[Cherry Heart] Rescue Mission

[Aix]

It was night already, but the first thing one would notice upon entering the inn that it lacked the bustle one would expect of a tavern at the end of the day. The group would have passed another pub in this village, but it didn't look much more active. An observant person would also have noted while walking here that there were many empty houses in Eldervale.

The next thing in the tavern that would draw the party's attention was the shouting.

"What do you mean you're not here to rescue my daughter?! You came here just to tell me 'no'?!" The barkeeper reached over and grabbed the young man across the counter by the collar of his shirt. "I'll be paying you for this job! Are you trying to funk with me? Do you just want to see a poor father crying for his lost daughter, you bastard? Huh?!"

"I'm telling you, I have no clue what this 'Cherry Heart' you speak of is," protested the man.

"Then what's that tattoo on your hand?! Doesn't that mean you're one of them?" roared the barkeeper.

Indeed, on the young man's right hand was none other than the insignia of Cherry Heart. "But, I don't know how I got it, I don't even know who I am," he said. "It's probably a coincidence that I came here. It may be hard to believe, but I'm just trying to find clues about my id—"

"Coincidence! As if I'd believe a coincidence like that would occur!"

One of the bargoers spoke up. "Give it up, Nicolas. I don't blame him. None of the people we've sent into the forest have succeeded, and a few of them haven't returned."

"You shut up! How could you understand how I feel?! I'll rescue her if it means going in there alone!" cried the barkeeper.

[Alaina]

In spite of her best efforts, Mena had only managed to get cursory information from the blacksmith that she had talked with. However, what she learned from his simply wasn't enough and, seeing that more progress would likely not be made on the matter, their employer had failed the quest. As such, Mena had returned to the guild with a somewhat defeated expression her face, clearly not happy with the outcome one bit. To make matters worse, and her mood only gloomier, she was the only one of the four that had went out on the quest to actually return to the guild. Though, once she actually sat back and started relaxing, she had quickly tried to psyche herself up to going on another quest. After all, the only way to get out of a funk when something went horridly wrong was to try and get it right. And so, Mena had gone to the quest board to select a new quest. 

 

During the travel to this town, Mena came to a conclusion. Perhaps it would have been for the best if she had stopped picking quests at random. For starters, the crowd she was with was one that she couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated towards, though each for different reasons. There was the bull man, that she only barely remembered, who didn't seem particularly abrasive or anything but that didn't change the fact that looked like a small twig in comparison him. Then there was the other lady of the group who dwarfed Mena in various other ways, though otherwise didn't seem like that frightening of a figure. And then there was the boy who looked about her age and not all that abnormal, though he did seem pretty roughed up and recovering from some kind of injury. Overall, they were a bit more...diverse, then the last crew she was with, but given how that ended it was probably for the best. 

 

Then there was the quest itself. Mena didn't have any idea what could possibly going on with some kind of kidnapping, and had just proven herself to not be exactly "detective" material. Then the quest already seemed like it had been attempted by others before hand, with very little success and Mena didn't quite like her chances at not disappearing because of a mission, if her last one was anything to go by once again. Nevertheless, she was already here, with no going back now, and so she proceeded through the town alongside everyone else. 

 

Mena wasn't quite sure what it was, but the town had an eerie sort of feel to it. While no town had to be lively, this one just had an off feeling of quiet to it. That is, all except for the sounds of anger fueled shouts that were coming from a tavern nearby. Of course, being the most active building in town they had seen so far, the group wandered towards it where they were greeted to a scene of a slightly older man being incredibly frustrated at someone who appeared to be a young male around her age. She found it odd that the man would've mistaken him for a Cherry Heart member, as they had just arrived here, but it wasn't nearly as strange as seeing the boy actually having the brand of the guild on him. Looking at the, apparently amnesiac, boy Mena was trying to see if she could put his face anywhere within the crowd of people she had seen in Prunus, but there was not a single person that she could recognize as this one. But looking at his hand, he most definitely seemed to have the symbol of their guild on them, and that wasn't something you'd just fake for fashion and definitely wouldn't deny it even if you were faking.

 

As Mena realized that she had been staring at the boy for an extended period of time, she quickly snapped her attention away from him, and instead directed it at the rather angry gentleman. "Um, yeah, we're the uh, Cherry Heart Representative here sent to do this quest," she stated upfront to the man. "Sorry for any confusion it caused but, uh, he," she pointed to the male who was being harassed earlier, "didn't come with us here, so he's probably telling the truth."

[Aix]

"Eh? You guys are?" The barkeeper stopped. He took a last glance at the blue-haired man before letting go. "Ah! Very nice to meet you, Cherry Heart! Though, you're not as tall..." He looked at Tegur. "You're exactly as tall as I'd expect. Ah, your reputations precede you! You must have all sorts of tales to tell! Come, have a drink on the house." The barkeeper turned and poured four mugs of ale, setting them on the counter. "I'm Nicolas Renheart, the owner of this humble establishment."

 

"Humble indeed," said the bargoer from earlier.

 

"Shut up, Joe!" he grunted before turning back to the Cherry Heart wizards. "Let me tell you about your job first, they say somewhere nearby in the Everwild is a Faerie Grove. Those incompetents at Yggdrasil were quite sure of that. Well, those nasty faeries have kidnapped my daughter, I saw them myself whisk her away before I had time to react!"

 

"Have you considered she may be happier with the faeries?" the blue-haired man interjected.

 

Nicolas grabbed the young man again, lifting him out of the stool. "What the funk do you mean, you son of the jabroni?"

 

"Faeries are happy folk, anyone who joins them will be able to live without worries for the rest of their lives," said the man. "It's not a bad life."

 

"She's my only daughter! She belongs here!" cried the barkeeper. "How do you know they're not preparing to eat her or something?"

