MINI EVENT: GARDEN OF EVIL

[sticksandbonesmods]

GARDENING

Content Warning: Carnivorous plants in a very unconventional way, horror hunger, attempted violence towards animals

!

EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORNS

You've done well to avoid the flowers, haven't you? Though some hapless victims here and there may have nearly fallen to it, but even they've been rescued and taken to safety. And the flowers can't approach the General Store, the Trader's stalls, the inn or the house Elsword has built- something prevents the forest from creeping into it ever so softly, so of course it's minions couldn't either. But they're so hungry.

Starvation tears at the flowers like claws, and what should help them- the water and sunshine- burns like ice. The only thing that satisfies is flesh and blood and bone and they're hungry. And they've had enough of being told no.

As everyone goes about their day, the flowers still. They do not reach for and try to grab anyone, and for a moment all seems well. Up until Rusty begins snarling in a way uncharacteristic of him, trying to tear the nearest one out of the earth with his teeth. He is immediately ensnared in vines and leaves, with the full intent of tearing the old dog apart. The flowers shake and there's an odd hum in the air before they all seem to turn, looking at the denizens of the nest as if they had eyes. You will not look away. You can't look away. They are everywhere. On the ground, crawling up the walls of the fence, growing larger to block off the routes to safety, and always shifting to be in your line of sight. Look at them. Look at them.

Look at them.

The madness won't creep in slowly- as they force themselves into your vision, already you can see vines creeping at the edge of your vision, tearing into flesh that isn't there. Ravenous maws biting into the people around you and not letting go. Blood and sap pouring out like ichor. Blink once, blink twice, and it shakes away to reveal the truth but if you aren't careful the visions set in again. Misfortune radiates off of the flowers in waves, tripping you up and interfering with your aim and casting. Get ready, because the flowers aren't going away without some blood.

code

Comments

[harmacy]

[An unexpected physical contact triggers a shockwave within him—his spine shivers, fingers digging deeper on instinct. He's hyper-aware of the damp skin-to-skin contact between their foreheads, marred with sweat and blood and El knows what else. Veins and blood that flows beneath skin, the warm echo of a heartbeat that pulses through his brain. It's dizzying, it's addicting, he wants it more and more and more—

and then Leon ruins the fucking mood, yeah.

Karte is also here, excited to swoop in with a single Dynamo clutched in its tiny dragon claws. It's hard to tell if it carried Dynamo, or if Dynamo is carrying Karte. Either way, the entire squad is now present.

Suddenly forced to consider his appearance again (as if the artifacts care???), Add is quick to straight himself up. He clears his throat, exasperated, red-eyed... but the rest of his feelings are shuffled away, at least for now. Thoughts to sort out later, in private, where he might reach a more logical conclusion...

at least he seems to be feeling better, if he's able to recover this quickly.]

Thank you, Leon. That's quite enough for now. [please do not start gnawing or slobbering on him just yet he's still injured] Dynamo, run system recovery then display your report. Hopefully the others have made some more headway...

[Karte curls itself up ontop of Elsword's head like a hat, playfully snapping at the funny glowy halo. As one does. They are very happy to see the end of the divorce arc, yeah.]

[simplicitas]

[Leon and Karte are going to gossip about this later like "oh girl what WERE they doing on the floor 👀"

Elsword takes a moment to get up and drag himself over to the front door to close it. Though the plants aren't trying to come in here, he doesn't want the open door to be an invitation.

Meanwhile, his injured arm is throbbing... ugh. Karte doesn't even get told "hey don't eat that" because Elsword is in too much pain to really think about it. The floor moment was respite from it all, truly.]

We should fix up the other injuries and head back out. We can do it in your room, if you want. It's probably comfier than the floor.

[...]

I can carry you.

[The healing bubble might've taken care of the shallower injuries, but walking is a mystery. Do Add got legs?]

[harmacy]

You will not be carrying me. Let me see that arm.

[Add, meanwhile, has shifted into a better position on the floor... look, he's operated under far worse conditions before, this is no big deal. A few holoscreens pop open as Dynamo reboots itself, filling up with various scans and diagrams...

He's quick to minimize the screen with his own data, sliding it off to the side where he can deal with it later. The flowers did a number on him and he'll have a hell of a time fixing his clothes later, but he was pulled out and healed before it could get any worse that surface damage. The more severe patient always takes priority.]

Besides, traveling that far would be a waste of time. I have everything I need right here. [not quite registering that "your room" means "the room in this house that I saved for you" and not "your room back at the inn" he's dumb and multitasking give him a minute]

[simplicitas]

[...?

