[Public Channel | Day 143]

[hippocarnival]

[ The radio comes on to the sound of creaking wood and a familiar voice that is, for once, not sounding all that agitated, though it’s a little distant. ]

“--just burn us out of this.”

“Then you’re just going to burn us with it!” [Yuya’s tone, comparatively, sounds snappish.] “Don’t--don’t do anything, I’m going to get us help--”

[The radio clicks off. And then immediately clicks back on.] “Hello?”

[The anger’s been smoothed out of his voice, and instead Yuya is sounding fairly composed.] “Is there anyone available right now who doesn’t mind coming to the Summerlands? We’re, uh--we’re stuck.”

“In a tree.” [ Lambert contributes helpfully. That’s not super specific or anything, and that’s is why burning things would help! There’s another creak of wood, something shifting and shuddering, and his tone doesn’t change a jot as he continues. ] “Which may or may not be trying to hug us to death.”

[Yuya is just going to ignore Lambert’s fatalism.] “We don’t really know where we are, but we were drifting… east of the city? Do these things have GPS?” [Does half the carnival even know what GPS is?]

“We’re going to get out of the tree!” [He pipes up confidently, despite it.] “But help would be appreciated.”


((Red = Yuya, Green = Lambert. Replies are separate, threadjacking is free and wild. These boys are dumb.))

Comments

[espigeon]

Awesome! This tree is kinda creepy, by the way!

[He ventures closer cautiously, peering up, but still stops clear of what he thinks the reach of the branches is.]

I saw your unicorns! Very pretty!

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert's not going to be the one to argue with that assessment, nor the one to comment on unicorn prettiness. However, he's certainly going to -- ]

I thought there was supposed to be more than one of you. Where are they?

[espigeon]

Not here yet! I'm fastest but shit if I know how to handle handsy trees, so my part here was to find you and see if you're okay. And hey, you're alive! Now I think I circle back. Lauren will be able to get here on his own, but I should probably check on Gon-ge.... Gongenzaka.

[The terrain here is mild enough that he expects there's no detours that really need to be made, but you never know, right?]

So unless I can get you something right now?

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya shakes his head.] We're okay! Just make sure Gongenzaka and... Lauren? [That's the name Julien just said, he assumes that's what that guy is called.] Get here so they can get us out.

[espigeon]

All right then! Lauren will be closer, I wasn't outpacing him by much considering this wing. Sit tight!

[He shakes the wing in question out, careful not to hit the growing bloodfeathers against anything, and takes to the air, circling some more and trying to see if there's a dove headed right this way. Julien's noticed an unfamiliar type of eagle around that's definitely seen him but realized he's much too big. Hopefully the shapeshifter teen is too small for it.]

late with etc...

[mylastchance]

[And it's not long before Lauren lands somewhat near Julien, still in the form of a small falcon. Honestly, its almost silly how small he looks compared to the giant bird that is Julien, but then he's shifted back to his usual half-elf form, taking a step back to look at the tree and see how it's trapped Yuuya and Lambert inside.]

[Not being one for small talk, mostly because he sucks at it, but also because he's terrible at any and all social conventions, the first thing he does is cast the spell that will let him negotiate with the tree. The thing is, talking with trees actually doesn't involve any actual speech, so to almost everyone it will look as though Lauren is just standing there looking concerned. He is 'speaking' with the tree though, more or less on a telepathic level as he asks it why it is so unwilling to let the people it's captured go.]

[whattaprick]

[ As quiet as Lauren's being, there isn't much for Lambert to comment on from the peanut gallery, so he'll remain where he is, conserving his strength -- it's been a trying time.

However, as Lauren begins to communicate with the tree, he'll find something quite peculiar: it doesn't feel very much like a tree at all. The response to the inquiry is less a definite answer and more the sleepy murmur of someone who hasn't quite woken up enough to realize they're being addressed just yet. The branches rattle, shaking Yuya and Lambert in their basket. Why are people trying to wake her up? The reason she left the city in the first place was to take a nap somewhere she couldn't be bothered ... the branches settle again and Lambert eases his death grip on the seat inside the basket to call down. ]

What are you doing down there?!

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya grabs hold of one of the branches, just in case they lose their basket. But at least the tree settles quickly, and Yuya shoots Lambert a short, worried look before he peers down at the group between the branches.

That's tree-talking guy, isn't it? Lauren?] Uh... what'd the tree say?

[espigeon]

[Bird Lauren is cute. It is silly how disparate their sizes are. Looks like the young man wants to get right to it. Julien hangs on to a different, more docile tree with his feet and watches.]

...huh. Not a conversationalist?

[otoko]

[Gongenzaka is also there naturally, though coming in at a gallop unlike the others. And while Lauren is busy, he motions for the others to be a bit quiet-or at least for everyone but Lauren. ...Initially, anyway. He does frown, and mutter to the nearest of the rescue team-.] ...Mnhh... ...I, the man Gongenzaka, have been meaning to ask, exactly what it means if a tree carries more spirit than typical... ...Something does not seem right here...

[mylastchance]

[Not a conversationalist? Lauren or the tree? The answer is yes to both, which is pretty obvious when Lauren just straight up doesn't answer anyone's questions. It's not clear if he even heard Lambert or Yuuya or Julien.]

I think... she's sleeping.

