un: hidden | audio

[matermali]

( cw; drug use—marijuana )

[ The woman's voice that scrapes through the network's channel keeps low and calm, with a vocal fry that is uttered in a distinctly English accent. ]

The dragon of recent arrival, whom I believe to be named Zhaera, wishes nothing to do with us, and so I would suggest leaving her be. Her only concern seems to be in mothering, and the power she wields would be no small thing if she feels the need to defend her nest. Best not to invite her ire when she has yet any cause to make of herself a monster.

She knows even less than we do about her sudden appearance. Perhaps if she did, she would not be so willing to keep to her singular cause.

I should also think that the serpents deserve no ill will en masse unless they become an immediate threat. I'm of no mind to make demands, but perhaps they can be herded into the woods where they can better find the prey they likely crave. A task I am willing to take on should any with the skill wish to assist.

Aurora has given us few choices aside from what we do with these trials presented.

[ The pause that follows is not from hesitation, but a drag that includes a whispered exhale of smoke that remains unseen on the network. Should anyone happen upon where she's seated on a bench near the café and bookstore, Vanessa—in all of her black-laced glory—is smoking a joint.

The rasp softens with her murmur. ]

We are all outsiders, after all.

Comments

[tinflower]

No, but I'm strong? I can help move them, I mean, if we knock them out. And, well, if we need to get rid of some, since, they're big? I think we might have to think about that. Maybe.

[ A beat, and quickly: ] Only if we have to.

[ It's added as a simple possibility, a maybe, more of volunteering for it than being eager for it. More of a doer, action person, than being confident in the planning. ]

[matermali]

I can manage to...coerce some of them to become more compliant, but I feel there are too many for me to manage all at once. Some brute force may very well be necessary.

Should any need to be handled in a manner more final, so be it. Violence is often difficult to avoid when handling such unknowns.

[ Despite being the one to suggest moving them, she's matter-of-fact enough about the reality of things. There's no way this can remain 100% peaceful. ]

[tinflower]

I'll do what I can. I mean-- we all got dumped here. I think how we handle them, it's probably a test, too.

[ Do they simply get rid of a problem, or try to make it sustainable? ...maybe it has nothing to do with that at all, and for once, Gorgug is overthinking things. ]

We need to make sure everything can stay alive, wherever we put them.

[matermali]

Everything may be a bit too grand of a wish.

[ They'll be siccing these things on the 'local' wildlife, after all. ]

Might I ask, how familiar are you with dangerous encounters?

[tinflower]

[ Oh, not what he meant, but-- ]

Really familiar? Extremely familiar.

[ Actually, thinking about it: ] I died my first day at high school.

[ It's at least said with the same tone he's been speaking with. ]

[matermali]

[ A moment while she absorbs that. Sad, but also unhelpful. ]

I am sorry for that, but I will say that doesn't speak very well to your capability in this matter.

[tinflower]

Well, that was years ago-- we've been up against cursed gods since then? And I'm okay, I didn't die again.

I'm pretty sure I can move around the snakes, or get them on things, you know-- if we needed that. And I can take getting hit.

[matermali]

[ Cursed gods... Well that's something. ]

You speak of death as though it is merely temporary. You were resurrected?

cw: suicide mention

[tinflower]

Yeah, the principal, he brought me back-- he had to kill himself and the guidance counsellor, but, uh, yeah-- it was a thing.

You can do it if you get to a person in time.

[matermali]

...I see.

[ Would that make him undead? She's entirely curious, now. ]

On your revival, you were no different than before? Or were there changes? Things lost, things gained?

[tinflower]

[ There's a short pause. ]

I didn't like it. Uh, but-- I wondered that, a lot? But nothing's different--no one says anything's different. I'm still me. I'm not weaker or stronger.

But I-- [ well, ] I wondered that a lot.

[ But it's more of an inner anxiety about it, an uncertainty that comes across in his voice that touches on his youth, the discomfort of dying despite the ability to come back. ]

[matermali]

[ She has clearly touched on a sore spot here, and well... It really isn't her business, despite her curiosity. ]

You know your own soul better than anyone, hm? If you feel as yourself, then that is all that should matter.

[tinflower]

Yeah-- yeah. [ It's a tone aiming for confidence, to be confident. That's all that should matter.

And it's been long enough, that it's also easy enough to move along. ]

Do you have an idea of how to move them? I guess if you know who wants to help and what they can do, then, we can get a better idea for a plan. I think if we get an idea of how many there are, that'd help.

I've been trying to make it easier for the smaller animals to escape, so--we have some time. They won't get all of them.

[matermali]

None have yet offered with any special skill—beyond your strength and durability, I suppose. There is a girl with a vested interest.

[ Why all the children... ]

If you can find a way to corral some of them close together, then I can convince them to go elsewhere. I need not be nearby to do so, but as they are so spread out, I would struggle in reaching them all at once.

[ 'Convince' is such a nice way of putting it. What she's actually offering to do isn't so nice, but it's arguably better than slaughtering them. ]

[tinflower]

I think I can make them group-- do snakes smell? I can attract them by smell, or... if I could find some materials, I could try making a trap and we can get them in one place.

[ He pauses, but maybe she knows about this place better? ]

Um, I'm an artificer, too. If I can get a hold of some equipment, I could-- we could make a pocket dimension, to move them in. Or if you can convince them or charm them, I might be able to... make it easier to do that, I don't know.

[ His voice comes out sheepish. ] It's hard to offer when I don't know what's here.

[matermali]

[ She is no expert on snakes but she imagines they must be able to smell, given they're predators... ]

A pocket dimension? ...You mean, a different realm?

[ She has visited between planes, but to create another dimension? That sounds like a very specific magic. He buried the lede when first mentioning his skillset. ]

Is that possible here?

[tinflower]

[ He opens his mouth. Closes it. Oh, hm. ]

I can make a bag and see if it works.

[ That would answer that? ]

[matermali]

Are artificers commonly connected to spell-craft where you come from?

[tinflower]

Yeah, I mean, we learn some spells and how to put them into objects.

[ Though. ] Do they do something different to you?

[matermali]

It isn't a word commonly used any longer, but I would imagine a craftsman when I hear it. An inventor, perhaps.

Magic is not common in my world. Most men do not know it even exists, and if they do believe, they associate it with the Devil. Something evil only practiced by witches and demons.

[ Unfortunately, they are sometimes right. ]

[tinflower]

Oh, I heard something like that from someone else here, that demons use magic. [ Huh, and at least they weren't a human, so it's not just a human thing. ]

But, uh, yeah, I make things. I haven't for dealing with animals, and I don't have a lot of stuff with me, so, I'm thinking right now what I can do with that. I'm used to working with others.

[ Trying to make answers out of inventions when he doesn't have many resources is an entirely different thing. ]

[matermali]

If you are able to create such a thing as your 'pocket realm', do let me know. That could be terribly useful.

[ A beat. ]

Who else has spoken of demons?

[tinflower]

I didn't ask their name. Why?

[matermali]

Mere curiosity.

[ There's nothing 'mere' about it, but there is no point in hounding him if he never learned more. So, she'll shift the topic back. ]

The skill of applying magic to tools seems as though it could lead to endless possibilities. What else have you created?

[tinflower]

[ There is an unknown squinting when his own best friend is a demon. Archdevil. But, she didn't say anything bad about demons before.... ]

Um, well-- I made my own homunculus. [ A beat. ] That's like, I don't know what that means to you, but it's a, bird that listens to me. I have two of them. But they're not here.

[ When you're meant to be smart but really bad at fluffing yourself up most of the time. ]