hollow plots and zombens

[made_up_names]

WHO: Peter Parker, Zomben, and all sorts of unlucky people
WHAT: Hollow!Uncle Ben (aka Zomben) has started to show up on campus. There will be an open comment (for generally being chased) as well as specific prompts for pre-plotted encounters.
WHEN: Very late on January 27th, forward dated to later in the week as well.
WHERE: Campus in general, also the gazebo in Soleil.

( Prompts are below so I can set up a general timeline-ish-thing! katoptron or Rho#9327 if you want me to set up something specific. Or just zoom yourself to the open comment and we'll just have some fun there.

I will match format, so if you prefer prose, prose away! )

Comments

1/27, 1/31 - OPEN PROMPT

[made_up_names]

[ It's just before midnight on a school night here on campus. All should be quiet here, surely? Minus whatever dumbass teenagers are doing dumbass things at this hour.

There's something here tonight. One of what is (or will become) too common of an occurrence. A strange, warped stalks from building to building on campus, sticking to the shadows and staying out of sight - for the most part. When roving about in a relatively well-trafficked area, it seems strangely human? An older man with gray hair and a worn brown jacket, who looks like he could be part of the gardening staff or otherwise. The only thing strange is the set of clawmarks across his neck and chest, though they're hard to see unless you get close. And if you do ...

Well, one of two things happen. If it's a public spot, then the man will start a friendly conversation. Can you help him? He's looking for his nephew, you see, and he thinks said nephew is going to school here. If you catch him somewhere more secluded ... It will quickly become apparent that this man isn't as human as he looks after all. The claw marks stretch into a gaping maw as chitinous bone covers the man's face. ]

1/31

[tsunderetornado]

Tatsumaki is not a sociable person the best of days. On the worst of them? She takes all the less popular routes around campus entirely to avoid people. That's where she spots the man. Those clawmarks don't look like they came from a normal animal. Is he even alive?

"Do you have an appointment with someone here?"

If he is, perhaps he's just a particularly scarred were. Either way, she's surrounded by a little bit of green light as she's speaking.

[made_up_names]

No way a normal animal clawed him up. They're too big for anything normal or mortal, first of all. And if Tatsumaki's seen lycan marks, or would be familiar with such things, then she might recognize them. A lupine creature did this to Ben.

If she's reaching out to Ben's mind, it's - surprisingly blank? There are thoughts, but formulating them into actual human words is a slow and sludgy process. The words don't so much appear as much as they rise slowly from the blackness inside his head, forming from blobs of tar.

"No appointment," he says with a shrug. "A man can't visit his nephew?"

[tsunderetornado]

"Not without a visitor's pass," Tatsumaki replies evenly.

She takes a moment to scan his mind, and what she sees is...concerning. It's definitely not the mind of a living being. Necromancy, perhaps? Either way, she's definitely not interested in letting the clawed man out of her sight now.

"Most schools don't like to have people's relatives showing up on campus unannounced, and that's even more true for boarding schools like this one. "

It's doubtful that it's going to be enough to get him to leave. She's not even sure if she should let him leave or if she should aim to capture him.

"Do you want the phone number for the school administration office? You can phone in a request for a visitation appointment there."

[made_up_names]

There's really not much that's going to get him to leave here, honestly. Maybe if he were a normal human? Or otherwise creeping about? But, well. Horrible undead monsters don't usually go away just because of red tape.

"I'd really rather not," he says. "Could you just point out his dorm to me? I'm looking for Peter. Peter Parker."

[tsunderetornado]

Right now, she's simply testing his capability to rationalize. She doesn't know exactly what she's dealing with, so assessing the threat level is her best bet right now.

"I don't know who that is." It's a lie, but at least now she knows who he's looking for and can warn Peter. "Is he new here? What does he look like?"

[made_up_names]

He ... seems to be intelligent? There's a mind there, of sorts, even if it's dead set on one thing. And not particularly inclined to be charming or creative about it. Also, not particularly perceptive. He sort of looks at Tatsumaki, but can't actually tell if she's lying or not.

"Just came here a few weeks ago," he says. "Brown hair, about seventeen? Probably about this tall." He gestures to a height roughly matching Peter's.

[tsunderetornado]

If he knows how long Peter's been going to school here, it makes her wonder how long Peter's been stalked by an undead version of his uncle. Or perhaps his death is recent and one of the last things he found out before his death was that Peter would be attending school here.

"A lot of people started around that time," she says. That part, she can say with complete honesty. "Do you have a photo or something?"

[made_up_names]

There's a lot of messed up things going on here, to be honest. Starting with this man's unnatural knowledge of his nephew, and continuing with ... well, all of this.

He takes a step forward, now starting to get uncomfortably close. "No photo. But he kinda looks like me, eh? Younger of course." Another step. There's a strange pressure in the air - something deeply unpleasant.

[tsunderetornado]

That pressure is setting off Tatsumaki's danger sense. Not that this wasn't unsettling before. It's enough to get Tatsumaki ready to fight. That faint glow around her from before? It's now brightly illuminating her, surrounding her entire body.

"Maybe I have seen him, but I'm not telling an unauthorized undead anything about where to find him."

She reaches out with her telekinesis.

"Come along quietly and you won't get hurt."

[made_up_names]

Oh. That glow does make Ben pause for a moment; he can sense her power and respects it.

