Deerington inbox

[droptheious]

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.

code by cawaii

Comments

[clickclickbloom]

Yeah. She really helped keep things together at home. I don't know if there's a way to thank her enough, but we've both go each others backs, even now.

[Ruby understands a little better know the amount Yang had to take on when they were growing up. The best Ruby could do was try make it up for as a leader for their team.]

They're a cute freaky family! DON'T JUDGE THEM

Oooooffff. I hadn't really thought about it. Well if that's the case I think Mr.Fluffers will just stay here until Fern goes home.

[Even though out of the three Mr.Fluffers is probably the least terrifying, but he also holds the most sentimental value.

The fact she managed to text all that while staring an angry horse in the face is pretty darn impressive. She glances from one direction to another.]

Okay. You are Max. Good. Great. I uh- I'm Varian's really good extra special lady friend. I don't know if that means you have to be nice to me but I think it should at least count for something?

[Her arms can be seen flailing from the bush.]

VARIAN! HELP! PLEASE!

[droptheious]

I definitely get that impression.

I'm going to judge them as much as I want to. They're awful. And yes, I don't want Mr Fluffers to die an unfortunate death.

[As she texts, Max peers over her shoulder. Is he reading that? Can horses read? He snorts and then looks over at Varian, pointing at her again. Like. Varian, buddy, come and collect the girl.

Varian idly gets up and makes his way across the street, folding his arms when he gets to her.]

You know, you could have shouted for help. That works much better.

[clickclickbloom]

[Ruby's eyes glance between the Fluid and Max as she keeps typing away. Clearly she's waiting for some sort of sign that Varian was on her way.]

You DO care about him! I knew it! Now we just have to warm you up to the rest of his family.

[When Varian gets arrives at her side she just dismisses him with a wave.]

Hold on a second. I'm texting my boyfriend.

[She was once called a genius by one of her professors. Would you believe that?]

Anyway hurry up before this crazy horse eats me. XOXOXO TTYL. <3

[She finally peels herself away from her Fluid and sees Varian. And she jumps.]

Woah-! WHEN DID YOU GET THERE!?

[droptheious]

I care about the memento from our first date, yes. If he'd have been an empty hot dog wrapper he would have had the same sentimental value.

[Varian looks over at Max, who starts neighing and whinnying at him. Varian shrugs in response. ]

Yeah, I know but you said that about Eugene too. And Lance.

[More NEIGHing. Max waves a hoof at the surrounding area. ]

I'm aware, thank you. [He offers a hand to help her up.] Max is a Royal Guard and he wants it to be known that he doesn't approve of you breaking into my house because that's illegal and he thinks that makes you shifty.

[clickclickbloom]

[Her fluid is away so any further discussion about Mr.Fluffers will have to wait. She will be incredibly happy with that response.

She watches the two "talk?" and blinks. She only really understands Corgi and even that is 100% her making it up. ...Oh. And she did talk to a Lion cub the other month but she's pretty sure it was speaking english and not lion. So that might not count.

She'll take that hand and pull herself back up to her feet. She'll give a little shrug.]

Well it's better that than being wanted for treason, right?

[There's a pause and she rubs at the back of her head, then steps a little closer to Varian and whispers very loudly.]

I probably shouldn't have said anything about the treason, huh?

[droptheious]

[Is Varian making it up? Is it Disney Princess Character magic? Who knows. He's not telling. ]

Eh, it's okay. He's forgiven me for that, and Eugene. You should be in the clear.

[Max is still narrowing his eyes at her, but as Varian seems fine in her presence, he's going to march himself back to the house to stand guard. Have you ever seen a horse stand to attention, Ruby? It's quite a sight.

Varian shrugs, starting back to the house, gesturing for her to follow. ]

So, how long have you been lying on the grass there, like a creeper?

[clickclickbloom]

[Some things were just not meant to be known.]

Oh phew! A cop who doesn't hold a grudge. Maybe him and Clover should hang out.

[She gives Max a daintly little wave as he turns back to the house. ...She has to admit he is an interesting character and she can't but snort seeing him stand at attention.

She shrugs and starts to follow Varian.]

Basically since I started texting you. I was not going to miss out on that scream.

Oh my gosh, it was amazing.

I didn't interrupt anything important, did I?

[droptheious]

I haven't really spoken much to Clover, but sure, I think he'd probably appreciate another law enforcer to talk to.

