Exit, Stage South [07]
Mister_Noun: Down, down the tunnel goes, spiraling steadily down between clusters of machinery. That blue glow also gets brighter, oddly enough. Almost like the tunnels are making up for leaving the light on the surface behind.
Mister_Noun: There's no resistance yet, but with all the twists and turns the tunnel makes, it leaves a lot of blind spots that make it hard to say if that peace will last for long.
* Gabriel still has the knife, that hated thing, but it's his only weapon. The headache he has right now doesn't make him very comfortable with pushing his abilities.
* Jeff_Levitt is tired, and limping. He only has a few shreds of clothing left, and he's barefoot. "Jesus," he mutters, "I hope this thing actually goes somewhere."
Mister_Noun: It goes down, at least, and fairly straight as well. It just twists and curves a lot...This place seems to have a fixation with things that go in spirals. But gradually, as the blue glow gets brighter, there's also a sound that seems to pick up with it. A chittering, insect like noise that steadily gets louder and louder with each step.
Gabriel: "If it doesn't, we... I don't know." Gabe's missing a shoe, and this makes for a fake limp. He lost his shirt somewhere along the line.
* Jeff_Levitt freezes, breath quickening, as the memories and fears of his false life trickle back to him [the devils they chitter like insects they're here they're--SHUT UP!]. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and looks more closely at the shadows. "Okay. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that's not a good sign."
Gabriel: "No, it's not." His grip tightens on the knife, as much as he hates the feel of it in his hand.
Mister_Noun: It's a sign that they're getting closer to SOMETHING, at least. And shockingly enough, their surroundings don't seem that intent on killing them for a change; the tunnels are stable, not shifting or caving in, and serve to help amplify that noise. It also might help them figure out that they're getting close to the center of...Whatever is making that noise.
Jeff_Levitt: "Be ready," he says, his nervousness growing. Not that he had to remind Gabriel, but saying these things aloud tends to help. He flexes his hands, resisting the urge to shift into another form. If something *did* come after them, he'd prefer his full abilities remain a surprise.
* Gabriel turns the knife in his hand, just enough that the light flashes over the edge. It's too comfortable, but he knows it might save his ass if he lets the other one take the reins, this last time.
Mister_Noun: Another few steps, and the tunnel suddenly yawns open into a large, cavernous room. Above, fixed in what looks like the roof is something that HAS to be the heart of the machines; a giant sphere slowly turning, but very roughly, starting and stopping as it rotates. If this is the heart of the City, then it's slowly dying. And the men and women in black underneath the machine aren't able to do much to stop it, even though all their focus seems to be on the device instead of the intruders.
* Jeff_Levitt stops short. "Ooooo...kaaaay," he says, reducing his voice to a whisper. "Let's...um...let's see if we can just...quietly go past them, okay?" He skirts the edge, looking for a way past the creatures that doesn't leave them exposed.
* Gabriel nods and follows, but in his mind he's preparing himself--he's died before. It's not so bad. ... no, they'll live. They /have/ to. He can't leave Savannah alone again, and now he has a family...
Mister_Noun: Chitter, chitter, chitter...For all their abilities at Tuning a city, these Strangers are extremely focused on their task, to the point of blindness. There's a long, winding path that snakes down into the room the Strangers are standing in; it's also disgustingly narrow, and seems to have been installed more as an after thought by a race that can levitate.
Jeff_Levitt: "Shit. One way down," he whispers. The remains of his shirt are plastered to his body with sweat, and the terrified yammering of the remains of Jeremiah does not help in the slightest. Down the walkway he goes, trying to control the trembling.
* Gabriel feels a calm descend upon him as he lets that /otherness/ slip in. It he hates it; it's cold and hard, alien. It wants to kill, and it drowns out the fear he was feeling from Jeff. "We'll be fine." His accent has faded.
