The Longest Thread (Misadventures)

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

3 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

The spirits glowed a little brighter, spinning around each other. 

"Mmm. Silly things."

--

He shrugged. "I'm not sure." 

"You could flirt or something," Rose called. "That would be entertaining." 

Bat sighed, exasperated. "I don't even know how to flirt, Rose." 

"So?"

Yeah.

He sighed.

-

Tam snorted and gag around Rose's mouth.

"That's enough of that, thank you."

Edited January 15, 2025 by Through The Living Glass

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

9 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

Yeah.

He sighed.

-

Tam snorted and gag around Rose's mouth.

"That's enough of that, thank you."

The spirits made some kind of glowing ball of light. They chittered, agitated, as it trembled and then burst into flakes of ash. Then they fled before any of the ash could touch them. 

"What's that?" 

---

Rose complained, through the gag, tore it out, and glared at her. But at least she didn't say anything. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

The spirits made some kind of glowing ball of light. They chittered, agitated, as it trembled and then burst into flakes of ash. Then they fled before any of the ash could touch them. 

"What's that?" 

---

Rose complained, through the gag, tore it out, and glared at her. But at least she didn't say anything. 

No idea.

He asked the spirits what it was.

-

Tam smirked at her.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Through The Living Glass said:

No idea.

He asked the spirits what it was.

-

Tam smirked at her.

"Bad," one of the spirits chirped. The others joined, sounding very worried. "Bad bad bad bad bad." 

---

"I'm bored," Rose mumbled, and sat down. 

Something in Tam's pocket buzzed. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

"Bad," one of the spirits chirped. The others joined, sounding very worried. "Bad bad bad bad bad." 

---

"I'm bored," Rose mumbled, and sat down. 

Something in Tam's pocket buzzed. 

What's bad? What is it?

-

"Er-"

She reached into her pocket and pulled out whatever it was that had made the noise.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

3 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

What's bad? What is it?

-

"Er-"

She reached into her pocket and pulled out whatever it was that had made the noise.

"Lytikyria bad!" Sounding concerned, the leaf spun around, shedding light, but it quickly turned into ash. The leaf stopped. 

--

It was the paper. 

Run. NOW. 

Lady Bug appeared. "Hurry," she said, breathless. "It's not safe here. Come on." 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

3 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

"Lytikyria bad!" Sounding concerned, the leaf spun around, shedding light, but it quickly turned into ash. The leaf stopped. 

--

It was the paper. 

Run. NOW. 

Lady Bug appeared. "Hurry," she said, breathless. "It's not safe here. Come on." 

Well, they certainly seem to think Lytikyria is real.

Why is she bad? Has something happened to her?

-

Tam's eyes shot to Lady Bug for an instant, worried, then started looking around wildly for danger.

"What's wrong? What happening?"

She grabbed Cricket's arm and dragged him over, then did the same to Rose- but with gloves on her hands.

Edited January 15, 2025 by Through The Living Glass

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

5 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

Well, they certainly seem to think Lytikyria is real.

Why is she bad? Has something happened to her?

-

Tam's eyes shot to Lady Bug for an instant, worried, then started looking around wildly for danger.

"What's wrong? What happening?"

She grabbed Cricket's arm and dragged him over, then did the same to Rose- but with gloves on her hands.

"Something bad happened to her!" it echoed. 

"What happened to her?" 

"Don't know. Bad!" 

---

The paper vibrated again, harder. 

Lady Bug snatched it away and tossed it aside. "We have to go somewhere she's not listening." 

Bat frowned. "Who?" 

"I'll explain." She opened a portal to a beautiful castle right off the Entoturis flyer. "Once we're safe."

Edited January 15, 2025 by Halcyon The Only

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

"Something bad happened to her!" it echoed. 

"What happened to her?" 

"Don't know. Bad!" 

---

The paper vibrated again, harder. 

Lady Bug snatched it away and tossed it aside. "We have to go somewhere she's not listening." 

Bat frowned. "Who?" 

"I'll explain." She opened a portal to a beautiful castle right off the Entoturis flyer. "Once we're safe."

Can we help her? Where is she?

-

"No," Tam said, stepping in from of the others, "you can explain here. What's going on?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

Can we help her? Where is she?

-

"No," Tam said, stepping in from of the others, "you can explain here. What's going on?"

"She--" The spirits congregated to communicate, then broke apart. "She is here, and she is at home, and she is of danger!" 

--

"Come on, dear," Lady Bug urged. "She'll be here any second. We need to be somewhere where she can't---"

Second Rose appeared down the beach with a shower of ash. "You're laying it on a bit thick, I think." She pointed, and Lady Bug burst into a shower of ash. 

Bat squeaked and jumped behind Tam. 

"Calm down. I just want to talk." 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

14 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

"She--" The spirits congregated to communicate, then broke apart. "She is here, and she is at home, and she is of danger!" 

--

"Come on, dear," Lady Bug urged. "She'll be here any second. We need to be somewhere where she can't---"

Second Rose appeared down the beach with a shower of ash. "You're laying it on a bit thick, I think." She pointed, and Lady Bug burst into a shower of ash. 

Bat squeaked and jumped behind Tam. 

"Calm down. I just want to talk." 

. . . So she's back in your world?

-

Tam watched the ash settle on the dirt.

Oh dear . . .

