Sept 3rd - Technical Difficulties

by **Robert West** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 4:32 am

"Maybe she just doesn't like you that much," Rob says. He shrugs, "Alright. So, I was going to do this whole thing where I pretend I'm harmless and we go to the factory and then I kill the slimy little twerp in there and laugh a whole bunch, but...I got bored and changed my mind, so screw that noise."

"You've got a couple of options. None of them good," Rob says. "You could go to the factory. Convince them to lift the shutdown."

"Alternatively, you could go find the witch. She's a nasty lady that's slowly destroying Oz...land? Ozland? Did they just call it Oz? Anyway. It's my brain. She's slowly destroying my mind. I'm not sure you could stop her, but I'd laugh at you while you tried."

"Finally, I got a hatch out of here. We leave together and I get to pilot for a few days until this whole mess gets cleared up," Rob says. "Your choice."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 4:36 am

"The Headmistress did say she thought you were being mentally manipulated. So that's her? She's not supposed to be here?"

by **Robert West** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 4:39 am

"The witch? She's not me, if that's what you mean," Rob says. "She's a foreign element. Unknown quantity."

"That's why all of this is a mess. I'm in pieces. Sure, I'm fine and I guess the twerp is more or less all there," Rob says. "But whatever happened here? It messed stuff up. Bad."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 4:40 am

"I suppose she's impervious to death rays, aye?"

by **Robert West** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 4:53 am

"I wouldn't know," Rob says. "I can't do anything to hurt her. Like, physically can't. It's a natural law or something."

"You could probably shoot her though," Rob says. "I don't know what would happen, but it would be fascinating."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 4:54 am

"You'd think we'd need a bucket of water, considering everything else."

by **Robert West** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 5:31 am

"That would also be fascinating," Rob says.

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 5:56 pm

"You won't get hurt if you lead me to the witch?"

by **Robert West** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 9:12 pm

"You're worried about me, that's sweet," Rob says. "Stupid, but sweet."

"I'll be fine. The witch has an interest in keeping me alive."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 9:25 pm

"Well one of you was nice to me the other day. Don't push your luck, eh?"

by **Robert West** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 4:30 am

"I promise, I'll be on my best behavior, madam," Rob says, bowing dramatically.

by **Samantha McManus** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 5:51 pm

"Alright then, let's find the Wicked Witch of the... West."

"Oh, that's an awful pun."

by **Robert West** » Fri Jun 12, 2015 4:59 pm

Rob laughs, "What are you talking about? It's fantastic."

"This way."

Rob leads Sam down a road and through the wrecked remains of a town.

"So, do you do this sort of thing often?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Jun 12, 2015 5:18 pm

"Not... really? I think I was just the first telepath that answered the Headmistress' e-mail," she says as she follows.

by **Robert West** » Sat Jun 13, 2015 4:43 am

"Suppose I can't complain," Rob says. "Any port in a storm and all that."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sat Jun 13, 2015 10:44 pm

"I'm not going to get in over my head, really."

by **Robert West** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 7:53 pm

"Oh, that's too bad. The borders are where things get interesting," Rob says. "You should be more adventurous. Push yourself. Walk the bleeding edges of things."

As they're talking they follow a winding road into some dark woods that Sam could've sworn didn't exist a moment ago. The light is filtered and dimmed under the canopy of large trees with faces carved onto them. A shadowy figure perched in a tree watches them, but doesn't approach.

The path doesn't go for very far when they finally arrive at an old and decaying house in the style of a Southern Gothic mansion.

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:10 pm

"At least it's not gingerbread," she says, looking around as they approach.

by **Robert West** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:15 pm

Bones littered the area, hidden in the overgrown weeds that surrounded the house. The place looked abandoned. The windows were boarded up with wood that was rotting and cracking.

On the porch was a blood stain. It looked fresh.

"She's in there," Rob says. He doesn't go any closer than a few feet away from the steps to the front door.

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:19 pm

"She's trying awfully hard to scare us, isn't she?"

by **Robert West** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:22 pm

"No. I think that's me," Rob says. He suddenly looks like his other self. Nervous, awkward, and lacking in confidence. "I don't want you to go in there, Sam. It's dangerous."

