[FELID_FACTOR]

[skinstealer]

5/8/316- Wispy

---

 
These bus trips are always a bumpy ride, and this one is no different. Wispy slumps down in her seat, the memory type jostled violently from side to side as the vehicle hit what she presumed was a pothole or something. Usually Hearth had better infrastructure than this, but it was just her luck that she got a bus going in on one of the rougher roads. Most of the people here probably didn’t notice one way or the other, but as a smaller traveller, she feels every jolt. At least her seat’s closer to the front… 

She takes out her battered laptop from her backpack’s front pocket, fiddling with the wifi dongle on the side and praying that the massive, zone sized city’s connection reaches from here. Sure enough, she’s able to log on- thank god for Hearth. No other place lets you browse in the middle of nowhere this easily, usually she has to stumble around looking for a place that actually gets signal...but here, the marvels of modern technology abound. 

Her browser’s open to where it was before, in the middle of a story. It’s new, but the author seems really passionate about it, and already has three chapters up in eight days. Wispy can’t help but admire that- and while it’s not, like, the best story, it’s not bad either. Probably the author’s first piece, almost definitely was, but she was kind of getting into it. 

“...Bunsen swung his sword, teeth clenched...he was hardened in the flames of combat for years now, but nothing compared to this fight. Nothing could have prepared him for his showdown with this terror, this mighty beast that had slain his entire village. The knight was more than ready to take down the baest who had wronged him more than anyone else in the whole world...but it was not to be. The sword clanged against the terrors scales uselessly, nothing! He got nothing out of his swing! He stared in horror as the terror lunged, claws outstretched
 

The bus hit another pothole, and Wispy almost lost her grip on her laptop, cussing. Goddamnit. Just when it was getting good. She waits for the ride to ease up before finding her place again, getting immersed back into the story.

claws outstretched. He does the only thign he can think of, flames bursting from his hands, the scraps he pulled from burning with the same anger that he felt towards the baest. He feels the terror fall back but he does not stop, pushing forward and burning, burning, burning. He feels the need to burn this terror to a crisp!

But there’s the tiniest shred of...what is it?

Remorse?”
 

Agh...the chapter stops there. Wispy groans, left on another cliffhanger. This author keeps doing that, and it’s going to just about kill her. It may not be the most well written thing in the world, but she can’t deny it, she’s attached to this guy. There’s something about a knight who lost it all that resonates...in ways that she doesn’t really want to think too hard about. 

She’s just been a casual reader this whole time, but screw it, time to give this author some feedback. They’ve earned it.  

 
She adds a like for good measure, glancing out the window as the bus rolls to a stop. Perfect timing, she guesses.

The bus stop is pretty much empty, with not many other travellers getting off here. Looks like most people were on their way deeper into the city, but the nearest TCP shelter’s closest to this one. She adjusts her backpack over her shoulder before approaching the front desk, only to swerve as soon as she notices the rack of postcards beside it. No way she was going to avoid getting these. One for Tansy, one for Lily, same as always. She still had stamps from the last time she picked stuff up, so that should be fine…

The frog type at the counter looks bored, but she can’t fault him much. Place is completely dead. 

WISPY: Hi, can I pick these up?
????: Just these?
WISPY: Yeah, if that’s alright…
WISPY: Oh, and directions to the nearby shelter.
????: What, Charity Homestead?
WISPY: That’s the one, I think.
????: You visiting, or need a place to crash?
WISPY: Haha...the latter.
????: I see a couple of people like you a month...my sympathies.
????: Two cash.
 

Wispy shuffles uncomfortably as she gets the bills out, handing them over. She hates being pitied whenever she asks for directions- being without a place to live is incredibly common for TCPs, and yet here she is, getting shit for it again. 

????: That’ll do it.
????: The Homestead’s a few blocks away, you’re gonna be walking for a good bit.
????: There’s a TCP-safe path though, just go left from the station and follow the signs. 
????: Stay safe out there.
WISPY: Will do!
 

She forces a friendly wave and pockets the cards, turning to leave as quickly as possible. God, she hates dealing with people like this. The sooner she can get out of here, the better. 

