Arachnophobia

Previous.

**Catt Hatter:** \*Following the doctor's advice to take it easy for a while, Catt had decided to read in the library that morning. However, as the warm sun spilled gently into the room she found herself feeling sleepy. So, placing her hatt on the table, she had curled up on a window seat and settled in for a nap.

She was rudely awakened as her body hit the floor an hour or so later. Groaning, she pushed herself up on her elbows and opened her eyes. Squinting around her, she could see a green haze filling the room. Her face was sore from slamming into the ground. Still half asleep, she had great difficulty trying to stand, and leaned heavily on the table.\*

Come on legs, work with me. \*Shifting to try standing again, she noticed something very unsettling. Two long, thin, spider legs extended into her field of view from behind her. Without thinking, she lept up and spun to face the grotesque creature. Only to find there was nothing lurking behind her. She blinked, the legs were still there!

Dreading to prove what she had already guessed, she turned her head. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Eight.

There were eight two-meter long legs, and they were all coming from her, and... Her stomach churned, there was a spider's abdomen extending behind her. She brought her hands to her face as she started to cry, only to snap them away at the touch. Something was wrong with her face! She shut her eyes, wishing it were a dream. She could still see! Six beady, lidless eyes surrounded her normal blue ones and she screamed, lunging for her hatt which still sat on the table.

Even with the hatt on over her eyes, she could still feel the extra arachnid appendages. She wanted to run, she wanted to hide! Beginning to pace around the library, she tried to think of how to solve this. She couldn't let her friends see her like this!

After all, nobody liked giant spiders!\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  \*Alicia heard a scream and went running in. She recognized the hatt...\* Catt? You're a spider! Oh, no... I'm sorry.

**Catt Hatter:**  DON'T LOOK AT ME!! \*She sccreamed and skittered behind a bookcase.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  C-Catt! It's okay! Everyone's turned into a monster. It's alright, you're still Catt. I'm sure it'll either wear off or someone will get a cure!

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt scrambled around the next bookcase as fast as she could, leaving a trail of silken threads on the ground behind her.\* Don't look at me! I'm horrifying!

**Alicia Ghast:**  You are not! It's okay...

**Catt Hatter:**  I'm half spider and my face is all messed up! How is that not horrifying!? \*She tried to climb another bookcase, but she fell onto her back. She then tried to crawl inside her hatt, but the room wasn't open. So she just lay on the ground and sobbed, the hatt pulled down past her nose.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  Hey, I know you're worried about people being scared. But there are bird ladies and weird creatures with antlers and I don't even know what! It's going to be okay...

**Catt Hatter:**  BIRD!? \*Catt did a terrified reverse-somersault onto her feet and charged up the wall and cowered on the balcony.\* No birds! I don't want to be lunch!

**Alicia Ghast:**  They are smaller than you, Catt!

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt just whimpered.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  It's going to be okay... if you want, I can help you get somewhere so no one else will see you...?

**Catt Hatter:**  Mmng, how? There's sure to be people in the halls, and I can't get to my hatt's room! \*She sobbed.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  Your hatt's...? Oh, whatever. Um... I'll ask everyone to leave, saying someone is too embarrassed about their monster-ness and would rather not be seen...?

**Catt Hatter:**  I don't want to trouble anyone. maybe I should just stay here until it wears off?

**Alicia Ghast:**  What if somebody wants a book, hm?

**Catt Hatter:**  Nnnn, aren't most people going to be busy trying to find a cure for their respective monster-ness? \*She looked rather small with her legs all curled up around her and pressed against the wall.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  They could try to find out what they are... in a book.

**Catt Hatter:**  \*She groaned.\* Right...

**Alicia Ghast:**  It's okay...

**Catt Hatter:**  No part of this is remotely okay! \*She cried.\* I-I just want it to be over! I want my legs back!

**Alicia Ghast:**  I know! I don't want to be a vampire, the last thing I want to do is hurt someone!

**Catt Hatter:**  At least you've got a normal number of limbs!

**Alicia Ghast:**  Hug...? How do I...? \*she stepped to her\*

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt's legs twitched into a tighter ball, while her hands still gripped her hatt.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  \*hugs her tight\*

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt cried and leaned into the hug, burying her half-spider face into Alicia's shoulder. Surprisingly, the hair instead of being bristly and corse as one would expect, it was soft and silky. Softer than anything she had felt before.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  Your hair... Holy smoke, it's amazingly soft! How!

