Athena's Sink (The Story of the Industrial "Mishap")

[AnonymousQuote]

I was going to post this here sooner, but I could never find the time to reformat it into the forum html. This is the the story for this http://fav.me/d8w9qao piece that I completed some time ago with much help from the people over here.

With that, I humbly present...

Athena's Sink:
The story of the Industrial "Mishap"

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Apollo
It was a brisk fall day, the sun shining in a clear blue sky, the few trees outside the Wright Anything Agency clad in leaves the color of burnished bronze. Using his key to the building, Apollo Justice unlocked the front door and entered the dimly lit, three-room office.
Looks like I'm the first one here, Apollo thought to himself as he prepped the office for the day's work, turning on the lights and arranging the mess of random objects strewn across the floor of the office as best he could. The office almost always looked as though a tornado had blown through, mostly because the main space often doubled as a show stage for Trucy's magic acts. Trucy was Phoenix's adopted daughter, now in her late teens. Despite her relatively young age, she was widely considered to be a professional magician, performing nightly at bars all across the city. As she spent a great deal of her time at the office, she frequently practiced her acts there, never failing to create a disaster zone.
Apollo glanced to the door as it clicked open, revealing the aging face of Phoenix Wright, the firm's head defense attorney. Phoenix had taken a great many cases over the years, and while he was still relatively young, the stress was beginning to etch lines into his face. He smiled slightly at the sight of Apollo tidying the floor. "Already cleaning?"
Apollo raised an eyebrow. "Well, that seems to be what I'm good for around here. I usually get cleaning duty instead of any legal work... sometimes I forget that I passed the BAR to begin with!" The words were spoken in jest, Apollo thankful for the occasional reprieves from his legal obligations.
Phoenix laughed. "Believe it or not, I actually have a real job for you today." His expression suddenly turned grim. "Last night a call came in from the police--you know about the murder at the new tech labs?" Apollo nodded. "They finally arrested a suspect, but they said that he hasn't been cooperating at all, denying every charge leveled against him. They said that he kept demanding to see me, so I went in last night and spoke with him. He requested that I defend him in his trial, but since I'm still busy with another case, I told him that I would send you over today."
Before Phoenix had even finished speaking, Apollo already had a foot out the door. Though housekeeping was a nice break every once and a while, it had been quite some time since his last real job. He was about to close the door when a final remark from Phoenix stopped him.
"Oh, Apollo? Athena will meet you at the detention center. She needs another case, or I'm afraid that she'll explode with pent up energy. Besides, I think that this case might be a bit much for one person to handle alone."
Closing the door, Apollo set off for the detention center, opting to walk the short distance there. He had only worked with Athena directly during a case once, and that had been her first-ever trial. He had been present at every one of her defenses since then, however, and it had become very clear that she was now a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom, quite a feat for an eighteen-year-old lawyer.
If Phoenix thinks that I need her along... Apollo mused, kicking absentmindedly at the leaves strewn across the sidewalk, ...He's probably right. He almost always is. After a brief walk, Apollo stood in front of the detention center, its imposing grey façade dominating the better part of two city blocks. It was completely devoid of decoration, save for a set of highly polished glass doors and a huge block typeface announcing the title of the building as "THE DETENTION CENTER."
As if it wasn't obvious enough already. Apollo approached the shining doors, taking a brief moment to glance at his reflection in the polished glass. His fire-red vest and dress slacks were pristine, having just been dry-cleaned. A heavy golden band hung at his left wrist, a focus point for his innate ability to perceive if a subject was lying. To top it all off, he had gelled his hair back, leaving two hornlike spikes of hair free at the top of his forehead. Opening the door, Apollo laughed slightly to himself, remembering the times that those very spikes had granted him the nickname "demon lawyer" on several occasions.
As Apollo stepped into the overlarge entrance hall, he noticed the officer at the reception desk glance up. "Leave the door propped open, Mr. Justice. The air conditioner broke last night, and it's fixin' to be very hot in here today." Apollo nodded, noting that the officer was already sweating. Pulling the door farther open, Apollo kicked a nearby doorstop into position, jamming it underneath the heavy door and propping it open. The guard nodded gratefully as Apollo walked over to the desk, the cool autumn breeze flooding the space.
The guard reached for a nearby clipboard. "I assume you're here to question that lunatic from the lab murder?" Apollo nodded. "Good luck with that one, Mr. Justice. That man is..." The officer broke off, squinting at something behind Apollo. "Hey Mr. Justice, isn't that... Oh, what's-her-face..." Apollo turned, following the officer's gaze out the door and into the street. He paled as he saw Athena blindly running across the street outside the Detention Center, nearly getting hit by a car on three spectate occasions in four lanes of traffic.
"Apolloooooo! I'm not late!" She leapt onto the sidewalk outside, and Apollo braced himself for what was coming next. "Athena, slow down! You're going to--" Apollo winced as Athena tripped on the small ledge separating the doorway of the Center from the street. She flew several feet through the air before skidding to a stop right at Apollo's feet. It never fails... Despite being an excellent defense attorney, Athena was known for occasionally getting a little too excited about things. Apollo studied her as she gathered herself on the floor, visibly winded by her tumble. She was dressed as she almost always was, a cropped yellow suit jacket and matching ruffled skirt complimenting her vivid orange hairdo tied back with a sky-blue ribbon. A tie of a matching blue fell down from a white dress shirt whose collar was very low on her chest, almost exposing her cleavage and destroying the 'modesty' stigma associated with dressy shirts. Dark tights covered her legs, ending at the tops of white boots with light grey highlights, the toes scuffed by the numerous times that she had tripped over things.
With surprising agility for someone who had just flown almost twenty feet through the air, Athena leapt off the floor, not noticing the guard's skeptical look. "Alright, Apollo! Where's our client?" Apollo rolled his eyes and signed off on the visitation paper that the guard slid across the desk. Handing the paper back to the guard, Apollo gestured at the blast-proof door that was sliding open to the left of the desk. "Lead the way, Athena." She nodded, tapping her large, spherical necklace. A blue face appeared on it before stating out loud: "Ready to go, Athena!" In reality, the necklace was actually a tiny but impressively powerful computer named Widget that was linked to Athena's mind. Occasionally it got her in trouble in the courtroom by saying things that she was thinking, particularly when she was frustrated or upset. Despite this, Widget was also a powerful tool, allowing Athena to use her skills as an analytical therapist to deduce the verity of a witnesses' testimony. It was this skill that made her a valuable asset to the agency, as well as her indomitable cheerful spirit even in the darkest of times. Now, having managed to purge her overzealous excitement, she lead the way into the visitors area, a confident sway in her hips that was a great departure from her almost childlike bearing at her arrival to the Center. Apollo followed behind her, wondering what their investigation had in store...

