Re: The Gradual Massacre (GBS2G4) [Round 1: Focal High School]
06-19-2010, 07:37 AM
Originally posted on MSPA by whoosh!.
Acacia trembled quietly in the background of the scene. She was terrified. Quite naturally, of course. When you face up to your demons after almost a decade of ignoring them it can be tough. But she'd done some thinking while Aic raged as background noise.
If she was going to survive this, she wanted to do it without Aic. She wanted to be that strong without being that terrible. So it would start now, with opposing this elf. But damn, she was scared.
Acacia carefully picked herself off of the ground where the shapeshifter demon had slammed her down. The elf glided over from where she'd nutted the odd being, all sweet smiles and seduction. Acacia kept her face blank, but she tensed as the creature approached. She twitched as she came closer, violently overcome with a feeling placed somewhere between repulsion, fear and deep simmering hate.
That surprised her. Holly blinked and froze, a flash of confusion passing over her face like the shadow of a cloud. But with the realisation that sped to her brain like a bullet, Holly's face broke into a brilliant smile. And she laughed, a delicate little chuckle that was far beyond the restrictions of Acacia's own artificial voicebox.
"Acacia. I'm afraid I don't like you nearly as much like this. Let's get you into a better mood."
She reached for a book, eyes glittering, but in an instant Acacia grabbed Holly's skull and headbutted her. The boomer exploded into a cacophony of screeches and screams that would shame a harpy, the noise swelling in its intensity until Holly passed out from the pain and shock.
Acacia let the unconscious body drop from her hands. Pretending she could hear the thud. It wouldn't take her long to recover from that. Ten minutes, perhaps. It might take her a little longer to completely recover her hearing, but the lasting damage came to a grand total of nil. Acacia swore and sat down on the floor, staring at the elf. If she couldn't even properly deafen this piece of slime, how the hell was she meant to survive this mess?
Aic gnawed at the corners of her consciousness, in the time that filled the sudden quiet. The reminder that the get-out clause was still present and working, and any time it got too hard…
Acacia buried her face in her hands. It could be so easy, if she wanted it. A lifetime asleep and untouchable by the world, until Aic got herself killed. And then she wouldn't have anything at all to worry about. But she couldn't just let people die solely because she was a bit scared.
She looked up, where the elf was still lying. Alive. She could do this. She didn't have to commit moral suicide to survive.
So what are you going to do? Sit in a corner and cry about it?
Wordlessly, Acacia spat on the ground, scrambled up and then strode out of the classroom. In the hallway, a light flickered. The storm-induced gloom, miserably battled by the cheap light-bulbs of school seemed to suggest strange beings lurking in the few shadows. A tale was playing out here, though, and that induced a little romanticism in Acacia. Unwittingly, Acacia smiled in a way that Aic would have approved of.
She began stalking barefoot down the halls, without purpose. She'd been thrown into a situation with no options open to her. Not even alliance, because someone would still die on her watch. A guard on a watch. That was an idea. If she could oppose all this…
Hell, if she could take on the Controller –
Acacia's thoughts scattered away as a strange dark mass loomed ahead in the hallway. It approached steadily.
“What…?â€
She paused and leaned forward, straining her eyes in the dark. That failing, she activated the sonic-sight.
And screamed.
The Ourobites were coming.
Acacia trembled quietly in the background of the scene. She was terrified. Quite naturally, of course. When you face up to your demons after almost a decade of ignoring them it can be tough. But she'd done some thinking while Aic raged as background noise.
If she was going to survive this, she wanted to do it without Aic. She wanted to be that strong without being that terrible. So it would start now, with opposing this elf. But damn, she was scared.
Acacia carefully picked herself off of the ground where the shapeshifter demon had slammed her down. The elf glided over from where she'd nutted the odd being, all sweet smiles and seduction. Acacia kept her face blank, but she tensed as the creature approached. She twitched as she came closer, violently overcome with a feeling placed somewhere between repulsion, fear and deep simmering hate.
That surprised her. Holly blinked and froze, a flash of confusion passing over her face like the shadow of a cloud. But with the realisation that sped to her brain like a bullet, Holly's face broke into a brilliant smile. And she laughed, a delicate little chuckle that was far beyond the restrictions of Acacia's own artificial voicebox.
"Acacia. I'm afraid I don't like you nearly as much like this. Let's get you into a better mood."
She reached for a book, eyes glittering, but in an instant Acacia grabbed Holly's skull and headbutted her. The boomer exploded into a cacophony of screeches and screams that would shame a harpy, the noise swelling in its intensity until Holly passed out from the pain and shock.
Acacia let the unconscious body drop from her hands. Pretending she could hear the thud. It wouldn't take her long to recover from that. Ten minutes, perhaps. It might take her a little longer to completely recover her hearing, but the lasting damage came to a grand total of nil. Acacia swore and sat down on the floor, staring at the elf. If she couldn't even properly deafen this piece of slime, how the hell was she meant to survive this mess?
Aic gnawed at the corners of her consciousness, in the time that filled the sudden quiet. The reminder that the get-out clause was still present and working, and any time it got too hard…
Acacia buried her face in her hands. It could be so easy, if she wanted it. A lifetime asleep and untouchable by the world, until Aic got herself killed. And then she wouldn't have anything at all to worry about. But she couldn't just let people die solely because she was a bit scared.
She looked up, where the elf was still lying. Alive. She could do this. She didn't have to commit moral suicide to survive.
So what are you going to do? Sit in a corner and cry about it?
Wordlessly, Acacia spat on the ground, scrambled up and then strode out of the classroom. In the hallway, a light flickered. The storm-induced gloom, miserably battled by the cheap light-bulbs of school seemed to suggest strange beings lurking in the few shadows. A tale was playing out here, though, and that induced a little romanticism in Acacia. Unwittingly, Acacia smiled in a way that Aic would have approved of.
She began stalking barefoot down the halls, without purpose. She'd been thrown into a situation with no options open to her. Not even alliance, because someone would still die on her watch. A guard on a watch. That was an idea. If she could oppose all this…
Hell, if she could take on the Controller –
Acacia's thoughts scattered away as a strange dark mass loomed ahead in the hallway. It approached steadily.
“What…?â€
She paused and leaned forward, straining her eyes in the dark. That failing, she activated the sonic-sight.
And screamed.
The Ourobites were coming.