( open ) a-hunting we will go…

[passio]

WHO: Dextera and you! Assuming you’re a Pleroma.
WHAT: Plant-hunting, crafting, and the aftercare of that.
WHERE: Greentruth, the Lohkimareen Forest
WHEN: early Soviseri
WARNINGS: Nothing major (yet), but there are mushrooms?


 
I. world’s worst jungle adventure

[ dextera promised that he would assist in making traps, but if he’s going to do it the way that he knows how to do it, that means going out and harvesting whatever he can find from the creatures and plants in lohkimareen. he’s already familiar with some unpleasant effects from his personal indulgences in trying to find food, but speaking with the locals—as much as has been possible for him, anyway—has enlightened him to some of the things he can most certainly use in lieu of his array from home.

his current main goal is to find the elusive bordavirag for the purposes of harvesting its digestive enzymes—a task with implications that some might find unpleasant, as far as it goes as a weapon—but inevitably, a journey deep into lohkimareen will lead to a number of encounters with its smaller, more common flora.

with a bag of supplies and his trusty sword, he'll set out from greentruth by himself if he must, but he won't say no to a companion or two if they seem inclined to come along, and he'll likely have to take a few trips out regardless. ]


II. handicrafting, now with more hands

[ and, regardless of how successful finding the bordavirag actually is, dextera’s efforts have nonetheless borne fruit. he’s managed to collect a variety of supplies from the forest as well as carted in from godsblood to start assembling a strange variety of traps and devices that are intended to be non-lethal… but certainly quite painful, if the collection of items is any indication.

spread out around him as he diligently hooks together wood, bones, and plates of metal are the following materials: gunpowder from godsblood, sharpened quills from the pajarc running around near greentruth, some sort of liquid in a glass jar, and a variety of mushrooms that have been dehydrated and ground into powder. each has their own purpose as a different type of trap, and anyone is welcome to inquire—or help, or test them out with dextera, he isn’t turning anyone away.

and, if you hear a few minor explosions followed by some strangled noises of pain and surprise down on the forest floor, don't worry too much. dextera is probably fine. ]


III. sorry about the poisoning

[ did you assist him? did you foolishly test out one of the mushroom traps?

maybe you now find yourself with brutal stomach cramps, or perhaps you’re dealing with a little bout of delirium. other mushrooms he’s found also might just make you cry and sweat profusely for no reason, or possibly now has never seemed like a better time for a nap.

none of these effects are especially potent due to the processing that’s gone into putting them in traps in the first place, and their natural origins mean that they’re easy enough to fend off for the particularly hardy, but dextera nonetheless guiltily hovers over anyone he’s affected with a bucket of cool water and a damp towel.

…or, if delirium has taken hold, he'll certainly be a grounding presence and keep a tight hold on anyone's hand who looks like they're ready to go fight god. ]

Comments

closed to himeka and johnny.

[passio]

[ based on their last encounter, dextera hadn’t altogether expected johnny to be able to make this journey… but the adaptations of greentruth have proven him wrong, and truthfully, even if he couldn’t move, dextera imagines himeka would have had some trick up her sleeve to make sure he can safely come along.

the three of them are, thus, as trustworthy a team as he can imagine of the people he knows among the pleroma. of course he’s befriended others, but with the stories he’s heard of the bordavirag, he would feel nothing short of miserably guilty—and deeply anxious—dragging along someone leaning more towards “normal,” like kim or ryunosuke.

so the three of them it is, in the hot, sticky depths of lohkimareen forest.

he’s managed to get a description of what they’re looking for and the usual habitat; he wouldn’t come completely unprepared. along with johnny’s dinosaur serving as a pack mule, they’re able to travel a little further and a little longer than they normally would completely on foot. that doesn’t make wading into a bog pleasant for anyone, though.

mud squelches beneath their feet, suggesting they’re getting close, but being close doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll find their target. ]

…

[comelately]

[ it's hot, it's sticky, the kocsigyik he's rented out today smells like toasted swamp ass... and, to be honest, he's feeling pretty good, because anything's better than being trapped up in that glorified treehouse doing someone's errands. Johnny much prefers being out on the proverbial road, moving his body, and even the humid, boggy clime doesn't bother him too much. It could be worse.

It could be better, he thinks as he waves away the fifth comically oversized mosquito in as many minutes, but it could be worse. ]

So, a big plant that looks like a ribcage...? It can't be that hard to find if it's as big as they say.

[ other than itching to get away from Greentruth, he feels like he owes Dextera still. And Himeka -- well, she's been surprisingly good company for these sorts of things. ]

[aquaveiled]

[ A stinky, well-traveled mount does bode well for an exploration, doesn't it? Himeka is never one to turn down a potential quest so when Dextera expressed his interest in his own quiet way and she learned that Johnny was coming along too, she was only too happy to offer her services.

