Alright. Let's fucking do this. You say, taking a deep breath as you try to see where you'd best make the jump to catch her.
Yes, I suppose we must. Ugh. I'll just help you carry her, and get her to a safer position. Maybe you should try to keep that demon from finishing her off, no? We'll just together. I've got a distraction ready, but Sydney can't be too close or it'll obliterate her. That's a tad more than just a "distraction". I love it. Francine laughs as she gets into position for a run. Considering how hard driders cheat, your sprint will be her "decent run". Well, that's just how it goes. Just as the demon stomps down on another errand creature in the alleyway below, you start the run. You weren't that far when you started, and yet it seems so, so far away as soon as you start. It's occuring to you that everything is currently riding on the idea that you can keep that thing away from a woman you know weighs about twice what you do. Good thing driders are way lighter than they appear, but still.
You're nervous.
As you sprint closer and closer to the spider-demon, you feel your teeth seemingly "buzzing as you head closer. A strange static surrounds the demon, a reminder of how otherwordly Jack has become. Hell, you always hated the bitch even before she turned into this. You won't exactly feel bad for what comes next, but first you need to get your shield against Carrion back. Sydney's done good by you, and you sure as shit plan on reciprocating. You're very close now, whispers echo through your mind. You see that Francine is already jumping. How is she doing that so fast? Before you fully know it, you're in the air as well, leaping between buildings as you hear a particularly angry screech from Jack. You find yourself flying against Sydney, and the gravity field gives out as you hoped. Your momentum...
Was it enough, you wonder ever so briefly. You got the air knocked out of you when you hit Sydney, but you think you're moving forward. Everything is so disconnected it's hard to tell what's really happening. Sydney lands on the roof, just barely.
You are half-way down your fall when you start realizing what else is happening. For one, while you pushed Sydney on the roof, you didn't make it. The next thing to note is that there's about a five meter drop, and you're not in a position to land properly. That staticky feeling on your teeth disappears just a tad before your vision flashes with pain and your lungs explode. Then an explosion rocks the world just above you, and there's a horrific scream that cuts through your head like a knife.
Distraction successful, most likely. There are more explosions, but you can only tell from the heat that it's happening through all the ringing. You're crawling on your hands and knees, trying to get to safer ground. After a little while, you finally manage to recover enough to stagger upright and stumble out of the alley, before the spider can focus itself back on you. Your breathing is painful, you... might have broken a rib during the fall.
You're lucky none of the lizards are coming by, they'd love easy prey like you.
...Off the street. Gotta...You hoarsely whisper to yourself, holding back a cough as you do so. You push against a backdoor of one of the houses, and find that the door was still unlocked. You catch yourself, and as you grit your teeth you even manage to stumble forward. You close the door behind you, and flip down a bar used to stop the door from opening. You're safe, for now...
No soliciting... Assh...Assholes. You give yourself the liberty of sitting on one of the chairs, before looking around. Guessing from the abandoned bags in a corner, the people here were in a rush to get out of town. Guessing from the blood in the kitchen, they were also too slow. Whether they had a particularly bad transformation, or were just killed, isn't easy to say without looking in the kitchen. But...
You just need to catch your breath.
There is blood when you cough.
Fuck.
Right. Hand me your clotting agent, 40 centilitres.That would kill her. Her arteries will clog up entirely.Not here it won't. There's a filter in place between spider and man for us, it'll keep the agent from getting too far. Don't come crying to me if you're wrong.I'm never wrong, darling. Say, how long do you think that demon will be "distracted"?Considering the power of the pheromones and how much I overdid the glitter bomb? I think she'll be attracting attention for another hour. How's the leg?Total loss, but it wasn't too vital. I'm overdue for a molting, regardless. Doesn't that hurt?When you're as old as I am, things don't hurt as much anymore. Especially with some of my enhancements. Right. So, you're the drider. Not to mention, medical technician. Is Sydney going to live?...She's stable right now. Little more I can say. With what we have here, we can only hope infection doesn't set in. We have that thing that cures impurities, right? I never looked into it much, as I didn't want to start stealing from Sydney.I wouldn't know. Is it this little bottle?Yes, promises to cure vampirism... One type of it, at least. She's got two as it stands. Ahhh, yes. I've looked into that before. Wasted time, in my opinion. I spent seven years looking for a cure to vampirism, but it relied on bloody chaos magic to keep itself going through a system. You'd need samples, and those just weren't available.Plenty where we were. So, back to the point, could we use that potion?I'd need to check to see if it won't kill her, for starters. Second, it won't help her wounds, per se. Not to mention, if it's tailor-made for bampirism, it won't solve the... encroaching.The arm, yes?The upside is, her shoulder and part of her back will be able to work with the extra power now.She won't take it well. If she wakes up at all. Now, it's a waiting game...We should find Madotsu, if we have to wait.I saw her fall. She's likely dead. If not, she can find her way back here herself. I need you here. Complications may just arise, and I've only got two hands.And seven legs.Don't insult the wounded, please. Oh, and do see that the idiots don't eat too much of our supplies. Honestly, these prisoners should make themselves useful, soon.What CAN they do? ...
You wake up again, with a new appreciation for how much pain you can feel. Your back feels shattered, but you can still stand. At least the cobwebs are out of your head.
You need to get back to the hide-out. It's a long walk, and you're damn injured...
Let's just hope Sydney got out of there.
Death timer stopped. But the trouble isn't over yet.
Get Yunikki back to the hide-out. You'll need to be careful.Stats
Health: Broken ribs, internal bleeding, winded... Things are bad.
Weapon: Steel longsword, chains
Clothing: remaining chains, simple clothing.
KitRougard, I understand that things have gotten in the way of the writing. Life's a bitch that never asks if you're ready. Regardless, I'm still interested to read whatever you add. As such, if you ever post a finished product, I will find another way to give a bonus of sorts. Jack being more powerful in exchange for better rewards upon her death is my main idea, but we'll see if things develop.