BAD FATHER FIGURES
These rouge Daddies always made her sad, their Daughters had died and now all they could do was scream. Theta didn't want to fight it; she wanted to let it go about its business. Its similarity to her own Daddy hadn't escaped her. Unfortunately it was a threat to her, her human ally, and more importantly her charge and that was unacceptable.
Its spinney gun was already moving; with a flick of her wrist she tossed her human ally out of the line of fire, barely in time to avoid an untimely end. Simultaneously, she leapt gracefully over the stream of bullets emitted by this newest threat. Flipping in midair, she landing on its shoulders and, shrieking horribly, allowed lightning to flow through her body into the bad Daddy. Pushing herself off of its shoulders with all of her considerable might, she flipped backwards before landing on the ground once again.
Maybe the Daddy that had loved its daughter was still inside the broken monster somewhere. Raising her hands above her head, Theta began making the most soothing noise she could, a slightly raspy cooing. The rouge Daddy paused, insane scream dieing briefly in its throat, seemingly confused by the strange behavior of its opponent. For a second Theta thought that she would be able to resolve this without violence, its mammoth body slamming into hers crushed that brief hope.
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Being tossed into a pile of trash is unpleasant at the best of times, but when an invisible force is responsible for it it's downright disconcerting. A familiar shriek of rage brought David back from his brief hiatus with reality, looking up from the pile of refuse he was sitting in; he saw his monstrous ally get body slammed by its larger, crazier counterpart.
The rusty metal abomination continued running after impact, and not relinquishing its grip on its smaller enemy's throat, ran full out towards the wall. A second before impact there was a soft pop and his ally disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Unable to react in time, the insane creature, still screaming mindlessly, slammed into the wall with a crunch.
With another barely audible pop, his ally reappeared in mid air behind the stunned monster. Landing on its shoulders, she sunk her mammoth spear like needle into the monster's back, earning a pained scream from the beast.
David realized, with a twinge of shame, that he wasn't assisting his ally in this vicious fight. He knew he wouldn't be able to fight that thing one on one, that didn't mean he couldn't shoot the damn thing though. With renewed purpose, David began searching for his crossbow.
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The rouge Daddy's scream of pain saddened Theta, she didn't like harming it, but it hadn't given her a choice. Twisting her harvester, she buried it deeper in the Daddy's back, earning another pained scream from the monster.
Tearing itself from the wall it had been stuck in, the rouge Daddy began attempting to dislodge her from its back. Avoiding its first attempt at grabbing her over its shoulder, she felt an iron hard grip latch onto her ankle.
Before she could react, she was torn from the furious creature's back and slammed viciously into the wall. The wind was torn from her lungs by the savage impact, before the Daddy could do further harm to her its head jerked forward as a dull thunk echoed from the Daddy's helmet.
The rouge Daddy dropped her and spun around, endless scream increasing in volume, facing its newest target its spinney gun began to move. Judging from the broken arrow on the ground next to the manic Daddy, her foolish ally had just angered one of the most dangerous entities in the fallen city.
Eyes closing, Theta felt her body begin to loosen. Disappearing in a puff of violet smoke, she reappeared in between her ally and the furious monster. Wrapping her arms around the terrified human, she disappeared once again, taking the both of them out of the line of fire, seconds before a hail of bullets tore through the air.
Reappearing in a cluttered corner, Theta released her ally, "Holy shit! How'd you do that?" Ignoring her human companion, she slammed her palm on the ground. A ripple of energy traveled along the metal floor, as it warped upward, slowly forming a makeshift barrier that they could take shelter behind.
Good, her ally was safe…er now. Waving to gain its attention, Theta pointed to it and then the ground at their feet. "You want me to stay here?" Nodding in confirmation, she stood and turned toward the rampaging Daddy.
With a pop Theta disappeared, reappearing before the screaming Daddy. Flicking her wrist, she froze its spinney gun, as it, still screaming mindlessly, pulled the trigger. Pain tore through her side as the gun began to unload its deadly payload.
The pain wasn't an issue; she knew that she would heal from the injury. The shriek of metal tearing itself apart met Theta's satisfied ears, and made any injury she had sustained instantly worth it. The frozen weapon, as it tried to fire, tore apart its delicate inner workings, and its multiple spinning barrels jerked to a stop.
The rouge Daddy paused, seemingly confused, its weapon wasn't tearing apart its enemies. Incessant scream increasing in volume, it came to a decision. Smiling ruthlessly behind its visor, it used its weapon a final time, savagely breaking it over Theta's head as she moved to attack.
Groggy from the unexpected blow, Theta was unable to react as the furious creature kicked her in the head with an armored boot. Collapsing to the ground dazedly she attempted to regain her bearings. Before she could, pain tore through her, as the relentless creature stepped down on her hand, crushing it. An agonized shriek sounded from between her lips as the fallen Daddy grabbed her head in one huge hand, effortlessly lifting her limp body from the ground.
