mayfield_rpg | event: portal four

Entry tags:

!event

event: portal four | the mountain

The fourth portal, as might be expected, can be found atop the hill known as Makeout Point. The other side of the portal isn't altogether that much different from the side you're entering from, save for the thicker trees and somewhat darker lighting.

The other side of the portal is significantly colder than the Mayfield side; frost covers the ground, and although it's not quite freezing, you'll want to bundle up. A glance at the sky reveals what you might have been dreading: glitch holes, in varying size, litter the skyline. The sun is hidden behind a set of thick clouds, creating a melancholy atmosphere.

The landscape around you is relatively flat, and you can't see too far beyond the forest ahead of you. It isn't until you turn around, facing the portal that you entered from, that you see the rising slope of the ground. The mountain rises high, higher than you can see from its base. There's a rough, primitive path heading up its slope, and for now simply hiking will be sufficient. As you get further, however, simply walking won't be enough: you're going to have to climb...

Somewhere, closer than you might prefer, a single wolf howls, and is shortly joined by more.

Better get moving.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Pretty much. Ready to see which one of us can make it there first?

[ Truthfully: ]

My bets are on you.

[ And a pause. ]

But I won't know if I don't try.

Maybe, I did get my bad leg fixed up pretty recently, so that does help.

[She huffs, her tail waving as she peers up at the summit before looking back to Steve.]

Neither of us will. Let's get to it, then.

[ He starts off, but not at a run because there is no way his asthma is not kicking in at this altitude. ]

What happened to your leg?

Well, it's a funny story, really.

[She pauses, considering this for a moment. Mika can hear him fighting to breathe and is trying to keep an easy pace for the both of them.]

Actually, it's not funny at all, even in hind sight. If you're willing to believe it, I actually nearly had my leg torn off by a giant lake monster. Thing looked like something out of one of H. P. Lovecraft's novels.

[She isn't even about to mention the fact that it also nearly tore her in half.]

You don't say. I never liked those novels much.

How did that happen?

I used to be a huge nerd for things like that, did a lot of research on it.

[She sighs, her ears and tail drooping as she scuffs at the uneven ground with the toe of her battered chucks.]

Got trapped in a haunted town, turns out I was the only living person there. The place fed off of negative emotions like hate and fear. Tried to go get something to eat, and finding fruit and vegetables or catching your own meat was usually safer than trying to find something in the store. Anything at the store tended to go horribly bad by the time I got it back to my safe house.

[Her expression shifts, pained and a little scared as the memory resurfaces.]

I got too close to the deep water, I hadn't realized there was something in the lake until it grabbed me and threw me into the air. I...I don't remember much after that.

[She goes quiet, biting her bottom lip as her ears flatten against her scalp.]

Hey. You're here now, you're a survivor.

Did this happen while you were here? Mayfield I mean, not the mountains.

[She just shakes her head, still looking a little spooked.]

No, this was years ago. Years ago and somewhere that I think might have been in Japan instead of the United States.

[ He nods ]

Well, this is definitely not Japan, and it's not haunted. We'll be fine; we just gotta find a stupid memento, and we'll be out of here.

Yeah, that's true.

[She sighs, looking up at the mountain's peak and seeming a little resigned.]

Sometimes I just wish things would be normal, you know? But you're right, we've got a memento to discover.

If you want, when this is over and we find a way home, you can come to where I'm going.

It's in America, but it's not like this, not at all.

[She quirks a small smile, her tail wagging.]

You sure I won't somehow unleash a chain of destruction behind me just by appearing there? Besides, aren't people more human-looking where you come from? I think that might cause a bit of a stir, wouldn't it?

[Still, it looks like she finds this offer very, very tempting.]

I wonder if I'd still look like this going there, or if I'd be forced into a human body or a four-legged wolf just by crossing over like I was here.

Well, I'd hope not, but some of the best scientists from my world are here, and they can probably figure out if it'd go badly, but I don't think it would.

