I12DT - Progress Goes Boom

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 4:59 pm

A large caterpillar slowly materialized in front of Sam. It was coiled into a physically impossible (or at the very least uncomfortable) arrangement and puffing gently on a hookah. The smoke itself carried a scent with it. The caterpillar eyed Sam, "I did not invite guests. I do not believe she invited guests either."

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:09 pm

"Was that you trying to misdirect me as I made my way in?"

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:17 pm

"Perhaps," he said, blowing smoke at her. "Perhaps not." There was something off about the thing's responses to Sam.

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:20 pm

"Someone was resisting me, rather obviously and clumsily. It wasn't her, though."

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:26 pm

"Sounds like a lot of work," he said, peering down at her. She could see some blurring around the edges, almost as if this was a fraying construct.

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:28 pm

"I see your maker was fond of Carroll. You should be careful. You are what you pretend to be here. A caterpillar against a raven isn't very favorable."

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:39 pm

"Purpose is purpose," he said after another considered puff. "So what... exactly... is your problem?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:54 pm

"Something is holding her back. She's not consciously aware of it."

"If you are, I suggest you speak up. Otherwise I might be tempted to grab a stray thread from you and pull."

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:58 pm

"Purpose is purpose," he repeated, almost as if admitting to what she was asking.

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:04 pm

"Then I am afraid I'm going to have to take you apart."

"By the look of you, that may be a mercy. I can certainly make it as painless as possible if you were, say, to name your creator.""

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:10 pm

"You presume I know..." Another puff of smoke and Sam could pick up a scent again, a sweet and tangy scent that she wasn't familiar with.

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:12 pm

"I give you an opportunity. You may not realize it, but you're already dying."

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:19 pm

"When one does not get sustenance, that is what one does."

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:23 pm

"Are you aware of how long you've been in here?"

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:26 pm

"As myself? It could perhaps be measured in days."

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:56 pm

"Many things can be, but that's a dodge."

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:34 pm

"I'm not exactly built for dodging."

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:37 pm

"Less than a week, shall we say?"

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:55 pm

"If we must say, then yes," he gave a dismissive wave of several hands, scattering more smoke.

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:08 pm

"I'd just as soon you stop that," she said, starting to swirl the flock around to try to suck in the smoke and concentrate it around the caterpillar.

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:11 pm

"Purpose is purpose," he said with another wave of his hands. The flock would pick up a dazed and almost suggestible feeling from the smoke, though with a telepath as powerful as Sam, that feeling didn't take hold for very long.

by **Samantha McManus** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:14 pm

"You are what you are, until you aren't," she further concentrated the cloud as she whipped the flock faster around the creature, trying to force it upon him.

by **Natalya Romanov** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:23 pm

The construct obviously wasn't meant to handle this much and began starting to unravel at an increasing rate. "Nothing is what it is, because everything is what it isn't..."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:12 pm

"Pity you weren't more cooperative, though I suppose that isn't up to you..."

She let the creature dissolve. It didn't seem to have much volition on its own in her mind, more an enabler of other things...

by **Natalya Romanov** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:16 pm

The smoke dissipated with the construct. Once unraveled, the construct seemed to be about reinforcing (or enforcing in some cases) some subconscious suggestions, though she'd have to sort through the mess to find what exactly those were.

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:21 pm

Figuring the smoke the thing trailed was the surest sign of where it had been, she sent the flock out to look for signs of it.

by **Natalya Romanov** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:25 pm

Following the smoke led her to a small crystal that appeared, from a distance, to be vibrating. As she got closer, the vibrating resolved itself into a hum and then finally into a feminine voice. The voice was soft and low and seemed to repeat a few specific phrases.

"Your powers are rebelling on you."

"You will forget that you ever met me."

"You will speak of your failings to no one."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:33 pm

Coalescing the flock back into her avatar, she regarded the crystal.

"Your servant is undone. Have you anything to say before I unmake you?"

by **Natalya Romanov** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:34 pm

"Your powers are rebelling on you."

"You will forget that you ever met me."

"You will speak of your failings to no one."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:42 pm

"Even less complex than he was. Well then, that makes this simple."

She took a few moments to get a feel for the technique that created this, hoping that she would recognize it if she saw it again.

As she did this, she coalesced a large silver warhammer into her avatar's hand.

by **Natalya Romanov** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:45 pm

The technique was reminiscent of hypnosis methods that she was familiar with, but there was a... well... funk for lack of a better word surrounding it. Almost as if there might be some sort of mind-altering chemical involved.

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:49 pm

"Perhaps not a telepath at all..." She frowned, and brought the hammer crashing down on the crystal.

by **Natalya Romanov** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:52 pm

The crystal shattered, the shards dissolving as they flew away, vanishing into a similar smoke to what the caterpillar had been spreading.

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 1:16 pm

She sent the flock out again, mindful of whether there were any more like this.

by **Natalya Romanov** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 1:19 pm

She didn't find any more crystals, though she saw a good bit of instability that had been caused by its presence. Natalya's will had been severly shaken by the interference.

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 1:22 pm

Frowning, she withdrew from Natalya's mind again.

by **Natalya Romanov** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 1:25 pm

Natalya opened her eyes slowly, "Find anything worth knowing?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 1:56 pm

"You've been manipulated. Seemed like it might have not actually been a telepath. Possibly mind-altering drugs were involved. I removed the suggestions, but you may want to talk to Stan about the physical components."

by **Natalya Romanov** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 2:00 pm

Natalya sighed, "Wonderful. Just what I needed."

by **Samantha McManus** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 2:22 pm

"It was a repeating suggestion. It was saying that your powers are rebelling against you, that you should forget ever meeting someone, and that you weren't to speak of your failings to anyone."

"A woman's voice, if that's relevant."

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