fate_has_spoken | (no subject)

[There one moment and here the next. Something Tyki has been through before. It doesn't take long for him to recognize what's happened -- he thinks he does, at least -- and some part of himself feels like he shouldn't be surprised.]

[Of course he'd be whisked away again one day. Why should he have thought he'd gotten away? Why should he have put so much work into letting his guard down, making ties, and getting used to his mundane life, as though he might actually get to keep it?]

[How foolish.]

[There is no one to blame but himself. He should have known he had never been out of reach of any mischievous or malevolent god; it had only been a matter of luck and time before he was ripped from one world and dropped into another. Even if something tells him this might not be the same hub of worlds he'd once known...]

[He sits up from the uncomfortable cage floor and puts a hand to his head with a frown. What does he remember about that place? Scratch that -- what does he remember about anything? His memory is thoroughly foggy, more like a dream fading to nearly nothing in the daylight than a record of real events. He remembers a few things, but the more he tries to grasp, the more memories fall past his fingers and fly away on the howling wind.]

[He scoops up the faded, once-black flat cap that had fallen from his head upon his abduction, crushing it slightly as he puts it on with a little more force than needed, and scowls in irritation with himself and his surroundings. Remembering what came before now probably wouldn't help. Better to set all that aside. What matters is the current situation.]

[He carefully gets to his feet and checks himself for injury or tampering. Beyond a few scratches from the cage, he seems no worse than normal. His hair is even still tied back. Aside from his hat, he's wearing a black coat with metal buttons, a white shirt, black gloves, dark trousers, and sturdy leather shoes, all complete with wear and tear: dirt from the road that has resisted brushings-off and quick rinses in the rain, a lingering smell of cheap tobacco, scuffed leather, tarnished metal, fabric faded and worn thin but not quite ragged, thread of a slightly different color giving evidence of old mendings... Yes, they're the clothes he'd been wearing, in the same state they'd been in already. His pockets have cigarettes, a box of matches, a little money, a handgun, and a few spare bullets. He should be pleased that nothing on his person seems to have been tampered with, but it's hard to muster up any feelings of gratitude.]

[He peers through the twigs and thorns to get a better look at his surroundings. The nighttime forest, he thinks, could be called beautiful in a certain, chilling way -- but it also seemed like the sort of place to eat him alive in the time it took to blink, if it felt merciful.]

Not the most hospitable welcome I've ever received, [he mutters to himself.]

[He looks down at his hands and flexes his fingers. He has carefully built up his strength and dexterity since the destruction of the weapon injured his wrists years ago, and he's wearing the leather braces he'd had made -- stiff leather wrapped around his wrists and forearms, secured tightly with straps for pressure and support, hidden under his gloves and sleeves -- but his hands are still weaker than they used to be. He's stayed in good shape, but the strength in the rest of his body can't make up for his grip. It's certainly not good enough to rip apart a cage strong enough to hold a grown man.]

[Climbing down seems out of the question, too. He knows how to take a fall from this height if needed, but getting out of this cage is still the first step, and surviving after that might be easier with help.]

[Company would make it more entertaining, at any rate. Until they're both pecked to death by ominous birds.]

[The man in the military robe seems the nearest and at least potentially alive, so Tyki calls out.]

Oi! I'm all for making do with what's at hand, but there are better spots for a nap than this place.

Edited (fixing, also why is this so long orz) 2019-08-01 18:47 (UTC)

[Won't anyone let him nap in peace? Yes, a bramble cocoon high above a forest --- a terribly haunted forest --- was not the ideal place to catch twenty winks, but it was his bramble cocoon. All nice and peaceful and he could turn his back to break line of sight with most of the corpses. Though they did smell atrocious.

He doesn't even raise his head or open his eyes as he responds.]

Still alive and kicking? Commendable. Or mayhaps they dragged you here while I was resting. Can't stay awake all the time, and it is a great way to pass the hours.

I'd be careful of the remains of your new roommate if they designed to gift you one. None have shambled back to life yet, but you can't be too careful.

Hmm? You aren't wrong about rest, exactly. But why settle for passing the hours in this place when you could be -- oh, let's say, literally anywhere else? Unless this is your way of saying you've picked your coffin and are merely killing time until you suit it. Ah, how pitiful.

It just so happens that I have a little experience with putting the dead back in their graves, so to speak. If you waste away in there and start shambling, shall I put you down? Assuming I'd ever choose to make my way back here, of course.

A warrior of some skill then if you can speak of such accomplishments. Well, go on then. These vines and brambles should be of no consequence to you.

As for myself, well, I am a little embarrassed to admit, I am feeling a little under the weather. If I wasn't, I would be taking your advice to find a more hospitable spot to relax.

