Criminals are pitted against robots in Meowselsworth's Prisoner Deathmatch Extravaganza! and killed when winning a vote of team loser or through some form of robot intervention.
But are they dead? Those who have come through this match scathed or even unscathed start showing up in a new world. That world was recently a version of Earth but due to some unusual events it was torn apart by magical forces which created a much different world which took on the aspects of the middle ages with strange overtures of both magic and sciences.
So here they show up with befuddled memories of their lives. Most of their lives they can remember up to the Deathmatch but through that point their memories start to fuddle up. Why is this happening to them and how do they fix it?
In this world people who have gone through the changes of the world either believe they have been that way for their whole lives but there are some who realize something is different and are confused. Some get new abilities, others powers and even some are fully changed into something else.
These criminals, and maybe even robots, may have the same situation for themselves, an increase in abilities or even power that changes them. But this is a world of good and bad so they will have to survive the strange environment.
The world is new with dew hanging from the plant life and dripping in the warmth of morning sunshine which is starting to brighten the area. Birds sing, insects chirrup and other creatures make sounds within the world as a splash of light burns the foliage within a clearing creating a more circular pattern within a wooded area. Within this area are forms, flopped upon the ground in varying degrees of pain and agony.
As time goes on the figures start to recover from the pain of their "deaths" or other manners of arriving and the reconstruction of their systems. The world around them seems to be a paradise which in a way is a frightful image compared to what has just happened to them.
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The air around her body crackled making her shiver and muscles jump until finally the pain started to ebb away with the twitching. She lay there for a long time, face down against the ground as air passed in and out of her lungs. At first it burned but that too began to fade as her body reformed to it's natural state.
Green eyes lifted to search out her whereabouts as her mind considered this to be some amazing dream. How'd she get here? The little one had thought herself dead but here she was in some other location, greenery all about. There were others there, others she knew and all had been taken from her presence at different times. So how did they all get here and at the same time?
Finwa moved slowly to test out her muscles, her hand trembling as she touched an arm. Her head turned slightly to see Brynjård Silenøz, the heavy metal singer who had been in the death match with herself and others.
The little one was glad to see him but there was still confusion as she could not remember what had happened. She shook the thoughts from her head and wondered at where they were instead. It was different. Very different with sounds she was afraid of making her hope that Leoian Mousekewitz was there as well because he knew about wilderness and survival. Or so she thought. And what about Charlene Oftenseen? She could definitely organize whatever was going on. And the others who had been in that match? Were they there and if so what would happen now?
But she could not see who the other forms were as there was a haze upon the ground obscuring all but Bryn.
"Bryn?" She gasped, her voice hoarse as if she'd not used it in months, "Are you alive? The small woman realized it was a silly question as she could feel a pulse but nonetheless it was something to say and she needed the reassurance of his musical voice.
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"Yes. Yes." the man says; his voice soft and faraway as he still hasn't even opened his eyes. "Be up in minute, mum."
Realising he has made a mistake his eyes shoot open in embarrassment, the bright morning sunshine burns against his retina and he blinks away the searing pain...
His azure eyes meet Finwa's emerald orbs; "Or maybe I am not, Angel." His cheeks flush slightly despite their pale tones; high-lighting his strong cheek-bones. As his rusty voice slowly comes back, he remains laying upon the soft, if damp, mossy ground enjoying the feeling of soft relaxation and as his life flows through him. As if the first days of a vacation, he could just lay here forever basking with the lady....
Bryn's memory searches out her identity but it seems illusive, slipping through his fingers as he grasps for a name. He can barely even get a sense of self....
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"Angel? Is that for you or me?" She teases, smiling tenderly as she decides not to move either. It was too nice lying here and letting the sun bathe her, easing her muscles and soul. For some reason there was no real interest to do anything at this time. As she thought back she realized that she remembered most of what was happening towards whatever went on to bring her here but it seemed like a dream.
"I'm not sure if we're dead or alive. Or if we are in between. I think something bad happened but ... the death match ..." Finwa let that thought linger for a moment but it seemed so far away at the moment that she gave it up to the sensation of her hand on Bryn's wrist and the cool earth under her body. She lay her cheek upon the ground, dozing a bit, eyes partially open watching him as if he would disappear.
There was also the sounds of others but she did not know who they were as no voices had spoken besides theirs.
-----
Leoian groaned softly and slowly sat up "Oooh everything's fuzzy... I must have hit my head harder than I thought." He looked warily around, and rubbed his eyes but it didn't help to clear either his fuzzy vision or foggy memory. He checked his body finding everything to be intact, just his memory was patchy.
