another part of my liminal series.

As usual whenever it finds a captive audience to listen, Ink is talking.

"So, the guy asks you if you'll give him your name. And obviously you think this is just some introduction thing so you tell him your name, all that jazz. And all of a sudden you don't got a name anymore. Cuz you GAVE IT TO THE GUY. Cuz the guy is the FAE and he TRICKED YOU WITH FUNKY WORDING. And that's why I thought-"

Its monologue is cut short and it stops dead.

"Oh hey, Iris. I think I may have found a solution to the sun blinding you."

It pointed ahead into the trees.

Iris: hm, reminds me of the sea weed... *they walk under the trees.*

“Kinda. We have land versions of kelp forests like this where I’m from. Tree forests!”

It was definitely a welcome change of pace from the endless sun and empty fields. Perhaps Ink liked forests like this once.

Iris: better than looking at the giant ball of fire up there. *they chuckle.*

"Oh for sure." It snickered. "Love the sun but this is definitely an improvement."

Iris: So... I doubt your lab is here in this forest.

"You never know. This would be one heck of a place to hide it." Ink peered through the trees.

Iris: I mean it is unbearable up here, so good place I guess.... *they scratch at their gills.*

"It's not so bad if you acually live up here."

Okay well the road itself kinda sucks.

"On land, I mean. But, well, obviously..."

Iris: I'm sure if I was able to die in this realm being up here would kill me..... *they keep scratching.*

"I guess that tracks." It snorted.

It looked up at them, head tilting. "You alright there? You're uh..." It vaguely gestured, sort of dancing around it. Just in case.
~We are NOT having a repeat of the tail thing.~

Iris: no problem, we all got skeletons somewhere, otherwise how else would we walk forward?

It snickered. "Good point, heheh! Eh, speakin' of." It faced forward again. "We... probably ought to get out of here soon, huh. For your sake."

~Not because REALLY I don't need any more identity crises or anything.~

Iris: . . . really though. whatever happens, you're a good person. *they begin to walk.*
(subtle forshadowing.)

Ink smiled warmly. "I'm trying my best to be." It followed after them.

Iris: ..... *as they walk they keep their lure on, exposing how the trees look warped and rotten.*

"...Y'know all things considered, this place does look kinda cool." It looked up at them. "If the light gets too tiring to keep up, you don't have to."

Iris: you sure? that freak could show up again.

"If it does, I can handle it. I mean, I never even got its name." Horrible as that thing was, it still felt rude not to ask, should it come back.

"Besides, you're going through enough pain just being here with the pollen and all."

Iris: *they sigh as their lure flickers before going dim.*

Ink smiles at them. "We're gonna be okay, promise." It carries on walking, gesturing for Iris to follow.

???: hm... you either forgot who you are, or you're one of IT'S variants...

It looked offended. "I'm nobody's 'variant'! And I know who I am!"

???: everything is a variant to a degree my dear. the wind is but a variant of the air, I but a variant of the shadows, you? the variant of someone VERY cruel.

"I'm NOT cruel." Its hands bunched up. "I don't... think I am. I don't try to be."

???: then you must be a variant... but that makes me wonder...

"Wonder WHAT?" I'm not-!" It huffed. Whatever it planned to say, it gave up on it.

???: well-
Iris: yeah... no. *they step into the shadow, using the lure on their head to force it to vanish.* you okay?

It reached after the vanishing shadow for a moment before reeling its hand back in. It just stared ahead at where the figure used to be.

"I... I don't know."

It looked up at them.

Iris: ..... listen. you're you. who cares if someone out there has a similar body, or name? hell, even IF they were you in the past.... it's not you anymore. you're a good person.

Ink nods.

"...I kinda... built myself from the ground up, y'know. I remember that much about myself, I picked my own name. Whoever I was before died before I got here. It doesn't get to take that from me."

It let is shoulders fall slack.

"Thank you."

???: the puppeteer herself, fate, a cruel and confusing mistress. also, who labeled you not an anomaly?

"Well, I AM human; I know, I'm as surprised as you are." It announced. "I guess nobody really labeled me NOT an anomaly, but nobody labeled me as one either, least not as far as I know. I'm... by technicality the overseer of the lab back that way." It pointed behind it.

???: hm, I see.... well "not anomaly", what is your name?

"Promise you're not gonna hold onto it and use it when I die to lure in unsuspecting travelers such as myself to maybe or maybe not eat?" It blinked hopefully.

???: wow, you encountered him and lived eh?

"Yeah, I get that a lot." It beamed. "Anyway, I'm just gonna assume that's a yes on the promise. I'm Ink."

???: Hm, nice name... reminds me of someone...

"Who?" It leaned in.

???: . . . *they look closer at ink, their chesire grin turning upside down.* my my, didn't expect YOU to be back... although you seem to not know who you are?

Ink blinked for a second, eyes swirling with confusion.

"Huh? What do you mean? I've... never been here, dude." It backed away, looking back at Iris with an expression that read 'I have no clue what this guy is talking about'.

