>>5308736Frozen in place by Talbot’s iron grip, you charge up your <span class="mu-g">EYE LASER</span> as more gunk plops off of your assailant revealing something akin to a human skeleton dipped in rotten… you dunno… <span class="mu-i">spider</span> meat and soaked in lava for a few minutes!
“<span class="mu-s">DOOO YYYERRR WANNA KNOW A SEEECREEE-</span>”
Stretching a pair of gnarled, overgrown claws in your direction, the horror vanishes in a sudden blast of light mere inches from your freckled face! Blinking in surprise, you watch the leaper’s ashes dissolve into the water around you and release the breath you didn’t know you were holding! Wait a sec-why doesn’t your eye hurt? A…are you <span class="mu-i">evolving?!</span>
Your answer comes in the form of Ernesto dutifully lumbering over to you and your pals. Lingering in place for a few moments, the golem stomps on the beast’s ashes a few more times for good measure before blinking at you expectantly.
“Well, uh…” Talbot mutters from behind you, “Not um. Not bad. Not <span class="mu-i">special</span>, but-”
Freeing yourself with a well-placed elbow to his stomach, you let Talbot crumple onto the trash-laden floor as you give Ernesto a nod of approval. Now <span class="mu-i">that</span>’s what you call service!
“Hellooooo?” Calls a familiar nasally voice from below, “This uh… this thing won’t put me down…”
“Down, boy!” Sybil barks with renewed pep in her voice! “He’s safe now!”
Peering over the edge of the conveyor belt, you immediately notice a fresh cloud of metal debris lazily drifting in the middle of the chamber… wait a minute!
“Check it out, Stan!” Ly commands as he points your head upwards, “Da’ fans are busted!”
Most of them are, at least! Where there was once a powerful current pushing everything downwards is now a gentle ‘<span class="mu-i">breeze</span>’--one that might even make the climb upwards somewhat refreshing!
“Stan!” Calls Sybil from below, “Come here–Art found something!”
Responding with a curt ‘<span class="mu-i">mhm</span>’, you give Talbot’s prone form a stern glare. Is he coming or what?
“Y-yea…” He wheezes as Lil’ Stanley quietly transfers from his back to yours, “Y-you mind helpin’ me up? That elbow got past my defenses…”
<span class="mu-i">No</span>, you snap as you prepare to leap down to where Syb and Art are, you <span class="mu-i">DON’T</span> mind!
“... s-so wait,” Talbot grunts as he continues to nurse his stomach, “D-does that mean you’re <span class="mu-i">gonna</span> help, cuz’-”
Oh my <span class="mu-s">GOD</span>, he knows what you meant! Read the dang room! Blowing a raspberry his way, you hastily leap off the ledge before you run into anymore misunderstandings!
>CONTD. 