The Woods, Friday

[endsthegame]

By morning, the stone's song had died out gently. The glow that had built and built these past few days dispersed into the undergrowth, leaving behind nothing but a gnarled old rock.

The magic it wanted to weave took time. It was a complicated thing, forcing its mental fingers into the afterlives of so many different worlds. And so it lay quiet. Working, waiting.

A thin mist rose as the sun crept downwards into the evening. From within shone a strange, pale light. As time crept by, it reshaped a part of itself itself, forming an arch, a... gateway.

The mist slid across the clearing inch by inch, and by the time the sun had disappeared behind the horizon, it had filled it entirely. From within it, shapes emerged. They had been called, and they had come.

[[ and the dead have risen! for the weekend. you can come meet your guests here, in this post, or elsewhere. this post nfb ]]

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[flora_evolved]

A tall, blue woman in flowing blue garments emerged from the gate, looking around curiously. She had visited once before, cycles ago, but all too briefly. This would be just as brief, she knew, but she also knew it was needed.

If Zhaan was surprised that the person she was here for wasn't waiting for her in this clearing she didn't show it. She would find him soon enough. And she walked off, calmly, to do just that.

[shadywinemom]

It seemed it was an evening for tall, technicolor women in flowing garments emerging from the woods, even if this one was greyer and less bald.

Shadow Weaver trailed her fingers through the unfamiliar magic of the gate, regretful that there was no time to study it further. Adora was not here, but finding her would not take much effort. Catra had been right enough about that.

[buriedinthebackyard]

"Rolling fog. Mists. Gateway in the middle of the forest." Rick rolled his eyes as he stepped through and gave things a closer examination before pulling a flask from the inside of his labcoat and took a swig. "Fucking new-agey temporary resurrection magical bullshit. Oh, yeah, really stunning me with the originality here, all that's missing is some fucking Tangerine Dream, could probably use a few more eerily glowing lights..."

Unnecessary critiques out of the way, Rick let out a little belch and tucked the flash back into his coat, pulling up his wrist. "Alright, let's find my granddaughter now, I guess,: he said, tapping his watch and then...narrowing his eyes at it.

Nothing. Not a blip on the sensor that should be there, so he tapped it again and his glare became more suspicious. He shook his wrist, poked it again, and realized the battery was dead.

"Fucking piece of shit technology," he said, as if he himself hadn't made it. "I'm dead! Your battery shouldn't be!"

He groaned a little to himself, then sighed, as if this whole thing was already turning out to be much more of a hassle than it was worth. "Alright, fine, guess we're doing this the old fashioned way."

Which meant trudging forward and maybe occasionally lifting his hand to call out, "Summer! Sum-Sum! Summinator 3000! Grampa's here!"

[gaveherahand]

Mara stepped out of the gateway and gave a cursory look around. "Well, this is a step up from the Lake of Apparitions," she said finally, reaching into the Force and blinking at the presences she found there.

"Ben first," she decided, "then maybe a drink. Can I do that?"

Or a few. Anakin, Yoda, and Luke? This was going to be a very awkward reunion.

"And why am I talking to myself?"

[livingdream]

It was dark in the woods and while she didn't know exactly where she was, she wasn't afraid or worried. She was there to see someone and she knew he would be there. He wasn't there yet but Lizzie had no fear that he would be here soon- as soon as he realized that she was here. So she sat down beside the stone and waited, looking up at the stars.

[alwaysonguard]

While his mind had quieted some since he found the odd stone the other day, there was still a slight nagging at the back of his mind and a subtle draw still tugged at him now and then. He had been able to ignore it for the most part, counting it as just another oddity of the island. But tonight it was stronger than it had been and so Dwight made his way back into the woods trying to find the same peace and stillness he had before.

As he walked through the woods he came to a clearing and as he stepped in, a fine mist covering the ground, he stared at the figure that was sitting there. It couldn't be... it couldn't be here. She was dead. He had watcher her die in his arms a year ago. But Dwight knew it was her, even though he couldn't see her face as she sat and stared up at the stars.

Dwight walked farther into the clearing, his feet crunching the leaves on the ground as he approached, his mind and heart both struggling to make sense of what he was seeing.

[livingdream]

Hearing foot steps behind her she turned, a huge grin spreading across her face.

"Daddy!" she cried out as she jumped to her feet and ran towards Dwight, throwing her arms around his neck.

[alwaysonguard]

Dwight wrapped his arms around Lizzie and held her close. This had to be a dream. But no, she was here. She was real. He could hold her again. When he finally let go of her he kept his hands on her shoulders and just stared at her.

"Lizzie..." he said, still trying to make himself realize what was going on. A smile spread over his face slowly. Whatever this was... he would figure that out later. Right now all that mattered was his daughter was back.

"How about some milk and cookies?" he asked with a smile, earning an enthusiastic nod.

With the first honest smile he had had in far too long, Dwight walked out of the clearing, Lizzie hoisted high on his shoulders as they headed towards town.

[sharpened_him]

A little blonde head peeked through the gate, then the entire girl raced through with a giggle.

[sharp_man]

Hannibal had been through this before; he knew what the dreams and the rock presaged.

So here he was, waiting. He smiled and knelt as she saw him and ran up for a hug.

"Mischa, my darling." He petted his hair. "Hot cocoa?" he asked in Lithuanian. She nodded her head vigorously, and he picked her up, settling her in his arms for the walk back to the house.