Harken/Innana - Tea Party

[00:57] <Harken> ==START!==
[00:57] <Harken> Harken wanders into the woods, tired, confused, and alone.
[00:57] <Harken> This isn't really new territory for him; alone is something that you almost, but not quite, get used to.
[00:58] <Harken> Something that, even though it sort of fades into a dull throbbing, still leaves you with this general dissatisfaction, and this feeling that it could be better.
[00:58] <Harken> It is with these sensations in his heart that he ambles into a dark wood, intent on finding a place to camp out for the night.
[01:00] <Innana> Again, probably not the best place to camp out for the night. See: alternate timeline re helldeer, Forest of All Forests, etc. Oh look, its head split open sideways, etc.
[01:01] <Harken> helldeer are delicious what are you talking about im a tough cowboy who can skin stuff and cure its meat for jerky with extreme salt
[01:01] <Harken> Harken slumps against a tree, stroking his chin and procuring a toothpick, which he carefully places between his teeth.
[01:03] <Innana> Such salt, such gunwork! To save time, let's just say Innana became aware of a stranger through Plot Magic and has been quietly observing for a while, deliberating on whether or not to engage.
[01:04] <Harken> Harken begins to doze off after a while. Despite being a fugitive, he frequently has lapses in judgment where he leaves himself vulnerable to being snuck up on without any sort of alarm system or other forewarning devices.
[01:08] <Innana> Well, that's just dumb of him. He makes himself a perfect target for the hell deer and other predators, Innana included. She wanders over, notices the gun, and puts her arm out to catch his wrist if he draws. As he sleeps and crouches down very close to him, leaning in face to face. Then she puts her fingers to her fangs and blows out a sharp whistle.
[01:09] <Harken> "FUCK A COCKSHITTING DICKWAFFLE" Harken shouts in surprise as he immediately reaches for his gun, and pauses when he notices the young lady's face only inches from his own.
[01:09] <Harken> "Oh! Uh, sorry! I know my breath smells pretty bad, and it's not like me to swear..." He mutters.
[01:10] <Innana> Innana's more concerned in making sure his hand doesn't reach the gun, so she grabbed his wrist roughly as soon as he moved for it. She glances up with an unimpressed face.
[01:10] <Innana> "Tell me---❥ Are you suicidal or simply unbearably stupid to fall asleep here without protection---❥"
[01:11] <Harken> "Hm. That sounds like a loaded question, frankly."
[01:13] <Innana> "Perhaps---❥ But an important distinction---❥" She leans back to take in the area around them, listening for a moment. "... You should leave---❥ This isn't a forest for those unwilling to fight---❥"
[01:14] <Harken> "I mean, without implicating myself as 'unbearably stupid', I'd like to point out that I *did* go for my gun the moment I was alerted."
[01:14] <Harken> "I blame your ability to be stealthy, in all honesty."
[01:16] <Innana> A slight smirk. "Yes---❥ But I am not the only threat in these woods---❥ And not all of them will be kind enough to alert you---❥" She searches his face for something. "What are you doing here---❥"
[01:17] <Harken> "Trying to hide, I think? This forest canopy is pretty thick, so it makes for good shelter against the sun."
[01:17] <Innana> "You wouldn't rather stay in your hive---❥"
[01:18] <Harken> "I haven't had a hive in quite some time now."
[01:20] <Innana> "Then it was foolish not to plan for other shelter---❥" She debates something internally, before letting go of his wrist and standing up in a fluid movement.
[01:22] <Innana> "... It's too late in the morning to send you back---❥ You might as well follow me---❥ Or at least set up a more protected camp---❥"
[01:23] <Harken> "I'll follow you, I think. Probably sleep on your couch or something. You know how we hobos are." He says, grinning uncharacteristically cheerfully.
[01:24] <Innana> "I don't have a couch---❥" she says, slinging her bow more securely over her shoulder. "But you are welcome to what little safety I can offer you til evening---❥"
[01:25] <Innana> She turns casually and starts walking away, not looking back.
