Log:Hedge Trip

Hedge Trip

Participants

4 July, 2017

Everyone goes into the hedge.

Location

It's time that Haruki finally saw the Hedge, but he's not going alone. Nope, he's got a whole little entourage going with him. Paige isn't visibly armed as the group of four heads to the gate closest to Stoneheart, but she has added an olive jacket that looks Hedgespun and tied her hair back. Juuuust in case things happen. Because it's the Hedge. Things always happen. They can't drive the whole way to the gate, unfortunately, though the walk isn't too bad, taking them into a clearing and right up to...a cave? Yep. that explains why Paige pulls a couple flashlights out of her backpack. "Okay, last chance to back out. Everyone good with going in?"

Haruki is armed. Maybe not quite so prepared as he should be, but he grabbed a hunting knife at a store at least. Although it's sheathed and away, least someone think he's a danger. He also has with him a variey of items in a backpack, including weedkiller of all things since sometimes some stories stick with you. He's dressed for hiking, practical clothes, and is carrying a big stick to help with walking. He takes the offered flashlight from Paige. Everything's good, he's nice and calm. "Do phones work? Can I take photos?" Questions, questions.

Rorschach was geared up in his dark red armoured coat, blade was on and he looked far less happy fun bug and ready to do bueiness. He signed to them <<Stick close and if it goes dark? DO. NOT. RUN. It's the best way to wind up off the trod and into deep hedge where we'll never see you again. No, Haruki they won't and no photos. Also it may screw up your phone perminantly. You take nothing>>

Itsuki is looking pretty much per normal, but wearing long pants instead of shorts and carrying a little backpack with water, a first aid kit, some granola bars and a length of rope. He's not armed at all, and looking a little nervous as he nods, sticking close by Haruki. Proximity to the hedge is causing the shorter twin to revert to silent mode apparently.

Haruki nods. "Okay." He makes sure his phone is completely turned off and stuffs it back in his bag. "Stick close. Go flat if it goes dark? Don't stray off the path." He's got it. "And if trouble appears, hide behind you, don't run? Getting split up is bad?"

"Robbie's right. Stick close to us. But yeah, no cell towers, and even if you got a camera in there that would work? We'd have to destroy the pictures as soon as you took them," Paige says, shaking her head. She smiles. "It's okay to be nervous. This isn't a walk in the park, but stick with us and you'll be fine," she tells Itsuki, offering him a flashlight as well. "Yes, splitting up is bad," she says, looking around to make sure they're alone before she reaches forward then acts like she's pulling something out of a space only she can see. Except she pulls out her hammer. /Now/ she's armed. "Okay, let's go. Robbie, you wanna take point or head up the rear?" she asks, heading for the gate.

Rorschach signed to Paige with a mock scoff and a mild show of humor, <<Always with people trying to look at my bony ass. Yeah I'll grab point. If I get off though pull me in in case. Some weirdness was happening a few days ago when Zillah, Damion and I went in.>> With that his blade was slid around to hip; an instrument of rusted nightmares and irradiated steel one didn't want to pick up without a hazmat suit on. And in he headed scuttling like a bug does.

"Don't run. Don't run." This is unnatural advice to the rabbit, so he repeats it to himself quietly, Trying not to let the brandished weapons freak him out as he simultaneously reaches over to squeeze Haruki's hand inw hat's hopefully a reassuring gesture.

Haruki squeezes Itsuki's hand in return. He's quiet now, just prepared to do as he's told. He seems relaxed, not anxious at all.

Paige grins at Rorschach. "Considering you're engaged, I try not to look much," she teases before nodding and letting him lead the way. She smiles at the brothers. "Just stick together and stay between me and Robbie. This isn't our first time there. We'll get you out safe." And she prepares to follow the others, taking the rear. But it doesn't look like she's sneaking a peek at Ror's bony ass.

