ASH: Dahlia

[Mr. Handy]

"But what if it's a real child?" whispers Lionel. "We must be sure. If it is one of those wet children, they're not all bad. Why, one of them let me and the others out of the cooler. Good thinking, though. In the meantime, you should climb past me. If it is a trap, you can get away and find Sarah."

[trixie]

"No Lionel! The metal thing! That got that lady! It can control dead bodies and their voices! Please! Be careful!"

Dahlia peers into the darkness, trying to make out the outlines of machinery and decipher what they might be.

[Mr. Handy]

"Sarah mentioned something of the sort," says Lionel, "but she never saw it and didn't know what it could do. I shall be careful. Dahlia, you mustn't be afraid. Remember, our fears can find us in here now. Even when all the seals were intact, it was our fears that caused one to be broken. I will protect you, and so will Sarah. Hmm...maybe there's a way to find out what we're dealing with here." He knocks on the countertop three times.

[Laraqua]

"Help me," the child mewls, and there is another three taps in response.

[Mr. Handy]

"I remember this child now," says Lionel. "It's the same one who let us out of the cooler all those years ago! We were stuck, and it let us out. Now it's my turn to return the favor. Climb past me, Dahlia, so I can help the child. Don't be afraid. If we hadn't been afraid, all those people would still be alive. Sarah was afraid of my friends, and because of that she let Cael loose. Brianna was afraid of the two of them, and because of that she hurt Sarah and knocked her out so she couldn't hold Cael back. He was afraid too, and that's why he killed my friends. And I...I was afraid to leave my room. If I had I'd have found Sarah and explained everything to her, and none of this would have happened. Even Daniel was afraid to tell her the truth, and if he had she would have trusted him. Say, did he tell us anything on the computer?"

[trixie]

"I don't know what's wrong with my crummy computer, it's taking a long time to respond."

Dahlia makes a few more tapping sounds on the keyboard. "Just promise me if it's one of those wet kids that you don't go near it k? Last I saw, they were on the children's ward and I haven't seen Jason since. I think you better be careful."

[Mr. Handy]

[OOC: If you're going to climb over Lionel, you'll need to roll Dex x 5 like Laraqua said.]



"I shall be careful," says Lionel. "I think if we're nice to the wet children and not afraid of them, then they won't hurt us. Remember, they're still children. This one is alone and scared. If you were trapped in here, I'm sure you'd want someone to help you. Poor dear must be stuck in one of the cupboards or something. The wet children are the victims in all this. The bad doctors and nurses hurt them. They thought they could forestall all this by sacrificing innocent children, but those misguided fools were mistaken. Even if they had been correct, they should never have done that. There's always a better way. They tried to hurt Brianna too, but they messed with the wrong girl. Now please climb past me so I can help this child." He helps Dahlia to crawl past him. "Hang on, young one, I'll be with you shortly. I remember you from the hospital, when you let us out of that cold room. I think you remember me too. Do you remember Brianna?"

[Laraqua]

"Help me..." mewls the child.

On the laptop:
Bioshock: You guys made it yet?

[Mr. Handy]

Lionel types on the keyboard: "Not yet. We're in this long room with lots of chemistry stuff. We heard a monster ahead of us, and Dahlia is afraid to go forward. We also heard the voice of a child who is stuck in here and is begging me to help. It's the same one that freed us from the cold storage room in the hospital back in the day, the one I told you about. I'm going to find and help the child as soon as Dahlia can crawl past me. Do you know where Sarah is?"

"Hang on, I'm coming!" says Lionel. "It's very narrow up here and Dahlia must move past me first before I can reach you. Don't be afraid."

[Laraqua]

Bioshock: Cameras aren't working anymore. Soz.

[Mr. Handy]

Lionel types: "Yes, Sarah mentioned that. After we rescue the child, should we keep going forward or is there some other way to get past the monster?"

[trixie]

O.C. Thought I was typing?

Dahlia crawls past Lionel.

[Mr. Handy]

[OOC: Lionel reached over to the keyboard while Dahlia was crawling past. Did you make your Dex x 5 roll?]



Lionel passes the laptop back to Dahlia and then crawls forward now the counter ahead of him is clear. "Okay, I'm on my way now," he says. "Keep talking so I can find you."

[trixie]

Dahlia types on the keyboard.

"Think there's something in this room with us...a big monster. Lionel won't listen to reason."

[Mr. Handy]

[OOC: Oops, sorry. I didn't see the link there last night.]



Lionel crawls towards the sound of the child. "Don't worry, Dahlia, I'll be careful," he says. "I have no intention of dying, especially now that Sarah is so close. Let me know what Daniel says and if he gives us any new directions."

[trixie]

O.C. Don't worry...you reminded me. I edited it after the fact. And never mind Dahlia....she can be cheeky and insolent at times.

[Laraqua]

Bioshock: Big monster? What do you mean?

"Help me," murmurs the girl from further inside the room.

[Mr. Handy]

"Hold on, I'm coming," says Lionel, crawling towards the sound of her voice. "I'm an old man, so I can't move all that fast. My name's Lionel. What's your name? You never said." He knocks three times on the countertop again.

[trixie]

Dahlia types back, "We started hearing sounds, like metallic scraping sounds. Then we saw blood spattered equipment. I'm worried there's a big monster in here, but now Lionel's trying to rescue some kid. I hope it's not what it sounds like."

[Laraqua]

Lionel receives no response other than a soft whimper.

BIOSHOCK: Children? But there are no children on this base other than you now.