Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

[thetwo]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

"Well, it'd certainly be better to fight it here then on the bridge... but somehow I don't think asking nicely will make it come out."

While they tried to decide what to do, Jenn flipped all the switches on the control panel to what she thought would be the most advantageous positions. The power would probably never turn back on, but it couldn't hurt anything...

 

[DeMatt]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

Melissa sighs and drops into a kneeling firing position.

"Yeah... kinda wish I had a few grenades right about now..."

She takes aim at the lake. Not having even the ripples to go by, she just picks a spot near the center, and puts a bullet into the surface of the water.

(Take a shot at the lake. I'm gonna jinx her, and say there's no way she could miss the lake...)

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

When Jenn presses the buttons on the panel... Nothing happens...

And when Melissa takes a shot at the lake, the only movement she sees are the ripples made from her bullet.

 

[DeMatt]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

(Dang. And here I was hoping the monster would come out and play when we let it know we knew it existed...)

Melissa sighs as the ripples fade away.

"Well, that didn't accomplish anything, and I'm fresh out of ideas. So... do we wait, and hope that other group can get the power on quickly, or do we take our chances and try charging across? Since we haven't heard any other screams or anything, I think it's safe to say that whoever's up ahead is already raped and out cold, so there's no rush on their account. Much as I'd like it to be otherwise."

Waiting for the other girls' opinions, she replaces the used cartridge.

(Reload rifle. Ammo count now 10 in rifle, 12 in backpack.)

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

Mina shrugs,

"If only we could see it..." she whines.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

"Ugh, we can't just sit here forever... if we can't figure out how to make it come to us, we're going to have to try to get over really, really fast.

I mean, I'd rather avoid fighting for my body if possible, but apparently these things are drawn to women even if they can't see them so we can't just sit here forever.

I suppose... I mean, we know what it wants, right? The same thing all these monsters want. I suppose one of us could act as bait, or we could just try to run past. And... well I'm not acting as bait.

What do you two think?"

 

[DeMatt]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

(Melissa is NOT going to suggest someone start masturbating. )

Melissa sits back on the grass.

"I think we should wait. Yeah, I don't want to sit here hoping nothing else comes along, but the Director did say another group was trying to get the power on. If the woman - or whatever - was still screaming, so we knew she was at least somewhat OK, then I'd say to take our chances, but with nothing but silence, I think whatever monster was jumping her has had its fill. She won't be any better off whether we rush in now, or if we take a few more minutes."

She idly toys with a few bits of grass, watching the interplay of essences as she nudges blades around.

"Oh, right, I've got a flashlight in my pack. Lemme see how well it works by now..."

She pulls it out and flicks it on, not really expecting it to be worth much - it's just a small flashlight, after all - as she points it out towards the lake.

(Some fish are attracted to lights... maybe this monster is, too? )

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

Mina scowls at Jenn,

"You're such a wuss!" she taunted her, "You just want one of us to go out there, so you can protect yourself! You're so selfish!" Mina grunted angrily, and turned her back to the red haired woman in a fury, even though it was hard for someone as cute as Mina to look angry.

Clicking the switch, Melissa's flash light turns on, and the light beams seem to stop after going only about a foot into the water, the murky, and dirty water blocking any light from shining in...

Until, when Melissa just grazed the light over the water, she thought she saw something reflect off of the light, but only for a second. When she returned the beam of light to the spot that reflected, it was gone... And the strangest part was, when she looked really hard with her inner eye... There seemed to be a large, pulsating mass of life in the water...

 

[DeMatt]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

(... I thought the reason Melissa couldn't sense anything in the lake was because she couldn't focus enough to avoid getting blinded by everything around the lake? She hasn't moved out on the bridge, so the beam's shining more-or-less horizontally.)

Melissa was not expecting to actually see more than a spot of light moving along the surface, so the glint she gets is a great surprise.

"Eh?!"

Letting the flashlight drop, she raises her rifle once again, trying to keep track of the life-mass as she does so, then fires a round at it.

(Oh my God, a TARGET? ATTACK!)

 

[thetwo]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

Jenn almost just bolted across the bridge just then, she really did, but then...

Wait, why should I bother taking risks when I can get that to do it for me? She's always showing off, isn't she?

"Me? Yea, I'm a little afraid - I mean, I can't swim. But you? Well... it's just a little run across the bridge. I guess you're just scared.

Just like going through the vent to get here - it's not like you were going to be alone for more then a second. I'd have thought you were fearless after all the times you made fun of me and Melissa all those times, but it turns out you're afraid to be alone even for a second!"

(If you keep telling Jenn she's mean she'll start to believe you. )
(Anyway, somehow I don't think Melissa's going to hit anything, so lets get this over with. >.<)
(Also: must... avoid... feeling sorry... for NPC's...)

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

Melissa knew her shot was right on target, but the target itself seemed unaffected from the shot, and made no movements, as if hiding.

(Intelligence check)

Melissa, upon examining the sides of the pond, deducted that there were rocks at the bottom, which the creature, or creatures were actually hiding under...



Mina huffed angrily.

"Why don't you-" her words were interrupted from Melissa's bullet, and she turned her attention to her, "Melissa! Did you see it?" she asked eagerly, seeming to forget all about Jenn for the moment.

 

[DeMatt]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

(Rats. Not unexpected (little weenie .22LR round punching through a bunch of lake-water at a shallow angle, and still hurting a target? Not happening), but still disappointing.)

