8 ♐ Wandering hopes attacked by worries

[aim_exorable]

Who: Expatriate Darkleer, Marquise Spinneret Mindfang, and Summoner (eventually)
Where: Up to the island
When: Backdated before his network post
Style: action
Status: Closed

[This is frustrating. Maddening. Dural can't find anything from the air, and their search in the forest has proved fruitless. It turns out that the last time he tracked down Summoner, the rebel learned from his mistake.]

[That's what he hopes is happening. Just another trigger that's got him in a bother and panicked, running on no sleep and little food.]

[Not his blood smeared against a wall somewhere. Not like-]

[Darkleer has to take a deep breath and close his eyes so he can think. A do-as-he-pleases, winged rebel... where would he go to hide? Not deeper into the city...]

[Dural on his shoulder, he makes his way to the elevator.]

Comments

[o8liter8]

[ Mindfang is having just another day, wandering around the city, munching contentedly at some sweet, tangy fruit or another - she didn't bother asking what - when she glimpses Darkleer in the corner of her vision. That towering, bulky frame is all too familiar to her. She considers calling out to him, but he looks occupied, and hell, it's not like she has anything else to do around here...

Quietly she follows after him, thinking to surprise him and be sneaky. The elevator's a bit annoying, but she can always take it up after him - he looks busy with whatever he's thinking about. ]

[aim_exorable]

[Come rain or hail, Darkleer doesn't care about the weather, and while Dural hunches down in aggravation, he can tell the lusus is willing to deal with it as well. She's always been reliable like this- able to withstand the harshest weather to work with him.]

[She heaves herself up into the air, great wings beating, and Darkleer goes into the village, going through the various buildings. There are some remnants of when the children were here, or other visitors from the bubble, but he doesn't find any signs of Summoner. There's only the beat of the rain, and it doesn't soothe him.]

[o8liter8]

[ Mindfang wonders what Darkleer is looking for. What could be important enough. Not the mechanical spider - that's still waiting patiently by the elevator. (She'll have to ride it when everything's sunny again.) A person, probably. Did one of his kids get lost? Or that yellowblood he's fond of who is actually pretty cool? Or...maybe it's his matesprit.

Whatever. Now she's curious, and she jogs to catch up with him. ]

What're you looking for?

[aim_exorable]

[With a jolt, he whirls around and feels his hands clench into fists before he realizes who has been following. Immediately, he chastises himself. He's better than this. He should have realized he had... company.]

Why are you following me?

[o8liter8]

Nothing better to do.

[ She shrugs, striding forward. ]

So what are you looking for? I might as well chip in.

[aim_exorable]

[That actually earns a low, menacing growl. From the normally stoic and calm Darkleer? Certainly an unusual sound.]

I cannot believe... [He stops himself and breathes in deep.] Your eye can see into that wretched little oracle orb you use, can't it?

[It's still in his sylladex, after all, that item he was to hold in return for having his life saved from her. Under the tightest lock and key. He's never understood it himself, and never cared to use it, but if it can help him...]

[o8liter8]

Um, duh, what else would I do with it.

[ She doesn't know she gave it to him in the future - at this age, she never lets it leave her possession. She's too paranoid to ever let it go. She pulls it from her sylladex with a little flourish, smiling. ]

Just tell me what I'm looking for. And say please.

[aim_exorable]

[Oh, Mindfang. He is really not in the mood for your games right now. His upper lip hitches up, revealing a hint of fang. Reaching over to the nearest wall, he places the palm of his hand against it and presses just enough...]

[Cracks begin to spread through it, stone groaning under his strength.]

Lysunder. Now.

And please.

[o8liter8]

[ She just grins. You're cute when you're threatening, Darkleer! ]

Careful, now, don't want to interrupt my concentration.

[ Mindfang stares into the cueball, the mirth in her expression fading, her seven-pupiled eye focusing in on it intensely. Finally she looks up, tossing it back in her sylladex. ]

Lighthouse. Let's go.

[aim_exorable]

[In that moment, a part of him wants to strangle her. It's so tempting. But he doesn't, just grits his teeth and turns on his heel.]

[The lighthouse, then. He doesn't waste any time in making his way to the tall structure.]

should summoner come in after this?

[o8liter8]

[ Mindfang keeps pace with him easily, even if his strides are longer than hers. Once they're at the structure she tosses up a strand of web to the top, starting to climb. ]

I'll take the top and go down, you go from the bottom up. See you when we catch up to him.

Sounds good. Vou?

[aim_exorable]

Don't do anything reckless! He still isn't sure about you, and I know your tendency to pick fights!

[UGH!]

[Still, he quickly goes in through the door at the base and finds himself scowling at the disrepair of the building.]

Works for me.

[rebull]

[He could probably hear them maybe, if he really was listening, if he was paying any attention to anything besides himself, himself and his situation, but he's not. Oh hell no he's not. His entire existence is centered around his current situation, centered around this shocking, deafening fear that his shock is doing well to pull all logic from. Summoner should know this is normal, should know this naturally makes sense. Molting, right, many animals molted in various ways, he should realize that, be he's never had to before, he never knew that to be something his body would do. It's completely new and terrifying.]

