Re: The Great Belligerency [Round 1: The Rainy Place]
10-15-2010, 02:37 AM
Originally posted on MSPA by Dragon Fogel.
As one of the hands touched Cole, it reeled back in pain from his bioelectric shock. Cole realized that these "trees" had an actual nervous system, unlike an ordinary plant; they could not effectively harm him, unless they removed the insects from his body with precision. But Dove's control over them did not seem that fine.
He looked for a moment at the Spirit of Fairy Tales, helplessly pinned by the trees. He could just leave her there, the hands posing him almost no danger. She was little more than a nuisance, and reminded him uncomfortably of Anansi. Furthermore, she would probably kill him at the slightest provocation. He could simply walk away, and let Dove finish her off, and never have to worry about any of that.
Except, somehow, he couldn't bring himself to. Perhaps it was her childlike appearance; perhaps he thought she might be a useful ally in the future; perhaps he was curious as to where this "journey" she was trying to guide him on would lead. Whatever the reason, Cole reached towards the hands pinning her neck, and touched them on the wrists. They recoiled, and Soft breathed a sigh of relief.
Cole continued to shock the hands, slowly freeing the Spirit. Dove tried to send the other hands to intervene, but to little avail; they simply shrunk back in pain as they tried to hold Cole down.
Finally, Soft could stand once more. Cole, still unsure of what he was doing, looked at her.
"You need to get away from here," he said, moving to intercept the hands as they tried to grabs Soft again. "Dove is no match for me in these woods. These trees can do me no harm, and our previous encounter suggests he cannot handle me himself. But you are at risk."
She looked back at Cole, at first a little surprised, then laughed lightly. "Ah! I see! This is the first test! You saved someone in danger when you could have easily walked away! Congratulations, you've passed!"
Cole let out a small groan. "Apparently, I have. Now, can we focus on getting you away from Dove?"
As one of the hands touched Cole, it reeled back in pain from his bioelectric shock. Cole realized that these "trees" had an actual nervous system, unlike an ordinary plant; they could not effectively harm him, unless they removed the insects from his body with precision. But Dove's control over them did not seem that fine.
He looked for a moment at the Spirit of Fairy Tales, helplessly pinned by the trees. He could just leave her there, the hands posing him almost no danger. She was little more than a nuisance, and reminded him uncomfortably of Anansi. Furthermore, she would probably kill him at the slightest provocation. He could simply walk away, and let Dove finish her off, and never have to worry about any of that.
Except, somehow, he couldn't bring himself to. Perhaps it was her childlike appearance; perhaps he thought she might be a useful ally in the future; perhaps he was curious as to where this "journey" she was trying to guide him on would lead. Whatever the reason, Cole reached towards the hands pinning her neck, and touched them on the wrists. They recoiled, and Soft breathed a sigh of relief.
Cole continued to shock the hands, slowly freeing the Spirit. Dove tried to send the other hands to intervene, but to little avail; they simply shrunk back in pain as they tried to hold Cole down.
Finally, Soft could stand once more. Cole, still unsure of what he was doing, looked at her.
"You need to get away from here," he said, moving to intercept the hands as they tried to grabs Soft again. "Dove is no match for me in these woods. These trees can do me no harm, and our previous encounter suggests he cannot handle me himself. But you are at risk."
She looked back at Cole, at first a little surprised, then laughed lightly. "Ah! I see! This is the first test! You saved someone in danger when you could have easily walked away! Congratulations, you've passed!"
Cole let out a small groan. "Apparently, I have. Now, can we focus on getting you away from Dove?"
There's no reason for this | Or this | Death is inevitable | You can't challenge fate | The smallest change | I'm overwhelmed
I'm serious | It makes perfect sense | Easy as ABC! | I can't even explain it | Cleaning up someone else's mess
I suck | I rule | I've got it made | Really, I'm serious | This bugs me | It's all lies | I want to believe | Beauty is a curse
I'm serious | It makes perfect sense | Easy as ABC! | I can't even explain it | Cleaning up someone else's mess
I suck | I rule | I've got it made | Really, I'm serious | This bugs me | It's all lies | I want to believe | Beauty is a curse