GRATIA // PSL

[skeletoncity]

The first thing he feels is the cold.

It permeates everything down here on the lower levels. What little warmth humans have made for themselves is greedily gobbled up by the stone walls that surround them on all sides. Despite the stirring of people in the streets, in their homes, and around corners, this place feels like a grave. A similar sense seems to loom over the heads of most who make their way through this deep, dark part of the world, hovering around them like a cloud of inevitability. No one has been outright sentenced to death, but they may as well be.

Upon waking, Tek will have found himself in a dark, wet alleyway. Attempts to orient himself reveal that he has been brought, somehow, to an impressively large network of tunnels that all lead, more or less, to three or four larger chambers. There is far more vibrant life above him somewhere, far, far above the layer of caves he's in now, and there is also a very deep, sluggish form of life somewhere far below his feet.

No one is coming to get him. No one follows him in his immediate vicinity--the few stragglers hanging around doorsteps and windows don't give him a second glance, or even a first one. The place is crowded, but not busy. Everyone keeps their heads down. The people are all dressed poorly, in rags and robes and bundles that suggest a certain level of consistent poverty all throughout the level. The buildings in these tunnels look man-made, either built from scrap or carved straight out of the rock of the cave, but the majority of the actual roads and cave walls seem to have been formed with very little help from human hands.

The place is lit with lanterns and dirty-looking florescents suspended high above in the cave ceiling. The air is thick and stuffy, the smell of mold and mud prevalent over even the smell of human stagnation. It would not be hard to drag someone off, and he gets the immediate feeling that if he did, it's unlikely that anyone would come looking for them.

What does he do?

Comments

[heresyandlace]

[as he has in this past--how many hops has it been now?--he reacts before he remembers himself. first is the creature, slinking back into whatever is the darkest, the wettest, the quietest. poised and feral. then, only once instinct and adrenaline has ebbed enough for him to realize that he's safe (more or less), is the man. and even then, his human shape straightens up but keeps everything else close to his chest. as long as there aren't any eyes on him, he doesn't need to put on much of a show.

he tries to hoard what information he can gather as he takes in his new world, but like any good shapeshifter, his immediate priority is to hide.

so, wonder and critical thought will come later. for now, he needs to blend himself as seamlessly as possible into the crowd. sticking to the alleys and trying to ignore the sensation that he basically glows compared to these peasants, he hunts for the easiest opportunity he can find to update his disguise.]

[skeletoncity]

[lucky for him, there isn't a lot of information to gather. this is a rather one-note place with a lot of similar pale, grungy people. everyone is human, at least upon first look.

he has a few options for a disguise. one man, about his height and shape, walks obliviously down a side-path and into an isolated tunnel. it might be easy to sneak up and take his things. on the other hand, nearby, there is door standing open to what could only abstractly be called a house; the shack is falling apart, but there are some clothes in various states of disrepair piled on the floor. no one seems to be home.

no one has quite noticed him yet, but his luck can't last forever.]

[heresyandlace]

[the hovel is tempting. maybe it's his dragon nature, but the thought of a small, dark den to retreat to is nearly too appealing to resist. he would be out of sight, and anything that comes to bother him could be quickly dispatched.

but people make noise, especially when their families are threatened, and there is no guarantee that the clothing he'd kill for would be worth the blood. at least with the man, he knows that the reward would at least suit his basic needs. and, somewhere in the back of his head, he likes the idea that he could probably avoid killing him.

so, he follows behind, just enough to watch. he needs to make a few judgments--is the man healthy or ill, sober or dazed, young or old--but he's fairly sure that he's found his target.]

[skeletoncity]

[even from behind and with a hood pulled up, the man doesn't seem particularly intimidating. his frame is thin and he doesn't walk with any particular gravitas. at one point, well into this tunnel, he covers his face with a scarred-up hand to battle a wet and unappealing cough.

Tek's target may be in his thirties, but he only has a handful of years left to live.

the tunnel itself is not very wide, enough for maybe three people to stand shoulder-to-shoulder. sound echoes strangely off the walls, but it'll make it easy to tell when or if someone else is coming. it branches off into other tunnels at several points, at least one of which is boarded up and plastered with peeling paper warnings.

the man walks absently around a stalagmite, and he doesn't notice Tek even when he is partly turned towards him. his face is grizzled and scarred up, and his mind is elsewhere.]