Mister_Noun: The Strangers, as they chitter at the machine, provide a weird sort of rhythm to move by. That is until the sphere sputters again, and then STOPS moving. "Mister Glove!" One of the Strangers yells, not even bothering with mental speech. An especially tall man in black, at the front of the crowd, turns in response. His arms and hands are covered in black cloth, and his expression, for a Stranger, is clearly Not Pleased.
* Jeff_Levitt freezes a moment at the sound, but the creatures' attention seems to be on the odd sphere rather than the two of them. Slowly, he continues, stopping again if it looks like this "Mister Glove" might be looking in their direction.
* Gabriel stops moving as well. It's not as if they have anywhere to run, and they stand out painfully in the crowd, two men with tatters for clothing. Gabriel reaches out and finds Jeff's hand, gives it a squeeze. /Calm./
Mister_Noun: "...There is interference, yes?" Mister Glove says as his eyes sweep the crowd of Strangers. It is unthinkable that one of his own would hold back their efforts, and it feels more likely that there is an outside virus in their midst. His gaze sweeps slowly upward, looking...Moving before he looks very far up or launching an attack seem like the only options
Jeff_Levitt: *The hand is far more reassuring than the voice, and he gives it a squeeze back. Unfortunately that reassurance is very short lived as he sees the creature begin to scan the crowd. "Oh hell, we gotta move," he whispers. He has no idea what these things are capable of, and he'd prefer not to find out if possible. He begins to move along the catwalk, keeping his steps as quiet as he can. [Too damn exposed...]
Gabriel: [Lower yourself], he thinks, crouching and moving as fast and quietly as he can. [They move very quickly, and are merciless.] Jeff might catch a few quick memories of Grant and a Stranger doing the Bloodletting Tango.
Mister_Noun: Mister Glove's eyes are a fraction away from where the duo are on the catwalk...But then the machine decides that is had enough of being ignored. There is a low, mechanical groan from deep within the device, and then something falls down; chunks of masonry from above, it looks like.
Mister_Noun: There's a sharp, angry cry in response to that, like a radio signal that is set to high. And then the majority of the Strangers turn back to the machine, trying to coax it to move again, while a few more break off and start to float upwards, to better search. Mister Glover, however, simply remains where he is.
* Jeff_Levitt starts, realizing that he can *hear* Gabriel's thoughts. There's no time to wonder at it, however. This time he *does* shift, his features becoming more feline, and he drops to all fours before creeping forward on the catwalk.
* Gabriel smiles. It's not a nice smile, and it's certainly not one Jeff's Gabriel would wear. It might be possible to get out after all, and if not? They can dance. Yesss.
Mister_Noun: Even with the Strangers best efforts, it seems like they're only trying to hold back an avalanche; more bits of the ceiling are starting to crumble in, and bringing some of the world above with them. Southern half of the City is falling down. The debris don't interfere with the searchers, however, who float upwards. In fact, they float upwards so well,
Mister_Noun: that they manage to just miss the two moving DOWN. There isn't any interference when they reach the ground, other then the top part of the catwalk breaking free of the wall.
* Jeff_Levitt jumps as the balcony crashes to the ground next to them. "Jesus," he breathes. "That was close." Belatedly, he realizes that a *thundering crash* has most likely attracted the attention of just about everyone in the room. [SHIT! Gabriel, come on!] He grabs Gabriel by the arm and drags him to the nearest exit. And it's no accident that he used Gabriel's name. [Gabriel, please hang on, okay?]
* Gabriel allows himself to be dragged, moving as quickly as he can. [I'm right here.] It sounds like both and neither of them. [Just watch where you're going.] He wants to get off the balcony they're on as soon as possible. It's not looking at all promising.
Mister_Noun: Not with the Strangers that are also clustered around said balcony. And to make things more complicated, Mister Glove is very close by. However, his eyes are on the catwalk instead of the cat-Jeff and his friend. The ruins of the catwalk have managed to trap a Stranger or two, and so Mister Glove is also now focused with lifting those up.
