002 → Friends can be hard to find

[wrigurun]

Characters: Wriggle Nightbug & Spidermom
Setting: Floor 25, dated to the 18^th of May
Format: Post in prose, tags in prose or action
Summary: Whilst playing in the field, Wriggle encounters something dangerous.
Warnings: None

Floor 25

The initial shock of waking up in the tower was slowly wearing off. She still wasn’t entirely happy with her situation but she was adjusting. The tank full of firefly larvae still sat in her room, occasionally supplemented with water from the lake and food she’d managed to gather for them.

Today she wasn’t fussing as much over them. Today Wriggle had made a very joyous discovery. Taking the time to really explore the tower she’d found the twenty-fifth floor. The warm, spring breeze calmed her and made her feel rejuvenated but best of all, there were insects! Even though their numbers were few she was happy to have found them at all.

A swarm of ladybirds flew just barely out of reach. She chased them and flew among them, laughing as if it were some kind of game. Most likely it was. These were her friends, the loyal subjects under the self-proclaimed insect queen. Her antenna twitched, and Wriggle could sense other movement in the room. That playful smile still on her face, she wondered what other kinds of bugs she’d encounter in the grass.

Comments

[fabricates]

This spider couldn't exactly hide in the grass. No, instead she loomed high over it. She'd been brought here by the scent of flesh. It wasn't troll, but it wasn't an animal which was really the only thing that mattered. This sort of lusus had never been meant to eat beasts.

Once Wriggle is in sight, the spider moves swiftly, rushing closer to try to catch her prey off guard.

[wrigurun]

Sensing the movement from behind her she barely had enough time to turn around before shooting up into the sky to avoid it.

Wriggle stared down, slightly bewildered at what had almost caught her off guard. Never in her life had she seen a spider this big. With a creature like that at her side she'd surely be able to command respect. Still in awe, a smile started to spread across her face.

"I've never seen you before. Do you live in the tower too?"

[fabricates]

Whether she could understand her or not is debatable, as the spider made no sign of registering the question. She rose off her front legs, threatening with her fangs outstretched. One of her front legs darted forward to try to knock her down.

[wrigurun]

Wriggle lurched back, flying just out of her reach.

"Come on, don't be like that! I just want to be friends!" Despite the immediate danger she smiled quite earnestly.

[fabricates]

She still made no response to the voice, instead moving forward to take another swipe at the girl. She's disadvantaged against flying creatures, unfortunately. But she's not likely to try stopping anytime soon when it comes to a meal.

[wrigurun]

Again, she backed away at the swipe. It didn't seem like anything she said was getting through to the creature but she still had a trick up her sleeve.

It was a skill of hers, whether it was magic or biology it was still her pride. She focused, staring the spider down. Almost unconsciously she started to drift towards it, trying to use her power to make it back away.

[fabricates]

The spider doesn't move away. There's no reaction that suggests she's affected by any sort of spell. As the girl drifts closer, she'll use her legs to try grabbing at her again.

[wrigurun]

The swiping took her completely off guard and she yelped as it managed to grab onto her leg. Almost instinctively she let out a small spray of blue and yellow bullets in an attempt to stun the creature enough to escape.

Wriggle had absolutely no idea why it didn't work, it had always worked before.

[fabricates]

The arachnid skitters back, pedipalps curling and uncurling - scraping against fangs to produce a sort of hissing noise. It sinks to the ground, effectively stunned by the attack. It won't be for long though, and she'll be angrier once she recovers.

[wrigurun]

Wriggle may be a little forgetful but she's by no means dim witted. A little guilty over having to resort to aggression she tries again with all her concentration to force the spider under her control. This time she kept a safe distance, one that would let her escape if she needed to.

[fabricates]

The spider is again unaffected, and attempts to close the new distance between them now that's she recovered from the bullets. The attack itself doesn't seem to have injured her much.

[wrigurun]

She couldn't understand why it wasn't working, but she wasn't going to stick around to find out. As the spider started to close to gap she started to widen it again. As fast as she could she shot towards the stairs.

[fabricates]

[She follows after her for a minute before slowing to a stop. It's a chase she doesn't appear to be up for, after having failed to trap her so many times. She'll just find another victim.]