round 4 day 4, afternoon

[bitofafiction]

Characters: Theta Buckley and Sherry Holmes
Format: prose
This log is: closed
Location: let's start with the gym
Summary: Sherry and Theta investigate the unknowns of her new Ability ring.
Warnings: none at time of posting ...kind of kinky flirting? Also identity issues. And then REALLY kinky flirting.

Originally they were headed to the library, but Sherlock agrees that the gym makes a much more logical destination given the circumstances.

He follows Theta there, hands tucked in his pockets, thinking.

Comments

[ergaleomancer]

Theta limps along after him, then stops and waits for him, not sure what he wants to do. "So you're just going to pull them out and practice, I suppose?"

[bitofafiction]

"If you don't mind, yes."

[ergaleomancer]

She leans forward slightly, tipping her head back so he's got a clear view to reach for her chest. It's almost lewd, except it isn't, and so Theta starts chuckling. "Or do you want me to kiss your hand before we begin~?"

[bitofafiction]

"On consideration, no," he says dryly, pulling on his glove and laying his hand over her collarbone.

He comes away with a handful of brass and immediately notices a difference. The memories of that long-ago dream are vague and distant by now; he has only the dimmest recollection of what a +10 Agility bonus feels like.

+20 is better.

It's like living on fast forward, like the whole world has slowed down and he is the only one still moving at normal speed, like he could outrun a motor vehicle. He probably could on a short enough sprint; more weight means more inertia means more difficulty getting up to speed from a standing start.

Now, about that Form Change business. He opens his hands and studies the pile of gleaming spheres. There is no clear indication of how, exactly, one is meant to make them change.

[ergaleomancer]

Once he isn't holding tightly to them any more, the balls take over from there. A small hole in the balls, easily overlooked, or was it just not there before...wherever it came from, it's growing bigger. Soon, the brass (though it moves like rubber) is turning inside out on itself, revealing clockwork parts, bodies, legs, antennae, and razor-tipped wings. In reality, it must be happening disturbingly fast, but Sherlock gets to see every little detail about how they fit together, finishing their transformation into a hoard of flying cockroaches. A moment later, they all jump into the air, content to hover and fly around him, their wings creating far more wind than they should for their size.

[bitofafiction]

He remembers the holes, of course; it's quite easy to spot the single feature on a thing that is otherwise featureless, even when it is no larger than a pinprick.

Sherlock observes his new flying companions for a moment, then reaches up and picks one out of the air.

"Fascinating," he murmurs, examining it.

Theta should have had time to notice by now; he glances at her to see her reaction.

[ergaleomancer]

Theta's memories of Roachi are locked away, or else she might show more recognition and perhaps even a touch of homesickness. As it is, she just looks moderately interested, limping forward to get a closer look.

The roach looks very well crafted, almost decorative if it weren't for the razor-bladed wings. Sherlock will have to be very careful not to cut himself.

[bitofafiction]

Sherlock smiles at her.

"I think we have discovered your weapon's secret."

[ergaleomancer]

Oh, now this was rich. This was rich. "How do you plan on fighting with them? It's all very impressive, but..."

The roach in his hand wriggles free and takes back to the air, seemingly with a mind of its own.

[bitofafiction]

"Well."

He flicks his fingers experimentally; the roaches scatter, fleeing toward the walls of the gym. When he beckons, they return to circle him again.

"They seem very cooperative," he notes.

[ergaleomancer]

She applauds by clapping her free arm against her opposite forearm, her other hand busy with her cane. It's hard to follow Sherlock's movements, in fact she missed the way his fingers flicked entirely. Still, he's quickly figured out how to command the roaches, so... "That's amazing~!"

[bitofafiction]

"Yes, it rather is. Would you mind trying an experiment?" he asks, digging in his pocket for something.

[ergaleomancer]

"Anything for science~. What did you have in mind?" she asks, watching him curiously.

[bitofafiction]

"I want to see if the effect stacks," he says, holding out a second Blitzkrieg ring and making sure to keep his hand very still so she can see it properly. "It ought to make me twice as fast and your friends up there twice as vulnerable, but I think they can keep themselves out of trouble just fine."

[ergaleomancer]

She took the ring and slid it onto her finger, somewhat curious about how Sherlock would move with two of those effect rings on her fingers. Would he be like a lightning bolt?

[bitofafiction]

"Up, you lot," he says, waving lazily at the roaches. His arm blurs in the air. "Don't bump into anything."

[ergaleomancer]

Theta just stares at him in shock, amazed at the speed at which he's moving.

The roaches, to her, zip upwards in the air at lightning speed, while to Sherlock's eyes they simply flutter upwards, almost lazy in their ease.

[bitofafiction]

Sherlock grins at her, standing still until he can tell she's seen it; then he turns and makes a circuit of the gym, first walking, then jogging, then running.

It's brilliant. He never wants to stop. He's so fast.

(Somewhere in the back of his mind, as he has been since noon, he is thinking over how best to wreck this place. Not even the pure joy of +40 Agility can tempt him away from it.)

[ergaleomancer]

She couldn't even follow his movements as he ran around the gym, like a lightning bolt. Still, she was beyond excited to see her weapon hadn't turned out to be a dud after all.

[bitofafiction]

He halts, laughing, in front of her.

"Magnificent," he says. "My dear fellow, you are a marvel. With allies like these, I'll fight anyone you like. In the meantime," he holds out his hand, "may I have my extra ring back?"

[ergaleomancer]

It's hard to follow his speech, even that seems to be going at super speed. Nonetheless, she gets the hint, and takes off the spare ring. She puts it in his hand, still grinning wickedly.

[bitofafiction]

He tucks it back in his pocket.

"Much more reasonable," he says, shrugging his shoulders as though trying to resettle his skin. "I could get used to that far too easily, I think."

[ergaleomancer]

"You sound like an addict," she teases. "Shall I just come running to you every time you're a player, then?"

[bitofafiction]

"I would not be opposed to such a plan."

[ergaleomancer]

"I'm starting to think you're not 'opposed' to very much at all, Sherlock," she laughed.