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vestigechat2020-05-12 11:48 pm
vestigemods) wrote in vestigechat2020-05-12 11:48 pm
Entry tags:
inaugural tdm of unspecified duration.
VESTIGE TEST DRIVE MEME
WHAT IS THIS?
- This is a test drive meme for Vestige is a musebox-game successor to The Box (yeah, the one that died like five years ago). It's invite-only with no activity check and almost no application to speak of.
This is a horror jamjar based on Cabin In The Woods, in which characters are pulled into this containment zone run by the Technicians working from a lab underground with the goal of creating Good Quality Suffering™️ to appease the elder gods who hover on the verge of creating a worldwide apocalypse. But of course, suffering is pointless if everyone is too numb to properly suffer, so there are plenty of morale boosts provided in between bouts of fear and misery.
This TDM is ongoing and will fill the gap between now and when I get around to setting up the comms. There is no official start date and currently literally nothing but this TDM available for perusal, but I'll update this section of the blurb as that changes. Threads in this TDM are welcome to be game canon once this shit opens because fuck it. If you have questions, feel free to ask in the top-level below or just wing it tbh, we'll be doing a lot of winging it up in this shit.
Characters arrive with all powers intact and carrying all items that they had with them on their canonpoint.
Also, feel free to hit up the Intro + Friending meme to network with your future peers in this suffering endeavor. (EDIT 5/20: We also now have a DISCORD SERVER! So hop on into that if you'd like.)
PROMPT 1 ► just your ordinary cabin in the woods
⬛ARRIVAL + GENERAL PROMPT
- Whenever you're from or wherever you were, you awaken now with the mildest of headaches in a medium-sized wooden cabin. Maybe you wake in a bed, barely padded and covered in dust (so are you now, congrats!). Maybe you wake on the floor, arguably softer than the bed in spots thanks to some handy dandy water damage. Either way, you certainly aren't where you were before, and you have no recollection whatsoever of arriving.
The cabin is modest but multi-roomed and fully kitted with a kitchen and cozy living room. Nice, dry wood sits stacked by the fireplace, and if you check the various switches, the lights turn on with only the faintest protesting static. The cabinets are surprisingly well-stocked, as is the fridge, with perishables and non-perishables alike. As if someone has been here recently... but how, when everything else seems so thoroughly abandoned?
Should you choose to ignore the cabin's supposed hospitality and try to leave, you'll find that both the front and back doors are securely locked, in a way that no amount of fumbling with the locking mechanism seems to remedy.
That's when a sloooooow creak draws your attention to a door nearby, one you may not have noticed before... but it's open now. Was it before? Better yet, should you check out what lies beyond?
PROMPT 2 ► who's up for some fighty-fight, kids??
⬛MONSTER HORROR.
- The basement is musty and dim, though a pull-string at the curve of the creaky stairs seems to turn on a sparse row of lightbulbs dangling precariously from the ceiling along the center of the room. This little bit of light illuminates a room absolutely packed with items, furniture and boxes and various knick-knacks of unknown and questionable origin. Spiderwebs litter nooks and crannies, many with actual spiders still nesting inside, and a layer of dust coats most every surface in sight.
- A child's drawing, of what appears to be... shit, what even is that? Is it a bat? Is it some kind of... reptile? We just don't know. (result! warnings for gore/violence.)
- A light-blue paper face mask, the sort used in hospitals for patients who have a cold. Maybe you guys should've brought masks too. It sure would keep all this dust the hell out of your nose... ( result! warning for body horror! )
- A buzzsaw blade, dusty but intact. ( result! warnings for gore/violence. )
- A music box, covered in faded yellow flowers. I wonder what music it plays? ( result! warnings for gore/violence and Alarming Children. )
- A funeral urn. But... It seems that someone glued it shut around the edges? I guess that's one way to make sure nobody spills grandma. ( result! )
It doesn't seem like there's anyone down here, nor is there any sign of an exit at the basement's far end. There is, however, something that catches your eye. An item, one that your feet seem to carry you toward without your mind quite telling them to do so. Perhaps it's familiar somehow. Perhaps it's so foreign to you that you can't help but get a closer look. One way or another, you somehow end up reaching out to touch it. But what harm can that do, a single touch?