Rorschach paused looking back to Itsuki and had a slightly more humaine expression nodding to the other two to translate for him. << It will look scary, but you have my word that jedge will take me before you>> He made an X with a finger over his chest, fixed his gloves, and hopped through the gate. To be fair he really did have a bony ass that was covered by the long coat.

The trod would look decidedly different from when Paige goes alone. The Hedge reacted to those higher wyrd Lost oin strange ways. There was an influx of dry heat like an undercurrent of Summer amplified, but the ground was painted in dried blood, still gurgling in the wet placed of the land like a wound. The vegitation looked distressed and wilting from irradiation death slowly. Overall the tone of the land, though inhabited by the normal flora and fauna, felt neglected and abandoned like a faded memory.

Itsuki is not surprised or shocked. He is quite nervous, however, nodding to Paige and staying between the two as he follows after Rorschach. He is also not looking at anyone's butt, but that may only because of the long coat and the gut-gnawing terror he's trying to sqish down.

Haruki's sticking close to Itsuki. He's relaxed, perhaps a little too relaxed. He follows Rorschach in and... just looks around. He's not nervous. Here he is surrounded by people he loves. People he trusts. What can be better? He takes a few breaths trying to absorb it all. He leaves Itsuki to his own adjusting.

Paige's hammer comes to rest on her shoulder once they step through the gate, and she pats Haruki's shoulder comfortingly as he gets his first look at the Hedge. "Something to keep in mind is that the Hedge will look different depending on who you're with. Just think of it as sorta psychic and changing depending on who's in the area," she explains.

Rorschach didn't linger and was moving quickly and efficiently. Antennae stretched out 'sniffing' the air for reception. He stopped and steeled himself and pointed with two fingers signing to Paige << It didn't move too far. Road opens through here. Still Trod.>> Feet stayed on the ground so he knew if there were spots non-scuttlers needed to be alert of. So far? It wa blighted a bit but nothing alarming. Just sullen.

"Doesn't look familiar." This is half-muttered. Maybe to himself? Maybe to Haruki? Itsuki never talks about his Durance really, so it's not clear what he means as he wanders along after the roach, otherwise silent.

Haruki smiles and nods at Paige. He's happy, it's all good, nothing to be worried about. "I love you all, so much." He declares. "So very, very much. You're all so beautiful." He looks at their surroundings, at Rorschach, it's all just so wondrous. He's not quite ready to skip down the yellow brick road dancing and singing, but it is a close thing.

Paige nods to Rorschach. "Okay." She grins at Haruki. "Love you, too," she tells him before Itsuki gets a comforting pat from her this time. "Let us know if you guys need to stop or you see anything that freaks you out, okay?"

Rorschach turned to Haruki and arched an eyebrow, looked around at the blood drenched landscape, up at the sky, and then just shook his head proceeding onward. He aid nothing but signed nothing either stopping on occasion to actually taste the bark on occasion to get an idea of the terrain. He pulled something out of pocket consulting it a moment and then pointed forward.

Itsuki takes a deep breath, breaking into a snort of laughter at his twin's comment. Leaning shoulder to shoulder for a moment. "I love you too." He nods to Paige, but exhales. "I'm okay. I guess there's nothing to really worry about, right?"

Haruki follows Rorschach, and he'll copy him sometimes too, maybe some bark gets licked, because well why not. And maybe, just maybe he's making googly eyes at the bug. There's a few little hearts falling beneath his feet like confetti, he's probably just dropped some glitter from a hole in his pockets or something, marking a faint sparkly trail as they go. "I love you so much, Robbie, you know. So very, very much. I'm glad you have a Zillah though. I don't want her to bite me."

Paige doesn't react at Robbie licking things. The first time that Haruki does it though she pauses and blinks. "Um...I wouldn't lick everything that Robbie does," she offers helpfully. "Just because it doesn't hurt him doesn't mean it's as safe for you. And you should be okay so long as you stick with us and listen. The trods are safer than just wandering around randomly."

