sylvansoldier

[sylvansoldier]

"You can't protect everyone."

I have to try.

[sylvansoldier]

Tess bites the inside of her cheek to keep from talking out of turn as things seem to grow increasingly chaotic from the moment of her arrival. A great mountain of a man with a beard like a snowbank is looking at her in a way that makes her wonder if he’s pinned a butterfly to a board, before.

Her nerves are alleviated, somewhat, by the appearance and explanation from her contact. He names her people and introduces her to North, the big man. She’s almost begun to feel like the world isn’t bucking beneath her feet for the first time all day, until she sees Bunny’s expression morph into one of desperate helplessness. He peels off toward the sound of voices coming from another room, leaving Tess to North’s direction.

Follow the chain of command, she tells herself, squaring her shoulders and facing North fully. Removing her helmet, she tucks it under her arm and bows from the waist. Her chickadee mimics the motion.

“My name is Tess Keating. What is the plan to help the Man in the Moon escape this eclipse?” It’s hard to maintain any type of poise or bearing while slowly shouting, but Tess does her best imitation of the General and tries not to imagine how ridiculous she would look to anyone her size.

Thank the stars she came alone.

“If there’s anything I can do to help, I’m at your service.”

Kozmotis, who is no stranger to complex, rapidly unfolding crises, affords the soldier a respectful nod. The name of a shared, cherished little friend stops him dead; Bunnymund slams into him and miraculously, the Pooka and the Centurion reach out in gracious harmony to steady each other. Their eyes only briefly meet, but their alarm, too, matches. Doodle is Bunny's little charge and Kozmotis's dear little friend.

In a handful of strides, the once-King of Nightmares dashes into the room housing the cacophony of light and sound. North instructed him to decipher the Golden Age device telephoning the moon, and that's still his objective.

He skids to a halt beside Jack, who looks paler than usual, and Tooth, tense and hovering, beside the winter spirit.

"Steady on," he murmurs, eyeing them both keenly. Somehow his voice carries both authority and gentleness. Just like a mentor, a field commander.

Or a dad.

An inspired Bunnymund jets in ahead of him. The general lays a practiced hand on the gears as the Pooka announces a fresh plan. Kozmotis murmurs to himself, his ore stare absorbing the mechanisms as he troubleshoots. A hand snaps up.

"So--hold on. First things first. There's Golden Age to this, but, also...was this ever Ombric's? In Big Root?" he asts, tacit and crisp. "Father Time. He was North's teacher. For ages. I saw something that looked like a prototype of this thing when I was a spider in a robot's ear....long story."

He waves it off.

"Ombric slept inside that globe shaped bit up there, with a bunch of owls, and the device that called the moon looked rather prosaic. Like a twentieth century analog phone. Jack, gimme that. I think it just needs a bit of tuning, in the dark...."

He takes the ear and mouth piece from Fun's Guardian and conjures a small lockpick-like shadow, which he inserts and twists into the mechanism. The static ceases, and then the perfect, sizzling clarity of an open line, but the voices on the other end are still slightly panicked. "Doodle...? Hallo? Doodle, who's that with you? This is ....well, never mind. But--" A huff. "OI, GENTLEMEN! Get a grip!"

Lord, what an irony.

"Now, I've got the Easter Bunny here with instructions, so listen in."

@nerditudes

[sylvansoldier]

reblog if you’re 25+ and still roleplay; or if you believe older muns have a place in the rpc and shouldn’t be told to give it up when they turn 30. 

i received this anon & i just want to make a point. 

[sylvansoldier]

&. 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬.

( this is basically just a very self indulgent list of various fluff, angst, and suggestive themed dialogue sentence starters. )

