our neurotic inside dog got out and is running way too fast around the neighborhood

[crittersheep]

WHO: Rose (+ Lethe, Charon, and Maomao)
WHERE: outer meadow
WHEN: Day 27, night

[Rose has been running around for the past day and a half, prepping everything they'll need for the mist expedition to save Angel Devil from eternal wolfhood. But in the wee hours of the morning, the night before they planned to head out, Shadow Fiend's bell jingles gently. If she weren't still awake, she might have missed it. But she doesn't, and when she follows a hunch and checks on Angel Devil's location, she gets the distinct ping of a flock member in the pasture—before it recedes back into the vague sense of "in the mist."

So screw tomorrow morning. This might be the best chance they have of avoiding an extended mist expedition. And so, a mass cube call goes out, to all of Rose, and Lethe, Charon, and Maomao, too.]

WAKE UP! Um, sorry. Change of plans, we're going after Angel Devil now. I just sensed him at the edge of the mist. He stepped back inside, but he can't have gone far—this might be our best chance. He's not far from where we planned to meet up tomorrow, too. Okay! See you there.

BAITING THE TRAP (MINGLE) | THE BUFFENING | OUTSIDE THE MIST | INTO THE MIST | BOSS FIGHT | PILLING ROSE'S DOG (SAVAGE) | AFTERMATH

Comments

[pleasantmisery]

Umm... Angel Devil??

[why isn't he changing and why is he so quiet,,,

gives him a gentle bonk on the head with her staff]

[finalbows]

_{[ honk mimimimimimimi ]}

[catposting]

[ get him, shep ]

[pleasantmisery]

[just a little bonk, as a treat.

jingling her staff to get everyone's attention]

Good news, Angel Devil swallowed the wolfsbane. Bad news, he's totally out cold and not changing back yet, so we're gonna have to roll him back or something.

Anyone who can stand without falling over, please get over here so we can figure out how we're gonna do that.

[she's not actually looking at Blood Fiend as she says the last part, but she's looking at Blood Fiend as she says it in her heart]

[apothekitty]

[ guess who is going to come noodling in while Shadow Fiend is talking, on the opposite of the downed wolf, with a little crude knife, a small bottle, and a basket.

so while everyone else is doing the Figuring Out, she's going to do the Fucking Around and obtain some samples for herself. no biggie. ]

[pleasantmisery]

[that wasn't part of the agreement!1 but Shadow Fiend is too busy ordering everyone around so they can figure out how to roll Angie home to object]

[apothekitty]

[ THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY NEAT PLANTS SHE HAS TO TAKE WHAT SHE CAN GET ]

[pleasantmisery]

[they didn't and Shadow Fiend feels bad about that u_u]

[wants_the_phd]

See if you can get some hair, too. Especially the roots.

[apothekitty]

Good idea.

[ she gets a nice solid handful of fur, near his tail, and gives it a good solid yank, the way one might pull weeds out. let's contemplate the multiple levels of meaning that phrase could have in this game and move on. ]

[wants_the_phd]

I'd suggest collecting some saliva, too, but that's apparently the most contagious part. So maybe not, unless you have some gloves on you.

Hopefully with blood we can at least see about developing some synthetic antibodies.

[catposting]

[ oh, the mutt's finally shut up.

...

gets to his feet and walks over. his walking seems... fine? he still looks like shit, but not as bad as he feels! he's absolutely cheating his movements with flow control and will 100% regret this in the morning but the power of indignation is mighty ]

[wants_the_phd]

You good?

[catposting]

[ no he's pissed as hell about his stamina. wipes some of the dried blood out of his eyes ]

Dandy. You?

[wants_the_phd]

Yeah, I'm fine.

I was staying out of the way, remember? You guys did all the work.

[pleasantmisery]

[doubt.jpg

he has so many weird-ass powers, this could be just another one, for all she knows. seeing in the dark means she saw exactly how fucked up he was before, without darkness to conceal some of it. but since she can't tell for sure, she won't call him on it.]

[catposting]

[ you know when your computer shuts off when it hits a certain temperature so its insides don't get fried? you know how you can override the safety mechanism if you tweak certain settings? this is that. it's fine! since she can see in the dark, maybe she catches the wild and slightly deranged light in his eyes. that's fine too!

gives her a nod, voice even. ]

Ready when you all are. Guess we'll have to come back for these things later.

[ gestures to the gatordawgs ]

[wants_the_phd]

I can probably at least help drag him... Especially if we can make a litter out of vines or somet—

[Her stomach growls audibly]


...

[pleasantmisery]

Ummm... Do you want to eat some gatordawg before we head back?

They're not prepped or anything, but we did kill a lot of them, so. If you want a snack...?

1/2

[wants_the_phd]

...


Okay. Th... thanks.

[SHE'S SO FUCKING HUNGRY AND THE SMELL OF FRESH BLOOD IS EVERYWHERE AAAA]


I'll just be a minute.

[wants_the_phd]

[She turns and slinks off to check out the gatordawgs. Even though they're covered in dirt and pond slime, hunger truly is the best spice.]

[She pins the corpse to the ground with her paw and takes a limb in her mouth, and pulls. It pops off seemingly effortlessly. She tosses it back and swallows it whole, then does it again with another gator chunk, unhinging her jaw like a snake for some of the bigger parts.]

[She then proceeds to eat an entire gatordawg in about 45 seconds.]

[pleasantmisery]

[once everyone has gathered, it takes a bit of discussion to figure out how they're going to roll Angel Devil back to the barn.

eventually, they settle on a combination of pulling and pushing to get him rolling: vines are summoned from under him, weaving together and looping over Angel Devil toward Azdaja, who pulls backward. Meanwhile, Pond Fiend, Face-Making Devil, and Blood Fiend push from behind to roll Angel Devil onto his front and over. Shadow Fiend runs back and forth between the groups, counting time to keep everyone in sync and making sure Angel Devil's various limbs are safely folded away and not getting in the way.

and then, once he's made a full revolution, a new set of vines is summoned, everyone repositions, and the rolling starts again...

they're doing their besto, but they're tired from mist questing, eating shit and then resurrecting on level 30 stamina, pumping a giant wolf full of venom, and/or the fact that it's still the middle of the fucking night, so even if they have a good rhythm going, this is clearly going to take...........a while.]

[finalefantasy]

[at various points in the discussion and struggle to SHOVE WOLF, the very sharp-eared and attentive among them might have picked up the soft flutter of wings nearby; small flying things disturbed by the ruckus, coming and going. or they might not have; up to you.

right when it becomes clear this really is going to take a while as is...Angel Devil's giant body suddenly floats up to hover a couple of feet off the ground, bobbing gently. if he's poked or pushed along he drifts like a weightless balloon.

huh, would you look at that. he's way easier to get back to Rose like this! weird that they can't tell what caused it, though.]

[catposting]

[ this is some insane deja vu but he has too much of a headache to think about much right now, so

keeps pushing. help is help! ]

[pleasantmisery]

[gently?? pushes Angel Devil along?? she's not going to question this windfall, since it does also solve the problem of how they're going to get him back over the fence.

she didn't see who brought Blood Fiend back to the barn that one time, nor did she see how he was brought back, but even so, this whole situation still seems oddly similar.

so before they get moving in earnest, Shadow Fiend looks around at the outer meadow and calls out into the darkness]

Thank you!