Faction Rolling in the Deep | Treasure Hunting with Darkwire

[Doc Painless]

It was good to have Xan on his side as they ventured into this dangerous landscape. The two of them, once virtual strangers to one another despite having run in the same circles, had become good friends in the days since he'd built her replacement body. They worked well together, partly because of that friendship and partly because the Doc knew her physical capabilities just as well as she herself did; he'd put her together, after all, even if she'd done most of the design work. He also knew and respected her clever mind, her ability to infiltrate virtually any system and bypass virtually any electronic roadblock. They were both artists of a kind, he with a scalpel and she with a datapad.

The other member of their little band was... well, the Doc knew less about him, to keep things charitable. He'd been there in Seven Corners to welcome Asyr and his used starship lot to the neighborhood, but that had been little more than a brief exchange of pleasantries a long time ago. Before his darkest times. Before Xopsaloff. So much had changed since then for the Doc. His clinic (the one he'd had back then, at least) was gone. He couldn't show his face in Seven Corners unless he wanted to spend the rest of his (probably brief and painful) life in a cell at a CorpSec black site. And he carried a gun now, a gun that he'd used to kill more than once, where once he had only healed.

He'd become a harder, more pragmatic man since they'd last met. How had Asyr changed in the same timeframe?

Hopefully the used starship merchant (or whatever he was up to these days) was more capable of defending himself than his helmet-clouding stunt had made it appear, because the Wyrm Tunnels did not sound like a place where the Doc wanted to be. The street medic listened carefully to what Aylya had to say, even as his cybernetic eyes flicked up and down the darkened tunnel. He was already on edge, and what he was hearing didn't help in the slightest. He had no gods to pray to - he'd never been a religious man, and wasn't about to start now - so he just focused on keeping his eyes and nose sharp. He wouldn't need faith to pull through if everyone did as they were supposed to.

With a quick shrug and a salute to Xan, the Doc headed in, one hand falling by instinct to the butt of his gun.

Daiya | Xan | Darkwire Shadow | Cartri Keswoll | Jerec Asyr
Phalsi Drynchen | Zole | Bryn Celli Ddu | Brie Jaxx​

 

[Bryn Celli Ddu]

It wasn't that Bryn was standing still exactly. More it was she just did not react as the others had. She kept her emotions close and did show anything outwardly. Her thoughts were also kept silent but she did listen to the instructions given. Nodding just slightly when she was finally assigned a group, she was put with the guide leader.

Almost wanting to roll her eyes, she did not and fell into step with her group. At least, they were all the oldest and in theory, the most grown-up. Not entirely holding her breath with that, she just listened. Keeping silent wasn't going to be an issue for Bryn...since she had said hardly more than three words since this all began.

With the temperature changes happening, she pulled her cloak a little closer together as they walked. Turning to look at Zole as she spoke, she was aware of the threats they would be facing. In a way, she was glad to have that foresight, but it was a bit saddening to see some adjustments were made to whatever drug the other woman was on. She could only assume it was something to dull her sense, but she made no comment about it.

In one of the other groups, it seemed the kids were getting along wonderfully...not. They chattered and made noise. Bryn swore, she would never have kids and this exercise was just driving that point home.

 

[Jerec Asyr]

This far into the expedition, too far to turn back alone, Jerec put his finger on why he wanted to do exactly that.

They were good kids, but kids they were. There'd been a time when Jerec could comfortably mingle with the edges of Darkwire, not quite a contractor and definitely not a shadowrunner. Just that one happy-go-lucky Ithorian who always has a couple getaway cars available at the back of the used-ship lot.

Decent holding pattern until a couple years as a scrapper in a labor camp on Altier. Incommunicado, broke, getting older, crossed the wrong people: it added up to a misfit mismatch, a man who didn't fit even the edges of the Darkwire crowd in the same way. A transition to a new fit, a new paradigm, was long overdue. The pattern of holding patterns had run its course conclusively.

And that meant being a whole lot more intentional about a whole lot of life going forward.

A worst-case scenario.

Daiya Cartri Keswoll Phalsi Drynchen Phalsi Drynchen Darkwire Shadow Zole Bryn Celli Ddu Xan Deesa Doc Painless Brie Jaxx

 

[Daiya]

(Post Soundtrack: "Inside" by Chris Avantgarde, Red Rosamond)

At the best of times, Daiya hated flying. Speeders and transports, with their dull routines and slow momentum, she could tolerable on occasion. Yet even the thought of rocketing up to space in a small ship, spending time weightless, or plummeting through the skyways in a death-defying speeder dive sent her stomach right into her throat, clawing to get out.

At this moment, with her feet firmly planted on the ground, Daiya soared.

Her face grew a smile hearing Brie chastize the ginger boy in front of her, and his antics made her laugh. Cartri's bravado was a woeful match for the combined force of the girls together, and Daiya just shook her head at his attempt to deny it. Her elation even managed to carry on through Aylya's lecture, at the whimsical thought of how much the Togruta would make a good teacher.

It didn't take long for the girl's smile to dull, and her laugh to lose its luster.

The pit that grew in her throat wasn't from Aylya's description of the wyrms.

Nor did thoughts of sentient-snatching darak spiders fill her with dread.

The terror that gripped her now was reserved for nothing but her greatest fear.

Herself.

That sobering thought pushed her on reluctantly, a dread that bloomed inside her, dwelling upon what she had promised herself next. The teen had let their Ghost guide believe that she had some hidden knowledge or directions to the treasure they sought today.

In truth, Daiya was as blind as they were.

Her stomach twisted, knowing what she had to do. What only Daiya could do to shed light on their path. The teen fell into step behind Havn, letting the Ghost lead them forward alongside the other groups as they stepped deeper into the Abyss. The rusting durasteel and fraying rags that served as their lampposts soon passed into monotony, and as her feet trudged along with the others Daiya descended into anguish.

She wanted to reach out for Brie, someone who knew and could understand. The girl frowned under her facemask and swallowed, a dry attempt that left her throat even more raw. She stepped back as the rest of the group entered the cavernous tunnels that marked the start of wyrm territory. This was something she had to do alone.

It wasn't hard to find the thread, pulsing behind her eyes. Like it had always been there today, spitefully waiting for her. Daiya felt her stomach turn, bile creeping back up her throat at what she was about to do. At what she had become. And then the girl pressed fingers to her forehead and let loose her Vision.

To the right, the tunnel stretches on for kilometers. Warmth emanates, promising comfort for a trek worth days on foot. Haunted by echoing roars, the terrain gradually sloping down toward a gaping maw of eternal flame.