Muttering under her breath, Melissa carefully kneels down and grabs the flashlight from where she dropped it, the whole time watching the water and the mass of essence she can See, so as not to lose track of it.

"Yeah. The thing must've been close to the surface when I swept the water with the flashlight... it glinted off something for a moment, and now that I know where to look, I can See it..."

She points the flashlight.

"There. Problem is, it's still lurking, and I think it's hiding among or even under the rocks on the bottom. So I can't just sit here and scare it up with bullets." Though I bet a grenade would stir it up... really wish I had one just about now.

She keeps the beam pointed, as she sighs and fingers her gun.

"So really, we're still stuck with the same decision. Try and outrun it across, or fight it when it jumps out to attack... or wait and hope for the other group to get the power on."

(... if this is that crocodile from the suggestions thread, whaddaya wanna bet Melissa's spotted a group of victims, and not the croc itself? )

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

(You, sir, are either psychic, or psychotic. Although both are awesome.)

Mina sighed.

"Look... Uh... I'll just run across... And you'll shoot it... I guess..." Mina said uncertainly.

 

[DeMatt]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

(I'll go with "massively pessimistic". Blast Melissa for not actually knowing anything about the monster - I don't have an excuse for her to look elsewhere.)

Melissa continues watching the life-mass.

"Mi~na... that thing seems HUGE. Bigger than any monster we've fought so far. I-I'm not sure you'd be able to hold it if it decided to drag you down with it - and while I'd sure be shooting away at it, I can't be sure my rifle would reach it. I mean, there's the rocks there - it's hiding in them. No reason, if it dragged somebody down, it couldn't pull THEM under the rocks with it."

Her hands fumble around in her backpack for yet another replacement cartridge, then slide it into the slot on the rifle.

"I think we should wait. If it gets impatient and comes after us on land, I think we've got a better chance."

(Reload. Ammo count: 10 in rifle, 11 in backpack. Sheesh, maybe I should've lugged along more ammo. Of course, maybe waiting will yield hatching baby crocs, which might be too hungry to stay underwater with their mommas - and get daddy all riled up when we slaughter 'em. )

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

Mina sighs impatiently,

"Well... What if it doesn't know we're here? If we walk silently over the bridge, maybe it won't know we're here..." Mina looked over to the bridge hesitantly, "I'm... Gonna go for it..."

Mina, with slow steps, started walking towards the bridge...

 

[DeMatt]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

(Arrgh, Mi~na... fine, we'll fight it now. Geez, thetwo, I'm tired of this mission too - but that doesn't mean I'm willing to sacrifice my character and start anew.)

Melissa gets a frustrated look on her face as Mina sets foot on the bridge.

"I'm sure it knows we're here, I've been shooting bullets into the water every now and then - no, no, just keep sneaking along and me and Jenn will keep talking and maybe it'll think we're all over here and not hear you and you can make it safely across and we'll worry about -" *gasp* "- about getting the next person across later, okay Jenn just talk with me so it doesn't hear Mina over us talking?"

It's tricky, keeping her eyes and Sight focused on both the life-mass in the lake and Mina, keeping her rifle ready, and rattling on and on to try and cover her nervousness as much as Mina's soft footsteps. But Melissa tries to do it all anyways.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

For the longest time, crossing the bridge, nothing seemed to happen as Mina walked across, until she neared about the middle of the bridge that took many angles. Melissa saw the life mass suddenly react to something, and dozens of tentacles shot out from the mass she was looking at, and went to both sides of the bridge, and the many powerful tentacles went crushing down on both sides of the bridge, disallowing anyone to reach Mina, and disallowing Mina from getting to either side of land without swimming through the dangerous water.

Mina let out a frightened scream as both her exits were cut, and looked terrified at the tentacles that destroyed the bridge, seeming to divert their attention to her,

"M-MELISSA! HELP ME!" she screamed.

As several tentacles seemed to be about to attack Mina, several more diverted their attention to the two girls on land, standing easily within range of the thick, phallus-like tentacles...

 

[DeMatt]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

(Oh-kay, not the croc. More like the octopus from before. ARRRGH. )

Melissa lets the flashlight fall from her hands as the tentacles smash the bridge. Her rifle doesn't hit the ground, but that's only because it's on a strap.

"Oh my God... MINA!!!"

She grabs for the rifle, fumbling to bring it up and cover her girlfriend, but the tentacles menacingly approaching Melissa catch her eye, and she lets out a yell as she fires her first shot...

(Attack the nearby tentacles. Mina... I hope you can take care of yourself for a few turns...)

 

[thetwo]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

(We failed to get them to attack us on land, we aren't going back... that means at least *one* person has to get onto the bridge.)

(Better Mina then Jenn or Melissa... at least she has brawling, which helps one escape, and can swim (or so I seem to recall her saying).)

Well, that plan was a spectacular failure... at least I'm on land being attacked instead of drowning *and* being attacked.

Jenn waits for the tentacles to come to her, not wanting to get a step closer to the water then she must, holding her rapier ready to attack the first tentacle that went for her.

(Defensive stance)

 

[DeMatt]

Re: Zoo scouting party [Melissa, Jenn, Mina]

(The "plan" was to wait for the other group to get the LIGHTS ON. Jenn needling Mina got her stirred up enough that she wouldn't wait, unless Melissa SAT on her. Now if the monster grabs Mina and drags her under, we won't be able to tell WHERE they went, Melissa's Sight notwithstanding. And then we're back to where we started, only with one less person to fight it with. I'll grant that I didn't expect it to smash the bridge to kindling.)