bursts into tears

[oversea]

Comments

[oversea]

[ OKAY.

they all turn to look at them. thorns slowly raises a hand in a wave and lowers it. ]

... We came at a bad time.

[transmit]

[ does thorns still love docybara… ]

We're travellers who were hoping to make a stop in town. Looks like you guys got yourself into a sticky situation…? Was there anything we can help with?

[ they look amongst each other as if they're deciding on just this, and, well.

they ask if they'd seen anything on the road here… it seems like disappearances have been happening regularly for the past month. oh boy. ]

[oversea]

[ okay... well.

there's a pause, and he nods. ]

We actually were attacked on the way here by some bandits. It looks like they were camping and waiting for people to pass by. There was also nearby debris, but we didn't get to investigate since I was focused on getting him to a doctor.

[ he gestures at elysium to show off where a wrapped injury is visible.

it is not the whole truth, but thorns doesn't really want to admit how much they investigated because that might get a few raised eyebrows and that may lead to having to explain their connection to rhodes. ]

[transmit]

[ exposing right away that he's infected. okay. well, practically right away after someone manages to do a once-over. elysium just fixes his sleeve over his wrist and clears his throat. ]

If we cooperate with the investigation, will you cover our fees? We're combatants. I don't need to see a doctor for anything urgent.

[ die, thorns. ]

[oversea]

[ he wants to glare at him so bad but he manages not to.

but the group agrees and asks for them to take them to where they were attacked right away. this is killing thorns because they literally just got here. ]

Can our burdenbeast stay in the barn while we take you there? He's tired.

[ plus there's other animals there to distract him... thorns wants elysium to stay too because he's also tired. mentally strangles him. ]

[transmit]

[ they may be more reluctant to work with them if they find out about elysium's oripathy… that's just the nature of the beast when you're not officially under rhodes island's care or a national. someone has to think about these things.

but he just smiles and pretends thorns isn't plotting his murder. this is such a different vibe from what they'd started off with back in the village. ]

And he's well-trained. If he gives you trouble, there are easy ways to get him to settle down. [ nudges thorns. ] Go for it.

[ none of the people look particularly convinced, but they are desperate since they happen to be short-staffed. the authorities ask if they can sit down inside to get a more thorough report on what the two have seen and to come up with a battleplan. this can only go well. ]

[oversea]

[ the hilarity of being like, 'we need to stop getting involved in things' and immediately getting involved in things.

but thorns will start from the beginning, telling them what village they started from–it gives them more credibility if any of these people ask the villagers about them, since they were well liked there. but it also just gives a better idea of the path they took and around where the bandits (or whoever they are) may be situated. ]

... We only ran into two of them, but we can probably assume there's more. So stay on guard.

[ he says we but it was elysium!!!! ]

[transmit]

[ yes because thorns has established he's ready to do stupid things for elysium to get treatment so now they're embroiled in war.

anyway, good on thorns for encouraging the diplomatic approach leaving the last village over just ghosting them entirely. they would probably still hold good will towards them for everything they'd done, but it would add an awkward layer onto their interactions.

it helps that elysium's able to facilitate a communications channel between the village and the town. credence! how lovely. he continues to ignore thorns' micro (macro?) aggressions. ]

This might not be directly related, but… the village was attacked some time ago. We never confirmed whether those attackers were acting alone or if it might've been some rudimentary probe. The timing wasn't suspicious on its own—festivals tend to make for good timing when everyone's distracted, but it's still worth noting. If you have the resources, I'd suggest looking deeper into their affiliations when you can.

[oversea]

[ they are thanked for the info, and are told that they will all set out for that area in about an hour.

once they're alone, thorns slowly turns to look at elysium. ]

Well?

[ well!!!!!!!!!!! ]

[transmit]

We should get to work so we finish early.

[ attempts to walk ahead ]

[oversea]

[ oh okay, so NOW elysium doesn't want to walk side by side?

thorns goes after him. ]

Where are you going?

[transmit]

[ thorns can catch up!! he isn't walking that quickly.

he glances over his shoulder as if he hadn't just declared war on thorns personally. ]

To the area they wanted us to check out. [ duh? where else? obviously!! ] They asked if I could look at their communications equipment.

[oversea]

[ uh huh ]

Is that all?

[ nothing else to add? ]

[transmit]

No.

[ he picks up thorns' hand. ]

Sorry, I got a little overexcited.

[oversea]

[ that wasn't the problem!!!

he sighs. ]

... You owe the Doctor treats for this.

[transmit]

… I'd rather give you something.

[ this is his problem. ]

[oversea]

Well, you're not.

[ thorns has decided this. ]

[transmit]

[ OKAY.

he has the gall to look offended. ]

That's your punishment?

[oversea]

Punishment? Making you be a good father?

[ instead of a deadbeat dad... ]

[transmit]

[ he will not stand for this slander. ]

What? I got him off of his drug addiction.

[

wait. he wasn't supposed to say that. he starts walking fastly again like he isn't holding onto thorns' hand and essentially dragging him along. ]

[oversea]

His drug addiction.

[ he is, in fact, being dragged along. ]

[transmit]

I'll get the Doctor his treats…

[ acts cute and obedient to weasel his way out of this. :pleading: ]

[oversea]

[ he stops walking, and mutters in an hushed tone as the realization hits him, ]

I gave him a drug addiction...

[transmit]

[ AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

he also stops walking to immediately rub circles into thorns' back. he's fine, it's fine, do not have your quarterly life crisis in the middle of this dirt road. ]

You didn't! You didn't do anything! You were just looking out for him and making sure we'd get to keep custody! If he didn't learn quick, he would've been taken away from us.

[ the only court of law here is thorns himself ]

[oversea]

[ he just nods his head and starts walking again.

he needs to contend with himself now. but he can't slow them down... what if elysium gets a drug addiction because they waited... ]