Weird-looking, half blind, spook wrangling world-walkers that smoke.

[goldeneyeball]

THREAD DIRECTORY

One Fine Day
A Taste of the Future
Pumpkins
Aches
Trauma 50% Off!
I Got a Disease and You're the Cure
Taco Night
Buck Eyes
The Turns Have Tabled
JW and Ginko's Fancy Dinner Date
You Know What They Say When You ASSume...
Sit, Stay, Beg

Comments

2/2

[brighteyed]

It was JW.

Only it wasn't JW. He had a normal human nose instead of JW's beak. His left eye was un-scarred and his cheeks weren't hollow. Also he'd combed his hair.

"What on EARTH were you thinking," demanded Not JW. His accent was gone and his voice was noticeably higher He fanned his wings out and threw his hands in the air. "We asked you to one thing! ONE thing!"

[onegreeneye]

Ginko let out a startled sound and staggered backwards, landing on his rear as the creature collapsed into dust. He stared at it in shock before turning his attention to his apparent savior, his single eye wide.

He stayed silent as the man spoke, staring at him as if he had a third eye, and when he finished, all Ginko had to say was, "Uh... sorry?"

[brighteyed]

Harmony opened his mouth and made half of a frustrated sound before he remembered himself and slowly un-ruffled. His wings closed neatly behind him and their tips trailed in the dust.

"It's...no, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted, forgive me." He extended a hand--no cuts and scars, no swollen knuckles. "This must be incredibly awkward for you, let me explain."

[onegreeneye]

His gaze flicked to the strangely unmarred hand in front of him, and he hesitated for just a moment before taking hold and stumbling to his feet.

"'Incredibly awkward' is one way of putting it, yes..." Of course, 'confusing' or 'terrifying' could also work. "...Who are you?"

Because, no matter how much he may resemble him in a weird, slightly-off way, this guy is not JW.

[brighteyed]

Harmony had all of the strength JW could have had if the man took care of himself and easily pulled Ginko upright. He quickly withdrew his hand and fumbled with the collar of his robe.

"My name is Harmony and...we weren't supposed to have met, honestly. I hope you'll forgive me for spying on you."

Otherwise, no one would have known about their one-eyed visitor's abrupt disappearance. Harmony brought his hand to his chin and looked Ginko up and down. As fit as Harmony was, Ginko was just bigger all around.

"I'm not entirely sure I can carry you."

[onegreeneye]

"...When were you spying on me? And what do you mean, we weren't supposed to have met?" Unfortunately he had way too many questions to just ask all at once - and they had other things to worry about at the moment.

He looked upward, and then at Harmony, frowning. "Is there no other way out?"

[brighteyed]

Harmony muttered something and coughed but it sounded suspiciously like "Most of the time."

He quickly straightened himself up and became all business again.

"I'm afraid so. We're just going to have to build a...a structure! And you needn't worry! My brother is keeping our host distracted so that he won't find out that you were ever down here!"

[onegreeneye]

"--What was that?" Okay, this was getting weirder by the second, and that was coming from Ginko.

He nodded, slowly, glancing at the opening again. "Right... what do you mean, 'host'? Are you talking about JW?"

That was his best guess, but... he was still really confused.

[brighteyed]

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Harmony was suddenly fluttering away to where an empty casette tape case was leaned against a shoe. He grabbed it from one end and started to scoot it back toward the circle of light. Luckily, his halo cast enough light to warn him about any intruding dust creatures.

"Er--yes." His first explanation hadn't been stellar. "I'm...I guess you could say a spirit. A guardian. A guide! Yes, a guide! Everyone has that voice inside them--one that tells them when something is right or wrong. I'm obviously the better one." He stopped near Ginko and flipped the tape case onto its side so that he could preen. "My brother is named Havoc. You can guess what he's like."

NOTHIN' LIKE DRAGGIN' SOMEBODY WHO ISN'T HERE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE WRONG.

[onegreeneye]

"A... spirit?" Wow this was a lot to take in. Ginko's brow furrowed as he considered that. "...So, are you saying that everyone has... people who look like them, but not really, following them around?"

And watching their friends constantly. He won't even comment on the bit about Havoc.

"What else should we get to keep building? I can help move things."

[brighteyed]

Harmony made another face. He'd never explained this to another person before. Not someone who was JW and had to avoid squashing him. But it was also exciting because Ginko was the first person he'd seen at his own height in...well. It had been a long time since he'd left the Scape.

"James is an unusual case. We're always around, but usually only in here." He tapped his forehead. "Our Host fell through a rift and our worlds rubbed together too violently and a hole appeared. It's a long, complicated story."

But Ginko asked a good question. This was going to have to be quite the tower. He looked above at the hole and made a humming sound. His halo lit up.

