ic Shark Week: Uncharted Waters

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

Glamazon dove down and reached for Megalodon's arms, following suit after the Deep One and her friend had managed to pin the creature down.  Megalodon's eyes suddenly jolted open.  The manbeast snarled viciously.  Thrashing about with all its might the sharkman's powerful jaws snapped the air threateningly.  However, such might was easily stifled by the combined efforts of the women in the room.

After a minute had passed, Megalodon stopped moving completely.  Saliva bubbling out of his mouth like a white froth as he stared upwards at the ceiling.  Gradually muscle mass began disappearing from his body.  The roughness and coarseness of his skin faded as it palpably softened.  His features became more recognizably human after more time passed.  By the end they were left with a haggard looking dark haired man whimpering on the floor.  His eyes darting around the room.

"Oh Connor!  I'm so sorry.  I'm so sorry, I should have listened."

 

[Electra]

As soon as Megalodon stopped struggling and changed back to human, Singularity seemed to lose interest in him entirely. Climbing off him, she instead went over to poke at the bloody, mangled bodies on the floor. Surprise washed some of the emotion back into her face. "The people are alive," she reported with some shock. "You, if you're a doctor, come fix them," she demanded imperiously of the soaked therapist. "They need help or they'll die." 

[Avenger Assembled]

Aquaria watched the transformation and hurriedly scrabbled away before abruptly spitting a greenish slime on the floor at the shocking blasphemy of it. Deep One legends contained stories of the horrific time when their ancestors had walked on the land as Surfacers - to see a creature of the sea transformed into a man was an odious sight. But the sight of the man's weeping woman reassured her that this was normal - as strange and backwards as it was. "Oh...okay," she finally said, her croaking voice shaky. "Yes, the people need help. Jessie, can you go and see if anyone has called 911?" She approached Langstrom, her eyes wide, looking at him with considerably more horror than she had when he was something as simple as a shark-like humanoid. "What happened?" she croaked softly. "Who did this to him?"

[Brown Dynamite]

Glamazon's hands shot up in shock at the sight of the man.  "He was not a Samebito.  Then they were not seeking revenge.  But, why attack this park of amusement?"  Glamazon was bothered by the fact that as far as short sighted plans went, this one didn't even have the benefit of a villainous monologue.  Unless it occurred before she entered the hall of mirrors.

It took a bit of willpower but Dr. Ellis looked over at Jessie.  The realization that she was being spoken to slowly sinking in.  "They need to be seen at a hospital.  I-I'll do what I can here.  Just let me cal-crap."  Desperately reaching into her lab coat.  This time the object she sought was there, unfortunately, her phone did not survive its watery submersion.  "I don't have any supplies..  At the very least I can make sure to keep them out of shock."  

The man began shivering.  "I did this.  It was me."  He croaked.

"Connor, dear, please rest."  Dr. Ellis called out on her way to the pile of bodies.  Reaching into their pockets she lucked out and found an unlocked cell phone sliding it to Jessie's foot.  "Call 911."  The doctor removed her lab coat, tearing off the sleeves almost immediately, as she prepared to use it to apply pressure where needed, manually checking vitals.  "My name is Ashley Ellis.  I am the director of Providence Asylum.  That man there is doctor Connor Kirkstrom, my fiance.  Normally, a brilliant marine biologist after an accident Connor performed a series of experiments to recover the legs he lost in a shark attack using shark dna as a basis.  Attempting to recreate their regenerative properties.  As you can see, his results were both a success and failure.  In lieu of incarceration, Connor became a patient of Providence Asylum.   We manage his episodes with medication and Connor was making headway on a cure for his unique disease. "

The only thing he needed was a plant of Lemurian origin.  We were going to have our lives back.  But, no one is willing to fund his research anymore.  Especially research that involves looking for a plant that no one thought existed anymore.  I thought they were trying to help."

Thaelia knew full well the consequences of genetic manipulation.  Lemurian and Atlantean efforts were well documented.  The bioweapons still swimming the seas, or held captive, were atrocities to be feared.  Not to mention the historical records of Lemurians creating slaves by splicing animals and Atlanteans together.  If not for the fact that the Glamazon rarely let a thought sit unspoken, it might have been easy to assume the Atlantean was offended by the man's research.

