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

[cantacquityou]

Of course not. [He cups his face into his palm, rubbing at his cheek with his thumb.]

[takethat]

...I'm considering never leaving my room again...

[cantacquityou]

How large was this creature?

[takethat]

It was just a regular cat size, but for the human bits...

[cantacquityou]

That sounds absolutely terrifying.

[takethat]

At first I just thought it was a new resident.

[cantacquityou]

...and...?

[takethat]

...and so I tried to talk to it. ...if it's a new resident, we need to kick it out... fast.

[cantacquityou]

Forgive me if I may sounds a bit discriminatory but if I were to see something like that, my first thought would not be to fraternize with it...

this icon isn't 'wounded'

[takethat]

[He gives Miles a wounded look.]

Judging my actions isn't going to get my arm back.

[cantacquityou]

I am so sorry.

[takethat]

Anyway, I... I've met some pretty strange characters here... I even talked to a real lion once...

[cantacquityou]

[A sigh.]


I find it rather perturbing that you don't appear to be bleeding any at all. Have you examined it...thoroughly?

[takethat]

I don't want to look at it.

.5

[cantacquityou]

I don't blame you.


...You're right, it may very well be a new resident, in which case... I am at a loss at what can be done. [He looks quite forlorn at that thought...]

...I could only hope this is a loss. Otherwise...

[cantacquityou]

[He attempts to lighten the mood.]

...Well, if it isn't, then we may very well be able to commission another resident to construct a bionic arm for you. Would that not be rather..."cool"?

[takethat]

[He smiles halfheartedly.]

It would be cool... bet Wheatley could do it.

[cantacquityou]

Perhaps, but I wouldn't put my trust in a creation of his to be attached to my body. I'd suspect that he'd program it in such a way that you'd end up repeatedly punching yourself in the face...

[takethat]

...well then I'd just have to find someone to fix it so that it always had an urge to punch him instead.

[cantacquityou]

Perhaps you could pick up a new hobby. Robotics.

[takethat]

Oh you have a lot of faith in my mathematical skill, don't you?