"What do you want?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

. . . So she's back in your world?

-

Tam watched the ash settle on the dirt.

Oh dear . . .

"What do you want?"

"Yes, and she is here." 

---

She conjured a chair and sat down. "Don't worry about her. She'll be back. I wanted to apologize for throwing you in jail. I had a couple of things to take care of, and I didn't have time to explain to you." 

Rose was scared to move. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the pile of ash. 

Bat continued to hide behind Tam. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

9 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

"Yes, and she is here." 

---

She conjured a chair and sat down. "Don't worry about her. She'll be back. I wanted to apologize for throwing you in jail. I had a couple of things to take care of, and I didn't have time to explain to you." 

Rose was scared to move. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the pile of ash. 

Bat continued to hide behind Tam. 

She's here? Where?

-

Tam narrowed her eyes at "Rose."

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

She's here? Where?

-

Tam narrowed her eyes at "Rose."

“Here. Somewhere. Everywhere? Nowhere? Here.” 

—

“Ah, that’s right. I never did tell you my name.” She conjured a glass of water and sipped. “I’m Ruia.” She pronounced it “Ruya”. 

“Explanation, yes.” She leaned forward. “You see, your Thread is deeply flawed. Something big is coming, and the only way to survive will be to unite.”

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

2 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“Here. Somewhere. Everywhere? Nowhere? Here.” 

—

“Ah, that’s right. I never did tell you my name.” She conjured a glass of water and sipped. “I’m Ruia.” She pronounced it “Ruya”. 

“Explanation, yes.” She leaned forward. “You see, your Thread is deeply flawed. Something big is coming, and the only way to survive will be to unite.”

Is she omnipotent or something? Uh- can she see a lot of things?

-

Tam looked at the glass of water and the chair.

"You're a Narrator."

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

5 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

Is she omnipotent or something? Uh- can she see a lot of things?

-

Tam looked at the glass of water and the chair.

"You're a Narrator."

“If she wants. Lots of bored time.” 

—

She looked at the water and smiled. “Yes, precisely. I’m a Narrator. And you are too, yes? And that one’s an Ennuller—“ she pointed to Cricket— “And those two are boring.”

”Hey,” Rose complained. 

Edited January 15, 2025 by Halcyon The Only

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“If she wants. Lots of bored time.” 

—

She looked at the water and smiled. “Yes, precisely. I’m a Narrator. And you are too, yes? And that one’s an Ennuller—“ she pointed to Cricket— “And those two are boring.”

”Hey,” Rose complained. 

Bored? Your god gets . . . bored?

-

"So you're here to convince us to join you; is that it?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

Bored? Your god gets . . . bored?

-

"So you're here to convince us to join you; is that it?"

“Much of time! Lytikyria bored many much time. Not anymore, though! Lytikyria part here.” 

—

“I’m here to offer you abilities that may help delay our undoing.”

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

2 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“Much of time! Lytikyria bored many much time. Not anymore, though! Lytikyria part here.” 

—

“I’m here to offer you abilities that may help delay our undoing.”

So only part of her is here.

-

"And what would our undoing be, exactly?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

4 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

So only part of her is here.

-

"And what would our undoing be, exactly?"

“Only part of her is here,” the spirit affirmed. 

—

“That’s what I’m researching.” 

“Can you fix me?” Rose blurted. She shrank as Ruia’s gaze turned to her. “T-to how I was… before…” 

Concern sparked in her eyes. “I can’t right now. You don’t understand what that would entail.”

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“Only part of her is here,” the spirit affirmed. 

—

“That’s what I’m researching.” 

“Can you fix me?” Rose blurted. She shrank as Ruia’s gaze turned to her. “T-to how I was… before…” 

Concern sparked in her eyes. “I can’t right now. You don’t understand what that would entail.”

Where? Is there a specific place?

-

"Wait- wait. You want us to join you to help save the Thread, but you don't even know what we'd be trying to save it from?"

She sighed.

"Oh, right, what'd you do to Rose and her people, anyway?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Through The Living Glass said:

Where? Is there a specific place?

-

"Wait- wait. You want us to join you to help save the Thread, but you don't even know what we'd be trying to save it from?"

She sighed.

"Oh, right, what'd you do to Rose and her people, anyway?"

They jumbled together. “Need more words.”

—

“Just because I don’t know what I’m trying to save it from doesn’t mean I’m not trying to save it. Haven’t you seen what happened in the Eastern Wilds?”

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

2 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

They jumbled together. “Need more words.”

—

“Just because I don’t know what I’m trying to save it from doesn’t mean I’m not trying to save it. Haven’t you seen what happened in the Eastern Wilds?”

But . . . she is here, somewhere?

-

"Noble and all that may be, surely you have some idea." She paused.

"What happened in the Eastern Wilds?"

Edited January 15, 2025 by Through The Living Glass

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

-

"Noble and all that may be, surely you have some idea." She paused.

"What happened in the Eastern Wilds?"

The paper Lady Bug had dropped buzzed.

Ruia cast it a very annoyed glance and pointed at it, but nothing happened. She sighed, standing. “It burned.”

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

The paper Lady Bug had dropped buzzed.

Ruia cast it a very annoyed glance and pointed at it, but nothing happened. She sighed, standing. “It burned.”

". . . Okay. Lots of things burn all the time. What was so special about this one?"