To the left, the tunnel plunges into darkness, an inky blanked that slithered without form. Sounds punctuate the bleak void, hushed whispers and chittering clicks. A chill descends, turning movements to a slow trudge. There is only the dimmest of light and warmth in the distance. A scream punctuates the darkness, and the dim light flickers.​

Daiya's eyes flew open in bleary confusion, panting underneath her facemask. Her face was flushed, an outline of sweat against the edges of the protective equipment. The girl leaned over, placing her hands on her knees as she shook her head.

What the feth was that supposed to mean?

The teen craved a secluded moment, her fingers itching for relief that could only come as she sketched out the image. She could already see it in her mind's eye, even as the vision itself crumbled. Her shoulders shuddered while the salty tears leeched from her eyes, irritating them. Her hands flew up to her face to wipe them away, colliding with her facemask, leaving her to suffer either the violent tears or the toxic gas that would leave her in agony.

Daiya wondered if that might really be worse.

Still steps behind the larger group, the young shadowrunner brought clenched hands up to her head. She gripped the sides of her hair, pulling at it, seeking relief. Or at least some form of clarity. Had she really been so fething arrogant to assume she could just conjure up a vision that would lead the way.

Both of the paths looked dangerous, both looked foreboding. Her mind sought comfort, relief from the burdens of the moment. Instead, she found only the imagery of the visions assaulting it again, forcing her to relive it over and over.

Right towards the wyrms?

Left towards the spiders?

In the vision, it had been so clear to her. Outside of it now, she just felt cold and lost, and the teen wrapped her arms around herself. She shivered, feeling something slide up her back. A spider? One of the firefang snakes? The presence was warm, in the chilly air she could feel the heat radiating off of the body, and Daiya looked up into Havn's face.

"You're falling behind, you were supposed to stick close to me at all times," the woman whispered to Daiya, a hiss that descended upon reddened ears.

The girl nodded, letting the pressure of Havn's hand pull her back up to standing. Her foot fell forward, and she reached out to grasp the Ghost's arm. "To the left!" Daiya told her in the same whisper, staring into the Twi'lek's eyes. She repeated more firmly, louder now but not trusting her voice to carry far enough. Down here, the young shadowrunner had to trust that her guides would do what they were paid to do. To keep them alive while Daiya led them to the treasure. "To the LEFT!"

Well, this was Daiya leading. She just hoped she was fething right about their path.

Phalsi Drynchen Darkwire Shadow Brie Jaxx Doc Painless Bryn Celli Ddu Cartri Keswoll Xan Deesa Jerec Asyr Zole​

 

[Xan Deesa]

With their instructions clear, Xan stuck close to the Doc with her head on a swivel. Despite the scanners and various other useful things built into her, she still didn't like the vibe around them. As amusing as the bickering among the teenagers was to watch, they needed to can it soon once they neared the tunnels the guide was referring to.

"Gotta be honest, I doubt anything serious will happen to the skin... but I'm already feeling a bit itchy. Nothing serious, at least, not setting any sensors off." She muttered beside the Doc. Every now and then she glanced at the Ithorian to make sure he didn't wander off or end up in some kind of trouble again... even she didn't want to abandon someone down here. This was not a place for people like them. It was not a place for anyone. The Abyss was likely only overshadowed by the lower levels of Coruscant's Underworld. The deep levels, where even the most desperate refused to venture into. She was willing to bet that there were more desperate souls on Denon and even they didn't dare to go into the Abyss except for severe exceptions.

Upon reaching the caves, the Doc saluted her and headed in, though she was quick to catch up and give him a light slap to the head. "Don't just wander off like that." She whispered to him as she checked on Jerec and Sera. She knew the guide would take care of herself, but the rest of them would have a much harder time. Along the way she halted for a slight moment as a sound rumbled from her right. Her heartbeat rose as she tensed up, ready for whatever she heard. Her eyes couldn't pick up anything in the darkness and earth... but she knew something was there.

Until she heard the rumble again and felt a familiar sensation in her stomach.

A snicker escaped her as she turned to catch up with the Doc, Sera and Jerec, fists clenched and ready for action. Daiya's faint voice reached her ears and she quickly tapped Sera, gesturing in the other group's direction. "You hear? She wants to go left." She muttered with a hushed voice.

"Let's hope she's right."

Doc Painless Jerec Asyr Daiya Bryn Celli Ddu Brie Jaxx Phalsi Drynchen Darkwire Shadow Zole Cartri Keswoll

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Brie Jaxx Daiya Xan Deesa Jerec Asyr Doc Painless Zole Bryn Celli Ddu​

Brie... he almost forgot how annoying she could be. After their antics treasure hunting, he expected her to at least be on good terms with him. However, it seemed far from that. When he was purposely teasing Daiya she ordered him to stop in a grumpy fashion, clearly showing she still couldn't take a joke. When she walked past him he replied back to her disapproval with his own head shake, clearly not backing down from the clash of personalities.

Keeping silent from the orders of the guide, he followed the small group and decided to keep his mouth shut for just this once. He was a dumbass, but not stupid enough to risk the health of the whole group.

Slowly, Daiya began to come to a halt until Cartri walked past her with a bit of concern crossing his face. Choosing to keep close by he looked back and watched her clutch her face, almost as if Daiya was suffering from a terrible headache. It reminded him of a time they were doing a mission on Belazura, a time where Daiya did the exact same thing. The way she looked, acted, and sounded was a mirror to that very event. Was there something up with her that she wasn't telling them?

Watching her cautiously as she walked past with urgency, she repeatedly told the guide to go left. Why she wanted to go that way so badly was unknown to him, but whatever she just went through clear told her it was a good idea.

Cartri glared between the guide and Daiya in confusion while he quickly came up beside them "What on Denon is going on Daiya!?" he whispered to the girl, his head continuing looking into the dark abyss before them "Are you sure this is the best place to go? how do we know what's down there!"
he grunted with the same whisper. Daiya's face looked flushed and tired from the headache, maybe it was some kind of condition she was suffering from.

Cartri pulled out his antique blaster and shot a cold glance at Xan who was urging them to go left too. Who would have thought they'd agree on something anytime soon?

"Kark this... let's just go down there and get this over with"

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

GOTTA FIND THE SHINY
Objective: Search...and not die.

