[Open] Unreasonable Behaviour

[vvaylon]

A . (for your character to end up a snack or escape and spread the word; indicate which in your subject line!)

He’s found the underwater lake. It’s nice, for the most part, but just like the fish in the river the fare is disappointingly slimy and unappetizing. Seeing as he hasn’t found the kitchen yet (a shame!)  he turns to the next source of food—those wandering about the castle. The first to go is a small white cat lazing about on a chair; tufts of fur remain on the floor, and he continues on. The castle is large enough to  send him on af ew circles; but finally, he sees someone down a hall, and makes his lumbering way towards them.

B. (for your character to lay a beatdown on Croc, or for Croc to lay a beatdown on your character….)

He takes to roaming the halls during the night. It’s quieter, the birds are asleep, he has free rein; it’s daresay, nice. He’s still angry. It bubbles up in his chest like a red foam, leads to clawmarks being engraved in the stone, chairs turned on their head or otherwise made into splinters.

Croc is a simple man, sometimes. Sometimes he likes to scheme and plot, and finds himself quite adept at that! Other times… well, other times, someone’s just gotta get their head caved in. Said someone is going to find a big, scaled surprise in the library.

Comments

B (lmao beat this kid into the stone for me)

[mercybutton]

Flowey wanted a quiet night to think. To watch the stars pass and think about the castle, and home, what he'll do, what will happen if... when will they get out? He didn't say why he wanted to spend a night by himself in the garden, he knew Frisk would just pester him to talk about it if he did. And he knows they can handle themself--no one in the castle, as far as he can tell, has it out for either of them.

Frisk wanders by themself in the castle--having slept for most of the day, they've just been walking around at the unholy hours of the night, quietly humming songs that roll across the walls. They recognize the musty scent of aged leather and paper as they walk into the library. They are lightfooted, but are not trying at all to be stealthy.

Their hearing is quite sharp, though. Do with that what you will.

croc: gladly.

[vvaylon]

Will they also recognize the mucky, algaed scent of a swamp? Perhaps not. But they might smell it, and that itself will help them. They’ll hear a thick, heavy tail dragging on the floor of the library; raspy breathing, the rumble of a growl. It all might be passable as the castle’s ambience, to someone who doesn’t quite understand the scope of this new threat.

Croc hears his new visitor. He’s not dripping on the books of floor, dry enough that he doesn’t leave puddled tracks.

He doesn’t speak; he roars. Pounces. Overshoots, barrels into the door and smashes against the threshold. Hello, Frisk! It might be smart to start running.

[mercybutton]

Frisk dives anyway, as is their instinct; hundreds of battles done blind trains you the hard way. They're up and running before they even understand what's going on, the threat, exactly what may have barreled over them but right now they're too busy running to car. They have to stick close to the bookshelves--it's adequate cover, the castle will repair itself. Not to mention they can't risk running into anything.

They press against a wall once decent distance has been gained, panting heavily, sweat brimming on their back with panic. Where's the exit? Why can't they find the other door?

[vvaylon]

Croc snarls like a pissed-off rattler and dives towards Frisk again, claws angled just so to scoop them up and slam them against the ground if they aren't quick in moving out of the way.

It's not pretty or elegant; but it's as if there's a film over Croc's mind that's preventing him from asking himself just why he's doing this, if not to make everyone else hurt, and hurt bad.

He's sensed that he has a distinct advantage; so slows. Plays with his food, a little.

B (For Beat on Kotetsu)

[oldmantiger]

This is a weird dream.

But it's not the weirdest one he's had, and after the past few days, Kotetsu knows he should probably expect a few weird dreams while he gets his head on straight and figures out life. A lot of his heavier dreams involve wandering around lost. Wandering around lost in a library isn't so much of a stretch. He doesn't spend a lot of time in there anyway.

He looks a little unsteady on his feet as he moves - he heals quickly, as a NEXT, but he hasn't had much time. Occasionally, he'll wince and press a hand against his chest. But otherwise, he picks up a book here or there, flips aimlessly through a few pages, and inevitably sets it aside after a minute or so. Mostly, he's just waiting to wake up.

Croc: with pleasure Me: why are you like this

[vvaylon]

The dream is about to morph into a nightmare. Kotetsu might, as he wanders, feel the prickling sensation of one who knows they're being watched.

Hunted.

Croc's been busy; there's blood on his claws, but more in Kotetsu's favor is that he's tired. IT won't detract from his enthusiasm... but perhaps his lethality.

