East of Ikana Valley - The Fate of Esava's Village

*Characters involved:*

* *Esava*
* *Tommy*

**East of IKANA VALLEY**

#ooc\_rp\_talk

Torgem [6:05 PM]
If it's okay with peeps, I'm going to pose a bit of a scene in the #haunted\_wasteland channel, but it will actually take place in Termina. Just because it's a setting that is close to what I'm going for.

Fallon [6:08 PM]
Okie doo.

#haunted\_wasteland

Esava APP [6:26 PM]
There isn't a lot located in the lands to the east of Ikana Valley. The locals describe it as just a 'whole bunch of nothing'. It hasn't even historically been a place of significance, with no real townships or trade passing through. And with the sun beating down with such a significant edge, it's not hard to figure out why. This place was a true wasteland, with very little rain ever touching down upon the sandy grounds. To venture out this way without any idea of what you are doing or where you are going would certainly be a fools errand.

Yet with all of this in mind, life \_does\_ find a way on occasion.

Tucked away at the base of a sheer cliff-face in order to gain some protection from the setting sun, a small village lays in isolation. About two days ride east of Ikana, it is the home of a small colony of hunters and gatherers; those that are content with their lot and happy to remain unbothered. It is the home of Esava Ratugolea.

Riding upon a horse that he ... erm ... borrowed ... from the stables of Termina, Esava rides long and hard. He knows the route home like the back of his hand - expertly navigating the ever-changing dune seas. With his tattered cloak billowing behind him dramatically, he would look the part of a hero! ... if it weren't for his strange-looking partner bundled at his rear. Tommy Twiggins the deku scrub. Perhaps the strangest (but maybe the best?!) team-up in all of human history, this duo close in on the nameless desert village. The cliff-face is within view, as are the shapes of architecture that lay at the base of it.

Tommy APP [7:08 PM]
Tommy clings tightly to the rear of the saddle, trying to keep from bouncing off and being left in the dust. >.<; "Can't believe y'dragged me out 'eah wheah th'plants can't even live," Tommy grunts through what would be gritted teeth if he had them. "At this rate, y'gonna end up savin' \_me\_ from corkin' it! Oi, that ain't y'plan, is it? Puttin' me someplace where you'll probably 'ave a chance to yank me t'safety so's t'pay off y'life-debt? It don't count if you're the one who put me in dangah in th'first place, y'know!" Tommy peers past Esava at the shapes looming out of the haze. "...So that's it? 'Ome sweet 'ome?"

#ooc\_rp\_talk

Fallon [7:12 PM]
The fact that Esava and Tommy started as a fan dream and is now happening is hilarious.
I am ready for this! :stuck\_out\_tongue:

#haunted\_wasteland

Esava APP [7:51 PM]
"There's a plant over there." Esava replies, lifting a hand off the reins to put at the singular cactus in all of this land. Just one. In miles and miles and miles of sand and dryness. "You didn't have to come on this little trip, Tommy. You're the one who followed me."

As the duo rides into range, a solid 'mm' is given to the deku scrub's question. "Yeah. That's it. Just... be careful. I don't know how many people around here have seen a deku scrub before. I don't know what they will do."

As they get closer, the threat of Tommy being recognised as a deku scrub lessens as it becomes apparent that the village is in ruins. While the buildings and homes could be seen from afar, up close the truth was revealed. Some smoke can still be seen from some of the torn and destroyed buildings, dispersing into the sky. The stench and feel of death lingers, as mangled and bloodied bodies lay in the streets. Fathers. Mothers. Children. None were spared.

Esava dismounts the borrowed stallion in a smooth motion. The native of the land dashes off into the city centre with no words being said. Only the sharp breath he took signalled his shock to the scene at large, but he doesn't let that stop him from trying to find his family.

Tommy APP [8:58 PM]
Tommy snorts. "Oh right, like I should let th'chap who owes me his blinkin' life out o' me sight? I don't lose track o' anybody wot owes me more'n ten rupees." :P Nevermind that this whole life-debt thing rests on Esava's sense of honor to begin with.

Once they're in the midst of the sacked village, Tommy looks around with stunned eyes. He's familiar with a certain strong-eat-the-weak survival mentality from the swamp, but he's never seen carnage of this scale before...utter destruction not to consume, but merely to kill. c.c; His instinct is to come up with some clever quip, something to put everyone else off-balance so that he's the one best able to act in the next critical moment, but even he gets a churning feeling in his stomach at the thought of making light of the situation. Instead, he finally blurts out what is probably the best thing he can say, though it isn't much help: "Sorry, mate." o.o;

Esava APP [9:24 PM]
The village native can scarcely hear Tommy blurt his apology. It sort of rings in his ears as he ducks into wreckage of his old home, but isn't really processed as his eyes lay upon he inevitable.

His wife and son lay next to an upturned dining table. Given the position of their bodies, it seemed as if his wife had acted as a shield to try and protect the young one. Or such is how Esava assesses it. Their dark skin has grown pale in death, but the bodies themselves have yet to start decaying. This attack happened only a day ago, or thereabouts. While his keen analytical mind attempts to make more sense of the situation, the emotions within his body overflow and override his actions. With a step toward his family he falls his knees, reaching out cradling them both in his hands. The wailing cry he lets out is one of anguish and pain: the cry of a man who can feel his heart and soul crushed and destroyed. His face contorts as tears stream down his dirt and sandy-clad face.

...

Meanwhile, outside, the commotion of the duo arriving and Esava's sorrowful cry has caused attention to draw. Tommy Twiggins may notice that the entire area is surrounded by an entire horde of lizalfos. At least two dozen... Maybe three. Some of them emerge from the sacked homes. Others come in from the boundary of the village. The heavy looking beasties wield weapons with dried blood encrusted upon the steel. Doubtless these were the ones responsible for all of this destrcution.