Edited 2019-08-04 07:17 (UTC)

Ho, poor thing. Kind soul that I am, I might be amenable to getting you out of there, too, whenever I deign to leave -- depending on whatever is leaving you under the weather. I'd rather not find out what strange afflictions a forest like this harbors firsthand.

Feeling somewhat... shambly? Any newfound interest in cannibalism?

Do not worry. My affliction is not contagious. It was one I acquired before finding myself here. It will merely take time to heal.

[Probably. Who knows.]

Then I entreat upon your kindness, my fine sir. But I am a patient man. Do take all the time you need to come to a decision. There is no rush.

Edited 2019-08-04 09:52 (UTC)

How accommodating. I do hope it's not too serious. I'd be disappointed to put the effort into getting you out if it only meant the difference between you being tasteless decor and becoming bird food.

Well then, let's see...

[He tries to get a better look at how the cages are held in the air. Sitting on stands? Hanging from trees? Floating by themselves?]

[It's information that could be useful, as far as he thinks, but it doesn't make a huge difference to his first plan. He backs up as far against one side of the cage as he can, raises a foot (and an arm to protect his face), and less "kicks" or "stomps" than "throws the whole weight of body foot-first" at the the other side of the cage. The goal is to see if he can knock this thing loose from whatever force is holding it aloft, or at least test how stiff the cage is.]

[For good measure, he kicks in the direction of the robed man, just in case he's successful enough to knock into the other man's cage. No reason not to try for two birds with one stone.]

Disappointed perhaps, but the task would fall on me after to ensure my longevity. The act of kindness would still not be a wasted one.

[The cages are hanging from the trees by thick brambles from above, perhaps one or two thick vines per cage. He will get his cage to sway violently and break some of the vines holding the cage together. It isn't a large hole, but a start and an it creates a weak point in his own cage.]

Once we're free, we could work together to get out of this forest, if you're so inclined. I wouldn't say no to a second pair of eyes in this place.

[He looks at his handiwork and nods to himself in satisfaction.]

Do you know how to take a fall if you have to? Without breaking your ankles, that is. My kindness doesn't go as far as carrying you out of here.

[He tries much the same move as before, but he lifts his foot as high as he can go for this task, and starts kicking at a spot above the weak point rather than right on the mark. He's trying to create a hole that won't catch on his clothing too much and snare him that way. Ideally a hole positioned so he can try to clamber onto the top of the outside of the cage. His hands will make it a tricky task as his grip is too weak to pull himself up, but if he can find purchase with his feet, and if he can make the hole high enough to limit the hand strength he'll need... It's still a risk, but what is life without uncertainty?]

More than inclined. On this we can both agree.

[His response the question is a simple nod and a wave of one wrist as he rises. He's tall, would be taller, if he didn't slouch forward so.]

Continue. I think my own expired roommate might have something of note to help.

[He goes to rummaging.

Tyki will succeed in his task quite easily as branches break and bend under his assault. Climbing up outside won't be difficult at all. While prickly and scratchy, the brambles do make for excellent handholds making the climb rather simple --- like having a thorned roped net draped for his use.]

[He does his best to spare his hands by making his legs and feet to most of the work, but just that simple climb takes a toll. When he gets to the top of the cage, he shakes his hands, trying to loosen them and recover before the next step.]

[Which, in his mind, is either leaping to the top of the other man's cage if it looks close enough, or carefully working his way from branch to branch until he reaches it the slower way if it's clearly too far.]

Oh? Let's hope it's a map, or else we'll have to settle for crossing our fingers and picking the least haunted-looking direction.

[Jumping has a 80% chance of success. Wandering over branch by branch guarantees success, but will take some time.]

A crude map --- and I do mean crude, a list of rituals, and a dagger. He was a skeleton long before I survived. How the paper survived this long is a surprise.

[He makes a noise that comes out as half laughter, half a sound of annoyed resignation.]

Rituals. Wonderful. Well, better keep them on hand. We'll probably have to sacrifice some sort of woodland creature in a particular way to escape.

Hopefully a creature. We may be that lucky.

At least it shouldn't rain much here, if the paper survived.

[He looks at the cage, down at his hands, and over at the cage again. He really wants to jump, as it looks faster, but he has a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that he may only succeed in looking like a fool.]

[Of course, that hasn't always stopped him, has it? And there is another part that wants to show off just a little, to make up for the sorry state of his hands. He takes the leap.]

Well done! Blood sacrifice is listed as one of the options. Unsurprising really. I can dictate to you the rest when we are safely out of this particular snarl.

[Well, he jumps then. And the jump is successful! He lands on top of the other man's cage which rattles it causing him to fall back in a tangle of limbs as the cage is jostled. Holding on isn't too difficult after the initial jolt, but hold on tight. The Exorcist's wrists are not in the best of shape after all.

