(no subject)

[justamobster]

CHARACTERS: Ladon Ceto and anyone stuck in the hallways.
LOCATION: The dark and spooky halls of the ship~
WARNINGS: Possible violence.
SUMMARY: Ladon is stuck prowling the halls in dragon form, scratching at doors and breathing smoke. Considering the panic going on, having a big fire-breathing lizard skulking around growling and spitting sparks probably isn't going to go too smoothly.


As luck would have it, Ladon had picked the worst possible moment to go check out the oxygen gardens.

He had changed forms, slipped out his door, and decided to be as stealthy as possible in finding his way there, only for the lights to dim and everything to go, well, quiet. Disturbingly quiet. The darkness he could handle, it was almost comforting in a way reserved for anyone who'd grown up in a cave. The dark was familiar and welcome compared to all the artificial light humans depended on. What wasn't welcome, and what made him feel a sudden surge of terror, was the temperature shift. There were few things that scared Ladon down to his core, and being trapped somewhere unbearably cold was one of them. His furnace kicked on in his panic, and soon he was breathing great plumes of smoke and sparks that crackled from his mouth and nostrils.

Not good. Not fucking good at all.

In desperation of finding somewhere warm, he started to lumber down the hallway, pausing now and then to scratch at the doors of different rooms, hoping the occupants would show him some mercy, all the while rumbling unhappily at the turn of events.

Scratch scratch scratch. Let me in. God, let me in, it's so cold.

Comments

[justdumbluck]

Firo had no real destination in mind when he left his room, he just didn't feel like being cooped up. It couldn't hurt to leave for a bit and stretch his legs, right?

Apparently, yes, he found out as he discovered that his door was refusing to re-open. With no place to go except the oxygen gardens, Firo decided to roam the hallways and look for anyone needing help before going down himself. He'd weathered colder temperatures before, the real issue was how eerie the whole place seemed when it was so dark. And when there were strange scratching noises coming from down the hallway.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the huge scaly thing in the hallway. A dragon? He didn't have the presence of mind to keep silent as he stared at it, gasping, "What the... What the hell?" Well, if wizards and crazy spaceships supposedly existed, why not a dragon? Now the real issue was if it was friendly or not. He hung back, waiting to see how it would react to his presence.

[justamobster]

Ladon had huddled himself as close to the wall as he could in an effort to remain in the shadows, but there was only so much darkness and a decent amount of him. Plus, it didn't help that his nostrils tended to glow with the sparks of the flames burning deep down in his furnace. He lifted his head at the sound of a voice. He'd had no luck scratching at various doors, and he couldn't blame the people within. Why the hell would you open the door when something which sounded much larger and more dangerous than a stray dog was pawing at it? That was an invitation to be eaten.

Of course, so was wandering into the hallway with an upset dragon. Thankfully Ladon wasn't the people-eating type.

He rumbled a low noise at his company, taking a step backward. Naturally he'd run into the kid from before in this form. He had no intention of outing himself as the friendly fella who'd shown him how to use the networking device, but he also would rather not wind up getting attacked simply for being a frightening creature in a dark hallway.

[justdumbluck]

The fact that the dragon backed away instead of charging or torching him was somewhat heartening, though nothing close to comforting. Firo wasn't so foolish as to immediately assume the dragon was afraid of him, but it at least seemed he could stand a chance of not being immediately gobbled up.

So, naturally, he stayed. If by any chance it was dangerous he wanted to get a handle on just how dangerous. And then there's the fact that he was plain curious and not logical enough to listen to his nervousness right away.

"A dragon..." He took a deep breath, and then stepped forward. He wasn't completely unafraid, even if he did have immortality on his side. "What're you doin' here? You live here?" He hadn't had time to explore the whole ship yet, so maybe there were dragons lurking in the basement. From what he had seen of the other passengers, they were all human or something close.