Oh, sweet summer child. Haven't you seen this movie?
- Whatever else your characters might touch, to activate this prompt they'll also touch one of the following five items:
These enemies can and will follow characters outside, should they try to flee. It might actually be a good idea to face these foes outdoors where it's less confined, provided they don't stray too far from the cabin (see prompt #4).
The blurbs are just guidelines, feel free to scale up or down how strong/weak the monsters are, how many there are, etc. in order to better fit your characters' level of capability. The Technicians know your characters' strengths and weaknesses, so they'd know how to send enough to make this challenging but not insurmountable.
PROMPT 3 ► congratulations, you fucked up
⬛SURVIVAL HORROR.
- Perhaps you didn't touch anything in the basement. Hell, maybe you didn't even set foot through that ominous basement door. But hey, we get it. Not everyone likes to party. You're not getting off easy, but at least you can say that you didn't fall into the trap.
If, by the time an hour has passed since the creaking open of the basement door, no object has been touched and no baddie has been summoned, you'll find your nose assaulted by the prevailing smell of smoke. One glance out any window tells you why: The cabin has been surrounded in it, an oblong ring of fire six feet thick burning tight along the exterior cabin walls. You're safe inside for the moment, but how long will that last?
Now, you have no choice but to try to escape the blaze. It overtakes the cabin quickly, creeping up over the rooftop, shattering windows and burning a path inside. No matter which way you try to run, you're almost certain to get burned... But that's certainly better than burning to death in here.
PROMPT 4 ► "escape"? never heard of her.
⬛PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR.
- For some, staying in this creepy cabin with its stupid locked door was never an option. Maybe you break one of the windows and crawl through that, or maybe you're angry and OP and punched a man-sized hole in the wall itself. Hey, we're not judging. You got yourself outside, and that's what counts.
The outside of the cabin is... actually pretty nice. Picturesque woods, birds singing, perhaps a couple of deer bounding through the trees not far off. This place might actually be relaxing, if it weren't so alarming and kidnap-y. But it is, so it's time to get the fuck out of Dodge.
Or to try to, anyway. Just a few short meters into the trees, you find yourself entering a deep and all-encompassing fog. You can barely see your hand out in front of your face, let alone your path through the forest ahead. If you're not alone in this venture, you'd best keep a hand on your companion lest you lose track of them, as well. And is it just you, or is there a slight chemical taste to the fog that you're breathing in?
(Yes. The answer is definitely yes.)
Before long, you find yourself turned around, stepping back out of the fog with the cabin in front of you. Little do you realize that simply turning you around is the most merciful fate that this fog has to offer.
- This is easier to break down without narrative, so!
- The first time your character ventures into the fog, they're just turned around and sent back to the cabin.
- The second time, they hallucinate things that they don't want to hear. Something they fear, something that hurts them, something that stresses them the fuck out. Maybe a character's worst fear is wildcats and they hear one growling just out of sight in the mist. Maybe instead they hear a loved one crying for help back in the direction from which they've come, drawing them back to the cabin. Or maybe they hear the voice of someone they admire berating their cowardice or stupidity or something, for running away from the cabin in the first place. The goal is to psych them out and send them running back to the place where the action is happening.
- The third time, it's the same but full-blown visual or even physical hallucinations. Basically anything that might lure, scare, emotionally wound, etc. them into going back to the vicinity of the cabin.
Characters are welcome to start off venturing into the mist together, or to discover one another while they're already in the mist. If it's the latter, look out - it may be harder to tell friend from foe when you can't quite trust your own mind.
