09-09-2015, 08:40 PM
When the ghost girl appeared again, Abner could already sense that something was different. He'd been on guard for her ever since the warning that had come to Christa and him what seemed like forever ago now. At this point and in this dark, forgotten corner of the Omniverse one could never be too careful. So as soon as she appeared, Abner's rifle was in his hands, but he did not aim it at the girl just yet.
Of course, Christa didn't wait like he did, something that simply didn't surprise him in the least bit any longer. He was happy to be the second line, though, as it was still in his nature to stay the hell out of the way despite his new sense of conviction. It allowed him to analyze the situation and maybe learn something that could help. For instance, in this case, guns seemed to do little to nothing against this ghostly being.
Christa and Klaud engaged the bleeding girl in conversation, instead, which Abner took as an opportunity to move a bit. He raised his rifle to his shoulder and aimed down the sights, keeping the ghost in the center of it. Sure, he'd just reached a conclusion that this wouldn't help, but it was hard to ignore the only training he had in dealing with a threat of any sort. While he kept his gun leveled at her he slowly side stepped, hoping to get out of her peripheral vision and be able to seize an opportunity if one was presented.
"She looks like my sister."
That was the only hint Abner had been given to the ghost girl's identity, months ago. Christa hadn't talked much about it since then, and he hadn't asked. There had been enough to worry about at the time. He now felt that pushing those thoughts aside had been a mistake, and decided it was time to demand answers from both of them.
And he would have, had he not been telekinetically flung into Isaac like a sack of bricks. Abner's rifle left his hands somewhere between the impact with the one armed warrior and the tree they both collided with. They both groaned from the impact, silently taking note of how of the pain that coursed through their bodies. It hurt, but they would live. It wasn't exactly a new experience for Abner to be hurled like so, as nearly every Stormtrooper in the Omniverse that had been around a little while had at least one story of being tossed around by some supernatural creature. There were some things you just didn't ever get used to, though.
Abner stumbled to his feet, and almost immediately his pistol was in his right hand. He kept himself turned at an angle and helped Issac to his feet with his left arm, and then quickly moved away from their crash site. Isaac, too, appreciated the strength in staying spread out, so he paced the other way, towards Christa and Klaud.
Abner clutched his wound with his free arm, bringing it to his shoulder while he kept the pistol aimed at the ghost. He didn't see his rifle on an immediate scan of the ground, so he'd have to make due without it for now. Just when the frustrated man had had enough, the girl accused Christa of knowing all about this. That stopped Abner in his tracks. He looked to Christa, and saw her drop her gun. Outstanding. This was not a good time for her to go off grid.
Abner snarled, having heard enough. He was tired of these woods, this girl, and this damn quest. He didn't have any reason to believe his gun would have any different results that Christa's attempts, but the hell with standing around and letting this girl toss them about like ragdolls. Unfortunately for him, the girl took that time to slam all of them forcibly into the ground before he could pull the trigger.
With a shout of pain, Abner hit the ground, his pistol landing just in front of him and barely out of reach. It almost taunted him, pointing right at the ghostly attacker. All he had to do was reach it, aim up a bit, and fire. It might not work, but dammit, he had to try. Every muscle in his body screamed as he tried to move his arms. Wounds that he had gotten on the very first day here seemed as fresh as they had been in that moment as the force pushed him downwards. He put all his energy into reaching for that pistol, but it was as if his limbs had never been intended to move in such a way.
He heard the girl explain her purpose and reason. All he could do was grit his teeth and keep fighting. He was a soldier and a Stormtrooper, he'd seen it all. He'd been through it all. This couldn't stop him. Sure, he'd renounced his Imperial affiliation in that damned swamp, but only habits died hard, and nothing could overtake training and instincts in a situation like this. Granted, this one was entirely new even to him. He'd never heard of something as insane as a botched secondary, but the thought of it made him furious. Goddamn Primes and their god complexes. If someone had been a little more responsible they all wouldn't be in this ridiculous predicament.
Yet they were, and that's all the time there was to dwell on it. The girl continued to talk, but Abner could only focus on his weapon. In all of his days, he'd never asked why something happened or someone did what they did. His only concern in his entire life had simply been how to stop it. So here, against this twisted being that was making punching bags out of them all, it was difficult to think of anything else.