He notices a small somewhat feline figure nearby, she's familiar, he's certain he knows her, but it's hard to concentrate "Meowsie?" No that's not right... he's on the right track though "Death match? He struggled with unclear memories Meowselsworths always throw the craziest parties... so hard to remember. F-Finwa? Is that you? And... some guy?" He crawls over to the small woman getting a better view of the man, he furrows his brow "He's familiar too, but I can't quite remember... I want to say Reggie." He lays next to Finwa, he'll worry about remembering the man later; Finwa was here and that was plenty good enough. She is his best friend after all, well aside from maybe Mittens.
-----
The glow of the warm light and the radiant feminine form beside him, makes the man smile. Bryn shivers at the word death, as if he had been in some Hel. 'No, who knows where I am. But at least I am free and with....' his thoughts drift like the clouds above.
The second voice disturbs his reverie; he rolls over onto his front. "Oh it's the Mouse-guy. Sorry, my memory is also....." he puts his hand to his head whilst his eyes blink. "I'm Reggie??? No... it's Ryn or something."
"Perfect isn't this place. I wonder where we are?" he says quietly.
-----
There was something important about both of them that seemed far off. For now that seemed the best place for whatever it was. That was when Leoian made some sounds then spoke so she turned her head to see the man and smiled happily.
"I remember you too. Leo. You're Leoian. Yes, yes I'm Finwa."/[b] Finwa turned her head to look at Bryn, [b]"And you're Bryn. Somehow I couldn't forget you two. Something ... something ..." Her smile turns to a pained grimace and she shook her head, "No we're all here. That was a nightmare. Nothing more.
Finwa puts her chin on her hands, lifting up onto her elbows she takes in a breath of air, "It's wonderful but I have no idea either. Leo? Do you have any idea where we are?"
The little woman knows she doesn't want to remember everything too fast except these two. They felt important to her, both in their own way.
He pushes up with his arms to arch his back; "Bryn, yeah that sounds familiar" Stretching his back in a cobra pose, he looks warmly to the pair. His visage clearly capable of great expression, lilts in happiness. "We are in a grove in the woods." he says cheekily.
"Deciduous, it's warm and early so I would say Southern Europe, in Spring." he guesses slightly more seriously.
-----
Finwa watches Bryn stretch with admiration, smiling all along and rolls her shoulders to get out the kinks. She laughs as he mentions about being in a grove in the woods, giving him a look of amused satisfaction.
[b]"Hmm. That's on Earth is it? I've never been there. It always sounded like a nice place to visit though." Her memory of her life before the match was good but working on the rest would take time. It was probably a reaction to whatever had happened not long ago.
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"Oh, you're not human." he says as if notice that of the pair for the first time. His voice is not displeased with this revelation, just as if observing a different hair colour.
"Well if you are here, hopefully that means other things have changed. The world needs change, an awakening." His principles and ideals are drawn out of him faster than any of his memories. For his sense of self the ideology that he learned through the indifference of life is one of the important factors in his life.
Realising how self-important he sounds he looks to the pair, flicking his long dark hair over his eyes and looking through the veil.
-----
Finwa shook her head slightly, amused by his catching up to his normal sense of self and getting right to his principles. She was always interested in it when she saw him from afar but now she saw it much better. With a bit of stiff movement she got on her hands and knees and stretched her back then sat down in a lotus position.
"The worlds need a lot." Her eyes dipped as she tried to think of her world and realized what had happened. She looked to the ground and shook a bit once figuring out what was bothering her. It was all gone. Everything was gone and she had nowhere to go back to even if she wanted to.
-----
"Oh yes Bryn! That's right, Reggie must be someone else..." Leoian sighs, and shakes his head slowly when Finwa asks if he knows where they are "No... my brain's all fuzzy, I'm not processing things very well. I remember The Mitts putting on some sort of game show... or reality show, and I was invited to participate, and you two were both there. There were a number of others too, but I can't remember most of them... a nice girl with a sort of boyish name, and an interesting man with a funny accent they're friends too... I wonder if they're around somewhere." He looks towards Finwa and smiles "I like you best though, I'm really glad you're here. Oh, and you too Mr. Bryn" He didn't mean to make Bryn seem like an afterthought, he likes the man just fine, but he's no Finwa.
He looks at the two talking about change, and what the world needs "I'm not sure this is the world... at least not the one I'm used to, it certainly doesn't feel the same." He runs his hand over the ground "I don't see any signs of tracks or anything, how did we get here? Did we win Meowsie's game and this is the reward? It does seem to be a pretty nice place." He shrugs his shoulders "Lots of questions, but no answers... Mattie! He suddenly exlaims "That's the girl with the boyish name, she said I was adorable." he grins happily, he maybe doesn't get a lot of compliments from girls. His smile fades rather abruptly "Geez... I hope she's ok, Mittens' game was fun, but not the safest place, how come I can only remember bits and pieces?"
