hadriel | [video]

[The image on the feed is shaky and improperly focused at first on the ground.]

I need help. Medical and otherwise.

[Keith’s voice is terse, strained. The camera moves fo focus on an injured Steak. His coat has been tattered to shreds by their attackers, blood pouring from his ever exposed abdomen, puncture wounds bitten into his sides. Though he’s currently breathing, applying pressure to one of the wounds in his side, he’s several shades paler than he’d like to be and his horns — and this is the most offensive part of all — have been slightly chipped at the tips.]

We were attacked by some weird tentacled creatures -- didn’t look like anything I’ve seen around this planet before. They were… [A beat, a sharp breath as he tries to gather his thoughts.] Sneaking around the temples. Working together. Intelligent. Didn’t want to be seen.

Someone else was there, too. He disappeared, looked like he was in bad shape. Anyone know where he is?

[The camera moves away from Steak, now focusing on Keith who has a fairly deep, bloody gash across his face.]

Are these things the Null? Or .. does anyone know what these creatures are? Seemed like they might’ve been using the stampede as cover to do some recon. Might’ve been able to mess with some emotions, hard to say.

[Steak clears his throat, straightening up as he does so. Most importantly:]

Their attacks are powerful, despite their size. [They’re certainly not as large as some of the Fallen Angels he’s come across at home] No one should fight them alone. [Or, perhaps, at all.]

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( All things considered, Steak's only reaction to seeing Alphys appear on the screen is a brief, silent blink, as though trying to remove the last traces of sleep from his eyes. )

...They had armour. ( He frowns, recalling the details of their appearance and wishing he could fold his arms while communicating like this. ) I saw no wires during our fight.

( Steak would consider that pretty good evidence that they aren't mechanical, but decades of investigative caution and all the new things this city has thrown his way tempers his response somewhat. )

[She hums in a nervous way before putting the phone down and scurrying away for about a minute, before she returns with an item. It looks like a broken lightbulb, though it's a little longer than most. One section near the top has been shattered, and inside, a small rod sticks up that's been clearly bent in half.]

Did it have any of these. This is a Null's central p-processor- no matter what they looked like, they always had at least one of these, though bigger Null could have way more to manage more, uhm, complex processes. Does this look familiar?

( A long stare into the screen, at the item she holds up, brows knitting together. )

... No.

( But what does this mean? What exactly were the things that attacked them? )

[She sighs, dropping her shoulders and setting the lightbulb looking item down.]

Then they're not Null. Or if they a-are Null, they're a completely new kind. Every other one we saw had a processor like this that was exposed or at least visible. But I don't know if that's, uhm. B-Better or worse.

( Steak is no B52, his technological skills and knowledge are limited to the basics of what he needs to stay with the times. These Null are a level or two beyond his understanding. )

Why would they try to hide it?

( Yeah, he doesn't... know what a processor actually is. )

Oh, uhm. Well it's k-kind of like a human heart, or a monster SOUL. If it gets damaged, they'd die.

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Oh, uhm. Well it's k-kind of like a human heart, or a monster SOUL. If it gets damaged, they'd die.

<small.[He looks human, so he should get that. Maybe? Maybe.]</small>

( He might not be human, and the actual methods of killing a Food Soul might still be frustratingly vague, but he does have enough experience with humans and the ends of their lives to understand what that means. )

Then they're covering a major weak point...

( If, indeed, these things are Null. Or related to them. )

[It's fine, he gets the idea.]

Yeah. Though it's not, uhm, m-much like them. The last ones that were here had their processors in sight. We still couldn't really figure out why, but maybe they're expecting a fight this time...?

( He does. )

It makes sense. I hear they attacked before, correct?

[She nods.]

Yeah. They've been in the city once, when they c-came in and tried to kill Hope. But it wasn't like this.

[Alphys hums as she tries to think about this.]

It's kind of scarier to think there's more than one thing out there trying to kill us, though.

( Multiple enemies doesn't really scare him. If anything, Steak is thrilled to know there's more chances for him to show his strength and engage in combat. )

No need to worry. It shall be my duty to eliminate all the threats to the people here, as long as I am here.

( Hmph. Next time, Nautilus. >| )

[For some reason that's not what she was expecting to hear? It's rare to see someone just blow past her worries with that kind of confidence, a fiery passion to overcome an adversary.

(It's certainly enough for a blush to spring to her cheeks, eyes wide as they blink, and her voice to catch as she tries to speak again.)]

Uh, well, that's-- t-that's good! Just uh, take care of yourself, and don't go overboard or anything.

[Now she's just looking at his muscles. Oh no. She is dead.]

( Steak is many things, but he's not quite so much of a tactless asshole (no matter what Red Wine might think) to rudely brush off someone's concern. )

I'll do my best.

( He's pretty good at it, really. )

[She's going to die right here thank you very much. Maybe she should end this? She might need to get out of here.]

Well, uh-- t-thank you! I'll-- I'll keep an eye out if you're ever, uhm, out and about or doing something or need help and-- yeah!!

[Okay yes she has to Go.]

Feel free to come by the Lab if you want to know more about them! The Null, I mean, not uh, these guys, I d-don't know anything about them. I mean not anything! I know stuff!

[FUCK]

( Alphys, you're a little bit weird, but you seem like a good soul. )

Alright. Thank you.

( He'll keep that in mind. But, to save the poor lizard's sanity, he's also going to be off. )

[She's trying. She is sure trying.]

Yeah noproblemseeyou--

[And she just cuts the feed effective immediately.]

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[video] wow i bungled that html up there huh

[video] we saw nothing.

[video] keep it secret keep it safe

[video] ;)

[video] uwu

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