Athena
The visitors room was a bleak, empty space, its only defining features being the wall across the center of the room and the inch-thick bulletproof window that occupied the center of the wall. A singular chair sat in front of the window, its back legs chained to the floor.
As if anyone on this side is going to steal it... Athena thought as she slid into the seat, just barely beating Apollo to the spot. She grinned impishly at him, always willing to give her fellow lawyer a hard time. "Ladies first, you know." She winked. "Do you know anything about our client yet?" She had overslept and had barely made it to the detention center on time. As such, she knew very little about the case to which she and Apollo had been assigned. Apollo's eyebrows scrunched together. "Even I don't know that much. Mr. Wright gave me the case this morning and I left before he could tell me anything." He grinned sheepishly. "I guess we'll have to find out what we can from the client himself..." He was watching the room on the other side of the glass, and Athena followed his gaze to where a man in a white lab coat was being led in from the cell block. His hands were cuffed in front of him, his almost shoulder-length salt and pepper hair disheveled and knotted. He wore half-rimmed spectacles, and he was currently glaring out at Athena. "You. You're not Phoenix Wright. Send me Phoenix Wright." Athena opened her mouth to speak, but Apollo beat her to it. "We're his associates. Mr. Wright sent us to defend you in the trial tomorrow. I believe he spoke to you yesterday...?"
The intensity of the man's gaze lessened slightly, and he leaned back in his chair. "So be it. You aren't as good as Phoenix, I'm sure, but I guess you'll have to do. At least there's two of you." His gaze moved back to Athena. "Whatever. Ask me what you want."
-- -- --
The door to the visitation room shut behind them with a solid thud, and Athena sighed. "That... was completely useless." Apollo nodded. "Mr. Wright was right." He winced at how awkward sentences like that sounded. "That man is insane. I'm not even convinced he's innocent right now."
"Always believe in the client, Apollo!" Athena had her reservations about the man as well, but what kind of attorneys would they be if they left their clients to the mercy of the court without a defense? She tapped Widget, summoning a holographic panel displaying what they had learned about the case. The list was pitifully small. "Well... I guess the only thing we can do now is go to the scene of the crime. I mean, his coworkers have to be more helpful, right?"
Apollo nodded thoughtfully. "Although, if we go to his workplace under the assumption that our client is innocent, it's likely we'll find an alternate suspect. We should probably keep an eye out for anyone suspicious." As he said this, Apollo had pulled a map of the city from his pocket and was trying to orient himself in order to find the lab. Athena laughed. "Really, Apollo? Paper?" She swiped right on the hologram, and a map of the city materialized. The lab's location was outlined in blue, the ideal route already highlighted. "Why use paper when Widget is just as good?" Apollo sighed. He folded the map and stowed it again. "I don't know why I even bother."
Dissolving the map, Athena pointed rightwards. "It's just a straight shot from here to the lab! It shouldn't take more than five minutes." She set out at a jog, and Apollo groaned. "Why do we jog everywhere? What's wrong with hailing a cab?" Already quite a ways ahead, Athena hadn't even heard her fellow attorney. Resignedly Apollo started to run, shaking his head.
-- -- --
Barely even winded from the short trip, Athena opened the door to "SmartTek Labs," relishing the feeling of the icy blast of air conditioning. The interior was decorated almost to the point of being obnoxious, flashy modern art pieces hung on every wall accompanied by brightly colored couches and lounge chairs. Some were filled with men and women dressed in pristine white lab coats, many of whom were eating.
It must be lunch break. Athena approached the front desk, and the receptionist, a man with striking white hair, looked up. "How can I help you today, miss?" Athena was staring at the receptionist, and didn't register the question immediately. He's far too young to have hair that color... Where did it come from? The man laughed, realizing why she was staring. "It happened in a lab accident several years ago. A biochemical agent spilled on my head and all my hair fell out. When it grew back..." He gestured at his own head. "Well, you know the rest." Athena blushed, embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." He laughed again. "None taken! Now, how can I help you today?"
