Down to Size (OPEN)

[ParamountKeymaster]

AG: BOTH BUT MOSTLY RAINFLOWER
AG: RIGHT VAN?
AG: Yes, Arti, I just said that our ultimate goal is to find Rainflower, the fairy. I only bring up the beast because an encounter with it down here in the caverns is likely inevitable.
AG: But with all of that said, I believe the mission is fairly clear.
AG: Again, we appreciate everyone lending a hand on this matter. I know it's been a fairly tedious week, but the love and support for Evan is nothing short of astounding.
AG: We wish all of you luck on your individual ventures, and I do hope that the next time we speak, it will be to provide good newsdasf
AG: yeah okay, good vibes all around, now everyone shut up and get a move on!

-- arcaneGhostbuster [AG] changed his mood to EXASPERATED --

---------------------------

"Cryin' out loud, Van. Just 'thank you, good luck' would've sufficed," Ray grumbled, slipping his phone back in his pocket before surrendering control back to the divination expert.

Van sighed and scowled at his other self. "Ray, be nice. Our friends are taking time out of their own schedules to help us. The least we can do is make it clear that their efforts aren't going unnoticed."

I think they figured that much out, egghead.

Um, doesn't that make you and me eggheads too?

Cram it, Patrick.

After slowly shaking his head and running a hand through his hair, Van offered Ace a tired smile. "Sorry about that. Let's get started."

He closed his eyes, weaving together a tried and true spell. Waves of yellow light swept out from his form in all directions, traveling down the cavernous halls, searching for a singular target. It took a little while, but a signal did eventually bounce back, showing him a clear path in the underground labyrinth.

Rainflower was near. Just like yesterday.

[Pink Moon Wolf]

SH: loving that enthusiasm, erin!
SH: bring it on!

---------------------------

"Hm." Ace put her phone away and let out a stiff chuckle at the back-and-forth going on between the mage's distinct personalities. Unperturbed, she waved Van off when he offered an apology. "No worries. Let's just... do the thing."

She stood by idly as Van cast his spell, watching and waiting patiently for a response. She was quick to perk up when the mage opened his eyes again. "Find something?"

With a destination seemingly set, Ace gently slapped Van on the shoulder and eagerly dashed ahead. "Then let's go!"

---------------------------

Swift smiled at the screen without feeling the need to add a cheesy closing line of her own. The morale seemed high enough without it. Once the conversation seemed to wrap with Ray's sarcastic quip, Swift tucked her phone into her pocket and picked up the pace, sprinting ahead with stone cold intent, ready to put both the fairy and the beast in their place. She wasn't going to keep Evan waiting any longer.

[DanteMGalileo]

WR: okay so find fairy boy girl gender neutral person thing
WR: hope we dont run into beast
WR: well shit now that you said that
WR: were gonna run into it aint we
WR: i uh

--wolfenRegent [WR] has disconnected!--
--wolfenRegent [WR] has reconnected!--
--wolfenRegent [WR] wishes he was making pasta--
--wolfenRegent [WR] is judging your sins--
--wolfenRegent [WR] has no reason to judge due to his own sins, mostly against confectionary--

WR: also im fighting
WR: dont waste your time on me ive got this
WR: oh god that's my leg

[gantzgun74]

Erin is the one that responds, floating to her feet lazily and crossing her arms. "I got at least a couple looks at the thing. Big as an elephant and just as tough, lots of teeth. Might have an iron skull since I'm pretty sure I tricked it into running into a cavern wall and it wasn't even dazed that long." She lets out a disgusted grunt and shiver. "But there is one detail about the freakshow that's hard to forget. It has a lion like mane... One made of TENTACLES. And apparently those tentacles can grab you cause I DEFINITELY got stuck in them at least once."

..... "Huh.... Gross."

"RIGHT???"

Alex takes a moment to note this in his head before turning to Yang. "And we both know what Rainflower looks like after our last run-in with them, mistaking them for someone else is basically impossible too so we can depend on Erin to know them if she see's them." Okay, everything looked and sounded all straightened out. "Welp! Let's not waste anymore time. Let's spread out and search the place."

Erin nodded before a void portal formed behind her, letting her fall right into it with style. Alex meanwhile smiled to Yang and gives her a kiss on the lips before backstepping into his own void portal. "Good luck love~!"

And with that, Yang was alone on the cliffside, ready to get started on her own search.

[DMis]

Forsaken worked over the chaos of the Industrial Park's twisted metal enviroment.

