CAVERN.

[atrueheroine]

[Another encounter with the Shimmer, another round of confusion, frustration and exhaustion. It's probably going to be a fairly unanimous opinion, but Page much preferred the circle of peaceful corpses over the tree of suffering.

She emerged from the river just in time to hear what the Shimmer had to say, and it leaves a bad taste in her mouth. But regardless of feelings, it's probably wise that they don't move away from this cavern for the time being; the fire, remnants of that horrible tree, is providing light and warmth. They couldn't really ask for much more, especially after spending the past week in darkness.

So Page will swim back to the fire, placing herself in front of it and unwinding her headpiece, letting her locs fall free around her face. She's soaked, miserable and cold. As awful as the source of the heat is, she needs to dry off. The last thing she wants is to fall ill.

Not that it would mean much - sounds like a problem for her body. Wherever that is.

You're free to join her, or do what you will; time to rest, before the new week begins.]

Comments

[me_underfire]

[Grace wishes she never found that message.

They trudged all the way down into this hole, and for what? There were no survivors. She was stupid to think there would be any. Now there's something else on fire- more lives snuffed out. Why does everything end in fire?

She's starting to think the Shimmer is right. That all of this is pointless. She hates thinking that. She tries to tell herself that it's just the effects of the electromagnetic activity on her psyche but she's not sure if she believes it.

She has her back to the tree. She can't bear to look at it.]

[notjustawriter]

[It's starting to feel like a pattern, that they're too late to save people.

But, at the same time... if it hadn't been for Grace, Gabriel isn't so sure he would have survived his second case. Not when he'd managed to fuck everything up by refusing to listen to her. It had been her determination that had saved him when he was too sick to do anything but groan on an uncomfortable bed in Ritterburg's dungeon, safe away from the townsfolk who he could easily have harmed without wanting to.

Gabriel wants to believe that he's learned a lot from his experience, but now he's not so sure.

That doesn't stop him from throwing an arm around Grace just the same.]

[blunders]

[I don't...want to harm you.

It's amazing how so few words can get stuck in her head after all is said and done, but they stick with Felicia. And in a way, as much as she acknowledges that this needs to happen, all of it is a shame. More than anything that there isn't a third option to take, and maybe even more so that Felicia's gone and accepted whatever's going to happen as an inevitability.

...It really sucks, all things considered, but there's nowhere to go but forward at this point. Felicia's definitely a little bit out of it as she sets up her supplies for the night, but in the end, she decides to stay by the river instead--notably keeping her gaze on the water, rather than the fire raging before them. Hell, she even takes her socks and shoes off and just...dips her feet in for a bit, pensive.

She's not opposed to company, at any rate, but her mind's definitely elsewhere.]

[abysstery]

[...which is certainly understandable, given everything that happened today. Heinwald is actually a bit more with it than he has been the last two weeks, but he's definitely still in a foul mood. Just...in a different way this time.]

Mind if I join you, Felicia? My shoes and socks need drying.

[Might as well enjoy the water while they dry...and try to ignore the burning flesh smell.]

[atrueheroine]

[Page was content to sit in front of the fire for a bit, but she's noticed Felicia over there by herself - unusual. Obviously something must be up.

When she doesn't move, the draw of the fire isn't able to overpower her concern; you'll hear her coming, as her clothes are still a bit soggy (unlike Garma, she doesn't....really feel like stripping down to her underwear, but she's removed her shoes, socks and jacket, at least).]

Spotted anything interesting?

[...seriously, you're peering rather intently into the water, there.]

[klematis]

Planning a midnight swim? [ As always, Hugh seems to pop out of nowhere. ]

[instrumentalized]

[ Garma doesn't really feel like getting that close to the tree, but he does agree that drying off is probably good, even if he feels like he can barely remember why. If you ever wanted to be treated to a view of Garma in only his underwear, today's your day, because he's taking off his wet clothing and laying it out to try close to the stream, hoping some of the heat from the fire might reach them.

He himself will sit at a cave wall in the corner. It's weird that he hardly minds being seen in a state of undress. He should, but this thing that is on display is barely part of him to begin with. Nevertheless, he hugs his legs. Once upon a time, that's something that might have given him comfort.

Though he's been lively in arguing with the Shimmer earlier and keen on keeping the mood up during the week, he's very quiet now. ]

[alchemicals]

[So that's a pretty big fire, all things considered, and while Kimbley doesn't usually mind such things he's currently...not really in the mood for it.

