apocalypsehowcomm | Event - Appalachia: Into the Pines

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Event - Appalachia: Into the Pines

Appalachia: Into the Pines

Footage plays on the television as a new story comes on, showing a series of sweeping vistas, intercut with clips of wolves that have clearly been filmed at some local wildlife sanctuary. "As far as anyone knows it, the last wolf to ever freely roam the Allegheny Mountains was slain in West Virginia in 1897. Daniel Stoffer Hamrick saw to the beast's passing, and the woods in our part of the world have gone quieter ever since. Appalachia does not forget its history, though. It buries it beneath coal and flyash, debts and white powder and pills. And the blood of people taken before their time, by the mines, by the mountain, by things we don't have names for, just hurt. But Appalachia does not forget.

"This is Cindy Parsons with Channel 5, Wolf News." Footage cuts to a newscaster standing outside a gated apartment complex with FYRE's logo emblazoned on it. "As we know, our beloved Wolf Pen is home to one of the biggest FYRE worker housing complexes in Wyoming County. It is a monument to the history of our town, and this week, we'll be on the lookout for visitors from all over the country, coming to see the grand re-opening of the historic Bluestone Mine as a museum."

Footage cuts to a nondescript businessman, identified by the news footage as Carl Watts, CEO of FYRE. He's smiling blandly as he stands at a podium and gestures to the entrance of the mining tunnel behind him. "The Wolf Pen community has been a partner to us for decades now, and we knew it was finally time to give something back to all y’all. We'll have our soft opening on Monday with a full Rumble Down Under party in the old mines scheduled for June 15th. We'll have a live bluegrass concert and anticipate a huge influx of tourists to the area to help out our neighbors itching for a few more pocketbooks to tend to." A wink.

The footage returns to Cindy. "FYRE has stated that this new museum will provide an educational tool and tourist attraction for those wanting to learn about West Virginia, Wolf Pen, and the hard-working men and women who have made this beautiful part of our nation their home. Time will tell. Time is always telling when it comes to the promises of people who have used our land and our bodies to line their pocketbooks. They fill our blood and our lungs with black tar and-"

Cindy cuts out and is replaced by in-studio anchors. "Thank you, Cindy!" a blonde woman says, smile just a little strained. "I think we're all looking forward to seeing the big opening by FYRE on Sunday and that rocking good party next month. It should be a gneiss one! Now to Tim with the weather. Tim?"

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[Eda decides to follow, it's probably better than staying where they are if nothing else. Owlbert flies down from a branch and settles on her shoulder again, peering into the trees as he realises that he's rather turned around as well.]

I'm going on about it because it's true. [Or did he not just see what she did just then? She doubts it would make a lot of sense without the claws or the wings. On a whim, she spreads a currently invisible wing and nudges Hunter with it, not especially hard but it still ought to be tricky to miss the huge feathers brushing against him.]

[Hunter is just inwardly cursing himself for using up Flapjack's energy on a whole lot of nothing. If he had been smarter then maybe he could fly above the tree tops to get their location.]

You're still - [Delusional is what he'd like to say, but something is nudging him even though she obviously isn't touching him, and he jumps.]

What was that?? Was that you?!

[Eda can't help letting out a snort at his reaction.] Sure was, kid. The wings are here just... [She waves a hand vaguely at what looks like thin air, still disappointed by the fact she can't turn off the illusion.]

Come to think of it... I could try and climb up enough to fly. [The tree cover makes it tricky though, and she doesn't love the idea of leaving Hunter on the ground while she goes to look, depending on how well he can climb. Maybe she can just pick him up if they find a bigger clearing along the way.]

[Hunter narrows his eyes, squinting slightly. He's still skeptical, because she's the Owl Lady and despite everything that just happened he feels like he shouldn't trust her. At least they've got the same idea, and he nods slightly.]

It would be a way for us to get our bearings, if you can actually do that. [He tone is smarmy as he folds his arms (biting back a wince at the action).] I still don't believe you.