[Electra]

Jessie frowned at the phone, but obediently dialed 911 and waited for the operator to come on the line, mostly ignoring the convoluted explanation for why the monster was suddenly some kind of human again. "Hello, I need an ambulance to come out to the amusement park right away please. There was an attack by monster sharks and a monster shark who turned human again, and he mutilated a bunch of people and I think they might die if you don't help them. We're in the middle of the House of Mirrors, but I broke most of the mirrors so you should be able to get in fast. And the rest of the sharks are dead, except the biggest one who did most of the hurting people, but he's human again now so he won't hurt anybody. Probably. But we can restrain him if that's better for you. Okay?" 

[Avenger Assembled]

"The demonweed..." croaked Aquaria in soft Lemurian, the foul thought another grim layer on what was shaping up to be a very bad day already. "In ancient days, when Dagon and Hydra warred with Atlantean-" Her yellow eyes flicked towards Nereid and Glamazon as she hesitated - before defiantly continuing. "demons, the blood of the demons spilled on the ocean and made the weed - a fell plant that can cleave the souls of Deep Ones from their bodies, turning us into Atlantean...uh, people." She slicked her big, long-fingered hands back and forth along her arms, deeply unsettled by the thought. "I've seen it growing, but that was very far from here. It can't have been what you wanted..." She looked over at Dr. Ellis. "Who are they?"

[Brown Dynamite]

The operator on the line had barely managed to take in Jessie's story, when the sound of sirens could be overheard nearby. "Local law enforcement and a dispatch from the Coast Guard are already on the way.  I'll forward your information to our officers.  Ma'am is your scene safe?  Do we need to send a STAR Squad to detain this 'biggest shark turned human'?"  Dr. Ellis opened her mouth to answer Aquaria's question, but was cut off by Kirkstrom.  Seemingly lucid enough to speak himself.

"Demonweed, The panacea herb, and a myriad of other names.  Yvonne Orphis and Lianna Michaels.  Orphis claimed to be a professor in Lemurian studies.  A real Indiana Jones type."  Connor stated to a room full of people who weren't the ideal sort to make movie references to.  "She was the one who provided the plant.  Michaels was a rougher type.  I'd say she was security.  They wanted open access to my research in exchange for providing the plant.  They even funded the acquisition of the necessary compounds for my cure.  But, Ashley made sure I kept enough information close to the vest.  Something that in hindsight proved to be fortunate.  We were supposed to test it today...I even."

The injured biologist dry swallowed, actively placing a hand over his open stomaach wound.  "We took a ship a few miles off Lonely Point.  I don't know if they switched my formula.  But, the moment I injected the cure, Megalodon was no longer a voice sitting in the back of my head.  The beast was free to swim.  If it wasn't for the fact that Ashley was carrying my old medicine, i'd hesitate to think.  I don't even know where they got those sharks!  The frauds told Megalodon they could make it so his state was permanent tweaking my formula.  It may have been the only thing that kept Ashley alive.  All he had to do was create a commotion."  

This time it was Glamazon's turn to recognize something from his story.  The Atlantean hadn't heard the story Aquaria had relayed before.  Though it did raise questions as to if there were any actual cures for Deep Ones and their 'condition'.  "Lianna Michaels is wanted for crimes against Atlantis.  The fiend is the second villainess to don the mechanical atrocity known as the Trawler.  Her predecessor fought the King various times in his earlier years as a liaison to the surface.  The previous trawler was a smuggler, the current a thief.  No, it would be better to call her a grave robber.  She is one who raids undersea ruins."

Nereid walked into the room after Glamazon's explanation.  Accompanied by four men in Coast Guard uniforms. 

[Electra]

"No," Jessie said into the phone, "if he tries to hurt anyone else, I'll stop him. My sister is a superhero." She hung up the phone despite the operator's querying protest and folded bloody arms over her bloody chest to watch the Coast Guard take charge of the situation. Only now did she become aware of how much blood she was wearing, and how sticky and uncomfortable it was. Not unfamiliar though, certainly not. Trying to recall anything just bumped her into the white empty places, though, so she steered wide of it. She understood nothing about the story the ex-shark-man and the crazy doctor were trying to tell, but it didn't seem particularly important. "Here!" she insisted to the officers. "These people need a doctor right now. Do you want me to carry them out to the ambulance?" 