[justamobster]

He growled deeply, in the hopes of sounding intimidating enough that any attack wouldn't be wise. He's not interested in hurting people, especially ones he's already met and exchanged pleasantries with. He huddled himself up against the wall and waited while Firo talked at him, hoping the kid didn't actually expect an answer.

He flinched back at the step forward, keened a response that probably sounded like a very large dog's whine. Smoke was curling its way out of his nostrils still, and sparks escaped his mouth now and then. His furnace was working overtime to keep him warm, and being nervous didn't help.

[justdumbluck]

"Whoa!" Okay, that growling was pretty concerning. As a reflexive gesture, he put his hands up to show he didn't have a weapon. He struggled not to let any signs of fear show on his face, but that effort wasn't entirely successful. There was just something rather intimidating about a huge reptile growling.

Or not so intimidating when it suddenly whined and shrank away like that. Firo wasn't yet emboldened enough to take another step forward, but he did find himself feeling a bit less jumpy. "I guess you can't talk, huh? Can you understand me?" Just what he would say to the dragon if he could, Firo didn't know. He was just somewhat certain that he shouldn't turn his back; doing so might invite the dragon to attack, or perhaps the creature needed help.

[justamobster]

He looked up at that, then bobbed his head in reply. The growl seemed to be successful at least in keeping the kid at arms' length. Or, well, whatever constituted arms' length in this form. He chuffed a little noise, scratched unhappily at the door nearby, then looked askance at the kid, wondering if he was stuck trapped in the cold corridors as well.

[justdumbluck]

Firo couldn't help but be somewhat impressed, though he didn't know if understanding human speech was the norm for dragons. When Ladon started scratching, he looked at the door, then back at him. Normally he'd think the dragon was trying to hunt the person inside the room (if there was one), but if that was the case then Firo probably would have been lunch already.

"Is there somethin' you need in there?" It probably couldn't hurt to try and help, right?

[the_infiltrator]

Cameron had heard Kirk's message, and was on her way down to the gardens to see if John had made it out of their room. His room. Same thing. Of course, that plan was quickly derailed when she saw the smoke, the sparks. The dragon.

Her gun was out in a second, safety off but held at the ready.

"You shouldn't be here."

[justamobster]

The growl builds up before he can stop it. While the cold is certainly a threat in its own right, a gun is a more immediate problem. Ladon has been shot before, multiple times, and it's not an experience he enjoys. On top of that, there's no Aza, no healers he knows of, and he'd rather not have to deal with a gunshot wound in an alien spaceship with a bunch of people who probably wouldn't know how to properly treat an injured dragon.

He backs up a few paces, breathes a few sparks in warning. The deep, rumbly growl is cut with the keen of an animal in some distress. He's too busy being upset and scared by his circumstances to pretend he's just one big ball of dragon fury.

[the_infiltrator]

"I think you're lost, dragon." She continues speaking to him like she would to any other person--she does the same thing with pigeons. She watches the sparks, analyzing their heat signature. Those aren't enough to hurt her, but she's positive that his other capabilities might at least melt all her skin off. That would be very bad.

"Let me find you somewhere to stay."

[justamobster]

Somewhere to stay? He's still not sure about that gun. But if she can take him somewhere warm... He watches her, eyes trained on her weapon, but he slowly lowers his head as if to indicate that he's willing to listen and follow so long as he isn't hurt. He just hopes she understands and doesn't decide shooting him would be a safer and easier way of handling the situation.

[the_infiltrator]

She clicks the safety on and lowers the gun, then rests her free hand on him to help lead him away.

"You're lucky no one else found you."

[justamobster]

He visibly relaxes once the gun is gone, though the sudden touch of her hand is surprising. He doesn't lurch, though. No reason to give her an excuse to bring the gun out again.

He chuffs at that. Yeah, well. Not like he needs to be taken care of or anything. He would have figured things out eventually. Really.

[yardbird]

Lady luck was never on Murphy's side.

