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sticksandbones2023-08-15 06:30 pm
MINI EVENT: GARDEN OF EVIL
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.
why are they like this
[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"
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
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...]
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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
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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...
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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]
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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]
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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?
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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]
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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]
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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.
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[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.]
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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.
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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]
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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?]
1/2
2/2
Elsword is just. staring down at the point where the scalpel is in his arm. There's a look on his face that says "there's no pain" but also "why is stabbing me the first thing you're trying".
...]
I think it's working.
[His blood is black but hey! At least he doesn't feel himself being stabbed!]
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the black blood is not great, but he's already waving a Dynamo over to collect some of that... more samples. more organic material to research and experiment on. he cleans the edges of his knife before moving on the the flowers.]
Wonderful, kukuku. Let's take this nice and slowly... now, be a good patient and tell me if anything feels odd.
[there's still a possibility the plants will try to interfere, but at least Elsword will have an easier time with it.Add starts with the next flower closest to him, holding his blade to the base of the stem, waiting for Elsword's approval, then... a quick little cut, and it's off. easy peasy.
now they just have to do it, like, half a dozen more times? a dozen more times? how many flowers are in your arm-garden sir]
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...
Well, it's not like he feels much. The flowers aren't grown enough to fully resist, nothing like the nightmare he had — which he should maybe talk to Add about but haha lol — though they don't entirely hold still. The petals retract from the blade before it even reaches them, as if they're aware this is happening, but there's really nothing else of note. Elsword sits patiently and waits for Add to be done.
There are like a dozen little flowers, yeah. Don't worry about it.]
I have a feeling they'll grow back, but... maybe you'll find a way to make them stop doing that?
[He's tired of being fertile soil :(]
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He leans in close, a dry chuckle in his throat as he watches the parasite squirm. Who's the big scary one now, huh???? this is for his eye you perennial motherfucker]
They can grow back all they want... but you're my patient. Even the most persistent of parasites should know when to give up. I won't allow them to have you.
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He is feeling some type of way about this. He's not sure how to word it (he never truly is), but Add sure is being, well, characteristically possessive in a way that makes Elsword wonder if he's having heart palpitations because there's a knife on his bad arm or if he's having them because ?? why else would he have these actually. What is happening.
Lads, is it gay to find inherent attraction in the way your bestie threatens a fucking plant?
Maybe it's the blood loss.]
I'll, um. Be sure to let it know.
[oh boy]
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Removing the root system will be difficult, but not impossible. If the flowers can absorb a painkiller, a paralytic may be an option. If they're unable to resist or defend themselves and the original root can be removed...
[... but it might get tricky since it's already grown this far... but he could try multiple techniques, whittling down the parasite's strength and stripping it away bit by bit, weakening it to something more manageable... even if it isn't removed fully, it'll still be a decisive victory. he will find a method that works.]
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...that makes sense to me. [He knows .2 things about this, but:] If you paralyse it, it can't do anything, right?
[Thinking...]
You'd have to do surgery, though, because it's in so deep. If you do that, can you knock me out? I don't really want to watch my arm being cut open.
[He's had gross, cut-to-the-bone injuries before, he does not need to see these things happening to him in real time thanks.]
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(no subject)
[not here—]
H.
He can’t watch
the heroessomeone 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. ]