I'll show you if. [Eda mutters this grumpily. She might be determined not to let him get hurt, but this kid still knows how to get on her nerves when he wants to.]

I can try from here if you're okay with staying put... or we can look for a clearing and I could take you up with me. [This part she says more seriously. She'd at least like to be able to keep an eye on him.]

[He isn't missing that smarmy remark, and he narrows his eyes slightly.]

I'm fine with my feet on the ground, thanks. If that thing comes back I'll yell.

You'd better. [She doesn't like the idea of him trying to fight it by himself, after earlier. But she's pretty sure he's smarter than to try again.

With that she backs off a bit and flaps her wings to make a short hop up to a nearby branch. From there she scales the tree in a fashion that would make a lot more visual sense if she was grabbing branches with claws and talons.

It feels like it takes her a bit longer than she expects to reach the top all the same, and once she does things just get more confusing. She should see the lights of the town from here.

She launches herself into the air and does a loop around the area. Why do the trees go on far? how do the trees go on so far? Is this more illusion magic?]

[It's really weird to see Eda hop and scramble up the trees like a chaotic gremlin. He's watching her with a thoroughly confused look until she's out of sight. She... might not be lying about the harpy thing.

Then his legs start shaking, and he sinks down to the ground, giving Flapjack several shaky pets on his head. He keeps his ears open, but he needs a few moments to gather his composure. Okay, okay they need to get out of here, they need to regroup back at the hotel.

More importantly, he needs to find a way to help Flapjack regain his energy. That means asking the Owl Lady how she's able to do so much magic. He needs the specifics, so he can formulate his own plan on... what, inducing fear in people? Is that how it works?

He sighs heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. This is ridiculous.]

[After only a couple of laps, Eda realises that she's getting tired faster than usual. She lights down on a tree and takes a moment to breathe before scrambling her way back down through the branches.

She pauses a bit above the forest floor and looks around for Hunter. It doesn't take her long to spot the boy sitting and holding his Palisman, and she can't help thinking that he really does look young when he's not making a point to act like the Golden Guard.

She gives him a couple more moments to breathe, then drops down to the ground near him. Part of her wants to pretend everything is alright, but that probably wouldn't do much good right now.]

Hey, kid. Wish I had good news... but something's not right here. It's all-- [and here she gestures vaguely to their surroundings] --trees, trees, trees. I think we're in an illusion, but not the kind we get back home.

[Not quite, at least. Maybe a combination of illusions and something else? Wild magic, if it's magic at all.]

[He doesn't realize she's giving him a bit of extra time, but oh boy does he need it. When Eda does reappear he jumps, then clambers to his feet as if he wasn't just taking a few moments to relax.

He sighs in annoyance at her report.]

Great. [He hates that they have no sense of location here. Tensely, he folds his arms.] All we can do is keep walking, then.

[Eda decides not to comment on the way he jumps. It's not like she isn't on edge too at the moment.]

For now, yeah. Better than staying put for when that thing gets hungry again, at least.

[She's still not sure if it could actually kill them, but she'd rather not test that theory if they don't have to. For now, she just starts walking in what she's pretty sure is the direction they were already trying.]

[Hunter is going to do his best not to wince at the pain. It has to be all in his head, and it'll probably fade eventually.]

Right. Can you tell how much magic you have left?

[Eda debates going for something reassuring like enough to keep us safe, but it's a good question so she pauses to actually think about it.]

Honestly? I'm not really sure. [Owlbert chimes in with a forlorn little hoot from her shoulder.]

We're all still feeling... weak. Today's the first time I got glyphs working here, but those normally aren't fueled by my own magic. [So that's weird. She leaves out what she did that may have gotten them working, for the moment.]

And I couldn't change earlier tonight... but I could to fight that thing. So I'm betting I can pull out the stops if it comes back. [She has some theories on why that is now that she's getting a chance to think about it.]

