Go on an AdVenture!

@welcometoarkion

The official roleplay blog for the Steve Saga AU Venture! Ready your tickets to Arkion and have fun!

200 posts

welcometoarkion

Hello there, Player!

If you're reading this, that means you've been gifted a free, no-strings-attached ticket to Arkion, the most unique and sought-after destination in the Crest Portal Hub! Aren't you a lucky duck? ;)

The denizens of this realm are waiting for you to join them on a magical ad-venture! Won't you take their paw and jump in? I guarantee you won't regret it!

You can travel to any area and interact with whomever you please* with just a simple Ask! Their world is your oyster!

Oh! Before you go, though, CPH Inc. insists I go over some important information with you first.

Each Ask is considered its own adventure (unless specified in a new Ask that you would like to continue from your last adventure). As my roleplay skills our facilities expand, you may get to travel with a plus-one soon, but for the time being, only one traveler per Ask, please.

I, your humble tour guide, am only one person with a life outside of this line of work. I ask that you keep that in mind and be patient with me if I take a while to get to your Ask.

While I'm sure there are a number of tourists who may have come here with the intention of --ahem-- connecting with someone on a more-than-friendly level, CPH Inc. asks that you refrain from any gratuitous sexual activity with the Arkisen. There's no bar on romantic gestures (so long as you have your age somewhere easy to find on your blog ID with you, since all available Arkisen are of age), but our scientists have yet to discern whether intercourse between our peoples is safe or not.

While the Arkisen can be treated any way you like**, be sure to play nice with the other tourists. Everyone here, me included, is trying to have a fun time, and considering your fellow tourists' feelings ensures that fun is had.

(New) BE NICE TO THE MACHINERY!!! (you know who you are)

*Marii's Steve Saga AU, Venture, does not cover anything beyond the original intended end of The Steve Saga. Characters introduced in episodes after that point have not been translated into characters in Venture and are therefore unavailable to interact with

**See guideline 3

I think that's all I need to cover for now. If you have any further questions, don't be afraid to ask me directly. We at Crest Portal Hub Inc. hope you enjoy your trip to Arkion. Make sure to take lots of pictures!

-With love, from your moderator, @mariii-the-shapeshifter!

welcometoarkion

Update: CPH Inc. wants me to add a little Journey Guide for travelers who want to reminisce, or others who just want to watch someone else's story unfold. Here is that guide!

@/latileaf's Adventure: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11

@/randomdoodless' Adventure: 1

@/foggythefandomgremlin's Adventure: 1

#welcome to arkion #your tour guide

welcometoarkion

@latileaf pt. 11

Rainbow laughs nervously. "What an ominous thing to say..."

...saying I'm going to make sure you two stay together is ominous-? Would you prefer I try to break you up???

.......that is a joke I would never. Please don't eat my soul,Hypno.

welcometoarkion

The prospect of breaking them up does get Hypno's attention. He silently glances at her before turning away with a smile, knowing she was joking.

"No. It's just the way you worded it." Rainbow's laugh is a bit more sincere now. "We know what lengths you'll go to make sure we're happy."

#packitupboys #We'vemadeanothersocialblunder #<- the blunder of course being that you rb'ed this to the wrong blog again :)

@latileaf pt. 11

Rainbow laughs nervously. "What an ominous thing to say..."

#welcome to arkion #roleplay #latileaf

welcometoarkion

The player steps into the portal hub, taking note of the area around them before greeting one of the workers. “Hello! I have a ticket to Arkion that I’d like to use!” They seem both very excited and very nervous as they hold out their ticket to the worker. They’re fidgeting with a pocket watch using their other paw, repeatedly opening and closing it.

The guide takes the ticket and examines it, smiling once they confirm its validity. "Alright! So, where and when would you like to be sent? We've got almost infinite options."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I’d like to head to the Rainbow town, please!” They seem even more excited now, bouncing up and down slightly.

welcometoarkion

"Second time someone's said that..." the guide mumbled. They printed out a similar map to the one they gave another traveler, took out the calling badge, and handed them over to this new guest. "The portal'll get you as close as possible, but in case you get lost, use the map."

foggythefandomgremlin

They look down at it before looking back up and nodding. “Thank you! Not sure if you accept tips but here!” They hand the guide a diamond before stepping through into Arkion, waving as they go out of view.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, thanks!" they call before the traveler enters the portal.

--

It's bright and sunny out wherever they've been placed, and in the distance, there's a stone wall decorated with concrete in many colors, matching the image on the map.

foggythefandomgremlin

They look around briefly before heading towards the wall.

welcometoarkion

Soon, they'll reach the gate, one guarded by what seems to be a human Player. They have "TheLSpike" written above their head, and they eye the stranger curiously as they come forward.

foggythefandomgremlin

They wave at them as they approach, seeming nervous at encountering another player. “Hello! My names Bloom, or Foggy, either one works. I’m visiting since I heard rumors of a new mortal species being found, and I wanted to see for myself. I’m guessing you live here?” The nervousness and excitement is clear in their voice.

welcometoarkion

The Player shrugs, giving Bloom an unsure expression. ""Live" is a strong word, but yes, there's a species here that might be new to you. I'm Lucas," he greets. "I can let you in, but you have to promise you'll be... peaceful with them." His tone is quite a bit more serious now. "I don't know what exactly it is you came to do, but as long as it's not gonna hurt anyone, we're good."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I promise I won’t hurt anyone.” They match his seriousness. “Im merely curious, it’s not often that new species are found, especially not sentient ones.” Their excitement seems to be returning slightly as they talk “Anyways, nice to meet you Lucas!”

welcometoarkion

After a second of consideration, Lucas opens the gate. "If you say so. Nice meeting you, too, Bloom."

The town is twice as colorful as the wall that protects it, both in architecture and in the residents, all sporting fur in techicolor hues. No one seems to care that the gate has opened; they're all too occupied with each other and enjoying the sun.

foggythefandomgremlin

Looking around, they seem to be amazed. Walking down the path they glance between the people of the town.

welcometoarkion

Once Bloom properly enters, the Arkisen seem to finally recognize they're there. The ones who see them are a bit startled; some hide it better than others. Being what is to them a hybrid of one of their own and a fox, it isn't surprising that they're... surprised, to see someone like Bloom.

foggythefandomgremlin

Noticing the looks they sigh before mumbling to themself. “Knew I should’ve used my other skin…” Nevertheless they continue exploring.

welcometoarkion

Not much further off, there's another Player sitting in the park, talking to an Arkis that looks a bit different than the ones they passed by.

foggythefandomgremlin

The other player quickly catches their attention and they begin approaching. “Hello!” They wave as they approach.

welcometoarkion

It takes a minute for the Player to realize that he's looking at another Player and not just a weird looking Arkis. "Woah, dude, are you here from Crest?" he asks, which takes the Arkis beside him off edge.

"There are fox people on Crest?" the Arkis asks his friend.

The Player shrugs. "Sometimes."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Yeah, I’m from Crest. I should probably have used my other skin instead of this one, it seems to be confusing people.” They say sheepishly.

welcometoarkion

The Player waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, I can just tell them where you're from and they'll understand. I'm Sabre, by the way," he greets with his hand out for them to shake, then he gestures with his head to the Arkis beside him. "That's Rainbow."

"Welcome to Rainbow town," Rainbow tells them, then mutters, embarrassed "I-I didn't come up with the name."

foggythefandomgremlin

“If you say so!” They shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, Sabre! I’m Bloom, or Foggy, both names work.” Ending the handshake they offer a paw to Rainbow. “Nice to meet you as well Rainbow!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow happily takes their paw. "So, what brings you to Arkion?" His paw almost seems to glow when he pulls back, and there's a slight crease to his brow despite his smile. Sabre notices this, and rests a hand behind his back.

foggythefandomgremlin

“I heard rumors about a new species being found and wanted to check it out for myself, possibly talk to some of them if the rumor was true! I’m guessing you’re one of them?” They smile at Rainbow, clearly excited.

welcometoarkion

"Sure am." Their excitement endears Rainbow, but there's a part of him that feels a bit nervous. "Anything you want to know?"

foggythefandomgremlin

“Hmm…” they ponder for a brief moment. “Oh! Is there anything I should avoid doing when meeting or talking to your kind? I don’t wanna offend anyone accidentally.”

welcometoarkion

That question takes him off edge. His paw stops glowing, and he seems almost surprised to hear it. Rainbow then laughs a little. "There's a lot I could mention, honestly, but as a general rule, just don't use your abilities on people who haven't asked for it... If you have any, that is," he starts. "I'm sure kindness is a universal concept, and whatever you don't know, always ask."

foggythefandomgremlin

“Got it!” They seem very happy. “I don’t have anything beyond what the average player has and none of those can really be used on people. I’m guessing since you mentioned abilities that you have them?”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, yeah." Rainbow leans forward, paws on the ground to help him balance as he prepares to explain. "There are five races of Arkisen, and they each have their own set of powers. Sometimes, there'll be exceptions, like me and a friend of mine who are hybrids, but there aren't any others in this town." He seems rather excited to tell them this, as his tail is swaying behind him as he speaks.

foggythefandomgremlin

They sit down, clearly interested in what hes saying.

welcometoarkion

Rainbow continues passionately. "There's Hicorus. They're mainly blue, control ice and water and maybe the weather sometimes. Edorans are red and control fire and lava. Montirs are green. They have nature powers and the strongest healing of the five. Navis are yellow, have speed, strength, and electricity. And then Cendales are the purple ones that have force fields, teleportation, telekinesis, and... I feel like they have something else... I don't know." He stops, a little ashamed. "I'll be honest, I'm a recovering amnesiac, and by recovering, I mean I don't really have the memories back; I'm just a fast learner."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Thats fine! Any knowledge is good knowledge.”

welcometoarkion

He seems to perk up at their understanding. "I guess so. A-anyway, as far as hybrids are concerned, my friend was the son of five Elders, the most powerful group of Arkisen, and I assume I was, too. Usually, you'll only have one or two parents, and only end up as one race, but he was a special case. One Elder from each race used their magic to make him, and he ended up with all five sets of powers. Again, I think that's the same with me. I have some vague memories of being around Elders as a kid. I guess I could ask an Elder if they knew my parents..." Rainbow trails of, tapping his chin in thought.

They listen intently before speaking. “Hybrids tend to be really rare, they aren’t possible for most species, it’s interesting you guys can have them.”

welcometoarkion

"It's not common for us, either." Rainbow shakes his head. "The only other ones... They were made with something called Shadow Stone. They can use multiple powers, but it... It corrupts their mind and kinda turns them evil." His tail stops swishing and he cringes a little as he continues. "We actually built this town to protect Arkisen from those guys."

“Ah, so kind of like sculk? I’m not sure if you have that here but I know sometimes players minds can be corrupted by it.” They cringe slightly aswell. “It’s not normally able to infect but it can happen depending on the world.”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's head tilts at the mention of skulk. "No, skulk doesn't do that here." He turns to Sabre. "Does that really happen in your world?"

Sabre shrugs. "There've been rumors."

Rainbow turns back to Bloom. "We only have one corrupting substance in our world, thank the Stars."

“Thats good, well, kinda. It would be better to have none then one in this case, but what can ya do.” They shrug before continuing. “It’s incredibly rare for a world to have something that can corrupt people fully, stuff like that typically is only just severe enough to make you sick. And even then players are typically at least partially immune.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre nods, adding "Well, it hasn't gotten to me yet. Trust me, I've touched the stuff way more times than is safe for an Arkis."

"Really, I don't know what's wrong with him." Rainbow rolls his eyes. "He throws himself at death like he can bounce back from it." He laughs, but Sabre seems to cringe a bit.

They look between Rainbow and Sabre, confused, before something seems to click. They proceed to stare at Sabre, silently questioning him.

welcometoarkion

Sabre notices their stare and nervously clears his throat. "Anyway, that's not something we need to dwell on. I'm fine; there was no harm done..." Then he mutters a near inaudible "...to me," hoping the other Player couldn't hear him.

“To you…?” They heard him. Theres curiosity and a small bit of suspicion in their gaze.

welcometoarkion

"...We don't need to get into it." Sabre repeats his sentiment, which makes Rainbow nudge him in the shoulder.

"You're inviting suspicion, Sabre," he whispers sharply. "Are you gonna be weird, or are you gonna fess up?"

Sabre sighs. "Fine, fine... If you must know, I've been named a criminal in Arkion. I had been sentenced to prison, but Rainbow was kind enough to switch it to community service."

“Ah. Like theft level crimes or the type of stuff that happens on the Dream smp?” They look him up and down. “‘Cause those are two VERY different things”

welcometoarkion

Again, Sabre finds it hard to confess, so Rainbow jumps in this time. "I'll put it this way: his service to the community, to equal the amount of harm he did, was to build this entire town and set up defenses," he explains. "And I'm acting as his warden, since I got the worst of it and know best how to deal with him."

They nod “I’m not sure what exactly he did but building a whole town seems like a pretty good punishment, well, if someone doesn’t enjoy building that is. I know the Empires folk build entire empires out of boredom, and thats not mentioning the Hermits.” They look over to Rainbow “I just realized that I don’t know how much you know about players. Is there anything you’d like to know about my kind?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waits for them to finish talking, nodding along in confusion before he can ask "Maybe start with the whole "Dream SMP", "Hermits", "Empires" thing you mentioned. What are those?"

“I’m pretty sure you already know of the whole world hopper thing so I’ll get straight to explaining. The Dream SMP, Empires, and Hermitcraft are all different factions of players spread across worlds. The Dream SMP is a lore based world, lore means story, where they basically just act out whatever they want, typically tragedy. Empires is a mix of building and lore where a bunch of players act out being rulers despite not having anyone to rule. And Hermitcraft is primarily building, it’s well known for the members building giant bases for themselves.” They think for a moment. “Thats all the basics, if you have anymore questions feel free to ask!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's tail swishes back and forth. "That sounds really cool! Were you or Lucas ever a part of something like that, Sabre?" he asks as he turns to him.

"Ehh, kinda?" Sabre answers slowly. "I did some roleplay as a kid, but nothing as sincere-- or I guess unscripted-- as an SMP."

"And what does "SMP" mean exactly?" Rainbow adds.

"Survival Multiplayer. It's when a Player makes a world for other people to join. A Survival world is a world with... let's call it the "default settings", where you can die, but you come back like almost nothing happened."

They nod along. “Pretty sure I saw some of your stuff when I was younger. You were acting the character of an assassin, correct?” They tilt their head to the side, curious.

welcometoarkion

Sabre cringes a bit. "Ohh, didn't know you saw that." He manages to laugh. "Yeah, that was me... Me and a stunt double."

"You played an assassin?" Rainbow frowns playfully. "You never tell me anything."

"Huh..." Sabre leans back as he thinks. "I guess I don't."

They laugh a bit before turning to Rainbow. “Wanna see what he looked like back then?” They grin.

welcometoarkion

"No he doesn't!" Sabre makes an "X" with his arms.

Rainbow nods vigorously, simultaneously answering with "Yes I do!" when Sabre speaks.

They cackle before focusing on changing their skin to match Sabres assassin one. “Tada!” They do sparkle hands, now a carbon copy of what Sabre used to look like.

welcometoarkion

While Sabre covers his face in shame, Rainbow gasps in amazement as Bloom's body glitches out of existence for half a second and reappears as Sabre in his assassin skin. Then once the shock of seeing a Player transform before his eyes wears off, his attention is brought to the skin itself. "Woah, Sabre, you looked so cool!"

Sabre tries to laugh away the embarrassment. "Yeah... So cool."

They’re looking at Rainbow, fondness clear in their eyes. “Anything else you wanna see?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow taps his chin, humming. "Can I see a cat?"

They nod before changing into the skin of one Stampy cat.

welcometoarkion

Both of them lean back in surprise. Rainbow does so due to how alien an anthropomorphic cat looks, and Sabre because he recognizes the skin.

Rainbow claps in amusement. "How does that work?"

“It’s basically just like having different outfits to change into except it changes everything. Someone creates it and then you can just change into it on command.”

welcometoarkion

"Fascinating." His eyes seem to sparkle. "Works a lot like Faceless, except... hopefully you didn't kill anybody to get those forms."

They shake their head. “No, multiple players can share a skin at the same time aslong as the one who made it shares it.”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, okay." Rainbow nods, then looks over to Sabre. "How come you and Lucas don't change your forms that much?"

"Well, we do have different outfits, but otherwise we're satisfied with what we made for ourselves," Sabre answers.

They shift back to their original appearance. “Most players tend to stick to a single skin unless theres some sort of event.”

welcometoarkion

"That makes sense," Rainbow figures, then tilts his head. "So, how long d'you plan on being here?"

They shrug. “I don’t really have a plan to be honest, just came here because I was curious.”

welcometoarkion

"Well, I hope you're able to learn everything you want." Rainbow beams at them.

"And if you do end up staying long, we've got places for you to stay," Sabre adds.

They smile. “I hope so aswell! And that’d be lovely.”

welcometoarkion

"You mind if we give you a tour?" Sabre asks.

“I’d love a tour!” They seem rather excited.

welcometoarkion

Both Sabre and Rainbow stand up happily. "Alright then. Come on; I know exactly where to start." Sabre motions for them to follow and they turn to the road.

They nod and follow behind.

welcometoarkion

As they lead them down, it's clear Sabre in particular is steering the train away from a small patch of a pale garden on the edge of town. Rainbow briefly glances at it as well before continuing to follow Sabre.

"I think it's best we start at the center of the town," He says, pointing to a large building as it comes into view and "winking" at Rainbow.

"This is my home-slash-headquarters-slash-Sabre's laboratory."

“Laboratory?” They tilt their head.

welcometoarkion

"Lots of the defenses in this town are thanks to science and discovery," Sabre explains.

Rainbow's paws rest on his hips. "He likes to experiment. Results may vary, but so far, it's been helpful."

They nod in understanding. “Do you test redstone or other stuff? I don’t know much about redstone but I know its good for traps.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre gives a sort of half-nod. "Yeah, there's some redstone, but we also use magic from the various power crystals here."

"Each crystal replicates a different race's abilities," Rainbow starts. "But there's a sixth one called a Star crystal that we haven't quite gotten our paws on yet. It's supposed to belong to these beings called the Starborn."

They ponder for a moment, seeming to remember something. “Starborn? Pretty sure us players have a subspecies called that.”

welcometoarkion

"Woah, really?" Rainbow's head tilts, then he taps his chin. "Much to consider..."

"Wow. Not even I knew that," Sabre mumbles.

“Pretty sure Smajor is a hybrid of one, although I’m not completely sure.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre hums. "Not sure I know that name, but that would mean that... Arkion's been available to other worlds before now."

"Well, they do say the Stars traveled sometimes. Maybe one visited Crest a long time ago," Rainbow figures.

They nod “It’s certainly possible.”

welcometoarkion

"We'll have to put a pin in that." Rainbow makes his way inside. "For now, let's check out the lab, huh?"

"Oh, we're showing them the inside--? O-okay." Sabre follows, though he seems apprehensive.

Noticing his apprehension, they speak. “I don’t need to see the inside if you don’t want me to. I know some people value their privacy.”

welcometoarkion

"No, no. It's fine." Sabre waves his hand. "Just be careful what you touch." He continues inside, down the stairs into the basement.

welcometoarkion

@latileaf pt. 10

"They weren't sure what else to do." Kara shrugged sadly. "Penn was nice enough not to put me on duty immediately. Technically, I'm just a trainee, just... one who's already hibernated."

"Oh, I can't imagine what that was like," Rainbow tells her.

Kara laughs a little. "You feel bad for me? Fifty years is nothing compared to two hundred."

"Well, why not? You weren't prepared for it. It's a scary thing to happen to anyone."

Yeah...I'd be terrified if that happened to me. And you're really nice...

*Lati mumbles,glancing away*

Stupid elders and their stupid spells and their stupid lack of safeguards-

welcometoarkion

Kara snickers. "Tell me about it." Then she whispers. "She's so cute when she grumbles."

"Right?" Hypno whispers back.

You should sue them >:/

*She pauses for a moment before her tail starts wagging and she blushes,blinking at them. She didn't completely hear that,but she heard "she's cute" and hypno agreeing with that,so this is basically a very good day for Lati*

welcometoarkion

"Oh no." Rainbow notices her blush and sighs. Light rolls his eyes and laughs.

Kara tilts her head at Lati as her face reddens. Hypno leans down to whisper what is probably an explanation, making Kara laugh. "Oh, that's really cute actually," she giggles

*This only makes Lati blush more,as her wings start fluttering as well*

Ah-I-um-thank you! You're very cute too!- wait---

welcometoarkion

Kara covers her mouth before she can laugh, recollecting herself. "Appreciate it!" she snickers.

"Two Arkisen in such a short time being here have called you cute so far," Rainbow mentions. "You're better at this than me, Lati."

*She giggles,hiding her face in her hands for a moment before peeking out at Rainbow*

I think you're cute too,Rainbow :>

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waves her away shyly. "Aw, stop!" he giggles. "You know what? I also think you're cute! Maybe in, like, a tiny angry dog way, but cute nonetheless."

:D yayyyy I'm a purse dog!

*She seems happy enough with this*

We can all be cute together <3

welcometoarkion

Hypno huffs. "Alright then..."

Light finally looks down at his bedside and grabs the tea. "So, Kara, what did you put in this?" he asks.

"Well, I remembered Lati mentioning something about Stardust infusions, so, until we could get you something permanent, I thought I could crush some into your tea as a temporary treatment for the Shadow Stone."

"Oh..." Light looks into it, noticing the slight shimmer in the surface of the liquid. "Thank you."

"I also put honey and glow berry juice in," Kara adds.

*She innocently blinks up at Hypno,tail wagging teasingly before looking back at Kara*

Oh,that's good thinking! Yeah,that should help hold it off until we can get the actual stuff done. Also probably tasty. I feel like it could taste good........

*...and she's now zoned out thinking about eating Stardust. Great work Lati.*

welcometoarkion

Light takes a sip to test it, then hums contentedly. "Mmm. It's almost... fizzy?"

"You know what? I thought that, too, when I drank that potion," Hypno mentions.

Like a sparkly soda... ✨v✨

welcometoarkion

Light tentatively nods to Lati. "Yeah, but... actually good this time."

Rainbow slowly turns to him in surprise, then quickly back. "...I'm gonna ignore that for my sanity's sake."

"No, I agree with him." Hypno shrugs. "They're really not that good most of the time."

Head in his paws, Rainbow cries "Hypno, I loved you..."

*Lati gasps in mock betrayal*

Well,that's the end of this partnership. I guess I have no choice but to join Lucas and Sabre! Come along Rainbow we'll start a new life together with people that appreciate beverages

welcometoarkion

"I always knew it would end like this," Hypno sighs. "Over something really stupid. Could you really leave me for those... those monsters?" He pouts, sniffling and pretending to fight back tears.

Rainbow turns away with his arms crossed, snickering. "I don't know. Maybe if they like soda."

Light watches on in amusement. "Such thrilling performances," he says dryly. "I should spark arguments more often."

*Lati giggles quietly,tail swishing*

I think you should! It's a fun past time :]

See,the issue is,knowing how they've failed us in the past,I can only expect them to fail here too. They'll say they only drink straight battery acid or something. And it WOULD explain a lot,but still,we are without a team.

*She flops over dramatically,arm thrown across her face*

welcometoarkion

"Well, in that case..." Hypno extends his arms out to Lati and Rainbow. "Better the evil you know, right?"

Rainbow rolls his eyes and trudges into Hypno's arms. "You're so toxic."

Hypno peppers kisses across Rainbow's face. "You know you can't resist me."

*Lati promptly stops her flop of despair to join Rainbow in Hypno's arms*

Yayyyyyy ^^

True,you are rather irresistible...

welcometoarkion

"Glad you think so." Hypno boops her nose before letting the two of them go.

Rainbow pulls back to talk to Kara, "So... how long does Light have to stay here?"

"Shouldn't be more than a night," she guesses. "He's all healed up physically, we just need to give him a power boost, which shouldn't take long."

Oh,good! Not too bad,then.

*She sighs*

I'm.....s-seriously,thank you all for healing him. You are by FAR the most tolerable elders we've come across.

welcometoarkion

Kara bows. "Thank you. I take pride in that."

"Hopefully, you and your council will be rewarded for this," Light adds. "You've... You've been awfully kind to us, Kara."

"Anything for the good of Arkion." She gives Light a smile. "And for my friends."

*Lati beams at her*

Y'know,if you ever get sick of being an elder,we'd be more than happy to have you with us. We're sort of a group of strange creatures that specialize in pissing off authority figures. You'd fit in great!

welcometoarkion

She laughs and lifts herself up from her chair. "I'll see if I have the time. Now, I'll let Light get his rest. I'll check up on you in the morning."

Light nods. "Alright then. Thank you again."

"No problem." Kara smiles softly as she closes the door.

:]

She's great,I'd kill a man for her.

*Lati nods,thinking this sufficiently explains her normal feelings about the situation*

...ah,anyways,you probably do need some rest. ......can I just. Stay here? I won't bother you or anything I can curl up on the floor-

welcometoarkion

Light sighs, then gives her a tired smile. "If you want."

"We'll..." Rainbow hesitates, getting closer to the bed. "We'll be in the spare room in the temple. I-if you need anything, you can use Hypno's mind link, and we'll be right over--"

"Rainbow, you don't need to worry about me." Sensing his anxiety, Light tries to calm Rainbow down.

"I-I... I..." Rainbow heaves a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just... I almost lost you, Light, and I've lost a lot of Arkisen in my life, and I'm trying to make sure, if I can help it, that everyone's accounted for." Then he mumbles. "'M sorry if that was too much..."

Light gazes at Rainbow sadly. He rest his paw on top of his and smiles at him. "...I'll tell you if I need anything."

Slowly, Rainbow smiles back. "Okay."

...it'll be alright.

*Lati smiles softly,curling up as she said she would*

He has a guard raccoon now :> and according to Sabre I'm apparently rabid,which is good news for Light's safety,I think. I bite :]

welcometoarkion

"Hmm, okay." Rainbow isn't quite sure how he feels about that, but he's glad Light is being protected.

"Wait." Light turns over to Lati. "You didn't actually bite him, did you?"

Hypno smiles proudly. "Twice!"

Head in his paw, Light sighs, "I'm going to bed," he says, nearly laughing and pulling the blanket over himself.

*Lati purrs very happily. She seems quite proud of this herself! Both of biting,and making Light happy*

Mmkay,goodnight Lighty :] goodnight you two!

*She curls up again,but doesn't go to sleep,instead just watching. She did offer to guard after all.*

welcometoarkion

"Rest up, you two..."

"Sweet dreams."

Hypno and Rainbow leave, closing the door, and Light turns the lamp off. "Goodnight, Lati," he yawns.

Goodnight :>

*She blinks a bit in the darkness. Sleep is now tempting,but she refuses*

welcometoarkion

For hours, there's no interruption to the peace and quiet, until Light begins to stir and breathe heavy in his sleep.

*Lati mumbles sleepily,sitting up and putting her hands on the bed,though not touching him directly*

Light...? Everythin okay...?

welcometoarkion

His breathing picks up between indecipherable murmurs as his nightmare worsens. He turns over and hugs himself, his claws digging into his skin.

*Lati's ears prick up,then go back as she wakes up fully*

Light? Light,no claws!

*She worriedly stands,grabbing both his paws and trying to pull them away from him before he hurts himself in his sleep*

welcometoarkion

When Lati grabs them, Light just grips onto her arms instead. Something like ice forms around her arm, though it's much darker, and smaller icicles threaten to pierce her arm.

Ack-!

*Lati looks down at her arms,concerned*

Ohh boy...Light! Light! I don't wanna get stabbed!

*She shakes his paws a bit*

Wake up!

welcometoarkion

"AHH!" Light springs up in terror, panting, eyes darting around the dark room frantically. He forms an icicle and points it at the closest thing to him, only to see that it's just Lati. "...O-oh. my goodness." He de-materializes the ice and holds his paws to his chest. "Lati, I'm so sorry. I just... I..." He tries to explain himself, but he just can't stop shaking.

*Lati flinches back for a moment before quickly shaking it off*

It's fine,it's fine,don't worry about it,you didn't actually stab me or anything- you're okay,you're safe,it's just the two of us,nothing is going to hurt you.

*She sits down next to him*

...do you want a hug? Or is it better if I just don't touch at all right now?

welcometoarkion

Light doesn't respond right away. He takes a moment to calm his breathing, but just before he can calm down enough to talk, something happens and he freezes up again, gripping his head tight. "N-no..." he whispers, not to Lati, but... to someone else. The light he emits flickers for a second. "No, please..."

Light?

*Her voice is tight with worry.*

Light,what is happening. Talk to me. Do I need to call the others?

welcometoarkion

"Those... voices..." he whimpers. "The shadows, they... They're in my head. They're really in my head." He curls up into a ball and hisses at the sounds. "Mystery, how does Hypno live like this...?"

Ohh,fuck...

Hey,try to focus on me,okay? Try to block it out.

I...I know you're scared. But they can't do anything but talk. They don't matter. You're still here. Deep breaths...

*She very carefully rests her hand on his head for just a moment*

There,see? You feel that,right? I'm here. They aren't. Soon,we'll get you those injections and they'll become nothing but garbage noise. Shh,you're doing good. I know,I know. Just keep breathing,we'll get through this.

welcometoarkion

After breathing deep as instructed, Light brings his head up. His eyes are filled with tears but he tries his best to remain calm. "T-this is gonna be a long night," He struggles to pull himself out of his ball further, forcing out a laugh at his own misery.

Isn't it always?

*Lati sighs,though she does smile a little at his attempts to stay calm*

Okay,let's see...can't stop them yet,so how do we distract from them?

*She chews on her lip,thinking. Her wings twitch*

If only I could attack them...hmm...still,there must be something...

welcometoarkion

"...Suppose our best bet is asking Hypno. He's dealt with this for years hasn't he?" He sits quietly and ponders before asking "Uhm, do you know... how contacting him... works?"

Oh yeah! Yeah I've got it. Hang on...you just gotta concentrate your thoughts really hard,and...

Heyyyy Hypno! Sorry to wake you up- if you were sleeping in the first place- uhh...can you come yell at the shadow stone in Light's head? Or,just...something? It started talking to him and he's really freaked out :(

welcometoarkion

"Hmm... I figured this would happen. Give me a moment."

Hypno goes quiet on Lati's end, but it seems Light is getting a message from him. He jolts up at first, unused to the feeling of being talked to in his mind, but relaxes as he listens.

After a long silence, Light relays the message to Lati. "I have two options, apparently. Either let Hypno put me into a dreamless sleep so that I can't hear the shadows, or have him lure them to his mind to torment him instead... Frankly I don't like either of those ideas."

Ah...

*Lati frowns,fidgeting with the sheet as she thinks*

I don't want him to be tormented,obviously,but he IS more used to it than you...but...mm...

I-I know you really hate having your head messed with,but dreamless sleep might be the better option. That way you can actually sleep...and he isn't being messed with either. But,still,mmm... :(. I mean...i-is there a third option? Maybe I could try to take them. The shadow stone doesn't affect me so maybe the voices would just vanish?

welcometoarkion

"They won't leave either of us for you if you're not infected," Hypno says. "I'm afraid that won't work."

"I don't want you to have to deal with that anyway, Lati." Light shakes his head sympathetically, then sighs. "I... I don't want anyone to deal with it..." He's quiet again as he thinks, then frowns once his decision is made. "If... it lets us all rest well, I'll let you put me to sleep, Hypno."

"You really trust me?"

"Not only do I trust you, but... I care about you," Light admits. "I don't want you to torture yourself for my sake."

Aww...

*Lati's tail wags briefly before she nods*

I'll still stay here with you,just in case :]

I'm proud of you,Light :>

welcometoarkion

"Thank you." Light gives Lati a smile before taking in a breath. He's shaking ever so slightly again, leaning back onto the pillow to brace for the impact. "Alright, Hypno... send me down."

Hypno's approach is gentle for Light's sake. His eyes softly glow before they flutter closed. He stops shaking and his breathing slows down as he is lulled into dreamless, shadowless slumber.

"...Alright, he's down," Hypno tells Lati. "Poor thing. His mind is so loud, even without the Shadow Stone," he laments. "He deserves this rest."

*Lati curls up again,at the foot of his bed this time*

Thank you,Hypno. ...he was so scared,that was awful......I'm really glad he trusts us,though.

welcometoarkion

"I'm glad he trusts us, too." One can hear the smile in his voice. "Now, you get some rest, Lati. I can sense how tired you are as well."

...ah. Didn't realize you could sense that too-

*She hums softly,looking at Light again*

I don't wanna leave him unguarded,though.....

*She yawns*

welcometoarkion

"I can guard him for you. You should sleep" Hypno's voices are so soft when he offers, it's as if they gently held Lati.

*Lati purrs softly at the voices, shutting her eyes*

........okay....g'night,Hypno....

welcometoarkion

"Goodnight, Lati."

--

By the time Lati awakens the next day, Light is already out of bed, looking out the window.

*She stretches like a cat,slowly waking up*

Oh,good morning Light! How are you feeling now?

welcometoarkion

"I'm feeling alright." He turns around and gives her a small smile. "The spell helped a lot, but... I can still faintly hear the shadows whispering now that I'm awake again." He turns back to the window, paws shaking. "...How did you sleep?"

*Lati growls quietly before shaking it off,standing up*

Pretty good! Hypno said he'd keep watch,so I was able to go to sleep. Was gonna stay up the whole night,but,eh,I was really tired actually- did not know he could sense that! That's neat though.

*She yawns again,stretching*

Anywayyy,top on the priority list is getting you those injections! Fun times.

welcometoarkion

Light stiffens at the mention of injections, laughing weakly. "Fun times indeed..." He begins to shake a bit more.

...ah...

*She gives him a worried look,reaching out for a moment and then pulling her hand back*

.......I mean,you could try just drinking the potion instead,if that would be less...scary...?

welcometoarkion

Light shakes his head. "Even the best potion will only last minutes. I know what I have to do and I'm willing to do it. I'm just... nervous," He insists, sighing deeply. "I'm an adult; I can handle a needle."

There's nothing wrong with being nervous...hell, I'M still scared of needles. And I'm probably one of the scariest people you know! :3

I was serious about holding your paw if you want it. Really,I don't mind. But I also know you don't really like touch so- if you want me to just stand there or something? I dunno,,just let me know.

welcometoarkion

"I'll consider it, thanks..."

The door knocks.

Light turns around. "Come in."

Kara, Hypno, and Rainbow appear behind the door. "Morning, Light. How are you feeling."

"I'm..." Light pauses before giving an answer, not wanting to sound negative. "I'll be better soon."

"But what about now?" Kara presses, raising an eyebrow.

Light sighs as he relents. "I'm dealing with some side effects."

I need the shadow stone in physical form so I can harm it. I want to just- strangle it.

*Lati says,deadpan. Surely that explains everything.*

welcometoarkion

"According to our recent research, that may not be impossible to accomplish," Kara mumbles. "But that's not what we're here for. The Star injection is ready for you."

"Ah." Light's claws discreetly grip the windowsill. "That's good news."

Oh good! Good.

*She glances at Light before quickly looking away again,not wanting to draw attention to him*

I'll,um,come with him.

welcometoarkion

Kara nods. "You're all welcome to. Come on. Let's get this over with."

She leads them all back down to the healing room, Light being helped by Rainbow to walk since he's still quite weak.

Penn is filling a syringe with the liquid when they arrive. "Light! Good to see you awake."

"Good morning, sir." Light does all he can to ignore the syringe in his paw, lest he pass out and die right there.

*Lati winces a little at the syringe,casually moving closer to Light*

G-good morning,Penn! :D... :'>

*She truly doesn't like needles either </3*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sits Light down, attempting to quell his discomfort with a quick pat on the back.

"We'll make this quick." Penn takes hold of Light's arm, and Light breathes in deep and shuts his eyes as the needle pierces his skin.

*Despite her obvious discomfort,Lati keeps her eyes on the needle and Light. Just in case*

welcometoarkion

In only a couple seconds, it's all over. The Stardust has been administered, and the shot didn't even hurt.

Not as much as the sensation of it fighting against the Shadow Stode did anyway.

Light shudders and hisses at the pain. Rainbow tries to hold him up.

"Just breathe," Hypno instructs. "The pain will pass soon."

Hopefully quickly.

*Lati whines,unsure of what to do. She ends up just coming over and quietly resting her head on Light's shoulder*

Just breathe,you've got it...

*...stars,was it painful like this for Hypno too? ... :(.*

welcometoarkion

Between the pain and the excess contact, Lioght's hissing turns into a growl as he pulls back from them. "Please... give me some space..."

Rainbow nods and swiftly moves back.

Right,sorry.

*Lati nods as well,moving back.*

welcometoarkion

The pain does eventually settle, and Light peeks down his shirt to see the darkness on his chest has diminished, even if just a little. He sighs in relief. "It's working."

"I would have warned you if I knew it would be so painful." Penn gives Light a shameful frown. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I had a feeling it would," Light admits as he looks back up again, forming an icicle in his paw to see that his magic has lightened again. "Thank you for helping me."

Penn bows. "It's our pleasure."

Oh,thank goodness-

*Lati sighs in relief,finally fully untensing for what seems like the first time since the fight against Corwin.*

Again,thank you both so much. I don't know how we can ever repay you...

welcometoarkion

"No need." Kara shakes her head. "You all have done so much for Arkion. We're the ones repaying you. Besides, you can't protect us if you get hurt."

Light brings his focus to Rainbow and Lati. "I'm sorry for growling at you both."

Rainbow gestures dismissively. "Oh, no, it's fine. I should've remembered not to get so touchy with you," he says, holding his paws shamefully.

True,true,but still!

Ah,yeah,no,that was my bad.

*Lati holds her hands together and bows her head*

I just have to figure out other ways to give comfort,, sorry!

welcometoarkion

Light smiles a little. "It's nice that you're even trying."

Rainbow gives a slightly confused laugh. "Well, yeah, if it makes you uncomfortable, of course we'll stop."

"I-I know, I know, but it..." Light sighs. "It feels weird to have this part of me met with consideration... even if you did forget. No one's even apologized like you two have."

"Oh." Rainbow straightens slowly and his eye twitches. "I see." His tone is chillingly level as he glares at Light, though not in anger towards him.

...well. I guess I have more people to beat up,then.

*Lati looks equally pissed off*

First of all how dare they,second of all w h o m s t -Third of all we love you of course we want you to be comfortable. Do you have any idea how happy it makes me to be around you. I was fully willing to bite shadow stone for you. Frankly I still am.

welcometoarkion

Her rant makes Light giggle. "I wouldn't bother chasing them down. I don't want to think about them much anyway." He stands up from the chair and bows to Penn and Kara. "Speaking of not thinking of them, we should be off. I need to distract myself with a treat of some kind."

They both bow back. "Please take care, all of you." Penn asks. "We will do our best to protect Arkion if something ever happened to you, but it would be a much darker place without you."

"Thank you Penn. Thank you Kara." Rainbow bows as well. "We hope your meetings with the other Elders go smoothly."

*She still looks pissed off,but her tail does wag a little when Light laughs*

Ah yes,we all deserve a little treat!

*She nods,doing a small curtsy towards the elders*

Seriously,you're both incredible. Don't ever try to be like the other elders. Please. :3

welcometoarkion

"We won't," Kara assures. "I'll make sure of it."

The group steps through the door to leave, and are greeted by cheering. Thousands of Arkisen crowd the temple to celebrate the heroes for defeating the King.

"Oh, goodness." Light puts on a weak smile for the crowd, and Rainbow and Hypno hold onto Lati to comfort her before she freaks out.

!!!

O-oh!!

*Lati is indeed mildly freaked out (that is SO MANY PEOPLE,DEAR LORD) but she does do her best to smile*

U-um!- thank you,everyone-!

welcometoarkion

Light leads the group through the crowd, taking the responsibility of answering their many questions. There's a bit of a judgemental remark about Light taking in the Shadow Stone, but Rainbow and Hypno shoo that guy away, allowing them a mostly peaceful path to the cafe and bakery.

*Lati does snap her teeth at the guy,but she ends up just leaving them alone to not cause a scene. She does promptly rush inside the bakery to safety though*

Too many people- ...it was nice that they all came to thank us,though... :]

welcometoarkion

Light sighs in relief and takes a seat at one of the tables. "Hopefully, we'll have some peace here."

Just as he says it, the shopkeeper walks into the front. "Well I'll be damned! The heroes have come to my humble cafe!"

Light can only whine at the irony, though he keeps his smile. "You got any glowberry muffins, mage?"

*Lati simply faceplants on the table,raising a weak thumbs up.*

Nice to meet you...

welcometoarkion

"Sure thing, sir!" they chirp. "On the house, of course."

"Thank you," Light's smile becomes genuine at their offer, but he frowns curiously when Hypno sits down next to him.

"How's your head feeling?" he asks quietly.

Light sighs. "Better. I can still hear... something, but it's much quieter."

Hypno nods, leaning back. "You'll get used to that."

Good,good. I'm glad it isn't still fully there.

*She sighs,raising her head slightly to look at them*

There's literally no reason for shadow stone to do all that. Simply no reason. :/ it's just being a dick at that point.

Also,Hypno,why didn't you mention it hurt that much?? We could've.........well,I don't know,but I would have let you bite down on my arm or something. Or. Gotten you a stick for that,I don't know,but still.

welcometoarkion

"You should know my pain tolerance is much higher that Light's." Hypno raises an eyebrow at Lati, then turns away after a moment. "Though, I suppose I could have warned him about how bad it was going to be. I apologize for that, Light."

Light shrugs. "It's alright. It's in the past anyway."

Well I do know it's higher,but that doesn't mean I want you in pain...

...yeah,I guess it's over with anyway...

*After a moment of silence,she blinks,eyes widening*

...it's actually over,isn't it? Light defeated the nightmare king. It's...it's actually over. We won against Corwin. Holy shit.

welcometoarkion

Light hums. "Well, we still have the Prince--"

"--And Cynn."

"--but what are they without their leader?"

"That's the thing," Hypno starts. "Corwin hasn't truly been their leader for years. They obey the Shadow Stone."

"Honestly, now that Corwin's out of the picture, Micah's probably gonna up his game," Rainbow assumes.

And even if they don't,Micah at least is easy to beat. Maybe we can just trap his child(? Creature? Thing?) somewhere filled with stardust so it can't do anything and be done with them both.

welcometoarkion

Simultaneously, Hypno and Light get an odd feeling, like a chill up their spines. They look at each other in understanding.

"Whatever we plan, we keep it in here." Hypno whispers as he points to his head. "As long as we're infected, Cynn can hear us."

...understood.

*Lati growls softly,eyes flicking around the area*

I'm still down for crushing it.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, absolutely."

Light thanks the shopkeeper when he receives his muffin, as well as a complimentary tea, then goes back to frowning as he contemplates. "Hopefully, what I've done will be enough to get that Star to reconsider eradicating us."

Oh,gosh,I nearly forgot,so much has happened...yeah,maybe he'll just give up?

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs. "That's the hope." He turns to see Hypno frowning. He tilts his head at him, and Hypno looks his way.

"What?"

"Something's upsetting you."

Hypno huffs. "I can't get a read on those Starborn. When Chrona came here, I'll admit I did read their mind... or, I tried to. They're too powerful for me to even search through. It... made me nervous, I suppose."

Really? Too powerful for even you...?

*She looks a little more worried*

Hm......don't like that.

welcometoarkion

"It made me... very aware just how much I use my power as a replacement for..." Hypno struggles to find the words. "Normal connection."

"You don't ask many questions," Rainbow admits. "This'll be a good exercise for you."

Mm...

*She lowers her head back down to the table,blinking at him*

...I thought you were doing good...

welcometoarkion

Hypno simply laughs softly and pats Lati's head, because he doesn't agree, but appreciates the support. "At least I got to talk to you like a normal person, Rainbow, before everything happened."

Rainbow smiles. "See? If you tap into that, it won't be so hard."

*Lati shuts her eyes,purring softly. Her tail thumps against her seat and she briefly winces. ...it's actually getting sore from wagging this much. ... she'll have to heal that later- for now she just puts a hand on it.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs some more. "Too much wagging, huh, Lati?" he teases quietly.

"She does wag a lot more than us, now that I think about it," Light mentions.

A-ah....///////

*She sinks down in her seat, embarrassed*

I wag a normal amount,,,

welcometoarkion

"Sure." Hypno smirks and runs his paw through her hair. "You purr a normal amount, too."

"Okay, now you're just being mean," Rainbow snickers.

*Her purring gets slightly louder,which only makes her blush more*

U-unfair,,

welcometoarkion

"I don't know... It seems like you like it." He pulls his paw away. "I can stop if you want me to."

Noooo...

*She promptly pulls his paw back onto her head. Perfect.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno continues with a giggle, scratching behind her ears. "That's what I thought~" Then he stops again when he feels a paw on the back of his head. He turns around and sees that Rainbow has started petting him. "What?"

"You were getting too snarky," he says, smiling when he sees Hypno relax a little. "You needed to get knocked down a peg."

Hypno struggles to appear unfazed. He continues petting Lati, barely stifling a purr.

^w^ yayyyyy...

*Lati just seems perfectly happy with all of this,nearly melting into her seat*

welcometoarkion

"Alright, this is cute, but I have to let up." Hypno pulls away again, intending to stay that way. "If I keep going, Rainbow keeps going, and I'm not willing to purr in public."

Rainbow pouts. "But you're so cute when you purr."

Hypno pats Rainbow's head sympathetically. "Save it for the cabin."

Aww,fine...

*She sighs sadly,but does leave him be*

You are cute when you purr,hehehehe...but I do get not wanting to do it in public- the public...is a little scary.

welcometoarkion

"Isn't that the truth..." Light stretches and stands. "In that case, I wouldn't mind going now. I'm still a bit tired after all."

"Yeah, you get your rest, Light." Rainbow agrees. "I'll be showing Lati the most optimal way to pet Hypno."

:0 REALLY?!

*... she is far too excited by this*

Hehehehehehe- yeah,yeah,you very much deserve rest! Hehrhehehegehegegegeghghhh-

welcometoarkion

Hypno rolls his eyes and just. Scoops Lati up like a cat and follows the other two out the cafe, dodging the crowd and flying off to their cabin.

Oh okay :D yay <3

*She seems content with this*

welcometoarkion

Once back at home base, Light goes inside, presumably to nap, while Rainbow and Hypno go to the backyard to sit by the lake.

*Lati goes to sit with them,not entirely sure Rainbow was serious about the petting thing,but wanting to hang out with them regardless. She sighs softly,relaxing more now that they're fully away from the crowds*

welcometoarkion

They both just take a moment to enjoy the peace. Rainbow's tail grazes against Hypno's before he leans on him, one arm around his shoulder. He steals a few scritches under his chin before Hypno growls playfully.

"Knew it..."

"And yet, you did nothing to stop me." Without objection, Rainbow continues.

*She giggles quietly at them,softly purring despite her best attempts not to. Oh well.

She flutters her wings a bit before pulling them close to herself. She hasn't preened this entire time,should probably get on that soon. Messy feathers do not feel good*

welcometoarkion

Despite being occupied by the pets, Hypno does recognize Lati's discomfort with her wings. "What seems to be the problem?" he asks despite having an idea.

Hm-? Oh- ahh...

*Her wings twitch as she holds them*

We've kinda been busy most of the time...I haven't really had time to take care of my wings like I should. I'm,,not very experienced with them when I DO have time,anyway. I gotta at least try though. It's uncomfortable when the feathers get all messy,,

*Lati sighs,looking them over. They aren't awful,but they're definitely not as good as they should be...*

welcometoarkion

Hypno and Rainbow both look over at her wings, then at each other.

Hesitantly, Rainbow asks "Is it alright if we help you?"

"We have the time now, after all." Hypno adds.

*Lati squeaks,blinking at them*

O^O! ... ✨^✨

I mean,sure,if you want too!!

welcometoarkion

"Alright then. Let's get to work." Hypno smiles and he and Rainbow both scoot closer.