THE LOOP ► a note on replayability
- Regardless of which prompt your character faces, they'll be left unbothered after the creature is defeated or the problem is overcome until sunrise the following morning. Though the fog still keeps characters from straying from the area, they're welcome to recover and lick their wounds in the immediate cabin vicinity. An unburnt cabin leaves them food and resting facilities, while a burnt cabin... Well, at least the fire never spread from that self-contained ring, so they have some nice unburnt grass to sleep on.
Come sunrise, all characters still awake will fall unconscious. At this point, many of them will reawaken in a perfectly undamaged cabin back in Prompt #1 to begin the loop anew. They may have the same comrades in this loop, or perhaps they have different ones. Maybe their new companions have done this before as well. Maybe they're brand new and have no idea what they're up against. R.I.P., you poor unsuspecting fucks.
This is, in effect, a series of trial runs by the current batch of Technicians to see if they're able to run this containment zone scenario long-term. When Vestige opens properly, characters will awaken free of the loop and will have quite a bit more continuity and recovery time between horrors. The 'loop' mechanic is specifically in place to give this TDM some shelf life and let y'all entertain yourselves while I work on the actual pages and such, rather than the one-and-done feeling of the usual TDM.
no subject
The girl is quick to shake her head at his question, a touch anxiously but honest. ] I know it isn't human, [ is most of what she feels she can safely claim. As the door rattles again, ] -- Or a Heartless.
[ Because if it were one of those, the physical barrier would mean very little to it. Her eyelids flutter in a blink as he changes position, her shoulders rising very slightly; she's not fully convinced of his trustworthiness, it seems, but leaves her misgivings internal. Most of her trepidation lies in his being a stranger, truthfully, and not because he's done anything to alarm her. Even drawing a sword against her would have seemed like a perfectly reasonable reaction at a time like this, and Naminé is not so short-sighted as to think otherwise. They've both got reason to be on edge.
The abrupt twist of the doorknob still clutched in one of her hands provides an adequate distraction regardless, her attention snapping down toward it. Startled, she tightens her grip reflexively, trying to keep it from turning any further. It's a lost cause with one hand, and she adjusts her weight a second time to get her remaining arm positioned where it can help hold the closing mechanism in place. That much paler than before, she looks up at him with muted horror. Whatever that thing is, apparently it has hands. ]
In here? [ she questions, voice starting to lower toward a whisper as something in the back of her mind suggests that perhaps they ought not let the creature on the other side of the door know what they're up to. ] There isn't much room. I'm not sure if...
[ The door has begun to splinter. Naminé knows this because one of the smaller chunks goes flying, catching along her hair just enough for her to feel it. Voice tight with dread, she admits, ]
No -- I guess there's no choice. Not unless there's some other way out...!
cw: deffo some blood and gore here in this monster's case, too
not a human is easy enough to figure out but,] A heartless? [he's never heard of such a thing.
lan clan rules state he should protect others when they're in danger, which is exactly what he's doing, regardless of her being wary. so long as she doesn't attack him (and he's ninety-nine percent certain she won't), they'll have a tentative alliance going for however long they need to get through their unfortunate situation at the moment. much to his dismay, it's not getting any better with them just standing there, waiting for the creature outside to come barreling through the door.
his own gaze downturns to the knob as well, eyes widening further, something akin to actual fright overtaking his features. that's cursed, how is it able to hold the handle, let alone turn it? an equally terrified look meets his own and something seizes his chest, something shouting ‘protect’ over and over again.]
Unless we try and open that window?
[he casts the nearby window a brief glance, considers their options, turns back just in time to see the door start breaking. without second-guessing it, sizhui pushes off the door, takes a few measured steps back to draw his sword then he jams it straight through the wood, applies ample pressure— and knows he's hit his mark when there's an anguished screech. one hand clenching the handle, his other motions toward the pane,] Go now! [since they've got the briefest moment while it squirms in an attempt to escape, but he holds as long as possible before withdrawing the weapon, preparing for another attack in case it rams the door after she's (hopefully) gone.]
to be expected :|bb bad monsters get got
Hearing him echo her words, she glances Sizhui's way, hesitates, then turns her focus back to the door with an apologetic, ] It's a long story. [ One she'll tell him later, probably, provided they both make it out of here alive. His unfamiliarity with the word gives her a little more evidence to suspect that he isn't from one of the worlds she's familiar with, but hardly proves that on its own; plenty of people in her part of the universe are similarly uninformed, despite the dark creatures' ongoing attempted conquest of said worlds.
