Megaman - Thursday, August 17, 2000, 6:43 PM
--------------------------------------------
Wily Star - Computer/Power Core
Congratulations! You've just found the nerve center for Wily
Star. The walls glow with the computer displays of hundreds of
monitors, shining alongside of thousands of indicator lights. In
the middle of the room, surrounded by a clear casing, is the main
power generator. A soft glow pulses over the power core, bathing
the area close to the center of the room in a soft bluish light.
There are several levels to both the computer accesses and the
power core, and metal catwalks connect everything to everything.
Kyo-Ohki has already hopped up onto one of the various consoles..and scampers across the controls, peering about the room playfully. She then stops upon seeing a particular array of buttons and widens her eyes in glee. <Pweety!> She soon starts patting them...to see if any pictures come up on the monitors as they udualy do at home. "Mew?"
(Ch. E [None]) Kyo-Ohki transmits: '*cackle* Mew...?'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: '...Mew? Is this more of
your nonsense, Frost Man?'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: '...oh ...'.
(Ch. E [None]) Clown Man transmits: '...What is it, Kitty? Is Twila trap in the hole again?'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'What is that mewing sound?'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: 'How in the world that cabbit managed /this/ I have no idea...'.
(Ch. E [None]) Frost Man transmits: 'Me not mew...What cabbit?'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'Who is in charge of that animal?'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: '...Uhhh...Listen up...Guys and gals!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Clown Man transmits: 'My thoughts? A lazy Hunter left his/her radio around for the cabbit to use.'.
Kyo-Ohki jumps up with a start at the voices...and peers closer. "..........." <Ooooooooooooooh..." She pats at it again...accidentally leaving the radio *on* and then continues to romp about the console...hitting various buttons and the like as if in a playful romp.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: 'I am...but it escaped into the air vents a while back...So far attempts to re-capture it have been futile. What is it, Erwin?'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: 'I am picking up some /weird/ activi... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! *crackle!*'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: '...'.
(Ch. E [None]) Clown Man transmits: '...The HECK?!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Kyo-Ohki transmits: '*sing-songing* Mewmewmewmew-meeeeeeew-yip-yip meowph! Meeeeeeew?? *tap-tap* Meowph?'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'Cabbit. Listen. If you do not return to captivity immediately, I shall send my Needle Harries into the vents with orders to destroy your worthless mechanical carcass.'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: '...*loud sigh*...I would guess either Kyo-Ohki got into Erwin's casing, or something similar happened.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'You have slacked in your responsibilities Guardsman Plant. You shall be dealth with accordingly. In the meantime I want that animal recaptured. And find it quickly!'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: '*returns... muttering and sounding like he had his nose broken* Dat Cabbit is pwessing buttons!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Kyo-Ohki transmits: '*puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuur* Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeii!!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Clown Man transmits: 'Hey, Erwin...Do you realize that you sound like Elmer Fudd right now? Do "Be very quiet, I'm hunting rabbits" thing. PLEASE?!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'To the bridge!'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: 'Nwot de Bwwwwidge! AAAAAHHHH! *static blares again...* and the /ENTIRE/ station LURCHES!*'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'Erwin. Where is the cabbit?'.
(Ch. E [None]) Dr. Wily transmits: '/WHAT/ is going on?!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'KILL IT!'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: 'AUGH!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'Rip its floppy eared head off and MOUNT IT ON A POLE!'.
Kyo-Ohki emits several soft giggles at watching some of the panels light up. To her it's about as serious as a mere game. She feels a rumbling underneath her and hops over towards another set of panels...placing weight on something else. "Meowph?"
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'Feed it to Snake Man!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Metal Man transmits: 'Remember, Needler, you're not allowed to damage it.'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: 'Snake's the one that wants it alive!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'All of you be quiet!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Clown Man transmits: '*sounds of multiple pies hitting one face* ...Remind to make Cabbit pies...with REAL Cabbit.'.
(Ch. E []) Toad Man transmits: 'What Pharaoh said! yeah!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'And just find that blasted animal.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'If its a threat to the well-being of the Wilystar, it will be destroyed.'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: 'Erwin, you still up?'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: '*returns... a strangely... toneless and... /FEMENINE/ note...* Uhh...Boys. The Cabbit is going weird stuff here. Help.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: '...The computer core?'.