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"Could it be that this forest causes memory loss? That the mists....the mists that created this dew, brought us here and took our experiences." Bryn contemplates, the future this new reality. Then looks to Leoian; "I....yes....a short scientist, like Finwa." he says unconsciously.
"You must get that all the time, Leoian." slowly he rolls to his feet, and then back into a crouch rather than standing a head taller than the man. "There's a soft warmth to your frame."
Leoian blinks at Bryn for a moment not sure what he's referring to that Leo must get all the time, but appreciates that the man crouched down to be face to face with him always staring up at people twice your height can put a crick in your neck. "Memory loss? Nope, first time that I remember. He pauses for a moment then laughs at the thought of trying to remember memory loss. "But I don't think it's the forest though... we're still in the forest and I'm starting to remember things" He shrugs his shoulders "Oh well, what matters is we're here, and I'm glad you and Finwa are here... it would be awfully boring by myself.
-----
"Maybe it is just how we got here that has our minds messed up. And Bryn..." Finwa gets up and beeps Bryn's nose then gives it a light kiss, "I think you have been reading too much Stephen King."
She laughs lightly, still unsure of her memories and the fact that they could not remember much from the last day. Or was it days? She had no idea but she did know that she knew these two very much. The feelings for them were strong,
[b]"Mattie. Mattie. Oh! The girl who had stuff that exploded. She had a machine that threw you back about ... about 60 feet ... Leo. You only had a scrape on your head." The little woman puts her hand out as if to touch Leo's head then pulls it back, something blocking the reflex.
A tear angles down her face as she looks towards the woods, trying to hide her reaction, "I agree. I don't think it is the forest either. Plus I am glad I am here with you two. I wonder though about others ... there were others we were with I think. Maybe we should look for them? I thought I saw someone over there." She points towards where she hears water running.
-----
"Same here, Leoian. Wandering through the woods alone...." he remembers album inserts from is band; them walking through the Nordic forests with a sunset behind them - silhouetting their lean 3/4 forms. So wild, the forests of his homelands, though it had been centuries since the boar, wolf, bear and lion had been hunted to extinction.
However this was not his hearth-lands, this was somewhere more dangerous. "Stephen King, yes, but at least it's not Clive Barker." the words come unbidden from his lips as slowly things reappear in his memory. Aspects that he cannot analyse, the illusive train of thought where the rails slide tantalisingly out of his grasp. One thing he did know is the the cat-eared Finwa, her kisses were like magic.
Her strange reaction to Leoian though, did she hurt with him. They obviously had a deep spiritual connection, Bryn is glad because everyone wants to belong...Which was the ideal he fought against, the organisations that take advantage of these primordial instincts. Watching Finwa's ears twitch, then he follows the curve of her arm..."Yes, safety in numbers." he announces moving slowly through the trees.
-----
Leo watches Finwa kiss Bryn's nose, not really sure what to think about it, then he's not real sure on a lot of things right now. When Finwa talks about Mattie and reaches for him he smiles, maybe he gets one too. His smile fades when she pulls away, and he looks pretty sad when she turns towards the woods. Bryn gets a kiss, but she's terrified to even touch me... so unfair "Oh umm right the others... Yes we should find them. It sounds like there's water over there as well, we'll need some. Don't worry Mr. Silenoz, wandering in the woods alone is one of the things I'm used to." He starts walking in the direction Finwa pointed.
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"I ..." Finwa watched Bryn start to lead towards the running water then follows him. She turns to take Leo's hand to reassure him that they are there and wonders what is wrong. For some reason he seemed to feel hurt but she had no idea why he would feel that way. Then she figures she has to say something as they go towards the water.
"Yes, we should stay together and ... well, if we remember something, even something bad, we should share it right?"
-----
Leoian looks down at his hand when Finwa takes it not expecting the contact. He offers her a smile and nods to her "Yes, I think whatever we remember we should share, I'm still pretty confused... He looks at her "Is that why you were... scared to touch me? You remembered something bad? Finwa I'm sorry if I hurt you I don't remember." He looks down at the ground "I know I did bad things... I killed Wowbagger, he died because of me."
Bryn turns to the kind mouse-man; "We were all someone different then, we had done something to be there."
"Let us define our lives by our new actions, what we have done in the past can be lost amongst the mists that brought us here?" he hopes to bring some solace to the man.
Finwa gets closer to Bryn and looks up at him, his words catching her as a very good idea but she must reassure Leo as well, "No Leo. I remember that you had every chance to hurt me but you didn't and it was not your fault with Wowbanger. He was voted out. I remember there were votes and he lost."
She looks across a grassland but stays within the shade of the trees, not willing to go out in that open world, "It scared me to try to touch your head, like if I did you'd ... you would not be there any more. I keep being afraid you two will disappear and I'd be alone again."
