A week before Leviathan attacks Brockton Bay, Armsmaster and the Undersiders are transported to another world together
The River Keeps Running
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[Complete] The River Keeps Running
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Rift 1.1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Rachel
They're running away. She doesn't like that.
It feels cowardly. Fleeing, giving up, instead of defending her territory. They're going to keep coming after her now.
She wants to keep the dogs safe. She would have stood her ground, but the dogs could have been hurt.
She couldn't keep them safe. Not against poison.
She doesn't like it.
Now, the heroes are there too. Miss Militia and Armsmaster.
He hurts Judas. She doesn't like him.
He was hurt yesterday. He will be weaker today. Maybe they will hurt him again.
He tried to take Judas away from her. She hopes they do hurt him.
The Empire has caught up on them. They're not running anymore.
Good.
Running away might have been better, but it didn't sit right with her.
They're running away. She doesn't like that.
It feels cowardly. Fleeing, giving up, instead of defending her territory. They're going to keep coming after her now.
She wants to keep the dogs safe. She would have stood her ground, but the dogs could have been hurt.
She couldn't keep them safe. Not against poison.
She doesn't like it.
Now, the heroes are there too. Miss Militia and Armsmaster.
He hurts Judas. She doesn't like him.
He was hurt yesterday. He will be weaker today. Maybe they will hurt him again.
He tried to take Judas away from her. She hopes they do hurt him.
The Empire has caught up on them. They're not running anymore.
Good.
Running away might have been better, but it didn't sit right with her.
Rift 1.2
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It's a bomb.
There's a bomb in the church.
Maybe that's why the heroes were there. Lisa would know, but she breathed smoke from one of Night's smoke grenade and she's coughing too much to talk.
It looks like the heroes are trying to get the fight away from the bomb.
She should send the dogs away from it.
They should all get away from it.
"There's a fucking bomb!" she barks at Brian, but he doesn't hear her, too busy with Fog's attack to listen to her.
Krieg does, and retreats.
And then Taylor dodges one of Rune's slab of concrete, and it hits the bomb.
The bomb goes off.
There's a bomb in the church.
Maybe that's why the heroes were there. Lisa would know, but she breathed smoke from one of Night's smoke grenade and she's coughing too much to talk.
It looks like the heroes are trying to get the fight away from the bomb.
She should send the dogs away from it.
They should all get away from it.
"There's a fucking bomb!" she barks at Brian, but he doesn't hear her, too busy with Fog's attack to listen to her.
Krieg does, and retreats.
And then Taylor dodges one of Rune's slab of concrete, and it hits the bomb.
The bomb goes off.
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Rift 1.3
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Lisa
There is a tree.
The tree has exactly one human arm, and half a leg and face.
Black clothes and cowl. Night.
Brain fused with wood. Death was instant.
Looks like Lisa got lucky there.
Forest, lack of ruins. Spatial localisation has changed.
Tree species unknown. Not North America.
Shit. That's not good.
Lisa looks around her. The grass is weird, too, and there's something wrong with the light, but at least all four of her teammates are there, and they all seem to be alive and not fused with anything.
Unfortunately, Armsmaster is also there and not fused to a tree, while Rachel's dogs are conspicuously absent.
Armsmaster starts getting up from where he was thrown to the ground by whatever happened, but freezes, and Lisa follows his gaze for whatever caused it.
Part of the sky is white, a towering semi-circle of light painted over the sunset.
Planet has rings. Not Earth..
Shit.
There is a tree.
The tree has exactly one human arm, and half a leg and face.
Black clothes and cowl. Night.
Brain fused with wood. Death was instant.
Looks like Lisa got lucky there.
Forest, lack of ruins. Spatial localisation has changed.
Tree species unknown. Not North America.
Shit. That's not good.
Lisa looks around her. The grass is weird, too, and there's something wrong with the light, but at least all four of her teammates are there, and they all seem to be alive and not fused with anything.