[skeletoncity]

[the first few days in Skeleton City are relatively quiet. the little room that they've stowed away in is so far from the prying eyes and ears and sounds of the city that the both of them can laze in each other's company with no fear of ramification. while he is conscious, Robin spends a lot of time explaining things to Tek--both about the world, and about his own situation. unconscious, Robin remains curled next to his friend, comforted by familiarity and sleeping peacefully for the first time in months.

Tek gets a basic understanding of the geographical layout of Skeleton City: the rich and the well-connected rise to the top, the poor and unfortunate sink to the bottom, but the majority of the population find their homes somewhere in the middle. Robin found Tek pretty close to the bottom, which he explains is overlapped by some "other place" that these people call the Haunting. this is where Monsters come from, and it reaches far, far below the city, farther than even Robin is able to go.

but the real trouble around here is human in nature. there are any number of groups here that are all vying for control of the city--and each of them is bound to have their own spies, assassins, lackeys, or zealots. someone called the "King of Eyes", for example, has had it out for Robin for years, and has one of his goons tail him whenever possible. the demigod rolls his eyes at this, but also admits that he may be the only one the King of Eyes has not been able to catch. the more he can keep Tek out of their sights, the easier their lives will be.

and then there are the gangs (and the subsequent chance of randomly getting caught in the crossfire of a turf war), the rogue mages (mostly only a danger to themselves, but you never know), and the fact that every law-abiding organization here in Skeleton City will capture, dissect, or otherwise mind-wipe anything that seems even the slightest bit more than human. it's safer down below, where the law and the Priesthood can't quite reach--but that's not to say the neighborhood wouldn't come after a magical creature with torches and pitchforks on their own terms anyway.

a few days in, Robin will take Tek outside, just to point out a few of the sights and give him a chance to watch the way the world works. it also gives Robin a chance to come up with a cover story for his new friend: Tek is to be a visiting merchant from the Capitol, a glittering white city from the far-away desert that most people will never see. Tek is here for business and pleasure--working to secure a deal with the counsel of agriculture in which the Capitol will ship them supplies in exchange for continued military support in the ongoing crusade wars. the deal itself is very boring and needs to pass through several departments before it can be completed, so he has been left with a great deal of time to wander and sight-see while he waits for paperwork to be stamped and administrative nonsense to be dealt with elsewhere. besides, there won't be an airship docking at Skeleton City again for another month--what is he to do, walk home? don't be ridiculous.

there comes a time after that where Robin has to disappear for a while--just a day, he promises--to handle some business and secure documentation for Tek's false identity. not one to sit alone by himself for six hours when he could be causing trouble (besides, Robin's book collection is good, but rather limited), Tek left to explore a little on his own. Robin was exasperated when he finally caught up to him, but Tek didn't get in any real trouble. Robin knows he can't hide Tek in his back room forever, after all. he can be annoyed with him, but he can't really blame him for wanting to get out and stretch his proverbial legs.

and then one day, instead of showing Tek some part of the markets, business district, or any number of weird sights around the levels, he suggests that they go Upstairs. that's how Tek is led, early one morning, all the way past the wealthy districts and the tourist traps and the massive light fixtures embedded into the cave ceiling... and up into what is unmistakably a subway tunnel.

the tracks were scrapped a long time ago, as was the original tile, but the walls have since been refurbished with a local artist's beautiful mosaic work. a few people pass them by, two girls, laughing to themselves about some inside joke, and a breeze follows behind them. on the air is the scent of green things, the smell of the sun; hardly worth noticing in any other world, but a week in the dark, stale underground world gives those things striking clarity.

Robin seems to perk up a little as they ascend one more set of cement stairs. maybe it's the thought of being outside, or maybe he's just excited to show off the world above, but he turns back to Tek with a little smile on his face.]

I think you're gonna like it. It's a little quaint compared to the rest, so you'll have to forgive it for its simplicity, but...

