Log:Hedge Take Two

Hedge Take Two
Participants Haruki, Itsuki, Vorpal	6 November, 2017 Haruki takes his second trip into the hedge with Vorpal. Itsuki tags along, trying to save him from the dangers.
Location
Haruki's going to the market and he couldn't be happier! Maybe this is the worst idea he's ever had but he's not thinking just now, no, instead he's smiling, and walking with a bounce to his step once they emerge from the car, and he's looking around curiously at everything. There's so much he wants to say, but he holds back the babble of words, instead following Vorpal oh so obediently. Vorpal pauses at a gap between the stalls in the Riverside markets, turning and walking straight through, waving to keep him close. He doesn't speak 'til they're through. The passage itself isn't very intriguing- but on the other side, the wares become... strange. "Now. Stay close to me. I mean it. If you want to hand me the end of your belt or something, that's fine. You stay on my heels. Don't try to navigate here, try to remember where we're going. Wild Roses Goblin Market. The trods will make a way. Here, though, it's a pattern." Vorpal peers about for a moment, then nods. "They're starting on green. Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, Red, Orange, Yellow. Then it repeats. Follow and watch. And -don't- touch anything." Haruki hurries after and nods and he only hesitates a moment before stepping through the hedge gate. He shivers a bit as he passes through and he's trembling more as he stares around at the hedge, wide-eyed. "Okay. Right by you." As the colours are spoken he just looks intensely confused. "Stick right by you." "It's the -rainbow,-" quips Vorpal impatiently. "Roy G Biv and all that nonsense. It's just started at green this time, it's not- mysterious." Vorpal leads the way, speaking as they go. "This is how Trods work. The Hedge cares nothing for maps, cares nothing for anything but where you intend to go and how strongly you can remember it. If you focus, it sends you on the trails walked and remembered and told of in stories between here and there. There are so many tales of the maze of stalls, or buildings, or hedges, between the Markets riverside and the Wild Rose markets that the Hedge just... scrambles them. Mazes, all day long. Which is why you follow me, and hide behind me if there's danger, and run if I say. Nothing should bother us with me here, but if something -does- dare, it's probably dangerous and get ready to run. Get lost in the maze if you need to, I can find you after easier than they will. At that point, the more lost you are, the better." He turns at the Green stall he pointed out. Then Blue. Indigo. Violet. He's not hiding, and his shadows are everywhere for ten yards in every direction. They're not hard to track. There's a silvery rabbit-shaped blur as the younger Nakamura runs after where he saw Aniki disappearing with a strange shadowy and sinsiter thing, running as fast as he can. Which is super fast, actually. Hands flailing as he practically plows into the taller twin, pushing him away. "Run! Monster! Fast!" The words aren't strung together too coherently, but the general gist is there. He seems a bit panicked. "You said it in the wrong order," Haruki points out. "But okay." He smiles, this is exciting. "Okay. I'll do all that. So, uh you and Calliope? You were together?" Just small talk. He seems wary as he's told to get lost in the maze. And then there's a monster charging for them, and panic kicks in and Haruki does exactly as he's told and hides behind Vorpal, or tries, but Itsuki crashes into him and he's shoved and... pAnIc! He hides from the monster behind Vorpal, and tries to drag Itsuki with him. "I said it in the -right- order, starting with where we were," corrects Vorpal, jerking to a stop as his infallible Kenning screams that a changeling is coming at them entirely too fast. He's already turning around as Itsuki closes, and when he hears words of "monster", he interposes between the brothers and where this monster must surely be coming from, a blade whipping into his hand from apparently nowhere. Shadows flood the stalls where Itsuki just came from, and Vorpal... stares into them before straightening and turning around. "... what monster? You're the only thing here 'sides us. What are you playing at?" He sounds puzzled. And a touch disappointed. "Hold that thought." he scans over the brothers' heads. "... Red. There it is." Back to Itsuki and