Unfortunately, Armsmaster is also there and not fused to a tree, while Rachel's dogs are conspicuously absent.
Armsmaster starts getting up from where he was thrown to the ground by whatever happened, but freezes, and Lisa follows his gaze for whatever caused it.
Part of the sky is white, a towering semi-circle of light painted over the sunset.
Planet has rings. Not Earth..
Shit.
Rift 1.4
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Lisa
"Dorothy, I don't think this is Kansas," Regent says.
Lisa ignores him.
"What the fuck happened?" Grue asks, and Lisa really wants the answer to this question. She was… Distracted, at the time.
"A fucking bomb," Bitch says, and Armsmaster nods.
"One of Bakuda's," he says. "It was missed during the first cleanup. I was going to try to disarm it. I'm unsure of what triggered it."
Word choice : I vs we. Was going to proceed personally to the disarmament.
Slightly stiff movements. In pain.
In pain, Tinker. Not completely healed from encounter with Trainwreck, only in field for lack of better options.
"Fucking Rune," Bitch growls.
There is a silence.
"Truce?" Brian suggests. "Until we find a way to go back? Preferably in one piece."
Lisa glances at Night's remains, still encased in the tree. They were very, very lucky.
"Acceptable," Armsmaster says.
Lisa is pretty sure she has a good handle on him, now. She thinks he will hold to the Truce, for now. He's alone against the five of them, and he's still hurt. He has nothing to gain by being underhanded. For now.
She will be ready when that changes.
"Dorothy, I don't think this is Kansas," Regent says.
Lisa ignores him.
"What the fuck happened?" Grue asks, and Lisa really wants the answer to this question. She was… Distracted, at the time.
"A fucking bomb," Bitch says, and Armsmaster nods.
"One of Bakuda's," he says. "It was missed during the first cleanup. I was going to try to disarm it. I'm unsure of what triggered it."
Word choice : I vs we. Was going to proceed personally to the disarmament.
Slightly stiff movements. In pain.
In pain, Tinker. Not completely healed from encounter with Trainwreck, only in field for lack of better options.
"Fucking Rune," Bitch growls.
There is a silence.
"Truce?" Brian suggests. "Until we find a way to go back? Preferably in one piece."
Lisa glances at Night's remains, still encased in the tree. They were very, very lucky.
"Acceptable," Armsmaster says.
Lisa is pretty sure she has a good handle on him, now. She thinks he will hold to the Truce, for now. He's alone against the five of them, and he's still hurt. He has nothing to gain by being underhanded. For now.
She will be ready when that changes.
Rift 1.5
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Colin
They spend the rest of the day combing through the clearing where they'd landed, looking for remains of the bomb.
They don't find any. He's not surprised. The effect of the bomb was obviously Manton-limited in some way, given the lack of rubble and walls.
The night comes quickly. The bomb went off early afternoon, and it was late afternoon when they came to. They must have lost time during the transfer, or it might be a simple case of time difference, like with time zone. Who knows how long days are on this planet, or where on it they are.
At least the air is breathable. It's… a start.
Night falls, and they resign to setting camp for the night, lighting a fire on the side of the clearing opposite to Night's tree, and boiling some water from a nearby spring.
The Undersiders set up a sleeping schedule, taking turns to keep watch. They don't suggest he takes one.
He doesn't sleep anyway. This isn't his first Truce, but…
There is a world of difference between fighting alongside an enemy and sleeping, vulnerable, as one looks on, awake.
The night will be long.
They spend the rest of the day combing through the clearing where they'd landed, looking for remains of the bomb.
They don't find any. He's not surprised. The effect of the bomb was obviously Manton-limited in some way, given the lack of rubble and walls.
The night comes quickly. The bomb went off early afternoon, and it was late afternoon when they came to. They must have lost time during the transfer, or it might be a simple case of time difference, like with time zone. Who knows how long days are on this planet, or where on it they are.
At least the air is breathable. It's… a start.