 

The blue-haired man sighed. "Alright, but you're not going to be able to enter the Faerie Grove without being invited. How about I go retrieve your daughter?"

 

"Huh?! What are you trying to pull now? I already have the real wizards of Cherry Heart here, I don't need your help," said the barkeeper.

 

"Fine, fine," said the blue-haired man, sighing again.

[Cherz]

This job screamed out to Lily. Helping find people who have gone missing. Not only could she use her deductive ability, she could help anyone who needed it. She gladly took up the job, and found herself in an interesting crowd. Of the people in this party, she only knew Tobias. They had met at a kissing booth, and she vaguely remembered him. She would be sure to stick by and flirt with him casually on the way there. The peculiar Minotaur seemed interesting though, so she tried to strike up conversation with him on the way there.

"Hey, I'm Lily, certified medic and surgeon. Before we start this, I have some questions about your anatomy, just in case I need to perform any intensive operations. How many stomachs do you have? I know bovines tend to only have one stomach if we want to be technical, but I mean how many compartments does your stomach contain? Do you have a rough estimate on your heart size?"

Her flurry of questions would probably be met with confusion for a couple reasons. The first being her questions were quite educated coming from a dumb blonde looking figure, and the second being how the hell was Tegur supposed to know? Regardless, it would be helpful to know these things. The only person in the party she seemed to pay no mind to was the Mena girl. Not out of spite, just out of disinterest.

When the party found themselves in the strangely empty place, Lily looked around. Many of these houses were desolate. Their was a quite to the air, but not a natural one. It was a quiet that felt forced, like an operation room. She knew the feeling all too well, everyone afraid speaking could mess up the delicate balance and ruin everything. She continued to glance around, until she heard a shout echo, coming from a tavern.

Upon arriving, she witnessed the scene. An angry and sad father was nearly throttling a man with a cherry heart emblem. How peculiar, an amnesiac as well. Mena spoke up, quickly diffusing the scene by affirming that they were the official representatives. The man offered them free ale, and Lily was the first to sit. She wasn't too fond of alcoholic beverages, especially the non-fruit kind, but she didn't want to be rude. Even though these things cut life expectancy, she knew one drink every now and then wouldn't hurt so long as it was in moderation.

"Thank you for your hospitality, I am sorry to hear about your D-"

She was cut short by the amnesiac, interjecting a statement the man did NOT want to hear. She cringed before he had reacted, and when he did she wasn't surprised. However, he said something interesting...something about being invited. Lily stood up and made her way to the blue haired boy, heels clicking along the floorboard as she did so.

"Whoa big guy, lets not be hasty." Se cooed, placing her palm on his hand, which was still clenched around the man's collar.

"He clearly knows more about the fae than he is letting on. I would like to hear what he has to say." She said, urging him to release his grip so she could talk with him.

[JessicaMuddy]

 

 

Toby made sure his communication powers with his mum were turned off, lest she wake up and find out what things he was thinking about. And what he was thinking about was definitely not 5'5 empress with the smoothest skin, wearing the most luscious pink he had ever seen on a human body. The carriage ride was long, so he had a lot of this to think about not that person. He'd shoot nervous glances every now and again at the exquisite creature sitting opposite to him. He never saw her looking at him, but she had to some time... Right?! After all, how could she forget how much of a complete idiot Tobias made himself look like at that kissing booth back on the grand opening day.

 

Nevertheless, the crew did eventually reach their destination, and it was only then that Tobias paid any mind to the other two Cherry Heart members also on the quest. He stepped out of the carriage and onto his crutches, then observed. There was the minotaur, who was impossible not to see roaming around Prunus or the Cherry Heart Guild Hall, but there was also another girl that Toby didn't know existed until he had a quick glance at her. She seemed... Nice. As the group made their way to a noisy bar she seemed even nicer, diffusing an argument between the barkeep and a man whose looks made Toby jealous. After ignoring most of the conversation, only listening to the bartenders plea for help, Toby waddled over on his crutches to a seat and sat. It was nice to rest his behind on something that wasn't a wheelchair, but his doctors advise him to be weary of hard seats, as the boy had badly bruised his rear end.

 

Sure, this seat wasn't the softest, but he was curious to see if the goddess... Er, nurse had anything to say about it. After all curative powers must have been in her arsenal of what Toby was sure were beautiful spells and tricks. Though before he could question her about it, she had tried to once more stop the outrage coming from the bartender, placing her hand on the man's. Toby began to stand up, but as he pushed off the seat a howling pain ran through his buttocks, forcing him back down. All he could do was watch, or weep over his first-world problems.

 

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

Tegur had just barely been able to fill his flask with the last of his money and was sipping on it on the way to their destination. The group he was in was full of young ones again, one who seemed to be hurt. He'd have to watch over them especially. He sighed, seemed he wouldn't be able to drink as much as he wanted today.

 

He wanted desperately to avoid THAT girl. The nurse. His racial heritage wasn't known for their willpower when it came to...certain aspects of life. Of course, as much as he joked about it, he wasn't actually a beast. But there was somewhat of a stirring he could feel.

 

Since they were taking a wagon, Jeeves had to travel outside, next to the wagon. There had been a suggestion that he be in front but Tegur had protested. "Jeeves is my friend, not some pack mule!" while ignoring the fact that Jeeves did, in fact, have a couple packs he was carrying.

Tegur was making idle small talk with the horse while they were on their way, seeming to be having a jolly good time. Until he heard a feminine voice talking to him.

"Hey, I'm Lily, certified medic and surgeon. Before we start this, I have some questions about your anatomy, just in case I need to perform any intensive operations. How many stomachs do you have? I know bovines tend to only have one stomach if we want to be technical, but I mean how many compartments does your stomach contain? Do you have a rough estimate on your heart size?"

"Ah, er..." Tegur said, scratching the back of his head. "I haven't the slightest clue lassie. As long as they all stay inside I don't give a damn about me organs." He laughed especially loud and slammed back a longer drink. "Oh look at that we're there!" He said, glad to have reason to leave the wagon.

