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@whisperedwishes
Hello, all!
This will likely be your one and only post that is not in character.
I’ve noticed quite a few of you have been following along, and as such; I propose a Discord server for you all to keep up out of character.
https://discord.gg/KurkP2N
Whether you join or not, your participation is greatly appreciated. We haven’t hit the end of the road just yet!
Oh, hello, Kiien! That's a... mildly ominous sentence you just said. Jackie wasn't originally yours, was he?
>> Of course it was.
> The camera hits the sand, and settles there, as scaled coil after scaled coil settles on the ocean floor around you.
> ...Oddly enough, it seems more sluggish than normal.
> A serpentine head peers through the dark waters, eyes fixed upon the screen. The seafloor rumbles in greeting.
>> The petrel was mine far before Veses drew it into its web.
What would he be doing if he gets it?
> “He’d be helping with the laws and our justice system, for starters,” Jackson begins.
> “Organizing one of the major areas of commerce around here, too. Knowing him, he’d probably be involved with overseeing our tourism.”
> “Hah, you can’t see him on the fields, with the crops-?”
> Chase starts to say something, but shoots upright as your view shakes.
> The cliffs rumble underfoot, the gravel shifting just enough to unbalance Jackson, who yelps.
> He loses grip of the camera as the rocks underfoot shift about.
> As you, and it, fall, you see Chase pull Jackson back from the edge, before you hit the water.
> A coil wraps around, and together, with Kiien, you descend back to the deeps, Kiien rumbling with amusement.
>> A moment slower, and the petrel would have been swimming with us. It is good to see that it has not lost its touch.
> administrator: shores and administrator: cliffs are no longer available for queries.
> a͠dm҉inis͠trator:̀ d͝eep̡s is available for queries.
Is Anteros under a lot of stress that's not related to this weirdness, then, too?
> “Yeah. He’s still- running for the town board, right? That’s its own nightmare.”
> Jackson makes a face. “Never understood how he thinks politics are a good thing to get involved in. Bunch of snakes, the lot of them.”
> “He’s doing it to help our town,” Chase scolds gently, and Jackson rolls his eyes.
> “Swim with the snakes long enough, and you start to hiss like them.”
Has he been acting off? Well, more than usual now, at least?
> “Who? Anteros or Henrik?”
> “Does it really matter?”
> Chase shakes his head reluctantly. “Guess not.”
> He shifts, folding his legs. “Hen’s just been jumpy. I mean, you never could catch any of us alone, but he’s been... weird about letting anybody be paired with Anteros.”
> The feed flickers, ever so slightly, as Jackson says “And Anteros has.. well, he’s been busy. Something about town reforms, apparently, and the election’s soon so I would blame it on the stress, but he’s... been snappish. A bit- uh, ominous, in the way he’s going about it too.”
> Chase is quiet for a second, and then he murmurs “I don’t think you were there, but.. when Jack and I went out foraging after the rain? Got separated, and Jack got back before I did. Anteros was pissed with me, but he’s been downright short with Jack. Jack told me later that- uh, apparently Anteros had snapped something about wishing he could keep us all on a string or five to keep us in line. And, uh, apparently? Jack says he didn’t openly say anything, but there was a very telling look at Jameson.”
> Jackson stares. “I never heard of that.”
> Chase smiles grimly.
> “Didn’t think it mattered at the time, because you could just chalk up to him being... weird, and a bit of an asshole.”
> “Now that’s just a fuckin’ pattern.”
> Groaning, Chase flops onto his back.
> “So weirdness established. Now fuckin’ what?”
> The feed flickers again, and Kiien stirs in the deeps.
> It is hidden well enough under the waves, and passes off as so many more rocks for the water to dash itself upon, but if you look closely from where Jackson is holding you, you can watch coil after armored coil rise to the surface.
Do either of you have any ideas as to what's going on? That might be a place to start.
> Chase shrugs.
> Jackson is lost in thought, staring at the water, and he hardly reacts when Chase gently shoulders him.
> “Jackie?”
> “Hm?”
> He rouses himself, blinking at the camera, and at Chase.
