#fielding

In the first inning of today's game against the TB Rays, Aaron Judge is firing on all cylinders!!! At the top of the first, he drove in an RBI and then in the bottom of the inning fielded a ball in right field and threw it all the way to 3rd base for the out!! He's so good at everything he does!!

🎵Skitter you children of Machiavelli, the Florentine matter of-

[BANG.]

[He freezes, waiting to see if he was hearing things.]

[BANG BANG.]

[There it was again.]

OPEN UP, FIELDING

[He places the finished trays of cookies into the preheated oven, sets the timer, and walks towards the foyer. Was that the smell of burning? No, no, he just put the cookies in they couldn't be burning already.]

[He peeks out the keyhole. Is that.... no it couldn't be. He's dead. He died. Oh shit.]

[The stranger touches the doorknob and it simply melts away.]

Bad choice, Fielding

[Molina kicks the door over and over, not stopping. Raymond hears glass shatter and he bolts back to the kitchen. Shit.]

[He picks up his phone from the bench and opens a chatroom. Surely some help from the Archives could arrive semi-swiftly.]

[Another avatar jumps through the window, wincing when she is stabbed by the glass.]

Hello, Ray-Ray! I see the house is back up! Shame it'll have to go soon

[She fiddles with a knife. Surgical, Raymond believes? It's small, thin, glittered with blood. She smiles when he reaches for a breadknife.]

Nuh-uh-uh, Ray-Ray! I wouldn't do that if I were you

[From behind Raymond hears the door break. Fuck.]

Now, now, Fielding. Don't start fights you can't finish. We just want a few things from you. Sound good?

Uh.. yes. Sounds lovely. Just let me check how my cookies are doing. See if they're cooked yet.

Hmmm. How does that sound, Diego?

Sounds fine by me, Adelaide

What flavour? Can I have one?

[The burly man and young woman laugh.]

Right. Thank you. I.. I just need to get the little metal spike thing.. you know what I'm talking about.

[Adelaide steps aside as Raymond walks over to grab the long metal toothpick, watching him closely.]

[Raymond walks back and Adelaide sits on the bench beside him looking down at the cookies.]

What flavour? Can I have one?

[She pouts as she asks, like a small schoolgirl asking her mother for an extra chocolate for dessert.]

O-Of course, Adelaide. They're peanut butter, maple syrup and chocolate.

[Adelaide's eyes light up. Swinging her legs over the overhang of the counter, she leans closer, observing each cookie closely.]

[This is when Raymond strikes, his hand flying up, metal toothpick in hand, and drives it through Adelaide's throat, puncturing her esophagus.]

[She screamed.]

-R.F. 🕷🏠

*texting the Archive’s groupchat might have brought some help - in times gone by. But as things are, neither the Archivist nor its guests feel any particular need to go help the Spider. The only thing Fielding’s cry of alarm brings him is its attention - just in case something interesting happens.*

*so it Watches. And it grows interested indeed. It knew the Queen of Hearts was circling about - the package left for Traquenard on its desk was more than a hint. She needs an Eye kept on her.*