audio; un: y.mikotoba

[softshoes]

(ooc: please feel free to threadjack around with discussion and info, yujin (& ciri!) are running around and might not get to everybody! their search request for context.)

[Somewhat uncharacteristically for Professor Mikotoba, the post's made in a hurry and with very little preamble. There's no video, and the distinct background shuffling seems to suggest that he is moving-- and that he isn't alone.]

Please listen, everyone. We have a lead on the orb.

[There's another bit of shuffling background noise, and what sounds like Ciri's voice, before he continues.] Spoke to Chief Yerek. The lamawei are the source of their Mother Light-- there is an old and enduring original flower, deep in the forest, though it's hard to reach--

[Suddenly, Ciri's voice in the background becomes easier to make out. She's complaining, and moving quickly past Yujin; he hustles a little to keep up with her, breaking off his train of thought.]

For ages-- ["Hurry up!" calls Ciri,] it's bested all predators and weeds, even without poison or thorns; its defense is simply by being. The nearby blooms even began to grow to resemble it. [Yujin exhales, rushing his last few thoughts. Ciri, why are you so fast???]

Search for plants nearly three huts high... large petals two or three Hivawei high. Like the tablecloths and tapestries they use.

["--going now--"] Miss Ciri!

[The feed cuts.]

Comments

{ audio } un: joric

[drawsblood]

You are certain? One of their dew collectors listed off a number of flower types, and that was one of them. She didn't make it sound anymore special than the others.

[ A pause. ]

Do you know where to look? We were directed towards the various directions where these flowers grow if you need help. Natasha and I, I mean.

voice; un: romanoff

[deaddrop]

If it's same flowers, we'll probably need to fly to reach them, but the directions seemed fairly straight forward.

[softshoes]

Fly?

[CIRI GIRL HAVE YOU PLANNED HOW THEY'RE GONNA FLY THERE????]

[deaddrop]

She was fairly specific that it was a flower we'd need wings to reach. While there might be some ways to work around that, I'd say it's safe to assume that it won't be easy to reach otherwise.

text;

[softshoes]

[There is a suspiciously long pause between his last message and this one. Almost like somebody tried to get there without flying...]

It seems so

Thank you

audio | un: lion cub

[heyciri]

I know some squirrels. Or they look like squirrels.

[softshoes]

[1. ciri how do you know squirrels
2. is that even gonna work and do they even have other options?
3. whatever. Whatever. fuck it we ball]

Well... there's no harm in giving them a shot, I suppose...

[softshoes]

[Yujin sounds like he's just caught his breaths when he finally answers.]

N-not with complete certainty, but-- we'll be investigating either way. [Which was the intent after all, but Ciri already took off running, and he couldn't let her go alone, so...]

Please. We'll take any guidance you might be able to give. Miss Ciri, if you'll wait a moment--

[drawsblood]

As Natasha has said, we need to fly to reach it. Or at least that is what the person with wings said. There are ways to glide on leaves here and that is how the two of us first came upon her in the meadow. From there she directed us towards the forest that borders it to find the lamawei.

[softshoes]

Yes... Chief Yerek also mentioned we needed to "follow the light" to get there.

[A beat.]

We're, er, already on our way, you see. So... we'll see what we can do.

[Ominous? A little. By GOD they're gonna do their best though!!]

audio | un: lion cub

[heyciri]

Chief Yerek pointed?

( yes, this is the entire basis of her directioning. HE SAID THAT'S JUST HOW IT IS??? trust the mushroom person with the snail pet, it's fine.

trust the teenager??? to just go??? that is also fine???!!?? )

[drawsblood]

Right. Pointed towards a dense forest that apparently cannot be traveled by foot.

not here

[softshoes]

[he tried to tell her, man

now they're quite literally teleporting all around the forest like they're playing Portal!!!]

[heyciri]

Does make it more interesting. Though they're not wrong, it isn't passable—on foot.

audio, un: strange

[rehandle]

[ Would you look at that, a lead! And was that the need to fly he overheard..? ]

If it's any use, I can lend the cloak for a flight assist. It'll carry two if you lift one another.

text;

[softshoes]

[Another SUSPICIOUSLY LONG pause takes place between the message and Yujin's reply...]

Thank you but unfortunately we are already en route, doctor
If we need more people at the orb, you could always lend it to another

text;

[rehandle]

Understood. I'll offer it out.

Good luck out there

[ Partly with the orb, but mostly with the force unto herself that is Ciri. He too has had the joy of trekking through the forest with her, but they weren't hot on the heels of bona fide clue at the time... thoughts and prayers ]

[softshoes]

👍

[is all the poor guy can manage via thought-text, seeing as Ciri may or may not have put him on the back of a squirrel of unusual size.

rip yujin]

text | un: lion cub

[heyciri]

I don't think it can catch up with us it doesn't fly that fast does it it doesn't portal or teleport or whatever word you want does it

[rehandle]

[ Do you ever read a text that makes you fear for another person's life

Instead of an actual answer, she gets: ]

Be careful out there

[softshoes]

[Much later.

Like, after everybody has found the orb later.]

is that assist still available doctor?

Action > Audio > brief video; un: naruhodo

[locumstudentesquire]

...No way!

[Ryunosuke gasps that aloud, soaring over the forest alongside Sabriel and Unohana. He's doing a double-take, comparing what he's seeing below to what he's hearing from Yujin in his ear piece. With a great amount of effort, he focuses on chiming in, though there's a queasiness to his voice when he does:]

U-Um--! I, I think we might have just spotted something that matches--?

[...Oh god, he's going to have to figure out how to send a brain video while simultaneously trying not to black out from his fear of heights. OK.

It's a little hazy at first, but he sends some footage from their position above the trees, and then quickly switches back to audio only.]

Does, does that seem right?!

[He has zero capacity for critical thinking while he's this terrified.]

[softshoes]

[He and Ciri are rushing around themselves: they can't quite make it high enough without wings or a means of gliding over to the lamawei, but Ciri's certainly doing her best trying to teleport them closer and closer.

Fortunately for everyone, they've stopped in time for him to receive this message.]

Naruhodo, that's it! That patch of flowers, right there-- follow the light!

[Even if the landscape's insurmountable for the two of them, at least somebody will make it over.]

brief video in return

[heyciri]

( fortunately for everyone and yujin, they've just stepped through a portal and are balanced in a very large branch.

unfortunately for ciri, she's trying to envision where she wants to will them next, across further trees until they're in the area where the squirrel mounts might be found, and there's this image. this from high, way not where she can portal anyone and survive angle, and she near trips and flails herself backward, because the portal she did open collapses in on itself with an almost audible whump. )

Fuck!

( yujin, thankfully, has already pointed out to follow the light, advice which is of good use when you're in tunnels, underwater, or flying over lit-up flowers. like you do. )

Audio;

[locumstudentesquire]

[Oh. HMM. CONCERNING? He was about to assure Yujin that they'll head that way right now, but uhh.]

...What just happened? Are you both alright?!