Title: Play with fire and you'll get burnt (More Lavahorse) Author: Laconic Pastebin link: http://pastebin.com/3L4RcEKD First Edit: Friday 18th of July 2014 10:13:10 PM CDT Last Edit: Friday 18th of July 2014 10:13:10 PM CDT >Day [REDACTED] at the Thunderponedome >Another day, another session >Which is to say it'll be your next session with Calamity >After each one you needed to be debriefed, decontaminated, de-everything >It took almost a whole week to cut through the paperwork and red tape >Still, you were the hero around the office >The eggheads were hammering away at that lump of material she produced >Literally >It was hard enough that they needed to get diamond tipped drills just to try to chip away at it >You couldn't help but chuckle when you overhead one of the science guys quip when a drillbit broke, 'Why don't we just use a spoon?' >You joked about that a lot, and had a fair few laughs with your peers >You reflected on the past few days with fondness as you once again descended into the depths of the facility >You brought a big bookbag with you this time along with the folder >The transition from light to dark always made you feel uneasy, but that was compounded this time >Strange, whale like cries were heard, but distorted and...alien sounding >They were faint and distant, and all at once close >Your anxiety began to mount before you realized their source >They seemed to be coming from the speaker in the elevator, and from Calamity's tank proper, as you could tell when the elevator stopped >Your request seemed to be fulfilled, though the sounds from the speaker were odd >You chalked it up to a wiring error and left it at that >You gathered your wits as the doors open to the dark domed chamber   >Peering down into the inky dark waters, you can see the tell tale signs of Calamity down there >Rather than the static glowing lines and shapes before, they're in motion >She seems much more active this time around, swimming along on the bottom of the tank with what you hope is happiness >You smile and slip off the book bag, opening the folder to make some notes >That action alone makes her eyes fixate upward, and she seems to see you >Rapidly she ascends, the fans kicking in to vent the steam >You step back from the edge, snatching the book bag >She breaks the surface, warm, salty water spraying the room, soaking your clothes >She smiles upon seeing you, looking at you with those large, orange eyes. "Hello!" >You smile weakly, wiping your hands off on your already soggy clothes. "Heyo. It's nice to see you again. Sorry I took so long...had to do some things with my fellows." >She shakes her head some. "It's no problem. I have been listening to the sounds of the deep again, thanks to you." >"But...I must say, your sounds are much nicer and more unique." >It's an unusual compliment, but you'll take what you can get "Ah...thanks. Well, then. I've got something for you today." >She looks at you intently, lowering her head a bit to get a closer look as you open up the bookbag >You pull out a few books of all sorts >Childrens learning things, dictionaries, that sort of thing >She tilts her head cutely, looking at them with a burning curiosity "You seemed quite inquisitive and curious, and you're telling me so much about yourself, why not teach you about my kind?" >Her eyes widen and she nods rapidly, sending waves splashing through the tank >You smile and pick up one of the books, flicking it open and beginning to read   >You started with some of the simple stuff >Teaching her shapes, colors, plants and animals, some geology, a bit of everything >She was quite happy to see the color orange, and was a bit confused when she saw a horse >"You have your own workers here? But they are so small and lack armor! How do they survive?"  She said when you showed her one >To help demonstrate how animals look, you made use of the light she produced to make shadow puppets on the walls of the animals >They were crude, but they gave her a better picture, and she watched with awe as you manipulated your hands to make the shapes >Though, her confusion returned when you taught her of volcanoes and deep sea thermal vents >She compared the latter to tiny, tiny Breaches. "I could never squeeze through there..." she would say, pouting a bit >You were able to calm her down easily, using your beefy brain to dispel her worries >She would sometimes compare something you showed her to something beyond the Breach, and you were careful to get notes of that >The eggheads would eat this up >She seemed to pick up on what you laid out quite easily >She was like a blank slate, and you could teach her whatever you wished >You looked at her, smiling as she sort of crosses her eyes to look at you in a cute way >She was closer than before, her snout nearly pressed upon the metal platform >Likely to better see what you were reading to her >You cursed yourself for not bringing a projector, making a mental note to