paixaorpg | Leaving on Red Hill [ Active // closed ]

Entry tags:

Leaving on Red Hill [ Active // closed ]

Character(s): Tsume, Toboe, and Blue if she chooses to join
Content: Catching wind of Toboe in the fake city, Tsume decides it's a good idea to see if it's who he thinks it is, or if he's really alone, and ends up running into trouble.
Setting: I6, towards Actua Are's direction.
Time: Early week 27, late afternoon
Warnings: None, really. Violence, but nothing over the top.

He'd been stuck in this stupid place for two weeks. Just two weeks, and he was ready to fling himself off a cliff just to get out of here. He was used to the city and new how to adapt, yes, but that didn't mean he liked being here.

Tsume was a wolf, not a human. He didn't belong here, he was falling into his old habits without anyone like himself around. He'd met up with a few odd characters, and he wasn't running with a gang of humans this time around, at least--no, he didn't need to surround himself or lead a bunch of humans around on a crime spree to feel..important, or to pass the time by. He did, however, find himself growing more and more frustrated, spiteful, and insecure again. He knew he wasn't going to be the one to open paradise, he knew he wouldn't get to go to paradise--only Kiba would, but he embarked on the journey anyhow. To be part of something and erase the shame from his name. To stand by something until the bitter end and redeem himself.

But he failed. He could smell Hige and Blue's blood like a wall of swamp water flooding his nose, that fresh, coppery scent mingling with the bitter scent of death. The same smell that rose from Toboe's bloody carcass. He was too late to save Toboe from the humans he believed in, he was too late to do anything for Hige and Blue, and he couldn't even make it up to Kiba to at least distract Darcia. He was useless.. At least Hige would get to die in forgiveness for the things he'd done.

The thought made his fur bristle, his strides stiff as he went through the city. He was useless. He probably could've caught himself if he really tried, there were other ledges. Did he let himself fall on purpose? Was he just trying to escape his fate again? Probably. He had a hard time forgiving Hige for his betrayal as much as he had a hard time forgiving himself and all of his failures. He didn't trust himself around anyone, let alone the other wolves he traveled with--they had too much faith in him. He'd try, yes, but..he didn't see himself as worth it at first. But through it all, the further he went, the more all four wolves depended on one another and trusted one another..Tsume..came to let them depend on him, too. He had valuable skills, and he'd get himself and Toboe to Paradise or die trying.

But that didn't matter now. He did die, and he wasn't of any help. He failed them just like he failed his pack, his family--his mother, father, brothers, sisters. So now he was here in this dome, living like a stray dog again. He always kept his illusion up as a habit, but still.

He was out again today, though, looking for something to hunt again(his previous searches being unsuccessful), something to satiate the blood-lust all carnivores naturally harbored. And as he was out, he stopped. Cold. There was something on the wind--no. Toboe? Of all the others, Tsume seemed to only form any sort of unspoken, close bond with that annoying runt that pseudo-convinced him to leave the city, so when he picked up on that smell. God, that scent, a thousand things went through his head. He didn't know if he should be glad, pissed, or worried, cause leave it to that kid to attract trouble--what was he doing in a place like this, anyway?

Either way, he followed the scent. He didn't run..Tsume rarely acted as rashly as Kiba did and so he knew better than to put all hope into that one wisp of a scent that could just be all in his head, but his pace was a brisk walk. With a clenched jaw, he followed the scent he swore he picked up on, looking for that little runt. Besides, even if he didn't find Toboe, he'd picked up what he thought could be whiffs of Blue here and there, anyway. He was bound to find someone..but..this was hell. His hell for things he'd done. Why would they be here? He wanted to see them, but..not here. 'Not this place...Not this place, they don't deserve it..'

Tsume was terse and difficult at first, and he'd mellowed out and become easier to get along with despite being the Kiba's unwanted voice of reason, but there was still this..shell around him. Underneath it, he did have the capacity to care if he let himself..

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Toboe wasn't too far off from Tsume's location, though he didn't know it. He felt like he and Blue had searched everywhere for Tsume, and neither of them had come up with anything!