[he turns back to face the top of the stairs, continuing to lead them towards a bright opening. lichen has crawled down here over a number of centuries, and a couple of small, humble ferns have managed to sprout from a crack in the cement. there is nothing inherently magical about it, but still, it isn't hard to imagine that this passage is somehow coming to life with each step they take.

and then they are there. they suddenly step into the open air, and it takes a moment to not feel blinded by the light of a real sun. Robin rubs at his ears a little as the buzzing starts--as his body adjusts to an open field of sound instead of the constant, closed reverberation of the cave network. when all is settled, though, and the world comes into full view, Tek finds them standing under a decorative metal archway in the middle of what could only be described as a small, quaint-looking town.

wood is the primary material used for construction of the buildings, most of which do not rise above two stories tall--but there is immediately a kind of craftsmanship in the homes themselves that implies a lot about the people that built them. they are beautiful. different colors of wood, intricately carved doors, actual glass in the windows. everything in the immediate vicinity seems to be a shop of one kind or another, advertised by bright flags hanging from decks and balconies. something smells strongly of pastries, once the wind turns.

immediately, Tek can also pick out differences in the people, too. there are a healthy number of them walking around, going about their lives--but the color in their skin makes it quick to pick out who is visiting from the Underground and who spends their days under the sun. the people here are dressed very well--not extravagantly, like many do in the wealthy levels under their feet, but their clothes look durable, well-constructed, and subtly detailed, as if they have time to worry about appearing to have class, rather than flashing their wealth about in a quick grab for respect or attention.]

Welcome to Up-Top, Upstairs, Top-City, and so on. [Robin looks up at the sky, which is a beautiful blue expanse dotted with lazy-looking clouds.] Some folk around here are trying to get it a proper name, but I don't know if it'll ever catch on.

[the town extends outward for a couple of miles, maybe, and then stops. Tek knows this, because visible at the edge of the buildings, towering on all sides, is a wooden wall made from straight, stripped tree trunks. beyond that and taller still are the trees, which stretch as far as the eye can see no matter which direction one looks. this must be "the forest" that Robin has alluded to. it has a presence, almost an energy--but it's very faint here. maybe it just seems otherworldly or magical because Tek has spent the last couple of weeks hiding hundreds of feet underground.

so, what does he think?]

[heresyandlace]

[someday, Tek will spend a century of his miserable life locked in darkness, followed by decades deep under the earth, living so far from open air and natural things that it will become difficult to remember what their presence is like at all.

he is not that creature yet, however. for now, he is still a being of long miles and expansive sky. reaching the surface is like returning home, and the settlement itself--the buildings and the walls and the people within them--carry a surprisingly powerful punch of nostalgia.

it makes him smile, despite the fact that he can still scarcely see. he's got one hand up to shade his face from the sun and only one eye squinted open. he takes his time anyway, giving Robin the satisfaction of looking around and really drinking in this new place that he must feel so proud of. he will let him have that.]

...It smells good.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[Robin does glance over when Tek doesn't immediately answer, and has to wonder if he's really looking or if the dragon is just making a show of it. he knows that some of the things he finds wonderful are fairly unremarkable to Tek, who hasn't been through anything that would make him miss the sun, or green things, or a people that are ostensibly his... but still, the idea of a lukewarm reaction seems pretty disappointing.

but his comment seems pretty genuine, so his small concerns get even smaller, and he starts leading them along a main street, down the line of bustling shops.]

Yeah, it's not bad. [he looks over his shoulder to talk while he walks.] It's only been here for the last... Hm, hundred years?

[heresyandlace]

[his surprise is mild but genuine; he's seen plenty of little communities grow and fall over the course of ages to know what's impressive for a hundred years. it also happens to be one of his favorite things to observe, so it counts toward him definitively enjoying himself up here already.]

I wouldn't have guessed. It has a nice feel, for a new place.

[he settles into an easy stroll beside Robin as his eyes adjust enough to not have to shield them anymore. and it takes him a moment to choose what he wants to ask, as his first options are a little too "old" for the young personas they're trying to portray for anyone who might be listening.]

Are you up here often? I can't imagine you would want to spend much time below if you could help it.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he'd promised Tek something good, hadn't he? that sounds like something he'd say, somewhere in between a few hurried assurances and a quiet plea that the bored dragon just stay out of trouble for a little while longer.

every time Tek wanders away, he gets nervous. he imagines losing the one thing from his homes-away-from-home and a horrible anxiety twists around inside of him while he starts asking around with the usual suspects and peeking his head into whatever dangerous pockets of the city happen to be nearby. Robin always finds him again, one way or another, but it's usually all he can do to keep from looking genuinely worried when he does. even under the circumstances... it's a little pathetic. he'll admit it.

so he wanted something good. something for Tek to really sink his teeth into, and something Robin can stand if it bites back. tours around the city are one thing, but they need to get their energy out. and then one day, word floats his way about a party... a big one, held high enough to be entertaining, but low enough that the law won't come knocking when the music's cranked up too loud through illegally-wired equipment.