bring some next time >In the midst of your teaching, though, you realized something   >The sheer...size of her body >You could easily sit on the bridge of her muzzle, the smooth plates there looking like an ideal seat >Steam flowed from her nostrils even when she didn't exhale, and even from this distance you could tell her skin was quite hot >Convection was still a thing >You didn't realize how much you were sweating, chalking up the dampness of the clothes to eariler saltwater drenching >She perks a stony brow, looking at you. "Are you well?" "Ah...yes, just a bit hot is all. But don't worry, I'm just kinda sweaty is all. Nothing too dangerous." >Aside from possible dehydration, but you didn't worry her any." >She skews her mouth a bit, as if mulling something over >She closes her eyes and exhales, a large gout of steam >You had to cover your eyes, stepping back >Seemed like you were going to get a steam treatment every session... >Good for your pores, at least >The steam cleared, and you looked upon the molten kaiju cone more, treated to yet another surprise   >The water below was bubbling with more intensity, heated up by her more intensely >Her face, however, seemed to lose some of it's glow >Her eyes, fangs and some of the lines of luminescence had faded, only a dull, faint orange visible in all of them >It was like only embers were left from a great fire >Steam no longer flowed from her mouth, and she smiled >"I...made my head not so hot. The rest of my body is, though. But it's underwater, so it isn't going to hurt you, right?" >She smiled and got closer again, her snout pressing against the metal >You couldn't feel any heat from her this time >Curiosity got the better of you as you approached her "Huh...you can control how hot specific body parts are? That's...amazing." >She grinned widely, showing off her dully glowing fangs >Her eyes continued to cross as her approached and did something quite foolish >Kaijus are alien species, full of unknowns >Physical contact is forbidden without proper equipment and permission >But you were a man of science, dammit >If it weren't for that one nerds ill fated attempt at drifting with a Kaiju brain, you wouldn't be here right now >You closed the gap between your hand and her snout, pressing onto that smooth, hard material on the bridge of her nose     >She gasps, her eyes going wide >She seems to be frozen with shock, as are you >You were worried she was going to jerk away, but she seemed to be locked in position >You grow bolder and rub your hand on that material, and she seems to let out a pleasant sigh >"...Your hands...they feel cold." She says. "Are you ok?" >You aren't sure if they feel objectively or comparatively cold "Oh, no, no, I'm fine." You say, walking along the platform and running your hand long her bridge >The material is uncannily smooth, as if it has absolutely zero flaws on it's surface >It feels strange, yet comforting in a way >A gentle heat is still there, like holding a rock that was cooked in the summer sun >You pace back and forth, absorbed by the sheer smoothness of her plating >She seems to droop her eyelids some >You did your homework on Orchid, knowing that physical contact seemed to illict feelings of torpor and calm on the specimens >But you never imagined it would be like that >You could spend all day just...touching her, exploring her body, trying to- >You're broken from your train of thought  by a harsh ringing >Your session timer...damnit, you should have set it on vibrate! >You jump back, and so does Calamity, rising up out of the water some, splashing some of the scalding water onto the platform >You try to avoid it, but it's for naught... >Some of the boiling water splashes onto your hand, and you yell in pain   >You aren't quite able to see the damage in the dimmer dome, but you can tell it's bad >Calamity looks simply /mortified/, her jaw agape and quivering. "I...I.." >She isn't sure what you say, but you grit your teeth. "It's...ngh...it's not so bad..." You say, lying so hard you think your pants might be aflame >She shakes her head and frowns >You think she's...sniffling? >You can't reassure her before she dives back down itno the water, rapidly descending  to the bottom and seeming to curl up >You can hear mournful, rumbling whimpers from below >You curse loudly, kicking the wall in frustration >And now  you think your toe is broken >Your morale crushed and your body injured, you gather up what you can and hobble to the elevator >As you ascend, you are mare aware of the damage to your hand >It's blistered and bleeding quite badly, fat melted and you think some bone is exposed >You wince in pain and pray you can recover >You steel your will to face the onslaught of berating and badmouthing the higher ups will give you >You're going to need do some quick thinking to convince them not to can Calamity >And most importantly, you swear on all that is holy, you will find a way to cheer her up