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[she rolls onto her knees, then gets to her feet, swaying in place once before settling.]

Stick with me, and your conscience will be crystal-clean. C'mon. [she starts to trudge again, eyes on the ground.]

[ His little dragon body straightens as he sits up on his haunches, spreading his wings. Before he moves from the stump, severall small spheres of light appear around him and fan out over the path ahead.

Then he takes to the air. ]

It should be easier to see this way.

[she shields her eyes until they adjust, grimacing. Fuck, it's faerie fire juiced up!]

Yeah, us and whoever might be out here hunting in the fuckin' woods... [but she's too tired to get worked up and just goes with it, making her way to denser brush to inspect.

while rummaging:] It's...still kinda pissing me off. That I know what this shit is now. I didn't ask to know this crap. But now I know if I mix this thing [she snaps a sprig of something] in a drink, I could make them burst into hives. Which I guess is handy, but...

It's happening again. People are putting shit in my head again.

[...]

It's not like...telling you that changes anything. So...whatever.

People from among our...group?

[ He asks, perching on a nearby branch. ]

[she shakes her head.]

I, I don't know. I just--I...I looked at things. Drinks and, and plant...shit...and I just. Knew.

[shooting a look over at him:] It didn't happen to you? Knowing...some shit you've never known before?

[ The dragon's little horned head tilts curiously as he considers this. ]

No. I believe my court assignment did not thus influence me, but during the fog, I first found myself in an underground location I was unfamiliar with. At that time, I had intuitions which I should not, and I do still, at times.

[she exhales a nervous sound before she clenches her jaw, moving on.]

We're just...just fucking toys. Animals to play with. We're not saving shit, Dee.

It remains to be seen. But there would be a reckoning were that to be the case.

[ There is little use fighting possibility. It exists.

Yet he thinks Echo will sorely regret it if that is the truth. ]

You better let me watch you laser the fuck out of everything. I feel entitled to at least that. [the nonsense possibility is a little comforting, even if it is at Dion's conscience's expense. sorry not sorry.

though she is feeling a twinge of...comfort? at having complained at all? wow it's like bottling all this fury and despair up inside and letting it fester is bad but venting a little to someone like a person is good.]

If the day comes, I'll not deny you that.

[ Her and one other friend who's been skeptical of all this for quite some time.

He continues to kite through the air just off to the side of her, easily seen. ]

[it's left at that, with whatever bitter swill of thoughts had leaked out stoppered back up as Scarlet gets back on task, encouraged by the variety of plants around. this is...definitely not Knife's bag - they're not a fuckin' druid - but the prospect of this particular quest...]

Naha--! Finally. [she plucks a sprig of yaupon and holds it up.] This is the shit I need. There better be a whole lot of it; it's gotta last the rest of this damn trip and maybe then some.

[ Pop the stopper out more often Knife, it's healthy.

Dion cranes his little dragon neck to peer at the plant with a rattling sound that might be a hum but sounds more akin to a cat's purr. ]

You need that much of this plant?

[ He shifts his weight, leaning on the elbows of his wings. ]

I can survey the area for more.

More's better'n less, you know? I gotta be awake this whole time! [c'mon, Dion, abet in this incredibly sound idea of never fucking sleeping.]

[ He squints up at her, though it may be difficult to tell on such a small face. ]

You intend to go without sleep the entire time?

[can't tell! not looking! busy plucking!]

If I can avoid it, yeah. It's not safe!

Can you not room with someone you trust?

[ The tallest order... ]

What, like you? [she shoots a sour look.] You and your weirdo roomie? In a fae building?

[ He didn't presume she trusted him, but since that door has cracked open— ]

That is an option. He is very deviceful, and you have seen a measure of what I can do.

[ Relatively safe, no? ]

I can't do that. I, I-I cannot do that. [she gestures, then flails a bit, losing some leaves from the gesture and scrambling to recover them and stuff them into a pocket.] We're all fuckin' compromised, so there's no solid, certain...I mean, what if someone else needs your goddamn help, huh?!

I am usually responsible for far more than a few people. My dragoons vastly outnumber our ranks.

[ Don't go imagining he has a skill issue in this department. ]

I've no doubt that he wouldn't object to your company, and that would allow for improved coordination.

I don't know him. I can't trust someone I don't know, are you kidding? Just because someone's decent to you doesn't mean it'll be the same for me! [never mind that it'd be her own self-sabotage at play. like right now. always within sight of an outstretched hand, but flinching away when they realize they're reaching out.]

I would not accept anyone mistreating you in my sight, as well you know.

[ If naught else, he has recent events to point to as evidence. ]

Nothing is to stop you from becoming acquainted... Or using the room when we are not in it, for that matter. But fatigue is dangerous. In my world, it can prove lethal.

That's why I'm doing this. [she plucks another leave and wiggles it by the stem before stowing it.] I'm not gonna get fatigued. No more surprises. I've seen these twinkly fucks doing tricks on each other in lapses of focus, and I'm not. Gonna be at the butt-end of one of the worse ones.

What will it do to your body, denying it rest?

[ Scarlet is built different, but the fact that she's planning to force herself to not sleep suggests she needs it. ]