~

Yang sighed and went to slide down part of the cliff before jumping off onto a tree.

[ParamountKeymaster]

---------------------------

"So what time is it?"

"It's, uh..." Evan pulled his phone out of his pocket, ignoring the multitude of Pesterchum alerts on his lock screen. "...about a quarter 'til noon."

"Been that long, huh...?" Carter didn't seem particularly frustrated by this news. Just a little worn out. "Are we lost? I think we're lost."

"Well, this is a pretty extensive cavern. It's bound to take anyone a long while to navigate every corner at walking speed." Evan slowed to a halt and leaned against the wall, catching his breath. "But I think... I think I need a break."

Carter stopped and glanced behind him, watching Evan slide down to the floor and start gingerly massaging his feet. "Hey, c'mon, you were all gung ho about this earlier. Don't go slowing us down now."

"I've been walking for two hours straight, Carter. A brief moment of respite is not too much to ask for."

"You've been on longer hikes before. Now you're suddenly having trouble carrying your weight around?"

"Hey, try putting two hundred pounds on all at once. SEE HOW YOUR FEET FEEL AFTER THAT."

"Whatever." Carter shook his head in good humor before trotting off. "You nurse your gout. I'm gonna go claim some territory."

"You do that," Evan flatly grunted back, flushing red as he looked away and grumbled under his breath, "I don't have gout..."

Evan didn't want to complain. Like he said, the Geodesic Caverns were fairly widespread. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that he and Carter hadn't found the beast yet, though it was a little odd that they hadn't run into any of their friends either. It was too early to think that they wouldn't get anywhere at this rate. They still had a lot of ground to cover. Evan had just hoped to get the job done sooner and save himself the foot pain.

"...do I??"

"Evan!"

He snapped to attention, turning towards the bend in the tunnel where Carter was poking his head out. "What? What's up?"

"This scent..." Carter lowered his muzzle, sniffing at the floor. "It's an Elder Beast's. It's gotta be!"

The turn of events prompted Evan to stand right back up and regroup with his dog, heedless of his aching soles. "Well, let's see if you're right, then!"

"This way!" Carter took off in a slow run, pausing every now and then to sniff around and let Evan catch up. With every inspection, the familiar fishy scent grew stronger, as did a subtle hint of another odd smell. "It's close. Seems like it was here not too long ago. But... I think I'm picking up Rainflower too."

"Yeah, that's about in line with Swift's story," Evan confirmed, cautiously observing his surroundings. "What do you think is up with that? If Rainflower's not right there next to this thing, then why does it have their scent on it?"

"Can't say for sure, but we're bound to figure it out soo-"

Carter froze. His nose pointed to a nearby, spacious nook. His tail quivered with alertness. Evan kept still, receiving the message loud and clear, taking a moment to ready himself. The two exchanged nods, then slowly proceeded towards the hole in the wall, warily peeking around the corner.

"Whoa..."

The beast was asleep, curled up like a cat, its head half-buried in its arms, but it was still wholly recognizable. A jet-black body with blue-green sheen. Rows of rounded spines trailing down its back and tail. A long, lanky, almost boneless-looking head. A vast array of tentacles decorating its neck. It was more or less what Evan had imagined, and it perfectly matched Rainflower's drawing.

"Oh yeah," Carter murmured. "Definitely an Elder Beast."

"Wow," Evan repeated, words failing him otherwise. It was so weird seeing one of these things outside the void, and it felt even weirder to say that despite its elephantine size, it seemed so tiny in Evan's eyes. It almost looked awkwardly disproportionate in the same way that a puppy's head and paws were too big and stubby. Carter was clearly onto something.

He cautiously continued forward, inching his way closer to the slumbering creature. "Still smell Rainflower on it?"

"Undeniably," Carter responded, sinking with dread. "Be careful, kid-"

Right at that moment, the beast let out a low grumble and began to stir. A pair of long, wiry antennae shot straight up out of its mane. It raised its heavy head, shaking itself off, its gaping, jawless mouth flopping like a malformed trunk. Then it faced forward and opened its solid blue-green eyes, staring drowsily at the creatures in its midst.

Almost immediately, the beast perked up, fully alert, its antennae vibrating wildly, a shocked, dolphin-like squeak emitting from its throat.

Evan went rigid, finding himself standing front and center, garnering the beast's full attention. "Uh..."