 

He was practically skipping when he realized they were entering an inn. Which likely meant alcohol.
The owner was harassing some boy, but one of the girls with, Mena, put a stop to that. Tegur clapped her shoulder and smiled at her, attempting to look warm and friendly, flashing her a thumbs up. She seemed like a good girl.

 

Tegur didn't like the way the old man dismissed the blue haired boy. Someone so desperate should be glad at the thought of someone who looked like he knew something. Ah, but Tegur couldn't judge. He had never had a daughter, though in his old age he had grown fond of the idea, so he wouldn't know. "Mmm, don't be hard on the boy. He's young, and young folk run their mouths sometimes." Tegur winked at the boy in question. "But enough o that, thanks for the beer, my good man!" He grabbed the mug, which was somewhat small in his hand, "to a successful mission!", and drained it in one gulp.

Wiping away the foam from his muzzle, he eyed the man again.

His reputation? He hadn't thought of it, for the beer being offered, but that could be problematic depending on what he heard. But he would have to assume the best. "You've heard of ol' Tegur, eh? Good, good, I should be a household name soon enough, haha! I'd be happy to tell you about my grand adventures if ye be willing ta listen."

[Aix]

"Eh? I suppose we could listen to him..." Nicolas, whose wife died over a decade ago, became very aware of this voluptuous young woman. The minotaur chimed in as well and the barkeep took another look at the blue haired man before letting go. The minotaur's compliment brought his mood back up. "Yes, of course you'll succeed, you're Cherry Heart after all. Maybe some places the name of Cherry Heart has started to die out, but I grew up on the stories! When I was a boy, I was so set on going off on adventures of my own, but if I had, where would the poor folk of Eldervale be without my fine ale?" The bald barkeep laughed. "I can't wait for my daughter to meet you guys, then she'll finally realize just how wrong she was in running off with that Yggdrasil bastard, wouldn't even admit her fault after he left her. He called himself some Eye-jar or whatever, but I'm sure any of you could beat his sorry ass." He took stock of the Cherry Heart wizards, again, before settling his eyes on Tobias. "How would you like to take my daughter's hand instead? I don't like to brag, but my daughter is quite beautiful! You'll see."

 

"It's not going to be that sim..." the blue haired man started to speak again, but thought better of it. The barkeep fortunately did not seem to hear him.

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

"And good ale it is!" Tegur said, gladly taking another mug of the stuff, while listening to the man's words. A daughter who ran off. "Were it the fairies that took her or this guild member?" He asked, draining his beer. "Whichever it is we got a job to do and we'll do it. Especially if there's more of this ale once we're finished, gwaaahahahaha!"

He looked around at the rest of the members. All of them were pretty young, and it was starting to get late. "Hmm, perhaps ye younglings would be best heading off to sleep soon. You'll need to be fresh to do any good here." He gave the owner a wink. "As for me no amount of sleep will help these old bones be fresh, but don't you worry I can still do my job."

He finished with an even louder laugh than before, slapping his thigh as if he had just told the best joke in the world.

[Cherz]

 

Tegur seemed to be hitting it off well with the bartender, so Lily smiled and backed up. She looked to the blue haired boy. He definitely knew something, and though she wasn't a psychologist, she would be sure to find out what it was. She overheard Tegur mention something about sleep. It was rather late, and she did agree they should all rest up. Sleeping is a vital part of one's health, as it can relive stress, rejuvenate oneself, and prevent fatigue. 

 

"I agree with Ol' Tegur over here. A good nights rest is sure to prove beneficial to one's perception, attentiveness...and help injuries heal." She said, glancing at Toby and giving a wink. 

 

"You wouldn't happen to have any rooms we could stay in, would you?" She asked the bartender, turning herself to him. She batted her eyelashes, and gave a small smile.

 

Immediately afterwards, Lily approached Toby, who seemed to have been brooding on a chair. She offered him her hand.

 

"Your injuries seem pretty serious. Make sure to get a tetanus shot, some of the swords and teeth used around here aren't very sanitary. But, I'll see what I can do with you for now. Before we call it for the night, I'm going to have to ask you to see me. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to accelerate your healing process."

 

By her recommendation, it was obvious she had heard somewhat what happened to Toby. The beast hunt mission was all the buzz not that long ago. She almost regretted not taking it up, though it went rather well in the end, so it didn't really matter.

[JessicaMuddy]

 

 

Though he was mildly paying attention to the conversation at hand, most of Toby's attention was mainly directed at his favourite blonde co-worker.

"Mustn't have been hard for a woman like her to get into Cherry Heart..." If there were ever a more appropriate time for Toby to swoon, it could have only been over multiple voluptuous nurses. The swoon lasted quite a while, until the girl actually went over to the red-haired teen.

"I agree with Ol' Tegur over here. A good nights rest is sure to prove beneficial to one's perception, attentiveness...and help injuries heal." She then winked at Toby, and he awkwardly turned away, sweating profusely.

 

Still glued to his seat, Toby turned back after some more conversing between others, to find the nurse a mere meter away from him, hand extended. "Your injuries seem pretty serious. Make sure to get a tetanus shot, some of the swords and teeth used around here aren't very sanitary. But, I'll see what I can do with you for now. Before we call it for the night, I'm going to have to ask you to see me. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to accelerate your healing process."

"Tetanus shot?! Oh god... B-but, right. Um, sure, I guess..." He shuffled uncomfortable in the wooden seat. "I-I mean, you seem to know your stuff, being a nurse and all." How this one woman in particular managed to make Toby's confidence melt in a fraction of a second was unknown to the boy, but that didn't stop him from feeling excited from her tricks she had in store.