Night falls, and they resign to setting camp for the night, lighting a fire on the side of the clearing opposite to Night's tree, and boiling some water from a nearby spring.
The Undersiders set up a sleeping schedule, taking turns to keep watch. They don't suggest he takes one.
He doesn't sleep anyway. This isn't his first Truce, but…
There is a world of difference between fighting alongside an enemy and sleeping, vulnerable, as one looks on, awake.
The night will be long.
Rift 1.6
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Colin
Morning comes, and with it, hunger.
That was to be expected.
"We need something to eat," Grue says.
"Can you tell whether your bugs are toxic to humans?" Colin asks Skitter.
She freezes, and so do the strange, chittering swarm surrounding her. Colin doesn't recognize the species, which makes sense.
"I can tell if they have venom, and extrapolate," she says.
Not ideal, but still somewhat safer than trying their luck with fruits or berries.
"Wait," Regent says, sounding far too delighted. "Wait. Are you suggesting to willingly eat bugs like some kind of giant spider?"
"Bugs are very nutruitous," he says.
Some of Skitter's bugs lands near his hand, and he stabs them with a pointy stick to roast them over the fire, before handing the skewer to Skitter. She doesn't take it.
"It's your idea," she says.
"Those are your bugs," he answers.
She takes the skewer, and he focuses on cooking a second one for himself to give her some privacy as she eats.
"Armsspider," Regent says. "Or maybe Spidermaster. Wait. No. Spidey."
Colin gives him a bugs skewer.
Morning comes, and with it, hunger.
That was to be expected.
"We need something to eat," Grue says.
"Can you tell whether your bugs are toxic to humans?" Colin asks Skitter.
She freezes, and so do the strange, chittering swarm surrounding her. Colin doesn't recognize the species, which makes sense.
"I can tell if they have venom, and extrapolate," she says.
Not ideal, but still somewhat safer than trying their luck with fruits or berries.
"Wait," Regent says, sounding far too delighted. "Wait. Are you suggesting to willingly eat bugs like some kind of giant spider?"
"Bugs are very nutruitous," he says.
Some of Skitter's bugs lands near his hand, and he stabs them with a pointy stick to roast them over the fire, before handing the skewer to Skitter. She doesn't take it.
"It's your idea," she says.
"Those are your bugs," he answers.
She takes the skewer, and he focuses on cooking a second one for himself to give her some privacy as she eats.
"Armsspider," Regent says. "Or maybe Spidermaster. Wait. No. Spidey."
Colin gives him a bugs skewer.
Rift 1.7
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Taylor
They decide to follow the spring until they find civilization or, at least, a good place to settle and for Armsmaster to try to make them a way home.
Before, though, they take care of Night.
Taylor kept the bugs, the small, iridescent ones that aren't quite flies, away, but the day is getting warm, and she thinks the body might be starting to smell.
Armsmaster cuts the tree trunk with the Halberd, beneath the leg and over the half-face sticking out of the bark, and they bury it in the soft ground besides the spring.
They don't bother with a marker or eulogy. It's still more than she would have given any of them.
They start walking.
Three days.
Three days of walking, of awkward silences, or averting gazes while eating and stewing under their masks. Three days, and then Grue finally gives in.
"We can't stay like this forever," he says.
Armsmaster doesn't answers, but he does turn toward them.
"I've been wearing this helmet for days, now," Grue continues. "Same for the rest of us, save Bitch. Now, I trust my teammates, but you…"
There is a brief twist of guilt in her stomach. She knows she decided against betraying them, in the end, but it was the reason she joined them, and Armsmaster is there and he knows that.
If he decides to use it against her…
"I'll keep to the Truce," Armsmaster says, but Tattletale shakes her head.
"Nope," she says. "Don't believe you. We want collateral."
Armsmaster stays silent for a moment, and just as Taylor starts thinking he will refuse, thinking she will have to spend another day suffocating inside her mask, he takes off his helmet.