Still screaming insanely, the Daddy slammed her helmeted head into the ground. As she flailed weakly, Theta attempted to gather sufficient will to unleash her awesome power, unfortunately having your head slammed viciously into the ground is detrimental to ones concentration.
Scream taking on an almost satisfied tone, the Monster smashed her head into the ground again, and again, and again. Blackness was creeping across her vision. Distantly Theta heard a faint thwack and the sound of something falling to the ground. She felt herself land on the ground motionless, but was too far gone to react.
As the once noble creature turned from her motionless body screaming a challenge, Theta felt darkness consume her, and the last thing she saw was a broken arrow lying innocently on the ground.
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Bravado, David found, didn't last very long once your enormous enemy was staring at you. Distantly he noticed that the monstrous entity was already furious; he might as well act like he knew what he was doing.
"Hey rusty, why don't you fight something that can fight back?" He didn't think the armored abomination understood his confrontational shout, but the challenge in his tone was unmistakable. If a crossbow bolt to the back of the head hadn't angered the monster, his defiant yells certainly had.
Savage screams deepening into an answering roar, the monster charged, head lowered. Rolling out of the way, David fumbled with the first crossbow bolt he could grab, as the monster slammed head first into the wall. Loading the bolt, he aimed at the monster busy tearing itself from the wall. As it spun back towards him, scream of rage near deafening, David fired.
By some ridiculously implausible chance the bolt hit one of the injection ports of the monster's suit. Punching easily through the thin material it lodged itself in the beast's bicep. Simultaneously beast and man stopped what they were doing, shocked by this newest occurrence.
The monster's scream, which had briefly died out as it realized it was wounded, came back with a vengeance. It lunged forward with murderous intent, only for an explosion to tear through its recently wounded bicep. David who was unfamiliar with the coloration of the various types of crossbow bolts had chosen an explosive bolt in his desperate fumbling. The monster's entire bicep was torn apart in the blast; its left arm, now immobile, hung limply from tattered flesh and a severely damaged bone.
For a second, David felt elation surge through his veins. He had wounded it! He had hurt the monster more then even his savage ally could. As the monster's screams took on an even more deranged tone, he came to the sobering realization that it was still capable of killing him easily even with only one arm.
Before he could react, the monster tore effortlessly through his makeshift cover. Towering over the comparably diminutive human, it lifted him off the ground with its working arm. Constant scream grinding to a brief stop, the metal encased abomination glared through its visor at the impudent human who had dared to harm it.
Suddenly, David found himself sailing through the air, as the monster, huffing dismissively, tossed him into the nearest building. Landing for the second time that day in something best left undescribed, he surveyed the new area he found himself in. Judging from the festering meat in display cases, it had once been a butchers shop.
With a thundering crash, the enraged titan burst through the wall of the dilapidated store. Smashing through a row of display cases it stormed towards David. Still dazed from the harsh landing, he was barely able to roll out of the way from the mammoth boot attempting to crush his head. Huge fist grabbing David's shirt before he could get too far away, the monster hurled him once again, this time into the far wall.
David's back slammed into the metal door of the store's walk in freezer. As the monster crashed through yet another display case, a desperate idea swam through David's rattled brain. Pulling himself to his feet he tore the heavy metal door open. Behind him he heard the monster speed up as its scream increased in volume, unwilling to let its prey escape.
Stumbling into the still working freezer, David slammed the reinforced door closed behind him. A second later the incensed monster plowed into it, pounding furiously as it screamed in rage. Almost hyperventilating, David allowed himself to fall exhausted against the far wall.
Ignoring the freezing temperature, he pulled his shotgun from his pack. He didn't know if the thing could get through the door, but he wasn't willing to risk being caught unarmed.
After what seemed several hours, but in reality must have been only a few minutes, the beast punched the door a final time. Loosing a futile cry of rage at its prey escaping, it walked away, thunderous footsteps echoing in the confined space.
Allowing several more minutes to pass in freezing silence, David thanked any god he could think of, for allowing him to live through the horrible encounter. Standing stiffly, he limped to the large door. Grasping the handle he pulled, only for the old metal to finally give out.
For several seconds, he stared in shock at the metal handle he held in his hand, very much separate from the door it was supposed to open. Closing his eyes in the frigid environment he sat back down, a small burst of mist emanating from his mouth.
Somewhere, somewhere up in the clouds, beings far more powerful then he were laughing at him.
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A chocked sob echoed in the confined space, as Samantha sat alone in the dark. She was sorry! Didn't they see that? She hadn't meant to hit Papa Suchong; she just didn't want to go near the dead person!