❛ i could keep you safe. they’re all afraid of me. ❜

❛ i’m trying to fix your hair, so hold still. ❜

❛ your heart is beating so fast right now. ❜

❛ promise me you’ll still be here when i wake up. ❜

❛ you’re not as bad as everyone says you are. ❜

❛ i thought you’d like some company. ❜ 

❛ clean yourself up. you're getting blood all over the place. ❜

❛ here, give this a try and tell me what you think. ❜

❛ you can kiss me, you know. ❜

❛ come back to bed. ❜

❛ you look good like this. ❜

❛ working together again, it’s just like old times. ❜

❛ how is it you always know what i need, huh? ❜

❛ you’re lucky you got away with only a scratch. ❜ 

❛ i can’t imagine losing someone like that. i’m sorry. ❜

❛ you know you can always talk to me. ❜

❛ the only one who gets to kill you, is me. ❜

❛ so, what do i owe this pleasure? ❜

❛ ah, so you aren’t heartless after all. ❜

❛ may i have this dance? ❜ 

❛ it’s okay, you can touch me. i won't break. ❜

❛ enemies make the best lovers, you know. ❜

❛ hold still. this might sting a little. ❜

❛ we can't keep doing this. ❜ 

❛ you look like you've got something to say. ❜

❛ just relax and let me take care of you. ❜

❛ thought you’d be lighter without all that blood. ❜

❛ i had it under control. you didn’t need to do that. ❜

❛ everything looks so beautiful from up here. ❜

❛ you treat all your ladies like this? ❜

❛ well? how do i look? ❜

❛ can’t sleep? ❜

❛ do you mind if i smoke? ❜

❛ i’m scared of ending up alone. ❜

❛ i don’t think i’ve ever seen you smile. ❜

❛ how long has it been since you've slept? ❜

❛ you are losing my interest, and that’s very dangerous. ❜

❛ i’d suffer hell if you’d tell me what you’d do to me tonight. ❜

❛ you look really pretty right now. ❜

❛ i’ve never cared for anyone the way i care for you. ❜

❛ i’m not wearing any underwear. thought you’d like to know. ❜

❛ just a few more stitches and you’ll be as good as new. ❜

❛ i’d say we make a pretty good team. ❜

❛ i want you to forget this ever happened. ❜

❛ i'm here for business — not pleasure. ❜

❛ if i didn't know any better, i'd say you were jealous. ❜

❛ you'd look better down on your knees. ❜

❛ fine, keep acting like you hate me. ❜

❛ kiss me again. ❜

❛ are you asking me out on a date? ❜

❛ just sit there and look pretty and let me handle this. ❜

❛ you okay? caught you staring off into space again. ❜

❛ well, i do feel better now that you're here. ❜

❛ i'm not drunk enough for this. ❜ 

❛ why is it whenever we see each other, you’re covered in blood? ❜

❛ i was wrong about you. ❜ 

❛ the first time i met you, i had no idea you'd mean this much. ❜

❛ you gonna be a good girl / boy for me? ❜

❛ i’m not afraid of you. ❜

❛ books mean more to me than people anyway. ❜

❛ i just wanted to say thank you for protecting me. ❜

❛ how about a kiss goodnight? ❜

❛ i don’t have time for distractions right now. ❜

❛ you shouldn’t be out here by yourself. ❜ 

❛ if i have to think about one more thing today, my head will explode. ❜

[sylvansoldier]

&. 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬.

( this is basically just a very self indulgent list of various fluff, angst, and suggestive themed dialogue sentence starters. )