"Might lot of people wandering the library this time of night."

In case it sounds even the slightest bit friendly, his claws dragging down the wood of a bookshelf should be perfectly enough to dismiss that entirely.

A muse has gotta do what a muse has gotta do.

[oldmantiger]

Kotetsu definitely gets the feeling that he's being watched. He has good instincts for dangers and threats - he's had to develop such instincts as a hero, and especially as a hero growing weaker by the month. He stiffens slightly when he realizes that someone else is in the library with him, his eyes widening fractionally. But he doesn't call out first. He just replaces the book he'd been browsing back on the shelf, and moves a little more carefully when he sets off again.

It's a relief to have the mounting tension of anticipation broken by a voice. And for a moment, he even thinks that it sounds like a reasonably friendly voice...before he hears the claws. Even then, his first thought is "knife", because...well, why would his first thought be "claws"?

"What can I say?" He shrugs expansively, faux-casual, before glancing back over his shoulder. "I didn't see a closed...sign..."

He trails away in shock, his eyes widening much more noticeably at the sight of the creature at the other end of the aisle. Okay. This is new. This is not a good sort of new. He's not terribly afraid of crocodiles, as a rule (or is that a giant alligator?). So he has no idea why one might be in his dream. But it does look...very big and menacing, all things considered. All the moreso because libraries are supposed to be a place you go to in order to get away from crocodiles. Aren't they?

"...around here," Kotetsu finishes, somewhat awkwardly, after a very traitorous sort of pause. He follows that up with a most eloquent: "Um. Hi?"

[vvaylon]

If Kotetsu's watching as he keeps talking, he'll see the piecemeal transformation of Croc's face from viciously amused to murderously annoyed!

He'd let the kid go, out of some tiny goodness of his gamey little heart that he wasn't even sure he had. This was an adult; he wouldn't be so kind. His claws finish splintering the bookshelf.

"You're in the wrong place, wrong time."

He takes a step forwards to plan out his next move, bulk in full sight.

"Didn't your mama teach you to stay out of a croc's territory?"

That's purely rhetorical; Croc roars and dives for Kotetsu, teeth bared.

A (leading to an escape)

[sansational]

Sans is just getting up from his favorite windowseat after a nap. He stifles a yawn, and it takes him a second to fully register the sounds of someone coming towards him from behind. Someone...rather big.

He looks around, and his eyesockets widen in shock to see something like Croc bearing down on him. But in the next second, Sans simply isn't there. In fact, he's right behind Croc, looking somewhat perturbed. As much as a skeleton can look perturbed.

"so very sorry about that." He doesn't sound sorry. "was i in your way?"

croc: the one thing weak enough for me to kill and it's just bones.

[vvaylon]

Despite his speed, Croc can tell there's a...

not sickliness.

Fragility.

that clings onto the skeleton. And, granted, he shouldn't be up and walking around anyways! First a talking cat, now an ambulatory skeleton. This castle did nothing but taunt him. He'll rip it up, brick by brick. (Later. He's got a dinner to catch, bones to gnaw on.)

His speed belies that fragility, and Croc wheels around-- tail swinging as counterweight and sending a few books sprawling across the floor. He dives for Sans' throat.

Sans: Nyah nyah!

[sansational]

Okay, that is...not the reaction he was expecting.

Sans barely has time to gasp before he takes another very hasty shortcut out of the way. Rather than risk judging distances with those teeth involved, he simply takes another hasty shortcut behind Croc again. He needs some kind of room to dodge, after all - and he's otherwise not being allowed a whole lot of that.

And so, anticipating a repeat performance, he prepares to make Croc regret it. What appear to be two large, floating dog skulls appear on either side of him, their jaws gaping wide. Blue fire blooms between their teeth before manifesting as bright laser blasts, aimed squarely at Croc. Already, this is a guy who strikes Sans as having a fair bit of blood on his claws. And if he's right, then his nature means that the attack should hurt even worse as a result. He doesn't wait to see the effect, tough - just teleports himself back up onto his windowseat, instead.

"was it something i said?!"

croc: incoherent roaring

[vvaylon]

He's already a bit bruised from his scrape with the Batman and Frisk. The first Frisk. The non-blind one.

He'll kill the non-blind one first, then hunt down the one that got away (that he let get away? It wasn't clear anymore) and really take his time.