His hair are damp with sweat, and he looks like he needs to sleep for a week, and it makes him look strangely… Human.
"Colin Wallis," he says, like a peace offering.
Taylor takes off her mask.
They decide to follow the spring until they find civilization or, at least, a good place to settle and for Armsmaster to try to make them a way home.
Before, though, they take care of Night.
Taylor kept the bugs, the small, iridescent ones that aren't quite flies, away, but the day is getting warm, and she thinks the body might be starting to smell.
Armsmaster cuts the tree trunk with the Halberd, beneath the leg and over the half-face sticking out of the bark, and they bury it in the soft ground besides the spring.
They don't bother with a marker or eulogy. It's still more than she would have given any of them.
They start walking.
Three days.
Three days of walking, of awkward silences, or averting gazes while eating and stewing under their masks. Three days, and then Grue finally gives in.
"We can't stay like this forever," he says.
Armsmaster doesn't answers, but he does turn toward them.
"I've been wearing this helmet for days, now," Grue continues. "Same for the rest of us, save Bitch. Now, I trust my teammates, but you…"
There is a brief twist of guilt in her stomach. She knows she decided against betraying them, in the end, but it was the reason she joined them, and Armsmaster is there and he knows that.
If he decides to use it against her…
"I'll keep to the Truce," Armsmaster says, but Tattletale shakes her head.
"Nope," she says. "Don't believe you. We want collateral."
Armsmaster stays silent for a moment, and just as Taylor starts thinking he will refuse, thinking she will have to spend another day suffocating inside her mask, he takes off his helmet.
His hair are damp with sweat, and he looks like he needs to sleep for a week, and it makes him look strangely… Human.
"Colin Wallis," he says, like a peace offering.
Taylor takes off her mask.
Rift 1.8
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Taylor
They have to stop and waste half a day so that Armsmaster can do some tinkering.
Nothing that could bring them home, of course. That would be too easy, wouldn't it? No, he needs to do maintenance on his armor if he wants to still be able to use it.
Annoying.
They try to put the forced break to use by bringing fruits, berries and various kind of leaves to Lisa so she can try to see if any of them is edible. Eating bugs isn't actually that bad, now that she's gotten over her initial disgust, but they still need to complete their diet if they want to avoid vitamin deficiency.
Taylor is rumaging through a bush under a tree when she smells the most delicious thing she ever has.
It's coming from the flowers on the tree.
They are really weird flowers. Beautiful, but weird, facing upward, with a crown of black tendrils flowing down between the petals and the stem.
It smells so good, and Taylor takes a deep breath.
She's not sure why she was so worried, really. So tense. The Sun is shining high in the sky, and the white of the planet rings is amazing, and the flowers are so pretty, why wasn't she smiling?
The world is beautiful.
They have to stop and waste half a day so that Armsmaster can do some tinkering.
Nothing that could bring them home, of course. That would be too easy, wouldn't it? No, he needs to do maintenance on his armor if he wants to still be able to use it.
Annoying.
They try to put the forced break to use by bringing fruits, berries and various kind of leaves to Lisa so she can try to see if any of them is edible. Eating bugs isn't actually that bad, now that she's gotten over her initial disgust, but they still need to complete their diet if they want to avoid vitamin deficiency.
Taylor is rumaging through a bush under a tree when she smells the most delicious thing she ever has.
It's coming from the flowers on the tree.
They are really weird flowers. Beautiful, but weird, facing upward, with a crown of black tendrils flowing down between the petals and the stem.
It smells so good, and Taylor takes a deep breath.
She's not sure why she was so worried, really. So tense. The Sun is shining high in the sky, and the white of the planet rings is amazing, and the flowers are so pretty, why wasn't she smiling?
The world is beautiful.
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Hecatonchires
Just an H-class cyborg with an octopus brain stem
- Location
- The Gong, NSW, Australia
Taylor be trippin
Rift 1.9
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Brian
"Something is wrong with Taylor," Lisa says, and Brian is inclined to agree.