Haruki. "Now. What's all this about a monster?" Itsuki doesn't hear about half of that, trying to counter-push Aniki away from the shadow-thing. Although it doesn't work great. Haruki is not exactly a rippling mountain of muscly man flesh, but he's at least a little bigger than and stronger than the bun, who tries in vain to push him away, "Monster! It! Him!" He tries kick Vorpal away. He also has like no brawl so don't really have to roll, honestly. Feedback loop. If you're scared, and Haruki currently is, the hedge amplifies that. And he is shaking, and seeing monsters in the shadows and trying to cling to his brother and stop any kicking, and it really is a mess. "They're everywhere!" He's barely processing things. "Nononono! Nat's friend... not monster, Nat's friend! Protecting from monsters! We're going to the market! Xmas presents from Santa and lamposts." "... monster? -Me?- You think I'm- oh, PLEASE." At the lashing kick, Vorpal grabs the offending foot and yanks, aiming to send Itsuki onto his rear. "I'm going to -Market.- He wanted to come. It's not like there's someone safer than ME to travel with. Who ARE you, anyway?" Vorpal glances at Haruki, who's trying to explain, and pauses. "... Santa and lamp posts? What -are- you talking about?" Itsuki lands on his rump with an 'oof.' The motion switches the monochromatic bun's coloring from silver to black, ears still fully perked and ready to spring as he nose-twitches, looking at his twin, "Nat's... friend?" He tries to process this, still clinging protectively to his big brother and blinking, "I'm um." Vorpal is fae-ish enough that he feels hesitant about giving out his name, quickly jumping to a topic change, "But... I thought you weren't going into the hedge anymore." This at Haruki. Vorpal straightens at hearing the bit about "not going into the Hedge" and turns towards Haruki expectantly. "Don't hurt my brother," Haruki says, trying to help his brother remain on his feet. "Doors. Wardrobes. Rabbitholes." He sighs. "I wanted to go to the market. Three little piggies." He shakes his head "No, five piggies. No bacon. Knowledge is power. Not the hedge, the market. And Nat's pal said I could go with him. But I'm not to speak and to stick right next to him. On his heels. Hide behind him if danger and run and get lost if he tells me to. Best behaviour. Nothing can be scarier than him! And he's my friend. You can't call monsters monsters or they get upset." Vorpal protests indignantly. "I am -not- upset. This is my confused face, can't you tell?" The conversation is thoroughly between the brothers, and he's content to interject at dramatically appropriate moments and let them hash it out. The blade vanishes. Up a sleeve or under the hoodie or... magic trick? It's- awh, it's... gooooone. The younger magician isn't impressed, he's vanished way bigger things than that up all kinds of places. Itsy leans on Aniki as he gets back up, trying to calm down as he gives the older magician a hug. "Okay. I. I'm sorry, I didn't know you wanted to go. I thought maybe..." He worries his lip. "I'm sorry I called your friend a monster." Oh and I guess Vorpal is also there so he turns and offers a half-bow. "I'm sorry I called you a monster. I didn't realize you were a friend." "You tried to save me," Haruki's eyes are wide and surprised and he cuddles Itsuki. "You shouldn't be sorry for that." He smiles. "We're going to the market. Rainbow. Green Blue Indigo Violet Red Orange Yellow. I can sing a rainbow." And to Vorpal he says. "All your faces are scary faces but that's okay. Not everyone can see them. I am sure you are very handsome and confused." "It's fine, really," waves off Vorpal with a hand that loses its flesh and exposes curling, prehensile blades where phalanges should be. He examines the blades and shrugs. "I'm at least a BIT monstery. You're forgiven for worrying about your brother. But I've someplace to be, and unless you remember the turns back, you'll just have to come along, Haruki's brother." Haruki's reassurance leaves him laughing, openly and pleasantly. "Fair enough! Come. Red's next. Few more rainbows, and we'll be out." Itsuki hugs his brother for a moment. Awww. He can't see any of Vorpal's faces but he nods, still a little nervous but holding onto Haruki's hand. "Itsuki. Itsuki Nakamura. Um. Mr...?" "You're more the Sully kind of monster instead of the Kreuger. Or Pinhead." Haruki smiles. "Not Hannibal though. Rainbows showing us the way to