enodia_ic | UNDYING ASPHODELS (Open to all!)

undying asphodels

tuesday @ burlington, vt

While non-Explorers are usually highly discouraged from entering the Riftlands without a good reason and an Explorer escort — and can even face disciplinary action for doing so! — the station has arranged a trip into Burlington for anyone who wants to see the Undying Asphodels bloom.

IRIS vehicles take participants to the edge of Burlington, where they're divided into groups led by volunteer guides Dr. Lou Sweetapple, Minty Payne, and Noah Moon. They'll have to walk on foot from there as the roads are so broken up and cut through by Asphodels' vines. Please don't wander away!

Undying Asphodels are tangles of black vines with vibrant flowers crawl up and wrap around the buildings and break through the pavement. In the late spring and early summer, the pollen from these flowers fills the air like mist, giving the town an ominous atmosphere and making the streets dangerous to explore. The plants are as happy to take root inside a human body as they are anywhere else. They aren't dangerous yet but they will be soon, so anyone who wants to get a gander should get it in now!

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The chipmunk offers an indignant squeak before edging closer to Linus. He offers the man's hand an inquisitive sniff. "You say the word and he's ready to jump," she says, unable to hold back her grin.

Edited 2023-06-01 01:22 (UTC)

"On three?" he asks Scrap directly, smiling. "One ... two ... three!" He fully intends to let this chipmunk win, the way he'll let a future nephew win some silly game, but he's never raced a rodent before and it's honestly cheering him up.

Scrap takes off on three by scaling Linus' body and jumping quickly toward the roof not too far behind them.

It seems a little uncouth to cheer either of them in this place, but she watches with interest and amusement.

At some point, Scrap begins to taunt Linus and she gasps. "SCRAP! That is NOT nice!"

Being trash talked by a chipmunk is DELIGHTFUL, and Evan's admonishment only makes it better. "Oh yeah? I'll show you, you little fuzzy mouse!" Linus even manages a straight face as he taunts back. He glances back at Evan and winks, but this chipmunk is fast, and clearly determined, and Linus wonders what else he's been missing all these years of never knowing what animals were thinking or saying. He keeps scaling, the top just in reach, but oh no, Scrap is already there!

"Alright, alright, good match," Linus says, offering a palm before realizing chipmunks probably don't high five.

Scrap boasts gleefully from where he sits at the top, though he skitters closer to Linus to pat the outstretched hand with his paw. The chipmunk makes a few squeaks and a collection of chatters before making his way back toward Evan, who watches both boy and rodent with deep amusement.

"He says it was an honor to leave you in the dust. Any time you want a rematch, he's good for it."

Linus is back to the ground quickly enough, giving Scrap another nod of appreciation. "I'll remember that, bud." Then, to Evan, "That's so fucking cool. That you can do that."

Once the chipmunk is nestled back in her pockets, she shrugs. “There are better powers, probably. Not sure how helpful it is in an actual crisis. But if you ever want to ruin someone’s day? Mice. Mice love to pop up out of nowhere for a little bit of food.”

"There's more to this shit than just being helpful in a crisis," Linus, whose powers are probably only helpful in a very specific range of crises, says. "We're not robots. Sometimes things can just be."

Her expression drops for just a moment before she recovers her smile and she gives a one-shouldered shrug. "I guess so." Her pocket has a flurry of motion and she looks down to see tiny paws extending an acorn. She rolls her eyes, takes it, and then holds it out for Linus to take. "He wants you to keep this safe for him. It's his way of saying he likes you."

"Scrap, bud, I will treasure this," Linus says, and he means it. He's gotten to explore and to befriend a chipmunk today; despite his earlier moment of melancholy, this has been a good day for Linus. "It's too bad this all becomes uninhabitable soon. I like it out here."

"There are other places that you might like," Evan replies as she glances around at the vines. "Is it the flowers or the danger that's doing it for you?"

Linus snortlaughs. "The danger, definitely," he says, grinning mischievously. Then, almost sheepishly: "Nah, it's more like ... the adventure."

"I get it," Evan says as she nods in agreement. She looks around again, sighs, and turns her attention back to him. "You didn't want to be in the exploration unit?" With his ability to scale buildings like they're nothing, she assumes his powers would be useful to someone.

"Honestly, I didn't think they'd let me yet so I never asked," he says. It seems silly now. "I figured I would get here and then maybe I could like, prove myself. Earn it, I guess. It's maybe not the best thought out plan."

UNDYING ASPHODELS (Open to all!)

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan

Deep Thoughts with Linus & Evan