"So, how does this work?" Rainbow asks as he puts a gentle paw on the end of Lati's wing.

Uhh,you know about as much as me,I guess! Just,uhh...straighten any messy feathers,and pull out the loose ones. Gently,,

welcometoarkion

They both nod and carefully start the process. Rainbow has to stop when he really gets his paws into the feathers. "They're so soft..." he whispers, then continues.

*She does her best not to start purring and wagging her tail from that,but of course,it happens anyway. She murmurs a quick Heal command to fix her tail up before smiling*

Thank you!! Hehe,they are! :3

welcometoarkion

They mostly work in silence, enjoying the simple repetition of the task in the sunlight, accompanied by the sound of Lati's purring and the water rippling in front of them.

Hypno gets finished with his designated wing quicker, not being as distracted by their softness as Rainbow, so he pivots to rubbing her back and shoulders.

*Lati basically melts against him,fully relaxed and very happy*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs softly as she relaxes. "There you go."

Rainbow dusts the loose feathers off his lap once he's finished. "How'sit feel now?" he asks, still running his paws through the wings to feel their softness.

Really really nice...much better ^^

welcometoarkion

"Great! I'm glad we could help."

"We should do this more often," Hypno muses quietly, not noticing the slight purr that escapes as he continues essentially making biscuits on Lati's shoulders.

Rainbow laughs. "Yeah. It seems to put you in a good mood, too."

I'm definitely not opposed to it,hah!

^^ yayyyy...you really are cute when you purr...

welcometoarkion

Hypno freezes when he realizes what he's doing. He clears his throat, looking away as Rainbow laughs.

"Nooo, keep going. It's cute." He reaches to pet Hypno, scratching under his chin. "C'mon~. Give me a purr."

Hypno grumbles, relenting with a growl that transforms into a purr, swishing his tail in barely repressed happiness.

*Lati snickers,watching them*

So fierce...

welcometoarkion

Hypno grumbles again, and Rainbow pulls back to give Lati room by Hypno's face. "Here. Give it a go. Right under his chin."

Hypno just rolls his eyes, but doesn't seem to object.

puttheroleplayherelati

Oh you were serious about the petting thing! Oh okay :D!

*She starts scratching under his chin like one would a cat*

welcometoarkion

His purr intensifies echoing throughout the forest. He shakes his head to keep himself from getting too comfortable. He was teasing about being so out of control of his Star-infused powers, but he fears he may actually lose his grip if he relaxes too much.

Rainbow leans forward and kisses Hypno's forehead to get his tail to wag. "Honestly, you don't get enough affection," Rainbow says softly. "You're always so sweet with me. I should return the favor more often."

:>!!!

*She giggles,vastly enjoying this*

Pretty boyyy...

welcometoarkion

Hypno whines at the compliment. Lati can't see it because of the fur, but he's blushing hard. His face is getting warmer. "...You're pushing it," he complains through squished cheeks.

"Aw, is someone getting grumpy?" Rainbow nuzzles Hypno's nose, which causes him to laugh a little.

He sighs fondly. "You're such a pain."

puttheroleplayherelati

We aren't exactly WRONG,though. Maybe you just need more compliments...

*She giggles mischievously,tail wagging*

welcometoarkion

"Suppose they're still a foreign concept to me. I've not known you two long enough to be used to it."

"Then we'll give it in small doses--" Rainbow suggests, giving Hypno another kiss. "--handsome."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ehhhh...fine,I'm feeling merciful. Small doses.

*She giggles,patting his head*

You are a very pretty boy though,I wasn't wrong :3

welcometoarkion

He laughs a little. "No one thinks I'm "pretty" unless I've hypnotized them... And, even then, they're just talking about my magic." He tilts his head at the two of them. Despite being confused, he still takes the time to tease them about it. "What makes you think I'm so attractive, hm?"

Rainbow laughs as well when Hypno teases him, then shrugs at the question. "I don't know. I guess, the more I like a person, the kinder they are to me... the more I see them in a different light. Physically, you're my type, but... when you hated me, I hated looking at you. Then we reconciled and... then I couldn't take my eyes off you." He slowly gets more shy as he goes on, but Hypno just stares at him, surprised.

puttheroleplayherelati

*She smiles softly at Rainbow before nodding*

Yeah,I mean...I'm more attracted to personality than anything else,I guess. You do look beautiful,but I feel like no matter what form you were in...I probably would've thought you were gorgeous anyway...

welcometoarkion

"Huh..." Hypno's eyes trail downward in thought. His face doesn't change, but his tail betrays his happiness. "You think I'm kind?"

"I know you're kind." Rainbow gives him another kiss on the cheek.

puttheroleplayherelati

Hypno,you're wonderful.

*She nuzzles against him,purring*

welcometoarkion

Hypno nuzzles her back, then kisses Rainbow, holding the both of them close. "...Thank you." He's not sure he gets it fully, but he can at least show his appreciation.

"It's what you do for the people you love..." Rainbow melts into him and closes his eyes.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mhm...

*Lati folds her wings around both of them before shutting her eyes. Cozy <3*

welcometoarkion

"I'm sure I'll wrap my head around it someday. I always do..." He looks off into the distance while the two of them snuggle him. "...I guess I like the idea of you grovelling all the time--" he laughs. "--but I wish I knew how to properly appreciate it... Without being so villainous about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

I'm sure you'll get it eventually :]

I mean I don't think it's villainous necessarily- it's not like you want total strangers doing it,so maybe you just like the power dynamiccc......you know what,Iiii probably shouldn't guess about your preferences,I already bullied Light for the chain thing---

welcometoarkion

Hypno smirks at Lati's choice of words, prepared to tease her, but his face drops when she mentions Light. "...Pardon?"

Rainbow also turns to look at her with a confused expression. "Yeah, wait. What was that about a chain?"

puttheroleplayherelati

Huh- oh. Uh.

*Damn her and her stupid mouth*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

*Now. How to say this while being respectful to Light. The hero who nearly just died fighting Corwin.*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh soooo....in the nether while we were trying to bargain with Suri and Donna,they kinda put me and Light on leash chains for a little while. So. I just sort of started walking away and confused them but Light um- stayed? Kept- kept the chain on. Anddd didn't like,demand for her to take it off or anything? So I was teasing him about it the other day and we came to the conclusion that he likes chains. So. ...thus concludes the educational section of today.

*She nods,very very awkwardly and feeling a little bad for even telling them. Light isn't even here to defend himself </3*

Do not tell him I told you. I do not think I was supposed to tell-

welcometoarkion

After they spend a good five seconds staring in disbelief, they nod.

"That's... really interesting." Hypno scratches his chin as Rainbow makes a "my lips are sealed" motion with his paw.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mmhmm. Really. Really interesting. To him most of all I think.

*Lati nods again*

I think. I should start concealing some information again.

welcometoarkion

"I can understand it." Hypno shrugs. "Light doesn't like being cuddly or romantic. I suppose a chain is the opposite of that."

Rainbow's eyes widen as he realizes. "Light doesn't like being romantic? Oh, that makes so much sense."

Hypno blinks. "Oh, I guess you missed that. He mentioned it while you were out at the shop." He sighs. "Poor thing. He's been given a lot of grief about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

Hm,I guess it does make sense when you put it like that!

Ah,yeah...he sort of seemed in disbelief that we just accepted it. ...that really ticks me off...how the hell have people treated him that he didn't even believe we'd accept it? As if there's anything wrong with it...

welcometoarkion

"Some Arkisen can be very entitled," Hypno starts, "And reciprocation of feelings is valued quite high. There's a belief some hold about a love story that unfolded between our gods, but... even if it were true, it doesn't mean we have to do what they did."

Rainbow chimes in. "I heard that story; I think it's cute..." Then he frowns. "It's a shame that's how it's being used, though."

puttheroleplayherelati

:[

*She cringes a little at some love story between their gods (someone please save Alex. She doesn't trust that guy-) but then just sighs*

That's irritating...why can't everyone just shut up and leave people alone...

welcometoarkion

"I ponder that question every day..." Hypno sighs.

Rainbow looks behind him at the cabin. "I hope we're being good friends to Light."

Hypno pats him reassuringly. "Rainbow, you're never a bad friend."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah,you've been nothing but wonderful!

*Her ear twitches*

...honestly...not to be cocky or anything,but I'm pretty sure we're the best thing that's ever happened to him. Which makes me both happy and sad,,

welcometoarkion

"He deserves more than just us..." Rainbow freezes as he realizes the implications of his statement. "Not to say we aren't good enough for him, but it seems everyone else is bent on giving him a hard time."

There's a pause before Hypno says "I don't think you have any idea how much your friendship means to him. Of course, it would be best if everyone accepted him, but you've undone a decent amount of self doubt in him that the Elders gave him when they would compare him to you."

Rainbow freezes again at those last few words. He looks Hypno dead in the eyes. "...They...?" When Hypno nods, Rainbow slowly turns away, whispering. "Remind me of that when we get back to the island. I have some choice words for their Elders."

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati growls softly,looking away*

I want to strangle them-

*Well,the hopes of her being more diplomatic have gone out the window*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs, almost growls. "You know what? I do, too."

His response gets a soft laugh out of Hypno. "Is that so?"

"I don't play around when it comes to my friends, you know that."

Hypno nodes sagely. "All too well..."

puttheroleplayherelati

... :). I like it when you're scary!

*She still sounds incredibly ominous,but she does mean it*

They deserve "a talk" for all they've done.

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs again. "If you want scary, you should have seen him two hundred years ago."

"He's right. I spent a lot of time fighting then." Rainbow's laugh is a bit darker. "There was a time Hypno brought out a... very different side of me."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ah,I see...

*Lati nods. Hypno is a very lucky arkis,she thinks. Getting to see Rainbow be terrifying AND sweet is a luxury few can afford*

welcometoarkion

"It's not, um..." Rainbow laughs shyly. "We don't have to dwell on that, though." He stands up and brushes himself off, which makes Hypno frown slightly. "Anyway, I'm actually kinda hungry. I haven't eaten anything filling since breakfast yesterday."

Hypno hums thoughtfully, then stands up with him. "You're right. I can make you some soup."

Rainbow smiles. "Aw, you'd do that?"

"Of course."

puttheroleplayherelati

...wife material...

*Okay yep that is an inside thought. Thankfully she said that pretty quietly. Hypno would look very cute in a pink flowery apron,though*

I'll,ah...go check on Light. Make sure he's actually sleeping and resting and everything- just in case.

welcometoarkion

Hypno manages not to look down at Lati when she whispers. He is keeping that in mind though.

Rainbow nods. "Good call. The boost can only do so much if he's wearing himself out."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah...enjoy your soup!

*And he does have a tendency to wear himself out. She heads inside and starts looking*

welcometoarkion

Light is in his room, but he's not exactly resting. Instead, he's sitting at the vanity, examining the shadow marks on his face that didn't quite fade.

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati clears her throat,trying not to surprise him*

Hiya! Just came to check on you- ...um,can't sleep?

welcometoarkion

Light looks up from the mirror. He glances at Lati before tuning away, ashamed that she found him looking at his reflection. "Um... afraid not."

puttheroleplayherelati

Well you should still be taking it easy...no worries though! I think Hypno's making soup in a bit if you're hungry.

*She looks at the mirror with a pensive expression before clearing her throat again*

.......I'm sure most of the marks will fade eventually. And the ones that don't- I-I wasn't lying to make you feel better or anything,I really do think they look cool...

welcometoarkion

Light's tail swishes at the mention of soup, then he nods slightly at the reassurance. "Yeah, I... I-I know. Thank you. It'll just, uh, take some getting used to, that's all." He turns to the mirror again, staring at the spots before sighing. "I understand I sound like a broken record at this point, but... The Elders take corruption very seriously... In the sense that they condemn anyone who has it, that is. They've gotten in my head." He chuckles sadly. "Maybe more than Cynn has."

puttheroleplayherelati

And I know I sound like a broken record when I say I want to maul everything that makes you feel like you aren't good enough. And Cynn is going in the orphan crusher. ...that's not a thing yet but it will be.

*She sighs softly*

I wish you could believe us when we say they don't matter. Cause really,they don't. What you did was...terrifying and reckless and made me cry several times BUT! ...it was the most amazing and heroic thing I've ever seen too. And no one should have anything negative to say about a side effect of you doing that.

welcometoarkion

"Ignoring the fact that Cynn isn't an orphan... yet, and that it's intangible, I always appreciate your tenacity." He gives her a small smile. "You're a good friend. I can only hope that one day I can properly internalize your positivity."

puttheroleplayherelati

*Lati's tail starts to wag happily*

Hah,I try. ...you're a really good friend too,Light. And I...hope you at least know how much you mean to us :]

welcometoarkion

Light nods. "I'm starting to understand. You all mean a lot to me, too."

puttheroleplayherelati

In that case,I'm glad :>

*She purrs,reaching out for a moment before smacking her hand away with her other one*

No. Bad >:[ no touch.

*She wags her finger at the hand that had reached out before remembering Light is still in the room*

...soup? :D

welcometoarkion

Light sighs and shakes his head fondly at her scolding. "And yet, you're still the strangest being I've ever known," he whispers to himself, getting up to check on lunch.

puttheroleplayherelati

Heyyy,this is my learning process!! >:p

*Her tail continues wagging as she follows him,clearly pleased with herself*

welcometoarkion

As he descends, the air around them gets warmer, more fragrant. "O-oh my!" Light can't help but chuckle at the sight before him. Hypno is at work, preparing the soup and bread, a pink, cutely decorated apron covering his front.

He was in the middle of feeding his sous chef a sample when he heard Light and Lati come down. He turns slowly, and he and Rainbow both freeze for a bit before Hypno freely shrugs and laughs.

"Rainbow made me do it," he admits, or deflects I guess.

Rainbow seems surprised how little Hypno cared in that moment. He smiles sweetly, almost emotional over how soft he looks.

puttheroleplayherelati

*Lati nearly falls over at the mere sight of him. Damn,she was VERY RIGHT at the thought that he would look cute in an apron like that. Her wings flutter briefly as she starts heavily blushing. Of course. ...it's fine,it's fine,the situation is still salvageable,just don't say anything stupid*

...so,are you on the menu too-?

*DAMNIT,LATI!!!!!*

I mean-NO THAT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE AN OUTSIDE THOUGHT- gh- um- fgvfgfdggcc SOUP.

*Great job.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno's tail sways almost flirtatiously as he laughs at Lati. "Dessert isn't until evening," he teases, pouring her a bowl. "For now, hopefully you like lunch." He places it on the table.

"I didn't know you could cook, Hypno." Light takes a seat at the table, patiently awaiting his soup.

Hypno brings it to him. "Well, I know just about every recipe thanks to my magic... But this one is one of the few I was properly taught by my parents."

puttheroleplayherelati

Y-yay...

*She chooses to shut up,just drinking her soup*

welcometoarkion

Light takes a sip and hums in satisfaction. "Your parents taught you well."

"I suppose." Hypno shrugs and sits down with his own bowl. "In this regard, at least."

puttheroleplayherelati

*She seems very content drinking her soup,though her ear does twitch at that last part. In that regard at least? ...she...probably shouldn't pry.

She already knows part of it anyway.*

welcometoarkion

Light winces at the last part as well, and Hypno notices. He laughs to lighten the mood.

"Don't worry; it's nothing serious. We were all just too busy working to bond."

Light seems somewhat relieved, though not entirely "I just hope I didn't bring up anything heavy."

"It's alright," Hypno assures.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mmm...

*Lati nods in acknowledgement,glancing away*

...well they must have been very good cooks :3

welcometoarkion

Hypno nods. "That they were..." He takes a sip and contently sighs. "Though maybe I'm just saying that 'cause they were my parents."

"You oughtta write this recipe down for me, Hypno," Rainbow suggests.

Hypno chuckles. "You say that like you'll ever be apart from me," he says smugly. "I'll always be here to make it for you."

welcometoarkion

The player steps into the portal hub, taking note of the area around them before greeting one of the workers. “Hello! I have a ticket to Arkion that I’d like to use!” They seem both very excited and very nervous as they hold out their ticket to the worker. They’re fidgeting with a pocket watch using their other paw, repeatedly opening and closing it.

The guide takes the ticket and examines it, smiling once they confirm its validity. "Alright! So, where and when would you like to be sent? We've got almost infinite options."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I’d like to head to the Rainbow town, please!” They seem even more excited now, bouncing up and down slightly.

welcometoarkion

"Second time someone's said that..." the guide mumbled. They printed out a similar map to the one they gave another traveler, took out the calling badge, and handed them over to this new guest. "The portal'll get you as close as possible, but in case you get lost, use the map."

foggythefandomgremlin

They look down at it before looking back up and nodding. “Thank you! Not sure if you accept tips but here!” They hand the guide a diamond before stepping through into Arkion, waving as they go out of view.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, thanks!" they call before the traveler enters the portal.

--

It's bright and sunny out wherever they've been placed, and in the distance, there's a stone wall decorated with concrete in many colors, matching the image on the map.

foggythefandomgremlin

They look around briefly before heading towards the wall.

welcometoarkion

Soon, they'll reach the gate, one guarded by what seems to be a human Player. They have "TheLSpike" written above their head, and they eye the stranger curiously as they come forward.

foggythefandomgremlin

They wave at them as they approach, seeming nervous at encountering another player. “Hello! My names Bloom, or Foggy, either one works. I’m visiting since I heard rumors of a new mortal species being found, and I wanted to see for myself. I’m guessing you live here?” The nervousness and excitement is clear in their voice.

welcometoarkion

The Player shrugs, giving Bloom an unsure expression. ""Live" is a strong word, but yes, there's a species here that might be new to you. I'm Lucas," he greets. "I can let you in, but you have to promise you'll be... peaceful with them." His tone is quite a bit more serious now. "I don't know what exactly it is you came to do, but as long as it's not gonna hurt anyone, we're good."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I promise I won’t hurt anyone.” They match his seriousness. “Im merely curious, it’s not often that new species are found, especially not sentient ones.” Their excitement seems to be returning slightly as they talk “Anyways, nice to meet you Lucas!”

welcometoarkion

After a second of consideration, Lucas opens the gate. "If you say so. Nice meeting you, too, Bloom."

The town is twice as colorful as the wall that protects it, both in architecture and in the residents, all sporting fur in techicolor hues. No one seems to care that the gate has opened; they're all too occupied with each other and enjoying the sun.

foggythefandomgremlin

Looking around, they seem to be amazed. Walking down the path they glance between the people of the town.

welcometoarkion

Once Bloom properly enters, the Arkisen seem to finally recognize they're there. The ones who see them are a bit startled; some hide it better than others. Being what is to them a hybrid of one of their own and a fox, it isn't surprising that they're... surprised, to see someone like Bloom.

foggythefandomgremlin

Noticing the looks they sigh before mumbling to themself. “Knew I should’ve used my other skin…” Nevertheless they continue exploring.

welcometoarkion

Not much further off, there's another Player sitting in the park, talking to an Arkis that looks a bit different than the ones they passed by.

foggythefandomgremlin

The other player quickly catches their attention and they begin approaching. “Hello!” They wave as they approach.

welcometoarkion

It takes a minute for the Player to realize that he's looking at another Player and not just a weird looking Arkis. "Woah, dude, are you here from Crest?" he asks, which takes the Arkis beside him off edge.

"There are fox people on Crest?" the Arkis asks his friend.

The Player shrugs. "Sometimes."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Yeah, I’m from Crest. I should probably have used my other skin instead of this one, it seems to be confusing people.” They say sheepishly.

welcometoarkion

The Player waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, I can just tell them where you're from and they'll understand. I'm Sabre, by the way," he greets with his hand out for them to shake, then he gestures with his head to the Arkis beside him. "That's Rainbow."

"Welcome to Rainbow town," Rainbow tells them, then mutters, embarrassed "I-I didn't come up with the name."

foggythefandomgremlin

“If you say so!” They shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, Sabre! I’m Bloom, or Foggy, both names work.” Ending the handshake they offer a paw to Rainbow. “Nice to meet you as well Rainbow!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow happily takes their paw. "So, what brings you to Arkion?" His paw almost seems to glow when he pulls back, and there's a slight crease to his brow despite his smile. Sabre notices this, and rests a hand behind his back.

foggythefandomgremlin

“I heard rumors about a new species being found and wanted to check it out for myself, possibly talk to some of them if the rumor was true! I’m guessing you’re one of them?” They smile at Rainbow, clearly excited.

welcometoarkion

"Sure am." Their excitement endears Rainbow, but there's a part of him that feels a bit nervous. "Anything you want to know?"

foggythefandomgremlin

“Hmm…” they ponder for a brief moment. “Oh! Is there anything I should avoid doing when meeting or talking to your kind? I don’t wanna offend anyone accidentally.”

welcometoarkion

That question takes him off edge. His paw stops glowing, and he seems almost surprised to hear it. Rainbow then laughs a little. "There's a lot I could mention, honestly, but as a general rule, just don't use your abilities on people who haven't asked for it... If you have any, that is," he starts. "I'm sure kindness is a universal concept, and whatever you don't know, always ask."

foggythefandomgremlin

“Got it!” They seem very happy. “I don’t have anything beyond what the average player has and none of those can really be used on people. I’m guessing since you mentioned abilities that you have them?”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, yeah." Rainbow leans forward, paws on the ground to help him balance as he prepares to explain. "There are five races of Arkisen, and they each have their own set of powers. Sometimes, there'll be exceptions, like me and a friend of mine who are hybrids, but there aren't any others in this town." He seems rather excited to tell them this, as his tail is swaying behind him as he speaks.

foggythefandomgremlin

They sit down, clearly interested in what hes saying.

welcometoarkion

Rainbow continues passionately. "There's Hicorus. They're mainly blue, control ice and water and maybe the weather sometimes. Edorans are red and control fire and lava. Montirs are green. They have nature powers and the strongest healing of the five. Navis are yellow, have speed, strength, and electricity. And then Cendales are the purple ones that have force fields, teleportation, telekinesis, and... I feel like they have something else... I don't know." He stops, a little ashamed. "I'll be honest, I'm a recovering amnesiac, and by recovering, I mean I don't really have the memories back; I'm just a fast learner."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Thats fine! Any knowledge is good knowledge.”

welcometoarkion

He seems to perk up at their understanding. "I guess so. A-anyway, as far as hybrids are concerned, my friend was the son of five Elders, the most powerful group of Arkisen, and I assume I was, too. Usually, you'll only have one or two parents, and only end up as one race, but he was a special case. One Elder from each race used their magic to make him, and he ended up with all five sets of powers. Again, I think that's the same with me. I have some vague memories of being around Elders as a kid. I guess I could ask an Elder if they knew my parents..." Rainbow trails of, tapping his chin in thought.

They listen intently before speaking. “Hybrids tend to be really rare, they aren’t possible for most species, it’s interesting you guys can have them.”

welcometoarkion

"It's not common for us, either." Rainbow shakes his head. "The only other ones... They were made with something called Shadow Stone. They can use multiple powers, but it... It corrupts their mind and kinda turns them evil." His tail stops swishing and he cringes a little as he continues. "We actually built this town to protect Arkisen from those guys."

“Ah, so kind of like sculk? I’m not sure if you have that here but I know sometimes players minds can be corrupted by it.” They cringe slightly aswell. “It’s not normally able to infect but it can happen depending on the world.”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's head tilts at the mention of skulk. "No, skulk doesn't do that here." He turns to Sabre. "Does that really happen in your world?"

Sabre shrugs. "There've been rumors."

Rainbow turns back to Bloom. "We only have one corrupting substance in our world, thank the Stars."

“Thats good, well, kinda. It would be better to have none then one in this case, but what can ya do.” They shrug before continuing. “It’s incredibly rare for a world to have something that can corrupt people fully, stuff like that typically is only just severe enough to make you sick. And even then players are typically at least partially immune.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre nods, adding "Well, it hasn't gotten to me yet. Trust me, I've touched the stuff way more times than is safe for an Arkis."

"Really, I don't know what's wrong with him." Rainbow rolls his eyes. "He throws himself at death like he can bounce back from it." He laughs, but Sabre seems to cringe a bit.

They look between Rainbow and Sabre, confused, before something seems to click. They proceed to stare at Sabre, silently questioning him.

welcometoarkion

Sabre notices their stare and nervously clears his throat. "Anyway, that's not something we need to dwell on. I'm fine; there was no harm done..." Then he mutters a near inaudible "...to me," hoping the other Player couldn't hear him.

“To you…?” They heard him. Theres curiosity and a small bit of suspicion in their gaze.

welcometoarkion

"...We don't need to get into it." Sabre repeats his sentiment, which makes Rainbow nudge him in the shoulder.

"You're inviting suspicion, Sabre," he whispers sharply. "Are you gonna be weird, or are you gonna fess up?"

Sabre sighs. "Fine, fine... If you must know, I've been named a criminal in Arkion. I had been sentenced to prison, but Rainbow was kind enough to switch it to community service."

“Ah. Like theft level crimes or the type of stuff that happens on the Dream smp?” They look him up and down. “‘Cause those are two VERY different things”

welcometoarkion

Again, Sabre finds it hard to confess, so Rainbow jumps in this time. "I'll put it this way: his service to the community, to equal the amount of harm he did, was to build this entire town and set up defenses," he explains. "And I'm acting as his warden, since I got the worst of it and know best how to deal with him."

They nod “I’m not sure what exactly he did but building a whole town seems like a pretty good punishment, well, if someone doesn’t enjoy building that is. I know the Empires folk build entire empires out of boredom, and thats not mentioning the Hermits.” They look over to Rainbow “I just realized that I don’t know how much you know about players. Is there anything you’d like to know about my kind?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waits for them to finish talking, nodding along in confusion before he can ask "Maybe start with the whole "Dream SMP", "Hermits", "Empires" thing you mentioned. What are those?"

“I’m pretty sure you already know of the whole world hopper thing so I’ll get straight to explaining. The Dream SMP, Empires, and Hermitcraft are all different factions of players spread across worlds. The Dream SMP is a lore based world, lore means story, where they basically just act out whatever they want, typically tragedy. Empires is a mix of building and lore where a bunch of players act out being rulers despite not having anyone to rule. And Hermitcraft is primarily building, it’s well known for the members building giant bases for themselves.” They think for a moment. “Thats all the basics, if you have anymore questions feel free to ask!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's tail swishes back and forth. "That sounds really cool! Were you or Lucas ever a part of something like that, Sabre?" he asks as he turns to him.

"Ehh, kinda?" Sabre answers slowly. "I did some roleplay as a kid, but nothing as sincere-- or I guess unscripted-- as an SMP."

"And what does "SMP" mean exactly?" Rainbow adds.

"Survival Multiplayer. It's when a Player makes a world for other people to join. A Survival world is a world with... let's call it the "default settings", where you can die, but you come back like almost nothing happened."

They nod along. “Pretty sure I saw some of your stuff when I was younger. You were acting the character of an assassin, correct?” They tilt their head to the side, curious.

welcometoarkion

Sabre cringes a bit. "Ohh, didn't know you saw that." He manages to laugh. "Yeah, that was me... Me and a stunt double."

"You played an assassin?" Rainbow frowns playfully. "You never tell me anything."

"Huh..." Sabre leans back as he thinks. "I guess I don't."

They laugh a bit before turning to Rainbow. “Wanna see what he looked like back then?” They grin.

welcometoarkion

"No he doesn't!" Sabre makes an "X" with his arms.

Rainbow nods vigorously, simultaneously answering with "Yes I do!" when Sabre speaks.

They cackle before focusing on changing their skin to match Sabres assassin one. “Tada!” They do sparkle hands, now a carbon copy of what Sabre used to look like.

welcometoarkion

While Sabre covers his face in shame, Rainbow gasps in amazement as Bloom's body glitches out of existence for half a second and reappears as Sabre in his assassin skin. Then once the shock of seeing a Player transform before his eyes wears off, his attention is brought to the skin itself. "Woah, Sabre, you looked so cool!"

Sabre tries to laugh away the embarrassment. "Yeah... So cool."

They’re looking at Rainbow, fondness clear in their eyes. “Anything else you wanna see?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow taps his chin, humming. "Can I see a cat?"

They nod before changing into the skin of one Stampy cat.

welcometoarkion

Both of them lean back in surprise. Rainbow does so due to how alien an anthropomorphic cat looks, and Sabre because he recognizes the skin.

Rainbow claps in amusement. "How does that work?"

“It’s basically just like having different outfits to change into except it changes everything. Someone creates it and then you can just change into it on command.”

welcometoarkion

"Fascinating." His eyes seem to sparkle. "Works a lot like Faceless, except... hopefully you didn't kill anybody to get those forms."

They shake their head. “No, multiple players can share a skin at the same time aslong as the one who made it shares it.”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, okay." Rainbow nods, then looks over to Sabre. "How come you and Lucas don't change your forms that much?"

"Well, we do have different outfits, but otherwise we're satisfied with what we made for ourselves," Sabre answers.

They shift back to their original appearance. “Most players tend to stick to a single skin unless theres some sort of event.”

welcometoarkion

"That makes sense," Rainbow figures, then tilts his head. "So, how long d'you plan on being here?"

They shrug. “I don’t really have a plan to be honest, just came here because I was curious.”

welcometoarkion

"Well, I hope you're able to learn everything you want." Rainbow beams at them.

"And if you do end up staying long, we've got places for you to stay," Sabre adds.

They smile. “I hope so aswell! And that’d be lovely.”

welcometoarkion

"You mind if we give you a tour?" Sabre asks.

“I’d love a tour!” They seem rather excited.

welcometoarkion

Both Sabre and Rainbow stand up happily. "Alright then. Come on; I know exactly where to start." Sabre motions for them to follow and they turn to the road.

They nod and follow behind.

welcometoarkion

As they lead them down, it's clear Sabre in particular is steering the train away from a small patch of a pale garden on the edge of town. Rainbow briefly glances at it as well before continuing to follow Sabre.

"I think it's best we start at the center of the town," He says, pointing to a large building as it comes into view and "winking" at Rainbow.

"This is my home-slash-headquarters-slash-Sabre's laboratory."

“Laboratory?” They tilt their head.

welcometoarkion

"Lots of the defenses in this town are thanks to science and discovery," Sabre explains.

Rainbow's paws rest on his hips. "He likes to experiment. Results may vary, but so far, it's been helpful."

They nod in understanding. “Do you test redstone or other stuff? I don’t know much about redstone but I know its good for traps.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre gives a sort of half-nod. "Yeah, there's some redstone, but we also use magic from the various power crystals here."

"Each crystal replicates a different race's abilities," Rainbow starts. "But there's a sixth one called a Star crystal that we haven't quite gotten our paws on yet. It's supposed to belong to these beings called the Starborn."

They ponder for a moment, seeming to remember something. “Starborn? Pretty sure us players have a subspecies called that.”

welcometoarkion

"Woah, really?" Rainbow's head tilts, then he taps his chin. "Much to consider..."

"Wow. Not even I knew that," Sabre mumbles.

“Pretty sure Smajor is a hybrid of one, although I’m not completely sure.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre hums. "Not sure I know that name, but that would mean that... Arkion's been available to other worlds before now."

"Well, they do say the Stars traveled sometimes. Maybe one visited Crest a long time ago," Rainbow figures.

They nod “It’s certainly possible.”

welcometoarkion

"We'll have to put a pin in that." Rainbow makes his way inside. "For now, let's check out the lab, huh?"

"Oh, we're showing them the inside--? O-okay." Sabre follows, though he seems apprehensive.

welcometoarkion

@latileaf pt. 10

"They weren't sure what else to do." Kara shrugged sadly. "Penn was nice enough not to put me on duty immediately. Technically, I'm just a trainee, just... one who's already hibernated."

"Oh, I can't imagine what that was like," Rainbow tells her.

Kara laughs a little. "You feel bad for me? Fifty years is nothing compared to two hundred."

"Well, why not? You weren't prepared for it. It's a scary thing to happen to anyone."

Yeah...I'd be terrified if that happened to me. And you're really nice...

*Lati mumbles,glancing away*

Stupid elders and their stupid spells and their stupid lack of safeguards-

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Kara snickers. "Tell me about it." Then she whispers. "She's so cute when she grumbles."

"Right?" Hypno whispers back.

You should sue them >:/

*She pauses for a moment before her tail starts wagging and she blushes,blinking at them. She didn't completely hear that,but she heard "she's cute" and hypno agreeing with that,so this is basically a very good day for Lati*

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"Oh no." Rainbow notices her blush and sighs. Light rolls his eyes and laughs.

Kara tilts her head at Lati as her face reddens. Hypno leans down to whisper what is probably an explanation, making Kara laugh. "Oh, that's really cute actually," she giggles

*This only makes Lati blush more,as her wings start fluttering as well*

Ah-I-um-thank you! You're very cute too!- wait---

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Kara covers her mouth before she can laugh, recollecting herself. "Appreciate it!" she snickers.

"Two Arkisen in such a short time being here have called you cute so far," Rainbow mentions. "You're better at this than me, Lati."

*She giggles,hiding her face in her hands for a moment before peeking out at Rainbow*

I think you're cute too,Rainbow :>

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waves her away shyly. "Aw, stop!" he giggles. "You know what? I also think you're cute! Maybe in, like, a tiny angry dog way, but cute nonetheless."

:D yayyyy I'm a purse dog!

*She seems happy enough with this*

We can all be cute together <3

welcometoarkion

Hypno huffs. "Alright then..."

Light finally looks down at his bedside and grabs the tea. "So, Kara, what did you put in this?" he asks.

"Well, I remembered Lati mentioning something about Stardust infusions, so, until we could get you something permanent, I thought I could crush some into your tea as a temporary treatment for the Shadow Stone."

"Oh..." Light looks into it, noticing the slight shimmer in the surface of the liquid. "Thank you."

"I also put honey and glow berry juice in," Kara adds.

*She innocently blinks up at Hypno,tail wagging teasingly before looking back at Kara*

Oh,that's good thinking! Yeah,that should help hold it off until we can get the actual stuff done. Also probably tasty. I feel like it could taste good........

*...and she's now zoned out thinking about eating Stardust. Great work Lati.*

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Light takes a sip to test it, then hums contentedly. "Mmm. It's almost... fizzy?"

"You know what? I thought that, too, when I drank that potion," Hypno mentions.

Like a sparkly soda... ✨v✨

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Light tentatively nods to Lati. "Yeah, but... actually good this time."

Rainbow slowly turns to him in surprise, then quickly back. "...I'm gonna ignore that for my sanity's sake."

"No, I agree with him." Hypno shrugs. "They're really not that good most of the time."

Head in his paws, Rainbow cries "Hypno, I loved you..."

*Lati gasps in mock betrayal*

Well,that's the end of this partnership. I guess I have no choice but to join Lucas and Sabre! Come along Rainbow we'll start a new life together with people that appreciate beverages

welcometoarkion

"I always knew it would end like this," Hypno sighs. "Over something really stupid. Could you really leave me for those... those monsters?" He pouts, sniffling and pretending to fight back tears.

Rainbow turns away with his arms crossed, snickering. "I don't know. Maybe if they like soda."

Light watches on in amusement. "Such thrilling performances," he says dryly. "I should spark arguments more often."

*Lati giggles quietly,tail swishing*

I think you should! It's a fun past time :]

See,the issue is,knowing how they've failed us in the past,I can only expect them to fail here too. They'll say they only drink straight battery acid or something. And it WOULD explain a lot,but still,we are without a team.

*She flops over dramatically,arm thrown across her face*

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"Well, in that case..." Hypno extends his arms out to Lati and Rainbow. "Better the evil you know, right?"

Rainbow rolls his eyes and trudges into Hypno's arms. "You're so toxic."

Hypno peppers kisses across Rainbow's face. "You know you can't resist me."

*Lati promptly stops her flop of despair to join Rainbow in Hypno's arms*

Yayyyyyy ^^

True,you are rather irresistible...

welcometoarkion

"Glad you think so." Hypno boops her nose before letting the two of them go.

Rainbow pulls back to talk to Kara, "So... how long does Light have to stay here?"

"Shouldn't be more than a night," she guesses. "He's all healed up physically, we just need to give him a power boost, which shouldn't take long."

Oh,good! Not too bad,then.

*She sighs*

I'm.....s-seriously,thank you all for healing him. You are by FAR the most tolerable elders we've come across.

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Kara bows. "Thank you. I take pride in that."

"Hopefully, you and your council will be rewarded for this," Light adds. "You've... You've been awfully kind to us, Kara."

"Anything for the good of Arkion." She gives Light a smile. "And for my friends."

*Lati beams at her*

Y'know,if you ever get sick of being an elder,we'd be more than happy to have you with us. We're sort of a group of strange creatures that specialize in pissing off authority figures. You'd fit in great!

welcometoarkion

She laughs and lifts herself up from her chair. "I'll see if I have the time. Now, I'll let Light get his rest. I'll check up on you in the morning."

Light nods. "Alright then. Thank you again."

"No problem." Kara smiles softly as she closes the door.

:]

She's great,I'd kill a man for her.

*Lati nods,thinking this sufficiently explains her normal feelings about the situation*

...ah,anyways,you probably do need some rest. ......can I just. Stay here? I won't bother you or anything I can curl up on the floor-

welcometoarkion

Light sighs, then gives her a tired smile. "If you want."

"We'll..." Rainbow hesitates, getting closer to the bed. "We'll be in the spare room in the temple. I-if you need anything, you can use Hypno's mind link, and we'll be right over--"

"Rainbow, you don't need to worry about me." Sensing his anxiety, Light tries to calm Rainbow down.

"I-I... I..." Rainbow heaves a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just... I almost lost you, Light, and I've lost a lot of Arkisen in my life, and I'm trying to make sure, if I can help it, that everyone's accounted for." Then he mumbles. "'M sorry if that was too much..."

Light gazes at Rainbow sadly. He rest his paw on top of his and smiles at him. "...I'll tell you if I need anything."

Slowly, Rainbow smiles back. "Okay."

...it'll be alright.

*Lati smiles softly,curling up as she said she would*

He has a guard raccoon now :> and according to Sabre I'm apparently rabid,which is good news for Light's safety,I think. I bite :]

welcometoarkion

"Hmm, okay." Rainbow isn't quite sure how he feels about that, but he's glad Light is being protected.

"Wait." Light turns over to Lati. "You didn't actually bite him, did you?"

Hypno smiles proudly. "Twice!"

Head in his paw, Light sighs, "I'm going to bed," he says, nearly laughing and pulling the blanket over himself.

*Lati purrs very happily. She seems quite proud of this herself! Both of biting,and making Light happy*

Mmkay,goodnight Lighty :] goodnight you two!

*She curls up again,but doesn't go to sleep,instead just watching. She did offer to guard after all.*

welcometoarkion

"Rest up, you two..."

"Sweet dreams."

Hypno and Rainbow leave, closing the door, and Light turns the lamp off. "Goodnight, Lati," he yawns.

Goodnight :>

*She blinks a bit in the darkness. Sleep is now tempting,but she refuses*

welcometoarkion

For hours, there's no interruption to the peace and quiet, until Light begins to stir and breathe heavy in his sleep.

*Lati mumbles sleepily,sitting up and putting her hands on the bed,though not touching him directly*

Light...? Everythin okay...?

welcometoarkion

His breathing picks up between indecipherable murmurs as his nightmare worsens. He turns over and hugs himself, his claws digging into his skin.

*Lati's ears prick up,then go back as she wakes up fully*

Light? Light,no claws!

*She worriedly stands,grabbing both his paws and trying to pull them away from him before he hurts himself in his sleep*

welcometoarkion

When Lati grabs them, Light just grips onto her arms instead. Something like ice forms around her arm, though it's much darker, and smaller icicles threaten to pierce her arm.

Ack-!

*Lati looks down at her arms,concerned*

Ohh boy...Light! Light! I don't wanna get stabbed!

*She shakes his paws a bit*

Wake up!

welcometoarkion

"AHH!" Light springs up in terror, panting, eyes darting around the dark room frantically. He forms an icicle and points it at the closest thing to him, only to see that it's just Lati. "...O-oh. my goodness." He de-materializes the ice and holds his paws to his chest. "Lati, I'm so sorry. I just... I..." He tries to explain himself, but he just can't stop shaking.

*Lati flinches back for a moment before quickly shaking it off*

It's fine,it's fine,don't worry about it,you didn't actually stab me or anything- you're okay,you're safe,it's just the two of us,nothing is going to hurt you.

*She sits down next to him*

...do you want a hug? Or is it better if I just don't touch at all right now?

welcometoarkion

Light doesn't respond right away. He takes a moment to calm his breathing, but just before he can calm down enough to talk, something happens and he freezes up again, gripping his head tight. "N-no..." he whispers, not to Lati, but... to someone else. The light he emits flickers for a second. "No, please..."

Light?

*Her voice is tight with worry.*

Light,what is happening. Talk to me. Do I need to call the others?

welcometoarkion

"Those... voices..." he whimpers. "The shadows, they... They're in my head. They're really in my head." He curls up into a ball and hisses at the sounds. "Mystery, how does Hypno live like this...?"

Ohh,fuck...

Hey,try to focus on me,okay? Try to block it out.

I...I know you're scared. But they can't do anything but talk. They don't matter. You're still here. Deep breaths...

*She very carefully rests her hand on his head for just a moment*

There,see? You feel that,right? I'm here. They aren't. Soon,we'll get you those injections and they'll become nothing but garbage noise. Shh,you're doing good. I know,I know. Just keep breathing,we'll get through this.

welcometoarkion

After breathing deep as instructed, Light brings his head up. His eyes are filled with tears but he tries his best to remain calm. "T-this is gonna be a long night," He struggles to pull himself out of his ball further, forcing out a laugh at his own misery.

Isn't it always?

*Lati sighs,though she does smile a little at his attempts to stay calm*

Okay,let's see...can't stop them yet,so how do we distract from them?

*She chews on her lip,thinking. Her wings twitch*

If only I could attack them...hmm...still,there must be something...

welcometoarkion

"...Suppose our best bet is asking Hypno. He's dealt with this for years hasn't he?" He sits quietly and ponders before asking "Uhm, do you know... how contacting him... works?"

Oh yeah! Yeah I've got it. Hang on...you just gotta concentrate your thoughts really hard,and...

Heyyyy Hypno! Sorry to wake you up- if you were sleeping in the first place- uhh...can you come yell at the shadow stone in Light's head? Or,just...something? It started talking to him and he's really freaked out :(

welcometoarkion

"Hmm... I figured this would happen. Give me a moment."

Hypno goes quiet on Lati's end, but it seems Light is getting a message from him. He jolts up at first, unused to the feeling of being talked to in his mind, but relaxes as he listens.

After a long silence, Light relays the message to Lati. "I have two options, apparently. Either let Hypno put me into a dreamless sleep so that I can't hear the shadows, or have him lure them to his mind to torment him instead... Frankly I don't like either of those ideas."

Ah...

*Lati frowns,fidgeting with the sheet as she thinks*

I don't want him to be tormented,obviously,but he IS more used to it than you...but...mm...

I-I know you really hate having your head messed with,but dreamless sleep might be the better option. That way you can actually sleep...and he isn't being messed with either. But,still,mmm... :(. I mean...i-is there a third option? Maybe I could try to take them. The shadow stone doesn't affect me so maybe the voices would just vanish?

welcometoarkion

"They won't leave either of us for you if you're not infected," Hypno says. "I'm afraid that won't work."

"I don't want you to have to deal with that anyway, Lati." Light shakes his head sympathetically, then sighs. "I... I don't want anyone to deal with it..." He's quiet again as he thinks, then frowns once his decision is made. "If... it lets us all rest well, I'll let you put me to sleep, Hypno."

"You really trust me?"

"Not only do I trust you, but... I care about you," Light admits. "I don't want you to torture yourself for my sake."

Aww...

*Lati's tail wags briefly before she nods*

I'll still stay here with you,just in case :]

I'm proud of you,Light :>

welcometoarkion

"Thank you." Light gives Lati a smile before taking in a breath. He's shaking ever so slightly again, leaning back onto the pillow to brace for the impact. "Alright, Hypno... send me down."

Hypno's approach is gentle for Light's sake. His eyes softly glow before they flutter closed. He stops shaking and his breathing slows down as he is lulled into dreamless, shadowless slumber.

"...Alright, he's down," Hypno tells Lati. "Poor thing. His mind is so loud, even without the Shadow Stone," he laments. "He deserves this rest."

*Lati curls up again,at the foot of his bed this time*

Thank you,Hypno. ...he was so scared,that was awful......I'm really glad he trusts us,though.

welcometoarkion

"I'm glad he trusts us, too." One can hear the smile in his voice. "Now, you get some rest, Lati. I can sense how tired you are as well."

...ah. Didn't realize you could sense that too-

*She hums softly,looking at Light again*

I don't wanna leave him unguarded,though.....

*She yawns*

welcometoarkion

"I can guard him for you. You should sleep" Hypno's voices are so soft when he offers, it's as if they gently held Lati.

*Lati purrs softly at the voices, shutting her eyes*

........okay....g'night,Hypno....

welcometoarkion

"Goodnight, Lati."

--

By the time Lati awakens the next day, Light is already out of bed, looking out the window.

*She stretches like a cat,slowly waking up*

Oh,good morning Light! How are you feeling now?

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"I'm feeling alright." He turns around and gives her a small smile. "The spell helped a lot, but... I can still faintly hear the shadows whispering now that I'm awake again." He turns back to the window, paws shaking. "...How did you sleep?"

*Lati growls quietly before shaking it off,standing up*

Pretty good! Hypno said he'd keep watch,so I was able to go to sleep. Was gonna stay up the whole night,but,eh,I was really tired actually- did not know he could sense that! That's neat though.

*She yawns again,stretching*

Anywayyy,top on the priority list is getting you those injections! Fun times.

welcometoarkion

Light stiffens at the mention of injections, laughing weakly. "Fun times indeed..." He begins to shake a bit more.

...ah...

*She gives him a worried look,reaching out for a moment and then pulling her hand back*

.......I mean,you could try just drinking the potion instead,if that would be less...scary...?

welcometoarkion

Light shakes his head. "Even the best potion will only last minutes. I know what I have to do and I'm willing to do it. I'm just... nervous," He insists, sighing deeply. "I'm an adult; I can handle a needle."

There's nothing wrong with being nervous...hell, I'M still scared of needles. And I'm probably one of the scariest people you know! :3

I was serious about holding your paw if you want it. Really,I don't mind. But I also know you don't really like touch so- if you want me to just stand there or something? I dunno,,just let me know.

welcometoarkion

"I'll consider it, thanks..."

The door knocks.

Light turns around. "Come in."

Kara, Hypno, and Rainbow appear behind the door. "Morning, Light. How are you feeling."

"I'm..." Light pauses before giving an answer, not wanting to sound negative. "I'll be better soon."

"But what about now?" Kara presses, raising an eyebrow.

Light sighs as he relents. "I'm dealing with some side effects."

I need the shadow stone in physical form so I can harm it. I want to just- strangle it.

*Lati says,deadpan. Surely that explains everything.*

welcometoarkion

"According to our recent research, that may not be impossible to accomplish," Kara mumbles. "But that's not what we're here for. The Star injection is ready for you."

"Ah." Light's claws discreetly grip the windowsill. "That's good news."

Oh good! Good.

*She glances at Light before quickly looking away again,not wanting to draw attention to him*

I'll,um,come with him.

welcometoarkion

Kara nods. "You're all welcome to. Come on. Let's get this over with."

She leads them all back down to the healing room, Light being helped by Rainbow to walk since he's still quite weak.

Penn is filling a syringe with the liquid when they arrive. "Light! Good to see you awake."

"Good morning, sir." Light does all he can to ignore the syringe in his paw, lest he pass out and die right there.

*Lati winces a little at the syringe,casually moving closer to Light*

G-good morning,Penn! :D... :'>

*She truly doesn't like needles either </3*

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Rainbow sits Light down, attempting to quell his discomfort with a quick pat on the back.