And... the city I'm from, I've only been back a few weeks but I walked around some crowded areas, and I've seen people put on really strange costumes. I'm not sure anyone would think too much about it.

Maybe it's worth looking into. 's better than going home and getting shucked off to the shrinks again. I'd like to avoid being institutionalized as long as possible.

Well that's true, I suppose a bit of strategic accessorizing should work, even if it will get uncomfortable in the summer. New York, right? I'd guess...Manhattanish, possibly? Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not sure how hot it gets over there, I'm used to Los Angeles weather.

Definitely not as hot as Los Angeles. It's awful in the summer, but I've got a few air conditioning units.

And I live in Brooklyn. It's... pretty empty in my apartment, you could stay as long as you needed.

[ 'Cause he's not sending her back anywhere that's haunted. He sees how excited she is about maybe getting the chance to get away from everything. ]

Yes but you have snow! Snow is weird and strange and unusual. [She grins, laughing a little.] I'd actually have to grow a winter coat because you people have actual seasons instead of just warm and dry and hot and dry.

Ah! My ears are good but not that good at accents. Ahhh, well.

[The offer to stay with him actually triggers an odd reaction in the wolf girl. She's certainly surprised, but as soon as her eyes widen she ducks her head, rubbing the bridge of her nose to disguise the way her cheeks go hot. Yet the way her tail is suddenly wagging with interest might be a giveaway to her mood shift.]

W-well, I wouldn't want to impose, I'd probably get fur everywhere and my sleep schedule's really weird and I kind of eat a lot...b-but if you're sure I guess that would work.

[ He suddenly freezes because he didn't mean to seem creepy or anything, he just... it's kind of hard to toss someone into New York and not give them a place to stay while they find their footing. ]

Well, I eat a lot too and the whole city's got a weird sleep schedule and... fur I don't mind. I'm sure you'll find a job and a nicer place; it wouldn't be forever. Just as long as you need somewhere to stay.

[It wasn't that he seemed creepy, more like Mika was easily flustered around guys, and the fact that she grew embarrassed at her own nervous reactions only made things worse. Holding the shotgun close, she worried her bottom lip, snagging it with a fang.]

Y-yeah, rent prices are pretty awful in the big cities, huh? I promise I'd help out around the house and stuff, and I can sleep on the couch too, I don't mind. I just...don't want to be a huge burden on anyone. Not anymore.

[Even if she is wringing the shotgun in her nervousness, keeping it carefully pointed away from either of them.]

[ He's alright; if she accidentally shoots anything, he's prepared. ]

You wouldn't be a burden. Don't worry, I've got enough backpay to last me at least a lifetime, even if the city prices got even more ridiculous.

It's not always normal but... it's really nice, when it is.

O-okay, if you're sure.

[She can't seem to look him in the face, and she reaches up to quickly rub her cheeks in an attempt to wipe away her blush.]

I guess I'll have to bake a lot of cookies as way of saying thanks, then.

[ In an effort to make her less nervous-- it's ok, he's pretty awkward around ladies, too... ]

I love cookies. They'll make the apartment smell great. Whoever cleaned it before I moved in... I can't get rid of the smell. It feels like none of it belongs to me, you know? But cookies, that'll make it better.

I solemnly swear my double-chocolate chip and butterscotch cookies are good enough to even chase off ghosts.

[She huffs, her tail curling a little as it continues to wag.]

At least it always felt like they did. I know what you mean, though. Breaking in a new place can be really hard, but I think I can come up with some solutions for that. A bit of sage, holy water and a couple of batches of cookies should do the trick.

I'll make the trip down to the grocery store and the church first thing when we get in.

[ He smiles, and now I feel bad for using this icon three times in a row because he doesn't smile a lot when skinny lmao... ]

But... we won't get to do that if we don't get to this first.

Sounds like a plan. I'll see about getting myself a good hat and a coat and I'll go with you.

[Mika just returns the smile, her grip on the gun relaxing. Shhh no it is fine bb no one will notice /pets gently

Huffing softly, she nods, picking up the pace a little.]

Well, we'd better get to it, then.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject