-Another report, now identifiable as the sound of a jet followed by hissing-
-The air was murky, mist-filled, and from Gracia's position behind a tree, facing away, a pair of spotlights, for all intents and purposes, sickly yellow in tint, swiveled around and away, casting horrible, twisted, distorted shadows where it caught trees and branches in its aim-
[forum cryptid: it/it's]-Gracia is not happy-
-Not safe-
-She goes to retreat, to get back, but as she steps out from the tree, she steps on a branch-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-She shrieks, stumbling, blinded by the light and tripping back-
No no no!
-Frantic crawling away-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-It is huge-
-Tall, metallic, like a rocket, cylindrical, too-
-The spotlights, a pair of eyes probing into the night, the head, so to speak, just as metallic and dead as the eyes, flanked by a large black protrusion around the neck like a spade jutting into the sky-
-Air escaped not only from the bottom but the middle, plate and metal opening, folding and sliding back as two long appendages, lanky but braced by large gauntlets on the forearm, revealed themselves and sprawled out, stretching as if adjusting from self-constraint-
-The bottom opened out in a similar manner, plates shifting aside as the glow from the jet persisted-
-What had looked like a simple, odd, if menacing rocket a moment ago now took a vaguely, mockingly feminine form as the monster leaned over and took a closer look at Gracia-
[forum cryptid: it/it's]-Gracia screams-
-And screams-
-And screams-
-Hunching over, shutting her eyes tight, her limbs heavy and her heart throbbing painfully with an adrenaline spike her stiff muscles won't take advantage of-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-Her screams are reduced to blubbers, wheezes, coughs, still too scared to look up-
Nhm... please... please stop... stop stop stop...
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-Gracia peeks up, just slightly, one eye open and looking up up up at the figure-
-Then two eyes-
Wh...?
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-Gracia got up-
-Shakily-
-Looking to her way of escape-
-Then slowly looking back-
-Maybe it's the adrenaline, maybe she's just mad-
-But she reaches out to feel the cool metal-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-it was cool, despite the jet only a few short inches away from her fingers-
-Despite the outwardly violent reactions the mechanics had to any witnesses, it hummed with an energy, hardly unsettling-
-Unfortunately, touching the monster also got its attention, and it turned back to her, the "skirt" gliding back as it leaned in and reached out-
[forum cryptid: it/it's]-Gracia springs back into lucid fear from her addled state as the hand swipes for her, stumbling back against a tree-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-She stares up-
-Eyes alight with fear-
-But again, that strange calmness returns, bit by bit-
Fair...
-She steps closer, not resisting-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-She stared up at it-
-Trembling still, but falling deeper and deeper into that dreamy serenity-
You're very... big...
-She looks ready to fall over-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-She looks around wearily, clutching at herself just a bit-
I... I'll leave you alone... if you... want...
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?"Yeah, now's the time to go. I let you get killed out here and Solace'll never forgive me."
-Shit, that's your not-so-friendly neighborhood vampire-
Eires formed back into human form and tugged on Gracia, gently but forcefully, pulling her out of the metaphorical eye of the storm.
[forum cryptid: it/it's]-Gracia allows herself to be lead-
Nnh... I think I'm dead... or... constipated...
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?"You're not dead yet but you're going to be if we stick around. It's not as bad as it sounds but trust me, I don't recommend it!"
-Like getting out of the eye, the fury returned, and the monster let out a shriek of hot air and miasma and inhuman disappointment, realizing itself what had happened-
[forum cryptid: it/it's]It misses me...
-She almost tugs to go back-
It— it wanted to touch me.
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?

-Gracia's blood freezes and for a moment all she can do is stay there in place-
-Then she darts behind a tree-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?