Lessons In Self Defense and Mining

[deadwesley1.livejournal.com]

~Crawling, then toddling, and finally walking upright through the tunnels of Four was a bit like learning to walk through a minefield of body parts and sharp toothed rocks... well, actually, it was exactly like that. Wesley was imminently relieved not only to be in complete control of himself once more, but also to be over the embarrassing impediment of the self-inflicted concussion. He hopes he didn't say anything too incriminating to Snape.

Once he's feeling clear headed, he does halt their progress in a nicely open grotto in the tunnels and introduces Snape to some rudimentaries of self defence. He finds Snape an apt pupil, and if he doesn't exactly have time to develop much in the way of form, he is a quick study and easily grasps the basics. At least he'll know how to protect himself from most physical attacks, even if he can't yet fend them off. Wesley can't help but slide into Watcher mode as he instructs, and Snape can see familiar instructional qualilties in Wesley's teaching style. Wesley's a strict perfectionist and is quick to admonish if Snape doesn't achieve a pose or posture just so in a "suitable" time. It is during one such correction, Wesley bent over Snape adjusting the wizard's defensive crouch to best deflect an opponent's aerial assault, when shades of various stages of morbid come pouring into the grotto, pickaxes over their shoulders and lunchpails in their hands. Their mining helmets' light momentarily blinds Snape and Wesley, but Wesley doesn't need to see to know they are accompanied by their supervisor, a demon Wesley can easily identify by it's distinctive odor. He knows they're in trouble.

It isn't long before the demon has both of them in a chain gang, picking away at the bleeding walls of the tunnel. The demon's corrosive mucous membrane still strings their skin where he touched them, but Wesley tells Snape that they won't be there long.~

I have a plan.

Comments

[severus-snape1.livejournal.com]

*Snape concentrates, closing his eyes and straining to catch any little sound or vibration that seems out of place. He stands absolutely still, head slightly raised and tipped forward. Every nerve in his body is focused on the entrance to the tunnel.*

I....hear....

*For a moment, he thinks he hears the faintest of sounds, like an echo of a whisper, but he can't be sure. He stands as before for another long moment.*

...nothing.

[deadwesley1.livejournal.com]

*Wes remains encouraged, however, as he notices the demon's mucous production increase. He smiles as he watches the viscous toxin treacle down the monster's grub-like body.* He's still sensing something out there, and it has a good portion of his entire attention. *Wes hesiates, then, synching himself with one of the native shades, he strikes the pickaxe not into the mine wall, but into the corroded chain about his ankles. It crumbles upon contact, and a few shades near him turn to look. He shoves some "choice treasures" at them and turns to Snape.* We couldn't have asked for a more fortunate event.

[plutonomics4.livejournal.com]

*at a signal on it seems to hear, the monstrous thing abandons it's post and drags itself in an oozing lumber over the rocky floor of the main tunnel, it's eyes looking different directions like a chameleon's in it's search for whatever is down here, eying the walls*

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

*Barty may enormously overestimate his abilities in all fields - but not even he is reckless enough to lead them down the main tunnel - and so from the darkness of their small adjacent crevice, he watches as the beast writhes across the path ahead with the same wide, wide eyes a child might regard a bullet train at a crossing*

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

*over Barty's shoulder, Regulus stares out with his own set of wide eyes*


What did I tell you...

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

Not you. You smell like ice.

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

*the last of the creature's many appendages disappear from their pinpoint view, only the trail of less-then-pleasant looking mucous remains, a river of stickiness separating them from the next crevice just across the main tunnel - Barty looks primed to make for it*

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

Hey. *grabs the hem of Barty's frosty shirt when he starts forward* -Hey. Where are you going?

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

...No, we'll get caught. The only thing to do is to wait.

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

It's just like you said, it can't fit in here, so this is the only place we're safe.

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

I do knowing the other option is digestion or something equally horrid.

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

You're leading.

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

Oh now you're not. Now you're - Barty, don't go anywhe-

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

*Barty, clunky equipment rattling and weighing him down, slips out of the head of the crevice, dashing across the span of the main tunnel, diving for that next tunnel*

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

*Reg's head pokes out into the main tunnel to hiss at Barty across the way, but he quickly retracts it when he sees the thing still visible further down the tunnel*

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

*Barty manages to (noisily) slide into the next crevice, the movement catching the thing's swivelling gaze, Barty frantically motions for Reg to join him before the creature can slowly slip back the way it came*

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

*shakes his head*

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

*the thing has begun its slow return, feelers already reaching, Barty shoots Reg a deeply frustrated look before leaping back into the open, back across the sticky mess, making to grab Reg's wrists and drag him along*

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

Nonodon't- *when Barty drags him halfway out of the crevice Regulus has no choice but to give in and go along with him*