Closed Return to the Aperture. (Abstract)

[Ximal]

Xi stepped out of the corridor his grip released upon karl as he now followed behind Xi. Then came that voice again calling out like a gleeful child...Win and get a reward, loose and get punished. "Alirght i'll play this game but i might make one request. Seeing as this is your game and you hold all the rules. I request some clues per monster i face, after all this is your game and you controlling them so why cant the player get a little help?" Xi smirked and stepped out of the hallway into the next widest "room"...They also stepped into pitch blackness. Xi lowered his gaze lightly focusing his eye sight into the darkness enough to catch the voice ring out the words " number two". A hiss of gas escaped the ground as Xi stepped into the darkness...Then the doors snapped shut and the next coliseum appeared to be square...A gust of wind flowed froth between the two of them and Xi felt a cold sensation run down his spine... The a glow appeared from the darkness a childish voice much higher than the announcer's one rang out in a cackle...Xi gritted his teeth and watched as a much more demonic version of karl stepped forth emanating light. Or rather this thing floated towards them. It screamed out "come, try hitting me now." Xi was about too when he remembered something the voice had said before, not everything can be solved by hitting it. Xi stepped back and looked at the situation..What could he do, because he wasn't running that would almost certainly get him killed and there was the fact that there was no-where to run too. Xi spoke out lightly but loudly. "Why? What kind of bullshyke are you going to pull? I punch you the whole room explodes?" Xi narrowed his gaze and held himself ready he was going to dodge to the best of his abilities. Whatever this vagik threw at him.

[Abstract]

The voice and ghost ignored Xi's demands profoundly, though the gaseous creature grinned wider and winked. The ghost flew up to Karl, stopping abruptly and sticking out it's tongue mockingly. "Ehehe you look hiideous!" It exclaimed with glee, causing the man to squeal and hide.

It turned to Xi as he yelled, an eyebrow raised. "Bullshyke? A good one! But not creative enough!" He giggled and zoomed through the air, the only thing visible in the profound darkness. "Myyyy turn! You're such an idiot... you flounder like a fish when you can't punch something!" It floated just above Xi's head now, head pointed down so it looked at the fighter from an upside down perspective. As if waiting, it cocked it's head once, watching Ximal expectantly. Any punches thrown at him would merely pass through, causing a slight poof of gas.

[Ximal]

Xi leered at the ghostly figure. And folded his arms across his chest...the ghost floating by looking and talking at karl. Xi just marched onwards. What was worse is he'd come across a joker ghost. He was an idiot? Xi was an idiot he could only flail when he couldn't hit something...That was true. Xi hated to admit it but without the ability to hit something he was more or less powerless, all of his magic was geared towards helping him hit something. Xi spoke out. "Yeah so i'm impotent when it's something i can't hit. So yea chat the heck do you want me to do?...It's not like I'm suited to fighting these creatures...You hear that you damn voice. Your game is petched up. How do you expect me to participate when you sent beings i cannot fight against me?" Xi took a deep breath and Then turned to glare at the ghost before him. "Alright then what do you want to challenge me in then ? And don't say a punching fight because that's a not fair Though what would a creature of the aperture care of fair?" Xi folded his arms and awaited an answer from the monster/ghost.

[Abstract]

The ghost sniffed disdainfully at all of Xi's comments, as if dissatisfied with them. "You swear too much. Creativity is key!" He giggled and once again swooped around the room, his cackling filling the air. "You don't need to fight with fists... you might hurt yourself!" it continued, stopping to face the fighter, hands on hips. "I bet the big baby wears his stone gauntlets to protect his fingers from hurting" he said, in a babyish tone, a pout evident on his face. He quickly changed his expression, however, as he grinned again and turned on Karl.

"And you're just a measly little kiddy! Scared by a measly little ghost. Pathetic" He told the cowering man, sounding a little more serious. In fact, his voice sounded as if he was insulted to look like such a coward, and he was scowling. "Aaaaanyways! You try!" he cried, turning his attention back to Ximal, bending backwards to face the man. "And less swearing. That just gets boring" He giggled slightly and watched Xi, flipping his feet up so he stood upside down, practically on the ceiling.

[Ximal]

Creativity ? Xi leered at the ghostly figure...and weighed up everything he had said...Creativity, not creative enough that fists weren't all he could attack with. Insults...He could feel the ghosts jibbing and stabbing at him. Xi leered back, less swearing as it just got boring? So that was this petchers game..."I don't have to fight with my fists? That's true but at least i have mine to swing." Xi smirked now falling into the bravado layers sarcasm. How did one fight when impotent, how did one act when faced with a foe that he couldn't defeat thought a way he's harnessed and practised and focused. "A jester or a fool? The ghost of a man as impotent in life as he remains in death i suppose. What is it like to know that from now until forever that you shall know that you have no physicality. Not ability to feel." Xi smirked and turned back to face the now upside down ghostly figure. Perhaps intelligent insults and chipping away at what's true is not exactly the best methodology. "what's wrong you great ball of floating hot hair ? To gassy to stay on the ground or perhaps you like living life like a zith, permanently upside down and talking out of your own arse?" Xi grinned again if he wanted to have a dig at him for not being able to attack him then he'd fight back in the only way he could. And supposedly exactly what the ghost asked of him.