The clearing they stopped in is suddenly… Noisy. Very noisy.
It's the bugs. They're all… Chittering, and moving, without any kind of pattern, and Taylor never did that before. He can't think of a reason she would.
"Is this normal behavior from Skitter?" Armsmaster asks, sounding considerably annoyed.
"No," answers Brian. "We need to find her."
Armsmaster looks even more annoyed, but he picks up his helmet and the Halberd.
"Let's get it over with," he says.
They find Taylor lying in the grass under a tree, staring at the bugs swirling over her.
She's smiling, honest and wide and happy, and if the bugs weird behavior hadn't been enough, this would convince him that something is wrong.
"Look how pretty they are !" she says, sounding far too cheerful.
"I think she's high," Lisa says.
"How?" Brian asks.
Lisa mulls it over.
"The flowers," she says. "Something with their smell."
Armsmaster's helmet can extend to cover his entire face and has air filters, so he goes pick Taylor up, and hands her to Brian.
"You're very handsome," she informs him, and Alec snickers.
"You're very nice, too," Taylor continues. "You're all very nice. You're the best friends ever!"
Brian is painfully aware of Armsmaster's presence, looking at them. This is going to be murder on their reputation.
"I love you guys," Taylor says, and she lets her head falls against his shoulder. "I'm so happy I decided not to betray you."
"Something is wrong with Taylor," Lisa says, and Brian is inclined to agree.
The clearing they stopped in is suddenly… Noisy. Very noisy.
It's the bugs. They're all… Chittering, and moving, without any kind of pattern, and Taylor never did that before. He can't think of a reason she would.
"Is this normal behavior from Skitter?" Armsmaster asks, sounding considerably annoyed.
"No," answers Brian. "We need to find her."
Armsmaster looks even more annoyed, but he picks up his helmet and the Halberd.
"Let's get it over with," he says.
They find Taylor lying in the grass under a tree, staring at the bugs swirling over her.
She's smiling, honest and wide and happy, and if the bugs weird behavior hadn't been enough, this would convince him that something is wrong.
"Look how pretty they are !" she says, sounding far too cheerful.
"I think she's high," Lisa says.
"How?" Brian asks.
Lisa mulls it over.
"The flowers," she says. "Something with their smell."
Armsmaster's helmet can extend to cover his entire face and has air filters, so he goes pick Taylor up, and hands her to Brian.
"You're very handsome," she informs him, and Alec snickers.
"You're very nice, too," Taylor continues. "You're all very nice. You're the best friends ever!"
Brian is painfully aware of Armsmaster's presence, looking at them. This is going to be murder on their reputation.
"I love you guys," Taylor says, and she lets her head falls against his shoulder. "I'm so happy I decided not to betray you."
Rift 1.10
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Brian
For a split second, he doesn't understand.
I'm so happy I decided not to betray you.
High or not, that kind of thought doesn't come from nowhere.
If she decided not to betray them, it means it's something she at least considered.
She told him she was attracted to him. Called them friends. Was it a lie?
Rachel looks furious. Feral. Alec clenches his fist. Taylor nuzzles deeper against the side of his neck.
Lisa doesn't react, and that, more than anything, lets Brian know he's right.
"I don't believe anything she says right now should be taken seriously," Armsmaster says, and he doesn't seem surprised either.
Skitter? You, especially, do not want to irritate me anymore tonight, he said at the Fosberg Gallery, as if there were history between them.
Pieces are falling in place, and Brian doesn't like the picture they make.
For a split second, he doesn't understand.
I'm so happy I decided not to betray you.
High or not, that kind of thought doesn't come from nowhere.
If she decided not to betray them, it means it's something she at least considered.
She told him she was attracted to him. Called them friends. Was it a lie?
Rachel looks furious. Feral. Alec clenches his fist. Taylor nuzzles deeper against the side of his neck.
Lisa doesn't react, and that, more than anything, lets Brian know he's right.