Spoiler: I got this on me or in a bag

Equipment: Under-Armor, Clothes-The look, The Mask, Just in Case Cloak, Scope- on belt, Wrist Device, Slicing/Gaming Tool, The Encoil, Zerek Stowaway Node, ICE/iBorg Clarion Personal Translator
Weapons: Four Zenji Needles, Pair of Blue Lightsabers, Hard Light Weapon, Pair of Shock Whips, Heklerkok FP-01
Extra Pocket Stuff: Standard Magazines x4, Lodestone Devices x4, Journeyman Knife, Security Spike, Scramble Key, Anti-security blade, Field Security Overloader, Canteen/Waterskin, Energy/Food Capsules
Ship: Psf-01 Shadowfire

Tags: Daiya Cartri Keswoll Doc Painless Brie Jaxx Bryn Celli Ddu Xan Deesa Zole Jerec Asyr Darkwire Shadow​

The trio of ladies moved forward, Zoe providing intel about the situation that seemed handier than dreading the unknown. The appreciative look from behind the mask would go unnoticed, but the study of Zole's features was there.

Augmentations.

Not dissimilar from herself with the spinal implant but far more reaching across the others body more than likely. She herself hadn't dared for more than the assurance that her back wouldn't snap on a splash down in her starfighter. Curiosity about the others augments was saddled for the moment as Daiya spoke up.

The blue lines of her mask focusing on her, she broke the look to glance between the tunnels, hand sliding to the hilt of her hard light weapon.

She wasn't sure what sort of responses the worms would make if they fought spiders in the tunnels. Or if the worms kept away from the blasted things.

 

[Brie Jaxx]

Sound and echolocation. Burning oil. Lie flush.

Brie were careful to memorise the directions given by their togruta guide. She imagined how these wyrms would look like. What they would be like. Of course, those were just her thoughts of curiosity that emerged inside her head. She knew that she would, in fact, be better off not getting to know it. She hoped that their presence in the long winding tunnels of The Abyss would go unnoticed. She could keep her mouth shut. Question was if Cartri could do the same, she silently wondered as she walked past him and not answering his silly shake to the head. It was not like she held a grudge against the boy, but his teasing of Daiya were just mean sometimes. At least according to her.

As the group begun their journey down the wyrm tunnels, Brie kept her eyes and ears on high alert. She guessed Cartri would be taking what chances he got to drop another mean comment about the helmet if she would say she heard something. She would be impressed if he proved her wrong. Resting a gloved hand on the grip of her blaster, the trio of youngsters with Havn as guide followed the larger group.

Suddenly, while looking around at the surroundings and keeping an eye on the other groups, Brie noticed that Daiya had left her side and were lagging behind. Brie stopped as Havn rushed past her to check on Daiya. Cartri had also noticed Daiya's sudden stop. She were getting those visions that they had talked about after that night trying Port in a Storm. Brie felt bad for her friend that had to endure such things. Now though, it might have appeared as a good shape and might have been just the right clue they needed.

Naturally, Cartri did have an opinion he so desperately needed to air out, but at least he kept his voice down now. Brie flanked the opposite side of Daiya and mimiced Cartri by drawing her blaster.

Daiya , Cartri Keswoll , Doc Painless , Xan Deesa , Phalsi Drynchen , Jerec Asyr , Bryn Celli Ddu ​

 

[Doc Painless]

Smack. Xan's hand - a hand he had made for her, kark it, the street medic thought irritably - pinged off the back of the Doc's head. It wasn't a hard blow, but it certainly conveyed her reproach. Swallowing his irritation as he always did (or at least tried to), he took a deep breath and flashed her an apologetic smile - one that was mostly lost behind his filter mask, of course. "Sorry," he whispered back, "thought you were right behind me." He should have known better, should have let their guide lead the way rather than trying to take point, should have kept Jerec in his sight at all times... but he'd been too distracted by the thought of wyrms and spiders and feth knew what else.

Keeping up his own courage was challenge enough, occupying most of his mind at the moment.

Clearly everyone was on edge, and for totally understandable reasons given their surroundings. So the Doc tried to lighten the mood. "You hear?" Xan had asked. "She wants to go left. Let's hope she's right." "How heartless of you, Xan," the street medic joked back. "Why wish right on her if she wants to go left?" It was a painfully stupid joke, a dad joke from a man with no children, but sometimes the ones that made you roll your eyes and groan were the best antidote to a tense situation like this. It worked on his patients, distracting them during injections and other painful or scary procedures. By the time they finished their eyerolls, he was done.

He often said that he had the biggest trove of dumb, clean jokes in the galaxy, exactly for that purpose.

Jokes aside, they turned to follow Daiya, the Doc making a point to keep close to Sera and the rest this time. While the tunnel to the right radiated distant but palpable heat, this one was cold and clammy, like the touch of a drowned man on the skin. But what bothered him most was the distant sounds that echoed up from the passage, half-heard, so distorted by the vast space and strange angles that it was impossible to tell how far away they were. It was almost impossible to tell what they were, too... but he swore he could recognize the scuttling of multiple limbs over durasteel, and the occasional chitter of something with mouthparts that were very unlike his own.

"So, Xan," the Doc whispered conversationally, though there was an air of nervousness under his seemingly casual tone, "I'm going to be real with you for a second here." He swallowed hard, hand clenching around the butt of his gun. "I, ah... I can't do spiders. I don't know why. I know it's not rational, because it doesn't bother me to be elbow-deep in someone's ribcage or under fire from a CorpSec platoon, but spiders... that's a nope from me." He shuddered, thinking of that weird, jerky-fluid way they moved, the clacking of their mandibles, the stare of their many eyes. "So if they start coming for us, I... I may freeze for a bit. Please, ah... please watch my back."

So that no spiders land on it, he mentally added, and shivered again at the image.

Xan Deesa | Daiya | Brie Jaxx | Cartri Keswoll
Phalsi Drynchen | Bryn Celli Ddu​

 

[Daiya]

(Post Soundtrack: "No One Will Save You Now" by Aviators)

Her eyes stung, an ordeal worse than the pain still present behind them. That had dulled enough for her to push through, and she stood up now that she could breathe without gasping. Every vision punished her, the teen might have resented that had it not offered something useful in this moment.

Daiya hope it was useful, they were dead if it wasn't.

Maybe they were dead anyway, and she simply hadn't glimpsed it. Or hadn't figure it out yet. The scenes faded inside her head, normally lingering only long enough for her to sketch them on her holojournal. The young shadowrunner didn't have a moment to spare for it, and she was paying for throwing her routine into disarray.