So he's been kind of holding up the walls, and he's sort of surprised to see Garma doing the same; after a while, he'll come sit down next to him, and he doesn't seem bothered by his...lack of clothes there.]

Hey. Something on your mind?

[atrueheroine]

[Page hasn't gone down a similar route, in terms of her clothing; she's left her jacket, boots and socks in front of the fire, but her pants and tank top are staying put for now, thank you very much. The thought process is odd - not so much 'I don't want to be naked' as 'I shouldn't just expose this body for everyone'. It's...unpleasant. Like her body is a separate object that should remain clothed, rather than her as a person.

...anyway. The longer she thinks about it, the more of a headache she gets, so that thought will be shelved.]

...are you all right?

[She's also rather used to being around men in varying states of undress, so she'll just...roll with your general nakedness there, Garma.]

[scythegun]

[Well, this is morbid, isn't it. Not that Yeager's complaining; in fact, he's busy staring at the burning helltree with one hand digging into the cravat over his chest.]

"A lack of existence is always worse than one that's less than ideal"... Hmm.

[Seems like something the Shimmer said is standing out to him. He's still smiling, but there's nothing pleasant in the expression.

For once, he's not going to bother standing guard tonight. Instead he sets up his tent and stays inside it for the rest of the evening. Feel free to bother him if you want, but he's certainly not going to be pestering people today.]

[klematis]

So it's been said.

[ As always Hugh feels the need to interrupt randomly and restate the obvious. His head is canted, watching Yeager's smile closely. ]

[alchemicals]

...It sounds like you are actually having a deep thought for once, and that's terrible.

[Like, don't you start cracking all over the place on him now, come on.]

tent

[abysstery]

[Once Heinwald has cooled his head after that frustrating conversation with the Shimmer, something occurs to him: Yeager hasn't come to his tent like he usually does. When had he started viewing that as a routine to be somewhat disappointed in forgoing? More importantly, what about those words he had overheard Yeager repeating to the fire earlier?

Hm. Time to investigate.

After tying his hair back up, he ventures over to Yeager's tent.]

Yeager, it's Heinwald. I am requesting permission to enter.

Tent

[instrumentalized]

[ As happy as Garma was to believe it when Yeager said he was fine a few days ago, this... doesn't really seem fine. It takes until pretty late (what time of day is it, anyhow?) for Garma to notice though, because he feels pretty busy with his own worries here.

But they don't really need sleep anymore, so eventually he's calmed down enough to think about other people and... ah.

There is an... attempt of a knock on a tent-wall. This does not work very well. ]

... normally I'd ask if you've eaten yet, but that... seems obsolete lately.

helltree...

[crestological]

...hm.

[Hanneman overhears that, and...]

I think it’s certainly a complicated issue. I do believe it is worth it to pursue all avenues if you can, but sometimes it is simply just hopeless.

helltree

[notjustawriter]

I don't believe that at all.

[....]

I told you about trackin' down werewolves, but I didn't tell you everything about them. Should a werewolf who never harmed a human die before the werewolf who turned him, his soul can't pass into Heaven. It remains trapped. Like a ghost, I guess you could say.

A man spent over a century like that by the time I learned about the case. His good fortune I was supposed to track down the one who kept him trapped like that, I suppose.

"Hell on Earth" is a sayin' for a reason where I'm from.

[atrueheroine]

[We're all just gathering around this helltree, aren't we. Well. Page hasn't exactly moved much since she sat down, but she's been watching the way Yeager has just been....staring silently at the fire. It's unlike him to be so....passive, and when he murmurs that phrase to himself it makes her tilt her head, curiously.]

Something on your mind?

[skelkro]

[... When was the last time any of us had a bath? Because Emma might move over to a secluded enough spot into the cave water to do that, before then coming close to the fire so she can warm back up/dry her clothes as much as possible. You know, before we'll have to roll the pants legs up and cross back to the other side to leave the cave again.

But otherwise, Emma... does not seem to have a problem with the possible smell of burning flesh tree, at least not at first. She continues sitting here and watching this fire burn even after she's no longer really needing the warmth, like as if she's willing to stay up and watch all night until the fire is completely put out. She is frowning a little though the longer she watches it, not really smiling anymore as a thought suddenly occurs to her, unintentionally said out loud.]

