zoltraak

[zoltraak]

so sorry for the delay on things here & on my other blogs!!! the end of the year always kicks my ass for personal and holiday reasons, and now i'm prepping for some major surgery in a month!!!!!! so i may still be dragging my feet for a bit but i'm hoping to at least do some small things in the meantime

[zoltraak]

Even a mounted dragon is a greater accomplishment than anything she’s seen back in her own world. Dragons were something to be feared, foes her party had vanquished. To see one so openly affectionate and happy with another person is… Baffling for Fern, to say the least. 

“It’s smaller than what I’m used to. The ones I’ve seen are…” She makes a big sweeping arm motion, indicating that the ones she’s come across are much, much larger than Camilla’s companion. “I don’t think I could be friends with one even if I wanted to.”

"Well it's not exactly common for one to get so close with their dragon either. Many will just see them as their mount and nothing more. I just don't see the fun in that..."

Beruka was one of those people even if that was expected given how often the young assassin wanted "no nonsense" orders over anything else. One day she might crack open that shell but it didn't seem anytime soon that much was for certain...

"It takes plenty of time and commitment. Unless you want the two of you to end up in arguments day in and day out."

[zoltraak]

It’s been about a month since her arrival to the city, and the lack of any sightings of a certain elf mage begin to weigh on Fern. Not because she feels lost without her dear mentor’s tutelage, but because she knows just how bad Frieren is with taking care of herself. They say that time doesn’t move on in their home world, but if the elf had been brought here as well, then there’s no telling just how dire it could be. 

She’s worried about what’s happened in the time since Frieren mysteriously vanished at the Goddess Statue, of course. But in her own stubborn way, she’s choosing to believe that she’s fine and will come crying for help with brushing her hair soon enough. She’s learned that it helps keep her from falling into a pit of despair when Stark’s not here to pull her out of it.

She also finds herself returning to old activities. Today she happens upon a statue that looked like it was in need of cleaning, and though it’s much more difficult without magic, she offers to clean it. It’s no statue of Himmel, but it’s something to keep her occupied.

Even as she internally curses her abilities being taken again as she strains to get to a spot just out of reach.

@collectspells

[zoltraak]

Stark’s nervousness beneath her is nearly impossible to ignore, but Fern manages to with a great deal of focus. As time has passed, she’s learned that she’s not completely without powers as she once thought. Her captives, whoever they were, left her with one ability – And it’s how she finds herself here now, testing the limits of her floating ability.

At first, Stark seemed reluctant to let her try. But after she said she was going to test it whether he was there to catch her or not, he finally gave in. Though with his anxiety that spirals out of control incredibly easy, maybe it would’ve been better to just let herself fall into some of the snow that was freshly fallen on the ground.

Four minutes and fifty-nine seconds…

Five minutes.

She drops rather unceremoniously, and as promised the warrior’s strong arms are there to break her fall. 

“Only five minutes.” The pout on her face is immediate, the young mage clearly unhappy with the result of their little experiment. And never one to mince her words, “This sucks.”

@stalwartcowardice

[zoltraak]

No words, just a shivering mage.

[zoltraak]

A couple of days... It just doesn't make sense. Her line of thinking immediately lines up with Stark's -- Maybe the goddess statue was the cause of them being brought here, much like it was the cause of Frieren's disappearance.

But then how did they arrive here at different times? Were they going to find Frieren and she was going to tell them that she'd been here for months already, and she was nowhere closer to finding a way home than they are...?

Never one to control her expression, her confusion reflects clearly on it and she's snapped back to reality when Stark speaks again. She places her hands on her stomach, shakes her head when the mention of food doesn't cause her stomach to rumble.

"I'm not hungry," she says. "But I'll still go with you."

She goes to pick up her staff, stops with another frown when she's face to face with the unfamiliar one again. As much as she'd like to just toss it into a nearby dumpster, the feeling of having no staff at all would likely be worse than this.

A sigh of relief on his end as Fern seemed to have calmed down somewhat, at least for the moment. Stark made a mental note to try and get better at cheering up the mage in the absence of magic and her mentor. An angry Fern is one thing but a sad, depressed Fern is a whole different beast altogether.

...The latter making Stark realize that he didn't like seeing Fern like that at all.

"A couple of days at most, I think," he answered with a slight, thoughtful tilt of his head. "The first day was the scariest... but the people around seemed nice enough so I took the time to explore what I could. And then I found you."

His arms cross over his chest. He and Fern were indeed together when Frieren went to inspect that goddess statue. Did it have something to do with their being spirited away into a different world as well? Maybe Fern might have thoughts on the matter. But first... he isn't done in his attempt to cheer the mage up.

"I know that look. You and Frieren have the same look when you start pondering about magic. While you're at it, wanna grab something to eat? There's a cafe near here."

[zoltraak]

frieren brainworms

[zoltraak]

A visible jolt goes up Fern's spine as Camilla approaches, quickly stepping away from the wyvern as if she were just caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. Her gaze quickly travels back and forth between the woman and the creature before she bows in apology.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I've never seen anything like this." She straightens again, head tilting. The wyvern seems pleased that its master is back.

"A tame dragon... I didn't think it was possible."

"Did you make a friend while I was gone dear?" The young individual that was staring in front of Camilla's wyvern seemed more perplexed then really social in the moment. But really how was anyone supposed to react to a sight like this on the street.

