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

[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?

[betheman]

Mng- [And just like that she's...back. Gongenzaka jumps, and with a hurried nod to Peter continues again in Japanese.]

A creature, with the guise of Peter's deceased uncle...or perhaps, the spirit manipulated into such a creature...approached and demanded I, the man Gongenzaka, take him to his nephew. As I refused...he attacked, discarding his disguise.

Peter appeared then- and so, we fled, as the creature chased us. We determined, due to it's spiderlike appearance, that we could trap it with water...so, we ran across the canal, so it would crush the ice beneath themselves and become entombed.

That is when we called you, but... [He bows steeply.] ...A you have seen...it escaped with but a moment...

[made_up_names]

[ Peter doesn’t understand most of that, except maybe his name and “uncle” but the context is good enough probably. Talking about the Hollow. What happened. All of it. ]

It’s - it’s really him. Or some echo of him. So please don’t hurt him.

[ He knows this thing is dangerous, and now it’s loose again. He can’t make demands. But he can’t bear the thought of losing Ben again like this. ]

[peace_keeper]

Was it actually your uncle, or was it some manner of blighted creature using your uncle's face? Think carefully.

[betheman]

[Gongenzaka looks to Peter, silent. That is his question to answer after all.]

[made_up_names]

[ That's. A very good question, honestly. Is he certain? Of course he's not. His real uncle would never have attacked him or anyone else, even a lycan like Gon. But ... ]

This isn't the first time I've encountered him. He - he knew things. That only my uncle would know.

[peace_keeper]

I see...

Unfortunately, I cannot promise that I can spare this creature. If it attacks again and student lives are at risk then it will die. But...

If I do see a way to contain it without putting any mortals at risk, I promise I will at least try.

[betheman]

[Right, back to English, for Peter's sake.] That, at least, is what I would expect...thank you, for coming here, when we called.

[made_up_names]

[ That - hurts very deeply. Incredibly deeply. The thought that Ben might just die again and Peter wouldn't be able to help him ...

But he nods. Understanding. ]

I'll just find him again then. Before - before he can hurt anyone else.

[ A pause. Right, Gon's got the right idea. ]

... Thank you.

[peace_keeper]

What you should do right NOW is go back to your dormitories and sleep. Tomorrow's classes begin in mere hours.

[She knew better than to try and stop a human who had set his heart on a course of action like this. It only ended in tears. At the very least, she could try and get him properly alert and rested when he did it.]

[betheman]

Mnnh... Indeed, I have only so much time to rest before changing back, now...

[He looks to Peter, quiet for a moment.] ...Shall we...Peter?

[made_up_names]

[ Peter also nods, head bowed a bit. ]

Thank you. We will.

[ C'mon, Gon. They can talk on the way back. ]

[peace_keeper]

[White Chain watched them leave. Apparently, they were not safe even on the campus, the very bastion of the school's extensive power.

Maybe she'd just patrol for a while, and make sure there wasn't anything else lurking in the shadows...]

[betheman]

[While White Chain goes off to do her own patrol, Gongenzaka will thus work to untie his geta from his sash and put them back on again, looking to Peter before walking alongside him in silence.

He...isn't sure what to say, really. Well, except maybe-] ...Are...

...Are you, uninjured, at least..? [he manages to ask quietly, fiddling his claws together.]

[made_up_names]

[ That's the right question, honestly. No point in asking if he's okay after all that. ]

Yeah. He didn't even touch me.

... What about you?

[betheman]

Auh... [He looks himself over, and eventually nods.] ...Somehow, there are no cuts... I was, fortunate, to be able to properly throw them. I was...unsure, with how they were... 'built'? [He tries, not quite sure about that word. Ah well.]

Mnh...I suspect...I will feel it, tomorrow, however...

[made_up_names]

[ Peter nods at that. Still utterly, completely guilty, but relieved too. ]

I'm glad. I know - he probably was worse with you. Since you're a lycan.

[ He's not sure how to say this delicately. ]