Even though she believes that they should talk about what they remember she does not feel like telling him that she saw a hole through his head.
Leoian looks towards Bryn and nods. "Well actually I was invited to the Deathmatch rather than sent from the prison, but I do see your point Mr. Bryn. The Deathmatch forced us to be something we didn't necessarily want to be. I want to believe, that isn't me anymore, I do feel different, but this whole place has a strange feel to it. I worry that I'm still as I was then." He shrugs his shoulders smiling again "But what can ya do speculating? I'll deal with it when it comes up." Must be nice to be Leo, and forget your worries that easily.
He starts to walk out into the grassland, but turns when he feels Finwa's hesitation, he's still holding onto her hand apparently not willing to let go just yet. He furrows hos brow when she talks about he and Bryn disappearing, he may be naive, but even he can tell she's not telling them something."That's silly Finwa, why would you touching my head make me disappear? You're gonna have to try a lot harder than that to get rid of me. There's something you're not saying though, something about me isn't it? Tell me, I'm a man, I can face my past. Besides it'll eat you up inside if you don't." He steps in closer and turns his head to offer his ear "Here, whisper it if it's easier"
As he walks through the forest he can feel a soft malevolence against all human life. Whether it's an entity or the spirit of the forest itself; Bryn's heckles rise as the waves of hate seem to be directed at him. Used to the forests having spent his childhood there, Bryn has never felt this way before.
Looking to the others they seem unaffected by it, through their conversation is quite and personal Bryn keeps away whilst his eyes dart for the source of the dark emotions.
Nibbling her bottom lip had always been one of her little quirks which made it clear that she was fighting over what she was thinking but often tended to end in her doing what she did not want to such as talking about memories she'd rather have had hidden.
Leoian was right that the Deathmatch forced them into being other than they wished and she wished she had been stronger. She wished she could be stronger but as Leo mentioned him disappearing if she touched his head made her smile just a little bit.
"It's actually both of you but you ..." Finwa takes a deep breath then lets the air out slowly before looking back at the men, noticing Bryn just out of whispering distance. He should be able to hear and that was fine with her.
"We were eating ice cream and something terrible happened. I forget that part but I heard a sound from you. I turned and ... and I could see right through your forehead. Then the light left your eyes and you fell over onto my lap. That's all I remember besides Mittens saying that Bryn was ash."
Finwa fought back her emotions so she didn't choke on her words, "It had to be a dream right? It had to be. You're both alive and we're ok so it had to just be a dream but I admit it scares me."
Finwa's words bring back the sensation of the burning, though it must have been over in an instant. The pain, the searing pain as his flesh darkens with the lick of fire. The acrid smoke filling and burning his lungs so that no more breath can exist.
Hair and soft organs burning and exploding... the pain. It fills the dark lithe man's mind; however he holds onto it, savours it. "I'm sorry to put you through it Finwa." he croaks.
Stumbling onwards the trio enter a clearing; knees still wobbly from the revelation and subsequent reliving of the pain Bryn falls to the floor at the sight before him....
Leoian sighs with a bit of relief "So that's what's the matter? Finwa... I'm so sorry you had to go through that." He remembers the shot going off, and the bullet tearing into his head, if it was her dream he shouldn't remember. "Even if it was a dream, seeing Mr. Bryn turned to ash, or at least Mittens saying it was so, must have hit you very hard..."He sounds sad for Bryn having been disintegrated, and worse for Finwa having to witness it. He smiles towards her "But I'm glad you saw me die" He frowns slightly, that didn't come out quite right "I mean... that you were still alive, and that I was eliminated before I was forced to do something terrible to you. Not... that you actually had to see it. Even if it was just me that may have been unnerving."
He spots Bryn fall and moves over to help him however he can "Mr. Bryn, are you alright? Take it easy friend, only rise when you're ready." He holds out his hand to the larger man "Take my arm and steady yourself if you need." He looks out into the clearing to see what Bryn's looking at.
A brow lifts high as Leo tries to explain things to her and she nods at his concern for her feelings. The heart wrenching pain which had hit her in the Deathmatch came back making her have to only nod or show that what was said hit her again. If she spoke it would be in a choke.
Finwa walks beside Leo trying to keep up with them. For a halfling Leo was pretty darn fast but then again they tended to be pretty quick, "You are not a 'just me' Leo. You are my friend."
Bryn's legs gave out and Finwa rushed to his side opposite of where Leo ended up and took Bryn's arm, "Bryn! Bryn are you ok?"
That was when she noticed that he was looking at something in the clearing and so was Leo. She held onto Bryn's arm while her ears laid back with a shudder of shock and she looked up to see what the two men were looking at.