"We'll make this quick." Penn takes hold of Light's arm, and Light breathes in deep and shuts his eyes as the needle pierces his skin.

*Despite her obvious discomfort,Lati keeps her eyes on the needle and Light. Just in case*

welcometoarkion

In only a couple seconds, it's all over. The Stardust has been administered, and the shot didn't even hurt.

Not as much as the sensation of it fighting against the Shadow Stode did anyway.

Light shudders and hisses at the pain. Rainbow tries to hold him up.

"Just breathe," Hypno instructs. "The pain will pass soon."

Hopefully quickly.

*Lati whines,unsure of what to do. She ends up just coming over and quietly resting her head on Light's shoulder*

Just breathe,you've got it...

*...stars,was it painful like this for Hypno too? ... :(.*

welcometoarkion

Between the pain and the excess contact, Lioght's hissing turns into a growl as he pulls back from them. "Please... give me some space..."

Rainbow nods and swiftly moves back.

Right,sorry.

*Lati nods as well,moving back.*

welcometoarkion

The pain does eventually settle, and Light peeks down his shirt to see the darkness on his chest has diminished, even if just a little. He sighs in relief. "It's working."

"I would have warned you if I knew it would be so painful." Penn gives Light a shameful frown. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I had a feeling it would," Light admits as he looks back up again, forming an icicle in his paw to see that his magic has lightened again. "Thank you for helping me."

Penn bows. "It's our pleasure."

Oh,thank goodness-

*Lati sighs in relief,finally fully untensing for what seems like the first time since the fight against Corwin.*

Again,thank you both so much. I don't know how we can ever repay you...

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"No need." Kara shakes her head. "You all have done so much for Arkion. We're the ones repaying you. Besides, you can't protect us if you get hurt."

Light brings his focus to Rainbow and Lati. "I'm sorry for growling at you both."

Rainbow gestures dismissively. "Oh, no, it's fine. I should've remembered not to get so touchy with you," he says, holding his paws shamefully.

True,true,but still!

Ah,yeah,no,that was my bad.

*Lati holds her hands together and bows her head*

I just have to figure out other ways to give comfort,, sorry!

welcometoarkion

Light smiles a little. "It's nice that you're even trying."

Rainbow gives a slightly confused laugh. "Well, yeah, if it makes you uncomfortable, of course we'll stop."

"I-I know, I know, but it..." Light sighs. "It feels weird to have this part of me met with consideration... even if you did forget. No one's even apologized like you two have."

"Oh." Rainbow straightens slowly and his eye twitches. "I see." His tone is chillingly level as he glares at Light, though not in anger towards him.

...well. I guess I have more people to beat up,then.

*Lati looks equally pissed off*

First of all how dare they,second of all w h o m s t -Third of all we love you of course we want you to be comfortable. Do you have any idea how happy it makes me to be around you. I was fully willing to bite shadow stone for you. Frankly I still am.

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Her rant makes Light giggle. "I wouldn't bother chasing them down. I don't want to think about them much anyway." He stands up from the chair and bows to Penn and Kara. "Speaking of not thinking of them, we should be off. I need to distract myself with a treat of some kind."

They both bow back. "Please take care, all of you." Penn asks. "We will do our best to protect Arkion if something ever happened to you, but it would be a much darker place without you."

"Thank you Penn. Thank you Kara." Rainbow bows as well. "We hope your meetings with the other Elders go smoothly."

*She still looks pissed off,but her tail does wag a little when Light laughs*

Ah yes,we all deserve a little treat!

*She nods,doing a small curtsy towards the elders*

Seriously,you're both incredible. Don't ever try to be like the other elders. Please. :3

welcometoarkion

"We won't," Kara assures. "I'll make sure of it."

The group steps through the door to leave, and are greeted by cheering. Thousands of Arkisen crowd the temple to celebrate the heroes for defeating the King.

"Oh, goodness." Light puts on a weak smile for the crowd, and Rainbow and Hypno hold onto Lati to comfort her before she freaks out.

!!!

O-oh!!

*Lati is indeed mildly freaked out (that is SO MANY PEOPLE,DEAR LORD) but she does do her best to smile*

U-um!- thank you,everyone-!

welcometoarkion

Light leads the group through the crowd, taking the responsibility of answering their many questions. There's a bit of a judgemental remark about Light taking in the Shadow Stone, but Rainbow and Hypno shoo that guy away, allowing them a mostly peaceful path to the cafe and bakery.

*Lati does snap her teeth at the guy,but she ends up just leaving them alone to not cause a scene. She does promptly rush inside the bakery to safety though*

Too many people- ...it was nice that they all came to thank us,though... :]

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Light sighs in relief and takes a seat at one of the tables. "Hopefully, we'll have some peace here."

Just as he says it, the shopkeeper walks into the front. "Well I'll be damned! The heroes have come to my humble cafe!"

Light can only whine at the irony, though he keeps his smile. "You got any glowberry muffins, mage?"

*Lati simply faceplants on the table,raising a weak thumbs up.*

Nice to meet you...

welcometoarkion

"Sure thing, sir!" they chirp. "On the house, of course."

"Thank you," Light's smile becomes genuine at their offer, but he frowns curiously when Hypno sits down next to him.

"How's your head feeling?" he asks quietly.

Light sighs. "Better. I can still hear... something, but it's much quieter."

Hypno nods, leaning back. "You'll get used to that."

Good,good. I'm glad it isn't still fully there.

*She sighs,raising her head slightly to look at them*

There's literally no reason for shadow stone to do all that. Simply no reason. :/ it's just being a dick at that point.

Also,Hypno,why didn't you mention it hurt that much?? We could've.........well,I don't know,but I would have let you bite down on my arm or something. Or. Gotten you a stick for that,I don't know,but still.

welcometoarkion

"You should know my pain tolerance is much higher that Light's." Hypno raises an eyebrow at Lati, then turns away after a moment. "Though, I suppose I could have warned him about how bad it was going to be. I apologize for that, Light."

Light shrugs. "It's alright. It's in the past anyway."

Well I do know it's higher,but that doesn't mean I want you in pain...

...yeah,I guess it's over with anyway...

*After a moment of silence,she blinks,eyes widening*

...it's actually over,isn't it? Light defeated the nightmare king. It's...it's actually over. We won against Corwin. Holy shit.

welcometoarkion

Light hums. "Well, we still have the Prince--"

"--And Cynn."

"--but what are they without their leader?"

"That's the thing," Hypno starts. "Corwin hasn't truly been their leader for years. They obey the Shadow Stone."

"Honestly, now that Corwin's out of the picture, Micah's probably gonna up his game," Rainbow assumes.

And even if they don't,Micah at least is easy to beat. Maybe we can just trap his child(? Creature? Thing?) somewhere filled with stardust so it can't do anything and be done with them both.

welcometoarkion

Simultaneously, Hypno and Light get an odd feeling, like a chill up their spines. They look at each other in understanding.

"Whatever we plan, we keep it in here." Hypno whispers as he points to his head. "As long as we're infected, Cynn can hear us."

...understood.

*Lati growls softly,eyes flicking around the area*

I'm still down for crushing it.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, absolutely."

Light thanks the shopkeeper when he receives his muffin, as well as a complimentary tea, then goes back to frowning as he contemplates. "Hopefully, what I've done will be enough to get that Star to reconsider eradicating us."

Oh,gosh,I nearly forgot,so much has happened...yeah,maybe he'll just give up?

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs. "That's the hope." He turns to see Hypno frowning. He tilts his head at him, and Hypno looks his way.

"What?"

"Something's upsetting you."

Hypno huffs. "I can't get a read on those Starborn. When Chrona came here, I'll admit I did read their mind... or, I tried to. They're too powerful for me to even search through. It... made me nervous, I suppose."

Really? Too powerful for even you...?

*She looks a little more worried*

Hm......don't like that.

welcometoarkion

"It made me... very aware just how much I use my power as a replacement for..." Hypno struggles to find the words. "Normal connection."

"You don't ask many questions," Rainbow admits. "This'll be a good exercise for you."

Mm...

*She lowers her head back down to the table,blinking at him*

...I thought you were doing good...

welcometoarkion

Hypno simply laughs softly and pats Lati's head, because he doesn't agree, but appreciates the support. "At least I got to talk to you like a normal person, Rainbow, before everything happened."

Rainbow smiles. "See? If you tap into that, it won't be so hard."

*Lati shuts her eyes,purring softly. Her tail thumps against her seat and she briefly winces. ...it's actually getting sore from wagging this much. ... she'll have to heal that later- for now she just puts a hand on it.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs some more. "Too much wagging, huh, Lati?" he teases quietly.

"She does wag a lot more than us, now that I think about it," Light mentions.

A-ah....///////

*She sinks down in her seat, embarrassed*

I wag a normal amount,,,

welcometoarkion

"Sure." Hypno smirks and runs his paw through her hair. "You purr a normal amount, too."

"Okay, now you're just being mean," Rainbow snickers.

*Her purring gets slightly louder,which only makes her blush more*

U-unfair,,

welcometoarkion

"I don't know... It seems like you like it." He pulls his paw away. "I can stop if you want me to."

Noooo...

*She promptly pulls his paw back onto her head. Perfect.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno continues with a giggle, scratching behind her ears. "That's what I thought~" Then he stops again when he feels a paw on the back of his head. He turns around and sees that Rainbow has started petting him. "What?"

"You were getting too snarky," he says, smiling when he sees Hypno relax a little. "You needed to get knocked down a peg."

Hypno struggles to appear unfazed. He continues petting Lati, barely stifling a purr.

^w^ yayyyyy...

*Lati just seems perfectly happy with all of this,nearly melting into her seat*

welcometoarkion

"Alright, this is cute, but I have to let up." Hypno pulls away again, intending to stay that way. "If I keep going, Rainbow keeps going, and I'm not willing to purr in public."

Rainbow pouts. "But you're so cute when you purr."

Hypno pats Rainbow's head sympathetically. "Save it for the cabin."

Aww,fine...

*She sighs sadly,but does leave him be*

You are cute when you purr,hehehehe...but I do get not wanting to do it in public- the public...is a little scary.

welcometoarkion

"Isn't that the truth..." Light stretches and stands. "In that case, I wouldn't mind going now. I'm still a bit tired after all."

"Yeah, you get your rest, Light." Rainbow agrees. "I'll be showing Lati the most optimal way to pet Hypno."

:0 REALLY?!

*... she is far too excited by this*

Hehehehehehe- yeah,yeah,you very much deserve rest! Hehrhehehegehegegegeghghhh-

welcometoarkion

Hypno rolls his eyes and just. Scoops Lati up like a cat and follows the other two out the cafe, dodging the crowd and flying off to their cabin.

Oh okay :D yay <3

*She seems content with this*

welcometoarkion

Once back at home base, Light goes inside, presumably to nap, while Rainbow and Hypno go to the backyard to sit by the lake.

*Lati goes to sit with them,not entirely sure Rainbow was serious about the petting thing,but wanting to hang out with them regardless. She sighs softly,relaxing more now that they're fully away from the crowds*

welcometoarkion

They both just take a moment to enjoy the peace. Rainbow's tail grazes against Hypno's before he leans on him, one arm around his shoulder. He steals a few scritches under his chin before Hypno growls playfully.

"Knew it..."

"And yet, you did nothing to stop me." Without objection, Rainbow continues.

*She giggles quietly at them,softly purring despite her best attempts not to. Oh well.

She flutters her wings a bit before pulling them close to herself. She hasn't preened this entire time,should probably get on that soon. Messy feathers do not feel good*

welcometoarkion

Despite being occupied by the pets, Hypno does recognize Lati's discomfort with her wings. "What seems to be the problem?" he asks despite having an idea.

Hm-? Oh- ahh...

*Her wings twitch as she holds them*

We've kinda been busy most of the time...I haven't really had time to take care of my wings like I should. I'm,,not very experienced with them when I DO have time,anyway. I gotta at least try though. It's uncomfortable when the feathers get all messy,,

*Lati sighs,looking them over. They aren't awful,but they're definitely not as good as they should be...*

welcometoarkion

Hypno and Rainbow both look over at her wings, then at each other.

Hesitantly, Rainbow asks "Is it alright if we help you?"

"We have the time now, after all." Hypno adds.

*Lati squeaks,blinking at them*

O^O! ... ✨^✨

I mean,sure,if you want too!!

welcometoarkion

"Alright then. Let's get to work." Hypno smiles and he and Rainbow both scoot closer.

"So, how does this work?" Rainbow asks as he puts a gentle paw on the end of Lati's wing.

Uhh,you know about as much as me,I guess! Just,uhh...straighten any messy feathers,and pull out the loose ones. Gently,,

welcometoarkion

They both nod and carefully start the process. Rainbow has to stop when he really gets his paws into the feathers. "They're so soft..." he whispers, then continues.

*She does her best not to start purring and wagging her tail from that,but of course,it happens anyway. She murmurs a quick Heal command to fix her tail up before smiling*

Thank you!! Hehe,they are! :3

welcometoarkion

They mostly work in silence, enjoying the simple repetition of the task in the sunlight, accompanied by the sound of Lati's purring and the water rippling in front of them.

Hypno gets finished with his designated wing quicker, not being as distracted by their softness as Rainbow, so he pivots to rubbing her back and shoulders.

*Lati basically melts against him,fully relaxed and very happy*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs softly as she relaxes. "There you go."

Rainbow dusts the loose feathers off his lap once he's finished. "How'sit feel now?" he asks, still running his paws through the wings to feel their softness.

Really really nice...much better ^^

welcometoarkion

"Great! I'm glad we could help."

"We should do this more often," Hypno muses quietly, not noticing the slight purr that escapes as he continues essentially making biscuits on Lati's shoulders.

Rainbow laughs. "Yeah. It seems to put you in a good mood, too."

I'm definitely not opposed to it,hah!

^^ yayyyy...you really are cute when you purr...

welcometoarkion

Hypno freezes when he realizes what he's doing. He clears his throat, looking away as Rainbow laughs.

"Nooo, keep going. It's cute." He reaches to pet Hypno, scratching under his chin. "C'mon~. Give me a purr."

Hypno grumbles, relenting with a growl that transforms into a purr, swishing his tail in barely repressed happiness.

*Lati snickers,watching them*

So fierce...

welcometoarkion

Hypno grumbles again, and Rainbow pulls back to give Lati room by Hypno's face. "Here. Give it a go. Right under his chin."

Hypno just rolls his eyes, but doesn't seem to object.

puttheroleplayherelati

Oh you were serious about the petting thing! Oh okay :D!

*She starts scratching under his chin like one would a cat*

welcometoarkion

His purr intensifies echoing throughout the forest. He shakes his head to keep himself from getting too comfortable. He was teasing about being so out of control of his Star-infused powers, but he fears he may actually lose his grip if he relaxes too much.

Rainbow leans forward and kisses Hypno's forehead to get his tail to wag. "Honestly, you don't get enough affection," Rainbow says softly. "You're always so sweet with me. I should return the favor more often."

:>!!!

*She giggles,vastly enjoying this*

Pretty boyyy...

welcometoarkion

Hypno whines at the compliment. Lati can't see it because of the fur, but he's blushing hard. His face is getting warmer. "...You're pushing it," he complains through squished cheeks.

"Aw, is someone getting grumpy?" Rainbow nuzzles Hypno's nose, which causes him to laugh a little.

He sighs fondly. "You're such a pain."

puttheroleplayherelati

We aren't exactly WRONG,though. Maybe you just need more compliments...

*She giggles mischievously,tail wagging*

welcometoarkion

"Suppose they're still a foreign concept to me. I've not known you two long enough to be used to it."

"Then we'll give it in small doses--" Rainbow suggests, giving Hypno another kiss. "--handsome."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ehhhh...fine,I'm feeling merciful. Small doses.

*She giggles,patting his head*

You are a very pretty boy though,I wasn't wrong :3

welcometoarkion

He laughs a little. "No one thinks I'm "pretty" unless I've hypnotized them... And, even then, they're just talking about my magic." He tilts his head at the two of them. Despite being confused, he still takes the time to tease them about it. "What makes you think I'm so attractive, hm?"

Rainbow laughs as well when Hypno teases him, then shrugs at the question. "I don't know. I guess, the more I like a person, the kinder they are to me... the more I see them in a different light. Physically, you're my type, but... when you hated me, I hated looking at you. Then we reconciled and... then I couldn't take my eyes off you." He slowly gets more shy as he goes on, but Hypno just stares at him, surprised.

puttheroleplayherelati

*She smiles softly at Rainbow before nodding*

Yeah,I mean...I'm more attracted to personality than anything else,I guess. You do look beautiful,but I feel like no matter what form you were in...I probably would've thought you were gorgeous anyway...

welcometoarkion

"Huh..." Hypno's eyes trail downward in thought. His face doesn't change, but his tail betrays his happiness. "You think I'm kind?"

"I know you're kind." Rainbow gives him another kiss on the cheek.

puttheroleplayherelati

Hypno,you're wonderful.

*She nuzzles against him,purring*

welcometoarkion

Hypno nuzzles her back, then kisses Rainbow, holding the both of them close. "...Thank you." He's not sure he gets it fully, but he can at least show his appreciation.

"It's what you do for the people you love..." Rainbow melts into him and closes his eyes.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mhm...

*Lati folds her wings around both of them before shutting her eyes. Cozy <3*

welcometoarkion

"I'm sure I'll wrap my head around it someday. I always do..." He looks off into the distance while the two of them snuggle him. "...I guess I like the idea of you grovelling all the time--" he laughs. "--but I wish I knew how to properly appreciate it... Without being so villainous about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

I'm sure you'll get it eventually :]

I mean I don't think it's villainous necessarily- it's not like you want total strangers doing it,so maybe you just like the power dynamiccc......you know what,Iiii probably shouldn't guess about your preferences,I already bullied Light for the chain thing---

welcometoarkion

Hypno smirks at Lati's choice of words, prepared to tease her, but his face drops when she mentions Light. "...Pardon?"

Rainbow also turns to look at her with a confused expression. "Yeah, wait. What was that about a chain?"

puttheroleplayherelati

Huh- oh. Uh.

*Damn her and her stupid mouth*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

*Now. How to say this while being respectful to Light. The hero who nearly just died fighting Corwin.*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh soooo....in the nether while we were trying to bargain with Suri and Donna,they kinda put me and Light on leash chains for a little while. So. I just sort of started walking away and confused them but Light um- stayed? Kept- kept the chain on. Anddd didn't like,demand for her to take it off or anything? So I was teasing him about it the other day and we came to the conclusion that he likes chains. So. ...thus concludes the educational section of today.

*She nods,very very awkwardly and feeling a little bad for even telling them. Light isn't even here to defend himself </3*

Do not tell him I told you. I do not think I was supposed to tell-

welcometoarkion

After they spend a good five seconds staring in disbelief, they nod.

"That's... really interesting." Hypno scratches his chin as Rainbow makes a "my lips are sealed" motion with his paw.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mmhmm. Really. Really interesting. To him most of all I think.

*Lati nods again*

I think. I should start concealing some information again.

welcometoarkion

"I can understand it." Hypno shrugs. "Light doesn't like being cuddly or romantic. I suppose a chain is the opposite of that."

Rainbow's eyes widen as he realizes. "Light doesn't like being romantic? Oh, that makes so much sense."

Hypno blinks. "Oh, I guess you missed that. He mentioned it while you were out at the shop." He sighs. "Poor thing. He's been given a lot of grief about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

Hm,I guess it does make sense when you put it like that!

Ah,yeah...he sort of seemed in disbelief that we just accepted it. ...that really ticks me off...how the hell have people treated him that he didn't even believe we'd accept it? As if there's anything wrong with it...

welcometoarkion

"Some Arkisen can be very entitled," Hypno starts, "And reciprocation of feelings is valued quite high. There's a belief some hold about a love story that unfolded between our gods, but... even if it were true, it doesn't mean we have to do what they did."

Rainbow chimes in. "I heard that story; I think it's cute..." Then he frowns. "It's a shame that's how it's being used, though."

puttheroleplayherelati

:[

*She cringes a little at some love story between their gods (someone please save Alex. She doesn't trust that guy-) but then just sighs*

That's irritating...why can't everyone just shut up and leave people alone...

welcometoarkion

"I ponder that question every day..." Hypno sighs.

Rainbow looks behind him at the cabin. "I hope we're being good friends to Light."

Hypno pats him reassuringly. "Rainbow, you're never a bad friend."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah,you've been nothing but wonderful!

*Her ear twitches*

...honestly...not to be cocky or anything,but I'm pretty sure we're the best thing that's ever happened to him. Which makes me both happy and sad,,

welcometoarkion

"He deserves more than just us..." Rainbow freezes as he realizes the implications of his statement. "Not to say we aren't good enough for him, but it seems everyone else is bent on giving him a hard time."

There's a pause before Hypno says "I don't think you have any idea how much your friendship means to him. Of course, it would be best if everyone accepted him, but you've undone a decent amount of self doubt in him that the Elders gave him when they would compare him to you."

Rainbow freezes again at those last few words. He looks Hypno dead in the eyes. "...They...?" When Hypno nods, Rainbow slowly turns away, whispering. "Remind me of that when we get back to the island. I have some choice words for their Elders."

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati growls softly,looking away*

I want to strangle them-

*Well,the hopes of her being more diplomatic have gone out the window*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs, almost growls. "You know what? I do, too."

His response gets a soft laugh out of Hypno. "Is that so?"

"I don't play around when it comes to my friends, you know that."

Hypno nodes sagely. "All too well..."

puttheroleplayherelati

... :). I like it when you're scary!

*She still sounds incredibly ominous,but she does mean it*

They deserve "a talk" for all they've done.

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs again. "If you want scary, you should have seen him two hundred years ago."

"He's right. I spent a lot of time fighting then." Rainbow's laugh is a bit darker. "There was a time Hypno brought out a... very different side of me."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ah,I see...

*Lati nods. Hypno is a very lucky arkis,she thinks. Getting to see Rainbow be terrifying AND sweet is a luxury few can afford*

welcometoarkion

"It's not, um..." Rainbow laughs shyly. "We don't have to dwell on that, though." He stands up and brushes himself off, which makes Hypno frown slightly. "Anyway, I'm actually kinda hungry. I haven't eaten anything filling since breakfast yesterday."

Hypno hums thoughtfully, then stands up with him. "You're right. I can make you some soup."

Rainbow smiles. "Aw, you'd do that?"

"Of course."

puttheroleplayherelati

...wife material...

*Okay yep that is an inside thought. Thankfully she said that pretty quietly. Hypno would look very cute in a pink flowery apron,though*

I'll,ah...go check on Light. Make sure he's actually sleeping and resting and everything- just in case.

welcometoarkion

Hypno manages not to look down at Lati when she whispers. He is keeping that in mind though.

Rainbow nods. "Good call. The boost can only do so much if he's wearing himself out."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah...enjoy your soup!

*And he does have a tendency to wear himself out. She heads inside and starts looking*

welcometoarkion

Light is in his room, but he's not exactly resting. Instead, he's sitting at the vanity, examining the shadow marks on his face that didn't quite fade.

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati clears her throat,trying not to surprise him*

Hiya! Just came to check on you- ...um,can't sleep?

welcometoarkion

Light looks up from the mirror. He glances at Lati before tuning away, ashamed that she found him looking at his reflection. "Um... afraid not."

puttheroleplayherelati

Well you should still be taking it easy...no worries though! I think Hypno's making soup in a bit if you're hungry.

*She looks at the mirror with a pensive expression before clearing her throat again*

.......I'm sure most of the marks will fade eventually. And the ones that don't- I-I wasn't lying to make you feel better or anything,I really do think they look cool...

welcometoarkion

Light's tail swishes at the mention of soup, then he nods slightly at the reassurance. "Yeah, I... I-I know. Thank you. It'll just, uh, take some getting used to, that's all." He turns to the mirror again, staring at the spots before sighing. "I understand I sound like a broken record at this point, but... The Elders take corruption very seriously... In the sense that they condemn anyone who has it, that is. They've gotten in my head." He chuckles sadly. "Maybe more than Cynn has."

puttheroleplayherelati

And I know I sound like a broken record when I say I want to maul everything that makes you feel like you aren't good enough. And Cynn is going in the orphan crusher. ...that's not a thing yet but it will be.

*She sighs softly*

I wish you could believe us when we say they don't matter. Cause really,they don't. What you did was...terrifying and reckless and made me cry several times BUT! ...it was the most amazing and heroic thing I've ever seen too. And no one should have anything negative to say about a side effect of you doing that.

welcometoarkion

"Ignoring the fact that Cynn isn't an orphan... yet, and that it's intangible, I always appreciate your tenacity." He gives her a small smile. "You're a good friend. I can only hope that one day I can properly internalize your positivity."

puttheroleplayherelati

*Lati's tail starts to wag happily*

Hah,I try. ...you're a really good friend too,Light. And I...hope you at least know how much you mean to us :]

welcometoarkion

Light nods. "I'm starting to understand. You all mean a lot to me, too."

puttheroleplayherelati

In that case,I'm glad :>

*She purrs,reaching out for a moment before smacking her hand away with her other one*

No. Bad >:[ no touch.

*She wags her finger at the hand that had reached out before remembering Light is still in the room*

...soup? :D

welcometoarkion

Light sighs and shakes his head fondly at her scolding. "And yet, you're still the strangest being I've ever known," he whispers to himself, getting up to check on lunch.

puttheroleplayherelati

Heyyy,this is my learning process!! >:p

*Her tail continues wagging as she follows him,clearly pleased with herself*

welcometoarkion

As he descends, the air around them gets warmer, more fragrant. "O-oh my!" Light can't help but chuckle at the sight before him. Hypno is at work, preparing the soup and bread, a pink, cutely decorated apron covering his front.

He was in the middle of feeding his sous chef a sample when he heard Light and Lati come down. He turns slowly, and he and Rainbow both freeze for a bit before Hypno freely shrugs and laughs.

"Rainbow made me do it," he admits, or deflects I guess.

Rainbow seems surprised how little Hypno cared in that moment. He smiles sweetly, almost emotional over how soft he looks.

puttheroleplayherelati

*Lati nearly falls over at the mere sight of him. Damn,she was VERY RIGHT at the thought that he would look cute in an apron like that. Her wings flutter briefly as she starts heavily blushing. Of course. ...it's fine,it's fine,the situation is still salvageable,just don't say anything stupid*

...so,are you on the menu too-?

*DAMNIT,LATI!!!!!*

I mean-NO THAT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE AN OUTSIDE THOUGHT- gh- um- fgvfgfdggcc SOUP.

*Great job.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno's tail sways almost flirtatiously as he laughs at Lati. "Dessert isn't until evening," he teases, pouring her a bowl. "For now, hopefully you like lunch." He places it on the table.

"I didn't know you could cook, Hypno." Light takes a seat at the table, patiently awaiting his soup.

Hypno brings it to him. "Well, I know just about every recipe thanks to my magic... But this one is one of the few I was properly taught by my parents."

puttheroleplayherelati

Y-yay...

*She chooses to shut up,just drinking her soup*

welcometoarkion

Light takes a sip and hums in satisfaction. "Your parents taught you well."

"I suppose." Hypno shrugs and sits down with his own bowl. "In this regard, at least."

puttheroleplayherelati

*She seems very content drinking her soup,though her ear does twitch at that last part. In that regard at least? ...she...probably shouldn't pry.

She already knows part of it anyway.*

welcometoarkion

Light winces at the last part as well, and Hypno notices. He laughs to lighten the mood.

"Don't worry; it's nothing serious. We were all just too busy working to bond."

Light seems somewhat relieved, though not entirely "I just hope I didn't bring up anything heavy."

"It's alright," Hypno assures.

welcometoarkion

@latileaf pt. 10

"They weren't sure what else to do." Kara shrugged sadly. "Penn was nice enough not to put me on duty immediately. Technically, I'm just a trainee, just... one who's already hibernated."

"Oh, I can't imagine what that was like," Rainbow tells her.

Kara laughs a little. "You feel bad for me? Fifty years is nothing compared to two hundred."

"Well, why not? You weren't prepared for it. It's a scary thing to happen to anyone."

Yeah...I'd be terrified if that happened to me. And you're really nice...

*Lati mumbles,glancing away*

Stupid elders and their stupid spells and their stupid lack of safeguards-

welcometoarkion

Kara snickers. "Tell me about it." Then she whispers. "She's so cute when she grumbles."

"Right?" Hypno whispers back.

You should sue them >:/

*She pauses for a moment before her tail starts wagging and she blushes,blinking at them. She didn't completely hear that,but she heard "she's cute" and hypno agreeing with that,so this is basically a very good day for Lati*

welcometoarkion

"Oh no." Rainbow notices her blush and sighs. Light rolls his eyes and laughs.

Kara tilts her head at Lati as her face reddens. Hypno leans down to whisper what is probably an explanation, making Kara laugh. "Oh, that's really cute actually," she giggles

*This only makes Lati blush more,as her wings start fluttering as well*

Ah-I-um-thank you! You're very cute too!- wait---

welcometoarkion

Kara covers her mouth before she can laugh, recollecting herself. "Appreciate it!" she snickers.

"Two Arkisen in such a short time being here have called you cute so far," Rainbow mentions. "You're better at this than me, Lati."

*She giggles,hiding her face in her hands for a moment before peeking out at Rainbow*

I think you're cute too,Rainbow :>

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waves her away shyly. "Aw, stop!" he giggles. "You know what? I also think you're cute! Maybe in, like, a tiny angry dog way, but cute nonetheless."

:D yayyyy I'm a purse dog!

*She seems happy enough with this*

We can all be cute together <3

welcometoarkion

Hypno huffs. "Alright then..."

Light finally looks down at his bedside and grabs the tea. "So, Kara, what did you put in this?" he asks.

"Well, I remembered Lati mentioning something about Stardust infusions, so, until we could get you something permanent, I thought I could crush some into your tea as a temporary treatment for the Shadow Stone."

"Oh..." Light looks into it, noticing the slight shimmer in the surface of the liquid. "Thank you."

"I also put honey and glow berry juice in," Kara adds.

*She innocently blinks up at Hypno,tail wagging teasingly before looking back at Kara*

Oh,that's good thinking! Yeah,that should help hold it off until we can get the actual stuff done. Also probably tasty. I feel like it could taste good........

*...and she's now zoned out thinking about eating Stardust. Great work Lati.*

welcometoarkion

Light takes a sip to test it, then hums contentedly. "Mmm. It's almost... fizzy?"

"You know what? I thought that, too, when I drank that potion," Hypno mentions.

Like a sparkly soda... ✨v✨

welcometoarkion

Light tentatively nods to Lati. "Yeah, but... actually good this time."

Rainbow slowly turns to him in surprise, then quickly back. "...I'm gonna ignore that for my sanity's sake."

"No, I agree with him." Hypno shrugs. "They're really not that good most of the time."

Head in his paws, Rainbow cries "Hypno, I loved you..."

*Lati gasps in mock betrayal*

Well,that's the end of this partnership. I guess I have no choice but to join Lucas and Sabre! Come along Rainbow we'll start a new life together with people that appreciate beverages

welcometoarkion

"I always knew it would end like this," Hypno sighs. "Over something really stupid. Could you really leave me for those... those monsters?" He pouts, sniffling and pretending to fight back tears.

Rainbow turns away with his arms crossed, snickering. "I don't know. Maybe if they like soda."

Light watches on in amusement. "Such thrilling performances," he says dryly. "I should spark arguments more often."

*Lati giggles quietly,tail swishing*

I think you should! It's a fun past time :]

See,the issue is,knowing how they've failed us in the past,I can only expect them to fail here too. They'll say they only drink straight battery acid or something. And it WOULD explain a lot,but still,we are without a team.

*She flops over dramatically,arm thrown across her face*

welcometoarkion

"Well, in that case..." Hypno extends his arms out to Lati and Rainbow. "Better the evil you know, right?"

Rainbow rolls his eyes and trudges into Hypno's arms. "You're so toxic."

Hypno peppers kisses across Rainbow's face. "You know you can't resist me."

*Lati promptly stops her flop of despair to join Rainbow in Hypno's arms*

Yayyyyyy ^^

True,you are rather irresistible...

welcometoarkion

"Glad you think so." Hypno boops her nose before letting the two of them go.

Rainbow pulls back to talk to Kara, "So... how long does Light have to stay here?"

"Shouldn't be more than a night," she guesses. "He's all healed up physically, we just need to give him a power boost, which shouldn't take long."

Oh,good! Not too bad,then.

*She sighs*

I'm.....s-seriously,thank you all for healing him. You are by FAR the most tolerable elders we've come across.

welcometoarkion

Kara bows. "Thank you. I take pride in that."

"Hopefully, you and your council will be rewarded for this," Light adds. "You've... You've been awfully kind to us, Kara."

"Anything for the good of Arkion." She gives Light a smile. "And for my friends."

*Lati beams at her*

Y'know,if you ever get sick of being an elder,we'd be more than happy to have you with us. We're sort of a group of strange creatures that specialize in pissing off authority figures. You'd fit in great!

welcometoarkion

She laughs and lifts herself up from her chair. "I'll see if I have the time. Now, I'll let Light get his rest. I'll check up on you in the morning."

Light nods. "Alright then. Thank you again."

"No problem." Kara smiles softly as she closes the door.

:]

She's great,I'd kill a man for her.

*Lati nods,thinking this sufficiently explains her normal feelings about the situation*

...ah,anyways,you probably do need some rest. ......can I just. Stay here? I won't bother you or anything I can curl up on the floor-

welcometoarkion

Light sighs, then gives her a tired smile. "If you want."

"We'll..." Rainbow hesitates, getting closer to the bed. "We'll be in the spare room in the temple. I-if you need anything, you can use Hypno's mind link, and we'll be right over--"

"Rainbow, you don't need to worry about me." Sensing his anxiety, Light tries to calm Rainbow down.

"I-I... I..." Rainbow heaves a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just... I almost lost you, Light, and I've lost a lot of Arkisen in my life, and I'm trying to make sure, if I can help it, that everyone's accounted for." Then he mumbles. "'M sorry if that was too much..."

Light gazes at Rainbow sadly. He rest his paw on top of his and smiles at him. "...I'll tell you if I need anything."

Slowly, Rainbow smiles back. "Okay."

...it'll be alright.

*Lati smiles softly,curling up as she said she would*

He has a guard raccoon now :> and according to Sabre I'm apparently rabid,which is good news for Light's safety,I think. I bite :]

welcometoarkion

"Hmm, okay." Rainbow isn't quite sure how he feels about that, but he's glad Light is being protected.

"Wait." Light turns over to Lati. "You didn't actually bite him, did you?"

Hypno smiles proudly. "Twice!"

Head in his paw, Light sighs, "I'm going to bed," he says, nearly laughing and pulling the blanket over himself.

*Lati purrs very happily. She seems quite proud of this herself! Both of biting,and making Light happy*

Mmkay,goodnight Lighty :] goodnight you two!

*She curls up again,but doesn't go to sleep,instead just watching. She did offer to guard after all.*

welcometoarkion

"Rest up, you two..."

"Sweet dreams."

Hypno and Rainbow leave, closing the door, and Light turns the lamp off. "Goodnight, Lati," he yawns.

Goodnight :>

*She blinks a bit in the darkness. Sleep is now tempting,but she refuses*

welcometoarkion

For hours, there's no interruption to the peace and quiet, until Light begins to stir and breathe heavy in his sleep.

*Lati mumbles sleepily,sitting up and putting her hands on the bed,though not touching him directly*

Light...? Everythin okay...?

welcometoarkion

His breathing picks up between indecipherable murmurs as his nightmare worsens. He turns over and hugs himself, his claws digging into his skin.

*Lati's ears prick up,then go back as she wakes up fully*

Light? Light,no claws!

*She worriedly stands,grabbing both his paws and trying to pull them away from him before he hurts himself in his sleep*

welcometoarkion

When Lati grabs them, Light just grips onto her arms instead. Something like ice forms around her arm, though it's much darker, and smaller icicles threaten to pierce her arm.

Ack-!

*Lati looks down at her arms,concerned*

Ohh boy...Light! Light! I don't wanna get stabbed!

*She shakes his paws a bit*

Wake up!

welcometoarkion

"AHH!" Light springs up in terror, panting, eyes darting around the dark room frantically. He forms an icicle and points it at the closest thing to him, only to see that it's just Lati. "...O-oh. my goodness." He de-materializes the ice and holds his paws to his chest. "Lati, I'm so sorry. I just... I..." He tries to explain himself, but he just can't stop shaking.

*Lati flinches back for a moment before quickly shaking it off*

It's fine,it's fine,don't worry about it,you didn't actually stab me or anything- you're okay,you're safe,it's just the two of us,nothing is going to hurt you.

*She sits down next to him*

...do you want a hug? Or is it better if I just don't touch at all right now?

welcometoarkion

Light doesn't respond right away. He takes a moment to calm his breathing, but just before he can calm down enough to talk, something happens and he freezes up again, gripping his head tight. "N-no..." he whispers, not to Lati, but... to someone else. The light he emits flickers for a second. "No, please..."

Light?

*Her voice is tight with worry.*

Light,what is happening. Talk to me. Do I need to call the others?

welcometoarkion

"Those... voices..." he whimpers. "The shadows, they... They're in my head. They're really in my head." He curls up into a ball and hisses at the sounds. "Mystery, how does Hypno live like this...?"

Ohh,fuck...

Hey,try to focus on me,okay? Try to block it out.

I...I know you're scared. But they can't do anything but talk. They don't matter. You're still here. Deep breaths...

*She very carefully rests her hand on his head for just a moment*

There,see? You feel that,right? I'm here. They aren't. Soon,we'll get you those injections and they'll become nothing but garbage noise. Shh,you're doing good. I know,I know. Just keep breathing,we'll get through this.

welcometoarkion

After breathing deep as instructed, Light brings his head up. His eyes are filled with tears but he tries his best to remain calm. "T-this is gonna be a long night," He struggles to pull himself out of his ball further, forcing out a laugh at his own misery.

Isn't it always?

*Lati sighs,though she does smile a little at his attempts to stay calm*

Okay,let's see...can't stop them yet,so how do we distract from them?

*She chews on her lip,thinking. Her wings twitch*

If only I could attack them...hmm...still,there must be something...

welcometoarkion

"...Suppose our best bet is asking Hypno. He's dealt with this for years hasn't he?" He sits quietly and ponders before asking "Uhm, do you know... how contacting him... works?"

Oh yeah! Yeah I've got it. Hang on...you just gotta concentrate your thoughts really hard,and...

Heyyyy Hypno! Sorry to wake you up- if you were sleeping in the first place- uhh...can you come yell at the shadow stone in Light's head? Or,just...something? It started talking to him and he's really freaked out :(

welcometoarkion

"Hmm... I figured this would happen. Give me a moment."

Hypno goes quiet on Lati's end, but it seems Light is getting a message from him. He jolts up at first, unused to the feeling of being talked to in his mind, but relaxes as he listens.

After a long silence, Light relays the message to Lati. "I have two options, apparently. Either let Hypno put me into a dreamless sleep so that I can't hear the shadows, or have him lure them to his mind to torment him instead... Frankly I don't like either of those ideas."

Ah...

*Lati frowns,fidgeting with the sheet as she thinks*

I don't want him to be tormented,obviously,but he IS more used to it than you...but...mm...

I-I know you really hate having your head messed with,but dreamless sleep might be the better option. That way you can actually sleep...and he isn't being messed with either. But,still,mmm... :(. I mean...i-is there a third option? Maybe I could try to take them. The shadow stone doesn't affect me so maybe the voices would just vanish?

welcometoarkion

"They won't leave either of us for you if you're not infected," Hypno says. "I'm afraid that won't work."

"I don't want you to have to deal with that anyway, Lati." Light shakes his head sympathetically, then sighs. "I... I don't want anyone to deal with it..." He's quiet again as he thinks, then frowns once his decision is made. "If... it lets us all rest well, I'll let you put me to sleep, Hypno."

"You really trust me?"

"Not only do I trust you, but... I care about you," Light admits. "I don't want you to torture yourself for my sake."

Aww...

*Lati's tail wags briefly before she nods*

I'll still stay here with you,just in case :]

I'm proud of you,Light :>

welcometoarkion

"Thank you." Light gives Lati a smile before taking in a breath. He's shaking ever so slightly again, leaning back onto the pillow to brace for the impact. "Alright, Hypno... send me down."

Hypno's approach is gentle for Light's sake. His eyes softly glow before they flutter closed. He stops shaking and his breathing slows down as he is lulled into dreamless, shadowless slumber.

"...Alright, he's down," Hypno tells Lati. "Poor thing. His mind is so loud, even without the Shadow Stone," he laments. "He deserves this rest."

*Lati curls up again,at the foot of his bed this time*

Thank you,Hypno. ...he was so scared,that was awful......I'm really glad he trusts us,though.

welcometoarkion

"I'm glad he trusts us, too." One can hear the smile in his voice. "Now, you get some rest, Lati. I can sense how tired you are as well."

...ah. Didn't realize you could sense that too-

*She hums softly,looking at Light again*

I don't wanna leave him unguarded,though.....

*She yawns*

welcometoarkion

"I can guard him for you. You should sleep" Hypno's voices are so soft when he offers, it's as if they gently held Lati.

*Lati purrs softly at the voices, shutting her eyes*

........okay....g'night,Hypno....

welcometoarkion

"Goodnight, Lati."

--

By the time Lati awakens the next day, Light is already out of bed, looking out the window.

*She stretches like a cat,slowly waking up*

Oh,good morning Light! How are you feeling now?

welcometoarkion

"I'm feeling alright." He turns around and gives her a small smile. "The spell helped a lot, but... I can still faintly hear the shadows whispering now that I'm awake again." He turns back to the window, paws shaking. "...How did you sleep?"

*Lati growls quietly before shaking it off,standing up*

Pretty good! Hypno said he'd keep watch,so I was able to go to sleep. Was gonna stay up the whole night,but,eh,I was really tired actually- did not know he could sense that! That's neat though.

*She yawns again,stretching*

Anywayyy,top on the priority list is getting you those injections! Fun times.

welcometoarkion

Light stiffens at the mention of injections, laughing weakly. "Fun times indeed..." He begins to shake a bit more.

...ah...

*She gives him a worried look,reaching out for a moment and then pulling her hand back*

.......I mean,you could try just drinking the potion instead,if that would be less...scary...?

welcometoarkion

Light shakes his head. "Even the best potion will only last minutes. I know what I have to do and I'm willing to do it. I'm just... nervous," He insists, sighing deeply. "I'm an adult; I can handle a needle."

There's nothing wrong with being nervous...hell, I'M still scared of needles. And I'm probably one of the scariest people you know! :3

I was serious about holding your paw if you want it. Really,I don't mind. But I also know you don't really like touch so- if you want me to just stand there or something? I dunno,,just let me know.

welcometoarkion

"I'll consider it, thanks..."

The door knocks.

Light turns around. "Come in."

Kara, Hypno, and Rainbow appear behind the door. "Morning, Light. How are you feeling."

"I'm..." Light pauses before giving an answer, not wanting to sound negative. "I'll be better soon."

"But what about now?" Kara presses, raising an eyebrow.

Light sighs as he relents. "I'm dealing with some side effects."

I need the shadow stone in physical form so I can harm it. I want to just- strangle it.

*Lati says,deadpan. Surely that explains everything.*

welcometoarkion

"According to our recent research, that may not be impossible to accomplish," Kara mumbles. "But that's not what we're here for. The Star injection is ready for you."

"Ah." Light's claws discreetly grip the windowsill. "That's good news."

Oh good! Good.

*She glances at Light before quickly looking away again,not wanting to draw attention to him*

I'll,um,come with him.

welcometoarkion

Kara nods. "You're all welcome to. Come on. Let's get this over with."

She leads them all back down to the healing room, Light being helped by Rainbow to walk since he's still quite weak.

Penn is filling a syringe with the liquid when they arrive. "Light! Good to see you awake."

"Good morning, sir." Light does all he can to ignore the syringe in his paw, lest he pass out and die right there.

*Lati winces a little at the syringe,casually moving closer to Light*

G-good morning,Penn! :D... :'>

*She truly doesn't like needles either </3*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sits Light down, attempting to quell his discomfort with a quick pat on the back.

"We'll make this quick." Penn takes hold of Light's arm, and Light breathes in deep and shuts his eyes as the needle pierces his skin.

*Despite her obvious discomfort,Lati keeps her eyes on the needle and Light. Just in case*

welcometoarkion

In only a couple seconds, it's all over. The Stardust has been administered, and the shot didn't even hurt.

Not as much as the sensation of it fighting against the Shadow Stode did anyway.

Light shudders and hisses at the pain. Rainbow tries to hold him up.

"Just breathe," Hypno instructs. "The pain will pass soon."

Hopefully quickly.

*Lati whines,unsure of what to do. She ends up just coming over and quietly resting her head on Light's shoulder*

Just breathe,you've got it...

*...stars,was it painful like this for Hypno too? ... :(.*

welcometoarkion

Between the pain and the excess contact, Lioght's hissing turns into a growl as he pulls back from them. "Please... give me some space..."

Rainbow nods and swiftly moves back.

Right,sorry.

*Lati nods as well,moving back.*

welcometoarkion

The pain does eventually settle, and Light peeks down his shirt to see the darkness on his chest has diminished, even if just a little. He sighs in relief. "It's working."

"I would have warned you if I knew it would be so painful." Penn gives Light a shameful frown. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I had a feeling it would," Light admits as he looks back up again, forming an icicle in his paw to see that his magic has lightened again. "Thank you for helping me."

Penn bows. "It's our pleasure."

Oh,thank goodness-

*Lati sighs in relief,finally fully untensing for what seems like the first time since the fight against Corwin.*

Again,thank you both so much. I don't know how we can ever repay you...

welcometoarkion

"No need." Kara shakes her head. "You all have done so much for Arkion. We're the ones repaying you. Besides, you can't protect us if you get hurt."

Light brings his focus to Rainbow and Lati. "I'm sorry for growling at you both."

Rainbow gestures dismissively. "Oh, no, it's fine. I should've remembered not to get so touchy with you," he says, holding his paws shamefully.

True,true,but still!

Ah,yeah,no,that was my bad.

*Lati holds her hands together and bows her head*

I just have to figure out other ways to give comfort,, sorry!

welcometoarkion

Light smiles a little. "It's nice that you're even trying."

Rainbow gives a slightly confused laugh. "Well, yeah, if it makes you uncomfortable, of course we'll stop."

"I-I know, I know, but it..." Light sighs. "It feels weird to have this part of me met with consideration... even if you did forget. No one's even apologized like you two have."

"Oh." Rainbow straightens slowly and his eye twitches. "I see." His tone is chillingly level as he glares at Light, though not in anger towards him.

...well. I guess I have more people to beat up,then.

*Lati looks equally pissed off*

First of all how dare they,second of all w h o m s t -Third of all we love you of course we want you to be comfortable. Do you have any idea how happy it makes me to be around you. I was fully willing to bite shadow stone for you. Frankly I still am.

welcometoarkion

Her rant makes Light giggle. "I wouldn't bother chasing them down. I don't want to think about them much anyway." He stands up from the chair and bows to Penn and Kara. "Speaking of not thinking of them, we should be off. I need to distract myself with a treat of some kind."

They both bow back. "Please take care, all of you." Penn asks. "We will do our best to protect Arkion if something ever happened to you, but it would be a much darker place without you."

"Thank you Penn. Thank you Kara." Rainbow bows as well. "We hope your meetings with the other Elders go smoothly."

*She still looks pissed off,but her tail does wag a little when Light laughs*

Ah yes,we all deserve a little treat!

*She nods,doing a small curtsy towards the elders*

Seriously,you're both incredible. Don't ever try to be like the other elders. Please. :3

welcometoarkion

"We won't," Kara assures. "I'll make sure of it."

The group steps through the door to leave, and are greeted by cheering. Thousands of Arkisen crowd the temple to celebrate the heroes for defeating the King.

"Oh, goodness." Light puts on a weak smile for the crowd, and Rainbow and Hypno hold onto Lati to comfort her before she freaks out.

