stuff us in boxes that's where you want us

cardboard is boring, we brought our matches - look how it burns

Perhaps if she was a normal woman, she would have found these unintentional sexual positions, especially the second one, more than a little awkward. Yet that was simply not her and normal was certainly nothing to idolize. Not even a hint of awkwardness touched her vivacious gemstone eyes, even as she peered down at the sprawled-out warlock beneath her like she found it more amusing if anything at all. A lot was probably knocked out of the poor guy from the concussion of that fall and along with the added weight of the petite woman perched atop him. There was much that had been knocked out of them both... perhaps sense and yet more importantly.. sarcasm was clearly not one of them. It was a language the pair seemed to speak in a fluent fashion, even in the flash of danger that she was quite sure they were not even close to be out of. This hellhole was practically crawling with unseen dangers and if it were night time... she was certain they would be dead or worse. Yet in spite of it all.. Even now. After everything Sly had seen. How was this man so damn calm? Did he know what he was surrounded by? He had to know, or at least an inkling by now. Any normal person would be far more panicked than him. He was a curious person. He didn't act like how a person ought to act in that situation and yet neither did he. There was no prickle of misplaced anger.

He had to be oblivious. Or his nerves were just too obliterated to care anymore. Or perhaps he had also seen enough crap that he was holding it together. Harley somehow decided on the far more obvious choice. He had to have missed every telltale sign. His brain probably forced into some form of survival mode, disallowing himself to see the true house of horrors for what it really was. The brain did some pretty impressive shit when it couldn't process. Yet, how was she not far more freaked out either? After all, Ruben was not even that far away, probably trying to figure out a way to get down in this sandpit to finally to an end to this charade... in other words, demolish two over sarcastic people who in most other situations would have probably gotten along quite well.

That was the problem with seeing too much.. she could no longer be ignorant. She knew damn well that this absorbent sand wasn't a play area or a place to make sandcastles in the dark. She knew their time was limited and truly the only saving grace was that they were alive enough to be content that there was at least the luxury of light from his fire bird and that either of them weren't injured in the fall.

Yet, survival seemed to be far from their minds as he seemed far more concerned about sand getting in places it shouldn't, of all things. Sex and sand seemed to be the utmost last on the list of shit they should be worried about and yet she could not help her mind going there. She was royally fucked in the head to be so amused. Or maybe she had just survived too much shit that she was able to find the humour in pretty much anything. "Because sand is the only thing we have to worry about down here." She shook her head, fighting the urge to roll her eyes even though her lips quirked into that smirk.

A look soon crossed his features as if he suddenly noticed something. Less concerned about the sand and its invasiveness. His comment shoved her mind even further into the gutter than it already was. He began to prop himself up, twisting to show the back of his shirt. How quickly those gutter bound thoughts packed up their bags and ran halfway across the world, forgetting to pack nearly half the shit they needed in the maddened rush. Her face paled at the realization that there was no planet in which what ruined his clothes was water. It was a deep dark red, nearly black. She couldn't stand to look at it, even though she didn't really get ill from much. But this... for some reason did not agree with her as she was once more reminded by the thick scent of putrid death.

That was what was was on his back. The source of the smell. Putrid death. How quickly that seemed to prompt the woman to get off of him, attempting to train her face as she.... Stretched the truth of his predicament. What worry was a stained shirt when the mere matter of life and death hung in the balance?

Once they were both on their feet, Harley began to use the glow from his firebird to examine that room for an exit or even for a sign of some kind.. or a clue as to what that room truly was. Why couldn't this be easy for once. Sign her up for that. A one way ticket out of this house of horrors. She didn't need to visit the giftshop... didn't need to ride that ride again. Sly, despite it all, was quick to snatch his hat from the floor, placing it back upon his head securely like it was his version of armour. Why couldn't there be a light switch down here? Exit sign, reveal yourself.

