week 4 CYOA - kazunari, bubblegum, hot pants

[saturations]

Comments

[furrier]

[ You know this: you were having a nice Thursday, and now you're here. The Prism has suddenly shifted, and now you're...

"Just get the hostage, and get out. This has gone on long enough."

...tired, right down to your bones. How long have you been fighting? When will you get a damn break?

Isn't there anyone else that can handle this shit for you?

"Get them!" Another voice in your ear, this one more urgent. "If you value your jobs, get my ---- out of there!"

... Well, time to get to work.

When you're present enough to take in your surroundings, the first thing you'll see is... not much, actually. It's dark, and eerily quiet, aside from the buzzing in your ear (courtesy of a handy dandy, invisible Avengers ear piece). The smell of earth is strong. But there's... something else. Corrupted metal and rotting flesh. You can't tell what it's coming from, because there doesn't seem to be much around you other than each other and dirt.

You're in a tunnel, about twice your height and just as wide, and there's only one way to go. How did you even get in, when there's no entrace in sight?

Not that it matters. You've got your mission, as confusing as it is, will you see it through? ]

[fleshedout]

[Hot Pants comes to. Tired...something about a hostage...she grits her teeth, shaking her head to take in her surroundings.]

...The hell?

[Funny that Hot Pants is named that, because her current outfit doesn't have any! Oh well. The tunnel is a bit darker because of the visor, but it doesn't stop her from looking around, spotting the others. Oh. Oh, this is bad. This is real bad.]

Oh, come on! This again?

[dms]

[ it's dizzying, going from painting to... whatever this is. the vibes are exhausted, confused - what hostage? what jobs?

one glance at his costume and he wonders - did he forget he's in a play?? but yukki designs better costumes than this. ]

...Hottie? Bubbly? [ ... ] Oh no.

[experimint]

[ well!

like the other two, her vibe is general confusion as she slowly takes in her surroundings. bubblegum blinks, looks at the other two, and then looks at herself before sighing. ]

Oh. Great. This junk? [ terrible!! ] Is there... hostages or something?

[furrier]

[ Look at this group of heroes! They inspire so much confidence.

Just as you're all settled in looking fierce, a sudden rumble echoes throughout the tunnel. It doesn't appear to be an earthquake as much as it does a set of heavy foot steps.

Not long after, you hear a deep growl coming from further down the tunnel, ] Can you feel how desperate she is? Mother Earth...

[ Followed by a familiar scream—or at least familiar to Kazunari (and maybe Hot Pants)—shrill and terrified before it cuts off abruptly.

In the quiet of the tunnel, a meaty crunch echoes. ]

[fleshedout]

...Ngh! Everyone! Stay alert! If you see anyone you know, just tell yourself its an illusion-

[But the growl and rumble interrupts her - she grits her teeth, turning in the direction of it...and that scream? What?]

[Whatever. She's shaking her head, gesturing to the others.]

Something's coming! Get behind me!

[dms]

[ no problem. kazunari isn't moving once that scream rips through the air, blood running cold. he doesn't seem to hear hot pants, though. ]

That... That was...

[experimint]

Loud?

[ but she looks around, and she's just going to moveto take kazunari by the arm to try to get him to move behind hot pants. looking between the two, pb can make a very easy guess as to who probably is better in a fight. no offense, twink ]

[furrier]

[ Hot Pants is right— something does come their way. In fact, it's a very familiar something: from around the corner, the body of Kumon comes sailing through the air. It's evident that he's unconscious even before he hits the ground, body like a ragdoll, not raising his hands or turn his shoulder to mitigate some of the impact.

He lands hard, and it's probably for the best that the poor boy has been knocked out, because even in the dim lighting it's clear that his arm is very broken. ]

Pathetic. At least look me in the eye as you answer for your crimes!

[ And before they can focus all their energy on Kumon, something else comes into view. A hulking creature, barely fitting within the confines of the tunnel.

He stops when he notices the group, irritation giving way to incandescent rage. ]

More... More vermin in the bowels of Mother Earth!

[ The monster's jaw drops open as he stamps his feet against the ground, balls of light gather in front of his teeth before hurling like deadly basketballs toward the three of you.

There's only stone behind you, and a monster in front of you so... Better dodge! ]

[furrier]

[ You walk, and you walk. If this were a maze, the situation would be considerably more helpless given that every new corner looks exactly like the one before it: dark, dirty and quiet.

It's difficult to tell time in a place like this, where everything is the same, and maybe that makes you feel a little hopeless. There's no respect from your injuries, the bruises along Kazunari's chest aching, Bubblegum's knee and head throbbing which step. Hot Pants, you make an admirable leader, but your blood is still hot against your skin, the weight of Kumon's body heavy on your shoulder.

And you're all so, so hungry.

Until finally, something breaks the monotony. It's unseen, a slither around your ankles. Kazunari notices it first, because his legs aren't insured so he needs to ensure that he keeps them in shape, stopping in place when he notices the intrusion.

Bubblegum, you notice a little too late, stumbling a little and in need of balance given your hurt leg.

And Hot Pants... with Kumon's weight on one side of your body, it's too difficult for you to regain your balance when the grip on your ankle stops you short. But at least there's nothing attacking your butt this time!

Instead, there's just a distant, ] Hehehehehe...

[fleshedout]

-Ah!