Tommy APP [9:49 PM]
Tommy scratches his head while Esava heads indoors and apparently finds something even worse than what they've already seen. u.u; Doesn't take a genius to make a solid guess at what that might be. Well, given that it's happened, it's probably best that Esava found out about it as soon as possible. First step to getting over it. And Tommy hopes he gets over it quick, because his own next thought is probably going to seem pretty awful to Esava in his current state: 'Is there anything around here worth taking?' e.e; Not to disrespect the dead or anything, y'know...just...you gotta take what you can get to get by in this world, and it's not like \_they're\_ gonna miss it, right?

But poking about in the ruins for valuables soon becomes a distantly secondary survival consideration as lizalfos start showing their faces. O.O; Tommy scuttles into the house and speaks urgently. "We got company, mate! A whole tribe o' them lizard jobbies! If we get back on the horse sharpish, we might be able to outrun 'em!"

Esava APP [10:10 PM]
Esava's head is down when Tommy comes scuttling in. Each hand is around the head of a loved one, holding them as close as possible to his body to try and bring them back from the brink. For a moment he doesn't seem to respond to the deku scrub, but soon he looks up. While his eyes are red and wet from the tears that stream down, a steely resilience can be seen from within.

Standing up slowly, he takes a few breaths to collect himself. "Tommy, I can't leave here. This is my home. You should take the horse and get out of here. You're not supposed to die all the way out here in a land where no-one will ever find you. If this is to be my natural end, then so be it. But it's not yours." His teeth grit as his fists clench. "...I swear to all the Gods that will hear me, I will take as many of these green skinned monsters with me. It will cause enough of a distraction to see you get away."

Tommy APP [10:39 PM]
Tommy yanks at his foliage. "Wot, you off your nut, mate!? I can't control a horse! I can't even climb onto th'blasted beast wi'out your 'elp, an' if I sit anywhere near the head it tries to snack on me noggin! Besides, you can't throw your life away! It belongs to ME now, remembah!? You OWE me!" >.<; Tommy peers out the door for a moment to check on the progress of the lizalfos, then turns back to Esava with an intense look. "A'right, y'gonna fight those yahoos, y'gonna do it SMART! This is \_your\_ town, right? YOUR TURF! You know this place bettah than any of those scaly twits, so USE that! Think, where can we hide? Where are the passages we can move unseen? How can we split 'em up and ambush 'em? Is there anyplace we can lure a bunch of 'em and collapse somethin' on 'em? Most important right now, is there a back way out o' this hut? If there ain't, MAKE ONE!" D<

Esava APP [11:10 PM]
Esava is well-equipped to deal with multiple foes at once. The old adage that 'numbers were meaningless against him' is true to an extent, as he told Link and his crew. But in this case the deku scrub spoke wisom beyond his years. Or so Esava thinks. Tommy can't be that old, right?

"I can probably handle up to three at once. Any more than that and we will be put at disadvantage. And I won't be able to cover for you. Further, I have no weapons. The lizalfos probably took all the weaponry with them when they sacked the place." With the emotions having been put away again, the analytical mind has re-surfaced. Crouching down, the man picks up a handful of dirt. Rubbing it in between his hands, he considers the plan.

"First thing's first. A weapon. From one of them. There aren't many super narrow passages around, but we can use the streets to filter their numbers. You might have to play the distraction. I can get on rooftops and jump on them from above while they're chasing you." >\_>

Tommy will see that there is no back-door available, but Esava does follow the direction to make one. A simple DOORSTOMP kick into the back wall has punched a hole straight through it! "See if you can draw one over." Esava says, already grappling and climbing up the exterior of his home to get onto the roof. Most of these buildings are only a story high, so ascending them is quick and painless. But still leaves him above lizalfos eyeline.

Tommy APP [8:24 PM]
Tommy tosses the knife he earned from Fallon (What? He really did perform a service for it. How was he to know they could've gotten into the tourist hut by just knocking?) up to Esava. "Here, use this for starters. Fat lot of good it'd do me in present circumstances." :P Then he scampers off from behind the house. A lizalfos spots him darting across the space from one building to the next and moves in to investigate.

The rustle of green and brown keeps disappearing around corners just as the lizalfos turns the last one. Soon the chase leads into a small courtyard, blocked off from view by walls on all sides apart from the doorway in, but uncovered from above. The lizalfos peers around, seeing only the typical things you might expect in a courtyard -- an empty watering trough, a couple of benches, a bush in the corner, some toys left by -- waaaaaait a minute! >.< The lizalfos stalks closer to the bush...

Esava APP [4:20 AM]
The native from this area catches the knife thrown to him, twirling it a little in his hands with expert proficiency. Wielding it with a tight grip, Esava leaps from rooftop to rooftop, flashing across the tops of alleyways as Tommy leads the lizalfos into a cornered off courtyard.

Given that they are in the desert, it shouldn't come as a surprise to Esava that the bush in the corner is suspicious. Yet it still does! He really needs to give these big guys more credit. But with the dry blood of his clan on the lizalfos' weapons, that was difficult to do. His eyes burn with determination and fire - not unlike the bright sun that burns in the sky. With only a few steps of run-up, he leaps off of the nearest rooftop without hesitation.

There is no sound with his motions. Tommy would no doubt \_see\_ the warrior close in from behind the lizalfos' shoulder all the way from the rooftop he lept from. He will see the arc Esava traverses in the air, and then the landing. But the lizalfos? He will hear nothing.

