droptheious | Deerington inbox

Deerington inbox

FROM:

SUBJECT:

	FERN	Ooo slang part the second
	FERN	i think we just shared electrons, because i'm feeling a covalent bond between us
	LANCE	Pidge, I need your help. I gotta send a meme to Chloe but ...
	DIPPER	Hey Varian. You know those crazy alchemy bombs you used...
	PETER	Hey Varian, this is Peter. Um, Peter Graham.
	USAGI	Soooooooo~ How'd the date go?
	MAKO	Varian— Checking in.
	SHIRO	i think one of us put a chicken patty in my toaster
	EDDIE	Hey. We need to talk.
	MELIUS	𝐻𝒾. 𝐼 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒾𝓉 𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈 𝓌𝑒𝒾𝓇𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒾𝓉 𝒾𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓇𝓉
	EDA	Hey, kid. I... owe you an apology.
	LUZ	Valentines
	MAUL	I have a proposition for a project I think you'll be interested in
	USAGI	I LOVE YOU
	FERN	DUDE you still have your bandana!
	BUZZ	Morning. I heard from Fern you wanted to go out into the blizzard.
	FERN	dude your profile changed
	USAGI	Ruby told me about the breakup.
	GLITCH	Varian, I'm gonna go live somewhere else for now
	MAKO	A "nerd" is somebody smart...
	MAUL	Gifts
	FERN	heeyyyy quick question
	FERN	Christmas is coming up!!!
	CHLOE	god who the FUCK ever thought emojis were a good idea???
	KRISTOFF	Varian,It's getting colder so I thought you could use this
	FERN	heyyyy Variable
	RAPUNZEL	okay not to put you on the spot but...
	EDA	Potion time
	NEO	Dude, I can mine antidote shit here!
	GLITCH	Got this in my basket.
	EDA	hey smart kid
	TEN	Hallo
	ADAM	Hey, k-- uh, Varian. I just wanted to check in
	USAGI	I'm sorry I worried you and fainted on you yesterday.
	AMARA	i lived, bitch
	NEO	Debatably good news, asshole
	USAGI	Hey Varian! It's Usagi
	OSCAR	I'm sorry, Varian. Tell me what you need
	FERN	a dark past huh
	MAUL	Varian. I am in great need of your assistance
	FERN	Varian VARIAN I CAN EAT FOOD
	USAGI	How much moon essence do you have?
	USAGI	VIVI-KUN, VIVI-KUN GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT!
	RICHIE	well I promised
	FERN	A TOTALLY INCOMPLETE LIST OF OOO WORDS 'N SLANG
	GLITCH	VARIAN ARE THERE BUGS IN THE WATER?!
	USAGI	To help with restless nights and the...
	VIRA-LORR	Little alchemist. I have a gift for you.
	MARTIN	Hi, Varian. This is Martin. I wanted to reach out...
	USAGI	Hi Varian, sweetie! I have a question for you.
	GLITCH	varian I need to talk to you. it's important.
	USAGI	I need you not to panic after what I tell you.
	FERN	dog you have so many vests
	IRONHIDE	HONK HONK
	USAGI	... I'm sorry I couldn't help you better, Varian
	EMERALD	Hey, V. Not that I care that much or anything...
	FERN	tell me when you're alive
	FERN	Varian i stabbed two people
	AMARA	hey weirdo i have something for you
	FERN	is the Rapunzel in town your Rapunzel?
	PENNY	Salutations!! You do not know me, but my name is Penny Polendina
	YANG	Hey, is this Varian? I think we've met once before.
	FERN	hey can we talk
	FERN	you told ruby
	MAUL	Surviving another year is always an occasion worth celebrating
	USAGI	Hey I wanted to apologise
	USAGI	VARIAN-KUUUUNNN!!!!
	FERN	birth
	MAUL	Look what just arrived for me.
	KATHERINE	Do you want to get paid to make more purple goo things?
	FERN	ok i know you're good with plants but what about animals
	FERN	dog interested in means girls or guys

