notbornguilty | IC inbox for Seasons

We probably should. I'm slightly regretting not bringing Nia with us, she could tell us plenty about them with just a look. But I know she's busy running the apothecary, so I suppose we'll have to make do.

Yeah… if we keep this, next time.

[And Ruby marches onwards. As she does, she notices various bushes surrounding the trees. Small branches reach out to them, snagging their clothes.]

Wha…?

Not again! If I had a lien for every time I was grabbed by aggressive flora-!

[Weiss pauses as she slashes out with Myrtenaster.]

Well, I'd have two lien, but it is annoying that it's happened twice.

[And Ruby slashes with Crescent Rose]

I like touchy-feely, but on my terms! Ugh!

[And she stops and stops Weiss as she notices the path looking off.]

Ooh, trap holes!

[Weiss forms a glyph and two armored legs pop out.]

Want me to set one off and see what's down there?

That would be for the best, yes! Betcha there’s some spikes or maybe nasty vines!

[Weiss nods and the Knight's legs do a quick bend in the best salute something without anything above the waist can do before it chunks along right onto one of the traps.]

[And once the feet smash into the trap, vines shoot out to grab them, feeling out to try to also see if anyone else is around.]

[Weiss takes a step back as the vines creep closer.]

More vines. ...Ruby, you don't have to watch, but do you mind if I use Decoy Ruby to see what happens if they actually do manage to capture a person? That's the only summon I have that's sufficiently human-like.

Ah… okay, yeah, you can. You think they’re…?

I don't know, that's the point. If they react any differently, we'll know for sure.

[The Knight's legs fade away, being quickly replaced by the Shadow that stole Ruby's form. It nervously waves at the vines before being captured by them.]

[And as it is dragged in, the Shadow Ruby would find itself bound by the vines… and at worse, it’s just making its bosom prominent.]

It’s not trying to… you know…

[And the vines react in shock at the suggestion]

Just capture, nothing more aggressive. It looks like they're just here to bind anyone that trespasses, presumably for something else to find later... And they seem to be smart enough to both understand us and be offended by your implication.

I, um… sorry! I didn’t mean to offend you!

[And the vines bring the Shadow Ruby back up… then grab Ruby to punish her.]

H-Hey! I said sorry!

[And it holds Ruby upside down out of the hole.]

Ruby. If anyone should be able to easily escape from something like this, it's you.

Sorry about all this. We'll be leaving right away.

Oh. Right. Eheheh…!

[And Ruby uses her Semblance to escape the vines and back to Weiss. As she does, the vines reach out to take Weiss’ hand and guide her over the hole.]

Oh? You want to show us something? If Ruby's willing to hear you out, so am I.

I, Ah… yeah, I’m okay with it! We’re new here, so we’re exploring…

[And the vines point towards another set of trees and what appears to be a small wooden house at the end.]

Oh, it’s a house…! Um, are there trees dangerous or helpful?

[The vines shows that they are the same as they are by lightly binding Weiss.]

They’re traps, too? Are they helpful?

[And it pats Weiss’ head]

I... think they pull double duty. Helping anyone that is wanted, hindering anyone who isn't.

[Weiss looks slightly annoyed at the patting.]

Um, you can stop petting Weiss. She doesn’t like that…

[And the vines get annoyed, pulling Weiss back and patting her more.]

You don’t want to do that. That’s my girlfriend and I WILL protect her if she doesn’t fight first!

[Weiss has one rebuttal to this: she holds up a hand and a crystal of ice forms on her palm.]

Unless you're evergreens, I recommend you let go.

[And the vines panic and bring Weiss back to Ruby’s side, even pushing them closer together.]

Now was that so bad?

I'm already getting tired of this. I say we find out who lives here, then go back and try out some other coordinates.

Good idea. Sorry this turned out to be a bummer, though…

[And Ruby would easily use her Semblance to guide her and Weiss away from the trees to the house.]

Well, they can't all be winners. We'll just have to see what the next one is like.

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