[Nexus] GLoG 81: Ghostbusters!

[Murkus]

Brinika peers at the new girl. Sure! Come right over!

The girl approaches slowly. She's small, even compared to Brinika, but about the same age. She sits between them and looks around. "I'm, um, Karry. You guys have nice names." She smiles mildly. "What're you guys talkin' about?"

[Rebonack]

[Lakeside ==> Lake-shore]

Freddie gives a foxy grin as the dryad girl conks out. She's adorable when she sleeps! But then, most kids are. A wisp of foxfire flashes into a comfy wool blanket and settles onto his back. He'll then use his tails to pick her up and set her atop the blanket. Next up a second wisp becomes a second blanket, settles over her, and wraps around the Huldra's belly to hold her in place.

Wouldn't want her falling off after all!

He'll then set off along the edge of the lake at a comfortable trot.

Freddie hasn't seen this part of the campsite before.

And he means to check it out!

Will he encounter anyone along the way?

Stay tuned to find out!

[Gullara]

[Lakeside => Lake-shore]

Salix is deposited on the Huldra's back! She won't be doing anything for a while yet. That tree growing took a lot out of her.

[The Bushranger]

It's possible the lakeside-travelers might spot Jamie!
The Jamie with Keo. Making that [Lakeshore (A)]!

===

Meanwhile at [Lakeshore (B)]...Jamie smiles!

"Thanks. Karry's a pretty name too. We were talking about how we're cousins now. Have you ben here long?"

[Rebonack]

[Lakeshore CLOOOOOONES]

Trot trot trot goes the Huldra down the shore!

He doesn't mind water so much when it's only getting his feet wet. So long as he isn't totally submerged he does just fine with the stuff. Though up to his back?

Then water comes rushing into his hollow.

And he is quite literally water-logged.

And that's terrible.

At some distance he spots that druid girl and... someone else.

Is that a giant cat-person thing? What is it with the Nexus and cat people, anyway? That's almost as crazy as fox-people! And who has ever head of something as absurd as a fox person?

Hmmm...

Wonder if Jamie will be able to help withe the energy-drained Salix?

Only one way to find out!

Hopefully Jamie won't assume the Huldra devoured the dryad girl's soul or something. That would be terrible.

[The Bushranger]

[Lakeshore (A)]

Jamie...doesn't notice the approaching Huldra and friend.
As she's busily working on her painting once more!

[Rebonack]

[Lakeshore CLONES]

That's taking the easy way out, Jamie!

Now you're forcing Rebo to make more delicious fluff text!

*ahem*

Anywho!

Freddie will approach to what the demon-fox considers a respectful and safe distance before rather loudly aheming at the girl painting a thing. What's she painting, anyway? Was she painting that cat person she's talking to? Who knows!

Regardless the ahem sounds more like a fox' "HWAIIIEEE!" and has a pretty good chance of startling the crap out of Jamie.

[The Bushranger]

[Lakeshore (A)]

Jamie's painting, Freddie will see has...foxes!

Specifically, two foxchildren playing with Jamie. In the painting being painted by Jamie.

...who, upon being HWAIIEEE'd at, manages not to drag her brush across the painting in surprise!

This is a good thing. Especially for Freddie, as having ruined Jamie's painting would earn the Huldra a quick and painful death!

As opposed to a slow and painful one...

...as it is, though, the redheaded Magical Girl jumps, and spins about!

Some paint might well splatter on Freddie's nose!

"...oi!"


...very articulate, isn't she?

[Rebonack]

[Lakeshore CLONES!]

Those aren't foxes!

Those are children with fox-ears!

What kind of craziness is that, anyways? People don't have fox ears unless they're a Huldra. And only then if they're letting their glamor slip. Everyone knows that!

Freddie doesn't try to figure out why Jamie is making a painting of herself and two Huldra. Instead he quickly says, "Oh Emperor's throne, I didn't know it would be that loud! Sorry!"

And then gets paint splattered on his nose.

What color might it be?