it's perfect. so much so, in fact, that he half-expects that someone is setting a trap from them. but he knows this crowd, and they're largely predictable--everyone will be setting a trap for someone, or spying, or manipulating, sucking up, and otherwise flirting with anyone they think could get them the leg up they need for whatever rung they've decided they need to climb. it'd be kind of an honor, actually, if someone actually went through all of this trouble just for them.

he tells Tek all of this on the way to the party. Tek has also been told that there will be dancing, singing, drinking, gossip, and lots and lots of lounge pillows. the rules of tonight's game are pretty simple--just don't be too obviously inhuman, don't stab anyone you can't clean up afterwards, and don't wander away from the venue (which Robin assures him is nearly the size of a city block anyway). other than that, the night is theirs to do with as they wish, regardless of whatever trouble that brings on them in the long run.

arriving there is a little like being hit by an ocean wave--even though they were already weaving through people to get through the door, the interior of the place washes over them so completely that it's easy to forget there ever was an outside. somehow or another, the wooden facade they passed through was hiding a huge, isolated cave chamber. the stalactites above are strung with colored lights that give everything a strange tint of pale color in what is otherwise a fairly dark room. there's some kind of stage set up on the far end, covered in sheet metal and mismatched lighting and a lot of weird-looking instruments, only some of which are being played. the sound they're making is deep and percussive, with some strange strings and one staggering brass instrument to bring the energy back up. food is coming from somewhere, as are drinks, though the source of these are not immediately apparent.

and the people are mixed and varied, in appearance, in attitude, in direction--well-dressed people in dark, concealing clothing are mingling with scantily-clad burnouts around these tables made from overturned shipping crates. beautiful people in striking makeup stop to laugh and hug and start dancing with people who barely look human. and true to his word--there are lots of lounge areas set up in natural dips in the cave floor, or built up into shelves, or partially dragged over from halfway across the floor. many of these are surrounded by candles and whatever odd lights these people could get their hands on. some of them are playing cards. some of them look very serious. some people are flat-out sleeping, next to friends who stopped paying attention to them an hour ago in favor of a good high and a really deep conversation with someone they just met.

Robin scans the room briefly before turning to Tek, grinning:]

So, what do you want to do?

[he's wearing his usual: slick jacket, button-up shirt, leather pants, shoes just a little too sharp for a place like this. gloves that are really just fingers and not much else. it's kind of his uniform, around here.]

[heresyandlace]

[to be fair, Tek has never taken very well to being confined to any limited space, especially when there are rules on top of it, so his level of cooperation so far in this cramped hole-in-the-ground should be considered commendable. it hasn't been easy--particularly because he'd been wheeling throughout the vastness of the universe immediately before this. sure, the fleet had been its own sort of horrible cage, but at least the scenery had changed every few weeks.

it feels like ages since he'd found himself stepping suddenly into a new world. and now here he is, a door finally swinging open for him into somewhere entirely new, and permission given to fly through it.

normally, the idea of a party is an entertaining prospect for him, but not the sort of thing that he naturally finds catharsis in. that's more of Robin's thing. the demigod can dive into these things and get lost, where the dragon tends to observe, perform, meddle, and that's about it.

this time, however... Tek is even more silent and still than he usually is as he stands there and drinks in the entirety of the space. instead of slinking and smiling performatively at Robin's side, he just basks in the activity and the noise and he looks like a hungry cat while he's doing it.

this time, he might actually be into the party.

eventually, he rests a hand on Robin's shoulder and leans in, eyes still on the sea of pretty, moving things around him.]

...How obvious is too obvious? [let's go over those rules again, for no particular reason. and maybe nail down the details of the stabbing one too, while we're at it.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[Robin laughs, even though he shouldn't.]

C'mon, we'll talk about it.

[before anyone at this party has a chance to recognize him (he knows it is only a matter of time), he takes the hand that Tek had placed on his shoulder and starts pulling the dragon off to the side, past a group of rough-looking teenagers, past an older woman in a shawl balancing three drinks in her gnarled hands, past two shadowy individuals who look so blatantly shifty that people naturally give them a foot or two of space more than normal.

they reach one of the walls of the cave, which is were the bar is serving drinks. the setup is just an old billiards table, though the felt is so stained by time that the surface looks brown and irreparably warped. a line of bottles is all that separates the people sitting at the bar from the bartender, who is a woman with a crooked smile made all the crookeder by a deep scar that runs from one corner of her face to the other. stacks of paper cups are sitting in the corner pockets, and there's a huge crate of miscellaneous glass jars, glasses, and other containers in boxes behind her.