Gathering herself, Athena tore her gaze from the man's hair. "We're here to investigate the murder that occurred here last week." The receptionist looked over her shoulder, confused. "We?" Suddenly the door burst open, and Apollo staggered in, coated in sweat. "Never again," he gasped. "No running. I can't take it." Several of the scientists sitting on the couches snickered, and Apollo glared at them. "I'm her partner," he said, walking to stand next to Athena. Th receptionist raised an eyebrow. "And you are..." His eyes wandered to the lapel pin on Athena's jacket, the pin emblazoned with the scales of justice. His eyes narrowed. "Lawyers. Here to defend that Nathaniel bastard? He killed my best friend. He deserves whatever comes to him."
Athena frowned. "We're sorry for your loss, but he's chosen us to defend him and we won't let him down. Could you show us the crime scene?" The receptionist stood, his expression stony and cold. "Follow me." He stood and moved out from the desk, using his key card to open a sliding glass door at he back of the entrance room. "I guess some introductions are in order. I am Laurent, one of the lead scientists here." He brandished his card. "The leading scientist, actually. I'm the only one with access to the substance rooms - everyone else has to go through me."
The interior of the lab was a far cry from the exterior welcome hall. Most of the surfaces were highly polished steel or glass, white paint covering the walls. All in all, it wasn't anything terribly special, in line with the stereotypical image of a sterile experiments lab. Athena shivered, the temperature of this hallway being much cooler than the last. Apollo was practically blue, his soaked shirt intensifying the cold. Laurent paused abruptly, turning to a door set into an opaque glass wall. As he swiped the card, the glass cleared, and Athena gasped. "There's blood... Everywhere!" Laurent nodded grimly. "James put up quite a fight." He glanced at Athena and Apollo, noticing their twin looks of confusion. "Sorry. James was the name of the victim - my best friend here and a co-scientist. He was the only other person with a high-security card like mine." Laurent pushed the door open, and the trio walked into a disaster zone. Equipment was scattered everywhere, glass shards covering everything. Dark red stains were all over, but the largest mark was in the center of the room, presumably where the subject bled out. While Athena was still taking in the sight, Apollo pulled a pair of gloves from his pocket and stepped gingerly to the center of the room, lifting a skinny metal knife from the floor. It was coated in blood. Laurent stepped closer. "That was the murder weapon. I found it here after I heard a huge crash from this room. Nathaniel was sitting that chair over by the wall..." He gestured. "...Knocked out. The knife was laying next to him on the floor. The body... Wasn't found. The police still don't know where it is."
Athena walked over to the chair that Laurent had mentioned. A thin line of blood was on the floor next to one of the legs. Something caught her eye, and Athena knelt to look at the blood mark. At the wide end where the blade should have been, there was a distinct spot of neon green. "Apollo? What do you think of this?"
"One minute, Athena." Apollo was still scrutinizing the weapon, and hadn't moved from his initial position. Laurent walked over instead. "What did you..." He sucked in a huge breath. "This... The police didn't find this." He whipped a small box from his pocket and practically knocked Athena over as he knelt next to the bloodstain. A small blue light briefly shone from the box, and it pinged. He hurriedly pulled a small white cloth from his pocket and wiped the green from the floor.
"Hey! That's evidence! You can't just..." Athena would have continued, but Laurent held up a hand to silence her. "Come with me. You need to see something. This is... Extremely important." He stood and walked quickly to the door. "Are you coming or not?" Athena glanced at Apollo, who looked from Laurent to her to back again. "Go ahead. I'll carry on here."
Standing, Athena hurried to follow Laurent, who had vanished into the hallway. She barely caught sight of him moving quickly into the next corridor, and jogged after him, trying to catch up. After what seemed like several minutes, she finally caught him in front of a giant steel door. When he caught sight of Athena, Laurent pulled his key card through a red slot, the only one Athena had seen which matched the color on Laurent's card.