 

"A-and, um... I... Don't think I should stand up right now. I-in the meantime, do you mind telling m-me your name? I d-don't think you ever did." Toby knew he wasn't going to become any less of a nervous wreck as time went on, so now would be as good of a time as any to exchange details, even though he did secretly wish that barkeep get to the part where he gave the group their rooms.

 

[Aix]

Nicolas furrowed his eyebrows as Tobias completely ignored his words, but his attention was soon drawn back to Tegur. The group agreed that it was about time to call it a night and Nicolas showed them to their rooms upstairs.

 

Sometime in the middle of the night, an otherworldly howl sounded from the forest. Light sleepers may have woken with a sense of unease, but heavier sleepers would only have experienced momentary discomfort in their slumber that would be forgotten come morning.

 

 

The morn was greeted cheerily by birdsong. The blue haired man was already up by the time any of the Cherry Heart members was awake. Unfortunately, so was Nicolas. When the Cherry Heart wizards started arriving downstairs, the blue haired man and the barkeep were arguing again.

 

"What the hell do you mean my ale isn't good enough? You had a mug yesterday, didn't you? You downed it all!" said Nicolas. "Of all people, I'm not offering those damn fairies my best wine that I've been aging it for over a decade now."

 

"What's the big deal?" sighed the blue haired man with great exasperation. "Just wine."

 

"It was the last brew my wife and I made that's what it is!" said the barkeep.

 

"Do you even care about your daughter?" said the blue haired man, starting raise his voice a bit for the first time.

 

The barkeep sensed this and narrowed his eyes before exploding. "Who the funk are you to be questioning my love for my daughter? I'm her father! What do you know of a father's love?"

 

"My father would stop at nothing to get his family back, even if it meant tearing the world down to its roots! What is a bottle of wine to—"

 

"Your father? I thought you were an amnesiac?! Were you lying to us, you little fu—"

 

"Do you know why your daughter got taken away, you blithering ignoramus? Fairies take away those who feel unwanted by the world, to take them to a happier place!" cried the blue haired man. "Keep telling yourself that you have fatherly love, keep telling yourself that. You short-tempered fool, whatever love you hold, did your heart broken daughter feel any of it when she came home? You delivered your daughter to fairies yourself! By the World Tree that holds us all, you're a complete idiot! Idiot! Idiot!"

 

"You—" The infuriated barkeep rushed the blue haired man with a raised fists, but before his punch landed, his body seemed to lock up completely, as if under some sort of spell, but no release of mana could be detected from the blue haired man.

 

The blue haired man had a look of scorn. "Go grab your best wine if you care at all for your daughter. Wine made by an idiot like you, I don't know if it's enough," he said. "I've decided I'm going to follow the Cherry Heart wizards. Thanks for the rations. We're going to the edge of the forest for now so I can explain things. Meet us there."

 

 

"I'm not too good at a whole 'welcome to the dangerous Everwild' thing, so instead how about you guys ask me que—" The blue haired man, standing with the Cherry Heart members at the edge of the forest, was interrupted by the arrival of a certain bald barkeep.

 

"I may be over 50, but it's never too late to go on your first adventure!" exclaimed Nicolas, gripping the dusty but ornate sword he had bought some decades back as if for this very day. "Who'd imagine I'd be going with the wizards of Cherry Heart!?"

 

The blue haired man glanced at him doubtfully. "You're coming?"

 

"Of course! I won't drag you guys down, don't worry," the barkeep said, giving his best smile to the wizards of Cherry Heart.

 

But the blue haired man only shook his head. "Old man, I don't think so..."

 

"I am going to rescue my daughter," said the barkeep.

 

"I don't want to be responsible for the death of a helpless old man," said the blue haired man. "Go home, we'll bring your daughter back for you. I swear it on the World Tree."

 

"I am going to rescue my daughter," Nicolas repeated.

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

Tegur grunted in his sleep. He had passed out in the corner of the bar, with his face planted onto the table, and hadn't woken up yet. But there were voices speaking loudly and his head was pounding. Tegur began to wake up at the word "wine" which was, in his opinion, a huge mistake.

His tongue felt like cotton, his eyes and head throbbed, and as he tried to open his eyes everything was blurry and way too bright.

 

And then he felt a bucket of water being dumped onto his head. "GRUFUNXEICIEXGRFNEDXMK!" Tegur shouted out as he suddenly stood to his feet. The barkeep had evidently thought it was time he woke up. There was a moment of anger that clearly shown through, but, the next moment, Tegur broke into a grin. "Gwaaaarharharhar! What a wake up call!" He shouted, then flinched. His own voice hurting his head. "Say could I maybe have a nip o' ale, for the road?" He asked sheepishly.

***

On the way towards their destination, Tegur tried to get out of the young man what they'd been arguing about, thinking it could be worth knowing. After a while they made their way to the forest. There certainly seemed to be...something about it. Or perhaps that was Tegur's Satyr blood acting up. Whatever the case the boy seemed to think himself in charge. While he didn't mind, he wondered what the others would think.

Before that though, it seemed as though the barkeep was going to join them. "Mmm, it's not going to be easy friend, and what would this place do without your fine ale, eh? We'll be able to find yer precious daughter. If ye be that determined we can't tell ye no, but, it'll be making it harder on these young folk. You know how they are, it's in their blood to be concerned about us old folk, eh?"

He didn't think he could dissuade the man but, he wasn't going to just let him wander into this forest without thinking about it, at least.

[Alaina]

While Mena wasn't quite sure what was going on with the whole, fairy kidnapping thing and mysterious blue haired figure, it would have done no good to just ponder on it for much longer. Feeling tired as it was, as well, she had gone off to bed with the rest of the crew and simply tried to prep herself for the search through the forest tomorrow. And while she was able to go to sleep, it was not a very enjoyable one. She couldn't help but feel slightly restless, and when she awoke in the morning, she had this odd sense of unease. Well, if there was a good omen to the quest's start it was not this. To only couple in with the uneasy feeling, as she got herself out of bed, her ears were greeted with barkeep's both lovely and friendly voice. As she walked towards the voice, it seemed that he and the blue haired boy were going at it about...something. It seemed that the two of them were still trying to resolve what was going on from last night, but at the end, everything seemed to work out for the best...kind of?