As she meandered around, barely making it to far as she trampled through the thick sand, her gaze focused on a clue... A hint to the very exit, maybe? She moved forward through the gross sand trying her damn hardest not to picture what she was walking through. Her eyes just settled upon a metal contraption that seemed to sprawl upward beyond sight before she heard Sly's voice. She distractedly shifted enough to eye him. She had a weird job the warlock accused. Ha, if he only knew the fucking half of it. She all but gaped at him. How could she even explain any of it to him. Why should she even bother? He wouldn't believe her anyways. She could practically imagine the warlock tipping his head back and laugh like she was telling a damn joke.. How she wished it was a damn joke. She ignored his comment about finding a new job, like this particular gig she could just give in her signed notice to. Did he really think that she chose to be here?

There was little time to think of any of that before an alarm call ripped through the temporary peace they had found. She had somehow forgotten about Ruben. She was almost determined to believe that he had lost interest in them... she should have known better by now. The figure of Ruben slowly began to take shape, the vampire must have been sluggish during the day because he moved slow... began to take shape behind her as that falcon whirled by her in an effort to save her from the shadowed hand that would have surely grabbed her. She felt the heat of the falcon rush by, shooting right through the vampires cursed chest, Harley whirled to follow that magnificent creature. But she saw how damn close Ruben was to succeeding. Slow or not. So close to killing her and she had been oblivious to it. There was no time for mistakes. Her blood turned cold at the thought it, pushing it away, refusing it to allow to mess with her wits now when she needed every last bouncing brain cell in her head. She could have kissed Sly's fire creature on the beak if it wouldn't burn her damn face off... especially as she noticed the ashes. Did they actually defeat Ruben? Could that bird take them all down in one fell swoop, pun intended. That victorious moment was soon cut off far too short. Of course, that would be too easy. Ruben was clearly not dead... Not as the sand began to shift and swirl. Fuck this guy and his omnipotence.

All it took was for one moment... for it all to go to hell. Ruben became a sand monster, there was no other way to describe it. In his rage, he seemed to blame Sly for his previous assault, with a mighty blast that sent him flying across the pit to collide with the wall with a horrifying thud. The lights went out and there wasn't a single sound after that beside the sound of sand whisking by. As if her own near-death experience hadn't cooled her blood enough.... this shot ice through her veins. That sudden feeling that slammed into her then seemed to rush through her and awakening that resident feline within her body. Yet somehow gave her focus.

Why didn't she just take him to the exit when he asked? She could not lie that one of her flaws was thinking of herself as indestructible. It always got her into trouble.. How this moment made her realize that she was far from it... and yet she hardly was ready to give up. Instead of letting that fear cripple her, she felt anger. Anger was something she could use. Something she knew all too well. Her jaw tightened, her teeth practically baring slightly into the now pitch-black darkness. But then she heard that curse. Sly was not dead. She could not deny that relief that washed over her in that instant. Some selfish part of her not wanting to be alone.

In that brief time, Ruben's sand monster form seemed to grow, feeling the sand particles that he greedily sucked into his form. She used that newfound adrenaline spike to fuel her. She refused to die in this pit. She wouldn't just do nothing. Hell, she refused to die here today at all if she had a say in it. Screw the other consequences.

Sly's voice echoed, interrupting her internal pep talk. Run. Sly's warning rang in her ears as she stole a glance just as a sandy hand began to reach for her. Why were creepers so damn grabby? She didn't need to hang around to know what would happen if she stayed. She moved swiftly, dug her boot clad feet in the sand and ran. Even in the limited space she had to remain out of reach or she was as good as a goner. Harley nearly fell flat on her ass, her boot losing traction and sliding in some slippery slick muddy goo she was glad she couldn't see. Everything in this cursed place was trying to kill her. Somehow, she managed to remain upright. Score one for silver lining.... Even if it was near black with tarnish and grime. It felt like a suicidal game of cat and mouse and ironically.. she was no longer the cat.

Think Harley think.. Her mind cursed which sounded like a useless sound that ricocheted in her mind.

It felt like she was dodging shadows in pitch-black.. The granules of sand were the only thing that alerted her to where sand Ruben was. She needed some light to see clearly so she could map out their next move.