At the moment, Toboe was looking at the place called Porfavore's, a place with delicious smelling food. He had his human illusion up again, feeling more comfortable around the humans when he did so, even though no one seemed to really care if he looked like a wolf or a human. Toboe watched the people get food. It looked like they were exchanging the jewels from the plants for it, and Toboe though it might be a good idea to try it out.

Toboe turned around and started looking for the nearest jeweled... anything. And then, he caught it. Tsume! That had to be his scent! And it wasn't stale like when he first arrived in Paixao. He stood in his place, unsure if he should follow it without Blue. Then again, Blue wouldn't be too hard to find. Toboe and Tsume could use the things the humans gave them to find her, right?

Toboe's excitement over seeing Tsume won out, and he sniffed the air before running along and following the scent. Unlike Tsume, Toboe was a little rash at times and also extremely naive, so running after a familiar scent with high hopes didn't seem to be a problem. Hopefully, they just wouldn't be crushed.

With his hands tucked into the pockets of his leather pants, Tsume maneuvered through the crowd of listless people. Some stared him up and down in disgust concerning his outfit, others outright ignored him and went about their business. He kept following what trail he'd picked up on past the railway tracks towards the north-west.

Tsume came to a stop after passing the railway, staring out at the busy crowd shuffling past through his sunglasses. The scent was stronger and somewhat fresh the further he went this way, but he hadn't seen or heard any trace of the runt. No rampant, excited howling, no jingle of the tinkets his owner gave him, or clack of claws on the ground other than his own--which were translated as the patter of his shoes.

"Hmph.." As he stood there, Tsume considered turning back, heading into another portion of the city. Even if it was Toboe--who by all rights shouldn't be here--then he'd probably get the kid tangled in more trouble. It was probably for the best that he let the runt be. He'd been wandering since he got here for the most part, and he hadn't caught wind of Blue's human or Darcia. He'd be fine on his own with Blue, where he'd stay out of trouble.

Toboe weaved through the humans, still hot on Tsume's scent trail. He was careful not to actually touch any of the humans, as he didn't want to scare any of them into a panic.

The further Toboe went, the stronger Tsume's scent was. He had to be close by! By now, the scent was so strong that Toboe jumped up and down to try to see past some of the larger groups of people passing here and there. He ran a little further, the scent still getting stronger and stronger....

And then he saw him.

Tsume had his illusion up to. There was no mistaking those leather pants and the vest along with the white hair. A grin spread wide across Toboe's face and his excitement over took him. "Tsume! TSUME!!" Toboe hopped, skipped and jumped towards the other wolf, not really caring about the humans that were still around, many of them giving him either distasteful or surprised looks.

Tsume had actually turned and started to walk away at a steady pace. It would've just been for the best if he was left alone. He could even hear Toboe's bracelets clatter as he drew closer--he was here. A corner of his lips pulled back in a sneer as he let his head loll forwards to try and keep from standing out..well..more than he already was. With any luck, he'd get lost in the crowd.

But such was never Tsume's luck. He heard the pup start yelling his name and he paused, body stiff when the young wolf came bounding up to him with all the excitement his young body could muster. Thus, he heaved with a sigh and turned to face Toboe.

True, he'd been digressing since he arrived in this hell-hole, but it wasn't like he was totally back to his old way. He was still glad to see the runt, just..he couldn't believe he was alive. Somehow..that either of them were here again. If Hige were here, he could believe this was at least a consolation for seeing Kiba and Cheza through to the bitter end, but he couldn't tell.

It'd be bearable with Toboe, at least. "Where've you been, Runt?" His lips curled into a haughty grin as he called back to the pup once he got closer, still standing firmly in place with his hands in his pockets. His body wasn't so tense any more, but he was still careful.

Toboe ran up to his friend and stopped just short of running into him. "Tsume! I thought you were here!" His grin didn't drop at Tsume's question. "I ran into Blue. She's the dog that had been chasing us back in the city with that old guy, but she's really half wolf, and we've been looking for you!" Toboe's words just tumbled out of his mouth as if it had been transformed into Niagara Falls. He was so excited, he couldn't slow his speech.

"And the humans here, they aren't afraid of us! We don't have to put the illusion up if we don't want, but I do it because I think there's still somethin' weird goin' on. She said she thought you were here too, and I thought I smelled you when I first came here!" He paused. Toboe ran out of words, but his excitement was still very much there. If he had been in his wolf form people would have noticed that his tail was wagging uncontrollably.