[Yeah, that weight difference is definitely going to offset her balance! Who would've thought! She lets out a yelp as she feels herself yanked, falling backwards with Kumon. It renews the pains in her sides, and she feels a hot stab of anger . Why this. Why ANY of this.]

Really?!

[She's going to try to scrabble at least to a sitting position, kicking at whatever its slithering around her ankles.]

[dms]

Uwah?!

[ WHAT IS IT. kazu's immediately trying to kick it off of his ankles and back away from the source. ]

What's - Bubbly, are you okay?

[experimint]

[ oh yeah, she's stumbling, and will make a wild grab for kazu's arm so she doesn't fall all the way over. ]

What the heck, man!

[ can they?? see??? what this is?? is vegeta coming ]

[furrier]

[ Kazunari is such a good friend!! Helping Bubblegum keep upright.

Those who are looking can probably see the tendrils slowly unwind from their ankles and slither back into the... wall? Suddenly, they're aware that it smells fishy. ]

Oh... you guys seem a little mad.

[ The voice appears to be coming from the wall, but there aren't any cracks that they can see. ]

[fleshedout]

[Ugh...that stench. Hot Pants uses her free hand that's not holding Kumon to cover her nose, grimacing.]

...Just let us go. What's the point in all of this?

[She's saying, now attempting to stand, again hauling Kumon's body on her shoulder.]

[dms]

We're fine, thanks for asking!

[ a worried glance at the other two from where he's caught bubblegum. ]

But maybe we should just keep going...?

[ the slithery bits are gone, what's keeping us here? ]

[experimint]

Pleeeeease? It reeks in here...

[ god she wants to nap.

in fact, she will try to keep going, trying to tug kazunari along with her before they're attacked by the sexy fish from the shape of water. i couldn't remember the name of the movie because it's midnight, so i googled sexy fish movie and instead got the girl fish from shark tale. if i have to live with this knowledge then so do you all.

anyway. the point is that she is going to try to keep moving. ]

[furrier]

[ From the rubble, you wake up in a circular throne room at the bottom of an infinitely tall tower. The throne room is empty, save for the giant seat in front of you, and looks more like a gladiator's arena than the seat of a king. Each level of the tower is visible around you as they go further and further into the sky, chock full of spectators' seats that are all hauntingly empty.

In the massive throne in front of you, a figure sits silently.

Say hello to God. ]

[fleshedout]

No-!

[Is the last thing she yells, before the blade strikes precisely where she doesn't mean it to go. But its too late. Marceline's weapon sails forward, and she can feel the hot stream of blood start to move down her neck. She can't react further, because everything rumbles...]

[And then, she's somewhere else entirely.]

[She lets out a yelp of pain when she falls, finally gathering enough strength to push herself up, and...]

[Oh.]

[Well, then.]

-The hell is that?

[dms]

[ there is some relief that the blood has stopped flowing, that kumon's breathing is getting stronger. the heat... that's a little concerning, though, and he wonders for a second if kumon has a fever, but there's no chance to check.

the ground caves in, and he lunges to keep hold of kumon -

- and then, they're hit the floor among the rubble, and for a second, everything goes black. as it starts to fade back in, pain comes with it, a little bit of panic as he tries to feel around for kumon. relief, when he's not too far, and kazunari grits his teeth against the pain to force himself back to kumon's side.

he checks for breath first, then fever, then any other injuries. is he still getting warmer? ]

Kumopi? Kumopi, I'm still here.

[ ray 🎨 🎭 kazhoo (^▽^) 〜☆ Roll: [3] Result: 3 ]

[experimint]

[ this is how i give bubblegum a second head injury

but when she hits the ground, it takes what feels like forever for her to move-- and what gets her to try to hurry to her feet is knowing that marceline might need her. she can't quite make it up though, but she adjusts herself enough to look around. ]

Marcy? Marcy, where are you?

[ yes god is there but also she's gay

francy 🍬 bubblegum Roll: [20] Result: 20 ]

[furrier]

[ There's rubble all around you from your fall, all three of you settled atop heaps and heaps of stone. While Kumon is still with Kazunari, Marceline and Roxana are no where to be seen. Perhaps they're lying somewhere underneath all the debris...?

Kumon doesn't seem to be feverish, no. The warmth coming off him is gentle, almost calming. If Kazunari continues holding him, he might notice he's own aches starting to lessen.

All around them, a voice suddenly booms. ]

What are you?

[ You would assume the voice is coming from God, but the being doesn't move an inch. It just seems to surround you entirely. ]

[fleshedout]

I...what?

[What kind of question is that? She's slowly pushing herself to her feet shaking from the pain, blood staining over her shoulder now from her wound. The debris...the debris...wait. Marceline and Roxana.]

[She's ignoring the question for now, looking for those two as she moves to the debris to see if they're here.]

[dms]

[ is this an Amber thing? what the hell? it's confusing, how the pain starts to fade, but also a relief, so kazunari just pulls himself closer, trying to position himself between kumon and this giant... thing... like that will protect him if anything happens.

it won't, of course, but he's doing his best.

is kumon okay? alive? maybe even waking up? kazunari gives a distracted answer to that question as he checks on his fellow actor. ]

Definitely not licorice.

[experimint]

Not licorice...

[ she nods her head, dazed.

and then goes back to trying to get to her feet so she can go help hot pants search. ]