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

[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. ]

[neonleon]

[A shiver goes up his whole spine and up his arms as he hears that whisper.

Nope. NOPE. He did not hear anything, that was a trick of his hears.]

Right. So. Probably something else totally normal.

[pyrighteous]

[ Titan, Hunter is really getting nervous now. He can't help but stare down the tunnel without moving. ]

T-totally normal...

[ He says, just as something lurches in the gloom. Something big and shadowy at the end of the tunnel. ]

[neonleon]

[While he may not have the best ears, he has good eyes. He sees the difference in shadows and tugs on Hunter's sleeve, lowers his voice.]

Hold up. Some... Something's back there. [He has no sword, no ninpo or mystic power to help him. Just healing and telekinesis. Neither of which are the most useful right now.]

[pyrighteous]

[ And Hunter's own magic is based on borrowed staffs and the tiny flicker of his own power ... he hadn't thought to bring a weapon today. Normally this place is DEAD silent. ]

I ... I see it. What ... is something back there?

[ Oh something sure is. It lurches closer. And then another step closer. Something sounds wet back there, and the smell starting to drift down the tunnel is putrid and rotten. ]

[neonleon]

[Leo feels it coming closer and how big it must be, smells it. He gently nudges Hunter back. But his voice is an even softer whisper.] Go back. We gotta get out of here.

[pyrighteous]

I'm not just going to leave you -

[ It's too late anyway. There's a horrible, wet roar as the thing suddenly surges forward. Dimly humanoid but with ENTIRELY too many limbs, the creature sludges its way down the tunnel with startling speed, trying to reach past Leo for Hunter. ]

You!

[neonleon]

I'll be right with yo-

[SHIT. He's still too tired to fight effectively. But what he can do is focus his Snail boon, lifting Hunter out of the way and out of the reach of that- THING and back closer to the entrance of the tunnel.]

Hunter!

[pyrighteous]

[ Not a moment too soon, Hunter is lifted out of the way of the monster. It narrowly misses grabbing him, leaving a streak of ooze on Hunter's face. He cries out as it burns into his skin like acid. ]

I-I'm okay! Don't let it touch you!

[ That would be great advice if it weren't already bearing down on Leo and moving to body slam HIM instead. (If it makes contact, though, Leo will find that while contact does burn, it's not nearly as stark as an effect. Turtles built differently from a grimwalker.) ]

[neonleon]

I- Right!

[He grimaces a little, setting Hunter down so he can run but then he's left wide open. As soon as he sees the thing coming at him, he grabs Lucky in his one arm and rolls out of the way, shielding the little palisman from the creature.

Once it hits solid wall behind him, Leo makes a break to run past him and catch up to Hunter.]

Go go!