[PRP] Traveler Returning (Keionx and Alexin)

[DraconicFeline]

Two heroes reunite and compare notes on their broken innocence. The result could decide the fate of Alternia. Or... just of these two children...  

[DraconicFeline]

TanuKyle

Keionx was wandering alone, as she often did. Bloodfest had let her face her father and her twin and accept them for who they were and what they believed, and she almost started to think she had believed in what they believed in all along, but she still avoided them slightly. It was almost a habit. That, or she had adventured so much that the itch in her feet was there to stay.

She was exploring the forests of Four Fronds, a place she frequently explored. The ancient woods were full of history and old ruins, as well as some amazing and beautiful places to explore – they were almost precisely what she wanted out of an exploration; treasures to find, puzzles to uncover, and – mostly – solitude to think.

There was still a lot of thinking to be done. Some things had been figured out, but other things... other things were yet unknown and uncertain. Keionx wasn't sure what parts of her life had been total delusion, and which parts had just been misunderstood. She didn't know if she was still delusional now. She didn't know if she didn't want to be delusional.

Everything was changing, from her body to her world view, and Four Fronds was a great place to get away from it all, with just enough danger to distract her from the confusing and terrible expanse of her future.

Except...

Keionx recognized where she was – a familiar stand of trees that revealed, with only a few paces forward, the magnificent tree home of her friend Alexin. Their lusus' fallen feathers littering the ground with specks of icy white, almost like snow or rain, and Keionx's pump biscuit shuddered at the realization that the last time she had come here had been her last moment of true hope – had been the last time she had truly been certain about anything. She inhaled, deeply, and exhaled, deeply, wondering if she should keep walking.

If Alexin still lived there – which they likely did considering how well kept it was – Keionx did want to see them. She wanted to make sure they were all right – she hadn't seen them during the battle against Aendal, in the celebrations afterward, or at Bloodfest. She wanted to talk to Alexin and maybe see if she could recapture the sense of purpose and pride that she had once felt while helping the blueblood bring water to the dry and desperate town.

But dared she disturb, with her inner turmult, a place so sacred to her childhood? A place where she, with Alexin's help, had engineered something so heroic? That part of her life was in tatters now – her hope shied from her like a nervous hoofbeast, and her certainty was replaced with confusion and dread. It seemed almost like defiling a grave...

”Slash it.” she exclaimed, almost rebelliously, as she walked to the hive with long, purposeful strides. It didn't feel so bad, once she got moving. There was no sense of loss or wrongness, only movement, and then a goal. She rapped the knocking device against the door. ”Hello?” she called, ”Alexin?” And then, patiently, she listened for a reply.  

[T-Kai]

DraconicFeline

Like Keionx, Alexin had learned things in Bloodfest too. Things that upset their worldview, that were making them think differently.

They hated it. As they looked at the clothes that they'd pulled out the wardrobe today, they couldn't help thinking of the same outfit splattered with gunk and blood and grime. Their lip curled and with a scowl that hid tears they stomped over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of scissors, taking them to the clothes and well. Shredding them. It wasn't the best idea - like many trolls (at least those with the beetles to do so) Alexin owned multiple copies of very similar outfits, so in the throes of her rage, she was unaware that the outfit she was shredding wasn't the actual outfit, just one similar.

It was also not the first outfit she had shredded in fear and rage. As she gathered up the rags and stuffed them in a bag to take up to Splitch's nest later (her lusus always appreciated soft things to line their nest with, and it stopped them pulling out their downier feathers which Alexin liked to run her fingers through) she opened the wardrobe again and paused as she realised their actually wasn't much in there.

Frowning, she began looking for clothes that a] still fit (Alexin had been growing like a weed lately) and b] were appropriate for the plans for today. What were the plans for today? Probably more hiding ; whilst she wouldn't admit it, Alexin had become almost reclusive after Bloodfest. (After Splitch had almost died.) At first she'd even tried to prevent her lusus from going hunting, but that plan had changed the first time she'd tried to eat something from a box - used to high quality fresh food thanks to her own skill at gathering things in the woods and her lusus's excellent hunting skills. Not pre-boxed things full of chemicals. Her taste buds had /rebelled/. She'd spent a chunk of allowance on the boxed food from a delivery service someone ran, but it all ended up being thrown away.

Add that to usual expenses and buying new clothes for a growing body, and Alexin probably would have been running low this month if she'd actually gone anywhere except to hunt and gather. But her food stocks in her fridge and freezer were high now, and she still had plenty of salted or dried meat too, and she didn't even need grubsauce.

No, today she would spend reading she thought. (That would calm her down, right?) She pulled on a black skirt and a simple top with her sign embroidered onto it in a repeating pattern, then a pair of imperial red sandals. She observed the red for a few moments thoughtfully before the sound of knocking entered through the hive, the deep sound of metal against wood. And then an almost-familiar voice echoed.

It did take her a second to place the voice, but when she did she practically flew down the stairs towards the door and almost flung the heavy door open.

"Keo-"

...and then she paused, because damn. If that /was/ Keoinx, she'd grown a heck of a lot faster than Alexin had!  

[DraconicFeline]

TanuKyle

Keionx had been about to knock when the door was flung open. She couldn't help smiling in relief as she moved her hand away from where the door had been. There'd been some fear that something terrible had happened to Alexin and her lusus, that the blueblood had been culled or killed or some such thing that similarly should not exist in Keionx's old worldview. There had been a worry that the tree hive would have been empty of all life, a true grave where her childhood and Alexin's hopes would rest in the uneasy peace of the woods.

But Alexin was alive and... taller? A little taller. ”Thank gog.” she said, softly, ”Thou art here.” she reached out to Alexin, forgetting for a moment that she was covered in the grime of adventure and not suitable for hugging, despite beastdad's adage that all times were right for a big hug of greeting. ”Hello.” she said finally, gratefully.  

[T-Kai]

DraconicFeline

Alexin might not have grown much, but wow, Keoinx had grown alot. This however, was a peripheral concern now, because the younger trolls primary concern was that she was here and alive and unhurt. As Keoinx reached out, Alexin almost flung herself at her friend, hugging her tightly but carefully. Not that she would have been able to hurt her even if she'd tried, but you know. Better safe than sorry. Alexin wasn't really bothered about getting dirty - she often hunted in the forest, after all. Plus reunion hugs were far more important than any stupid clothes.

Alexin breathed easier in Keoinx's embrace. It was soothing, to have physical proof that someone you cared for was here and alive. (Not, said a guilty thought in her head, that she'd bothered to reach out beforehand.)

It took her a moment to realise she hadn't let go of Keoinx for some time. She made an 'eep' noise and immediately released the teen, stepping back with a blue-flushed face.

"...Hi. I'm....I'm glad you're alive and unhurt."

"...You are unhurt, right?"  

[DraconicFeline]

TanuKyle

Keionx didn't realize that the hug had gone on overlong until it was over, and she was glad it had – she'd needed the contact and the reassurance that came with it. She let Alexin go gently, a small smile growing – and staying – on her face. ”Yes.” she said warmly, ”Mostly.” she clarified, thinking for a moment about the many scrapes and injuries she endured as a course of normal adventuring, not to mention her sore pumpbiscuit. ”And... and you? Are you all right? It's... its been so long...”