[That's... Maybe kind of an answer. He doesn't mention that it doesn't feel like a tree because, that information is probably useless to anyone here anyway except to him. However, since trees don't actually sleep maybe that's already pretty obvious. He tries addressing the tree again, this time a bit more forcefully than before to cut through her sleepy haze. If you let them go we'll leave you to your nap.]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya waves through the branches as Gongenzaka approaches. Look, buddy, he's fine!]

Who's sleeping? The tree? [The tree is a girl...? Yuya looks a little skeptical. But he doesn't know anything about fae plants.]

[whattaprick]

Then wake her up! [ Lambert hollers down, entirely oblivious to the actual conversation going on here.

There's another rustle of branches -- Lambert grabs for Yuya's shirt and the edge of the basket -- but the way Lauren puts more force behind the words seems to do the trick.

Mm, It's all right. I think I've had enough sleep anyway. There's a sense of someone stretching and yawning -- the tree bends almost double, with a groan of wood and cracking bark. About six feet off the ground, the branches abruptly release the basket and its riders, though the balloon fabric remains tangled elsewhere. Once they're released, the tree continues to shrink in on itself, more quickly now, and there's a strong sense of fae magic in the air. ]

[otoko]

AUH!!!

[Well, and Gongenzaka is jumping to the side, perhaps toward the others in some attempt to try and catch anything that falls.] YUUYA-!

[WHAT IS THE TREE DOING]

[mylastchance]

[Ah, so it wasn't a tree. Well, not a full tree at least. He's just going to stay quiet and let everyone else deal with this development for the moment.]

[espigeon]

Whoah, cool.

[Julien knows he should probably be reacting more strongly, but he's just not wired to shout and startle much. This is really interesting though!]

She's a tree fairy?

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya grips the basket for dear life as the tree just drops them--thankfully at 6 feet and not 20, but that's still not going to be a fun fall. Here's hoping Gon is prepared to catch two people and a huge wicker basket, otherwise he might want to get out of the way.]

[whattaprick]

[ As soon as they're dropped, whether someone catches them or not, Lambert's already bracing for the impact.

In the meantime, Julien turns out to be correct. The tree seems to slough itself off the pale, wingless fae that steps out of it, the way a blanket might slide off someone groggily getting out of bed. She's even stifling a yawn as she comes out. Bizarrely, she seems to be wearing a nightgown that mostly resembles a giant flower turned upside down and stuffed over her head. As fae go, she's on the shorter side, her hair an unruly mess with white flowers threaded through it.

And then she seems to notice her company for the first time, cocking her head slightly in surprise. ]

Hello.

[otoko]

[WELL HE'S GETTING YUUYA IN ANY CASE-rest well and safe in Gon's...Vines??? Also arms. Vines were more for the basket. He'll let the other down gently at least, and soon after looks to the fae in quiet amazement.

Y'know Gon, your mane is not far off from that bed-head of hers...] Auhhh... ...so you essentially flew into someone in the middle of sleep...

[They got the teddybear treatment...]

[espigeon]

[If Julien had been on the ground and right there he could've helped. This body doesn't have arms, but his back is nearly five feet off the ground when he's running. It all happens pretty fast, though. He winces as best a bird can as Gon catches the boy and the man hits the ground. Well, the ground doesn't look too hard down there.

He hops off the tree and glides to a landing closer to the group. Nah, the ground's not hard at all here, thinks the person designed around not taking any fall damage.]

Hello! [He nods at the faerie and inspects the man for injuries, though eyes appear over various feathers so he can see the other members of the party too.]

[hippocarnival]

[So reliable, Gon. Yuya rights himself quickly as Gon sets him on his feet, staring at the tree-turned-fae. They crashed into a person this whole time??]

Uh... hi. [He offers a sheepish smile.] Sorry about that.

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert's death grip on the basket turns out to be pretty unnecessary with the vines keeping it from crashing, but he won't release it until it's finally set down on solid ground and he can breathe easy. As it is, he rests crossed arms over the edge of the basket, eyes narrowed as he considers the fae.

... Whose attention seems entirely taken up by the less obviously human members of their party, clapping her hands together. ]

Oh, you're very pretty! [ She certainly seems to be waking up, as she glances between Julien and Gon -- though unsurprisingly, her eyes are drawn more to the more floral new arrival. ] ...but you aren't Fae, are you?

[betheman]

MNNNNN..! I, the man Gongnezaka, am merely glad that you were safe after all..!! [He insists, giving the other a bear hug.] It could have been far, far wor-

[Annnnnd he sure was just called pretty. He jumps, a slight blush coming to his cheeks as he blinks.

A-AUHH!! [WELL. UH. He was... ...Hmm.] I... I, the man Gongenzaka, suppose that technically, my body would perhaps be fae, at this point... ...though, I, the man Gongenzaka, was born human, in fact..!

[The confusions of having a body made of Fae Magic, see.]

[espigeon]

[Julien fluffs up his feathers, especially those around his head and neck, making himself look rounder and softer. In bird body language that's a friendly look.

If Gon's uncomfortable with this attention Julien wouldn't mind it. He is, tragically, less appealing to tree fae, but what can you do?]

So was I! I've got way less fae in me, though. Good afternoon! Sorry to wake you, but we needed to retrieve our compatriots here.

[hippocarnival]

[Ah, there's the crushing bear hug. Yuya takes it like a champ, muffling some 'it's fine' against Gongenzaka until he releases him to breathe again.

He gives his friend a look of amusement--the Steadfast Duelist flustered at being called pretty? But he says nothing and lets Gon keep his pride, instead regarding the fae with interest. He does remember Childermass telling him that summer Fae could turn into trees, back in Portland.]