... Did it have this same smell back then too, the last time I did something like this? I can't remember...

[... Ehh, I'm sure it's fine, whatever it is she's thinking about, right?]

[pr159]

[ ...I mean, he's just going to call that out. ]

What, the last time you burned human flesh?

[blunders]

[...That sure is a fine set of words, huh. Felicia's just kind of been trying to avert her gaze from the fire for a bit but Emma's been keeping an eye on it for a while...

Well, hopefully you don't mind some company, Emma. Some slightly concerned company, but...]

Hey, Emma? Is everything alright?

[alchemicals]

[So the water is probably fucking cursed, but fuck it - Kimbley's hair is long and he's tired of just feeling it, so he's going to be washing it as throughly as he can because ugh. Better people have been submerged in the water today, so this is probably fine, we're all going to be wet here and it hardly matters.

Once he's done that, though, he'll be spending some time just watching the burning helltree and trying to ignore most everything that's going on around him, though he's keeping his arms folded pretty tightly against his body and not really seeming fond of staying still. If he's approached in all his fidgety glory, he's just got one thing to ask.]

So. Apparently some of us have some weird physical stuff going on. You have anything that's been showing up, or...?

[He's trying so hard to sound casual, despite the everything.]

water

[blunders]

[Felicia's mostly keeping to herself tonight, but she's down by the river herself with her legs just kind of sticking in there, but she does find herself watching Kimbley wash the hell out of his hair and...

...Let's be honest she's absolutely amused. She's not inclined to interrupt him too much, but--]

You look like you're having a fun time! It is kind of nice to be near the water despite this place, isn't it?

[pr159]

[ Immediately after that confrontation, anyone making eye contact with Rideaux is going to get something of a "well, I told you so" look in return. It's not strictly true -- the tree monster wasn't a naturally occurring one, and they didn't actually have to fight the boss at the bottom of the mine -- but close enough, as far as he's concerned. Anyway, the main point is valid: that this whole supposed rescue mission was always a fool's errand.

As things settle down, though, he ends up walking alongside the stream, looking more thoughtful, and frowning a bit at his glittering reflection. Honestly, he'd found himself agreeing more with the Shimmer than with anyone else in the group this time, and he's not really sure how to feel about that. ]

[planetary_bonds]

[Rideaux might end up stumbling over Yusei, who's been crouching by the stream for some time. He's got one glove off and is letting his hand simply linger in the water, watching the glittering water pass between his fingers. He looks pretty out of it, all things considered.

Not too out of it to notice he's in Rideaux's way, though, so he'll abruptly pull his hand out of the water and apologize, like he's been found doing something he shouldn't. There's an air of "child caught with their hand in the cookie jar" about him, which is...honestly kind of odd, given how he usually is.]

Sorry. I didn't interrupt you, did I?

[notjustawriter]

[Well.

Gabriel can't exactly bring himself to look at the burning tree. It actually hits him a little too hard, the idea that there was nothing he could do with these people.

And to make things worse is the idea that the Shimmer is even more incapable of caring about life than he initially thought. Fuck, even von Glower wanted companionship.]

Do you think it's always going to be like this? Arriving too late?

[planetary_bonds]

...I'm not sure.

[Yusei hasn't really spoken much to the Shimmer this time around, if anything he seemed more avoidant, lingering near the water instead. This hasn't changed, and he's actually taken a glove off so he can dip his hand in the river, just watching the shimmering water pass between his fingers.]

The way time has passed in here...and it's been going on for so long before we were even called, right? It...should be something we expected, but...

[They just can't help but hold out hope, huh...]

[crestological]

[Well, it’s been a good while since Hanneman actually felt clean, so while there’s water nearby he’s at least going to see if he can wash a spare set of clothes. He... is the sort... who’d pack at least one, okay, and cleaning is mildly therapeutic for him So he’ll be over by the stream doing that, but then he’ll hold a shirt up dubiously after staring at the stream itself for a while and looking over his shoulder to the fire...]

I really do hope it wasn’t the water which caused all that...

[Once he’s done washing his clothes, he’ll lay them out to dry by the fire. Sure, it... it will probably smell like... like bacon. Bacon is a better association than burning flesh.

...

Damn, he still hates this, though. He can’t really watch the spectacle, so he sits with his back to the fire and just kind of watches his clothes dry as he does it...]

...I wonder what our next move even should be. This cannot persist, but...

[Sigh.]