!!!

O-oh!!

*Lati is indeed mildly freaked out (that is SO MANY PEOPLE,DEAR LORD) but she does do her best to smile*

U-um!- thank you,everyone-!

welcometoarkion

Light leads the group through the crowd, taking the responsibility of answering their many questions. There's a bit of a judgemental remark about Light taking in the Shadow Stone, but Rainbow and Hypno shoo that guy away, allowing them a mostly peaceful path to the cafe and bakery.

*Lati does snap her teeth at the guy,but she ends up just leaving them alone to not cause a scene. She does promptly rush inside the bakery to safety though*

Too many people- ...it was nice that they all came to thank us,though... :]

welcometoarkion

Light sighs in relief and takes a seat at one of the tables. "Hopefully, we'll have some peace here."

Just as he says it, the shopkeeper walks into the front. "Well I'll be damned! The heroes have come to my humble cafe!"

Light can only whine at the irony, though he keeps his smile. "You got any glowberry muffins, mage?"

*Lati simply faceplants on the table,raising a weak thumbs up.*

Nice to meet you...

welcometoarkion

"Sure thing, sir!" they chirp. "On the house, of course."

"Thank you," Light's smile becomes genuine at their offer, but he frowns curiously when Hypno sits down next to him.

"How's your head feeling?" he asks quietly.

Light sighs. "Better. I can still hear... something, but it's much quieter."

Hypno nods, leaning back. "You'll get used to that."

Good,good. I'm glad it isn't still fully there.

*She sighs,raising her head slightly to look at them*

There's literally no reason for shadow stone to do all that. Simply no reason. :/ it's just being a dick at that point.

Also,Hypno,why didn't you mention it hurt that much?? We could've.........well,I don't know,but I would have let you bite down on my arm or something. Or. Gotten you a stick for that,I don't know,but still.

welcometoarkion

"You should know my pain tolerance is much higher that Light's." Hypno raises an eyebrow at Lati, then turns away after a moment. "Though, I suppose I could have warned him about how bad it was going to be. I apologize for that, Light."

Light shrugs. "It's alright. It's in the past anyway."

Well I do know it's higher,but that doesn't mean I want you in pain...

...yeah,I guess it's over with anyway...

*After a moment of silence,she blinks,eyes widening*

...it's actually over,isn't it? Light defeated the nightmare king. It's...it's actually over. We won against Corwin. Holy shit.

welcometoarkion

Light hums. "Well, we still have the Prince--"

"--And Cynn."

"--but what are they without their leader?"

"That's the thing," Hypno starts. "Corwin hasn't truly been their leader for years. They obey the Shadow Stone."

"Honestly, now that Corwin's out of the picture, Micah's probably gonna up his game," Rainbow assumes.

And even if they don't,Micah at least is easy to beat. Maybe we can just trap his child(? Creature? Thing?) somewhere filled with stardust so it can't do anything and be done with them both.

welcometoarkion

Simultaneously, Hypno and Light get an odd feeling, like a chill up their spines. They look at each other in understanding.

"Whatever we plan, we keep it in here." Hypno whispers as he points to his head. "As long as we're infected, Cynn can hear us."

...understood.

*Lati growls softly,eyes flicking around the area*

I'm still down for crushing it.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, absolutely."

Light thanks the shopkeeper when he receives his muffin, as well as a complimentary tea, then goes back to frowning as he contemplates. "Hopefully, what I've done will be enough to get that Star to reconsider eradicating us."

Oh,gosh,I nearly forgot,so much has happened...yeah,maybe he'll just give up?

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs. "That's the hope." He turns to see Hypno frowning. He tilts his head at him, and Hypno looks his way.

"What?"

"Something's upsetting you."

Hypno huffs. "I can't get a read on those Starborn. When Chrona came here, I'll admit I did read their mind... or, I tried to. They're too powerful for me to even search through. It... made me nervous, I suppose."

Really? Too powerful for even you...?

*She looks a little more worried*

Hm......don't like that.

welcometoarkion

"It made me... very aware just how much I use my power as a replacement for..." Hypno struggles to find the words. "Normal connection."

"You don't ask many questions," Rainbow admits. "This'll be a good exercise for you."

Mm...

*She lowers her head back down to the table,blinking at him*

...I thought you were doing good...

welcometoarkion

Hypno simply laughs softly and pats Lati's head, because he doesn't agree, but appreciates the support. "At least I got to talk to you like a normal person, Rainbow, before everything happened."

Rainbow smiles. "See? If you tap into that, it won't be so hard."

*Lati shuts her eyes,purring softly. Her tail thumps against her seat and she briefly winces. ...it's actually getting sore from wagging this much. ... she'll have to heal that later- for now she just puts a hand on it.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs some more. "Too much wagging, huh, Lati?" he teases quietly.

"She does wag a lot more than us, now that I think about it," Light mentions.

A-ah....///////

*She sinks down in her seat, embarrassed*

I wag a normal amount,,,

welcometoarkion

"Sure." Hypno smirks and runs his paw through her hair. "You purr a normal amount, too."

"Okay, now you're just being mean," Rainbow snickers.

*Her purring gets slightly louder,which only makes her blush more*

U-unfair,,

welcometoarkion

"I don't know... It seems like you like it." He pulls his paw away. "I can stop if you want me to."

Noooo...

*She promptly pulls his paw back onto her head. Perfect.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno continues with a giggle, scratching behind her ears. "That's what I thought~" Then he stops again when he feels a paw on the back of his head. He turns around and sees that Rainbow has started petting him. "What?"

"You were getting too snarky," he says, smiling when he sees Hypno relax a little. "You needed to get knocked down a peg."

Hypno struggles to appear unfazed. He continues petting Lati, barely stifling a purr.

^w^ yayyyyy...

*Lati just seems perfectly happy with all of this,nearly melting into her seat*

welcometoarkion

"Alright, this is cute, but I have to let up." Hypno pulls away again, intending to stay that way. "If I keep going, Rainbow keeps going, and I'm not willing to purr in public."

Rainbow pouts. "But you're so cute when you purr."

Hypno pats Rainbow's head sympathetically. "Save it for the cabin."

Aww,fine...

*She sighs sadly,but does leave him be*

You are cute when you purr,hehehehe...but I do get not wanting to do it in public- the public...is a little scary.

welcometoarkion

"Isn't that the truth..." Light stretches and stands. "In that case, I wouldn't mind going now. I'm still a bit tired after all."

"Yeah, you get your rest, Light." Rainbow agrees. "I'll be showing Lati the most optimal way to pet Hypno."

:0 REALLY?!

*... she is far too excited by this*

Hehehehehehe- yeah,yeah,you very much deserve rest! Hehrhehehegehegegegeghghhh-

welcometoarkion

Hypno rolls his eyes and just. Scoops Lati up like a cat and follows the other two out the cafe, dodging the crowd and flying off to their cabin.

Oh okay :D yay <3

*She seems content with this*

welcometoarkion

Once back at home base, Light goes inside, presumably to nap, while Rainbow and Hypno go to the backyard to sit by the lake.

*Lati goes to sit with them,not entirely sure Rainbow was serious about the petting thing,but wanting to hang out with them regardless. She sighs softly,relaxing more now that they're fully away from the crowds*

welcometoarkion

They both just take a moment to enjoy the peace. Rainbow's tail grazes against Hypno's before he leans on him, one arm around his shoulder. He steals a few scritches under his chin before Hypno growls playfully.

"Knew it..."

"And yet, you did nothing to stop me." Without objection, Rainbow continues.

*She giggles quietly at them,softly purring despite her best attempts not to. Oh well.

She flutters her wings a bit before pulling them close to herself. She hasn't preened this entire time,should probably get on that soon. Messy feathers do not feel good*

welcometoarkion

Despite being occupied by the pets, Hypno does recognize Lati's discomfort with her wings. "What seems to be the problem?" he asks despite having an idea.

Hm-? Oh- ahh...

*Her wings twitch as she holds them*

We've kinda been busy most of the time...I haven't really had time to take care of my wings like I should. I'm,,not very experienced with them when I DO have time,anyway. I gotta at least try though. It's uncomfortable when the feathers get all messy,,

*Lati sighs,looking them over. They aren't awful,but they're definitely not as good as they should be...*

welcometoarkion

Hypno and Rainbow both look over at her wings, then at each other.

Hesitantly, Rainbow asks "Is it alright if we help you?"

"We have the time now, after all." Hypno adds.

*Lati squeaks,blinking at them*

O^O! ... ✨^✨

I mean,sure,if you want too!!

welcometoarkion

"Alright then. Let's get to work." Hypno smiles and he and Rainbow both scoot closer.

"So, how does this work?" Rainbow asks as he puts a gentle paw on the end of Lati's wing.

Uhh,you know about as much as me,I guess! Just,uhh...straighten any messy feathers,and pull out the loose ones. Gently,,

welcometoarkion

They both nod and carefully start the process. Rainbow has to stop when he really gets his paws into the feathers. "They're so soft..." he whispers, then continues.

*She does her best not to start purring and wagging her tail from that,but of course,it happens anyway. She murmurs a quick Heal command to fix her tail up before smiling*

Thank you!! Hehe,they are! :3

welcometoarkion

They mostly work in silence, enjoying the simple repetition of the task in the sunlight, accompanied by the sound of Lati's purring and the water rippling in front of them.

Hypno gets finished with his designated wing quicker, not being as distracted by their softness as Rainbow, so he pivots to rubbing her back and shoulders.

*Lati basically melts against him,fully relaxed and very happy*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs softly as she relaxes. "There you go."

Rainbow dusts the loose feathers off his lap once he's finished. "How'sit feel now?" he asks, still running his paws through the wings to feel their softness.

Really really nice...much better ^^

welcometoarkion

"Great! I'm glad we could help."

"We should do this more often," Hypno muses quietly, not noticing the slight purr that escapes as he continues essentially making biscuits on Lati's shoulders.

Rainbow laughs. "Yeah. It seems to put you in a good mood, too."

I'm definitely not opposed to it,hah!

^^ yayyyy...you really are cute when you purr...

welcometoarkion

Hypno freezes when he realizes what he's doing. He clears his throat, looking away as Rainbow laughs.

"Nooo, keep going. It's cute." He reaches to pet Hypno, scratching under his chin. "C'mon~. Give me a purr."

Hypno grumbles, relenting with a growl that transforms into a purr, swishing his tail in barely repressed happiness.

*Lati snickers,watching them*

So fierce...

welcometoarkion

Hypno grumbles again, and Rainbow pulls back to give Lati room by Hypno's face. "Here. Give it a go. Right under his chin."

Hypno just rolls his eyes, but doesn't seem to object.

puttheroleplayherelati

Oh you were serious about the petting thing! Oh okay :D!

*She starts scratching under his chin like one would a cat*

welcometoarkion

His purr intensifies echoing throughout the forest. He shakes his head to keep himself from getting too comfortable. He was teasing about being so out of control of his Star-infused powers, but he fears he may actually lose his grip if he relaxes too much.

Rainbow leans forward and kisses Hypno's forehead to get his tail to wag. "Honestly, you don't get enough affection," Rainbow says softly. "You're always so sweet with me. I should return the favor more often."

:>!!!

*She giggles,vastly enjoying this*

Pretty boyyy...

welcometoarkion

Hypno whines at the compliment. Lati can't see it because of the fur, but he's blushing hard. His face is getting warmer. "...You're pushing it," he complains through squished cheeks.

"Aw, is someone getting grumpy?" Rainbow nuzzles Hypno's nose, which causes him to laugh a little.

He sighs fondly. "You're such a pain."

puttheroleplayherelati

We aren't exactly WRONG,though. Maybe you just need more compliments...

*She giggles mischievously,tail wagging*

welcometoarkion

"Suppose they're still a foreign concept to me. I've not known you two long enough to be used to it."

"Then we'll give it in small doses--" Rainbow suggests, giving Hypno another kiss. "--handsome."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ehhhh...fine,I'm feeling merciful. Small doses.

*She giggles,patting his head*

You are a very pretty boy though,I wasn't wrong :3

welcometoarkion

He laughs a little. "No one thinks I'm "pretty" unless I've hypnotized them... And, even then, they're just talking about my magic." He tilts his head at the two of them. Despite being confused, he still takes the time to tease them about it. "What makes you think I'm so attractive, hm?"

Rainbow laughs as well when Hypno teases him, then shrugs at the question. "I don't know. I guess, the more I like a person, the kinder they are to me... the more I see them in a different light. Physically, you're my type, but... when you hated me, I hated looking at you. Then we reconciled and... then I couldn't take my eyes off you." He slowly gets more shy as he goes on, but Hypno just stares at him, surprised.

puttheroleplayherelati

*She smiles softly at Rainbow before nodding*

Yeah,I mean...I'm more attracted to personality than anything else,I guess. You do look beautiful,but I feel like no matter what form you were in...I probably would've thought you were gorgeous anyway...

welcometoarkion

"Huh..." Hypno's eyes trail downward in thought. His face doesn't change, but his tail betrays his happiness. "You think I'm kind?"

"I know you're kind." Rainbow gives him another kiss on the cheek.

puttheroleplayherelati

Hypno,you're wonderful.

*She nuzzles against him,purring*

welcometoarkion

Hypno nuzzles her back, then kisses Rainbow, holding the both of them close. "...Thank you." He's not sure he gets it fully, but he can at least show his appreciation.

"It's what you do for the people you love..." Rainbow melts into him and closes his eyes.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mhm...

*Lati folds her wings around both of them before shutting her eyes. Cozy <3*

welcometoarkion

"I'm sure I'll wrap my head around it someday. I always do..." He looks off into the distance while the two of them snuggle him. "...I guess I like the idea of you grovelling all the time--" he laughs. "--but I wish I knew how to properly appreciate it... Without being so villainous about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

I'm sure you'll get it eventually :]

I mean I don't think it's villainous necessarily- it's not like you want total strangers doing it,so maybe you just like the power dynamiccc......you know what,Iiii probably shouldn't guess about your preferences,I already bullied Light for the chain thing---

welcometoarkion

Hypno smirks at Lati's choice of words, prepared to tease her, but his face drops when she mentions Light. "...Pardon?"

Rainbow also turns to look at her with a confused expression. "Yeah, wait. What was that about a chain?"

puttheroleplayherelati

Huh- oh. Uh.

*Damn her and her stupid mouth*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

*Now. How to say this while being respectful to Light. The hero who nearly just died fighting Corwin.*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh soooo....in the nether while we were trying to bargain with Suri and Donna,they kinda put me and Light on leash chains for a little while. So. I just sort of started walking away and confused them but Light um- stayed? Kept- kept the chain on. Anddd didn't like,demand for her to take it off or anything? So I was teasing him about it the other day and we came to the conclusion that he likes chains. So. ...thus concludes the educational section of today.

*She nods,very very awkwardly and feeling a little bad for even telling them. Light isn't even here to defend himself </3*

Do not tell him I told you. I do not think I was supposed to tell-

welcometoarkion

After they spend a good five seconds staring in disbelief, they nod.

"That's... really interesting." Hypno scratches his chin as Rainbow makes a "my lips are sealed" motion with his paw.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mmhmm. Really. Really interesting. To him most of all I think.

*Lati nods again*

I think. I should start concealing some information again.

welcometoarkion

"I can understand it." Hypno shrugs. "Light doesn't like being cuddly or romantic. I suppose a chain is the opposite of that."

Rainbow's eyes widen as he realizes. "Light doesn't like being romantic? Oh, that makes so much sense."

Hypno blinks. "Oh, I guess you missed that. He mentioned it while you were out at the shop." He sighs. "Poor thing. He's been given a lot of grief about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

Hm,I guess it does make sense when you put it like that!

Ah,yeah...he sort of seemed in disbelief that we just accepted it. ...that really ticks me off...how the hell have people treated him that he didn't even believe we'd accept it? As if there's anything wrong with it...

welcometoarkion

"Some Arkisen can be very entitled," Hypno starts, "And reciprocation of feelings is valued quite high. There's a belief some hold about a love story that unfolded between our gods, but... even if it were true, it doesn't mean we have to do what they did."

Rainbow chimes in. "I heard that story; I think it's cute..." Then he frowns. "It's a shame that's how it's being used, though."

puttheroleplayherelati

:[

*She cringes a little at some love story between their gods (someone please save Alex. She doesn't trust that guy-) but then just sighs*

That's irritating...why can't everyone just shut up and leave people alone...

welcometoarkion

"I ponder that question every day..." Hypno sighs.

Rainbow looks behind him at the cabin. "I hope we're being good friends to Light."

Hypno pats him reassuringly. "Rainbow, you're never a bad friend."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah,you've been nothing but wonderful!

*Her ear twitches*

...honestly...not to be cocky or anything,but I'm pretty sure we're the best thing that's ever happened to him. Which makes me both happy and sad,,

welcometoarkion

"He deserves more than just us..." Rainbow freezes as he realizes the implications of his statement. "Not to say we aren't good enough for him, but it seems everyone else is bent on giving him a hard time."

There's a pause before Hypno says "I don't think you have any idea how much your friendship means to him. Of course, it would be best if everyone accepted him, but you've undone a decent amount of self doubt in him that the Elders gave him when they would compare him to you."

Rainbow freezes again at those last few words. He looks Hypno dead in the eyes. "...They...?" When Hypno nods, Rainbow slowly turns away, whispering. "Remind me of that when we get back to the island. I have some choice words for their Elders."

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati growls softly,looking away*

I want to strangle them-

*Well,the hopes of her being more diplomatic have gone out the window*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs, almost growls. "You know what? I do, too."

His response gets a soft laugh out of Hypno. "Is that so?"

"I don't play around when it comes to my friends, you know that."

Hypno nodes sagely. "All too well..."

puttheroleplayherelati

... :). I like it when you're scary!

*She still sounds incredibly ominous,but she does mean it*

They deserve "a talk" for all they've done.

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs again. "If you want scary, you should have seen him two hundred years ago."

"He's right. I spent a lot of time fighting then." Rainbow's laugh is a bit darker. "There was a time Hypno brought out a... very different side of me."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ah,I see...

*Lati nods. Hypno is a very lucky arkis,she thinks. Getting to see Rainbow be terrifying AND sweet is a luxury few can afford*

welcometoarkion

"It's not, um..." Rainbow laughs shyly. "We don't have to dwell on that, though." He stands up and brushes himself off, which makes Hypno frown slightly. "Anyway, I'm actually kinda hungry. I haven't eaten anything filling since breakfast yesterday."

Hypno hums thoughtfully, then stands up with him. "You're right. I can make you some soup."

Rainbow smiles. "Aw, you'd do that?"

"Of course."

puttheroleplayherelati

...wife material...

*Okay yep that is an inside thought. Thankfully she said that pretty quietly. Hypno would look very cute in a pink flowery apron,though*

I'll,ah...go check on Light. Make sure he's actually sleeping and resting and everything- just in case.

welcometoarkion

Hypno manages not to look down at Lati when she whispers. He is keeping that in mind though.

Rainbow nods. "Good call. The boost can only do so much if he's wearing himself out."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah...enjoy your soup!

*And he does have a tendency to wear himself out. She heads inside and starts looking*

welcometoarkion

Light is in his room, but he's not exactly resting. Instead, he's sitting at the vanity, examining the shadow marks on his face that didn't quite fade.

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati clears her throat,trying not to surprise him*

Hiya! Just came to check on you- ...um,can't sleep?

welcometoarkion

Light looks up from the mirror. He glances at Lati before tuning away, ashamed that she found him looking at his reflection. "Um... afraid not."

puttheroleplayherelati

Well you should still be taking it easy...no worries though! I think Hypno's making soup in a bit if you're hungry.

*She looks at the mirror with a pensive expression before clearing her throat again*

.......I'm sure most of the marks will fade eventually. And the ones that don't- I-I wasn't lying to make you feel better or anything,I really do think they look cool...

welcometoarkion

Light's tail swishes at the mention of soup, then he nods slightly at the reassurance. "Yeah, I... I-I know. Thank you. It'll just, uh, take some getting used to, that's all." He turns to the mirror again, staring at the spots before sighing. "I understand I sound like a broken record at this point, but... The Elders take corruption very seriously... In the sense that they condemn anyone who has it, that is. They've gotten in my head." He chuckles sadly. "Maybe more than Cynn has."

puttheroleplayherelati

And I know I sound like a broken record when I say I want to maul everything that makes you feel like you aren't good enough. And Cynn is going in the orphan crusher. ...that's not a thing yet but it will be.

*She sighs softly*

I wish you could believe us when we say they don't matter. Cause really,they don't. What you did was...terrifying and reckless and made me cry several times BUT! ...it was the most amazing and heroic thing I've ever seen too. And no one should have anything negative to say about a side effect of you doing that.

welcometoarkion

"Ignoring the fact that Cynn isn't an orphan... yet, and that it's intangible, I always appreciate your tenacity." He gives her a small smile. "You're a good friend. I can only hope that one day I can properly internalize your positivity."

puttheroleplayherelati

*Lati's tail starts to wag happily*

Hah,I try. ...you're a really good friend too,Light. And I...hope you at least know how much you mean to us :]

welcometoarkion

Light nods. "I'm starting to understand. You all mean a lot to me, too."

puttheroleplayherelati

In that case,I'm glad :>

*She purrs,reaching out for a moment before smacking her hand away with her other one*

No. Bad >:[ no touch.

*She wags her finger at the hand that had reached out before remembering Light is still in the room*

...soup? :D

welcometoarkion

Light sighs and shakes his head fondly at her scolding. "And yet, you're still the strangest being I've ever known," he whispers to himself, getting up to check on lunch.

puttheroleplayherelati

Heyyy,this is my learning process!! >:p

*Her tail continues wagging as she follows him,clearly pleased with herself*

welcometoarkion

As he descends, the air around them gets warmer, more fragrant. "O-oh my!" Light can't help but chuckle at the sight before him. Hypno is at work, preparing the soup and bread, a pink, cutely decorated apron covering his front.

He was in the middle of feeding his sous chef a sample when he heard Light and Lati come down. He turns slowly, and he and Rainbow both freeze for a bit before Hypno freely shrugs and laughs.

"Rainbow made me do it," he admits, or deflects I guess.

Rainbow seems surprised how little Hypno cared in that moment. He smiles sweetly, almost emotional over how soft he looks.

puttheroleplayherelati

*Lati nearly falls over at the mere sight of him. Damn,she was VERY RIGHT at the thought that he would look cute in an apron like that. Her wings flutter briefly as she starts heavily blushing. Of course. ...it's fine,it's fine,the situation is still salvageable,just don't say anything stupid*

...so,are you on the menu too-?

*DAMNIT,LATI!!!!!*

I mean-NO THAT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE AN OUTSIDE THOUGHT- gh- um- fgvfgfdggcc SOUP.

*Great job.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno's tail sways almost flirtatiously as he laughs at Lati. "Dessert isn't until evening," he teases, pouring her a bowl. "For now, hopefully you like lunch." He places it on the table.

"I didn't know you could cook, Hypno." Light takes a seat at the table, patiently awaiting his soup.

Hypno brings it to him. "Well, I know just about every recipe thanks to my magic... But this one is one of the few I was properly taught by my parents."

puttheroleplayherelati

Y-yay...

*She chooses to shut up,just drinking her soup*

welcometoarkion

Light takes a sip and hums in satisfaction. "Your parents taught you well."

"I suppose." Hypno shrugs and sits down with his own bowl. "In this regard, at least."

welcometoarkion

The player steps into the portal hub, taking note of the area around them before greeting one of the workers. “Hello! I have a ticket to Arkion that I’d like to use!” They seem both very excited and very nervous as they hold out their ticket to the worker. They’re fidgeting with a pocket watch using their other paw, repeatedly opening and closing it.

The guide takes the ticket and examines it, smiling once they confirm its validity. "Alright! So, where and when would you like to be sent? We've got almost infinite options."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I’d like to head to the Rainbow town, please!” They seem even more excited now, bouncing up and down slightly.

welcometoarkion

"Second time someone's said that..." the guide mumbled. They printed out a similar map to the one they gave another traveler, took out the calling badge, and handed them over to this new guest. "The portal'll get you as close as possible, but in case you get lost, use the map."

foggythefandomgremlin

They look down at it before looking back up and nodding. “Thank you! Not sure if you accept tips but here!” They hand the guide a diamond before stepping through into Arkion, waving as they go out of view.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, thanks!" they call before the traveler enters the portal.

--

It's bright and sunny out wherever they've been placed, and in the distance, there's a stone wall decorated with concrete in many colors, matching the image on the map.

foggythefandomgremlin

They look around briefly before heading towards the wall.

welcometoarkion

Soon, they'll reach the gate, one guarded by what seems to be a human Player. They have "TheLSpike" written above their head, and they eye the stranger curiously as they come forward.

foggythefandomgremlin

They wave at them as they approach, seeming nervous at encountering another player. “Hello! My names Bloom, or Foggy, either one works. I’m visiting since I heard rumors of a new mortal species being found, and I wanted to see for myself. I’m guessing you live here?” The nervousness and excitement is clear in their voice.

welcometoarkion

The Player shrugs, giving Bloom an unsure expression. ""Live" is a strong word, but yes, there's a species here that might be new to you. I'm Lucas," he greets. "I can let you in, but you have to promise you'll be... peaceful with them." His tone is quite a bit more serious now. "I don't know what exactly it is you came to do, but as long as it's not gonna hurt anyone, we're good."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I promise I won’t hurt anyone.” They match his seriousness. “Im merely curious, it’s not often that new species are found, especially not sentient ones.” Their excitement seems to be returning slightly as they talk “Anyways, nice to meet you Lucas!”

welcometoarkion

After a second of consideration, Lucas opens the gate. "If you say so. Nice meeting you, too, Bloom."

The town is twice as colorful as the wall that protects it, both in architecture and in the residents, all sporting fur in techicolor hues. No one seems to care that the gate has opened; they're all too occupied with each other and enjoying the sun.

foggythefandomgremlin

Looking around, they seem to be amazed. Walking down the path they glance between the people of the town.

welcometoarkion

Once Bloom properly enters, the Arkisen seem to finally recognize they're there. The ones who see them are a bit startled; some hide it better than others. Being what is to them a hybrid of one of their own and a fox, it isn't surprising that they're... surprised, to see someone like Bloom.

foggythefandomgremlin

Noticing the looks they sigh before mumbling to themself. “Knew I should’ve used my other skin…” Nevertheless they continue exploring.

welcometoarkion

Not much further off, there's another Player sitting in the park, talking to an Arkis that looks a bit different than the ones they passed by.

foggythefandomgremlin

The other player quickly catches their attention and they begin approaching. “Hello!” They wave as they approach.

welcometoarkion

It takes a minute for the Player to realize that he's looking at another Player and not just a weird looking Arkis. "Woah, dude, are you here from Crest?" he asks, which takes the Arkis beside him off edge.

"There are fox people on Crest?" the Arkis asks his friend.

The Player shrugs. "Sometimes."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Yeah, I’m from Crest. I should probably have used my other skin instead of this one, it seems to be confusing people.” They say sheepishly.

welcometoarkion

The Player waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, I can just tell them where you're from and they'll understand. I'm Sabre, by the way," he greets with his hand out for them to shake, then he gestures with his head to the Arkis beside him. "That's Rainbow."

"Welcome to Rainbow town," Rainbow tells them, then mutters, embarrassed "I-I didn't come up with the name."

foggythefandomgremlin

“If you say so!” They shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, Sabre! I’m Bloom, or Foggy, both names work.” Ending the handshake they offer a paw to Rainbow. “Nice to meet you as well Rainbow!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow happily takes their paw. "So, what brings you to Arkion?" His paw almost seems to glow when he pulls back, and there's a slight crease to his brow despite his smile. Sabre notices this, and rests a hand behind his back.

foggythefandomgremlin

“I heard rumors about a new species being found and wanted to check it out for myself, possibly talk to some of them if the rumor was true! I’m guessing you’re one of them?” They smile at Rainbow, clearly excited.

welcometoarkion

"Sure am." Their excitement endears Rainbow, but there's a part of him that feels a bit nervous. "Anything you want to know?"

foggythefandomgremlin

“Hmm…” they ponder for a brief moment. “Oh! Is there anything I should avoid doing when meeting or talking to your kind? I don’t wanna offend anyone accidentally.”

welcometoarkion

That question takes him off edge. His paw stops glowing, and he seems almost surprised to hear it. Rainbow then laughs a little. "There's a lot I could mention, honestly, but as a general rule, just don't use your abilities on people who haven't asked for it... If you have any, that is," he starts. "I'm sure kindness is a universal concept, and whatever you don't know, always ask."

foggythefandomgremlin

“Got it!” They seem very happy. “I don’t have anything beyond what the average player has and none of those can really be used on people. I’m guessing since you mentioned abilities that you have them?”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, yeah." Rainbow leans forward, paws on the ground to help him balance as he prepares to explain. "There are five races of Arkisen, and they each have their own set of powers. Sometimes, there'll be exceptions, like me and a friend of mine who are hybrids, but there aren't any others in this town." He seems rather excited to tell them this, as his tail is swaying behind him as he speaks.

foggythefandomgremlin

They sit down, clearly interested in what hes saying.

welcometoarkion

Rainbow continues passionately. "There's Hicorus. They're mainly blue, control ice and water and maybe the weather sometimes. Edorans are red and control fire and lava. Montirs are green. They have nature powers and the strongest healing of the five. Navis are yellow, have speed, strength, and electricity. And then Cendales are the purple ones that have force fields, teleportation, telekinesis, and... I feel like they have something else... I don't know." He stops, a little ashamed. "I'll be honest, I'm a recovering amnesiac, and by recovering, I mean I don't really have the memories back; I'm just a fast learner."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Thats fine! Any knowledge is good knowledge.”

welcometoarkion

He seems to perk up at their understanding. "I guess so. A-anyway, as far as hybrids are concerned, my friend was the son of five Elders, the most powerful group of Arkisen, and I assume I was, too. Usually, you'll only have one or two parents, and only end up as one race, but he was a special case. One Elder from each race used their magic to make him, and he ended up with all five sets of powers. Again, I think that's the same with me. I have some vague memories of being around Elders as a kid. I guess I could ask an Elder if they knew my parents..." Rainbow trails of, tapping his chin in thought.

They listen intently before speaking. “Hybrids tend to be really rare, they aren’t possible for most species, it’s interesting you guys can have them.”

welcometoarkion

"It's not common for us, either." Rainbow shakes his head. "The only other ones... They were made with something called Shadow Stone. They can use multiple powers, but it... It corrupts their mind and kinda turns them evil." His tail stops swishing and he cringes a little as he continues. "We actually built this town to protect Arkisen from those guys."

“Ah, so kind of like sculk? I’m not sure if you have that here but I know sometimes players minds can be corrupted by it.” They cringe slightly aswell. “It’s not normally able to infect but it can happen depending on the world.”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's head tilts at the mention of skulk. "No, skulk doesn't do that here." He turns to Sabre. "Does that really happen in your world?"

Sabre shrugs. "There've been rumors."

Rainbow turns back to Bloom. "We only have one corrupting substance in our world, thank the Stars."

“Thats good, well, kinda. It would be better to have none then one in this case, but what can ya do.” They shrug before continuing. “It’s incredibly rare for a world to have something that can corrupt people fully, stuff like that typically is only just severe enough to make you sick. And even then players are typically at least partially immune.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre nods, adding "Well, it hasn't gotten to me yet. Trust me, I've touched the stuff way more times than is safe for an Arkis."

"Really, I don't know what's wrong with him." Rainbow rolls his eyes. "He throws himself at death like he can bounce back from it." He laughs, but Sabre seems to cringe a bit.

They look between Rainbow and Sabre, confused, before something seems to click. They proceed to stare at Sabre, silently questioning him.

welcometoarkion

Sabre notices their stare and nervously clears his throat. "Anyway, that's not something we need to dwell on. I'm fine; there was no harm done..." Then he mutters a near inaudible "...to me," hoping the other Player couldn't hear him.

“To you…?” They heard him. Theres curiosity and a small bit of suspicion in their gaze.

welcometoarkion

"...We don't need to get into it." Sabre repeats his sentiment, which makes Rainbow nudge him in the shoulder.

"You're inviting suspicion, Sabre," he whispers sharply. "Are you gonna be weird, or are you gonna fess up?"

Sabre sighs. "Fine, fine... If you must know, I've been named a criminal in Arkion. I had been sentenced to prison, but Rainbow was kind enough to switch it to community service."

“Ah. Like theft level crimes or the type of stuff that happens on the Dream smp?” They look him up and down. “‘Cause those are two VERY different things”

welcometoarkion

Again, Sabre finds it hard to confess, so Rainbow jumps in this time. "I'll put it this way: his service to the community, to equal the amount of harm he did, was to build this entire town and set up defenses," he explains. "And I'm acting as his warden, since I got the worst of it and know best how to deal with him."

They nod “I’m not sure what exactly he did but building a whole town seems like a pretty good punishment, well, if someone doesn’t enjoy building that is. I know the Empires folk build entire empires out of boredom, and thats not mentioning the Hermits.” They look over to Rainbow “I just realized that I don’t know how much you know about players. Is there anything you’d like to know about my kind?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waits for them to finish talking, nodding along in confusion before he can ask "Maybe start with the whole "Dream SMP", "Hermits", "Empires" thing you mentioned. What are those?"

“I’m pretty sure you already know of the whole world hopper thing so I’ll get straight to explaining. The Dream SMP, Empires, and Hermitcraft are all different factions of players spread across worlds. The Dream SMP is a lore based world, lore means story, where they basically just act out whatever they want, typically tragedy. Empires is a mix of building and lore where a bunch of players act out being rulers despite not having anyone to rule. And Hermitcraft is primarily building, it’s well known for the members building giant bases for themselves.” They think for a moment. “Thats all the basics, if you have anymore questions feel free to ask!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's tail swishes back and forth. "That sounds really cool! Were you or Lucas ever a part of something like that, Sabre?" he asks as he turns to him.

"Ehh, kinda?" Sabre answers slowly. "I did some roleplay as a kid, but nothing as sincere-- or I guess unscripted-- as an SMP."

"And what does "SMP" mean exactly?" Rainbow adds.

"Survival Multiplayer. It's when a Player makes a world for other people to join. A Survival world is a world with... let's call it the "default settings", where you can die, but you come back like almost nothing happened."

They nod along. “Pretty sure I saw some of your stuff when I was younger. You were acting the character of an assassin, correct?” They tilt their head to the side, curious.

welcometoarkion

Sabre cringes a bit. "Ohh, didn't know you saw that." He manages to laugh. "Yeah, that was me... Me and a stunt double."

"You played an assassin?" Rainbow frowns playfully. "You never tell me anything."

"Huh..." Sabre leans back as he thinks. "I guess I don't."

They laugh a bit before turning to Rainbow. “Wanna see what he looked like back then?” They grin.

welcometoarkion

"No he doesn't!" Sabre makes an "X" with his arms.

Rainbow nods vigorously, simultaneously answering with "Yes I do!" when Sabre speaks.

They cackle before focusing on changing their skin to match Sabres assassin one. “Tada!” They do sparkle hands, now a carbon copy of what Sabre used to look like.

welcometoarkion

While Sabre covers his face in shame, Rainbow gasps in amazement as Bloom's body glitches out of existence for half a second and reappears as Sabre in his assassin skin. Then once the shock of seeing a Player transform before his eyes wears off, his attention is brought to the skin itself. "Woah, Sabre, you looked so cool!"

Sabre tries to laugh away the embarrassment. "Yeah... So cool."

They’re looking at Rainbow, fondness clear in their eyes. “Anything else you wanna see?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow taps his chin, humming. "Can I see a cat?"

They nod before changing into the skin of one Stampy cat.

welcometoarkion

Both of them lean back in surprise. Rainbow does so due to how alien an anthropomorphic cat looks, and Sabre because he recognizes the skin.

Rainbow claps in amusement. "How does that work?"

“It’s basically just like having different outfits to change into except it changes everything. Someone creates it and then you can just change into it on command.”

welcometoarkion

"Fascinating." His eyes seem to sparkle. "Works a lot like Faceless, except... hopefully you didn't kill anybody to get those forms."

They shake their head. “No, multiple players can share a skin at the same time aslong as the one who made it shares it.”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, okay." Rainbow nods, then looks over to Sabre. "How come you and Lucas don't change your forms that much?"

"Well, we do have different outfits, but otherwise we're satisfied with what we made for ourselves," Sabre answers.

They shift back to their original appearance. “Most players tend to stick to a single skin unless theres some sort of event.”

welcometoarkion

"That makes sense," Rainbow figures, then tilts his head. "So, how long d'you plan on being here?"

They shrug. “I don’t really have a plan to be honest, just came here because I was curious.”

welcometoarkion

"Well, I hope you're able to learn everything you want." Rainbow beams at them.

"And if you do end up staying long, we've got places for you to stay," Sabre adds.

They smile. “I hope so aswell! And that’d be lovely.”

welcometoarkion

"You mind if we give you a tour?" Sabre asks.

“I’d love a tour!” They seem rather excited.

welcometoarkion

Both Sabre and Rainbow stand up happily. "Alright then. Come on; I know exactly where to start." Sabre motions for them to follow and they turn to the road.

They nod and follow behind.

welcometoarkion

As they lead them down, it's clear Sabre in particular is steering the train away from a small patch of a pale garden on the edge of town. Rainbow briefly glances at it as well before continuing to follow Sabre.

"I think it's best we start at the center of the town," He says, pointing to a large building as it comes into view and "winking" at Rainbow.

"This is my home-slash-headquarters-slash-Sabre's laboratory."

“Laboratory?” They tilt their head.

welcometoarkion

"Lots of the defenses in this town are thanks to science and discovery," Sabre explains.

Rainbow's paws rest on his hips. "He likes to experiment. Results may vary, but so far, it's been helpful."

They nod in understanding. “Do you test redstone or other stuff? I don’t know much about redstone but I know its good for traps.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre gives a sort of half-nod. "Yeah, there's some redstone, but we also use magic from the various power crystals here."

"Each crystal replicates a different race's abilities," Rainbow starts. "But there's a sixth one called a Star crystal that we haven't quite gotten our paws on yet. It's supposed to belong to these beings called the Starborn."

They ponder for a moment, seeming to remember something. “Starborn? Pretty sure us players have a subspecies called that.”

welcometoarkion

"Woah, really?" Rainbow's head tilts, then he taps his chin. "Much to consider..."

"Wow. Not even I knew that," Sabre mumbles.

“Pretty sure Smajor is a hybrid of one, although I’m not completely sure.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre hums. "Not sure I know that name, but that would mean that... Arkion's been available to other worlds before now."

"Well, they do say the Stars traveled sometimes. Maybe one visited Crest a long time ago," Rainbow figures.

welcometoarkion

The player steps into the portal hub, taking note of the area around them before greeting one of the workers. “Hello! I have a ticket to Arkion that I’d like to use!” They seem both very excited and very nervous as they hold out their ticket to the worker. They’re fidgeting with a pocket watch using their other paw, repeatedly opening and closing it.

The guide takes the ticket and examines it, smiling once they confirm its validity. "Alright! So, where and when would you like to be sent? We've got almost infinite options."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I’d like to head to the Rainbow town, please!” They seem even more excited now, bouncing up and down slightly.

welcometoarkion

"Second time someone's said that..." the guide mumbled. They printed out a similar map to the one they gave another traveler, took out the calling badge, and handed them over to this new guest. "The portal'll get you as close as possible, but in case you get lost, use the map."

foggythefandomgremlin

They look down at it before looking back up and nodding. “Thank you! Not sure if you accept tips but here!” They hand the guide a diamond before stepping through into Arkion, waving as they go out of view.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, thanks!" they call before the traveler enters the portal.

--

It's bright and sunny out wherever they've been placed, and in the distance, there's a stone wall decorated with concrete in many colors, matching the image on the map.

foggythefandomgremlin

They look around briefly before heading towards the wall.

welcometoarkion

Soon, they'll reach the gate, one guarded by what seems to be a human Player. They have "TheLSpike" written above their head, and they eye the stranger curiously as they come forward.

foggythefandomgremlin

They wave at them as they approach, seeming nervous at encountering another player. “Hello! My names Bloom, or Foggy, either one works. I’m visiting since I heard rumors of a new mortal species being found, and I wanted to see for myself. I’m guessing you live here?” The nervousness and excitement is clear in their voice.

welcometoarkion

The Player shrugs, giving Bloom an unsure expression. ""Live" is a strong word, but yes, there's a species here that might be new to you. I'm Lucas," he greets. "I can let you in, but you have to promise you'll be... peaceful with them." His tone is quite a bit more serious now. "I don't know what exactly it is you came to do, but as long as it's not gonna hurt anyone, we're good."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I promise I won’t hurt anyone.” They match his seriousness. “Im merely curious, it’s not often that new species are found, especially not sentient ones.” Their excitement seems to be returning slightly as they talk “Anyways, nice to meet you Lucas!”

welcometoarkion

After a second of consideration, Lucas opens the gate. "If you say so. Nice meeting you, too, Bloom."

The town is twice as colorful as the wall that protects it, both in architecture and in the residents, all sporting fur in techicolor hues. No one seems to care that the gate has opened; they're all too occupied with each other and enjoying the sun.

foggythefandomgremlin

Looking around, they seem to be amazed. Walking down the path they glance between the people of the town.

welcometoarkion

Once Bloom properly enters, the Arkisen seem to finally recognize they're there. The ones who see them are a bit startled; some hide it better than others. Being what is to them a hybrid of one of their own and a fox, it isn't surprising that they're... surprised, to see someone like Bloom.

foggythefandomgremlin

Noticing the looks they sigh before mumbling to themself. “Knew I should’ve used my other skin…” Nevertheless they continue exploring.

welcometoarkion

Not much further off, there's another Player sitting in the park, talking to an Arkis that looks a bit different than the ones they passed by.

foggythefandomgremlin

The other player quickly catches their attention and they begin approaching. “Hello!” They wave as they approach.

welcometoarkion

It takes a minute for the Player to realize that he's looking at another Player and not just a weird looking Arkis. "Woah, dude, are you here from Crest?" he asks, which takes the Arkis beside him off edge.

"There are fox people on Crest?" the Arkis asks his friend.

The Player shrugs. "Sometimes."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Yeah, I’m from Crest. I should probably have used my other skin instead of this one, it seems to be confusing people.” They say sheepishly.

welcometoarkion

The Player waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, I can just tell them where you're from and they'll understand. I'm Sabre, by the way," he greets with his hand out for them to shake, then he gestures with his head to the Arkis beside him. "That's Rainbow."

"Welcome to Rainbow town," Rainbow tells them, then mutters, embarrassed "I-I didn't come up with the name."

foggythefandomgremlin

“If you say so!” They shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, Sabre! I’m Bloom, or Foggy, both names work.” Ending the handshake they offer a paw to Rainbow. “Nice to meet you as well Rainbow!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow happily takes their paw. "So, what brings you to Arkion?" His paw almost seems to glow when he pulls back, and there's a slight crease to his brow despite his smile. Sabre notices this, and rests a hand behind his back.

foggythefandomgremlin

“I heard rumors about a new species being found and wanted to check it out for myself, possibly talk to some of them if the rumor was true! I’m guessing you’re one of them?” They smile at Rainbow, clearly excited.

welcometoarkion

"Sure am." Their excitement endears Rainbow, but there's a part of him that feels a bit nervous. "Anything you want to know?"

foggythefandomgremlin

“Hmm…” they ponder for a brief moment. “Oh! Is there anything I should avoid doing when meeting or talking to your kind? I don’t wanna offend anyone accidentally.”

welcometoarkion

That question takes him off edge. His paw stops glowing, and he seems almost surprised to hear it. Rainbow then laughs a little. "There's a lot I could mention, honestly, but as a general rule, just don't use your abilities on people who haven't asked for it... If you have any, that is," he starts. "I'm sure kindness is a universal concept, and whatever you don't know, always ask."

foggythefandomgremlin

“Got it!” They seem very happy. “I don’t have anything beyond what the average player has and none of those can really be used on people. I’m guessing since you mentioned abilities that you have them?”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, yeah." Rainbow leans forward, paws on the ground to help him balance as he prepares to explain. "There are five races of Arkisen, and they each have their own set of powers. Sometimes, there'll be exceptions, like me and a friend of mine who are hybrids, but there aren't any others in this town." He seems rather excited to tell them this, as his tail is swaying behind him as he speaks.

foggythefandomgremlin

They sit down, clearly interested in what hes saying.

welcometoarkion

Rainbow continues passionately. "There's Hicorus. They're mainly blue, control ice and water and maybe the weather sometimes. Edorans are red and control fire and lava. Montirs are green. They have nature powers and the strongest healing of the five. Navis are yellow, have speed, strength, and electricity. And then Cendales are the purple ones that have force fields, teleportation, telekinesis, and... I feel like they have something else... I don't know." He stops, a little ashamed. "I'll be honest, I'm a recovering amnesiac, and by recovering, I mean I don't really have the memories back; I'm just a fast learner."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Thats fine! Any knowledge is good knowledge.”

welcometoarkion

He seems to perk up at their understanding. "I guess so. A-anyway, as far as hybrids are concerned, my friend was the son of five Elders, the most powerful group of Arkisen, and I assume I was, too. Usually, you'll only have one or two parents, and only end up as one race, but he was a special case. One Elder from each race used their magic to make him, and he ended up with all five sets of powers. Again, I think that's the same with me. I have some vague memories of being around Elders as a kid. I guess I could ask an Elder if they knew my parents..." Rainbow trails of, tapping his chin in thought.

They listen intently before speaking. “Hybrids tend to be really rare, they aren’t possible for most species, it’s interesting you guys can have them.”

welcometoarkion

"It's not common for us, either." Rainbow shakes his head. "The only other ones... They were made with something called Shadow Stone. They can use multiple powers, but it... It corrupts their mind and kinda turns them evil." His tail stops swishing and he cringes a little as he continues. "We actually built this town to protect Arkisen from those guys."

“Ah, so kind of like sculk? I’m not sure if you have that here but I know sometimes players minds can be corrupted by it.” They cringe slightly aswell. “It’s not normally able to infect but it can happen depending on the world.”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's head tilts at the mention of skulk. "No, skulk doesn't do that here." He turns to Sabre. "Does that really happen in your world?"

Sabre shrugs. "There've been rumors."

Rainbow turns back to Bloom. "We only have one corrupting substance in our world, thank the Stars."

“Thats good, well, kinda. It would be better to have none then one in this case, but what can ya do.” They shrug before continuing. “It’s incredibly rare for a world to have something that can corrupt people fully, stuff like that typically is only just severe enough to make you sick. And even then players are typically at least partially immune.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre nods, adding "Well, it hasn't gotten to me yet. Trust me, I've touched the stuff way more times than is safe for an Arkis."

"Really, I don't know what's wrong with him." Rainbow rolls his eyes. "He throws himself at death like he can bounce back from it." He laughs, but Sabre seems to cringe a bit.

They look between Rainbow and Sabre, confused, before something seems to click. They proceed to stare at Sabre, silently questioning him.

welcometoarkion

Sabre notices their stare and nervously clears his throat. "Anyway, that's not something we need to dwell on. I'm fine; there was no harm done..." Then he mutters a near inaudible "...to me," hoping the other Player couldn't hear him.

“To you…?” They heard him. Theres curiosity and a small bit of suspicion in their gaze.

welcometoarkion

"...We don't need to get into it." Sabre repeats his sentiment, which makes Rainbow nudge him in the shoulder.

"You're inviting suspicion, Sabre," he whispers sharply. "Are you gonna be weird, or are you gonna fess up?"

Sabre sighs. "Fine, fine... If you must know, I've been named a criminal in Arkion. I had been sentenced to prison, but Rainbow was kind enough to switch it to community service."

