001 NETBOOK

[argentry]

[the words are scribbled hastily in loopy handwriting. those who know him may be able to figure out who is writing, based on the language he uses, and if they know his handwriting. it's not in song form, though. probably for the best]

I regret to inform everyone that I have made a grave error. I shall be brief, as I do not know how much time I have left.

One of the insectoid monsters found me a short while ago. I fear that my body is slowly changing, and that it may no longer be my own. I was certain that I would be able to treat myself, or that I would be able to remove it, but to no avail.

Take heed; do not travel outside alone. Do not attempt to fight them. Do not let them near your mouth.

I apologize for leaving this harshest of messages to you all. I do not know if I am contagious at this point, or if something else will happen to me. Do not try to find me. Stay safe, stay vigilant. And good luck.

Comments

[yourtomb]

[It is... hard to say what Silent Salt feels, reading the text before him. He recognizes the handwriting immediately, just as he recognizes the urgency in those words. His heart seizes as he stands. He has not taken his armor off since everything had gone to shit, so he does not need to do anything more than stand and grab his sword.

That, and frantically scrawling into the book:]

Where are you?

[argentry]

[it's a little while before the reply comes. Elder Faerie was afraid of this, afraid of Silent Salt seeing the message. but he knew of the risks when he wrote down his thoughts]

I am sorry.
Please, take care of Puck.

[yourtomb]

[Teeth gnash behind his helmet as he reads the words. Elder Faerie is hiding. He is obscuring his injury for the sake of protecting him. It is near the exact same thing Salt had done to his beloved when confronting Shadow Milk.

The Witches are surely laughing in his face, having presented him with such a cruel irony.]

Do not apologize to me!
Tell me where you are, Elder Faerie Cookie.

[jesterlies]

[What? WHAT? Are you fucking kidding him, Elder Faerie's barely been here a few months and he's already gotten himself into this kind of trouble?]

[He doesn't care. That man can die a thousand times, honestly! He doesn't care!! But Lily would. This is going to devastate Lily and so he has to pitch a fit.]

YOU ABSOLUTE BLOODY FOOL WHAT DID YOU DO.

[yourtomb]

Help me find him, Fount.
Please.

[jesterlies]

[What a punch in the chest.]

[It takes him a moment to respond because his reaction was strong enough that he had to break something to calm back down again. His writing is uneasy.]

Do NOT call me that again.

Where are you?

[yourtomb]

... Apologies.
I am tracing the perimeter of the woods. I have just retrieved Nox Black Salt from the barn.

[jesterlies]

Save it.

I'm still connected to the blueberry beholders in town, I'm checking through them for the Fool King now- I see you.

[You better not get that far from him because guess who has NO MAGIC right now and is otherwise forced to walk with his legs.]

[lovelyredthread]

[ He really is earning that drink with Luca dear lord. ]

Why did you go out there?? You were already at the inn and its clearly dangerous!

Ugh! Where are you?

[jesterlies]

NO!

[lovelyredthread]

But dad!

[ They both know lily will be upset if something happens. ]

[jesterlies]

[Yes, but you are his son and he does not want ANYTHING to happen to you. Hope you enjoy reading the desperation in his writing.]

If that Fool's been taken down by something in the woods I do not want you ANYWHERE near it, do you understand?

[lovelyredthread]

[ Ugh! This sucks! Why does he even care. He shouldn't care! ]

I-

[ He almost writes a protest, but he thinks better of it ]

Fine. But I don't want you doing anything dangerous either!

[yourtomb]

Stand down, boy.
You mean far too much to far too many people to risk your life.
I will find him.

[lovelyredthread]

I can also fly and shoot arrows. I'm pretty much perfect for scouting without getting close to those things.

[yourtomb]

Do not risk it.
He would never forgive himself if he were wounded for his sake.
Nor would I.

[lovelyredthread]

[ ???????????? ]

I thought you hated me?

[ You in this case being plural, but he doesn't specify ]

[ancientlight]

( Oh -- oh, dear. That is extremely worrying. Pure Vanilla doesn't hesitate to respond. He hopes he isn't too late. He hopes that if someone has beaten him to this response, that they're alright as well. )

Has someone come to your aide?

[jesterlies]

Do not

[You can tell this is a serious response because of the way Shadow Milk hand wrote it and how the paper has an imprint from how hard he pressed on the paper with his pen.]

[ancientlight]

( Pure Vanilla responds gently, yet there's firmness in his words as well. )

My apologies, but I cannot leave a friend to fend for themselves if they are in danger. I promise that I will be cautious.

[jesterlies]

AND IF THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO BE FOUND AND YOU BECOME NEXT? WHAT A POINTLESS STUPID WAY TO GET KILLED BY THIS PLACE.

[He is scared more than anything, because there's nothing he can do right now. No magic, so if something happens to Vanilla then he can't save him. He'll just lose him again-]

[But that's not going to convince him, he knows this so he tries to calm down. Try again.]

I'm helping Salt look for him. Will you at LEAST wait for me to put eyes on this fool before running out into the dark?

cw: self loathing

[lilyberation]

( eventually she reclaims her netbook.

eventually she finds puck wailing, holds him close and tries to soothe him as best she can, knowing it's impossible when he likely felt the process, is now adrift from the soul he bonded to- its an agony unlike any other, she's sure. none of the dachsologies have ever handled this sort of thing well, and who can blame them?

vernal spends his time cuddled up to him as well. maybe brings him to ain's own dachsologie, so they can be doted on by the closest thing they have to a father while puck mourns and hurts.

but lily had been asleep when this happened. while her dear friend was suffering, she was safe in bed, unaware.

what a wretched thing she is.

it's far too late for anyone to see this, but she feels it must be done. and when he comes back, she'll say it again, too. )

I'm so sorry.

[jesterlies]

[Shadow Milk returns to their room with tea. He's had his little talk with Salt by now and it was only a matter of time before he had to relinquish the journal. It's fine, the deed was done, he couldn't keep it from her forever but he could at least spare her of it happening while they were still trying to find out if anything could be saved.]

[...Selfish of him, yes. What's new.]

[She's upset but he is going to offer her the teacup anyway. He'll wait for her to look at him before he says anything so he can sign to her.]

I'm the one to blame. I took your netbook and I did not wake you up. If you are upset, be upset with me, not yourself.

[lilyberation]

( there's a certain numbness as she just... sits. and then there is tea, and blueberry-

she blinks slowly before looking up, cheeks wet with tears she's already cried. ... and then he signs as she numbly takes the cup. )

...

Even if I had been awake, there is... nothing I could have done.

[jesterlies]

There is nothing any of us could have done. Nothing even Silent Salt Cookie could have done, the Beast who splits the moon.

[Because she knows he is in the same place he is. He may not like Elder Faerie, but she does, and so he might have done something about it had he could.]

[He sits down beside her.]

Mourn him if you want, but there is no blame to be placed. Understood?