event: portal four | the mountain

[mayfield_mods]

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.

Comments

[pursuitofcappiness]

That must be awful, waking up like that.

[ He furrows his brows, like it's a long story. ]

They did take something away from me, but it was something I was given. I wasn't always that way. For awhile, I was... way bigger, and stronger. I got to fight in the war, and that was everything I wanted: to serve my country.

To serve this country.

[ Frowns ]

And look at what they've done with it.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

He seemed pretty upbeat about it, then again, by the time he was taken away most of the yard was taken up by parts of his pirate ship.

[She huffs in amusement at the memory, but her ears twitch toward Steve as she listens to him. Her gaze is very sympathetic as she watches him, reaching out to give his shoulder a squeeze.]

This can't be all of America in this place. I'm pretty sure this is just an isolated event, isolated to the local area. This can't be what the whole country is like.

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ He shakes his head ]

It's not. I... got to see what America was like in 2012, and I'm sure if this had happened in the 50s, I'd know about it. Or, one of my colleagues would. They said this wasn't a real town, and I believe them. There's no way we'd let this happen to a town.

That's... not what I wanted to protect.

[ But he's grateful for the hand on his shoulder, at least. ]

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[She rubs his shoulder with her thumb, her tail waving.]

Trust me, even in my America in 2011, there was nothing like this. I dunno about 2012, but I'm willing to bet it was fine too.

[A brow arches as she cocks her head, smirking a little.]

So, you jumped from 1950 to 2012, huh? Must've been quite a culture shock. How'd you manage something like that?

[pursuitofcappiness]

I uh... I fell asleep in 1943. A really long sleep.

[ He looks sad, like that isn't really the truth but he doesn't really want to talk about it. That year were some of the best and worst moments of his life. ]

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[Her eyes go wide, her brows disappearing into her shaggy bangs as she stares at him.]

You're kidding. What kind of a nap is that?

[Her ears flick back as the ramifications sink in. He lost everything, didn't he? Everyone he knew and cared about.]

Oh gosh, I'm so sorry.

[pursuitofcappiness]

It's... alright.

[ No, it's not alright. God, this is never going to be okay, but this is... not the best time to get upset over it. He just hasn't had the time to move on. ]

But you know, I woke up here in this body and I almost thought the last year of my life had been a dream.

[ He'd be in his mid to late thirties, maybe with kids. Maybe the same age as his kids in Mayfield. Funny, how that works. ]

At least I know better, now. That's the first step.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[Mika gives his shoulder another squeeze before she leans over and rubs her forehead against it.]

That's probably handling it better than when I woke up here.

[She leans back with a sheepish laugh, rubbing her nose.]

I uh...I actually woke up screaming. I thought someone had mauled me in the middle of the night or something. It was really embarrassing.

[Ducking her head, she huffs, her tail flopping for a second then she looks up again.]

We're going to get out of here sooner or later though, I have a good feeling about it, for once.

[pursuitofcappiness]

Trust me, if I hadn't have woken up in 2012 and destroyed part of a building running out from panicking, I could have done a lot worse here.

[ He takes a contented breath ]

We'll make it home, I know we will.

Even if you can't come back with me, could you wait a year? I'll come find you in my time. You won't have to look back, if you don't want.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

You partially destroyed a building?

[She huffs a small laugh, looking surprised and amused. The look turns a little flustered at that question.]

Yeah.

Wait a year? I could probably manage that. What are you going to do with a raggedy thing like me, anyway? They have any jobs for college dropout canines where you come from, or something?

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ He scratches the back of his head nervously like yeah, he sort of destroyed some stuff and scared some people in the office.... ]

There were jobs for college dropouts when I left for the war.

[ Hey, delivering newspapers counts. ]

[wolfishsurvivalist]

That'd be funny if it wasn't so upsetting for anyone.

[She huffs a little, her ears drooping.]

I haven't been able to find any. There's not enough jobs and too many people trying for them these days, not to mention they only take people with experience or a college degree. I think I'd have to really put my nose to the grinder to find one.

[Hopefully they won't use her medical history against her.]

[pursuitofcappiness]

It'll be alright, Mika. Trust me.

[ It's his turn to put a hand on her shoulder. ]

You know, I tried to enlist four times before they accepted me.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[Mika perks up a little, her tail wagging as she smiles at the gesture.]

Did you? Well, looks like I'll have to step up my game, doesn't it?

[pursuitofcappiness]

Trust me, if you just keep going, things'll turn up eventually.

Speaking of...

[ Looks ominously at the summit ]

[wolfishsurvivalist]

So basically I'm bound to get one one of these years.

[Her nose wrinkles as she looks up, scenting the air as her ears flick back. The glitches in the sky look disturbingly close from here, and it made all her fur stand on end.]

Looks pretty barren up here...

[pursuitofcappiness]

Well, it's not supposed to be a very big memento. But we'd better be on our guard.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

Got it.

[Then she starts sniffing in earnest, nose almost twitching as she studies the scents on the air, listening for any sounds that would be out of place.]

[pursuitofcappiness]

At least the holes don't seem to be getting any worse.

[ And at least next time, he'll know what supplies to bring. ]

[ OoC: Since they can't get to the summit, how do you want to wrap this up? ]

[wolfishsurvivalist]

Thank God. I'd be really worried if they were.

[She huffs, her ears folding back as she checks things out.]

((ooc: Maybe they split up to cover more ground? Mika ends up escaping with the help of Hajime, so being split up either by choice or forced by lavaflow works for me.))

[pursuitofcappiness]

Let's hope they don't change.

[ And then tries not to stare, but that thing with her ears is pretty cool. ]

[wolfishsurvivalist]

Been doing that this whole time, really.

[Her ears do seem to have a mind of their own, turning toward noises that catch her interest and twitch if something tickles them. Mika seems very much like a wolf in that moment, focusing almost entirely on attempting to find the memento, freezing in place in an attempt to get a better look at something that caught her eye. Having grown so used to being stared at in Mayfield, she hardly seems to notice if he does it.]

[pursuitofcappiness]

...I think we might have to split up.

[ He can see a fork in the road, and he's not sure which way to go. ]

But I don't think that's safe.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[She pauses, considering the path and chewing her bottom lip while she thinks. There's a moment's pause while she works it over before talking again.]

There isn't anything safe about this whole mess, but don't worry about me. I've managed to survive worse things, right?

[Flashing a quick grin, her tail wags.]

I'll take the path on my side, you go down your side. If anything happens, I'll howl or something. Sound okay to you?

[pursuitofcappiness]

...Take the gun.

I'll feel safer knowing you have it.