Laurent moved through the door, and Athena practically had to jump through the opening in order to get into the room before the door closed. "Alright, Laurent. What's so important that you had to drag me--" He flicked a switch on the wall, and Athena gasped. The room was huge, bright fluorescent lights illuminating a massive vat of green slime the color of the residue Athena had discovered back in the crime scene. "Wha... what is this? Is this..."
"The same substance you found on the floor in the lab? Yes." He chuckled. "We, or more properly, I, tried to develop a compound for soldiers who were wounded on the battlefield, something that could regrow lost tissue in a tiny fraction of the time it takes to heal completely." He smiled wickedly. "Unfortunately the solution was incorrect, and it turns out that I created an extraordinarily effective poison." Athena took a step back, her eyes locked on Laurent, whose expression bordered on insane. His eyes flashed. "I contacted the military, realizing the potential for weapons application."
Athena was horrified. "That's a bioweapon! You can't sell that! It's illegal!"
Laurent's glare intensified. "That's not what the military thinks." He advanced a step, and Athena took another step back. "They offered to buy this whole vat from me for almost ten billion dollars. More money than you lawyers have ever even dreamed of. I was thrilled. I could retire comfortably and live the rest of my life in luxury. But no." Laurent advanced another step. Athena tried to retreat further, but the walkway had run out. The only way to open the door was another red key slot... that was behind Laurent. "Unfortunately, James found out. He knew the law a little too well for his own good, and threatened to call the police if I so much as looked at this substance." Athena paled. It was easy enough to guess where this tale was going next. "So, I killed him." He cackled, his grin horrific. "I sold it. I'm going to retire tomorrow... Permanently. The military is going to come here and take this whole thing away, and take two very, very dead bodies with them. By the time they find them, I'll be sipping rum in my mansion in the Caribbean." He advanced again. He was almost within arm's reach.
If I can grab his card and run, I might get the door-- wait. Two dead bodies...? The first must be James. But the second? It can't be... Me?! Laurent cackled again. "So you figured it out. You're dead, lawyer-girl. You were dead the moment you walked into this room." He took another step forwards. Desperately, Athena lashed out, a wicked right jab towards Laurent's jaw. With astonishing speed, Laurent deflected the punch and reversed her momentum, pulling her into his reach. Athena cried out as he bent her left arm painfully behind her back, his free hand crushing her against him, holding her right arm pinned between his body and hers. His voice was terrifyingly close to her ear when he spoke again. "Unfortunately for you, the poison must be injected into the bloodstream for it to work. You will have no quick death. Fortunately for me... the substance is almost a perfect non-Newtonian fluid. Do you know what that means?"
Athena didn't hear the question over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. I can't believe it...! He's going to kill me! She cried out again as Laurent redoubled the pressure in his hold. "Listen to me when I'm talking. Do you know what that means?" Athena gritted her teeth. She had heard the term before... But where? Laurent continued, quietly. "It resists all movement. It solidifies at the slightest touch. But, when it stays still... It liquifies. It sucks things in. Just. Like. Quicksand." Athena blanched. Stories about quicksand had fascinated her as a child. The concept of someone being sucked into the earth had both terrified and enthralled her, much like most children. Since then the fascination had mostly abated, rightly dismissed as foolish childhood fantasies and tricks of Hollywood film studios, but now it came rushing back. "No! You... Someone..." The pain was deafening, blotting out everything else. Even breathing was difficult. "Someone will find... Someone will find me! You'll never... AAAH!" Laurent flexed one more time, and Athena heard the joints in her arm pop. If he hadn't broken her arm already, he would soon. "No one will find you. Even if they did, what could they do? I'm the only person with access to this room!" Suddenly he let go, and Athena staggered forwards, using her right arm to support herself on the walkway's railing. Her left arm felt like it was on fire, blood forcing its way back into her arm. Fortunately it doesn't feel broken, so I might still be able to escape...
Athena started to turn again, before a strong grip locked onto both arms. Before she could react, Laurent had released the lock on the walkway gate and shoved her off the platform. The force of his push and the length of the fall caused her to hit the surface of the vat hard, driving the air from her lungs. True to form, the substance rejected her, its surface hardening under the force of her fall and allowing her to tumble to the center of the vat. Gasping for air, Athena half-raised herself from her prone position just in time to watch Laurent open the door.
"Apollo! Anyone...!" Her cries went unheard, the lack of proper air behind them causing them to be barely more than a whisper. The door clicked shut, and Athena's heart dropped. No one was coming.
Just then, the ooze opened its arms. With a sick burble it liquified, a deepening impression forming in the surface around where Athena was sinking. It quickly pulled her arm in, swallowing her lower body more slowly. It perfectly outlined her boots and legs as they sank beneath the surface, its grip gentle and soft yet iron-firm, preventing any movement. Remembering what she knew from her childhood years, Athena concentrated and slowly withdrew her arm from its hold, moving slowly enough to prevent it from locking around her. Now standing straight, the holes her arm and ass had left in the ooze slowly disappeared, the surface returning to its deceptively smooth origins.
Athena took a breath, mostly recovered from her fall. She could still feel herself sinking into the vat, the feeling of the goo sliding across her tights an uncomfortable sensation at best. Trying to use the resistivity of the liquid to her advantage, Athena lunged for the walkway, the goop seizing onto her thighs and preventing her from sinking temporarily. Her right hand brushed the walkway, but the resistance slackened again and Athena felt herself losing balance. If I fall forwards, it's over. There's no way I'll free myself with my arms trapped. Straightening again, Athena found that her skirt was starting to spread over the surface of the liquid, parts of its yellow fabric blending into the surface where it had been coated in her initial sink after the fall. Allowing her hands to rest gently on the surface, Athena glanced around the wide, empty space, trying to keep a cool head as she felt her upper thighs slide down into the ooze. Nothing was remotely near her that could be used for escape... In fact, there isn't much in this room at all. No ropes. No vines. No brave jungle native here to save me.
The base of Athena's crotch briefly brushed the surface, and a flash of fear coursed through her veins. What if it gets into my body... She glanced down nervously. That way...? Fortunately her combination of panties and tights would be more than enough to block the thick liquid from getting where it shouldn't. They were, however, no defense against the simple pressure that the ooze exerted on everything in its grasp. She sank a little deeper, the goo meeting a little resistance as it began to cup her ass. Athena's skirt continued to spread on the surface, fanning out around her hips, leaving nothing between her crotch and the ooze's mounting pressure.
There has to be something around here that I-- Nngh! A slight tingle ran through her body, barely perceptible at first. She shook her head, trying to ignore it. Tapping Widget, Athena brought up a hologram dial pad, hoping to contact Apollo somehow. The signal in here is going to be spotty at best... Hopefully it'll be enough to work for now. A bubble popped thickly underneath her skirt, sending an even more brief but much more intense shock through Athena's body. Widget's hologram fizzled for a moment, its interface running pink before stabilizing back to its customary blue. Pink?! I've never even-- Aa... Aah! Why... Why does this feel good?! How can I possibly be feeling his way? I'm going to die! Athena arched her back, gritting her teeth against the sensation. The movement solidified the goo for a moment, and Athena only managed to intensify the feelings, the solid ooze pushing even harder on her crotch. Kyaaa! This... This is crazy! I can't focus...! Widget's interface flashed pink, and didn't change back. The blue face on her necklace was replaced with a much more feminine one that looked almost like it was blushing. I've never even seen Widget like this... Am I... Turned on by this?! That's so wrong! I can't believe myself! Focus, Athena! Come on!
The pink of the interface was replaced with a deep crimson, Widget's face swapping to a matching red, it's expression angry. Hurriedly, Athena pulled up Apollo's cell number in Widget's directory, hoping that Widget had enough signal to complete the call. She continued to sink, the ooze swallowing the last part of her ass and beginning to encircle her waist, pulling her ever downwards...