["Talk" to.]

Yeeeeeeeeeah, thanks for that. A heart attack is exactly what I wanted after recovering from dying.

[Nothing like thinking you're going to die again to make you feel like you're alive, right? He steps inside with an idle shrug.]

Not really. I've been trying to salvage what I can with my flora samples. The herbicides the Betties sprayed around did a number on a lot of my stock.

[clickclickbloom]

He's pretty alright. A bit of a stickler for the rules, but not a total wet blanket.

[Her eyes shift downward for a brief moment. There was still pang of guilt when she thought about how a decision she had made had led to his death. That was still something she was working through.

Maybe Clover did need a "friend" like Max.]

No problem, glad I could help!

[When they get to his door she'll take out her backpack and smuggle all the creepy dolls into it. Where they'll rest until it's time to strike again.]

Yeeesh. Tell me about it. Our garden back home basically got completely trashed. The Scareqrow is so lonely right now.

Anything I can do to help out?

[droptheious]

That's Max all over, actually. They're like... clones.

[Except one is a FUCKING HORSE, Varian. He's glad she's removing the dolls. Now he doesn't have to look at them or think about them for a while.

He'll step inside, no traps are armed for a change, mostly to make Fern's life easier coming in and out, and also because Max is doing a pretty good job of keeping people away.]

Oh no, the poor Scareqrow. And sure, I mean, it's mostly boring science stuff. Like not even experimenting science stuff. I'm basically re-cataloguing all my stock. But I wouldn't say no to some help.

[clickclickbloom]

Clover eats a bit of weird horse food too. Maybe they are alternate versions of one another.

[Look. If she can trash Clover's eating habits she will. Health food is basically the grossest.

The lack of traps is a surprise to her but it makes sense with another person in the house. No sense absolutely destroying it every day.]

It's super lonely, but we'll make do.

[She gives a shrug.]

It could be worse. I have to do that with all the spare weapon parts and gear around the house. It's a necessary evil.

[Look. Ruby may not keep a clean room and skip out on chores, but her workshop is immaculate. It's where she cares.]

I'm one hundred percent down. We can throw on some music and have it done in no time.

[droptheious]

Out of all the strange things I've experienced in Deerington, I think the idea there's a human, alternate form of Max is the weirdest.

[He'd rather not set fire to his house (and Fern) every single day, it's true. Besides, he's here all the time right now. ]

I'm normally a lot more on top of it, but everything took such a hit, I'm playing catch-up with myself.

[He normally knows where everything is in exactly what quantities and now everything is all over the place and it's ruining his organised chaos. He smiles, stepping down into his lab. Ruddiger chitters a greeting at Ruby from whatever comfy spot he's sequestered himself in. ]

Sounds like a great idea to me. Your choice, you still know way more songs than me anyway.

[clickclickbloom]

Yeah. Well Horse Clover is pretty weird too. It's just a good thing Max already has a name. I don't know what we'd call him if he didn't. Clorse? That just sounds wrong on so many levels.

[She's going to miss the fires while they're gone. She had to admit it was one of her favorite parts of breaking in to visit.

But she's much happier with him being safe while he's in the house.]

There was a lot going on. Sometimes things get missed. We'll be done in no time if we work together.

[July was a lot and that's as far as she's willing to go into it at the moment. For both their sake they were probably better off just not thinking about that right now.

Ruby quickly makes her way over to Ruddiger and gives him a few scritches because he's a good raccoon who deserves all the love.]

What better way to help you learn some more? I had some time last week to add to the collection on my Fluid. Might as well put it to get use.

[And she pulls out her Fluid and scrolls through until she finds a song fitting to get some work done to.]

[droptheious]

Please don't call Max "Clorse" no matter how tempting. There's probably a Coronan law about not addressing the military with respect and he knows that thing off by heart. If he tries to arrest you, there's nothing I can do to help.

[He's never getting between Maxiumus and JUSTICE, only a fool would do that, Eugene. ]

Thanks, I appreciate the help.

[This is much, much easier that trying to deal with the festering everything at the back of his mind. The first time he lost it, he had the benefit of prison. All he had then was time to think and decompress. Here, well, here he still has to try and live, too. It's a lot harder.