"I take it you've never seen a creature like this before, or at least one that is as calm as they are."

[zoltraak]

Fern falls silent, but not in the way she normally does when he’s done something to upset her and she’s purposefully ignoring him – It’s a thoughtful silence, one that has her eyebrows furrowed together. She’s hanging closely onto his every word, the tension slowly leaving her shoulders as he continues speaking. 

“I’m glad to see you, too,” she finally admits. Who knows how bad things would be if he hadn’t found her as quickly as he did? She doesn’t want to think about it, it’d be too embarrassing.

"You got here before me, then... How long has it been?" The last she remembers, they were at the monument when Frieren disappeared. But she and Stark had been together, which makes the situation they find themselves in all the more puzzling.

It's getting worse by the minute. Stark's still panicking inwardly, but he's trying to keep a level head. It wouldn't do them any good if he started breaking apart. He needed to be strong for Fern, in this situation.

Yet, he struggled to find the right words for her.

"It... it shouldn't take long! ...I think. Actually, I'm not sure." Oh, he sucked at this. He sighed, his shoulders drooping. "Sorry, Fern. I wish I knew what to tell you. Truth is, I'm still just as shaken up as you are. This place is scary. Scarier than any monster we've faced."

To be suddenly dropped into unfamiliar territory... nothing could be worse. But it wasn't all bad. He just needed Fern to realize that. "I was pretty much close to giving up. But then I saw you! You have no idea how glad I was to see you!" He managed to smile despite the awkward way he's going about cheering her up. That part was genuine. Uplifting doesn't even begin to describe how he felt when he saw her in the crowd.

"We're not both at our best right now, but I'm sure we can come up with something! Like we always have!" Although, they could really use Frieren's exprience right about now. ""And we're not the only ones suffering from whatever this is. People here are kind and helpful!. So, baby steps, yeah? And uh... easy does it?"

[zoltraak]

Fern is currently glaring as if she's facing down a fierce opponent, but the reality is it's just a washer and dryer.

"What is this?"

[zoltraak]

"I think so." Fern looks at her hands, frown deepening. Even if she was mercifully left with some sort of crumb, it likely was the most basic, miniscule spell.

"How long does it take to do that, though?" Stark gets points for trying, but Fern's not really in an optimistic mindset at the moment. If things were so easily taken away, then Fern doubts that they can be regained in just a few days. There had to be some sort of catch if they were truly trapped here in some sort of experiment.

"I don't like it here. We need to find a way out."

No, she was not sick. When she didn't react to him with her usual, moody coldness, Stark immediately knew something was wrong. He had only ever seen Fern like this exactly one time and that was when they got trapped in an odd cave. Back then, it had something to do with magic.

Or, the lack thereof. And that was the case here, as well.

"Your magic? All of it?" Stark stood to full height, releasing Fern from his hold as his concern for her grew.

"I knew they took stuff from everyone here, myself included but this is just..." His eyes wandered over to her staff. This one was new and definitely not the one Fern had been using in their travels. This was bad.

Inwardly, he started to panic. Appeasing to an angry Fern was a task, but something he could manage with a proper and sincere apology. A sad Fern? The young man had no idea how to cheer up a sad Fern. Not in any way he knew how, at least.

But he would still try. "I-It can't be all that bad, Fern! Look, I heard you can reclaim the stuff they've taken from you! So it's not all lost!"

[zoltraak]

"................"

She's staring very intensely at the full-sized dragon just sitting on the sidewalk in broad daylight. It looks quizzically at her in return, and Fern squints.

"A pet dragon?" It makes absolutely no sense, but it's the only conclusion that she can come to.

@nohrsrose

[zoltraak]

heck yeah let's go starter call capping at 2 bc i have new muse jitters and want to start small

[zoltraak]

So she doesn't feel it, even with him.

She had wondered briefly if it was just because she was in a new place with all manner of people, but Stark's presence confirms it -- She can't detect any mana.

A familiar darkness begins swirling in her head. Fern says nothing as he cries, she simply stands there until he's done.

"It's all gone," she says simply and sadly. Near her feet lies a wooden staff, but not her wooden staff. Her lips quiver, as if she were about to burst into tears as he did moments ago.

"They took away my magic."

@zoltraak

"FEEEEERN!"

He had immediately recognized her and came rushing like a child who had been lost in the market for a while, only to suddenly find their mother. Stark clung to her waist, bawling in comical fashion, relieved to finally see someone he knew.

"This place is so scary! I hardly know anyone and anything, and I tried real hard to be brave about it but I was about to hit my limit! Loneliness is scary! I'm just glad I found a familiar face!" As is his wont, Stark whined and complained, breaking his warrior persona in front of someone he trusted dearly.

However, one look at Fern's face made him stop his admittedly pathetic display and relief is replaced by immediate concern for his friend. "Fern? Are you okay? You look pale. Are you sick? Oh no, did I hold you too hard again?"

[zoltraak]

following up on prior reserve, here's fern from frieren: beyond journey's end! her app can be found under link iii on the sidebar.

Welcome to scenic Isola Radiale, Fern!

You'll be housed in APARTMENT 304.

You'll retain the use of your float magic for up to thirty minutes per day. You'll also be given a plain wooden staff.

-- mod altair.

[zoltraak]

fern | sousou no frieren 1.02 - "it didn't have to be magic..."

[zoltraak]