"We need some shoelaces! I can make a rope!"

[onegreeneye]

"Right..." The whole thing still seemed a little odd, but he didn't see any real reason to disbelieve it. And he supposed that could explain the whole "watching him" thing, at least to some extent. "Guess now isn't really a good time for long stories, huh."

Because otherwise he would absolutely be asking.

"Got it." He looked around, for a pair of shoes if he couldn't find shoelaces on their own, and headed for whatever he could catch sight of.

[brighteyed]

"I'm afraid not."

With Harmony's light, they abandoned the pile of socks in search of shoes. There had to be at least one that hadn't been stripped for material. He paused at the end of a long cardboard tube and peered down its length to see if it led anywhere.

"You know, I have to admit, it's nice to finally meet you. Officially, I mean."

[onegreeneye]

Ginko looked around, starting to point out a shoe before realizing that its laces had long been removed. He gave a frustrated huff and kept looking, giving Harmony a glance.

"Yeah? Good to meet you, too, I guess." Even though he had no idea Harmony existed until a few minutes ago.

1/2

[wastelandking]

Harmony made a pleased humming sound.

And was promptly slammed face-down into the dust by yet another winged JW look-alike. This one dressed in a dark suit and outfitted with distinctly more draconic extremities, save the dainty hooves that were not planted right on Harmony's shoulders.

"What are you DOING!? You were only supposed to watch him! We're going to get in trouble!"

2/2

[brighteyed]

For a moment Harmony was still. His halo had fallen crooked and dust filled the circle of light. When his breath returned he glowered over his shoulder.

"Watch him get torn apart by dustbunnies? I don't think so. You know how important he is to the boss!"

[onegreeneye]

Ginko jumped back, his eye going wide. He was fully expecting Harmony's attacker to go after him next - and was fully at a loss as to what to do about any of it - right up until Havoc spoke.

Bit by bit, Ginko relaxed, looking him over. "--Are you Havoc?"

He would just. Ignore that comment about 'the boss'. And hope that they didn't notice the faint flush rising to his face as he remembered that conversation with Deuteronomy.

[wastelandking]

Havoc turned away from his brother and for a moment, only a moment froze. He wasn't any more used to being seen than Harmony was. But then Awful Things started to happen because his face split into a too-wide, sharp-toothed grin.

"Heard of me already? The pleasure is aaaaall mine." He turned in place, stepping on Harmony as he did so, and extended a hand. He had claws and his eyes never left Ginko's face. He looked hungry.

[onegreeneye]

Oh God that was terrifying, so much for Ginko relaxing.

He leaned back a little, wincing with sympathy for Harmony and eyeing Havoc's hand uncertainly for a moment before reaching out to shake it. "Uh, yeah... Harmony said you were his brother? He explained the whole... spirits thing."

[wastelandking]

The demon shook Ginko's hand heartily.

"That sounds like Harm t'me, always lookin' for a chance to hear himself talk about himself! As much as I'd love to hang around and chat, we need to get your ass topside and fast."

[onegreeneye]

Ginko kept on staying quiet on the whole... sibling rivalry thing, if that was what it was, because this was not something he was interested in getting sucked into. He just nodded in agreement with that second part.

"Sounds like a plan. We'd been looking for shoelaces to get out with... unless you've got another idea."

1/2

[brighteyed]

Havoc didn't get the chance to share his brilliant idea because Harmony finally decided he'd had enough. He wrenched himself into a roll and knocked Havoc down before standing up and brushing off.

"Now that there are two of us, I think we can lift you...Havoc, how did you distract him anyway?"

2/2

[wastelandking]

Havoc pouted as he stood himself back up and took care to make sure his tail was still straight. SOME PEOPLE liked to step on it for no good reason. "I hid the egg timer on top of the ceiling fan. He'll have to drag the ladder off the back porch to get to it when it goes off. We're literally running on borrowed time. I'm game if you are. Ginko?"

Havoc's hungry look was finally replaced with one of well-placed urgency.

[onegreeneye]

Ginko hesitated, but only for a moment. Then he looked back at the high-up opening, their paltry escape supplies... and the darkness where more of those dust creatures could well be lying in wait.

He nodded. "Alright. Let's try it."

[brighteyed]

With his permission, both brothers hooked their arms under Ginko's. Then, at once, they took off like an awkward four winged, six armed and six-legged beast. Harmony's gaze was locked on the hole above, his jaw set in grim determination. Havoc, however, kept glancing back at Ginko and flashing him grins that edged on just this side of mischievous.

The hole neared and the Underbed's unique gravity tugged at the tips of the brothers' wings. The Underbed wanted to keep its prize.

"Flap harder!"

"You flap harder!"