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

[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.

[merchantprince]

You sure? Roses almost ran right off, following... whatever that was.

[Varric shakes his head slowly.]

It's probably because we didn't come in here alone. I'd suggest we hold hands, but I'd rather just hold my gun.

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley turns red a little, embarrassed by her mistake. It's true, their numbers are probably helping, but still...]

If it's not doing a good job, then why are we still here? Our goal is to reach the end of the path.

[misconceived]

Because we got sidetracked.

[ Obviously. Chris takes that as his cue to start walking again, unable to help looking off to the side of the path where Bianca walks pace with him. ]

As long as we tell each other when we see something new, we should be okay.

[merchantprince]

Sounds good to me.

[He squares his shoulders, giving the crossbow a wary glance before he continues walking.]

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley follows after them, casting one last glance behind at the path before heading forward.]

In that case I should say that I've started hearing music again, like on the ship before. But I'm fine!

[It's hard to ignore, but probably no more so than the illusion of a fiancee or...a really important crossbow? She can do this.]

[misconceived]

[ Ugh, Shirley, why do you have to be so forthcoming with this? Chris sighs, glances aside, then turns forward again. ]

Bianca—my Bianca—she's following us.

Gee, you think you would be a bit more excited to have me around after everything.

Yeah, that's exactly why I'm not.

[merchantprince]

Well... mine isn't. But that means it's probably going to invent some other crock of shit to lure me off the path.

[Varric is very unsettled by all this talk of things who aren't there.]

Having a conversation with the air doesn't make you seem any more sane, Prickly.

[hearsthesea]

At least we know that there's something there...almost.

[Shirley's almost used to hearing someone talk to thin air, though Chris is a lot more articulate than Grune was.]

Maybe it will end once we've reached the end of the path, wherever that is.

[misconceived]

Magic never makes anyone seem sane, Doc.

[ Chris just runs a hand through his hair and this time ignores Bianca's next remark. It isn't really important anyway, just painful. ]

Whatever's out there isn't just trying to get us lost, it's getting in our heads.

[merchantprince]

And both of you happen to have magic. Tell me about it.

[He sets his jaw. He's bothered now, because it's like the Fade and he's so fucking done with the Fade.]

We're still in one piece. Let's keep going.

[hearsthesea]

Yes, let's go. I hope there's an end to this soon, for all our sakes.

[Usually the challenges hit their peak towards their end, right? And then usually there's a boss battle. With that in mind Shirley keeps going, casting another look behind them just in case.]

[misconceived]

[ Something about the way Varric says it does shake something look and Chris glances backwards to see the dwarf for himself. ]

It's not like that. Sorry. That was a joke. [ Bad joke. ] I don't know about soon, but we're doing fine so far. Anyone up for ghost stories?

[merchantprince]

It's fine. [His voice is quieter, rougher.]

I'm always up for a good story. What about you, Roses?