[The Hangover] Make it Rain

The Beast had prompted ahead of entering that it would be best if everyone was in good spirits or otherwise feeling accomplished before setting foot in the Hedge. Knowing that a good many of them were dealing with some things on the side or their things were the reason for going in the first place, it was prudent to try and offset the hunger he knew the Hedge would show at those signs of weakness. It was not enough to simply fake it; the Hedge could not be tricked in that way.

Giving time for the Spring Courtiers to do whatever they needed to get themselves right for the journey he himself doublechecked his gear.

Gavin then directed the others to use their longer lasting contracts if not meeting the catch while on the first step of the journey before they leave the Freehold's territorial edge, reminding that everything passed that ill defined marker would require the bracelet or the loophole to safely channel glamour. It was not that they didn't know the harm that would befall them outside the territory, it was more they were less likely to recognize the moment when they'd crossed the border and he would not be in a position to tell them with what he had planned. 

"Since the Hedge is going to be doing its thing and the Hobs are not going to be expecting many Lost to be around, let's lean into the narrative a bit. I'm going to be smashing my way through the place and very heavy handed making a lot of noise. I want you all to stay ahead of me in the direction I drive you in. You'll know exactly where I am, just place my presence directly behind you and go the direction opposite me, staying on the Trod as best you can. It'll be toward some of the quieter more stable travelling routes. Convince any Hobs you encounter there is a dangerous monster on a rampage coming their way and to get to safety or whatever you think is best to deflect Hobs from forming an active defensive line. The more effective you are early on, the less you will have to make up when conditions get harder later." He looked to each of them as he was explaining to make sure they had all registered what he was saying and took pains to get Mitch to repeat the intention back, given his odd stuttering. 

"When you're all ready, we'll dive on in."

"Makes sense. That's a solid fucking plan. Let's do it."

With a thumbs-up, Henley prepared to dive and begin the deceptions that would get them where they had to go before the Hedge could catch them. A monster was coming! Flee!

At Gavin's prompt, Mitchell ran a hand through his hair and dug deep through a frenzied, hazy memory of his initial run from Arcadia; muttering something about a coral reef, the sky being torn by a loud ribbon, and trees of glass. The dial of the Razorhand's Contract swung wild, pulling the group in a direction Gavin wasn't as familiar with: opposite from the former LA Trod and Sunset Canyon. It took more than one try, but the Fairest seemed to get the gist of the plan to repeat an imperfect version back to Gavin—colouring a bit as he realized what was happening, and weathering the Beast's stolen patience. He reassured Yuan about something he hadn't really said, and with the other's confused but understanding expression, he opted to ditch the Crown and just stop talking while the others took the wheel. It was oddly quiet without the Sentries flitting between the brambles and heralding the Freeholders, and the strangeness that Henley had suggested didn't appear visible to the casual observer.

Gavin's feral form cut into the brush of their trail, felling trees as Henley called on the wild nature of Spring to indulge his darker nature. The ground and the motley soon became drenched, though the streaming mud didn't seem to make much of a difference for Carr's chaotic bubble. What's another unpredictable surface that threatened to twist and trip? He drifted towards the back as his path took on the ethereal cadence of him keeping balance—slipping into the gliding and precision of his performative Kith. The Hedge shuddered as the landslide started rolling downhill, curving away from the trail as the drowner worked his magic and dictated the flood. Roots erupted into the facsimile of a couple with the canopy of an umbrella blooming to cover their faces. They sounded flustered as they demanded to know what all the ruckus was about from Yuan specifically. After some hurried subterfuge, the entity appeared the buy the corroborated story of the trio that a great beast was seeking to jump the veil and was flooding the world to get its way...really it was best to fall back and make some distance, especially from the Lost who could be caught and bartered for. Yuan made the strongest impression, having his hand shook in earnest from the masculine tree in thanks for keeping his family safe, and the ground around him immediately flushed with Spring moss that blossomed with his steps. Roots wove to bridge any unsteady terrain, arching to bat away falling branches with the gesture of a feminine hand waving away the bother. 

Apparently the Hedge was sparing him completely of the upcoming ordeals.

