Treasure Town ~ Crossroads

[Tanuki]

The watch look was somewhat sleek, but he didn't need a watch, and holding his arm up to keep the conversation going would make him look like a crazy person since nobody else could see Jefferson. He brought Jefferson up to his shoulder, tried to nudge him on, but Jefferson wouldn't budge. When Zane brought his other claw up to force him on, Jefferson just gooped onto his other wrist.

Before somebody could suggest it, he remembered the stone. He fished it out of his bag and primed his right wrist up against his left shoulder. A quick nudge and he felt that terrifying chill leave his wrist and... not move onto his shoulder. He didn't feel Jefferson at all. When he looked, Jefferson was gone. The useless lump took his place.

Jefferson was gone. Just like that. His only friend. Zane held the stone, now heavy with guilt, staring blankly down. He opened his mouth, but words caught in his throat. Only an airy whimper made it out. He fell to his knees and clutched the stone to his chest with eyes sealed shut before tears could come. Yet still, they came, breaching his strongest defenses until he fell over. A sobbing mess.

Jefferson was gone. He didn't have anyone but for those scarce few minutes spent with his only friend. He was alone.

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[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa stood in front of the portal to Destiny Village, bags hefted, and waited on Curio to arrive.

She thought about how Curio was her first friend in Cibus, and the one to go with her to their new home. She thought about how many friends she had waiting for her there. She thought about how she still needed to work things out with her Shadow. She thought about how a month in Treasure Town had changed her more than four years back home. She thought about how she didn't really want to leave.

"Oh, wind and thunder," she muttered. "Didn't it used to be so simple?"

...but she didn't miss simple. Not really.

 

[NebulaDreams]

Curio had experienced enough excitement in Treasure Town, and now it was time to leave. At this point, she didn't know if there was any turning back, but she knew she'd have everyone else on her team by her side. She wondered what was on the other end of the portal. Destiny Village. Now that had a nice ring to it.

Not as nice as discovering Brisa waiting by the portals.

"Hey!" She ran over to her. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting!"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Hey there," said Brisa, smiling. "Not at all."

Hey, how about that. She smiled now. At least once a day.

In no small part due to Curio.

"Are ya ready to go?" she asked, indicating with a heft of her bags that she'd fully packed.

 

[NebulaDreams]

"Good! Godddd, that was such a pain in the ass. But I'm here now, so..."

It was nice to see Brisa smile. Curio wasn't sure she had any bags to pack since she didn't really own anything here. It's not like she had laundry to carry around with her.

"Yeah, absolutely."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Alright."

Brisa turned to the portal, and her gut unsteadied itself as she psyched up to approach.

"Y'know," she said, half to Curio and half to herself, "when I signed on for all this, I wasn't too worried. I didn't have much to lose. Now I'm movin' to live somewhere new with you 'n' everyone, and it feels like such a big deal. Guess that means... I care a whole lot more than I expected to. About y'all."

She took her first steps towards the portal, and looked back at Curio as she did. Looked like they were finally doing this.

 

[NebulaDreams]

"Y'know," she said, half to Curio and half to herself, "when I signed on for all this, I wasn't too worried. I didn't have much to lose. Now I'm movin' to live somewhere new with you 'n' everyone, and it feels like such a big deal. Guess that means... I care a whole lot more than I expected to. About y'all."

"Aww," Curio said, a warm feeling spreading throughout her body. It didn't last long, though, just like she expected this venture into Cibus wouldn't last forever anyway. She kept telling herself she'd enjoy it while it lasted, so that's what she should do. Right? "I guess I've had my fair share of moves during my life. So it does feel like a big deal at first, but you get used to it. I'm sure it'll be the same here, except we're spittin' in the face of time and space with these portals."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Yeah. This planet is fuckin' wild," Brisa said, with feeling.

She moved towards the portal, still smiling with only a tinge of anxiety.

"Come on, Curio. Let's go see what 'Destiny' looks like."