[log] Event: Howl [open]

[snowblindmods]

Characters: everyone
Location: The sort of location M.C. Escher wishes he'd thought up.
Date: nights 211 & 212
Summary: I hunt for you with bloody feet across the hallow'd ground
Warnings: potential for violence, death, and psychological horror; please note in subject lines if any specific warnings come up!

like some child possessed, the beast howls in my veins
I want to find you tear out all your tenderness

Comments

[bywolves]

[ Royce startles at the sound of the voice - he recognizes it immediately as Watson, and when he turns to look, all he sees is red. There's terror, for a second, and then something angry, something violent and almost protective that rises up in his throat. Nothing matters, suddenly, except for making sure the Prophet is safe. And to do that, he has to hurt the Prophet.

Royce is disoriented - he can't see what he's running into. But he does know that what's in front of him is close enough to touch, and Royce drags himself to his feet. ]

No. [ Royce says, voice soft. ] No, I can't let you run away again. It's for your own good.

[jumpthegun]

[Oh, fuck, it's Royce.

The assassin?! Mary seems panicked, as well. Get up!

No weapons. At least neither of them has a weapon. John rolls away from his fellow red light, from the Cultist, but doesn't get up, yet. He's listening for the sound Royce coming at him, ready to try to sweep his legs and kick Royce's out from under him.

John can't go back. He can't let the Cult have him.]

[bywolves]

[ For as much as Royce can't hear or see like he used to (or see at all, in this case), he's still pretty damn good at anticipating attacks. You have to be, to come from where he's coming. His reflexes are still sharp, and so when John sweeps his leg out, Royce hears it. He can't quite dodge it perfectly, but John makes him stumble to the side, away from the Prophet and into a wall instead.

But he catches himself quickly, and moves right back for John - footsteps quick and quiet but still audible as he runs. ]

[jumpthegun]

[Up! Don't let him catch you.]

Yes. Thank you!

[The words are snapped in irritation at Mary as John shoves himself to his feet and takes off at a sprint. Or... he sprints as far as he can before he starts to fall sideways and has to scrabble at the floor as it rapidly shifts gravity orientations to become the wall.

It's only a short fall, but it's into ankle-deep water. Lovely. He keeps going, just trying to keep ahead of Royce.]

[bywolves]

[ Hisss, water. Royce also falls sideways - but he's quick on his feet and quick back up, voice low and rough as he chases: ] Don't make this a pain.

[ He's so done with chasing already, it's always been his least favorite part of the job. He can't see, but he doesn't need to see to take off running straight at the closest red dot - he drops, slides just enough to try and sweep his leg out, guessing as to where John's feet will be so he can trip the doctor up, send him to the ground. ]

[jumpthegun]

You're a pain!

[It's not the most mature response, and Mary rolls her eyes as they run. Unfortunately, John has no ability to tell where he's going apart from 'not toward monsters or even more cultists. He hears Royce splashing, but he takes the noise for the man falling, not sliding.

The doctor goes down flailing. Part of that is instinct, part of it is an effort to find out where exactly Royce is.]

[bywolves]

[ Really, John? That's - well, okay. Royce would laugh if he wasn't under the horrible murder influence. They both hit the floor and Royce scrambles right back up again. John manages to smack at Royce while he's flailing, getting Royce in the shoulder, but Royce ignores it and does his very best to climb onto John and get his hands around John's neck.

It's not the most graceful thing, and Royce isn't a fan of killing people this way, but with no weapons... ]

[jumpthegun]

[While Royce climbs over him, John rolls fully onto his back, trying to position his legs how he wants them. When Royce starts strangling him, that's about the cue to try to grab the man's wrists and bring a knee upward. He'll take the stomach, but he's really aiming to put Royce out of commission by hitting his groin.

It's not an honorable way to fight, but Royce is an assassin. No honor among them, or something like that.]

[bywolves]

[ God, those junk shots just keep coming his way in snowhell.

Royce is careful, if only because he knows that people cornered don't always fight fair. Royce has the upper hand, but that means nothing in a scrap like this. John grabs his hands and knees upward, and Royce only just manages to pull back enough to get a knee sharply in the gut. It knocks the wind out of him, and he grunts and falls back, hitting the water, if John lets go. ]

[jumpthegun]

Jesus Christ, fuck off!

[He does let go, gasping and kicking hard in the direction of the splash. It would be nice if that connects, but John isn't going to stick around and try more than once before rolling over and scrambling to his feet. The doctor sprints away, not looking back for Royce's red light.

The next fall isn't even one that Royce is responsible for. John hits the bottom of a staircase and slams down onto it. The fall rapidly turns into dragging, crawling, running up the staircase.]

[bywolves]

[ Wow, rude. Royce has to take a second to catch his breath here, coughing even as he pulls himself up. ]

Mar's sake. [ Royce spits out, racing after John. He can hear him splashing, and then he hears the fall, and that's Royce's opportunity, right there. He hits the bottom of the staircase and carefully makes his way up at a steady pace until he can reach out to grab John's foot. And he does, taking hold and yanking back, trying to get him to stop crawling away. ]

[jumpthegun]

[John's still mostly crawling, so it's more an issue of losing progress than being tripped up, at least. He sneers and kicks back with his free leg hard, aiming to strike Royce in the face or chin. Really, he'll settle for anything, though. He just needs to get Royce off.

If he went tumbling a short way down the stairs, that wouldn't be bad, though.]

[bywolves]

[ Yep, that shoe goes directly into Royce's face. If he could see he'd be so much better at this, but he can't. So he can't dodge - he just gets a boot to the head. It's not quite enough to knock him out, but he sure does tumble down the stairs, like John wanted. He'll just... lay there and recover for a bit. It's fine. Be free, John Watson. ]

[jumpthegun]

[And stay down, Royce. John scrambles away only feeling a little bad. If he didn't have the fear of the Prophet coursing through him, he might go down and try to make sure Royce isn't actually dead after that. As it is, the doctor just scrambles away. He might apologize later. Maybe.]