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

[hearsthesea]

[Really? That's...Varric, you're the oldest. Shirley looks pointedly at Chris and tries to pretend she didn't just hear that.]

If one catches you, we might need to heal you first. But I hope it won't come to that.

[misconceived]

[ Chris slows, turns over his shoulder and just. Wow, Varric. ]

And you thought I was fourteen?

[ Okay, but no, he actually is going to walk backwards long enough to make his next point to Shirley. ]

Yeah, um, about that. Me and magical healing don't really get along that well, so... [ That medkit he's carrying isn't just for show. ]

[merchantprince]

[Varric shrugs.]

What? I have an appreciation for puns.

[He presses his lips together.]

Keep your limbs attached, folks.

[hearsthesea]

Oh.

[Well, it's good that Chris told her before she ever tried healing him. Shirley makes a mental note; this means that learning her way through real medicine and lab work is even more important.]

Then it's even more important to be careful. Varric's right, we don't want any accidents.

[misconceived]

That wasn't a pun, that was laughing at "booby traps".

[ Chris shakes his head and moves to turn back forward, just in time to avoid a low-hanging branch. Well, somewhat low. Low enough that someone at 6'1" might run into it, anyway. ]

Hope we just get the choice, you know?

[merchantprince]

[Varric will leave the med shit to them, then. Or at least Shirley. Because Chris seems like he'd stab you first, even if it's an accident.

Varric settles into a grumpy silence, which has basically been the theme of his whole time here. But this time... this time... he hears something that makes him stop dead in his tracks.

K-chak kchak kchak.]

Shit, now I'm hearing things.

[hearsthesea]

I've been seeing things, too. I can't tell what is, but there's something there.

[And now that she thinks about it again there's another flicker at the edge of her vision. Shirley turns her head out of reflex, not really expecting to find the source but...no, there!

Whatever she's seen disappears, but Shirley gasps - she's sure she recognizes it.]

A teriques?

[misconceived]

[ Chris is kind of regretting taking the lead if only because it means he can't give his crewmates worried looks while also keeping an eye out. ]

Varric, what are you hearing? Shirley — what's a teriques?

[merchantprince]

Sounds like a crossbow. My crossbow.

[He rubs at his temple, then glances at Shirley.]

I didn't see anything, or at least not a... whatever.

[hearsthesea]

A teriques. They're--the Ferines use them.

[Not the most eloquent answer, but she's still in shock.]

Either this is an illusion, or...

[But there couldn't be other Ferines here, could there?]

[misconceived]

Or this place is bringing people in. Impossible people.

[ Chris whirls around like a gun just went off. He stares in the same direction as Shirley, but instead of seeing whatever it is a teriques is, it's... it can't be. There's no way it is, but... His heart aches when he sees his dead fiancée standing just off the path. ]

Bianca?!

[merchantprince]

It has to be. There's no way--

[Varric snaps his head around to see whatever might be off the path. On the other side, mirroring where the woman is, there's a crossbow. Floating. Magically. In a beam of golden light. There could be a choir of angels.]

Bianca?!

[misconceived]

[ Oh, that wasn't an echo. That was Varric. He turns to share a look. ]

Bianca?

[merchantprince]

[But someone else said that name at the same time. He looks at Chris.]

Bianca?!

[hearsthesea]

...Bianca?

[One person calling that out can be chalked up to an illusion, but two? Something is almost certainly up here, and Shirley feels like she's missing something.]

Who or what is Bianca?

[misconceived]

[ Chris sucks in a breath and turns to Shirley, side-eyeing Varric for obvious reasons. There's no way this dwarf knows Bianca. No way. ]

My fiancée.

[merchantprince]

[Sorry, Varric is still talking over Chris. He's not meaning to, but Shirley just asked a question, and he's still kind of freaked out. This shouldn't be here! It's floating SO OMINOUSLY. He looks suitably freaked out because WTF does Chris know about Bianca?]

My crossbow!

[hearsthesea]

[WHAT THE HELL GUYS. Shirley looks back and forth between the two of them, but all she sees is the teriques from earlier fluttering away - a lavender one she's never seen before.

That can't be Bianca, but then what is?]

Are you two...what do you see?

[misconceived]

[ Chris pauses at that, turns to give Varric another disbelieving look. ]

You named your crossbow Bianca?

I think you're missing the point here, Chris.

[ He practically flinches, turning to face the ghost with as steely an expression he can muster. ]

And I think this is all some kind of sick joke.

[merchantprince]

You're not seeing my crossbow? Twenty-four inches of Dwarven craftmanship? No?

[Varric is doubly confused because 1. Bianca??? and 2. Chris is replying to people who are not there.]

It's a good name. And she's a good crossbow.

... I take it you're seeing something else.

[hearsthesea]

We're all seeing something different. Just like...the music before...

[Is that why? The Ferines song, the teriques - could the same cause be behind both those things?

Shirley takes a step forward in the direction the teriques has gone, hoping that if she follows she can find the source. But then she realizes what she's done, and she freezes before stepping back again to correct herself. Stay together, they'd said. Stay on the path. She can't just run off.]

[misconceived]

[ Chris shoots Varric a look before he ends up automatically stepping toward Shirley to reach out for her. But she's got herself. He bites his bottom lip, shakes his head, and turns back toward Bianca. Looking away is probably the better idea but he can't. ]

My fiancée, like I said. She's... talking.

[ Considering what everyone else is apparently seeing, he's not surprised no one else is dealing with a chatty illusion. ]

It's a trick. Definitely. But...

[merchantprince]

[Varric snaps out of it for a second and reaches out to grab Shirley's arm. It's almost a reflex, and it startles him enough that he has to consider his actions.]

You know what I'm thinking? I think there's a very real monster somewhere off the path and we're not supposed to run into it.

[hearsthesea]

"Stray from the path, and you will be lost."

[Shirley can hear singing again, another familiar Ferines song - this one about the Orerines and the Cataclysm. It makes her homesick inside, but...no.]

We musn't leave. We need to keep going.

[Her voice wavers more than she'd like, but she does break her eyes away from the direction the teriques has gone, instead staring down the path ahead. No doubts.]

We should go.

[misconceived]

It's a good idea. I'll come with you.

[ Chris reels back half a step, stares at his Bianca illusion for a moment, then bites his lip and turns forward. He can ignore this, definitely keep going in the face of this. He's done worse by coming to the past and seeing his family healthy and whole without even knowing who he is. ]

If it's off the path, it's doing a bad job of trying to pull us in.