BLOOD FOR BLOOD FALCON [video]

[bloodvile]

[Lo! Somewhere in the library is some student of Smash Academy at the public computers, making a post to the network and probably asking about homecoming dance or something. Somewhere in the library off screen there is a barking voice, obviously annoyed and sounds suspiciously like Captain Falcon.]

Keep it down with your stupid video diary, I'm trying to think!

[S-Sorry, coach! The kid says, then goes on to timidly explain that it's not a video diary, but a post to the school's network! The kid looks back at the recording video apologetically while "coach" can be heard muttering off-screen.]

Network? For the school? So everyone can see what you're doing right now?

[...Yeah? This appears to have sealed the nameless student's fate, and suddenly there is the torso of a man in bright red spandex with ridiculous thighs behind him. The kid is grabbed by the scruff of his shirt collar and violently thrown clear across the room into a bookshelf. The shelf teeters backwards then falls into the next shelf behind it, and then the one behind it, and it's a magnificent domino effect to which does not seem to concern him. If anything he seems proud of the fact there are now books are everywhere and the kid probably has a word concussion. Red spandex coach-sound-alike sits down in front of the computer. He is also a coach-look-alike! Only EVIL LOOKING. It's probably skull on his helmet and the spikes on his shoulder pauldron. Or maybe Falcon is going through some midlife crisis and felt like a wardrobe change and got lost in a Hot Topic. Or it's some crazy clone.]

Hi. [Either way, this coach also has fangs, which are easily seen the moment he starts speaking.]

I know you're here. I saw the your shitmobile in the parking lot. Or, you know, was in the parking lot. [He grins. It's an awful fang-filled kind of grin. WHAT DID HE DO... HE DID SOMETHING BAD.] And the big floating hand said so. I'm going to find you eventually, so why don't you make this easy and come out of hiding. I'm not going anywhere until then!

Comments

[bloodvile]

[She was still talking and he was still moving so clearly they were not broken enough. Suddenly there was a boot crushing on top of Vianca's body--whatever part of her that was on top of Wheatley's tiny little torso. That was going to be the anchor of decimation, as Blood proceeded to put all his weight on that spot.]

Not yet.

[He grabbed one of Wheatley's robot legs and pulled and pulled, until something had to give.]

[testgasm]

Agh! No, no, nono--

[Though Wheatley certainly didn't feel it to the degree that humans did, he was still programmed to feel pain, and since his chassis was an Aperture product designed to interface with his main core, that apparently included the pain of being dismembered.

He did not usually have limbs for crazy psychopaths to rip off, but he had, at one time, experienced being crushed, and he remembered enough about it to know that it was entirely unpleasant and not something he wanted to happen to Vianca. He can feel the sharp pressure on his chest and know that it must be even worse to be in direct contact with his boot.]

Stop, stop, stop stop stop--

[He tries to keep his arms around Vianca, to push the boot away and make some kind of protective metal cage over her, even as this crazy guy was tearing his leg off, wires popping and snapping one by one.]

[vianca]

[This time Vianca did not utter a peep. If she were a stronger, cooler person, it would have been so this horrible influence of a man could not get the continued satisfaction of hearing a little girl break. But she wasn't very strong at all, but speaking up had landed them in this mess. Making noise had made things worse. Wheatley was getting ripped apart because of her. She was crying and blood dripped down her chin, but she wasn't going to make a sound.

Getting crushed was not great. In fact, she was rapidly becoming convinced that this was how she was going to die. To think she had been worried about old age or old wounds. It was her voice that did it.

And a really awful boot.

Go away go away go away I'm sorry I'm sorry]

[bloodvile]

[Blood didn't stop. He continued to pull on Wheatley's leg until every wire and artificial tendon snapped and it came off with a crunch. Metal bits went flying like confetti and Blood laughed like he just won a great prize: a beatin' stick.

He didn't waste any time with it, and the lashes began. They were violent and relentless--full swings starting from over his head and striking down on her back and whatever part of Wheatley he could hit. Getting beat with his own foot. He thought that was great.

The robot thing was making a whole lot of noise and the girl was not. Blood intended to silence both of them.]

[testgasm]

[Things Wheatley did not expect to happen today: this.