Perhaps there's some irony in the fact that, despite how keenly aware she is that she needs all the help she can get in this situation, the look the two of them share as the knob turns conjures a hint of guilt in her chest. He's frightened, too, and she can't even begin to suggest that he shouldn't be. What's more, if she'd chosen a different room, would the monster have followed her there instead? Would this fellow have been able to slip out without trouble, if not for her? She didn't involve Sizhui on purpose, but it's not the first time she's unwittingly gotten others tangled up in her own mess, and it's a stinging realization to have all at once. She's made it happen again, hasn't she?
But the most she can do for him now, she supposes, is try to make sure he doesn't get hurt because of it. (A ridiculous thought, surely, when she's so obviously the one in greater need of protection, but she's never had room to balk at that kind of challenge before.) Her attention snaps back to the present the moment he begins to make the suggestion, her eyes shifting toward the window in question with a contemplative parting of her lips as she examines it the best she can with her weight still against the door.
If she were more familiar with actually getting to open very many windows, she'd probably think it looked like one of those obnoxious ones that always seem to stick. Because she hasn't yet experienced that manner of tribulation yet, she does not; it looks like their only option, regardless.
Her face registers surprise as his movement away from the door takes back her attention. Her eyes round when she recognizes at least part of his intent, and immediately she shifts to the side, clearing the way for him to put his sword through the door. Naminé watches it pass into the wood, and flinches abruptly at the immediate screech. She ought to be glad for it, yet the poor girl winces all the same, not because of the pain it causes her eardrums but because of the pain that induced the sound in the first place. It's not her own suffering, but she's a gentle soul.
Not that she wants to wait and see how bad the damage was first-hand. No sooner has her companion told her so than she nods with a firm, ]
Right.
[ Darting away from the door, she makes a beeline over to the window. Fumbling to get a grasp on it, she realizes for the first time that her hands are shaking. It's irrelevant; she finally manages to get a grasp on the locking mechanism, but-- ]
I can't get it open...! [ It doesn't feel like it's because her lack of strength, and the impassability would check out anyway with the doors having been locked, too. ] Do you think we can break it?
[ They'd better hurry, in that case, because the creature outside doesn't sound dead yet, judging by the angry noises. ]
yeah they do (ง'̀-'́)ง
sizhui will gladly listen once he's certain the threat has been eliminated and for that to happen, they should work quickly. (it's absolutely, one-hundred-percent not naminé's fault he got caught up in it, too. there's no way she could've known the one she chose would already be occupied.)
at least side-by-side, they stand a better chance, and the wounded dragon-bat shouldn't be as persistent for a few moments? or how it usually goes, it could be the exact opposite, which shouldn't be surprising since he stabbed it, after all. naminé goes for the window like he'd suggested though and once he's able to do so, he pushes his shoulder back up against the door, plants his foot against the bottom, pierces the blade into the ground across the frame for extra hold.
while he does feel bad for doing what he did, he's also well-aware it was either the creature or them and, in their best interests, he chose them instead. ‘fight’ felt like the proper response whenever flight wasn't the option, but if they're lucky, both will have happened before it's all over. it woefully won't happen with any sort of ease, needless to say—
“i can't get it open!” and more of the door splinters, causing sizhui to look down, his leg shifting just as the monster's head comes through. unfortunate, yet it can be used to his advantage, so that when it pushes harder, he loosens his sword then sidesteps away from the door. lets it swing open and crack, the dragon-bat hits the wall behind it, hopefully stunned long enough for him to move toward naminé with haste.]