“Ah. Like theft level crimes or the type of stuff that happens on the Dream smp?” They look him up and down. “‘Cause those are two VERY different things”

welcometoarkion

Again, Sabre finds it hard to confess, so Rainbow jumps in this time. "I'll put it this way: his service to the community, to equal the amount of harm he did, was to build this entire town and set up defenses," he explains. "And I'm acting as his warden, since I got the worst of it and know best how to deal with him."

They nod “I’m not sure what exactly he did but building a whole town seems like a pretty good punishment, well, if someone doesn’t enjoy building that is. I know the Empires folk build entire empires out of boredom, and thats not mentioning the Hermits.” They look over to Rainbow “I just realized that I don’t know how much you know about players. Is there anything you’d like to know about my kind?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waits for them to finish talking, nodding along in confusion before he can ask "Maybe start with the whole "Dream SMP", "Hermits", "Empires" thing you mentioned. What are those?"

“I’m pretty sure you already know of the whole world hopper thing so I’ll get straight to explaining. The Dream SMP, Empires, and Hermitcraft are all different factions of players spread across worlds. The Dream SMP is a lore based world, lore means story, where they basically just act out whatever they want, typically tragedy. Empires is a mix of building and lore where a bunch of players act out being rulers despite not having anyone to rule. And Hermitcraft is primarily building, it’s well known for the members building giant bases for themselves.” They think for a moment. “Thats all the basics, if you have anymore questions feel free to ask!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's tail swishes back and forth. "That sounds really cool! Were you or Lucas ever a part of something like that, Sabre?" he asks as he turns to him.

"Ehh, kinda?" Sabre answers slowly. "I did some roleplay as a kid, but nothing as sincere-- or I guess unscripted-- as an SMP."

"And what does "SMP" mean exactly?" Rainbow adds.

"Survival Multiplayer. It's when a Player makes a world for other people to join. A Survival world is a world with... let's call it the "default settings", where you can die, but you come back like almost nothing happened."

They nod along. “Pretty sure I saw some of your stuff when I was younger. You were acting the character of an assassin, correct?” They tilt their head to the side, curious.

welcometoarkion

Sabre cringes a bit. "Ohh, didn't know you saw that." He manages to laugh. "Yeah, that was me... Me and a stunt double."

"You played an assassin?" Rainbow frowns playfully. "You never tell me anything."

"Huh..." Sabre leans back as he thinks. "I guess I don't."

They laugh a bit before turning to Rainbow. “Wanna see what he looked like back then?” They grin.

welcometoarkion

"No he doesn't!" Sabre makes an "X" with his arms.

Rainbow nods vigorously, simultaneously answering with "Yes I do!" when Sabre speaks.

They cackle before focusing on changing their skin to match Sabres assassin one. “Tada!” They do sparkle hands, now a carbon copy of what Sabre used to look like.

welcometoarkion

While Sabre covers his face in shame, Rainbow gasps in amazement as Bloom's body glitches out of existence for half a second and reappears as Sabre in his assassin skin. Then once the shock of seeing a Player transform before his eyes wears off, his attention is brought to the skin itself. "Woah, Sabre, you looked so cool!"

Sabre tries to laugh away the embarrassment. "Yeah... So cool."

They’re looking at Rainbow, fondness clear in their eyes. “Anything else you wanna see?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow taps his chin, humming. "Can I see a cat?"

They nod before changing into the skin of one Stampy cat.

welcometoarkion

Both of them lean back in surprise. Rainbow does so due to how alien an anthropomorphic cat looks, and Sabre because he recognizes the skin.

Rainbow claps in amusement. "How does that work?"

“It’s basically just like having different outfits to change into except it changes everything. Someone creates it and then you can just change into it on command.”

welcometoarkion

"Fascinating." His eyes seem to sparkle. "Works a lot like Faceless, except... hopefully you didn't kill anybody to get those forms."

They shake their head. “No, multiple players can share a skin at the same time aslong as the one who made it shares it.”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, okay." Rainbow nods, then looks over to Sabre. "How come you and Lucas don't change your forms that much?"

"Well, we do have different outfits, but otherwise we're satisfied with what we made for ourselves," Sabre answers.

They shift back to their original appearance. “Most players tend to stick to a single skin unless theres some sort of event.”

welcometoarkion

"That makes sense," Rainbow figures, then tilts his head. "So, how long d'you plan on being here?"

They shrug. “I don’t really have a plan to be honest, just came here because I was curious.”

welcometoarkion

"Well, I hope you're able to learn everything you want." Rainbow beams at them.

"And if you do end up staying long, we've got places for you to stay," Sabre adds.

They smile. “I hope so aswell! And that’d be lovely.”

welcometoarkion

"You mind if we give you a tour?" Sabre asks.

“I’d love a tour!” They seem rather excited.

welcometoarkion

Both Sabre and Rainbow stand up happily. "Alright then. Come on; I know exactly where to start." Sabre motions for them to follow and they turn to the road.

They nod and follow behind.

welcometoarkion

As they lead them down, it's clear Sabre in particular is steering the train away from a small patch of a pale garden on the edge of town. Rainbow briefly glances at it as well before continuing to follow Sabre.

"I think it's best we start at the center of the town," He says, pointing to a large building as it comes into view and "winking" at Rainbow.

"This is my home-slash-headquarters-slash-Sabre's laboratory."

“Laboratory?” They tilt their head.

welcometoarkion

"Lots of the defenses in this town are thanks to science and discovery," Sabre explains.

Rainbow's paws rest on his hips. "He likes to experiment. Results may vary, but so far, it's been helpful."

They nod in understanding. “Do you test redstone or other stuff? I don’t know much about redstone but I know its good for traps.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre gives a sort of half-nod. "Yeah, there's some redstone, but we also use magic from the various power crystals here."

"Each crystal replicates a different race's abilities," Rainbow starts. "But there's a sixth one called a Star crystal that we haven't quite gotten our paws on yet. It's supposed to belong to these beings called the Starborn."

They ponder for a moment, seeming to remember something. “Starborn? Pretty sure us players have a subspecies called that.”

welcometoarkion

"Woah, really?" Rainbow's head tilts, then he taps his chin. "Much to consider..."

"Wow. Not even I knew that," Sabre mumbles.

welcometoarkion

@latileaf pt. 10

"They weren't sure what else to do." Kara shrugged sadly. "Penn was nice enough not to put me on duty immediately. Technically, I'm just a trainee, just... one who's already hibernated."

"Oh, I can't imagine what that was like," Rainbow tells her.

Kara laughs a little. "You feel bad for me? Fifty years is nothing compared to two hundred."

"Well, why not? You weren't prepared for it. It's a scary thing to happen to anyone."

Yeah...I'd be terrified if that happened to me. And you're really nice...

*Lati mumbles,glancing away*

Stupid elders and their stupid spells and their stupid lack of safeguards-

welcometoarkion

Kara snickers. "Tell me about it." Then she whispers. "She's so cute when she grumbles."

"Right?" Hypno whispers back.

You should sue them >:/

*She pauses for a moment before her tail starts wagging and she blushes,blinking at them. She didn't completely hear that,but she heard "she's cute" and hypno agreeing with that,so this is basically a very good day for Lati*

welcometoarkion

"Oh no." Rainbow notices her blush and sighs. Light rolls his eyes and laughs.

Kara tilts her head at Lati as her face reddens. Hypno leans down to whisper what is probably an explanation, making Kara laugh. "Oh, that's really cute actually," she giggles

*This only makes Lati blush more,as her wings start fluttering as well*

Ah-I-um-thank you! You're very cute too!- wait---

welcometoarkion

Kara covers her mouth before she can laugh, recollecting herself. "Appreciate it!" she snickers.

"Two Arkisen in such a short time being here have called you cute so far," Rainbow mentions. "You're better at this than me, Lati."

*She giggles,hiding her face in her hands for a moment before peeking out at Rainbow*

I think you're cute too,Rainbow :>

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waves her away shyly. "Aw, stop!" he giggles. "You know what? I also think you're cute! Maybe in, like, a tiny angry dog way, but cute nonetheless."

:D yayyyy I'm a purse dog!

*She seems happy enough with this*

We can all be cute together <3

welcometoarkion

Hypno huffs. "Alright then..."

Light finally looks down at his bedside and grabs the tea. "So, Kara, what did you put in this?" he asks.

"Well, I remembered Lati mentioning something about Stardust infusions, so, until we could get you something permanent, I thought I could crush some into your tea as a temporary treatment for the Shadow Stone."

"Oh..." Light looks into it, noticing the slight shimmer in the surface of the liquid. "Thank you."

"I also put honey and glow berry juice in," Kara adds.

*She innocently blinks up at Hypno,tail wagging teasingly before looking back at Kara*

Oh,that's good thinking! Yeah,that should help hold it off until we can get the actual stuff done. Also probably tasty. I feel like it could taste good........

*...and she's now zoned out thinking about eating Stardust. Great work Lati.*

welcometoarkion

Light takes a sip to test it, then hums contentedly. "Mmm. It's almost... fizzy?"

"You know what? I thought that, too, when I drank that potion," Hypno mentions.

Like a sparkly soda... ✨v✨

welcometoarkion

Light tentatively nods to Lati. "Yeah, but... actually good this time."

Rainbow slowly turns to him in surprise, then quickly back. "...I'm gonna ignore that for my sanity's sake."

"No, I agree with him." Hypno shrugs. "They're really not that good most of the time."

Head in his paws, Rainbow cries "Hypno, I loved you..."

*Lati gasps in mock betrayal*

Well,that's the end of this partnership. I guess I have no choice but to join Lucas and Sabre! Come along Rainbow we'll start a new life together with people that appreciate beverages

welcometoarkion

"I always knew it would end like this," Hypno sighs. "Over something really stupid. Could you really leave me for those... those monsters?" He pouts, sniffling and pretending to fight back tears.

Rainbow turns away with his arms crossed, snickering. "I don't know. Maybe if they like soda."

Light watches on in amusement. "Such thrilling performances," he says dryly. "I should spark arguments more often."

*Lati giggles quietly,tail swishing*

I think you should! It's a fun past time :]

See,the issue is,knowing how they've failed us in the past,I can only expect them to fail here too. They'll say they only drink straight battery acid or something. And it WOULD explain a lot,but still,we are without a team.

*She flops over dramatically,arm thrown across her face*

welcometoarkion

"Well, in that case..." Hypno extends his arms out to Lati and Rainbow. "Better the evil you know, right?"

Rainbow rolls his eyes and trudges into Hypno's arms. "You're so toxic."

Hypno peppers kisses across Rainbow's face. "You know you can't resist me."

*Lati promptly stops her flop of despair to join Rainbow in Hypno's arms*

Yayyyyyy ^^

True,you are rather irresistible...

welcometoarkion

"Glad you think so." Hypno boops her nose before letting the two of them go.

Rainbow pulls back to talk to Kara, "So... how long does Light have to stay here?"

"Shouldn't be more than a night," she guesses. "He's all healed up physically, we just need to give him a power boost, which shouldn't take long."

Oh,good! Not too bad,then.

*She sighs*

I'm.....s-seriously,thank you all for healing him. You are by FAR the most tolerable elders we've come across.

welcometoarkion

Kara bows. "Thank you. I take pride in that."

"Hopefully, you and your council will be rewarded for this," Light adds. "You've... You've been awfully kind to us, Kara."

"Anything for the good of Arkion." She gives Light a smile. "And for my friends."

*Lati beams at her*

Y'know,if you ever get sick of being an elder,we'd be more than happy to have you with us. We're sort of a group of strange creatures that specialize in pissing off authority figures. You'd fit in great!

welcometoarkion

She laughs and lifts herself up from her chair. "I'll see if I have the time. Now, I'll let Light get his rest. I'll check up on you in the morning."

Light nods. "Alright then. Thank you again."

"No problem." Kara smiles softly as she closes the door.

:]

She's great,I'd kill a man for her.

*Lati nods,thinking this sufficiently explains her normal feelings about the situation*

...ah,anyways,you probably do need some rest. ......can I just. Stay here? I won't bother you or anything I can curl up on the floor-

welcometoarkion

Light sighs, then gives her a tired smile. "If you want."

"We'll..." Rainbow hesitates, getting closer to the bed. "We'll be in the spare room in the temple. I-if you need anything, you can use Hypno's mind link, and we'll be right over--"

"Rainbow, you don't need to worry about me." Sensing his anxiety, Light tries to calm Rainbow down.

"I-I... I..." Rainbow heaves a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just... I almost lost you, Light, and I've lost a lot of Arkisen in my life, and I'm trying to make sure, if I can help it, that everyone's accounted for." Then he mumbles. "'M sorry if that was too much..."

Light gazes at Rainbow sadly. He rest his paw on top of his and smiles at him. "...I'll tell you if I need anything."

Slowly, Rainbow smiles back. "Okay."

...it'll be alright.

*Lati smiles softly,curling up as she said she would*

He has a guard raccoon now :> and according to Sabre I'm apparently rabid,which is good news for Light's safety,I think. I bite :]

welcometoarkion

"Hmm, okay." Rainbow isn't quite sure how he feels about that, but he's glad Light is being protected.

"Wait." Light turns over to Lati. "You didn't actually bite him, did you?"

Hypno smiles proudly. "Twice!"

Head in his paw, Light sighs, "I'm going to bed," he says, nearly laughing and pulling the blanket over himself.

*Lati purrs very happily. She seems quite proud of this herself! Both of biting,and making Light happy*

Mmkay,goodnight Lighty :] goodnight you two!

*She curls up again,but doesn't go to sleep,instead just watching. She did offer to guard after all.*

welcometoarkion

"Rest up, you two..."

"Sweet dreams."

Hypno and Rainbow leave, closing the door, and Light turns the lamp off. "Goodnight, Lati," he yawns.

Goodnight :>

*She blinks a bit in the darkness. Sleep is now tempting,but she refuses*

welcometoarkion

For hours, there's no interruption to the peace and quiet, until Light begins to stir and breathe heavy in his sleep.

*Lati mumbles sleepily,sitting up and putting her hands on the bed,though not touching him directly*

Light...? Everythin okay...?

welcometoarkion

His breathing picks up between indecipherable murmurs as his nightmare worsens. He turns over and hugs himself, his claws digging into his skin.

*Lati's ears prick up,then go back as she wakes up fully*

Light? Light,no claws!

*She worriedly stands,grabbing both his paws and trying to pull them away from him before he hurts himself in his sleep*

welcometoarkion

When Lati grabs them, Light just grips onto her arms instead. Something like ice forms around her arm, though it's much darker, and smaller icicles threaten to pierce her arm.

Ack-!

*Lati looks down at her arms,concerned*

Ohh boy...Light! Light! I don't wanna get stabbed!

*She shakes his paws a bit*

Wake up!

welcometoarkion

"AHH!" Light springs up in terror, panting, eyes darting around the dark room frantically. He forms an icicle and points it at the closest thing to him, only to see that it's just Lati. "...O-oh. my goodness." He de-materializes the ice and holds his paws to his chest. "Lati, I'm so sorry. I just... I..." He tries to explain himself, but he just can't stop shaking.

*Lati flinches back for a moment before quickly shaking it off*

It's fine,it's fine,don't worry about it,you didn't actually stab me or anything- you're okay,you're safe,it's just the two of us,nothing is going to hurt you.

*She sits down next to him*

...do you want a hug? Or is it better if I just don't touch at all right now?

welcometoarkion

Light doesn't respond right away. He takes a moment to calm his breathing, but just before he can calm down enough to talk, something happens and he freezes up again, gripping his head tight. "N-no..." he whispers, not to Lati, but... to someone else. The light he emits flickers for a second. "No, please..."

Light?

*Her voice is tight with worry.*

Light,what is happening. Talk to me. Do I need to call the others?

welcometoarkion

"Those... voices..." he whimpers. "The shadows, they... They're in my head. They're really in my head." He curls up into a ball and hisses at the sounds. "Mystery, how does Hypno live like this...?"

Ohh,fuck...

Hey,try to focus on me,okay? Try to block it out.

I...I know you're scared. But they can't do anything but talk. They don't matter. You're still here. Deep breaths...

*She very carefully rests her hand on his head for just a moment*

There,see? You feel that,right? I'm here. They aren't. Soon,we'll get you those injections and they'll become nothing but garbage noise. Shh,you're doing good. I know,I know. Just keep breathing,we'll get through this.

welcometoarkion

After breathing deep as instructed, Light brings his head up. His eyes are filled with tears but he tries his best to remain calm. "T-this is gonna be a long night," He struggles to pull himself out of his ball further, forcing out a laugh at his own misery.

Isn't it always?

*Lati sighs,though she does smile a little at his attempts to stay calm*

Okay,let's see...can't stop them yet,so how do we distract from them?

*She chews on her lip,thinking. Her wings twitch*

If only I could attack them...hmm...still,there must be something...

welcometoarkion

"...Suppose our best bet is asking Hypno. He's dealt with this for years hasn't he?" He sits quietly and ponders before asking "Uhm, do you know... how contacting him... works?"

Oh yeah! Yeah I've got it. Hang on...you just gotta concentrate your thoughts really hard,and...

Heyyyy Hypno! Sorry to wake you up- if you were sleeping in the first place- uhh...can you come yell at the shadow stone in Light's head? Or,just...something? It started talking to him and he's really freaked out :(

welcometoarkion

"Hmm... I figured this would happen. Give me a moment."

Hypno goes quiet on Lati's end, but it seems Light is getting a message from him. He jolts up at first, unused to the feeling of being talked to in his mind, but relaxes as he listens.

After a long silence, Light relays the message to Lati. "I have two options, apparently. Either let Hypno put me into a dreamless sleep so that I can't hear the shadows, or have him lure them to his mind to torment him instead... Frankly I don't like either of those ideas."

Ah...

*Lati frowns,fidgeting with the sheet as she thinks*

I don't want him to be tormented,obviously,but he IS more used to it than you...but...mm...

I-I know you really hate having your head messed with,but dreamless sleep might be the better option. That way you can actually sleep...and he isn't being messed with either. But,still,mmm... :(. I mean...i-is there a third option? Maybe I could try to take them. The shadow stone doesn't affect me so maybe the voices would just vanish?

welcometoarkion

"They won't leave either of us for you if you're not infected," Hypno says. "I'm afraid that won't work."

"I don't want you to have to deal with that anyway, Lati." Light shakes his head sympathetically, then sighs. "I... I don't want anyone to deal with it..." He's quiet again as he thinks, then frowns once his decision is made. "If... it lets us all rest well, I'll let you put me to sleep, Hypno."

"You really trust me?"

"Not only do I trust you, but... I care about you," Light admits. "I don't want you to torture yourself for my sake."

Aww...

*Lati's tail wags briefly before she nods*

I'll still stay here with you,just in case :]

I'm proud of you,Light :>

welcometoarkion

"Thank you." Light gives Lati a smile before taking in a breath. He's shaking ever so slightly again, leaning back onto the pillow to brace for the impact. "Alright, Hypno... send me down."

Hypno's approach is gentle for Light's sake. His eyes softly glow before they flutter closed. He stops shaking and his breathing slows down as he is lulled into dreamless, shadowless slumber.

"...Alright, he's down," Hypno tells Lati. "Poor thing. His mind is so loud, even without the Shadow Stone," he laments. "He deserves this rest."

*Lati curls up again,at the foot of his bed this time*

Thank you,Hypno. ...he was so scared,that was awful......I'm really glad he trusts us,though.

welcometoarkion

"I'm glad he trusts us, too." One can hear the smile in his voice. "Now, you get some rest, Lati. I can sense how tired you are as well."

...ah. Didn't realize you could sense that too-

*She hums softly,looking at Light again*

I don't wanna leave him unguarded,though.....

*She yawns*

welcometoarkion

"I can guard him for you. You should sleep" Hypno's voices are so soft when he offers, it's as if they gently held Lati.

*Lati purrs softly at the voices, shutting her eyes*

........okay....g'night,Hypno....

welcometoarkion

"Goodnight, Lati."

--

By the time Lati awakens the next day, Light is already out of bed, looking out the window.

*She stretches like a cat,slowly waking up*

Oh,good morning Light! How are you feeling now?

welcometoarkion

"I'm feeling alright." He turns around and gives her a small smile. "The spell helped a lot, but... I can still faintly hear the shadows whispering now that I'm awake again." He turns back to the window, paws shaking. "...How did you sleep?"

*Lati growls quietly before shaking it off,standing up*

Pretty good! Hypno said he'd keep watch,so I was able to go to sleep. Was gonna stay up the whole night,but,eh,I was really tired actually- did not know he could sense that! That's neat though.

*She yawns again,stretching*

Anywayyy,top on the priority list is getting you those injections! Fun times.

welcometoarkion

Light stiffens at the mention of injections, laughing weakly. "Fun times indeed..." He begins to shake a bit more.

...ah...

*She gives him a worried look,reaching out for a moment and then pulling her hand back*

.......I mean,you could try just drinking the potion instead,if that would be less...scary...?

welcometoarkion

Light shakes his head. "Even the best potion will only last minutes. I know what I have to do and I'm willing to do it. I'm just... nervous," He insists, sighing deeply. "I'm an adult; I can handle a needle."

There's nothing wrong with being nervous...hell, I'M still scared of needles. And I'm probably one of the scariest people you know! :3

I was serious about holding your paw if you want it. Really,I don't mind. But I also know you don't really like touch so- if you want me to just stand there or something? I dunno,,just let me know.

welcometoarkion

"I'll consider it, thanks..."

The door knocks.

Light turns around. "Come in."

Kara, Hypno, and Rainbow appear behind the door. "Morning, Light. How are you feeling."

"I'm..." Light pauses before giving an answer, not wanting to sound negative. "I'll be better soon."

"But what about now?" Kara presses, raising an eyebrow.

Light sighs as he relents. "I'm dealing with some side effects."

I need the shadow stone in physical form so I can harm it. I want to just- strangle it.

*Lati says,deadpan. Surely that explains everything.*

welcometoarkion

"According to our recent research, that may not be impossible to accomplish," Kara mumbles. "But that's not what we're here for. The Star injection is ready for you."

"Ah." Light's claws discreetly grip the windowsill. "That's good news."

Oh good! Good.

*She glances at Light before quickly looking away again,not wanting to draw attention to him*

I'll,um,come with him.

welcometoarkion

Kara nods. "You're all welcome to. Come on. Let's get this over with."

She leads them all back down to the healing room, Light being helped by Rainbow to walk since he's still quite weak.

Penn is filling a syringe with the liquid when they arrive. "Light! Good to see you awake."

"Good morning, sir." Light does all he can to ignore the syringe in his paw, lest he pass out and die right there.

*Lati winces a little at the syringe,casually moving closer to Light*

G-good morning,Penn! :D... :'>

*She truly doesn't like needles either </3*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sits Light down, attempting to quell his discomfort with a quick pat on the back.

"We'll make this quick." Penn takes hold of Light's arm, and Light breathes in deep and shuts his eyes as the needle pierces his skin.

*Despite her obvious discomfort,Lati keeps her eyes on the needle and Light. Just in case*

welcometoarkion

In only a couple seconds, it's all over. The Stardust has been administered, and the shot didn't even hurt.

Not as much as the sensation of it fighting against the Shadow Stode did anyway.

Light shudders and hisses at the pain. Rainbow tries to hold him up.

"Just breathe," Hypno instructs. "The pain will pass soon."

Hopefully quickly.

*Lati whines,unsure of what to do. She ends up just coming over and quietly resting her head on Light's shoulder*

Just breathe,you've got it...

*...stars,was it painful like this for Hypno too? ... :(.*

welcometoarkion

Between the pain and the excess contact, Lioght's hissing turns into a growl as he pulls back from them. "Please... give me some space..."

Rainbow nods and swiftly moves back.

Right,sorry.

*Lati nods as well,moving back.*

welcometoarkion

The pain does eventually settle, and Light peeks down his shirt to see the darkness on his chest has diminished, even if just a little. He sighs in relief. "It's working."

"I would have warned you if I knew it would be so painful." Penn gives Light a shameful frown. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I had a feeling it would," Light admits as he looks back up again, forming an icicle in his paw to see that his magic has lightened again. "Thank you for helping me."

Penn bows. "It's our pleasure."

Oh,thank goodness-

*Lati sighs in relief,finally fully untensing for what seems like the first time since the fight against Corwin.*

Again,thank you both so much. I don't know how we can ever repay you...

welcometoarkion

"No need." Kara shakes her head. "You all have done so much for Arkion. We're the ones repaying you. Besides, you can't protect us if you get hurt."

Light brings his focus to Rainbow and Lati. "I'm sorry for growling at you both."

Rainbow gestures dismissively. "Oh, no, it's fine. I should've remembered not to get so touchy with you," he says, holding his paws shamefully.

True,true,but still!

Ah,yeah,no,that was my bad.

*Lati holds her hands together and bows her head*

I just have to figure out other ways to give comfort,, sorry!

welcometoarkion

Light smiles a little. "It's nice that you're even trying."

Rainbow gives a slightly confused laugh. "Well, yeah, if it makes you uncomfortable, of course we'll stop."

"I-I know, I know, but it..." Light sighs. "It feels weird to have this part of me met with consideration... even if you did forget. No one's even apologized like you two have."

"Oh." Rainbow straightens slowly and his eye twitches. "I see." His tone is chillingly level as he glares at Light, though not in anger towards him.

...well. I guess I have more people to beat up,then.

*Lati looks equally pissed off*

First of all how dare they,second of all w h o m s t -Third of all we love you of course we want you to be comfortable. Do you have any idea how happy it makes me to be around you. I was fully willing to bite shadow stone for you. Frankly I still am.

welcometoarkion

Her rant makes Light giggle. "I wouldn't bother chasing them down. I don't want to think about them much anyway." He stands up from the chair and bows to Penn and Kara. "Speaking of not thinking of them, we should be off. I need to distract myself with a treat of some kind."

They both bow back. "Please take care, all of you." Penn asks. "We will do our best to protect Arkion if something ever happened to you, but it would be a much darker place without you."

"Thank you Penn. Thank you Kara." Rainbow bows as well. "We hope your meetings with the other Elders go smoothly."

*She still looks pissed off,but her tail does wag a little when Light laughs*

Ah yes,we all deserve a little treat!

*She nods,doing a small curtsy towards the elders*

Seriously,you're both incredible. Don't ever try to be like the other elders. Please. :3

welcometoarkion

"We won't," Kara assures. "I'll make sure of it."

The group steps through the door to leave, and are greeted by cheering. Thousands of Arkisen crowd the temple to celebrate the heroes for defeating the King.

"Oh, goodness." Light puts on a weak smile for the crowd, and Rainbow and Hypno hold onto Lati to comfort her before she freaks out.

!!!

O-oh!!

*Lati is indeed mildly freaked out (that is SO MANY PEOPLE,DEAR LORD) but she does do her best to smile*

U-um!- thank you,everyone-!

welcometoarkion

Light leads the group through the crowd, taking the responsibility of answering their many questions. There's a bit of a judgemental remark about Light taking in the Shadow Stone, but Rainbow and Hypno shoo that guy away, allowing them a mostly peaceful path to the cafe and bakery.

*Lati does snap her teeth at the guy,but she ends up just leaving them alone to not cause a scene. She does promptly rush inside the bakery to safety though*

Too many people- ...it was nice that they all came to thank us,though... :]

welcometoarkion

Light sighs in relief and takes a seat at one of the tables. "Hopefully, we'll have some peace here."

Just as he says it, the shopkeeper walks into the front. "Well I'll be damned! The heroes have come to my humble cafe!"

Light can only whine at the irony, though he keeps his smile. "You got any glowberry muffins, mage?"

*Lati simply faceplants on the table,raising a weak thumbs up.*

Nice to meet you...

welcometoarkion

"Sure thing, sir!" they chirp. "On the house, of course."

"Thank you," Light's smile becomes genuine at their offer, but he frowns curiously when Hypno sits down next to him.

"How's your head feeling?" he asks quietly.

Light sighs. "Better. I can still hear... something, but it's much quieter."

Hypno nods, leaning back. "You'll get used to that."

Good,good. I'm glad it isn't still fully there.

*She sighs,raising her head slightly to look at them*

There's literally no reason for shadow stone to do all that. Simply no reason. :/ it's just being a dick at that point.

Also,Hypno,why didn't you mention it hurt that much?? We could've.........well,I don't know,but I would have let you bite down on my arm or something. Or. Gotten you a stick for that,I don't know,but still.

welcometoarkion

"You should know my pain tolerance is much higher that Light's." Hypno raises an eyebrow at Lati, then turns away after a moment. "Though, I suppose I could have warned him about how bad it was going to be. I apologize for that, Light."

Light shrugs. "It's alright. It's in the past anyway."

Well I do know it's higher,but that doesn't mean I want you in pain...

...yeah,I guess it's over with anyway...

*After a moment of silence,she blinks,eyes widening*

...it's actually over,isn't it? Light defeated the nightmare king. It's...it's actually over. We won against Corwin. Holy shit.

welcometoarkion

Light hums. "Well, we still have the Prince--"

"--And Cynn."

"--but what are they without their leader?"

"That's the thing," Hypno starts. "Corwin hasn't truly been their leader for years. They obey the Shadow Stone."

"Honestly, now that Corwin's out of the picture, Micah's probably gonna up his game," Rainbow assumes.

And even if they don't,Micah at least is easy to beat. Maybe we can just trap his child(? Creature? Thing?) somewhere filled with stardust so it can't do anything and be done with them both.

welcometoarkion

Simultaneously, Hypno and Light get an odd feeling, like a chill up their spines. They look at each other in understanding.

"Whatever we plan, we keep it in here." Hypno whispers as he points to his head. "As long as we're infected, Cynn can hear us."

...understood.

*Lati growls softly,eyes flicking around the area*

I'm still down for crushing it.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, absolutely."

Light thanks the shopkeeper when he receives his muffin, as well as a complimentary tea, then goes back to frowning as he contemplates. "Hopefully, what I've done will be enough to get that Star to reconsider eradicating us."

Oh,gosh,I nearly forgot,so much has happened...yeah,maybe he'll just give up?

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs. "That's the hope." He turns to see Hypno frowning. He tilts his head at him, and Hypno looks his way.

"What?"

"Something's upsetting you."

Hypno huffs. "I can't get a read on those Starborn. When Chrona came here, I'll admit I did read their mind... or, I tried to. They're too powerful for me to even search through. It... made me nervous, I suppose."

Really? Too powerful for even you...?

*She looks a little more worried*

Hm......don't like that.

welcometoarkion

"It made me... very aware just how much I use my power as a replacement for..." Hypno struggles to find the words. "Normal connection."

"You don't ask many questions," Rainbow admits. "This'll be a good exercise for you."

Mm...

*She lowers her head back down to the table,blinking at him*

...I thought you were doing good...

welcometoarkion

Hypno simply laughs softly and pats Lati's head, because he doesn't agree, but appreciates the support. "At least I got to talk to you like a normal person, Rainbow, before everything happened."

Rainbow smiles. "See? If you tap into that, it won't be so hard."

*Lati shuts her eyes,purring softly. Her tail thumps against her seat and she briefly winces. ...it's actually getting sore from wagging this much. ... she'll have to heal that later- for now she just puts a hand on it.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs some more. "Too much wagging, huh, Lati?" he teases quietly.

"She does wag a lot more than us, now that I think about it," Light mentions.

A-ah....///////

*She sinks down in her seat, embarrassed*

I wag a normal amount,,,

welcometoarkion

"Sure." Hypno smirks and runs his paw through her hair. "You purr a normal amount, too."

"Okay, now you're just being mean," Rainbow snickers.

*Her purring gets slightly louder,which only makes her blush more*

U-unfair,,

welcometoarkion

"I don't know... It seems like you like it." He pulls his paw away. "I can stop if you want me to."

Noooo...

*She promptly pulls his paw back onto her head. Perfect.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno continues with a giggle, scratching behind her ears. "That's what I thought~" Then he stops again when he feels a paw on the back of his head. He turns around and sees that Rainbow has started petting him. "What?"

"You were getting too snarky," he says, smiling when he sees Hypno relax a little. "You needed to get knocked down a peg."

Hypno struggles to appear unfazed. He continues petting Lati, barely stifling a purr.

^w^ yayyyyy...

*Lati just seems perfectly happy with all of this,nearly melting into her seat*

welcometoarkion

"Alright, this is cute, but I have to let up." Hypno pulls away again, intending to stay that way. "If I keep going, Rainbow keeps going, and I'm not willing to purr in public."

Rainbow pouts. "But you're so cute when you purr."

Hypno pats Rainbow's head sympathetically. "Save it for the cabin."

Aww,fine...

*She sighs sadly,but does leave him be*

You are cute when you purr,hehehehe...but I do get not wanting to do it in public- the public...is a little scary.

welcometoarkion

"Isn't that the truth..." Light stretches and stands. "In that case, I wouldn't mind going now. I'm still a bit tired after all."

"Yeah, you get your rest, Light." Rainbow agrees. "I'll be showing Lati the most optimal way to pet Hypno."

:0 REALLY?!

*... she is far too excited by this*

Hehehehehehe- yeah,yeah,you very much deserve rest! Hehrhehehegehegegegeghghhh-

welcometoarkion

Hypno rolls his eyes and just. Scoops Lati up like a cat and follows the other two out the cafe, dodging the crowd and flying off to their cabin.

Oh okay :D yay <3

*She seems content with this*

welcometoarkion

Once back at home base, Light goes inside, presumably to nap, while Rainbow and Hypno go to the backyard to sit by the lake.

*Lati goes to sit with them,not entirely sure Rainbow was serious about the petting thing,but wanting to hang out with them regardless. She sighs softly,relaxing more now that they're fully away from the crowds*

welcometoarkion

They both just take a moment to enjoy the peace. Rainbow's tail grazes against Hypno's before he leans on him, one arm around his shoulder. He steals a few scritches under his chin before Hypno growls playfully.

"Knew it..."

"And yet, you did nothing to stop me." Without objection, Rainbow continues.

*She giggles quietly at them,softly purring despite her best attempts not to. Oh well.

She flutters her wings a bit before pulling them close to herself. She hasn't preened this entire time,should probably get on that soon. Messy feathers do not feel good*

welcometoarkion

Despite being occupied by the pets, Hypno does recognize Lati's discomfort with her wings. "What seems to be the problem?" he asks despite having an idea.

Hm-? Oh- ahh...

*Her wings twitch as she holds them*

We've kinda been busy most of the time...I haven't really had time to take care of my wings like I should. I'm,,not very experienced with them when I DO have time,anyway. I gotta at least try though. It's uncomfortable when the feathers get all messy,,

*Lati sighs,looking them over. They aren't awful,but they're definitely not as good as they should be...*

welcometoarkion

Hypno and Rainbow both look over at her wings, then at each other.

Hesitantly, Rainbow asks "Is it alright if we help you?"

"We have the time now, after all." Hypno adds.

*Lati squeaks,blinking at them*

O^O! ... ✨^✨

I mean,sure,if you want too!!

welcometoarkion

"Alright then. Let's get to work." Hypno smiles and he and Rainbow both scoot closer.

"So, how does this work?" Rainbow asks as he puts a gentle paw on the end of Lati's wing.

Uhh,you know about as much as me,I guess! Just,uhh...straighten any messy feathers,and pull out the loose ones. Gently,,

welcometoarkion

They both nod and carefully start the process. Rainbow has to stop when he really gets his paws into the feathers. "They're so soft..." he whispers, then continues.

*She does her best not to start purring and wagging her tail from that,but of course,it happens anyway. She murmurs a quick Heal command to fix her tail up before smiling*

Thank you!! Hehe,they are! :3

welcometoarkion

They mostly work in silence, enjoying the simple repetition of the task in the sunlight, accompanied by the sound of Lati's purring and the water rippling in front of them.

Hypno gets finished with his designated wing quicker, not being as distracted by their softness as Rainbow, so he pivots to rubbing her back and shoulders.

*Lati basically melts against him,fully relaxed and very happy*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs softly as she relaxes. "There you go."

Rainbow dusts the loose feathers off his lap once he's finished. "How'sit feel now?" he asks, still running his paws through the wings to feel their softness.

Really really nice...much better ^^

welcometoarkion

"Great! I'm glad we could help."

"We should do this more often," Hypno muses quietly, not noticing the slight purr that escapes as he continues essentially making biscuits on Lati's shoulders.

Rainbow laughs. "Yeah. It seems to put you in a good mood, too."

I'm definitely not opposed to it,hah!

^^ yayyyy...you really are cute when you purr...

welcometoarkion

Hypno freezes when he realizes what he's doing. He clears his throat, looking away as Rainbow laughs.

"Nooo, keep going. It's cute." He reaches to pet Hypno, scratching under his chin. "C'mon~. Give me a purr."

Hypno grumbles, relenting with a growl that transforms into a purr, swishing his tail in barely repressed happiness.

*Lati snickers,watching them*

So fierce...

welcometoarkion

Hypno grumbles again, and Rainbow pulls back to give Lati room by Hypno's face. "Here. Give it a go. Right under his chin."

Hypno just rolls his eyes, but doesn't seem to object.

puttheroleplayherelati

Oh you were serious about the petting thing! Oh okay :D!

*She starts scratching under his chin like one would a cat*

welcometoarkion

His purr intensifies echoing throughout the forest. He shakes his head to keep himself from getting too comfortable. He was teasing about being so out of control of his Star-infused powers, but he fears he may actually lose his grip if he relaxes too much.

Rainbow leans forward and kisses Hypno's forehead to get his tail to wag. "Honestly, you don't get enough affection," Rainbow says softly. "You're always so sweet with me. I should return the favor more often."

:>!!!

*She giggles,vastly enjoying this*

Pretty boyyy...

welcometoarkion

Hypno whines at the compliment. Lati can't see it because of the fur, but he's blushing hard. His face is getting warmer. "...You're pushing it," he complains through squished cheeks.

"Aw, is someone getting grumpy?" Rainbow nuzzles Hypno's nose, which causes him to laugh a little.

He sighs fondly. "You're such a pain."

puttheroleplayherelati

We aren't exactly WRONG,though. Maybe you just need more compliments...

*She giggles mischievously,tail wagging*

welcometoarkion

"Suppose they're still a foreign concept to me. I've not known you two long enough to be used to it."

"Then we'll give it in small doses--" Rainbow suggests, giving Hypno another kiss. "--handsome."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ehhhh...fine,I'm feeling merciful. Small doses.

*She giggles,patting his head*

You are a very pretty boy though,I wasn't wrong :3

welcometoarkion

He laughs a little. "No one thinks I'm "pretty" unless I've hypnotized them... And, even then, they're just talking about my magic." He tilts his head at the two of them. Despite being confused, he still takes the time to tease them about it. "What makes you think I'm so attractive, hm?"

Rainbow laughs as well when Hypno teases him, then shrugs at the question. "I don't know. I guess, the more I like a person, the kinder they are to me... the more I see them in a different light. Physically, you're my type, but... when you hated me, I hated looking at you. Then we reconciled and... then I couldn't take my eyes off you." He slowly gets more shy as he goes on, but Hypno just stares at him, surprised.

puttheroleplayherelati

*She smiles softly at Rainbow before nodding*

Yeah,I mean...I'm more attracted to personality than anything else,I guess. You do look beautiful,but I feel like no matter what form you were in...I probably would've thought you were gorgeous anyway...

welcometoarkion

"Huh..." Hypno's eyes trail downward in thought. His face doesn't change, but his tail betrays his happiness. "You think I'm kind?"

"I know you're kind." Rainbow gives him another kiss on the cheek.

puttheroleplayherelati

Hypno,you're wonderful.

*She nuzzles against him,purring*

welcometoarkion

Hypno nuzzles her back, then kisses Rainbow, holding the both of them close. "...Thank you." He's not sure he gets it fully, but he can at least show his appreciation.

"It's what you do for the people you love..." Rainbow melts into him and closes his eyes.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mhm...

*Lati folds her wings around both of them before shutting her eyes. Cozy <3*

welcometoarkion

"I'm sure I'll wrap my head around it someday. I always do..." He looks off into the distance while the two of them snuggle him. "...I guess I like the idea of you grovelling all the time--" he laughs. "--but I wish I knew how to properly appreciate it... Without being so villainous about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

I'm sure you'll get it eventually :]

I mean I don't think it's villainous necessarily- it's not like you want total strangers doing it,so maybe you just like the power dynamiccc......you know what,Iiii probably shouldn't guess about your preferences,I already bullied Light for the chain thing---

welcometoarkion

Hypno smirks at Lati's choice of words, prepared to tease her, but his face drops when she mentions Light. "...Pardon?"

Rainbow also turns to look at her with a confused expression. "Yeah, wait. What was that about a chain?"

puttheroleplayherelati

Huh- oh. Uh.

*Damn her and her stupid mouth*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

*Now. How to say this while being respectful to Light. The hero who nearly just died fighting Corwin.*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh soooo....in the nether while we were trying to bargain with Suri and Donna,they kinda put me and Light on leash chains for a little while. So. I just sort of started walking away and confused them but Light um- stayed? Kept- kept the chain on. Anddd didn't like,demand for her to take it off or anything? So I was teasing him about it the other day and we came to the conclusion that he likes chains. So. ...thus concludes the educational section of today.

*She nods,very very awkwardly and feeling a little bad for even telling them. Light isn't even here to defend himself </3*

Do not tell him I told you. I do not think I was supposed to tell-

welcometoarkion

After they spend a good five seconds staring in disbelief, they nod.

"That's... really interesting." Hypno scratches his chin as Rainbow makes a "my lips are sealed" motion with his paw.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mmhmm. Really. Really interesting. To him most of all I think.

*Lati nods again*

I think. I should start concealing some information again.

welcometoarkion

"I can understand it." Hypno shrugs. "Light doesn't like being cuddly or romantic. I suppose a chain is the opposite of that."

Rainbow's eyes widen as he realizes. "Light doesn't like being romantic? Oh, that makes so much sense."

Hypno blinks. "Oh, I guess you missed that. He mentioned it while you were out at the shop." He sighs. "Poor thing. He's been given a lot of grief about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

Hm,I guess it does make sense when you put it like that!

Ah,yeah...he sort of seemed in disbelief that we just accepted it. ...that really ticks me off...how the hell have people treated him that he didn't even believe we'd accept it? As if there's anything wrong with it...

welcometoarkion

"Some Arkisen can be very entitled," Hypno starts, "And reciprocation of feelings is valued quite high. There's a belief some hold about a love story that unfolded between our gods, but... even if it were true, it doesn't mean we have to do what they did."

Rainbow chimes in. "I heard that story; I think it's cute..." Then he frowns. "It's a shame that's how it's being used, though."

puttheroleplayherelati

:[

*She cringes a little at some love story between their gods (someone please save Alex. She doesn't trust that guy-) but then just sighs*

That's irritating...why can't everyone just shut up and leave people alone...

welcometoarkion

"I ponder that question every day..." Hypno sighs.

Rainbow looks behind him at the cabin. "I hope we're being good friends to Light."

Hypno pats him reassuringly. "Rainbow, you're never a bad friend."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah,you've been nothing but wonderful!

*Her ear twitches*

...honestly...not to be cocky or anything,but I'm pretty sure we're the best thing that's ever happened to him. Which makes me both happy and sad,,

welcometoarkion

"He deserves more than just us..." Rainbow freezes as he realizes the implications of his statement. "Not to say we aren't good enough for him, but it seems everyone else is bent on giving him a hard time."

There's a pause before Hypno says "I don't think you have any idea how much your friendship means to him. Of course, it would be best if everyone accepted him, but you've undone a decent amount of self doubt in him that the Elders gave him when they would compare him to you."

Rainbow freezes again at those last few words. He looks Hypno dead in the eyes. "...They...?" When Hypno nods, Rainbow slowly turns away, whispering. "Remind me of that when we get back to the island. I have some choice words for their Elders."

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati growls softly,looking away*

I want to strangle them-

*Well,the hopes of her being more diplomatic have gone out the window*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs, almost growls. "You know what? I do, too."

His response gets a soft laugh out of Hypno. "Is that so?"

"I don't play around when it comes to my friends, you know that."

Hypno nodes sagely. "All too well..."

puttheroleplayherelati

... :). I like it when you're scary!

*She still sounds incredibly ominous,but she does mean it*

They deserve "a talk" for all they've done.

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs again. "If you want scary, you should have seen him two hundred years ago."

"He's right. I spent a lot of time fighting then." Rainbow's laugh is a bit darker. "There was a time Hypno brought out a... very different side of me."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ah,I see...

*Lati nods. Hypno is a very lucky arkis,she thinks. Getting to see Rainbow be terrifying AND sweet is a luxury few can afford*

welcometoarkion

"It's not, um..." Rainbow laughs shyly. "We don't have to dwell on that, though." He stands up and brushes himself off, which makes Hypno frown slightly. "Anyway, I'm actually kinda hungry. I haven't eaten anything filling since breakfast yesterday."

Hypno hums thoughtfully, then stands up with him. "You're right. I can make you some soup."

Rainbow smiles. "Aw, you'd do that?"

"Of course."

puttheroleplayherelati

...wife material...

*Okay yep that is an inside thought. Thankfully she said that pretty quietly. Hypno would look very cute in a pink flowery apron,though*

I'll,ah...go check on Light. Make sure he's actually sleeping and resting and everything- just in case.

welcometoarkion

Hypno manages not to look down at Lati when she whispers. He is keeping that in mind though.

Rainbow nods. "Good call. The boost can only do so much if he's wearing himself out."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah...enjoy your soup!

*And he does have a tendency to wear himself out. She heads inside and starts looking*

welcometoarkion

Light is in his room, but he's not exactly resting. Instead, he's sitting at the vanity, examining the shadow marks on his face that didn't quite fade.

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati clears her throat,trying not to surprise him*

Hiya! Just came to check on you- ...um,can't sleep?

welcometoarkion

Light looks up from the mirror. He glances at Lati before tuning away, ashamed that she found him looking at his reflection. "Um... afraid not."

puttheroleplayherelati

Well you should still be taking it easy...no worries though! I think Hypno's making soup in a bit if you're hungry.

*She looks at the mirror with a pensive expression before clearing her throat again*

.......I'm sure most of the marks will fade eventually. And the ones that don't- I-I wasn't lying to make you feel better or anything,I really do think they look cool...

welcometoarkion

Light's tail swishes at the mention of soup, then he nods slightly at the reassurance. "Yeah, I... I-I know. Thank you. It'll just, uh, take some getting used to, that's all." He turns to the mirror again, staring at the spots before sighing. "I understand I sound like a broken record at this point, but... The Elders take corruption very seriously... In the sense that they condemn anyone who has it, that is. They've gotten in my head." He chuckles sadly. "Maybe more than Cynn has."

puttheroleplayherelati

And I know I sound like a broken record when I say I want to maul everything that makes you feel like you aren't good enough. And Cynn is going in the orphan crusher. ...that's not a thing yet but it will be.

*She sighs softly*

I wish you could believe us when we say they don't matter. Cause really,they don't. What you did was...terrifying and reckless and made me cry several times BUT! ...it was the most amazing and heroic thing I've ever seen too. And no one should have anything negative to say about a side effect of you doing that.

welcometoarkion

"Ignoring the fact that Cynn isn't an orphan... yet, and that it's intangible, I always appreciate your tenacity." He gives her a small smile. "You're a good friend. I can only hope that one day I can properly internalize your positivity."

puttheroleplayherelati

*Lati's tail starts to wag happily*

Hah,I try. ...you're a really good friend too,Light. And I...hope you at least know how much you mean to us :]

welcometoarkion

Light nods. "I'm starting to understand. You all mean a lot to me, too."

puttheroleplayherelati

In that case,I'm glad :>

*She purrs,reaching out for a moment before smacking her hand away with her other one*

No. Bad >:[ no touch.

*She wags her finger at the hand that had reached out before remembering Light is still in the room*

...soup? :D

welcometoarkion

Light sighs and shakes his head fondly at her scolding. "And yet, you're still the strangest being I've ever known," he whispers to himself, getting up to check on lunch.

puttheroleplayherelati

Heyyy,this is my learning process!! >:p

*Her tail continues wagging as she follows him,clearly pleased with herself*

welcometoarkion

As he descends, the air around them gets warmer, more fragrant. "O-oh my!" Light can't help but chuckle at the sight before him. Hypno is at work, preparing the soup and bread, a pink, cutely decorated apron covering his front.