[01:25] <Harken> Harken follows. "You know, really, you're not too different from most of my peers in grubslinger training."
[01:26] <Harken> "Not to insult or anything, but, well, they had a similar, serious and sincere demeanor about them."
[01:26] <Innana> "Do you usually consider a comparison to your peers to be an insult---❥"
[01:27] <Harken> "I'm not with them anymore. I kinda became the unpopular kid, and they distanced themselves from me."
[01:27] <Harken> Feeling obligated to say this for some cosmic reason, because he thought it was funny in some other when, Harken says: "I've been a bad boy."
[01:28] <Innana> ... Still can't read that with a straight face.
[01:28] <Harken> somewhere, on the opposite end of the universe, a writer stares up at the camera like a member of the cast of The Office.
[01:29] <Innana> A scoff. "I'm sure you're nothing I can't handle---❥" After all, he was clueless enough to fall asleep sans protection in the middle of the forest.
[01:29] <Harken> "Yeah, but, really, I'm a lot cooler than I've implied. They were just... misguided, I think. It was really just a big misunderstanding all around."
[01:31] <Innana> "Mm---❥" She continues walking, paying little attention.
[01:31] <Harken> "I get the distinct impression you don't take me seriously." Harken whines.
[01:32] <Innana> She glances behind her, eyebrow quirking. "And what am I meant to be taking seriously---❥"
[01:32] <Harken> "Okay, c'mon, look at me: I'm a cool, handsome gunslinger. What's not to take seriously!?"
[01:36] <Innana> She stops, turns around. Looks him up and down. "I haven't seen much yet to substantiate your claim to be "cool"---❥ I prefer action to talk---❥" Smirk. "Why is it so important I take you seriously---❥ Do you crave validation that much---❥"
[01:37] <Harken> "Well..." Harken thinks. "Sort of? I mean, it's nice to just... I don't even know anymore. I just seek peace, even though I do so via flight, and via killing my pursuers."
[01:41] <Innana> That... grabs her attention a little more. "Well if you crave release from pursuance---❥ You certainly picked a good place---❥" She looks around, and her expression softens a little, almost fond of the forest. "You'll find peace enough---❥ If you know how to survive---❥"
[01:43] <Harken> "I'm still trying to get the hang of it. I feel like there's this place I'm supposed to be, kind of. Something draws me west. I won't be in your hair long, alright?"
[01:46] <Innana> "Hm---❥" She reaches out to run her fingers along one of the low-hanging branches, knocking loose a bit of rain water. "If you wish it so---❥ I will not mind either way---❥"
[01:46] <Harken> "Wow. Really? Just... inviting me to stay for an extended period? That's pretty nice of you. I'm not used to that sort of treatment."
[01:50] <Innana> Is that what she's done? She simply meant, what he does is none of her concern. Still, she considers it for a moment, glances over, and shrugs. "Visitors to this forest rarely stay---❥ Perhaps it will be--------❥ Interesting---❥" She gives you a peculiar look, as if amused, and then turns around to lead the way.
[01:50] <Innana> ... Also, I've decided if you ever want to roll insight on Innana I'll allow that because writing her 3rd person is really hard when she's so naturally closed & secretive.
[01:51] <Harken> Let's leave it to interpretation, shall we? I haven't finalized much of Harken's proficiencies, to be honest
[01:52] <Harken> "You think it'll be interesting, eh? Well, I'll do my best. I have a few stories to tell, a few songs to sing, as it were."
[01:52] <Innana> I feel like I either have to have her be uncharacteristically expressive/talkative, or blatantly narrate her thought process. And that's fine; I just thought I'd leave it an option. Goes for future RPs too.
[01:53] <Innana> She eventually brings you to the hive, scaling the cliff face with little comment and simply waiting for you at the top. "Well---❥ Are you coming---❥"
[01:54] <Harken> "But of course." Harken says with a flourish, beginning the climb. "Don't mind me if I fall and break my back. It's only the end of my life we're talking about. I kind of need that backbone."