She was so hungry, and her throat felt like she'd swallowed razorblades. Her eyes had stopped making tears long ago. She had no idea how long she'd been stuck here, in the dark empty room.
Where were Momma and Papa? Why weren't they saving her? She was sorry she ran away!
Hugging herself, she rocked slowly back and forth. What had the scary people wearing white done to her? She didn't know how long she'd been stuck in this horribly empty room, but shouldn't she have died of starvation by now?
As the terrified child succumbed to another fit of sobbing and coughing, an unfamiliar noise echoed throughout her own personal hell. The door was opening!
That door was the only feature in the otherwise empty room. Samantha had never hated anything or anyone in her short life but she hated that door more then she had ever thought possible. She didn't know how long she had sat in front of it, screaming for help and beating her hands on the unforgiving metal until they had bled. The door never responded, never moved. It didn't care that she was a terrified little girl alone in the dark. But now, it was opening!
Slowly she turned her starved body to the door, as the brightest light she'd ever seen flooded her prison.
"There's one in here already." She didn't know that voice.
"What? Oh yes, Suchong remembers that one. I'm surprised it hasn't died of starvation by now." That voice she knew. Curling into a tighter ball, Samantha whimpered as Papa Suchong entered her prison.
Standing imperiously over her, Papa Suchong continued. "Are you willing to behave now? If not, Suchong could leave you in here with our latest failure, I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Eyes slow to adjust to the incredibly bright light, Samantha hadn't seen the other people in white following Papa Suchong, or the small person they held between them.
Samantha's eyes focused slowly on the small body held in between the two white wearing people. It was a boy, wearing only loose fitting white pants. His skin had a sick greenish tinge to it, just like hers, and his eyes glowed yellow, just like hers. For some reason the small boy staring blankly into space scared Samantha horribly, even more so then Papa Suchong.
Looking to the angry man glaring at her impatiently, Samantha nodded hurriedly; she didn't want to be near the scary boy anymore.
"Good." Turning without another word Papa Suchong walked briskly from the room, leaving the emaciated Samantha to catch up.
"Papa Suchong! Papa Suchong, wait please!" To her surprise Papa Suchong paused, glaring, giving her a chance to catch up. Pointing towards the boy staring blankly into space, Samantha asked the question that wouldn't leave her alone. "Papa Suchong, who's that?"
Not even sparing the scary child a glance, he answered. "A failed experiment."
As Samantha walked past the two white wearers and the scary child, still pointing absently at him, something happened, something she would remember, even after the memories of her true parents had been long forgotten.
The boy's blank, soulless eyes met hers briefly, and for a split second an emotion flashed through them, an emotion Samantha would later identify as hunger. Moving faster then she or his handlers could react; the boy's mouth opened, and clamped down on her still pointing hand.
Samantha screamed.
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A scream awoke Theta, the scream of a child in distress. The scream of her charge in distress!
"You're a bad Daddy!"
Savage shriek cleaving through the air, Theta launched herself off of the ground and towards the noise. She impacted the rouge Daddy's back with the force of a missile, upsetting its balance. Unfortunately, with surprising speed, the Daddy tore her from its back and tossed her into the wall.
As she leapt back to her feet she saw something surprising, the Daddy's left are was destroyed, its bicep torn to ribbons, and the rest of the arm hung limply from its shoulder. How long had she been unconscious?
Ducking under the monsters flailing punch, Theta sent a wave of pure concussive force into the beast's chest. With a strangled howl it flew into the wall, leaving a Daddy shaped dent in the metal surface.
Diving forward she pulled her arm back, wreathing it in flame. This time when she hit the bad Daddy, she impacted with the force and explosive power of a missile. Pulling her arm back for another blow, she was unprepared for the monsters surprisingly quick counterattack.
Using all of its unnatural strength, the monster punched her in the face with its working arm. For her poor, poor helmet this was the last straw. The Daddy's massive fist tore through her already damaged visor and crushed her nose. Reeling backwards, blinded by involuntary tears, Theta was unable to avoid the Daddy's next attack, as it kicked her in the chest and sent her flying across the hallway.
Blinking away the tears from her broken nose, Theta opened her eyes, and was greeted with blackness. Her helmet must have spun when she was hit. With an irritated huff she tore her ruined helmet off of her head and tossed it aside.
Wincing slightly in the unfamiliar, unfiltered light, she glared at her attacker as it stormed towards her. It had knocked her out! The Daddy bashed a crate out of the way. It had threatened her Sister! The Daddy, scream rising in volume, smashed effortlessly through a pile of ruble. It had broken her helmet! The Daddy extended its good arm towards her, in preparation of an easy kill. It was going to die!