TO:

SUBJECT:

	USAGI	So. Maul dropped by, he's got his memories back.
	ADAM	I'm worried about Shiro
	FERN	Hey handsome
	OSCAR	You've been weirdly quiet lately
	FERN	Guess what I haven't told you lately?
	USAGI	Hey. I'm back from the dead and I feel like trash.
	FERN	I made meatloaf that may or may not poison us!
	Emerald	Hey. I know you probably don't want to talk to anyone right now...
	BELLA	Hey Bella. You've dated someone who's a different species to you right?
	BILL	Hi, Fern mentioned you were interested in interdimensional portals...
	FERN	Aw, your pictures are nice!
	KURT	Hey. Are you around?
	RICHIE	Is it just me or is Eddie acting weirder than usual?
	QROW	Hey. Checking up on you.
	EDA	Hi Eda. Hope Ruddiger found you okay.
	GLITCH	Hey. What happened between you and Maul?
	LUNA	Luna- I uh... I think I need your help
	EDDIE	So hey, I finally worked out how to replicate the Antidote
	OSCAR	So, I noticed Ozpin has shown up.
	ROGUE	Hey, I managed to replicate the Antidote
	KURT	Hey. We're back. None of us are dead.
	QROW	Uh... hey. How are you guys holding up?
	PETER	You gave Ruby the haunted dolls
	GLITCH	Hey, Bud. Sorry I tried to murder you with a robot
	KURT	I'm probably the last person you want to talk to...
	JON	I'm sorry I attacked you
	JON	Stay away from Fern.
	FERN	Hey you still haven't got me those baking ingredients
	FERN	Okay so the Betties are upping their war...
	USAGI	Hey. So. Update.
	NEO	You tried to bury her alive? SERIOUSLY?
	USAGI	Emotions are really difficult
	FERN	OH MY GOD YOU HAVE ONE TOO
	FERN	Okay this better be to Fern this time.
	WYNONNA	So guess who got into the fridge and ate literally everything in there.

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[Varian isn't aware of the sword, or Fern, immediately. His eyes are still wide, staring out at nothing, still trapped in the nightmare. He vaguely realises something isn't right, that he isn't there - but trying to crawl back to wakefulness isn't easy.

His breath catches a few more times until he feels Fern's hands on his shoulders. He blinks, his eyes clearing, his breathing still quick and uneven. He can't push words out yet, but he reaches out with one hand to grasp at Fern's arm- just to fee something solid and real there as he tries to even out his breathing. ]

[Oh, oh geez. Fern catches onto what's happening quick enough, having gone through this himself twice already. The nightmares have to be even worse than the flu symptoms, honestly, and he's a lot less prepared to deal with these.

He squeezes Varian's shoulders a little, worried, his mind racing to come up with something that will help.]

You were dreaming. It was only a dream.

[It takes him a few moments to get his breathing under control. Of course, once he does, it starts off a coughing fit which is... not ideal. It takes a few more moments for that to get under control before he heaves out a shaky sigh.]

Yup. This is the worst thing ever. Note to me: don't die again.

[Fern's going to keep his hold on Varian, at least until the other boy is done coughing and comfortable letting go of him.]

Too bad it's not that easy.

[He's such a downer, sorry.]

You, uh. You get a whole month of the nightmares.

[Varian is definitely not letting go yet, he's maintaining his death-grip on Fern's arm. ]

Great. Wonderful. Because I didn't get enough of those already.

[Okay, okay, this is fine. He's just going to awkwardly pull one hand away from Varian's shoulder and onto the hand that's currently doing the death-grip.]

Yeahhh, it's the worst. My mental vault and that candle I got in my basket got a workout when I died.

[Hurrah for coping mechanisms?]

[He appreciates the move, Fern, he really does. He lets out a soft hum. He remembers the candle. Good for easing mental stress, though that...backfired on them pretty badly when they used it together. ]

Y-yeah, I can see why those would be handy to fall back on.

[He lets out a shuddery breath, the death grip relaxing a little.]