So when he stepped outside that day, he couldn't say he was surprised to find that he couldn't go back into the room he had left. He kicked and pounded, but no way in...

Figured that this would happen, soon as he was finally well enough to stand on his own damn two feet again... After wearing his energy down, he stopped, shivered a moment, and a new realization then dawned on him.

"No, no... you gotta be..." Checking his pockets, it occurred to Murphy belatedly that, once again, he had forgotten something very important on his persons.

Not this bullshit again.

Not only was he locked out, but he had no way of even contacting Anne to ask her to let him back in (if such a thing were possible). This was what he got for not carrying the essential items on him, like his communicator.

His lighter, however, was another story. The dimly lit hallways provided very little light, obscuring the bird drawings Murphy had marked on his walls. The lighter was minimal, but it was all he had, and better than nothing. Flicking it on, it started to follow the route he had made over the course of his stay here, using the bird drawings on the wall. Their shapes danced in the shifting light.

That was when he heard scratching.

Murphy froze, his lighter giving him away. He listened as the scratching went on, and suddenly, he fought the instinctive urge to run.

But he didn't run. Instead, he started taking shaken steps backwards. The phantom pangs in his chest began to ache as Murphy proceeded to retreat from the scratching and heavy footfalls. He moved farther away from his destination, but it couldn't have been any worse than whatever the hell was down there, right?

[justamobster]

Light. Fire. Warmth.

Ladon perks at the phantom waft of heat that comes from a very small but still detectable flame. He sees the glow, abandons the door he's been scratching at and attempting to peel back with his claws. No one is interested in allowing him into their rooms where he could possibly create a warm atmosphere for himself. Instead, though, he decides to pursue this fleeting source of warmth and light. It may not be much, but it's better than nothing, and his own furnace is only going to keep him warm for so long.

So when Murphy retreats, he gives chase, rumbling and breathing out more plumes of smoke.

[yardbird]

Shit.

"Shit...!"

The lighter flicked shut, leaving him in the darkness and the dimness of the red glow. Murphy hurried backwards, reluctant to turn his back to the giant thing that was coming at him now between puffs of angry smoke and heavy footfalls.

Not keen on the idea of stopping long enough to say hello to it, Murphy slipped into the next hallway and started to pick up his pace.

It was shit luck on his part that the doors just had to be locked right then. He'd have to rely on the labyrinthine twists and turns of the hallways if he wanted to get away from whatever followed him.

[justamobster]

When the light went out, Ladon paused a moment. Where the person with the light was going, he wasn't sure, but if they had fire and warmth, it was worth finding out. While time spent around artificial lighting in a human city had caused Ladon to lose some of his ability to see in the dark, he could still make out a few things, specifically movement. He couldn't tell if he was following the source of the light or another person entirely, but it was less of a risk than staying put would pose. This person might lead him to a source of warmth, even if it was unwillingly.

He kept his distance, but continued to follow, even when his target picked up the pace. If anything, movement would keep his blood circulating, even in this harsh environment. Ladon didn't pause to think about how this might make the object of his pursuit feel-- he didn't really have the luxury of being considerate right now.

[yardbird]

In Murphy's experience, running was oftentimes the better option. He was also hardly in any condition to start picking another fight, let alone scuffle with something that was much bigger than himself. He had no idea what the hell that thing was, but it was big and nasty and definitely not human -- which immediately made it the opposite of something Murphy wanted to contend with.

He clutched the lighter, flipping it on only in moments where he absolutely needed to see where he was going, then snapped it shut again. In this state, he couldn't see where the symbols he'd drawn on the walls were, bu Murphy had come to familiarize himself with the place well enough to vaguely recognize some turns.

This way seemed to be the kitchens... Not the most ideal place to find refuge, but it was a hell of a lot better than the damned hallways. He'd take it.

Perhaps slamming himself through the doors to announce his general location may not have been such a great idea.