[The Bushranger]

[Lakeshore (A)]

Probably red. Since red fox ears. *nod*

"...well, alright. What do you want?" Jamie asks, putting on an air of indifference to try and hide the fact her heart is racing from the start!

"...and what's up with her?" she adds, eyes widening a bit as she spots Salix!
But doesn't jump to conclusions. Nope!

[Rebonack]

[Lakeshore CLOOOOONES]

They seem more orangish.

Or black and blue. Freddie's are black and blue.

But he's weird.

And it's a good thing that no conclusions were jumped to. Because otherwise Jamie might assume that the poor girl's soul has been eaten or something. Since that's a thing Huldra do.

"The answer to both of those questions is the same," Freddie replies. "Salix and I planted a tree near the lake so she can come to Glog without feeling sick. But making it grow really fast was taxing for her. I was wondering if maybe you could help her feel better?"

Using some of that druid princess magic!

[The Bushranger]

[Lakeshore (A)]

"Oh. Um. Well, I can try. I mean, it's not like she's hurting, is she?"

Jamie looks surprised! And nervous.
Since (a) people usually don't ask her for help, and (b) she isn't sure she can.

[Rebonack]

[Lakeside CLOOOONES]

People don't normally ask Jamie for help?

Despite her tremendous magical power?

And mastery over the better part of the biosphere?

Really?

That seems kind of silly.

Welp!

Time for her to step up and give it a shot!

Freddie will come a bit closer. "I'm not sure. She just said that she felt really tried and then fell over."

[Hattish Thing]

Lakeside

After a rather long time of poking Marty wakes up. He just about flies out of his armor at the sight of Reinholdt. The mud-covered man starts wildly babbling about gods and tentacles and big swords. He moves to get out of the mucky water and a section of the armor falls off. Soon Marty is only left with a gauntlet, a leg, and a helmet precariously perched on his head. He's still covered with mud though and is shivering,. Lying in a freezing pond all night does that. T-T-The thing! Sh-She's here! K-Killer! T-Tentacles! Ah! S-so....c-cold....ah! It hurts! T-T....I....c-cold....S-sword.....tentacles! P-pain! Ah! V-Vidalia? D-Dead? Is everyone d-dead?! Quinn! He'll then start running around attempting to find the path his attacker took, but only manages to stub his toe on another rock....rocks don't like Marty's feet for some reason.

[Reinholdt]

Lakeside

"Well hello to you too mister apology man. I really doubt everyone's dead, since I got out of that business a while ago. Unless you killed them all. Did you kill them all?" Reinholdt asks the panicked man. Perhaps some absurdity would calm him down. Or Rein's being mean. One of the two.

[Murkus]

Meanwhile at [Lakeshore (B)]...Jamie smiles!

"Thanks. Karry's a pretty name too. We were talking about how we're cousins now. Have you ben here long?"

"Not really," Karry says, a little uncomfortable regarding the circumstances of her arrival at GLoG. "Do you guys live here?" She seems to be undecided as to whether or not she'll enjoy the place. "Is it nice?"

[Morty]

[Lakeshore (B)]

I visit here, Brinika says. I live in Underside, but I come to see my friends and Aunt here. But I really like it here! She declares cheerfully.

[The Bushranger]

[Lakeshore (B)]

"Not really," Karry says, a little uncomfortable regarding the circumstances of her arrival at GLoG. "Do you guys live here?" She seems to be undecided as to whether or not she'll enjoy the place. "Is it nice?"

I visit here, Brinika says. I like in Underside, but I come to see my friends and Aunt here. But I really like it here! She declares cheerfully.

"I live here," Jamie says with a cheerful, encouraging smile. "I was born here even - well, at the old base, but this one's all I can remember..."

===

[Lakeshore (A)]

People don't normally ask Jamie for help?

Despite her tremendous magical power?

And mastery over the better part of the biosphere?

Really?

That seems kind of silly.

Welp!

Time for her to step up and give it a shot!

Freddie will come a bit closer. "I'm not sure. She just said that she felt really tried and then fell over."

