phoenix dv

The commotion of the city behind them was fading away now. The clam-shell road stopped a long time ago, with weeds and stray pebbles taking its place. Rickety buildings spotted these ruins; some had doors, some had windows, some had only three walls. Wild kelp fronds grew wherever they could, greeting the world-hopper with their rhythmic dances. From time to time, a disturbance in the kelps would catch the hopper's eyes, but the plants would always return to their motions after their brief misstep, acting as though nothing had happened. Eyes as sharp as Vaer's teeth could be felt pressing into the world-hopper's back. Even after moving to the cover of the kelp they moved like an elephant in the jungle, which only made their paranoia grow. However, now they could catch a glimpse of the people that would dart from place to place, or watch the lonely urchin that sat on the side, numerous spines missing. A large cliff blocked the colourful lights of the heart of Vaer's Reef, casting its shadow upon the less fortunate that lived in these slums. After some time, the tricksy kelp grew easier to navigate, no longer wrapping their slimy arms around the hopper's limbs. Perhaps it was this confidence that made them swim just a little faster, hoping to find their target sooner rather than later. A flash of colour, and shove. The hopper tumbled out of the safety of the maroon cover into the open, their shock leading them to collide directly into a grey coral tree. Shooting a look back to find the culprit, they jumped back upright, two feet planted squarely on the ground. "Pah, too easy!" If the rough voice said anything afterwards, the hopper did not hear, for their world was shortly turned upside down as a rope yanked their legs out, forcing them to fall back down. One second later, and they were held like a pig at a butcher's shop, dangling from the coral. Though try as they might to break free, any movement simply tightened the rope around their legs. Emerging from the kelp, a familiar toothy smirk greeted them, taunting. Multicoloured fins fanned out, boldly marking the pirate out, along with his flashy golden jewellery, against the dull background. He twirled a knife around his left hand, its glint promising a sharp edge. "I thought I'd find you sniffing around here eventually." "Now, I wonder what I should do with you..."

The spongy dirt beneath their feet began to harden as they walked down the forest path, the squelches and squishes turning to firm thumps. The luminous glows of the towering mushrooms faded to darkness as they were replaced, one by one, with navy pine trees which threatened to pierce the sky. The odd smell of mulch, which the world-hopper had grown to be fond of, was gone. Instead, the cold scent of flowers filled the air, masking a hint of decay one could point out in their first few minutes of this new area. No more could the world-hopper hear the faint chitters of rabbits and squirrels that lived within the fungus forest, nor could they listen to the masked messages the blue birds sung. Only a silence enshrouded them. No more critters, no more birds, but just their own footsteps that were far too loud, and their breath that condensed in the chilly air. Even when straining to hear for any sound other than themselves, nothing else came to light. A light pricking sensation on their leg caught them by surprise. Vines, with thorns as sharp as a cat's claws, hugged the dark trees. Violet flowers bloomed from them, their beauty betraying the eye. Although their leg only bled just a trickle, the nearby plants began to reach towards them with their plump leaves, yearning for just a brush of the world-hopper. Perhaps it was their imagination, or the thorns were laced with a poison, but the clumps of vines that were just off the forest path had twisted and contorted into one another to form a vaguely humanoid shape, pulsing to the heart of the trees. The further the world-hopper walked, the more of these lifelike statues they could spot. So, they hurried up. Just stick to the path, and you would be fine. There was no point in turning back now. And there it was: the end of the trail. As the hopper approached it, the trees parted as suddenly as cobwebs by a duster, leaving the clear view of a large maroon tent. Its walls were made from the very leaves that scattered the ground, but they did not sway as the hopper stepped closer to the curtained door, hoping for a break from the vile forest that chilled their bones. "You’re surprisingly unafraid for someone who’s wandered into my home uninvited…" "...you do know who I am, don’t you?"

я, pronounced as Ya, is not of this world. She cannot speak, but she can understand people frighteningly well for a turnipling, including being able to read and write simple english. Phoenix first encountered я when she woke him up from his sleep in the middle of Louise Hill by nudging his side. She fled when he attempted to touch her, but returned later on while Phoenix was talking to Buli. Since then she has stuck firmly by his side, aiding him when the going gets tough.