A mail carrier's work begins early, earlier than most people would think. Before the sun, but it means they get to greet the sunrise each beautiful day. The grass is green, the birds chirp, someone's passed out under a tree-
Well. That last one might need a little investigation.
She's not visibly wounded, nor does she look particularly ill, but what could be another peaceful sleep is decidedly not. Tension radiates from her, hands clenched and frowning deeply, locked in the depths of her dreams.
"No..."
What does our beloved Godpoke and wielder of words do?
Well, the answer to that is quite simple. There is, in fact, only one thing to do when one encounters a body on the ground, alive or dead.
Being far more precious about it than is strictly necessary, Godpoke selects a stick from the ground, ensuring the tip isn't sharp. And then, with the gentleness of a mother and the precision of a surgeon, they poke her in the side.
She jolts, a full body live wire, and so quick it's a reflex, there's a dagger in her hand, pointing the direction of where she's been poked. She's pale, eyes wide but focused, and slowly lowers it when she realizes she's not in danger. Must have dozed off, out in the open. There's just...
The person who delivers the mail, isn't it?
Her head tilts in silent confusion, some grass stuck in her hair.
And that's why we always use a stick, folks. If they'd been up close to her, they probably would have gotten stabbed! The stick is a safety measure as much as it is hilarious.
Their free hand produces Megapon from their bag. With a pull of the trigger, sound emerges in a pop of harmless blue light. The sound is Leon Kennedy's voice. "Howdy."
Coming further out of her nightmare, she blinks - that's Leon's voice, but this is clearly not Leon. Some strange new magic? Some device that conjures the ghosts of others?
All she can do is slowly raise her free hand and wave, perplexed utterly.
Huh. Neat. Something that speaks through the throat of others. That's remarkable, actually, and she wonders if it can speak with anyone's voice - even the Mothers, if it heard them.
"I finally got to sleep, so I'm going to say yes." At the least, she doesn't feel different from normal. Peering at them a little more closely, she makes a quick decision.
"Actually, do you mind if I walk with you on your route? Just until we get back to town."
Nodding amenably, Godpoke gives Fever a wave. Sure, let's go.
They do wonder why sleeping outside is considered an improvement... Is she really struggling that much to sleep? Hmm. They wonder if there's any way to help her. She seems like a nice enough lady, and admittedly they're so used to being able to help their neighbors solve problems. But they don't have the right words right now... and walking with their notepad would be difficult. Maybe they'll have to investigate later.
For now, they walk in silence, glancing up at Fever to make sure they're keeping a good pace for her.
It's quiet, which means that she can focus a little more. Breathe deep, and let herself soak in the morning sunshine, pairs of footsteps walking together, glancing over at her companion. She's really never thought too much about who delivers the mail - only that it gets done. One of those little unseen factors of life.
When she speaks, it feels like she's breaking some kind of tranquility, and it makes her feel awkward.
"I'm...sorry if I worried you. I get restless sometimes, in the night. It's safe enough, if you don't go too far in the woods, but...I just needed room to think. That's all."
The little mail carrier seems unconcerned by the vocal intrusion, looking up at her after inserting a flyer about the Cucumber Festival in someone's mailbox. They reach up to pat her arm reassuringly. As long as she's okay, they're perfectly happy.
They do quietly wonder what sort of nightmares drive her out into the woods. It seems like many of the people here have suffered so much. As the pair keep walking, they give her another curious look.
"What's that look in your eyes for?" she asks, glancing down at the right moment to catch their gaze. "I know it's weird, but it's not that weird, right? Haven't you ever needed to get out of your own head?"
She can't tell if it'd be better if the little one has or has not.
Godpoke nods and shrugs. Sure, of course. Everyone needs that sometimes. Admittedly, Pokey kind of lives in their own head most of the time, struggling to externalize many of their thoughts.
Sleeping in the woods, however, is a somewhat curious way of doing that.
They gesture broadly at the forest around them. Why here?
Okay, that part is weird. Especially when she prefers the warmth of a quilt over the discomfort of the ground, but there's reasoning, and she shrugs.
"Before I stepped out of my original world, I was traveling around. When the weather was good, we'd sleep outside, next to the fire. Didn't have a tent of my own, though - but it was fine often enough that it didn't matter."
Her eyebrow raises, seeing what they're building. You do you, little buddy, but...
