Peligro

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

 

Nacho: Before you go in…

Javi: Yeah?

Nacho: So…

Nacho: You’re probably gonna feel a little weird about this. Be gentle when you approach.

Frida: Don’t like how you’re wording that, gonna need you to be more clear.

Nacho: Just… don’t freak out when you see things go on. Made a bit of a call in the moment.

Javi: What kind of call?

Nacho: Just..

They shake their head and crack open the door, stepping in ahead.

Nacho: One at a time.

You follow behind slowly, Frida last in line to walk in.

You peek your head inside.

A construct with long ears and horns gives you a somewhat startled gaze, recognizing you clear as day.

???: You!

Javi: Me..?

???: You ran off during the lockdown! What were you even thinking..?

Javi: You’re the librarian..?

???: Not anymore, not like this..

???: What were you even doing? You’re always going through the wood, freaks people out.

???: Kind of insane you’ve never gotten beat down by a watchman, no offense?

???: Just.. I dunno.

???: Got a message to lockdown for anyone who can’t drive straight home, wanted to let you know since you always shortcut through all the trees, and well..

???: Got really unlucky…

Javi: I’m sorry..

???: Not your fault, still a little mad at you but..

???: I just don’t get you.

???: What’s out there exactly?

Javi: Parking.

???:... Parking?

Javi: There’s a parking spot around the corner but it’s a walk if you take the main road.

Javi: Cutting through woods is easy. Long as you’re not being loud along the way, Watchmen won’t get curious.

???: That’s… okay.

???: Give me a sec to process, having a bit of a day?

Javi: Same really..

You look over at Nacho and give them a bit of a glare.

Nacho: It’s a temporary situation, we'll set her up with something better when the chance shows up.

Nacho: Til then, a familiar’s body is perfectly good with just a few touches.

???: How long is this going to be?

Nacho: Depends how this night goes honestly.

Nacho: Hopefully won’t have to do this for too many others though.

???: Wish you waited..

Nacho: Your soul got rooted by one of the watchmen. There’s only so much time before negative effects kick in, you know?

Nacho: Wait too long and you’re basically a blank slate.

Nacho: When a watchman takes you out like that, your original body gets too infested to just try and put you back. What happens after well.. Varies really. Sometimes you become more moss, sometimes it decides to replace you, and if you’re really unlucky it just becomes another watchman.

Nacho: Really what they all are at the end of the day. Bunch of lost people in the woods who got unlucky, soil is cursed.

???: Ah…

Nacho: I’m making good on my word though, no worries. Til then just stick with us. Or stay here? Guess I gotta ask uh.. Chick?

Javi: Chickpea.

Nacho: Yeah. Sure he’ll get it. Seems like the type?

Javi: Yeah..

???: I wanna stick with you, make sure you’re not going to dupe me here.

Nacho: I got a couple of folks keeping me in check, no worries.

Frida: Yeah about that, who are you really?

Nacho: Me? Just a passerby doing a bit of research around here.

Frida: Mean, it’s clear as day you’re a witch.

Nacho: Maybe. So’s Javi technically.

???: Witch?

Nacho: Magical expert, that sort of thing.

???: That’s real…? Like the old legends?

Nacho: Not a legend, not that old.

Frida: Choice of words.

Nacho: What’s your point?

Frida:... Javi, you know the stories right? You and Chickpea talked about a protector?

Javi: Yeah why- Oh.

Javi: Oh my god, okay yeah no.

Javi: Kinda expected someone more… wrinkly..

Nacho: Never said I was anything.

Frida: Rubs me wrong that you managed to find us by pure chance, no offense?

Frida: Feel like if this town’s supernatural activities are being watched over by someone, an entity walking around would be a big thing.

Frida: Timing just.. Feels too specific.

Frida: Same with finding and scooping up a dead familiar along the road, especially since you got one driving your car.

Frida: So?

Nacho:...Really bad at covering my tracks today.

Nacho: Yeah. So what?

Javi: Why didn’t you say anything?

Frida: Why aren’t you old?

???: An immortal…

Nacho: I like to lay low, because I’m not, and not really.

Nacho: You want the truth? I kind ended up here by accident. Massively time displaced, happens.

Nacho: Could’ve left but I’m a bit of a relic hunter on the side, bit of a personal interest you know?

Frida: Ah, one of those.

Javi: That a thing?

Frida: Yeah, hate these assholes. Collecting all sorts of abandoned magical artifacts and hoarding them. Always kind of a bad idea.

Nacho: I’m preserving them, lots of witches deserve to have their work protected.

Nacho: You let it all go to loss and what’s left of them in this world is truly gone.

Nacho: Not about that.

Nacho: Especially not in a place like this. Something huge is sealed around here, whole reason this entire place has been cursed for centuries.

Nacho: I just pop in and out when I’m able to.

Nacho: Right now it’s getting worse, gotta find the source before things go to shit, you know?

Nacho: But… I got time to drop the two of you off somewhere else. For the best really, don’t want to be here when it all goes down.

Frida: What exactly?

Nacho: Don’t know, it’s got an influence on the whole town though. Might have taken a few hosts too.

Nacho: Only thing keeping it down is from what I’ve gathered, some sort of “holy weapon”.

Nacho: Ultima class piece, that sort of thing.



Nacho: Some weapons are genuine masterpieces like that, the kind that have a piece of the soul who held them still inside. Keep a few of my own, they’re fascinating really… glances into a time long gone.

Nacho: Sometimes the things people used to make are so intense, it’s like magic even many years later. That sort of thing, you know?

Nacho: But uh.. I dunno.

Nacho: I’d tell you more but think you two would rather be out of here.

Javi:.. Nah. I wanna know.

Nacho: You sure? Might not feel good about leaving after.

Nacho: Sometimes you’re better off without forbidden knowledge.

Javi: If this is gonna hurt the people I care about? I wanna know.

Frida: I’ve gotta protect them til this whole thing gets resolved so… yeah.  That means I’m in on this too.

???: I’m gonna be stuck with you til you fix me and uh…

???: What’s my name actually?

Nacho: Locked for now, it’s a security measure.

???: For?

Nacho: If I tell you your true name right away, might cause problems with the spell keeping you alive.

Nacho: Pick something cute til then, something you.

???: Fuck okay uh..

???: Go ahead and tell the story? I’ll have something by the end.


Nacho: You got it. Get seated then, gonna be a lot to take in.