But first, he's got a bag of bones to worry about. The total of living bones has grown to three, now, with the skulls flanking Sans. And they pack quite more of a punch than he does; Croc is sent head over heels into a wall, through two bookshelves. He doesn't get back up for a good ten seconds; it's rattled his head, sent his tail lashing angrily and destroying even more things. Then, he pushes into his hands and knees-- hands and feet-- up to his feet.

"You'll regret that." There's blood on his chest. Not a lot, but... just as much from blunt force trauma as taking a dive through wooden bookshelves.

b. OOPS SORRY i should jump in on this, or should we plot more? this can be a rough start anyway

[trombones]

Yeah.

Sans had seen enough.

Even after the white fur, he had seen enough. Sans wasn't really the type to play hero. He was actually going to go check on his friends, the other kids, make sure they were still okay this late at night. The skeleton was checking the library when he catches the claw marks and other telltale signs.

Welp.

Said big, scaly surprise wasn't far from the evidence. Sans stood behind him, not sure if he had been noticed yet. His sockets narrow, and he stays still.

"Hey."

we can get movin and shakin whenever

[vvaylon]

Imagine Croc's surprise when yet another (he thinks it's another. It's identical, but it doesn't seem to know him-- what he can do, that it.) skeleton shows up! Like the rest of him, it's enraged and ravenous.

Perhaps not so much the enraged part. Try as he might anger's given way to a sulk. A sulk far more dangerous on a crocodile man than a toddler, though both share the tendency to bat things around.

To go on the safe side? Assume it's the same one.

"Back for another round?"

He snorts. "Maybe you won't run away this time. I'll use your bones as chew toys, skeleton."

He doesn't make a move yet, simply prowls a few yards away.

awesome i figured we could get started just like this at least

[trombones]

Sans quirks an imaginary eyebrow, looking more neutral than intimidated. Damn if this guy wasn't enormous, though. It's not hard to put two and two together and figure out what was going on.

Like how the other "him" must have run into him too. He must be okay if he ran away. Sans doesn't bother explaining it.

"Whatever you say, pal. I don't exactly got any meat on this bones, if that's what you're lookin' for."

He watches Croc prowl. Quiet for a moment. Finally:

"You've been busy, huh?"

alright! is tori going to jump in at some point?

[vvaylon]

What is going on, Sans? Croc's looking about ready to dive for his throat; but a large bruise, a cracked scale, flecks of blood around the scalloped edge. Maybe from extreme heat-- or incredible pressure. Or both.

It might be a mystery to someone who isn't Sans.

"You ain't been a slacker yourself."

He hasn't actually been able to catch himself a dinner besides the cat; one because of the Batman, one because of hesitation, one because he was a great deal stronger than Croc expected, and this one...

well, maybe his luck was about to turn around.

"Not gonna pull out your cannons again? Barely slowed me down the first time--"

he growls, low in his throat.

"Maybe you've learned something other than running away."

And then he lurches forwards with deceptive speed, claws coming down in such a way as to split Sans' head right open if he doesn't move.

B (lol sorry my guy is inedible. feel free to wreck him as much as possible though)

[mettaton_rex]

Mettaton liked Duchess.

He wouldn't have gone so far as to call her a friend, yet. But she was charming and a good actress and she always called him your highness - he's missed that, okay - and someone took her away just like everything else in his life and he is going to find whoever's responsible for that and they are going to die.

He's followed the trail of destruction here (not letting himself wonder whether someone capable of gouging marks like that into stone could do the same thing in metal, and what that much killing intent could do to a monster's SOUL, it doesn't matter, they're going to pay for this) and now Croc is going to find himself confronted by a furious robot. Wearing a crown, and a fur-trimmed cloak that sweeps the floor behind him, just to make very clear to his opponent who he's dealing with.

"Well. Are you the awful creature who murdered my co-star?"

duchess: oh you sweet thing! croc: DEATH DEATH DEATH

[vvaylon]

"Co-star?" His lip wrinkles; who's he murdered, again?

Just the cat.

"That cat?" His voice grows into a rumbling jeer, and Mettaton will have no problem sensing the killing intent that radiates off of him, heat off of asphalt. Here he is, not taking this seriously. Mettaton's clothes don't appear to have near any affect on Croc despite the cloak looking like a matador's cape.

Sadly, Croc is not a bull.

"Yeah. Got a problem with that, robot?"

He thinks it's a robot and not a man in a costume. Thinks.

duchess don't encourage him >_>

[mettaton_rex]

Oh, Mettaton can definitely sense the LOVE here. It ought to give him pause, but right now any survival instinct is being pushed aside in favour of outrage. This person, this creature, is mocking him. He's being looked down on, like some petulant, pathetic nobody.