Robin guides them to an empty table, which is actually just three or four pillows on the ground with a flat metal panel in front of it to set drinks on. a few people look at them as they sit, but that's the way it is everywhere. just as Robin settles down on one of the cushions, the band finishes a song, and the crowd becomes more-or-less distracted with rambunctious applause and watching to see who comes up to play next.]

So, let's just run through the list. [Robin starts counting things off on his fingers, casually and cheerily naming all the things that could potentially get them killed.] Teeth are fine, but you have to be consistent. Same with the tongue thing. The eyes...

[those predatory, already-glowing eyes... Robin has to think for a moment, considering the worst that could happen.]

Those are trickier. We'll need a story.

[heresyandlace]

[at first, Tek doesn't look like he's listening. it's the other way around, normally--where he's smiling and dutifully attending to whatever is being said to him, while secretly paying far more attention to everything else going on around him around him.

he doesn't have that companionable pretense up yet, so he's still hungrily wrapped up in watching the crowd until the two of them are seated and comfortable and Robin has fully reached his first point. only then does his attention return to Robin, and it does so in a blink.]

Well, the curious individuals down here can't know about every variation possible up in the world at large, can they?

[skeletoncity]

[Tonic's shop is surprisingly easy to find. Robin hasn't taken Tek down to the Market much (mostly to save himself some money), but it's one of the few places in the entire Underground that seems to be divided up into a sensible grouping of establishments, even if most of those establishments are little more than stalls, carts, or ramshackle tents.

while the goods and currency are strange, the overall feel of the market is the same as any other--streets busy with people, many of which are carrying baskets, bags, or large bundles of their own for trade. some vendors shout into the aisles about their fresh, new items, while others try to haggle for a better sale, and the occasional few just look happy for the chance to engage in some friendly chatter. it's easy enough to blend in with the varied crowd and ask a couple of people for directions--Tek will quickly be pointed towards the clothier block, down a ways and three rows to the left of that. one man says, with a frown, that it's the "weird-looking" tent. he can't miss it.

the drumming sound comes first, though. as he rounds the corner, it gets easier to pick out of the babble of the crowd--this rhythmic, six-beat tap on a drum almost as constant as the ticking of a clock. the tent comes into view soon after, as it's taller than all of the others on this block... it's a strangely-shaped thing, a mismatch of tarps and canvas stretched over some kind of frame, with large sheets of metal bolted to the sides. whether this is for aesthetics or for structural support, it's hard to say... but something about the absolutely trash appearance of this misshapen tent compared to the plain, normal consistency of the other stalls... this one has to be Tonic's.

there is no visible sign outside, but the front of the tent is wide open, allowing free entry into the shop... which would be easy enough, save for the girl who is sitting against one of the posts at the base of the tent. at least, they're probably a girl--they're small, short-haired, tough-looking. it's a little hard to tell if she's young or just malnourished, but she seems intent on tapping out this sharp sequence of beats on the drum in front of her, possibly until someone else makes her stop.

he could walk right past her, as she seems absorbed in her own world... or he could engage. the choice is his.]

[heresyandlace]

[he does stop to look, at least, when he happens upon the drummer. Tonic has to know that she's there, so the fact that she hasn't been shooed away seems significant. he couldn't imagine how, but that's part of what the pause is for. maybe if he stops to take a closer look, it will make more sense.

but she seems intent on her drumming, and he doesn't want to draw too much attention to himself. so, after a pause that seems long enough to be polite, he steps past her and into the tent.

he doesn't go far, though. strolling in slowly, he wants to adjust to the space and see if he can spot he man that he's looking for before he completely dives in.]

[skeletoncity]

[for as long as Tek watches her, the girl seems entirely fixated on drumming, almost as if in some kind of trance. it isn't until he passes by her that she glances up--but the look is very brief, and it does nothing to disrupt the constant rhythm of her drumming, and as far as Tek can tell, absolutely nothing about that changes when he enters the tent, either.