"How long have you been here, Tsume? You know, we just left the city and found a place to rest, and then I woke up and I was just outside this place." Maybe Tsume had figured something out about this place. He was smart enough.

He was quiet. He was good at being quiet. It didn't bother him to just listen to this kid go on and on like the excited pup he was. In fact, his lips curled into a grin and he huffed out an amused chuckle at his energy.

..But. Wait. What? He didn't--what was going on? He cocked a brow, that grin fading to a confused thinning of his lips. "Blue's been traveling with us on and off since she met up with Cheza. We made it out of Jagara's Keep and they caught up with us until he found out she was half wolf and hightailed it, remember?" His expression tightened, his voice a bit terse. However, that tone got stiffer, more defensive and accusatory when he continued. "And you went off after him."

"I've been here two weeks." The last thing he remembered was..just leaving Freeze City? How is that possible? They'd been through The Forest of Death, Jagara's Keep, Darcia's old territory..they'd made it to the Tree of Beginning, where the Darcia family had it sealed. He remembered everything after he died, but why would Toboe..? Did he get a second chance?

It'd make since. Aside from Kiba, which was a given, that kid had the best chance to get into paradise.

Toboe's tumble of words stopped as if someone just turned off a faucet. He gave Tsume a very confused look. Tsume. He must have been from a different time than he was. Didn't Blue mention something like that? That must be it.

He looked at the ground, not really sure what to say to Tsume. "Blue told me that this place takes people from different worlds...a-and different times." He looked back up to Tsume. "Maybe it did that to you too. Maybe...you're from my future..." Toboe's voice trailed off. Even to him, it sounded kind of ridiculous, and he wasn't sure if Tsume would believe him or not.

Two weeks? That should have given him plenty of time to sniff the place out so they could go back and try to find Paradise. "Hey, have you found anything out about this place? It's really weird." Toboe moved his focus from the wolf in front of him to the random jumble of people walking around like they were ants. It was as if they didn't have any personality, like they didn't have souls. Even though they were probably harmless to Tsume, Blue, and himself, Toboe was still a little scared of them. They were just so...mindless.

Tsume watched the pup as he suddenly stopped and looked down at the ground. He kept a sharp eye on the pup, still on the defense.

"..." He was silent fora minute after he relayed what Blue had told him. He could see it happening--shit, after all of the things he'd seen on both his journey, and here?

But still..

He heard a gunshot. After traveling with the humans, stealing from the fragile creatures that relied so heavily on weapons, his ears still hadn't grown dull to that piercing sound. Normally it was nothing. He'd seen death, and he didn't care. It was the cycle..things lived and died, just like his pack. But then he came up on the scene, a sense of dread already nagging at the back of his head, and he saw it. He saw Toboe, and something inside of him just.. broke.

He'd come such a long way, and not just physically. The other wolves, he was sure, could see through his facade, but he kept it up anyway. But then..over the course of time, he'd regained an inner strength that he hadn't had since the alpha of his previous pack marked him as a traitor, a coward. And through that facade, through the attempts to keep himself distant, through his attempts to protect other because he didn't trust humself, Toboe persisted, he kept him going and refused to let him give up. He believed in Tsume when he couldn't believe in himself..and for no reason. It was like he was the best god damn thing since sliced bread for some reason.

And then he just died. Shot. Killed by humans or nobles--it didn't matter, he didn't deserve it. If anything, he was the one that should've been shot. So what future was Toboe talking about? He didn't have one. Plain and simple.

"..Yeah kid, I'm from your future." He said as such on a huff, his lips still pressed in a thin line. But, he let the conversation continue, either way. "Not much..there's nothing to hunt around here, the plants aren't real and we're in another dome on an island, but there's no nobles around. There's people around here that are close enough to it, though."

Toboe cocked his head. Something was bothering Tsume. that was obvious. Maybe the weird humans had gotten to him too.

He pouted. "Yeah, I already found that out. There aren't even any rats around here to sniff out." It was strange. There seemed to be so much more life here than Freeze City, and yet, it was more dead at the same time. Toboe didn't like it.