Jeff_Levitt: [Okay. Right. Let's just move. Quick and quiet.] He does his best to follow his own advice, his ears flat against his skull and his fur standing on end with nerves. [Just...keep moving...if they try to stop us...we'll...think of something. Oh God.]
Gabriel: [If we die here today then we will have died fighting.] He almost feels like going down on all fours as well; it feels almost natural to do so. He shakes the feeling off, trying to focus.
Jeff_Levitt: [Can...we not talk about dying, please?]
Gabriel: [Sorry, ah.] Fear threatens to crawl in again. [I'll try to keep the doom song to a minimum.]
Mister_Noun: There's no exit readily available, other then the one they just came in on. There might be something further down, but it's hard to say how the two might get there. Mister Glove finishes the telekinetic work of lifting the ruins of the catwalk, and the entire mess is hoisted into the air and effortlessly tossed aside. "Enough distractions now, ye-"
Mister_Noun: He pauses as he turns around, his eyes stopping to look at two men who DEFINITELY should not be there.
* Jeff_Levitt hisses instinctively, despite his best efforts. [ShitshitshitshitshitshitSHIT.] "Um..." he says out loud, intelligently. "L-look...we just want to go home, okay?" [Oh yeah, that'll work.]
* Gabriel narrows his eyes. [It's time.] He stands up, a mere, bare-chested human covered in cuts and bruises, armed with only a strange looking hand-knife. "You should tell us why we are here."
Mister_Noun: "You do not need to know anything beyond what your memories tell you." Mister Glove looks down at the two, with a hint of distaste. There is a low, clacking noise in the back of his throat as well. "And if you do not cease with interfering with the experiment, then..." He raises his hand, and then drops it as the rest of the Strangers turn around, or swoop down from the sky
Jeff_Levitt: "I'm not interfering with *anything!* I just want to *leave!*" [Oh God...Oh God there's so *many* of them...] He backs away slowly, breath quick and heart hammering, tail lashing in agitation. He's not panicking, not yet, but he's teetering on the edge.
Gabriel: "You've no right to pontificate about interfering, demons." He's almost eager to fight, leaning forward and ready, ready. So calm, the headache and the pains that had slowed him on his walk here were all but forgotten. Focused. /Let them come./
Mister_Noun: And they come. The Strangers from above skim along the ground and forward, knives out and ready for stabbing. Mister Glove stands, watching to see if the intruders meet their proper end.
Gabriel: [Jeff. We need to take out the one who was speaking. The tall one.] He slashes at a Stranger and it falls, only to be replaced by three more. The knife is sharp and it cuts deep. [I can get you there, if you can do this.] He's thinking of something large and violent, and what little is left of his teke. Pushing himself out of the rubble coupled with losing his meds has left him with letting the other one take over with his knife.
* Jeff_Levitt blinks at Gabriel owlishly, then nods. [I have an idea. Just get me down to him.] He darts forward on all fours, leaping up to the balcony railing. He pauses and turns back, only for a second. [And Gabriel, if this doesn't work...I love you.] And then he jumps, his fur retreating and turning to scales as he leaps. The now half-raptor lets out a scream as it aims for its prey.
Mister_Noun: The Strangers surrounding Mister Glove don't act quite quickly enough; their experience is with humans, rather then animals, so the speed comes as a surprise. So does the sudden change mid-leap, and Mister Glove barely has enough time to draw his own knife when there is suddenly an angry half-raptor slamming into him. The Stranger tries to slash with his knife as he falls backwards, not knowing if he is even hitting the creature or not.
* Gabriel reaches out with everything he has left to make sure Jeff lands without breaking himself into pieces, that he hits his mark. This also leaves him open to attack. He doesn't care. [I love you.]