He was in the middle of feeding his sous chef a sample when he heard Light and Lati come down. He turns slowly, and he and Rainbow both freeze for a bit before Hypno freely shrugs and laughs.

"Rainbow made me do it," he admits, or deflects I guess.

Rainbow seems surprised how little Hypno cared in that moment. He smiles sweetly, almost emotional over how soft he looks.

puttheroleplayherelati

*Lati nearly falls over at the mere sight of him. Damn,she was VERY RIGHT at the thought that he would look cute in an apron like that. Her wings flutter briefly as she starts heavily blushing. Of course. ...it's fine,it's fine,the situation is still salvageable,just don't say anything stupid*

...so,are you on the menu too-?

*DAMNIT,LATI!!!!!*

I mean-NO THAT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE AN OUTSIDE THOUGHT- gh- um- fgvfgfdggcc SOUP.

*Great job.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno's tail sways almost flirtatiously as he laughs at Lati. "Dessert isn't until evening," he teases, pouring her a bowl. "For now, hopefully you like lunch." He places it on the table.

"I didn't know you could cook, Hypno." Light takes a seat at the table, patiently awaiting his soup.

Hypno brings it to him. "Well, I know just about every recipe thanks to my magic... But this one is one of the few I was properly taught by my parents."

#Bestconversationever 👍#<- she was normal and everything! didn't even say anything weird

welcometoarkion

The player steps into the portal hub, taking note of the area around them before greeting one of the workers. “Hello! I have a ticket to Arkion that I’d like to use!” They seem both very excited and very nervous as they hold out their ticket to the worker. They’re fidgeting with a pocket watch using their other paw, repeatedly opening and closing it.

The guide takes the ticket and examines it, smiling once they confirm its validity. "Alright! So, where and when would you like to be sent? We've got almost infinite options."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I’d like to head to the Rainbow town, please!” They seem even more excited now, bouncing up and down slightly.

welcometoarkion

"Second time someone's said that..." the guide mumbled. They printed out a similar map to the one they gave another traveler, took out the calling badge, and handed them over to this new guest. "The portal'll get you as close as possible, but in case you get lost, use the map."

foggythefandomgremlin

They look down at it before looking back up and nodding. “Thank you! Not sure if you accept tips but here!” They hand the guide a diamond before stepping through into Arkion, waving as they go out of view.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, thanks!" they call before the traveler enters the portal.

--

It's bright and sunny out wherever they've been placed, and in the distance, there's a stone wall decorated with concrete in many colors, matching the image on the map.

foggythefandomgremlin

They look around briefly before heading towards the wall.

welcometoarkion

Soon, they'll reach the gate, one guarded by what seems to be a human Player. They have "TheLSpike" written above their head, and they eye the stranger curiously as they come forward.

foggythefandomgremlin

They wave at them as they approach, seeming nervous at encountering another player. “Hello! My names Bloom, or Foggy, either one works. I’m visiting since I heard rumors of a new mortal species being found, and I wanted to see for myself. I’m guessing you live here?” The nervousness and excitement is clear in their voice.

welcometoarkion

The Player shrugs, giving Bloom an unsure expression. ""Live" is a strong word, but yes, there's a species here that might be new to you. I'm Lucas," he greets. "I can let you in, but you have to promise you'll be... peaceful with them." His tone is quite a bit more serious now. "I don't know what exactly it is you came to do, but as long as it's not gonna hurt anyone, we're good."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I promise I won’t hurt anyone.” They match his seriousness. “Im merely curious, it’s not often that new species are found, especially not sentient ones.” Their excitement seems to be returning slightly as they talk “Anyways, nice to meet you Lucas!”

welcometoarkion

After a second of consideration, Lucas opens the gate. "If you say so. Nice meeting you, too, Bloom."

The town is twice as colorful as the wall that protects it, both in architecture and in the residents, all sporting fur in techicolor hues. No one seems to care that the gate has opened; they're all too occupied with each other and enjoying the sun.

foggythefandomgremlin

Looking around, they seem to be amazed. Walking down the path they glance between the people of the town.

welcometoarkion

Once Bloom properly enters, the Arkisen seem to finally recognize they're there. The ones who see them are a bit startled; some hide it better than others. Being what is to them a hybrid of one of their own and a fox, it isn't surprising that they're... surprised, to see someone like Bloom.

foggythefandomgremlin

Noticing the looks they sigh before mumbling to themself. “Knew I should’ve used my other skin…” Nevertheless they continue exploring.

welcometoarkion

Not much further off, there's another Player sitting in the park, talking to an Arkis that looks a bit different than the ones they passed by.

foggythefandomgremlin

The other player quickly catches their attention and they begin approaching. “Hello!” They wave as they approach.

welcometoarkion

It takes a minute for the Player to realize that he's looking at another Player and not just a weird looking Arkis. "Woah, dude, are you here from Crest?" he asks, which takes the Arkis beside him off edge.

"There are fox people on Crest?" the Arkis asks his friend.

The Player shrugs. "Sometimes."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Yeah, I’m from Crest. I should probably have used my other skin instead of this one, it seems to be confusing people.” They say sheepishly.

welcometoarkion

The Player waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, I can just tell them where you're from and they'll understand. I'm Sabre, by the way," he greets with his hand out for them to shake, then he gestures with his head to the Arkis beside him. "That's Rainbow."

"Welcome to Rainbow town," Rainbow tells them, then mutters, embarrassed "I-I didn't come up with the name."

foggythefandomgremlin

“If you say so!” They shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, Sabre! I’m Bloom, or Foggy, both names work.” Ending the handshake they offer a paw to Rainbow. “Nice to meet you as well Rainbow!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow happily takes their paw. "So, what brings you to Arkion?" His paw almost seems to glow when he pulls back, and there's a slight crease to his brow despite his smile. Sabre notices this, and rests a hand behind his back.

foggythefandomgremlin

“I heard rumors about a new species being found and wanted to check it out for myself, possibly talk to some of them if the rumor was true! I’m guessing you’re one of them?” They smile at Rainbow, clearly excited.

welcometoarkion

"Sure am." Their excitement endears Rainbow, but there's a part of him that feels a bit nervous. "Anything you want to know?"

foggythefandomgremlin

“Hmm…” they ponder for a brief moment. “Oh! Is there anything I should avoid doing when meeting or talking to your kind? I don’t wanna offend anyone accidentally.”

welcometoarkion

That question takes him off edge. His paw stops glowing, and he seems almost surprised to hear it. Rainbow then laughs a little. "There's a lot I could mention, honestly, but as a general rule, just don't use your abilities on people who haven't asked for it... If you have any, that is," he starts. "I'm sure kindness is a universal concept, and whatever you don't know, always ask."

foggythefandomgremlin

“Got it!” They seem very happy. “I don’t have anything beyond what the average player has and none of those can really be used on people. I’m guessing since you mentioned abilities that you have them?”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, yeah." Rainbow leans forward, paws on the ground to help him balance as he prepares to explain. "There are five races of Arkisen, and they each have their own set of powers. Sometimes, there'll be exceptions, like me and a friend of mine who are hybrids, but there aren't any others in this town." He seems rather excited to tell them this, as his tail is swaying behind him as he speaks.

foggythefandomgremlin

They sit down, clearly interested in what hes saying.

welcometoarkion

Rainbow continues passionately. "There's Hicorus. They're mainly blue, control ice and water and maybe the weather sometimes. Edorans are red and control fire and lava. Montirs are green. They have nature powers and the strongest healing of the five. Navis are yellow, have speed, strength, and electricity. And then Cendales are the purple ones that have force fields, teleportation, telekinesis, and... I feel like they have something else... I don't know." He stops, a little ashamed. "I'll be honest, I'm a recovering amnesiac, and by recovering, I mean I don't really have the memories back; I'm just a fast learner."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Thats fine! Any knowledge is good knowledge.”

welcometoarkion

He seems to perk up at their understanding. "I guess so. A-anyway, as far as hybrids are concerned, my friend was the son of five Elders, the most powerful group of Arkisen, and I assume I was, too. Usually, you'll only have one or two parents, and only end up as one race, but he was a special case. One Elder from each race used their magic to make him, and he ended up with all five sets of powers. Again, I think that's the same with me. I have some vague memories of being around Elders as a kid. I guess I could ask an Elder if they knew my parents..." Rainbow trails of, tapping his chin in thought.

They listen intently before speaking. “Hybrids tend to be really rare, they aren’t possible for most species, it’s interesting you guys can have them.”

welcometoarkion

"It's not common for us, either." Rainbow shakes his head. "The only other ones... They were made with something called Shadow Stone. They can use multiple powers, but it... It corrupts their mind and kinda turns them evil." His tail stops swishing and he cringes a little as he continues. "We actually built this town to protect Arkisen from those guys."

“Ah, so kind of like sculk? I’m not sure if you have that here but I know sometimes players minds can be corrupted by it.” They cringe slightly aswell. “It’s not normally able to infect but it can happen depending on the world.”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's head tilts at the mention of skulk. "No, skulk doesn't do that here." He turns to Sabre. "Does that really happen in your world?"

Sabre shrugs. "There've been rumors."

Rainbow turns back to Bloom. "We only have one corrupting substance in our world, thank the Stars."

“Thats good, well, kinda. It would be better to have none then one in this case, but what can ya do.” They shrug before continuing. “It’s incredibly rare for a world to have something that can corrupt people fully, stuff like that typically is only just severe enough to make you sick. And even then players are typically at least partially immune.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre nods, adding "Well, it hasn't gotten to me yet. Trust me, I've touched the stuff way more times than is safe for an Arkis."

"Really, I don't know what's wrong with him." Rainbow rolls his eyes. "He throws himself at death like he can bounce back from it." He laughs, but Sabre seems to cringe a bit.

They look between Rainbow and Sabre, confused, before something seems to click. They proceed to stare at Sabre, silently questioning him.

welcometoarkion

Sabre notices their stare and nervously clears his throat. "Anyway, that's not something we need to dwell on. I'm fine; there was no harm done..." Then he mutters a near inaudible "...to me," hoping the other Player couldn't hear him.

“To you…?” They heard him. Theres curiosity and a small bit of suspicion in their gaze.

welcometoarkion

"...We don't need to get into it." Sabre repeats his sentiment, which makes Rainbow nudge him in the shoulder.

"You're inviting suspicion, Sabre," he whispers sharply. "Are you gonna be weird, or are you gonna fess up?"

Sabre sighs. "Fine, fine... If you must know, I've been named a criminal in Arkion. I had been sentenced to prison, but Rainbow was kind enough to switch it to community service."

“Ah. Like theft level crimes or the type of stuff that happens on the Dream smp?” They look him up and down. “‘Cause those are two VERY different things”

welcometoarkion

Again, Sabre finds it hard to confess, so Rainbow jumps in this time. "I'll put it this way: his service to the community, to equal the amount of harm he did, was to build this entire town and set up defenses," he explains. "And I'm acting as his warden, since I got the worst of it and know best how to deal with him."

They nod “I’m not sure what exactly he did but building a whole town seems like a pretty good punishment, well, if someone doesn’t enjoy building that is. I know the Empires folk build entire empires out of boredom, and thats not mentioning the Hermits.” They look over to Rainbow “I just realized that I don’t know how much you know about players. Is there anything you’d like to know about my kind?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waits for them to finish talking, nodding along in confusion before he can ask "Maybe start with the whole "Dream SMP", "Hermits", "Empires" thing you mentioned. What are those?"

“I’m pretty sure you already know of the whole world hopper thing so I’ll get straight to explaining. The Dream SMP, Empires, and Hermitcraft are all different factions of players spread across worlds. The Dream SMP is a lore based world, lore means story, where they basically just act out whatever they want, typically tragedy. Empires is a mix of building and lore where a bunch of players act out being rulers despite not having anyone to rule. And Hermitcraft is primarily building, it’s well known for the members building giant bases for themselves.” They think for a moment. “Thats all the basics, if you have anymore questions feel free to ask!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's tail swishes back and forth. "That sounds really cool! Were you or Lucas ever a part of something like that, Sabre?" he asks as he turns to him.

"Ehh, kinda?" Sabre answers slowly. "I did some roleplay as a kid, but nothing as sincere-- or I guess unscripted-- as an SMP."

"And what does "SMP" mean exactly?" Rainbow adds.

"Survival Multiplayer. It's when a Player makes a world for other people to join. A Survival world is a world with... let's call it the "default settings", where you can die, but you come back like almost nothing happened."

They nod along. “Pretty sure I saw some of your stuff when I was younger. You were acting the character of an assassin, correct?” They tilt their head to the side, curious.

welcometoarkion

Sabre cringes a bit. "Ohh, didn't know you saw that." He manages to laugh. "Yeah, that was me... Me and a stunt double."

"You played an assassin?" Rainbow frowns playfully. "You never tell me anything."

"Huh..." Sabre leans back as he thinks. "I guess I don't."

They laugh a bit before turning to Rainbow. “Wanna see what he looked like back then?” They grin.

welcometoarkion

"No he doesn't!" Sabre makes an "X" with his arms.

Rainbow nods vigorously, simultaneously answering with "Yes I do!" when Sabre speaks.

They cackle before focusing on changing their skin to match Sabres assassin one. “Tada!” They do sparkle hands, now a carbon copy of what Sabre used to look like.

welcometoarkion

While Sabre covers his face in shame, Rainbow gasps in amazement as Bloom's body glitches out of existence for half a second and reappears as Sabre in his assassin skin. Then once the shock of seeing a Player transform before his eyes wears off, his attention is brought to the skin itself. "Woah, Sabre, you looked so cool!"

Sabre tries to laugh away the embarrassment. "Yeah... So cool."

They’re looking at Rainbow, fondness clear in their eyes. “Anything else you wanna see?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow taps his chin, humming. "Can I see a cat?"

They nod before changing into the skin of one Stampy cat.

welcometoarkion

Both of them lean back in surprise. Rainbow does so due to how alien an anthropomorphic cat looks, and Sabre because he recognizes the skin.

Rainbow claps in amusement. "How does that work?"

“It’s basically just like having different outfits to change into except it changes everything. Someone creates it and then you can just change into it on command.”

welcometoarkion

"Fascinating." His eyes seem to sparkle. "Works a lot like Faceless, except... hopefully you didn't kill anybody to get those forms."

They shake their head. “No, multiple players can share a skin at the same time aslong as the one who made it shares it.”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, okay." Rainbow nods, then looks over to Sabre. "How come you and Lucas don't change your forms that much?"

"Well, we do have different outfits, but otherwise we're satisfied with what we made for ourselves," Sabre answers.

They shift back to their original appearance. “Most players tend to stick to a single skin unless theres some sort of event.”

welcometoarkion

"That makes sense," Rainbow figures, then tilts his head. "So, how long d'you plan on being here?"

They shrug. “I don’t really have a plan to be honest, just came here because I was curious.”

welcometoarkion

"Well, I hope you're able to learn everything you want." Rainbow beams at them.

"And if you do end up staying long, we've got places for you to stay," Sabre adds.

They smile. “I hope so aswell! And that’d be lovely.”

welcometoarkion

"You mind if we give you a tour?" Sabre asks.

“I’d love a tour!” They seem rather excited.

welcometoarkion

Both Sabre and Rainbow stand up happily. "Alright then. Come on; I know exactly where to start." Sabre motions for them to follow and they turn to the road.

They nod and follow behind.

welcometoarkion

As they lead them down, it's clear Sabre in particular is steering the train away from a small patch of a pale garden on the edge of town. Rainbow briefly glances at it as well before continuing to follow Sabre.

"I think it's best we start at the center of the town," He says, pointing to a large building as it comes into view and "winking" at Rainbow.

"This is my home-slash-headquarters-slash-Sabre's laboratory."

“Laboratory?” They tilt their head.

welcometoarkion

"Lots of the defenses in this town are thanks to science and discovery," Sabre explains.

Rainbow's paws rest on his hips. "He likes to experiment. Results may vary, but so far, it's been helpful."

They nod in understanding. “Do you test redstone or other stuff? I don’t know much about redstone but I know its good for traps.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre gives a sort of half-nod. "Yeah, there's some redstone, but we also use magic from the various power crystals here."

"Each crystal replicates a different race's abilities," Rainbow starts. "But there's a sixth one called a Star crystal that we haven't quite gotten our paws on yet. It's supposed to belong to these beings called the Starborn."

welcometoarkion

@latileaf pt. 10

"They weren't sure what else to do." Kara shrugged sadly. "Penn was nice enough not to put me on duty immediately. Technically, I'm just a trainee, just... one who's already hibernated."

"Oh, I can't imagine what that was like," Rainbow tells her.

Kara laughs a little. "You feel bad for me? Fifty years is nothing compared to two hundred."

"Well, why not? You weren't prepared for it. It's a scary thing to happen to anyone."

Yeah...I'd be terrified if that happened to me. And you're really nice...

*Lati mumbles,glancing away*

Stupid elders and their stupid spells and their stupid lack of safeguards-

welcometoarkion

Kara snickers. "Tell me about it." Then she whispers. "She's so cute when she grumbles."

"Right?" Hypno whispers back.

You should sue them >:/

*She pauses for a moment before her tail starts wagging and she blushes,blinking at them. She didn't completely hear that,but she heard "she's cute" and hypno agreeing with that,so this is basically a very good day for Lati*

welcometoarkion

"Oh no." Rainbow notices her blush and sighs. Light rolls his eyes and laughs.

Kara tilts her head at Lati as her face reddens. Hypno leans down to whisper what is probably an explanation, making Kara laugh. "Oh, that's really cute actually," she giggles

*This only makes Lati blush more,as her wings start fluttering as well*

Ah-I-um-thank you! You're very cute too!- wait---

welcometoarkion

Kara covers her mouth before she can laugh, recollecting herself. "Appreciate it!" she snickers.

"Two Arkisen in such a short time being here have called you cute so far," Rainbow mentions. "You're better at this than me, Lati."

*She giggles,hiding her face in her hands for a moment before peeking out at Rainbow*

I think you're cute too,Rainbow :>

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waves her away shyly. "Aw, stop!" he giggles. "You know what? I also think you're cute! Maybe in, like, a tiny angry dog way, but cute nonetheless."

:D yayyyy I'm a purse dog!

*She seems happy enough with this*

We can all be cute together <3

welcometoarkion

Hypno huffs. "Alright then..."

Light finally looks down at his bedside and grabs the tea. "So, Kara, what did you put in this?" he asks.

"Well, I remembered Lati mentioning something about Stardust infusions, so, until we could get you something permanent, I thought I could crush some into your tea as a temporary treatment for the Shadow Stone."

"Oh..." Light looks into it, noticing the slight shimmer in the surface of the liquid. "Thank you."

"I also put honey and glow berry juice in," Kara adds.

*She innocently blinks up at Hypno,tail wagging teasingly before looking back at Kara*

Oh,that's good thinking! Yeah,that should help hold it off until we can get the actual stuff done. Also probably tasty. I feel like it could taste good........

*...and she's now zoned out thinking about eating Stardust. Great work Lati.*

welcometoarkion

Light takes a sip to test it, then hums contentedly. "Mmm. It's almost... fizzy?"

"You know what? I thought that, too, when I drank that potion," Hypno mentions.

Like a sparkly soda... ✨v✨

welcometoarkion

Light tentatively nods to Lati. "Yeah, but... actually good this time."

Rainbow slowly turns to him in surprise, then quickly back. "...I'm gonna ignore that for my sanity's sake."

"No, I agree with him." Hypno shrugs. "They're really not that good most of the time."

Head in his paws, Rainbow cries "Hypno, I loved you..."

*Lati gasps in mock betrayal*

Well,that's the end of this partnership. I guess I have no choice but to join Lucas and Sabre! Come along Rainbow we'll start a new life together with people that appreciate beverages

welcometoarkion

"I always knew it would end like this," Hypno sighs. "Over something really stupid. Could you really leave me for those... those monsters?" He pouts, sniffling and pretending to fight back tears.

Rainbow turns away with his arms crossed, snickering. "I don't know. Maybe if they like soda."

Light watches on in amusement. "Such thrilling performances," he says dryly. "I should spark arguments more often."

*Lati giggles quietly,tail swishing*

I think you should! It's a fun past time :]

See,the issue is,knowing how they've failed us in the past,I can only expect them to fail here too. They'll say they only drink straight battery acid or something. And it WOULD explain a lot,but still,we are without a team.

*She flops over dramatically,arm thrown across her face*

welcometoarkion

"Well, in that case..." Hypno extends his arms out to Lati and Rainbow. "Better the evil you know, right?"

Rainbow rolls his eyes and trudges into Hypno's arms. "You're so toxic."

Hypno peppers kisses across Rainbow's face. "You know you can't resist me."

*Lati promptly stops her flop of despair to join Rainbow in Hypno's arms*

Yayyyyyy ^^

True,you are rather irresistible...

welcometoarkion

"Glad you think so." Hypno boops her nose before letting the two of them go.

Rainbow pulls back to talk to Kara, "So... how long does Light have to stay here?"

"Shouldn't be more than a night," she guesses. "He's all healed up physically, we just need to give him a power boost, which shouldn't take long."

Oh,good! Not too bad,then.

*She sighs*

I'm.....s-seriously,thank you all for healing him. You are by FAR the most tolerable elders we've come across.

welcometoarkion

Kara bows. "Thank you. I take pride in that."

"Hopefully, you and your council will be rewarded for this," Light adds. "You've... You've been awfully kind to us, Kara."

"Anything for the good of Arkion." She gives Light a smile. "And for my friends."

*Lati beams at her*

Y'know,if you ever get sick of being an elder,we'd be more than happy to have you with us. We're sort of a group of strange creatures that specialize in pissing off authority figures. You'd fit in great!

welcometoarkion

She laughs and lifts herself up from her chair. "I'll see if I have the time. Now, I'll let Light get his rest. I'll check up on you in the morning."

Light nods. "Alright then. Thank you again."

"No problem." Kara smiles softly as she closes the door.

:]

She's great,I'd kill a man for her.

*Lati nods,thinking this sufficiently explains her normal feelings about the situation*

...ah,anyways,you probably do need some rest. ......can I just. Stay here? I won't bother you or anything I can curl up on the floor-

welcometoarkion

Light sighs, then gives her a tired smile. "If you want."

"We'll..." Rainbow hesitates, getting closer to the bed. "We'll be in the spare room in the temple. I-if you need anything, you can use Hypno's mind link, and we'll be right over--"

"Rainbow, you don't need to worry about me." Sensing his anxiety, Light tries to calm Rainbow down.

"I-I... I..." Rainbow heaves a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just... I almost lost you, Light, and I've lost a lot of Arkisen in my life, and I'm trying to make sure, if I can help it, that everyone's accounted for." Then he mumbles. "'M sorry if that was too much..."

Light gazes at Rainbow sadly. He rest his paw on top of his and smiles at him. "...I'll tell you if I need anything."

Slowly, Rainbow smiles back. "Okay."

...it'll be alright.

*Lati smiles softly,curling up as she said she would*

He has a guard raccoon now :> and according to Sabre I'm apparently rabid,which is good news for Light's safety,I think. I bite :]

welcometoarkion

"Hmm, okay." Rainbow isn't quite sure how he feels about that, but he's glad Light is being protected.

"Wait." Light turns over to Lati. "You didn't actually bite him, did you?"

Hypno smiles proudly. "Twice!"

Head in his paw, Light sighs, "I'm going to bed," he says, nearly laughing and pulling the blanket over himself.

*Lati purrs very happily. She seems quite proud of this herself! Both of biting,and making Light happy*

Mmkay,goodnight Lighty :] goodnight you two!

*She curls up again,but doesn't go to sleep,instead just watching. She did offer to guard after all.*

welcometoarkion

"Rest up, you two..."

"Sweet dreams."

Hypno and Rainbow leave, closing the door, and Light turns the lamp off. "Goodnight, Lati," he yawns.

Goodnight :>

*She blinks a bit in the darkness. Sleep is now tempting,but she refuses*

welcometoarkion

For hours, there's no interruption to the peace and quiet, until Light begins to stir and breathe heavy in his sleep.

*Lati mumbles sleepily,sitting up and putting her hands on the bed,though not touching him directly*

Light...? Everythin okay...?

welcometoarkion

His breathing picks up between indecipherable murmurs as his nightmare worsens. He turns over and hugs himself, his claws digging into his skin.

*Lati's ears prick up,then go back as she wakes up fully*

Light? Light,no claws!

*She worriedly stands,grabbing both his paws and trying to pull them away from him before he hurts himself in his sleep*

welcometoarkion

When Lati grabs them, Light just grips onto her arms instead. Something like ice forms around her arm, though it's much darker, and smaller icicles threaten to pierce her arm.

Ack-!

*Lati looks down at her arms,concerned*

Ohh boy...Light! Light! I don't wanna get stabbed!

*She shakes his paws a bit*

Wake up!

welcometoarkion

"AHH!" Light springs up in terror, panting, eyes darting around the dark room frantically. He forms an icicle and points it at the closest thing to him, only to see that it's just Lati. "...O-oh. my goodness." He de-materializes the ice and holds his paws to his chest. "Lati, I'm so sorry. I just... I..." He tries to explain himself, but he just can't stop shaking.

*Lati flinches back for a moment before quickly shaking it off*

It's fine,it's fine,don't worry about it,you didn't actually stab me or anything- you're okay,you're safe,it's just the two of us,nothing is going to hurt you.

*She sits down next to him*

...do you want a hug? Or is it better if I just don't touch at all right now?

welcometoarkion

Light doesn't respond right away. He takes a moment to calm his breathing, but just before he can calm down enough to talk, something happens and he freezes up again, gripping his head tight. "N-no..." he whispers, not to Lati, but... to someone else. The light he emits flickers for a second. "No, please..."

Light?

*Her voice is tight with worry.*

Light,what is happening. Talk to me. Do I need to call the others?

welcometoarkion

"Those... voices..." he whimpers. "The shadows, they... They're in my head. They're really in my head." He curls up into a ball and hisses at the sounds. "Mystery, how does Hypno live like this...?"

Ohh,fuck...

Hey,try to focus on me,okay? Try to block it out.

I...I know you're scared. But they can't do anything but talk. They don't matter. You're still here. Deep breaths...

*She very carefully rests her hand on his head for just a moment*

There,see? You feel that,right? I'm here. They aren't. Soon,we'll get you those injections and they'll become nothing but garbage noise. Shh,you're doing good. I know,I know. Just keep breathing,we'll get through this.

welcometoarkion

After breathing deep as instructed, Light brings his head up. His eyes are filled with tears but he tries his best to remain calm. "T-this is gonna be a long night," He struggles to pull himself out of his ball further, forcing out a laugh at his own misery.

Isn't it always?

*Lati sighs,though she does smile a little at his attempts to stay calm*

Okay,let's see...can't stop them yet,so how do we distract from them?

*She chews on her lip,thinking. Her wings twitch*

If only I could attack them...hmm...still,there must be something...

welcometoarkion

"...Suppose our best bet is asking Hypno. He's dealt with this for years hasn't he?" He sits quietly and ponders before asking "Uhm, do you know... how contacting him... works?"

Oh yeah! Yeah I've got it. Hang on...you just gotta concentrate your thoughts really hard,and...

Heyyyy Hypno! Sorry to wake you up- if you were sleeping in the first place- uhh...can you come yell at the shadow stone in Light's head? Or,just...something? It started talking to him and he's really freaked out :(

welcometoarkion

"Hmm... I figured this would happen. Give me a moment."

Hypno goes quiet on Lati's end, but it seems Light is getting a message from him. He jolts up at first, unused to the feeling of being talked to in his mind, but relaxes as he listens.

After a long silence, Light relays the message to Lati. "I have two options, apparently. Either let Hypno put me into a dreamless sleep so that I can't hear the shadows, or have him lure them to his mind to torment him instead... Frankly I don't like either of those ideas."

Ah...

*Lati frowns,fidgeting with the sheet as she thinks*

I don't want him to be tormented,obviously,but he IS more used to it than you...but...mm...

I-I know you really hate having your head messed with,but dreamless sleep might be the better option. That way you can actually sleep...and he isn't being messed with either. But,still,mmm... :(. I mean...i-is there a third option? Maybe I could try to take them. The shadow stone doesn't affect me so maybe the voices would just vanish?

welcometoarkion

"They won't leave either of us for you if you're not infected," Hypno says. "I'm afraid that won't work."

"I don't want you to have to deal with that anyway, Lati." Light shakes his head sympathetically, then sighs. "I... I don't want anyone to deal with it..." He's quiet again as he thinks, then frowns once his decision is made. "If... it lets us all rest well, I'll let you put me to sleep, Hypno."

"You really trust me?"

"Not only do I trust you, but... I care about you," Light admits. "I don't want you to torture yourself for my sake."

Aww...

*Lati's tail wags briefly before she nods*

I'll still stay here with you,just in case :]

I'm proud of you,Light :>

welcometoarkion

"Thank you." Light gives Lati a smile before taking in a breath. He's shaking ever so slightly again, leaning back onto the pillow to brace for the impact. "Alright, Hypno... send me down."

Hypno's approach is gentle for Light's sake. His eyes softly glow before they flutter closed. He stops shaking and his breathing slows down as he is lulled into dreamless, shadowless slumber.

"...Alright, he's down," Hypno tells Lati. "Poor thing. His mind is so loud, even without the Shadow Stone," he laments. "He deserves this rest."

*Lati curls up again,at the foot of his bed this time*

Thank you,Hypno. ...he was so scared,that was awful......I'm really glad he trusts us,though.

welcometoarkion

"I'm glad he trusts us, too." One can hear the smile in his voice. "Now, you get some rest, Lati. I can sense how tired you are as well."

...ah. Didn't realize you could sense that too-

*She hums softly,looking at Light again*

I don't wanna leave him unguarded,though.....

*She yawns*

welcometoarkion

"I can guard him for you. You should sleep" Hypno's voices are so soft when he offers, it's as if they gently held Lati.

*Lati purrs softly at the voices, shutting her eyes*

........okay....g'night,Hypno....

welcometoarkion

"Goodnight, Lati."

--

By the time Lati awakens the next day, Light is already out of bed, looking out the window.

*She stretches like a cat,slowly waking up*

Oh,good morning Light! How are you feeling now?

welcometoarkion

"I'm feeling alright." He turns around and gives her a small smile. "The spell helped a lot, but... I can still faintly hear the shadows whispering now that I'm awake again." He turns back to the window, paws shaking. "...How did you sleep?"

*Lati growls quietly before shaking it off,standing up*

Pretty good! Hypno said he'd keep watch,so I was able to go to sleep. Was gonna stay up the whole night,but,eh,I was really tired actually- did not know he could sense that! That's neat though.

*She yawns again,stretching*

Anywayyy,top on the priority list is getting you those injections! Fun times.

welcometoarkion

Light stiffens at the mention of injections, laughing weakly. "Fun times indeed..." He begins to shake a bit more.

...ah...

*She gives him a worried look,reaching out for a moment and then pulling her hand back*

.......I mean,you could try just drinking the potion instead,if that would be less...scary...?

welcometoarkion

Light shakes his head. "Even the best potion will only last minutes. I know what I have to do and I'm willing to do it. I'm just... nervous," He insists, sighing deeply. "I'm an adult; I can handle a needle."

There's nothing wrong with being nervous...hell, I'M still scared of needles. And I'm probably one of the scariest people you know! :3

I was serious about holding your paw if you want it. Really,I don't mind. But I also know you don't really like touch so- if you want me to just stand there or something? I dunno,,just let me know.

welcometoarkion

"I'll consider it, thanks..."

The door knocks.

Light turns around. "Come in."

Kara, Hypno, and Rainbow appear behind the door. "Morning, Light. How are you feeling."

"I'm..." Light pauses before giving an answer, not wanting to sound negative. "I'll be better soon."

"But what about now?" Kara presses, raising an eyebrow.

Light sighs as he relents. "I'm dealing with some side effects."

I need the shadow stone in physical form so I can harm it. I want to just- strangle it.

*Lati says,deadpan. Surely that explains everything.*

welcometoarkion

"According to our recent research, that may not be impossible to accomplish," Kara mumbles. "But that's not what we're here for. The Star injection is ready for you."

"Ah." Light's claws discreetly grip the windowsill. "That's good news."

Oh good! Good.

*She glances at Light before quickly looking away again,not wanting to draw attention to him*

I'll,um,come with him.

welcometoarkion

Kara nods. "You're all welcome to. Come on. Let's get this over with."

She leads them all back down to the healing room, Light being helped by Rainbow to walk since he's still quite weak.

Penn is filling a syringe with the liquid when they arrive. "Light! Good to see you awake."

"Good morning, sir." Light does all he can to ignore the syringe in his paw, lest he pass out and die right there.

*Lati winces a little at the syringe,casually moving closer to Light*

G-good morning,Penn! :D... :'>

*She truly doesn't like needles either </3*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sits Light down, attempting to quell his discomfort with a quick pat on the back.

"We'll make this quick." Penn takes hold of Light's arm, and Light breathes in deep and shuts his eyes as the needle pierces his skin.

*Despite her obvious discomfort,Lati keeps her eyes on the needle and Light. Just in case*

welcometoarkion

In only a couple seconds, it's all over. The Stardust has been administered, and the shot didn't even hurt.

Not as much as the sensation of it fighting against the Shadow Stode did anyway.

Light shudders and hisses at the pain. Rainbow tries to hold him up.

"Just breathe," Hypno instructs. "The pain will pass soon."

Hopefully quickly.

*Lati whines,unsure of what to do. She ends up just coming over and quietly resting her head on Light's shoulder*

Just breathe,you've got it...

*...stars,was it painful like this for Hypno too? ... :(.*

welcometoarkion

Between the pain and the excess contact, Lioght's hissing turns into a growl as he pulls back from them. "Please... give me some space..."

Rainbow nods and swiftly moves back.

Right,sorry.

*Lati nods as well,moving back.*

welcometoarkion

The pain does eventually settle, and Light peeks down his shirt to see the darkness on his chest has diminished, even if just a little. He sighs in relief. "It's working."

"I would have warned you if I knew it would be so painful." Penn gives Light a shameful frown. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I had a feeling it would," Light admits as he looks back up again, forming an icicle in his paw to see that his magic has lightened again. "Thank you for helping me."

Penn bows. "It's our pleasure."

Oh,thank goodness-

*Lati sighs in relief,finally fully untensing for what seems like the first time since the fight against Corwin.*

Again,thank you both so much. I don't know how we can ever repay you...

welcometoarkion

"No need." Kara shakes her head. "You all have done so much for Arkion. We're the ones repaying you. Besides, you can't protect us if you get hurt."

Light brings his focus to Rainbow and Lati. "I'm sorry for growling at you both."

Rainbow gestures dismissively. "Oh, no, it's fine. I should've remembered not to get so touchy with you," he says, holding his paws shamefully.

True,true,but still!

Ah,yeah,no,that was my bad.

*Lati holds her hands together and bows her head*

I just have to figure out other ways to give comfort,, sorry!

welcometoarkion

Light smiles a little. "It's nice that you're even trying."

Rainbow gives a slightly confused laugh. "Well, yeah, if it makes you uncomfortable, of course we'll stop."

"I-I know, I know, but it..." Light sighs. "It feels weird to have this part of me met with consideration... even if you did forget. No one's even apologized like you two have."

"Oh." Rainbow straightens slowly and his eye twitches. "I see." His tone is chillingly level as he glares at Light, though not in anger towards him.

...well. I guess I have more people to beat up,then.

*Lati looks equally pissed off*

First of all how dare they,second of all w h o m s t -Third of all we love you of course we want you to be comfortable. Do you have any idea how happy it makes me to be around you. I was fully willing to bite shadow stone for you. Frankly I still am.

welcometoarkion

Her rant makes Light giggle. "I wouldn't bother chasing them down. I don't want to think about them much anyway." He stands up from the chair and bows to Penn and Kara. "Speaking of not thinking of them, we should be off. I need to distract myself with a treat of some kind."

They both bow back. "Please take care, all of you." Penn asks. "We will do our best to protect Arkion if something ever happened to you, but it would be a much darker place without you."

"Thank you Penn. Thank you Kara." Rainbow bows as well. "We hope your meetings with the other Elders go smoothly."

*She still looks pissed off,but her tail does wag a little when Light laughs*

Ah yes,we all deserve a little treat!

*She nods,doing a small curtsy towards the elders*

Seriously,you're both incredible. Don't ever try to be like the other elders. Please. :3

welcometoarkion

"We won't," Kara assures. "I'll make sure of it."

The group steps through the door to leave, and are greeted by cheering. Thousands of Arkisen crowd the temple to celebrate the heroes for defeating the King.

"Oh, goodness." Light puts on a weak smile for the crowd, and Rainbow and Hypno hold onto Lati to comfort her before she freaks out.

!!!

O-oh!!

*Lati is indeed mildly freaked out (that is SO MANY PEOPLE,DEAR LORD) but she does do her best to smile*

U-um!- thank you,everyone-!

welcometoarkion

Light leads the group through the crowd, taking the responsibility of answering their many questions. There's a bit of a judgemental remark about Light taking in the Shadow Stone, but Rainbow and Hypno shoo that guy away, allowing them a mostly peaceful path to the cafe and bakery.

*Lati does snap her teeth at the guy,but she ends up just leaving them alone to not cause a scene. She does promptly rush inside the bakery to safety though*

Too many people- ...it was nice that they all came to thank us,though... :]

welcometoarkion

Light sighs in relief and takes a seat at one of the tables. "Hopefully, we'll have some peace here."

Just as he says it, the shopkeeper walks into the front. "Well I'll be damned! The heroes have come to my humble cafe!"

Light can only whine at the irony, though he keeps his smile. "You got any glowberry muffins, mage?"

*Lati simply faceplants on the table,raising a weak thumbs up.*

Nice to meet you...

welcometoarkion

"Sure thing, sir!" they chirp. "On the house, of course."

"Thank you," Light's smile becomes genuine at their offer, but he frowns curiously when Hypno sits down next to him.

"How's your head feeling?" he asks quietly.

Light sighs. "Better. I can still hear... something, but it's much quieter."

Hypno nods, leaning back. "You'll get used to that."

Good,good. I'm glad it isn't still fully there.

*She sighs,raising her head slightly to look at them*

There's literally no reason for shadow stone to do all that. Simply no reason. :/ it's just being a dick at that point.

Also,Hypno,why didn't you mention it hurt that much?? We could've.........well,I don't know,but I would have let you bite down on my arm or something. Or. Gotten you a stick for that,I don't know,but still.

welcometoarkion

"You should know my pain tolerance is much higher that Light's." Hypno raises an eyebrow at Lati, then turns away after a moment. "Though, I suppose I could have warned him about how bad it was going to be. I apologize for that, Light."

Light shrugs. "It's alright. It's in the past anyway."

Well I do know it's higher,but that doesn't mean I want you in pain...

...yeah,I guess it's over with anyway...

*After a moment of silence,she blinks,eyes widening*

...it's actually over,isn't it? Light defeated the nightmare king. It's...it's actually over. We won against Corwin. Holy shit.

welcometoarkion

Light hums. "Well, we still have the Prince--"

"--And Cynn."

"--but what are they without their leader?"

"That's the thing," Hypno starts. "Corwin hasn't truly been their leader for years. They obey the Shadow Stone."

"Honestly, now that Corwin's out of the picture, Micah's probably gonna up his game," Rainbow assumes.

And even if they don't,Micah at least is easy to beat. Maybe we can just trap his child(? Creature? Thing?) somewhere filled with stardust so it can't do anything and be done with them both.

welcometoarkion

Simultaneously, Hypno and Light get an odd feeling, like a chill up their spines. They look at each other in understanding.

"Whatever we plan, we keep it in here." Hypno whispers as he points to his head. "As long as we're infected, Cynn can hear us."

...understood.

*Lati growls softly,eyes flicking around the area*

I'm still down for crushing it.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, absolutely."

Light thanks the shopkeeper when he receives his muffin, as well as a complimentary tea, then goes back to frowning as he contemplates. "Hopefully, what I've done will be enough to get that Star to reconsider eradicating us."

Oh,gosh,I nearly forgot,so much has happened...yeah,maybe he'll just give up?

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs. "That's the hope." He turns to see Hypno frowning. He tilts his head at him, and Hypno looks his way.

"What?"

"Something's upsetting you."

Hypno huffs. "I can't get a read on those Starborn. When Chrona came here, I'll admit I did read their mind... or, I tried to. They're too powerful for me to even search through. It... made me nervous, I suppose."

Really? Too powerful for even you...?

*She looks a little more worried*

Hm......don't like that.

welcometoarkion

"It made me... very aware just how much I use my power as a replacement for..." Hypno struggles to find the words. "Normal connection."

"You don't ask many questions," Rainbow admits. "This'll be a good exercise for you."

Mm...

*She lowers her head back down to the table,blinking at him*

...I thought you were doing good...

welcometoarkion

Hypno simply laughs softly and pats Lati's head, because he doesn't agree, but appreciates the support. "At least I got to talk to you like a normal person, Rainbow, before everything happened."

Rainbow smiles. "See? If you tap into that, it won't be so hard."

*Lati shuts her eyes,purring softly. Her tail thumps against her seat and she briefly winces. ...it's actually getting sore from wagging this much. ... she'll have to heal that later- for now she just puts a hand on it.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs some more. "Too much wagging, huh, Lati?" he teases quietly.

"She does wag a lot more than us, now that I think about it," Light mentions.

A-ah....///////

*She sinks down in her seat, embarrassed*

I wag a normal amount,,,

welcometoarkion

"Sure." Hypno smirks and runs his paw through her hair. "You purr a normal amount, too."

"Okay, now you're just being mean," Rainbow snickers.

*Her purring gets slightly louder,which only makes her blush more*

U-unfair,,

welcometoarkion

"I don't know... It seems like you like it." He pulls his paw away. "I can stop if you want me to."

Noooo...

*She promptly pulls his paw back onto her head. Perfect.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno continues with a giggle, scratching behind her ears. "That's what I thought~" Then he stops again when he feels a paw on the back of his head. He turns around and sees that Rainbow has started petting him. "What?"

"You were getting too snarky," he says, smiling when he sees Hypno relax a little. "You needed to get knocked down a peg."

Hypno struggles to appear unfazed. He continues petting Lati, barely stifling a purr.

^w^ yayyyyy...

*Lati just seems perfectly happy with all of this,nearly melting into her seat*

welcometoarkion

"Alright, this is cute, but I have to let up." Hypno pulls away again, intending to stay that way. "If I keep going, Rainbow keeps going, and I'm not willing to purr in public."

Rainbow pouts. "But you're so cute when you purr."

Hypno pats Rainbow's head sympathetically. "Save it for the cabin."

Aww,fine...

*She sighs sadly,but does leave him be*

You are cute when you purr,hehehehe...but I do get not wanting to do it in public- the public...is a little scary.

welcometoarkion

"Isn't that the truth..." Light stretches and stands. "In that case, I wouldn't mind going now. I'm still a bit tired after all."

"Yeah, you get your rest, Light." Rainbow agrees. "I'll be showing Lati the most optimal way to pet Hypno."

:0 REALLY?!

*... she is far too excited by this*

Hehehehehehe- yeah,yeah,you very much deserve rest! Hehrhehehegehegegegeghghhh-

welcometoarkion

Hypno rolls his eyes and just. Scoops Lati up like a cat and follows the other two out the cafe, dodging the crowd and flying off to their cabin.

Oh okay :D yay <3

*She seems content with this*

welcometoarkion

Once back at home base, Light goes inside, presumably to nap, while Rainbow and Hypno go to the backyard to sit by the lake.

*Lati goes to sit with them,not entirely sure Rainbow was serious about the petting thing,but wanting to hang out with them regardless. She sighs softly,relaxing more now that they're fully away from the crowds*

welcometoarkion

They both just take a moment to enjoy the peace. Rainbow's tail grazes against Hypno's before he leans on him, one arm around his shoulder. He steals a few scritches under his chin before Hypno growls playfully.

"Knew it..."

"And yet, you did nothing to stop me." Without objection, Rainbow continues.

*She giggles quietly at them,softly purring despite her best attempts not to. Oh well.

She flutters her wings a bit before pulling them close to herself. She hasn't preened this entire time,should probably get on that soon. Messy feathers do not feel good*

welcometoarkion

Despite being occupied by the pets, Hypno does recognize Lati's discomfort with her wings. "What seems to be the problem?" he asks despite having an idea.

Hm-? Oh- ahh...

*Her wings twitch as she holds them*

We've kinda been busy most of the time...I haven't really had time to take care of my wings like I should. I'm,,not very experienced with them when I DO have time,anyway. I gotta at least try though. It's uncomfortable when the feathers get all messy,,

*Lati sighs,looking them over. They aren't awful,but they're definitely not as good as they should be...*

welcometoarkion

Hypno and Rainbow both look over at her wings, then at each other.

Hesitantly, Rainbow asks "Is it alright if we help you?"

"We have the time now, after all." Hypno adds.

*Lati squeaks,blinking at them*

O^O! ... ✨^✨

I mean,sure,if you want too!!

welcometoarkion

"Alright then. Let's get to work." Hypno smiles and he and Rainbow both scoot closer.

"So, how does this work?" Rainbow asks as he puts a gentle paw on the end of Lati's wing.

Uhh,you know about as much as me,I guess! Just,uhh...straighten any messy feathers,and pull out the loose ones. Gently,,

welcometoarkion

They both nod and carefully start the process. Rainbow has to stop when he really gets his paws into the feathers. "They're so soft..." he whispers, then continues.

*She does her best not to start purring and wagging her tail from that,but of course,it happens anyway. She murmurs a quick Heal command to fix her tail up before smiling*

Thank you!! Hehe,they are! :3

welcometoarkion

They mostly work in silence, enjoying the simple repetition of the task in the sunlight, accompanied by the sound of Lati's purring and the water rippling in front of them.

Hypno gets finished with his designated wing quicker, not being as distracted by their softness as Rainbow, so he pivots to rubbing her back and shoulders.

*Lati basically melts against him,fully relaxed and very happy*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs softly as she relaxes. "There you go."

Rainbow dusts the loose feathers off his lap once he's finished. "How'sit feel now?" he asks, still running his paws through the wings to feel their softness.

Really really nice...much better ^^

welcometoarkion

"Great! I'm glad we could help."

"We should do this more often," Hypno muses quietly, not noticing the slight purr that escapes as he continues essentially making biscuits on Lati's shoulders.

Rainbow laughs. "Yeah. It seems to put you in a good mood, too."

I'm definitely not opposed to it,hah!

^^ yayyyy...you really are cute when you purr...

welcometoarkion

Hypno freezes when he realizes what he's doing. He clears his throat, looking away as Rainbow laughs.

"Nooo, keep going. It's cute." He reaches to pet Hypno, scratching under his chin. "C'mon~. Give me a purr."

Hypno grumbles, relenting with a growl that transforms into a purr, swishing his tail in barely repressed happiness.

*Lati snickers,watching them*

So fierce...

welcometoarkion

Hypno grumbles again, and Rainbow pulls back to give Lati room by Hypno's face. "Here. Give it a go. Right under his chin."

Hypno just rolls his eyes, but doesn't seem to object.

puttheroleplayherelati

Oh you were serious about the petting thing! Oh okay :D!

*She starts scratching under his chin like one would a cat*

welcometoarkion

His purr intensifies echoing throughout the forest. He shakes his head to keep himself from getting too comfortable. He was teasing about being so out of control of his Star-infused powers, but he fears he may actually lose his grip if he relaxes too much.

Rainbow leans forward and kisses Hypno's forehead to get his tail to wag. "Honestly, you don't get enough affection," Rainbow says softly. "You're always so sweet with me. I should return the favor more often."

:>!!!

*She giggles,vastly enjoying this*

Pretty boyyy...

welcometoarkion

Hypno whines at the compliment. Lati can't see it because of the fur, but he's blushing hard. His face is getting warmer. "...You're pushing it," he complains through squished cheeks.