Oh, right. They never talked about that. Elsword immediately spills the metaphorical tea.]

No, your room upstairs. I saved it for you while you were gone. The door is locked, and I'm the only person that's gone in there.

[You know, to put furniture in it but also to sleep in Add's bed because Pining? Normal things to do dwbi.

But yeah, he sits down to let Add see his arm, full of gouges and lacerations and dried, caked-on blood of various colours, and cute little menacing flowers. There's a seal drawn in pink henna depicting the phases of the moon right at the top of his bicep before his shoulder — Felicity's handiwork. A magical seal to keep the infection from spreading, though the black veins are beginning to sneak past the threshold.]

[harmacy]

Upstairs? [he pauses, hands on the vial he'd put down earlier. it's not wholly unexpected that Elsword would want Add to stay close... actually, it makes the most sense for him. he rolls the glass tube between his fingers, wondering why it makes him feel strange to think about something so typical of Elsword.] You didn't have to... none of my things are there, so it's not like you're keeping my privacy.

[still, it's... strangely touching. to be thought of, and respected, even when it doesn't matter.

He shifts his focus to the wound. It's still an ugly sight, but his head feels much clearer this time. He runs his fingertips along the veins, the emerging sprouts, flaking off the blood to see where it's still flowing fresh... it's certainly worse than it was before. He still wants to kick himself for not doing something sooner, but that wouldn't solve this problem in the now. Add hums, frowning.

Cure will have to wait one more step. He puts the vial away again, pulling out his laser-scalpel instead. It buzzes to life as he levels the blade with one of the larger stems. He's taking his goddamn samples.]

I'm going to remove them, one at a time. Tell me if you feel anything.

[simplicitas]

Yeah, but... I missed you, so when you came back, I wanted you to have somewhere to call home that wasn't a dingy inn room.

[No offense to the inn, but it's a bit dilapidated. Plus, it's quieter out by the river (so far) and Elsword can simply go out and fish or forage for mushrooms or pick an apple from the tree on the banks...

But they can have a discussion about moving Add in when the Grove isn't dying, and when both of them are fixed up. He keeps his arm still throughout Add's explorations, purposely looking away from the worst of the wounds. Most of the blood that's still flowing is part of the large holes in his arm, inflicted by himself during a moment of madness (thanks plants)... he closes his eyes and tries to pretend he didn't have a nightmare about his arm coming to life and strangling him, that he didn't see it do the same thing to him while he was on the ground getting eaten alive, and that he didn't hallucinate those same vines trying to kill Add. Closes his eyes...

...and suddenly snaps them open when the laser-scalpel cuts into a stem, sucking in a pained hiss through his teeth. Like it or not, these things are part of him — it's like cutting into a nerve, slicing into raw muscle, something like that. Elsword barely manages a low I feel something in response to Add's request, as if it wasn't obvious by his grit teeth and the way he starts to sweat.

Eventually, he manages to find words again at a louder volume:]

You can cut them off. It's okay. I'm okay.

[He's trying to convince himself of that, anyway.]

[harmacy]

[His hands are steady, but Elsword's reaction doesn't go unnoticed—one quick, tiny cut, so at least he's not left to linger on it for long. It still brings him pause, though, studying Elsword's expression from the corner of his eye.]

No. Describe it to me. [calm, focused. pain is just the body's way of communicating, so in a sense this is progress. he needs to understand what it's doing to him. he needs to understand.] What does it feel like? How painful, at what point of origin, is there any internal movement? Give me as much detail as possible.

This time, tell me the moment you feel anything. Okay?

[slowly, he brings the blade to the next flower... just close enough for the stem to feel the heat of the beam, but not enough to cut it. not yet. he'll only keep going if Elsword gives him the clear.]

i am losing my fucking gourd over this thread

[simplicitas]

[These are a lot of medical questions aimed at someone who doesn't understand the first thing about medicine, but he'll sure try his best with answering Add's questions. Elsword is not the most verbose, wordy person, and it's likely clear by his expression — brow knit, sweat on his forehead, the fingers of his right hand digging into his torn-up pants, nails pressing into showing skin — that what Add did the first time hurts more than he can properly vocalize.

Still... he takes a breath as the pain from the first cut ebbs.]

It feels like it's shooting out from where you cut it, down into my fingers, but it doesn't go past the seal. [He points to the moon-marks with his opposite hand.] It's kind of like cutting into a nerve directly. I don't feel any internal movement.

