wonder_city: (Default)
Wonder City Stories ([personal profile] wonder_city) wrote2011-09-29 08:45 am

Wonder City Stories II #66

L’appel du vide

"Now you," Sator said, glancing over his shoulder. "Megan Amazon, shatter yourself." I had to drop filters in place as Megan took a magical blast that went straight through her invulnerability, ran up every nerve ending, and back down, spasming all the muscles in her arms and legs. Meteor got an accidental punch to the nose from Megan, one that knocked her backward to sprawl on the floor.

On another "channel," I apologized quickly to the Wonderful House kids and dropped them out of the link entirely: Tom was in the ambulance with Brandon on the way to the hospital, Jeshri and Lizzie and Eartha were talking to the police and the Gold Stars.

Block her motor nerves, Watson said tightly. Do it now!

She was right, the spell wasn't stopping, and Megan was apparently strong enough to overcome her own invulnerability, judging from some of the pain I was reading. I stopped everything anomalous that was happening in her motor cortex and knocked her out. She dropped limply to the floor.

Meanwhile, Simon's shape swarmed up to human form (naked) and lunged for Brainchild. His hands couldn't touch her, but he managed to catch the glass fragment -- presumably magical -- that her spirit was standing on. There was a stab of pain as the razor edges of the glass sliced into his hands. Brainchild was stable for just a second, then her spirit turned and tried to grab onto the glass, as if she was being sucked into the funnel by some secret wind.

"Oh, let her fall, child," Sator laughed. "Let her fall and see my century-old plan come to fruition at last!"

Nereid hit him with a firehose blast... of blood. While he sputtered at the mouthful he'd got, she stared at her hands, and I could feel the hysteria welling up amidst her panic.

It's not permanent! the Equestrian snapped at her. It's just this place doing it to you. Do it again!

I can't help her! Simon exclaimed, gripping the glass that was slippery with his own blood and trying to pull it away from the machine without losing Brainchild. She's going to fall!

Meteor! Ira snapped. You're a spirit when you're not in that girl's body. Do something.

The Equestrian and Maelstrom were attacking Sator again to distract him. Nereid, to give the girl credit, pulled her shit together and added her geysers of blood.

Meteor hesitated. I'm not sure I can, she said. Can't Renata help her?

I can't reach her mind, I said. I've tried. And I'm not spiritually telekinetic anyway.

Meteor, you have to save her! Suzanne nigh-shouted. You're her only hope!

Feeling Meteor peel out of the body she was possessing was like nothing I'd ever felt: like someone burning their skin off, and then being totally without pain because there were no nerves any more. Her spirit leapt out of the woman -- G, Watson told me -- and threw herself across the mouth of the black abyss just as Brainchild slipped off the glass. Brainchild hit the "surface" that was Meteor and bounced off her onto the floor.

Meteor said to me, I only ever wanted to be a hero, before her grip slipped and she was sucked into the void, her mind sliding too far away for me to reach.

G staggered backward and fell over Megan. I apologetically seized control of her motor functions, got her ass up, and walked her out the door.

One less potential victim in that room. Go me.

---

Note from the Author:

Because I'm mean, here's a new challenge for Team Commentariat: 15 commenters get you a third new episode on Saturday!

And remember to vote for WCS!









kore: (Default)

[personal profile] kore 2011-09-29 02:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Meteor said to me, I only ever wanted to be a hero, before her grip slipped and she was sucked into the void, her mind sliding too far away for me to reach.

Well, HOLY SHIT
akycha: (Default)

[personal profile] akycha 2011-09-29 02:13 pm (UTC)(link)
God-DAMN-it and I DON'T COUNT.

I know Renata was doing the right and really only thing but I can't help feeling sorry for G.

"I'm free! I'm free!"

No you're not. Get your ass out of there.
kore: (Default)

[personal profile] kore 2011-09-29 02:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Meanwhile, Simon's shape swarmed up to human form (naked) and lunged for Brainchild

....OK, that was for the Simon fans. AND WE APPRECIATED IT.