A shiver ran through Toboe's spine at the mention of the Nobles. He didn't know much about them, except that they were real bad news. "You didn't run into any Nobles, did you?" Toboe's face was now plastered with fear. It was bad enough to have creepy, soulless humans running around. He didn't want to have to deal with Nobles too.

Toboe just being there bothered him. Well..at least..not entirely. Not-exactly-sure-how-to-react would be a better way of putting it. Of course he was definitely happy to see the runt, but it was hard to look at him, so bubbly and bouncy after seeing a carcass just lying there, bleeding out in the freezing weather.

..and still a little whiny. That was a shame too. It was a sight to see that pup snap on the Walrus like he did, and Toboe didn't even know it happened. "No, but there's other animals around here. They're pretty big for cats, but harmless." His weight shifted to one foot with his head cocking to a side with a brief grin.

"I haven't heard or sniffed out any nobles. I don't think they're hiding out here, but I don't think they're behind any of this or there'd be more wolves running around." The more he talked, the easier it was for him to believe Toboe was real, and not just some figment of his imagination, of hell, or any tricks in general. There was still an overwhelming guilt, but..he was alive and well, from the looks of it.

Oh no. There were giant cats! Nthat Toboe hadn't believed in what Blue said, but knowing that Tsume had seen them made it all the more terrifying.

But...Tsume said they were harmless too. Toboe wasn't sure how that worked, as cats also had claws and fangs and making them bigger would make them more dangerous, but he let it go. He was with Tsume now after all, so he couldn't act like a pup anymore. He still had to show him that he could manage.

"I guess you're right." Toboe looked around a little anxiously. He didn't like this city any more than the one he just escaped. It felt like he was being watched. "But...you said that there were people like the Nobles here. Shouldn't we try to look for Kiba and Hige...or...a way back home?" Not that they really had a home to begin with, but looking for Paradise with the rest of the pack had to be better than being stuck here.

He stood there a bit longer, watching the pup as he took a look around. There were still plenty of places Tsume still had yet to visit, but he'd gotten a general idea of what there was to see in this place. The people were drones that were human only in appearance--and as far as he could see, there were no other animals throwing up illusions.

"They're not human, anyway. A Noble's the closest thing I can compare it to." Those things..whatever they were, had no scent. They were far more sentient and intelligent when compared to the citizens milling about during the day, but..they reminded him too much of the few times he'd seen Darcia. "I don't think we'll find Kiba, but if Porky's out there, he'll be alright. Just stay close to food stores, and we're bound to run into him eventually."

He was thoughtful for a moment when he suggested looking for a way home. Home..? What home? There was nothing to go back to. The world was dying when they made it to the foot of that mountain. With the destruction of Jagara's Dome, everyone felt it.

Tsume wasn't one for sugar-coating anything, though. "There's nothing to go back to. We're better off here, wherever this is."

So...there were humans that weren't humans and didn't have a scent? That didn't really sound like Nobles to Toboe, but then again, they didn't sound like regular humans either. The thought of such things running around was chilling though.

And then Tsume mentioned the unspeakable. "But...what about Paradise? We won't find it here. The flower maiden isn't here." The fact that Kiba and Hige were nowhere to be found was also a problem. They were part of the pack, so Tsume and Toboe couldn't just leave them, could they? Were they still back in their world? Were they looking for him and Tsume? what about Cheza. She had to be found too.

Toboe's eyes met the ground again. He felt hopeless, like when Granny died and he killed Lyra's poor bird my mistake. "What should we do then?" His voice was soft, and it almost cracked. Toboe was on the verge of crying, and his illusion wouldn't hold up then. Not that it really mattered here.

He just kept asking and asking, and Tsume didn't know those answers. He fell short, literally. Kiba would be able to answer Toboe better, but he wasn't here, and as he stated, he didn't expect to ever see Kiba. The lucky bastard probably did it, too.

"Cheza isn't here, Runt. I wouldn't be surprised if her and Kiba've already opened Paradise." He knew it existed..he believed in it without a shred of doubt, but he also knew Kiba would be the only one with any hope to make it. But, as the runt started to whine and get upset, he rolled his eyes, lips pulling back a bit.

