[commentlog]

[dormant_beast]

[Its the 16th deck that finally sends Anna over the edge - she’s there running from things, her life, her issues - it’s a deck that takes her concentration, that makes her think and count seconds in order to move in time and avoid falling. It prevents her from thinking too much.

That is, until she starts curiously opening the doors. The first few

Comments

[oathbreaker]

[Riku's on his way back to his room for a shower; he's been up in the gym working out and practicing his forms some more with his wooden sword. The sword was stashed where he's been keeping it in the forest, near the supplies he's been gathering for the treehouse he's planning to make, and Riku's clattering down the stairs without much regard for who might be around.

When he catches a flicker of movement, though, he pauses.

There's a moment of indecision as he debates whether to investigate or not, but it doesn't last long. Riku jumps the last few steps to the deck proper, slinking to peer around the corner where he saw the movement disappear.]

[dormant_beast]

[The noise is sharp in her ears, and it's annoying. Clearly agitated and angry, the tiger whirls around, snarling loud enough to echo off the walls. There's power coursing through her, the buff she'd gained when opening the last door had boosted her strength, stamina, and agility (as if a tiger needs any of that).

Heading towards the noise and rounding that corner, she snarls, jumping at whoever might be standing there.]

[oathbreaker]

[Riku freezes slightly when he hears the first snarl--what in the -worlds- is that? It can't be what he thinks it is... He creeps a little more slowly after that, but is still not entirely prepared when a -tiger- bounds around the corner and leapsathimwhatholycrap!

Riku shouts, his reflexes the only thing keeping him from being instantly mauled by the gigantic cat. Riku throws his arms out to block, claws ripping into one forearm as he throws himself back. He reaches out as he goes down, pushing into the tiger's chest as he brings both legs into his chest, driving both heels upwards into her stomach in an effort to push her onwards past him.

If he gets trapped under the tiger, he knows he's already signed his own death warrant. And, well, maybe he's strange, but he doesn't quite feel like dying today.]

[dormant_beast]

[Her momentum propels her forward, and, coupled with his shove, shes pushed away and slams into the opposite wall.

Now shes angry.

Whirling, she crouchs down and snarls at him again, claws digging into the carpet, ready to leap at him again.]

of course all of this tl;dr probably boiled down to just "...BEES" in his head :|

[oathbreaker]

[Riku's already on his way up as soon as the weight of the tiger is off of him, rolling all the way backwards to his knees and springing back to his feet, whipping around to keep his eyes on the beast. One hand goes to his forearm, clamping over the cuts there in an effort to make the burning sensation stop, and he drops his center of gravity even farther, prepared to move at the slightest motion from the tiger.

He won't win a battle with a tiger--at least, he won't without a weapon. Riku knows he can't summon Soul Eater here, but he still makes the motion to summon it to him, mouth twisting in determination when it doesn't appear there. He has to run if anything, has to get out of there... but what way is there to escape that won't take the tiger right into the path of even more people?

The bees.

It's a distraction, at the very least.

He waits. He won't turn tail and run. That would be just -inviting- the tiger to jump him from behind. He needs to choose his moment carefully.

Carefully.]

|D |D BEEEES

[dormant_beast]

[The tiger can smell blood - and if its hers or his, she's not sure. She's got her own wounds and issues due to her encounter with Simba (and the fact he got away was enraging as well - it just amps all of the adrenaline she has running through her veins to a new level), and while she isn't weakened because of the buff, she's losing a decent amount of blood.

She takes this moment to pant a little, gather her breath and study her target. He's not running, not moving - just seems to be...waiting. Waiting to die, maybe? The beast within is fine with that, though Anna is screaming and warring with herself to stop this, run away and hide - but there's no control there. She can't win this fight, and her own consciousness slips away again into nothingness.

She lunges at him again, jaws snapping.]