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt made an I don't know noise and kept crying into her shoulder. Most people, having never pet a spider, don't know just how fine and soft their hair actually tends to be.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  Woah... your hair is so soft... why... \*hugs her tight\*

**Catt Hatter:**  \*They stayed like that for quite a while, until Catt's tears had finally run out.\* I, I'm sorry, crying all over you like that.

**Alicia Ghast:**  It's alright... it happens sometimes...

**Catt Hatter:**  Still, we hardly know each other. \*She wiped two of her eight eyes with her hands.\* Thank you for being so kind.

**Alicia Ghast:**  It's the only thing I'm good at! Well, That, baking, and being a hopeless romantic!

**Catt Hatter:**  You're not hopeless. \*She gave her a sad look.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  Pfft... I'm a hopeless romantic. I'll fall in love with almost anyone...

**Catt Hatter:**  Sounds pretty hopeful to me. \*She tried to give her an encouraging smile, but with all the spider appendages having replaced her lower face, she couldn't tell if it got across as intended.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  \*she smiled back\* I guess so...

**Catt Hatter:**  Trust me, \*she said standing.\* It is. We should probably get going. Would you mind leading the way through the halls so I can keep my face covered? Please?

**Alicia Ghast:**  Sure!

**Catt Hatter:**  Thanks, \*she said. Lead by the hand, the two made their way through the halls to a less frequented area of the Society.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  \*If Alicia saw anyone, she asked them to leave, saying someone was uncomfortable with people seeing her monster form\*

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Eventually, they made it to the basement. Being at least a bit underground helped Catt feel calmer.\* Thank you Alicia.

**Alicia Ghast:**  \*Alicia smiled\* anything you need?

**Catt Hatter:**  Mm, \*she twiddled her fingers.\* I'm, kinda...cold.

**Alicia Ghast:**  Cold?

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt nodded, still fidgeting.\* My, legs, are cold.

**Alicia Ghast:**  Oh... that's... weird...?

**Catt Hatter:**  \*She raised an eyebrow.\* Said the vampire to the spider-girl.

**Alicia Ghast:**  Hey, just so you know, my husband's a vampire. that's not weird.

**Catt Hatter:**  Weird is relative. I'm saying that we're not usually like this, so it's strange. Certainly more strange than someone's bare feet being cold because they don't have socks or shoes on. \*She wondered if that would even help. Did spiders have a regulated body temperature, or were they more like reptiles? Either way, she wanted a blanket. And some hot tea to calm down.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  I could go get you a blanket, or...

**Catt Hatter:**  That would be nice. \*She nodded.\* Just, please stay safe okay? I don't think everyone is as in control as you.

**Alicia Ghast:**  I will! \*she ran to get her blankets\*

**Catt Hatter:**  Thank you! \*Catt called after her.

When Alicia returned, she found the hallway had been turned into a funnel web like one you might find in a garden.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  Woah...

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Upon hearing her voice, Catt was at the entrance to the funnel in an instant.\* You're back! Um, sorry about the...mess. I got nervous while waiting.

**Alicia Ghast:**  It's... it's okay...

**Catt Hatter:**  Uh, heh, \*she looked around awkwardly, extra eyes twitching.\* Um, I-I see you got some blankets?

**Alicia Ghast:**  Yep!

**Catt Hatter:**  Thank you! \*She took the blankets and wrapped herself up before sitting down in the entrance of her web. Leaning forward on her elbows like that, she almost looked normal. Aside from her spider-ey face.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  You almost look normal!