Ruddiger nuzzles at her hand as Varian pulls out a box of depressed and scraggly looking plants. Most of them are far beyond help, even with the little plant boost he created. All that work over May, gone in a flash. He cocks his head, listening to the music. ]

Hah, I get it. Clever.

[Just...ignore the broken parts of Rhodium Raps on one of the benches there, Ruby. It's fine. Everything's fine.]

[clickclickbloom]

Aw lame. I guess I'll have to settle for just introducing him to Clover if that's the case.

Even if the last people who tried to arrest me ended up unconscious in a heap. It's kind of rude to do it to a friend. Or a friends friend. I guess I still have to figure out where I sit with him

[She catches sigh of the broken pieces of the Rodium Raps and unfortunately she's not able to just ignore it. She glances back to Varian quick to make sure he's not looking before she lets her shoulders sag. Her heart felt heaving seeing shattered like that. Varian may be an alchemy nut but weapons is where Ruby went to town. A good one was supposed to be the representation of their soul. How they could truly express themselves on the battlefield.

...And she had destroyed it. It wasn't just a symbol of what she though Varian stood for either. All the long nights putting it together, the farm feelings that she now realizes were just how deeply she cared for him. It was her feelings for him given form. Or... It had been her feelings.

She managed to stifle a sniffle and moves over to grab a few bins. One for what would be garbage and couple more to separate what was still good.

She returns over to table he's working from and sets them down.]

Yeah. I thought you'd get a kick out of this one.

Alright. Let's get started. Do you want me to take a down a list of what's still good?

[droptheious]

Friend's friend, I think. Though if you want to win him over, he loves apples. Just... don't give him any while Ruddiger's around. They hate each other and they will genuinely go to war over an apple.

[He stills when he hears the noise come out of her, that little sniffle. He turns to look, frowning in confusion- until his eyes drop on the broken pieces of his staff... oh. He should have hidden them, but he didn't know she was going to be here. He'd just... dropped them there when he eventually found the broken pieces and hadn't been able to bring himself to touch them since.

He cants his head slightly as she comes beside him again, a silent query on if she was okay. If she even wanted to talk about it. He's guessing... probably not. ]

Uh... y-yeah, sure. That'd be a big help, thanks.

[clickclickbloom]

[She catches the head tilt and gives a halfhearted shrug. Part of her definitely was not up for talking about it, she hated the fact she had to destroy her first gift to him and that it was sitting there in pieces. But she had also promised to be honest with him, it didn't set a good precedent if she started to hide her feelings now.]

Just... The Rodium Raps. It's uh- it's okay. I'm sorry.

[Sorry she's upset? Sorry she broke it? She's not so sure at the moment. She moves over to a shelf and takes out a pad of paper and... a freaking quill? Gosh, Varian. At least get some gel pens.]

Alright. Let's do this.

[droptheious]

...Yeah, okay. It's- you don't have to be sorry.

[About destroying it. About being upset. Both were perfectly reasonable actions. He almost asks if she wants to talk about it, but she moves on and he's kind of glad for it. He doesn't think he's ready to face that conversation and all that's attached to it just yet.

Also wow, rude, his quills are cool as hell. He starts sifting through his plants, picking them up, holding them to the lamplight in the lab, squinting a little.]

Man, I think it took out all of my Lemna minor. [He pauses, yeah, there's no way Ruby will know that that is.] Uh... Duckweed.

[clickclickbloom]

I... Maybe. I don't know. It feels like I should feel a little sorry.

[There was a lot to unpack there and she definitely wasn't ready for it either. It did get the gears in her head turning though, it was something to think about later.

She takes the quill and she starts taking notes. "Lemna Minor" comes out as "Limna Minor" on the sheet when she first writes it down. So she was at least close!

There is a giggle and a snort when he gives it the more simplistic name.]

Heh, Duckweed. Got it.

Except not...

Because you're out. That sucks.

[She jots down a little sketch of a sad quacking duck as she adds "Duckweed" beside "Limna Minor."]

[droptheious]

You did what you had to do. It's... what it is.

[It's not fine. None of this is fine. But it was a necessary evil. He can't begrudge her for doing what she did. It probably saved a lot of people's lives. It at least saved hers and that's the most important thing.

He peers over at her little sketch, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. But of course. ]

That's adorable. [There's a murmur of laughter to his tone. Good job, Ruby. He plucks another plant up, this looks a bit more healthy.] I think my Jacob's Ladder did pretty okay, which given how long it took me to get it to take was nothing short of a miracle.

