audio / un: strange - day 6, evening.

[rehandle]

We have a way to evacuate the Hivawei.

[ The most important news first. The thing that can't wait. Then, on to detail. ]

Remi d'Arbes has answered our call. With his help, we'll create a path between worlds in search of a suitable planet for the Hivawei to settle. Our course will be set for Gyeonje - unless anyone has a suggestion for a place better suited - with the hope that in making our way to that world we'll find one closer, freeing up those of us based here to open more doorways for the Hivawei to travel through.

[ There's a truth between the lines there, but he doesn't drag it out. It doesn't change what they have to do. ]

We need to be as certain as we can be that the world we lead them to is somewhere they're going to have a real chance to thrive. If anyone thinks they'd be suited to making that kind of assessment and would be willing to abandon the search for the orb to assist with this, let us know as soon as possible.

If there's anyone not already involved who wields magic, or similarly esoteric [ shout out to Itachi for the verbiage ] power, and could spare some time - we'd be glad of you.


[ That's it, their plan and the help they're seeking with it laid out. There's a quiet from Stephen, thoughts ticking over for anything else he needs to add... which there is. One last thing, before they get so ahead of themselves that they forget what this is really going to be. ]


This will not be a small feat. If and when Chief Yerek decides it's time to tell the people, they'll be managing the logistics of a mass evacuation while preparing to leave behind everything they've ever known.

We've all experienced their kindness and the strength of their community. Let's honor that and ease the way for them as much as we possibly can.


[ And with that, he's off to get to work. ]


( ooc: Team Portal would've received this info before he dropped this network post (whether via text or in person for those in Hivawa at the time), along with anyone else in Hiwava who might've been hanging with the magic crowd or spotted he and Remi walking back and followed, so feel free to handwave having been around for the first in-person lowdown!

threadjacking welcome, be wild be free ]

Comments

[inventure]

[ iris starts to tap the pencil in his hand against his knee, the sound dull and muffled thanks to his jeans. ]

It's part of the deal, if you wanted to stay in the Tower.

[ there's a bead of water lazily making its way down the contour of finn's collarbone, taking up all of iris' attention. it was a welcome distraction, uncertain he wants to let his mind sink into thoughts of the tower for very long. ]

I told you before, how demiflora are hunted, right? Most hide, or stick to settlements that try to protect themselves...

Others stay in the Tower. It's supposed to be a safe haven for demiflora of any kind — protected from the hunters, basically anyone who wants to hurt us. The only condition was we could never leave... and we weren't allowed to use our powers.

[ even now, after everything, it's still so easy to hear his mother's words. ]

It was our way of proving to the world we could be trusted. That we could be normal.

[heroooic]

[ Finn frowns, brow furrowing as he listens. ]

What’s the point of being “normal” if you’re stuck living in some tower?

[ The thought comes out of his mouth before he actually has time to think it through.

Admittedly much of it was distant and strange to his own experiences. Opposite even. The closest thing Finn could think of was the way humans in his world had sequestered themselves away, afraid of the changes of the world, afraid of those things changing them. But it was very different than what Iris was describing, wasn’t it?

Maybe not. After all, the fear of being hunted was a powerful one, and Finn wasn’t short-sighted or self-centered enough to not see how someone might choose safety over a little freedom. Assuming there was any choice at all. ]

Sorry, I’m sure it’s…more complicated than that. [ He pushes wet bangs out of his face, a guilty look passing across his features briefly. ]

How’d you get hurt then, if the tower was supposed to be some safe haven?

cw: mentions of child abuse

[inventure]

[ there is a faint quirk to iris' mouth at finn's outburst. nothing in his expression or posture suggests he's at all put off or offended by those words... if anything, the mildly wry tilt of his lips seems to imply he agrees.

but even still — it is more complicated than that. a lot more. ]

Like I said, we weren't supposed to use our powers. I didn't like to listen.

[ but that, too, was more complicated than he'd explained. there was lillium, of course. the "betrayal" of hiding him away, letting him go free. but at the crux of all that was the same sin he committed multiple times, without any real worry for punishment. why would he, when the worst his mom would do was ground him?

(well. no. that wasn't the worst she ever did, was it?)

he clears his throat a little. ]

It's not as bad as you're thinking.

[heroooic]

How do you know what I’m thinking?

[ There was a slightly playful teasing to Finn’s voice, but his smile softens it. Coming over to the edge of the water, he rests his arm on the rocky bank there, shivering slightly but apparently determined to not give up on the water too quickly. ]

Because I’m definitely not thinking that it’s no big deal.

[ The bandages, the aforementioned bleeding, the dismissive ‘barely even notice it these days’…even without the generally cagey demeanor, it was enough to point to a Big Deal in Finn’s estimation. He recognized downplay when he saw it. He was surrounded by world-class downplayers. ]

[inventure]

[ compared to the rest of them, iris' attempts are pathetically inadequate. his face is too open, his eyes too wide and avoidant, his shoulders too drawn in like he were doing his best to appear as small as possible. everything about him screams he doesn't want to talk or even think about it, and yet when finn draws closer he leans in like a flower desperate for the sun.

he counts the goosebumps along the flesh of finn's arm, letting it slow down the frantic racing of his heart. ]

It's a pretty gnarly story.

[ a quiet truth. as close to a confession of the pain involved in it as he can get, for right now. ]

I'll tell you all about it one day, when you're old enough.

[ there is a teasing lilt to his tone, but an honest one too. a promise, even. one day, but not now. ]

[heroooic]

[ It isn’t really a brush off, despite the brief, self-centered flash of hurt Finn feels at the words. At not being immediately awarded for his prying. Instead it gets an improbable laugh out of him, light and brief, diffusing his own wandering rumination that came so easily these days. ]

Okay, but I’m not gonna forget. [ And he means that. ]

Now, help me out of here before I freeze to death? [ He holds out his hand expectantly, although it seems obvious that he could get out on his own, one arm or not. ] Please?

[inventure]

[ in response to finn's (wholly expected) determination, iris feels a strange flicker of something light and airy, lodged deep into his breastbone. the faint flutterings of hope, of grasping onto that unspoken promise like a lifeline. no, he doesn't want to talk about it. but he thinks one day he will. and he thinks he'd want it to be with finn. ]

Is this the part where I remind you you did this to yourself?

[ and yet, despite the chiding in his tone, iris has already shifted forward to offer finn that hand. ]