* Jeff_Levitt doesn't care about the numbers anymore, or that they're probably going to die, or his old memories of insectile demons. His mind is too simple to care. All that matters now is that *prey* is in front of him and this *prey* is trying to fight back. The knife opens a cut across his chest, but he barely notices as he tries to tear the creature's throat out with his teeth.
Mister_Noun: Mister Glove gives a harsh, screeching noise as raptor!Jeff's teeth close around his throat, and the machine globe above mimics the noise. Then with a spitting noise, the globe *shatters* in the same instant that Mister Glove stops stabbing, and his eyes roll back in his head.
Mister_Noun: His entire body also rolls back as well from force of impact, and over the edge of the balcony. A blue glow outlines his body as he falls, possibly taking Jeff with him. But instead of hitting the bottom, there's something else waiting below; something dim, just barely pulsing, but still there. To a dimensional traveler, it should be quite clear what the thing is; a last ditch gateway, likely opened by Mister Glove by reflex, right before his neck was snapped.
Mister_Noun: The other Strangers aren't in a hurry to use that portal, or stop Gabriel. The death of their leader has left them crouched or fallen on the ground, gibbering.
* Jeff_Levitt isn't about to let go of its rightful kill, so it falls, with Mister Glove still clutched in its claws.
* Gabriel watches as the Strangers fall, stunned. His right arm and part of his chest is covered in black goo from his work, and he drops the knife. He leans against the railing, dizzy. "Jeff, it's time to go home. Jeff..." He's not as loud as he'd like.
Mister_Noun: Something has gone out with that machine core as well. If the Strangers were just barely holding back the collapse before, then now there isn't anything that keeps the city above from crumbling inward. Already, the ceiling is starting to collapse as a building falls right through the center of the cavern.
* Gabe][out scrambles over the balcony and follows Jeff out. Mun didn't realize he left.
Jeff[dinosaur]: *Through the bond, Gabriel can feel the pain of a hard landing, and the horrible taste of rotten meat. Disgust. Then...confusion.* [Home?]
Mister_Noun: There's a horrible grinding noise from behind them in the portal, as the last of the City's Southern structure gives out. A faint cloud of ground dust follows the two out, before the portal blinks out.
Mister_Noun: There's no resistance yet, but with all the twists and turns the tunnel makes, it leaves a lot of blind spots that make it hard to say if that peace will last for long.
* Gabriel still has the knife, that hated thing, but it's his only weapon. The headache he has right now doesn't make him very comfortable with pushing his abilities.
* Jeff_Levitt is tired, and limping. He only has a few shreds of clothing left, and he's barefoot. "Jesus," he mutters, "I hope this thing actually goes somewhere."
Mister_Noun: It goes down, at least, and fairly straight as well. It just twists and curves a lot...This place seems to have a fixation with things that go in spirals. But gradually, as the blue glow gets brighter, there's also a sound that seems to pick up with it. A chittering, insect like noise that steadily gets louder and louder with each step.
Gabriel: "If it doesn't, we... I don't know." Gabe's missing a shoe, and this makes for a fake limp. He lost his shirt somewhere along the line.
* Jeff_Levitt freezes, breath quickening, as the memories and fears of his false life trickle back to him [the devils they chitter like insects they're here they're--SHUT UP!]. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and looks more closely at the shadows. "Okay. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that's not a good sign."
Gabriel: "No, it's not." His grip tightens on the knife, as much as he hates the feel of it in his hand.
Mister_Noun: It's a sign that they're getting closer to SOMETHING, at least. And shockingly enough, their surroundings don't seem that intent on killing them for a change; the tunnels are stable, not shifting or caving in, and serve to help amplify that noise. It also might help them figure out that they're getting close to the center of...Whatever is making that noise.
Jeff_Levitt: "Be ready," he says, his nervousness growing. Not that he had to remind Gabriel, but saying these things aloud tends to help. He flexes his hands, resisting the urge to shift into another form. If something *did* come after them, he'd prefer his full abilities remain a surprise.