[Not sure... that isn't encouraging. Her situation sounds similar to his, but she managed to find some well of magic to draw from in order to fight that creature. That, and her use of glyphs.]

I've seen the human use that kind of wild magic before. Glyphs. [He knows they don't work the same as coven magic, and he'd like to ask more details, but he's got other priorities right now.]

You must have been feeding one of those Entities to stand up against that creature more than I have been. Scaring people? Is that what you're doing to power yourself and your palisman?

[Eda nods. They are the same glyphs that Luz uses, but she's still uncertain how they work here.]

I haven't been scaring people. [Not intentionally anyway. Has she felt something faint the times she's made them nervous? She's not sure.]

Besides, like I say this is the first time I've got things working. But well, that thing seemed pretty spooked when it realised I wasn't an easy meal. [Which almost makes sense, but the order seems off. Did these 'entities' pay up front?]

And... I'm pretty sure the animals I caught earlier must've been scared too. [She wrinkles her nose and has the decency to look just a little sheepish. It's not like she has many qualms about coming off weird or gross, but it's not like she loves eating shrews and voles either.]

[So the fear of creatures, magical or otherwise, contributes to the powering of their own magic? He supposes that makes sense, fear is fear regardless of whether it's coming from humans or other things.

That doesn't stop him from looking bewildered at the mental image of Eda hunting critters, though. That's weird.]

You've been chasing down animals? Wouldn't scaring humans be a better use of your time? [This is making him wonder about the potential differences between humans and non-humans.] Or are animals more efficient?

[Eda hesitates a little. It's definitely common knowledge that she's cursed at this point, but she hasn't told many people the details. Then again, if she wants Hunter to be open with her that's probably a two way street.]

The chasing down animals part isn't new. I wasn't really trying to feed one of these 'entities,' I was feeding... something else. [She'll elaborate if she's pressed on it. In the meantime she feels her feathers ruffle as she mentions the owl beast.]

But it seems like I did both. And anyway, it's not like I was planning to need my powers tonight. [She says this just a little pointedly, though she doesn't actually sound angry.] Worked with what I had.

[Something else? He's starting to put the pieces together in his mind - her feeding must have been related to her curse. He doesn't like it, but it reminds him of Belos' condition. He's never seen the owl curse in full force outside of the incident at the Emperor's castle, but both of them becoming monsters, and Belos needing to feel on - on....

Hunter feels a hand starting to shake, and promptly decides to abandon that line of thought. Something else is coming to him, and he looks over at Eda cautiously.]

Why did you help me? You didn't have to. Even though we have a truce here we aren't on the same side.

[Whether it's fortunate or unfortunate, Eda doesn't really catch that reaction. She's mostly just as glad he doesn't press for more details. The next question gets a raised eyebrow.]

Is it so hard to believe I didn't want to see a kid get eaten trying to arrest a... slitherbeast or something?

[She doesn't even think of herself as an especially good person, but still.]

Besides, Luz would be upset if I let anything happen to you. [This is true, but she says it kind of flippantly. There's definitely more to it, like the reasons they're not on the same side, or the way she doesn't even know if Luz is alive, but that's all she says for now.]

[Hunter purses his lips and glares, even though that's exactly what he wanted to do. Arrest the slitherbeast. It just - it sounds ridiculous when she says it, in that tone.

Her other reasoning doesn't feel like it holds up, either.]

The human isn't even here. [He isn't buying it, Eda!!] It's not as if she'd know, and it'd mean you wouldn't be getting into danger, either. In fact, it's more dangerous for you, since now you need to worry about building your magic reserves up again. It would've been a lot safer for you to just leave and hold onto that reserve for when you need it to protect yourself.

[Leave it to Hunter to turn a simple question into a whole nerdy spiel.]

[Eda tries to hide the wince at that first part, and doesn't entirely succeed. The rest doesn't go over great either, though it's kind of sad how much the kid doesn't think she should have helped him.]