"I'm fine," she lied to Cartri. He had rushed up beside the teen a moment before Havn left to talk with Aylya, and now he wanted to act like the concerned friend. No, worse. Her eyes still stung, she blinked them away quickly as the ginger boy jabbered on about whether this or that was right. Behind her facemask, the edges of Daiya's lips pulled in a grimace, and through clenched teeth she whispered slowly. "If you weren't going to trust me, then why did you even follow?"

On her other side, a more familiar presence appeared next to Daiya. In her bubble helmet, Brie's face was a comfort to the teen. Daiya mustered a grin at her friend, before realizing that only her eyes were visible. A giggle escaped her lips before she could clamp down, throwing her hand across her facemask for good measure. Buoyed by her friend's presence, Daiya slipped a gloved hand into Brie's, squeezing it as she pulled her friend close enough to whisper into her suit's mic ports. "The treasure is down that way, I know it."

Glancing down, she caught sight of Brie's hand on her blaster. Cartri withdraw his own, as she pulled away, so the young shadowrunner nodded and followed suit. Daiya beckoned with a free hand, gripping her holdout blaster tight in her left.

The way forward, the way she had chosen for them, looked about the same as behind. Her mind said differently, so the young shadowrunner started down the tunnel to the left of their entrance. The smoothed magma walls of the tunnel showed wear and decay, toxic life of the Abyss already creeping in to make and fill cracks in the wyrm's version of highways. The assurance of her vision felt empty now, Daiya had to promise herself, over and over, that there were no wyrms down this path.

Still, with every creeping shadow, every passing hallway —time capsules of ancient life, grown over and ravished by alien things— the teen felt her heart quicken and her breath still. She counted each moment in her head, celebrating a small relief as she unmasked each mystery in turn.

Her lip bled from the inside, but Daiya swallowed every noise. Her eyes stung, and she squinted through anyway. Always watching. Always listening. Always waiting.

They crept on slowly, cautiously. Sometimes Aylya led their way, sometimes Daiya or someone else found themselves in front. It didn't matter, she knew. With each passing step and painful minute, the teen could feel the dread building within her. It tasted of bile on her tongue. It shook as a quivering in her gut. Her head swiveled one moment —was that a set of legs she saw?— and tilted the next —was that a chitter she heard?

Daiya wavered at times, tension weighing on her. Her thoughts dulled, her senses missed things, forcing her to double-check or walk on with uncertainty. She barely needed to glance at the others, she could feel the tension coming off them as well. Even their guides, when one walked in front of her, seemed stiff and twitchy.

Squinting, the young shadowrunner thought she could see a glimmer in the distance. Like in her vision? She took a clear breath for the first time in a long time, wondering if their suffering was over.

Until she tripped.

Maybe she had her eyes on the glimmer. Maybe her limbs were lethargic from energy spent more on fear than footing. Maybe it was just sheer, dumb luck.

Landing on the ground of the tunnel, Daiya could see at last how not smooth they were. Rent in places, burrowed through, ripped apart by time or creature or plant. By how their guides had described them, no wyrm could have passed through here in years. She might have found that thought uplifting, if not for the creature that skittered toward her on eight legs.

Daiya screamed.

The darak spider took no notice, closing the few centimeters between them just as quickly. Its jaws opened, baring furry teeth that belonged on a toy. Not on a monster of the deep, with paralytic venom and lethal intent.

Its mandibles clamped down on her, only knocked aside by her armor and her instinctual roll. Daiya curled up, rolling towards what she hoped was safety. The teen stopped at someone's feet, clambering quickly back to a crouching position. Her blaster was somewhere else besides her hands. Had she put it away? Lost it? The spider was skittering toward her again, and now others emerged from their hiding places.

"Shoot it!" The girl demanded of her compatriot, she hadn't even bothered to look. Her hands searched for her blaster, but for now this being was her only salvation. The words of their guides before, cautioning quiet and against blasters, faded from her memory faster than a vision. Her desperate mind was focused only on one thing.

"Shoot them all!"

Phalsi Drynchen Darkwire Shadow Brie Jaxx Doc Painless Bryn Celli Ddu Cartri Keswoll Xan Deesa Jerec Asyr Zole​

 

[Brie Jaxx]

Brie and Daiya were as thick as thieves. Where one would go, the other one would follow and Brie was very grateful for their friendship. It even made the presence of Cartri and his antics more tolerable than it really was. Almost. Again, she wondered if her best friend were aware of the fondness the ginger boy had for her. Brie glanced at them both and smiled at the thought, as Daiya questioned the boys trust for her before she risked a soft giggle under her facemask. That was what Brie liked in Daiya. Despite that she were troubled by those complex and painful dreams and visions, she always seemed to be close to a smile and a laugh.

Brie laid an arm of trust around her fellow shadowrunners shoulder, as Daiya reached up for her mic ports and assured her of her visions and feelings that this was the right way. If she told them to go left - then, left it was. Even though the both ways looked equally ominous, Brie also had a feeling tht it was the right way.

As the groups of adventurers ventured deeper down in the wyrm tunnels, deeper into the unknown, Brie activated her helmet lights that were just enough to lit her own path up. It was dead silent down here. She heard the doc mention something about spiders to Xan, but Brie were also all caught up to keep her attention elsewhere. The tunnels were actually fascinating in their own kind of wierd way, and as she passed an odd looking hole in the wall, she could not help but to halt for a moment to inspect it. Not more than a curious turn towards it. The helmet light could not fully penetrate the darkness within. Yet, it disturbed something at the same time Brie heard Daiya scream.

Suddenly, that something hit Brie's helmet with a thud and she found herself stumbling and falling backwards, dropping the blaster in the process and shrieked in shock and terror. Her gloved hands reached for the creature, grabbing a hold of it and desperately trying to pull it off the helmet which was now the only thing that protected her from the jaws of the vile arachnid.

''GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF!!''

Daiya , Cartri Keswoll , Doc Painless , Xan Deesa , Phalsi Drynchen , Jerec Asyr , Bryn Celli Ddu , Zole , Darkwire Shadow ​

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

GOTTA FIND THE SHINY
Objective: Search...and not die.