They last a whole month?

[He frowns and gives a small nod. Not the answer anyone would want, but that's life in Deerington for you. It sucks and seeing Varian like this is crushing his metaphorical heart.]

... I didn't use up the whole candle, if you want to give it a try.

[He'll get it if he doesn't, but it did genuinely help him sleep after he had died.]

[The candle is not his favourite thing, but he's also not stupid. This... is not going to get any easier.]

...Are you sure? I don't want to use up something that might be important to your further down the road. We both know this place will make sure you'll need it one day.

Seems like it's important right now. I'd rather use it when I know it'll help than just let it sit around in case I need it one day.

[Varian is right, chances are he'll need it down the road, but the undefined future is a lot less important to him at the moment.]

It's back at the treehouse. I can go grab it.

You say that now, but you'll be cursing my name when you actually need it in the future.

[Still, he relents, heaving out a sigh.]

...Yeah, okay. If you're sure.

I'm sure enough that I even promise I'll keep my mouth shut if I regret it in the future.

[He's fairly sure that won't happen, though.

Giving Varian's hand a pat he extricates himself from his hold before getting to his feet.]

I'll be back before you know it.

[Geez, he really needs a car or a motorcycle or something. Maybe he can ask his blessings basket for Starchy's bike? Or Hot Daniel. Hot Daniel 2.0. That'd be nice.

.... Or maybe he could ask Max for a lift. He isn't sure if that would be weird, though. Jake gave him rides all the time back home, but Jake's his brother.

At any rate he'll make the second trip to the treehouse, again trying to go as quick as possible. He'll grab the mostly melted candle, as well as the Enchiridion and Billy's gem just in case, then book it back to Varian's. When he returns he dumps the book and gem on the couch and scoops up Hazel, then heads back upstairs.]

Okay, one weird deer candle that'll help with nightmares!

[Which he slams onto the nightstand, before carefully holding Hazel over it. The fire wolf pup wiggles and lights it easily, and Fern sets him on the ground so he can scurry off to go hunt Ruddiger. With the candle lit Varian's whole bedroom is going to be affected, so goodbye physical and mental anguish.]

[Despite everything, despite being sure Fern will regret this choice one day (even if he keeps quiet about it) Varian is glad for it. As much of a mess that the last candle made things, he does remember how calming it was. It's something he desperately needs- while everything feels like it's crashing down around his ears.

Max would have absolutely given him a lift. Fern missed out on a pretty epic horse ride. Next time. gadget. While Fern was away, Varian had gone back to his Fluid, checking things out- sending Ruddiger off with his messages to Ruby- reaching out to people he'd wronged. It was all very much emotionally taxing and seeing Fern arrive back does bring a smile to his face. As soon as Fern lights the candle, Varian can feel his shoulders relaxing- the weight he's been carrying sliding off. He didn't realise how tense he was, how much he'd been carrying until it was lifted. He sits back a little, closing his eyes just to... enjoy the moment of peace. ]

Okay, yeah. Fair. This is way better. [He opens one eye, regarding the Enchiridion and the gem. ] Hey, the portal book.

[Next time he is getting the most epic horse ride ever.

The candle's effects hits him too, and he instantly feels a lot more comfortable. Enough so that he just flops onto the bed next to Varian.

He knows this stupid candle can be incredibly dangerous, but after this month it just feels really, really nice to have a break from his own head.]

More reading material. Also this -

[He holds up Billy's gem, though it doesn't seem to do much... so he bangs on the book, and after a moment a beam comes out of the gem and hits the little shield in one corner of the cover. It opens up and from that spot comes a red hologram that immediately launches into some very multiversal talk.]

[Varian doesn't protest, at least. Perhaps, with how things are, he'd start to feel a touch awkward about it all- but while the candle burns, he's relaxed for the first time in... a while.

The hologram is fascinating, and he leans forward a little to peer at it- looking at it in wonder. He understands some of what is being said, and it's just like Fern said. Get the gems, the book becomes a portal. ]

This is amazing. We can definitely use this! If we can get the book to work and be able to create the right link to the right world, we could go anywhere!