the inside of the tent is lit mostly through an open ventilation hole at the highest point of the construction--through a few piles of lit candles and spools of small lights are placed here and there where they seem the most helpful. because at first glance, the whole thing seems like a mess and it's hard to tell where one should be looking first--is it the chest full of scraps near the door, the drawers overflowing with belts, the sets of strange half-armors hung up against the wall? perhaps the shelves stocked with folded-up clothing, or the literal piles of things--not all of which seem completely like clothing--vaguely sorted into barrels and crates and mounds around the perimeter of the shop? but Tek, having an eye for hoards, will appreciate the aesthetic in place here. it seems disorganized, but cozy. shiny things peek out and sparkle from hidden corners and high shelves. bits of color spring out from otherwise dark outfits. it invites the viewer to explore, the kind of arrangement that makes one's fingers itch with a desire to sort and discover.

also of note are a couple of pieces of furniture--a half-covered, low table in the middle, and a couple of chairs that look like they're more for displaying clothing than actually being sat in. at the far right side of the tent, there's a mattress with some pillows and blankets mingling with piles of unfinished projects, making it hard to tell if that's actually for sleeping or if that, too, is somehow part of the shop display.

but really, the immediate thing of interest is probably Tonic--who is on the left side of the room, crouched on one knee, pinning the hem of a shirt on a woman who is half-hidden behind a folding divider. today, he's dressed in a long, black dress, made from some soft-looking fabric that ripples and drapes like water whenever he moves. the sleeves are long, but the collar is nearly off his shoulders, revealing that mangle of strange scars that would otherwise be covered. the dress is cinched at the waist with a corset that's been heavily embroidered, and the earrings he's picked out are these impressively large, twisting things that resemble loose, thorny brambles in a way that is both beautiful and a little dangerous-looking.

his hair is combed all to one side, draping towards the good side of his face. his makeup is heavy, as usual, but also artistically done. he took some liberties with his lips today, painting the good side solid black, and the bad side with mocking, vertical stripes that taper off to a thin point.

the girl squeaks and ducks back behind the divider as soon as she catches someone entering... but when Tonic looks over, expecting another customer, his intent expression is quickly replaced by surprise, which is overtaken by a wide, half-grin in seconds.]

Tek! Darling, it's good to see you.

[heresyandlace]

[he spares Tonic a greeting smile, but then his eyes immediately return to picking over his surroundings.

he's keenly interested in everything around him, but his body language could unfortunately be mistaken for extreme hesitance. the empty, reptilian calculating looks an awful lot like caution, and the way he idly fidgets his fingertips over the cloth of his shirt, scratching just below his throat, looks like someone caught in discomfort they hadn't been expecting. in reality, his fingers are just itching to go exploring through the clutter and look for treasures. shiny things keep catching his eye. he's quite happy to see Tonic again, but this place is turning out to be far more distracting than he'd expected a "clothing shop" to be.]

Yes, well. I wouldn't want to intrude if you're busy.

[potionandpoison]

[the corner of the Market Level where Tonic takes up residence has not changed much since the last time that Tek visited. there are a few pockets of this bazaar that change from day to day, but all of the tents here seem to be the same, selling more-or-less the same thing, attracting more-or-less the same kind of people. the only thing that's significantly different this time around is that the sound of the drumming girl is missing.

she's nowhere to be seen, as Tek approaches, though the rest of the tent appears identical to the way it was before. the door is open, though a couple appears from inside just as the dragon gets close. one of them is a seedy-looking man with hunched shoulders and lanky, greasy hair--he looks distrustfully out at the world (and therefor, also at Tek) as a thin, busty woman wearing too much makeup follows along after him.

the two of them may have just been customers; he hooks an arm around the woman's waist and pulls them away disapprovingly, while the woman only giggles. the corset she's wearing looks an awful lot like something of Tonic's, especially when she turns and reveals the intricate lacing details running up the back.

upon entering, Tonic is there and speaking with a third person. a rather average-looking man, dressed in a black vest and a worn-looking button-up, seems to be apologizing to Tonic, possibly for something to do with the two who just left.]

It's no problem, dear. [Tek can catch Tonic's full reply, accompanied by a wave of his lovely hand, this time covered in rings (at least one of which is shaped like a spider):] Honestly, you'd be surprised how many relationship problems bubble up around simply trying on clothes. It's not...

[Tonic's hair is short again today. he's wearing a long, sleek dress with elegant gold trim crossing him down the middle and across his chest. it's a high-collared outfit, which he's balanced with long, dangling gold earrings. they slink over his shoulders as he turns his head, sees Tek, and gets a look of surprise across exactly half of his face.

but that turns into a wide smile, and he drops his conversation with this other man to address Tek directly.]

Darling, how are you? What a surprise...