The shelter bed isn’t very comfortable, but these places rarely are. Wispy can’t think of a single time she’s ever felt like she’s living it up in one of these shelters, but them’s the breaks, she guesses. Even still, it’s nicer than spending a day and a half on a bus…She plugs in her laptop and prays that it looks busted enough that no one will try and take it, or that her typing will keep people away. Memory types might not be the most equipped for combat, but their abilities were definitely touted around as useful, and she was going to have to start peddling to make some cash soon enough. 

She sighs as the MessiRoom notifications come in- looks like Lily messaged her while she was away.

[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: are you in hearth yet?
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: i swear you’ve been on that bus for a week now.
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER] is online!
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: finally!
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Just got here, sorry that it took so long.
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: it’s fine, i just get worried when you’re away for so long.
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: you go on such long trips, and you never seem to settle down!
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: you may enjoy this vagabond lifestyle, but you worry your friends, you know!
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: I just need to find the right place, that’s all. 
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: well...i trust your judgment, and i do love seeing all of your nice pictures. 
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: you really stunned the forums with your last round of posts!
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: You think so?
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: i know it. you’re killing it!
 

She would have smiled if she could.

[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Thanks…
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: how’s the place you’re staying, anyway?
 

Wispy glances up at the shelter, seeing only tired and weary TCPs and rows of shoddy looking cots.

[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Oh, fine.
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Just your average hotel, I’ll be spending more time out and about seeing about temp jobs and taking pictures while I’m here.
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: I’m not staying long. You know how I am.
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: yes, yes, i know how the ever mysterious rambles is.
 

Another DM pops up, this one from...someone she doesn’t initially recognize.

[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Uh, hold on, I’m actually getting messaged by someone new.
[DELIGHTFUL_THINGS]: let me know if it’s one of my exes!

[KNIGHT_FAN]: Hi
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Hi?
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Thank you for reading my story
 

Oh. Oh!

It sinks in quickly, Wispy almost starting to laugh. 

[KNIGHT_FAN]: And liking it
[KNIGHT_FAN]: And leaving a comment
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Oh, it’s no problem! I really liked it, I’m excited to see more.
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Really?
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Yeah, really! You’re doing a great job.
 

I wonder how old they are… they talk like they’ve barely used the internet before.

[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: I have to know though- is this your first story?
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Yes
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Well
[KNIGHT_FAN]: No
[KNIGHT_FAN]: I’ve written a lot of stories but I wasn’t allowed to share them
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Or write them in the first place
[KNIGHT_FAN]: So it means a lot that someone likes them aside from Darling
[KNIGHT_FAN]: I mean Ram
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Its my roommate
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Wait Im not supposed to tell you that
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Uh...it’s okay, I won’t tell anybody. 
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Sorry if this is presuming a bit, but like, are you new? Like, newly spawned?
[KNIGHT_FAN]: No
[KNIGHT_FAN]: I just wasn’t allowed to use the internet ever
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Im still not but Ram is helping me be covert about it
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Am I bad at it
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Being online I mean
 

Shit.
 

Wispy feels a twinge in the back of her mind, which she desperately tries to push away. This one’s got issues at home and she can just feel it, but there’s nothing she can do. There’s nothing she can do about it.

[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Well, no. I’m just used to people being a bit more…I don’t know, discrete? 
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Oh
[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: You didn’t do anything wrong! I’m just…
 

Don’t do it. 

Don’t open the can of worms.
Don’t, you don’t know this person, you have enough on your plate-

[WAYWARD_RAMBLER]: Is everything, like...okay?
[KNIGHT_FAN]: I mean
[KNIGHT_FAN]: It does get a little scary here sometimes
[KNIGHT_FAN]: But writing my stories helps and Im glad you like them
[KNIGHT_FAN]: It makes it feel less awful
[KNIGHT_FAN]: Like it wont hurt as much when I get eaten
 

Why the fuck did you ask, why did you get involved-
 

As she tries to process that gut punch, the messages keep coming, the writer TCP clearly oversharing now that the floodgates are open. But there’s one thought that’s clear to Wispy, something that rings true, the thing that drew her to this TCP’s stories in the first place, even with their quality being lower than she’d usually go for. 

 

Because they’re just like me.