RES University

"What is causing those tremors?!" screeched Techno, turning around to face everyone.

"Jesus, calm down sunshine. Probably just our little friend in the ground sayin' 'ello is all." Hoxton spoke, annoyed at the screeching.

Rek'Sai responded with a crackling sound.

"So, thank you again for letting us in." King said. "See, we're here on very... very important business. The source of all our troubles could be in these very tunnels!"

"Should you be saying this much?" Hazel muttered.

"No harm in it."

"Ahem," Striker began, his patience wearing thin. "I do believe you were going to show us the entrance to these tunnels."

"Have a little patience, eh mate? Jesus. All of you need to bloody calm down. If you think we're a threat, go f***in' look outside. I'll show ya if you want." Hoxton spoke.

"Oh, right." King said, nodding. "I, er, actually hid it, behind all the supplies. In case we were pursued." He pointed to the pile of crates and cans. 

"Hang on, buddy, I really want them to see what the hell is out there, and why they should be thankful we came instead of that." Hoxton muttered, walking up half the stairs. "Come on, then. Or are you scared?"

"Kindly reveal it to us, if you will," Striker replied to King.

Meanwhile, Corona eagerly followed Hoxton, followed meekly by Picasso.

"Is that really a good idea?" King asked, already in the process of moving around the crates. "We don't want to scare them."

"The bloody thing's right over..." Hoxton said, getting to the top of the stairs. He couldn't see CPD, though. "Where the hell did it go?"

To answer, it appeared right in front of him. Not close enough to Corona and Picasso, but close enough to Hoxton to do some real damage.

He yelled as it grabbed him with two claws, the mist also doing its job, and CPD screamed an electronic screech as she slashed him. Her head turned to Corona, and spoke.

"S-AvE M-E." It paused, and then spoke again. "R-Un."

CPD screeched again as she dropped the corpse and bit into it. She looked up at the two followers and screeched, standing on her two legs, and began to move towards them.

chatzy pls?

Corona was morbidly fascinated, eyes wide with a strange excitement. She wanted to stay, to study this creature, but knew the dangers of lingering near the stairway. 

Picasso, on the other hand, was scared stiff. Corona grabbed his arm and quickly pulled him out of harms way as an explosion of jet black ink splattered across the entryway.

A shrill slew of unkind words spewed from the mouth of Techno, who immediately locked and barricaded the doors, readying the defense laser. 

"Oh. Oh dear," said Striker, noting the events that had unfolded before him. "The time is nigh for us to abscond."

Legion seized items blocking the entry to the tunnel, pushing aside crates and barrels alike as Green quickly attempted to explain the urgency of their situation.

"Okay, that doesn't sound good." King muttered, shoving more crates out of the way. Finally, the door appeared. "Okay, through here. It can't follow us forever..." He flung open the door. 

"What the hell did he just do?" Hazel sighed. "The last thing we needed was that monster chasing after us."

CPD was walking down the stairs now, laughing and singing. "C-OmE OuT ANd PL-Ay. I N-E-eD somEonE to KILL ME."

"T-That probably means we should get out of here." Sage said shakily.

"I know these tunnels like the back of my hand." King replied. "It won't be able to keep up with us..." He was unsure of that last part as he vanished into the tunnels.

"So, we're chasing after a telekinetic little witch, and being pursued by that... hybrid thing." Hazel muttered, following. "What an adventure."

CPD had reached the bottom of the stairs, the metallic clang of her feet was heard with every step she made. The music kept playing, as her head tilted, jaw opening wide as she saw the group flee. 

"It's... not that fast." Altair said as they escaped, trying to assure himself more than anyone. "W-We've outrun it once, we can manage this."

"Do we even know if Sadie's in here?" Hazel asked as she ran.

"She has to be. It'd explain why the Masked are acting erratically. It adds up." King said. 

"You led that thing here?!" Techno said angrily, glaring at those of whom were not from her original group.

"Now isn't the time to place blames, we have to get going!" Green replied desperately, ushering everyone into the opening of the tunnel.

"You just put all of our lives in danger, not to mention the fact that that thing is wrecking our base!"

"Please, if we don't go now... I can't let this happen again!"

The technomancer paused, eyeing Green with a loathing scowl.

"You. Owe. Us," Techno growled. She shoved Green towards the hybrid and quickly escaped.

As the last person in the room and the closest person to the threat, Green had a tiny frame of options. And so he fled, summoning a large wall of earth to barricade the entrance to the tunnels.

"N-No, we would never lead it here..." Leona trailed off, backing further into the tunnels. "Oh, t-this is bad."

She ran, managing to catch up with the others, but still lagging behind a bit. "H-Hey, Green, are you... alright? W-What was all that about something... happening again?"

"Okay, did we make it out of the base unscathed...?" King asked, slowing down to a speedwalk. "I truly am sorry for causing all of this. We just want to help..."