The Forest

[dont_turn_around]

The woods are lovely spooky, dark and deep...

The mist has not lifted.

The trees are still.

There's not so much as a bird singing or a fox trundling through the undergrowth.

Even the paths seem to lie in waiting.


Deep in the forest is The Tree.


If you think you know where it is...you don't.

Comments

[a1enzo]

Enzo leaps clear of the falling branch, then hacks away some of the smaller sticks so he can try for another shot.

[ami_imperfect]

Dani turns intangible even as she flies out of the way; as it is, part of the branch ends up passing through her as she evades.

The moment she's clear, though, Dani's back to shooting off ecto-blasts.

[mnt_mike]

The kick to the groin doubles him over, but he moves with the gun which lessens its impact to his head.
Just stay down! Stay down and die
He's just grabbing for the gun when one of the blasts skims the skin of his back and he howls with rage.
Die and let us be rid of you once and for all!
He makes as to grapple Olivia for a throw towards the blasts.

[flip_the_lights]

Shit --

She meets the grapple, but not quickly enough; as Mike hurls her into the air, all Olivia can do is try to shift her weight and throw off his trajectory.

It works, but barely. A blast misses her by inches just before she hits the ground, and, breath knocked out of her, she can't do anything but cough, and cough, and keep coughing.

Somehow, she pulls up the words like someone dredging sludge from a lakebed. "Throw the -- canister -- " she wheezes.

[will_scarlett]

He grabs the canister before jumping over the fallen branches and tossing it deep into the heart of the tree.

[a1enzo]

As soon as Olivia is out of his line of fire, Enzo resumes firing his stun-rod at Mike.

[dont_turn_around]

The tree sweeps down, deflecting the shots.

It even seems to quiver in indignation.

[mnt_mike]

With Olivia out of the way Mike is in a better position to bob and weave his way through the various shots in his direction. But when the canister lands in the tree, smothering it in purple foam, he roars.

And then disappears into a sudden burst of smoke.

[dont_turn_around]

Purple-tinged flashes of lightning crackle over the Tree's trunk and branches, outlining it in eerie violet light as the foaming goo slowly spreads, almost as though it had a life of its own.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO---

A high-pitched rising shriek tears through the forest around them, assaulting their ears to the point of physical pain as branches lash the air with wild abandon.

when the bough breaks

A deep thrum rocks the ground under their feet, and the Tree's branches freeze in place as the crackling purple electricity winks out.





Silence descends.

[ami_imperfect]

Dani manages to get a couple more ecto-blasts off before hitting the ground, hands clamped firmly over her ears at the horrendous shrieking. She doesn't even have time to pull the Fenton-Phones out.

Once it passes, she uncovers her ears and lifts her head up.


"What...the hell was that?"

[mnt_mike]

Ninja smoke bombs are amazing things.
When used correctly they provide one with a nigh-on fool-proof on-demand and easy to conceal exit strategy for almost any situation.

Sadly, no matter how awesomely dramatic a smoke bomb is, it loses it's effectiveness if you leave blood trailing behind you as you flee for the high ground.

If anyone needs Mike he'll just be up in the purple goo covered tree wondering why he's in as much pain as he is.

[flip_the_lights]

Olivia lets out one last choking cough, her hands slipping away from her own ears. Carefully, she presses her palms flat against the dirt and levers herself up.

Nothing broken, nothing sprained, no contusions she can find. She's going to have a hell of a couple of bruises come tomorrow, but the worst seems to have passed.

All of the worst.

"I think it worked," she rasps. Dirt sticks to her hands as she rubs one of them across her face. Lifting her gaze to the tree, and lifting her voice in kind: "Mike?"

[will_scarlett]

The blast and noise knock Will from where he was standing near the tree against the fallen branches.

The throwing star in his arm gets pushed in a little farther and he tries to cover his ears from the sound. When it stops, he carefully gets up, sheathing his sword before looking to see the damage.

[a1enzo]

Enzo levers himself up from where he hit the deck. He gazes up into the now-quiescent tree.

"Mike?" he calls cautiously. "Are you sane?"

[dont_turn_around]

The connection to thelostone Michelangelo nevertobefound is severed.

[mnt_mike]

From somewhere among the branches of the tree comes a rasping breath, not unlike the sound of someone just rescued from drowning.

Much coughing follows.

[flip_the_lights]

Olivia gets her feet under herself and -- wincing a bit -- clambers to standing. Her first couple of steps are a little unsteady; gradually, though, she gains more traction as she approaches the tree.

As she breathes out, quietly letting go of the mental lever holding the gate open, the sickly-looking glimmer gives one last halfhearted jump. Then it's gone.

"Mike," she repeats, softer. "Are you okay?"

(...Aside from the bullet holes and the knee to the crotch, anyway.)

[will_scarlett]

The forest has changed, its strange and Will sits on a fallen branch and looks up at Mike.

Then considers the throwing star in his arm, he's going to have to get that out.

[ami_imperfect]

Dani glances up at the tree where Mike is, before walking over to Will.

"I think I can get that for you, if you don't mind," she offers, pointing to the throwing star.

[mnt_mike]

The coughing gets quiet, not because there is no need to cough, but because the one doing the coughing is unsure of where he is and is trying to keep quiet.

Mike foolishly shifts his weight, and the thick bough beneath him cracks in a rather unsettling way.

"...hello?"

[flip_the_lights]

"Hi." She manages a wan smile. "It's Olivia Dunham. Do you remember me?"

[will_scarlett]

That creaking isn't good,

"Ye need to get down from there 'fore thebough breaks. If ye can, lass, but it can wait till we're back. I've 'ad worse."

[a1enzo]

"Do you need any help down?"

[ami_imperfect]

"It won't take long, but it might feel a bit weird," she says, putting a hand on his arm.

[mnt_mike]

"maybe?" It's unclear whether he's answering Olivia or Enzo at this point.

"....am i in a tree?"