Event - Appalachia: Into the Pines

[apocalypsehowmods]

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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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Comments

[edalyn]

[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.]

[cardinalrule]

[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.]

[edalyn]

[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.]

[cardinalrule]

[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.]

[edalyn]

[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.]

[cardinalrule]

[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.

[edalyn]

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.]

[cardinalrule]

[A week? Oh Titan, Hunter is absolutely sure there's more than a week until the Day of Unity. He has no doubts in his mind about that.

So then what? She's either lying or wrong? There has to be a better explanation than either of those, something that neatly explains why they have such huge discrepancies between them.

He watches her confusedly, furrowing his brows at her rambling.]

Time pools? What are you talking about? Those are just urban legends, they aren't real. [He frowns, wondering where her line of thinking is going.] This can't be time magic, that doesn't actually exist.

[edalyn]

I used to think they were urban legends. Luz and Lily actually found some.

[She looks uncertain, but at least it's possible. It doesn't entirely add up, but her original theory doesn't entirely add up either. And she doesn't think he's lying, so there has to be some kind of answer.]

Do you have a better explanation? Did you ask your palisman if he knows anything? [She'd still like to talk to him, but she doesn't ask again for the moment.]

[cardinalrule]

Do you mean your sister? [He's used to hearing Lilith, not Lily, but he's fairly sure that's who she means.] She must have been proud of herself, and you must not have heard the end of it.

[Just a little bit of bratty dunking on Lilith it's fine, especially when he doesn't have a better explanation. He makes an exasperated noise..]

Flapjack knows what I know, not... everything you're going on about. [Flapjack cheeps in agreement at that.]

[edalyn]

[Eda nods, suddenly reminded of the fact that Lilith used to be jealous of this kid. That was still funny. The next bit gets a sigh, but she's not all that surprised.]

Well... it was worth a shot. Hey, red. [She adds the last bit with a glance at the cardinal.]

You're not wrong about my sister, though. [If nothing else, dunking on Lilith a little bit is apparently something they can agree on.] Mostly it was the Deadwardian architecture I had to hear about for hours on end. Of course... I seem to remember I did most of the work on the gadget she used anyway.

[cardinalrule]

[Flapjack gives a tired little cheep. He needs a nap, and a few people for Hunter to terrorize to get his magic back up.

Hunter looks over at Eda, baffled.]

You did? Are you serious? You took time out of your life of crime and being a - a public nuisance, and built a machine that can detect time pools?

[That's hard to believe, okay!]

[edalyn]

[Owlbert gives a sympathetic little hoot. He could also use a nap, even if he felt better for a bit there. Eda meanwhile is clearly amused by Hunter's response.]

Hm? Nah, we made it when I was around your age. Maybe a little younger. We just never actually found one back then.

[She is leaving out the fact that's because they had to power it with titan's blood. Although it's not like she has any for him to steal here anyway.]

[cardinalrule]

My age?? [That's even more bewildering!!!] I guess I can picture her doing that. Maybe it's just the two of you being my age....

[Sorry Eda, but he's only a teenager.]

[edalyn]

[Eda huffs and nudges his shoulder lightly with a wing again, possibly forgetting how odd that is when they're not visible.] Oh come on, we're not that old. Me especially.

[This is at least somewhat of a joke given she's well aware she looks older than Lilith, but then again it is true that she's the younger sibling.]

[cardinalrule]

[The invisible nudge makes him visibly jump, and he makes a point of taking a few steps away from her.]

I don't believe that.

[edalyn]

[Eda feels just a little bad at how much he jumps, at least enough that she'll try to keep the invisible wings in mind after this.]

Lily just had an excellent skin-care routine called not being cursed. [She says this grumpily, but without much real malice. Water under the bridge and all.]

Besides, everyone looks old when you're... what, fifteen? [She's pretty sure it's somewhere around there. Albeit maybe not chronologically.]

