002 ☁ punishment

[suppress]

Characters: Presea Combatir, Yosuke Hanamura & anyone else who wants in.
Setting: Floor Six
Format: Action
Summary: Presea gather's material for wood work in the forest. She does this by cutting them down.
Warnings: None.


[Without a job to occupy her, a grave to visit, nor even the opportunity to visit the place she once called home, Presea had been harboring a feeling that can only be described as "emptiness." Her time, which had finally begun to move forward again, feels as though it has once more been brought to a halt.

She's taken to working on wood carvings again. It's not quite the same as it might have been back home, but it's a steady routine that she enjoys. Today she's harvesting wood from the forest, cutting down trees with just a couple swings of an axe which certainly weighs more than she does.

The tree falls to the ground with a heavy crash. Then another. Her first project will likely be a cart to make moving them easier.]

Comments

[princeofjunes]

[Yosuke hadn't planned on spending much time in the forest - the meadow was always more his speed, really - but the giant CRASH off in the distance is enough to catch his attention. Curiosity outweighing his danger sense, he follows the noise to the sight of an itty bitty girl with a giant-ass axe felling trees like they're nothing]

[Welp]

[Sure is twice in one week he's seen a petite girl with a giant axe]

[He can't help but approach this one as well, removing his headphones as he does]

I'd ask if you need a hand, but... seems like you're doing pretty well over here!

[suppress]

[Presea blinks, as though it were perfectly normal for a girl her size to be felling trees.]

I do not believe so. [She considers for a moment, staring at the tree. She could probably just drag it, but it's a bit harder here...] However, I may need assistance when it comes time to move it. Are you a lumberjack as well?

[He doesn't look like one, but hey, neither does she.]

[princeofjunes]

[He's not certain he'll be the best choice for tree moving, but then he's also not exactly one to say no to a girl, so he goes and sits on the downed tree trunk until he's needed, chuckling a little at her odd question]

No, I'm just a student, but I don't mind giving you a hand moving them around.

I gotta say though, I never would have pictured someone like you as a lumberjack. Where'd you learn to swing an axe like that?

[suppress]

[Presea looks around to ensure the area is clear before taking a seat next to him. She carefully leans her axe against the trunk.]

My daddy was a lumberjack, so I was able to learn from him. [She places her hand over her chest, looking a touch melancholy.] When I was little I had hoped to take over for him when he grew sick.

[princeofjunes]

[And now he feels a little guilty for asking - he didn't expect it to be a sore subject. In true Yosuke fashion, he scrambles to find something to change the subject to]

Well that explains where you learned, but it doesn't explain how you can swing it around like it's nothing! You don't even look like you have the muscles to lift that thing, let alone use it so easily!

[suppress]

Oh...that.

[It's not the first time it's been brought to her attention. It's still a touchy subject, but one she's begun to come to terms with. She touches the red jewel on her collarbone.]

Yes, you're right. I'm only able to wield it so easily because of my Exsphere. I've had it since I was a little girl. [It's hard to remember a time when she didn't have it, really...how hard would it be to lift an axe this size?] I might not be able to lift it otherwise.

[princeofjunes]

[Something gives Yosuke the feeling he's 0-2 in the sensitive subject department, and he's not sure what to do from here. On the one hand, he really wants to know what the Exsphere thing is all about! But on the other hand... he really doesn't want to be a douche to the girl who can wield that axe like it's nothing]

[In the end, not wanting to be a jerk wins out, and it's apology time]

Crap, I'm sorry... I wasn't trying to be a jerk or anything, I was just curious! You don't have to talk about it, it's alright.

[suppress]

[Presea blinks, cocking her head. His concern seems to be a bit of an unexpected surprise. After a moment though she chuckles lightly, a small smile gracing her face.]

Thank you for your concern, but it's alright. I don't want to forget the things that happened to me.

[princeofjunes]

So... you won't get mad if I ask what an exsphere is? I mean I guess it's that red thing, but I've never heard of one before. But really, you don't have to answer!

[Even with her laughing and smiling (he's pretty sure), he still feels like a bit of a jerk. ... and of course he asked anyway, so he's really more than a bit of a jerk]

[suppress]

As long as a person wears one, it will enhance their abilities beyond their maximum potential. They are also used to power machines.

[She seems to consider whether or not to stop there for a second, before continuing. It's always better for a person to know the truth,]

It's also a lifeless being. It attaches onto someone and tries fuse with them to try and cure it's loneliness, but when the two fuse and become one it finds itself alone again.

[Just like her.]

[thelordsage]

[Sephiran would visit the floor six forest every once in a while for a small dose of nature that his hand wouldn't pass through. However, the aggressiveness of the animals would quickly remind him that the floor was as dangerous as any other. He watched Presea cut down the second tree and temporarily decided to suspend his disbelief that a little girl was cutting down trees with a huge axe.]

Careful, child. The animals here... they can be very territorial.

[suppress]

Animals?

[A frown tugs at her lips. It is simple luck that has kept her from running into them thus far.]

Are you referring to the Tower's monsters?

[thelordsage]

Not just the tower's monsters, but the animals on this floor as well. I've gotten into minor scuffles with a few of them.

[Which, for someone who relies on magic, isn't good.]

[suppress]

[Growing up in a forest, she's familiar with most of the more common forest critters--birds, deer, rabbits, but none of those things should be dangerous.]

It is unusual for forest creatures to attack humans. Are you referring to predatory animals?

[Although even then, they will only very rarely approach humans, preferring to prey on smaller game.]

[thelordsage]

[Sephiran knows quite a bit about forest life as well... though Sephiran's forest is probably different from Presea's.]

It is unusual indeed... but the animals themselves aren't quite usual, if you look closely. Some of them seem a bit strange, like there's... some distortion to their bodies.

[suppress]

[...ah. She thinks she understands.]

I see. Then they've modified the wildlife...the monsters here seem strange as well.

[worldend_dominator]

[Rosa, who had been reclining behind a tree, almost jumps as she hears a noise nearby. Slowly, cautiously, she pokes her head out from behind the tree.]

Did you...chop that down?

[suppress]

[It's a subtle change to her otherwise blank expression, but there's a subdued kind of confusion upon hearing Rosa's question. Is there a problem? She cocks her head slightly to one side after giving a small nod.]

...Yes.

[worldend_dominator]

...That is...some feat of strength!

[She should be less surprised, given the things that happen in the Tower, but she has yet to see an axe this big.]

[suppress]

[She cracks a smile at that.]

Mm. I've been doing it since I was little, but...it took awhile for me to get used to it.

[worldend_dominator]

Was it some sort of family business?

[That would make more sense, at least.]

[fuhgeddaboudit]

Woooooah!

[Labrys applauded that, her own axe folded and fixed to her back like bladed wings.]

You're real good with that!