> “Any ideas?”
> “Your fuckin’ guess is as good as mine,” Jackson murmurs, but he’s leaning forward, eyes sharp.
> “But on the other hand, I’ll eat my own goddamn hat- wait, no, probably yours- if this doesn’t have to do with either whatever’s been calling Anteros and Jack, or whatever’s- uh, controlling Jay.”
> “Don’t offer my hat up for the sacrifice,” Chase protests, but there’s not enough disbelief in his voice to mark him as disagreeing with Jackson.
> Jackson smirks, and ruffles his hair, before he stands to pace.
> “And we know that a while ago- Marvin blew his godsdamned lid, didn’t he? Something about secrets Henrik and Anteros were keeping, and Henrik looked like-” he pauses.
> “What was the joke we made, Chase?”
> “That he looked like Anteros was about to stab- oh.”
> They stare at each.
> “Not that funny of a joke anymore, huh,” Jackson finally says.
> “Are we sure that was just a joke?”
> Jackson opens his mouth, and then closes it again, troubled, as Chase mutters softly “Are we sure those are just- dreams?”
I think we're curious too, if you don't k saying, Chase.
> Chase give you an uncertain look, but nods anyways.
> “He’s choking,” Chase says slowly. “There’s- strings around him, like some convoluted spiderweb, and-”
> “It’s always either Jack or Anteros standing behind him. Usually Anteros.”
> Chase buries his head in his hands.
> “When I said that we were on the same wavelength, I was hoping that didn’t mean literal dream-sharing or whatever.”
> “Are they dreams?”
> Jackson’s expression is distant. He’s thinking, but in the distance, you can hear the sea’s rhythm change.
> “There’s something else about this. No way we find out that Jameson is- not himself, Anteros is progressively getting weirder directly as Henrik clams up and withdraws and Marvin gets more protective, right as we start sharing dreams.”
> “Right as you start walking to the shores, too,” Jackson adds on after a moment.
> They exchange looks.
> Kiien is smiling far, far too widely as it watches, stretching languidly in the waters below.
> And another string snaps in the spider’s web, between its teeth.
> They take a seat not too far away from the cliffs.
> Chase leans against Jackson, who wraps a tight arm around him, and they sit in silence; not for too long, though.
> Jackson, it seems, is bursting with questions.
> “You said nightmares about the water, didn’t you? And a few days ago had that... well. The camera speaks for itself.”
> Chase narrows his eyes curiously.
> “Yeah..?”
> Jackson is silent for a moment, as he chews on his words.
> “Is the water the only thing that you dream about?”
> Chase does not answer immediately.
> Then he looks at Jackson.
> “What’re you dreaming about?”
> “I asked you first,” Jackson points out. The pounding of the sea against the cliffs fills their silence.
> Then: “I used to dream about- Henrik, I think. Henrik, and Marvin, and something else, except it wasn’t really them. Stopped having those dreams a while ago.”
> Jackson hums in acknowledgement, and then says “I’m still dreaming of them. Of Anteros, mostly, except- like you said, something’s wrong- but sometimes Jack, and Henrik.”
> He stares out over the cliffs. “There’s always a theme, y’know? Henrik’s always choking on something, or sometimes I’m looking for something in a- burrow, of some kind, filled with spiderwebs, and I know that it’s Jack in my bones but I never see him. Anteros, though- he’s- he’s always talking about fixing us in our dreams, is always holding the knife, or the strings, or- you get the idea.”
> Jackson is shaking, ever so slightly. Chase has gone paler than the spray of seafoam clinging to the rocks.
> Without a word, Chase draws Jackson into a tight, tight hug.
> And they sit like that for a long, long while, before Jackson abruptly pulls away, eyes sharp.
> “You said you dreamt of Henrik. What did you see?”
> There’s the beginnings of an idea poking at his expression.
> Just in the shadows of the feed, you see the static yawn with a wide, wide smile.
Right, cliffs sound like a uh? Solid place to clear your heads, fuck yeah? Stick together, obviously? It sucks that yall are the last to know what's going on with them, and I really dont wanna make excuses for them, but hopefully theyll sort their shit out and let you know what's up?