"I don't believe anything she says right now should be taken seriously," Armsmaster says, and he doesn't seem surprised either.
Skitter? You, especially, do not want to irritate me anymore tonight, he said at the Fosberg Gallery, as if there were history between them.
Pieces are falling in place, and Brian doesn't like the picture they make.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
No, it isn't. It's an original fantasy world.
Rift 1.11
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Alec
The Dork finally passes out, and Lisa confirms she joined them with the intention of selling them out to the hero.
Lisa also says the Dork was never actually going to go through with it, not really. Says that she was always going to go native.
She was still planning to betray them.
Alec is annoyed. He wishes he could be angry. He thinks he should be.
Rachel is. She's furious. Brian is more hurt, he thinks. Angry, too, but at Lisa, for not telling.
Armsmaster is keeping quiet and to the side, Halberd in hand. Alec wonders if he would defend the Dork if they turned against her. She's the most useful to him right now, with her bug control.
Rachel and Alec are the most useless, since there aren't any dogs or human opponents, and Brian and Lisa fall somewhere in the middle. But the Dork brings an easy source of food, range, heavy hitting and recon, and they all know it. They can't really offer to cast her aside.
Armsmaster relaxes slightly when it becomes evident that there won't be a fight.
In a way, he's the most valuable here. He's the only one who has a chance of bringing them home.
Armsmaster has been careful, so far. He never kept his helmet off long enough for Alec to take control.
Not that he would have. Not yet. It would be impractical.
He just wants the option in case it becomes necessary.
The Dork finally passes out, and Lisa confirms she joined them with the intention of selling them out to the hero.
Lisa also says the Dork was never actually going to go through with it, not really. Says that she was always going to go native.
She was still planning to betray them.
Alec is annoyed. He wishes he could be angry. He thinks he should be.
Rachel is. She's furious. Brian is more hurt, he thinks. Angry, too, but at Lisa, for not telling.
Armsmaster is keeping quiet and to the side, Halberd in hand. Alec wonders if he would defend the Dork if they turned against her. She's the most useful to him right now, with her bug control.
Rachel and Alec are the most useless, since there aren't any dogs or human opponents, and Brian and Lisa fall somewhere in the middle. But the Dork brings an easy source of food, range, heavy hitting and recon, and they all know it. They can't really offer to cast her aside.
Armsmaster relaxes slightly when it becomes evident that there won't be a fight.
In a way, he's the most valuable here. He's the only one who has a chance of bringing them home.
Armsmaster has been careful, so far. He never kept his helmet off long enough for Alec to take control.
Not that he would have. Not yet. It would be impractical.
He just wants the option in case it becomes necessary.
Rift 1.12
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Alec
Brian gives the Dork back to Armsmaster, and they spend the rest of the day walking away from the truth flower tree before setting camp.
No one sleeps much, and the night is long.
They sit by the fire in silence, staring at the flames. All of Lisa's attempts to speak are met with glares from Rachel and Brian, and Armsmaster keeps himself apart with the Dork.
When she finally awakes, she doesn't seem to remember what she said, and horror paints her face as she slowly realizes what happened.
Alec feels no pity.
Brian refuses to look at her. Rachel bares her teeth.
Lisa merely looks tired.
Armsmaster doesn't do anything. He's a stranger there, and long gave up on the Dork's claims of heroism.
At some point in the night, they must have stopped looking at Rachel, because when the Sun comes up, she isn't there.
Brian gives the Dork back to Armsmaster, and they spend the rest of the day walking away from the truth flower tree before setting camp.
No one sleeps much, and the night is long.
They sit by the fire in silence, staring at the flames. All of Lisa's attempts to speak are met with glares from Rachel and Brian, and Armsmaster keeps himself apart with the Dork.
When she finally awakes, she doesn't seem to remember what she said, and horror paints her face as she slowly realizes what happened.
Alec feels no pity.
Brian refuses to look at her. Rachel bares her teeth.
