[PRP]Into the woods [Shun/Pax]

[lizbot]

"Sunny!" America answered, giving Shun a hopeful look. "She's on her way."

The look faltered a bit as the ice started to melt.

azuredreams

blade kuroda

 

[azuredreams]

Gloom shifted, though shadows stayed curled around Pax's mossy-root nest. His nose pressed to Pax once before he skittered to the chain, not touching it but inspecting it and watching as it melted.

"Y'pulled this here?" Then ... "They might be able to help." Sunny.

lizbot

shibrogane

Blade Kuroda

 

[shibrogane]

Sonny's green-flecked eyes come first, then the rest of them, all at once. Their sweater declares themself a member of the Brunch Squad. Their expression is concerned.

"He's dying," is their succinct analysis. They look down at the chain. "That's missing a lot of pieces, isn't it? If you had more of them, you might be able to arrest the decay." They crouch there next to the chain, nudge the pieces with their fingertips. "This was a good thought, but you'd need this reforged..."

They look up. "I can preserve him," they said. "Give you time to find someone who can help." Their eyes flick to America. "Please don't make me do this. I really think I'd only hurt him more."

Blade Kuroda

lizbot

azuredreams

 

[Blade Kuroda]

Shun looked up as Sunny spawned into place. While he had known there were differences now, this was the first time he had actually seen the new Sunny. While they assessed the situation and confirmed most of what he had been thinking, he looked over the chain once more, thinking.

"How long do you think we have otherwise?" he asked. If they had a better idea of how much time they had naturally, it may help them decide a plan of action.

Lizbot

Azuredreams

Shibrogane

 

[lizbot]

"It's your choice, hun," America answered gently. Gloom's earlier question came to mind, "Would replacing the whole of it with something else be possible?"

shibrogane

blade kuroda

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Gloom could help?" the shadow offered quietly. "But if it will hurt them ..." He chittered, tail curling around his body briefly before it swished back out. If it was more bad than good, then he would not do it.

He left the chain where it was, moving toward America and twining between her feet.

lizbot

shibrogane

Blade Kuroda

 

[shibrogane]

"If I don't hold him," said Sonny, "Hours, maybe? He's already quite far gone." They looked down at Pax. "If I do? Weeks. I don't think you can fix this in a matter of minutes or hours. I don't even know if it can be fixed. It'd have to be some kind of new spell."

Blade Kuroda

lizbot

azuredreams

 

[Blade Kuroda]

This was quite a predicament. The amount of time Sunny could give Pax wasn't much, but it might be enough to do something about his situation. It certainly wasn't looking good, however.

This was far beyond where his expertise lied. And for those who might have a better idea of how to deal with it, he wasn't certain if he really trusted them enough to ask.

"You are better with magic than I, America. Do you think we could tackle this now or...?"

Lizbot

Shibrogane

Azuredreams

 

[lizbot]

"If it's between death and a longer, more painful death, then I'm gonna take our chances now." Even if they failed, it was the kinder option.

"We've got three to cast, so maybe...would a rope work?" She thinks about the life rings they toss out to people who are drowning, and in her mind's eye the ring turns inside out and twists into a trinity knot. "To keep him magic and healthy and in this world?"

shibrogane

blade kuroda

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

This is not magic Gloom knows, at least not the kind that makes Pax Pax. "... someone has to hold the rope?" Gloom inquired, still at America's feet. "Or give them something that lets them sustain on their own; no chains?"

No matter what, however, the shadow marten would assist.

lizbot

Blade Kuroda

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"He wouldn't feel it," said Sonny, a note of desperation in their voice. "It'd just be like going to sleep. I could pull him out of it once you were ready. Please, I can buy you time!"

lizbot

Blade Kuroda

azuredreams

 

[Blade Kuroda]

Shun tilted his head, "I thought you did not want to extend his time? You said it would hurt him more."

He looked between America and Gloom.

"We need to figure out some sort of anchor for him. Or multiple anchors. A rope or chain cannot hold itself up."

Lizbot

Azuredreams

Shibrogane

 

[lizbot]

"Thank you," America's gratitude was plain in every line of her. No matter what, she wanted to minimize Pax's suffering. "However long you think is safe, it'd be a big help if you would. Do you think Mr. Liam would know the right way to go about it, if there was time to find him?"

Summoning up a thin strand of her power, she urged it to glow gently and visibly, urged it to take a shape that had become increasingly natural of late. A knot with three sides. "I'm good at knots now, I think I can tie him to me. Or the three of us, if it'd help prevent this happening again if I died."

shibrogane

azuredreams

blade kuroda

 

[azuredreams]

"... where did the chain go?" Gloom asked suddenly, looking towards Sonny. This was not the Sunny the shadow knew but it was still them all the same. "Do y'know?"

His head tilted towards America next. "Y'need to take y'time and plan. It's big magic, not small magic, and if we want to help ... time is needed, find someone who knows this kind of magic, but Gloom will follow Americafriend."

lizbot

Blade Kuroda

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I don't want to fix him with my magic," clarified Sonny, "That would hurt him more. He wasn't made to be a vessel to everything like I was. He was human, once."

That roused Pax: "I c-c-c-can't-- ccan't--"

Sonny placed a quelling hand on Pax's forehead, crouching there beside him. His body took on a faint white glow, and then it faded. "I don't know. You might need Father. Father's an alchemist, Papa is more about protection..."

lizbot

Blade Kuroda

azuredreams