[Abstract]

The ghost's grin grew wider and wider as he heard Xi's steady insults. They didn't seem to be actually insulting him much, but rather causing him to become more and more delighted. He began squealing loudly, zipping around the room before... popping. Into nothingness. At that moment, a pair of torched not there before burst into light, and the continuation of the hall re-opened.

"Congratulations!!! You won the second round! You might actually be getting the idea here" the voice cackled, finally returning. It seemed full of glee, as if their failure was equally entertaining as their success. Karl, having sat down from fright during the scene, picked himself up and frowned slightly. "That was... funny" he mumbled, for once sounding slightly sane. He scratched his head, before marching down the hall before him, with the same intent purpose as before.

[Ximal]

Strange was not how Xi would describe the aperture no he'd describe this place as completely petching insane. The ghost had turned into a spiralling pop. Xi was...confused for lack of a better term...Right...So i just turned a ghost into nothing with insults...My life just gets stranger and stranger... Xi stepped forwards and as he did two torches both appeared from no-where and snapped into life...That same ominous dark purple glow as before...Then there was that shrill childlike voice...Telling him he'd won the second round...Great now his standings were one and one...And that he might actually be getting the idea. "You seem to be enjoying yourself at the least...So tell me voice, may i have two things? A name to call you by so i don't have to keep calling you "voice" and some idea of where i am, other than in the aperture..." Behind him he heard a roused and more serious karl snapping back into this realm of existence...Xi glanced at him and heard him speak. Saying that what happened was "funny" but not a funny laughing, more a funny strange. And if Xi's ears were not betraying him he sort of sounded together... Xi closed is eyes and sighed as karl marched off down the hallway before him Xi trudged off behind him. Alrigth, I've made some progress...Let's see what else is in store for me. Xi curled his hands into fists and kept them folded across his chest. Marching down the hall and with karl into where ever this hallway was leading.

[Abstract]

There was no answer to either of Xi's question, just silence. It was almost as if the voice was purposefully ignoring the inquiries.

It took another few chimes of walking, but the pair finally reached the third chamber. The entrances were walled off, but this time there was torches on the walls, and the room was much larger. There was a strange looking hole in the wall, to high to reach, and too dark to see into. A few moments later, hissing could be heard from the hold, and something began... moving.

Slowly but steadily, a massive snake poked its head out, and continued moving into the room. It began curling in a circle around Karl and Xi, entrapping them within a circle of snaky flesh. Within ticks the two were squashed between the snake's curls, and squeezed together painfully. Karl, who had been whimpering, squealed at this, covering his eyes. At least he had free hands, since Ximal's were now trapped by his sides at the elbows. The snake's head sat in the corner of the room and it eyed them, tongue flicking out on occasion.

The room was silent, except for a constant hissing, and Karl's occasional moan. This time, the voice hadn't spoken, and would refuse to say anything else. The snake too, wouldn't say anything, just slowly tighten it's curls as time passed. If this took too long, the two would possibly be crushed in half.

[Ximal]

Xi followed karl down the hallway awaiting a response from the voice...Nothing, silence...Xi shook his head why the heck did that bastard voice always have to go quiet when he asked him a question? Was it considering how much fun it could get out of him? Xi stepped into the next arena room and sighed at least this one he could see what was going on...However the room was open and lit, which meant that this was not going to be something easy...Wait not gonna be easy? The whole damn place wasn't easy. Xi sighed at his won brains thoughts and then something snapped into his ears...something that made him freeze in place...A hiss...By the time Xi heard it it was already too late and he was encircled and being pressed together with karl in a snakes death grip...Xi was the worse off of the two, his arms pinned by his sides in his vain attempt to try and press out of this...But when fighting a snake monster whose entire body is solid muscle....It's much more difficult to try and defeat it. Xi took little time in staring down the snake across the way and struggling against his grip..."Alright...Why is there a snake this big in here? Right snake, I'm guessing that you can talk so what's your game...?" Xi struggles against his bindings only to find that the snake was squeezing tighter...Then an idea struck him. "Karl whilst the grips still fairly loose pull yourself out your arms are free, if you can get out then I can follow..." Xi stared down with the snake knowing full well that this could be his last stand. "Alright voice...A little hint here, i don't care how damn cryptic i don't care how i get the hint just give me something to work with because this is not fair and I'm sure that something with equal standings would be more fun to watch?"

[Abstract]

Though he tried to follow Xi's instructions, Karl apparently didn't have the arm strength, and while trying to push out.... failed. He collapsed, head in hands, apparently seeming to weep. At this, the voice finally returned and cackled loudly. "You might as well give up! You'll never escape from him!" He sounded excited, but his wording was slightly... awkward, compared to the ways he'd spoken before.

The snake's body grew tighter and tighter as Xi struggled, and Karl soon joined in, kicking and smacking frantically, but to no avail. The snake seemed to not notice any punches or kicks, but was apparently intent on squeezing the two to death. A creepy grin curled up on it's features, as if it too was enjoying the scene. And it was possibly contemplating how delicious they'd taste, once a pulp.