xp_logs | Something Slender This Way Comes

The GenX rescue squad finds the kidnappees - and then they all find themselves cornered.

Head down, Rahne kept as close to the others as she humanely could. Her arms were looped around her waist, shoulders were hunched and she was clearly trying not to cry. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that they'd been taken somewhere, though at least they weren't alone anymore. And the lack of smells were driving her insane.

Rahne took a deep breath, feeling calmer that her friends were around and her head snapped up. "Wait!" she said, coming to a stop, head whipping around. "I smell someone else. It's ..." For once, her self-consciousness was forgotten and she was outright sniffing the air, head tilted back. "Aye, there are others, several of them!" And she darted off, following her nose and forgetting herself as she latched onto the scent until ... she came to a skidding halt as she rounded a corner and stared at the group of people in front of her.

Among the group of children was a teenager who looked about the same age as the intrepid Xavierites. Moderately tall, very round, and noticeably fearful of this gray, grim, blank world. But Ganke Lee looked pale and gaunt, a far cry from his normally bright, exuberant self. He, like most of the other kids, took a panicked step back when another group of teenagers suddenly appeared out of nowhere. More lost children sentenced to the same slow death? Or were they the jailers themselves, finally come to administer their torture?

The whole place was creepy as hell, Miles thought, something straight out of an indie horror game.. The place was more than lifeless, it was soul-sucking. With every step he took, Miles feared that his own self would slip away and be lost in this wasteland forever.

The sight of Ganke vanquished his dismay in an instant.

Miles pushed past his companions and went straight for his friend, enveloping him in an embrace so tight that it threatened to cut off Ganke's breathing. "I found you. Thank God, I found you," Miles said, relaxing his grip but still holding on as if to make sure Ganke wouldn't vanish again.

Alison was doing her best to remain visibly calm off to one side. She had to stay strong if the group wanted to keep itself together. Besides, she was good in high-pressure situations, and this was sort of the type of thing she'd been training with Doug for anyway. She could do this.

Then she remembered that her powers weren't working quite right, and that optimism dimmed ever so slightly.

She walked over to where Rahne was still looking distinctly uncomfortable, crushing down a pang of guilt. She'd have time to deal with that later. Instead, she tossed an arm around Rahne's shoulder and pulled her into a hug. "Good job, Rahne," she whispered. She didn't know what else to say.

Amara was yet to be convinced they hadn't ended up in some strange corner of Hades. This place... How could not be a torment for sinners to be condemned to?

The sight of their friends brought her some relief, though she refrained from running at them like Spider-Man.

"Oh thank Juno," she breathed, finally smiling.

Maya had held back from the reunion, aware of the people and the relief they all felt but removed from it in a way she would have found hard to articulate if asked. She'd been so angry at first to be dragged here and left to wander blindly, but now it seemed appropriate.

How else would it have been done, if not in that way?

How else would you discover...home.

Nica raised her hand, her light glowing brightly, taking into account everyone there. The missing children, their own people, Spider-Man's... boyfriend? "Is this everyone?" she asked, bringing them back to the task at hand. She noted Maya holding back, but still there. "If it is, we can work on getting out. Our magic people found a way."

Tabitha stuck her hands into her back pockets so she could pretend they weren't shaking. "This place is creeperville. Sooner we get out of here the better." She nudged Allie. "And you can fix my phone." Inane, but she had to stay coherent somehow.

"Yeah, no kidding," Bobby said. "This place is giving me the fucking chills." He looked around and crossed his arms, rubbing his shoulders. "We need to get the hell out of here. So... anyone got any magic we can use?" If they needed a wand or something he could make one out of ice but that was the extent of his competence when it came to magic.

"We have magic. But you owe me a cheeseburger with french fries." Clea looked at Bobby. Yes, she was thinking about food at a time like this. "I think we can get back fairly easily." She hoped, once she saw something done once she could do it again.

"No problem, we're all over this one," They'd managed to get Generation-X in here, so they could get them out too right? It was just a matter of remembering what they did in the first place and reversing it, or atleast that's what Stephen was hoping as he reached out to grab Clea's hand. "As soon as we get home remind to to ask Amanda to teach me teh super secret ways to get out of evil creepy dimension I don't wanna be in," The teenager felt the hair on the back of his hair stand up, "Correction, when we get away from them and escape out of here."

One minute they were completely alone in the desolate area - the next they were surrounded. Dozens and dozens of black-eyed children closed in around them, none making any noise or speaking or even looking entirely threatening.

But it was quite clear they weren't intent on letting the teens go anywhere.