enchanted forest . mingle

[misconceived]

WHO Forest planet occupants!
BROADCAST N/A
ACTION Enchanted Forest / Spa Time
WHEN Upon reaching the system (Jan. 4) to leaving it (Jan. 31)

[ It's another day, another planet for the Drift Fleet to explore. Whether it be relaxing in the landing field, checking out the spa (and subsequently getting urged to enter the woods), or taking on the Enchanted Forest's game, there's enough to do for stir-crazy Fleet members.

Just remember one thing: make it look good. ]

Comments

[amarant]

[ She's very thankful that she's wearing her mask. ]

What do you think we'll find?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Magic. Monsters, perhaps. This doesn't have the feel of that bright-lit station at all.

[he'll lead her right on up to the entrance, where the cheery, rusting robot chirps its little warning at them.]

[amarant]

...it's certainly unlike anywhere else we've been so far.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Yeah. I'm kind of excited.

[INTO THE FOREST THEY GO into the forest they go~]

[amarant]

You aren't scared at all, are you? That's good.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I have no reason to be. Did you know, Emblica, that the forests of my world try to kill people? The trees strangle unsuspecting travelers to death, and their corpses are devoured by the roots...

[amarant]

That does sound much more threatening than this one.

Everything there sounds dangerous, from what you've said to me.

[ Though she's certainly interested in what he has to say about his world. ]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Very dangerous. It didn't used to be that way, but things grew volatile almost a thousand years ago...

[good, because he could talk about his world for hoooours.]

It was better by the time I left, but not by a lot. Going through the forest was still ill-advised to most.

[amarant]

That's an awfully long time.

[ It'd certainly make the trip through the forest more interesting. ]

What kind of people would it not be ill-advised to?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

People like me. [he steps pointedly over some roots sticking out into the path.] The forest liked me.

There were also tribes of humans who learned how to live with the forest, rather than against it... They were very strange, often masters of magic that most people couldn't comprehend.

[amarant]

Did you ever meet any of them?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Oh, yes. They are not very easy to get along with, but they have helped me in the past, regardless. They saved the life of a very good friend of mine, once.

[amarant]

You seem to be very capable of getting along with others... it's not surprising.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I agree, thank you.

[might be totally serious, too. and so they continue along their forest journey. really, the whole thing is actually pretty pleasant... until they wander into a part of the forest that's a little darker, where the trees are closer together...]

[amarant]

[ Okay, now she's a bit on edge. Not because she's scared of the dark, but because it makes it that much harder to know what's out there and what's out there that might surprise her into doing something she'd regret. ]

...at least we know we'd be safe from rain, hm?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

You're not wrong... [glancing up at the leaves above their heads... he was ready to say something else, some small and mostly-useless bit of dialogue to fill the space, when a small laugh echoes softly between the trees.

his head snaps right towards the noise. it sounds like a girl, maybe a couple of them, but they fall silent a moment later. Robin has stopped walking. he looks... tense.]

[amarant]

...be careful.

[ As much for her sake as his; she doesn't want him running off and leaving her behind. ]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

...You could hear that?

[he looks down at her as another laugh flutters through the leaves above them. very warm, definitely more than one. he's only used to hearing that laugh in his dreams, or those few waking moments when he's barely present in himself--which makes Emblica hearing it kind of unsettling.]

[amarant]

I heard it...

[ And it probably isn't a good thing. ]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

...Don't worry, then.

[he starts moving again. his footsteps are casual but his expression is still tense.]

If it's what I think it is, I have no intention of leaving you.

[amarant]

...are you going to be alright?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he flashes her a bright smile.]

That's a good question.

[ah, there. up ahead, there are two girls--no, she is mostly one person, but two heads are functioning independently off of unusually wide shoulders. they're wearing a simple dress, with their golden hair braided down to their waist. the girls clasp their single set of hands together, both of them smiling sweetly. they might be Emblica's age, maybe a little older.

they're waiting, patiently.]

[amarant]

...how odd.

[ No one she's met here so far has looked quite like that... ]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Hello, Robin. Who's your friend? [one of them asks, the other continues:] Would she like to come play with us too?

[Robin... puts a hand protectively on Emblica's shoulder, responding before anyone can get too far into this mess.]

We can't play anymore, Finch. I'm sorry.

[amarant]

[ She wasn't about to step forward, but she's pretty thankful for his being there, all the same. ]

...Robin?