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

[made_up_names]

Who's going to help with this?

[ That's a legitimate question. Do they get faculty? Peter kind of doesn't want to - this is his uncle, okay, and he'd rather not turn him in to get vivisected or something. But that's all stuff they can worry about after they're not being chased okay. ]

C'mon, c'mon ...

[ They dash out on the ice. It cracks under their weight uncomfortably, but holds - which is a good sign, right? Because behind them, once the monster gets out onto it too ... It cracks more loudly. There's the telltale splash of water as one of its spiderlegs go in, causing it to howl in confusion. ]

[betheman]

Someone who can contain it! [He manages to shout back, scurrying along the ice. He's taking a straight line down- aiming to make it to the massive, rounded center, where it'll be easier to leave the spider to the depths.] If this is, indeed, the spirit of your uncle...then, something, has clearly done something to them..!

Therefore...we must contain them, to find a method of reversal!

[...His thoughts don't even go to 'destroying' the spirit, it seems.]

[made_up_names]

[ Oh. That makes him choke up a little. Gon doesn't want to kill him despite all of this ...

Right. If they can get the spider frozen, at least, then they can go and find someone who can actually capture this thing. ]

Okay, yeah. That oughta work.

[ The Hollow keeps skittering after them, its legs continuing to punch holes in the ice as it goes. As it approaches the center, it ... seems to show a flicker of intelligence? That water's deep, and the thing has some semblance of sense inside of it. But here Peter can put the finishing touches on it. He shoots out a web, grabbing the thing around one of its legs. And then pulls it forward, whether it wants to come or not. Over the deeper section of the lake.

A loud crack splits the air. And with an ear-piercing shriek, the Hollow goes down into the water, more chunks of ice spitting up as it struggles. Before long it's just the angler-fish proxy of Ben on top, clinging to the ice as the rest of the monster drags him under.

Peter can't help but stare as that last image burns itself into his brain. He reaches out, ready to hop off the bear and go to him-- ]

[betheman]

No-! [Sorry Peter, but if running won't stop you from that, he'll straight up bear hug you to keep from running.] This is, how he approached me, before!

As a fisherman, with a lure- [He barks, voice trembling.] Now-!

Now, is when we get help! This, will not end a being of undeath! We are merely buying time, after all!

[made_up_names]

[ Dammit. Words are enough, thankfully, though a bear hug would have helped too. ]

-- Right. R-right, I won't. I won't be able to help him until we find someone who can keep him safe.

[ His voice is cracking hard, but he lowers his hand, settling back against Gon. ]

[betheman]

Yes! Now... [He asks, backing away so that they can at least be spared the unfortunate sight.] Do you have, a phone on your person?

[..........]

...I have troubles, in this state.

[Touch screens escape him. :[]

[made_up_names]

[ Reluctantly, Peter turns away from the monster in the canal. Yeah, he's got his cell phone on him. He'll just go ahead and pull it out. As hilarious as it would be to watch Gon struggle with texting while bear. ]

Yeah, 'course. Who do I call?

[ Who can even help in a situation like this? ]

[betheman]

[Gongenzaka pauses for a moment, glancing at the hollow to try and keep it in his sight.] ...82 White Chain- she should be, within the IRIS network.

If anyone, is capable of containing him safely...she shall be the one, [He states, nodding.

He'll probably have to look away to make sure it's the right number. Or to talk.

That, will be the hollow's chance to flee. Because facing an angel is probably not on their list of things to do today.]

[made_up_names]

[ Uh yeah no. Zomben can tell he's lost his chance to kill his nephew today, so the instant both of them look away, it's disappearing back to whatever afterlife outland it came from. Not that either of them know that right now. ]

Okay, yeah. I can find her. Let me...

[ Once Gon confirms the number, Peter types it in and starts calling. ]

[betheman]

Mnh. That is the one.

[And just like that...Yep, both of them have looked away.

Zomben....Makes his Getaway. Shame that stuff only works well for escapes and not Catching Prey, huh.]

[made_up_names]

[ Well it's better for Peter that Zomben can't horror villain teleport to catch up to him. So he'll take it. ]

Hello? Is this White Chain?

[ Hopefully he gets a response. It's cold out here, and the wind is picking up. ]

[betheman]

[Alright...patience...patience... Gongenzaka waits, watching Peter and the phone in silence. He really hopes she's the type to answer these things...]

[made_up_names]

[ Well, the good news is he got a response. The bad news is -- ]

She hung up on me.

[betheman]

H...HAUH!?

H...HUNG UP!?

[made_up_names]

Yeah! She said "stay there," and that was it.

[betheman]

Stay-

Auh!!

She must be on her way, then! [HOORAY! He turns to where the hollow is.

Rather, was.] Then, this can all-

A...AUH....

[oh no]

[peace_keeper]

[And then an angel appeared. Or more accurately, she descended from a mighty leap and landed on the edge of the canal hard enough to crack the stone. White Chain took threats to students VERY seriously.]

Where is this monster?

[made_up_names]

-- Holy shit!

[ Peter's senses didn't even see that one coming. He stumbles off of Gon's back and promptly slips on the ice. Good job, well done. ]

It's right there, under --

[ He gestures to the huge, monster-sized hole in the ice? But it's completely empty. ]

-- there?

[betheman]

Th...That was where it was when we made the call, yes..!! [Gongenzaka's voice is quite high at the moment.]

We were under attack, and thought to lure it to where it could be temporarily held by the water and ice, [he explains, switching briefly to his better language in order to fill White Chain in.] ...The only time that we looked away from it, after most of it was beneath the water, was to call you!

[Given the panic, he's pretty worried about it just getting away.]

1/2

[peace_keeper]

Which was apparently too long to look away.

[Her words were hard, but not...judgemental? She could clearly see from the ice that SOMETHING large had broken through here, and these two boys didn't LOOK like they were lying or wasting her time.]

I will scout the area. Do not leave.

[peace_keeper]

[And then the brilliant divine flame that leaked out of her armor vanished, leaving only an empty suit of armor, balanced on the edge of the now slowly leaking canal. The two of them got an impression of many flaming eyes and the beating of wings for a moment, and then all was silent again.]

[made_up_names]

[ Peter just sort of. Sits on the ice for a moment, open-mouthed. It’s very, very clear they aren’t lying - the ice is evidence enough surely - but there’s nothing here. Maybe some lingering trace of undead blight? But then again Peter’s pretty Blighted himself. ]

What the hell just happened?

[betheman]

I...

I think...she is still here...

[Probably?? He. Isn't sure.]

[made_up_names]

Is she invisible? Is that something she can do too?

[ He rubs at his face a little, just. So done with this night already. ]

[peace_keeper]

[The beating of wings returned as a stream of flaming eyes flowed back into the suit of armor and filled it back up with fire. It only took a second or two for White Chain to get settled in her body again as if nothing had happened.]

It's gone, but the blighted stink of it will linger for weeks.

Why don't you tell me what just happened?