[Orb]

[consultmybooks]

[The orb shows the beach - grass leading to rocks leading to sand leading to the vast expanse of ocean in the distance. It's a picteresque sort of sight, with the bonus of no dragons around to eat people. Turns out you just can't entirely trust the maps here..]

I've, um, I've found the ocean. It's not as bad as it looks, out here...I mean, um, the thorns are moving rather fast, but it turns out that we're hardly cut off.

Well...hardly cut off yet.

I did stop by the infection zone before I came out this way. The reports are certainly true. For plants, they are moving alarmingly fast. I didn't want to stay in the area. If I'd actually dared make camp there, I probably wouldn't be here now. Still. I, um, I made an effort. A couple of basic identification spells, and a bit of scrying, although s-something about them made that even harder than it normally is, for me.

If anyone has any ideas how I might, um, proceed further, or even get a bit off for further examination, I'm certainly all ears. It's not as though I'll have to walk that far to reach the border zone on my way back.

[...really, though, looking out at the beach, at the ocean and thinking of what lies beyond it, it's actually a little hard to remember that they're all in such terrible danger. The land around him brings up a feeling of nostalgia in Giles' chest that he can't ignore.]

...if worst comes to worst, I suppose we could always build a ship.

[Because, when he finds himself forgetting, now he can summon up the mental image of that great, gnarled tangle of malevolent, thorny evil. That's a familiar feeling as well - consult the books. Fight the evil. Save the world.

What happens next? Well...they'll burn that bridge when they come to it.]

((ooc: Hey, sorry for the edits, guys! Turns out I was a bit mistaken as to the positioning of the thorns. But! Things should be able to proceed from here.))

Comments

[fairweather]

[Tut. Tut.]

Goodness, that does ruin the scenery. And you should be ashamed of yourself, going to the beach without taking your dear aunt along.

[consultmybooks]

I thought you wouldn't want to ruin your complexion.

[Or is freckling back in season?

Besides that, well, Giles had just wanted some time alone at the beach. It had done him good once before, maybe it can do so again.]

It's not as though there's anything much here. No dragons, or mermaids, or anything of that sort.

[fairweather]

Oh, love, don't you know, I can tan wonderfully without ever burning? [Deal 39, yep.]

I do believe dragons and mermaids are more along your line of knowledge and experience. I would be quite content with a cocktail, lounge chair, and an umbrella. [And someone handsome to rub lotion onto her, mmhm.] Though I suppose we should all be thankful there are no mermaids. It wouldn't do having you charmed and carried off into the sea.

[consultmybooks]

[Giles looks pained. He still gets a mild headache at the thought of Deal 39. He's not sure what bothers him most - that his aunts made a deal like that, or that they made a deal like that without gruesome repercussions.]

I'm not actually certain lounge chairs exist in this place. Certainly not the sort to survive on the beach.

[...] Has, um, has anything interesting happened while I've been away, then?

[fairweather]

[Deal 39 should be the least of his concerns. Deal 54? Now that was a real doozy. 27 as well. But 39? A few unkept promises and a wave of a hand was all.]

Perhaps I'll have to make do with a royal litter.

[She smiles when he asks that. Run away, Giles, run away.]

Well, I did hear the most scandalous thing about a torrid love affair between a sage, rogue, and wizard. Apparently they were having an orgy deep in the woods. The castle staff was all abuzz about that one. Rumor has it while the rogue claims to be the one true love of the sage, she's secretly in love with the wizard, and the wizard is pining after the sage.

[A beat]

Oh yes, someone was talking about mermaids and how a princess from across the sea was turned into one after some dreadful altercation with a sea serpent.

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue's never seen the ocean before. Rivers and ponds yes, but never anything as large as the ocean. Her eyes are wide as she stares at the vast blue expanse.

It's a pity the thorns ruin the scenery.]

I've never seen so much water before!

[consultmybooks]

Haven't you?

[Growing up on what was essentially an oversized island, Giles hadn't come to see the appeal of the ocean until much later in life.]

Well, um, it's a bit of a walk, but it's safe enough. Not much to see, though, not without a boat of some sort.

[...although Giles is totally thinking about building a boat. If only he could be a dragon for another few days...]

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue shakes her head.] District Four was responsible for fishing. We were responsible for crops and agriculture in District Eleven. [As if that was enough to explain why she'd never seen the ocean before.]

It's very big. Do you know how big it is?

[consultmybooks]

[Yeah, that explains...absolutely nothing.

Oh, well. Not like Giles isn't used to explanations that explain absolutely nothing, especially with regards to other worlds.]

I haven't the faintest idea, actually. If we could find out, though, I thought it might be a way to escape the thorns.

[Unless they grew underwater. They'd probably grow underwater, all things considered.

But at least it would buy them some time.]

[folklorist]

[ Helios takes in a sharp breath of air upon seeing those thorns. ] Giles! D-Do you need help?

[ He kinda sounds worried about you bro. ] D-Don't, don't touch them. Ah! M-maybe a-a knife could work. You could possibly scrape something off of one of them.

[ He really doesn't know. ]

[consultmybooks]

I have a knife, and I confess I had considered that. But I'm not sure it would be enough, honestly. They're, um...well, they're quite healthy, for demonic plants. I didn't trust myself not to get scratched as I cut.

