[ prp ] a pizza your attention (america and sonny)

[shibrogane]

Yes, said Sonny, Mr. B, can you find the crack in the cliff face?

The glow seemed to be coming from within the cliff. It was worth a look, especially if you were a small bluejay.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

Treasure, hun. Secrets, America urged.

Closer and closer the flew, curiosity and a desire to show off making him quick and daring, swooping and searching for where the golden glow escaped out from. A takes a few tries and then, finally, the opening.

The jay gave a soft, pleased twitter as it took a few experimental hops inside.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

They got inside, and there was an awful, pulsating mass there. Something black and awful and barely-contained.

I don't like it, said Sonny faintly. I--one second, America--

There was a gut-wrenching twist, and the two of them stumbled away from Mr. B. The mass looked just as disgusting, oil-slick black, to human eyes as it did to a bird's eyes. "What is it," they breathed. They reached one trembling hand out towards the gelatinous, writhing thing, as if they couldn't stop themselves.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"Hold on," America tried to hold the other back. "If there's someone trying to hurt you maybe we should..." What? Try calling Renard to have him ignore her again? Try bottling it up in ********' mason jars? Call Sunny? Well.

"...be careful," she finished lamely, stomach turning and twisting as the mass thrummed.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Sonny stopped. They glanced over at America, and then lowered their arm, slowly, as if struggling against a greater force. "I think Papa's in there," they said. "I can feel him. He's near."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

Letting go, America nodded, letting out a tense huff of air. "Okay, okay...but if he's not, if something in there tries to hurt you, please protect yourself first. Much as you can and I'll do the same." She braced herself, ready to either pull but the other out of the way or reach in after to help.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"It wants me to touch it," said Sonny, turning their attention back to the shivering thing. "I can feel it reaching for me. Can't you?"

It... did feel like it was reaching out towards America. Like it wanted her to come towards it, too. There was something in there calling to her, a familiar voice without a source.

Sonny reached out and touched the surface. Small hands flailed out. They caught on their blazer. Tiny fingers turned to tiny hooks. Sonny dug in their heels, a breathless terrified noise escaping them.

There was a tremendous upsurge of magic around them, the fabric of the otherworld trying to twist to Sonny's will. It caught just outside the realm of reality. "America," Sonny cried, "Let me cast! Please!"

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"Do it!" America called out, feet planted and one arm wrapped around Sonny's waist even as the other tried reaching toward the mass and its multitude of tiny hands.

sxhibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

With America's permission secured, Sonny cast, and the hands receded, coalesced once more. The magic tried to burn it away, but it wouldn't; it shifted shape into a perfectly opaque bubble, off which all of Sonny's force of will ricocheted.

Sonny's barrage stopped, and they panted to catch their breath, sweat springing to their brow. "I don't know what that is," they said. "I've never seen anything like it, not even a little bit."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

Lifting a hand to give Sonny's shoulder a squeeze, America gave the other a long once over. Not harmed, but what the hell could resist all that power and wring them out like this? "You still feel your dad in there?" Because if so, damn. Double ******** damn.

She wanted to touch the bubble, but possibly it was just the tempting nature of bubbles and also jello.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Sonny reached out and pressed their hands to the bubble. "Yeah," they said. The tips of their fingers were white where they pressed against the solid surface. There were no little hands now; the blob was in Defense Mode, and apparently couldn't do both at once. They lifted their voice: "Papa? Can you hear me?"

There was no response.

Sonny let their forehead fall against the bubble with a thunk. Their shoulders shook, and they sniffled, but said nothing else.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"We'll get him out," America's voice was quiet and firm as she wrapped an arm around Sonny's shoulders. She pulled out her phone with the other.

shibrogane

Text to: renard

we found professor noor
at shore house
serious please dont ignore

 

[shibrogane]

lizbot

to: America Jones

Where is he?
Who is 'we'?

Sonny turned and hid their face in America's shoulder, which was awkward, on account of Sonny was crying, and thus getting America's shirt all wet. It was awkward, but also awful, because Sonny kept trying to catch their breath, and the result was the awful phlegmy gasping sound of someone not very used to crying.

Quote:

to: America Jones

Miss Jones, where is my daughter?

 

[lizbot]

His answers would have to wait a bit as America set the phone down to wrap both arms around Sonny. The shirt would probably survive. After a particularly painful gasp, she quietly began to talk. "Can you feel me breathing, hun?" Even as she asked, the girl placed the flat of her hand on Sonny's back, because the rhythms of life, the bellows lungs and steady thrum of a heartbeat, were where America most easily found comfort herself.

"Try breathing along with me, just a bit. Just take it one breath at a time, 'til they can line up again."

Later, she'd send off some answers.

shibrogane

Text to: renard

shore house
kinda
theres a thing
sunny is here