**Catt Hatter:**  Heh, thanks. \*She said smiling, and was then interrupted by a yawn.\*

**Alicia Ghast:**  Tired...? I can leave you alone, miss.

**Catt Hatter:**  A bit, yeah. Sorry.

**Alicia Ghast:**  Okay! I'll leave you alone. Bye, miss Catt!

**Catt Hatter:**  Later! Thanks again for the blankets! \*After Alicia had gone, she curled up in her nest and went to sleep.\*

*Catt then returned to the library after realizing she forgot something....*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  Dreamer
walked into the Library looking like a literal mummy. She looked around and
sighed contently seeing no one as she just fell on to the floor and relaxed.

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Hearing
the door open, Catt looked down. Without realising it, all of her worried
pacing had left trails of delicate webbing all over the place. Besides that,
she was standing on a second story wall. She fell to the second story balcony
with a yelp and landed on her back. She hoped Dreamer hadn't noticed,
especially since she seemed to be stuck.
Doing her best to stay quiet, she flailed her legs in an attempt to turn
rightside up.\*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  Dreamer exhaled when she sat up looking around seeing the webbing. "Nope" She said and ended up falling back down. "not dealing"

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt breathed a small sigh of relief, and continued to struggle to right herself. *Curse these infernal limbs!*\*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  Lizzy however ran in and jumped over Dreamer and hid.

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt froze, once again hearing the door. She waited until the intruder was out of sight before wriggling her way over to the bannister and finally getting some headway on turning right side up.\*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  Lizzy was just laying there looking mortified at herself.

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Regaining her feet, all eight of them, she peered over the bannister to see who had run
in. Someone was laying on the floor, with a whole nest of snakes writhing on
her head.\* L-lizzy? \*She said in surprise.\*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  Lizzy looked at her and smiled. "an adorable spider"

**Catt Hatter:**  I, what? \*Lizzy's reaction had taken her more by surprise than the snakes.\*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  Lizzy smiled at her and stood up shakily.

**Catt Hatter:**  I'm
not adorable, I'm grotesque! Can you see alright with those shades on? \*Catt was very confused. Sure it was her magic instructor, but even she couldn't stand the sight of her own face!\*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  "I can see just fine. Catt spiders were my friends back on the street." Lizzy said smiling.

**Catt Hatter:**  You're not freaked out by, this? \*She gestured to her face. When she had caught sight of her reflection in a table lamp she had nearly been sick.\*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  "Nope" Lizzy said.

**Catt Hatter:**  \*She couldn't understand how Lizzy was handling her appearance so well, and not knowing how to respond, decided to change the subject.\* So...snakes.

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  "Don't remind me" Lizzy said. "They bit someone today"

**Catt Hatter:**  Oh no! \*Catt climbed over the bannister and stepped over Dreamer, who was still lying on the floor, accidentally covering her in a layer of silken threads.\* Are they okay?

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  "The person isn't" Lizzy said looking away.  Dreamer just turned over in her sleep.

**Catt Hatter:**  Oh no, I'm so sorry. \*She stopped herself half-way to placing her hand on Lizzy's shoulder.\* W-what happened to them? Was it just snake poison, or did they turn to stone?

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  "Both" Lizzy said. "I tired to help them but they knocked my sunglasses off"

**Catt Hatter:**  Oh. \*Catt looked at the floor.\* Well, maybe it'll go away when this monster thing wears off?

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  Lizzy shrugged. She couldn't believe she was letting her pupil see her like this.

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt twiddled her thumbs, unsure how to offer comfort.\*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  "Anywho, your powerful tutor must say. The webbing looks beautiful" Lizzy said.

**Catt Hatter:**  Um, uh... \*Catt shuffled her feet awkwardly and pulled her hatt down over her face.\* It, wasn't on purpose. But, thanks anyway.

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  Lizzy smiles. "No problem."

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt sat down on the floor and began dissolving into a big pile of embarrassment. Why did spiders' spinnerets have to be *there*? \*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  Lizzy smiled rising.

**Catt Hatter:**  \*Catt was once again trying to crawl inside her hatt, but the room still wasn't open.\*

**Miss-Dreamerkat:**  "I gotta go. See ya!" Lizzy called running out.

**Catt Hatter:**  Huh? Okay, bye! \*She called after her.\*

Next.