[cardinalrule]

[Okay, Hunter has to snort at that. Yeah, Lilith got off pretty lightly not being cursed, and getting to be part of the Emperor's Coven. ]

Sixteen, I'm sixteen. [He's saying that in that haughty kind of I'm-an-adult sort of tone.] I'm the youngest scout to have made Golden Guard.

[edalyn]

Fourteen, got it. [Hey, if he's going to joke about her age...

The next part is less funny though. It's bad enough that he is a kid, but she also knows enough about what he is at least guess that it means Belos specifically wanted a child soldier.]

Oh yeah? How old was the last one? [She does her best to keep her tone to casual curiosity.]

[cardinalrule]

[Oh, he knows she's doing it on purpose, but he's still salty.] Sixteen. Not fourteen!

[He huffs, sobering.] I don't know, I never asked. [Belos never offered up that information, and it never seemed appropriate to indulge his curiosity.] Older than me.

[edalyn]

[Eda makes a vaguely disgruntled sound, but she decides against pushing the topic as curious as she is.]

What's so great about being the youngest one, anyway?

[After all, it's fun to tease him about being a kid but being a kid isn't a bad thing.]

You're a kid. You should be-- [she gestures vaguely] --doing kid stuff. Making friends and... dumb mistakes, and learning who you even are, and everything. You shouldn't have to be caught up in all this. [None of the kids should.]

You've got your whole life ahead of you to figure out your shit for yourself. Why rush? [Apparently she has absorbed that he's sixteen, because she's decided he's old enough to swear in front of.]

[cardinalrule]

It means I'm better than the rest of them.

[Or at least, it means that Belos considered him to be good enough earlier than the previous Golden Guards, and that means the world to him.

He gives her a look that's partly confused, partly irritated. Why is she going on about kid stuff?]

I don't need to be a kid. I'm not one. [He hasn't been one for years, no matter what other people say.] I know who I am, and I've already got my life figured out. It doesn't involve whatever you're talking about.

[Even if there are parts of it he doesn't really care about.]

[edalyn]

[Well, she tried. It's hard not to respond to the better comment when she has her own worries about the reasons he's younger, but she doesn't.]

Yeah... I know it feels like that. [She says this mildly. Partly because it's not worth turning it into an argument and partly because well, she definitely felt a lot more grown up at that age than teenagers look to her now. She even thought she had everything figured out for a while there.]

Hell, I wanted to join the Emperor's Coven as a teenager. [Which isn't a fact she shares much, but partly she drops it for the potential shock value.]

[cardinalrule]

[He raises an eyebrow at her, because it sounds like she's being sincere rather than teasing him. Still, it's hard to picture someone like Eda being as driven as he is. From what little he's seen of her she seems happy to just coast and commit crimes and never take life seriously?? Apparently that isn't the case though - or at least, it wasn't at one point in her life.

With her admittance that she wanted to join his coven, he's just now he's realizing that he's learning a whole bunch about her since they wound up here. He isn't sure how he feels about that, but he's sure as hell shocked about the coven thing.]

Really? Well - it's the best coven out of all of them. [Of course she'd want to join it???] Why didn't you? Join, I mean. Not good enough?

[edalyn]

[Eda can't help laughing at the question, though there might be a bitter edge to it. After all, if she hadn't definitely been good enough, she wouldn't have gotten cursed. She hesitates a little. If they were back home she doubted she'd be telling him nearly this much about herself, but they're not, and she's... trying.]

Not good enough? Nah, I had it in the bag. Ask Lily who actually got better test scores somet--

[She cuts herself off, maybe because she doesn't want to sound like she was ever a nerd and maybe because she doesn't know if either of them are likely to see Lilith again. Probably some of both.]

Anyway... I did want to, but it was Lily's dream more than mine, and they said we had to duel for it. I wasn't about to fight my sister. [And the fact Lilith didn't realise that might hurt more than the actual decision to curse her, but she doesn't want to spend too long on that train of thought.]

And I wasn't big on joining a coven that wanted me to, either. [In retrospect, she wonders if it was a matter of limited spots as much as a matter of not letting family join together, or some kind of test just to see which one was willing to do it. Not that it makes much difference now.]