Gavin didn't exactly receive the welcome mat, but if he were to notice any hostility he was already in the throes of a long-needed wild trek away from society. Their message chorused through the forest in the form of songbirds, crackling wooden limbs, and chattering Hedgebeasts. They emerged into the flooded planes of a great swamp and shrapnel-embedded logs and deep trenches were quickly lost in the deluge. Along the tree line was a town that they were being directed towards, wreathed in the shadows of the storm. There were powerlines leading into the mountains of the Thorns, and they slowed as they registered the corpses hanging from the scaffolding and wire. The shaking of the landslide appeared to be escalating, causing Henley some pause.

The Nymph called to Gavin to meet with them as he sensed he was starting to lose control of the flood—the Hedge was adapting and embracing the narrative. Mitchell indicated it was probably time to shift as the Trod's stones started to dislodge from the thundering force, quickly instructing Henley on how to catch Yuan without throwing out his back or toppling into the mud. He could still meet the demands of the unique clause as an Ogre that was built for stealing small children in the night, rather than spiriting away grown men kicking and screaming. The Dancer handled lifting the heavier-set Beast, spinning the Razorhand into the ephemeral just as a wave of Poseidon's horses cascaded from the trees to break over the Trod in a stampede. Beads popped as the Loophole was stymied by weapons and armour, but thus far it wasn't cutting into the resources. Not looking to test the physicality of the herd, they retreated along the main road that passed through the town.

They didn't have time to look back and note the hanging corpses were absent.

Weightless hand-holding to maintain the Contract wasn't as burdensome as anticipated, now that Gavin and Yuan appeared to be completely detached from the Hedge's focus. The Oath kept them tethered to Mitchell and Henley as the height of adrenaline over their blast through the Thorns was quelled with what the Other Side revealed. The air was like rising oil, bubbling and splitting in a dark shimmer as the world beyond the Hedge was hidden in a faint mirage. Hedge Ghosts coiled in the chaos, peering hungrily at the plane as the promises of Samhain held their attention—if only they could find a door. Others celebrated the night despite Spring's weather conditions, but their attention slowly fell onto the Ogre and his Mantle. The town's population slowly closed in, hailing the group and inviting them to join the festivities with burning eyes and hungry shadows. Henley's attention glazed, the Hedge reacting around him in punches of revelry and colour as he treaded too close to his Keeper's promises. His words didn't miss a beat to match the energy despite the amount of attention the snappily-dressed Lost was receiving. They agreed on a quick round of Ring Around the Rosie as they redirected the town's attention from their journey. Yuan forever kept up appearances, convincing in his enthusiasm at the prospect of attending their festival. They maintained their Contract as not to tear each other in the cascading water tearing through the village on the Other Side, with Mitchell's expression pinched in stressed concentration as he somehow kept his footing in the ridiculous game; multiple eyes of snapped open to track the tracers of his stuttering mien, and chromatic wings flitted to correct impossible steps. Gavin was having a similar experience, concerned about the consequences if he managed to lob off the fingers or wrist of the shadowy woman who took his hand. He had a taste of his own impatience as the Fairest lapsed into a programmed headspace of snap-correcting the Beast's movements, siding a foot here or nudging his placement there. Everyone more than a little unsettled as they considered the implication of Fairy Rings and dancing forever in the spirit world. 


Placated in the offering, the group quickly ejected themselves from the village, gaining ground from the great flood as they climbed a misted hill of white flowers. There was no immediate trail, as Gavin sniffed out a goat path through the field, and noted the sharp burrs and wildflower thorns that littered the grass as one strayed from safety. The grass leaned away from both of the Beasts, confirming their suspicions that they were already beyond the Hedge's attention, and were only still with Henley and Mitchell because of the Oath. The world continued to shift around the Fairest and his Arcadian inheritance, razor-sharp blades bloodying his calves as he paid more mind to the sudden potholes and flickering position; almost bumping into Yuan, who was supposed to be behind him. Gavin's senses fired off as he gave a quiet warning. Alien shapes began to spin iron and smoke around them, and another bead popped around Mitch's wrist as he swept his hand performatively across the grass. An arch was twisted from the water droplets and mist, snapping into two blades that rung in a low hum that echoed through the field. The streaks responded in kind, hissing accusations and demands as winged beasts flew around the party. Henley made a judgement call, spinning their flight and the cursed waters that followed to reclaim him, and their need to return to the sea or the hills would suffer the same fate as the town. He distracted them with a barter, eventually unbundling a wedding veil of a widow from his collection to let them consume the imprint of lost love and joy. The veil dissolved to a shower of pollen, causing a new species to join them to resemble gold band petals and pearls for stigma.