❛ i could keep you safe. they’re all afraid of me. ❜

❛ i’m trying to fix your hair, so hold still. ❜

❛ your heart is beating so fast right now. ❜

❛ promise me you’ll still be here when i wake up. ❜

❛ you’re not as bad as everyone says you are. ❜

❛ i thought you’d like some company. ❜ 

❛ clean yourself up. you're getting blood all over the place. ❜

❛ here, give this a try and tell me what you think. ❜

❛ you can kiss me, you know. ❜

❛ come back to bed. ❜

❛ you look good like this. ❜

❛ working together again, it’s just like old times. ❜

❛ how is it you always know what i need, huh? ❜

❛ you’re lucky you got away with only a scratch. ❜ 

❛ i can’t imagine losing someone like that. i’m sorry. ❜

❛ you know you can always talk to me. ❜

❛ the only one who gets to kill you, is me. ❜

❛ so, what do i owe this pleasure? ❜

❛ ah, so you aren’t heartless after all. ❜

❛ may i have this dance? ❜ 

❛ it’s okay, you can touch me. i won't break. ❜

❛ enemies make the best lovers, you know. ❜

❛ hold still. this might sting a little. ❜

❛ we can't keep doing this. ❜ 

❛ you look like you've got something to say. ❜

❛ just relax and let me take care of you. ❜

❛ thought you’d be lighter without all that blood. ❜

❛ i had it under control. you didn’t need to do that. ❜

❛ everything looks so beautiful from up here. ❜

❛ you treat all your ladies like this? ❜

❛ well? how do i look? ❜

❛ can’t sleep? ❜

❛ do you mind if i smoke? ❜

❛ i’m scared of ending up alone. ❜

❛ i don’t think i’ve ever seen you smile. ❜

❛ how long has it been since you've slept? ❜

❛ you are losing my interest, and that’s very dangerous. ❜

❛ i’d suffer hell if you’d tell me what you’d do to me tonight. ❜

❛ you look really pretty right now. ❜

❛ i’ve never cared for anyone the way i care for you. ❜

❛ i’m not wearing any underwear. thought you’d like to know. ❜

❛ just a few more stitches and you’ll be as good as new. ❜

❛ i’d say we make a pretty good team. ❜

❛ i want you to forget this ever happened. ❜

❛ i'm here for business — not pleasure. ❜

❛ if i didn't know any better, i'd say you were jealous. ❜

❛ you'd look better down on your knees. ❜

❛ fine, keep acting like you hate me. ❜

❛ kiss me again. ❜

❛ are you asking me out on a date? ❜

❛ just sit there and look pretty and let me handle this. ❜

❛ you okay? caught you staring off into space again. ❜

❛ well, i do feel better now that you're here. ❜

❛ i'm not drunk enough for this. ❜ 

❛ why is it whenever we see each other, you’re covered in blood? ❜

❛ i was wrong about you. ❜ 

❛ the first time i met you, i had no idea you'd mean this much. ❜

❛ you gonna be a good girl / boy for me? ❜

❛ i’m not afraid of you. ❜

❛ books mean more to me than people anyway. ❜

❛ i just wanted to say thank you for protecting me. ❜

❛ how about a kiss goodnight? ❜

❛ i don’t have time for distractions right now. ❜

❛ you shouldn’t be out here by yourself. ❜ 

❛ if i have to think about one more thing today, my head will explode. ❜

[sylvansoldier]

Bird and rider crash to the floor in a tiny whirlwind of feathers and grunts. Tess tumbles from the saddle soon after the collision, but recovers and whistles for her bird with well-practiced urgency. On the ground, under such large feet, she's vulnerable.

It's only when Pip lands before her and she's got one foot in the stirrups that she actually takes in her surroundings. This was not the place she expected the spell to send her. It's rustic, but not natural. Hewn wooden beams arch far away above her, tiered like some great wooden beehive and festooned with flapping crimson banners. The sounds of crafting rise from below and soar to the rafters. Only the individuals around her seem to be at all still—a spell broken by her sudden arrival. The weight of their gazes paralyzes Tess for a moment, and she has to wrestle with the primordial prey instinct to run.

She stands her ground, swings herself into the saddle, and directs Pip into flight. Knowing these big folk, she will need to speak loud and slow to be understood.

Positioning the chickadee on the wooden railing wrapping around their level of the hive, she straightens and calls to the massive rabbit known as the "Easter Bunny."

"I've come on behalf of Moonhaven to speak to Tsar Lunanoff. The moon has been dark for too long, and we fear for our friend." She pauses, taking another deep breath before calling out, "Are you able to contact him?"

The script of the rapidly deteriorating situation has played like a steady drone in the back of the centurion's mind. All the while he's riveted his conscious thoughts into the dark collective of Pitch and his Nightmares like an Anglerfish lure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Nothing: his mirror is ruthless, clever as ever, too focused upon the unfolding first front of battle to leak intel. And his entire arm, the same once fused to Emily Jane's locket, is becoming wet and cold and numb, like it's submerged bloodlessly in jello.

It's unpleasant. He tries, one last time, with a soft growl, for a louder diversion.

{ You gonna talk to me,

Face Thief, Mind Snatcher,

Daughter Killer,

or do I have to go up there and

honk your nose inside out through your arsehole

for a proper audience?

Oi, PITCH? }

The last Pooka addresses Kozmotis directly. He jolts mid-threat, then grimly chuckles.

"Something like that, yes. More trying to distract him and figure out his angle."

He knows, already knows, Bunnymund's fears, from petty to all-consuming; he still has a mental catalogue of every living creature's fear profile. Tactfully as he's able, he sidesteps Hope's nervous admissions. "Listen," he shrugs, from where he's knelt, "I've no issue with heights, I'll go help Ja--"

His taxed, rasping voice stills unexpectedly at the tiny interruption.

'What? What happened?" he snaps, extricating himself and shaking his arm. He dashes over.

[sylvansoldier]

sorry for being so obsessed with that little man who lives in my head. as if i have any choice

[sylvansoldier]

"—but there's been no answer from the Moon or it's Tsar, so we've decided to contact his Guardians." Queen Mari brightens at the last word, and for a moment, she looks her age, again. "The Easter Bunny should be active about now, with Spring so close. The Tsar gave us a way to send someone to him, but it will be on you to get back. You'll be on your own." She looks apologetic, afraid of this one thing she cannot control.

Which is why they can't afford to send anyone essential, Tess concludes with a nod. "Do you know where it'll send me, exactly?"

Here, General Ronin steps in. "The Easter Bunny—his name is actually Aster, according to Tara's notes—has carved a series of tunnels throughout the Earth, leading back to his Warren." There's a note of warmth that resonates in his voice, at the mention of the past queen. "The portal should send you straight to him, probably at one of the doors. Give him Tsar Lunanoff's name, and he should be able to help us."