We're going to have to try. [and by try, he means switching his sword to the hand further away from naminé then slamming the hilt against the glass. the first hit doesn't immediately take but the second one does; the window gives, dropping little pieces of glass around their feet and sizhui, using his sleeve for protection, pushes more of it out.
then he backpedals a step or two, gestures her forward.] You should go first, before it comes to.
(ง'̀o'́)ง
Automatically she moves out of his way as he approaches - this time with far more of the reason owed to practicality than any kind of concern he might turn on her. With a step back she takes note of what he's doing and leaves him momentarily to it, instead electing to keep watch on the stunned creature. (If that's the most she can contribute right now, than so be it.) The sound of shattering glass has never sounded so welcome to her than it does as the shards of it begin to hit the floor. Naminé, wearing sandals, makes a hasty extra shuffle rearwards after a small chunk of dislodged material bounces off one of the straps of her shoes.
Their pathway secured as it is, she looks briefly surprised when Sizhui backs up, as if it hadn't even occurred to her that she might go first. Her head turns his way, lips parting around her, ]
Me? [ It's the practical solution, really, unarmed as she is - but more importantly, she's afraid to take the time to argue the point. ] -- Right...!
[ Stepping past him, she reaches for the frame. The window is a little high for her, and no sooner has she placed a palm down than she gives a soft hiss of pain; there's only so much glass one can remove so hurriedly, and she found that out firsthand. But it doesn't stop her, and with a shift in her grip she redoubles her efforts to clamber through the opening. Soon enough she's hopping down on the other side, and withdraws quickly away from the window to afford him the space to follow. ]
no subject
with naminé watching the creature, that leaves him to deal with the glass, which he believes he'd handled as best he could, though it's true: broken glass is quite difficult to avoid altogether. also, gosh, shame on him for not paying better attention to what she's got on her feet or else he would've warned her. in sizhui's defense, however, footwear isn't something he'd pondered when their lives are in danger at the moment. it shouldn't be so surprising, telling her to go first and it's for that exact reason; he has a weapon, he can fight back if it comes his way. he'd rather take that chance than have her get injured.
how unfortunate, there's no way he'll be able to stop (or have a chance to help) her from ultimately getting hurt how she does. toward her remark, his head nods fervently.
he flickers his attention between naminé and the dragon-bat, eyes steadily growing wider as she moves through the newly-created exit and the creature begins regaining its bearings. the pained noise draws his gaze, concern overtaking his features once he realizes.] Ah...! [though he quiets himself after, making certain nothing distracts her from getting out because just as she's freed and sizhui's moving to follow, here it comes scrabbling toward them.
without hesitation, his sword is back out and he turns, arcs his arm in a downswing right atop their pursuer's head— which might've done more damage if it hadn't already been lunging. thank goodness, it's larger than the already-made hole so whenever it knocks him backward, sizhui – albeit rather gracelessly – tumbles out alone, is at least quick enough to catch and drag himself away before the thing can get his legs.] Run, [he warns, already clambering back upright, hand holding the sheath gently urging against her elbow.]
no subject
This time around, she actually does let out a sound of distressed surprise as the creature abruptly comes into view, already in the process of charging. Naminé's hands separate, fingers splaying as though she's trying to make ready for-- something. To grab an arm and pull, if Sizhui can't get all the way through? But he does, and she's left to exhale a breath of tenuous relief even as he commands her to run.
Her agreement with that sentiment is evidenced less by a verbal response and more by the fact that she, you know, takes his advice the second he's upright enough to nudge her forward. Turning, she takes off at a run - or something close to one, anyway, because she's hesitant to get too far ahead unless he's already regained his feet and is on his way as well. She uses the momentary delay to finally look around them, and what she sees is-- fog. Lots of it, mixed in amongst beautiful but largely identical trees.