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

[oathbreaker]

[-That's- what he's been waiting for. Riku's on pure adrenaline; the instant the tiger moves he's diving to the side, rolling up to his feet and taking off thundering down the hall as fast as he can run.

However, almost immediately he realizes he's miscalculated. The ponybees are at the complete opposite end of the deck from where he is currently, and although he's fast, the tiger's faster. She'll overtake him in seconds--his head start isn't nearly enough to get him to the bees.

Time to figure out some sort of plan B...!]

[dormant_beast]

[The tiger misses her target, and she's a snarling ball of rage that's chasing after him. He's slower than she is - and the tiger plans on using that to her advantage. Bounding after him, the animals lets her muscles take over and propel her forward, teeth snapping even as she makes a flying leap to try and pounce him.]

[oathbreaker]

[Guess who's going down? Riku can -feel- the tiger at his feet and then he feels it literally as well as she pounces him. He twist as he falls; he has no idea what he's trying to do, where he can take the attack that won't put him out of commission, no idea of anything except for movemovemovemoveMOVE!

But he's trapped under the tiger's bulk, no time to get his legs up under him this time. Riku can't help himself and he shouts in actual -fear-, the first time he's actually been -scared- since he's even left the islands, let alone come to the boat.

Gods help him.]

[dormant_beast]

[She's over him now, a paw pressed to his chest to hold him down while the other digs claws into the carpet by his head. She can smell his fear, and she snarls with pleasure as her claws dig into his chest and rake down the front, face leaning in to let out a loud roar next to his ear.]

[oathbreaker]

[Hi, Anna. See Riku's icon? That is his -face- right now. His body jerks as her claws rip through skin and tissue, his back arching, and he cries out in pain. He's trying to force himself to be calm, but when the tiger -roars- he freezes in place momentarily

[dormant_beast]

[While he's busy creating, the real tiger is paying no actual attention. Her focus is more on her claws, on dragging them across his skin and maybe sinking her teeth into the arm that isn't conjuring.

Her attention is jerked back when theres hands on her head, shoving her gaze upwards, where her eyes land on his shadow creations. Her focus immediately shifts, she now needs to protect her prey for herself, and fight off these intruders. He's released as she goes to do this, moving her weight off him as shes distracted.]

[oathbreaker]

[Riku -hurts-. He's in more pain right now than he's possibly ever been, every part of him feels like it's on -fire- as he rolls away from the tiger's retreating form, biting his tongue to keep from crying out. The anti-tigers is approaching Anna, but then abruptly turns around, headed in the other direction. They have no drive, nothing to make them do anything other than wander about, but they'll last a few attacks before dissipating into nothingness.

He knows she's distracted, but he doesn't have much time. Riku drags himself up, holding back any sounds, and creeps as quickly as he dares into the alcove housing the elevators and the stairs. He hits the button for the elevator, listening carefully for the tiger--he doesn't want to lure her to another floor, but should she return his way he'll make for the stairs.

But luck is on his side, and almost immediately one of the elevators signals its arrival. Riku throws himself into it, hitting the "door close" button as fast as he can.]

[dormant_beast]

[She's batting at the other shadow tigers, snarling and lashing out, but eventually she figures out that they aren't real. Somehow these phantom beings have pulled her from her prey and she whirls, smashing down at the hall and towards the retreating form. She slams into the metal doors when the elevator closes, but she's too late.]

[oathbreaker]

[Safe.

He's safe. Riku reaches out, but his vision is blurring and although he doesn't realize it, he's hit the button for the wrong deck. He's half-laying against the wall, using the rails to keep himself upright, and when the elevator slides open, he finds he can barely keep himself upright. He's determined to make it to his room, he can't let himself be found like this, what would she say... he stumbles out of the elevator, staggers down the hall--

And collapses, a stifled grunt the only sound he makes. His wounds are too severe, his blood is staining through, and he hasn't the strength to pull himself any farther. His vision's gone dark, it would be so much easier to sleep...

And so he does. Riku passes out.]