post-snek recoveries

[neonleon]

[You know?

That weird temple wasn't good, but it wasn't the worst. Not by far now that he's back in this dimension. He floats a bit aimlessly, body broken, shell cracked and falling apart, some bones and insides shattered. His head aches in a way that he can't think.

All he can really do is hope Prime doesn't find him immediately right now. The light off his ring catches his eye and he looks at it, not fully registering that it's lit up.

A promise.]

Comments

[pyrighteous]

[ They are at least so long dead that they are all bone (ha) dry. No flesh at all left.

Hunter drifts along similarly, focusing on masks instead. ]

A couple times a week, usually. More than that and Dell worries. Less than that and I worry.

[neonleon]

[He gets why Dell would worry; being surrounded by this much death of your... brothers too much would be bad. But he glances over at Hunter.]

Why do you worry?

[pyrighteous]

Because -

[ Hunter hesitates a moment. ]

It's gonna sound weird.

[neonleon]

[Leo looks around then back at Hunter.]

I think I'm good with weird.

[pyrighteous]

Well ... still.

[ he rubs at his neck. ]

I think they like having me come here. Sometimes I hear voices. See things.

[neonleon]

Oh.

That's not so weird at all. You probably are.

[pyrighteous]

-- I'm probably weird?

[neonleon]

No, no, I mean - you probably are hearing their voices, seeing them. Ancestors just do that.

[pyrighteous]

Oh.

... they do? Really?

[neonleon]

Yeah, mine do all the time. I can talk to 'em. When uh. I'm connected to the ninpo network.

[pyrighteous]

Oh right. I forgot about that.

... Maybe it is similar then.

[neonleon]

Might be...

[He looks around at the mass grave again before resuming sorting the pile he's at.]

...I think they'd be happy though. Knowing what was really going on, I think... they'd be proud of you.

[pyrighteous]

Yeah? You think so?

[neonleon]

I think so. You got to break the cycle of it all, and you're getting to grow up and be happy yourself. I think they'd want that for any of you.

[pyrighteous]

... That's what Ori said too. Yeah. I think you're right.

[neonleon]

So... We can do this for them. And I think they'll rest better.

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter nods, then. Just quiet for a moment.

In that moment of silence, something else speaks: ]

Rest better.

[neonleon]

Wha-

[Leo hears that, jumping a little where he sits and nearly dropping a femur. He looks around.]

Okay so definitely heard that one right?

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter's head also snaps up. ]

I - uh - I definitely did! Where'd it come from??

[ his voice echoes in the cavern. ]

[neonleon]

Nnoooooo idea.

Lucky? [He glances at the pine marten on his shoulder who looks back at him.] Well, my ears aren't so good. Did you hear where it came from?

[The palisman's ears twitch forward before looking out again.] ... I don't think he knows either. Should we go look?

[pyrighteous]

Y. Yeah. We should -

[ Hunter carefully sets his bucket down. ]

That's ... a little unusual.

[neonleon]

Going to look, got it.

[Good thing ghosts aren't real. Ancestor spirits, totally real. Spirits of dead brothers, also very real. But ghosts? Nah.

He sets his bucket down and stands up to come walk with Hunter.]

It's probably nothing.

[pyrighteous]

R-right! Just voices that. Both of us heard for some reason.

[ Hunter scoops up the glowing crystal and takes it with them to light the way. It seems to be coming from this tunnel? It's ... weirdly clean, actually, with only a few spare bones or mask pieces. ]

[neonleon]

[Noting that.]

Ssssoooo...... Did you already clean this tunnel out?

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter shakes his head. ]

It ... wasn't as full as the main chamber, so I left it for later.

[ Later, whispers a voice from down the tunnel. ]