(Ch. E [None]) Kyo-Ohki transmits: 'Mew? *giggle* Tee-hee-hee! Meow...!'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: '...*bout of swearing fit to make a sailor blush*...'.
(Ch. E []) Toad Man transmits: 'Darn kitty cat'.
(Ch. E [None]) Dr. Wily transmits: 'Don't kill it! I want it alive!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Dr. Wily transmits: 'Capture it!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Clown Man transmits: '...Okay...By the way, Erwin...You sound cute...Are you ready for a date any time soon? :)'.
(Ch. E []) Toad Man transmits: 'You got me into bas... I mean you got me into trouble you little ****'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'The Pharaoh is in the computer core now.'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: 'Shut /up/ Clown!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'Do you see it, Pharaoh?'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: '... Don't make me deactivate you, Clown. *ERWIN now has a /very/ feminine voice* Help... please...?'.
Pharaoh Man strides into the computer core from the gravity tube. He begins looking around for that blasted, annoying, cabbit.
Kyo-Ohki is continuing her romp, actively pressing buttons while unintentionally landing herself on others. She's just loving seeing all the displays lit up. She rolls onto her back...laughing and rolling herself across the console's surface. *Giggle* <Funny!>
(Ch. E [None]) Dr. Wily transmits: 'Oh great...Remind me.../NEVER/ bring anything else of Twila's /ANYWHERE/ near here!'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: '*The Station /LURCHES/ again*'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'Father...May I at least hurt that blasted thing? It will still be functional.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'The Pharaoh has located the cabbit. He shall deal with it.'.
(Ch. E []) Toad Man transmits: 'I love that thing. I am gonna get Bas.... Erp I mean...I hate that cabbit, its lucky it didn't get me killed'.
And with the station's latest lurch...Planty falls out of the gravity tube and ends up rolling across the floor until he hits something. "Ow..."
(Ch. E [None]) Metal Man transmits: 'I hate to be the voice of reason here, but that is Dr. Wily's ex-fiancee's pet. If you hurt it, her current boyfriend will more than likely X-Buster you into tiny pieces.'.
Needle Man follows suit at the lurch, rolling out of the tube after Plant Man. "Blast it."
(Ch. E [None]) Dr. Wily transmits: 'Get that blasted thing out of there!!!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'It'll never know which one of us shoved it out the airlock.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Clown Man transmits: 'Okay, I'm coming to help you, Pharoah...*a sudden scream as the Star lurches and then...*...Um...It seems I won't be able to help you, Pharoah...as I'm currently being crushed by a 10 tables. Help.'.
Pharaoh Man braces himself as the station lurches again. He continues looking around and finally sights the cabbit, "The Pharaoh has you now!" He blinks over to where the cabbit is and makes an attempt at grabbing it before it does anymore damage.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'The Pharaoh requires no assistance.'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: '*E.R.W.I.N now sounds like a Demon from one of the more pestilential pits of hell.* STOP THAT BLASTED CAT! IT IS CRASHING ALL MY WEB BROWSERS!'.
Kyo-Ohki continues rolling before stopping herself at a monitor and glancing about, confused and no longer laughing. Wassa matter? The lights are still lit... She gives herself a hard shake before peering into one of the screens...watching as various television stations from the Earth below speedby. Yay! It's then she overhears someone behind her and Yipes!...just before darting across the console again... <Mewmew!! Can't catch me!>
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'ERWIN, we're sorry if its disrupting your pornography viewing time.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Metal Man transmits: 'Really? Finally, something good's coming out of this.'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: '*now has a tini-tiny
voice* Help me! pwease... it hurts...'.
'.
(Ch. E [None]) Clown Man transmits: 'NO! HELP ME FIRST! I'M BEING
CRUSHED!!!!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'You both can be repaired. Stop acting like little girls.'.
Pharaoh Man swipe misses the cabbit as she dashes away from him, "Blast! You can run but you can't hide from the Pharaoh you flea-ridden creature." He then tracks the cabbit and once again teleports to where it is located making an attempt to grab it once again.
Needle Man stands, unsteadily. Right hand morphing into his buster, ammunition ratchets into place, and he points it at the cabbit, trying to get a lock. Although if the cabbit is clever, he could very well shoot Pharaoh.