Lisa merely looks tired.
Armsmaster doesn't do anything. He's a stranger there, and long gave up on the Dork's claims of heroism.
At some point in the night, they must have stopped looking at Rachel, because when the Sun comes up, she isn't there.
Interlude 1.x - Bène
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Bène is filling her bag with flowers from the palte tree for her brother's wedding when Natais calls her.
There are footprints in the riverbank.
Someone came here recently.
That's… Strange. Bène know for a fact it wasn't someone from Massombe, and there isn't any other village or traveling road close enough to make coming here worthwhile.
Bène removes her filtrating mask and kneels to look more closely at the footprints.
They're different enough to belong to several people. At least three or four, but probably five or six.
More concerning is their size.
They're all… Small. Too small to belong to adults.
There are children lost in the woods.
"We need to find them," Bène tells Natais.
He agrees.
There are footprints in the riverbank.
Someone came here recently.
That's… Strange. Bène know for a fact it wasn't someone from Massombe, and there isn't any other village or traveling road close enough to make coming here worthwhile.
Bène removes her filtrating mask and kneels to look more closely at the footprints.
They're different enough to belong to several people. At least three or four, but probably five or six.
More concerning is their size.
They're all… Small. Too small to belong to adults.
There are children lost in the woods.
"We need to find them," Bène tells Natais.
He agrees.
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Hecatonchires
Just an H-class cyborg with an octopus brain stem
- Location
- The Gong, NSW, Australia
They use the truth flowers during a wedding?
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It's not necessarily very relevant to the story, but yes.
It only makes sense - Trust but Verify
Tie 2.1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Taylor
They need to find Rachel.
She could be in danger. Up to now, they haven't run into any particularly dangerous animals, but they don't know there aren't any, and without her dogs, Rachel doesn't have as much firepower as she is used to.
Which might not even be her main problem. The episode with the flowers is proof that the local plants can be pretty dangerous.
What would have happened, had the others not been there? Would Taylor have stayed lying there, smiling, until she died of thirst or got eaten alive? Would she even have stopped smiling then? Or would she have stayed mindlessly happy, unable to worry about her imminent death?
Taylor really, really doesn't like drugs.
They need to find Rachel. It's Taylor's fault she ran away.
They can't leave her behind.
They need to find Rachel.
She could be in danger. Up to now, they haven't run into any particularly dangerous animals, but they don't know there aren't any, and without her dogs, Rachel doesn't have as much firepower as she is used to.
Which might not even be her main problem. The episode with the flowers is proof that the local plants can be pretty dangerous.
What would have happened, had the others not been there? Would Taylor have stayed lying there, smiling, until she died of thirst or got eaten alive? Would she even have stopped smiling then? Or would she have stayed mindlessly happy, unable to worry about her imminent death?
Taylor really, really doesn't like drugs.
They need to find Rachel. It's Taylor's fault she ran away.
They can't leave her behind.
Tie 2.2
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Taylor
They go looking for Rachel, to Armsmaster's exasperation.
Dick.
Just because she's not his teammate and doesn't currently bring anything to the group means getting her back is a waste of time. They can't just leave her.
It's…
It's… Tense.
They don't trust her any more.
Brian and Alec… They don't trust her.
Armsmaster… Well. In hindsight, he probably stopped trusting her when she went through with the bank robbery.
Only Lisa is still on her side.
Lisa, who knew from the beginning.
The plan wouldn't have worked even if she had kept to it, would it?
Taylor chases away the thought.
She needs to focus.
They need to find Rachel.
They go looking for Rachel, to Armsmaster's exasperation.
Dick.
Just because she's not his teammate and doesn't currently bring anything to the group means getting her back is a waste of time. They can't just leave her.
It's…
It's… Tense.
They don't trust her any more.
Brian and Alec… They don't trust her.
Armsmaster… Well. In hindsight, he probably stopped trusting her when she went through with the bank robbery.
Only Lisa is still on her side.
