Loni & Addie (Event)

[ElliBleu]

Have at, guys. And have fun. Let me know about any questions. <3

[[After a terrifyingly short briefing session and signing an alarming amount of waivers and contracts, your characters find themselves ushered into a helicopter and promptly blindfolded. A lengthy stretch of time later the craft slows and lurches to a stop and- still blindfolded- they are hastily pulled from the copter and deposited on what can only be sand. As the whirring of the chopper fades off into the distance, the only sounds left are the constant crash of small waves along the beach to their backs and the raucous cries of seabirds overhead.

The only thing they've been told? Reach the end, with your partner- the path is up to you. Simple enough, right?]]

[ElliBleu]

Adrael stumbled as he hit less-than-even footing, striped tail valiantly trying to compensate for the sudden lack of balance. The roaring thrum of the helicopter blades was painfully loud, and he left the blindfold over his face in place in favor of clamping his hands over his tall, furry ears. He thought he might have made some sort of noise in protest, but couldn't hear enough to tell.

As the chopper took off- or so he assumed, being unable to see- it kicked up an incredible whirl of mist ond sand that stung his uncovered arms and bottom half of his face, and the downdraft from the propeller threw the petite halfbreed off balance again. Without trying to keep his feet again, Addie dropped to his knees rather than be blown over, curled over himself until his bangs brushed the sand.

When the audio-onslaught lessened and the wind died down he dared to uncurl a bit, dropping his hands from his ears to untie the blindfold. Odd black-and-blue eyes blinked in protest at the sudden light, a hand lingering over his forehead to provide momentary shade.

It was a beach, that was about all he could see from here. Ears swiveling like radar receivers, Addie took in the sounds of seabirds and surf and the retreating rhythm of helicopters. And there was somebody very close by.

Addie's multi-colored head whipped around, blinking wide-eyed at the taller (not that that really took much in the way of height) male a few feet to his left. So this was his partner in... whatever the hell this was? His ears lowered, reflexive shyness bubbling up. "Uh.... h-hi?"

[Netreemic]

Hooooooo… Absalon tilted his head back, blindfold lying loosely around his neck, eyes staring into the blazing sun as the chopper wufawufa’d back into the sky. Some place new again. This seemed to be happening with an increasing frequency. His head drooped, regarding the sand inching its way into his sandals. Dark toes wiggled experimentally. The sun baked sand felt surprisingly good, once you got past the general irritation. What else had been irritating recently? Thick brows furrowed, he tried to recall, hand slapping his back pocket for his notebook. Maybe he had written it…down…in… Oh, yeah. Confiscated as “possible cheat item.” His heart sped for a moment, panicking as to why he would EVER let some strange agency take away what was his. Teeth gritted (he paused a moment to spit out some more sand), he reflected that even if they didn’t give it back he had copies stashed around the world but…mergh. Who knows, maybe it was for the best. They’d probably have to swim through croc-infested waters, roll in hot coals, and get dunked in viscous material.

He scrubbed a hand through his helicopter tousled hair to dislodge the last of the sand and finally glanced to his left at the quiet “Uh…h-hi?” His eyes went wide. Not only was the slim creature a bountiful buffet of internal scarring, but the fluffiest thing Loni had laid eyes on in years. He snapped his mouth shut, slightly embarrassed. God, chalk him up some old man creeper points. Scarred fingers pulled at the hem of his t-shirt, mind creaking back into motion. Partners, that had been one of those things mentioned by the agents. Laughing lightly at himself, he smiled widely and offering his hand in greeting as he ambled across the sand, limp hidden by the shifting sands. “Yah, hello. Guess we get to be buds for this game of survivor.” He laughed again happily, feeling wonderfully energized next to the smaller man. Looked like this could be some good fun. "Wanna pick a team name~?"

[ElliBleu]

Addie blinked again at his new companion's reaction, ears pressed into his hair and tilting his head in guarded uncertainty. Maybe he should have opted to lose the weird eyes and ears and tail before this. The reaction was fairly common, but it was always a little unnerving to someone as bashful as Adrael. The other laughed after a moment and Addie's tall ears swiveled back to attention at the noise, head tilting in the other direction as wariness gave way to confusion. Was he really so funny looking?

He stood with a pout-threatening frown, quickly brushing off his clothes and running his hands over his multicolored tail to dislodge some of the sand. When he finally noticed the offered hand the halfbreed jumped visibly, again staring uncertainly up at the taller male. After a couple seconds his rather unpolished social etiquette skills kicked in, hesitating briefly (his fingernail polish was chipped, kind of embarrassing to be wearing it in the first place) before twining his hand with the waiting one.

Even Addie couldn't help but smile back, albeit a bit nervously, as the other male grinned. Friendliness always threw him off, and genuine friendliness even more so. A blush crawled up his face before he looked down and aside, retreating behind his bangs. "I, um..." he began lamely, shifting his feet in the sand. "I'm probably not so good at naming things."