 

Regardless, the group was now ready and able to start going through the woods to search for the missing girl. Mena wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to be expecting in a forest where fairies were, nor was she even quite sure what to do when they met the fairies in general. As such, when the blue haired boy started to ask if they had any questions, she started to say something when suddenly the voice of the barkeep sounded out to them. While she was confused by his sudden non-hostiltiy towards the boy, it wasn't unwelcome, though his eagerness to join somewhat was. While she was a bit concerned about him joining their team for the bit, Mena realized that she herself wasn't exactly the most combat worthy here, nor was the crippled boy or most likely the nurse. Which left only the minotaur who, while he seemed like a friendly soul, was still definitely a bit of a threatening presence which she had some manner of confidence in if things went awry. Looking at the blue haired man she said, "he's probably just going to go anyway, so it'd be safer for him to follow us. Besides, the more the merrier?" The last part of that statement seemed to be sort said with some hint of confusion, as if she were more forcing an excuse then anything. 

[Cherz]

 

"A-and, um... I... Don't think I should stand up right now. I-in the meantime, do you mind telling m-me your name? I d-don't think you ever did."

 

"Oh my! I'm Lily, it is a pleasure." She said to him with a smile. She looked over her shoulder, to some of the people in the bar. "Hey big strong guys, would any of you help this man to his room? I'll catch up with you there soon." She gave him a wink and set off to her own room, shuffling through a few herbs and plants she hd brought with her. There wasn't much here, and the boy would be a detriment to work with if he remained in this state, so she decided upon magical healing.

 

A bit later, after she heard his door shut, she walked over and knocked, before letting herself in to his room. She smiled and approached the boy on the bed, looking over him. "Now, I'm going to have to ask a few things of you. The first is to remove clothing over the damaged area. Secondly, hold still." She said to him, smiling when the boy complied. 

 

"If I do this wrong, it'll hurt a little. If I do this right...it'll hurt a lot."

 

With that, she placed her hands upon him, and channeled healing magic. The poor boy must have felt as if lava was dumped on his legs. The incredible searing pain was instant. Nothing could have prepared him for it. She worked as fast as possible, before finally letting go. The moment her hands left him, the incredible burning would subside to a lasting aching pain. "Sorry about that. Rest up, then eat this in the morning." She said to him, leaving an odd looking bulbous plant by his bed on a shelf. With that, she went to her own room for some rest. She didn't even notice the howl.

 

The next morning, Toby would be able to move without the aid of crutches, though the dull ache would have not subsided. The bulbous plant was to reduce that pain. Side effects include but are not limited to: Perspiration, reddening of the face, coughing, and dry mouth. Side effects should not last longer than 5 minutes, and if they do consult your local doctor immediately.

 

---

 

The next morning, she went down the stairs, to the lovely tune of arguing...again. This time, it was different. The 'amnesiac' seemed to know a LOT more than he let on, suddenly shocking the man with harsh words. Before the barkeeps fist met the boy's face, he was suddenly paralyzed. Lily gasped, shocked by the events, but was caught up in the moment. They were immateriality led to the forest, and promised explanation.

 

They never did get it, much to her irritation. She was about to call him out, but the barkeep showed up again. He came bearing a sword, and was adamant about saving his daughter. She didn't like the sound of it, though only the Blue haired boy seemed to object.

 

"Sir, I do not think it is wise...but hold on a moment. You." She said, addressing the 'amnesiac.' "I need some things from you. The first is a name. I need something to call you. The second is information. How much do you really know?"

[JessicaMuddy]

 

 

Lily… A name that’s as good as her looks. Before long she had several rock-solid men walk over to Toby to pick him up. They held up his frail body with ease, holding him from his neck and legs. “W-Whoa, guys! That was a bit sudden. Do you mind being slightly more careful? I did just fight a monstrous beast not long ago!” Both men looked down at Toby with ice cold stares, clearly not impressed by his ‘woe is me, my ass is bruised’ act. However, this was nothing compared to the ‘gift’ Lily had in store for him.

 

After being dumped rather crudely on the bed he’d be sleeping in for the night, and after Lily finished with her manipulations of the two men she immediately got to work. This first stage of the medical procedure to heal Toby’s butt wouldn’t have been so bad if he had damaged, say, an arm or a leg.

 

But dropping his pants and mooning the woman of his dreams?!

 

“WHAT?! Nuh-uh, NO WAY!” The quibble that followed was exceptional in length, but eventually Toby stopped trying to fight the woman, lest she never reveal her good side to him again. It took several minutes for Toby to find the courage, but once he did, the teen dropped his pants before the nurse. Not front on, of course. “J-just do it. Having a bruised ass is no fun, and not being able to walk properly because of it either is worse.”

 

"If I do this wrong, it'll hurt a little. If I do this right...it'll hurt a lot." Bent over the bed in a position he never wanted to be in again, Toby just barely had time to register Lily’s warning before the most searing pain he had ever imagined. No giant, wolf, or giant wolf would ever be able to inflict this much pain to a human body as Lily did just then, for the human in question would be long dead. Even though the process felt like an eternity, when it was all over and done with Toby glanced up at the clock to see almost no time had passed at all. And although the lava-hot pain was gone, a kettle’s heat still ached through Toby’s lower half.

 

"Sorry about that. Rest up, then eat this in the morning." The atrocious plant sat absently beside Toby as he went to sleep. Only being half asleep because of the overwhelming pain that he was met with, the strange howl that erupted through the silent midnight air easily woke Toby up. After that, he didn’t notice much else except that he could move his toes with ease.