(Anonymous) 2011-09-29 02:37 pm (UTC)(link)
I love how Renate "apologetically" seized control of G's motor functions. it's just such a cute way to describe doing something like that! :D
pheyne: Cat (Default)

[personal profile] pheyne 2011-09-29 02:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Ditto. Oh the tears!
kore: (Default)

[personal profile] kore 2011-09-29 02:43 pm (UTC)(link)
DAMMIT I DON'T WANT TO FEEL SORRY FOR METEOR //sniffle
pheyne: Cat (Default)

[personal profile] pheyne 2011-09-29 02:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I was going to play all cool about that but since you mentioned it...very nice! Thanks!
kore: (Default)

[personal profile] kore 2011-09-29 02:47 pm (UTC)(link)
We need T-shirts.
pheyne: Cat (Default)

[personal profile] pheyne 2011-09-29 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
I know. Damn writers!
heavenscalyx: (Default)

[personal profile] heavenscalyx 2011-09-29 03:08 pm (UTC)(link)
But what would the t-shirts say?
heavenscalyx: (Default)

[personal profile] heavenscalyx 2011-09-29 03:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Hey! I've moved up the world. I'm pretty sure none of my stuff ever made you sniffly back in the old days. :)
heavenscalyx: (Default)

[personal profile] heavenscalyx 2011-09-29 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
muahahahahaha
heavenscalyx: (Default)

[personal profile] heavenscalyx 2011-09-29 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
I know! :) I'm sure G will have Words for Renata later.
heavenscalyx: (Default)

[personal profile] heavenscalyx 2011-09-29 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Renata relies heavily on dark humor/cuteness to survive. :)
kore: (Default)

[personal profile] kore 2011-09-29 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
They would say SIMON IS HOTT, is what!
kore: (Default)

[personal profile] kore 2011-09-29 03:12 pm (UTC)(link)
At least she probably won't make us feel sorry for Sato....I THINK.
kellan_the_tabby: My face, reflected in a round mirror I'm holding up; the rest of the image is the side of my head, hair shorn short. (Default)

[personal profile] kellan_the_tabby 2011-09-29 03:19 pm (UTC)(link)
DAMMIT ME TOO NEITHER.

...oh well. I do anyway now.
pheyne: Cat (Default)

[personal profile] pheyne 2011-09-29 04:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Pic would say a lot of words. Very nice words
pheyne: Cat (Default)

[personal profile] pheyne 2011-09-30 10:10 am (UTC)(link)
In my defense, I was handicapped by adolescent writing taste buds :P
contrarywise: Glowing green trees along a road (Default)

[personal profile] contrarywise 2011-10-01 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
Argh, indeed! Poor Meteor, she went out as a hero at last, saving someone else. Now I wonder if Sator had her killed as well, but her soul escaped his grasp. Hmmm...

Oh man, I can't wait to see what happens next!
sbearbergman: a photo of my head and shoulders, dressed in a navy suit and bright blue shirt, face turned partly away (Default)

[personal profile] sbearbergman 2011-10-01 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
Yes indeedy, we did.
kore: (Default)

[personal profile] kore 2011-10-01 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
Ain't no fen like Simon fen!
kore: (Default)

[personal profile] kore 2011-10-01 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
Is Sator going to be able to use Meteor to power his continuum-busting thingum? //worries
contrarywise: Glowing green trees along a road (Default)

[personal profile] contrarywise 2011-10-01 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
Ooh, that would not be good.
kore: (Default)

[personal profile] kore 2011-10-01 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
I am rubbish at actually trying to figure plots out, but

"Oh, let her fall, child," Sator laughed. "Let her fall and see my century-old plan come to fruition at last!"....Brainchild hit the "surface" that was Meteor and bounced off her onto the floor.....her grip slipped and she was sucked into the void, her mind sliding too far away for me to reach.

So that SOUNDS like, Meteor could substitute for Brainchild in becoming the linchpin that powers the interdimensional engine? Except maybe the machine is busted enough now it won't work?....heh, heh.

GOD, HAVE WE GOTTEN ENOUGH COMMENTS YET, THIS IS GOING TO KILL ME

[identity profile] interleaper.livejournal.com 2011-10-01 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
I don't think Meteor can substitute for Brainchild. All the other sacrificed souls were dead paras just like her. Brainchild's soul is extra valuable and powerful, as The Equestrian pointed out (last time, I think?), because her body is still alive, which was probably the point of saving her for last.
kore: (Default)

[personal profile] kore 2011-10-01 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
Ohh! very good point. See, this is why I suck at the plot stuff.