The good thing, he supposed, is that it didn't hurt once the limb was off. In fact, if not for the steady drip of hydraulic fluid, the occasional spark from a severed wire, and the fact that he was currently being bludgeoned with it, it was like the leg had never been there at all.

It was the whole "being bludgeoned" thing that hurt. Wheatley struggled under the boot to put himself on top of Vianca, knowing that his chassis could take the hits. That didn't make it any less painful, of course.]

Look, just--just--AGH--tell me what you want, I'll...anything, just don't--

[bloodvile]

[WHACK. WHACK. WHACK.

Blood continued his robot leg onslaught for a few more solid good whacks, not particularly caring the robot thing apparently wanted to play meat shield. Or metal shield. Or whatever. It was still satisfying to beat.

But he reached a point where begging and groveling was to be had, and that too was very satisfying.]

What I want? I want to know where Captain Falcon is so I can I kill him.

[WHACK.]

Or I'll kill you two instead!

[It wasn't a complete promise, but a glimmer of hope if nothing else.]

[testgasm]

He's--

[It seems like a very peculiar thing to want, but if one thing comes naturally to Wheatley, it's throwing other people under the bus. In a life-or-death situation, he doesn't even think twice, especially when it's someone he barely even knows. Better Captain Falcon than either of them.]

--the autoshop, he practically--practically lives in the autoshop.

[bloodvile]

Oh yeah?

[He raised for another strike, just to feel extra intimidating, but the duo was spared of it.

OF COURSE. THE AUTOSHOP. THAT MADE SENSE.]

See? That wasn't so hard!

[Blood, feeling extremely generous with this new information as he believes it to be sound, spares them a final lash but does make a point to drop the improvised beatin' stick on top of them. Enjoy that.]

If you know what's good for you, you won't miss him when he's gone.

[He laughs a most evil laugh, which slowly recedes as he leaves to go find the autoshop. He's not going to ask for directions because that would be smart and not manly and will consequently probably buy our fair librarians enough time to escape before he comes back empty handed.]

[testgasm]

[Upon realizing that this crazy weirdo is leaving and they're not going to die today, he "breathes" a sigh of relief, slumping backward and dropping his arms to his sides, casting a forlorn glance at his severed limb.]

It's okay, Vianca, he's--he's gone. It's okay now, it's fine.

[Despite not really knowing much about human injury or humans in general, Wheatley is fairly certain that Vianca needs to go to Dr. Mario the nurse. He's also fairly certain that she won't be able to get herself there. It will all be up to him and his one leg.

He has to think about this for a minute. Luckily, his inherent robot-ness means that unless there's some kind of internal problem, pain stops once the outside stimulus stops. So he's mostly fine, just missing a leg, which unfortunately isn't very conducive to bringing anyone anywhere.

Wheatley half expects injuries to carry over when he drags up the humanization program, but one poof later and he seems intact (albeit kind of naked), the now-headless chassis still sparking and leaking from where it was torn off.]

Come on, up you go. Let's get you out of here.

[He doesn't exactly have a lot of practice carrying things that aren't books, but Vianca is incredibly light and it's easy for him to bring himself to his feet, hoisting her on the way, one (warm, human) arm supporting her and the other across her back, leaning her against his shoulder.]

I've got you.

[vianca]

[She didn't realize what was happening at first. It took her a few moments to register that she was waking up after slipping out of consciousness momentarily. Waking up probably meant she hadn't died after all. Having all the pain rush back in confirmed a lack of death.

Her head felt like it was being split into two. Her everything hurt. There was a metallic rush in her mouth and she was being carried by someone warm and soft.

The voice was unmistakable, but he hated being a person...]

... Wheatley?

[testgasm]

Uh, yeah.

[He laughs a little halfheartedly, checking the hall outside the library for any signs of crazy psycho dude before stepping out. From there, it's out onto the quad. Naked. Carrying a small girl-child.]

Sorry, I just--I didn't think I'd get us very far with one leg.

[awakeningwill]

[The video on the network didn't make its way to the school's security guard until it was just a bit too late. It was a pretty big campus, and he didn't have the means to teleport in order to respond to threats - Zero could only dash towards the library as fast as he could, and hope he wasn't too late.