Sticking on the back shoulders of the creature, Esava sinks Tommy's knife into its neck with the same motion. Driving the blade in all the way to the hilt, the dark-skinned figure holds the jaw of the lizalfos up with his spare arm to prevent the creature from opening his mouth and crying out in surprise or pain. Just to keep this kill as stealthy as possible.

It only takes seconds. The lizalfos' eyes roll up into the back of his head and he falls onto his knees with a heavy thud, and then his chest with another 'whud'. Rolling forward with the momentum, Esava approaches the corpse. "My take is that you not trained to use any weapons?" It's not so much a question... Just some clarification.

Yanking the knife back out of the neck, he hands it back to the deku scrub. "You should keep at least this to defend yourself." Meanwhile, Esava takes the weapons: a large looking sword that looks entirely too big to wield efficiently. Yet the figure manages to hoist it up so that the flat of the blade rests on his shoulder.

Tommy APP [9:42 PM]
Tommy pops up from shrub mode and puts his acorn hat back on. "Phew, that wos really bettin' me trunk on your skills," he says with a shudder. "A lil' closer an' that brute woulda been makin' salad." #.# Tommy glances at Esava. "Not that this pays back y'debt though, remembah. Wouldn't be in this sandtrap if it weren't for you." >/ Tommy takes the knife back and stows it away. "'Course I ain't been trained t'stick pointy things into crittahs. I'm a lad of th'streets. In my line of work, the purpose of a good knife is to...open ways." Tommy folds his arms. "Not that I'm thumbin' me snout at \_your\_ line o' work, especially under present state of affairs. So now you've got yourself a chopper, wot's th'next move?"

Esava APP [6:04 PM]
"The streets." Esava repeats, brow growing heavy in a little skepticism. "You look like you grew up in the forest. But I'll take your word for it."

Pivoting on his feet as he considers Tommy's question, the man glances about the courtyard carefully. "This might actually work to our benefit. We should just keep executing the same play we just did until they catch on. Once they catch on we can adjust. So how about this? You lure some lizalfos around the corner that leads into the courtyard. And as soon as they round the corner, I will lop off their heads. They won't even see it coming." Brutal. O\_O

"This plan does involve you being on the edge of their snouts constantly, however. If you prefer to avoid that and do something else, we can think of something else."

Tommy APP [9:34 PM]
Tommy waves a hand dismissively. "A'ight, so the streets wos mostly dirt tracks 'twixt patches of deku flowers an' giant cypress trees, I still 'ad t'live by me wits an' dodge th'watch. 'Sides, I roamed about Clock Town a lot too." Tommy takes a peek out of the doorway. "We ain't got time to debate, so we'll go wi' that for now. Bettah be thinkin' about what 'appens when they DO catch on, though." With that, Tommy zips out.

Esava APP [6:28 AM]
Esava watches as Tommy ducks away to do his thing. He had to admit it: the deku scrub was a lot better than he anticipated. If they got out of this alive, he would have to remark about it to him personally.

With the flat part of the large blade still resting upon his shoulder, he swallows in silence, feeling sweat run off his cheek and drop off his jawline. It was hot out here, no doubt about it. And being on the very edge of death made it feel even warmer! All of these feelings don't stop Esava when Tommy comes rushing back around the corner though. The very recent imagery of his son and wife re-enter his mind to grant him motivation.

A nod is given to Tommy as he grits his teeth and \_dashes\_ outside, large sword trailing behind him. Despite the sword being designed for the much larger lizalfos, Esava appears able to wield it in a way that doesn't deter him. Using the quick speed and agility that he displayed against Link and his friends, Esava leaps off of the ground just as the three lizalfos catch sight of him. He jumps onto the vertical wall of a ruined house and pushes off it with his leg, springing high up into the air! And then, with all of his core strength, he spins his blade around violently as he falls back to the earth. The man looks like some sort of spinning tornado of death as he lands, lopping the heads off of all three lizalfos in one swoop. The monsters didn't even have time to gasp.

"Tommy." Esava calls, blood pumping as he bends down to raid the weapons from the creatures he just felled. The large sword is dropped, replaced by six much smaller swords; knives almost. Each of these measure about the size of his forearm, and are pocketed in various sleeves and pouches on his person. "I'm going to jump on these guys from the roofs. Do you think you can keep doing what you're doing?"

Tommy APP [7:39 PM]
Tommy listens intently for the results of the ambush. 8| If things go south, he's going to have to do his bush imitation again and hope the other lizalfos aren't as thoughtful as that first one was about what vegetation to expect in the vicinity. But when he hears Esava's voice calling his name, that's a pretty good indicator that the coast is clear for now. Tommy jogs out to see what Esava wants. "Sure I can, just a question of how \_long\_," he responds to Esava's question. "We're gonna run outta room to maneuver a lot quickah than we run outta scalies." Having expressed that warning, Tommy dashes out toward the outskirts of town. Even if they're going to need a better strategy in the long run, they can't afford to waste any time executing what they've got for now to tip things in their favor as much as possible.

Tommy headed for the outskirts in the hopes of finding individuals or at least small groups at the edge of the lizalfos pack. In the minutes that follow, Tommy and Esava take down targets of opportunity circling around the town, thinning the herd by about ten horns. More and more lizalfos have seen Tommy from a distance, though, and a few even witnessed Esava snuffing their brethren. The mob as a whole starts converging on them, cutting off avenues of movement for Tommy. >.>; What now?

Esava APP [6:27 PM]
The dynamic duo of Tommy and Esava prove to be pretty successful in their exploits! Slowly picking off targets here and there, the numbers of the enemy begin to reduce. But alas, all good things must come to an end. With more and more lizalfos disappearing, the creatures become more organised and eventually start to band together.