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:32 pm

"It's all in your mind, aye? Like a dream. I know you wouldn't hurt me."

by **Robert West** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:34 pm

Rob winces and rubs his head with his hand, "Some...some parts of my mind? They aren't mine. I think."

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:36 pm

"Maybe she put this here, or someone did, but it's not them."

by **Robert West** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:42 pm

Another shift and Rob is back to the Mr. Hyde side of the equation. He chuckles, "Then walk on in. I want to see what happens. The Witch versus the Daughter of Sam."

"I should have brought popcorn."

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 9:11 pm

Her avatar seems to take a breath, then starts walking up to the house's door.

Something about her avatar's bearing is different, but it's hard to put a finger on it. Her defenses are tight, though.

by **Robert West** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 9:13 pm

The door is unlocked and slightly ajar. The stairs up to the door creak loudly as she walks up.

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 9:24 pm

Sam isn't exactly trying to be stealthy as she opens the door. If anything, her posture indicates this is a challenge.

by **Robert West** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 9:34 pm

The interior of the house looks like it should be haunted. The walls are bare and the furnishings are sparse. The house is mostly decorated with dust and cobwebs.

Immediately in front of Sam is a staircase leading to the second floor. There is a hallway to both her left and right. The one on the right seems to lead deeper into the house. The left looks like it leads to a study or parlor room of some kind.

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 10:18 pm

Looking both ways, Sam ultimately goes left first.

by **Robert West** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 10:55 pm

The study is a large room with shelves full of books. At one end there's a fireplace with a small fire burning, sending flickering shadows along the walls.

In the center of the room, a shrouded woman in a wheelchair stares at the fire. As Sam enters, she turns her head to look at the girl.

You do not belong here, a voice echoes in Sam's mind.

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 10:59 pm

"Neither do you." her mind flares up in response. For the briefest moment, there's a faint impression of flapping wings.

by **Robert West** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:11 pm

The figure has a significant psychic presence. It's like someone left a sliver of a telepathic mind in Rob's head. It turns towards Sam and begins setting its powers against hers, trying to repel her.

Are you here to kill me girl?

Do it.

The flames in the fireplace turn blue and begins to build in size, casting eerie blue light inside the room.

End this.

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:01 am

At first, Sam just digs in her heels and braces against the onslaught.

However, the more she weathers it the more something starts to feel like it's pushing back.

Eventually, her avatar starts to waver, but not her defenses. Its outline blurs, and pointed shapes begin to protrude from it.

by **Robert West** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:08 am

The woman's strength begins to waver as Sam begins to press the attack. She lets out a guttural shriek, but her power is quickly draining and she's not able to do much more than defend herself.

No!

The shroud covering her falls away and she stands up. She's a young woman with long dark hair. She looks thin, starved and scared.

It wasn't my fault, you bitch! You did this! You!

The sliver is starting to fragment and fall apart. Bits of her begin to peel away, as if she was a disintegrating photograph.

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:13 am

For just an eyeblink, Sam's avatar seems like it's studded with hundreds of beaks.

"He's just a boy. You were eating him alive. Go. Away."

by **Robert West** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:19 am

In one final, desperate attempt, the woman jumps at Sam and attempts to tackle her.

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:24 am

Pushed further, the next thing the woman sees of Sam is a sudden onslaught of black birds, pecking viciously.

by **Robert West** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:30 am

She screams and falls to the ground. She's rapidly disintegrating now and Sam can feel her presence dwindling away to nothing.

Robert?

There's a flash of light and the room is now beautifully furnished and brightly lit. Rob is nowhere to be seen.

Oh my god! The disembodied voice says. She sounds angry. What did you do?

There's a scream and the vision fades away. Sam is left standing in an empty house.

The fire has gone out.

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:35 am

The flock quickly coalesces back into Sam's avatar, though God only knows what that must have sounded like outside.

She starts walking back towards the door, stepping back onto the porch.

"Witches are only scary if you let them be," she says.

A single black feather falls from her hair and floats to the ground.

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