* Gabriel turns the knife in his hand, just enough that the light flashes over the edge. It's too comfortable, but he knows it might save his ass if he lets the other one take the reins, this last time.
Mister_Noun: Another few steps, and the tunnel suddenly yawns open into a large, cavernous room. Above, fixed in what looks like the roof is something that HAS to be the heart of the machines; a giant sphere slowly turning, but very roughly, starting and stopping as it rotates. If this is the heart of the City, then it's slowly dying. And the men and women in black underneath the machine aren't able to do much to stop it, even though all their focus seems to be on the device instead of the intruders.
* Jeff_Levitt stops short. "Ooooo...kaaaay," he says, reducing his voice to a whisper. "Let's...um...let's see if we can just...quietly go past them, okay?" He skirts the edge, looking for a way past the creatures that doesn't leave them exposed.
* Gabriel nods and follows, but in his mind he's preparing himself--he's died before. It's not so bad. ... no, they'll live. They /have/ to. He can't leave Savannah alone again, and now he has a family...
Mister_Noun: Chitter, chitter, chitter...For all their abilities at Tuning a city, these Strangers are extremely focused on their task, to the point of blindness. There's a long, winding path that snakes down into the room the Strangers are standing in; it's also disgustingly narrow, and seems to have been installed more as an after thought by a race that can levitate.
Jeff_Levitt: "Shit. One way down," he whispers. The remains of his shirt are plastered to his body with sweat, and the terrified yammering of the remains of Jeremiah does not help in the slightest. Down the walkway he goes, trying to control the trembling.
* Gabriel feels a calm descend upon him as he lets that /otherness/ slip in. It he hates it; it's cold and hard, alien. It wants to kill, and it drowns out the fear he was feeling from Jeff. "We'll be fine." His accent has faded.
Mister_Noun: The Strangers, as they chitter at the machine, provide a weird sort of rhythm to move by. That is until the sphere sputters again, and then STOPS moving. "Mister Glove!" One of the Strangers yells, not even bothering with mental speech. An especially tall man in black, at the front of the crowd, turns in response. His arms and hands are covered in black cloth, and his expression, for a Stranger, is clearly Not Pleased.
* Jeff_Levitt freezes a moment at the sound, but the creatures' attention seems to be on the odd sphere rather than the two of them. Slowly, he continues, stopping again if it looks like this "Mister Glove" might be looking in their direction.
* Gabriel stops moving as well. It's not as if they have anywhere to run, and they stand out painfully in the crowd, two men with tatters for clothing. Gabriel reaches out and finds Jeff's hand, gives it a squeeze. /Calm./
Mister_Noun: "...There is interference, yes?" Mister Glove says as his eyes sweep the crowd of Strangers. It is unthinkable that one of his own would hold back their efforts, and it feels more likely that there is an outside virus in their midst. His gaze sweeps slowly upward, looking...Moving before he looks very far up or launching an attack seem like the only options
Jeff_Levitt: *The hand is far more reassuring than the voice, and he gives it a squeeze back. Unfortunately that reassurance is very short lived as he sees the creature begin to scan the crowd. "Oh hell, we gotta move," he whispers. He has no idea what these things are capable of, and he'd prefer not to find out if possible. He begins to move along the catwalk, keeping his steps as quiet as he can. [Too damn exposed...]
Gabriel: [Lower yourself], he thinks, crouching and moving as fast and quietly as he can. [They move very quickly, and are merciless.] Jeff might catch a few quick memories of Grant and a Stranger doing the Bloodletting Tango.
Mister_Noun: Mister Glove's eyes are a fraction away from where the duo are on the catwalk...But then the machine decides that is had enough of being ignored. There is a low, mechanical groan from deep within the device, and then something falls down; chunks of masonry from above, it looks like.
Mister_Noun: There's a sharp, angry cry in response to that, like a radio signal that is set to high. And then the majority of the Strangers turn back to the machine, trying to coax it to move again, while a few more break off and start to float upwards, to better search. Mister Glover, however, simply remains where he is.