"Aw, is someone getting grumpy?" Rainbow nuzzles Hypno's nose, which causes him to laugh a little.

He sighs fondly. "You're such a pain."

puttheroleplayherelati

We aren't exactly WRONG,though. Maybe you just need more compliments...

*She giggles mischievously,tail wagging*

welcometoarkion

"Suppose they're still a foreign concept to me. I've not known you two long enough to be used to it."

"Then we'll give it in small doses--" Rainbow suggests, giving Hypno another kiss. "--handsome."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ehhhh...fine,I'm feeling merciful. Small doses.

*She giggles,patting his head*

You are a very pretty boy though,I wasn't wrong :3

welcometoarkion

He laughs a little. "No one thinks I'm "pretty" unless I've hypnotized them... And, even then, they're just talking about my magic." He tilts his head at the two of them. Despite being confused, he still takes the time to tease them about it. "What makes you think I'm so attractive, hm?"

Rainbow laughs as well when Hypno teases him, then shrugs at the question. "I don't know. I guess, the more I like a person, the kinder they are to me... the more I see them in a different light. Physically, you're my type, but... when you hated me, I hated looking at you. Then we reconciled and... then I couldn't take my eyes off you." He slowly gets more shy as he goes on, but Hypno just stares at him, surprised.

puttheroleplayherelati

*She smiles softly at Rainbow before nodding*

Yeah,I mean...I'm more attracted to personality than anything else,I guess. You do look beautiful,but I feel like no matter what form you were in...I probably would've thought you were gorgeous anyway...

welcometoarkion

"Huh..." Hypno's eyes trail downward in thought. His face doesn't change, but his tail betrays his happiness. "You think I'm kind?"

"I know you're kind." Rainbow gives him another kiss on the cheek.

puttheroleplayherelati

Hypno,you're wonderful.

*She nuzzles against him,purring*

welcometoarkion

Hypno nuzzles her back, then kisses Rainbow, holding the both of them close. "...Thank you." He's not sure he gets it fully, but he can at least show his appreciation.

"It's what you do for the people you love..." Rainbow melts into him and closes his eyes.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mhm...

*Lati folds her wings around both of them before shutting her eyes. Cozy <3*

welcometoarkion

"I'm sure I'll wrap my head around it someday. I always do..." He looks off into the distance while the two of them snuggle him. "...I guess I like the idea of you grovelling all the time--" he laughs. "--but I wish I knew how to properly appreciate it... Without being so villainous about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

I'm sure you'll get it eventually :]

I mean I don't think it's villainous necessarily- it's not like you want total strangers doing it,so maybe you just like the power dynamiccc......you know what,Iiii probably shouldn't guess about your preferences,I already bullied Light for the chain thing---

welcometoarkion

Hypno smirks at Lati's choice of words, prepared to tease her, but his face drops when she mentions Light. "...Pardon?"

Rainbow also turns to look at her with a confused expression. "Yeah, wait. What was that about a chain?"

puttheroleplayherelati

Huh- oh. Uh.

*Damn her and her stupid mouth*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

*Now. How to say this while being respectful to Light. The hero who nearly just died fighting Corwin.*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh soooo....in the nether while we were trying to bargain with Suri and Donna,they kinda put me and Light on leash chains for a little while. So. I just sort of started walking away and confused them but Light um- stayed? Kept- kept the chain on. Anddd didn't like,demand for her to take it off or anything? So I was teasing him about it the other day and we came to the conclusion that he likes chains. So. ...thus concludes the educational section of today.

*She nods,very very awkwardly and feeling a little bad for even telling them. Light isn't even here to defend himself </3*

Do not tell him I told you. I do not think I was supposed to tell-

welcometoarkion

After they spend a good five seconds staring in disbelief, they nod.

"That's... really interesting." Hypno scratches his chin as Rainbow makes a "my lips are sealed" motion with his paw.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mmhmm. Really. Really interesting. To him most of all I think.

*Lati nods again*

I think. I should start concealing some information again.

welcometoarkion

"I can understand it." Hypno shrugs. "Light doesn't like being cuddly or romantic. I suppose a chain is the opposite of that."

Rainbow's eyes widen as he realizes. "Light doesn't like being romantic? Oh, that makes so much sense."

Hypno blinks. "Oh, I guess you missed that. He mentioned it while you were out at the shop." He sighs. "Poor thing. He's been given a lot of grief about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

Hm,I guess it does make sense when you put it like that!

Ah,yeah...he sort of seemed in disbelief that we just accepted it. ...that really ticks me off...how the hell have people treated him that he didn't even believe we'd accept it? As if there's anything wrong with it...

welcometoarkion

"Some Arkisen can be very entitled," Hypno starts, "And reciprocation of feelings is valued quite high. There's a belief some hold about a love story that unfolded between our gods, but... even if it were true, it doesn't mean we have to do what they did."

Rainbow chimes in. "I heard that story; I think it's cute..." Then he frowns. "It's a shame that's how it's being used, though."

puttheroleplayherelati

:[

*She cringes a little at some love story between their gods (someone please save Alex. She doesn't trust that guy-) but then just sighs*

That's irritating...why can't everyone just shut up and leave people alone...

welcometoarkion

"I ponder that question every day..." Hypno sighs.

Rainbow looks behind him at the cabin. "I hope we're being good friends to Light."

Hypno pats him reassuringly. "Rainbow, you're never a bad friend."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah,you've been nothing but wonderful!

*Her ear twitches*

...honestly...not to be cocky or anything,but I'm pretty sure we're the best thing that's ever happened to him. Which makes me both happy and sad,,

welcometoarkion

"He deserves more than just us..." Rainbow freezes as he realizes the implications of his statement. "Not to say we aren't good enough for him, but it seems everyone else is bent on giving him a hard time."

There's a pause before Hypno says "I don't think you have any idea how much your friendship means to him. Of course, it would be best if everyone accepted him, but you've undone a decent amount of self doubt in him that the Elders gave him when they would compare him to you."

Rainbow freezes again at those last few words. He looks Hypno dead in the eyes. "...They...?" When Hypno nods, Rainbow slowly turns away, whispering. "Remind me of that when we get back to the island. I have some choice words for their Elders."

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati growls softly,looking away*

I want to strangle them-

*Well,the hopes of her being more diplomatic have gone out the window*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs, almost growls. "You know what? I do, too."

His response gets a soft laugh out of Hypno. "Is that so?"

"I don't play around when it comes to my friends, you know that."

Hypno nodes sagely. "All too well..."

puttheroleplayherelati

... :). I like it when you're scary!

*She still sounds incredibly ominous,but she does mean it*

They deserve "a talk" for all they've done.

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs again. "If you want scary, you should have seen him two hundred years ago."

"He's right. I spent a lot of time fighting then." Rainbow's laugh is a bit darker. "There was a time Hypno brought out a... very different side of me."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ah,I see...

*Lati nods. Hypno is a very lucky arkis,she thinks. Getting to see Rainbow be terrifying AND sweet is a luxury few can afford*

welcometoarkion

"It's not, um..." Rainbow laughs shyly. "We don't have to dwell on that, though." He stands up and brushes himself off, which makes Hypno frown slightly. "Anyway, I'm actually kinda hungry. I haven't eaten anything filling since breakfast yesterday."

Hypno hums thoughtfully, then stands up with him. "You're right. I can make you some soup."

Rainbow smiles. "Aw, you'd do that?"

"Of course."

puttheroleplayherelati

...wife material...

*Okay yep that is an inside thought. Thankfully she said that pretty quietly. Hypno would look very cute in a pink flowery apron,though*

I'll,ah...go check on Light. Make sure he's actually sleeping and resting and everything- just in case.

welcometoarkion

Hypno manages not to look down at Lati when she whispers. He is keeping that in mind though.

Rainbow nods. "Good call. The boost can only do so much if he's wearing himself out."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah...enjoy your soup!

*And he does have a tendency to wear himself out. She heads inside and starts looking*

welcometoarkion

Light is in his room, but he's not exactly resting. Instead, he's sitting at the vanity, examining the shadow marks on his face that didn't quite fade.

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati clears her throat,trying not to surprise him*

Hiya! Just came to check on you- ...um,can't sleep?

welcometoarkion

Light looks up from the mirror. He glances at Lati before tuning away, ashamed that she found him looking at his reflection. "Um... afraid not."

puttheroleplayherelati

Well you should still be taking it easy...no worries though! I think Hypno's making soup in a bit if you're hungry.

*She looks at the mirror with a pensive expression before clearing her throat again*

.......I'm sure most of the marks will fade eventually. And the ones that don't- I-I wasn't lying to make you feel better or anything,I really do think they look cool...

welcometoarkion

Light's tail swishes at the mention of soup, then he nods slightly at the reassurance. "Yeah, I... I-I know. Thank you. It'll just, uh, take some getting used to, that's all." He turns to the mirror again, staring at the spots before sighing. "I understand I sound like a broken record at this point, but... The Elders take corruption very seriously... In the sense that they condemn anyone who has it, that is. They've gotten in my head." He chuckles sadly. "Maybe more than Cynn has."

puttheroleplayherelati

And I know I sound like a broken record when I say I want to maul everything that makes you feel like you aren't good enough. And Cynn is going in the orphan crusher. ...that's not a thing yet but it will be.

*She sighs softly*

I wish you could believe us when we say they don't matter. Cause really,they don't. What you did was...terrifying and reckless and made me cry several times BUT! ...it was the most amazing and heroic thing I've ever seen too. And no one should have anything negative to say about a side effect of you doing that.

welcometoarkion

"Ignoring the fact that Cynn isn't an orphan... yet, and that it's intangible, I always appreciate your tenacity." He gives her a small smile. "You're a good friend. I can only hope that one day I can properly internalize your positivity."

puttheroleplayherelati

*Lati's tail starts to wag happily*

Hah,I try. ...you're a really good friend too,Light. And I...hope you at least know how much you mean to us :]

welcometoarkion

Light nods. "I'm starting to understand. You all mean a lot to me, too."

puttheroleplayherelati

In that case,I'm glad :>

*She purrs,reaching out for a moment before smacking her hand away with her other one*

No. Bad >:[ no touch.

*She wags her finger at the hand that had reached out before remembering Light is still in the room*

...soup? :D

welcometoarkion

Light sighs and shakes his head fondly at her scolding. "And yet, you're still the strangest being I've ever known," he whispers to himself, getting up to check on lunch.

puttheroleplayherelati

Heyyy,this is my learning process!! >:p

*Her tail continues wagging as she follows him,clearly pleased with herself*

welcometoarkion

As he descends, the air around them gets warmer, more fragrant. "O-oh my!" Light can't help but chuckle at the sight before him. Hypno is at work, preparing the soup and bread, a pink, cutely decorated apron covering his front.

He was in the middle of feeding his sous chef a sample when he heard Light and Lati come down. He turns slowly, and he and Rainbow both freeze for a bit before Hypno freely shrugs and laughs.

"Rainbow made me do it," he admits, or deflects I guess.

Rainbow seems surprised how little Hypno cared in that moment. He smiles sweetly, almost emotional over how soft he looks.

welcometoarkion

The player steps into the portal hub, taking note of the area around them before greeting one of the workers. “Hello! I have a ticket to Arkion that I’d like to use!” They seem both very excited and very nervous as they hold out their ticket to the worker. They’re fidgeting with a pocket watch using their other paw, repeatedly opening and closing it.

The guide takes the ticket and examines it, smiling once they confirm its validity. "Alright! So, where and when would you like to be sent? We've got almost infinite options."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I’d like to head to the Rainbow town, please!” They seem even more excited now, bouncing up and down slightly.

welcometoarkion

"Second time someone's said that..." the guide mumbled. They printed out a similar map to the one they gave another traveler, took out the calling badge, and handed them over to this new guest. "The portal'll get you as close as possible, but in case you get lost, use the map."

foggythefandomgremlin

They look down at it before looking back up and nodding. “Thank you! Not sure if you accept tips but here!” They hand the guide a diamond before stepping through into Arkion, waving as they go out of view.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, thanks!" they call before the traveler enters the portal.

--

It's bright and sunny out wherever they've been placed, and in the distance, there's a stone wall decorated with concrete in many colors, matching the image on the map.

foggythefandomgremlin

They look around briefly before heading towards the wall.

welcometoarkion

Soon, they'll reach the gate, one guarded by what seems to be a human Player. They have "TheLSpike" written above their head, and they eye the stranger curiously as they come forward.

foggythefandomgremlin

They wave at them as they approach, seeming nervous at encountering another player. “Hello! My names Bloom, or Foggy, either one works. I’m visiting since I heard rumors of a new mortal species being found, and I wanted to see for myself. I’m guessing you live here?” The nervousness and excitement is clear in their voice.

welcometoarkion

The Player shrugs, giving Bloom an unsure expression. ""Live" is a strong word, but yes, there's a species here that might be new to you. I'm Lucas," he greets. "I can let you in, but you have to promise you'll be... peaceful with them." His tone is quite a bit more serious now. "I don't know what exactly it is you came to do, but as long as it's not gonna hurt anyone, we're good."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I promise I won’t hurt anyone.” They match his seriousness. “Im merely curious, it’s not often that new species are found, especially not sentient ones.” Their excitement seems to be returning slightly as they talk “Anyways, nice to meet you Lucas!”

welcometoarkion

After a second of consideration, Lucas opens the gate. "If you say so. Nice meeting you, too, Bloom."

The town is twice as colorful as the wall that protects it, both in architecture and in the residents, all sporting fur in techicolor hues. No one seems to care that the gate has opened; they're all too occupied with each other and enjoying the sun.

foggythefandomgremlin

Looking around, they seem to be amazed. Walking down the path they glance between the people of the town.

welcometoarkion

Once Bloom properly enters, the Arkisen seem to finally recognize they're there. The ones who see them are a bit startled; some hide it better than others. Being what is to them a hybrid of one of their own and a fox, it isn't surprising that they're... surprised, to see someone like Bloom.

foggythefandomgremlin

Noticing the looks they sigh before mumbling to themself. “Knew I should’ve used my other skin…” Nevertheless they continue exploring.

welcometoarkion

Not much further off, there's another Player sitting in the park, talking to an Arkis that looks a bit different than the ones they passed by.

foggythefandomgremlin

The other player quickly catches their attention and they begin approaching. “Hello!” They wave as they approach.

welcometoarkion

It takes a minute for the Player to realize that he's looking at another Player and not just a weird looking Arkis. "Woah, dude, are you here from Crest?" he asks, which takes the Arkis beside him off edge.

"There are fox people on Crest?" the Arkis asks his friend.

The Player shrugs. "Sometimes."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Yeah, I’m from Crest. I should probably have used my other skin instead of this one, it seems to be confusing people.” They say sheepishly.

welcometoarkion

The Player waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, I can just tell them where you're from and they'll understand. I'm Sabre, by the way," he greets with his hand out for them to shake, then he gestures with his head to the Arkis beside him. "That's Rainbow."

"Welcome to Rainbow town," Rainbow tells them, then mutters, embarrassed "I-I didn't come up with the name."

foggythefandomgremlin

“If you say so!” They shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, Sabre! I’m Bloom, or Foggy, both names work.” Ending the handshake they offer a paw to Rainbow. “Nice to meet you as well Rainbow!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow happily takes their paw. "So, what brings you to Arkion?" His paw almost seems to glow when he pulls back, and there's a slight crease to his brow despite his smile. Sabre notices this, and rests a hand behind his back.

foggythefandomgremlin

“I heard rumors about a new species being found and wanted to check it out for myself, possibly talk to some of them if the rumor was true! I’m guessing you’re one of them?” They smile at Rainbow, clearly excited.

welcometoarkion

"Sure am." Their excitement endears Rainbow, but there's a part of him that feels a bit nervous. "Anything you want to know?"

foggythefandomgremlin

“Hmm…” they ponder for a brief moment. “Oh! Is there anything I should avoid doing when meeting or talking to your kind? I don’t wanna offend anyone accidentally.”

welcometoarkion

That question takes him off edge. His paw stops glowing, and he seems almost surprised to hear it. Rainbow then laughs a little. "There's a lot I could mention, honestly, but as a general rule, just don't use your abilities on people who haven't asked for it... If you have any, that is," he starts. "I'm sure kindness is a universal concept, and whatever you don't know, always ask."

foggythefandomgremlin

“Got it!” They seem very happy. “I don’t have anything beyond what the average player has and none of those can really be used on people. I’m guessing since you mentioned abilities that you have them?”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, yeah." Rainbow leans forward, paws on the ground to help him balance as he prepares to explain. "There are five races of Arkisen, and they each have their own set of powers. Sometimes, there'll be exceptions, like me and a friend of mine who are hybrids, but there aren't any others in this town." He seems rather excited to tell them this, as his tail is swaying behind him as he speaks.

foggythefandomgremlin

They sit down, clearly interested in what hes saying.

welcometoarkion

Rainbow continues passionately. "There's Hicorus. They're mainly blue, control ice and water and maybe the weather sometimes. Edorans are red and control fire and lava. Montirs are green. They have nature powers and the strongest healing of the five. Navis are yellow, have speed, strength, and electricity. And then Cendales are the purple ones that have force fields, teleportation, telekinesis, and... I feel like they have something else... I don't know." He stops, a little ashamed. "I'll be honest, I'm a recovering amnesiac, and by recovering, I mean I don't really have the memories back; I'm just a fast learner."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Thats fine! Any knowledge is good knowledge.”

welcometoarkion

He seems to perk up at their understanding. "I guess so. A-anyway, as far as hybrids are concerned, my friend was the son of five Elders, the most powerful group of Arkisen, and I assume I was, too. Usually, you'll only have one or two parents, and only end up as one race, but he was a special case. One Elder from each race used their magic to make him, and he ended up with all five sets of powers. Again, I think that's the same with me. I have some vague memories of being around Elders as a kid. I guess I could ask an Elder if they knew my parents..." Rainbow trails of, tapping his chin in thought.

They listen intently before speaking. “Hybrids tend to be really rare, they aren’t possible for most species, it’s interesting you guys can have them.”

welcometoarkion

"It's not common for us, either." Rainbow shakes his head. "The only other ones... They were made with something called Shadow Stone. They can use multiple powers, but it... It corrupts their mind and kinda turns them evil." His tail stops swishing and he cringes a little as he continues. "We actually built this town to protect Arkisen from those guys."

“Ah, so kind of like sculk? I’m not sure if you have that here but I know sometimes players minds can be corrupted by it.” They cringe slightly aswell. “It’s not normally able to infect but it can happen depending on the world.”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's head tilts at the mention of skulk. "No, skulk doesn't do that here." He turns to Sabre. "Does that really happen in your world?"

Sabre shrugs. "There've been rumors."

Rainbow turns back to Bloom. "We only have one corrupting substance in our world, thank the Stars."

“Thats good, well, kinda. It would be better to have none then one in this case, but what can ya do.” They shrug before continuing. “It’s incredibly rare for a world to have something that can corrupt people fully, stuff like that typically is only just severe enough to make you sick. And even then players are typically at least partially immune.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre nods, adding "Well, it hasn't gotten to me yet. Trust me, I've touched the stuff way more times than is safe for an Arkis."

"Really, I don't know what's wrong with him." Rainbow rolls his eyes. "He throws himself at death like he can bounce back from it." He laughs, but Sabre seems to cringe a bit.

They look between Rainbow and Sabre, confused, before something seems to click. They proceed to stare at Sabre, silently questioning him.

welcometoarkion

Sabre notices their stare and nervously clears his throat. "Anyway, that's not something we need to dwell on. I'm fine; there was no harm done..." Then he mutters a near inaudible "...to me," hoping the other Player couldn't hear him.

“To you…?” They heard him. Theres curiosity and a small bit of suspicion in their gaze.

welcometoarkion

"...We don't need to get into it." Sabre repeats his sentiment, which makes Rainbow nudge him in the shoulder.

"You're inviting suspicion, Sabre," he whispers sharply. "Are you gonna be weird, or are you gonna fess up?"

Sabre sighs. "Fine, fine... If you must know, I've been named a criminal in Arkion. I had been sentenced to prison, but Rainbow was kind enough to switch it to community service."

“Ah. Like theft level crimes or the type of stuff that happens on the Dream smp?” They look him up and down. “‘Cause those are two VERY different things”

welcometoarkion

Again, Sabre finds it hard to confess, so Rainbow jumps in this time. "I'll put it this way: his service to the community, to equal the amount of harm he did, was to build this entire town and set up defenses," he explains. "And I'm acting as his warden, since I got the worst of it and know best how to deal with him."

They nod “I’m not sure what exactly he did but building a whole town seems like a pretty good punishment, well, if someone doesn’t enjoy building that is. I know the Empires folk build entire empires out of boredom, and thats not mentioning the Hermits.” They look over to Rainbow “I just realized that I don’t know how much you know about players. Is there anything you’d like to know about my kind?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waits for them to finish talking, nodding along in confusion before he can ask "Maybe start with the whole "Dream SMP", "Hermits", "Empires" thing you mentioned. What are those?"

“I’m pretty sure you already know of the whole world hopper thing so I’ll get straight to explaining. The Dream SMP, Empires, and Hermitcraft are all different factions of players spread across worlds. The Dream SMP is a lore based world, lore means story, where they basically just act out whatever they want, typically tragedy. Empires is a mix of building and lore where a bunch of players act out being rulers despite not having anyone to rule. And Hermitcraft is primarily building, it’s well known for the members building giant bases for themselves.” They think for a moment. “Thats all the basics, if you have anymore questions feel free to ask!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's tail swishes back and forth. "That sounds really cool! Were you or Lucas ever a part of something like that, Sabre?" he asks as he turns to him.

"Ehh, kinda?" Sabre answers slowly. "I did some roleplay as a kid, but nothing as sincere-- or I guess unscripted-- as an SMP."

"And what does "SMP" mean exactly?" Rainbow adds.

"Survival Multiplayer. It's when a Player makes a world for other people to join. A Survival world is a world with... let's call it the "default settings", where you can die, but you come back like almost nothing happened."

They nod along. “Pretty sure I saw some of your stuff when I was younger. You were acting the character of an assassin, correct?” They tilt their head to the side, curious.

welcometoarkion

Sabre cringes a bit. "Ohh, didn't know you saw that." He manages to laugh. "Yeah, that was me... Me and a stunt double."

"You played an assassin?" Rainbow frowns playfully. "You never tell me anything."

"Huh..." Sabre leans back as he thinks. "I guess I don't."

They laugh a bit before turning to Rainbow. “Wanna see what he looked like back then?” They grin.

welcometoarkion

"No he doesn't!" Sabre makes an "X" with his arms.

Rainbow nods vigorously, simultaneously answering with "Yes I do!" when Sabre speaks.

They cackle before focusing on changing their skin to match Sabres assassin one. “Tada!” They do sparkle hands, now a carbon copy of what Sabre used to look like.

welcometoarkion

While Sabre covers his face in shame, Rainbow gasps in amazement as Bloom's body glitches out of existence for half a second and reappears as Sabre in his assassin skin. Then once the shock of seeing a Player transform before his eyes wears off, his attention is brought to the skin itself. "Woah, Sabre, you looked so cool!"

Sabre tries to laugh away the embarrassment. "Yeah... So cool."

They’re looking at Rainbow, fondness clear in their eyes. “Anything else you wanna see?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow taps his chin, humming. "Can I see a cat?"

They nod before changing into the skin of one Stampy cat.

welcometoarkion

Both of them lean back in surprise. Rainbow does so due to how alien an anthropomorphic cat looks, and Sabre because he recognizes the skin.

Rainbow claps in amusement. "How does that work?"

“It’s basically just like having different outfits to change into except it changes everything. Someone creates it and then you can just change into it on command.”

welcometoarkion

"Fascinating." His eyes seem to sparkle. "Works a lot like Faceless, except... hopefully you didn't kill anybody to get those forms."

They shake their head. “No, multiple players can share a skin at the same time aslong as the one who made it shares it.”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, okay." Rainbow nods, then looks over to Sabre. "How come you and Lucas don't change your forms that much?"

"Well, we do have different outfits, but otherwise we're satisfied with what we made for ourselves," Sabre answers.

They shift back to their original appearance. “Most players tend to stick to a single skin unless theres some sort of event.”

welcometoarkion

"That makes sense," Rainbow figures, then tilts his head. "So, how long d'you plan on being here?"

They shrug. “I don’t really have a plan to be honest, just came here because I was curious.”

welcometoarkion

"Well, I hope you're able to learn everything you want." Rainbow beams at them.

"And if you do end up staying long, we've got places for you to stay," Sabre adds.

They smile. “I hope so aswell! And that’d be lovely.”

welcometoarkion

"You mind if we give you a tour?" Sabre asks.

“I’d love a tour!” They seem rather excited.

welcometoarkion

Both Sabre and Rainbow stand up happily. "Alright then. Come on; I know exactly where to start." Sabre motions for them to follow and they turn to the road.

They nod and follow behind.

welcometoarkion

As they lead them down, it's clear Sabre in particular is steering the train away from a small patch of a pale garden on the edge of town. Rainbow briefly glances at it as well before continuing to follow Sabre.

"I think it's best we start at the center of the town," He says, pointing to a large building as it comes into view and "winking" at Rainbow.

"This is my home-slash-headquarters-slash-Sabre's laboratory."

“Laboratory?” They tilt their head.

welcometoarkion

"Lots of the defenses in this town are thanks to science and discovery," Sabre explains.

Rainbow's paws rest on his hips. "He likes to experiment. Results may vary, but so far, it's been helpful."

welcometoarkion

The player steps into the portal hub, taking note of the area around them before greeting one of the workers. “Hello! I have a ticket to Arkion that I’d like to use!” They seem both very excited and very nervous as they hold out their ticket to the worker. They’re fidgeting with a pocket watch using their other paw, repeatedly opening and closing it.

The guide takes the ticket and examines it, smiling once they confirm its validity. "Alright! So, where and when would you like to be sent? We've got almost infinite options."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I’d like to head to the Rainbow town, please!” They seem even more excited now, bouncing up and down slightly.

welcometoarkion

"Second time someone's said that..." the guide mumbled. They printed out a similar map to the one they gave another traveler, took out the calling badge, and handed them over to this new guest. "The portal'll get you as close as possible, but in case you get lost, use the map."

foggythefandomgremlin

They look down at it before looking back up and nodding. “Thank you! Not sure if you accept tips but here!” They hand the guide a diamond before stepping through into Arkion, waving as they go out of view.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, thanks!" they call before the traveler enters the portal.

--

It's bright and sunny out wherever they've been placed, and in the distance, there's a stone wall decorated with concrete in many colors, matching the image on the map.

foggythefandomgremlin

They look around briefly before heading towards the wall.

welcometoarkion

Soon, they'll reach the gate, one guarded by what seems to be a human Player. They have "TheLSpike" written above their head, and they eye the stranger curiously as they come forward.

foggythefandomgremlin

They wave at them as they approach, seeming nervous at encountering another player. “Hello! My names Bloom, or Foggy, either one works. I’m visiting since I heard rumors of a new mortal species being found, and I wanted to see for myself. I’m guessing you live here?” The nervousness and excitement is clear in their voice.

welcometoarkion

The Player shrugs, giving Bloom an unsure expression. ""Live" is a strong word, but yes, there's a species here that might be new to you. I'm Lucas," he greets. "I can let you in, but you have to promise you'll be... peaceful with them." His tone is quite a bit more serious now. "I don't know what exactly it is you came to do, but as long as it's not gonna hurt anyone, we're good."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I promise I won’t hurt anyone.” They match his seriousness. “Im merely curious, it’s not often that new species are found, especially not sentient ones.” Their excitement seems to be returning slightly as they talk “Anyways, nice to meet you Lucas!”

welcometoarkion

After a second of consideration, Lucas opens the gate. "If you say so. Nice meeting you, too, Bloom."

The town is twice as colorful as the wall that protects it, both in architecture and in the residents, all sporting fur in techicolor hues. No one seems to care that the gate has opened; they're all too occupied with each other and enjoying the sun.

foggythefandomgremlin

Looking around, they seem to be amazed. Walking down the path they glance between the people of the town.

welcometoarkion

Once Bloom properly enters, the Arkisen seem to finally recognize they're there. The ones who see them are a bit startled; some hide it better than others. Being what is to them a hybrid of one of their own and a fox, it isn't surprising that they're... surprised, to see someone like Bloom.

foggythefandomgremlin

Noticing the looks they sigh before mumbling to themself. “Knew I should’ve used my other skin…” Nevertheless they continue exploring.

welcometoarkion

Not much further off, there's another Player sitting in the park, talking to an Arkis that looks a bit different than the ones they passed by.

foggythefandomgremlin

The other player quickly catches their attention and they begin approaching. “Hello!” They wave as they approach.

welcometoarkion

It takes a minute for the Player to realize that he's looking at another Player and not just a weird looking Arkis. "Woah, dude, are you here from Crest?" he asks, which takes the Arkis beside him off edge.

"There are fox people on Crest?" the Arkis asks his friend.

The Player shrugs. "Sometimes."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Yeah, I’m from Crest. I should probably have used my other skin instead of this one, it seems to be confusing people.” They say sheepishly.

welcometoarkion

The Player waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, I can just tell them where you're from and they'll understand. I'm Sabre, by the way," he greets with his hand out for them to shake, then he gestures with his head to the Arkis beside him. "That's Rainbow."

"Welcome to Rainbow town," Rainbow tells them, then mutters, embarrassed "I-I didn't come up with the name."

foggythefandomgremlin

“If you say so!” They shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, Sabre! I’m Bloom, or Foggy, both names work.” Ending the handshake they offer a paw to Rainbow. “Nice to meet you as well Rainbow!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow happily takes their paw. "So, what brings you to Arkion?" His paw almost seems to glow when he pulls back, and there's a slight crease to his brow despite his smile. Sabre notices this, and rests a hand behind his back.

foggythefandomgremlin

“I heard rumors about a new species being found and wanted to check it out for myself, possibly talk to some of them if the rumor was true! I’m guessing you’re one of them?” They smile at Rainbow, clearly excited.

welcometoarkion

"Sure am." Their excitement endears Rainbow, but there's a part of him that feels a bit nervous. "Anything you want to know?"

foggythefandomgremlin

“Hmm…” they ponder for a brief moment. “Oh! Is there anything I should avoid doing when meeting or talking to your kind? I don’t wanna offend anyone accidentally.”

welcometoarkion

That question takes him off edge. His paw stops glowing, and he seems almost surprised to hear it. Rainbow then laughs a little. "There's a lot I could mention, honestly, but as a general rule, just don't use your abilities on people who haven't asked for it... If you have any, that is," he starts. "I'm sure kindness is a universal concept, and whatever you don't know, always ask."

foggythefandomgremlin

“Got it!” They seem very happy. “I don’t have anything beyond what the average player has and none of those can really be used on people. I’m guessing since you mentioned abilities that you have them?”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, yeah." Rainbow leans forward, paws on the ground to help him balance as he prepares to explain. "There are five races of Arkisen, and they each have their own set of powers. Sometimes, there'll be exceptions, like me and a friend of mine who are hybrids, but there aren't any others in this town." He seems rather excited to tell them this, as his tail is swaying behind him as he speaks.

foggythefandomgremlin

They sit down, clearly interested in what hes saying.

welcometoarkion

Rainbow continues passionately. "There's Hicorus. They're mainly blue, control ice and water and maybe the weather sometimes. Edorans are red and control fire and lava. Montirs are green. They have nature powers and the strongest healing of the five. Navis are yellow, have speed, strength, and electricity. And then Cendales are the purple ones that have force fields, teleportation, telekinesis, and... I feel like they have something else... I don't know." He stops, a little ashamed. "I'll be honest, I'm a recovering amnesiac, and by recovering, I mean I don't really have the memories back; I'm just a fast learner."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Thats fine! Any knowledge is good knowledge.”

welcometoarkion

He seems to perk up at their understanding. "I guess so. A-anyway, as far as hybrids are concerned, my friend was the son of five Elders, the most powerful group of Arkisen, and I assume I was, too. Usually, you'll only have one or two parents, and only end up as one race, but he was a special case. One Elder from each race used their magic to make him, and he ended up with all five sets of powers. Again, I think that's the same with me. I have some vague memories of being around Elders as a kid. I guess I could ask an Elder if they knew my parents..." Rainbow trails of, tapping his chin in thought.

They listen intently before speaking. “Hybrids tend to be really rare, they aren’t possible for most species, it’s interesting you guys can have them.”

welcometoarkion

"It's not common for us, either." Rainbow shakes his head. "The only other ones... They were made with something called Shadow Stone. They can use multiple powers, but it... It corrupts their mind and kinda turns them evil." His tail stops swishing and he cringes a little as he continues. "We actually built this town to protect Arkisen from those guys."

“Ah, so kind of like sculk? I’m not sure if you have that here but I know sometimes players minds can be corrupted by it.” They cringe slightly aswell. “It’s not normally able to infect but it can happen depending on the world.”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's head tilts at the mention of skulk. "No, skulk doesn't do that here." He turns to Sabre. "Does that really happen in your world?"

Sabre shrugs. "There've been rumors."

Rainbow turns back to Bloom. "We only have one corrupting substance in our world, thank the Stars."

“Thats good, well, kinda. It would be better to have none then one in this case, but what can ya do.” They shrug before continuing. “It’s incredibly rare for a world to have something that can corrupt people fully, stuff like that typically is only just severe enough to make you sick. And even then players are typically at least partially immune.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre nods, adding "Well, it hasn't gotten to me yet. Trust me, I've touched the stuff way more times than is safe for an Arkis."

"Really, I don't know what's wrong with him." Rainbow rolls his eyes. "He throws himself at death like he can bounce back from it." He laughs, but Sabre seems to cringe a bit.

They look between Rainbow and Sabre, confused, before something seems to click. They proceed to stare at Sabre, silently questioning him.

welcometoarkion

Sabre notices their stare and nervously clears his throat. "Anyway, that's not something we need to dwell on. I'm fine; there was no harm done..." Then he mutters a near inaudible "...to me," hoping the other Player couldn't hear him.

“To you…?” They heard him. Theres curiosity and a small bit of suspicion in their gaze.

welcometoarkion

"...We don't need to get into it." Sabre repeats his sentiment, which makes Rainbow nudge him in the shoulder.

"You're inviting suspicion, Sabre," he whispers sharply. "Are you gonna be weird, or are you gonna fess up?"

Sabre sighs. "Fine, fine... If you must know, I've been named a criminal in Arkion. I had been sentenced to prison, but Rainbow was kind enough to switch it to community service."

“Ah. Like theft level crimes or the type of stuff that happens on the Dream smp?” They look him up and down. “‘Cause those are two VERY different things”

welcometoarkion

Again, Sabre finds it hard to confess, so Rainbow jumps in this time. "I'll put it this way: his service to the community, to equal the amount of harm he did, was to build this entire town and set up defenses," he explains. "And I'm acting as his warden, since I got the worst of it and know best how to deal with him."

They nod “I’m not sure what exactly he did but building a whole town seems like a pretty good punishment, well, if someone doesn’t enjoy building that is. I know the Empires folk build entire empires out of boredom, and thats not mentioning the Hermits.” They look over to Rainbow “I just realized that I don’t know how much you know about players. Is there anything you’d like to know about my kind?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waits for them to finish talking, nodding along in confusion before he can ask "Maybe start with the whole "Dream SMP", "Hermits", "Empires" thing you mentioned. What are those?"

“I’m pretty sure you already know of the whole world hopper thing so I’ll get straight to explaining. The Dream SMP, Empires, and Hermitcraft are all different factions of players spread across worlds. The Dream SMP is a lore based world, lore means story, where they basically just act out whatever they want, typically tragedy. Empires is a mix of building and lore where a bunch of players act out being rulers despite not having anyone to rule. And Hermitcraft is primarily building, it’s well known for the members building giant bases for themselves.” They think for a moment. “Thats all the basics, if you have anymore questions feel free to ask!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's tail swishes back and forth. "That sounds really cool! Were you or Lucas ever a part of something like that, Sabre?" he asks as he turns to him.

"Ehh, kinda?" Sabre answers slowly. "I did some roleplay as a kid, but nothing as sincere-- or I guess unscripted-- as an SMP."

"And what does "SMP" mean exactly?" Rainbow adds.

"Survival Multiplayer. It's when a Player makes a world for other people to join. A Survival world is a world with... let's call it the "default settings", where you can die, but you come back like almost nothing happened."

They nod along. “Pretty sure I saw some of your stuff when I was younger. You were acting the character of an assassin, correct?” They tilt their head to the side, curious.

welcometoarkion

Sabre cringes a bit. "Ohh, didn't know you saw that." He manages to laugh. "Yeah, that was me... Me and a stunt double."

"You played an assassin?" Rainbow frowns playfully. "You never tell me anything."

"Huh..." Sabre leans back as he thinks. "I guess I don't."

They laugh a bit before turning to Rainbow. “Wanna see what he looked like back then?” They grin.

welcometoarkion

"No he doesn't!" Sabre makes an "X" with his arms.

Rainbow nods vigorously, simultaneously answering with "Yes I do!" when Sabre speaks.

They cackle before focusing on changing their skin to match Sabres assassin one. “Tada!” They do sparkle hands, now a carbon copy of what Sabre used to look like.

welcometoarkion

While Sabre covers his face in shame, Rainbow gasps in amazement as Bloom's body glitches out of existence for half a second and reappears as Sabre in his assassin skin. Then once the shock of seeing a Player transform before his eyes wears off, his attention is brought to the skin itself. "Woah, Sabre, you looked so cool!"

Sabre tries to laugh away the embarrassment. "Yeah... So cool."

They’re looking at Rainbow, fondness clear in their eyes. “Anything else you wanna see?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow taps his chin, humming. "Can I see a cat?"

They nod before changing into the skin of one Stampy cat.

welcometoarkion

Both of them lean back in surprise. Rainbow does so due to how alien an anthropomorphic cat looks, and Sabre because he recognizes the skin.

Rainbow claps in amusement. "How does that work?"

“It’s basically just like having different outfits to change into except it changes everything. Someone creates it and then you can just change into it on command.”

welcometoarkion

"Fascinating." His eyes seem to sparkle. "Works a lot like Faceless, except... hopefully you didn't kill anybody to get those forms."

They shake their head. “No, multiple players can share a skin at the same time aslong as the one who made it shares it.”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, okay." Rainbow nods, then looks over to Sabre. "How come you and Lucas don't change your forms that much?"

"Well, we do have different outfits, but otherwise we're satisfied with what we made for ourselves," Sabre answers.

They shift back to their original appearance. “Most players tend to stick to a single skin unless theres some sort of event.”

welcometoarkion

"That makes sense," Rainbow figures, then tilts his head. "So, how long d'you plan on being here?"

They shrug. “I don’t really have a plan to be honest, just came here because I was curious.”

welcometoarkion

"Well, I hope you're able to learn everything you want." Rainbow beams at them.

"And if you do end up staying long, we've got places for you to stay," Sabre adds.

They smile. “I hope so aswell! And that’d be lovely.”

welcometoarkion

"You mind if we give you a tour?" Sabre asks.

“I’d love a tour!” They seem rather excited.

welcometoarkion

Both Sabre and Rainbow stand up happily. "Alright then. Come on; I know exactly where to start." Sabre motions for them to follow and they turn to the road.

They nod and follow behind.

welcometoarkion

As they lead them down, it's clear Sabre in particular is steering the train away from a small patch of a pale garden on the edge of town. Rainbow briefly glances at it as well before continuing to follow Sabre.

"I think it's best we start at the center of the town," He says, pointing to a large building as it comes into view and "winking" at Rainbow.

"This is my home-slash-headquarters-slash-Sabre's laboratory."

welcometoarkion

@latileaf pt. 10

"They weren't sure what else to do." Kara shrugged sadly. "Penn was nice enough not to put me on duty immediately. Technically, I'm just a trainee, just... one who's already hibernated."

"Oh, I can't imagine what that was like," Rainbow tells her.

Kara laughs a little. "You feel bad for me? Fifty years is nothing compared to two hundred."

"Well, why not? You weren't prepared for it. It's a scary thing to happen to anyone."

Yeah...I'd be terrified if that happened to me. And you're really nice...

*Lati mumbles,glancing away*

Stupid elders and their stupid spells and their stupid lack of safeguards-

welcometoarkion

Kara snickers. "Tell me about it." Then she whispers. "She's so cute when she grumbles."

"Right?" Hypno whispers back.

You should sue them >:/

*She pauses for a moment before her tail starts wagging and she blushes,blinking at them. She didn't completely hear that,but she heard "she's cute" and hypno agreeing with that,so this is basically a very good day for Lati*

welcometoarkion

"Oh no." Rainbow notices her blush and sighs. Light rolls his eyes and laughs.

Kara tilts her head at Lati as her face reddens. Hypno leans down to whisper what is probably an explanation, making Kara laugh. "Oh, that's really cute actually," she giggles

*This only makes Lati blush more,as her wings start fluttering as well*

Ah-I-um-thank you! You're very cute too!- wait---

welcometoarkion

Kara covers her mouth before she can laugh, recollecting herself. "Appreciate it!" she snickers.

"Two Arkisen in such a short time being here have called you cute so far," Rainbow mentions. "You're better at this than me, Lati."

*She giggles,hiding her face in her hands for a moment before peeking out at Rainbow*

I think you're cute too,Rainbow :>

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waves her away shyly. "Aw, stop!" he giggles. "You know what? I also think you're cute! Maybe in, like, a tiny angry dog way, but cute nonetheless."

:D yayyyy I'm a purse dog!

*She seems happy enough with this*

We can all be cute together <3

welcometoarkion

Hypno huffs. "Alright then..."

Light finally looks down at his bedside and grabs the tea. "So, Kara, what did you put in this?" he asks.

"Well, I remembered Lati mentioning something about Stardust infusions, so, until we could get you something permanent, I thought I could crush some into your tea as a temporary treatment for the Shadow Stone."

"Oh..." Light looks into it, noticing the slight shimmer in the surface of the liquid. "Thank you."

"I also put honey and glow berry juice in," Kara adds.

*She innocently blinks up at Hypno,tail wagging teasingly before looking back at Kara*

Oh,that's good thinking! Yeah,that should help hold it off until we can get the actual stuff done. Also probably tasty. I feel like it could taste good........

*...and she's now zoned out thinking about eating Stardust. Great work Lati.*

welcometoarkion

Light takes a sip to test it, then hums contentedly. "Mmm. It's almost... fizzy?"

"You know what? I thought that, too, when I drank that potion," Hypno mentions.

Like a sparkly soda... ✨v✨

welcometoarkion

Light tentatively nods to Lati. "Yeah, but... actually good this time."

Rainbow slowly turns to him in surprise, then quickly back. "...I'm gonna ignore that for my sanity's sake."

"No, I agree with him." Hypno shrugs. "They're really not that good most of the time."

Head in his paws, Rainbow cries "Hypno, I loved you..."

*Lati gasps in mock betrayal*

Well,that's the end of this partnership. I guess I have no choice but to join Lucas and Sabre! Come along Rainbow we'll start a new life together with people that appreciate beverages

welcometoarkion

"I always knew it would end like this," Hypno sighs. "Over something really stupid. Could you really leave me for those... those monsters?" He pouts, sniffling and pretending to fight back tears.

Rainbow turns away with his arms crossed, snickering. "I don't know. Maybe if they like soda."

Light watches on in amusement. "Such thrilling performances," he says dryly. "I should spark arguments more often."

*Lati giggles quietly,tail swishing*

I think you should! It's a fun past time :]

See,the issue is,knowing how they've failed us in the past,I can only expect them to fail here too. They'll say they only drink straight battery acid or something. And it WOULD explain a lot,but still,we are without a team.

*She flops over dramatically,arm thrown across her face*

welcometoarkion

"Well, in that case..." Hypno extends his arms out to Lati and Rainbow. "Better the evil you know, right?"

Rainbow rolls his eyes and trudges into Hypno's arms. "You're so toxic."

Hypno peppers kisses across Rainbow's face. "You know you can't resist me."

*Lati promptly stops her flop of despair to join Rainbow in Hypno's arms*

Yayyyyyy ^^

True,you are rather irresistible...

welcometoarkion

"Glad you think so." Hypno boops her nose before letting the two of them go.

Rainbow pulls back to talk to Kara, "So... how long does Light have to stay here?"

"Shouldn't be more than a night," she guesses. "He's all healed up physically, we just need to give him a power boost, which shouldn't take long."

Oh,good! Not too bad,then.

*She sighs*

I'm.....s-seriously,thank you all for healing him. You are by FAR the most tolerable elders we've come across.

welcometoarkion

Kara bows. "Thank you. I take pride in that."

"Hopefully, you and your council will be rewarded for this," Light adds. "You've... You've been awfully kind to us, Kara."

"Anything for the good of Arkion." She gives Light a smile. "And for my friends."

*Lati beams at her*

Y'know,if you ever get sick of being an elder,we'd be more than happy to have you with us. We're sort of a group of strange creatures that specialize in pissing off authority figures. You'd fit in great!

welcometoarkion

She laughs and lifts herself up from her chair. "I'll see if I have the time. Now, I'll let Light get his rest. I'll check up on you in the morning."

Light nods. "Alright then. Thank you again."

"No problem." Kara smiles softly as she closes the door.

:]

She's great,I'd kill a man for her.

*Lati nods,thinking this sufficiently explains her normal feelings about the situation*

...ah,anyways,you probably do need some rest. ......can I just. Stay here? I won't bother you or anything I can curl up on the floor-

welcometoarkion

Light sighs, then gives her a tired smile. "If you want."

"We'll..." Rainbow hesitates, getting closer to the bed. "We'll be in the spare room in the temple. I-if you need anything, you can use Hypno's mind link, and we'll be right over--"

"Rainbow, you don't need to worry about me." Sensing his anxiety, Light tries to calm Rainbow down.

"I-I... I..." Rainbow heaves a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just... I almost lost you, Light, and I've lost a lot of Arkisen in my life, and I'm trying to make sure, if I can help it, that everyone's accounted for." Then he mumbles. "'M sorry if that was too much..."

Light gazes at Rainbow sadly. He rest his paw on top of his and smiles at him. "...I'll tell you if I need anything."

Slowly, Rainbow smiles back. "Okay."

...it'll be alright.

*Lati smiles softly,curling up as she said she would*

He has a guard raccoon now :> and according to Sabre I'm apparently rabid,which is good news for Light's safety,I think. I bite :]

welcometoarkion

"Hmm, okay." Rainbow isn't quite sure how he feels about that, but he's glad Light is being protected.

"Wait." Light turns over to Lati. "You didn't actually bite him, did you?"

Hypno smiles proudly. "Twice!"

Head in his paw, Light sighs, "I'm going to bed," he says, nearly laughing and pulling the blanket over himself.

*Lati purrs very happily. She seems quite proud of this herself! Both of biting,and making Light happy*

Mmkay,goodnight Lighty :] goodnight you two!

*She curls up again,but doesn't go to sleep,instead just watching. She did offer to guard after all.*

welcometoarkion

"Rest up, you two..."

"Sweet dreams."

Hypno and Rainbow leave, closing the door, and Light turns the lamp off. "Goodnight, Lati," he yawns.

Goodnight :>

*She blinks a bit in the darkness. Sleep is now tempting,but she refuses*

welcometoarkion

For hours, there's no interruption to the peace and quiet, until Light begins to stir and breathe heavy in his sleep.

*Lati mumbles sleepily,sitting up and putting her hands on the bed,though not touching him directly*

Light...? Everythin okay...?

welcometoarkion

His breathing picks up between indecipherable murmurs as his nightmare worsens. He turns over and hugs himself, his claws digging into his skin.

*Lati's ears prick up,then go back as she wakes up fully*

Light? Light,no claws!

*She worriedly stands,grabbing both his paws and trying to pull them away from him before he hurts himself in his sleep*

welcometoarkion

When Lati grabs them, Light just grips onto her arms instead. Something like ice forms around her arm, though it's much darker, and smaller icicles threaten to pierce her arm.