[heresyandlace]

[Tek looks put-together as always, but he's not wearing the shirt of Tonic's that he'd previously walked off with. it's safe to assume that one is gone forever.

he is wearing a look of utter fondness, and it's only mostly for the beautiful, spidery man in front of him. the other man, who has suddenly lost Tonic's interest, probably has something to do with it as well.]

Perfect. And you? I hope I'm not intruding...

[potionandpoison]

[the other man looks a little surprised at the intrusion, giving Tek a quick up-and-down glance before deferring back to Tonic. who is still not looking at him.]

Oh, no. We were just finishing up some last-minute business. I'm really not worried about it.

[the last line is finally slid towards the other (far less interesting) man with a polite smile... and crossed arms, subtly barring further conversation from happening. the visitor is quickly getting the idea that his presence is no longer wanted, and his increasingly awkward posture leads easily into him taking a couple of steps towards the door.]

Well, uh, thank you, and I hope to do more business with you in the future.

[Tonic answers this man's closing statement with a small tilt of his head and a cute little wave.]

I hope that too, dear.

[seconds after the man leaves the tent, and Tonic is sure that his footsteps have led far enough away for him not to be overheard by mistake, he drops the smile and rolls his eyes (mostly, one is still a little clunky) for Tek to see.]

What a fucking prick. Did you see the two leaving?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

So I don't think that the forest will try to eat you...

[Robin brushes a branch away from his face, lifting gently with the back of his gloved hand. the sun is still low on the horizon, an early-morning mist clinging to the mossy ground, obscuring roots and stones and other things that could easily twist a mortal's ankle. there are no paths out here, the way that Robin is taking them. paths mean people, and he wants to keep their chances of running into someone as low as possible.]

It feels pretty calm out here. Hopefully the trees won't change their minds.

[the forest has always had an energy to it. Tek could feel it from the town, whenever they went upstairs. but now that they're in it, it's thick and very alive. it's a stark difference from the dead energy of the underground city. it flows around them like water, swirling gently like the mist below their feet.

Robin has leading them in (relative) silence up until now. he's in a bit of a hurry, having the feeling that he's got a very limited time to get Tek as far away from civilization as possible... while keeping them away from certain scouting paths and pockets of forest-dwelling denizens that only he knows about.]

[heresyandlace]

[between the call of this forest's naturally-seething energy, and the way that Tek's own energy has already been hungry and volatile lately, the two forces have been invisibly reacting to one another since the upper floor of the cave. Tek's eyes were already too-bright because of whatever imbalance had been going on inside, but now they are gleaming. and he's been (uncharacteristically) quiet for most of the trip. some combination of his focus being drawn and far away from his place in physical space and the way that he's concentrating on trying to keep himself in check has made for a rather somber walk.

he's beginning to get antsy though, now that they're starting to truly surround themselves in forest. there is so much energy that grates against his own here, but all wild places are just as much death as they are life. there are decaying things all around them, packed in layers under their feet, and Tek has been starved of it for too long.

it's a good thing that there aren't many beings in their immediate vicinity who can feel that sort of thing, because Tek's energy is leaking everywhere.

Tek is almost hurrying Robin along with the way that he's sort of crowding him while they pick their way through the brush. his gaze is focused far forward as he moves over the roots and uneven ground as easily as if it had all been part of his own body. he moves like he's hunting and is concerned that his prey might escape if they don't hurry.

he at least tries on a smile, though.]

Forests love me. It'll be fine.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[it probably will be fine. he keeps telling himself that as they pass between thick, old tree trunks, and as they duck under low-hanging tangles. every once in a while he reaches out to touch something as he passes, seemingly gleaming some information from it that has him adjust their course slightly in one direction or another.

eventually, the trees get thinner, younger. more wildflowers and greenery spring from softer ground underneath them. small signs of an old fire are still here--sooty marks on the couple of older trees that withstood the blaze, downed logs that are more charcoal than anything, largely decayed and reclaimed by fungus and ivy and sprouting new life in their remains.

poetic, but more importantly, a little easier to walk around in. he doesn't know how much room Tek needs for this, but it seems like more is better.]

