voicetest the voiceless

[focusedvoid]

They're not dead.

Less dead than they'd felt, at least. Their shell doesn't normally take so long to reform.

Then again. Their shell doesn't usually break of their own violation as they ascended in a boiling rage, ate at least one realm, a god, and all the Godseekers.

(That last point is debatable, actually. There's some odd sense, deep under their...shell? Void? Wherever they once stored things like Isma's Tear, much deeper now...that the sea-mind is still there, sluggish and held in a stasis. They're already adjusting enough, and they don't seem to be dying or trying to kill them, so that problem is neatly sorted as 'for later'.)

They push their body to stand. Their horn clangs uncomfortably loudly against the grate they've apparently woken up beneath. They're somewhere in the Royal Waterways. A quick check of the map--or, not so quick, as it takes time to locate where it had been--shows they've risen about halfway through, closer to the City of Tears than the White Palace. They'll go to the Stag Station in the City Storerooms next.

So they think. Complications arise on the way.

The Infection is gone, leaving dead Flukes, Pilflips, and Hwurmps in piles enough it takes time to force their way past. Their body seems too small. No, their body is fine--there's something wrong with perception itself. That will take time to adjust to.

Then, they discover the Monarch Wings now stretch and warp when used, twisting around the nearest pipes after landing before the Knight forcibly calls them back. Shade Wings, they decide to call these.

Once they're high enough to hear the rain above, they realize a noise they'd ascribed to water running in the distance is, in fact, something swirling behind their mask. Many somethings. All the fragments of Siblings with enough self left, staring out from their eyes. It's disconcerting.

By the time they actually get out of the Waterways, they're using their Shade Wings to grip ledges and drag themselves up, with those holding onto things better than their own arms are with the Mantis Claw. 

The Knight faceplants awkwardly onto the floor of the building Lemm's shop is in. If the City is the same as below, there's little left to try killing them in the area.

They'll just take a moment here, thanks.

Comments

[capitalcurator]

Lemm is less clumsy at climbing up this time now that he's done it once. The Stag still has to accommodate, but at least he's slightly more sure-footed. His grip on the rail is just as tight however.

The result at the other end of the line is a considerably ruffled Lemm with an even worse-ruffled beard - the air rushing past has done the dampness no favours, and there's strands sticking out all over the place. Lemm seems mostly unaware of this as he shakily clambers down onto the platform.

He would love to just walk away with even less acknowledgement than last time. But he's already convinced himself it matters, so with as much normality as he can muster he turns back and gives the Old Stag a jerky little dip of the horns.

[focusedvoid]

The Old Stag is already getting a read on this one, at least for this particular day, and he alters his speech from as much as he wishes to say to a simpler, "It was good to have you."

Greenhorn is a blob against the back of the seat who decides Lemm's right, and they don't think it's as fun as their strongest sibling finds it. As soon as they register how they've all finally stopped, they dive back into the Void, also known as the Knight's eyeholes with enough force to bump them back against the seat.

After recovering from that, they shake their head a bit and jump to the platform long enough to gesture to the Resting Grounds.

Then they turn to Lemm and, as is the norm, give a bow.

[capitalcurator]

He's still rattled! But the Knight was (apparently, if the Stag isn't faking) dead-on about the Stag's patience, and besides, by the looks of it Greenhorn's on his side for this one. Lemm's discomfort about the ride is still at full tilt, but... the social aspect a smidge less so.

They're not always going to get a return bow out of him. But his voice isn't very trustworthy at present, so they get a half-one now.

He dips his head again at the Knight, shrugs his bag more comfortably over his shoulders, and departs.