Rorschach paused and spun on heel crouching to sit on the back of his boots for a moment. His ead tilt and the insect man cracked a half grin and signed back << You are part of my hive too Haruki. But thank you." He slapped the lapels of his armoured coat and extended the singlular 'love you' gesture for them. His head swiveled, antenna twitched. Looking up to Paige he pointed as to reinforce her point signing <> This amused him greatly. He grinned to Paige and signed to the brothers, <>

Itsuki is slowly picking up just enough sign to get by, kind of. Blanching as he looks between the more experienced (and higher Wyrd) lost and Haruki, trying not to be nervous, "...But those trees were okay, right?"

"He's me though, and I'm him, and we're the same," Haruki's not quite completely lucid, but he is so joyously happy. "We lick the same." And he's wanting to learn. And if licking is learning... well maybe not licking is learning too. He can sniff a bit instead. "We can't see your butt in that coat." He declares. "Which is a very good thing since it would be very distracting. It's not as hard or well chiselled as Damion's, it's not the butt of a greek statue, or even one like Oberon's which was all perfectly proportioned, but it's nice because it's yours, even if there's not much of it at all. I'd totally lick it." He nods. "I've never tried to eat battery acid. I don't know if it's vegan. I can't even eat milk or gluten so I guess I need to evolve first. Do you think there's pokemon here. That'd be so much fun. But I wouldn't stuff it in a ball."

"Am I part of your hive?" Paige asks with a quick grin to Rorschach. But then Haruki's speaking and she's blinking at him. "Haruki...are you feeling okay? You're not Robbie, and you really shouldn't lick what he does. Just consider most stuff in the Hedge not vegan or gluten-free, okay? And no evolving," she says, shooting looks to the other two, clearly saying without speaking, 'What the fuck?'.

Rorschach was not a distrastion! Well unless one was into goth rock and heroin chic. Still he looked to Paige and gave her a thoughtful look seeming to share the thought. <<Let's see about making some quick progress to the hollow.>> Itsuki was give a look over and he motioned for them to come on. When he stood though he wandered back to Haruki, gave him a hug and pointed. Walk that way.

Itsuki reaches over to take the (mildly) taller Nakamura's hand, squeezing it and giving him a look of concern. "Aniki?" He looks to Rorschach in concern, not letting go of his hand as he follows after.

Haruki's totally into goth rock and heroin chic and just babbling out whatever comes into his mind without a filter. But he has a Rorschach to hug and who he loves hugging so much and who he licks on the cheek because licking is a thing now and it feels funny and no one said don't lick the bug did they? "I've never felt better. It's so good here. I thought Hunter might want to come." He smiles at Itsuki. "You're the best brother I ever wished for, Itsy. Oh. I met a woman who likes rabbits. She said Ganandorf looks like he has murder in his eyes but that's not true. He doesn't mean to bite does he? Apart from if people are mean. Are there rabbits in here?" He's lead wherever he's lead and walking where he's told to.

"Aniki?" Paige asks, but she's watching Haruki, and she does gently nudge Haruki to follow Rorschach, while she looks all sorts of concerned. "Quick sounds good, Robbie. I'll make sure everyone keeps up," she promises.

Rorschach nodded to the explainationa nd then... he was licked. He looked to Paige blinking. Nope, that wasn't normal. He wasn't offended but signed to her, <<This place is hell on my perceptions let alone that of a human. This might have been a bad idea. He considered and signed <> He let Itsukiwork at helping his brother through thi being his twin and all. << Itsuki's name for him. Like Bugbug I think?>>

"Um. No, it's just like, a nickname for older brother." Itsuki explains, distracted as he holds onto the older twin's hand, looking worried but smiling. "Nah, Gan-gan's a goof. He might've thought she was trying to steal his food, though." He looks around, "I hope there aren't. Not in this part anyway. Um, there are some though." He says this with casual knowledge, although doesn't explain further, nodding at the suggestion of moving along and trying to make sure Haruki stays focused.