"Come on." He leaned fowards to grab Toboe by the collar and start pulling him forwards with an exasperated tone of voice. "We're going to go look for Blue, that's what." Hige, Kiba, and Cheza weren't here. Neither was Quent, Hubb, or Cher, and he didn't care. Tsume got along fine without them for the two weeks he was here, and for the time he spent without them in Freeze City. Toboe, though, was younger and more dependent, and while Tsume wasn't exactly the one to go to for any kind of comfort, he wasn't gonna let the kid sit here, cry, and just drop his illusion.

Despite what Blue told Toboe, and then what Toboe had told him about the humans around here not caring, Tsume still wasn't about to let anyone make a public announcement as to what they were.

"Tsume~" Toboe whined, almost tripping over himself as he tried to keep up with Tsume's long strides as he was gripped by his collar. "Let go! I can keep up!" He'd have to jog while Tsume just walked, but he could manage. He couldn't help it if he was still young and had some growing to do.

Looking for Blue seemed like a good idea though. Maybe she could convince Tsume to find a way back and look for Paradise with Kiba and Hige. Her scent was all over the place though. It would be a bit difficult to pinpoint which trail was the freshest....

And then he remembered. "Tsume, we can just call Blue using this thing!" Toboe pulled out the devise he was given when he first entered the gate to Paixao. "It has a map and everything. We can even call her even though she's not close."

It was like starting all over again to hear Toboe freely whining like that, except this time, there was no Paradise to aim for. Is this what it was like for Kiba in Paradise? Nothing to shoot for, no odds to overcome, nothing to believe in or push forwards for? Tsume can't say he really like it--not having some uncontrollable or inexplicable drive, but if he'd ended up in a place like he'd dreamt of when Cheza lulled them to sleep, he'd like it a hell of a lot more.

He let go of the runt and slipped his hands back into his pockets again, glancing back at him briefly before pressing forwards again. This part, he was good at, pushing forwards. And he had a good head on his shoulders, too, often being the forceful voice of reason to a narrow-minded Kiba. He wasn't really going in any particular direction this time, though, figuring Blue would have an easier time finding him since her scent really was leading in a number of different directions.

"What're you talking about?" He paused and turned, lifting a brow as he stared at the presented journal. Oh yeah, he remembered that..he didn't have a need for it so he passed his up. He'd gotten along just fine in Freeze City without a phone. None the less, he grinned and let out another chuckle at the pup's expense.

The fact that Toboe and Blue always kept those ties to humans stronger was just..amusing to him. He didn't care about..well, many humans very much, but him and Kiba were more distant than the other two males in the group. He was knowledgeable about city life and human habits, but still distant.

"Oh, really? That would make things easier..then give her a call. And try not to make anyone piss their pants this time.~"

Edited 2010-12-02 22:24 (UTC)

Half a mile out from City Hall, Blue had gone in one big circle until she caught the fresh scents of the pair, and then she was heading their way until - yes, it was them. She stands a bit distant, still remembering how Toboe had reacted when he found him in Paixao... but surely Tsume either knew her, or Toboe said something to him, if he had answered her.

Right?

So forgive her cautious approach.

"See, I said I'd find you," she says with a small smile, eyes fixated on Tsume to see if he tries anything. "It's good to see you finally, Tsume."

Toboe had spoken to the devise, and somehow, managed to get a reply from Blue...and some other people. He gave Tsume a glare at his comment. The memory of upsetting Lyra and having to run away from her was still fresh in his memory, and Tsume's comment didn't help him feel better about it.

And then Blue showed up. Toboe's glare turned into a wide grin and his illusion waved towards her. "Blue!"

He stood, waiting around with his arms folded across his chest in a stubborn manner. Really, this technology was pointless..the group had been separated plenty of times in the past, but they always managed to meet back up somehow or another. And they didn't need any piece of human technology to keep track of one another. Plus, this thing was noisy, as people were constantly talking back and forth to him while they waited (http://community.livejournal.com/paixaomb/112226.html).

But, then he saw Blue approaching, and his attention perked. His lips curled into a grin as he saw Porky's girlfriend coming along, and he only let a chuckle rumble from his chest as he felt Toboe glare at him--which always looked like a pout to Tsume. "Blue, long time no see." He raised a hand and waved briefly at her before pocketing his hands and continuing. "Tell me you at least remember getting out of Jagara's keep.."