[Avenger Assembled]

While Jessie dealt with the Surfacer authorities, something Aquaria was sure she was probably better at than she was, Aquaria's huge eyes narrowed. "They must be doing something wicked," she said thoughtfully, "something that they thought people would stop them if they were doing it." She looked deeply uncomfortable, her muzzled face tight, before admitting, "There are places near Freedom City that I don't think Atlantis knows about." Because they would loot our bodies, our temples, and call themselves blessed for desecration. "They might be trying to rob one of them. I don't...I don't know how to find them, exactly, but I saw places when I was coming here...." 

[Brown Dynamite]

A man in a blue camouflaged naval working uniform stepped forward and stretched his hand out to greet Jessie.  "Ma'am, I'm Captain Gil Steeley.  I'd like to thank you kindly for your heroic efforts in calling emergency services."  The man made no effort to hide the fact that he was looking Jessie over as he spoke.  The expression on his face clearly trying to fill in the blanks as to how she ended up covered in so much blood.  Captain Steeley spoke politely with a deep Southern drawl.  The dark haired man appeared to be in his mid twenties, which hardly seemed fitting for someone of his rank.  "Don't y'all worry now.  These boys in blue have everything under control."

The officers accompanying captain Stateley didn't even wait for him to get the word ma'am out of his mouth.  Immediately positioning to lift the victims onto stretchers after Jessie had pointed them out.  With Dr. Ellis running to Dr. Kirkstrom's side immediately.  Stopping only to update emergency services with the vitals she had taken before they arrived.  It was the coast guards who moved to take in Dr. Kirkstorm.  Restraining him in handcuffs despit Dr. Ellis' protest.

Thaelia stared at Aquaria confused.  Trying to fathom what she could know about the sea that Atlantis did not.  She knew the oceans were too vast for any one to really know all its secrets.  But, such rational thought had no place when considering the sort of secrets a Deep One kept close to the vest.  However, it was Nereid that spoke up.  "If they needed a distraction.  Perhaps, we do not need an exact location.  If you could place us in the general vicinity of these places, the gods may see fit to show us our quarry."

"You trust her to lead us to these fiends?"  Glamazon whispered into Nereid's ear.  Practically guffawing at such an incredulous proposal.

"Do you not?"  Nereid's retort found no answer from Glamazon.  Despite whatever feelings she held for the amphibian like creature.  She earnestly did not believe someone who went to the lengths taken to save people on this day, including men turned into shark people, were those of someone planning a double cross.  This time at least.

[Avenger Assembled]

Visions of sickly-pale Atlantean hands on Deep One shrines swam behind Aquaria's big eyes. She wasn't blind to the realities of the situation - never having been reborn as a Dark Brother, she'd only be able to protect the uppermost layers of the shrines from Atlanteans. Father Dagon, Mother Hydra, forgive me! But she reminded herself that the Atlantean desecration would be in the future - Surfacers were there now, right now, and doing who knew what unspeakable things to the treasures of her people? I'll just get them to leave once the Surfacers are gone. If they're really heroes, that is. She was skeptical of the idea...but more willing to believe it than she had been a little while earlier. 

"Jessie," she said, turning to her friend. "You should go back to the apartment. I'm sorry I dragged you outside today," she admitted, her big eyes downcast. "But you did a great job today. You were a real hero, and you saved all those people. But you can't last underwater the way I can, or the way they can." Despite her confident words, Aquaria was still scared - scared of being alone with the Atlantean bullies, scared of the Surfacers raiding her people's shrine and stealing both the good and bad from them, but she tried not to show it to Jessie. 

[Electra]

Jessie looked uncertainly from Aquaria to the Atlanteans, then firmed her chin and shook her head. "Nuh-uh," she told Aquaria. "I don't trust them. They could gang up on you and take you somewhere or hurt you if you're on your own. I can probably hold my breath for a long time." The merest ghost of a smile flickered over her lips. "But maybe next time I get to pick out what thing we go and do when we have free time." 

[Brown Dynamite]

"If I intended to bring a harm most fitting upon her, I would not need to call upon aid."  Glamazon called out in a poor attempt at bridging a temporary treatise.  With Nereid rubbing the top of her nose in slight frustration.  

 

"What my cousin wishes to say, whilst the words apparently dance away from her lips is that we should get a move on, while the criminals are committing more unspeakable atrocities."