The mud doesn't bother her. In fact, she's wearing wraps that really only cover the back half of her feet, so she flexes her toes in the squishy ground as they move forward. ]

So they say. Normally they would advise avoiding these sorts of places because of it, but...

[ She glances to Dextera. ]

Our fearless leader has a plan.

[passio]

[ the problem is that dextera is neither fearless nor a particularly good leader, but he has the benefit of being quiet. a lot of people can easily assume some authority of him in the right situation, when he has a goal to focus on, and he does very much have one of those now.

so, he nods, more in response to johnny than himeka. he gestures to himself and motions upward—it’s much bigger than him, and maybe even taller than johnny currently sitting on the dinosaur. ]

…

[ but that’s not the only thing they need to look out for. as his feet start sinking deeper in the mud, he pauses, and points to a spot on his sword. when he moves it back and forth, there’s a part of the blade that glitters: they’re looking for something similar, he’s heard. bioluminescence. ]

[comelately]

[ judging by the look on Johnny's face, he's also a bit skeptical of the "fearless leader" moniker... but he sure doesn't know how to track a plant, so he's not going to volunteer himself for the position. He just shrugs. Dextera's gesturing (and sinking, which is a little concerning - they better not get stuck in a mud pit out here), and he busies himself with trying to interpret him, instead. ]

... Uh. You're going to cut it up with your sword?

[ probably not, right... he was pointing to part of it... ]

Or did you mean - something about the sun hitting it?

[aquaveiled]

[ Much of Dextera is trying to read his pantomimes. Himeka wouldn't say she's good at it, particularly, so having another head to conk hers with definitely helps. (Or does it if they're two idiots? Affectionate.)

She has to tap her chin after Johnny's suggestions. ]

Or that it's something...shiny?

[passio]

[ dextera shakes his head to both of johnny’s guesses, and himeka’s… is still not quite right, so he hesitates, but he ultimately decides to nod on that one. shiny and glowing serve more or less the same purpose when they’re this deep in the forest. there’s hardly any sunlight breaking through the canopy overhead, and what sunlight does get through doesn’t seem to successfully filter much direct illumination on them. the bog is ambiently lit, but those circumstances should make it easy to find what they’re looking for.

he replaces his sword and goes for the next charade. this time, he lays his hands out flat, and slowly curls his fingers inwards. ]

…

[ the grim expression on his face is none other than a warning—from here, they need to watch their footing, as difficult as it is when the mud is almost ankle deep. ]

[comelately]

So they're shiny, too. Okay...

[ plants are fuckin wild out in the jungle. He watches Dextera again as he performs for them, with some small amount of chagrin; is this humiliating for Dex? Johnny knows he would resent having to do it. But he doesn't know sign language, and the alternative - passing his notebook around - was impractical, especially in this environment. He'd never forgive himself if he lost it out here. ]

And they're big enough they can trap us like that... Right? I heard they were carnivorous plants.

[ he's spared having to wade through the mud, but his mount seems none too happy about sloshing through it in his stead, its heavy footsteps even heavier as it drags its weight through the clinging sludge. ]

... Hang in there, girl, [ he mutters to the dinosaur under his breath. ]

[aquaveiled]

[ Fingers curling inwards...Himeka finds herself doing the same motion with her own hands to see if that will help further her understanding. Then she tries to mash her hands together like it's some sort of toothy clam.

Probably not the same thing... ]

Yes, there are a few about but I haven't seen any myself.

[ A beat. ]

Or maybe I have and just didn't notice it trying to eat me?

[ She's here to help. ]

iii

[snakeandfangs]

[ you think toge's afraid of a little mushroom poisoning? truth be told, he knows that there are far worse things to put in his stomach; and he also knows that the potency probably wouldn't be as severe as just trying to digest one in the first place. he trusts dextera. he trusts the other pleroma. so he's more than willing to take one for the team to make sure this one works in particular...!!!

and this is why... ]

... salmon.

[ at first, nothing seems different. that's when he realizes that he was standing just moments ago, and now he's sitting? why is he sitting??

now that he thinks about it a little more, he's tired. more tired than usual. drowsy for sure. covering his mouth to yawn, toge is doing his best not to fall asleep. not yet. ]

[passio]

[ the mushroom has been dispersed in a powder, but the spores weren’t ever denatured. of course that’s the goal in the long run, but the point of testing is to see how far it spreads. it’s inevitable that the testers—himself included, at times—would get caught in their own trigger.

he’s trying to measure the fall of the powder when toge speaks up, and… oh, there he goes. ]

…

[ it’s hard to keep track of what each trap does—he’s not sure why toge is sitting, at least until he yawns. ]

Ah.

[ they’re not done! and this is also a bad place to nap. dextera crouches, and his hand hovers like he’s ready to tap toge awake at any moment. ]

[snakeandfangs]

[ he hasn't completely fallen asleep yet, and that's probably for the best--- how's he going to help test the efficacy of those traps if he's enjoying a dreamless slumber? but instinct kicks in as he sees dextera's hand out of the corner of his eye, and toge immediately reaches out to grab his wrist. quick, but not firmly, holding it right by his own face. ]

... konbu.