"It worked! Hehe! It worked!" cackles Mittens von Meowselsworth to herself, a camera now mounted to the helmetcat helmet, and a few fans sending air down so that it is easy and natural for the feline to remain on her feet. She hops up onto a mechanical hoverboard. "Though I think some of my calculations were off..." She seems to be alone.
"A cat on a hover-board!" Bryn exclaims looking to Mittens.
Taking the petite pairs arms he gets to his feet, their deceptive strength helping despite his wobbly legs. The rest of the clearing finally come into focus, water cascading down a series of rocks and into a babbling brook.
Naturally Bryn's posture seems to change slightly as the camera points at him. "I am fine, I don't mean to scare you."
"Gloves? No, Mittens Meows?!?" Bryn exclaims trying to remember.
"Mittens von Meowselsworth, it's a pleasure to meet you, Brynjard. Well, not meet you, you were a popular character on a season of a television show I worked on..." says Mittens, lowering the hoverboard to get a good look at his face. "I guess your recollections are a little bit hazy! And that's okay! You aren't wearing proper headgear."
Bryn pats his head; "I was on your television show! I wore a hat!" he seems quite shocked by the revelation. 'I hope it wasn't a beanie!'
"Where are my manners, the pleasure is mine." Bryn replies straightening his lithe form to look at the floating feline. "I hope it was educating the masses and uite nteresting?" His deep blue eyes sparkle at the kitty. "You have total recall?"
Finwa gasped at the sight and stood with Bryn while giving the cat a shocked looking over. She shook her head trying to figure out what was going on and keeps herself close to Bryn to keep him steady and to ease her mind with the contact. She was nervous and it was hard to keep calm alone.
"Mittens?" The cat spoke and a bit of the memories of the cat came to mind, "Proper headgear? What is going on here?" The main memory is that Mittens is always in charge of something so she had to know.
"Yes, Mittens! That's my name! And it was a rather educational little program, I guess. Educational for me, at least... Hehe, I'm rather glad to see all your smiling little faces again." Mittens purrs cheerily, looking between the survivors. "I would tell you what's going on here, but it's not quite clear. You've been displaced. So have I. But hey, at least you're not dead! HA! HAHA!"
"Hey, it's Leoian, how are you doing my little friend? What do you remember? I need to know."
At least helping Bryn get up put a stop to the hole Leo seems to be digging himself into. Since Bryn seems to be more or less alright, he turns his attention to the cat on the hoverboard. "Mittens! He grins, and moves over to the helmet cat "It's so good to see you, I should have known this was your doing." He looks towards Bryn "Wow popular character on a TV season."
Leoian tries to concentrate and remember what he can for Mittens "Sorry Meowsie, my memories are kinda scrambled I don't really remember any more than the others. I remember Mattie said I was adorable, and some lady gave me ice cream... but that lady was pretty cold, hard to get close to; Finwa's much nicer. I can't remember anything after the ice cream, but I'm happy my friends are alive. If you're here with a camera, does that mean we're invited to the second season?" He leans in to whisper to Mittens "Finwa said I died, and I remembered someone shooting me in the head too, I don't know who though. I didn't think it was such a big deal since you can fix that kind of thing pretty easily, but Finwa was pretty upset about it. I don't want her hurting more so I'd rather not get any further into it while she's around."
"Displaced? But ... you seem to know how you got here."
Finwa blanched when Mittens said that at least they were not dead and her tail wrapped around Bryn's leg in reaction to the thought. No they were not dead but if this was another of Meowselsworth's shows then there was a good possibility for them to become dead.
Her ears flicked upwards and forward a bit as she listened to Leo and smiled when he called her nicer.
Mittens whispers back to Leoian, "Wow, sorry about that, Leoian, but I'm pretty impressed you remember the bullet. That's good, I've got your mind intact here, even if there is haze!" The cat on the hoverboard floats over and then continues, "Oh yes, I know how I got here. I got here because I'm brilliant. As for where we are... I don't know! But I figured if I film it, well, I could earn a bit of money as a result. And sure, I guess if anything could be considered the second season, this would be it."
"Well so long as someone learnt something, that's all we can ask for, Ms Mittens." Bryn answers happily watching the clever and handsome Leoian talk to the new arrival. With a slight shrug of his shoulders at the apparent fame that Bryn has.
Unconsciously, his hand moves to the soft shoulders of Finwa; laying them there reassuringly there. 'Have I done this before? Is that why it feels so natural? Are we more than friends?' his mind spins with questions, a slight flutter of uncertainty in his mind, at the dreaded amnesia, has a soft release as he rests his hand upon Finwa.
The camera-cat's enthusiasm is infectious; "Yes, I am sure you are brilliant. Now we'll have to do something entertaining for this second season!" Bryn however looks longingly to the water only now realising how parched his throat feels.