Lisa, who knew from the beginning.
The plan wouldn't have worked even if she had kept to it, would it?
Taylor chases away the thought.
She needs to focus.
They need to find Rachel.
Tie 2.3
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Lisa
Looking for Rachel is, honestly, easier than it could have been.
After all, Lisa is there. She might not have much experience with physically tracking people in an alien forest, but her powers is still useful for clues.
Broken twigs. Large animal.
Broken twigs placed high. Human.
"She went this way," Lisa says.
She's taking care of remembering which way they came from so that they will be able to find the spring again. They need the water, and Armsmaster was right. Springs leads to rivers, and rivers are their best bet to find any civilization that might exist.
They will find Rachel. They have Lisa, and Taylor.
They just need to get close enough for the bugs to find her.
Looking for Rachel is, honestly, easier than it could have been.
After all, Lisa is there. She might not have much experience with physically tracking people in an alien forest, but her powers is still useful for clues.
Broken twigs. Large animal.
Broken twigs placed high. Human.
"She went this way," Lisa says.
She's taking care of remembering which way they came from so that they will be able to find the spring again. They need the water, and Armsmaster was right. Springs leads to rivers, and rivers are their best bet to find any civilization that might exist.
They will find Rachel. They have Lisa, and Taylor.
They just need to get close enough for the bugs to find her.
Tie 2.4
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Lisa
"I've got her," Taylor says, and she starts walking in a seemingly random direction.
Lisa notes with some satisfaction that Taylor's new trajectory is only at a slight angle from their initial one. She wasn't far off.
Rachel, when they finally find her, is roasting a small mammal over a campfire.
"And here we were," Alec says, "eating bugs when we could have been eating alien rabbit."
"The point wasn't that we couldn't have hunted," Armsmaster points out with a note of exasperation. "The point was that bugs were both more nutritious and easier to procure, and allowed us to waste less time."
"Whatever you say, Spidey," Alec says.
No one bothers pointing out that Alec ate bugs, too.
They have more important concerns.
"I've got her," Taylor says, and she starts walking in a seemingly random direction.
Lisa notes with some satisfaction that Taylor's new trajectory is only at a slight angle from their initial one. She wasn't far off.
Rachel, when they finally find her, is roasting a small mammal over a campfire.
"And here we were," Alec says, "eating bugs when we could have been eating alien rabbit."
"The point wasn't that we couldn't have hunted," Armsmaster points out with a note of exasperation. "The point was that bugs were both more nutritious and easier to procure, and allowed us to waste less time."
"Whatever you say, Spidey," Alec says.
No one bothers pointing out that Alec ate bugs, too.
They have more important concerns.
Tie 2.5
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Alec
It takes Lisa a while to convince Rachel to come back with them.
She doesn't trust the Dork anymore. Which is fair really, but somewhat inconvenient. They need Armsmaster, and right now, he's more likely to stick with the Dork than anyone else, if only for practical reasons.
It takes a while for Lisa to convince Rachel of it. Even longer to get her to believe she should even care.
As stubborn as she is, though, Rachel loves her dogs more, and she can't take care of them without going back, and she can't go back without Armsmaster.
It takes a while, but Lisa convinces her.
The Dork is tense the entire conversation, like she's trying to hold herself back from intervening. She doesn't.
Good.
It wouldn't have helped.
It takes Lisa a while to convince Rachel to come back with them.
She doesn't trust the Dork anymore. Which is fair really, but somewhat inconvenient. They need Armsmaster, and right now, he's more likely to stick with the Dork than anyone else, if only for practical reasons.
It takes a while for Lisa to convince Rachel of it. Even longer to get her to believe she should even care.
As stubborn as she is, though, Rachel loves her dogs more, and she can't take care of them without going back, and she can't go back without Armsmaster.
It takes a while, but Lisa convinces her.
The Dork is tense the entire conversation, like she's trying to hold herself back from intervening. She doesn't.
Good.
It wouldn't have helped.