Apollo
Athena's been gone a long time. Apollo had mostly wrapped up his investigation at the scene. He pulled off his gloves and stood from where he had been taking a sample of the blood on the floor. He had also found a set of smudgy fingerprints on the handle of the weapon, but he figured that they would simply belong to their client. They almost ways do. He was shocked out of his thoughts as his phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out, he flipped open the front display and saw Athena's name on the screen, without a number. She must be calling from Widget. He glared at his flip phone. I want a Widget. This thing sucks.
Pressing the green call button, Apollo lifted the the phone to his ear. "What's up, Athena?"
"Apollo! Thank god. I didn't know if Widget had enough signal to call you. I found the culprit." Apollo's eyebrows jumped up. "Really?! Who?"
"It's Laurent. You have to find him. I... I'm a bit occupied at the moment." Apollo frowned as he heard Athena moan through the speaker. "Athena...? What's going on? Where are you?" Apollo slammed open the door to the lab, turning to follow where he had seen Athena and Laurent go earlier. "Where did you go? Tell me how to get there."
There was a long pause on the other end, the only thing audible being Athena's shaky breathing. "Follow the red line on the wall. Laurent will probably try to escape towards you, so keep an eye out." Another gasp. "Please hurry, Apollo. I don't know how much longer I can hold on." The line fizzled out.
"Athena!" Apollo increased his pace. He glanced at the display on his phone, only confirming that the line had gone dead. No signal. Fantastic. He snapped the phone shut and followed Athena's instructions, heading deeper into the lab.
Suddenly Apollo saw Laurent turn a corner at the end of the hallway, coming towards him. Laurent glanced up, and his eyes widened. He bolted away, heading down a different hallway. As Laurent passed a trash can, Apollo saw him rapidly discard something. Sprinting after him, Apollo skidded through the turn, reaching into the can to grab whatever Laurent had dropped. A red key card. Whatever it is, it's mine now. You're not getting away, Laurent! Apollo poured on the speed, a burst of adrenaline overpowering his lack of conditioning. "Laurent! Stop!" To his surprise, Laurent actually did stop. He turned to face Apollo, a wicked grin on his face. "Where's your partner, lawyer boy?"
I'll wipe that idiotic smile off of your face. Apollo slammed straight into Laurent, driving his shoulder directly into the scientist's chest. Laurent grunted, falling to the floor. Apollo slid to a halt and reached down, grabbing the front of Laurent's lab coat. "What have you done with Athena?" Laurent cackled insanely. "I'll never tell. All I'll say is that she doesn't have much time left by now..." He laughed. "You'll never find her befo--"
A flash of rage flooded over him, and Apollo punched him. Laurent fell silent. Geez. Did I knock him out? First time I've done that. Fine. Serves him right. Now all I have to do is find Athena. Follow the red line. Apollo hurried back to the last hallway he had been in, leaving Laurent slumped against a wall. Turning a corner, Apollo saw a giant steel door with a red key card slot on the right side. Might as well start opening doors. Apollo slid the card through the slot and the door creaked open, revealing rows of shelves bathed in shadow. Apollo listened for a moment, but heard nothing. He repeated the same process for several of the next doors, finally arriving at the last one. In this room, the light was illuminated. This is the one. It has to be! "Athena! I'm coming! Hold on!" He slid the card through the slot, and the door began to creak open.
It seemed like ages before the door was open far enough for Apollo to squeeze through. His jaw dropped when he took in the whole room, the massive vat of green slime occupying the entire space. And in the middle, Athena, sunk to her breasts, one arm trapped beneath the surface, the other resting on the top. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing heavily. "What the hell? Athena!" No response. "Cmon, Athena! Listen to me!" Still, nothing. Why is Widget pink? "Come on, Athena! You need to get out of there! You're still sinking!" She's not listening. If I have to break out the chords of steel, I will.