* Jeff_Levitt starts, realizing that he can *hear* Gabriel's thoughts. There's no time to wonder at it, however. This time he *does* shift, his features becoming more feline, and he drops to all fours before creeping forward on the catwalk.
* Gabriel smiles. It's not a nice smile, and it's certainly not one Jeff's Gabriel would wear. It might be possible to get out after all, and if not? They can dance. Yesss.
Mister_Noun: Even with the Strangers best efforts, it seems like they're only trying to hold back an avalanche; more bits of the ceiling are starting to crumble in, and bringing some of the world above with them. Southern half of the City is falling down. The debris don't interfere with the searchers, however, who float upwards. In fact, they float upwards so well,
Mister_Noun: that they manage to just miss the two moving DOWN. There isn't any interference when they reach the ground, other then the top part of the catwalk breaking free of the wall.
* Jeff_Levitt jumps as the balcony crashes to the ground next to them. "Jesus," he breathes. "That was close." Belatedly, he realizes that a *thundering crash* has most likely attracted the attention of just about everyone in the room. [SHIT! Gabriel, come on!] He grabs Gabriel by the arm and drags him to the nearest exit. And it's no accident that he used Gabriel's name. [Gabriel, please hang on, okay?]
* Gabriel allows himself to be dragged, moving as quickly as he can. [I'm right here.] It sounds like both and neither of them. [Just watch where you're going.] He wants to get off the balcony they're on as soon as possible. It's not looking at all promising.
Mister_Noun: Not with the Strangers that are also clustered around said balcony. And to make things more complicated, Mister Glove is very close by. However, his eyes are on the catwalk instead of the cat-Jeff and his friend. The ruins of the catwalk have managed to trap a Stranger or two, and so Mister Glove is also now focused with lifting those up.
Jeff_Levitt: [Okay. Right. Let's just move. Quick and quiet.] He does his best to follow his own advice, his ears flat against his skull and his fur standing on end with nerves. [Just...keep moving...if they try to stop us...we'll...think of something. Oh God.]
Gabriel: [If we die here today then we will have died fighting.] He almost feels like going down on all fours as well; it feels almost natural to do so. He shakes the feeling off, trying to focus.
Jeff_Levitt: [Can...we not talk about dying, please?]
Gabriel: [Sorry, ah.] Fear threatens to crawl in again. [I'll try to keep the doom song to a minimum.]
Mister_Noun: There's no exit readily available, other then the one they just came in on. There might be something further down, but it's hard to say how the two might get there. Mister Glove finishes the telekinetic work of lifting the ruins of the catwalk, and the entire mess is hoisted into the air and effortlessly tossed aside. "Enough distractions now, ye-"
Mister_Noun: He pauses as he turns around, his eyes stopping to look at two men who DEFINITELY should not be there.
* Jeff_Levitt hisses instinctively, despite his best efforts. [ShitshitshitshitshitshitSHIT.] "Um..." he says out loud, intelligently. "L-look...we just want to go home, okay?" [Oh yeah, that'll work.]
* Gabriel narrows his eyes. [It's time.] He stands up, a mere, bare-chested human covered in cuts and bruises, armed with only a strange looking hand-knife. "You should tell us why we are here."
Mister_Noun: "You do not need to know anything beyond what your memories tell you." Mister Glove looks down at the two, with a hint of distaste. There is a low, clacking noise in the back of his throat as well. "And if you do not cease with interfering with the experiment, then..." He raises his hand, and then drops it as the rest of the Strangers turn around, or swoop down from the sky
Jeff_Levitt: "I'm not interfering with *anything!* I just want to *leave!*" [Oh God...Oh God there's so *many* of them...] He backs away slowly, breath quick and heart hammering, tail lashing in agitation. He's not panicking, not yet, but he's teetering on the edge.