[Eugh. That's gross to think about, he hopes that never happens! Haha—

The blade moves closer, and Elsword can feel the heat on his skin, even as the white bloom seems to recoil away from it, petals curling inwards. He doesn't feel anything moving underneath the surface, watching it now to see if it does anything. There's a secondary sensation lying under all of it, that of warmth against a foreign object that should not be connected to his nervous system and is.]

I can feel the heat on both my skin and the stem. ...but you can keep going. I can handle it.

why are they like this

[harmacy]

... self preservation, manipulating the host to prevent removal of the parasitic body. Nerves only send signals to the brain to communicate contact and damage to external tissue, so hijacking those signals allows it to move as it pleases and discourage removal. A simple but effective trick of the mind.

[Add pulls the knife away, putting it aside for now. Of course, there's no real damage occurring to the body so he could just continue to remove them like this. As entertaining as it might be to watch Elsword squirm under his care...

He smiles, pulling a red vial from his pouch to hold up to the light.]

Unfortunately for your clever little parasite, it's not the only one capable of manipulating sensory feedback. [painkillers here to save the day AGAIN. he calls down a dynamo, inserting the dose into its syringe.] Let's see how it likes this... kukuku, I wonder if this drug is effective on plants as well? Consider this my act of mercy before I cut you into pieces.

[yes he is talking to the stupid flowers, he chuckles villainously under his breath some more as he injects the painkillers into Elsword's arm... it'll take a few minutes to kick in, so they have some time to kill.]

"ADD'S THINLY-VEILED KINKS"

[simplicitas]

[Now you give him painkillers??? After all of that? Elsword tries not to look too cross... he knows (trusts) that Add is just trying to test sensory responses for treatments, that's all it is. A bit of pain is fine if it's for scientific progress.

He manages the littlest "ouch" when the needle jabs into him. Ordinarily he might have rubbed the sore injection site, but everything there hurts, and he's pointedly ignoring the wounds he inflicted anyway.]

You seem like you're doing better, at least. You don't have any massive wounds anywhere, do you?

[Would Add even let him see if he did... probably not, but sticking his hands up Add's shirt like the last time this happened isn't out of the question. Don't test him, he'll fucking do it.]

I can help you until this stuff kicks in. [ignore the still-active healing bubble listen he can do it better let him help it's all he knows how to do—]

new strat to getting rid of forestitis is to be horny on main until it leaves by choice

[harmacy]

[I'm fine hangs at his lips. It would be so easy to continue like this, pretending that he's invincible, ignoring all the aches and throbbing pains in his body until he can deal with them in private...

He sighs, letting his smile drop. Even if he lies, he'll just get scolded later when they have to go back out again.

Add reaches down to the sad little corner he shoved his own data to... he hesitates a moment longer before he slides it over, expanding it to finally make the chart visible to both of them. Dynamo beeps, one of the drones rising to circle him a couple of times. Scanning, refreshing, please wait...

a cheery ding before displaying the results. They can ignore the big red ERROR label stuck to his eye. Lots of areas marked in yellow and orange, partly healed cuts, skin that's bound to stay bruised for weeks... it gets worse lower down, where more of him had been trapped in the thorns. He winces, tapping the screen for more details on the bright red label over his leg.]

That's a fracture... great. [those flowers really didn't want to let him go huh] I'll put a splint on it for now... I suppose I could use some help with that.

[he rubs at his neck idly, careful around the slowly-healing wounds. he doesn't like how heavily that area has been labeled... if he keeps getting cut up in the same places...]

[simplicitas]

[Elsword would say he feels smug that Add is now confessing injuries to him, if he could possibly feel smug in this moment (or at all).]

That looks bad. [Genius observations from the sentient El piece himself.] ...are you sure you don't want to go upstairs? Don't you have to take your pants off for that?

[Is it high enough on his leg where his stupid tight pants can't be rolled up... either way Elsword is already stealing Add's shoes, get those off they're also in the way. He's helping™.]

I don't know how Fel will take it if she comes back home and you're pantsless on the floor.

[why did he word it like that—]

gag tag

[devilishkouhai]

[harmacy]

Going upstairs would be even more of a pain—and don't say "I'll carry you", you shouldn't be putting so much weight on that arm. I won't give you any more painkillers if that's what you're going to use them for.