Spoiler: I got this on me or in a bag

Equipment: Under-Armor, Clothes-The look, The Mask, Just in Case Cloak, Scope- on belt, Wrist Device, Slicing/Gaming Tool, The Encoil, Zerek Stowaway Node, ICE/iBorg Clarion Personal Translator
Weapons: Four Zenji Needles, Pair of Blue Lightsabers, Hard Light Weapon, Pair of Shock Whips, Heklerkok FP-01
Extra Pocket Stuff: Standard Magazines x4, Lodestone Devices x4, Journeyman Knife, Security Spike, Scramble Key, Anti-security blade, Field Security Overloader, Canteen/Waterskin, Energy/Food Capsules
Ship: Psf-01 Shadowfire

Tags: Daiya Cartri Keswoll Doc Painless Brie Jaxx Bryn Celli Ddu Xan Deesa Zole Jerec Asyr #Darkwire Shadow​

The path was set before them, the smallest telling their path as they moved forward into the growing grim dark. Tunnels and passages left to the ravages of time. Toxins and other unknowns working their wonders on the old and forgotten as small sounds began to filter in.

A small set of facial movements had the night vision filter finely tuned as the scream out. Another voice filled her ear as the skittering of legs and jabbering of intent was shown by the spiders that called the tunnel home.

The solid light weapon snapped open beneath the cloak. The hollow tube slowly extending into a flat blade at the end as Phalsi broke from the trio she was assigned and rushed into the danger.

She leapt, feeling the dim blue blade skate across the ceiling of the passage before coming down as a spear to the spider after Daiya. The mandibles scratching at the glowing blade in its mouth before the blade withdrew and the pole twirled in the shadow's hands.

The small ones friend had hold of the spider on her face-helmet. And hesitation was a right blasted thing as the control in Phalsi's hand gave an audible confirmation before the flat blade changed into a skewer.

The pale and glowing spike ran through the insect as it squealed and writhed in Brie's hands.

"Let it go!" Came the snappy tone, before she flung the corpse aside to begin anew with the sound of more feet coming their way. "Squash them! No blasters!"

 

[Xan Deesa]

The Doc's joke had the intended effect on Xan as she shook her head, her shoulders bouncing slightly as she fought to keep her laugh to herself. But a snort and soft snicker did break through as she motioned for them to keep moving. There seemed to be a bit of a holdup between the teenagers, though it was quickly resolved as they ventured deeper into the eerie tunnel.

Her attention shifted to the Doc as he spoke up, quickly noticing the shake in his voice as he confided in her. It was certainly not irrational, and she was in the same position many years ago. The only thing that got her out of that fear was the encounter with spiders as big as starfighters on Dathomir. "Don't worry, darling, you're safe with me." She teased quietly. "Not much of a fan of them as well, truth be told. I got your back." She reassured him with a more serious tone as they followed Daiya's group. But a moment of broken concentration was all it took.

Daiya was set upon by a spider, and soon Brie was assaulted as well. Xan's left knuckles popped open with electrical crackles bouncing around in the openings, but Phalsi dispatched of the spiders just in time. "I got a feeling that sentiment isn't gonna last long." She spoke up next to Phalsi, quickly glancing to the Doc to make sure he was with her. Another creature skittered along the roof of the tunnel and Xan quickly took it out, one of her knuckles launching a slug with a quiet, electrical snap. "There's more coming, we need to move." She ordered Daiya and the rest. More and more figures were lighting up her thermal vision, her x-ray vision also didn't reassure her as her vision filled with more spiders lurking within the walls, roof and floor.

They were surrounded.

Her knuckles closed up and her forearms split open, sharp blades extended just in time to impale another one rushing for her feet. "We're gonna need a flamethrower or something." She grumbled, looking to the others.

Daiya Doc Painless Phalsi Drynchen Brie Jaxx Cartri Keswoll Zole Bryn Celli Ddu

 

[Doc Painless]

Spoiler: TL;DR

• The Doc improvises and sprays the spiders with flammable liquid
  • Now he just needs someone to light them up

Had he spoken this catastrophe into being, tempted fate? Or had he just accidentally achieved holovid-level ironic timing?

A high-pitched, utterly undignified shriek ripped itself free of Doc Painless's mouth as the darak spider suddenly scuttled toward Daiya, furry mandibles chittering in insectoid rage. He tried to muffle the sound by clapping a metal hand over his mouth, but only succeeded in slapping himself in the mask, which he had - in his panic - forgotten that he was wearing. Another one dropped onto Brie's helmet, and the mere thought of having one of the hideous things crawling anywhere near his face almost made the Doc pass out then and there. Instead he pulled his gun, which was not a practical solution; he couldn't shoot the spider without risking blowing Brie's head off.

Even with his mechanically-steady hands and ocular targeting sensors, he didn't dare take that risk.

A good call for a variety of reasons, as it turned out. As Phalsi dealt with the two critters that had emerged so far, she reminded them all of something important that their guides had repeatedly tried to impress on them: no blasters. If two of these things were a menace, then the horde they drew with the flashes of light and sound from their guns would be their end. The Doc forced his arm to relax, re-holstering his weapon and immediately missing its comforting presence. The thought startled him almost as much as the spiders' arrival had. When had he become comfortable with a gun in his hand? When he'd first arrived on Denon, he'd steered well clear of touching them.

No time to brood on that disturbing change, though, because things were still getting worse.

The Doc managed to bite back most of his shriek of terror this time, letting out a muffled squeal as another spider scuttled over his head. Thankfully, Xan was true to her word, and was looking out for him. Splat-zap, and the critter was no more, reduced to a jellied stain on the tunnel ceiling. A fuzzy leg rained down from above, landing on the Doc's shoulder, and he almost ripped his duster coat in his haste to brush it off. "There's more coming," Xan warned him, her sophisticated sensors detecting the swarm that lurked above, below, and around them long before they became visible. It was the worst possible news in the world to the Doc just then. Why did he agree to this?!

"We need to move," Xan followed up, seeing him still standing there, frozen in panicked disgust.

"Right, yep, sure," the Doc babbled, his speech growing faster and more pressured with each emerging spider he spotted. One sprinted at Xan's legs, only to meet its death squirming on the ends of her arm blades. He managed to just flinch silently at that one, rather than further humiliate himself with another squeal, which he considered progress. His friend was right, of course; blades and lightsabers and booted feet could take out a few of the arachnoid horrors, but if they got swarmed by a whole mass of them... well, it didn't bear thinking about. They needed something bigger, something that could keep these filthy things back... or at least clear a path through them.

That set the little wheels in the Doc's brain turning, giving him a task that he could focus on instead of his rising terror. Tearing open his grab bag, he pulled out a bottle of surgical antiseptic and roughly jammed it into the receptacle end of his medical sprayer - a device designed to disperse a stream or cloud of healing substances like bacta or kolto, soothing surface wounds. It was far from a perfect fit, forcing him to wrap a quick-seal splint around the edges to make it vacuum-tight... but when he experimentally pulled the trigger, a burst of antiseptic did fly out the end. His little jury-rigged gun would have seemed bizarre and useless, except for one simple thing:

The antiseptic he used had a high alcohol content, and that made it extremely flammable.