"Want me to light it?"
As to the question of how, she draws up the beginnings of a fire spell in her fingers, the flame flickering but unable to be used until she actually would let it go.
Woah! Cool! Pokey claps lightly, like a golf clap, approving. Then they sit beside it, plopping right down onto their ass.
Most of the day, it might be too hot to sit next to a fire. But this early in the morning, it's just cool enough. They recline onto the grassy hill, relaxing. Perhaps Fever will do the same. Maybe she will even understand what Pokey is trying to accomplish. Even if she doesn't, at least they relaxed together.
She doesn't quite get it yet, but that doesn't mean she doesn't imitate them, settling down and looking into the flames. She hasn't managed the trick she saw months ago, the full flower, and that just means it's a goal to aspire to. Something aesthetically pleasing instead of purely destructive.
But it's peaceful like this, and some of her earlier tiredness still clings. Her eyes half close, her mind thinking about little at all - it feels...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
may.
Well. That last one might need a little investigation.
She's not visibly wounded, nor does she look particularly ill, but what could be another peaceful sleep is decidedly not. Tension radiates from her, hands clenched and frowning deeply, locked in the depths of her dreams.
"No..."
What does our beloved Godpoke and wielder of words do?
no subject
Being far more precious about it than is strictly necessary, Godpoke selects a stick from the ground, ensuring the tip isn't sharp. And then, with the gentleness of a mother and the precision of a surgeon, they poke her in the side.
no subject
The person who delivers the mail, isn't it?
Her head tilts in silent confusion, some grass stuck in her hair.
no subject
Their free hand produces Megapon from their bag. With a pull of the trigger, sound emerges in a pop of harmless blue light. The sound is Leon Kennedy's voice. "Howdy."
no subject
All she can do is slowly raise her free hand and wave, perplexed utterly.
"Howdy...?"
no subject
"Is everything okay?”
no subject
"I finally got to sleep, so I'm going to say yes." At the least, she doesn't feel different from normal. Peering at them a little more closely, she makes a quick decision.
"Actually, do you mind if I walk with you on your route? Just until we get back to town."
no subject
They do wonder why sleeping outside is considered an improvement... Is she really struggling that much to sleep? Hmm. They wonder if there's any way to help her. She seems like a nice enough lady, and admittedly they're so used to being able to help their neighbors solve problems. But they don't have the right words right now... and walking with their notepad would be difficult. Maybe they'll have to investigate later.
For now, they walk in silence, glancing up at Fever to make sure they're keeping a good pace for her.
no subject
When she speaks, it feels like she's breaking some kind of tranquility, and it makes her feel awkward.
"I'm...sorry if I worried you. I get restless sometimes, in the night. It's safe enough, if you don't go too far in the woods, but...I just needed room to think. That's all."
no subject
They do quietly wonder what sort of nightmares drive her out into the woods. It seems like many of the people here have suffered so much. As the pair keep walking, they give her another curious look.
no subject
She can't tell if it'd be better if the little one has or has not.
no subject
Sleeping in the woods, however, is a somewhat curious way of doing that.
They gesture broadly at the forest around them. Why here?
no subject
"Before I stepped out of my original world, I was traveling around. When the weather was good, we'd sleep outside, next to the fire. Didn't have a tent of my own, though - but it was fine often enough that it didn't matter."
no subject
They have all day to deliver these letters. Maybe it's break time.
Veering a short distance off the road, they stoop to begin stacking sticks into a nice little pointed pile, organizing rocks around it in a ring.
no subject
"Want me to light it?"
As to the question of how, she draws up the beginnings of a fire spell in her fingers, the flame flickering but unable to be used until she actually would let it go.
no subject
Just dropping to the ground like a stone, they plop down beside it.
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"Ignis."
Straight into the wood, and the flame catches, the wood coming alight much as it would with some tinder and thirty minutes of hard work.
no subject
Most of the day, it might be too hot to sit next to a fire. But this early in the morning, it's just cool enough. They recline onto the grassy hill, relaxing. Perhaps Fever will do the same. Maybe she will even understand what Pokey is trying to accomplish. Even if she doesn't, at least they relaxed together.
no subject
But it's peaceful like this, and some of her earlier tiredness still clings. Her eyes half close, her mind thinking about little at all - it feels...
Safe. Or close enough to it.