When the mob as a whole begins to converge on them, Esava lets out a slow breath. "So this is how it ends..." He mutters to himself, eyes still ablaze with determination and fury. When fatigue began to set in, all he had to do was look at the lizalfos in order to become recharged with adrenaline. "Tommy, you stay here. Or try and get out of here. Or fight. I don't care."

With a leap forward and a mad rush, Esava then presses into an offensive! Against thirty odd lizalfos, the man from the desert launches himself into the band of monsters. Two of the small blades he wields are in his hands, while another two are tucked between bent elbows. One is tucked under a shoulder and the sixth is held \_in his mouth\_. With this formation he becomes a whirring, spinning tornado of death. He spins, jumps, ducks, weaves and strafes in between them, using his agility and skill to slip between their blows.

For a period of time, it looks like Esava might actually pull this off. He brings down one... two... three... five... eight... and then ten! But for every one he brings down, another takes its place. With lactic acid building in his muscles, it only takes one slower movement - one mistake - to be brought down. A lizalfos in his blind spot manages to catch him in the side, before another wallops him good and proper from behind to render him unconscious. Just like that, Esava's body falls down to the ground in a heap.

If Tommy Twiggins is still in sight, the group will start to press onto him next. Some lizalfos lick their lips in anticipation. Others snicker. "Kukukuku..."

--

Salvation comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. On this afternoon, for a certain deku scrub, it comes from the sound of a horn. And the ground rumbling.

As the massacre was happening in this village last night, one of the citizens saw fit to send a carrier bird out to its neighbouring town for help. A sort of 'last ditch effort'. Having eventually received the message and mustered up the necessary forces to lend aid, this aid was only just arriving. They come in at least fifty men and women strong; riding strong looking steeds that barrel across the sand as if it was paved road. The rider at point wields a horn who blows upon it again, signalling war to all the invaders.

The lizalfos look up in curiosity and alarm.

\*Note: I gave this post the :the\_horns:, :bee:, and :right-facing\_fist: reaction icons, which is what prompted the PRIVATE WITH TORGEM bit below.\*

Tommy APP [8:21 PM]
Tommy clings to his hat and dances frantically as Esava throws himself into the fray. "This is why I said we need anothah plan!!! Y'can't do this! Y'got no right t'go down in a bloody brouhaha!!!" DX Not that Tommy has another solution. X[ He can only watch the epic brawl, hoping against all rational sense that Esava's luck will hold out for as long as it would take to slaughter the entire crowd of lizards...but of course it doesn't. And now Tommy's got reptilian eyes locked on him. x.x

But ~narrative~ fate intervenes, for suddenly the cavalry is here, literally! C.C There's hope, and lots of it! If those guys are anything like Esava they'll make mincemeat of those lizalfos in minutes!

...But Esava probably doesn't have minutes. <.<

Tommy finds himself confronted with one of the great philosophical questions: is it worth risking your life to save a life? Now, in Tommy's moral calculus, ordinarily this would actually be pretty simple. He'd give very little weight to considerations of probability of losing vs. probability of saving, how much longer each person would likely live and what their quality of life would be, whether the person deserves to be saved, etc. He'd skip all that and come to the conclusion, 'No, 'cos it's MY life I'd be risking!' >:P But there's a weird little twist on it this time: in a sense, it's also 'his' life he'd be saving. @.@ "Nnnnngh...aw, shuck me for a sap!!!" Tommy yells, charging toward the lizalfos with knife drawn. DX He slides past the ones that were converging on him and throws himself on the nearest of the ones clustered around Esava, stabbing wildly. He can barely pierce the beast's scaly hide, and it quickly grabs Tommy with a clawed hand and flings him off. Tommy rolls and springs up again, ignoring his scratches, and takes a swipe at another one's flank before dodging around the group. Desperately he tries to keep their attention off Esava until the army arrives.

PRIVATE WITH TORGEM

Torgem [10:23 PM]
Haha, you got the KILLER BEE inspiration!!

aubrey [10:23 PM]
Of course. How could I not recognize that? X)

Torgem [10:24 PM]
X)

#haunted\_wasteland

Esava APP [5:52 AM]
lays with his back on the ground, face with closed eyes pointed up towards the sky. His limp frame is unmoving as Tommy goes on the offensive. Unconscious.

Truthfully, the lizalfos are caught quite unawares by Tommy Twiggins. The signalling horns and the rumbling of the ground had drawn all of their attention, leaving them open to attack! If only the deku scrub had the technique, finesse or strength to really capitalise. As it is, in his current state, he proves to be no more than a distraction at best. But isn't that what Tommy is going for? "Sssssstupid ssssscrub!" One breathes, trying to whip Tommy away with its tail.

The horn blows again.

One of the lizalfos holds up his sword and gestures with it. The remaining creatures seem to take this on board and turn to flee, stampeding to try and escape the warriors that rapidly close in. Tommy had distracted them for a brief period of time, but that was enough to do the job.

The ground really starts to shake when the pack of horses rush the village. The deku scrub may want to take some cover, lest he might get trampled by accident! One would hope that they try to avoid him, but their attention is solely focussed on the fleeing lizalfos.

Once they catch up to the creatures, the scene is horrific. Clearly outnumbered and outmatched, the lizalfos are brought down amid a sea of screams and blood. They are trodden on, slashed and mutilated. In only minutes they are all brought down.

Tommy APP [12:29 PM]
Tommy is sent sprawling again, a bit more heavily this time. x.x He gets shakily to his feet, trying to make his body do what it (and actually a good part of his mind) doesn't want to. "Get...away...that's...my..."