From the looks of it, however, perhaps he was. There was a girl (was that blood on her face?) being carried limply in the arms of a speckled, unclothed human(??) leaving the scene. What on earth had happened in there?

It was impossible to tell if the irregular was still inside the library, but if there were wounded, then Zero's priority was to make sure they were safe. Maybe they could give him a better idea of the threat at hand. He ran up to them.]

What happened?

[vianca]

[A half-ton of guilt had dropped into Vianca's gut, but before she had a chance to start voicing all of her apologies, someone new had arrived. Vianca carefully looked over at him, completely unawares of how awkward they looked at the moment.]

...There was a man overturning shelves...

[At this point she realized her own recollections had become alarmingly hazy and she frowned slightly, trying to parse more of it together.]

He broke my friend...

i am late and garbage

[testgasm]

Lunatic in red spandex, is what happened.

[Wheatley sort of scoffs back in the direction of the library.]

I'm not--I'm not broken, though, he only just got my leg, Vianca's the one who needs to get to the nurse.

YOU WERE ON VACATION

[awakeningwill]

[Zero looked Vianca over, and while he wasn't the best at judging a human's status, she seemed roughed up beyond a school nurse's skills. The uncertainty in her eyes might've signaled a concussion, and the extreme paleness was likely internal bleeding, on top of all the bruises. Not something that oversized pills could fix.]

The current first aid facilities aren't going to cut it. She needs to get directly to a hospital. I'm going to call an ambulance.

[He began patching an emergency call through his helmet as he moved his gaze over to... all of Wheatley. Whose leg looked like it was in perfect working condition, no problems holding his weigh or anything.]

...Your leg looks fine.

[testgasm]

Right, uh, you might have to--might have to do that. Calling the ambulance.

[He hefts Vianca in his arms a bit to emphasize that he has no pants, no pockets, and therefore no phone.]

I meant, my, uh. The leg on my chassis. It's back in the library, he tore it off.

[awakeningwill]

[Give him a second, he's on the line with an emergency operator.]

I need an ambulance at Smash Academy immediately. A student's been assaulted... possible concussion, broken bones, internal bleeding.

...No. Yes, she is. ...Acknowledged.

[His hand left the receiver in his temple, signaling the call had ended. Attention back at Wheatley, Zero gestured in the direction of the school entrance.]

They'll be at the front gate. I can take her if she's too heavy for you.

...Didn't think a human needed something like a chassis.

[testgasm]

I've got her, she doesn't--doesn't weigh much.

[He glances down at Vianca, eyebrows pinching together. Human mortality has never been something he'd concerned himself with, but the sight of her in his human arms does something to the pit of his stomach. He doesn't quite know what it is.

Well, the ambulance is taken care of, at least. It lets him concentrate on other things, like the fact that this guy doesn't know a robot in a human body when he sees one.]

Oh, I'm not--I'm not human, I just sort of needed functional legs. At this moment.

[vianca]

[She was distressed that she couldn't recall things more clearly since they had just happened. She had tried to say that she was fine, that things would be okay. Don't call the ambluance, she just needed to lay down. Zero hadn't listened though. (That's what she thought, but she really hadn't said anything at all.)

Everything was awful and she felt far heavier than Wheatley said she did. She rolled her head against him, seemingly unaware that she had started to cry a bit, though the only sounds she made were tiny, wheezy gasps.]

[awakeningwill]

[Even if she had said anything, Zero wouldn't have listened anyway.

The reploid acknowledged Wheatley with wordless nod. He wasn't going to push the guy's comfort any further if he wanted to hold onto her. From the looks of it... well, she needed it. Probably moreso than the cold, metal arms that Zero could've provided.]

...Then I'll accompany you to the school gates.

[Just to be safe.

After a small pause, Zero realized he'd spent more time questioning what this freckled person was, rather than who.]

What's your name?

[testgasm]

[There wasn't much to do besides walk towards the gates of the school, hopefully to expedite the process of getting Vianca into the ambulance and to the hospital.]

I'm, ah. It's Wheatley.

[awakeningwill]

Wheatley.

[There was a pause after he repeated the name, as though letting it sink into his memory.]

...You did well.