It scrambled onto its feet, entering a crouched position. It opened its mouth wide and unleashed an ear-splitting roar like that of a tiger mixed with howler monkey and vocoded several times over. Its snake-like tongues writhed about, stretching out from its circular, jawless mouth, looming dangerously close to the young man in front of it.

"WHOA WHOA WHOA...!" Evan instinctively fumbled back a few feet and reached into his pocket. He whipped out Rainflower's bullroarer and promptly started spinning it, letting its soothing hum mingle with the horrific cry.

The beast stepped forward once, barking with confusion. Then it retracted slightly, closing its maw, staring at Evan with nothing short of intrigue. It kept perfectly still save for the occasional flick of its antennae, gazing ahead in a state of tranquility.

"Heh...!" Evan couldn't help but smile. It actually worked! "Carter? Go find someone. I'll keep this little guy at bay."

"You got it," Carter responded, equally impressed, dashing off into the caves once again. "Don't get cocky!"

Alone with the beast, Evan experimentally slowed the bullroarer, then grabbed and silenced it. The beast murmured and tilted its head but otherwise remained in place. So long as it stayed docile, Evan saw fit to pull out Rainflower's drawing, holding it up for the creature to see.

The beast trilled softly, leaning in to study the pencil sketch. It was hard to tell from its vacant, shark-like eyes, but Evan swore that he could detect a sense of recognition within the blue-green orbs. A snake tongue slowly slithered out of its floppy mouth, lightly trailing along the piece of parchment, drawing a bit too close for comfort and prompting Evan to back up.

"Rainflower."

It grunted with bemusement when it heard Evan speak the fairy's name.

"I'm looking for Rainflower. Do you know them?"

The beast let out a deep, warbling mewl, crouching down like a dog asking to play, its tail thrashing about behind it.

Evan was momentarily startled by the enthusiastic response, but he quickly took it as a good sign. "Do you know where they are?"

A single jolt. A gravelly hiss. Then, all of a sudden, the Elder Beast reeled forward and roared directly in Evan's face. Its antennae started vibrating again. It lashed its tongues out, the four-fingered tips spreading out to grab.

"HEY, HEY!!!" Evan scrambled away, putting a few yards between him and the beast. He hastily started spinning the bullroarer again, lulling it back into a placid state. "No! None of that!"

The beast shook itself off and rubbed its head with its front paw, letting out what sounded like a frustrated grumble.

Evan narrowed his eyes, trying to get a read on this creature. Whether that was an active attempt at eating him or not, he honestly couldn't say. It would've felt out of line for an Elder Beast if it was, even for an immature one. Even stranger was what seemed to prompt the attack. Why did it get aggressive when Evan asked where Rainflower was? What was this thing trying to do?

He kept the bullroarer spinning as he continued to speak, "Do you understand me?"

The Elder Beast muttered as it slowly raised its head in what seemed to be a slow nod.

"Okay then. You know Rainflower, right?" He waited for another nod before asking, "Can you take me to Rainflower?"

The beast emitted a deep, whale-like whine as it cautiously stepped closer to the young man. Evan remained in place, tense and ready to sprint if it came to that, the bullroarer still singing on the end of its twirling string. The two were soon uncomfortably close to each other, the beast blankly staring down at Evan while he nervously stared back up at it, locked in silence for a good five seconds.

THWACK

One sudden, precise swipe of the beast's claws sent the bullroarer flying out of Evan's hand and down the cavern hall, clattering to the floor twenty feet away and going deathly silent after.

Evan stupidly gaped at the fallen instrument outside his reach. He then glanced back up at the beast. "Uh..."

"SSSHHHKKKRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"

"OH GOD!!!"

A circular array of studded teeth filled his vision. Snake tongues shot his way. Evan's reflexes just barely kicked in, willing his rigid body to run from the angry monster. He dodged the slimy appendages and dashed away in a mad scramble, panicked eyes trained on the bullroarer, aching legs desperately carrying him towards his salvation.

He let out a startled yelp when the beast's hand slammed down on top of him, pinning him to the ground. He struggled for only a split second before instinctively retrieving the Paramount Key, knowing now that fight or flight were his only options.

Before he could drive the key into his chest, a tentacle wrapped around his arm, holding it in place, earning a disgusted cry. He felt several more curl around his torso and other appendages. His peripheral dimmed as he sensed the beast looming over him. Two of the opposable tongues latched onto his shirt while the third ensnared his neck.

"GAH-! NO, NO NO NO, LEMME GO!!!"