She questioned into the dark, calling out to the warlock. He seemed oddly quiet.. Did he pass out? Although before she could wonder the fate of her companion his fire suddenly appeared in response... taking the form of another creature friend. No, with this man there was no such thing as ordinary flame. Instead, it was in the form of a cute little goat. An itty bitty prancing one like it was in the showring rather than a coliseum. Odd choice. But who was she to say anything... he provided her exactly what she asked for. That little creature was... kind of cute and thoroughly harmless looking. Especially in the face of something so currently omnipotent. If Harley had learned anything, it was that nothing was truly omnipotent. Even if he couldn't die... they could do something to spare themselves. She simply needed to find a weakness or better yet, given that time crunch... a distraction. She did her best to ignore the small goat of flames, focusing on her own power. Fight power with brain power and... a little power never hurt anyone.

The raven-haired spitfire summoned her affinity for metal, pulling whatever she could in her immediate vicinity. There were weapons and shrapnel lost within the sand. It was anyone's guess with how it got there. If only it were enough. She could feel it all like she was a human magnet. She had only tried singular objects before, not so many as this. It was complicated. But she didn't need to do anything quite so intricate... She blasted her unchecked power into Ruben.. her only focus at that moment. Her metal seemed harmless against the sand creature. It quickly became apparent that she couldn't hurt him... But she could annoy the hell out him. Suddenly all that shrapnel swarmed him instead. Like agitated, disorienting, chaotic bees they intercepted him. It gave her just enough time to find Sly, illuminated by his fire baby goat off in the distance. He was standing at least but just barely. The man was hunched over like he was in pain, clutching his side. He was in bad shape. One look was enough to tell. One task at a time. She could hear the rattling of metal of that metal strapped to the wall, that rattling sculpture. The same one she saw earlier. That was where they needed to go. She could barely make it out but it looked exactly like what they needed. A lift of some kind. They could check his wounded after.

She took one step at a time to close the distance between her and Sly, each step cautious not to trip while keeping a tentative hold of her wild powers that swirled relentlessly around Ruben's unsolid state. She felt that strain as she tried to focus on too many things at once. Yet she was flooded with determination and resolve. She eyed the baby goat as she passed it, wondering in that moment if he could turn it into something... bigger... badder. The perfect distraction to keep Ruben busy while they attempted their escape. The repairman claimed he had this, even though she was certain he most definitely did not. Yet she was grateful for his effort. His power was exactly what they needed now. Yet his response seemed to startle her. Willing to offer her whatever she needed. There was no time to consider any of it nor how much those words were something she had never been offered before. It all happened too quickly as that plan took shape. Good, she needed Sly for this plan to work. Fuck, this better work.

Ruben tried to frantically claw at himself but considering he wasn't actually solid his hands swiped right through his body.... The pelted metal....being knocked at first, wobbling and then returning right back to its annoying task. He began to draw closer intentionally. She heard a roar. Where the fuck did that come from? It vibrated through her entire body. How could Ruben roar without a vocal box? Those swipes seemed to grow far sloppier and more erratic. What did she need? The words repeated in her head. What a simple ask... yet a potent one. People seemed to fight her as much as she fought them... But Sly seemed to trust her. Why did that shock her so much? Why did she expect far more.... Resistance? She didn't have time to consider it. "I.. need something.. big to keep him distracted. I need something to have his attention away from us. Something way bigger than a cute little goat. Something more intimidating." She expelled in a rush, gesturing to the fire creature. She didn't want to announce to the world her entire plan... she wasn't sure if Ruben could hear them.. but she wasn't going to risk their one and only chance.

All they needed was a little time to get to the daylight. He couldn't follow them there and yet she wasn't quite sure her plan would work until they got there. All the while Sly was true to his word, not even a single word to argue... he just did as she asked. That little creature changed shape into something larger... A massive bull with an even bigger set of horns. Harley released her hold on that metal for now, the countless pieces raining soundlessly into the bed of sand below. This might actually work. "NOW!" She yelled, like a battle cry.. before she ran that final distance to Sly.

In an instant she was at his side. "Lean on me.. I'm stronger than I look." As much as she wanted to watch the fire show, the woman was single minded in her task. At least Ruben seemed focused on that creature and not them. It was working. Harley waited long enough for Sly to put some of that weight of him on her. He was heavier than he looked.. But she was determined to carry him if she had to.

