sticksandbones | 001 𐫱 come morning light

( he's not sure where he and vaikal are- the forest looks like none he's seen before, and the oppressive feeling is almost suffocating. something is watching, yet nothing can be found. all chung can do is keep the cannon loaded and stay alert, it feels like... and so he wanders, occasionally crashing into invisible walls as something laughs. yet when he demands answers, none come.

not even as he stumbles upon strange trees that look like people. people who were afraid. people who went down fighting.

he's not a fool, you know. some may think it for choosing his home over family. but he'd still know his father's armor anywhere. )

... This- this can't be...

( forgive him, friend, if he doesn't notice you just yet. )

( the river feels more like home than it has any right to. but that doesn't stop chung from wading into it, letting the water flow around him. this, at least, feels right. tension washes off of him like rain, and chung can only sigh softly. )

... Wait, is that a NASOD turtle?

( ... focus, bud. )

( okay. okay! okay. aldric's grove. he's learning. he's never heard of such a place, but that's fine. his father is a tree in the forest and there is nasod technology and he can't feel the el anywhere at all, but that's fine! this is perfectly okay.

and even if it wasn't, it wouldn't matter because he has a job to do.

there's evidence of a fight- soot and ash and the remains of some plant monster that haven't been swept up yet, broken trees on the fringe of the grove, and everyone he's seen so far looks tired. so chung inhales, and puts his best foot forward. )

Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you. What can you tell me about this place...?

( he's not sure how long he's been here by the time he finally spots them- and when he does, nothing stops chung from bursting into a run (still hauling that giant cannon around with ease)- )

Add! Elsword!

( is it relief in his heart now? confusion? fear? his friends- they are still friends, right...? they welcomed him back as he entered elrianode but sometimes he still has his doubts- are here, but. from everything he's heard, they shouldn't be.

and if it's just them, what happened to the others? the forest laughing at him echoes in his mind. surely they're... safe. right? )

( hello aldric's grove, there is a noodle. the noodle is in the inn kitchen, trying very hard to drag a tea pot to the stove. help. :( )

Chung?

[Oh God. Chung! Chung, he thought you were a person-tree!

He doesn't manage to look happy on account of the, well, everything going on with his head — but he sets down the literal desk he's holding as soon as Chung calls his name so that he can give Chung a hug. Get squeezed nerd.]

[Leon's ears standing straight up

trundles over

picks up the teapot in his mouth and puts it on the stove.]

( oh! ohhhh hello leon! thank you! leon gets an affectionate nuzzle before vaikal floats around the kitchen. tea... chung wants tea. he has a tea pot. and some water. it is very good water, vaikal would know!

but

how do you make tea. )

[hmmmmm

worry not, friend, as Leon has seen Rennuid make tea! It comes in a bag. We simply have to find the bags of tea.

Which means

Leon gets up on the counter (he is too big for the counter) and starts opening cupboards with his giant paws (get off of the fucking counter what the fuck). There are Leaves in here somewhere.]

( oh! leafs! that makes sense. tea smells herbally, so thye must look for that. vaikal will help, nudging things open with his nose as he floats around. where could leaves be...

they are knocking so many things over. but. it is to make tea for chung! these are noble sacrifices. )

[Add, meanwhile, is walking slowly with an "invisible crutch"... it's actually three dynamos supporting him on one side, but it looks weird. The other three are carrying various boxes of glass bottles and vials, stacks of bandages, papers... science stuff. doctor stuff. Forgive him if he doesn't go running in for a hug, it's been a week.]

Good of you to finally join us. Is there anyone else with you?

[hopeful... but not holding his breath on it. he pulls down a holoscreen off to the side, just to make absolutely sure this is really Chung and he's not dying or infected with forestitis or anything weird. please pay no mind to the dynamo leaving Add's side to circle your hug while he stands safely out of range.]

Edited (i went back in time and fucked up his leg dwbi) 2023-08-22 16:58 (UTC)

( the cannon gets left standing behind him as chung meets the hug immediately, lifting elsword off the ground with ease before letting him touch the ground again. even then, he doesn't let go just yet, smiling up at elsword before add gets his attention better-

... and his face immediately falls, concerned. )

Add... ah, no. No one. I haven't seen any sign of anyone else, but... have you seen that forest full of trees that look like people...? I- I saw one that looks like my father.

... Otherwise, nothing.

But- that's not important right now. Please, let me help-

( lifting, or healing add up a bit more? good question. )

[Stronk friends who lift each other up... powerful. Except Elsword's arm still kind of hurts from surgical flower removal, and he has that all bandaged up because the blooms are unsightly and he simply wants to squish them down. Go away.

Elsword looks to Add, too, then pointedly looks back at Chung.]

They're old injuries, [he explains, unwarranted, just so that Add doesn't crumble in his anxiety and run back to his old room,] they're not anything you can heal now.

...but you can help me move this desk. [If you listen very closely, there is almost an exclamation point on the end of that sentence. Almost.]