Fortunately the lizalfos actually \_do\_ get away now. Tommy stumbles over to where Esava lies...which is probably about the safest place he can get to on short notice, actually. Those guys aren't going to trample one of their own, right? c.c As the horses thunder past, Tommy shields his snout from the dust and peers down at Esava. "C'mon mate, don't go swannin' off on me now," he mutters. "I didn't come all th'way out here with ya t'be cheated outta my lackey an' stranded in the armpit o' Termina." >/

PRIVATE WITH TORGEM

Torgem [6:48 AM]
Auuuuubs!

Would you mind if I did a closed action on Tommy, where he gets knocked out?

aubrey [7:14 AM]
Probably okay. X)

Torgem [7:21 AM]
XD
Alrighty.

#haunted\_wasteland

Spoof APP [6:23 PM]
As the warriors from the neighbouring village bring an end to the lizalfos that had raided the village, they begin to dismount from their desert steeds and survey the area. It's at this point when one of the fighters, an older looking gruff individual, approaches Tommy and the unconscious Esava.

The man has dark skin, much like Esava's own. But that's where the similarities end. This guy is big - and not just tall. He's well built, with a muscular figure clearly evident underneath the loose fitting clothes he's wearing. "Hmph," He announces with a glower, staring at the village native and the deku scrub. "Somehow, against the odds, we have survivors."

The man thinks a moment, before he acts. Despite any words of protest or greeting that Tommy might counteract him with, the man brings the hilt of his sword down and onto the scrub's head with a flash of well practiced, precision movement. There is no hesitation or warning. Just action. WHAM.

...
...

When Tommy awakens from his unconscious spell, he will find himself in an earthen prison. Every surface, whether it be wall or ceiling, is made of some sort of variation of mud brick. All except for one wall, which is lined with vertical steel bars. Yep. They were in jail. Somehow. O\_O Weren't they just rescued?

"Tommy? Come on Twiggins, wake up." The voice of Esava is right there, ringing in Tommy's ears as he rouses.

Tommy APP [10:30 PM]
Tommy glances up at the big man, although because of the brightness of the sun he can hardly make out more than a silhouette. "Like one o' those stories ya always hear about, innit? Outnumbered twenty to one, hangin' on t'life by a thread, then boom! Saved at th'last second. Speakin' o' which, me mate here could probably still use some hea -- " \*THONK\*

...

...

Tommy winces as he slowly sits up. "Uhhhhnnng...charmin' neighbors y'got around heah," he groans. "Would y'mind tonin' the ol' foghorn down a few ticks?" =.=; Tommy looks blearily around. Huh, jail cell. Not the worst place to be, actually. Means somebody wants them alive, at least for the time being. "You got any idea what's goin' on, mate? You got beaned by those scalies, then I heroically kept 'em off ya -- that's twice you owe me y'life now, by the by -- until these horse-rider chaps swept in and turned 'em into root chow. But judgin' by the fact one of 'em saw fit to punch \_my\_ clock, an' our current lodgings at th'Sleep Tight Inn, I'm guessin' they ain't bosom buddies of yours after all."

Esava APP [6:07 AM]
Esava smiles at Tommy as he rouses from his unconscious slumber. He wasn't really sure how deku scrub's worked in terms of their biology. Did they even have blood? O\_O

"Just take it slowly..." He encourages in a gentle tone, taking a few steps back to give Tommy some room to breathe. "No clue what's going on. Last thing I remember was getting knocked out by lizalfos, and here we are." Standing to look at the metal bars, he assesses their durability as he listens to Tommy fill in the gaps. The man sniffs at the air, and even rubs his palm along the ground. It's just earth, with a little bit of dirt on it. "The air feels heavy. We're underground at the very least. Probably in some dungeon."

"Buddies? I don't know - I don't really know anyone aside from you any more." He grimaces, the memory of his family rushing back to him. He needed to get back home. He needed to at least send them away properly.

"What did they look like? You said they came on horses?"

Tommy APP [6:51 PM]
Tommy gingerly feels out his injuries. "Aye, horses a'right. They wos humans, a lot like y'self, same bark color an' all. I s'pose I didn't notice too many othah details, seein' as they wos gallopin' up while I was playin' slap th'scrub wi' those lizalfos. The one that bonked me noggin was a right big chappie, even 'is muscles 'ad muscles." Tommy takes in a deep breath, then exhales and crawls over to examine the bars and door. "So, 'ow long d'you feel like extendin' our stay? Wouldn't mind a bit more o' the ol' shuteye meself. They might even feed us."

Esava APP [5:33 AM]
Esava looks at Tommy with curiosity as he explains the details of the captors as best he can. "Hm. Same skin as me. And muscular." The man's nose wrinkles, before he moves to sit down against the wall next to Tommy. He sort of slides down the wall gently, before coming to a rest on his toosh.

"There are two settlements out here in the middle of no-where, Tommy. One is the one you saw: my home. There's another a good couple of dozen leagues away. Stories say that we originated from the one tribe centuries ago. But over time, the cultures divulged. We competed over the limited resources we had available and slowly turned from family, to rivals, to enemies that fiercely defended their territories."

Rubbing his palms together, Esava considers. "I don't know what they will do to me, or you, here. To be honest I'm a bit surprised that they even came in the first place. Mind you, if there's anything that they hated more than us, it was likely the prospect of having lizalfos come in on their turf."

With a curious glance he looks down at the deku scrub. "What \_do\_ you eat, anyway?

#ooc\_rp\_talk

aubrey [7:46 PM]
So, the question has arisen: what do deku scrubs eat? Anybody wanna point to canon info (although I can't recall any) or throw their two cents in for establishing our own lore? I seem to recall there was a feast at the Deku Palace which Fallon and Kagetora attended, but I don't remember any specific foods mentioned.

Crow [7:46 PM]
I always figured they photosynthesized like plants.