> “Duh,” Chase mutters. He bumps Jackson’s shoulder none too gently. “After that shit this idiot pulled in the forest, you think I’m leaving his side?”
> Jackson has a fond, but exasperated look on his face. He silently ruffles Chase’s hair again; Chase does not protest this time.
> “If they don’t let us know, we’ll interrogate Marv, probably. Or Hen.”
> “Anteros is really putting you off, huh?”
> Chase looks troubled even as he asks this.
> Jackson shrugs. “I can’t explain it. It just... feels wrong. Like... deja vu? But anxiety edition, and worse. Remember when Hen was telling us about pilomotor reflex? It feels like that.”
> Chase, surprisingly, doesn’t look surprised. He nods in agreement, and then looks away as a familiar roar reaches your ears.
> Jackson relaxes the more they step onto the cliffs.
So that? Sounds a little like Anteros told Marv and Hen more than they're letting on, right? That's not just me? I'm sure they have their reasons for not telling you, but damn if that isnt just more anxiety floating around. Hopefully they can figure out a way to keep you guys in the loop, yeah? Where you headed?
> Chase and Jackson both make the same wry expression at the same time, saying “Like always, yeah.”
> Then Jackson smirks and socks Chase in the arm- enough to jostle the camera view.
> “Jinx.”
> Chase splutters and smacks him back, grumbling “Fuck off and get outta my head.”
> Jackson cackles, and ruffles Chase’s hair, to more indignant squawking, before he subsides and tosses another smile your way.
> “Yeah, it’s nerve-wracking. We can’t force them to share, but.. it would be nice if we’re not the last ones to find out that Anteros has been hearing stuff, or that Jack’s been sleepwalking.”
> “Would be nice,” Chase parrots quietly. “You sound so polite when you were ready to rip them a new one barely three days ago.”
> “Understatement of the century, right?”
> Jackson rolls his eyes, before he turns to walk backwards, keeping Chase and the camera in view.
> “We’re just... going out. Clearing our head, or whatever. Forest scares the shit out of us, caves are off-limits ‘cause we’d get lost, and Chaser here’s been having nightmares of the water, so we’re going to relax on the cliffs. Have the wind blow away our worries and all that.”
> You get the feeling Chase has given Jackson a scorching expression, because Jackson shrugs guilelessly. “What? They probably know by now, they seem to have their fingers in a lot of the pies here. Or however the saying goes.”
Thank the gods, holy shit. Guess the forest really was all fucky then? I mean, obviously, that's what Jack and the others said too, but if they couldnt find Anteros in there too, then it was *bad* bad?
> Chase nods.
> A red figure flashes past him, and Jackson calls back “Chaser, we’re heading out in five.”
> “Coming!”
> Chase snags his own jacket, and struggles for a moment to balance you and put it on.
> “It was definitely bad. There’s something else sitting... off about it, because he- he just doesn’t look us in the eyes anymore. Can’t blame him, because from what all of them said, it was downright terrifying, but he’s just... talking weird, y’know?”
> He catches up with Jackson relatively quickly; Jackson blinks curiously at you and offers a small wave.
> You notice his dark circles are not any less prominent.
> “Talking about ‘Tero?”
> “Yeah.”
> “Did- Hen, or Marv, say anything to you?”
> Chase makes a face.
> “No. I think, if possible, Marvin’s become even more overprotective, and Henrik’s just.. jumpy. They’re not saying jack-shit.”
> Click, click, click.
> The camera is struggling. Flashes of the dark, cracks in the sea-floor, then it flickers to static.
> A thunk sounds, and your feed begins to clear.
> Chase is standing over the camera, poised to smack it a second time, murmuring something that you don’t catch asides “percussive maintenance.”
> Your feed clears, if a little grainy on the edges.
> “Better, thank the gods. That thing sounded like an angry cicada.”
> Chase gives you a searching look.
> “Guess the thing really did fuck it up.”
> Asides his obvious cheer, you see dark circles under his eyes; and the way he keeps looking over his shoulder is... familiar.
> Do you remember the beginning, Searchers?
