SEPTEMBER EVENT: SKULLY'S ANGELS

[sailmods]

[around 10:30PM, after Friday has returned from bringing all the other guests back to the ship, she parks the tender just off the shore, idling. she sticks her head out of the door.]

Good luck! Just come get me if you need anything! [beat] But, only if it’s something I can do without stepping outside! [beat] Have fun!

[she then pops back inside. they’re on their own, for now.

the salamander villagers have returned to their homes for the night, it seems… all but one, a smaller one, bedecked in leather armor and carrying a spear. they watch the group as they leave the beach, eyes fixed… and then, slowly but distinctly, they toss their head in the direction of inland, and turn away from them to begin a sort of watch.

perhaps that was salamander for good luck. you’ll need it.]

Comments

[decohere]

[she's not immediately aware anyone is coming after her, though the small scrap of sanity she has left she hopes nobody is. that they stay on target, complete the mission. that they'll be too caught up in success they'll overlook her missing and she can... run. keep running.

she's not even sure what she's running toward, just away through the jungle. the footfalls of her boots are louder than she usually prefers for stealth, crunching through leaves and fallen sticks, as she phases right through bushes and trees in her path.

her lungs burn with exertion as she pushes faster, and her legs won't allow her to slow down despite how little sense she can make out of what she's doing, less and less sense.

until suddenly she's able to break through the confusion, collapsing all at once on her hands and knees.

she breathes out uneasily. fuck. she has no idea where she is, how far out she made it. Ava glances around her, and in the dark Max's red eyes stand out like a beacon.]

M- [small gasp for air] Max?

[makesomedeals]

[ Max is not designed for running, not just because of his air of superiority over any physical exertion, he's simply not put together in a way that makes him very fast. Admittedly the suit isn't helping. But he's trying, tearing after her and stumbling to not to trip over the bushes and rocks Ava is able to phase through. His shoes are getting scuffed and the bottom of his pants are torn from all the underbrush.

He's not going to be able to catch up to her, he's just not quick enough with so many obstacles in the way, yet he keeps doggedly following.

Until suddenly his whole system overloads. He doesn't even get a chance to acknowledge any of the error messages being thrown up before he freezes making a strange whiring noise followed by a click like a copier turning on.

At first he goes slack, standing there with his arms at his side and still in the half foot forward walking position he was in, but then he straightens up, hands clasped in front of him, eyes straight ahead.]

Yes?

[ His voice could almost be described as chirping. ]

[decohere]

[the dingy white of her suit is stained at the knees with green as she pushes back to her feet, legs wobbling uncertainty. she half expects them to betray her again, take off, but she stands there a moment until it seems safe. becoming fully visible again.

she feels a bit sick, of herself, how she's done nothing but ruin this mission and the dread of having to face Skulduggery again. but she doesn't actually desire to be left behind.

so she crosses through the jungle back toward Max, afraid that the eerily blank stillness he greets her with is that he's mad at her. and she has no real explanation as she opens her mouth.

there's no time for that.]

Sorry. I... we should. Get back.

[makesomedeals]

[Max sees her, processes who she is: Ava Starr. Human. Female. Association: Friend. and watches her slowly get up and head back out of the forest.

But he doesn't respond, nor move.

Should - indicates a choice and he's not permitted to have those right now. ]

[decohere]

[she glances back over her shoulder, sees Max hasn't moved at all...

she's reminded of his time at the camp. shut down and unresponsive. maybe it's the damage to his suit. maybe something has come over him the way it had her.

either way she's doubling back, grabbing for his hand]

Max. Come on. They're going to leave us. And then we'll have to live with the lizard people.

[makesomedeals]

[He should have a scalding hot take about living with the lizards. But he doesn't. ]

Certainly.

[Which part of that he's agreeing to is anyone's guess. But at least he does move and start walking so.. thats something. ]

Which way?

[At this point it's pretty obvious he does not sound right at all, his voice still has that soft musical quality but it's far more monotone. Like he's ready to narrate where the emergency exits are on a plane. ]

[decohere]

[no, no that tone doesn't sound right at all. his lack of dry remark... ava swallows uneasily, catching on that he's in some sort of mode that's only allowing him to respond to orders. she doesn't like doing this. but right now it's necessary.]

This way. [Ava points the direction she's... pretty sure they came. god, if the others took off running the other way, it's doubtful they'll manage to catch up at all. maybe it'd be easier to just kill them both right here and hope for- no, no, she needs to do at least one thing right.]

Follow me and keep up. If you fall behind, alert me. Understood?

[she grips his hand tighter]

[makesomedeals]

Affirmative.

[ He even gives a cheerful little beep of acknowledgement. He doesn't return the gripped hand but he doesn't move his away either. Thats fine if this human wants to touch him. All good.

He's moving now, at pretty normal speed, just going where she tells him, avoiding trees like a roomba mapping a room. ]

[decohere]

[it's both a very cute beep and so very not Max and she winces slightly at the wrongness. she wants to focus on getting them back to the group first, and then figure out how to properly reset him back to normal after. hopefully after this is over he'll forgive her for ordering him about.]

Thank you for coming after me... [because nobody else was going to, and that's fine.

letting go of his hand, she hurries up her steps when she's confident Max is coming along, making sure to take a path he can as well

and then hears the piercing screaming off in the distance, confirming they're at least getting closer.]

Max! Run!

[she takes off in a blur, though remains visible for Max to follow... hoping that he does, checking back worriedly]

[makesomedeals]

[He doesn't respond to the thanks because right now he's not even sure what he did? He's got an order, he's doing his order, he's the world's best robot right now. Gold star for Maximilien.

But as they get closer to the edge of the foliage there's the undeniable sound of infinite screams, just constant never ending abyssal screaming. His processors helpfully provide him with: Skulduggery Pleasant. Human (Deceased). Male. Association: Friend which while useful, has nothing to do with the aforementioned sound that seems to be emanating from the skeleton.

Oh another order! He definitely would have run, but instead he just fucking drops. Straight up faceplants into the ground as his entire system shuts down and reboots, all the lights in his head going out and he goes still for a few moments before they flicker back to life and he starts making a whirring noise.

The whirring noise gets louder. And louder.

And then his body, still on the ground, errupts in the worst cacophony of seven computers trying to connect to a 56k modem at once while trying to navigate phone line interference.]