39th page

[caverncity]

So far, so good. No one physically assaulted anybody in the last post, and there weren't any weird cave monsters or goblins, not even a nosy muppet or two. But the further into the mountain, the darker it's getting, without any of those nice windows being carved out for you.

[ mission: do not get lost. seriously guys. guys, seriously. ]

Comments

[frogface]

Miner's superstitions, perhaps?

[bops statue on the nose]

Working all day worrying about the place coming down at any minute, you'd pray to just about anything to keep yourself sane and give you a pitiful grip of control.

[caverncity]

My nose.

[frogface]

[SCREAMS

[SCREAMING]

[OH MY GOD]

[southpole]

[SHE WAS ABOUT TO JUST LIKE GINGERLY KICK ONE HOLY SHIT

skitters backwards and manages to hold back on throwing a bunch of fire at it]

How'd you do that?!

[caverncity]

[ rubs at his nose with a hand that may have four fingers instead of five. hard to tell in this light. ]

Do what.

[southpole]

YOU'RE ALIVE. HOW DID YOU DO THAT?

[frogface]

[i mean]

[what]

[butgrandma]

Owen what did you do!

[I TOLD YOU THEY CREEP ME OUT LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED]

[frogface]

I ONLY BLOODY TOUCHED IT!!

[is this a satoshi moment]

[caverncity]

[ harumphs a little. doesn't seem very upset by being bopped or screamed at, though. a bit groggy like he just woke. ]

Of course I'm alive. And unharmed, thank you for asking.

[southpole]

Statues don't just come to life!

[unless they're. spirit statues? omg.]

[butgrandma]

[

leans in and sniffs]

You're not a statue, are you?

[caverncity]

Not yet, no.

[ does a stretch to crack his stiff back a bit. ]

I feel I almost had it that time, though.

[pareidoll]

[gosh ruby you shouldn't just go leaning in and sniffing people.]

Practice makes perfect, yeah?

[doesn't seem hostile yet]

[shut up hook, i can always assume hook would say something stupid and threatening to her leadership]

Afraid we haven't caught your name...

[caverncity]

[ shakes his head.

orange puffballs wobble around. ]

I've already committed it to the mountain, I'm afraid.

[southpole]

Why do you want to be a statue?

[caverncity]

[ belly chuckle. sounds a little like rocks rolling one over another. ]

Why wouldn't you want to be a statue?

[butgrandma]

[you are insane. but at least not violently so]

[slowly takes claras arm to lead her away]

We're very sorry to disturb your- hardening.

[pareidoll]

Sounds a bit dull, honestly... Sitting in the dark all the time. What if you got an itchy nose?

[pareidoll]

[slowly lead away...]

[caverncity]

Oop. Oooh, oof. Oooer.

That way. Oom.

[southpole]

How do you even become a statue? Do you just stand here all day? Do you know the right way through the mountain?

[tell me your secrets]

[pareidoll]

[puts the breaks on ruby. let's hear if he can tell us where to go first]

[butgrandma]

I don't think he's very interested in conversation, Korra...

[hes grunting at us]
[fellowship pls]

[caverncity]

You're not ready, oh, no not ready at all to know. No, no miss. Altogether far too much in a hurry. Way through? Through to what. What indeed. Ought to ask yourselves these questions a time or two, slow down a while to have a think before hurrying to "through."

[ creaks himself back up onto his little stoop in the alcove. ]

You'll go whichever way the mountain wants you to go, I suspect. But if it's hearing answers you prefer to asking questions, there'll be some of that down the far tunnel.

[ wobbles four-fingered hand toward the left. ]