Kyo-Ohki meeeeeeeis with a screech and tries to bring herself to a stop as soon s she sees the master right in front of her. Although, doing so only causes her to go into a tumble the rest of the way...unable to stop herself...
Plant Man groans as Needle Man rolls into him, he just lies there as Needle prepares to shoot the cabbit...and then slowly drags himself to his feet. "What a day..."
(Ch. E [None]) Kyo-Ohki transmits: 'Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooww!!!'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: '*The Station slowly begins to /SPIN!/ The Giant Skullshaped Spacestation looking soon like something out of the Exorcist...*'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: '*uncharacteristically angry sounding* ERWIN! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: '*sounding normal* I am trying!!! AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Metal Man transmits: 'Remember, ERWIN, if you kill us, you'll hafta spend all eternity in robot hell with us.'.
Pharaoh Man stands legs apart and arms outstretched ready to grab the cabbit as it comes sliding towards him. Suddenly two unexpected things happen, the cabbit slides right between Pharaoh's legs and then the station begins to spin which sends him flying straight into Needle Man. "Blast!"
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'Plant Man, can you operate the computers and correct the problem?'.
Needle Man fires his round of needles at the cabbit...Bad timing as the station begins spinning, and Pharaoh flies at him. A few needles heading Pharaoh's way, but most hitting the ceiling as his arm is jerked up, he yells in anger, falling to the ground with the ruler on top of him.
(Ch. E [None]) Kyo-Ohki transmits: '*commotion in the background followed by some fired shots and mewing...*'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: '*The Station /STOPS/ suddenly its mad spin...* Ok... Ok... I think I got it...'.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: 'AAAAAHHHHHH! Don't shoot in there!!!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Dr. Wily transmits: '... So this is how it ends... destroyed by a... /cabbit!/'.
(Ch. E []) Toad Man transmits: 'EL DIABLO VERDE SMASH!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Spring Man transmits: '*sounds in the teleport room* What is going on!?! Why is the station spinning!?!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'All Guardsmen, make sure that nothing has been damaged. The Pharaoh is dealing with the animal.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Metal Man transmits: 'You could always teleport off the station, Dad, and let Pharaoh deal with it like he keeps sayin' he's gonna.'.
Kyo-Ohki finally rolls off the surface and onto the floor. "Yeep!" She continues only until he hits a leg of one of the nearby chairs...and lays there...dazed... <Pwetty stars...>
Plant Man goes flying across the room as the station spins...and abruptly slams into the floor when it stops. "This is /not/ my day." Wonder of wonders, he ends up NEARBY THE CABBIT! Of course, considering his mental state...He slowly stands, and reaches out for the dazed animal.
Kyo-Ohki mips softly...looking up only as she's reached for. Her little paws start waving madly as she prepares to get back up to her feet. Too late however. Being dizzy all she does is plop back down again...and is easily taken. *sniff* <Mommie!!!>
Spring Man is quite literally falling down the the tube, till he lands on the bottom with a *SPLAT!* He looked beat up before. but now he's really out of it.
(Ch. E [ERWIN]) E.R.W.I.N. transmits: 'Uhh... umm... whew... *thankfully... he sounds Normal.* Get that Cabbit out of there!'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'Toss it out the airlock!'.
Pharaoh Man shouts at Needle Man for shooting him, "You idiot, don't fire in here." He then sights Plant Man as he begins to pick up the dazed cabbit, "Guardsman Plant, make sure it doesn't escape this time." He then keys up the radio...
(Ch. E [None]) Dr. Wily transmits: 'Alive! I want it alive!!'.
Plant Man sighs faintly, picking up the cabbit and tucking it under an arm. "You really are a nuisance."
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: '...Blast.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: ' Guardsman Plant has it.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Clown Man transmits: '*in severe pain* Toss it out or I'm gonna feed it one of my explosive pies...'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: 'I have it. It's alive, and unharmed...and I'm either going to put it in a cage, or just put mesh over the air vents in my treehouse.'.