Torgem [7:48 PM]
I don't remember anything specific either. :thinking\_face:

Crow [7:49 PM]
Were they eating in Woodfall Palace (or whatever it was called) in MM?

aubrey [7:51 PM]
I believe so. https://zelda.gamepedia.com/Deku\_Palace
Zelda Wiki
Deku Palace
https://d1u5p3l4wpay3k.cloudfront.net/zelda\_gamepedia\_en/9/9d/MM3D\_Deku\_Palace.png

Crow [7:51 PM]
Deku Palace, I was close
Alright, I just turned on Majora's Mask 3D to check

Crow [8:17 PM]
There's no food, so...

Torgem [8:20 PM]
Hmmm. :thinking\_face:
I guess they just drank the blood of their enemies.

Crow [8:20 PM]
Or water...

PRIVATE WITH TORGEM

aubrey [9:38 PM]
Anything I should know about the vulnerabilities of the jail cell? I don't want to derail any plottage you may be working up to or twink my way out, but getting into and out of places \_is\_ precisely Tommy's strength. X) What is the door made of? What kind of lock does it have? Are there any accessible hinges? Anything interesting about the walls and bars? Any signs of guards nearby?

Torgem [9:39 PM]
That's why I brought them here. Time for Tommy to shine! I had no ideas about that,so just go with what you had in mind. There is a guard nearby out in the corridor outside the cell. In terms of the lock and bars and all that, feel free to go with what is best for ya!

aubrey [9:44 PM]
Oh, and I'm guessing all blades and tools and such have been removed from their persons. Tommy's probably got at least a bit of wire stuck someplace that would be difficult to find though, come to think of it. Like, under the lining of his boot or something. Think they'd have been thorough enough to find that?

Torgem [9:44 PM]
Na. Probably not! They probably didn't think much of Tommy at all to be honest.

#haunted\_wasteland

Tommy APP [10:06 PM]
Tommy grunts cynically while peering down the hallway through the bars. "Prob'ly nothin' you'd find around heah, come t'think of it. Wouldn't say no to a bit o' water at least, though. Can you even begin to imagine wot it's like fer a lad like me, goin' from a nice wet clime to this blinkin' sandpit?" :P Tommy looks back at Esava and lowers his voice a bit. "First step, find out what we can about who's guardin' us." Tommy looks outward and calls out, "Oi, anybody out theah? I think there's been a bit of a corker! I'm just an innocent bystandah!" :anguished:

Esava APP [5:11 AM]
"You and me both." Esava replies about the water, remaining sitting as he watches Tommy survey the hallway. His brown eyes settle on the deku scrub, mind racing. Esava had given Tommy multiple chances to run or leave. And yet still he stayed. All for some weird debt that he isn't even sure is real. Somehow, through some weird turn of events, the deku scrub had become more than just an ally: he had become a friend.

Esava's train of thought is disrupted by the deku scrub calling out to the nearby guardsman. Still in his seated spot, he tilts his head in some curiosity about what will happen next.

"Well, well, well." Comes the voice of the guard as he approaches the cell. "If it ain't the lone crow 'imself. Though you ain't so on ya own these days it looks like, huuuuuuh?" The big burly guard stands in front of the cell, glancing at Esava before down to Tommy. "Who'da thunk it." He continues, "The big bad crow teaming up with some scrub plant from the forest."

The guard doesn't look too much different from the man that knocked Tommy out. He hasn't got the same sort intense stare, nor the same muscle definition. But he's definitely still big! "You were in the village at the time of the raid, scrubby scrub scrub. So yer guilty."

Tommy APP [6:59 PM]
Tommy glances agitatedly between the guard and Esava. "Lone Crow? Wot, is he some kind of dangerous whackjob? I'm tellin' ya, I wos just in th'wrong place at th'wrong time! I shouldn't be in heah with some yahoo! Couldn't you at least put in a different cell until th'trial?" C.C; Tommy falls on his knees, gripping the bars. "And I'm dyin' of thirst heah! You're a civilized lot, ain't ya? AIN'T YA?! Y'gotta treat y'prisoners right, or you ain't any bettah!" ;.;

Spoof APP [7:06 PM]
"You must think I was born yesterday, ya little shrub! Listen 'ere. I've guarded dozens, if not hundreds of prisoners. All beggin' and pleadin' and moanin' to get out. To want some water. But yer'll be fine."

"Have you ever guarded a deku scrub before?" Esava cuts in from his seated position. "They aren't human. And in the desert? They need water much more than us humans. If he dies on your watch, then we both know what's coming for you." Esava runs his thumb across his own neck, gesturing that the guard will 'get it'.

The guard seems to take that a bit more seriously, eyeing the scrub carefully. "...awlright then. Just some water. Just enough to sprinkle on yer leaves." The guard trundles away at this, presumably in order to prep said water.

"What exactly have you got planned?" Esava asks, eyeballing Tommy carefully. "Whatever it is you better pull it off first go. This trick isn't going to work twice."

Tommy APP [8:23 PM]
Tommy continues burbling as the guard walks away. "Oh, wot'd a poor lad like me evah do t'deserve this? Stuck in a dark cold cell with a looney menace, wi'out even a propah bit o' wet. It's barbaric, I tells ya!" After the guard disappears and Esava speaks up, Tommy turns his head quickly. "Well I wos just probin' th'situation, but if you think they ain't givin' us any chances, best act sharpish!" Tommy yanks off his boot and digs into the lining. "Reckon you could handle the guard quiet-ish, mate? Assumin' you're on th'same side o' th'bars as him and caught 'im by surprise, o' course." Tommy pulls out a piece of stiff wire and quickly bends it into a jagged shape, then reaches through the bars and commences jiggling the makeshift tool in the door's lock. "Hmm, standard five-tumbler lock, good," he mutters as he works. "Always hate dealin' wi' those diamond-shaped jobbies, 'alf the time even the key that wos \_made\_ for it breaks when you open it..." An iron clank signifies the lock's surrender, and the door creaks open slightly.