[clickclickbloom]

It just-

I just know much it meant to you.

And to me.

[That was putting it lightly. She had talked to a few of the people Varian had gushed about it to before. It had been a pleasant and flattering surprise that she might not get again.

She pushes the thought aside and gives him a dopey grin when he compliments her doodle.]

He’s a very charming little duck.

[She jots down Jacob’s Latter and puts a checkmark beside it. There’s also a little ladder going down beside with a sign that reads “If found, please return to Jacob” beside it.]

Oh? Is there a story behind how ended up getting it?

[Her hand keeps on sketching idly. The movement gets a bit more technical, thoughts drifting idly back to the Rodium Raps and some of her initial thoughts on how it worked and how Varian used it.]

[droptheious]

It did. But you mean more.

[The unspoken words there that he can live with Rhodium Raps being broken beyond repair. It hurts, but he can live with it. Not so much if it had been her. Losing her forever is... something he doesn't want to entertain.

He lets out a soft snort at her doodles, before focusing back on the plants. ]

I don't think so? It's just a name. It was cultivated in ancient Greece first, but I'm not sure if they named it. It's good for headaches and fevers.

[Every day is a learning day with Varian.]

Hmmm, I lost a lot of Biscuitroot, but I think I might be able to take a cutting and save some of it.

[clickclickbloom]

[That gives Ruby pause for a long moment. Normally she didn't put much thought into her own life or mortality, it was built into the code that she lived by that it was forfeit somewhere down the line. Not without a fight but still something she should be ready to give if it came down to it. It had been something she had lost just a couple weeks ago and she was still finding out how much that had effected the people around her. A pang of guilt hit her again that she had hurt the people she cared about doing what she felt was right.

It tugged at her heartstrings in unexpected but pleasant ways to hear that she mattered like that. The Rodium Raps was a symbol of how she felt but it wouldn't replace her if she was gone. It wouldn't have replaced Varian if something were to happen to him either.

She abandons the doodles for just a minute to lean over and wrap her arms around him and pull him in tight.]

You too. It couldn't mean half as much as it did without you.

[Sorry Varian. She'll get back to plants in just a second.]

[droptheious]

[He tenses, just for a moment, not expecting the sudden contact. This is Ruby though, so he only hesitates for the briefest of moments. Half a heartbeat. He leans into her, wrapping his arms around her and returning the hug, resting his forehead against her shoulder, sucking in a deep, shuddery breath.

He knows they've spoken already- cleared the air, said they wanted things to be as they were, didn't want any of what they had to end, but he's been so uneasy anyway. He's been expecting her to come to her senses, realise just how badly he's hurt her and just... leave. It's something he never wanted, but something he felt she was well in her right to want.

But she doesn't, and as much as the self-loathing he has festering inside him for hurting her so badly keeps threatening to swallow him whole, she's still here. She can still say things like that and mean them. It gives him hope he might actually be able to weather this storm. His breath catches and he gives her another small squeeze- he's been trying his best to keep it together, but his emotions are catching up to him. ]

I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come back.

[They both know they're on borrowed time. That eventually they have to go back to their own worlds. Be it via Deerington finally sending them back to the waking world or if they manage to beat this place- having to go back through their own separate duties. Them parting is always going to be an inevitability. But this would have been different. If she'd died and never come back... that's not the sort of pain he's ready to shoulder. Probably not ever. ]

[clickclickbloom]

[Sometimes it wasn't enough just to talk about it and clear the air. Having spent the last month mostly apart because of what the town hadn't made things easy, being stuck unable to actually see each other because of the death flu had only helped to drive a bigger rift. It was different to actually be there face to face with him and hold him, to give him that assurance that she wasn't going anywhere without him. It helped for her to hear it from him too.]

I wouldn't leave you alone like that. I told you, I'll be here until the end. As long as this place will let me.

[They were on borrowed time but she tried her best not to think about losing like that. Or in any way. She knew she had a job to do back at home and that it was going to be nearly impossible. Sorting out things here was starting to feel like more of the same. She just wanted to take the time to appreciate what they had. Anything else could wait until she was called.]

It's good to have you back.

[She doesn't let go. She just holds on as tight and as best she can. Gosh it had been far too long since they had been able to do this.]