[potionandpoison]

[to be entirely honest, Tonic may not have believed that Tek intended to make good on his offer. or maybe he did, but also assumed that his mysterious visitor would consequently forget about it, or wind up in jail or dead before such a thing could come to light. whatever the case, he looked genuinely surprised when Tek told him that they would be going up to the surface in a few hours, though he immediately cancelled any business and rushed to get ready all the same.

when the dragon comes to pick him up again, he's dressed exquisitely, draped in a black dress with sheer panels that accentuate his slender figure--and conveniently keep his more mechanical parts hidden. his chest is draped in gold (or gold-passing) necklaces, and Gods bless him, he's found a small crown of narrow, golden spikes to match. his makeup is dramatic and dark, as always, but what's truly impressive is that he's somehow constructed a complete mouth for himself. the illusion is somewhat ruined as he talks and the worse half of it still doesn't move much, but he could practically pass as someone with a normal face if no one looked too hard.

he walks beautifully in three-inch heels, arm-in-arm with Tek, the entire way up through the levels and past the security that guards the exit. it isn't anything serious today, just a couple of men who watch the trickling crowd as it passes through the old subway tunnels leading surfaceward. Robin told Tek about a dozen things he can do if the guards try to stop either of them, but they're in a good mood today... the two of them get eyed-over, but no one makes a move to approach them as they start ascending into the light.

Tonic has been doing a very good job of chatting about nothing. gossiping about business, complimenting how perfect that coat looks on Tek, admiring the other's wonderful makeup, asking if he's been up to anything fun... but he gets strangely quiet when the air changes, and the tunnel begins to fill with natural light, and no matter how calm and pleasant he appears on the outside, there's no hiding the way he flinches a little when a breeze reaches them, or squeezes Tek's arm tighter as they pass through the iron archway and into the pleasant late-morning sun.

and if Tek wanted some entertainment, seeing his friend vulnerable up here in the open air, he certainly gets it. he locks up just outside the gate. it seems almost entirely involuntary, with Tonic apologizing and trying to poke a little fun at himself while also trying to keep his own body from hyperventilating.]

Yes, I... Was hoping it would not be as bad...

[he also makes the mistake of glancing up, though immediately ducks his head back down, leaning heavily on Tek for any kind of support. he also tries to say something else, but he either can't, or doesn't trust himself to do so successfully, so he winds up saying nothing and swaying uneasily on perfectly solid ground.]

[heresyandlace]

[Tek knows the look. horror is something he's rather intimately connected with, after all. the current subject is maybe a little silly in his opinion, but everyone has their quirks, and it's not as though he hadn't expected this one. and with the way that his normally-independent friend is clinging to him for dear life, he has all the patience in the world right now.

and the dragon is saying something, but it probably doesn't matter much in those first few moments. it makes the scene seem more relaxed than it is; it gives Tonic something to focus on that isn't the entire world of new, threatening experiences around him and the tightness in his own chest. Tek comments on how various things had looked differently the last time he was up here. he mentions the places that he'd been with Robin. he chats with himself in Tonic's direction, and gently, casually, begins to lead him along.

and then, slipped in there amongst the small-talk is a question that is asked as if he means shopping or a perhaps a pleasant meal to begin their day with, when he actually means anything from a drink of water to a quiet place to suffer an anxiety attack.]

--Would you like anything?

[potionandpoison]

[Tonic continues to cling very tightly for a while, as his internal systems slowly acclimate to the idea of openness above him and around him. Tek's words are much easier to focus on, reminding him that normalcy exists outside of his vacuum of uncontrollable terror. once he is led forward a couple of uneasy steps, he is able to start assuring his own reptile brain that he is not going to fall into the sky, which seems to break the spell enough for him to finally let in a big, controlled breath.

the rest of him starts to follow suit with every step. his hold on the other becomes less of a death grip and more of a safety precaution, and he finds enough rhythm to follow along at a casual, meandering pace, and eventually he even begins to look around, try to identify things that Tek points out, try to read signs and look at the ground and slowly take it all in, one detail at a time.

would he like anything...? he makes a small mumbling noise as he thinks, but it speaks to his good progress that he's able to form a sardonic response.]

A lobotomy would be nice.

[even in this state, Tonic is still Tonic, and he is fully aware that Tek is being incredibly kind to him when he doesn't have to be. he is becoming deeply indebted with every passing second, and even though he logically believes that Tek doesn't intend to do him any serious harm, he also feels that he is taking an incredible risk in trusting him not to all the same.

so he is vulnerable and grateful and embarrassed, and enamored with the graciousness way he is being treated, but he doesn't want to admit it out-loud for fear of this kindness becoming more of a bargaining chip than it already is.]

But thank you, darling. Whatever you'd like is fine by me.