no longer you

[mermaidcursed]

Who: The resurrected and the escorts
What: You sure did die a week ago. Time to come home.
When: Forward dated to the end of the month
Where: The Garden
Warnings: death, mentions of mutilation, potential mentions of torture

Comments

GATHER ROUND

[mermaidcursed]

( hey, did you lose someone in the battle with suri? well, you've had time to rest and recover and they've had time to be put together so those who've suffered losses will get rapid knocks on their doors- )



It's time! I'm gonna get Aurora, but it's- they're awake, we gotta go get them!

[winterfrosting]

[A week of recovery that felt very little like recovery at all. With this many people dead at once it's not surprising that it took some time.

Cacao was almost glad. He had... tasks to complete before his love returned, after all.]

Thank you for the news. I will follow shortly.

[mermaidcursed]

Mm. Okay. I gotta get the rest, but I'll be waiting by the goddesses with Aurora, okay? Um, also, bring a thermos, it's gonna be chilly.

( there's a pause. and then nene just gives the much larger man a hug and darts off. )

[winterfrosting]

[Even after everything, such kindness makes him smile. Time to gather gear for himself and for Vanilla on the way back]

[kingincognito]

[ It has been a long, agonizing week. Joshua has hardly slept, barely eaten, and hasn't really left his room in the inn much at all save for bathing.

The knock on the door is answered slowly, but upon seeing the girl-- Ah. Affogato had told him. For the first time in a week, his eyes light up. ]

To the garden?

[mermaidcursed]

Yes! Um, so, to escort people back safely I have to be there and hold their hand back but there's. There's a lot.


There's so many, mister. And- uhhh... sometimes I can't defend us as we need, because while I do have magic it's technically the forest's too?

And sometimes people still can't walk. For. Um. Reasons. And I can carry people my size but anyone bigger will be way too hard. So I ask for help!

That's what I'm doing here. Also hello I'm Nene, um, I garden! So sometimes I will have fresh vegetables, but that's not important!

( GIRL BREATHE--- )

[kingincognito]

[ By the Founder, girl, please calm down-- ]

Ah, Nene. I am Joshua. It is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for caring for them.

I can heal, and I can use magic. So please, leave the defense to me. I will gladly protect everyone and heal those that may... fall victim to unfortunate prices.

[lupusxylem]

[Wolfwood is here. Again. It feels like he's really been here too often for his liking, if he's honest. But this time, he isn't here alone, if nothing else. Ezell is at his side, because there's no way the two wouldn't have come together to collect Ain.

He just can't help but feel the looming sense of dread, knowing that they're not going to find Ain, not exactly.]

We're ready.

[mermaidcursed]

Okay. We're meeting by the statues before I get Aurora. Bring hot drinks! It's gonna be cold and I've got snacks and stuff for the waiting.

HERE IN THE GARDEN

[mermaidcursed]

( ... one by one you will wake up to the scent of flowers, a soft humming song, muffled tears- you're awake. soon your loved ones will be here.

and you must remember that resurrection has a cost.

be it a body part, a memory or a skill, something... will be taken once nene arrives. but for now, you can chat amongst yourselves or explore. you know instinctively if you leave without the ferrywoman, you will only die again. )

[eidxiety]

[Ain is unfortunately a lightball right now he will not be talking.

He will however bonk into people. Bonk bonk bonk bonk—]

[aneikonic]

[ It's bad enough he has to WAIT to go back - yeah yeah fixing a heart takes time - but now he's being buffeted by a ... firefly. He's surprisingly patient as it bonks into him and takes it really well for a few times. Arms folded, sitting in the grass, eyes closed. Firefly beating him in the head.

Until finally he reaches up and snags the little thing. ]

I felt you the first twenty times. What?

[mermaidcursed]

( you BONK the nene? you bonk her on the head like a foosball? )

the garden is lacking a lot in fun and games wait thats the jungle

[aneikonic]

[ So dying itself was horrible but at least coming back didn't seem too bad. He only got scolded a few times to hold still and stay in the garden, and Grace is far nicer than Tarja about it, but he seems all right. He knows he's going to lose something when they leave, which worries him, but as long as it leaves him able to fight still it doesn't matter.

