neonleon | SERPENTINE HORIZON

[ OH. UH. Shoot. Hunter hadn't QUITE meant to run this far, but now he's in a different location, and ...

He should go straight back, probably, but maybe Donnie's right behind him? Probably. He would get them both lost if he turned straight back now.

He lingers at the food first, wanting to see what sort of cool human and/or yokai food is here. (The goop will absolutely be next.) ]

Leo? Are you here? Blue spark guy??

[While there's no response to the call, not directly, the food is there at least! There's some familiar looking Normal Human Pizza like pepperoni, vegetable. There's also a few pizzas with colorful tentacles nice and sliced up exactly how Donnie likes. Breadsticks, some pasta. But just as much, there's plates and bowls of gooey delicious mess, some soup dish with a couple eyeballs floating in it.

All kinds of food.]

[ OH. He - really shouldn't get distracted, but he HAS to stop by the soup dish with eyeballs in it. ]

-- oh wow, actual Eyetalian soup! I never thought I'd see this outside the Head.

[SURE IS.

There's some steam rising from it, freshly heated with soup spoon next to it. What does Hunter say?]

......

I acknowledge that this is probably a bad idea, and might mess with some things, and I am REALLY sorry if it does.

[ HE'S GONNA EAT IT ]

[Whatever Hunter remembers Eyetalian soup tastes like... this is probably close? It's not from the Boiling Isles but it's similar enough. Warm and filling. Familiar like someone giving him a great hug, and a whisper in the back of his mind.

Leo's voice, like when they first spoke, confident and sure, You're gonna do great..

Congrats, Hunter! You have acquired plus one (+1) defense, as the blue surrounds him for a brief moment, and then fades again but the effect stays.]

[ That's ... really nice. He can't regret that? It's not exactly the spice blend he remembers, but he only had it once on a mission to the Head, when the other scouts had convinced him to try it despite his dietary restrictions, and he'd found it to be just as delicious as he does now.

He lingers there for a moment as the heat and the confidence soaks in. Also the blue ... light?? He stares for a moment, watching the blue glow fade from his fingers. ]

Leo? Was that you?

[There's no response. Still just the muffled hustle and bustle of people talking and eating around him in the dining room. But there's still plenty to look at.]

[ Right. Yeah. Better keep exploring then.

Nice and full from his meal, Hunter heads for the portraits? Both the winners AND the cheaters. Man those blacked out pictures look ominous. ]

[Can't get all the answers up front, an actual shame, Hunter.

But the winners' side of the wall are all pictures of Leo looking proud, confident, smug. In front of a battered and unconscious giant pig youkai, a second one with the same youkai but different, a few in front of twin crab youkai brothers. The largest is a wide panoramic picture of Leo, his brothers, their dad, April, Draxum, Cassandra, and a large group of green-tinted spirits behind them posing on a giant hand holding them in front of a large stone head.

The blacked out portraits... are almost impossible to make out anything more than that wherever they were taken, they were dark. Blues and blacks, some purples and magentas at the edges of the frame where the marker couldn't reach.]

[ Oh wow. They really have fought a bunch of demons - youkai, whatever. These frankly look like normal pictures to Hunter. Clearly Normal Beefy Demons in this picture.

When he reaches the wider photo, Hunter gently presses his fingers to the glass? Just to see if maybe he can reach into it. They seem way too small to climb into like he would in a standard mindscape, but maybe... ]

[His fingers ..........................

touch hard glass. They don't go through at all. But the people in the picture move. Jumping, cheering and wooping excitedly. Leo himself hugging his family tight and grinning wide. A massive win for the Hamato family happened, and Hunter can feel he sense of relief and familial love radiating out of the moment. This is a family who comes together for any challenge to fight together, confident they can do anything.]

[ WHOA. Okay. Not quite what he expected? But still cool. Hunter jolts a bit but keeps his fingers there, watching the figures move.

A family photo then. A huge one ... Hunter smiles a bit, both jealous and happy for Leo here. ]

I'm glad you've got such an amazing family. They're - they're coming to help you now, I promise.

[ He tears his eyes away to look at one of the marked out photos next. And see if maybe he can clean off a bit of ink. ]

[As soon as Hunter removes his touch from the frame, the picture goes still again, everyone still smiling proudly at the camera.

But the blacked out photo... The first one he picks up starts playing its own memory, but it sounds muffled, far away like from three floors down. But there's the irate tone of Donnie there.

"I have a Lot of questions regarding when we get there."]

[ Oh. This … must be times when he feels he messed up then. If the other pictures are successes…

He removes his hand, reaching for another -

And. Stops dead. He’s finally noticed the goop. ]

No - no, that’s -

[When Hunter notices it... A bright blue eye opens in the middle of the goop lining the ceiling, watching him.]

[ and Hunter just leans up against the wall bodily, frozen in place as he stares back at that eye. Move, dammit. If it’s Belos you can’t just sit here - you can’t freeze up -

He’s frozen for a moment anyway. ]

Belos. You - you really are in here.

[Grabbing Hunter's hand, other hand holding up the bo between them and EYE]

[The eye watches them for another moment.

Then closes, the goop flesh closing over the place it was, as if the eye wasn't there to begin with.]

[ Hunter unfreezes a little, but that means he’s shaking like a leaf now. He huddles behind Donnie and clinging back. ]

Thank you. I - I thought I was ready to face him but -

Its okay.

[He will lower his staff, balancing it against his shoulder and focuses on Hunter. Reaching up to gently pat his head.]

This isn't going to be easy for any of us. That's why we have each others backs. Like family should.

[ Hunter wheezes a bit, but he’s breathing. Slowly. Leaning into that headpat. ]

Yeah. Yeah, I’m - really grateful.

I know. Just breathe for a minute, nothing is going to get to you right now.

[He won't let it]

[Will even squeeze his hand for that four count.]

[Because...again....three fingers.]

[ Four works!! Hunter can do four.

Slowly his breathing eases. ]

This is just more proof we have to save him.

Yes. We will.

Its just important we keep ourselves safe in the meantime. Its a balancing act.

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