Evan could barely move. The grip this monster had on him was iron tight. He couldn't bend his arm to position the key. He couldn't wrench himself out of the dense flagella. He hardly even had room to squirm as he was lifted off the ground, the tentacles cocooning him, hot, humid air striking his back.

All he could do was close his eyes and scream at the top of his lungs.

[Pink Moon Wolf]

"!!!"

Swift's ears shot up. She pivoted on the balls of her feet, glancing back the way she came. That roar. That grotesque, haunting roar. It was all too familiar, and it wasn't far away.

"'Bout time you showed your ugly mug again..." she grumbled under her breath before charging off in the direction of the horrid noise. Finally, after wasting her morning on a fruitless search, the monster was within her reach. Finally they could set the plan in motion and put an end to this wild goose chase. All she had to do was put the beast in its place.

Upon rounding a corner, something came into view up ahead. Something running to meet Swift halfway. Something significantly smaller than the beast she was pursuing, but also instantly recognizable.

"Carter?!" Swift skidded to a halt, staring flabbergasted at the dog. Carter bounded in place for a moment, barking at her once or twice, then he turned back around, urging her to follow him, gesturing in the direction the monster's roar had emanated from. "B-But if you're here, then...... Oh God..."

Swift hastily complied, outrunning Carter in mere seconds, racing headlong through the winding cavern. All sense of smug determination had vanished. The force driving her now was nothing short of panicked urgency. She had to find the beast now more than ever. She had to be sure Carter didn't come down there alone. She had to be sure that the worst-case scenario hadn't occurred. Let her be wrong. Oh please let her be wrong.

She dropped down a steep incline, sticking the landing and continuing on her way in one smooth motion. She sprinted down the hall, that familiar putrid scent growing stronger by the millisecond. She twisted around a corner, peering ahead with anxious eyes.

A black shape filled the cavernous space, hunched up and facing away from her, grunting and purring like a sick lion, seemingly ignorant to the new arrival. Swift spared only a quick glance, confirming by its spines and tentacle mane that it was the creature she was pursuing, then she marched out into the open with her eyes narrow and her teeth gritted. "HEY! UGLY!"

The beast flinched and craned its head around, its antennae twitching and its eyes scrutinizing Swift. It turned to fully face her, alternating between barking like a congested seal and snarling like a mutant dinosaur, though it did not make a move towards her. After a moment of unpleasant, non-verbal communication, the beast suddenly started hacking, its snake tongues twisting around its mouth until it finally spat up whatever was stuck in its throat.

A golden key clattered to the floor in a shower of spittle.



Swift couldn't speak. She stood there completely paralyzed. She barely even blinked, unable to look away from the discarded key for the tiniest moment. Her blood ran cold.

Evan's scent... it was everywhere... including if not especially on the beast.

It...

He...

How...?

Why...?

No...

No...!

The beast shook itself off, rubbing its face and licking its chops, grunting with discomfort. Then it turned back to the hanyo, its twitchy antennae pointed at her, its mouth wide open in a domineering, warbling bellow.

"HHHRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUURRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!"

Before it could move another muscle, the beast suddenly found itself stumbling back a few feet as the force of a cannonball struck its forehead. A marble aura of pink and gold blinded its vision. Blunt, agonizing head trauma was quickly accompanied by furious slashes to its armored hide, wedging between its scales, threatening to tear them loose, stinging worse than a poisonous blade.

Screeching with pain and fear, the creature whipped its head back and forth and tried to grab its attacker with its tentacles, only for Swift to swipe at them with more yoki-charged claw swipes, cutting each wriggling appendage deep enough to draw inky violet blood. Her wildly flailing attacks sent her tumbling down the back of its neck, dragging her claws all the way down, leaving a trail of more blood. With an enraged howl that could shake hell itself, Swift continued to slash, driving her claws into the nape of the beast's neck with all her might, practically cutting and body-slamming the shrieking, terrified beast at the same time with horrific, explosive force.

"SON OF A B*TCH!!! KONOYARO!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!! I'LL KILL YOU UNTIL YOU DIE!!!!!"

[DanteMGalileo]

WR: okay got my leg back on whatd i miss
WR: its not like anything important

--wolfenRegent [WR] has been struck silent and struck dumber--
--wolfenRegent [WR] had no idea that was possible--

WR: what the hell was that noise
WR: is someone hungry or some shit
WR: or did we run into big and ugly
WR: because if so I have the weirdest boner