[01:56] <Innana> She brushes her hair back and chuckles. "Did the grubslingers not teach you how to climb in the wild---❥"
[01:58] <Harken> "Well. We shot. Made fires. Learned what sort of stuff made good toilet paper, and had a good time singing kum-ba-yah and holding hands, among other things."
[01:58] <Harken> Harken chuckles as he completes the climb. "They were good folk. Shame about our parting, though."
[01:59] <Innana> "That sounds rather--------❥" Boring? Annoying? "Quaint---❥"
[02:00] <Harken> "My teacher said to me, before we parted ways, [and this IS canon, mind] 'I raised you. I loved you. I've given you weapons. I've taught you techniques. There is nothing more for me to teach you.'"
[02:01] <Harken> "Then it was over, and I was running."
[02:02] <Innana> "Not that I disagree---❥ But that seems an extreme reaction to such a statement---❥"
[02:02] <Harken> "I'm not sure I want to discuss it in further detail than that. It's still something of a painful memory."
[02:04] <Innana> "This is fair---❥ Truly I have little investment in what brings you here---❥" She turns and drops down the hidden hole to her hive, heading inside.
[02:05] <Harken> Harken follows. "Well, why don't you tell me about yourself then? Surely you must have investment in yourself, if nothing else."
[02:08] <Innana> She enters the hive; platforms & walkways, colored drapery, etc. "I am a hunter---❥ And I enjoy solitude---❥ The days are easier to fill with enjoyable interests when you are beholden to none but yourself---❥"
[02:09] <Innana> She goes over to a nook filled with clay crockery and picks up two cups. These she fills with the drink seeping in the large firepot.
[02:09] <Harken> "You really like being alone? You don't feel like there could be other? Like there could be better?"
[02:13] <Innana> His question makes her pause. She thinks a moment before handing him a cup. "Perhaps-----------❥ I have sometimes felt as if there was something... calling me---❥ Outside of my forest---❥ But---------❥"
[02:13] <Harken> "Buuuuut?" Harken asks, maybe with the faintest trace of a smile on his lips.
[02:15] <Innana> She shakes off the question. "It hardly matters---❥ I have everything I need here---❥"
[02:16] <Harken> "Well, have you ever been outside the forest?"
[02:17] <Innana> "Yes---❥ I am not trapped here---❥" She sips her tea, contemplative. "Things are simpler here---❥ I know what I am here---❥"
[02:18] <Harken> "You know what you are?" Harken asks, following suit. "And what would that be?"
[02:19] <Innana> Innana's chin lifts imperiously. "In control---❥"
[02:20] <Harken> "In control? Hm." Harken is silent for a while, sipping this tea. He finally breaks the silence: "It's good. The tea, I mean."
[02:21] <Innana> "It is---❥" Taken as her due. "I grew it myself---❥"
[02:22] <Harken> "Did you? That's very impressive."
[02:22] <Harken> Harken seems to let the topic lie there, with little else to contribute.
[02:24] <Innana> She smiles, softer than normal. It's the fond look she had in her eyes earlier. "I enjoy growing things---❥ There is so much beauty in this forest, for all its ferocity---❥ I admire these wilds for that---❥"
[02:25] <Harken> "And yet all I have to give those wilds is consumption and gunfire." Harken says, slightly wistfully. The firelight (I'm assuming there is some) dances across his face. "Tell me: do you speak often to others?"
[02:29] <Innana> She smirks. "All of the wilds consumes---❥ It is voracious---❥ I doubt your bullets would do more than give it fuel---❥" Another sip, as she watches him in the firelight. "If you aren't careful---❥ It may even consume you---❥"
[02:29] <Innana> "--------❥ And yes---❥ I do have... regular correspondence with a few individuals I've deemed interesting enough for my time---❥"