There's no clear path, no obvious direction to travel in; one looks just as good and as bad as any other. Still, away is the goal, and that might be all they'll get, so after her momentary assessment she selects the widest path between the trees that she can find and begins to travel that direction in earnest - although not, of course, without sending a look back at Sizhui to be certain that he's following. ]
no subject
sword in hand, he stands a better chance at defending them despite how eerily quiet it seems outside. obviously, the monster is following because there's no way it isn't. it's as if the haze surrounding them, filtering through the trees and obscuring their path, regardless of which way they go, is deafening ambient noise.
they've gotten away for sure, destination unknown, but the longer they continue down the path, the more he begins considering:] Go that way, [while gesturing toward a tight cluster of trees. he can at least take naminé somewhere safe, tuck her behind conveniently placed trees where the dragon-bat can't get her and then perhaps he'll stand an actual chance at attacking with his sword. it feels bad, not letting her help, yet it's already his fault she got cut, he'd hate for her to get wounded further... or worse.]
no subject
As she's in front, Naminé does her best to keep her eyes peeled for - well, additional threats, for one thing, but also any sort of landmarks that might serve to help them figure out where to go. There's a unfortunate lack thereof, yet for now the mere act of putting distance between them and the original monster has to be good enough. There's nevertheless some relief in his suggestion - purely due to the appeal of having a goal - even if she's not entirely certain what his aim is until she glances back, then in the direction he's gesturing.
It's about as good a place as any to hide, and truthfully, her legs and lungs are already burning to the point of slowing her. With a breathless 'okay...!' she adjusts her path toward the thicker patch of forest. By the time she reaches it she's already losing momentum, and finally comes to a stop once she's stepped in amongst the trees, one of her hands still clutching the other as she tries to catch her breath.
There's some advantage in being as small as she is; from the outside, it'd be hard to spot her at all amongst the trunks, as they cover her up handily. As much as she needs the time to recuperate, however, this was his plan, and so the girl lifts her head again, turning back to look for him. She doesn't ask, 'What now?' but the expression on her face says as much. ]
no subject
a forest which is proving to have no direction for them and that's unfortunate, but the lack of possible other creatures is terrific. he'll always take less attackers while they're already fleeing from this monstrous thing. (what do they even call it? he's never seen something like that before!) except he's absolutely about to face it again, though it's fine, naminé's fled the direction he'd wanted and is doing the exact thing he hoped she would by moving closer to the tree-trunks.
filtering through the haze with an arm lifted in a pathetic attempt at waving some away, sizhui comes up beside her, breathing somewhat labored, too. as much as he'd like to wait and catch his breath, he hasn't genuinely got time. so, with a gentle hand against the spot between her shoulderblades, he guides her around the mess of trees, points toward a spot where it's thickest, where she can hunker down and stay out of sight for... however long it takes him to handle this.]
Thank you for your help before, I sincerely appreciate it, but can you... stay here? While I take of this monster and I promise, I'll come back. [here's the unfair thing, he doesn't wait for her response, just gives another fleeting nudge then pivots on his heel and sprints back out onto the path they'd formerly been following. just in the nick of time, it seems, he's almost certain he can hear skittering nearby.]
no subject
Surely by now she doesn't expect him to harm her - and he's kindly about it to boot, gentle enough not to seem threatening in the slightest - so there must be some other reason why she looks so hesitant. Nevertheless, she offers no resistance, dutifully following where he guides her until she's neatly situated in the most advantageous part of the thicket.
Her eyes shift up toward him when he speaks, and very quickly she begins to look bemused by his request; before he states the rest of his intent, it's already pretty obvious he means to leave her behind. And that's not a bad decision, all in all, because she'd probably do more harm than good tagging along - even she wouldn't deny that. But to hunt down the creature by himself is by nature a risky prospect, which is why she's already saying, ]
But you'll--
[ -- when he goes running off without her. The words die on her lips, not least because she's justifiably concerned about catching unwanted attention. Her weight shifts as though she might follow him, though in the end she thinks better of it and leans back into the space between the trees. Her lungs are still burning as she frowns after him, concerned. In the relative quiet, the twinging of her hand makes her glance down at last, now that there's time; when she separates her palms there's a little blood smeared from the injured one.