[Giles doesn't really know, either, and finally seeing the thorns has only heightened his anxieties about the whole affair, rather than lessening them.]

I'm all right, Helios. Frustrated and mystified and wishing I were a dragon again, but, um, I am all right.

[folklorist]

Yes, well, sometime the easiest solution is the best one. Th-though I don't think that's the case here, unfortunately. [ That sound? That is the sound of a very relieved best friend. He chuckled at the mentioning of dragons though. ] We, um, r-recently got someone here who has three of them, dragons I mean. Building a boat would be fun again to do though. It was fun the last time, albeit a bit of work.

[ And here he'll frown. He has a lot to talk to Giles about, but it's probably best said in person. ] Do you...want me to come and get you?

[consultmybooks]

Someone with three dragons?

Good lord. [That is the sound of Giles imagining all the ways that could be disastrous and just what kind of person you would have to be.

Of course, he only ever had the dragon from Glory's hell dimension for comparison...]

You'll, um, you'll have to introduce me, then. If they were willing to help, I'm sure we could get the materials together in a reasonable span.

[His mind is already ticking over on it, running over what they did last time and what they might do this time to make it go faster. It's a good feeling.]

Can you make it this far?

[bondsoflove]

I'll go attack them for you.

[There's a slightly strange look in his eye.]

[consultmybooks]

[...was not expecting that. Giles certainly looks surprised by the boy's enthusiasm...but his surprise gives way to some concern.

Strange looks in the eyes and a desire to attack dangerous things. Oh, dear.]

While, um, while I appreciate your courage, I really don't think that's a wise or even remotely feasible idea. These aren't ordinary plants. They can and, if rumor is to be believed, have consumed the flesh and bones of anyone who touches them.

[bondsoflove]

I have armor.

[A stare.] And they can have my arm if it gives us a sample that helps us figure out how to kill them.

[consultmybooks]

[...sigh.]

I think your arm would be much better put to use elsewhere, honestly.

And I would consider it a terrible waste of time for you to travel all the way out here and lose a limb only for us to fail to get anything out of it.

[...] Not that I don't admire your enthusiasm. Really, um, we could probably use more of that.

[shadedsunlight]

[It's a beautiful sight, the ocean, spreading out beyond. Who knew what lay beyond? Yes, there were rumors of a land beyond and a princess turned into a mermaid, but who knew what realities there were beyond. Maybe at the very edge was an invisible barrier waiting to turn them back.

Ginia stares at the ocean, wishing she could be there. She loves the ocean, the relaxing, beautiful properties. She loves the sight and for a bit, her expression is longing.

Beyond her, not much else can be seen. Wherever she's seated, it's very high up, evident when a few birds fly into view behind her. As for the rogue herself, she's traded in her black leather armor for something a little more commonplace, breeches and tunic, befitting a free-spirited lady. The only oddities are the strings of pearls braided into her hair and a gold necklace with a ruby pendant.]

/Maybe if we build a ship, we can seek out the mermaid princess and the Kingdom Beyond the Sea./

[consultmybooks]

[Giles is a little surprised by the signs of finery that weren't there when he left. It makes her look a bit like a pirate.

Bad experiences with pirates aside, it's honestly a rather attractive look on her. He's missed her - looking out at the ocean has reminded him of what they used to have, and where they used to be, and how far they still have to go.

The time alone has done him some good, but maybe Helios can make a trip out here to take him home.]

I confess, the, um, the Kingdom Beyond the Sea interests me rather more than the mermaids. I count it as a blessing not to have run into any so far.

[shadedsunlight]

[Dread Pirate Solana, terror of the seven seas. It does have a certain sort of appeal to it.

She's also missed him as well. Oh, she kept herself getting a bit of rest, monitoring guard patrol patterns, going on a stealing spree, and showering Helios with all sort of illegally-gotten goods, but it was still lonely in the mornings and nights.]

/I wonder if there would be a way to contact them, see what sort of trouble they might have on their end, if any. And I myself wouldn't mind seeing a mermaid. I hear the princess is smoking hot./

[consultmybooks]

You really should know better than to believe anything that bloody Sign-maker sticks up on the board.

...back in Sunnydale, of course, mermaids were overall quite repugnant. Here? Well, um, that might be something different.

[He's not entirely sure how he feels about that. The fact that Ginia might be as susceptible to a mermaid's charm as he might is oddly kind of comforting, though.]

As for the thorns, well, I have every confidence that they could grow underwater, if the situation called for it. The "situation" being the extermination of life, in this particular case.

video;

[emblazing]

..A ship?

Re: video;

[consultmybooks]

A ship, yes. I've, um, I've managed to put one together before, although that was under...well, um, markedly different circumstances.

I thought it might at least buy us some time, if it comes to it.

video;

[emblazing]

Perhaps it would be better to leave this country entirely and find another where the thorns will not touch them.

Re: video;

[consultmybooks]

I'm...actually not sure there is such a place. I admit, I've only gathered a little, and, and I'm not sure even of that...

...but I think, anywhere we went, we'd only be buying ourselves time.