He frowned, unhappy with himself. Not ten minutes and he was already shaping up to be a lousy partner. It took a deep breath and much tattered self-will to turn his face up again, moving his tail into an easy arch behind him rather than the defeated limpness of earlier. "B-but, my name is Adrael." he offered instead, managing a little grin of his own. "Addie, if you like."

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. At least he wasn't alone.

[Netreemic]

When that slim hand slipped into his…oh what could describe it fully? The sun seemed to pull back, the harsh rays baking the sands and his dark skin were lost amongst a fresh wave of air and water. His skin took on a duskier hue, blue blood thundering through his system. His smile was probably about to split his face in two. Reluctantly, he forced his hands to release the other’s hand before they moved beyond the acceptable time to hold hands in greeting. He pulled in quiet breaths to knock his features down a key while the shorter guy looked down and stuttered out his self-abuse. His general friendliness seemed to be putting the other on edge as it is. Certainly didn’t need a full blast of what could only be ‘starved man staring at a bakery.’

But he be damned if it didn’t break out again when the guy looked up with that grin and introduced himself. Adrael Addie Adrael Addie. He paused as though contemplating which to pick, brain working to burn it into memory. “Addie, eh~?” He had to hold back from slapping Adrael comradely on the shoulder in inspired team cheer. One, he really didn’t know the guy’s bubble that well and two…he probably wouldn’t let go this time. “Nice to meet cha.” He looked up for a moment and squinted. What was his name right now? “Ah….Absalon.” He nodded a couple times before miming Adrael’s grin. “Loni, if you like.”

He dragged his gaze off Adrael to peer at the looming greenery. The palm trees were wafting in the breeze, but the deeper shrubbery looked thick and somewhat threatening. Well, it didn’t really look threatening. Logically it was just a bunch of plants that grew together at the edge where earth became sand and sunlight still made it through the taller plantlife. But, coming here hadn’t been a logical decision, his more flippant side was winning out. So, knowing that they had to plow into that, rather blindly, sparked his little neurons of fear. He licked his lips, eyes still trained on the forest. “Uh…so, did we have instructions or anything?”

[ElliBleu]

It was curiousity and a bit of worry that made Addie's ears swivel forward when he heard Absalon's breathing pick up. Should he not have touched? Usually he was really quite good, or so he thought, at keeping those physical-contact urges to minimum. With his usual company it was courtesy and habit, but all he'd done was shake his hand, right?

But the taller male was still smiling, so it wasn't so terrible a foul-up, right?

At the chosen nickname Addie smiled again and let the previous worries go, stepping up beside his new partner. "All right, Loni." In his rather limited social experiences full names were best left unused. Or only used to tease. He liked being called Addie more anyways, and would have felt obligated to use 'Absalon' had the other decided on Adrael.

Loni looked away up the beach, and Addie stared at him for a moment- accepting the first impression and deciding he had no reason to dislike his new company- before following his gaze to the trees. He hummed in response to the question, a frown settling onto his face and ears taking an uneasy angle.

A puff of breath moved the worst of his bangs from his eyes, again looking up and over at Loni. "I don't think I got anything too specific. Get through and get out, because they're not picking us up here." It took a deep breath to keep from getting too freaked out. Well, more nervous than he usually was, anyway. He reached his hands skyward, arching his back to loosen up the last bit of stiffness from the helicopter ride.

Straightening, he looked again at the trees and took a few steps forward. "S-so, I guess we just go." And he paused, looking worriedly over his shoulder at Absalon. "Unless you have another plan. I really don't wanna go by myself, though."

[Netreemic]

With one last huff, Absalon clapped his hands together, mentally preparing himself with a bit of a physical snap. Not to mention focusing his brain that kept sidetracking to pet/huggle/snuggle mode whenever Addie’s ears moved. Really, where had this kid come from? Because he needed to find the Fluffy Colony of Bliss and take residence. EYES FORWARD!

“Ooooooooh, you are totally stuck with me.” He wiggled his feet, testing the straps holding his sandals on. “Time to show this forest who is lord and master~!” Head thrown back in mock pompousness he shot Adrael a sidelong wink. “Wanna be lord or master?” Unable to resist, he playfully whapped the other’s shoulder as he darted past Addie and across the baking sand. Laughing once more, he ran towards the tree line, graceless yet giddy. Every iota of his being felt full to the brim. Deserted island, questionable escape, unknown forest! An adventure beyond the usual move to a new city. Not just the amusement of finding some poor leftovers, but a thrill!

