Eden Smp [2]
Chapter Two: New Beginnings
Masterlist - Previous - Next
Content: Character introductions, specifically of the characters Eden and the nameless (but often referred to) Bug.
Warning(s): Exhaustion, characters not taking care of themselves, etc. [To be added to]
-~-
They weren’t sure how long they’d been walking, the burn in their legs made it feel like it’d been weeks. Their path up the hillside felt agonizing to walk along, pushing their way through the forest towards a direction unknown to them. Even as exhaustion pressed on their limbs, as pain shot up their legs from their newly acquired hooved feet. They didn’t know where they were headed, they just knew they needed to move forward, get as far from their previous home as possible. It was almost as if something was pushing them forward, away from their past.
‘Keep moving.’
A voice, not their own, echoed in their mind. The words sent a jolt through them, forcing their limbs forward.
They shambled like a zombie, back hunched over, staggering forward. Their black hair was unkempt, dirty and tangled despite its short length, short and jagged, like it’d been cut with a sword. The underside of their dark hair was a stark white, barely seen with the length of it. Their skin was almost pale enough someone would have confused them for a ghost wandering through the forest. The pale was disrupted by gold lined black horns growing from their hairline, scar tissue forming around them, and the purpled grey hair along their ears and legs. Their violet eyes were marred with bags, formed from their lack of sleep.
Their clothes weren’t in any better condition. Their violet hoodie was worn, poorly patched, and covered in ash and dirt. Their shorts were ripped, signs that they had once been longer pants, cut short in a hurry with frayed edges. Their top was a sleeveless turtleneck with an open back; their back wasn’t exposed, however, with bandages wrapped around the flesh, dried blood dotted the edges.
‘Stop. Person nearby.’
The voice commanded, and their body obeyed without question. Like a puppet, forced to move with it’s strings, stilling in an instant the word ‘stop’ was spoken- er thought?
They couldn’t help the scowl that formed on their face at the sensation as it overcame them. Yet they couldn’t force their body to move any further, the only thing they could move was their eyes, searching and scanning the trees in front of them. There was nothing, no sound in the air, no sticks being broken, not even the subtle sound of breathing that hid beneath the sound of the wind or animals.
Who could they have been led to? The dread that built towards anything related to the voice in their head, Xiolraeth, was all encompassing. Anything related to Xiolraeth was dangerous. Though so was nothing anyone going against them could really do to them. They doubted Xiolraeth would do anything to bring harm to the goat hybrid, but that didn’t mean Xiolraeth was trustworthy.
A hand on their shoulder broke them from their scrambled thoughts, igniting a squawk that quickly turned into a bleat. Their body froze up, joints locking up in surprise. “What the fuck.”
They weren’t sure if the curse was at the noise that came from their throat or at the hand on their shoulder. Probably both.
‘Don’t be rude.’
Xiolraeth’s voice chastised. Eden chose to ignore it.
As they turned around, they came face to face with the strange person, who’d backed away. Their sleeves uselessly covered their raised hands, lifted in a pacifying way.
“Oh! Apologies! I didn’t mean to startle you. You just... looked a little lost? Or perhaps unwell? Do you require aid?” Came the soft voice from the stranger.
They- she? Was a small thing, a bit shorter than Eden themselves, her white face looked blurry- or maybe it was fur? She had long hair that fell in long waves, strands tangled and dirty, ending loosely at her waist. Her eyes were beady, black, reminding the goat hybrid of the eyes of a fly or butterfly. Her hands appeared to be, even under her sleeves, clawed, with two fingers. Her feet were similarly shaped. Atop the stranger's head were two antenna, easy half her height each, each tipped in a transparent dot at the end, like any insect with antenna, really.
The weirdest part about her physical appearance was the fact she appeared to have no mouth, just smooth skin in the place of it.
The stranger wore a very oversized striped sweater, the sleeves long over her hands and stained with the remains of dyes. Over the sweater she wore overall shorts, one of the straps falling over her shoulder, flowers embroidered into the fabric. On her legs, she wore what appeared to be striped leggings or stockings
The stranger's antenna dipped down to inspect the goat hybrids face, poking at their cheeks and nose, concern clear in her eyes.
The hybrid leaned back away from the sudden barrage, “n, no, it’s fine... sorry about that...” they tugged their hoodie over their shoulders, suddenly aware of the chill in the air, “...Mm fine.”
They had hoped the lie was enough to drive the stranger away. They wanted to be left alone, regardless of what the voice in their head clearly was trying to do.
‘...Child...’
The whisper sent a chill over their skin.
The insectoid kept the distance between them the same, stepping forward to offer a clawed hand, “Are you sure? You look like you haven’t eaten in a while... or slept... I have a camp just over the hill there that’s safe from mobs.”
This stranger wasn’t wrong, they hadn’t stopped moving since they’d left, exhaustion hung over their shoulders like billowing clouds over land, and hunger gnawed at their insides. Their eyes must’ve appeared bloodshot from how little sleep they’d gotten.
“...Maybe a... little... hungry...” the goat hybrid straightened their back, ignoring the burn of pain that shot through them when they did, “...Been lookin for a place for a while... to set of shop, I guess.”
The hybrids tone was noncommittal, indecisive. An attempt to give themselves an out should this stranger prove to be like their previous home.
Ash and fire burned into their mind, only brushed away with a quick shake.
“Er just... just a place to stay until I decide to move on...”
The insectoid lit up, clawed hands slipping out of her sleeves to grab onto Edens arms, dual claws digging into the arm of their hoodie. “Perfect! There's a ton of land where I'm camped out! We can discuss it while you eat something!!”
‘She is trustworthy. She will not bring you harm.’
Xiolraeth’s tone was full of endearment, soft. They couldn’t help their shoulders relaxing at these words, like a weight was lifted off.
They weren’t sure about this stranger's trustworthiness, not quite yet, but a part of them couldn’t help but agree.
They could feel Xiolraeths smile at that thought.
“Oh!” What do I call you?” the flowers that wrapped around the stranger's head swayed softly, her antenna bounced, “I don’t really have a name personally, so you can call me whatever you’d like!”
The name Evelyn sat on their tongue at the question, a name long since removed from them yet it was the first thought when asked for something to call them. they washed it away by licking their lips. It had been the name their dad gave them, originally the name of some distant relative that’d died long before their birth. A name with far too much history, too many sad memories that drowned out the good ones.
They... wanted to start fresh. And this seemed like the best chance of doing so.
“Eden. Call me Eden.” they- Eden- finally said, “...Nice to meet you.”