The soft sound of an ocarina could be heard. He didn't know if it was Lyra playing the same one he'd heard at the town plenty of times, or if he was simply having a near-death experience. It didn't matter, he pushed that concern aside, too. All that mattered was getting the gun, and getting through this. Whatever it took.
Of course, Christa didn't wait like he did, something that simply didn't surprise him in the least bit any longer. He was happy to be the second line, though, as it was still in his nature to stay the hell out of the way despite his new sense of conviction. It allowed him to analyze the situation and maybe learn something that could help. For instance, in this case, guns seemed to do little to nothing against this ghostly being.
Christa and Klaud engaged the bleeding girl in conversation, instead, which Abner took as an opportunity to move a bit. He raised his rifle to his shoulder and aimed down the sights, keeping the ghost in the center of it. Sure, he'd just reached a conclusion that this wouldn't help, but it was hard to ignore the only training he had in dealing with a threat of any sort. While he kept his gun leveled at her he slowly side stepped, hoping to get out of her peripheral vision and be able to seize an opportunity if one was presented.
"She looks like my sister."
That was the only hint Abner had been given to the ghost girl's identity, months ago. Christa hadn't talked much about it since then, and he hadn't asked. There had been enough to worry about at the time. He now felt that pushing those thoughts aside had been a mistake, and decided it was time to demand answers from both of them.
And he would have, had he not been telekinetically flung into Isaac like a sack of bricks. Abner's rifle left his hands somewhere between the impact with the one armed warrior and the tree they both collided with. They both groaned from the impact, silently taking note of how of the pain that coursed through their bodies. It hurt, but they would live. It wasn't exactly a new experience for Abner to be hurled like so, as nearly every Stormtrooper in the Omniverse that had been around a little while had at least one story of being tossed around by some supernatural creature. There were some things you just didn't ever get used to, though.
Abner stumbled to his feet, and almost immediately his pistol was in his right hand. He kept himself turned at an angle and helped Issac to his feet with his left arm, and then quickly moved away from their crash site. Isaac, too, appreciated the strength in staying spread out, so he paced the other way, towards Christa and Klaud.
Abner clutched his wound with his free arm, bringing it to his shoulder while he kept the pistol aimed at the ghost. He didn't see his rifle on an immediate scan of the ground, so he'd have to make due without it for now. Just when the frustrated man had had enough, the girl accused Christa of knowing all about this. That stopped Abner in his tracks. He looked to Christa, and saw her drop her gun. Outstanding. This was not a good time for her to go off grid.
Abner snarled, having heard enough. He was tired of these woods, this girl, and this damn quest. He didn't have any reason to believe his gun would have any different results that Christa's attempts, but the hell with standing around and letting this girl toss them about like ragdolls. Unfortunately for him, the girl took that time to slam all of them forcibly into the ground before he could pull the trigger.
With a shout of pain, Abner hit the ground, his pistol landing just in front of him and barely out of reach. It almost taunted him, pointing right at the ghostly attacker. All he had to do was reach it, aim up a bit, and fire. It might not work, but dammit, he had to try. Every muscle in his body screamed as he tried to move his arms. Wounds that he had gotten on the very first day here seemed as fresh as they had been in that moment as the force pushed him downwards. He put all his energy into reaching for that pistol, but it was as if his limbs had never been intended to move in such a way.
He heard the girl explain her purpose and reason. All he could do was grit his teeth and keep fighting. He was a soldier and a Stormtrooper, he'd seen it all. He'd been through it all. This couldn't stop him. Sure, he'd renounced his Imperial affiliation in that damned swamp, but only habits died hard, and nothing could overtake training and instincts in a situation like this. Granted, this one was entirely new even to him. He'd never heard of something as insane as a botched secondary, but the thought of it made him furious. Goddamn Primes and their god complexes. If someone had been a little more responsible they all wouldn't be in this ridiculous predicament.
Yet they were, and that's all the time there was to dwell on it. The girl continued to talk, but Abner could only focus on his weapon. In all of his days, he'd never asked why something happened or someone did what they did. His only concern in his entire life had simply been how to stop it. So here, against this twisted being that was making punching bags out of them all, it was difficult to think of anything else.
The soft sound of an ocarina could be heard. He didn't know if it was Lyra playing the same one he'd heard at the town plenty of times, or if he was simply having a near-death experience. It didn't matter, he pushed that concern aside, too. All that mattered was getting the gun, and getting through this. Whatever it took.