Kyo-Ohki merely gazes up towards Plant innocently and looks up at him with those big, green eyes. "Mew?" <Uh...I do something bad?>
Needle Man clamors to his feet, buster morphing back into his hand. "I'm sorry, high and mighty Pharaoh." He doesn't sound sarcastic, but he probably is. He glances to the cabbit, narrowing his eyes.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'I suggest we put it in a force-cage. Or just deactivate the blasted thing.'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: '...'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'We can turn it back on when we need it. And no risk of escaping.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Pharaoh Man transmits: 'An excellent plan Guardsman Needle. Guardsman Plant put that plan into effect.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Dr. Wily transmits: 'Whatever happens... just get it under control. You have charge of it, Plant Man...if it escapes again...I will /personaly/ throw it out the airlock.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Metal Man transmits: 'How do find the "Off Switch" on something that's not designed to turn off?'.
(Ch. E [Super-Secret-Fu!]) Plant Man transmits: 'I am not surprised.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Needle Man transmits: 'Remove its powersource.'.
(Ch. E [Elite]) Enker transmits: 'Are we dealing with something organic?'.
Plant Man shakes his head at what he's hearing on the radio . . . and removes his helmet. One-handed, he quickly braids a thin amount of the transparent lengths that make up his hair...and uses /that/ to tie up the cabbit. "There, that should work..." And with that, he begins heading for the gravity tube.
(Ch. E [None]) Metal Man transmits: 'It's a mechanimal... otherwise Snakes would never have touched it.'.
(Ch. E [None]) Dr. Wily transmits: 'Ok! Now...that...urp...that is settled. We need to get ready. Get yourselves together... Get the Cabbit in a blasted /cage/ and get in your gear!'.
Spring Man slowly comes to, and stands up. He walks out of the lift, feet wobbling everywhere. "That was... fun.... uhhh..."
If Kyo had any understanding of what was being said of her...she would be much more feisty than she now is. But, at the moment, all she does is quietly lick her paws...that is until she's tied. What??? "Yipyip!!!" she protests. But it doesn't look as if it's going to do any good. <But--but--!>
<Soon...>
Plant Man's Treehouse <PMT>
The rooms here are simply designed . . . little more than one
lab, one workshop, and a few private rooms for PM as well as a
small garden. What makes them unusual is that all the rooms are
formed within a living tree, a tree that lives and grows around
them. Each room is lit from the middle of the ceiling by a glass
globe fixed there...a glass globe full of some sort of glowing
moss, casting a gentle light everywhere. Each of the rooms is
prepared for whatever Plant Man might wish to do there...though
there /is/ an unknown door leading off of his bedroom. A walk in
closet, maybe?
Plant Man steps into the treehouse, locking the door behind him . . . but doesn't release kyo from the bonds of his hair. Now with both hands free, he calmly braids his hair more into a type of carry-net for the cabbit . . . isn't it neat what two years of basketweaving classes will do? Especially if you can download all that into your mind in a few minutes? "That ought to hold for a while." He mutters, as he walks into his workshop and lifts a roll of wire mesh off a counter and a pocket wielder.
Kyo-Ohki sniffles a little more as her eye grow watery, not even understanding all that she did. "Mew?" she asks in curiosity...trying to position herself so that she can see what the Master is doing. "Yiff?"
Plant Man reaches a hand up to scratch the cabbit behind the ears with a sigh...the hair carry-net is easy to move around in, but as he wove the top shut, particularly hard to get out of. "And you probably don't even realize all the trouble you caused." Shaking his head slightly, causing the net to swing gently back and forth, he heads back out into the main room . . . and over to the air vent, lifting the cover away. "I wonder if you escape into these back at the labs as well..."
Kyo-Ohki blinks and seems to gain the impression of what it is he's making within the next few moments with a whimper. "Mew....mewmewmewmewmew..." <No! Nononononno...not a cage! I hate cages! Twila knows I hate 'em. don't make me go innit. Pwease? I be good I pwomise! And you can have my next carrot!>
Plant Man sets the air vent cover off to one side, and reaches up a hand to calm the cabbit. "Hey, stop that...I'd rather not put you in a cage unless I absolutely have to..." He sighs softly. "My softness is going to get me into more trouble than you can realize." Shaking his head, he begins to fasten a length of the mesh within the air vent, securely blocking it off as he welds it in place.
Kyo-Ohki seems to whimper louder as her only means of escape is...sealed off. Now she's really in a fix. "Meei...meei miph..." She then lowers her head and covered herself with her floppy ears. <I wanna go home. *sniff* I don't like this place...>
Plant Man sighs softly, hearing Kyo...but he still seals off the air vent, knowing the alternative is worse. Once that is done, he puts the cover back in place, and heads over to the main window, one large enough to have a small sit-in alcove. "I'm sorry, Kyo-Ohki, but it's either this or something worse."