"Well, I can...try and help, I guess," Jamie says, looking a little nervous. But nodding that she'll help!

[Earl of Purple]

Edge of the Woods

Natalie's wandering around here. She's an eleven-year-old girl with long black hair currently done up into a ponytail that reaches most of the way down her back. She's wearing a short denim dress and a red rucksack. In one hand she's carrying a pair of trainers with socks stuffed into them, as her feet are bare.

[Rebonack]

[Lakeshore CLOOOOONES]

That isn't a very enthusiastic attitude at all, Jamie!

Not 'I think I can try, I guess.'

More like, 'YES! I can do this!'

Anywho!

Freddie nods and turns around, unwrapping the blanket from the little dryad girl so the druid can get at her.

No doubt she looks like she's asleep.

Or passed out.

Though those things probably look pretty similar.

[The Bushranger]

[Lakeshore (A)]

And so Jamie goes to collect Salix!
A look of concern on her face as she takes a deep breath.
"You...might want to stand back a bit, OK?" she tells Freddie.

Before producing her magic wand!
And pointing it to the sky!

"I am the Druid Princess Mikani, defender of nature's beauty and leader of pure hearts!" she calls out, as the breeze picks up and swirls around her!

Along with ribbons!


And she...

Transforms!




(She does not, however, roll out.)

[Rebonack]

[Lakeshore Clooooons!]

Freddie watches Jamie transform in an absurdly flashy fashion!

Wow, look at all those lights and ribbons and stuff!

And when the smoke settles...

She's a bit taller.

And has a tan.

And a different outfit.

The Huldra quirks his head off to the side a bit.

"That seems like a lot of flash and glamor for such a minor transformation."

[The Bushranger]

[Lakeshore (A)]

"It's hardly minor."
The Magical Girl curtseys properly!
"I am the Druid Princess Mikani. I can use more of my magic in this form," she explains!
Before looking back to Salix.
Biting her lip.
And reaching out to put her hand on the dryad's forehead!
A tiny spark of Energy passing between them. Perhaps.

[Gullara]

[Lakeshore (A)]

The little girl stirs and sits up, still looking rather tired. She blinks a few times and looks around, puzzled by her surroundings. "We aren't by my tree." She states. She certainly feels like she is, though. Sorta. It's not quite right.

[The Bushranger]

[Lakeshore (A)]

"Hi, Salix. You were exhausted. How are you feeling?" the Druid Princess asks with a smile.

[Rebonack]

[Lakeshore CLOOOONES]

"You were so exhausted from making the tree grow that you feel asleep," Freddie explains to the little dryad girl. "So I brought you to Jamie to see if she could help. She's actually the druid I was looking for before."

Instead they found her father.

And Freddie apparently isn't very knowledgeable about this whole secret identity thing.

He's blowing the Druid Princess' cover!

...

Though...

Probably doesn't matter much since everyone knows who she is.

[Gullara]

[Lakeshore (A)]

"Oh, hi Jamie." It doesn't register that Jamie looks different. Salix peers around, then yawns. "It was hard to grow that tree grow."

[The Bushranger]

[Lakeshore (A)]

It's hardly a secret identity.

And Mikani smiles!
"Are you feeling alright? Any lingering wooziness?"

[Rebonack]

[Lakeshore Aardvark]

Well if she doesn't have a secret identity then what's the point of all the transforming and name changing?

It isn't even like Freddie either. At least when the Huldra uses the name Winifred it's because she's female at the time and calling herself Fredrick would be really odd.

Crazy magic girls.

Anywho!

"Ha! Glad you're feeling better, Salix. It wouldn't have been much fun to explore the campsite all by myself."

And having someone around to remind the Huldra not to nom any ghosts is probably a good thing too.

[Gullara]

[Lakeshore (A)]

"I'm okay." The dryad smiles at the both of them and gets to her feet. She's a bit wobbly, but otherwise okay. "I think planting the tree did something. I kinda feel like I'm by my tree, even though I'm not."