Counting Stars

[wooliefrand]

WHO: Sheeps
WHERE: All over
WHEN: Night Post Game 77 / Morning Day 78

[DID YOU GUYS HAVE A FUN GAME? ARE YOU FUCKED UP? WELL GET IT TOGETHER

or not, maybe you just need to sleep. have some sweet dreams. This can be a dream mingle or a reality mingle, I'm not the boss of yall]

Comments

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ Sorry, Ananke. Kevin shifts closer, trying to offer what little comfort he can. ]

... I remember a little. You ... you were in my favorite dream. The one where I'm on Lily.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ He leans into him a little, uncertain but desperate for any comfort at all—and abruptly freezes. ]




... Kevin?

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

Hey, Ananke.

[ He gives Ananke a weak smile. ]

... I'm sorry. Now that you're here, you're never leaving.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

... Are we dead?

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ Kevin shakes his head, huddling as he looks out over the horrific landscape. ]

Death's a lot gentler than Tartarus is.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ well. he has failed his Don't Start Crying challenge. ]




At least we're not alone anymore.

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ sorry Ananke. he reaches out to put an arm around him. ]

It’s something. That’s … that’s more than I usually have.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ leans a little more and wraps an arm around him in return ]

It's something. It matters.

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ A small nod against his shoulder. ]

… We have to keep moving. Past Nyx’s realm - the Doors of Death are out there somewhere. That’s the only way out of here.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ scrubs his free hand over his eyes and nods, squinting out at the horizon ]

... Any chance you know which direction to go?

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ He hesitates, then points to a darker spot on the horizon. ]

That forest there. Her realm is past that.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

Okay.

[ Starts to straighten up cautiously, throwing a worried glance back the way they came ]

We can get there together. We just gotta keep our eyes on it.

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ Yeah that chimera is still behind them. Somewhere.

He takes in a deep breath. ]

Don't let go of my hand. If we get separated...

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ Nods and gives his hand a tight squeeze ]

Won't happen. I promise not to let go.

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ he clings back, both for his own sake and for Ananke's here. ]

Then - this way.

[ he starts trudging across that awful, springy ground. it's not pleasant going - the shrieks of monsters interrupt any quiet they might get - and the ground continues to try to cling and burn every step they take. but the worst part is the sense of time passing. it's going to feel like weeks before they finally get to the relative coolness of the forest that Kevin pointed out. ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ Sounds like weeks to pack bond with Kevin

Whether or not literal weeks of time are passing, it does begin to wear on Ananke. He's a determined guy, but without Scarab he's so much more mortal. He doesn't let go of Kevin's hand, but there are more tears along the way, and Kevin might catch him muttering "It's part of the job" to himself at times ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ the worst pack bonding is still bonding, okay. and kevin's slink is already high enough to give him enough determination to WANT to keep Ananke alive through this so. that's enough. it has to be enough. he clings extra hard whenever the tears come, and keeps pulling him along when he slows down.

as they finally reach the border of the forest, he lifts his head a little. here, at least, the heat is less oppressive, even if there IS a river of fire casting weird flickering shadows among the trees. ]

It's not your job. This - this is my job. You're just trapped in it too now.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ He was just starting to relax, but his head snaps up and he tightens his hand around Kevin's again ]

Your job is being here?

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ Kevin sure isn't letting go himself. He winds up leading them along the banks of the river; it quickly becomes the only way for them to orient themselves in here as the forest swallows them up. ]

Not being here. I came here to find the Doors of Death. And close them from this side of Tartarus.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

...How will you get out?

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

...

[ this silence sure says everything doesn't it! wow! good thing they've got the crackling of the flames over it. ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

Do you really expect me to leave you alone here?

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

You have to. That's how this works.

[ he's still clinging hard to Ananke's hand. ]

The doors have to be shut on both sides, or Gaea's monsters will keep spilling out into the world. So - you get the mortal side of things, and I get this side.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

What—

[ shakes his hand aggressively, just once or twice ]

No. You were alone before you found me. If you needed a mortal you would've brought one!

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

I ...

[ it's true. Ananke is NOT wrong here, but maybe not for the reason he thinks. ]

Getting the doors closed on this end is the hard part. I figured if I could manage that, someone else would figure out the rest.