Something's burning. It doesn't exactly smell like smoke but it isn't any better either. Slowly, Victoria opens her eyes as feeling returns to her body. Not even five minutes ago, she took her nap, but now something's burning. I'm so tiiiiired… Ugh, "no rest for the wicked", I suppose. She quickly pivots herself to get out of bed, but she's shocked to see what has happened to the floor.
It is absolutely covered in lava.
Victoria groans, looking for a way out, when she notices that her discarded blanket is dipping into the lava… and also not burning. She pulls it back on board her bed and holds it by the corners before quickly tossing it onto the lava below.
It still doesn't burn, instead acting as a steady-looking platform. A proud smile forms on Victoria's face as she steps onto the blanket and stands still, hoping not to slip. Works like a charm! It doesn't even burn!
Victoria grabs her pillow too, tosses it to the door, and jumps onto it, though it isn't as stable as the blanket. She wobbles a bit before regaining control over herself, and she swiftly reaches for the doorknob. Carefully, she opens the door and sees that the lava is flooding the whole building, pouring in from the ventilations shafts near the floor. Standing in the halls, balancing on a variety of platforms - pots, tubs, carpets, chairs, rocking horses - are Victoria's neighbors, just as fearful and confused as she is.
And among them is Jessica, standing on a dresser, looking down at the lava fretfully. Victoria calls out to her, "Jessica!"
Jessica looks up at her and asks, "Vic, are you alright?"
Victoria nods her head, trying to pass off that she isn't freaking out even a little bit, "I'm doing fine, just… very confused!" She wishes to get closer to her, but the problem lies in distance. She motions for Jessica to toss a drawer from the dresser onto the lava, hoping to lessen the gap, and Jessica cautiously does so.
Victoria carefully plans out the jump, all the while pulling herself out of the bedroom for a clearer shot and a shorter jump.
Quietly, from behind, a skull-faced knight of jagged crimson armor emerges from the lava, unsheathing his sword from his hilt. "Victoria, look out!", Jessica shouts as she points at the villain standing behind her.
Upon turning to see the villain aiming to strike her down, Victoria does not hesitate to jump to the drawer, narrowly avoiding as his sword swings where she once stood.
As Victoria reaches her target, Jessica reaches out to hold her hands. Cautiously, Victoria stabilizes herself until she stops wobbling around and finds her balance. Now safe, Victoria asks her, "How did this happen?"
"Mantroid happened.", explains Taylor and Courtney in unison, floating in mid-air, totally making Victoria not jealous.
Envy aside, Victoria has no clue who that is. "Wanna explain who that is?"
"He is a galaxy-travelling scourge with the face of death and armor of blood." That sounds terrifying. "... Created by Chris Eriksen." That sounds… like a name I've never heard before.
Victoria quickly cracks her knuckles, already accepting that she has to kick this guy's ass, and tells the three, "I'll stop him. Watch out for everyone else. We're all on the same boat here." Unfortunately, she doesn't know how to find Mantroid, nor how to lure him out… Wait… DING! That lightbulb shines bright in her frazzled mind as she has an idea: "Actually, I could use one of those. How do we get boats in here?"
Jessica shrugs her shoulders and answers, "Just think one up? It worked for me.", she says, tapping on the dresser.
And so, Victoria does just that, focusing, concentrating, manifesting a boat… which unfortunately got stuck in the walls a few feet over their heads. "Oops." She quickly manifests another and it rests on the lava, rocking along the tide as calmly as if it were a river of water.
As she steps onto the boat, Jessica gives her a caring smile. "Kick his ass, Vic!"
"Oh, I plan to, Jess. Trust me, you have nothing to fear.", she remarks with defusing laughter. It's my job now.
With two oars now in her hands, Victoria begins paddling down the hallway in a bit of a hurry, past her other new neighbors as they attempt to balance on their own makeshift islands.
As she paddles further, she feels someone swimming underneath. No doubt it's Mantroid. After paddling into a clearing, the lava starts to bubble and boil like it's ready to erupt. Victoria lays down in the boat and braces herself, hanging on for dear life.
Within seconds, the boat is propelled into the air as it crashes through the ceilings overhead. Victoria would be screaming if she weren't so shocked; instead, she's frozen, filled with tranquil fear.
Once the boat catches back up with gravity and lands on the roof, she doesn't even try to immediately exit it. She just takes deep breaths and accepts that she somehow survived that. Just gonna take a breather before my lungs and heart explode. I've gotta start appreciating those more.
Another shock comes with the sound of a violent thud landing beside the boat, which then transforms into footsteps that grow closer, louder, more violent with each approach.
Please don't see me.
Mantroid sees her. CRAP!
Effortlessly, he lifts Victoria out of the boat with one hand before tossing the vehicle aside with the other. He stares at her as she tries in vain to kick and punch him, all while he fails to see what the big deal is about her. "You're just another pathetic little human." Regardless, she amuses him and he promptly lets go of her.
Victoria does not hesitate to get back up on her feet, her hands furiously balled up into fists, ready to start pummeling his skull in.