Emet Selch for his part makes a very undignified sound as he falls shooting a level gaze at him.]

Was that truly necessary?

Oh, well, having options is... "Promising" might be too strong a word.

[At Emet Selch's complaint, he can't help but chuckle.]

Necessary, no -- Ah.

[No time to dawdle, even for talking; he can't hold onto the cage for much longer. He does his best to clamber to the top, as he'd done on his own cage; one hand's grip will slip and cause him to lose balance briefly, causing him to throw himself onto the thorns and kick frantically in a show of awkwardness rather than athletics, but he makes it up top.]

[He crouches and peers through the brambles. His tone is light, as though everything had gone exactly according to plan and he doesn't look like he lost a fight with a rosebush.]

No, it wasn't necessary. But there wasn't any need to wait, and my backup plan was to jump down and shoot at this thing from below. I thought you might appreciate a different sort of attempt first.

You may want to brace yourself and cover your head. When I start kicking, I don't know whether I'll manage to break a hole into this thing or make the whole cage come down.

Edited 2019-08-04 23:06 (UTC)

[He could retort, but it looks like his new 'friend' is having some issues of his own. Injuries perhaps? He looks briefly, but doesn't see anything obvious. He gives a short bow and moves out of the way as best as he can in the cage.

The thing rocks terribly as he tries to kick it open. His balance becomes more and more in jeopardy with each strike.]

[He stops kicking and crouches down again to regain his balance when a particularly hard rocking motion nearly makes him lose his footing.]

... Hn.

You said you found a dagger, right? Could you try stabbing the top of this thing? Creating a weak point might make this go more smoothly.

Do mind that I'm not looking to become a pincushion.

If you wouldn't mind moving to the other side of the weakened branches. That would minimize any chances of misses.

[Luckily he's tall so if he actually stands up straight rather than slouch, he can access the area Tyki has been striking. The dagger is dull so its more sawing than slashing, but eventually he is able to break it enough to get out.

He looks terribly put out by this. Not as his new companion, but at something else he's thinking about.]

Have a good grip?

[He obliges and moves out of the way.]

I'll manage. Need a hand, or are you well enough to get out on your own power?

[Not that he'd be any help, anyway, but maybe acting otherwise will make it so.]

My thanks indeed, but it would be remiss of me to not be able to do this much.

[Luckily he's in many layers --- thick layers. His coat might get scratched here or there, but by an large he is able to hoist himself out relatively injury free. Upper body strength is definitely not his strong suit either, but at least he doesn't have damaged wrists like his new found friend.

He more lounges against the top of the cage than stands trying his best to minimize any unnecessary rocking.]

And now for the trip down unless you wanted to continue this journey among the branches.

As neither of us appear to be birds, I wasn't planning to spend the rest of our time in the air. I'll take the quickest route to the ground.

Ah, but it might be better to pick a direction for after that while we're up here. I wouldn't put it past a place like this to have -- I don't know, carnivorous patches of grass, or some such thing. Did you bring the map you found? Or remember roughly what it looked like?

[Pointing in the northern direction.]

Travel far enough and they'll be a road that leads to a village of which size and number are not specified. Considering the terrain we are in I would not expect the number to be large, but we could be pleasantly surprised.

[It isn't a long fall and Emet-Selch gives the ground a rather sour look before simply jumping down with an 'oof'.]

To the road it is, then.

[He follows Emet-Selch down, then swiftly straightens up and scans the area. He was only partly kidding about the grass; being on the ground might make them a little more appealing to anything hungry nearby, he thinks.]

[It's not something he's particularly anxious about, though. Just something he's keeping in mind.]

I have to say, if I lived in or near a forest quite this... atmospheric, I might find a new home. I have to wonder about the sort of person who'd choose otherwise.

I wonder if your unfortunate roommate was heading to that village, before -- well. [A shrug.]

[Slowly making his way through the brush, and it truly is slow. Seems like he is not rushed in the slightest as he skirts through the most dense of the underbrush.]

People find comfort in the known as is their wont. Though I do doubt this forest sprung up around their ears while they were sleeping.

[He shrugs at the mention of his fellow dead man in the cage with him.]

He mostly ranted before he died. Making heads or tails of it was beyond my comprehension.

[As long as they don't appear to be in immediate danger, he has no complaints about the slow pace.]

It might not have sprung up overnight, but it might have once been a more normal forest. Or perhaps they simply like solitude and want the forest to drive away the odd stranger or two.

[He does pause and furrow his brows when Emet-Selch talks about the dead man's ranting, though he won't have any trouble catching back up.]

... Didn't you say he'd skeletonized by the time you looked through his things? Or are you saying he was a talking skeleton to begin with?

Edited (what do you mean i can't just leave sentences unfinished and be understood) 2019-08-10 19:41 (UTC)

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