She wrapped her arm around his lower waist, aware of where he seemed to be clutching and avoiding it. She was uncaring the of gore that soaked through his clothing and smeared across the arm of her leather jacket. Just how damaged was he? They were fortunately not that far away from what she was hoping was the lift.. the pair ambled slowly before she saw a cart. It was exactly what she had hoped.

"You're heavier than you look." She grumbled, vowing to never miss ab day going forward..as they finally managed to step onto the open lift, her boots making a hollow sound against the metal floor. Harley eyed the two buttons one for up.. one for down.. Easy. She took a few steps forward with Sly before slamming the flat part of her free palm into the button with far more force than needed...

She heard nothing... felt nothing.. no movement. No nothing.
She hit it again.
"Bullshit." That curse came out in a rush before the machine finally jerked to life, steadily moving up. She was able to eye the bull and the epic battle below. Monster and fire bull focused on one another like she had so hoped. How she would have enjoyed watching more of that battle until the end and she knew all it took was a single glance in their direction and it was all over. They rose higher and Harley eyed their limited options... Ignoring the nasty empty cart that was beside them. They were met with a sudden jerk and then a loud squealing stop that was certain to grab Ruben's attention. Finally at a stop they were faced with two large sliding doors, both very locked. They had one shot at this. The path they took down here was so windy that she was unsure which way was outside. "This is the worst escape room ever." She muttered before she called on her powers once more... testing those doors... both were locked. Left or right... her gaze flit from one to the next, biting her lower lip in thought.
Her hand tightened around Sly's waist. "Tell me what they are doing down there." She asked but her focus was solely on that bolted sliding door.. Knowing damn well that it wasn't good. There was no way that Ruben didn't know that his victims were escaping. She slammed her power into that heavy industrial sliding metal door.. that was so beefy it could keep a t-rex in.. Please me just steel. She was met with a satisfying sound of it springing open before she urged him through, not bothering to look at where Ruben was.

Pressing on, part of her was anticipating more darkness.. Instead...

It opened up into... a covered utility area where a dumpster was attached to its outer wall... but she could see sunlight peeking through a crack in the weather stripping below... Sunlight. She tried to slam the garage door they just walked through shut with her affinity for metal.. only she was not met with that satisfying sound of it closing... No. Like a fucking jack in the box Ruben shot up out of nowhere, jamming that door open. Oh he was really pissed now, she thought he was bad earlier. She swore she could hear a hiss of murderous warning in which case Harley was more than content to ignore, not when she could see that sliver of sunlight. All that stood between survival was them and that door. "Almost there." She urged, unsure if it was for the warlock at her side or for herself. She tugged at Sly's waist urging him to move faster. Quickly blasting open that final door with her last surge of strength. Daylight burst into that room sending Ruben's strange distorted form finally retreating into the dark. She pulled Sly along until the sunlight caressed her cheeks. If she could only lick it. Soak it all in. For all it represented, it was everything. They made it.

She hadn't known that her heart was practically thumping into her throat. Or knew that she squeezed Sly perhaps a little tighter than was necessary. The broken door closed behind them before she released him, making sure Sly was at least able to stand or lean against that nearby wall. Her boots shuffled against the concrete, taking a few steps backwards, leaning into that door they had just burst through moments before.

Fuck.

She drew it a few steadying breaths of that clear city air, only to hear that they weren't steady at all. She was utterly depleted.. Mentally and physically done.

That was close. Too close. But it wasn't over. Sly was still there and it was like she could feel his eyes burning holes into her. She couldn't allow that weakness to show.. Couldn't allow herself to fall apart here. Not yet. With that last bit of strength, she steeled herself. Scraping the last of her resolve to bring her to that present moment.

Her eyed the poor warlock who looked extremely pale. But he was still standing but he looked so close to keeling over.

She hid the emotion behind a perfect mask, breaking the silence. "So I think this makes you my damsel." That sarcasm found, her confidence returning now that the immediate danger was gone. The longer she eyed him, the more she realized he was far from ok.

She pushed off that door to face him, eyeing him carefully. "We should probably get you checked out.. you don't look too good, matches."

Harley Westward