Kyo-Ohki blinks and peaks out through her ears.
Distressed...but curious enough to want to see what's going on.
*ah-choo* "Meeff?" <What dat?>
You paged Bit with 'School going ok?'.
Plant Man picks up a small bag already in the alcove, and sits down, cradling the cabbit-carry net of hair in his lap. He sets the bag down again, in the little space left, and begins re-weaving the hair bag into something a little large, and lets Kyo have some freedom of motion. "That a bit better?" The window itself over looks . . the rose garden. Full of a wide variety of roses, healthy and vivid, something for any Victorian maid to swoon over, and a lot of modern-day girls as well. Planty opens up the lower half of the window, which has a screen built in, and the thick scent of roses wafts into the room.
Plant Man smiles faintly at Kyo, expression still sad. "Now now...don't sulk." He reaches up and gently scratches her behind the ears. "T'sin't going to get you anywhere, you know. Charleston's tried too long to get it to work on me." With a rustle of sound, he picks up the bag, and opens it to reveal...CARROTS! "Would you like one?"
Kyo-Ohki hmphs. If he thinks he can---er...wait a sec. He say
carrots? She begins to sniff at them...only to try and remind
herself she's supposed to be upset. But by looking at her it's
easy to see she's caught in-between...much like when she had once
been given a bath by Rick.
Plant Man 's smile slowly looses it's tint of sadness, as he pulls a carrot out of the bag and offers it to her. "Do you want this carrot, hmm?" And the scent of roses continues to waft into the room.
Kyo-Ohki inaudibly nopenopenopes with a firm shake of the head. She shuts her eyes to block her view of the treat...but the smell drifts to her nose...forcing her to pry one eye back open...and watches the carrot. "Meeeew?"
Plant Man waves the carrot temptingly in Kyo's field of vision, his smile melting into a honest grin. "C'mon . . . wouldn't you like this carrot?"
Kyo-Ohki shuts her eyes again and turns away with a grump. <Ya won't ever get me too...but it's so yummie!> With that she swiftly turns back towards the offered treat and nabs the carrot, snuggling it, then nibbling happily. <Eh...I'll grump later...FOOD!> Kyo-Ohki mips. *nibble-chew-nibbles* *sniff*
Plant Man chuckles softly, and settles more securely into the alcove, being careful to not upset Kyo and her snack. "You are a cute little thing, aren't you?" He pulls another carrot from the bag and munches on it.
Kyo-Ohki emits a "meowph" in reaponse in between her bites, going more slowly now as if savoring the goodie. Her ears rest themselves against her back, as if acting as a small blanket. She then pauses and gazes up towards the android sadly. "Mew?" <When am I going see Mommie again?>
Plant Man looks down at Kyo at the mew, and set down his carrot on his lap. Silently, he brings up a hand to rub the top of her head. "I'm sorry, Kyo-Ohki." He's not quite sure what's wrong, but he's got a pretty good idea. "I don't know when you'll get to go home..." He stifles the rest of that thought, that maybe Kyo won't ever /get/ to go home...in one piece, that is.
Kyo-Ohki lets the rest of her carrot drop by her front before laying on her tummy and resting her chin on her front paws. *sigh* "............"
Plant Man gently rubs the top of Kyo's head, looking at her . . . until his sense of guilt grows too strong, and he looks out the window at the rose garden. He keeps rubbing the top of her head, though.
Kyo-Ohki sniffles again, only this time a tear rolls through the gray facial fur of her face. She doesn't offer much more than this. At the moment, she can't. Wearily...the small mech-animal begin to close halfway, prodded perhaps by the gentle affections of the android's touch.
Plant Man continues to rub the top of Kyo's head...trying to comfort the small mechanimal as well as he can. Believe it or not, he's rather fond of the critter...but then, anything that makes Twila happy...He shakes his head, as if trying to shake loose a train of thought. Very softly, he says, "...my life is completely screwed up."
A few more moments pass before the cabbit's eyes fall closed. A tiny yawn is emitted while she then proceeds to curl herself into a small ball, using her ears as some form of blanket. Her breathing rises and falls steadily and...soon after...she had fallen asleep.