 

 

In the morning, Toby snapped awake, and sat up rather quickly. Because he knew the moment the sun’s light burst through the window of his hotel room, he’d have to consume the surely vomit-inducing plant beside him. “How do I even EAT this thing?”

 

The answer: With difficulty. Toby munched on it for a rather long time while still in the bed, cringing at every bite. “This… Sucks.” However, as he ate it more and more, he felt his legs’ movement come back, and the still present aching slowly leave his body. About half-way through the disgusting plant, Toby was called down to begin the walk to the forest the amnesiac would lead them to. It hurt to move his legs, but at leave he could move them. Standing at the forest’s edge, Toby continued to munch, occasionally glancing at his fellow Cherry Heart members, ashamed of his scrawny state.

 

Toby watched the conversation unfold as the barkeep decided that he’d be tagging along.
"I am going to rescue my daughter,"
"I don't want to be responsible for the death of a helpless old man. Go home, we'll bring your daughter back for you. I swear it on the World Tree."
"I am going to rescue my daughter," Nicolas repeated.

 

Toby felt like he was watching another daily quarrel between himself and his mother, from a different angle. Turning his telepathy power back on, he started:

“Hey, mum, are you there?”

No response. Toby was in this alone.

 

[Aix]

"I'm also the one carrying the wine for the fairies," said Nicolas.

 

Seeing all the support for the old man, the blue haired man shook his head. "I won't be responsible for him," he said. Then, he turned to the nurse, somewhat looking calmer. "The thing is, I was hoping you guys could figure out who I am. I remember a lot of things, my knowledge is boundless, the lost histories found in ancient ruins, the locations of the Norns, the methods of dealing with fantastical species and races... but my name fails me. It stands at the tip of my tongue, but I cannot grasp it. For... for now, it will suffice to call me 'B'. I believe it is my first initial." He seemed quite upset. Moments later, he looked to the forest.

 

"Now that we're all here, we may as well head in. You may ask me more questions as we walk. As for how I know where to go, I can get a feel for the location of the faeries. I believe I have some innate connection with all the species born of the Progenitor Dragon that lets me sense them, but it is imperfect and the faeries' potent magic throws even my perception off," said B. He began to walk and surprisingly enough, Nicolas was the first to follow.

 

The Everwild. The atmosphere seemed to change as they walked in. The sunlight turned green, filtered through the canopy. The air was rich with mana and life, such that they slowly began feeling invigorated.

 

"It is almost impossible to walk into a Faerie Grove unless you were allowed in, your sense of direction will be skewed and you will just end up walking in circles," said B. "When we approach the Grove, we will offer to bring wine to the banquet the faeries have every night. Hopefully, they'll accept and we can attend."

 

"Hopefully they'll accept?" asked Nicolas.

 

"Otherwise, we may have resort to some drastic measures," said B. "And all this is assuming we can travel unhindered. This is the Everwild, you never know what will happen here. You never know what may be hunting you."

 

Nicolas cried out and fell on his butt. Before him were two large sinister looking eyes with wild floral markings framing them. Just looking at them sent a chill down one's spine.

 

"Oh, that's just a Feystalker Butterfly, it has a scare enchantment, but pay it no mind," said B. "The real problem is if we encounter a real Feystalker. They're a sort of giant eldritch panther and you're lucky if you even see it coming since they're invisible except for their eyes. Their eyes, well, look almost exactly like that butterfly." B seemed quite happy to be able to show off his knowledge. "They're extremely powerful, but they're hardly the worst thing you can encounter in the Everwild. Though, I doubt we'd doubt we'd encounter something like a dragon or a Forest Elder here."

 

"I suppose you're awfully confident in your magic," said Nicolas.

 

"Huh? I can't use magic," said B. "Which does make it strange that I have this tattoo, doesn't it? I've been meaning to ask you guys about Cherry Heart. So what can you guys say about yourselves? We've never had proper introductions after all."

 

[spoiler=OOC]You may invent details about the forest around you. Go wild.

 

[Alaina]

With the addition of the old man to their group, they started to make their way through the Everwild Woods, a place that was definitely ever beautiful. Everywhere Mena looked, there was lush plant life and vegetation, things that Mena didn't know even think could be imagined, much less exist in the first place. The varying kinds of wildly growing trees seemed to sprawl all throughout the forest, creating a canopy of leaves of branches that filtered the sunlight, creating a more enchanting lightning and sparkling effect wherever one looked. This enchanting look was only exemplified by the innate magical power that ran through it. Mena wasn't a great mage, in fact her overall magical talent was pretty low, however even she could tell that there was an absolute excess mana that filled the air. The raw amount of mana that surrounded them gave a rush of energy through Mena, making her feel far motivated to find these fairies than she had been just this morning. 

 

That was quickly changed when they were greeted by the sight of two intimidating eyes that were staring at the group. Shrinking back away from said eyes, Mena was a bit creeped out by what they could belong to, only for the boy that was taking them through the forest, B, to educate them on what they were. It was thankfully just an illusion made by a butterfly, though this sense of relief was quickly replaced by a more unsettling feeling as their guide went on to tell them what the origin of those eyes were. As the boy went on to explain just what else could be living in the forest, or what they weren't likely to encounter here, Mena couldn't help but turn to the barkeep that was following them. "What kind of forest do you live next to?" she couldn't help but ask.

 

With the initial shock of the ever creepy forest subsiding, Mena still was on the lookout for any kind of dangers that might have presented themselves to the group. When prompted by B, though she immediately snapped her attention back to the group and said, "oh uh, right introductions. The name's Mena Smith, magic blacksmith..well, in training, at least." After giving her introduction to him she then said, "so Blue, where did you like learn all this stuff, like about Forest Dragons and Elders and stuff?"

