm had been not long ago, and speaking in the direction of the journal on the floor nearby.]

...it got me.

[cantacquityou]

What got you?

[takethat]

The... the cat.

...it took my arm.

Dictated! ;u;

[magicalwright]

D-Daddy...?



... Daddy, what's wrong? [ If he's paying any attention, he'll hear the sound of her running. She's going to assume he was near his room and then work from there. ]

Dictated

[takethat]

Trucy, be careful! Don't come out here!

[The last thing he wants is for his daughter to get attacked by that thing, too.]

Dictated

[magicalwright]

[ Sorry, Phoenix, but she's gonna keep running. ]

What happened? [ Little breathless, his room is far. ]

Dictated

[takethat]

Something attacked me! It's still out there--please, please be careful!

dictated (1/2)

[optimystic]

Nick- [but his name dies in her throat as the terrible sounds continue. oh God... oh God what is happening?]

[optimystic]

Nick! [her voice has an edge of panic to it]

Nick, what's going on? Where are you? I'm coming!

[takethat]

Maya...

[It's little more than a gasp; he's sprawled in the hallway, trembling, as he tries to reach for his journal with his remaining arm.]

Maya, don't come--it's not safe...

[optimystic]

But you're in trouble! [she grabs her journal and now she's hurrying out of her room. She probably won't find him for a bit if he doesn't tell her where he is (she's too worried to be logical and just go to his floor)]

Just tell me where you are, I'll come help!