Athena
It was too much. Almost immediately after the call with Apollo she had orgasmed, and her resistance crumbled from there. It's so soft... It's just pulling me in... and... I want it to...? It feels so good... A tiny part of her, buried in the deepest corner of her mind, still wanted to escape. It was fading, though, and Widget reflected it. At the start it had flashed from pink to blue to red to back again, mirroring her mental state. Now, It was mostly pink. The flashes of red and blue were few and far between, and they were dim. Suddenly, there was a voice.
"A--e--! --k- --! Y-- --v- -- l--t--!" It was faint, and seemed far away. She sighed, allowing herself to settle deeper into the ooze. It had seeped through her shirt long ago, pressing against her naked chest. She groaned quietly as the slime surrounded her breasts, perfectly outlining their shape and exposing her hardened nipples. The hand she had placed below the surface was pressed directly against her crotch, now immobilized by the pressure of the goo. Again, the voice came through. It was louder this time.
"A-h-na! Co-e o-! Wa-e -p!" I must be imagining it... The door's locked... And I'm doomed... Why not... Enjoy it...? She managed to move her hand, stimulating herself beneath the surface. Her free hand clenched and she shuddered, approaching climax again...

Apollo
Nothing's working! Is she just ignoring me? Apollo's voice was raw, his shouts ringing in his ears after they echoed off the walls of the chamber, almost mocking his efforts. If I'm ever going to get through to her, I'll have to shout louder than I ever have before. This is my last chance... I don't know if I have the strength for anything else! Chords Of Steel, don't fail me now! Apollo saw Athena's hand clench, heading her soft moan. Is she... It dawned on him. Oh no. If that happens, it's over! She'll sink under!