 

"Ladies and strange sea critter.  I couldn't help but overhear on account of the fact that y'all are talking ten feet away from me."  Captain Gil stated.  "If y'all are in need of a ride.  I'm sure the Coast Guard will be more than willing to lend out a boat.  Maybe even a diving suit.  I'd hate to see anyone get away with such a public attack on American soil.  Really shakes the faith."

 

"No, thank you."  Glamazon and Nereid replied in unison.  The failed naval superweapon which turned out to control a zombie army in the hopes of conquering Atlantis had soured relations slightly.  And frankly Glamazon didn't want inside another one of the Navy ships if she could help it.  Coupled with the fact that any ship would only slow the four of them down.

 

As there was absolutely no way the Deep One wasn't a strong swimmer.  In both meanings of the word strong.

 

 

[Avenger Assembled]

Aquaria was torn - wanting the Surfacers for protection against the Atlanteans (and because the Atlanteans did _not_ want them there), but not wanting more outsiders to know the location of her people's sanctuaries. She remembered stories of lost In-His-Mouth, the city along the Massachusetts coast destroyed by naval bombardment decades earlier. "I'm a lady too," she said, crossing her arms over her square chest and giving the Atlanteans a look that dared them to defy her words. "You could give us help. We will go out there and you can follow our trail. Atlanteans make big splashes in the water," she assured the captain. "You'll be able to follow them easy. Let's go, Jessie," she said, turning and heading for the door. "We have precious things to save." 

[Electra]

Jessie's expression was a mixture of confusion and suspicion as she tried to keep an eye on all the parties in this little confab, but it was clear she hadn't been following the earlier conversation closely enough to have any real idea of their objective or even where they were going. She did glare loyally at the Navy man on her friend's behalf, but didn't say anything aloud. When Aquaria called to her, she immediately followed, her feet leaving faint but perfect red shoe prints on the floor of the maze. "Should we call Erin?" she asked under her breath as they went. "Or Project Freedom? I don't know if we have to report this." 

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

The voyage was navigated by Aquaria carrying Jessie.  Glamazon and Nereid maintained a cautious distance all the while.  The Coast Guard ship carrying the accompanying Naval captain stayed close enough that they were never completely out of sight.  A fact that proved beneficial once it came time to descend for their cave diving excursion.  Providing anyone who was willing to take one an oxygen regulator and tank and warning them that it would only provide an hour's worth of oxygen (assuming nothing happened to the tank while she was underwater).  They were also provided a single walkie talkie that could be used to radio the divers to assist if need be.  Respecting a healthy distance in not diving right in.

 

Descending into the depths of the ocean the motley crew of seafarers found themselves in front a giant skull shaped cave.  There were tentacle like protrusions coming from the side of the skull, but much like the rest of the skull seemed to be nothing more than a design choice.  The water inside the cave seemed to be filled with an odd unhealthy mixture of chemicals, giving the water a sort of turquoise tint.  The path was lit by a glowing algae, revealing Lemurian carvings along the wall.  The text and drawings were mostly a mixture of stories of the past, and threats against outsiders.  As they traveled further inside a set of voices could be overheard.

 

"One orb?  We did all this for one orb!  You promised me riches!"  A mechanical voice called out from behind a voice modulator.  

 

"Others must have raided the temple before us.  If I were to guess the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign came before.  Calm your pretty little head.  This temple has directions and instructions to other riches.  Not all is lost.  Besides, with this orb no one  will stand in our way."  A sharp voice with a slight lisp rang back.

 

"You don't even know what it is, or how to use it."

 

"Detailsss.  Just set the charges.  We'll blow this place up and carry everything else with usss"

 

Swimming forward the  the group arrived in the main chambers of the temple.  The chamber appeared not dissimilar to the remains of a city.  There were poorly constructed walls not connected.  A podium with indentation indicating that objects could be placed on the stand.  Lemurian inscriptions lined every inch of the floor.  But, the quartet was not there to admire forgotten architecture.  No, what immediately caught their sights were the bodies to whom the earlier voices belonged to.  

 

The supervillain known as Trawler, donned an unmistakable bulky orange battlesuit.  It only had one functional hand, the other was a claw with power grip strength.   The other woman was a black haired green eyed woman with a giant fishbowl like helmet.  Her clothing was closer to a black one piece than proper scuba gear and her oxygen tank looked too small to actually be functional. for long term use.