[vera short...sorry >w<'']

[ElliBleu]

[Oh my, an obstacle! :o]

Addie had to blink, a grin climbing helplessly onto his face. He thought Belial was hyper- Loni was something else entirely, and rather contagiously so. His smile stretched a bit more, tense shoulders relaxing automatically at the assurance that he wouldn't be left alone. That much was a great relief, at the very least.

The wink brought a blush to the halfbreed's cheeks, reflexively looking away before it could be throughly noted and commented on. Such an annoying habit. He flicked an ear, as though physically trying to brush away the flood of bashfulness. "Whichever you don't prefer, I guess. Though I'm fine just being Ad-"

A sudden, friendly hand to his shoulder made Addie jump, blinking dumbly in surprise and watching Loni run off towards the greenery.

Had he just made a friend?

Another blink, ears rotating forward. He batted the thought around for a few more seconds, bewildered, before letting out a small chuckle and running off after the taller male. "I thought you said I was totally stuck with you, but now you're running away!"

Through the treeline the muted sounds of the surf were replaced by a veritable audio onslaught. Some unknown bird singing in that direction, a cricket-like sound form another direction, frogs croaking, leaved swishing, twigs snapping under Loni's feet as he sped on just ahead, the growing sound of tumbling water.

Whoah, hey, wait. The ocean was behind them, not up there. Luckily, Addie was always quite good at panicking. Sometimes it was useful. "Wait!L-Loni, wait! Stop!" He was already envisioning his new, seemingly carefreee companion being so caught up in good humor and apparent glee and tumbling over the edge of what he was sure sounded just the way a waterfall should.

Indeed, a small canyon complete with step-like waterfalls, unforgiving current, convenient sharp rocks and rickety, half-rotted rope bridge waited just a short ways away. Obstacle one discovered~!

Before Loni could even glance over his shoulder to acknowledge the demon, Addie latched onto the back of his shirt and tried to force them both to an abrupt stop. Momentum, as it would be, decided to contiue obeying basic laws of physics and sent both tumbling head over feet over brightly striped tail through shrubs and ferns, skidding to a halt in gritty, sandy earth.

When the sky stopped spinning, Adrael blew a leaf from his bangs and squirmed a bit, trying to figure out in the tangle of limbs which were his. The tail puffed in panic and emabrrassment certainly belonged to him. Painted nails, those were definitely his. He wasn't wearing sandals, though. "S-sorry..." Not his.

Could one die of self-mortification?

"I-I-I hear w-water." he offered in explanation, ears plastered down to his head. Suddenly his limited social group was starting to make sense.

[Netreemic]

The irregular slap of the plantlife was becoming rather distracting. It was easy to ignore the brightly colored birds that darted across his nonexistent path. Their happy homes had never been disrupted (as far as their tiny brains could remember) and their family bond couldn’t be stronger. They looked out for each other against any and all predators. But the plants grew from the earth and the earth…this island…had had inhabitants. And lost them. The beach had convinced him this island had never been populated. Stupid of him to trust such a shifty character.

Distracted by strange shadows flashing across his minds eye, Absalon heard the voice from behind but took it took an extra moment to process. Was he going too fast? That would be rather remarkable, but the other guy did look rather slim, maybe the run was-

A strangled hurk escaped him as his t-shirt was unceremoniously yanked and his collar was suddenly strangling him. Unbalanced, rusty eyes went wide as the pair of them seemingly lost all control and wiped out in a tangle of limbs. His arm shot out, trying to break their fall but his palm merely skidded across the gravelly earth and the final roll slammed his left side onto a half buried rock. Thankful the world had ceased to spin, Loni let his head sink sideways onto the ground with a groan and ignored his contorted position. Everything felt so…fuzzy.

Hearing the apology, he blinked rapidly and threw up his metal blockers (so to speak). Fuzzy because he was liberally entangled with an emotionally muddled individual and blissfully sopping it up. Like some kind of junkie. Heaven above, sometimes his existence was dubious. He laughed airily, waving off Addie’s apology though uncertain if it was even seen given the weird angles they were at. Carefully, but quickly, he extricated his limbs from the jumble, irate with his unconscious pilfering. And any part of him that had been crushing the smaller guy. Free, he glanced over his shoulder at the ravine as he leaned back on his arms to hide his blush. Head rush from the fall...

“Jiminy Cricket…thanks for the save.” He huffed in disconcerted awe and turned back to face Addie. “Sorry I’m kind of a scatterbrain.” Dark fingers tapped his temple in lieu of further explanation. Here he was, already risking lives with his idiocy. With a grunt, he rolled onto his feet and hid a cringe as his side twinged. Letting out a whistle, he reassessed the view. “Dude…I’d be drowned, battered, and speared. Guess ‘thanks’ doesn’t quite cover it.” Lifting his arm to offer Addie a hand up or a sincere shake of gratitude, he initially hesitated on invading the other’s space once again. But a glance showed his hand to be bleeding, bluish sludge oozing out around the imbedded grit. Dropping it before the other could notice, he continued loudly, “One hell of a bridge, eh? Looks like it’s the only way across!” Striding quickly to the edge, he peered down at the spray-slicked rocks and one very long drop, followed by another long drop, and another… “Yup, looks like the bridge is it.” Whistling merrily, he limped along the lip of the canyon, eyes looking everywhere but the ‘bridge.’ We are going to die.