"Or at least explain the situation," Nim Galuu adds, nervously glancing toward the reddened canopy over Moonhaven. Tess feels her gaze pulled upwards, as well. She half-expects the shadows of wings to join the ruddy glow.

"It's a lot to ask, but we trust you to do what you can." Ronin's affirmation pulls her gaze back to the assembled group.

Tess squares her shoulders, "Then, we shouldn't waste any more time."

---

As Mari finishes the incantation, the scroll burns into emerald cinders in her hands. But rather than floating upwards, as embers do, the green particles swirl and writhe about on the air before whirling into an oblong window. Faster and faster until the air itself warps like the heat of a blaze. White hot and bright, a window opens to somewhere.

Tess' chickadee is already in a dive, wings tucked to his sides and pointed straight for the portal. Tess only looks away for a second to catch a final glimpse of the Queen, the General, and the Scrollkeeper waving her on.

And then—

Through!

But something feels strange.

Where she expected grass and green, she sees crimson, wood, and stone. Where she expected warmth and the smell of trees, she feels the cool light of winter and... cookies.

But there is no mistaking the great grey rabbit standing on two legs before her.

Not when her chickadee crashes headlong into his chest.

@easterpookan

[sylvansoldier]

The night had gone to one of cautious optimism to one of quiet dread in only an hour's time.

The moon became red

and it had yet to change back.

Tess didn't wait for a summons or an emergency bell to pull on half her armor and leave her home at a jog, with the rest of her kit in a bag.

A dozen worrying possibilities play out in her mind on the flight to the capital—a natural phenomenon never before witnessed; the encroachment of the human world and its pollution; an unseen attack from the Boggans following their leader's defeat and a bloody conflict for the throne.

It's quickly apparent to her that no one seems to have a clear idea of what is going on, but they have begun to organize, in response. Patrol teams are sent out into each sector, checking in on civilians and giving aid where it is needed. The lanterns of the capital are lit, burning away the bloody tint from Moonhaven. And, in secret, the Queen receives counsel from the master archivist on an ally that may have greater knowledge to share.

Discussions are had between the Queen and her advisors and options are considered. It is dangerous to spread the ranks too thin, and the General will not go far from her. It is decided that they will send a single capable soldier to gather information and report back.

A page finds Tess in the scramble and taps her shoulder. He hands off a slip of paper before hurrying off to deliver his next message.

Report to the throne room. Be discreet.

Tess is well-practiced at moving through crowds without drawing much attention to herself. Every leafman in the crowd has a job to do, and they aren't focused on where each of their comrades are headed. She's just another leaf on the tree, after all.

[sylvansoldier]

The moon casts a glow through the uneven glass of Tess' window, full and heavy and a shade off its usual lily white. It looks more like wax as the eclipse approaches and the shadow of Earth falls over it.

While the red tint brings uneasy feelings, Tess tries to make the most of the first full moon of spring. A row of freshly planted seeds rests in the freshly-tilled soil beneath her window, and her hair is still damp from a cleansing bath. It's a time for change and renewal, and sometimes, casting off the old isn't quick and easy. Sometimes, the old clings like ill-fitting snakeskin and a bit more force is required to move forward.

She sighs, hoping that whatever waits over the next turn of the planet will be kinder than what has passed.

The room feels cool and too close, at the same time.

[sylvansoldier]

"You? Bereft of attention?" Tess flutters a hand to her heart and fixes Darkside with a deeply pitying look. "Perish the thought."

She considers for a moment, and some of the humor leaves her.

"Also, I know your flavor of drastic, and I'm not sure the solar system is ready for that kind of remodeling."

@sylvansoldier gets pestered by her wife

"If I do not get attention soon I may do something drastic."

[sylvansoldier]

There is a mildness in the air. The wind has lost some of its bite, and the smell of wet dirt and growth has overpowered the lingering scent of snow. Nothing is green, yet, but the potential can be felt like a shiver of adrenaline.

A buttery soft sun shines through the naked trees.

Tess looks up at the peeping call of a cardinal, a warning sound meant for its mate. By reflex, she is already assessing her surroundings and adjusting her footing; the ground is thick with snowmelt, and the mud clings to her boots more than she would like. But she has been able to forgo heavier gloves and her sword feels more like a natural extension of her arm, again.

It feels right. She feels like she has returned to something long dormant and found it awake and waiting for her.

[sylvansoldier]

(My first post on Tess' new blog is me apologizing for every black eye I ever gave her.

Turns out, a black eye hurts like a motherfucker.)