Torgem [6:56 AM]
--
Esava watches with silent surprise as Tommy Twiggins pulls a twig out of his boot and proceeds to pick open the lock! The man from the desert had basic skills in that himself, but to identify the lock upon probe and then pick it from reverse was a skill he had yet to acquire. As the lock \_clicks\_ and the door swings open, he nods a brief nod to answer the deku scrub's question.

The footsteps of the guard can be heard coming back down the corridor. He grumbles amid his rumble down, complaining about how he has to guard some plant based life-form and scrawny neighbour. With a jar of water in his hand, he approaches the now unlocked door. For a second he doesn't notice. He reaches for the lock out of habit, before blinking to realize it was already unlocked! "Wha-- HURK!"

Before even having time to speak, Esava had shoved the door \_outward\_ from the inside, thereby slamming the metal bars of it directly into the mans face! Stumbling back, the guard barely has time to gather his bearings before Esava slides around his back and begins to slowly choke him out from the rear. It's all done quickly and efficiently. Tommy's ally doesn't kill the guard, instead letting him gracefully pass out and hit the floor. After all, the guards hadn't killed \_them\_.

"Drink some water." Esava encourages, dragging the unconscious brute into the cell. The small bottle of water that the guard had been carrying hit the ground, but fortunately not broken. "We need to get outside and find a horse. I can't kill these people. We'll need to be sneaky. You run point on this. I get the feeling you might be better equipped."

aubrey [7:26 PM]
Tommy needs no encouragement regarding the water. :stuck\_out\_tongue: He pounces on the bottle, uncorks it, and upends it into his...well, \_presumably\_ that's a mouth. Esava wasn't far wrong about how much water scrubs need. "Hope we can find a place t'fill up before we leave," Tommy muses, stuffing the cork back. "A \_biggah\_ bottle or canteen or some'fin' would be nice too. Cripes, this is gonna be one o' those capers where escapin' th'buildin' is the easy part, innit? If they kin chase us there'll be trouble." >/a Tommy sighs. "Well, nothin' for it but to wing it as it comes."

Tommy moves along the passage with a sort of rolling hop-skip. It looks peculiar, but it does the job for letting him cover ground quickly and quietly. He listens at each corner before peering around it briefly to establish the all-clear, then signals to Esava to follow before moving on to the next one.

Esava APP [5:15 AM]
Esava huffs and puffs as he drags the guard into the cell, seeming quite relieved when he was able to drop him down. "It's all hard from here. Getting out of the cell I think may have been the easy part. You're right, though. I don't know which horses are fast. They do. We might just have to roll the dice." The man from the desert shakes his head clear, his vision momentarily becoming blurry. Exhaustion and fatigue were really starting to creep in. Despite having just woken up from his state of unconsciousness, every fibre of him screamed to rest and recuperate. With a hand going to the earthen wall for support he sucks in a breath, before ducking out of the cell and following after the scrub.

The corridors are well patrolled with guards marching back and forth. Some corridors tilt upwards while others tilt downwards, burying further down into the ground. Tommy's expert sneaking skills however are just a cut above the guards, and through his guidance the duo are able to navigate their way through the passages undetected.

Soon enough they round a corner that leads to the main entry of the prison building. Outside is inky black darkness, indicating that the sunrise is still at least an hour away. "This night sky will help us slip out undetected."

Just outside the prison looks to be some sort of exposed armoury, with various bombs, weapons and utilities in racks. Guards patrol this area too, each holding lanterns as they move about. The lizalfos attack had no doubt caused them to increase awareness in security.

Tommy APP [7:14 PM]
Tommy peers very carefully out the door. "Wonder if me knife's in there," he murmurs. "Not that I'm \_super\_ attached to it, but it \_was\_ a nice 'un, an' I \_did\_ earn it fair'n'square." e.e Tommy turns to Esava. "Y'recognize th'territory any? We still at your village, or did they take us someplace else?" Tommy looks past Esava and his eyes widen in inspiration. 8] He yanks a long cloak down from a peg on the wall and drapes it over himself. "Here, put me on y'shouldahs," he instructs. "Should give us a chance o' goin' unnoticed even if we're spotted. By th'by, why \_are\_ these chaps so much taller'n you? Thought y'said you lot are related." :P

Esava APP [5:22 AM]
The man with the deku scrub looks about, squinting his eyes in the darkness. "It's dark, but... no. I don't recognise any of this. Doubtless they have taken us to their own village." Esava swallows audibly at that. They were really in the lion's den now! And if they were found, who knows what would happen to them? "Your knife may or may not be there, but arming ourselves isn't a bad idea. Should the worst scenario play out, we'll need to defend ourselves."

"What?" Esava's eyes widen in a little bit of surprise. "You're not serious." He gapes a little at the cloak, clearly thinking that this was just another of Tommy Twiggins' yarns or jokes. But... no. The longer he stares, the longer it becomes apparent that he is serious. Well, Esava did suggest he run point on this op. Hopefully he knew what he was doing.

...

"This isn't going to work." Mutters a voice from inside a \_very\_ tall, cloaked figure. All of Esava's combat and assassin training did not prepae him one iota for this. The combined figure wobbles a bit on his feet as he strides clear of the building, catching the eye of a few guards nearby. Given it's evening and the shifts have been long, these guards fortunately consider the wobbliness a result of nothing more than alcohol consumption. Hell, one guard even waves to them in a friendly manner! Clearly these guys weren't too bright.