"No unauthorized undead? There's some irony."

He shakes his head. From this angle, the massive scars across his neck seem to glow dimly in the moonlight.

"And where do you plan to take me, huh?"

[tsunderetornado]

"Truth is stranger than fiction, Monsieur Parker. Especially here."

That's not a glow that's reflecting off of the moonlight or her power. It's not likely to be a good sign. She knows it's best to call for backup, but she also knows she can't afford to take her attention off of him.

"To the school administration. It's their call if you get to visit your nephew or not"

It was about 99.9% likely to be 'not', but there was some small chance that this was a case of a spirit needing closure and that she was only sensing danger because she was impeding him in his goal. Unlikely, though. Telling him where Peter could be found seemed like a terrible idea.

[made_up_names]

It's a pretty bad idea. If it would actually go to faculty, then that might be the best option? But fat chance of getting to do anything like what she wants.

"Rather not," he says. "If you don't know where he is, then you're not much good to me, eh?"

The scar seems to ... open slowly. A maw appearing behind it, ringed in sharp teeth.

1/27

[planmade]

[Mello doesn't have any magic sensory abilities aside from the basic, and at night those aren't even heightened as they would be during the day. There's something about being undead, however, that connects him to those of a similar nature. If only just. He's a former detective. A hunter. He has years of training in reading people and situations. He can sometimes call a person's future actions before they've even decided to make them.

All that being said, all he feels upon meeting the strange man in the dark is a heavy feeling of wrongness. That's always the most frustrating.]

Hey. I'm gonna need to see some ID.

[He should feel dirty saying that, but he has no problem being in a position of authority.]

[made_up_names]

[ There is definitely something wrong here. Maybe it's a mundane sort of wrongness? A strange adult meandering about a school is cause for concern on its own, after all.

The man lifts his hands as if in surrender, looking a bit sheepish. ]

"I'm here to see my nephew. He goes to school here."

[ So why would he need ID for that, huh? ]

[planmade]

That's great. [He says this in the most dismissive way possible.] Now check in at the office or get off campus. Staff wasn't notified of any overnight visitors.

[Mello might not be notified about everyone that came and went during the day, but you can bet he knew who was staying past curfew. Especially if they could only be around after dark.]

I'm gonna ask again - show me some ID.

[made_up_names]

[ He definitely wasn't hanging around looking for entry earlier in the day. Only after dark, once the sun had gone down. Something is deeply, deeply wrong here.

The man takes a step forward, looming a little. The smile on his face is fixed, unnatural. ]

"Can't help you with that, kiddo. How about you let me go about my business?"

[planmade]

[One good way to get on Mello's nerves more than the man already has is to call him "kiddo". He might still be fairly young (and recently bitten so he can't even blame vampire lack of aging), but he has a hell of a lot of experience under his belt. Yes, he'll get childishly insulted about being seen as childish.]

You have five minutes to remove yourself from the premises.

[The blond is used to people being taller than him, son he doesn't find the looming nearly as intimidating as some.]

[made_up_names]

"Five minutes, huh. No can do."

[ As Ben leans forward this time, that massive scar at his throat seems to glow dimly in the moonlight. It splits, exposing a maw at the center of him - that then opens. Also there are giant monstrous spider legs coming out of him, those are unpleasant too. ]

"How 'bout I ask one more time?"

[planmade]

[Well. That's problematic.

Mello isn't really a fighter to begin with, even with the enhanced abilities he gains during the day. And this is nighttime, meaning he doesn't even have those. It means he's less likely to die, but that's small comfort right about now.

This is why he argues he should be allowed to carry his guns on campus. Not that he knows how well those will work in this situation.

The best option right now would be to run, but that would mean leaving this monster to whatever he was about to do. It doesn't seem like it's interested in giving chase, just scaring him off, so that means he won't be able to lead him away toward stronger individuals.

He stands his ground, willing the fear not to show in his face. He has a lot of practice disguising that with anger.]

So what's your nephew's name?

[made_up_names]

[ A gun would definitely do something here, so it's too bad that Mello doesn't have it now. This - person? Thing? Is starting to get annoyed now; it doesn't necessarily want to fight here and now, but it is after its prey. And if it gets another snack along the way? Well. That's all right. ]

"Peter. Peter Parker. Ringing any bells?"

[planmade]

Sure.

[Not really. He's sure he's heard the name somewhere and it might click if he had a face to go with it, but keeping track of every student outside his own classes is a pain. His old mentor could have done it, probably, but he's not him.]

And do you actually know where he is, or are just walking around hoping no one notices your particularly inept attempts at stealth?

[made_up_names]

[ He has been a troublemaker, but maybe not in Mello's immediate field of vision. ]

"Boy, if I wanted to be subtle, I would be. Best not to try my patience."

[planmade]

You didn't answer my question.

[It's a good thing Mello's spent most of his life talking down to people tougher than him. Otherwise he'd be trembling right now. Bluffing confidence means covering fear with irritation, as though this monster is still the stray family member he was pretending to be.]

Do you even know where he is?

[If he can bluff long enough, maybe someone else will even show up to help. He should be so lucky.]

[made_up_names]

[ He might even get Peter to help if he's really lucky. Pete's out there somewhere, trying to find his uncle, so...

A scowl deepens in the thing's face. ]

"If I knew, d'you think I'd be asking you?