053 [Voice/Action]

[mountain_sage]

Ah...another New Feather cycle already? Has Luceti ever been this crowded before? I'll be in the forest if there are any who need assistance.

[And true to his word, Saleh will indeed be patrolling the forest, occasionally making his way through the village to restock on supplies for the New Feather stations.]

Comments

you knew this was goin' to happen~

[lastmessiah]

[ After strolling through this forest for about a few minutes or so, Albert let out a deep sigh. He had no idea where he was or even how he arrived here. The only thing he knew was that he was stuck in middle of nowhere without as so much as a clue. Beginning to think the rock that nailed him across his head is to blame, Albert paused once he saw someone treading through the reed and bush. ]

Ah, sir!

Yay!

[mountain_sage]

[Saleh pauses as he notices the man addressing him. He looks a bit lost, so it's time to help.]

...Yes?

[lastmessiah]

Tell me are you from around here?

[ Good, good! This young lad seems like the helpful type. Time for Albert to capitalize on this. ]

[mountain_sage]

[Yes, Saleh is ever the helpful type.]

Not exactly. I have been here for some time, however.

[littledragongirl]

[Rydia's wandering through the forest, shivering thanks to the cold. She hasn't been out there for too long, fortunately, but she'll need to find the town shortly.]

[mountain_sage]

Ry....?

[Wait, that's not Rydia, is it? She sure looks like her, and he has seen adults being turned into children...so maybe it is her. Nevertheless, she's freezing, so Saleh reaches for an extra blanket from his pack and approaches her.]

Rydia...?

[littledragongirl]

[She stares up in surprise.]

How do you know my name?

[mountain_sage]

...We've been friends for some time now. What happened? Did the Malnosso do this to you?

[littledragongirl]

The...huh? What are you talking about? I don't know you!

[She pouts, frazzled by all this information that doesn't make sense to her.]

[mountain_sage]

Hmm...have they tampered with your memory as well?

[Well, might as well explain from the beginning.]

The Rydia I know is an adult, but it is common for the Malnosso to turn people into children for a brief period.

[Action]

[frillneckedlizard]

[He'll notice a young high school girl dragging her feet across the ground. Swaying back and forth with every step. How long had she been walking in this forest? Holy crap, she is SO lost right now!

Finally, she looks forward to see the man ahead. The hopeless look of being lost doesn't disappear from her face and her voice screams desperate. Shortness of breath and disorientation.

By the way, she's over-exaggerating.

She's only been walking around for about 10 minutes.]

E-e-e-e-e-EXCUSE ME... Oh, th-th-thank--...... HELP ME, PLEASE...

[Action]

[mountain_sage]

[The exaggeration doesn't get to him one bit. Exaggerated or not, this girl needs help.]

Ah...are you cold? Here, have this.

[He pulls out a warm blanket and gently wraps it around her.]

[Action] 1/2

[frillneckedlizard]

Th-th-th-THANK YOU... You're awesome... [She's snuggling up with the blanket while she continues that awkward stare forward into nothing.]

[Action] 2/2

[frillneckedlizard]

[She snaps out of it within a second and looks to him nervously, playing with a strand of hair while holding the blanket close with her other hand.]

By any chance, could you tell me where I am? I think I got off my train at a very wrong exit...

[Action]

[mountain_sage]

This is Luceti. Many people are drawn here from different worlds to be experimented upon by the Malnosso.

[smisse]

[You are being followed, Saleh. And the man doing the deed in question is not making much of an effort to hide himself.]

[mountain_sage]

[Regardless, it will take him a moment to detect his stalker. When he feels that sensation that he's being followed, he casually turns around, surprised.]

Oh, I'm sorry, I—

...Remington?

[smisse]

[No use in trying to stay even remotely hidden. Even though he wasn't even close to hidden for the moment. He gives a curt wave.]

Yes, it seems I've made my triumphant return to this place. So I decided to see if I would pay a few people some visits.

[mountain_sage]

I see. I hadn't even been aware that you were gone.

[But it's harder to tell with wanderers.]

[smisse]

I'm offended. [He waves his hand dismissively.] But no matter. It seems as if I've been gone for quite some time, and that I've returned with quite the defect.

[nihilconcerto]

[On his patrol, at one point, Saleh should notice a kind of black mist twisting along the ground. It very much looks like something any living being would avoid on instinct, and yet standing in the thick of it is a tall woman. The mist currently obscures her features; all that he should be able to see is the way she is turned in his direction.]

[mountain_sage]

[Well, this is odd. Saleh could barely see the woman within the mist, but the mist itself looks somewhat dangerous. Plus, where was the mist coming from? Cautiously he'll move towards it, but he doesn't want to get caught up in it.]

...Who's there?

[nihilconcerto]

[The woman doesn't so much as acknowledge his question. The mist shifts around her, thick tendrils creeping along the ground--but then it slips aside, to allow Saleh to see the woman properly for the first time. She's beautiful, with long aqua hair and a statuesque figure; even with half her face hidden by a mask, that much is evident.

At last, she speaks.]

Child of man, allow me to free you from your burden.

[mountain_sage]

[Saleh hardly notices her beauty, as something about her presence makes him uneasy. The black mist surrounding her doesn't seem to be a real mist at all, or even any kind of smoke. But...what was it? When she speaks, the sage raises an eye in confusion.]

...My burden? What do you mean?

[Things are generally okay, and he doesn't have any burdens that he wishes to be freed from. So what could she mean?]

[nihilconcerto]

Have you so easily forgotten? I speak of the burden of a duty unfilled. You have failed in the task given to you.

[Around them, the mist continues to rise.]