I— [is all Add gets out before Elsword beats him to the punch... does he look slightly annoyed about it? yes. is he relieved? also yes. he'd like to talk about anything that isn't his own injuries, thanks, let him live in a magical world where it isn't super obvious he's been through the wringer.]

Trees that look like people... I wouldn't worry too much about it for now. This place seems to take pleasure in mimicry and digging at old wounds. [which is... not something he plans to elaborate on, so it's cool just take his word for it and don't ask any questions] You missed quite the spectacle. Flowers that drink blood and cause hallucinations, among other things—it was a real nuisance. You should consider yourself lucky.

Yes, of course.

... Have you truly been here long enough to build a house, though?

( that said, the desk is going up! ... honestly, given the fact that he regularly just swings a cannon around like nothing, chung can probably just lift it on his own.

it's a bit of a disquieting relief, as paradoxial as it sounds, that it may not truly be his father. the man had looked as if he'd been fighting something off, taken mid'swing at something gripping him from below.

it would have been fitting.

the flowers are much more disturbing though- )

That- that's good to know. I won't let it get to me again. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help. I was wondering about the scorch marks all over...

[There's something inherently hilarious about the fact that the two strongest dudes in the party other than Raven are lifting this dingy ass desk together, like hello hi we will get Add moved in no problem :) this is useless they are both shredded.

Toward the house they go.]

A couple months. I've been here... [Longer than Add by default? They don't need to bring that up.] ...the longest.

[now they just need everyone else here so they can babysit them—]

I have an extra room for you, too. And you can meet my housemates later. ...you've already met Add, though, heh. [this is an attempt at a joke he sees you frowning over there sir]

[add shuffling along behind them like WHY are they so STRONG!!! if he doesn't keep up someone is going to try and pick him up, he's trying his best over here please]

... Circumstances aside, I'm glad you're alright. We haven't seen any of the others yet, but it's possible they're also here somewhere. How much do you already know?

( a- a couple of months? that can't be- chung almost recoils from the revelation. )

That can't be right. I just saw you in Elrianode just last night- it couldn't have been months.

( except the injuries, and a house... on some level chung had assumed that the two were in it for the long haul to save this place and taking care of a residence until the grove no longer needed them. but- months?

he almost feels dizzy. )

... Clearly not enough...

Huh? No, it's been... months. I'm almost positive of that.

[He'd ask Add, but... Add wasn't there for some of it. Maybe he'll ask Caoimhe, since her memory is so good. Things for him to do later, since they're coming up on the house now. They'll have to get the desk up the stairs and all, gonna be hard to have a conversation about timelines while saying shit like "to the left" and "watch out for the weird painting on the wall I don't remember buying".]

[One of the dynamos manages to hold the door open... but hmm. actually, about that—]

Even excluding this place, we haven't been in Elrianode for at least a month. [they've been through Pruinaum, Tirnog, the Abyss... there hasn't really been time to go back to Elrianode, if they kept backtracking they'd never make any progress.] We were getting ready to leave Magmelia again, weren't we?

[he glances between Chung and Elsword... ok, Elsword probably won't be much help, but surely he can at LEAST remember they've been in the Demon Realm. back him up here.]

[ Mizuki is, at least, easy to bounce back from intense and emotional situations. Or, maybe, he's just really good at throwing a smile on his face regardless of what's going on? Who knows, really. This jellyfish is an enigma. ]

No need to apologize~! If anything, I might have to apologize for saying I don't know too terribly much myself. I got here not long ago myself! [ Like it's a vacation or something- ] But if you have any immediate questions, maybe I can answer those?

... Excuse me?

( but- chung looks between the two, frown deepening. who cares about moving furniture when his mind is starting to feel entirely like static and his chest hurts? )

But... we were only just preparing to enter the Demon Realm entirely. I'd just arrived and reunited with everyone a few days ago. What are you talking about?

Well, I suppose my first question is where is this place? Do you know the continent, perhaps?

( not... that it may help, he's only familiar with fluone, after all. but he's got to try, right?

vaikal loops around his shoulder and nuzzles his cheek. he's still not sure where this creature came from, but... it's been gentle and friendly, and maybe it's just as lost as he is. )

--Oh, apologies. I am Chung, from Hamel.

That, I couldn't answer you, unfortunately! Somewhere I'm completely unfamiliar with, though. I don't think knowing the location would help us much, anyway. Leaving doesn't re~ally seem like an option?

[ He shrugs. ]

I'm Mizuki, from Higashi! Nice to meet you!!

( higashi... that doesn't ring a bell, though it does sound like something from northern fluone, a little. but only a little. he can't say he's surprised with the nonanswer, though. )

I see. Then, do you recall anything about how you got here?

001 𐫱 come morning light

open

open

open

closed: trinity ace

open: noodle time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPJa3-9fVS0&ab_channel=%EB%84%A5%EC%8A%A8%EC%97%98%EC%86%8C%EB%93%9C

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