Re: Inexorable Altercation [Round III - Vorlon Complex]
07-31-2011, 12:41 AM
Originally posted on MSPA by SleepingOrange.
Anna gulped. It was just a reflex. Frankly, she hadn't had anything to drink since all this whatever it was had started, so it was to be expected. There was a giant bug teleporting around, staring her down, and claiming that they were "together" now, but Anna was just gulping because she was thirsty and a little surprised. She backed up slightly just to maintain a polite distance between the bug queen and herself.
"What do you... I don't..." These and several more sentences tumbled out of her mouth, never getting farther than a few words before she realized she had no idea where to do with them. After a good few attempts, she gave up and lapsed into silence, waiting for the not terrifying at all monster to say something else. Eventually, the silence was broken by the queen vibrating her wings with annoyance.
"Fine. I was going to avoid this, but it's clear you're going to be no help whatsoever in getting this partnership started. I'm not sure why I was going to bother."
The queen didn't visibly change at all, but Will 18 felt... It was hard to describe what he felt, or how he felt it for that matter, but there was instinctual knowledge that something was different. To accent whatever was happening, the crown on Annaliese's head began emitting a low hum; anyone present who could detect the presence of electromagnetic fields would have seen a sudden spike in activity. Moments after the humming started, a shaking Annaliese went still, slumping against the rear of the throne; her eyes hooded and her jaw slackened as though she'd been knocked unconscious by a precise blow or perfectly-dosed tranquilizers.
Will panicked as he watched... Whatever it was the queen was doing. Not sure yet of how to project himself around Annaliese's perceptions and memories the way the queen had, he settled for scuttling across the imagined floor, shouting and waving. "Hey hey hey! What'd going on here? You're not hurting her or anything, are you?"
With another sigh equivalent, the queen jerked her head up. As she did, the crown quieted and the witch sat up slightly, eyes a bit unfocused and full of drowsiness. "No, of course not. What do I have to gain by hurting the person I'm bound to?"
It made some sense. Still, Will 18 was pretty uncomfortable with how things appeared, and he stood his ground. "Well, I just thought that maybe you were... I don't know, taking over her mind or something. I mean, she's kind of..." Here he waved his antennae vaguely in a gesture that would have been quite condescending if Annaliese had been paying enough attention to see it. "... But she doesn't deserve anything like that."
The queen would have rolled her eyes if she had been a human. "No, I was just getting an overview of her memories and personality. I'd like to know who I've been stuck to and what's going on." She stepped forward slightly, stance slipping into one with a hint of aggression. "And in any case, if I had been, what could you have done to stop me? It's not as though I'd have just not done so because you asked."
Will subconsciously adopted a submissive posture without realizing it or having any idea why he would have done so. "I... I suppose not."
The queen turned back to Annaliese who was beginning to rouse herself in earnest. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to actually learn something about this alien and her life. You'd be wise to refrain from interrupting again; while I'm in her deep memories, a sudden withdrawal could actually prove harmful."
The hum began again, and Annaliese fell back to the throne once more. Will paced slightly, but kept his thoughts to himself. All he had to do now was wait, he supposed; hopefully his other self would show up soon.
Anna gulped. It was just a reflex. Frankly, she hadn't had anything to drink since all this whatever it was had started, so it was to be expected. There was a giant bug teleporting around, staring her down, and claiming that they were "together" now, but Anna was just gulping because she was thirsty and a little surprised. She backed up slightly just to maintain a polite distance between the bug queen and herself.
"What do you... I don't..." These and several more sentences tumbled out of her mouth, never getting farther than a few words before she realized she had no idea where to do with them. After a good few attempts, she gave up and lapsed into silence, waiting for the not terrifying at all monster to say something else. Eventually, the silence was broken by the queen vibrating her wings with annoyance.
"Fine. I was going to avoid this, but it's clear you're going to be no help whatsoever in getting this partnership started. I'm not sure why I was going to bother."
The queen didn't visibly change at all, but Will 18 felt... It was hard to describe what he felt, or how he felt it for that matter, but there was instinctual knowledge that something was different. To accent whatever was happening, the crown on Annaliese's head began emitting a low hum; anyone present who could detect the presence of electromagnetic fields would have seen a sudden spike in activity. Moments after the humming started, a shaking Annaliese went still, slumping against the rear of the throne; her eyes hooded and her jaw slackened as though she'd been knocked unconscious by a precise blow or perfectly-dosed tranquilizers.
Will panicked as he watched... Whatever it was the queen was doing. Not sure yet of how to project himself around Annaliese's perceptions and memories the way the queen had, he settled for scuttling across the imagined floor, shouting and waving. "Hey hey hey! What'd going on here? You're not hurting her or anything, are you?"
With another sigh equivalent, the queen jerked her head up. As she did, the crown quieted and the witch sat up slightly, eyes a bit unfocused and full of drowsiness. "No, of course not. What do I have to gain by hurting the person I'm bound to?"
It made some sense. Still, Will 18 was pretty uncomfortable with how things appeared, and he stood his ground. "Well, I just thought that maybe you were... I don't know, taking over her mind or something. I mean, she's kind of..." Here he waved his antennae vaguely in a gesture that would have been quite condescending if Annaliese had been paying enough attention to see it. "... But she doesn't deserve anything like that."
The queen would have rolled her eyes if she had been a human. "No, I was just getting an overview of her memories and personality. I'd like to know who I've been stuck to and what's going on." She stepped forward slightly, stance slipping into one with a hint of aggression. "And in any case, if I had been, what could you have done to stop me? It's not as though I'd have just not done so because you asked."
Will subconsciously adopted a submissive posture without realizing it or having any idea why he would have done so. "I... I suppose not."
The queen turned back to Annaliese who was beginning to rouse herself in earnest. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to actually learn something about this alien and her life. You'd be wise to refrain from interrupting again; while I'm in her deep memories, a sudden withdrawal could actually prove harmful."
The hum began again, and Annaliese fell back to the throne once more. Will paced slightly, but kept his thoughts to himself. All he had to do now was wait, he supposed; hopefully his other self would show up soon.