Here is fine. [he'll be pantsless on the floor and everyone will just have to deal with that

Anyway, he lets Elsword help get the boots off... they held up well, all things considered, but the thick outer plating is more dented and crushed in places around his injured shin. Add winces hard, trying not to hiss as the boot is slowly peeled away. Fresh wounds reopen near the lip, blood sticking to the inner lining...]

Be careful. [as if Elsword wasn't?? his eyes are locked on the wound no matter how much worse it makes this] Ugh, circulation is... no, it's fine. Continue. If I'd been stuck in there any longer, though...

[simplicitas]

[Elsword being chided like a puppy... he knows he deserves it but Add he's worrrrrrrried about youuuuu...]

Caoimhe can fix all of our clothes and armour and stuff. [He provides absent-mindedly, and even though he's told Add that before he kind of forgot he did in the first place. There's solace in little things like a nice elf girl who can magic away problems like that.] ...and I'm trying to be careful. Lift your hips up.

[You know, so you can be pantsless on the floor. Elsword tries not to let the fabric or even his fingers reopen any wounds, especially since according to Dynamo, there are many. Once those are off, he can focus on healing anything open, dismissing the larger healing field in lieu of letting those little runes form around his fingertips and target the lacerations directly. Some of the lighter ones look like they've closed up nicely...]

Do you have stuff to make a splint on you now? [probably wanted to ask that question before you stole his pants bud]

[harmacy]

[Add, laying on his back with his legs in the air while Elsword strips him down... there is absolutely nothing weird about any of this, yeah. He's going to sit on the floor in his underwear dressing wounds like it's a regular Tuesday.

The pain gets a little more tolerable once the runes are being pressed into skin. It's not the same as a painkiller, but watching the cuts knit back together beneath the bloodstains... just knowing it's being treated, he can rest a little easier. He takes a deep breath, resting his head against a floating Dynamo.]

... Karte, why don't you make yourself useful for once? [hello, the dragonbot has been making a nest in Elsword's hair this whole time, but it does perk up at having ✨a TASK✨] Go bring me a stick, about this long and this thick. Do not go near the flowers outside. Okay?

[Karte detaches itself from Elsword, swooping over to Add for a moment to give him an encouraging static-rub, then flies off towards the nearest open window with a hiss... he's going to send a Dynamo after it just to be safe, but hey sometimes the artifacts can be useful after all.

now they're waiting on two things, tho... he takes this moment to pull off his gloves and jacket, checking his own arms for cuts. most of these ones have healed already, but...]

... if you have a moment... this cut on my neck is a bit of an eyesore. [something skin to nervousness creeping into his voice. it's already mostly healed, but it hasn't healed enough]

[simplicitas]

[Two bros, chillin on the floor! 0ft apart because they are gay—]

Sure.

[Elsword knows, has always known, that the neck is a bit of a sensitive spot for Add. He's never asked (Rena said it was rude to ask someone about their giant awful neck scar back then), and by this point he's pretty much forgotten he's ever wanted to... but he still tries to keep his friend's proclivities and fears close to his heart despite everything. To that end...]

...I have to touch it. Just tell me if you need me to stop.

[Elsword leans forward a bit, balancing on his knees and holding his good arm out toward Add's neck. He gives him a moment to decide if he wants to back out at all and try to handle this himself, but if he doesn't, he'll feel warm fingers press around the wound shortly after. It's a delicate touch, with Elsword not wanting to agitate either Add or the wound itself while the little sigils do their work putting him back together. Much gentler than he's been even with Add's legs thus far.]

...there, [when all's said and done,] does that feel better?

[harmacy]

[He stays quiet, offering only a tiny nod of approval to move forward. It's only Elsword, and it's only to make sure it heals right... but he can't help but shiver at the touch. No matter how much time passes, no matter how much he paints over that scar, tries to forget it ever existed...

He closes his eye, trying not to think about it. Just think about the warm sigils seeping into his skin, Elsword's calloused and caring hands. It's fine. Everything is going to be fine.

... it doesn't hurt anymore, but he still brings up a hand to trace the edges of it. Tiny, almost invisible scratches, barely even noticeable by the naked eye...]

... it'll have to do. Thank you.

[(later, he'll cover it up with bandages, at least until the faint scars have faded completely)]

How does your arm feel? Any numbness yet? [they are taking turns like its feelings-tennis]

[simplicitas]

[How are they both so bad at feelings.

Elsword only sits back when Add seems... if not satisfied, okay with the results. At the question, his litmus test for how numb his arm is is apparently flailing it around and bending it a bunch. It definitely doesn't hurt when he does that much. He's not about to start poking wounds to see if it's really kicked in by this point.]