[It's so nice to be excited about non-murdery science again, thank you for this gift, Fern.]

[Most of the technical talk flies right over Fern's head, so at least he has personal experience to go off of when it comes to using the Enchiridion. Even if said personal experience isn't all that pleasant....

Doesn't matter. Varian's excited, and having the genius science nerd excited can only mean good things in the success of this plan.]

Yeah. I've seen it in action, so it can't be that hard to do ourselves.

[It's a reassuring thought, honestly.]

It'll be great. No more being stuck in worlds where neither of us fit.

I'm pretty certain if we got the right equipment, we could do something with this.

[He hesitates- the candle at least takes away the biting, negative thoughts. It evens them out, flattens the anxiety spikes and the depression lows. Everything is... plateaued right now, and he's glad of it.

The thought of just running is tempting. He could go somewhere where no one knew who he was, what he did. But then Deerington had been this and look what happened there. There's no running - and he doesn't want to any more. It's lost its sheen. ]

I need to go back to Corona one day. If I don't work out that final incantation... I don't know. But I know I'm needed, and I need to fix the mess I've made there. And see my friends. My dad.

[He gave everything to get his dad back, he doesn't want to never see him again. But he has people here who mean so much to him. Friends who are practically family at this point - people he can't bear to lose. And then there's Ruby... and Fern. He sits back a little, watching the hologram and all the little worlds spinning around in it.]

You could always come to Corona, y'know. Rapunzel has a lot of Royal Guards, but she hasn't got a knight.

[Unlike Varian, Fern is positive there isn't much he can do back home to fix things. He isn't even sure he'd want to fix things, considering his feelings towards Finn haven't changed very much. Besides, people in Varian's world sound a little more forgiving than people in Ooo.

So he isn't exactly disappointed at Varian's response. He knows their situations are similar, but not the exact same, and the candle has him too chilled out to get overly emotional over it. Besides, it's hard to be disappointed when he's getting an offer like that.

It makes him pause and look down at the book thoughtfully. It's... heartwarming, honestly. If the candle wasn't burning he'd be freaking out about it, so there's a good chance he'll go do that later. Right now though, he just grins and little and rubs the back of his head.]

... Well, it's not like I got much going on back in Ooo. [Nnnope, just a whole lot of burned bridges he's gone and made in one fell swoop. It's impressive, really.]

Pretty sure if I'm not dead everyone's gonna want me executed. Or at least hate me for trying to kill Finn.

[Bonnibel definitely won't stand for it. Or Jake. BMO and NEPTR might be a little more forgiving, but there's no way he'd be allowed near either of them again.]

It might be kinda cool. Something to think about, huh?

[Corona is ceaselessly, infuriatingly forgiving. It's been both a source of comfort and angst for Varian through the last few months back home. When you can't forgive yourself for what you've done but everyone around you does, what are you supposed to do with that? He doesn't know.

He'd be lying if it wasn't something he'd thought about before- since he learned Fern was very likely dead back in Ooo. Why should he have to go back to being dead when the rest of them went home and lives their lives? It wasn't fair. The idea was nothing new to him, the candle just gave him the requisite courage to voice it.]

Yeah, no one will wanna kill you there. Corona is like, the forgiveness capital of the world, and bonus? The Princess literally has seventy foot of magical, indestructible hair and there's magic out there that turns people into freaking birds. Pretty sure after all that they wouldn't think twice about the plant thing.

[He reaches down to give Fern's hand a comforting pat with his own and promptly neglects to move it, partly thanks to the candle muddying his thought process, partly due to him focusing on the hologram again. ]

The trick is going to be making sure everyone keeps their memories intact. It's obvious leaving the dream erases them- so I need to work out what does that and stop it.

[Despite this being his own life Fern has been doing his best to try and not think too deeply at what may happen if he leaves Deerington. There was that weird man who was picking up the pieces of his body, but there's the distinct possibility that unlike most of the other people here he may not wake up at all. That thought, the idea that Deerington is all he has left, has been too much. So he's just tried not to think about it.