Again.

Does he have a problem?

His face twists into a smile, too-bright and vicious and not happy in the slightest. "Oh, yes."

He raises his hands. Bombs start to materialise near the ceiling, dropping rapidly towards Croc - they're shaped exactly the way you'd expect a cartoon bomb to look, only white with a black + sign on each of them. Any that hit will explode into cross-shaped beams of light.

B for someone getting beaten.

[ojisankink]

Croc isn't the only one who's good at plotting. A certain newcomer is basically known for running on analysis. Granted, right now, only one specific thing is on his mind. And that is protecting Kotetsu.

Barnaby can be very much hyperfocused when he wants to be. His movements, actions, words can all be molded to fit whatever role he needs to take. Right now, he's silent and swift, moving through the hallways towards the crocodile monster. He was frustrated he hadn't been transported here with his hero suit, but now he considers it a blessing that he can step without the sound of clanging metal. He can definitely get the jump on him this way.

Croc's only warning that someone is approaching is a few quick footsteps and a faint blue glow before Barnaby's leg slams into his side with the force of a runaway bullet train.

croc: just yelling

[vvaylon]

Poor Kotetsu! At least he escaped with his life, which is a deal more than can be said for some of Croc's other victims.

And poor Croc!

...Not really. He deserves the kick that sends him flying, tail whirling around like a giant counterweight and slamming into the walls more often than not.

"Aargh!"

Alright. Not the best, but it'll do. Croc hits the deck and rolls head-over-heels, too used to taking tumbles to sprawl. His voice drops to a guttural growl when he next speaks, directed as much at the entire castle as to Barnaby.

"You'll pay for that!" And he wastes no time in charging, teeth bared,

wow someone has anger issues, says the hypocrite

[ojisankink]

Escaping with his life isn't saying much, when Barnaby knows half of his skin is still fried from a laser blast, and the other half is scarred and bruised from fighting an android.

He tries not to think about how he would have felt should either of those killed him, and how Barnaby would have dealt with the matter should this monster have accomplished anything.

Still, he's focused on revenge, and on protecting everyone else from Croc. The growl doesn't bother him. Instead, he just braces himself. Once Croc has charged towards him, he leaps to avoid him. Kotetsu calls him Bunny for a few reasons: one, because he hops around like one, and two, because his kicks certainly can do some damage. He lands down on Croc's snout, slamming his mouth shut before he flips over him to hopefully land on his feet.

A...? Probably eaten. Make him suffer

[tinyprotector]

Yukio has recently been confident enough to wander the castle halls. From what Kuro has figured out, there aren't any actual demons in the castle, and none that are particularly threatening. Yukio still wants to keep to himself as much as possible, but he at least feels comfortable taking a book out of the library so he can find a more comfortable place to read.

He hears thumping behind him as he's walking to one of the lounges. He immediately stiffens up, but tries to force himself to stay calm. Maybe it's just a really big but also really friendly monster? He turns around to come face-to-face with Croc.

He can't help the gasp that slips from his mouth, nor his wide eyes and shaking hands. The book he was carrying falls to the ground.

whoops...

[vvaylon]

Croc's been hungry, and worse for the wear from the people-- and monsters-- that attack him. That he's attacked. Same-same. Luckily for him, though, he finally catches wind of someone small, and follows at a safe distance for a minute;

he goes into the library. Croc stays behind the stacks and follows behind until Yukio exits the library, and only then does he walk behind him.

This, he decides, will be quick. As soon as Yukio turns around--

down comes a claw, right onto Yukio's head.

idk what i'm doing 8V

[buttercup_eater]

Chara is good at being quiet. It's a vital skill in many situations, such as "sneaking into a library at night because you're bored and maybe there won't be anyone here this late."

No such luck; when they got there, there were already numerous signs of a struggle. Shelves tipped over, monstrous claw marks in the furniture and floor, a sadly discarded hat (now deposited in Chara's inventory for safekeeping) and further into the library, something thumping along.

Chara creeps slowly towards the source of the noise, occasionally inspecting the debris around them. Somebody doesn't have much respect for literacy.

Eventually, the sound leads out into the hallway. Chara peeks around the corner of the door, and it takes them a split-second to take in the scene: Big scary monster, tiny child with obviously no dodging experience. Ugh, this is going to be painful to watch.

And thus, Chara's impatient voice breaks through the air:

"Down and sideways!"