> “Anteros made it home a few days ago. Gave us the same story as Jack, and Marvin and Jackie.”
> Something in his tone is relieved, but wary.
> administrator: shores is open for queries
> The camera clicks on to a very different scene.
> Worried brothers left behind, worried brothers wandering the forest- all are distant.
> All you see are ashes, and ashes. Skeletons of trees that gave themselves up to burn, charcoal molded into the shape of what was a forest.
> There is nothing living here.
> Nothing except the spider under the ashes and in the skies, all around the single figure r̵o̕o̷t͘ed́-
> Everything freezes, except for the spider, which slowly turns to face you.
> It tastes the leftover salt clinging to the air with your presence.
> You̧ sho̧u͜ld ͠not͢ ͝b͡e w͏at̨c̶hįng t͞hi͞s͟.̸
> The camera flickers; you are in the small circle of death in the forest, you are back in the wastes, back in the-
> The feed dies.
> No͜bơdy is available for queries.
> Chase is pacing.
> The saltwater is gone, washed off; Jameson is asleep, on his side on the couch, and Henrik is watching the two of them.
> “You’ll wake him,” Henrik hisses softly, and Chase mutters a soft apology as he halts.
> A moment of silence, then:
> “...We should go out looking for them. Even if he has Marv and Jack with him...”
> “No sense in putting Jameson any closer to the heart of this mess than he already is,” Henrik replies, blunt and tired.
> Chase makes a soft, soft sound of worried assent, and Henrik sighs.
> He moves, eventually, to wrap a steadying arm around Chase, and Chase sinks into it.
> “Why don’t you tell me about where you w҉er͜e-
> C̴ònfl̡i͢ctin̡g̢ ͡fee̷d͠ ̛a͘c̸tivi̸t̡y̸ d͞et͏ected. A̛ctivit͜y̴ d̶etect͠e̵d ́in̵ <̀THE ̢B́U͜R̀NT̶ ̴G͏RO̢U̢NDS>́
> Please allow for a moment as the feed switches...
Definitely a big No Thank You, with a side of Fuck That, amirite? Arent you guys supposed to be doing buddy systems? How the hell did you get out there without someone coming looking for you? You dont think that fuckin monster thing nabbed anyone, right??
> Chase swallows hard. "Jackie's supposed to be my buddy- fuck, if it got him.."
> He takes off at a sprint.
> So it's with some surprise that Henrik yanks open the door with the same panic that Chase haf pounded upon the door with.
> When he sees the saltwater clinging to Chase, his expression grows downright thunderous, before it closes off completely.
> "Get inside. Wash the salt off of yourself; we will let Jackson know you have returned."
> Chase sucks in a panicked breath with some effort.
> "He's been looking for me? Hen, I- we've gotta make sure he's okay, I can explain what happened, I-"
> "He has been out since sunrise looking for you and Anteros," Henrik murmurs, words clipped.
> This gives Chase pause, and then he pales.
> "Anteros is missing?!"
Hopefully. Best bet is to get back to the others though, even if theyll be mad at what happened. What we saw was some big fuck-off... thing threatening to steal you. Didnt exactly say what from, but my assumption is your family. So like, bad times.
> Chase pales. You see the village coming into focus, and he drops his voice.
> “Oh. Oh great- wonderful, I’m so fuckin’ glad- that could’ve been a lot worse. So we’ve got something big in the ocean with lots of teeth that... I hate that.”
> “First Jamie, and Anteros and Jack, then me? No thank you.”
That sounds fucking terrifying, man. You think you can stand up? Maybe move farther inland before whatever nightmare that was decides to come back?
> “Yeah, I’m movin’, kiddo... hopefully that thing doesn’t follow me into the forest, yeah? But I’m not sure it’ll matter.”
> The canopy stretches overhead. You can no longer hear the sea, only the curious buzzing of the cicadas.
> Chase, funnily enough, hasn’t been looking over his shoulder once. Now he begins to throw wary glances into the underbrush.
> “Can I ask what you guys saw? If you saw what happened with Jameson, maybe...?”
> He’s giving you a hopeful look.