"Good idea, Xan," the Doc told his friend, his voice relatively level. Stepping forward as boldly as his shaky nerves would allow, he took aim at the many-legged horde now emerging all around them... and held down the trigger 'till it went click. The antiseptic was strong enough to be somewhat caustic, but beyond the initial disorientation and discomfort of being soaked, it didn't really slow the spiders much. But that hadn't been the whole plan anyway. The Doc made sure to heavily soak the spiders between the little group and the path Daiya had chosen, drenching those ones most of all. There would be only seconds now before they closed in, but that would be enough.

"Anyone got a light?" the street medic asked, desperately hoping for a yes.

Daiya | Brie Jaxx | Xan Deesa | Phalsi Drynchen
Cartri Keswoll | Bryn Celli Ddu​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Brie Jaxx Daiya Xan Deesa Doc Painless Phalsi Drynchen Jerec Asyr Bryn Celli Ddu​

Cartri pulled a face of concern when Daiya insisted she was okay after her little headache. It was clear she wasn't, but the time wasn't right to press on about the matter especially when everything was so tense. Instead, he chose to answer her second reply in the most Cartri way possible "You're the boss, I can't say no" the boy replied in his usual sarcasm as they went further into the dark tunnel.

Everything seemed quiet at first other than the sound of the group pulling out their blasters. Something was wrong, almost like they were being watched from everywhere. Looking further ahead he thought he saw an outline scutter in the distance, a movement that made him look ahead more carefully "Guys... I think we're not alone in here" he murmured to the rest, but before they could reply his very words came into reality.

Out of the darkness came a dark spider that rushed right for Daiya. Without hesitation, it lunged at the girl and tried to sink its teeth into her with mercy. Thankfully, she managed to roll away for now, but the same couldn't be said for Brie. One of the wretched creatures had jumped on her, desperately trying its best to get through the fishbowl helmet that domed around her head for safety. It wasn't the first time he'd have to save them both, nor would it be the last.

Raising his blaster he aimed for the one at Daiya first. Although, as he was about to squeeze the trigger Phalsi came to the rescue and plunged her saber into the spider to end its miserable life. Not only that but the spider on Daiya was also taken care of. Sighing, he eased his body and looked between the pair "If you two screamed any louder that tunneler would be getting a wake up call for his starter!" he grunted as he looked back to see many more approaching from the darkness.

Choosing to listen to the Jedi, he lowered his blaster and saw a small spider scurrying his way. Cartri shook his head and began to run up to it "You can get lost!" the boy said before booting the puny spider back into the abyss from where it came. However, that would instantly be a big mistake. In its place, a whole group came out in return, angry that one of their brothers had been football kicked back to them

"Yea, we need to get out of here... now!" the said with urgency as he back away from the spiders, almost back to back with Xan who had the hopes someone had packed a flamethrower with them

 

[Daiya]

(Post Soundtrack: "Rescued Me" by Tonic Sol-Fa)

Fear ran ice cold in her veins, freezing her solid.

Daiya couldn't breathe, couldn't move. All she could do was watch, fear turning to horror as her best friend came under assault by the spiders alongside her. It cut through her with a knife's edge, the fate of her entire expedition hinged in the balance. Had she really doomed them all to die here, deep under the city, far away from anyone they knew? Would anyone mourn for them when they didn't return?

Would anyone care enough?

The light bloomed in the darkness of the wyrm tunnel, illuminating the scene before the doomed teenager. It formed a blade, severing the mouth of the darak spider crawling toward her, suddenly appearing as if grown right where needed. She watched without words as the hazy scene crystalized in front of her, watching Phalsi leap from her spider towards Brie's, wielding a hard edge of light like a sword.

It was over in an instant. Firm commands from the woman thawed the ice from her, rousing her mind and muscles from their frozen slumber. Daiya climbed to her feet, her cheeks ruddy under her facemask from shock and the reprimand, but unable to tear herself away from Phalsi's glowing sword. She recalled witnessing something like it before, but now she was enthralled by her mystical salvation at the hands of the hard light weapon.

"Is that a..." but her words were lost to the sound of a thousand chittering feet and mandibles from the encroaching onslaught. No time to chat. The teen took to Brie's side, helping her stand and checking her suit for any evidence of spider success. "Are you okay? They didn't get your suit...Phalsi saved us."

The girl beamed in wonder at her friend, breaking up their reunion a moment later. She reached for her holstered knife to draw it, adding a pink light to the blue standing against the darkness in the tunnel. She might have giggled at the call for a light, but one look at Doc spelled out the desperate need of that request. The spiders had begun to corner them as well, corralling the party in two distinct groups.

They were being herded!

"Oh feth, oh feth..." Daiya's mouth worked on automatic, even as she bent down to skewer another spider that strayed too close within their lines. She stabbed, Phalsi sliced, Cartri kicked, and even their guide managed to handle his own with a vibro blade. Together, they cleared a path forward as best they could through the tunnel, guided through darkness only by the promise in Daiya's vision through obstacles unknown.

And then their world became clear as day. Flame erupted from a makeshift tool wielded by Doc Painless, the nearby Sera flipping off her lighter and standing clear. Before them was a sea of spiders, rolling back in waves as those on the edges tried to back away from the flamethrower.

"RUN!" Havn urged his group, keeping the spiders off their flank.
Sera did the same to hers, urging from behind Doc's flame, "FORWARD!"

Daiya didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed for Brie with her free hand, pulling the fishbowl girl along so they didn't lose each other. Adopting one of Cartri's techniques, she kicked at the spiders that threatened their path, they weren't so terrifying anymore except in numbers. The young shadowrunner was confident now about the protection of her armor, and the strength of their group as they sallied forward. The tunnel loomed too long, too crowded as their expedition fought for every meter along the way, until suddenly they burst into light.

She blinked, her eyes nearly watering at the sudden shift, the bio-luminescent glow of the sheerings already having a calming effect on her. Havn pulled ahead of her, approaching Sera and Aylya who had already gathered in the middle of a long, exposed platform between the buildings. Spiders still crawled from the hole they exited, but now they amassed at the edge of the platform, climbing up on top of each other as wind swayed the little hairs on their bodies. Wind whistled past on either side of the lone bridge within their durasteel canyon, only somewhat calm in the middle of it.