No, that'll be a problem for later. Closing her hands again, she attempts to quiet her breath. Even if she can't help him fight, she can at least try to keep apprised of what's going on by listening carefully. ]
no subject
he's got a monster to handle, which has grown ever closer during the few minutes he took to move something amount of feet away from where naminé is hidden, though the rustling noises follow him and that's exactly what he wants. the lan boy is counting its steps behind his own, measuring distance, clenching his fingers in a vice-like grip on his sword—
except when he pivots on his heel and brings the blade downward, it strikes nothing but air, effectively catching him off-guard. his expression pinches with confusion, mouth opening like he might actually make a verbal attempt at getting the dragon-bat's attention and then – because of course – it's on him within a matter of seconds, rushing him from the left. the only reason he doesn't get pounced by the creature is he manages scuffling forward enough to narrowly avoid its wing-spikes as it darts by.
he all but leaps toward the nearest tree, swings himself around the trunk, presses his back up against it with an unsteady exhale. too close, and following an inhale and another sigh, sizhui pushes off the tree to go after the monster. isn't he just the luckiest? it's waiting for him; this time, however, his sword is also readied and out of sheer instinct, he thrusts his arm forward— nails the dragon-bat straight across its face, which effectively (momentarily) diverts it, sends the thing scurrying backward with an ear-piercing shriek. later, whenever he realizes the fog has the ability to cause hallucinations, he'll at least have that to blame. yet again, it makes another dive; misses, although it's already suffering two injuries now so perhaps given the benefit of the doubt, the fact it's still going is impressive.
that's probably why it makes a hasty retreat into the fog once it gets past him and honestly, sizhui's fine with this. he hurries the opposite direction, back to where he'd left naminé, stopping nearby though not too close in case the dragon-bat comes back.] Are you alright? [he calls out, hoping he's loud enough.]
no subject
There's no use fretting. She tells herself as much, skinny back pressed up against the trees as she waits, trying to make herself as small and unobtrusive as possible. It's hard to listen to her, though, when she begins to hear the faintest snatches of the fight as it takes place. Sucking in a breath, she straightens, uninjured hand tightening around its fellow abruptly enough for the wound to sting. Part of her wants to forsake hiding and help. Yet that'd be a terrible idea on its face, and no amount of distress can convince her otherwise; she's a practical girl, at her core. Doing nothing, however, doesn't feel like an option, and though her shoulders jump as a screech pierces the fog - too unclear to determine its distance - Naminé tries her hardest to think.
The subtle ache in her hand encourages her to relax it again, fingers uncurling once more - and that's what gives her the idea. If something does go wrong, if it already has gone wrong, then being someone who can pick up the pieces afterward is better than being someone who stands by and watches them fall. That's what she's always done, isn't it? Try to make the most of what's left.
She may only know her own kind of magic, but there are others. Others she's seen in memories, seen in person - types much easier to use than her own. Those recollections are the ones she summons up now, as the sounds of battle go quiet and she has to wonder what that means. None of the yelling sounded human, but--
Focus. That's important for spells, isn't it? One memory tugs along the rest, secondhand and rusted from disuse; it feels oddly natural when she lifts up her hand, fingers spreading, and the warm light of Cure begins to speckle into existence, just bright enough to show through the fog.
Then she hears a voice call out and flinches, the light shutting off abruptly. Naminé feels a bit as though she's been caught doing something she oughtn't be. Her hand curls immediately into a fist, head turning as she calls instinctively and with relief, ]
Yes--…! I'm fine.
[ That's what she should be asking him. She considers telling him so, but when she squints in the direction of the more open part of the copse where she saw him depart from and he doesn't appear, she hesitates. Instead, ]
Where are you?