"Displaced hum? So you don't know where we are either. I thought if anyone would know you would." The Helmet Cat deciding to film this was understandable, she's a TV host after all "So it's not an official show or anything, but since we're here you might as well film it?" Leoian looked at the camera then to the hoverboard "Come to think of it, where'd you get this stuff, we haven't been here very long, but I've only seen trees, grass, rocks... I only smell nature around us, nothing sciencey like that."
He turned his attention towards Bryn and smiled "Yes, you're right Mr. Bryn, we should do something fun, and we have this whole world to explore starting with this brook, I wonder if it's deep enough to swim." He starts to move towards the water.
The second season? Well, at least she isn't looking for anyone to die and I do admit that if it weren't for her we'd never have had a second chance. Finwa looked up at Bryn with a timid smile, enjoying the feel of his hand on her shoulder. She sighed and relaxed against him, letting his attention calm her, Or have met.
"If you don't know where we are then you don't know what we can expect?" She thought out loud but it was a relevant thought if they were going to be able to figure out what to do there, "So what should we do? Explore or hunker down for a while. After a swim of course."
Finwa wanted to follow Leo towards the water but had put her hand on Bryn's and was waiting for his response to it. A swim sounded like a refreshing idea, "Were you able to have any supplies sent with you, Mittens?"
Calculating brown eyes watched the little group through the dense leaves of nearby bushes.
A helmetcat - I remember those. And a mouse lad and cat lass and a big guy who looks like the lead singer for a death metal band. I've seen them before. On television? Weren't they in a cartoon band that drove around in a van and solved mysteries? I think the real estate developer usually dressed up as a monster or something. No way they are real, or that this is. I can barely move, though. Stupid dream paralysis. I will stay here and watch for a bit.
Bryn stretches, feeling his muscles roll and strain. He looks down upon the feline lady, returning her timid smile then he turns to Leoian. "Yes, lets."
The pool before him, is quite deep enough for a swim where the crystal water plays down the rocky slope. Bouncing and cavorting until it hits a deep pool, where it's extended the depth and size over the years. Bryn moves towards the pool, he slips of his long jacket before removing his top. Revealing the long sinuous lines of his body, the pale unblemished skin has the obvious colouring of a Scandinavian. He leans into the pool cupping his hands and drinking from the cool refreshing water.
"It's good, not too chill." He dunks his head into the clear aqua, crouched by the waters edge whilst his hair spreads like a lily upon the surface.
Finwa follows Bryn and stops at the edge of the water to test it out with her hand. She chuckles as Bryn dips his hair in then takes her shirt off. Her body is lightly fluffy on her arms and back but her front is a creamy, silken tone and definitely feminine. There are scars on her back and torso that show even through the fur including cuts and bites which were recent, now healing.
She takes off her leggings and it shows the same thing. Light fur, downy and soft but wounds, some quite large including one in her right calf which was large and scabbed over but still raw.
She didn't take off her underclothing but one could still see that she did a lot of exercise along with her scientific studies as well.
"Supplies? I have some supplies, yes, I mean... not with me. And not terribly much. Enough for a helmetcat to go a long time! Not enough for everyone else..." says Mittens, "Surely you folks will be able to gather supplies, though. I know you're all rather resourceful!"
Lifting his head from the water, he looks across just as Finwa starts to undress. Turning his head away to appear the gentleman, then curiosity starts to get the better of him and he watches her slip into the water. Letting out a soft sigh of regret as her gymnasts curves are swallowed by the waves.
He stands, moving around the pool and placing his clothes with Finwa's; "We don't want to lose our precious resources." he jokingly says rolling down his trousers and diving into the pool. Letting out a short gasp as the water covers his body.
He looks across at the helmet-cat. "Mittens is that enough fan-service?" he jokes.
Leoian smiles seeming to be satisfied with this pool "Clean and deep, it should do nicely for us." He listens to Finwa asking about supplies "We shouldn't have to worry, this land seems willing to give us what we need, I am a bit peckish, I must have missed elevensies." Rather than jumping right into the pool he goes off towards the trees. In a fairly short time he reappears with a pointed stick, how he managed to sharpen it is anyone's guess. He held the stick in his teeth while he shed his tunic and breeches piling them with the others' clothing. "Let's see if our pool can provide more than just a nice swim." The small man swam out into the waters with his stick, and dove under.
Finwa slips under the water then resurfaces, shaking her head like a puppy to get off some water. Her ears droop at the tips until the water is mostly off then splashed at Bryn while Leo came in with his stick.
"I think she's getting some good footage but I don't think you can swim under water." She giggled then went under to swim.