Haruki smiles, nice and happy. "It's Japanese." He says helpfully. "We're Japanese. Like from Japan. But also American. Like from here. Um not here hedge here. Here Vermont here. Probably." He keeps moving with Itsuki. "I love the bunnies. I'm so glad they have you now too. Both of us. You're so good with them. We should do a big bunny show. And build them a warren."

Paige nods to Rorschach. "Should've started with a hollow. Could've taken him to mine." But she's keeping her attention firmly on Haruki. He's the one acting a little nuts, after all. Itsuki's just nervous. "I know you're Japanese. Maybe someday I'll ask you to teach me. I learned sign language, so I can learn stuff. Or we can cheat. Something."

Rorschach forged on ahead to see what they found; the irradiated wasteland laying seige to vegitation, and staining metal in rainbow patterns like Damascus steel/ He pointed onward. Though hea favourably remarked <<You meet the rabbits? They're pretty boss>>

Itsuki looks at Rorschach curiously. "I don't know if we're thinking of the same ones? I haven't been back since, um. You know. I haven't been back." He pats Haruki's arm and nods. "Yeah. Okay. I mean there's definitely space on the farm." He's a little anxious, but basically Haruki is just acting a bit drunk, which, isn't so bad.

Haruki keeps leaving a trail of scattered glittered hearts after him. Happy times. He hugs Itsuki, warm and happy.

Paige doesn't say anything for the moment, but she looks confused at some of the talk about rabbits. Plus she's distracted by Haruki. She does frown a little at the hearts Haruki's leaving behind. "Um...haruki, I know you like those, but can you stop dropping those hearts? We don't want to leave a trail right to Stoneheart."

Rorschach signed and answered Itsuki's want for clarification <> He stopped and looked to Haruki asking him <<Can you stop leaving a trail of breadcrumbs?->> And he stopped as Paige voiced that out loud. He took a deep breath and smiled to Haruki and tried to parse the thought <<Leaving anything behind can arm someone else. Let's not rush to do that just yet.>> He gave him a wam smile and gave Paige a pt on the shoulder leaning to her ear and then hopped forward to work on seeing the way clear.

"Oh! Yes. The gang are very boss." Itsuki nods in firm agreement, keeping Haruki's arm in his and glancing back at the trail. "Ah. Oh. Um, sorry. I guess that was obvious."

Haruki looks confused by what Paige says. "Um..." He looks down at them, puzzled, even moreso when Rorschach says the same. His hands dip into his pockets to search them, and come up with no glitter, but he is a magician. It's probably got stuck in his clothes somewhere. He brushes down his clothes. They're tiny things, barely noticable really. He checks his pockets again, and his sleeves just in case, and his boots without taking them off. "Uh. Sorry?"

Paige nods to Rorschach, sighing softly, before she watches as Haruki brushes himself off. "We're not mad, it's just not a smart idea to do in the Hedge. Stoneheart is as safe as you can get in the Hedge, and part of that is because it can't be easily found. We just don't want to change that."

Rorschach tapped the side of his nose but didn't finish the trail. He was a very analytical and reactionary breature which kept him alive. He went back to find some of the glitter and he stooped. The Moon Hunter prethed into his fist and like Batman made like throwing a smokebomb that seemed to ignite their trail for a moment in a haze of darkness and settle and then spider out into all sorts of directions and dissapate. That was... it really. He seemed somehow disappointed but gave Paige the nod. It'd do. He pointed. Onward.

Haruki nods at Paige. His mood's a bit more muted now though. He does smile slightly as Rorschach does magic. "Wow. You're a magician." And then to Itsuki. "Can you do that?"

Itsuki frowns a little at the question, thoughtful. "Um. I don't know." He tilts his head and tries to remember. "...Maybe? It's all kind of blurry. I haven't really tried um. I haven't really done any real magic. Since I got back."

Paige lightly touches Ror's shoulder, giving him a faint smile before she looks back to the brothers. She's not worried about the bug. She knows he can handle himself in the Hedge. "C'mon, let's just get to Stoneheart so you can settle a bit, then we'll get you back out. I'll show you some more magic when we get there if you want, okay?"