Yeah, he remembered her, alright. Illusion and all. Which reminded him...he didn't smell that old drunkard Blue somehow cared for anywhere around here, but he hadn't really had the chance to even explore the entire city and get a good lay of the land. It was tempting for Tsume to ask her about Quent, but he at least had enough tact to refrain from blurting out a question like that right now. He'd give it some time, and if he still wasn't sure, you bet he'd make sure neither he, nor Darcia was anywhere to be seen.

Blue relaxes almost immediately. It seemed she didn't have to worry about Tsume, and that was more than reassuring. She wasn't sure what she would have done if Tsume didn't trust her - well, as much as he can. She steps closer, casting a brief glance to smile at Toboe, and then locking her gaze back to Tsume.

She couldn't bear to look at Toboe when she says her next words.

"I remember as much as I possibly can." Which is to say, up to her death. "Paixao is my home, now." She watches to see if he understands her meaning, and is glad that Toboe can't. Maybe they could protect him from what is to come, somehow...

And yet what happened to Toboe is partially her fault. She entrusted in him to look after the old man, and he tried, he did - and it cost them.

Toboe looked back and forth between Tsume and Blue. Jagara's Keep? What were they talking about? Something about the future maybe? He frowned. They were keeping all the information to themselves, weren't they?

"What do you mean this place is your home? I thought...I thought we were looking for...Paradise." He still felt confused about all this. Something had to have happened that made them change their minds. Maybe Toboe could convince them otherwise. Though, with Tsume's stubbornness, that would certainly be a challenge.

That haughty tone of voice he seemed to usually retain slipped away for a moment. He was keenly aware of Blue's body language, but wasn't entirely sure until she spoke again. His eyes closed briefly with a dim grunt of acknowledgment, but that was all he'd have to say on that matter. He didn't know how much more she knew than him..he didn't know if she'd seen him take that weak fall and hit a ledge almost a story below. He'd just subtly remain on the defense and not breathe a word about it--such was his way about a subject that would embarrass or shame him.

But if there was a way to look after the runt, you better believe Tsume would make sure that kid didn't do something stupid this time around. He wouldn't outright blame Blue...a part of him knew she didn't mean for him to get killed, and was glad it was at least..hopefully quick, but another part wanted to blame her for his death so he could shirk some of that feeling of responsibility.

He looked down to Toboe, though, expression flat and unchanging for a few moments, then a corner of his lips peeled back into a grin. "She means this is probably the closest we're getting to Paradise, runt. Now stop why don't you stop whining and enjoy the place?" Oh, he'd always have time to pick on Toboe and Hige. Said taunts, an effort to cover up some of the more insecure thoughts trying to creep into his head, were accompanied with an amused tone of his husky voice.

"Right... Tsume's right," she corrects carefully, hesitantly smiling to Toboe. "This city is hard to find a way back out of, but there's been progress made." She leaves out the 'since I was last here' part, not wanting to complicate things more than they already were. It wasn't as if she remembered leaving, or knew anything about what happened.

"There's a lot of good to this place. The people aren't so bad." Of course there were Heartless, Nobodies, Lumens... all that fun stuff, but where did she even begin with it? She barely understood them herself.

Toboe looked from Blue to Tsume a few times. They were both right. this place was a lot better than Freeze City, and he could run around as a wolf without his illusion and not have to worry about getting killed. Still, the thought of abandoning the search for Paradise along with Kiba and Hige was a painful one.

The young wolf kept his frown, but nodded silently in agreement. There was warmth here. There was food. There were friends. Isn't that all he should really need anyway? Even so, Toboe missed the scent of the lunar flower. He still wanted to go find the flower maiden and find Paradise. Unfortunately, it seemed like a lost dream now.

Toboe plopped himself down on the pavement and stared at the ground. "What do we do now?" His voice was hollow, and he looked like a child who just found out Santa wasn't real.

Tsume couldn't say he didn't miss the smell of the Lunar Flower. It was intoxicating on some..indescribable level that he couldn't even being to pin point, but anything was better than that hell-hole they were from. Besides, the runt was alive and kicking, he's got access to plenty of food, and a large enough place to keep to himself...for the most part. He didn't want much else--aside from live god-damn prey.