"That is a perfect amount of fan service, I think," decides Mittens, watching from atop her hoverboard. "Hey, if you guys see a hot air balloon anywhere, it's probably mine. I'm not sure what happened to it... and of course I can't go underwater, I have a mechanical helmet plugged into my brain! And I'm a cat."
Footage? Filming? They must be doing a live action version of that cartoon. But why in the world am I here? Charlene stops watching the swimming hole and leans against the trunk of a nearby tree, stunned by a sudden thought. Dear gods, am I a real estate developer?
Bryn surfaces from his dive with a slightly startled look upon his handsome countenance, ebony hair forming a curtain to cover his face. Sparkling orbs of water flow down his muscled torso, meandering across the slick flesh until they return to their source. Water droplets cling to his body with a glistening sheen.
Carefully watching the spear fishing with some interest, suddenly water hits him in the face from the surprise attack of Finwa. Oi!" he playfully calls out, flicking a hand full of water at the feline Finwa with a melodic laugh.
The field from the board creating a pair of small depressions in the water, Bryn swims over to them. Gently he looks up to Mittens; "A pity the water is cool, but the company superb."
Finwa looks about under the water seeing the fish and other aquatic animals thinking how plentiful the food source was here. Fish, shellfish, strange mammlian creatures like tiny whales (at least comparatively as any she had ever sen were huge and these were only a foot long) and quite a bit of species of plants.
Unlike the creatures everyone figured she was related to, Finwa loved the water like a small tigress. She put out a hand and smiled, feeling that all within the area was edible but not knowing how she knew then grabbed some plantlife and came up beside Bryn.
She put an arm over his shoulder to hold herself up and lifted the plants, "If you please, Madomesselle Mittens. Could you keep these plants on your hover cycle so I can collect more for breakfast? You are, of course invited for the meal"
The little lady seems truly happy to have Mittens there with them and is. She has no hard feelings for the helmetcat. If anything she respects her for bringing them all together and giving people a chance. Plus the cat brought them there which was much more than a second chance.
Feeling the line of her warm body against his, he becomes inordinately aware of the beating of her heart and the pulsing in his own chest. A slow flush creeps across his face as he looks to the plant-bearing lady; trying to pull his eyes to the greens to judge their edibility. "Thanks." he says hoarsely. "I feel... I'll get a fire started once, we've finished." his eyes sparkle as he looks to the playful pair.
Leoian's head breaks the surface, and he swims over to the others where Finwa is holding up plants for Mittens, and pulls a couple of fish off his improvised spear "Can you keep these on there too? I hope everyone likes fish, and.. what is that you found Finwa?" He swims over close to the small woman "Is it yummy?" He peers at the plants, then turns his curious eyes "I- blub" Leo's head ducks under the water for just a moment, and he sputters a bit when he comes back up. "Oops, can't forget to swim."
Suddenly Finwa's eyes go wide and she screams loudly as she feels pain so horrifying to her senses that she can't handle it. She lets go of the plants and Bryn's shoulder, flailing in the water as the pain sears through her. It feels like her body is being picked apart bit by bit and each small piece is another nibble of pain. Her heart beats faster and she doesn't even realize she's in water. She doesn't know where she is. All she knows is the pain, the body parts feeling as if they are being taken apart and blown to the wind.
The humanoid woman has no clue that she is drowning as she's forgotten how to move or even breathe with the water starting to fill her mouth and lungs.
Her warm form beside, him starts to convulse and slip between the surface. The ear piercing scream coming from Finwa's throat the equal of any number of horror film actresses. Bryn dives under water after the softly furred womans form; he grasps her under her arms. Wrapping his arms around her soft drowning form, he drags her back towards the shore.
His face ashen; 'She's so light! Oh, what's wrong with her, please no!' Placing her gently upon the shore, he checks her for recent wounds. 'Poor thing, what did this to her.' Eyes filled with concern he sees what he can do to help.
There are no recent wounds except the ones which were healing from a few days ago, the raw scabs peeling from the wet skin as if in response to her memory of death and bleeding a bit, especially the one on her calf. The main problem at this time is her not breathing as she had been drowning and a few leeches which had immediately smelled the bod and connected themselves to her tail, calf and a couple spots on her right fot.
Leoian lets loose his spear and fish, in shock as Finwa screams right in his face. When Bryn drags her off he quickly swims to shore. Cripes I got close and she went off her rocker, don't think about it, save her first. He scrambled out of the water and over to where Bryn had pulled Finwa out. She's not breathing Bryn, gimme some space." He drops down next to Finwa taking a breath then pressing his mouth to hers, he hold her nose so the air doesn't escape, and blows to fill her lungs. After a couple of breaths like that he shifts over to perform CPR, her heart may not have completely stopped, but better safe than sorry.