Gavin and Carr cut the grass to form a new trail, with a beach soon emerging on the horizon. The storm rolled up the hill, diligently following Henley as the magic started to dissipate, and Gavin recognized a few of the details Mitch had mentioned as the location they were searching for. Historically, a large blast on the shoreline warped the world around it, as the water turned to pearlescent glass trying to stream within. The coast itself beyond their grassy hill is made of hexagonal pillars and ash coloured sands. The ribbon Carr had mentioned might have been the Falls are high above, blistering a crack of light across a Night Sky. The surrounding area had been forced to a permanent daylight due to the liquid star and light, making the current time impossible to track. Eventually the water of the Falls turns into a rainbow of swirling colours and glimmering tidepools filled with blurred images. The flashes of creatures within the reef are overflowing and spreading, affecting the environment with hybrid imagery—splitting flowers and rocks turning into wood and coral. This river of light, music and sound wove its way into the Thorns beyond, as well as into the great blast. 

He had yet to use the contract to twist the Hedge's flow of time until this point. Travelling on his own in the relative safety of the Freehold's territorial Hedge didn't usually require an onerous effort. This application had made for much smoother run when group dynamics were taken into account. Certainly would leave a better impression as a guide than the last time, with no one getting lost this go around. 

It had gotten a bit rough though with the Hedge Ghosts' merriment, but Gavin had known the vast majority of them were not overtly hostile. They could very easily be set into the wrong mood by breaking their groove though. As unnerving as the 'forever dance' had felt, the Courser knew the other possible paths he could have herded the others through were objectively worse. It was best this way, even with the myriad potential personalities among the dead bringing their hungers to bear. It was an easy decision to keep the other possibilities to himself, best to have high spirits here. 

Gavin chuckled understandingly at Henley's request. "I didn't know it was going to go quite like that, but it was the best of the available paths, particularly given what I have to do to maintain the time warping." The slapdash route probably seemed overly circuitous to anyone that was experienced in Hedge travel. 

"Alright. Sounds reasonable. I'll poke around a bit," the bestial man agreed with the directive.

Gavin hadn't been in this neck of the woods himself, so he was happy to get a look around. 

As far as Yuan could tell, no one had even taken a scratch. Gavin read patterns where they lay, recognizing that the night sky was actually a structure and that they were in the shadow of a colossal spire where the sky split. It didn't bode well, given the fact that this beautiful reef was deep in the Thorns. The light that fell from the night fortress looked to be filled with glamour, or at least memories. It was having a chaotic, almost cancerous effect on the Hedge, almost like radioactive pollution from concentrated hopes and dreams. Anything could be swimming in there, and this was a hotspot for a magic well.

Compliments were handed out in earnest, by the Dancer before he silently regarded in the scene. Mitchell took a moment to collect himself, wringing out the vestiges of Henley's downpour from his shirt and mussing his hair; he knew digging into these memories was a tight line to walk, mentally dragging his feet as he let the others take point. Familiar ticks played across his focused demeanor as he took off his shoes and started moving through the environment with threaded glamour.


Reconnecting to fractured memory spun the environment in turn, causing the spirals through his mien to start glowing white-hot as the sand around him started to smoke. Arcs of ash painted the shoreline, creating concentric circles and fractal patterns as he moved through the past, blades spinning as an extension as he picked up speed.


He stopped on a dime, breathing hard but with a sharp look in his eye as he gestured with one of the swords to the reef, as if forgetting it wasn't his hand.

"I traded something to be allowed to leave."

The blade trailed back to the gaping hole where the water cascaded, "Landed there. Not from the shadows, though. That's a different Keeper. I think- but that hole is new. I think whatever lives here's tunneled."

Having registered the group's proximity to either there, or at least an outpost for one of them, this might be the only moment the lot of them had to prepare before something alien and terrible appeared at the Siren's beckoning.

"Right, that looks like it might be the other place up there. Let's try to not draw too much attention while we're here. I'm going to try to hold a spin in case we need it, be prepared to support it later if we need it, Yeah?" Caution and preparedness were in order and their lives might depend on a team effort in short order.

He lined up to cleave off a chunk of the blast wall in a display of primal strength: a Beast making a mark on the territory. 


The resulting weave and warp clung to him like a second skin in the silent crash that left no mark on the wall. Not enough to take the sample he had wanted, but plenty enough to work something later.