So he sits and waits for this ferrywoman... idly braiding some flowers together into a garland. It's either that or start kicking at trees... ]

[mermaidcursed]

( you know what it's not lacking?


a thermos of tea.

which is being held out before him. hi. hey. it's her. the ferrywoman. )

Good morning! Your brother's close behind, but I thought since it's cold you'd like something warm!

[kingincognito]

[ The trip to the garden is agonizingly long, just as this past week had been. But the entire trip, Joshua finds himself envigorated by a sudden burst of energy that he didn't have before. Clive is awake. Clive is alive. And though there's a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, about what he did, and what Clive is about to go through... all that matters is that his brother is back.

The dread briefly surges again as they approach the garden. The second that he sees Clive, though, it all drains away. He pauses, hesitating, throat tightening. ]

Clive...

[purevanillacookie]

[ Having been here once before, Pure Vanilla has instantly turned his attention towards Grace to chat away with her. There's really not much else to do other than recover and since he's feeling fine, for now, he's more than willing to just enjoy the relaxing atmosphere.

Even if his mind wanders to Cacao and the others at every opportunity, and it's becoming harder to still the dread in his heart, until finally he just finds a spot to sit and fret quietly. ]

[winterfrosting]

[Cacao arrives with Aurora and the others. With his winter cloak on it's hard to tell at a distance, but as he comes closer it's clear that his left sleeve is pinned up so not to dangle without the arm to fill it]

...Vanilla!

[mermaidcursed]

( HI GRANDPA, GET HUGGED GRANDPA )

[leggierissimo]

[ Well! That was... inconvenient. And rude, honestly. Joshua is no stranger to death, but what a violent and messy way to go! The next time he sees Suri, he's going to have some critiques ready to go.

It isn't hard to see that jagged black scar running vertically down his chest, though. He frowns at it, running his fingers over it. Raised, as any scar would be. Looks like he's going to have more than just critiques ready next time - this is the only copy of this body that he has. He is definitely entitled to financial compensation.

The rest of it is just a waiting game. Everyone is flooding in to retrieve their loved ones that died, hugging and catching up and really just delaying the departure. They could do this back in the safety of the Grove, really. With a sigh, he floats above the flowers like he's laying on a reclining chair, one leg crossed over the other and waiting. Pack up the sappy greetings already. ]

[mermaidcursed]

( after a moment of his waiting, there's the thumping of feet. and then?

then there is a nene, just straight up tackle-hugging joshua. hey. hi. hello. )

[submittome]

[ Oh don't worry, Nene, Josh won't be alone. Because of course Affogato has to come get his worstie? The dog disappeared again - can't blame him, he only brought him back - so that leaves Affogato to march into the garden to fetch him.

And when he passes Joshua and Clive he good for yous Joshua in passing.

And the moment he spots him? He sneers (affectionately). ]

Tsk, for a God, dying sure isn't a good look~ Why on Earthbread did you even go to begin with? Leave it to the lessers. You missed a perfectly good spa session.

[ He glances Josh up and down. ]

Which you desperately need.

[succiduous]

[Gnosis wakes up and doesn't see Enciodes so :')

He's staying here. He will be occupying his time with trying to go find Add to bother him about various things, talking to Grace, and the sort. If anyone asks though, when it's time to leave:]

I'll be waiting here for Enciodes. You go ahead.

[mermaidcursed]

... I understand, but I need to make sure you don't dissolve into the garden, too. There's this place Add and Elsword stay, it's safe.

cw: body horror, torture, Suri aftermath read at ur own risk-

[diplomaticimmewnity]

[ When Enciodes awakens, his breathing is shuddery and almost frantic. Like he has to breathe, but has forgotten how? Or, rather, like he has to breathe, but was expecting it to hurt. Like his lungs were bound to be on fire, or like the simple sensation of moving air would set alight all his exposed nerves in a burning pain.

But it's fine. It's normal. His lungs are finally working fine, and his nerves are not exposed. He doesn't immediately move anything else, taking everything very slowly. He touches all his fingers to his thumb one by one. 2, 3, 4, 5. 2, 3, 4, 5. All fingers accounted for. His toes are a little harder, but he very hesitantly wiggles those, too.

Then he just... lies there, keeping his eyes shut. Just give him a moment. He hasn't quite processed anything just yet. He thinks he's in the Garden. No, no, he definitely is. But is this... real?

...

A familiar scent makes him finally speak, but he doesn't try to look over. Movement minimal. His voice sounds a little dry, but overall fine. ]

Gnosis...?