leprechauns gold. There's no female leprechauns are there? And it's all kind of gay. But not in a bad way." He nods. "Let's get moving." "No Mister. Mister is a step down." Vorpal leads the way, sweeping through turn after turn as he leads the way. "Vorpal. God of the Hunt, Slayer of the Beast That Walks, Dawn Aspirant, Harvestman Recruit, and Inheritor of- hm. Well. Suppose there's no good way to say it." Instead, Vorpal lifts his hand towards a nearby wall, and drenches it in shadow. A sigil emerges, unhidden in the midst of the darkness. "And trust me, friends. I can very much be much like Kreuger or Pinhead- just only when it's deserved. And don't trust fairy gold. It's all dust in the end." Another turn, and... ... the group turns a corner and they're in alleyways. Barely room for the three of them, but there is room- none of them are big people really. Vorpal doesn't even slow down as he keeps moving. "Stay down here. Don't even consider the fire escapes, they escape nothing and take you off the trod. We'll be through in no time, if you stay on my heels, boys. Safe as houses." "Towards... something." Itsy eyes the surroundings nervously, clinging onto Haruki's hand tightly either in support or for support, it's unclear which. "Vorpal. Nice to meet you." Although the list of ominous titles doesn't really help with the nerves too much. He makes sure to stay close behind, though. Haruki will keep hold of Itsuki's hand, and he just keeps following Vorpal, stepping where he steps. "No traps. Houses aren't safe." A constantly shifting "cloud cover" of shadows wanders over their heads at Vorpal's behest. He's constantly tipping his head to adjust it's location and keep it on their heels as they move through. They make good time here- nothing wants to come out and hassle them, not with HIM there. "I'd say relax, boys, but- best if you don't. Stay on your toes, and right behind me. Simple. Now, what was next... wasn't it the suburbs?" One more corner, and... ... they're out of the alleys and onto the streets. "Ah, not the suburbs JUST-" He pauses, eyeing a particular door with a line-etched pig above the handle. "... yet. Hm. That's worth investigating later. New. Intriguing." He continues past it, though. "Open no doors, explore no yards, we stay to the trod. Here, that's the street. Nearly anything else will just get you lost. Don't fall for it- we're on the right path." Haruki's doing his best to memorise the path they're walking, nevermind it's the hedge and might end up changing. "Pebbles not breadcrumbs." Their surroundings seem to disturb him more and more. "Wrongwrongwrong." He mutters. "Notreal." He continues to stick close to Vorpal. Itsuki's eyes stay riveted to the back of the near-fae ahead of them, purposefully avoiding even looking at the houses. He doesn't really need to be told to be careful. "Just think about. I don't know. What kind of Christmas presents were you looking for? I haven't even started thinking about it." Vorpal keeps blazing the path as their trail swirls around the strange hill, ever upwards, never really closing in. At last, the road rolls flat and they step into... ... wood paneled suburbia. Perfectly xeroxed houses as far as the eye can see, each looming from behind perfect trimmed hedges. There's a gap to the front doors, and each house has a unique scent- but these are not pleasant scents. Vorpal doesn't pay the houses or the walkways any attention, instead watching the road. "Here. Look at the tire wear on the asphalt, where the topcoat exposes the white rocks under. That's our Trod. That's where we're going. For now, that means we're turning off of... Hare Avenue, for..." For Thumbscrew Boulevard. He clears his throat, suspiciously like a chuckle, and turns onto the road more traveled. "Come now, boys. Won't be long now." "I'm not buying anything," Haruki says. "I've nothing to sell. Accept no gifts. Nothing's free." He looks around. "I didn't expect it to be at all like this. I thought there'd be more hedges. More... less buildings, more wild. It's like looking through the world through a fuzzy mirror. "Who built all this?" He's about to ask another question but Vorpal answers it. "Oh." He smiles. "Hare's. Perfect bunny place." Itsuki snorts, but nods, clinging so close to Haruki that the twins almost seem like some weird kind of optical illusion. Although only one of them has snow-white lop ears standing on end. "Thumbscrews sound less nice, though." He still follows