[ElliBleu]

With a shaky sigh of relief Addie clambered to his feet, brushing the worst of the dirt and leaves from his clothing. Thankfully distracted from seeing Loni’s blush, which would have only increased his own and shot him into embarrassed, unable-to-speak mortification. "N-no problem... Happy to help."

Addie couldn’t help flinching when Loni approached the edge, clamping his teeth together to keep from yelling out in fear for the other and so potentially startle him into a gruesome tumble. It took a tremendous amount of willpower, embarrassment or no, to stay where he was and not try to pull or tackle the man again to get him away from that edge.

Addie’s tail bristled out to twice it’s normal size at the spoken affirmation that the bridge was, indeed, the only way across. Of course it was. A pitiful whine escaped his throat before he could think to stop it, ears plastering down to his head. He hated heights.

And falling and drowning.

Swallowing heavily, Adam’s apple bobbing, Adrael took measured, careful steps until he stood again beside Absalon. He spared a look to his companion, eyes almost entirely black with how wide his pupils were, before shifting to look at the landing of the bridge a few yards away. Hopefully his shaking wasn’t too evident.

It took a few tries before he found his voice. “I should p-probably go first. I’m smaller. Make sure it’ll hold.” He only made it a couple steps before turning to look over his shoulder, past his still poofed tail, at Loni.

Would it have been terribly inappropriate to ask to hold his hand??

[Netreemic]

Frowning at the thought of his partner going first just because he happened to be smaller seemed rather unfair. And incredibly cruel, if Addie’s quivering was any clue. Even if it could hold the little guy’s weight and he passed fine, who knows what would happen when he stepped down. It didn’t seem right to use Addie as bridge bait even if the worst still could happen. Besides, it was contrary to the ideals of partnership. Unless…that was the point. He couldn’t remember if both of them needed to reach the end. He really hoped the purpose of the partner wasn’t as a shield.

Avoiding damning one of them to go first, Loni flicked his hand up to signal Adrael to wait a moment and jogged awkwardly back to the tree line. Batting some underbrush from his path, he leapt up to grab a low hanging branch. Crawling up into the deep greenery, and sending a family of golden tamarins screaming, he jerked forcefully on a thick cluster of vines. Victorious against the plantlife, he dropped back to the ground, leaves and a banana slug poking haphazardly out of his hair.

“Ah,” he gazed at the vine for a moment, confused as to its purpose, before perking up again and holding out the naturally woven rope. “Buddy system should the planks crap out. Long enough –should have enough time to brace or tie down.” His knuckles whitened as he smiled, brain still processing that he could certainly haul his much smaller companion from whatever doom…but it wasn’t an action that would be easily reciprocated. But he could easily burn his end of the vine and not drag Addie along for the death plunge. Tying it deftly around his waist, Absalon edged around Adrael with a wide grin. “I’ll see if I can loosen some up for yah~”

Eyes darting to either side of the chasm, no second pathways made themselves clear as he moved cautiously forward. There were no trees leaning enough over the canyon with hanging vines that would allow for a Tarzan-esque swing (not that one should really trust a vine anymore than a rope bridge but at least all one had to was jump and swing…it certainly beat endless moments of panicked terror that the next step, the next breath could send either of them plunging). Mentally slapping himself, Loni breathed deep and stepped forward.

In that hairsbreadth of a moment, he truly wished he hadn’t taken that breath. It had partially stemmed from the ridiculous notion that any air in his body would somehow lighten his weight and make this a less dangerous venture. But, all it really did was fill his senses with musty dampness of rotting ropes, cloying stench of mist dampened and weakened wood, and bird shit from where the creatures had landed to peck and steal materials for their own constructions.

A flash of terror coursed through him. The random excitement he’d blissfully signed up for could easily snuff out his long, ergo strange, existence. Suddenly hesitant, his step, already unbalanced by his limp, jittered between two planks spaced farther apart. Quickly leaning forward to make up for his toes precarious perch on the wood slat, his left leg swung forward with slightly too much force. A ripple of motion shook the entire length of the bridge and there was a threatening groan that rose above the constant rush of water. Eyes wide and eyebrows reaching his hairline, Absalon stared down the worn tunnel of wood and rope, terribly aware that there was a long way too go.

Loosening his death grip of the ropes on either side, he let out a wheezy laugh. Glancing over his shoulder, he cracked a wild grin at Addie. “This ought to be fun~”