Athena
She was close. One last surge of pleasure before she sank out of sight. It's a shame... Apollo will be... All alone... I just... Aaahhh...!
"ATHENAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Her eyes snapped open, and Widget flashed yellow with surprise. It was too late, though. The orgasm rocked her, everything else going white for a few moments. When it cleared, Athena's mouth was beneath the surface, only the top of her head and right hand sticking out. Widget was barely floating on top, its display spattered with slime. It was dark blue, the color of fear. Apollo! Please! Help me! I don't want to die!

Apollo
He was too late. He watched, horrified, as Athena sank rapidly, almost submerging. When her sinking finally slowed, their eyes locked. It didn't take an analytical psychologist to see that she was terrified. Her nose was barely above the surface. She'll suffocate if I don't move quickly here! I have to do something! In a burst of motion Apollo leapt over the guard rail, standing outside the rail with one foot and holding on with his left hand, his right stretched out to Athena. "Come on, grab my hand! You can do it!"

Athena
There was only one way out of this, and it involved her nearly going under. Athena took a deep breath, trying to steady her pounding heart. Slowly, she pulled her hand from the grip of the slime, her arm slowly rising above the surface. Her nose brushed the surface, and she stopped, breathing rapidly. I can't do it! If I move my arm any more it will pull me under! Athena was on the brink of panicking.
"Take a deep breath, Athena. I'm right here. You'll be fine." Apollo's voice was raspy, but it calmed her all he same. This is the only way out. I have to be strong. Holding her breath, Athena reached for Apollo's hand, her arm covered in slime. As she had predicted, the upward motion of her hand forced the rest of her downwards, submerging her nose. Her ears sank beneath the surface as well, and everything went silent. Apollo's lips moved, but she heard nothing but the roar of blood in her ears. At last, their hands met. Apollo latched on, and began to haul. Athena's shoulder screamed in pain, the force of Apollo's pull fighting against the grip of the ooze on her body. She was moving, but not fast enough. Her lungs screamed for oxygen, and black crept in at the edges of her vision. I'm going to... pass...... out.........

Apollo
Suddenly, the suction broke. Athena slid free from the goo's hold, her entire body coated in a layer of thick green slime. Apollo hauled himself up to the ledge again, holding Athena against him as he opened the walkway gate's latch. She's limp... Don't die on me, Athena! . He lay her on the walkway before climbing up himself. He knelt over her form, praying that he hadn't failed at the final hour. Please, Athena... Open your eyes...!
At last, her chest shuddered, and she drew breath. Apollo sighed, relieved. Everything's going to be okay.

end.

[DJlurker]

Nice to see you finally post a story on this forum! Nice job!

[PM2K]

Nicely done indeed!

[quagmire_uk]

That was fantastic! I'm only slightly aware of the Phoenix/Apollo games but it still made sense and the scenario was great.