After a moment, their guides agreed on something and broke up. Daiya approached as one of them fished into their packs, making a curious expression at Havn. She had to raise her voice to be heard, not so worried now about sound outside of the tunnels. "What's going on?"

Her guide motioned to cover her ears, and the moment she did a boom exploded overhead. One of their guides had thrown a grenade high into the air, while the other was looking over the side of the bridge. Havn shouted back, "Aylya spotted a herd of Lotkaasi below, we're summoning a few to get a ride out of here." He gestured back behind her, and Daiya didn't need to look at the spiders. "They will come once enough spiders have gathered to cross the whistel."

"Lotkaasi?" The teen shouted back, the name feeling foreign on her tongue. She didn't have to wait long for a response, startled as the first leathery skins of the gasbags rose above the side of the bridge. Havn smiled at her, while other guides corralled the rest of their expedition. Daiya just stared, following the dangling tentacles up as the creature rose beside the bridge.

"They're following the hot air above, it won't last long before they drift somewhere else. Grab onto a tentacle, the Lotkaasi couldn't harm a sandfly." Sera instructed them, demonstrating by grabbing hold of a tentacle and wrapping her legs around it. She rose up with the creature, whose height reached the length of a starship by now, shouting back down to group. "One or two to a gasbag, please, there's more coming!"

The teen barely had to look before another gasbag rose over the side of the bridge. She giggled now, relief sweeping over her at the sight of their salvation. No spiders would reach them on these tentacled dirigibles. Daiya motioned to the others, urging Brie and Phalsi toward the nearest rising creature. She spotted Cartri after that, pointing him toward the next one. Xan and Doc had surely found their own with the rest, leaving only their capable guides to bring up the rear afterward.

"Climb on, Knuckles," she urged him, then spoke a pair of words Daiya never thought she'd willingly say. "Let's fly!"

Phalsi Drynchen Brie Jaxx Doc Painless Bryn Celli Ddu Cartri Keswoll Xan Deesa​

 

[Doc Painless]

Oh feth. Oh feth, there were so many of them, boiling out of the ground and the ceiling and the side passages, a tidal wave of scuttling legs, a whirlpool of chittering mandibles that seemed to drag the Doc down, down, down... He'd seen the aftermath of the vile little arachnids' life cycle, the bodies hollowed out as ravenous young emerged from them, devouring the soft tissues in their frenzied first meal. Images leapt to mind unbidden of his own body so ravaged, all the organic bits nibbled to shreds, leaving only metal and bone to moulder in this awful place. Maybe someone would come by and scav his implants eventually. Down here, though, probably not.

Most people, the vast, vast majority of Denon's inhabitants, weren't foolish enough to ever brave the Abyss.

Breathe. The advice he'd been given early in his field training came back to him: "in a crisis, the first thing to do is to take your own pulse". If he panicked and fell apart now, he'd be no help to anyone, and they needed all the help they could get. The spider swarm, cleverer than it had any right to be, was separating the party into two groups, closing in around each of them like a pair of tightening nooses. Had his quick improvisation been for nothing? The Doc was pleased that none of them smoked, sure, but at the moment he'd have accepted some long-term lung damage in exchange for someone actually carrying the lighter than would make his disinfectant trap work.

Then he saw the little flame. Sera had one. Their guides were, as usual, actually prepared.

Fwoosh. The antiseptic-soaked arachnids (and the ground around them) blossomed orange, an overwhelming, eye-stabbing spectacle of light in these dark, dank tunnels. The fire would burn itself out all too quickly, the volatile alcohol-based fluid burning bright and then consuming itself, but until then they had a moment's reprieve. FORWARD, Sera bellowed over the crackling flames and angry, panicked chittering. The Doc didn't need to be told twice. With a quick check to make sure that his assigned pair was with him, he dashed toward the gap in the crowd of dark chitin. Kicking, slapping at himself, brushing at his arms and shoulders, the street medic pelted through the swarm.

They emerged on a long, exposed bridge, buffeted by swirling air currents. The chasm beneath them seemed bottomless, their lights far too small to illuminate even a fraction of its full, terrifying depth. The Doc swore quietly. Spiders and heights? This was not his favorite day. On top of that, it was looking rather like all they'd managed to do was trap themselves on the narrow span, with no room to maneuver. What were they supposed to do now? Fighting the panic that was again rising inside him, the street medic looked over at their guides. If anyone could find a solution to this mess, it was the highly-experienced abyss delvers they'd paid to lead them through here.

And sure enough, they did have a solution. A pretty strange one, but a solution nonetheless.

The Doc quietly gawked as the lumpy creatures, resembling nothing so much as moldy meatballs trailing a trim of thick noodles, gradually rose into view. He gawked harder as Sera hopped on, wrapping herself around one of those drooping tendrils. It did not look like the galaxy's most comfortable way to travel, and he dreaded the vertigo he'd feel if he happened to look down... but it beat the hell out of having eggs laid in his eye sockets. "Okay," the street medic said slowly, trying to psych himself up. "Okay, here we go." A little burst of nervous laughter escaped him, and he looked over at Xan. "Y'know, I had plenty of pessimistic projections about how this was going to go..."

"... but this? Never even guessed at it." With a deep breath he flung himself forward, grabbed a tentacle, and rose.

Daiya | Xan Deesa | Cartri Keswoll | Bryn Celli Ddu
Phalsi Drynchen | Brie Jaxx​

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

GOTTA FIND THE SHINY
Objective: Search...and not die.

Spoiler: I got this on me or in a bag

Equipment: Under-Armor, Clothes-The look, The Mask, Just in Case Cloak, Scope- on belt, Wrist Device, Slicing/Gaming Tool, The Encoil, Zerek Stowaway Node, ICE/iBorg Clarion Personal Translator
Weapons: Four Zenji Needles, Pair of Blue Lightsabers, Hard Light Weapon, Pair of Shock Whips, Heklerkok FP-01
Extra Pocket Stuff: Standard Magazines x4, Lodestone Devices x4, Journeyman Knife, Security Spike, Scramble Key, Anti-security blade, Field Security Overloader, Canteen/Waterskin, Energy/Food Capsules
Ship: Psf-01 Shadowfire

Tags: Daiya Cartri Keswoll Doc Painless Brie Jaxx Bryn Celli Ddu Xan Deesa Zole Jerec Asyr Darkwire Shadow​

The hard light weapon snapped forward and back, flinging the corpses off to the side as Doc came up with a solution to the gathering swarm around them. Another subtle alteration to the blade changed it from a spike to a wide and flat shovel shaped blade.