Gabriel: "You've no right to pontificate about interfering, demons." He's almost eager to fight, leaning forward and ready, ready. So calm, the headache and the pains that had slowed him on his walk here were all but forgotten. Focused. /Let them come./
Mister_Noun: And they come. The Strangers from above skim along the ground and forward, knives out and ready for stabbing. Mister Glove stands, watching to see if the intruders meet their proper end.
Gabriel: [Jeff. We need to take out the one who was speaking. The tall one.] He slashes at a Stranger and it falls, only to be replaced by three more. The knife is sharp and it cuts deep. [I can get you there, if you can do this.] He's thinking of something large and violent, and what little is left of his teke. Pushing himself out of the rubble coupled with losing his meds has left him with letting the other one take over with his knife.
* Jeff_Levitt blinks at Gabriel owlishly, then nods. [I have an idea. Just get me down to him.] He darts forward on all fours, leaping up to the balcony railing. He pauses and turns back, only for a second. [And Gabriel, if this doesn't work...I love you.] And then he jumps, his fur retreating and turning to scales as he leaps. The now half-raptor lets out a scream as it aims for its prey.
Mister_Noun: The Strangers surrounding Mister Glove don't act quite quickly enough; their experience is with humans, rather then animals, so the speed comes as a surprise. So does the sudden change mid-leap, and Mister Glove barely has enough time to draw his own knife when there is suddenly an angry half-raptor slamming into him. The Stranger tries to slash with his knife as he falls backwards, not knowing if he is even hitting the creature or not.
* Gabriel reaches out with everything he has left to make sure Jeff lands without breaking himself into pieces, that he hits his mark. This also leaves him open to attack. He doesn't care. [I love you.]
* Jeff_Levitt doesn't care about the numbers anymore, or that they're probably going to die, or his old memories of insectile demons. His mind is too simple to care. All that matters now is that *prey* is in front of him and this *prey* is trying to fight back. The knife opens a cut across his chest, but he barely notices as he tries to tear the creature's throat out with his teeth.
Mister_Noun: Mister Glove gives a harsh, screeching noise as raptor!Jeff's teeth close around his throat, and the machine globe above mimics the noise. Then with a spitting noise, the globe *shatters* in the same instant that Mister Glove stops stabbing, and his eyes roll back in his head.
Mister_Noun: His entire body also rolls back as well from force of impact, and over the edge of the balcony. A blue glow outlines his body as he falls, possibly taking Jeff with him. But instead of hitting the bottom, there's something else waiting below; something dim, just barely pulsing, but still there. To a dimensional traveler, it should be quite clear what the thing is; a last ditch gateway, likely opened by Mister Glove by reflex, right before his neck was snapped.
Mister_Noun: The other Strangers aren't in a hurry to use that portal, or stop Gabriel. The death of their leader has left them crouched or fallen on the ground, gibbering.
* Jeff_Levitt isn't about to let go of its rightful kill, so it falls, with Mister Glove still clutched in its claws.
* Gabriel watches as the Strangers fall, stunned. His right arm and part of his chest is covered in black goo from his work, and he drops the knife. He leans against the railing, dizzy. "Jeff, it's time to go home. Jeff..." He's not as loud as he'd like.
Mister_Noun: Something has gone out with that machine core as well. If the Strangers were just barely holding back the collapse before, then now there isn't anything that keeps the city above from crumbling inward. Already, the ceiling is starting to collapse as a building falls right through the center of the cavern.
* Gabe][out scrambles over the balcony and follows Jeff out. Mun didn't realize he left.
Jeff[dinosaur]: *Through the bond, Gabriel can feel the pain of a hard landing, and the horrible taste of rotten meat. Disgust. Then...confusion.* [Home?]
Mister_Noun: There's a horrible grinding noise from behind them in the portal, as the last of the City's Southern structure gives out. A faint cloud of ground dust follows the two out, before the portal blinks out.