Bryn drags the scantily clad lady onto the shore, his eyes wild as he tries to remember what to do. He rolls her onto her side, trying to get the water out of the side of her mouth.
Then he watches uselessly , whilst the clever youth starts the emergency care. Impotently he stands watching, his hands start to shake.
His mind a daze repeating a mantra; 'Live, live.' Lest he come to the conclusion that she might leave him.
Water comes from her mouth when Bryn rolls her over but she still does not move. When Leo starts CPR and breathing for her she still does not move. The leeches on her tail and calf swell with blood and the unhealed wounds bleed more even as she lies there lifeless.
It takes long minutes, which the little lady does not even notice, for a sputtering sound to come from her mouth. Breathing starts but she does not move yet.
When her eyes finally opens she yelps as she sits straight up, "But it wasn't even me!" She is shaking from fear and puts her hands over her face and cries quietly, "A bomb. It was a bomb that got me. The bots figured out I was a humanoid because I was so upset."
Almost stumbling backwards in delight, all he wants to do is grab her or Leoian in celebration.
Blinking his red-rimmed eyes, he can barely believe that she is with them. "Leoian, you are amazing." he says his voice thick with emotion as he stands there in the sunlight. Bryn cannot address the beautiful lady as he just stares at her, thanking providence and Leoians quick thinking.
Her words not permeating his mind, not that he would remember or understand anyway.
Leoian tried not to be discouraged when Finwa didn't seem to be responding, he tried to resuscitate her for what seemed like hours, though he knew could only be minutes. He was starting to think it had been too long and he'd lost her, but he wasn't about to give up. Finally the small woman sputtered to life breathing on her own. With a sigh of relief Leo flops onto his back, but he jumps and sits back up when Finwa yelps, he puts a hand on her shoulder "Easy Finwa, you shouldn't try to move just yet... take your time" He doesn't understand what Finwa's talking about either, he's just relieved she can talk about anything.
He smiled towards Bryn,the same relief Leo felt clearly visible on the man. "Me? Nah you're the one that dragged her out of there, I just stole a kiss when she was out. We shouldn't relax just yet though, Finwa's still bleeding. Maybe see what you can do about those leeches, and I'll try to find something to dress her wounds?" He carefully got to his feet and started to walk off towards the trees.
Bryn looks with clear relief at the ladies condition; nodding as he has an actual task - something useful to do. He pats his sodden boxers and realises he'll find nothing to get rid of parasites there. Walking quickly to the pile of clothes he grabs a lighter and a lock-knife.
Kneeling by Finwa's feet he looks up the length of her body and into her eyes; "You scared me." he says simply, slowly finding his voice.
There's a lost look in his azure orbs, as her gently picks up her feet and cradling the strong and lightly furred calves. Placing the blade upon his own skin to warm it up, then he traces the line of it carefully up her skin. Ensuring that the leeches are removed easily, though there anticoagulant saliva does ensure that her blood cleanses the wound slightly. He never breaks eye contact and is still softly holding her ankle.
"Oh, your tail!" he exclaims blushing, before placing the limb on the floor maybe too hastily in his embarrassment. Before moving to remove the parasites from the delightfully furry tail, though for a second his eyes flick up to where it joins her body before concentrating upon the procedure.
Finwa sniffled then looked out from her hands and lay down like Leo put a hand on her shoulder, carefully guiding her back to the ground. She wonders as Leo says about wounds and then leeches but doesn't say anything. What's a few leeches when you just felt yourself blow up in excruciating detail and almost drowned? If you added everything from the Deathmatch before the point of death then it was even more to deal with.
Her eyes were caught by Bryn's and that seemed to hypnotize her. Her eyes dipped a moment then she looked back from under her lashes, blushing lightly as she spoke quietly, "I didn't mean to."
She flicks her tail to give him access and makes a small sound as the end hits the ground. It is still a fair length but nothing compared to what it used to be and she was afraid that the end would never fully heal as it had not been tended to very well by the guards.
"Bryn?" She says as she watches him, "Did you feel when you died when you fell coming over here? Is that why you seemed so hurt? I ... felt my death while in the water. It was a bomb."
Finwa waited until he finished killing the parasites then looked up into his eyes again, Could I ... get a hug? I need to feel something ... other than pain."
"I don't know, my death... it has stolen memories." he pauses. "So traumatic, I'm lost. But when I look at you it doesn't matter, does it?"
Taking care of her tail and old wounds, he moves up her body bringing it close to his. Powerful arms wrap around her as there bodies become entwined in a comforting embrace. The warmth from their damp bodies being robbed by the cool breeze, although he doesn't notice consumed he is with the soft sensation of the lady in his arms.
"So do you feel anything?" he asks with a cheeky heat to his voice.