The whole end of the blue tipped staff a danger as the staff was spun carefully in the tunnel to deter any other spiders from leaping or drawing within range.

Or at least that had been the hope as the army of spiders made it clear that a few would willingly toss themselves into whatever danger to throw them off.

She followed behind everyone into the dark and out to the light. More spiders arching towards them as the wind whipped around their exposed position.

Wind.

She put away the blade, staff collapsing into itself as she centered herself in the force. Desperation and focus channeling an errant current that sang along the wall and into the tunnel they had emerged from.

The wind shifted along the wall, the air current guiding the air bound creatures untouched as a cascade of air washed into the tunnel they had left, picking up the wave of spiders on their heels and throwing them back from the mouth of the tunnel.

She was thankful she had found her element to be air in those studies with the Silvers, turning to see people grabbing onto the beasts and lifting off.

She didn't need to be told twice, attentions split temporarily as she paused and watched for the timing of her grab. Flying a starfighter was an easier task than trusting her grip on some strange creature.

But it was that or be spider food in this force forsaken place.

She flung herself into the air, her first grab slipping with a breathless sound of confusion. A single letter escaped her mouth as she flailed between the remaining tentacles, slowly falling downward with growing alarm before her other hand found a hold.

The beast dipped at the sudden weight as it rose to meet the others of its flock.

"Ah feth this! Naw! Nuh-uh! Nopenopenope-!" Words from behind the mask as her concentration on the wind wall broke. "If I fall, please make sure I am actually-ack!" Her request stopped with a solid slap of a tentacle against the mask she wore as she swatted at the thing with her elbows in vain.

 

[Brie Jaxx]

Brie tried with all her might to push the disgusting beast off her face, but it had its legs firmly wrapped around the helmet - the only thing that protected her from becoming the host to its eggs. The mere thought of it made Brie scream like she had never done before. Suddenly, the creature yanked to the side and produced a terrible squeal right into her face. Yucky and gooey stuff escaped it and spilled onto the transparent visor of her helmet, as the skewer of Phalsi penetrated its body and ultimately freed Brie from the creatures grasp. In her panicked state and thanks to the adrenaline rush, Brie were quick to climp to her feet and run over to her savior and Xan standing next to her. She tried frantically to wipe the gross stuff from her line of sight, before she could reach down for the blaster previously lost. However, and in line with the older blondes call, it was of no use as they wanted to make the less sound as possible. Instead, Brie had to holster it and detached the taser baton from her belt.

She heard Cartri's mean remark to their reaction of being attacked. Wonder how he would have reacted if he had a spider big as a beach ball stucked onto his face!? Brie were too busy with trying to get her bearings, check if everyone else was alright and prepare for their next move to give it a second thought.

''I'm okay! Yeah, I'm okay...'' she told herself panting, and Daiya upon her friends question if she was.

They were quickly being surrounded and things were getting darker by the second, before Xan and Doc hatched the idea to lit them on fire. It would make some sound, but right now they needed to to something and that quickly. They had to fight for a good while before the world and the spiders went up in flames. Brie felt a yank at her as Daiya dragged her along into a run out of the tight spot.

Once they reassembled onto a platform between the tall buildings, Brie finally felt she could take a breather. The guides were talking amongst themselves and before long, after Daiya curiously wanted to know what their next plan of action would be, Havn grabbed onto a tentacle of a huge flying creature that dwarfed the group of adventurers. Brie felt an odd presence behind her and the audio receptors in the helmet picked up a strange sound of heavy breathing. Slowly turning around, she jumped slightly and with large eyes followed the huge animal on its slow but steady way upwards.

Flying her own ship was one thing, but dangling in a tentacle of some unknown creature down in the Abyss? Could she do that? She weren't exactly afraid of it, but who knew how these creatures behaved when they got stowaways? The alternative, meeting the spiders again, was much more frightening. With that, and to Daiya's call of ''let's fly!'', she reached for the nearest tentacle and were quickly minded that she had to hold on tight to it.

''Why don't you ever say so when we are over at me!? I thought you were afraid to fly?!'' she called over to Daiya, taking a lift with another Lotkaasi.

Daiya , Doc Painless ,c Cartri Keswoll , Phalsi Drynchen , Jerec Asyr , Zole , Bryn Celli Ddu , Darkwire Shadow , Xan Deesa​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Daiya Doc Painless Brie Jaxx Phalsi Drynchen Jerec Asyr Zole Bryn Celli Ddu Darkwire Shadow Xan Deesa​

The spiders seemed to be limitless as they came out of the darkness in their droves. Each one that came close to him was met by a stomp and a kick that sent them flying back from their wretched homes, only for more to reappear in their place. Cartri started to breathe hard as the increase of the creatures was starting to make him panic. Were they really going to die to a bunch of spiders? surrounded by complete and utter darkness as the rest of his friends suffered a horrible death?

Suddenly, almost all at once a burst of fire erupted in the caves, setting alight some of the critters in its path as the group finally pulled out the big guns. Shouting at the top of her lungs the tour guide shouted for them to move, an order that she didn't have to say twice.

Running along with everyone as a tight nit pack they made a whole through the wave of spiders, all of which kept coming at them fearlessly even with the fire spraying back at them. Cartri looked over to Daiya to see if she was alright, thankfully not a mark was on her. Beside her was the annoying friend called Brie, who still couldn't help but be grumpy at him for no reason. Being civilised clearly wasn't in that girls book, nor the personality to be friendly with him once in a while.

They ran along the dark caves until one of the tour guides shouted for them to grab hold of a tentacle. A what now? the very thought of using a strange creature to get away was out of the question, but considering they had a whole army of flesh eating spiders on their tail he had no room to argue. Suddenly, the voice of Daiya urged him to get on with her. A comment which was met with an unimpressed look.

"Who you calling knuckles, headache?" he smirked back to her. Hesitantly his hand reached up and grabbed hold of a tentacle, before using his legs to wrap around it and keep himself hanging on.

Upon hearing Brie call over to Daiya about being afraid of flying, a small chuckle escaped his lips as they began to slowly take off away from the horde of spiders.

"Daiya... I read somewhere that Lotkaasi likes to randomly fling off creatures who they find incredibly annoying. I hope you have a jet pack of some kind to brace your fall!" the boy joked out loud, even though it was incredibly false. In a way, he liked to tease day whenever he had the chance. But in some instances, it was only simply to take her mind off things she found stressful.

"Same for you Brie, I think you'll be first!"