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

The forest was...almost awe-inspiring to Tegur. He wasn't from the forest but he felt an innate attachment to it. Likely something to do with his grandfather. As he thought of the old man Tegur's hand went towards the flute he carried with him. Being here made him want to play it, despite still not being all that good at it compared to its original owner.

 

He looked about at the almost startlingly bright green of the woods. It was like something out of a fairy tail. Which was fitting, he supposed, given what they were looking for. He noticed a deer run by. Though it was an unusual specimen. With six long legs and antlers that were large, but only two-pronged. It seemed none too bothered by the adventurers. Likely due to the peaceful feeling that seemed to be around the area. It even paused nearby to drink water that seemed to be flowing straight from one of the trees.

 

Which is why he gave a start, almost stepping on anyone who'd be behind him, when the bartender was surprised by the, as the blue boy explained, butterfly. Tegur couldn't help but laugh, though he tried to stifle the loud noise soon after. With a sheepish expression he waited for young Mena to speak before saying anything himself.

 

"No magic eh? Well that's alright laddie I'm not much of a mage myself in that sense." Tegur said, reaching around to pat his crossbow. "As ye can guess I tend to use this beauty here more often than magic. Though my flute can sometimes come in handy for calming down wild critters." He then muttered awkwardly "Though sometimes it backfires..." Clearing his throat he continued. "M'name's Tegur, and you better get used to that name cause I'm sure you'll be hearing all aboot my adventures soon enough. Ain't that right young lady?" He said, clapping Mena on the back heartily.

His eyes wandered back to Blue. The guild wasn't old enough for there to be such unknown members that forgot they were even in it. Was he an imposter? Or something else? Tegur didn't want to jump to conclusions but he'd have to watch this boy from here on out. Especially seeing as he had to look after the old fool and the kids already.

[Cherz]

 

---

 

Lily marvelled at the scenery. It was so strange, yet beautiful. The entire place felt heavy with mana, a humid feeling. It was nothing like she had ever experienced before. It even smelled strange, like green. She didn't know how to put it into words. Every sight was so new. Birds of rainbow colors flew around, it seemed as if lights danced around in the air, and the canopy of leaves sent a green tint before them all. It was truly a sight to behold, and one she wouldn't have unless she had joined Cherry Heart.

 

 

She noticed the guide, B, fall down, before laughing it off. The feystalker butterfly was flying away, but she caught a glimpse. What a peculiar species. She then turned around to see the barkeep following them, sword and wine in hand. She worried about him. What if the faeries were mad at him? What if his daughter didn't want to see him? It was really worrisome, as she had picked up more of the story. Apparently she was in a forbidden love and was unhappy. Lily pushed this off, for they would cross that bridge when they got there. She was awoken from her thoughts when the other girl in the group spoke up.

 

"oh uh, right introductions. The name's Mena Smith, magic blacksmith..well, in training, at least."

 

"I am Lily Moral, it is a pleasure." She said, trying to contain the disinterest. The girl seemed so...bland.

 

"Also sweetheart, B over here seems to have amnesia. He couldn't even remember his name, how would he know where he learned all of this?"

[JessicaMuddy]

 

 

The forest was... big, and... green. Toby wasn't the best in English class.

 

The place was crazy to look at, and trying to think about what went on in the trees could only end in a hurting brain. Toby lagged behind the rest of the group, opting to walk slower due to his injury. As he looked around he continued to much on the putrid root, the strange environment distracting him from the taste. Partway through walking he seemed to catch up to the group, as they had stopped. Tobias somehow didn't notice the giant butterfly until he made his way next to the barkeeper but when he did, his reaction was like one you'd see from an anime. He jumped backwards, throwing the tiny remainder of the plant into the air and giving no attempt to catch it.

 

After the explanation from the amnesiac, and the rest of their group introduced themselves, Toby's turn came around. He noted the names of the others, Mena and Tegur, then started. "Well, I'm Toby. I have the power to suck things up then change the material of my body to that material for a short while. Also, I can telepathically communicate with my mum, but... She's out of action right now."

 

 

[Aix]

B took note of each of their names and traits, storing it for future use. Despite his amnesia, his memory was actually remarkable.

 

"Yeah, Ms. Lily is right. I cannot, unfortunately, re..." He paused and furrowed his eyebrows. "Maybe some of it I read, but I was taught. I... I think my father taught me." He gained some confidence in his eyes. "He knew everything," said B. He smiled and scratched his head. "Or it really felt like he did. I'm sure everyone thought the world of their fathers when they were young. Whether those fathers can really meet those expectations, I cannot say." He glanced at Nicolas, who looked away at the scenery. "No... I'm certain my father was a great man."

 

"Let's keep going, we still have ways to go. I see some of you are quite unnerved by the forest," said B as he walked on. "And you would be right to. The Everwild is a scary place. Even powerful mages would tread lightly here. But I don't think I've ever felt fear for it, only wonder and admiration. I think I can also attribute that to my father."

 

The blue-haired man talked on, eager to show off his knowledge, he went from tales about the forest on to ancient history as they trekked. Soon, the party reached a wooden bridge, it was worn yet seemed still remarkably sturdy. Crossing it, they came upon a destroyed stone stele. The top had been broken away tremendous force and lay in pieces across the ground.

 

"I... I think this bridge marked some sort of boundary," said B. "And this stone slab. There is some ancient magic still intact in the pieces. I think if we reassembled it... I would infer it's a barrier of some sort that prevented the more eldritch denizens of the Everwild from passing, such as the faeries and other troublesome creatures. I wonder what sort of beast could have broken it... and there are also pieces missing."

 

He walked over to one of the pieces and reached down to pick it up. The moment he touched it, a series of shrieks sounded through the treetops. All of a sudden they were surrounded by diminutive humanoid creatures. 

 

"Brownies," said B, retracting his hand and standing back up. "They breed faster than rabbits and are constantly looking for new territories. I wouldn't say they're hostile, but they eat a lot and they're semi-intelligent, some might even talk. Their culture and behaviour vary. Impossible to say what this tribe in particular is after."