[He's crouched near a darker center of the old lighthouse, in the maintenance room at the tip top that's hidden nicely from the large windows. Sobbing, sure, he sobs, sobs for the fucking terrible feeling it is to watch your own body fall apart. Every movement shakes what's left of either of his wings. They're folded behind him, blanketing the floor. The back sections completely shredded off by now, in slits and cuts around the floor, painting it with intricate angular shapes. Lysunder's eyes are closed, legs crossed under him, butterfly style as he clutches pieces of his wings in his hands and can barely see them as he weeps over them, hands and wing pieces getting drops of orange on them here and there.]

[Shock's a funny thing, shock's the only reason he's not smart enough to just focus on this being normal, something that should happen. Being the only troll with wings it's really the best advantage, he knows shit about how they should work, even with his extensive knowledge about winged beasts. He's not a bat, a bird, and insect, and his mind isn't in a place to try and figure out what's happening, Lysunder's mind is just entangled in his loss, wanting it to just not be happening.]

[o8liter8]

[ Since he's near the top of the lighthouse, Mindfang's the one who runs into him first, opening a door and peeking in on-

Is he crying?

This is awkward. Really awkward and she should just sit here and wait for Darkleer. Being who she is, though, she just swallows nervously, texts Darkleer's SFC to let him know she found the Summoner, and then walks in. Her boots click-clack on the floor, and then she's leaning down next to him. ]

...Wow. You look awful. [ She reaches out to touch his back, then thinks better of it, withdrawing her hand again. ] Uh. Molting, I guess? Or did someone beat the shit out of you.

[ Darkleer is going to freak. ]

[aim_exorable]

[In seconds, there's pounding boots against the floor, and Darkleer stumbles into the room. Outside, the calling of a bird can be heard, loud and worried.]

[Even with his glasses in place, the look on Darkleer's face couldn't be more thick with concern. Something creaks as his hands fist tighter and he immediately begins to walk over.]

Lysunder?

[rebull]

[Oh god everything is happening really fast. Suddenly clicks of shoes, he doesn't notice at first, but then a smell fills the room, something familiar and yet strange and he jerks his neck looking up fast. Mindfang. An urgent flag signals in his head and he stares wide eyed, expression that of horror and quickly he moves to rush away from her, not wanting her even close to touching him.]

Leave! [His voice is strained, obviously harsh from his crying and it comes out like a growling beast wanting to speak the words of man with barely managing some sense of understanding.]

[And then again he's rushed with another presence, another smell, this even more recently familiar and his eyebrows furrow, quickly putting his hands up to cover his face, snarling. His fangs grind and he shakes his head, wings barely moving only to quickly stop, feeling more pieces fall to the floor.]

Tink, now isn't, the time.

Both of y-y-you, just leave me alone, don't... look at me.

[o8liter8]

[ He's hard to look at, small and scared like that. Like a cornered animal. Nothing like in her vision of the future, so strong and brave and charismatic. Nothing like the troll who's going to kill her, yet that's exactly who he is. He's just a scared kid, too. It's strange and yet it clicks into place.

She straightens up, backing away but not leaving the room. Then she glances to Darkleer. His matesprit, his show, right? ]

[aim_exorable]

[The glance back at Mindfang is hard to read, but he is thankful to her. Then Darkleer turns back to Summoner and ignores the snarls and glares. The state of his wings twists at his heart, and Darkleer crouches down besides Summoner. Not caring if he gets hit in return, he reaches over to try and grab his arm.]

Who did this to you?

[His voice is low and dark, and more of his teeth are bared, all wild beast himself.]

I will tear their heart out and make them eat it for doing this to you.

[rebull]

[Mindfang's movement makes his head turn to glance in her direction, only to immediately look at Darkleer as he gets closer. Quickly, he starts a commune, hundreds, and they might be able to hear how the violent flurry of birds starts to circle the light house, ready to smash into it at a single command. Summoner eyes flare and his upper lip curls back, quickly moving away from the blue blood.]

DON'T-!

[He shrieks, removing a short lance from his sylladex and holding it up fast to Darkleer's neck but not striking, just keeping a defensive position. His chest is rising and falling noticeably as he takes deep breathes, teeth clenched tight and clear for either of them to see.]

No one, touched me, NO ONE WI-WILL!

[All his movements only seemed to shake more of his wings off, that's why he had been keeping so still, as if to save them from molting off his back anymore. And not this fight instinct is making him go mad, terrified of having anymore of his appendages damaged even know it's futile to stop it.]

[aim_exorable]

[No one touched him.]

[Whatever this is, it's either natural or an accident. No one else was involved. This wasn't something meant to strike at him in particular and meant to be a painful jab, and this wasn't something that was just the cruel manner of people and nature, stealing away something he loved and treasured. This isn't a letter left in an empty hive. This isn't a bloodied quadrant-ring he has to unwillingly remove.]

[Darkleer nearly sags in relief and presses lightly against the lance held to his throat, as if it doesn't matter that he was nearly struck.]

Oh thank god. [His eyes slip shut. AS hard as he can, he tries to regain a calm breathing pattern and cool the frenzy that had been starting in his mind.]

Lysunder. Calm down. It's only me.

MF jumping in again when she feels the need... or?

[rebull]

[All he'll get is a deep growl and a glare accompanied by a tilt down of his head, the lance barely pushing forward again as the birds cry louder.]