(it's alright lol)
???: *a cheshire grin appears below the eyes.* well, you could consider me a friend, little puppet.

"Puppet?" It tilted its whole body.

???: well, we all are puppets... I'm just more aware of it.
Iris: I'm no one's puppet.

"Whatever you say, 'friend'." It grins.

???: so, what brings you this NECK of the woods? *it chuckles as a clawed hand extends from the shadow with part of a spine.*

It snorts. "Well, just... looking for a lab and this is the only way to go, so..."

???: there are many labs... but I have the feeling I know which one you wish to visit.

"Just the closest one." It smiled awkwardly.

???: oh, you're seeking HER out eh? and are you sure... it wouldn't kill YOU? I mean, if you've made it this far, can you be considered not an anomaly?

“I haven’t been labeled one.”

It glanced anxiously back at Iris for a moment.

~They’ll be fine. Surely they’ll be fine.~

“Who is… ‘her’? That’s not- grammatically… whatever!”

*still nothing.*
Iris: do you think it's these trees?

"I don't know." It replied as if still talking into the device, thoroughly distressed. "But..."

~What if it isn't and something happened to them?~

Iris: hey... we can't exactly die, and neither can they. they're fine, I doubt shadows got them. *They give ink a reassuring smile.*

"Yeah." It took a deep breath and does its best to smile back. "Right."

~A dark room can't kill a whole building and Trav's not stupid. And Ron is a hundred pieces so what's he gonna do?~

"Probably the trees then. And if that's the case then for both our sakes we probably gotta get out of here as quick as possible."

Iris: gladly. *they keep walking.*

Ink trails after them, crossing its bony fingers and (less bony) toes as tight as it could.

Iris: god this place sucks.... *they tug at the cloth around their neck.*
???: well I for one disagree. *a pair of eyes can be seen from a hidden spot, most likely being the shadows.*

Ink swivels right around to face the eyes. “Aaaand today’s Organism of the Day finally shows up!” It announced.

???: glad to be formally on time.
Iris: . . . god whoever you are, you reek.

(OH MY GOD DID I JUST NEVER REPLY I AM SO SORRY)

"Be nice!" It nudged Iris with an elbow. "Who are you?" It blinked up at the eyes.

Hatsune miku: po pi Po.
Iris: Hatsune MIKU-?
(just kidding.)

AKSKDJCJJDNCJXJ))

Iris: I really hope not, it's already unbearable up here.

It nodded, staring ahead.

~Maybe I shouldn’t have brought her up here…~

It should’ve expected she’d be uncomfortable on land. It wasn’t surprised at all. It just felt guilty if anything, putting her through this.

It jolted suddenly.

~That guard machine outside one of the labs. The one that kills entities. Iris isn’t an entity but… if that thing thinks she is…~

Its expression betrayed its newfound terror.

~Can I talk a machine out of doing its job? Am I just bringing her along to die?~

Did it dare say anything about it to her? It didn’t look at her. It kept its swirling eyes pointed straight ahead.

~What the f**k was I thinking?!~

“Sorry.” Was all it managed to mewl.

Iris: is... something on your mind? *Iris seemed to have noticed Ink's internal freak out.*

"NOPE!" Ink replied far too quickly.

Iris: . . . you sure?

"I'm always sure!" It reassured in the least reassuring tone possible.

Iris: . . . . . . *they side eye ink.*

“I-…” It can’t meet her gaze. “Seriously, it’s nothing. I was just…” it straightened up, “wondering how things were going back at the other lab, the one I came from? Aha, speaking of, I could just-“

~Incredible dodge!~
It reached for the comms device.

“Hi guys! How are *you* guys doing?” Okay dude, no need to be THAT loud.

*Nothing but static comes from the comms.*

“Guyyyyys?” It drawled. “You there?”

~Shit…~

Iris: f**king... hell.... *they keep scratching their gills, eventually they draw blood.* go***amn it... *they tear off one of their sleeves and wraps it around their neck.*

Ink straightened up, stiff with sudden panic. "What's wrong? What's going on?" It may as well have been fluffed up like a cat.

Iris: I'm fine... it's just SO annoying. *they cough slightly.*

“What is?” Its fingers twitched anxiously.

Iris: something in the air. it's so itchy... *Ink can faintly see pollen in the air.*

"Oh. Oh I get it!" It jumped. "I think you got allergies, dude!"

Iris: I hate it.

"Unnnnfortunately I don't see any way to deal with it... It's kind of in the air." It looked away. "I mean even if I did I dunno if it would work with gills anyway. As far as I can tell our best course of action is probably just keeping ourselves moving until the trees clear up or we find something." It shrugged, drooping a bit in shame. "Sorry I can't help much more than that."

Iris: it's fine... not like you're the one putting the stuff in the air. *they go back to walking.*

Ink follows after them, watching the trees curiously. "You think those shadow guys hang out here when it's still day? I mean, it's one of the only places outside with any shade." It mused out loud.