 

"Eh? I think I've seen these little guys before. One of the farmers caught one stealing from his field!" said Nicolas.

 

B nodded. "Certainly something I'd expect."

 

[spoiler=OOC]What do you do? Well, the choice is yours, really.

 

Talk to me if you want more direction.

 

Brownies are two feet tall on average.

 

If you attack them, they'll certainly attack back en masse.

 

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

Tegur's eyes narrowed as the man talked, and talked, and talked. "Ye be a bit ove a chatterbox eh?" Tegur said with a chuckle. However he was starting to get more suspicious of this unusual young man. "I do appreciate the talking though, means I don't have to think too much, haha!"

This forest was indeed an interesting place, but afraid? Tegur couldn't say he was afraid. Likely it was just due to his blood, as he inferred earlier, but he almost felt at him.

 

He did however feel quite uncomfortable crossing the bridge and waited for everyone to pass by before crossing it, in case it broke. Surprisingly the old wood was able to hold his large body up. "Well would ya look at that. Guess ol' Tegur isn't as overweight as he thought!" He continued to laugh, though he muffled it as B went about his description. A stone slab, broken, that held back some of the creatures of the forest? Tegur didn't know much about all that, he was a simple man. But he did feel that not letting them roam free felt wrong. Perhaps it was best the stone remained broken? Until he saw some reason this wouldn't be the case he wouldn't worry about it.

 

Especially as there were now a group of small critters surrounding them. Action! Tegur felt he could deal with them on his own, however...there were a few here who could be hurt in a fight, and they might not be hostile. Tegur didn't know if it was the best decision but he stood tall and puffed out his chest and shouted. "Ye best be leaving us be if ye mean harm, little ones, I don't want to have ta tear yer heads off!" He glared around at them, hoping his mere size would prevent them from doing anything rash.

[Cherz]

Lily was finally glad to be hearing from B. It was about time he started opening up to them. She logged down everything he said in her mind, careful to hold onto it in case the need arrived. The more they went, the more he kept listing of fairy tales and some history. Though some of it was interesting, a lot of it was slightly morbid. Changelings kidnapping children and leaving their own in its place? Satyr's chasing nymphs and forcing themselves upon them? This beautiful place had some dark history if it all was true. 

 

As Lily crossed the bridge, she couldn't help from feeling nervous. Despite it seeming sturdy, her scientific mind told her this thing was bound to fall under them. Or based off the fairy tales, there could very well be a troll under this, waiting to gobble them up. The once inviting forest was slowly twisting, becoming more sinister to Lily with each passing second. She picked up her pace, sticking to Tegur a bit. Surely one with such an anatomy and height would be able to keep these twisted creatures such as Faestalkers off of her. Thankfully, they managed to cross the bridge without it falling, when she noticed movement, and heard shrill shrieks.

 

"Eeeeeew they look like rats!" She said without thinking, before B started to explain the situation.

 

Tegur seemed to have the right idea. He started by intimidating the volatile little species. Lily nodded in response to Tegur. Though she wasn't intimidating, she readied herself. Was she ready for such an encounter already though? This would be her first time in the fields, and with such a foreign and whimsical place such as this, she wasn't sure violence would be the best answer.

 

"Ahem, I do agree. We mean you know harm little ones. You may proceed with whatever it was you were doing." She spoke, with an air of authority.

[Alaina]

After asking her question, she was then immediately told how dumb an idea it was to ask him if he remembered about where he got his amnesia. Mena let out a small huff at it, thinking it was at least worth a shot given he knew so many random facts as it was. However, B still went on to explain to them that it wasn't actually through reading or anything that he learned everything, but through his apparently incredibly knowledgeable father. While he continued to ramble on about what a great man he was, Mena then figured that the next question in trying to help this boy find his memory was pretty obvious. However, even if she wanted to ask him, the boy spoke at about a mile a minute and seemed to be not only enthralled with the forest itself, but also his explanations he had regarding everything they saw. So, Mena couldn't find it in herself to interrupt him, and stayed quiet until the boy would relent.

 

However, it ended up slipping her mind and as the group approached a bridge, it ended up not being  all that important. With B going on about how some stone slab here was actually some ancient sealing magic or whatever, the group was immediately assailed by a group of short...things. Mena hopped back a bit in surprise, and then winced a bit at the exclamation of the nurse, but soon got over both and looked at the creatures. They didn't seem threatening, not friendly in the slightest though and if what B said was anything to go by, they were rather mischievous creatures at that. However, they weren't actively being aggressive against them right now, and so Mena summoned a two handed warhammer ot her hands, trying to follow suit in their plan of intimidation. "Yeah, we're just passing through here, not looking to start any trouble if we don't have to." 

[Aix]

A few brownies snarled back at Tegur, but backed away. The brownies seemed to have understand somewhat the intent of the two girls, and refrained from attacking. However, B still wasn't sure they would not become hostile, but they seemed calmer when he wasn't bothering with the stones. One parted from the pack and came really close to Lily and seemed to want to touch her, it made a weird purr-like sound.

 

"Hmmm, of course," he said. "They wouldn't want anyone touching the stones and putting the seal back together, it would really affect their territory. However, I doubt weak Everwild denizens like them had the power to destroy a seal like this."

 

"These little buggers are the ones bothering our town!" cried Nicolas, gripping on his sword tightly.

 

"Maybe. Maybe not. Let's ignore them for now, we don't have time to deal with them," said B. "We can get them on the way back. We have something more urgent, don't we?"

 

"Right, right," said Nicolas.

 

Just as the group was about to move again, all the brownies suddenly started screeching and fleeing. "Oh, well that's certainly not a good sign. Something... something big coming, and soon."

 

[spoiler=OoC]Better take some sort of action.