[Avenger Assembled]

Aquaria waited as long as possible before she put on the hateful Surfacer device, burning with shame at her tribe's inherited weakness in the temple of their gods. When they actually caught sight of the Surfacers, though, she put pride aside and fitted the device over her face, the breather smelling of the Surfacer canine it had originally belonged to. At the sight of her people's enemies in the temples of their gods, she swam with powerful strokes before the group of interlopers and pointed at them, not for the first time missing the trident she'd lost in her fight with Nereid upon her arrival on the Surface.

 

Shouting in Surfacer, she declared, "Wretched outlanders! Your blood is not fit to stain these exalted walls! Flee now or be beaten, devourers of excrement!" 

[Brown Dynamite]

"Oh, what's all this then?  Devourers of...oh how quaint."  The woman with the fish bowl shaped helmet replied amused.  Opening her mouth to continue, the woman was quickly interrupted by the boastful shouting of the larger Atlantean princess.  The woman's eyes visibly narrowing in response. 

 

"Trawler you are wanted by royal decree for crimes against Atlantis.  If you surrender now, you may keep working use of all your limbs."  Glamazon declared loudly.  Whilst privately hoping she went again reason and resisted.

 

"Ugh.  Can't you people ever just let me turn a profit in peace?"  Trawler complained.  "Excuse me, there's an amusement park under attack by sharks.  Sharks with laser beams.  Maybe you should go and deal with that."  The battlesuit wearing smuggler made a waving motion with her hand dismissing the heroines who had arrived on the scene.

 

"It serves me great pleasure to inform you that your wretched diversion has already been bested."  Nereid confidently responded.  Nereid's eyes soon-after widened when the unarmored woman removed her breathing apparatus.  Reeling back after this seemingly crazed surfacer started scratching at her face.  Flakes of skin being peeled away with seemingly no effort.  What was revealed was not blood or muscle. 

 

No, beneath her outer layer soft tissue were brightly colored red, black, and yellow scales.   Swimming forward she began to shed away her human layer of skin. Revealing the unmistakable Saurian features hidden beneath.  Two large fangs protruded from her mouth as a wicked smile formed upon the lips of the serpent woman.  Turning her attention to Aquaria she spoke out in Lemurian.  <"Sissster if not my blood.  Then whose blood is fit to stain these walls?  Those of the Atlanteans you dared lead inside?  I am the great uniter, it is my destiny to bring the Serpent People back to greatness.  Your intrusion into our private matter could be forgiven if you attack one of these Atlanteans while they're distracted.  Such an act could even be rewarded.">

 

"I am officially grossed out."  Nereid stated after seeing the woman shed an outer layer of skin.

 

"Meet Coral Snake, let me assure you princesses, if you get in our way you might not get to keep your limbs.  The seas belong to Trident!"  Trawler 's voice modulator made an awkward whirring noise when she attempted to laugh.

 

 

 

[Avenger Assembled]

Aquaria stared at the living demigod and fell to her knees, pinning herself to the ground with the sticky pads on her fingers, her black and yellow eyes wide and staring. After all her years of hoping and praying, a Child of Hydra stood before her in all her crimson glory. Even the Dark Brothers in their ancient cities had seen the progenitors of all Deep Ones only sporadically - for those in her fallen tribe, they were as the messengers of the gods themselves. And when Coral Snake spoke, an part of Aquaria exulted at the thought of bloody vengeance against the Atlanteans, at the knowledge that she could put her trust in, her faith in -

 

No! a voice in her head cried out in grief and rage, the furious denials she had once screamed at glass walls in Blackstone when she'd learned the horrors perpetrated by Deep One cultists against Surfacers. We are not the monsters they think we are! Not the violators of flesh! Not the cannibal spirits! We are the sons and daughters of the deep! Heirs to the ocean and the Surface! Elders and spawn, we did not come so far for this! 

 

Her eyes closed and she began to sing, her throat bulging in her deep bellow. "Oh Mother Hydra - Father Dagon too, listen to your daughter's call - a call that is for you." She was aware of the battle raging all around her, and would have sprung into it in an instant if she'd heard Jessie's voice calling for help. But instead she listened to the voice inside - the voice that told her what she was doing was right. 

 

This is a test. Dagon and Hydra have sent you this false messenger so you will remember their true teachings. Love your pack as yourself. Fight for those who cannot help themselves. Remember whose daughter you are and in whose image you are made.