Ack-!

*Lati looks down at her arms,concerned*

Ohh boy...Light! Light! I don't wanna get stabbed!

*She shakes his paws a bit*

Wake up!

welcometoarkion

"AHH!" Light springs up in terror, panting, eyes darting around the dark room frantically. He forms an icicle and points it at the closest thing to him, only to see that it's just Lati. "...O-oh. my goodness." He de-materializes the ice and holds his paws to his chest. "Lati, I'm so sorry. I just... I..." He tries to explain himself, but he just can't stop shaking.

*Lati flinches back for a moment before quickly shaking it off*

It's fine,it's fine,don't worry about it,you didn't actually stab me or anything- you're okay,you're safe,it's just the two of us,nothing is going to hurt you.

*She sits down next to him*

...do you want a hug? Or is it better if I just don't touch at all right now?

welcometoarkion

Light doesn't respond right away. He takes a moment to calm his breathing, but just before he can calm down enough to talk, something happens and he freezes up again, gripping his head tight. "N-no..." he whispers, not to Lati, but... to someone else. The light he emits flickers for a second. "No, please..."

Light?

*Her voice is tight with worry.*

Light,what is happening. Talk to me. Do I need to call the others?

welcometoarkion

"Those... voices..." he whimpers. "The shadows, they... They're in my head. They're really in my head." He curls up into a ball and hisses at the sounds. "Mystery, how does Hypno live like this...?"

Ohh,fuck...

Hey,try to focus on me,okay? Try to block it out.

I...I know you're scared. But they can't do anything but talk. They don't matter. You're still here. Deep breaths...

*She very carefully rests her hand on his head for just a moment*

There,see? You feel that,right? I'm here. They aren't. Soon,we'll get you those injections and they'll become nothing but garbage noise. Shh,you're doing good. I know,I know. Just keep breathing,we'll get through this.

welcometoarkion

After breathing deep as instructed, Light brings his head up. His eyes are filled with tears but he tries his best to remain calm. "T-this is gonna be a long night," He struggles to pull himself out of his ball further, forcing out a laugh at his own misery.

Isn't it always?

*Lati sighs,though she does smile a little at his attempts to stay calm*

Okay,let's see...can't stop them yet,so how do we distract from them?

*She chews on her lip,thinking. Her wings twitch*

If only I could attack them...hmm...still,there must be something...

welcometoarkion

"...Suppose our best bet is asking Hypno. He's dealt with this for years hasn't he?" He sits quietly and ponders before asking "Uhm, do you know... how contacting him... works?"

Oh yeah! Yeah I've got it. Hang on...you just gotta concentrate your thoughts really hard,and...

Heyyyy Hypno! Sorry to wake you up- if you were sleeping in the first place- uhh...can you come yell at the shadow stone in Light's head? Or,just...something? It started talking to him and he's really freaked out :(

welcometoarkion

"Hmm... I figured this would happen. Give me a moment."

Hypno goes quiet on Lati's end, but it seems Light is getting a message from him. He jolts up at first, unused to the feeling of being talked to in his mind, but relaxes as he listens.

After a long silence, Light relays the message to Lati. "I have two options, apparently. Either let Hypno put me into a dreamless sleep so that I can't hear the shadows, or have him lure them to his mind to torment him instead... Frankly I don't like either of those ideas."

Ah...

*Lati frowns,fidgeting with the sheet as she thinks*

I don't want him to be tormented,obviously,but he IS more used to it than you...but...mm...

I-I know you really hate having your head messed with,but dreamless sleep might be the better option. That way you can actually sleep...and he isn't being messed with either. But,still,mmm... :(. I mean...i-is there a third option? Maybe I could try to take them. The shadow stone doesn't affect me so maybe the voices would just vanish?

welcometoarkion

"They won't leave either of us for you if you're not infected," Hypno says. "I'm afraid that won't work."

"I don't want you to have to deal with that anyway, Lati." Light shakes his head sympathetically, then sighs. "I... I don't want anyone to deal with it..." He's quiet again as he thinks, then frowns once his decision is made. "If... it lets us all rest well, I'll let you put me to sleep, Hypno."

"You really trust me?"

"Not only do I trust you, but... I care about you," Light admits. "I don't want you to torture yourself for my sake."

Aww...

*Lati's tail wags briefly before she nods*

I'll still stay here with you,just in case :]

I'm proud of you,Light :>

welcometoarkion

"Thank you." Light gives Lati a smile before taking in a breath. He's shaking ever so slightly again, leaning back onto the pillow to brace for the impact. "Alright, Hypno... send me down."

Hypno's approach is gentle for Light's sake. His eyes softly glow before they flutter closed. He stops shaking and his breathing slows down as he is lulled into dreamless, shadowless slumber.

"...Alright, he's down," Hypno tells Lati. "Poor thing. His mind is so loud, even without the Shadow Stone," he laments. "He deserves this rest."

*Lati curls up again,at the foot of his bed this time*

Thank you,Hypno. ...he was so scared,that was awful......I'm really glad he trusts us,though.

welcometoarkion

"I'm glad he trusts us, too." One can hear the smile in his voice. "Now, you get some rest, Lati. I can sense how tired you are as well."

...ah. Didn't realize you could sense that too-

*She hums softly,looking at Light again*

I don't wanna leave him unguarded,though.....

*She yawns*

welcometoarkion

"I can guard him for you. You should sleep" Hypno's voices are so soft when he offers, it's as if they gently held Lati.

*Lati purrs softly at the voices, shutting her eyes*

........okay....g'night,Hypno....

welcometoarkion

"Goodnight, Lati."

--

By the time Lati awakens the next day, Light is already out of bed, looking out the window.

*She stretches like a cat,slowly waking up*

Oh,good morning Light! How are you feeling now?

welcometoarkion

"I'm feeling alright." He turns around and gives her a small smile. "The spell helped a lot, but... I can still faintly hear the shadows whispering now that I'm awake again." He turns back to the window, paws shaking. "...How did you sleep?"

*Lati growls quietly before shaking it off,standing up*

Pretty good! Hypno said he'd keep watch,so I was able to go to sleep. Was gonna stay up the whole night,but,eh,I was really tired actually- did not know he could sense that! That's neat though.

*She yawns again,stretching*

Anywayyy,top on the priority list is getting you those injections! Fun times.

welcometoarkion

Light stiffens at the mention of injections, laughing weakly. "Fun times indeed..." He begins to shake a bit more.

...ah...

*She gives him a worried look,reaching out for a moment and then pulling her hand back*

.......I mean,you could try just drinking the potion instead,if that would be less...scary...?

welcometoarkion

Light shakes his head. "Even the best potion will only last minutes. I know what I have to do and I'm willing to do it. I'm just... nervous," He insists, sighing deeply. "I'm an adult; I can handle a needle."

There's nothing wrong with being nervous...hell, I'M still scared of needles. And I'm probably one of the scariest people you know! :3

I was serious about holding your paw if you want it. Really,I don't mind. But I also know you don't really like touch so- if you want me to just stand there or something? I dunno,,just let me know.

welcometoarkion

"I'll consider it, thanks..."

The door knocks.

Light turns around. "Come in."

Kara, Hypno, and Rainbow appear behind the door. "Morning, Light. How are you feeling."

"I'm..." Light pauses before giving an answer, not wanting to sound negative. "I'll be better soon."

"But what about now?" Kara presses, raising an eyebrow.

Light sighs as he relents. "I'm dealing with some side effects."

I need the shadow stone in physical form so I can harm it. I want to just- strangle it.

*Lati says,deadpan. Surely that explains everything.*

welcometoarkion

"According to our recent research, that may not be impossible to accomplish," Kara mumbles. "But that's not what we're here for. The Star injection is ready for you."

"Ah." Light's claws discreetly grip the windowsill. "That's good news."

Oh good! Good.

*She glances at Light before quickly looking away again,not wanting to draw attention to him*

I'll,um,come with him.

welcometoarkion

Kara nods. "You're all welcome to. Come on. Let's get this over with."

She leads them all back down to the healing room, Light being helped by Rainbow to walk since he's still quite weak.

Penn is filling a syringe with the liquid when they arrive. "Light! Good to see you awake."

"Good morning, sir." Light does all he can to ignore the syringe in his paw, lest he pass out and die right there.

*Lati winces a little at the syringe,casually moving closer to Light*

G-good morning,Penn! :D... :'>

*She truly doesn't like needles either </3*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sits Light down, attempting to quell his discomfort with a quick pat on the back.

"We'll make this quick." Penn takes hold of Light's arm, and Light breathes in deep and shuts his eyes as the needle pierces his skin.

*Despite her obvious discomfort,Lati keeps her eyes on the needle and Light. Just in case*

welcometoarkion

In only a couple seconds, it's all over. The Stardust has been administered, and the shot didn't even hurt.

Not as much as the sensation of it fighting against the Shadow Stode did anyway.

Light shudders and hisses at the pain. Rainbow tries to hold him up.

"Just breathe," Hypno instructs. "The pain will pass soon."

Hopefully quickly.

*Lati whines,unsure of what to do. She ends up just coming over and quietly resting her head on Light's shoulder*

Just breathe,you've got it...

*...stars,was it painful like this for Hypno too? ... :(.*

welcometoarkion

Between the pain and the excess contact, Lioght's hissing turns into a growl as he pulls back from them. "Please... give me some space..."

Rainbow nods and swiftly moves back.

Right,sorry.

*Lati nods as well,moving back.*

welcometoarkion

The pain does eventually settle, and Light peeks down his shirt to see the darkness on his chest has diminished, even if just a little. He sighs in relief. "It's working."

"I would have warned you if I knew it would be so painful." Penn gives Light a shameful frown. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I had a feeling it would," Light admits as he looks back up again, forming an icicle in his paw to see that his magic has lightened again. "Thank you for helping me."

Penn bows. "It's our pleasure."

Oh,thank goodness-

*Lati sighs in relief,finally fully untensing for what seems like the first time since the fight against Corwin.*

Again,thank you both so much. I don't know how we can ever repay you...

welcometoarkion

"No need." Kara shakes her head. "You all have done so much for Arkion. We're the ones repaying you. Besides, you can't protect us if you get hurt."

Light brings his focus to Rainbow and Lati. "I'm sorry for growling at you both."

Rainbow gestures dismissively. "Oh, no, it's fine. I should've remembered not to get so touchy with you," he says, holding his paws shamefully.

True,true,but still!

Ah,yeah,no,that was my bad.

*Lati holds her hands together and bows her head*

I just have to figure out other ways to give comfort,, sorry!

welcometoarkion

Light smiles a little. "It's nice that you're even trying."

Rainbow gives a slightly confused laugh. "Well, yeah, if it makes you uncomfortable, of course we'll stop."

"I-I know, I know, but it..." Light sighs. "It feels weird to have this part of me met with consideration... even if you did forget. No one's even apologized like you two have."

"Oh." Rainbow straightens slowly and his eye twitches. "I see." His tone is chillingly level as he glares at Light, though not in anger towards him.

...well. I guess I have more people to beat up,then.

*Lati looks equally pissed off*

First of all how dare they,second of all w h o m s t -Third of all we love you of course we want you to be comfortable. Do you have any idea how happy it makes me to be around you. I was fully willing to bite shadow stone for you. Frankly I still am.

welcometoarkion

Her rant makes Light giggle. "I wouldn't bother chasing them down. I don't want to think about them much anyway." He stands up from the chair and bows to Penn and Kara. "Speaking of not thinking of them, we should be off. I need to distract myself with a treat of some kind."

They both bow back. "Please take care, all of you." Penn asks. "We will do our best to protect Arkion if something ever happened to you, but it would be a much darker place without you."

"Thank you Penn. Thank you Kara." Rainbow bows as well. "We hope your meetings with the other Elders go smoothly."

*She still looks pissed off,but her tail does wag a little when Light laughs*

Ah yes,we all deserve a little treat!

*She nods,doing a small curtsy towards the elders*

Seriously,you're both incredible. Don't ever try to be like the other elders. Please. :3

welcometoarkion

"We won't," Kara assures. "I'll make sure of it."

The group steps through the door to leave, and are greeted by cheering. Thousands of Arkisen crowd the temple to celebrate the heroes for defeating the King.

"Oh, goodness." Light puts on a weak smile for the crowd, and Rainbow and Hypno hold onto Lati to comfort her before she freaks out.

!!!

O-oh!!

*Lati is indeed mildly freaked out (that is SO MANY PEOPLE,DEAR LORD) but she does do her best to smile*

U-um!- thank you,everyone-!

welcometoarkion

Light leads the group through the crowd, taking the responsibility of answering their many questions. There's a bit of a judgemental remark about Light taking in the Shadow Stone, but Rainbow and Hypno shoo that guy away, allowing them a mostly peaceful path to the cafe and bakery.

*Lati does snap her teeth at the guy,but she ends up just leaving them alone to not cause a scene. She does promptly rush inside the bakery to safety though*

Too many people- ...it was nice that they all came to thank us,though... :]

welcometoarkion

Light sighs in relief and takes a seat at one of the tables. "Hopefully, we'll have some peace here."

Just as he says it, the shopkeeper walks into the front. "Well I'll be damned! The heroes have come to my humble cafe!"

Light can only whine at the irony, though he keeps his smile. "You got any glowberry muffins, mage?"

*Lati simply faceplants on the table,raising a weak thumbs up.*

Nice to meet you...

welcometoarkion

"Sure thing, sir!" they chirp. "On the house, of course."

"Thank you," Light's smile becomes genuine at their offer, but he frowns curiously when Hypno sits down next to him.

"How's your head feeling?" he asks quietly.

Light sighs. "Better. I can still hear... something, but it's much quieter."

Hypno nods, leaning back. "You'll get used to that."

Good,good. I'm glad it isn't still fully there.

*She sighs,raising her head slightly to look at them*

There's literally no reason for shadow stone to do all that. Simply no reason. :/ it's just being a dick at that point.

Also,Hypno,why didn't you mention it hurt that much?? We could've.........well,I don't know,but I would have let you bite down on my arm or something. Or. Gotten you a stick for that,I don't know,but still.

welcometoarkion

"You should know my pain tolerance is much higher that Light's." Hypno raises an eyebrow at Lati, then turns away after a moment. "Though, I suppose I could have warned him about how bad it was going to be. I apologize for that, Light."

Light shrugs. "It's alright. It's in the past anyway."

Well I do know it's higher,but that doesn't mean I want you in pain...

...yeah,I guess it's over with anyway...

*After a moment of silence,she blinks,eyes widening*

...it's actually over,isn't it? Light defeated the nightmare king. It's...it's actually over. We won against Corwin. Holy shit.

welcometoarkion

Light hums. "Well, we still have the Prince--"

"--And Cynn."

"--but what are they without their leader?"

"That's the thing," Hypno starts. "Corwin hasn't truly been their leader for years. They obey the Shadow Stone."

"Honestly, now that Corwin's out of the picture, Micah's probably gonna up his game," Rainbow assumes.

And even if they don't,Micah at least is easy to beat. Maybe we can just trap his child(? Creature? Thing?) somewhere filled with stardust so it can't do anything and be done with them both.

welcometoarkion

Simultaneously, Hypno and Light get an odd feeling, like a chill up their spines. They look at each other in understanding.

"Whatever we plan, we keep it in here." Hypno whispers as he points to his head. "As long as we're infected, Cynn can hear us."

...understood.

*Lati growls softly,eyes flicking around the area*

I'm still down for crushing it.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, absolutely."

Light thanks the shopkeeper when he receives his muffin, as well as a complimentary tea, then goes back to frowning as he contemplates. "Hopefully, what I've done will be enough to get that Star to reconsider eradicating us."

Oh,gosh,I nearly forgot,so much has happened...yeah,maybe he'll just give up?

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs. "That's the hope." He turns to see Hypno frowning. He tilts his head at him, and Hypno looks his way.

"What?"

"Something's upsetting you."

Hypno huffs. "I can't get a read on those Starborn. When Chrona came here, I'll admit I did read their mind... or, I tried to. They're too powerful for me to even search through. It... made me nervous, I suppose."

Really? Too powerful for even you...?

*She looks a little more worried*

Hm......don't like that.

welcometoarkion

"It made me... very aware just how much I use my power as a replacement for..." Hypno struggles to find the words. "Normal connection."

"You don't ask many questions," Rainbow admits. "This'll be a good exercise for you."

Mm...

*She lowers her head back down to the table,blinking at him*

...I thought you were doing good...

welcometoarkion

Hypno simply laughs softly and pats Lati's head, because he doesn't agree, but appreciates the support. "At least I got to talk to you like a normal person, Rainbow, before everything happened."

Rainbow smiles. "See? If you tap into that, it won't be so hard."

*Lati shuts her eyes,purring softly. Her tail thumps against her seat and she briefly winces. ...it's actually getting sore from wagging this much. ... she'll have to heal that later- for now she just puts a hand on it.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs some more. "Too much wagging, huh, Lati?" he teases quietly.

"She does wag a lot more than us, now that I think about it," Light mentions.

A-ah....///////

*She sinks down in her seat, embarrassed*

I wag a normal amount,,,

welcometoarkion

"Sure." Hypno smirks and runs his paw through her hair. "You purr a normal amount, too."

"Okay, now you're just being mean," Rainbow snickers.

*Her purring gets slightly louder,which only makes her blush more*

U-unfair,,

welcometoarkion

"I don't know... It seems like you like it." He pulls his paw away. "I can stop if you want me to."

Noooo...

*She promptly pulls his paw back onto her head. Perfect.*

welcometoarkion

Hypno continues with a giggle, scratching behind her ears. "That's what I thought~" Then he stops again when he feels a paw on the back of his head. He turns around and sees that Rainbow has started petting him. "What?"

"You were getting too snarky," he says, smiling when he sees Hypno relax a little. "You needed to get knocked down a peg."

Hypno struggles to appear unfazed. He continues petting Lati, barely stifling a purr.

^w^ yayyyyy...

*Lati just seems perfectly happy with all of this,nearly melting into her seat*

welcometoarkion

"Alright, this is cute, but I have to let up." Hypno pulls away again, intending to stay that way. "If I keep going, Rainbow keeps going, and I'm not willing to purr in public."

Rainbow pouts. "But you're so cute when you purr."

Hypno pats Rainbow's head sympathetically. "Save it for the cabin."

Aww,fine...

*She sighs sadly,but does leave him be*

You are cute when you purr,hehehehe...but I do get not wanting to do it in public- the public...is a little scary.

welcometoarkion

"Isn't that the truth..." Light stretches and stands. "In that case, I wouldn't mind going now. I'm still a bit tired after all."

"Yeah, you get your rest, Light." Rainbow agrees. "I'll be showing Lati the most optimal way to pet Hypno."

:0 REALLY?!

*... she is far too excited by this*

Hehehehehehe- yeah,yeah,you very much deserve rest! Hehrhehehegehegegegeghghhh-

welcometoarkion

Hypno rolls his eyes and just. Scoops Lati up like a cat and follows the other two out the cafe, dodging the crowd and flying off to their cabin.

Oh okay :D yay <3

*She seems content with this*

welcometoarkion

Once back at home base, Light goes inside, presumably to nap, while Rainbow and Hypno go to the backyard to sit by the lake.

*Lati goes to sit with them,not entirely sure Rainbow was serious about the petting thing,but wanting to hang out with them regardless. She sighs softly,relaxing more now that they're fully away from the crowds*

welcometoarkion

They both just take a moment to enjoy the peace. Rainbow's tail grazes against Hypno's before he leans on him, one arm around his shoulder. He steals a few scritches under his chin before Hypno growls playfully.

"Knew it..."

"And yet, you did nothing to stop me." Without objection, Rainbow continues.

*She giggles quietly at them,softly purring despite her best attempts not to. Oh well.

She flutters her wings a bit before pulling them close to herself. She hasn't preened this entire time,should probably get on that soon. Messy feathers do not feel good*

welcometoarkion

Despite being occupied by the pets, Hypno does recognize Lati's discomfort with her wings. "What seems to be the problem?" he asks despite having an idea.

Hm-? Oh- ahh...

*Her wings twitch as she holds them*

We've kinda been busy most of the time...I haven't really had time to take care of my wings like I should. I'm,,not very experienced with them when I DO have time,anyway. I gotta at least try though. It's uncomfortable when the feathers get all messy,,

*Lati sighs,looking them over. They aren't awful,but they're definitely not as good as they should be...*

welcometoarkion

Hypno and Rainbow both look over at her wings, then at each other.

Hesitantly, Rainbow asks "Is it alright if we help you?"

"We have the time now, after all." Hypno adds.

*Lati squeaks,blinking at them*

O^O! ... ✨^✨

I mean,sure,if you want too!!

welcometoarkion

"Alright then. Let's get to work." Hypno smiles and he and Rainbow both scoot closer.

"So, how does this work?" Rainbow asks as he puts a gentle paw on the end of Lati's wing.

Uhh,you know about as much as me,I guess! Just,uhh...straighten any messy feathers,and pull out the loose ones. Gently,,

welcometoarkion

They both nod and carefully start the process. Rainbow has to stop when he really gets his paws into the feathers. "They're so soft..." he whispers, then continues.

*She does her best not to start purring and wagging her tail from that,but of course,it happens anyway. She murmurs a quick Heal command to fix her tail up before smiling*

Thank you!! Hehe,they are! :3

welcometoarkion

They mostly work in silence, enjoying the simple repetition of the task in the sunlight, accompanied by the sound of Lati's purring and the water rippling in front of them.

Hypno gets finished with his designated wing quicker, not being as distracted by their softness as Rainbow, so he pivots to rubbing her back and shoulders.

*Lati basically melts against him,fully relaxed and very happy*

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs softly as she relaxes. "There you go."

Rainbow dusts the loose feathers off his lap once he's finished. "How'sit feel now?" he asks, still running his paws through the wings to feel their softness.

Really really nice...much better ^^

welcometoarkion

"Great! I'm glad we could help."

"We should do this more often," Hypno muses quietly, not noticing the slight purr that escapes as he continues essentially making biscuits on Lati's shoulders.

Rainbow laughs. "Yeah. It seems to put you in a good mood, too."

I'm definitely not opposed to it,hah!

^^ yayyyy...you really are cute when you purr...

welcometoarkion

Hypno freezes when he realizes what he's doing. He clears his throat, looking away as Rainbow laughs.

"Nooo, keep going. It's cute." He reaches to pet Hypno, scratching under his chin. "C'mon~. Give me a purr."

Hypno grumbles, relenting with a growl that transforms into a purr, swishing his tail in barely repressed happiness.

*Lati snickers,watching them*

So fierce...

welcometoarkion

Hypno grumbles again, and Rainbow pulls back to give Lati room by Hypno's face. "Here. Give it a go. Right under his chin."

Hypno just rolls his eyes, but doesn't seem to object.

puttheroleplayherelati

Oh you were serious about the petting thing! Oh okay :D!

*She starts scratching under his chin like one would a cat*

welcometoarkion

His purr intensifies echoing throughout the forest. He shakes his head to keep himself from getting too comfortable. He was teasing about being so out of control of his Star-infused powers, but he fears he may actually lose his grip if he relaxes too much.

Rainbow leans forward and kisses Hypno's forehead to get his tail to wag. "Honestly, you don't get enough affection," Rainbow says softly. "You're always so sweet with me. I should return the favor more often."

:>!!!

*She giggles,vastly enjoying this*

Pretty boyyy...

welcometoarkion

Hypno whines at the compliment. Lati can't see it because of the fur, but he's blushing hard. His face is getting warmer. "...You're pushing it," he complains through squished cheeks.

"Aw, is someone getting grumpy?" Rainbow nuzzles Hypno's nose, which causes him to laugh a little.

He sighs fondly. "You're such a pain."

puttheroleplayherelati

We aren't exactly WRONG,though. Maybe you just need more compliments...

*She giggles mischievously,tail wagging*

welcometoarkion

"Suppose they're still a foreign concept to me. I've not known you two long enough to be used to it."

"Then we'll give it in small doses--" Rainbow suggests, giving Hypno another kiss. "--handsome."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ehhhh...fine,I'm feeling merciful. Small doses.

*She giggles,patting his head*

You are a very pretty boy though,I wasn't wrong :3

welcometoarkion

He laughs a little. "No one thinks I'm "pretty" unless I've hypnotized them... And, even then, they're just talking about my magic." He tilts his head at the two of them. Despite being confused, he still takes the time to tease them about it. "What makes you think I'm so attractive, hm?"

Rainbow laughs as well when Hypno teases him, then shrugs at the question. "I don't know. I guess, the more I like a person, the kinder they are to me... the more I see them in a different light. Physically, you're my type, but... when you hated me, I hated looking at you. Then we reconciled and... then I couldn't take my eyes off you." He slowly gets more shy as he goes on, but Hypno just stares at him, surprised.

puttheroleplayherelati

*She smiles softly at Rainbow before nodding*

Yeah,I mean...I'm more attracted to personality than anything else,I guess. You do look beautiful,but I feel like no matter what form you were in...I probably would've thought you were gorgeous anyway...

welcometoarkion

"Huh..." Hypno's eyes trail downward in thought. His face doesn't change, but his tail betrays his happiness. "You think I'm kind?"

"I know you're kind." Rainbow gives him another kiss on the cheek.

puttheroleplayherelati

Hypno,you're wonderful.

*She nuzzles against him,purring*

welcometoarkion

Hypno nuzzles her back, then kisses Rainbow, holding the both of them close. "...Thank you." He's not sure he gets it fully, but he can at least show his appreciation.

"It's what you do for the people you love..." Rainbow melts into him and closes his eyes.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mhm...

*Lati folds her wings around both of them before shutting her eyes. Cozy <3*

welcometoarkion

"I'm sure I'll wrap my head around it someday. I always do..." He looks off into the distance while the two of them snuggle him. "...I guess I like the idea of you grovelling all the time--" he laughs. "--but I wish I knew how to properly appreciate it... Without being so villainous about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

I'm sure you'll get it eventually :]

I mean I don't think it's villainous necessarily- it's not like you want total strangers doing it,so maybe you just like the power dynamiccc......you know what,Iiii probably shouldn't guess about your preferences,I already bullied Light for the chain thing---

welcometoarkion

Hypno smirks at Lati's choice of words, prepared to tease her, but his face drops when she mentions Light. "...Pardon?"

Rainbow also turns to look at her with a confused expression. "Yeah, wait. What was that about a chain?"

puttheroleplayherelati

Huh- oh. Uh.

*Damn her and her stupid mouth*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

*Now. How to say this while being respectful to Light. The hero who nearly just died fighting Corwin.*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh soooo....in the nether while we were trying to bargain with Suri and Donna,they kinda put me and Light on leash chains for a little while. So. I just sort of started walking away and confused them but Light um- stayed? Kept- kept the chain on. Anddd didn't like,demand for her to take it off or anything? So I was teasing him about it the other day and we came to the conclusion that he likes chains. So. ...thus concludes the educational section of today.

*She nods,very very awkwardly and feeling a little bad for even telling them. Light isn't even here to defend himself </3*

Do not tell him I told you. I do not think I was supposed to tell-

welcometoarkion

After they spend a good five seconds staring in disbelief, they nod.

"That's... really interesting." Hypno scratches his chin as Rainbow makes a "my lips are sealed" motion with his paw.

puttheroleplayherelati

Mmhmm. Really. Really interesting. To him most of all I think.

*Lati nods again*

I think. I should start concealing some information again.

welcometoarkion

"I can understand it." Hypno shrugs. "Light doesn't like being cuddly or romantic. I suppose a chain is the opposite of that."

Rainbow's eyes widen as he realizes. "Light doesn't like being romantic? Oh, that makes so much sense."

Hypno blinks. "Oh, I guess you missed that. He mentioned it while you were out at the shop." He sighs. "Poor thing. He's been given a lot of grief about it."

puttheroleplayherelati

Hm,I guess it does make sense when you put it like that!

Ah,yeah...he sort of seemed in disbelief that we just accepted it. ...that really ticks me off...how the hell have people treated him that he didn't even believe we'd accept it? As if there's anything wrong with it...

welcometoarkion

"Some Arkisen can be very entitled," Hypno starts, "And reciprocation of feelings is valued quite high. There's a belief some hold about a love story that unfolded between our gods, but... even if it were true, it doesn't mean we have to do what they did."

Rainbow chimes in. "I heard that story; I think it's cute..." Then he frowns. "It's a shame that's how it's being used, though."

puttheroleplayherelati

:[

*She cringes a little at some love story between their gods (someone please save Alex. She doesn't trust that guy-) but then just sighs*

That's irritating...why can't everyone just shut up and leave people alone...

welcometoarkion

"I ponder that question every day..." Hypno sighs.

Rainbow looks behind him at the cabin. "I hope we're being good friends to Light."

Hypno pats him reassuringly. "Rainbow, you're never a bad friend."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah,you've been nothing but wonderful!

*Her ear twitches*

...honestly...not to be cocky or anything,but I'm pretty sure we're the best thing that's ever happened to him. Which makes me both happy and sad,,

welcometoarkion

"He deserves more than just us..." Rainbow freezes as he realizes the implications of his statement. "Not to say we aren't good enough for him, but it seems everyone else is bent on giving him a hard time."

There's a pause before Hypno says "I don't think you have any idea how much your friendship means to him. Of course, it would be best if everyone accepted him, but you've undone a decent amount of self doubt in him that the Elders gave him when they would compare him to you."

Rainbow freezes again at those last few words. He looks Hypno dead in the eyes. "...They...?" When Hypno nods, Rainbow slowly turns away, whispering. "Remind me of that when we get back to the island. I have some choice words for their Elders."

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati growls softly,looking away*

I want to strangle them-

*Well,the hopes of her being more diplomatic have gone out the window*

welcometoarkion

Rainbow sighs, almost growls. "You know what? I do, too."

His response gets a soft laugh out of Hypno. "Is that so?"

"I don't play around when it comes to my friends, you know that."

Hypno nodes sagely. "All too well..."

puttheroleplayherelati

... :). I like it when you're scary!

*She still sounds incredibly ominous,but she does mean it*

They deserve "a talk" for all they've done.

welcometoarkion

Hypno laughs again. "If you want scary, you should have seen him two hundred years ago."

"He's right. I spent a lot of time fighting then." Rainbow's laugh is a bit darker. "There was a time Hypno brought out a... very different side of me."

puttheroleplayherelati

Ah,I see...

*Lati nods. Hypno is a very lucky arkis,she thinks. Getting to see Rainbow be terrifying AND sweet is a luxury few can afford*

welcometoarkion

"It's not, um..." Rainbow laughs shyly. "We don't have to dwell on that, though." He stands up and brushes himself off, which makes Hypno frown slightly. "Anyway, I'm actually kinda hungry. I haven't eaten anything filling since breakfast yesterday."

Hypno hums thoughtfully, then stands up with him. "You're right. I can make you some soup."

Rainbow smiles. "Aw, you'd do that?"

"Of course."

puttheroleplayherelati

...wife material...

*Okay yep that is an inside thought. Thankfully she said that pretty quietly. Hypno would look very cute in a pink flowery apron,though*

I'll,ah...go check on Light. Make sure he's actually sleeping and resting and everything- just in case.

welcometoarkion

Hypno manages not to look down at Lati when she whispers. He is keeping that in mind though.

Rainbow nods. "Good call. The boost can only do so much if he's wearing himself out."

puttheroleplayherelati

Yeah...enjoy your soup!

*And he does have a tendency to wear himself out. She heads inside and starts looking*

welcometoarkion

Light is in his room, but he's not exactly resting. Instead, he's sitting at the vanity, examining the shadow marks on his face that didn't quite fade.

puttheroleplayherelati

...

*Lati clears her throat,trying not to surprise him*

Hiya! Just came to check on you- ...um,can't sleep?

welcometoarkion

Light looks up from the mirror. He glances at Lati before tuning away, ashamed that she found him looking at his reflection. "Um... afraid not."

puttheroleplayherelati

Well you should still be taking it easy...no worries though! I think Hypno's making soup in a bit if you're hungry.

*She looks at the mirror with a pensive expression before clearing her throat again*

.......I'm sure most of the marks will fade eventually. And the ones that don't- I-I wasn't lying to make you feel better or anything,I really do think they look cool...

welcometoarkion

Light's tail swishes at the mention of soup, then he nods slightly at the reassurance. "Yeah, I... I-I know. Thank you. It'll just, uh, take some getting used to, that's all." He turns to the mirror again, staring at the spots before sighing. "I understand I sound like a broken record at this point, but... The Elders take corruption very seriously... In the sense that they condemn anyone who has it, that is. They've gotten in my head." He chuckles sadly. "Maybe more than Cynn has."

puttheroleplayherelati

And I know I sound like a broken record when I say I want to maul everything that makes you feel like you aren't good enough. And Cynn is going in the orphan crusher. ...that's not a thing yet but it will be.

*She sighs softly*

I wish you could believe us when we say they don't matter. Cause really,they don't. What you did was...terrifying and reckless and made me cry several times BUT! ...it was the most amazing and heroic thing I've ever seen too. And no one should have anything negative to say about a side effect of you doing that.

welcometoarkion

"Ignoring the fact that Cynn isn't an orphan... yet, and that it's intangible, I always appreciate your tenacity." He gives her a small smile. "You're a good friend. I can only hope that one day I can properly internalize your positivity."

puttheroleplayherelati

*Lati's tail starts to wag happily*

Hah,I try. ...you're a really good friend too,Light. And I...hope you at least know how much you mean to us :]

welcometoarkion

Light nods. "I'm starting to understand. You all mean a lot to me, too."

puttheroleplayherelati

In that case,I'm glad :>

*She purrs,reaching out for a moment before smacking her hand away with her other one*

No. Bad >:[ no touch.

*She wags her finger at the hand that had reached out before remembering Light is still in the room*

...soup? :D

welcometoarkion

Light sighs and shakes his head fondly at her scolding. "And yet, you're still the strangest being I've ever known," he whispers to himself, getting up to check on lunch.

welcometoarkion

The player steps into the portal hub, taking note of the area around them before greeting one of the workers. “Hello! I have a ticket to Arkion that I’d like to use!” They seem both very excited and very nervous as they hold out their ticket to the worker. They’re fidgeting with a pocket watch using their other paw, repeatedly opening and closing it.

The guide takes the ticket and examines it, smiling once they confirm its validity. "Alright! So, where and when would you like to be sent? We've got almost infinite options."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I’d like to head to the Rainbow town, please!” They seem even more excited now, bouncing up and down slightly.

welcometoarkion

"Second time someone's said that..." the guide mumbled. They printed out a similar map to the one they gave another traveler, took out the calling badge, and handed them over to this new guest. "The portal'll get you as close as possible, but in case you get lost, use the map."

foggythefandomgremlin

They look down at it before looking back up and nodding. “Thank you! Not sure if you accept tips but here!” They hand the guide a diamond before stepping through into Arkion, waving as they go out of view.

welcometoarkion

"Oh, thanks!" they call before the traveler enters the portal.

--

It's bright and sunny out wherever they've been placed, and in the distance, there's a stone wall decorated with concrete in many colors, matching the image on the map.

foggythefandomgremlin

They look around briefly before heading towards the wall.

welcometoarkion

Soon, they'll reach the gate, one guarded by what seems to be a human Player. They have "TheLSpike" written above their head, and they eye the stranger curiously as they come forward.

foggythefandomgremlin

They wave at them as they approach, seeming nervous at encountering another player. “Hello! My names Bloom, or Foggy, either one works. I’m visiting since I heard rumors of a new mortal species being found, and I wanted to see for myself. I’m guessing you live here?” The nervousness and excitement is clear in their voice.

welcometoarkion

The Player shrugs, giving Bloom an unsure expression. ""Live" is a strong word, but yes, there's a species here that might be new to you. I'm Lucas," he greets. "I can let you in, but you have to promise you'll be... peaceful with them." His tone is quite a bit more serious now. "I don't know what exactly it is you came to do, but as long as it's not gonna hurt anyone, we're good."

foggythefandomgremlin

“I promise I won’t hurt anyone.” They match his seriousness. “Im merely curious, it’s not often that new species are found, especially not sentient ones.” Their excitement seems to be returning slightly as they talk “Anyways, nice to meet you Lucas!”

welcometoarkion

After a second of consideration, Lucas opens the gate. "If you say so. Nice meeting you, too, Bloom."

The town is twice as colorful as the wall that protects it, both in architecture and in the residents, all sporting fur in techicolor hues. No one seems to care that the gate has opened; they're all too occupied with each other and enjoying the sun.

foggythefandomgremlin

Looking around, they seem to be amazed. Walking down the path they glance between the people of the town.

welcometoarkion

Once Bloom properly enters, the Arkisen seem to finally recognize they're there. The ones who see them are a bit startled; some hide it better than others. Being what is to them a hybrid of one of their own and a fox, it isn't surprising that they're... surprised, to see someone like Bloom.

foggythefandomgremlin

Noticing the looks they sigh before mumbling to themself. “Knew I should’ve used my other skin…” Nevertheless they continue exploring.

welcometoarkion

Not much further off, there's another Player sitting in the park, talking to an Arkis that looks a bit different than the ones they passed by.

foggythefandomgremlin

The other player quickly catches their attention and they begin approaching. “Hello!” They wave as they approach.

welcometoarkion

It takes a minute for the Player to realize that he's looking at another Player and not just a weird looking Arkis. "Woah, dude, are you here from Crest?" he asks, which takes the Arkis beside him off edge.

"There are fox people on Crest?" the Arkis asks his friend.

The Player shrugs. "Sometimes."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Yeah, I’m from Crest. I should probably have used my other skin instead of this one, it seems to be confusing people.” They say sheepishly.

welcometoarkion

The Player waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, I can just tell them where you're from and they'll understand. I'm Sabre, by the way," he greets with his hand out for them to shake, then he gestures with his head to the Arkis beside him. "That's Rainbow."

"Welcome to Rainbow town," Rainbow tells them, then mutters, embarrassed "I-I didn't come up with the name."

foggythefandomgremlin

“If you say so!” They shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, Sabre! I’m Bloom, or Foggy, both names work.” Ending the handshake they offer a paw to Rainbow. “Nice to meet you as well Rainbow!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow happily takes their paw. "So, what brings you to Arkion?" His paw almost seems to glow when he pulls back, and there's a slight crease to his brow despite his smile. Sabre notices this, and rests a hand behind his back.

foggythefandomgremlin

“I heard rumors about a new species being found and wanted to check it out for myself, possibly talk to some of them if the rumor was true! I’m guessing you’re one of them?” They smile at Rainbow, clearly excited.

welcometoarkion

"Sure am." Their excitement endears Rainbow, but there's a part of him that feels a bit nervous. "Anything you want to know?"

foggythefandomgremlin

“Hmm…” they ponder for a brief moment. “Oh! Is there anything I should avoid doing when meeting or talking to your kind? I don’t wanna offend anyone accidentally.”

welcometoarkion

That question takes him off edge. His paw stops glowing, and he seems almost surprised to hear it. Rainbow then laughs a little. "There's a lot I could mention, honestly, but as a general rule, just don't use your abilities on people who haven't asked for it... If you have any, that is," he starts. "I'm sure kindness is a universal concept, and whatever you don't know, always ask."

foggythefandomgremlin

“Got it!” They seem very happy. “I don’t have anything beyond what the average player has and none of those can really be used on people. I’m guessing since you mentioned abilities that you have them?”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, yeah." Rainbow leans forward, paws on the ground to help him balance as he prepares to explain. "There are five races of Arkisen, and they each have their own set of powers. Sometimes, there'll be exceptions, like me and a friend of mine who are hybrids, but there aren't any others in this town." He seems rather excited to tell them this, as his tail is swaying behind him as he speaks.

foggythefandomgremlin

They sit down, clearly interested in what hes saying.

welcometoarkion

Rainbow continues passionately. "There's Hicorus. They're mainly blue, control ice and water and maybe the weather sometimes. Edorans are red and control fire and lava. Montirs are green. They have nature powers and the strongest healing of the five. Navis are yellow, have speed, strength, and electricity. And then Cendales are the purple ones that have force fields, teleportation, telekinesis, and... I feel like they have something else... I don't know." He stops, a little ashamed. "I'll be honest, I'm a recovering amnesiac, and by recovering, I mean I don't really have the memories back; I'm just a fast learner."

foggythefandomgremlin

They nod. “Thats fine! Any knowledge is good knowledge.”

welcometoarkion

He seems to perk up at their understanding. "I guess so. A-anyway, as far as hybrids are concerned, my friend was the son of five Elders, the most powerful group of Arkisen, and I assume I was, too. Usually, you'll only have one or two parents, and only end up as one race, but he was a special case. One Elder from each race used their magic to make him, and he ended up with all five sets of powers. Again, I think that's the same with me. I have some vague memories of being around Elders as a kid. I guess I could ask an Elder if they knew my parents..." Rainbow trails of, tapping his chin in thought.

They listen intently before speaking. “Hybrids tend to be really rare, they aren’t possible for most species, it’s interesting you guys can have them.”

welcometoarkion

"It's not common for us, either." Rainbow shakes his head. "The only other ones... They were made with something called Shadow Stone. They can use multiple powers, but it... It corrupts their mind and kinda turns them evil." His tail stops swishing and he cringes a little as he continues. "We actually built this town to protect Arkisen from those guys."

“Ah, so kind of like sculk? I’m not sure if you have that here but I know sometimes players minds can be corrupted by it.” They cringe slightly aswell. “It’s not normally able to infect but it can happen depending on the world.”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's head tilts at the mention of skulk. "No, skulk doesn't do that here." He turns to Sabre. "Does that really happen in your world?"

Sabre shrugs. "There've been rumors."

Rainbow turns back to Bloom. "We only have one corrupting substance in our world, thank the Stars."

“Thats good, well, kinda. It would be better to have none then one in this case, but what can ya do.” They shrug before continuing. “It’s incredibly rare for a world to have something that can corrupt people fully, stuff like that typically is only just severe enough to make you sick. And even then players are typically at least partially immune.”

welcometoarkion

Sabre nods, adding "Well, it hasn't gotten to me yet. Trust me, I've touched the stuff way more times than is safe for an Arkis."

"Really, I don't know what's wrong with him." Rainbow rolls his eyes. "He throws himself at death like he can bounce back from it." He laughs, but Sabre seems to cringe a bit.

They look between Rainbow and Sabre, confused, before something seems to click. They proceed to stare at Sabre, silently questioning him.

welcometoarkion

Sabre notices their stare and nervously clears his throat. "Anyway, that's not something we need to dwell on. I'm fine; there was no harm done..." Then he mutters a near inaudible "...to me," hoping the other Player couldn't hear him.

“To you…?” They heard him. Theres curiosity and a small bit of suspicion in their gaze.

welcometoarkion

"...We don't need to get into it." Sabre repeats his sentiment, which makes Rainbow nudge him in the shoulder.

"You're inviting suspicion, Sabre," he whispers sharply. "Are you gonna be weird, or are you gonna fess up?"

Sabre sighs. "Fine, fine... If you must know, I've been named a criminal in Arkion. I had been sentenced to prison, but Rainbow was kind enough to switch it to community service."

“Ah. Like theft level crimes or the type of stuff that happens on the Dream smp?” They look him up and down. “‘Cause those are two VERY different things”

welcometoarkion

Again, Sabre finds it hard to confess, so Rainbow jumps in this time. "I'll put it this way: his service to the community, to equal the amount of harm he did, was to build this entire town and set up defenses," he explains. "And I'm acting as his warden, since I got the worst of it and know best how to deal with him."

They nod “I’m not sure what exactly he did but building a whole town seems like a pretty good punishment, well, if someone doesn’t enjoy building that is. I know the Empires folk build entire empires out of boredom, and thats not mentioning the Hermits.” They look over to Rainbow “I just realized that I don’t know how much you know about players. Is there anything you’d like to know about my kind?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow waits for them to finish talking, nodding along in confusion before he can ask "Maybe start with the whole "Dream SMP", "Hermits", "Empires" thing you mentioned. What are those?"

“I’m pretty sure you already know of the whole world hopper thing so I’ll get straight to explaining. The Dream SMP, Empires, and Hermitcraft are all different factions of players spread across worlds. The Dream SMP is a lore based world, lore means story, where they basically just act out whatever they want, typically tragedy. Empires is a mix of building and lore where a bunch of players act out being rulers despite not having anyone to rule. And Hermitcraft is primarily building, it’s well known for the members building giant bases for themselves.” They think for a moment. “Thats all the basics, if you have anymore questions feel free to ask!”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow's tail swishes back and forth. "That sounds really cool! Were you or Lucas ever a part of something like that, Sabre?" he asks as he turns to him.

"Ehh, kinda?" Sabre answers slowly. "I did some roleplay as a kid, but nothing as sincere-- or I guess unscripted-- as an SMP."

"And what does "SMP" mean exactly?" Rainbow adds.

"Survival Multiplayer. It's when a Player makes a world for other people to join. A Survival world is a world with... let's call it the "default settings", where you can die, but you come back like almost nothing happened."

They nod along. “Pretty sure I saw some of your stuff when I was younger. You were acting the character of an assassin, correct?” They tilt their head to the side, curious.

welcometoarkion

Sabre cringes a bit. "Ohh, didn't know you saw that." He manages to laugh. "Yeah, that was me... Me and a stunt double."

"You played an assassin?" Rainbow frowns playfully. "You never tell me anything."

"Huh..." Sabre leans back as he thinks. "I guess I don't."

They laugh a bit before turning to Rainbow. “Wanna see what he looked like back then?” They grin.

welcometoarkion

"No he doesn't!" Sabre makes an "X" with his arms.

Rainbow nods vigorously, simultaneously answering with "Yes I do!" when Sabre speaks.

They cackle before focusing on changing their skin to match Sabres assassin one. “Tada!” They do sparkle hands, now a carbon copy of what Sabre used to look like.

welcometoarkion

While Sabre covers his face in shame, Rainbow gasps in amazement as Bloom's body glitches out of existence for half a second and reappears as Sabre in his assassin skin. Then once the shock of seeing a Player transform before his eyes wears off, his attention is brought to the skin itself. "Woah, Sabre, you looked so cool!"

Sabre tries to laugh away the embarrassment. "Yeah... So cool."

They’re looking at Rainbow, fondness clear in their eyes. “Anything else you wanna see?”

welcometoarkion

Rainbow taps his chin, humming. "Can I see a cat?"

They nod before changing into the skin of one Stampy cat.

welcometoarkion

Both of them lean back in surprise. Rainbow does so due to how alien an anthropomorphic cat looks, and Sabre because he recognizes the skin.

Rainbow claps in amusement. "How does that work?"

“It’s basically just like having different outfits to change into except it changes everything. Someone creates it and then you can just change into it on command.”

welcometoarkion

"Fascinating." His eyes seem to sparkle. "Works a lot like Faceless, except... hopefully you didn't kill anybody to get those forms."

They shake their head. “No, multiple players can share a skin at the same time aslong as the one who made it shares it.”

welcometoarkion

"Oh, okay." Rainbow nods, then looks over to Sabre. "How come you and Lucas don't change your forms that much?"

"Well, we do have different outfits, but otherwise we're satisfied with what we made for ourselves," Sabre answers.

They shift back to their original appearance. “Most players tend to stick to a single skin unless theres some sort of event.”

welcometoarkion

"That makes sense," Rainbow figures, then tilts his head. "So, how long d'you plan on being here?"

They shrug. “I don’t really have a plan to be honest, just came here because I was curious.”

welcometoarkion

"Well, I hope you're able to learn everything you want." Rainbow beams at them.

"And if you do end up staying long, we've got places for you to stay," Sabre adds.

They smile. “I hope so aswell! And that’d be lovely.”

welcometoarkion

"You mind if we give you a tour?" Sabre asks.

“I’d love a tour!” They seem rather excited.

welcometoarkion

Both Sabre and Rainbow stand up happily. "Alright then. Come on; I know exactly where to start." Sabre motions for them to follow and they turn to the road.

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