[ toge's okay, really. just needs a little help up, probably. with his free hand, toge wipes his face off as much as possible as he tries to stave off the incoming sleepies. ]

Mentaiko.

[ damn. at least it's pretty potent, right? ]

[passio]

[ hm…

by now, dextera understands what toge had meant by their initial conversation over the network, but that doesn’t make his strange linguistic habit easier to understand. in a way, it feels like if he closes his eyes and listens closely he can glean the true meaning from his list of ingredients, but that’s not a feasible or reliable thing to do.

luckily, regardless of what toge is trying to convey, dextera can tell that he is sleepy and trying to fight it off. ]

…

[ he nods and pulls away from toge, only so that he can turn and retrieve the rudimentary bottle of water he’s kept at his side while testing.

he holds it up, inquiringly. ]

[snakeandfangs]

[ it's okay. if anyone will eventually get what toge is trying to say, what the meanings are behind those innocent sounding foodstuffs, it'll be dextera! maybe! he'll have faith nonetheless. even as toge is unconsciously counting balls of rice in his head, slowly sinking down into sleep... ]

?

[ water. a bottle of water. yeah, that's perfect. toge reaches up and takes it, opening the top and promptly douses himself with it. pours it all over his head, dripping down his hair, soaking his collar...

it's cold enough to force him to open his eyes to their fullest. ]

Ah!

[ he's slightly embarrassed... he should've been more careful with that trap. ]

Sujiko...

[ a nod of thanks and of appreciation. ]

[passio]

[ dextera hadn’t been totally sure what he was going to do with the water just yet, but toge takes the choice out of his hands by dousing himself. some of the brightness returns to his eyes once he does—which is a good note for dextera, that the powder can be easily washed away and the victim awoken with a good splash—but dextera still feels a bit guilty for the act in the first place. ]

…

[ rather than returning toge’s appreciative nod, he bundles up the tail of his coat to reach out and clean off toge’s face. ]

[snakeandfangs]

[ he's going to have to lower his collar, that's for sure. the last thing toge wants to do is keep any of the powder near his face lest he ends up drowsy again. it's good that it's potent but also sort of a detriment if someone is able to clean themselves off right away--- something less likely to happen in the heat of the moment.

toge doesn't expect dextera to clean him off though, but it's... nice.

don't mind the light tinge of pink on his cheeks. ]

Ah...

[passio]

[ a light grey film comes off when dextera gets the remaining damp powder off toge’s face, but it seems it’s done its work. maybe he’ll still feel a little sleepier than normal, but he won’t be in any danger of keeling over as he just was before.

apparently unaware of any embarrassment toge is feeling, dextera nods to himself, satisfied. ]

…?

[ hold on.

although logically, he knows that the markings are too designed to be a dirty mark, he automatically rubs at the corner of toge’s mouth just an instant later. ]

II

[hippocarnival]

[The distant sound of explosions and pain draws Yuya to take one of the ropes down to the forest floor, to make sure someone isn't in trouble. IT doesn't sound like dinosaurs anyway, so he wonders if someone who was going out into the forest is struggling to get back up.]

What's going on down here... Dextera?

[What is... all of this stuff.]

[passio]

[ once yuya reaches the forest floor, it’s obvious enough that dextera was not only the catalyst for the explosion, but also the target. he’s got soot on his hands and face, and he’s brushing himself off when yuya gets to him. ]

…

[ his surprise that someone would check on him is perhaps unwarranted, considering. he lifts the metal pieces from which a fire just exploded, showing his handiwork. ]

[hippocarnival]

Uh... what's that? [He points at the piece of metal.] What are you doing?

[Is. Is Dextera making bombs.]

[passio]

[ yes. yes he is.

unsure of how to concisely answer yuya’s question, though, he links the two pieces of metal back together for a demonstration. when he pushes down on the top piece, it seems to click in—and then he wrenches them apart to mimic an explosion.

just to ensure his point gets across, he also motions down to the bag of gunpowder sitting at his feet. ]

[hippocarnival]

Uh, can you... [Yuya taps the side of his head. Communion? He can understand 'bomb', but why. What are these weird ingredients.]

[passio]

Oh.

[ softly.

he does set down his various pieces and instead withdraws his shard, and once he does, yuya will feel the mental nudge that lets him know dextera is speaking. ]

They’re traps.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya accepts the communion attempt easily. Though his response is still out loud.

So they are bombs.]

To defend... Greentruth? [Because surely, Dextera would not set off explosive traps in the middle of an actual city or anything.]

[passio]

[ dextera nods. it’s not just greentruth, though, since too many traps would make its location obvious. ]

And… in case we need to fight in other places.