With a shriek, Theta disappeared, allowing the Daddy to run headfirst into the wall yet again. Reappearing on its left side Theta smiled. While earlier she would have felt guilt hurting the Daddy, it had gone too far. She was going to enjoy this!
Faster then the eye could see, her hands latched onto the Daddy's broken arm, one grabbing it at the wrist, the other grabbing the exposed bone. Twisting savagely, before the beast could react; Theta pulled, and was rewarded with a snapping noise and a scream of pure agony.
Dancing backwards from the monsters wild counterattack, she waved its now severed arm at it, mimicking an enthusiastic greeting. Ducking under another sloppy swing, she spun in place, leg extended, knocking the Daddy's legs out from under it.
Jumping onto its chest, she smiled down at it. Scream dead in its throat, it raised its arm in an attempt to ward her off. Before it could interfere she attacked. Striking with all of her augmented might she punched it in the visor, its visor which hadn't been maintained over the years shattered instantly.
The face that leered up at her from behind the shattered glass wasn't recognizable as human. It was grey, desiccated and rotting. Lips pulled back in a constant sneer, eyelids removed surgically, white eyes glared into her yellow.
That wasn't a Daddy, it was a monster. Grasping the severed arm with renewed determination, Theta raised it over her head. As the monster's near constant scream began once again, she acted. With a sickening crunch, the broken bone at the end of the monster's arm entered its forehead.
Twisting her makeshift spear as the monster flailed in a final desperate attempt to fend her off, Theta sunk it deeper. The monster thrashed in agony unable to evict its attacker. She gave another savage twist and with a final crunch the monster's skull gave way, with that the incessant screams, along with the monster, died once and for all.
Whatever that thing was, it wasn't a Daddy. Daddies were knights in shining armor; they were handsome, like princes. They did not look like walking corpses with crazed white eyes! Whatever that thing was, it wasn't a Daddy!
Gingerly grasping her broken nose as it throbbed in pain, Theta pulled it back into place earning herself another sharp twinge of pain. A whimper attracted her attention. Standing, she saw her Little Sister huddled in a corner, crying in fear.
Concern for her younger sibling gripping her, Theta walked over to her, before crouching to her level. "S-sissy?" Brushing a tear from her sister's face, Theta smiled at her. "Did you unzip it?" Nodding in confirmation, she lifted her sister from the ground. Hugging the small girl to her chest, she kissed her gently on the forehead, attempting to reassure the shaken child.
Looking onto Theta's eyes her sister nodded knowingly. "He was a bad Daddy." Smiling softly at her diminutive sister, Theta nodded, a truer statement hadn't been said all day.
A look of faint alarm spread across the child's face. "Sissy, where's Mr. Ordinary?" That was a good question. Where was her irritating ally? Depositing her sister in her basket, Theta cast her unfiltered gaze around the recent war zone. There was no ruble or debris that was large enough to be hiding it. Her eyes eventually landed on what appeared to be an old meat market, judging from the smell. The small store looked like a bomb had gone off inside it.
Sounding near tears, her sister voiced her concerns. "Sissy, do you think the bad Daddy unzipped him?" To her surprise Theta found herself hoping the quirky creature was still among the living. She still wasn't sure about it, it was confusing. She was fairly sure however, that it wasn't a threat, it always seemed concerned for her sister's welfare and seemed to want to look out for Theta's as well. The idea of needing its help was ridiculous, but still, having another entity concerned for your wellbeing was a…nice and unfamiliar feeling.
Stepping into the destroyed room, Theta glanced around. There was more debris in this area and she could smell the strange creature, it was close but not in this room. Her softly glowing eyes found a large metal door near the back of the store, a large metal door covered in dents about the size of the Daddy impersonator's fist.
Smiling to herself, Theta had to admit that her ally was clever. It had barricaded itself in one of the few areas the monster would have had trouble reaching. Seeing that the handle to open the door was damaged, Theta closed her eyes and concentrated. Extending a hand calmly, she felt the doorframe begin to expand. Clenching her fist, she felt the metal door compress in on itself slightly. Inhaling sharply, she jerked her arm back, and with the sound of tearing metal the large door flew over her head and out of the store before landing with a resounding crash in the hallway outside.
A wave of freezing air hit the sensitive skin of her recently exposed face. Jerking backwards slightly in surprise, Theta saw that her ally wasn't as clever as she had given it credit for. Its body was huddled in the far corner of the room, now revealed to be freezer. Its slightly blue hands still held its beanoclears in a death grip, while its scattergun rested by its side. Its closed eyes and the calm look on its face combined to make it look almost like it was sleeping.
To her surprise, Theta felt a pang of remorse that the creature was no more. It had been interesting, it had made her curious about the world beyond Rapture's desiccated corpse, she was…sad that it was gone.
Distantly, Theta was aware of her sister's devastated sobs.