A brief glimpse over his shoulder, and he was sure that the reptile thing wasn't following him anymore. Was it?

[justamobster]

Rumble. These hallways were a difficult squeeze on a good day, and with the smoke from his furnace causing his belly and sides to swell, Ladon was having some trouble rounding corners and keeping up. By the time Murphy reached the kitchens, Ladon had lost track of his shadowy form. He followed the swinging doors, though, a sure sign of recent movement.

He butted one door open, then paused at the entrance, sniffed the air and chuffed. Then whined an unhappy noise. He was losing the trail, and fast.

[killarevolution]

Haymitch actively chose to risk getting locked out of his room, after bundling what few personal effects he had in a tied up sheet. He could sleep this off if he wanted, keep an eye on the network, but he figured Katniss or Carolyn would come after him eventually, so he might as well beat them to the punch.

He wasn't anticipating not being alone in the halls. He tensed at the scratching, blinking blearily in the dim red light and seeing a lumbering and large shape silhouetted. Instantly he backed himself up to the nearest wall. Mutts. That made perfect sense. Part of him almost laughed, because of course that was what this was. The start of the real Games.

"Looking for something?" he mocked scathingly. Like hell if he was going to cower and hide. He'd already proved dying had no meaning here, if his shared hallucination of the 50th meant anything. Might as well face his fate head-on.

Besides, maybe it wasn't a mutt. Maybe it was just one more bit of weirdness the ship liked to throw at people and call normal. He was exhausted enough to be willing to take the risk.

[justamobster]

The voice gave Ladon a reason to pause. He recognized it. He'd talked with this guy on the network. Of course, he had no intention of letting anyone draw conclusions as to the nature of the relationship between the mobster and the monster, so he kept quiet. He did raise his head, though, and kept a cautionary distance, watching the man through the red filter of the overhead lights. He rumbled in response to his question, something akin to the sound a confused dog might make-- if it was the size of a horse and had lizard physiology anyway.

He waited to see whether the man would attack or retreat... or perhaps neither. People here seemed to have reactions he didn't anticipate now and then.

[killarevolution]

"Not very talkative, are you?" Haymitch snorted, but doesn't retreat. He advanced, but not in a threatening manner- more in the manner of someone who won't correct their course and will, instead, choose to walk down the same hall the monster was presently sitting through. He stopped, however, just enough feet from said monster to be uncomfortable for someone who might have actually been afraid- swiping distance, biting distance. Strategically, a nightmare if you're not wanting to get cut in half, but Haymitch was under the impression that the beast wasn't interested in hunting and also thoroughly drunk.

"All the same to me. I don't want to hurt you. You don't seem interested in hurting me. I think we can safely say we're not all that concerned about each other."

[justamobster]

Chuff. Ladon bobbed his head in agreement. He didn't want to hurt the guy, nor did he want to be beset upon by a delusional human with interest in dragon slaying. Thankfully, this fella seemed good and rational about things.

He pawed pointedly at a door, then looked at Haymitch with a cocked head, curious if he was stuck out here as well.

[killarevolution]

Haymitch tilted at his head. Oh, it was trying to communicate with him. Clever beast, this one. "Stuck, then?" He nodded right back, rubbing a hand over his face. "Seems to be the thing right now. You must be one of ours." He jerked his head behind him. "As opposed to one of theirs. One of the captain and the engineer's little secrets."

[justamobster]

He bobbed his head again in reply. While the fact that he's a passenger here is a little closer to the truth than he'd like to indicate, it's better than being mistaken for some sort of guarded secret to the ship itself, especially one that made people nervous. He took the man's answer to mean that he was stuck as well, as was anyone else who left their rooms. No wonder no one had opened the door for him.

He rumbled an unhappy little noise and looked up at the dim lights, then around at the dark hallway. He shook himself in an exaggerated shiver and huffed a puff of smoke. The cold was getting more and more uncomfortable, the longer he lingered in it.