[Electra]

Jessie was unnerved but somehow not surprised that this creepy underwater crypt was also full of things that pretended to be humans but were actually monsters. That was really going around today. This time, though, the monster seemed pretty unambiguously evil, and it was definitely upsetting Aquaria. That wouldn't do at all. The good thing was that in the middle of the three way confrontation between Atlantians, Deep One and enemies, nobody was paying attention to Singularity at all. She pushed off the nearest wall and shot quietly through the water, pinballing to the opposite wall, and then off that as well to come up behind the snake. Snakes didn't see very well behind themselves. "You're going to die and nobody will care," she murmured into the invisible ear, just before slamming the snake-thing in the back of the neck with both fists. 

[Brown Dynamite]

Nereid darted forward the moment Coral's head bounced off the metallic ground.  She saw her opportunity when everyone was distracted by Singularity's actions and took it.  Her body spinning like a drill before driving her body right into the center of the yellow battlesuit.  "Thaelia.  This suit was designed to hunt our family in specific.  Do not relent if even for a moment."  The princess shamelessly called out after pulling her leg back to reveal the dent inside of her opponent's armor.

 

"If you surrender.  We will not add this to your list of crimes against Atlantis.  Trespassing into a Lemurian temple is something the surfacers are more concerned with than our people.  This is the only offer of quarter you shall receive on this day Trawler...and strange Lemurian"  

[Electra]

Singularity looked over at Aquaria for guidance, not entirely sure what she was supposed to be doing if her friend wasn't joining in the fight with her, but the amphibian seemed to barely be paying attention to the fight. That probably wasn't a good thing, was it? Maybe they weren't supposed to be fighting this monster either? But it was right in front of her, and it was looking pretty angry, so breaking off the attack also seemed unwise. She glared at it and did her best to intimidate it. "You don't even know who you're dealing with. If you did, you'd be leaving already." It didn't seem to have much effect, but Jessie followed through anyway, with a punch the snake creature managed to dodge. It wasn't much of a surprise, then, when it came straight after her, but she screamed anyway. It had very big teeth. 

[Brown Dynamite]

Glamazon swam gracefully towards Trawler.  Taking a stand the opposite side of the large mechanical monstrosity.  Rather than attacking like a humanoid torpedo as her cousin/adoptive sister had done.  Glamazon instead fired off two quick jabs.  Striking directly against the back of the battlesuit.  The loud clanging noise of Atlantean fist striking metal echoed throughout the chamber.  But, there was no visible damage.

 

Sturdy.  I should cut loose.  The Atlantean demigoddess' muscles tightened up.  The thrill of finding out just what exactly Nereid meant by the fact that the device was designed to fight them meant just left her anxious.  An emotion that found itself pre-empted by the sight of the Lemurian diving in towards the Wander look alike.  She didn't have any love lost for the companion of the Deep One.  But, she looked too much like Erin for the sight to not divide her attention.

 

"It seems they have chosen poorly.  So be it, I present upon thee the gift of battle!"

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

In the middle of charging for Jessie, Coral snake's body shed another layer of skin.  Her serpentine appearance was still unmistakably that of a Serpent One.  But, unlike her previous coat it was not flesh that coated her form.  No, Coral Snake had turned into some sort of living statue.  Every scale replaced with some sort of living stone.

 

The change in appearance was not merely superficial.  As Singularity quickly found out when the serpent one's fangs pierced her flesh like butter.  Somehow it was Coral Snake who appeared more confused by the exchange.  "My...venom!  Why haven't you?"  The obsidian ophidian screeched out.  Her tone was distinctly outraged.

 

Insulted that despite whatever measure of pain she had managed to inflict upon Singularity, that nothing else had seemed to occur.

[Avenger Assembled]

Aquaria opened her eyes and stood up, the hymns of a thousand Deep One generations echoing in her ears. "<Dagon and Hydra have protected her from your foul venom, usurper!>" she declared, pointing a long green finger at the rocky snake. "<When you invited Surfacers into our sacred places, it was _you_ who they abandoned as an INTERLOPER!>" She hissed the last word, a foul curse among the clannish children of Lemuria, before she sprung into action with the perfect confidence that her gods were on her side. She leaped from her kneeling position and pounced on the Lemurian, wrapping her long arms and legs around the creature and even lashing out her tongue to grab the side of the snake-woman's face, pulling her away from Jessie by sheer muscular force.