Rorschach offerd Paige a small smile and a 'thank you'. To Haruki he grinned << Itsuki and Paike prolly got better than me. I just get around. Though if we want to piss off all of Stonehearth I can cause another blackout.>> Hisgrin was entirely unapologetic.

Haruki nods at what they say and he hurries along. He has been walking all the time though, well as long as the bug is. "It's okay, Itsy, you don't need to do anything you don't want to." He suddenly hugs Rorschach again, just because. "I'd love to see your blackouts so I know what to expect and if I can feel you in the dark."

Itsuki takes a breath, nodding and hugging Haruki's arm a little at that. Even if he is hedge-drunk. Snorting at the other Nakamura's request to feel the bug in the dark but nodding to Paige's suggestion. "That sounds fun. It'd be hard to see the magic if it were dark though."

Paige grins at Rorschach. "Let's not piss them all off. But maybe one of the caves in there. But there's more to being Lost than doing magic. And I'll be happy to show you some things if you want, Itsuki. Always happy to help any of you."

Rorschach was surprisingly a good hugger and did not mind considering he was a homicidal cockroach. He turned and, thankfully Separation was on making him lighter than he deserved to be, scuttled over and folded like a lawnchair as he climbed Paige's back like an origami Yoda. He pointed, ONWARD!

Haruki boggles a little at Rorschach and what he does but well... weirdness is the name of the day. There's still little sparkles dropping as he walks but the smoke covers them up easily at least. And he's got his brother now to walk with. "Could we drive a car in here? What about a motorbike? It'd make it all go faster."

Itsuki huhs, looking the other two as he walks arm and arm with his Aniki, "I um. Actually don't know...." He trails off, watching the roach with a raised eyebrow but a bit of a grin, looking to Paige with a shrug.

Paige laughs but just shifts to help support Rorschach. "Cars don't really work so well in here. Some people have vehicles that are made from hedgestuff that work, or have found or bought horses and stuff to ride, but for us? It's our feet," she says, inclining her head to the siblings before she starts walking.

"If you were stronger, you could carry me and run at the same time," Haruki says to Itsuki. "Faster than any bike or car or steed. And if your ears were bigger you could fly through the sky and that would be best of all. They are nice ears."

Rorschach signed pointing to Paige and then the sign for aeroplane. Paige flies. That was a thing at the very least. The Hedge wasn't any more colourful with Robbie around, but still the distance got shortened considerably, until... well where were they? That was the beauty of hiding shit: it wasn't overtly findable and neither was the path in.

It's hard to notice around the higher wyrd lost, but there does seem to be an area around Itsuki where the color seems to bleed off, partially or entirely transitioning to gray-tone or sepia. He laughs a little, "I think I'd have to be a lot stronger." He nods at Paige's explanation. "Or, your feet I guess?" He looks to Haruki, "I can carry you for a bit at least, if you're feeling um. Tired?" He doesn't want to say 'completely shit-faced.'

"I'd carry all of you, but just don't think I could figure out how to balance three people," Paige admits with a grin, and she does keep a good pace, slowing only when the guys lag behind. Even carrying Robbie doesn't slow her down. "We're nearly there though, and then we can rest up and not worry about things. Promise."

Haruki's more lazy than tired. He has been walking what seems like a very long time. "Next time I'll bring in a shopping cart, or a wheelbarrow and you can push it." He doesn't quite ask if they're there yet. "I suppose we shouldn't stop for a picnic here? I wish I had strawberries. The most delicious strawberries in the world." He seems to have even forgotten his issues with making wishes. "They wouldn't be large though, they'd be perfectly bite sized and burst with flavour in your mouth and taste of summers and the sun and love and happiness. And even Robbie could have them because strawberries are red."

Rorschach signed to Itsuki <> At lease there was a plan of action, but he did list exfiltration on his list of asset skills on his resueme right? It looked nicer than GTFO.

Log:Hedge Trip

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