But this could be another option. It could be his best option, like a little pinpoint of light in an otherwise dark and impenetrable forest. Going to a world where he might not be able to burn bridges like he did in Ooo, have a princess who might be able to actually deal with him, and to get to be with Varian....]

That sounds too good to be true.

[But he's willing to trust Varian on this one. It's his world, after all.

He looks down at their hands after a few moments, and he should probably move his, but he doesn't. Instead he turns his a little, enough that he can hold Varian's. It's nice, Varian isn't wearing gloves for once, so he can feel the warmth of his skin against his grass.]

Not sure I can be any help there, but if anyone can figure something that complicated out it's you.

[Varian lets out a soft, airy 'heh'. Corona always comes across as that to a lot of people, and he supposes in a lot of ways, it is. It wasn't the first time he's realised he's...pretty lucky in terms of a home world. As messy as it is right now, he knows he has people who care about him. He knows everyone there will keep fighting to get Cass back. To make everything right again. Rapunzel won't allow it any other way. ]

Corona can be like that sometimes, yeah.

[He casts their hands a passing glance- that... probably isn't wise. If the candle wasn't burning he would have pulled away in a panic. Things are already complicated and this won't help matters. But it's fine. It's cool. Friends hold hands, it's a friend thing. Rapunzel holds everyone's hands. It's C O O L.

Any growing panic that maybe it's not cool is doused out by the candle. He clears his throat, turning his attention back to the hologram. ]

Y-yeah, well. Thanks. I think I need to work out more of what makes this place tick. Once I understand more of how Deerington works, I'll be able to work out how to use that to our advantage.

[It sounds a lot better than Ooo is, honestly. Not that Fern dislikes Ooo at all, he loves the place and doesn't want to give it up, but he doesn't really have many options, here. Trying to kill Ooo's beloved hero will do that. So... maybe a fresh start where people are more forgiving isn't such a bad idea.]

Might be nice, being somewhere where I haven't totally screwed up yet.

[Fern is just happy Varian isn't pulling away. It's just... it's nice, and comforting. And after a few moments Fern glances back down as he realizes something.]

Right, yeah. A lot of Sleepers are helping with that. [He's distracted as he says that, though, and he hesitates before shifting his grip a little so that he can hold his fingers against Varian's wrist. He's kind of baffled when he speaks again.]

Dude, it's been years since I felt a heartbeat.

[See, Corona is strangely okay with that kind of thing so long as you say sorry and don't do it again. It's weird. Corona is weird. ]

Yeah, it's... pretty okay. As a place, I mean.

[A little less okay what with Cass trying to murder them and everything right now but it's fine, it'll be fine. He glances down at their hands again, as Fern moves, raising his eyebrows. At least he's not having an awkward panic attack about it.]

Uh... oh. Um. Cool? Y-yay that I still have one? [Varian you literally came back from the dead today, don't joke about this. ]

[Corona beats out a kingdom made of literal candy in terms of sweetness. It's weird and impressive all rolled into one.

Fern is just looking very intently at their hands now.]

Well - yeah, obviously. [He gives a not at that, yay for not being dead.] But I don't have one. I - I don't know, I never thought about it before. Not having a heart, I mean. I think about not having a stomach a lot, but not this.

[It's a little surreal and he's really glad the candle is lit, because this is the stuff existential nightmares are made of.]

[Don't ever tell them that, Fern. Not only will they put it on a banner, but they'll add it to their list of umpteen national holidays. ]

...I never really thought about it either.

[Honestly, because aside from trying to work out ways to make Fern's life easier here-like the plant supplement chemicals or the secret project he's been trying to get finished before winter sets in - he's never really thought of Fern as anything other than a person. He was a person with very different needs to everyone else in town, but he was still a person. Things like missing a heart never crossed his mind. It never really mattered. ]

Are you- I mean, are you okay?

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