after the shadow-man. "Built? This is the Hedge. This is just how it is. Same as how the most of it is wilderness- because most stories take place there- there's plenty of stories of getting lost in markets, in towns, suburbia- there's all manner of mazes, and as people talked about the mazes between Riverside and the Wild Roses- this evolved." "Good boy. Exactly right. Nothing is free. Look. Get an idea what you might like, and talk to ME about it. I can help you find the things you can -safely- trade." The hedges get taller. Wilder. And... "Oh. That's strange." Haruki says. "So, does fruit grow here? It probably wouldn't taste good?" He nods at Vorpal. This place has him unsettled. Don't look at the creepy statues. Don't stare at the swirling flowers. Don't blink. Just stare at Vorpal and keep as close to him as possible. Vorpal makes -very- quick work of escorting the twins through the garden. Thorny, poisonous, or otherwise lethal plants line the paths, and Vorpal is -extremely- clear that they are to be ignored and avoided while they go as quick as possible. No stopping to rest on the benches under the terrified statues. And soon? The Hedge maze. Haruki hurries along after Vorpal. He didn't want to be in that last place for any longer than he had to. "It feels like hours? Days? Time goes wobbly in here." He admits. "It doesn't flow right." And thne he spies them, on the hedge they're walking past, berries. Surely it wouldn't hurt to take just a few? He's thirsty from all this walking and the flavour of sweet berries would be wonderful. Itsuki is holding tight to Haruki's hand, but he doesn't notice the berries or Aniki looking at them. He's mostly trying not to pay attention to the surroundings because they creep him out. Boop. Vorpal reaches back and casually touches Haruki's chest when he reaches for a berry. Soon as he does, Haruki's shirt siezes up like steel. It won't let him move! It won't go anywhere! "Ah-ah-ah. No touching of the berries. No eating of anything here. If you're hungry, I've got tons of blushberries. Don't. Eat. Here. Are we understood?" Vorpal tips his head like he's giving Haruki the Teacher Look. Haruki gazes at Vorpal with wide, innocent eyes. He wasn't really going to be so stupid, was he? He doesn't really have time to panic, no. "What's a blushberry? That sounds nice. I understand. No snacking. Is bad idea. No licking things. Nononono no." Itsuki fights the urge to instinctively kick and fight off the terrible shadow-thing reaching to boop his brother. Not that it would do any good. Deep breaths. He holds onto Aniki tight. "So. Um. Why are we going to the market, if not Christmas shopping?" Vorpal nods, satisfied, and snaps his fingers to release the magic on Haruki's shirt. It's normal again! "That's right. Here, have a berry. Itsuki. Want one?" He keeps them moving as he offers, pulling the berries from a paper pouch in his pocket. He eats two himself. "Your brother had a clever idea for finding the worthless piles of flesh hunting and killing our kind in Fort Brunsett. If they can see us, why not use something extravagant that only we can see to draw attention?" The path finally leads out of the Hedge maze, and he heads them into a tangle of shrubberies and berry canes to the... well, off in that direction. "We're going to look for a mosquito dog whistle, that only those with fairy ears can hear," Haruki says. "So that we can find the spies." He shakes his head. "If it's sight. I'm good at pretending I don't see what I see. Seeing is expected. Sound isn't. That's why I said sound. Also means your own sight isn't obscured so you can see who reacts and who doesn't. I knew not to react to weird monsters. I didn't know sometimes green hair is blond and not dyed." He takes the berry as if it's the greatest treasure ever and sniffs it, then he licks it. "A whistle?" Itsy chews hesitantly on the berry. Although it is sugary and he does like that. "What if the spies are just Lost, though?" "At the end of the day, whether they're Lost or gifted, it's a way for us to find strangers we can't recognize who can see through our Masks. It'll let us locate them, find out their allegiances, and make decisions from there." Vorpal, pauses, glancing back at the Hedge maze and smiling pleasantly. "See, that wasn't so bad. Come. We'll head on. It's still a bit of a hike, but less interesting than the labyrinth. After me, boys." And he leads the way forward towards the Market, confident as ever.