...But he knew the pup wouldn't be satisfied with his personal answer of 'just enjoy it.' So, while pretending to ignore Toboe's incessant whining, he was actually doing him a favor by questioning Blue about the prospect of exploration. But no one had to know that. "They've found a way out of here? All I could smell was water and stagnant air before I came in here, and I didn't see any bridges to run across."

Blue cringes softly, realizing that her words did nothing to soothe Toboe. But what could she say? You'll find Paradise eventually? It'll all sort itself out? She didn't know. How did she make this easier for him... without trapping herself in a lie?

She sighs and glances down, nudging a foot against the street. "There's this... building, out across the fields. People say this place is somehow in a castle," she laughs, still not believing it, even with her own eyes, "and that there are other floors through that building. I guess I made it to two others, before I had to turn back."

Toboe was still down in the dumps, but the mention of this place being a castle seemed interesting, even if this place looked nothing like a castle.

"You made it to other floors?" Toboe looked around. He couldn't imagine this place being any bigger. It would be like if Freeze City had another city on top of it, and Toboe really couldn't grasp the idea. "I never saw any stairs. I mean, stairs high enough to make it past the ceiling." He looked up, almost staring through the ceiling of the dome they were in, wondering what this castle looked like. He remembered entering this place, and he just saw the dome they were in right now. How could be a castle?

"Does it matter how it works? It's pretty damn hard to fake something like that, so if you made it, it's probably true somehow." He huffed with a low laugh, head bowing a moment in amusement at the idea. Humans. They were always getting into stupid pissing matches to try and one-up the one before them. He wouldn't be surprised if this was something along those lines, but hey, only one way to find out, and it gave them something to do, other than sit here and rot like those wolves in that first run-down city they came to.

"Castle or not, you think you can take us there? Anything's better than sticking around this place." He heard something skittering around behind him, scratching along the ground through the dull roar of the passing crowd. And there was a smell, akin to the lingering scent that irritated his nose when he was visited a few nights ago. One wolfen ear would twitch backwards while his illusion's head would turn to let his gaze flicker around for the source.

The other floors that she had been to weren't exactly great. Well, the islands were nice, but the place after that? Maybe it will be easier with more than one person though. Fighting that shapeshifting Heartless with two people let them both see through its illusion.

But she has to wonder if the others would see Darcia like she had, or if they had other, greater fears tucked away. Another part of her doesn't want to know.

"It's a good distance from the domes, Toboe. That's probably why you didn't see it."

Her stance changes when Tsume glances away, but she keeps her eyes on him, rather than searching for his distraction.

"Alright, if you both want." She keeps her fears to herself. With Tsume and her own expanding knowledge, she thinks that they'll be fine.

Toboe listened to Blue, but also turned his head along with Tsume, but didn't see anything threatening. He turned his attention back to the female.

"Yeah, let's go!" Finally, something to do! And maybe they'll find Kiba and Hige and the flower maiden! He didn't care what Tsume and Blue said. Toboe still wanted to find Paradise, even if it meant that he'd have to stay here for a while to wait for the flower maiden to come to him. they'd all make it to Paradise.

He remained alert for a few moments longer, but the sound disappeared, fading into the busy crowd, and his head just turned back to face the other wolves once more, as though it never happened. It was probably just a street cat prowling too close, but he'd remember to keep his nose and ears keen, trained for anything else as suspicious as that smell--that empty smell of..what could describe it? A shadow.

"Well, what are we waiting for? You know this place better than us, so lead the way." He no longer had any qualms with travel. Those first steps out of Freeze City were liberating, and since pushing himself to such limits, this tame city life was boring and annoying to him.

"Right."

There's still some hesitation in her step before she nods and turns away, catching sight of City Hall and making note of her position before she quirks a smile and starts to run in the direction of Niflheim Gate.

More running. and this time, with Tsume with them. Few things could make Toboe happier. He liked to run, and he liked being with his friends. It certainly seemed that this place was much better than the world they had come from.

Toboe had no trouble keeping up with Blue. He wondered where she was taking them, and he was excited to see what it would be like.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Leaving on Red Hill [ Active // closed ]

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/sliiiiides in

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I got the link covered

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Tsume is my hero!

I know I am. <3

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