[Episode 88985] [Episode 88985]Most people saw only a pack of stray dogs make their way across the street. Some noticed that the large dogs were remarkably agile - jumping on cars that got in their way, dodging people, and so on, but otherwise turned a blind eye to the pack.
Still everyone felt the mongrels were creepy, and those with any form of arachnophobia were down right scared of these dogs.
Only a scant few would let themselves see the giant spiders for what they were. Spiders that size weren't supposed to exist in real life, only in the realm of B-class movies.
And so the four spiders made their way unmolested into the restaurant.
To anyone just walking into the Denny's the large group sitting off to the side would have been written off as a collection of old friends. The fact that, save for one being a teacher of the two high school students among them, the group hadn't even met before waking up in the hospital yesterday would have been greeted with a heavy dose of skepticism.
And yet that was the case. None of the former senshi's lives had had reason to cross path with the others; even Bunny and Heather were on different ends of the social scene, and before yesterday would have never even noticed the other. Yet here they sat now chatting away like old friends.
"Hey, guys!" Crystal's voice announced the arrival of the final two members of this group.
Heather gave Susan a small smile, trying to reassure the former Guardian of the Time Gates, which faded upon getting a good look at the woman. She looked like she was on the verge of shattering, jumping at shadows and completely unsure of herself. The old Setsuna had been so unflappable it was jarring to see her nervous and twitchy. Heck, she even tried hiding behind Crystal when the waiter came up.
It was a good think Crystal had thought to go grab Susan. She obviously needed help. Even Haruka-er, Harley had a look of worry on his face.
As Crystal and Susan finished their order, a ruckus arose from the back of the restaurant.
Three large, creepy dogs entered the dining area. The blood on the jaws of both indicated that the two animals were quite dangerous. The lights shut off, leaving the restaurant in the orange hues of dusk.
The three beasts were quick to move, while the majority of the customers panicked. Two leapt on unfortunate customers while the third leapt on their waiter, join for the poor man's jugular.
Susan shrieked.
As though her voice was some how the trigger, suddenly, Heather could see these weren't dogs. Not even close.
Black carapace, with hundreds of eyes upon their heads, and a mixture of blood and poison dripping from their mouths, these were spiders roughly as large as a large dog. Their dying waiter was a small humanoid covered in scales. Noticing the short sword the waiter had dropped in the attack that somehow Heather knew had been there before even though she couldn't see it, she dove for the weapon up and readied it.
John moved quicker, picking up the chair he had been using and slamming it into the spider before them, while the others got out of their chairs. The chair shattered on the spider's back.
The other two spiders, sensing danger, turned to those who intended to oppose them.
Heather struck out with the waiter's sword, but the spider moved quicker, dodging her blow. John, using one of the chair legs as a club, struck out at the spider as well, but it seemed to shrug off the blow. Between the two of them, they had forced the spider back far enough that Mary could get to the waiter, and try saving his life. The report of Harley's handgun sounded. "Damn it!" She swore as realized she had missed.
Heather dodged out of the way of the spider she faced as it tried to bite her. Susan shrieked again, as she one spider sunk its mandibles into her flesh. Another gun sounded, this time from Mark's gun. That bullet sunk deep into the spider's head, slaying the spider that had attacked Susan. Michele evaded the third spider.
Heather swung her blade around again, this time taking its head clean off its shoulders. John intercepted a fourth spider that entered the main room, while Harley fired her Glock once more, missing the quick moving third spider. Mark's aim wasn't much better. The others grabbed what ever they could find to use as a weapon, forming a defensive circle around Susan and Mary.
Heather, not choosing to wait, hurried toward John's side, sword at the ready, but stopping just outside the spider's reach. There was no reason to blindly charge into whatever attack the spider might have waiting. John struck the spider with his makeshift club, cracking its carapace, but not enough to stop the oversized beast. The report from Harley's gun followed by the slurp of a bullet striking home told of the hit the officer had finally scored.
The spider John faced snapped its jaws at the former gymnast, scoring a solid hit on his leg.
Heather quickly closed the distance, and struck out with her blade, slicing off one of its legs. John, not letting the pain get to him, slammed his chair leg through the spider's head, taking down the third.
At Crystal's scream of pain, Heather spun to see the last spider releasing its bit on the blond girl. Harley, not wasting the opportunity, slammed her pistol into the beast, ending its threat.
"Is everyone else alright?" Melody asked, assuming her familiar leadership role.
Mary ignored her, focusing on saving the life of the kobold before her, rather than respond like the others. The spiders had a poisonous bite which worried her, but she had stopped most of the bleeding. However, without a medical kit, she couldn't do much more to help him.
"He-here," the waiter handed her a business card. "She has answers." The kobold slipped into unconsciousness.
"Hey?" Harley complained, "What the heck is happening?"
Mary looked up and her eyes widened as she saw one of the dead spiders dissolving into shadowy mists. "I have no idea," she commented before looking at the card she had been handed. "But I think I might know someone who may just have some answers." The name on the card was someone she recognized, a co-worker and acquaintance: Dr. Patricia Dark-Sparda.
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(Posted Fri, 23 Jan 2004 02:26)
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