Maybe not numb, but there's no pain. I'm okay with continuing, if you wanted to try getting the flowers off of me.

[They're unsightly and bad and he's been covering them with gauze so no one worries about him. Felicity and Mizuki are the only other people who know.]

But only after we get your leg... splinted? Splant? [god add i hope you're moronsexual]

[harmacy]

[Add, the guy who has to be the smartest person in any given room? Moronsexual?? god he hopes so

Add sighs loudly, exasperated, but no longer focused on the anxiety of his scars.] Braced. Are you sure one of those flowers didn't make it to your brain?

[anyway we are not going to leave them waiting on that splant delivery. Karte swoops back in the window with a victorious hiss and... several loud clonks, because it has a whole-ass broom clutched between its little claws and a trailing Dynamo. Stick!!!!!

It drops the broom down between the two with a clatter, then curls up on Add's head like a hat (where is his hat, i forgot about it, Leon has it now). After recovering from all the sudden loud noises, Add begrudgingly gives the dragon a little pat.]

Close enough... Elsword, could you cut this to length? In this spot precisely, please.

[simplicitas]

Why's it called a splint if the verb is braced, then?

[At least he knows what a verb is.

And yeah, Leon has Add's hat. He's wearing it. Don't ask how he got it onto his head. Both he and Elsword look toward the clonking noise as Karte tries its absolute best to get that broom into the house, but only Elsword's gaze swivels back to Add to take in his instructions afterwards. Leon's remains firmly on Karte getting pats... he wants pats...

Meanwhile, Elsword stands up to grab his sword.]

Got it.

[There's no way to be normal about this: He cuts the broom as instructed with a fucking greatsword, because the kitchen is like 20ft away from them and he cannot be assed to do this normally with a butcher knife or something. Only sword. El... Sword.

At least they're clean cuts, and he's back on the floor in front of Add to brace his fracture.]

[harmacy]

The correct term would be "splinted". I thought you might appreciate a more common synonym instead. [that's some PA sarcasm btw. does Elsword know what a synonym is...

also Add 100% expected Elsword to cut the broom with Els' sword so this is not shocking behavior, just normal ESP things. Add walks him through the splinting process which i am handwaving because it's 2am and i don't want to spend an hour researching first aid again. anyway,

braced. splinted. cherished.

he's not getting up off the floor, but at least he can rest assured that his injury won't get any worse... probably. he still wants to go back outside and keep helping, but he's slowly starting to realize that might be more of a detriment at this point. maybe he should stick to making herbicides... Dynamo could stay with Elsword to assist, perhaps...

he sighs again, more relief than annoyance now. watching Elsword from the corner of his eye... his gaze keeps wandering down to the flowers and wounds, but before he jumps right into it]

Secure, but not too tight. Good work.

[simplicitas]

[He knows what a synonym is!! And he levels Add with a look that's trying to be sassier than his limited facial emotion range can convey... maybe the effect reaches him anyway.

But with Add's leg successfully splant, he can now... hopefully, possibly, put his tight-ass pants back on. Hm. Elsword thinks it might be difficult, maybe Add should wear shorts for a while?]

I'm glad I could help. It looks like it hurts... sorry. I shouldn't be taking all the painkillers since you need them.

[boy]

[harmacy]

[... maybe he should've just cut the leg part off. ugh. he probably has more than one pair of pants somewhere tho. Dynamo will fetch pant it's fine,

He drags himself to the nearby wall, something to lean against while his leg is still throbbing... it absolutely hurts like hell, but he puts on a thin smile anyway.] Don't apologize. I'll medicate myself later, my patients always take priority.

[besides, they're not done here. he holds up his scalpel, the laser edge lighting up with a blue glow. c'mere, you]

I've been meaning to take some proper samples from you anyway... this many flowers should do fine. Let's start with a simple test of the painkiller's effectiveness. [translation: he is going to gently and lovingly stab Elsword's arm like he's checking the temperature of a steak, is it done yet?]

[not here—]

[mooninthewater]

[ On the one hand, it’s Mizuki’s fault for spying on everyone around the Grove like this. On the other hand, do they not realize??? They’re??? Doing this??? In front of god and everyone?? Should Mizuki go grab a blanket and hang it up over the window or—-

H.

He can’t watch the heroes someone do anything like this?? For once in his life Mizuki decides “maybe they do need their privacy actually,” and scampers off before he catches anything… unsavory. Because that is 100% what’s happening here, he can’t be convinced otherwise. ]