I only had a reserve because you looked like you were getting yourself into trouble. Wandering around the woods was not my plan for the night. [She sounds a bit exasperated, though she supposes she hadn't exactly spelled out that she followed him in here to begin with. She runs her fingers through her hair anxiously.]

...And you think I don't know she's not here? You think I can forget for five minutes that she's not here? I don't--I don't even know if my kids are alive! [She tries to keep her voice from cracking, but she doesn't quite succeed at that either. She's been trying to hold it together but she's not exactly doing well.]

The Day of Unity happened and I was here. I couldn't protect anyone at home. If I can keep you from getting hurt... at least I'm doing something. [The last part is quiet and frankly exhausted sounding. It does matter that he's someone Luz seems to care about, and it does matter that he's also a victim of the emperor's bullshit. But she doesn't say that last bit, she just takes a deep breath and does her damnedest not to cry in front of this teenager.]

[He does indeed catch that wince, and he knows he's right. He's poking holes in her logic, which only intensifies his curiosity as to her actual reasoning. Her increasing anxiety doesn't make it seem like she's willing to lie anymore, so he stares up at her intently.

Her answer is entirely bewildering, and that's obvious on his features.]

Wh... at? Why wouldn't they be alive? [From what he knows about Luz he seriously doubts anyone has actually made good on that thread he made to her a while ago - the one about zapping her to dust and throwing her remains into the sea.

But Eda doesn't sound like she's lying, not at all, so what's going on?]

It can't have happened. It's still weeks - [He pauses, shaking his head. They've already discussed the bizarre time discrepancy between the two of them, no point in treading that ground again. Not when there's something else wrong with her answer.] It doesn't matter. The Day of Unity is only going to get rid of wild magic, so if you join a coven then it's not a problem. And it isn't going to affect the human at all, she'll be fine. She isn't going to get hurt. Her or your d -... other kid.

[It isn't exactly reassurance, but her tone is unsettling him. The least he can do is try to clear things up - she's clearly just - mistaken or something.]

[Eda just... sighs. Sure, Luz and King don't have coven sigils but that doesn't mean something wouldn't still happen to them, especially if they tried to fight Belos themselves, which she fully expects. And then there's Raine, who does have a sigil. Plus everyone else who was likely to get involved. And of course, Hunter still thinks the people in covens are safe.]

Look, kid... I know you aren't gonna believe me but the Day of Unity, it's not what you think it is.

[She starts to say something else, but then blinks.] Wait, what... weeks? [She knows he doesn't remember things, but she'd thought that they were on the same page about when they'd gotten here. After all, Raine had been missing specific memories but not time, per se. And she'd still been guessing it was something similar.]

[She's right, he doesn't believe her. Why should he? Belos is the one planning it, not some wild witch.]

I think I have a much better idea of what it is than you do. Right hand of the Emperor, remember?

[That seems like a given to him, since he's the one around Belos all the time.
He's privy to plenty of important information like this. She's probably going off of a bunch of inaccurate rumours and baseless speculation.]

Yes, weeks. [He sighs exasperatedly, rubbing the bridge of his nose.] I doubt telling you the scheduling before the official announcement is made at the Coven Day Parade, since it'll be public information at that point anyways. The Day of Unity is going to happen in several weeks, it's going to align with the upcoming eclipse.

Uh-huh. [Yeah, she doesn't believe him for a second either. They're back at an impasse so she drops it. Besides, the next part is a lot more interesting.]

...I know when it was scheduled. The announcement's already happened. When I got here there was a week left. [But now the gears are turning in her brain and she's realising she jumped to conclusions last time.]

Has the last time I saw you at home... not happened for you yet? I suppose it's possible, Luz said the time pools actually worked, so time magic isn't out of the question--but that really ought to cause a paradox, unless... [And now she's rambling half to herself, a little bit of the teenage girl who used to spend her summers making time-magic detecting gadgets showing. At least it's something of a distraction from teetering on the brink of a full breakdown.]

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