It was working. This obscenely ridiculous plan was \_working\_. There'd be no living with Tommy after this. o\_o

"Assuming the stories and tales are true, that was centuries ago. Maybe even a millennia." Esava whispers as he makes his way to the open-aired armoury. "They clearly value brawn over intelligence. Maybe some sort of selective breeding?" The duo disguised as one figure reach the armoury undetected. Esava, being unable to see anything, relies on Tommy's foot positions on his side to turn and stop. "See anything we can use?"

Tommy APP [10:29 PM]
Tommy smirks smugly underneath the cloak. "Nevah underestimate the ability of John Q. Public t'not see wot 'e ain't expectin'," he mutters. Tommy taps his heel on Esava's left side. "Now, let's see wot we got 'eah...some whackin' big cleavahs, prob'ly not th'best option when on th'run...a short sword, y'might like that'n...spears...shield would be nice seein' as y'said y'can't kill these blokes, but probably not worth th'weight -- oo, 'cept maybe that leathah one theah. Oh hey, theah's me knife! An' wot the hey, let's take that snakey one too, might be handy for pokin' into curved spaces." Tommy's eyes gleam as they fall onto a pile of bombs. "I gots a wheeze about how we can keep them from followin' us. Reckon you could carry one o' those poppers along wi' th'stuff you want?" Of course he can, bombs don't take up any physical space until they're lit, right? ;)

Esava APP [5:38 PM]
As the 'arms' of this high quality disguised-escape operation, Esava fumbles around with the weapons in front of him. Given he cannot actually \_see\_ anything, he's relying on Tommy's guidance to wield the various instruments in front of him. Tommy's knife is first, followed by the curved sword. And then, of course, the bombs. All of these things are stashed inside of the large cloak on Esava's frame. The knife, the scimitar(?) and the explosives.

It's about at this time when another guard notices what is happening. They had been happy to let the supposedly drunken fool wander about, but collect weapons and bombs from the armoury? Uh, no. That's not happening. "Oi oi," He calls out as he approaches. "Those weapons are off limits! You 'shoulda been fitted with yer load out at the start of the shift."

Esava doesn't put the weapons back. Though that curved blade is prepped to lash out very fast if need be! The desert man will rely on the deku scrub's silver tongue to get them out of this.

Tommy APP [10:46 PM]
Riiiight. The squeaky-toned, cockney-accent scrub should voice-act a hulking desert warrior. That'll end well. e.e; But hesitation is not part of Tommy's survival repertoire, so he launches into it. "Huh, shoulda been an' was is two different things," Tommy growls, trying to sound like he has a cold. "That \*snkkkkkt\* idiot partner of mine said he got equipment for \*kaf\* both of us, but he turned his back for a minute an' it was...was...\*WHACHOO!\* ...gone. He thinks there's a thief sneakin' around. \_I\_ think the only thing missin' is his brain." Tommy gives a phlegmy, inhaling snort. "Guh...hope his stupidity isn't as infectious as this dang cold he gave me." =.=;

Esava APP [5:03 AM]
remains standing mostly still, though his feet do pivot on occasion to help accentuate the statements that Tommy makes. Given he can't actually see anything, he is reliant on the sounds of the guards to get a gauge of what the heck is going on.

The guard himself pauses for a long while after hearing the scrub speak in his unusual accent. "That cold yer got has really messed with ya voice. That's the most ridiculous soundin' speak I ever 'erd from someone before." Oy vey. "Mmmm. A thief, huh? Who was it? Who was rostered on for yer partner tonight? S'ok. We'll go get him together. We'll throw him in the cells with the crow."

Esava squeezes Tommy's legs underneath his arms in order to signal him. Though nothing is verbally said, the reality is that they \_really\_ needed to be on their way and find where the horses were. It was only a matter of time before the empty cell was found, and ideally when that time arose the duo would be well clear of this place. But if they were still at this camp when that happened? Then survival would become much more difficult. The deku scrub needed to wrap this up.

Tommy APP [2:03 PM]
Okay, the 'get away from me before you catch what I've got' vibe apparently isn't getting through to this guard. =.=; But maybe they can actually make use of his continued presence. "Guh, I forget 'is name," Tommy grumbles. "Ain't worth \*sniff\* remembering usually, 'cause he ain't worth talking with. He was hangin' out by the \*koff\* stables, though. Actually \_likes\_ the smell, I think." Aaaaafter you, Mr. Guard...

Esava APP [7:05 PM]
Esava arches a brow at the cunning from Tommy Twiggins.

Certainly the guard doesn't suspect a thing, turning about face quickly to start marching for the stables! "Well - let's go get 'im, then." Presuming that this is exactly what the deku scrub intended, Esava kicks his own legs into gear and starts to stride after him.

The heavy looking guard marches across the sandy earth with a confident swagger, occasionally glancing around to try and spot this supposed thief. Fortunately for our pair of heroes, the stables lay a little bit away from the main compound and armoury. This is likely because of the previously mentioned \_stink\_ of the horses. The sad reality is that the steeds out here, while mighty and strong, were kept in pour conditions given the surrounds and the nature of their owners. Thus they were rarely groomed or washed, meaning that the muck really builds up on them.

Soon enough the stables come into sight under the light of the full moon above. "Tommy," Esava dares to whisper. "Is anyone else out here?"

"Hmmm," The guard drawls. "I don't see anyone strange skulkin' about. Let's go check inside the sheds."

Torgem [7:05 PM]
(OOC: ugh, sorry. I got the message that the slash command didn't work so I hit enter again - but it looks like it did work. Just delayed. Double pose!)

Irina [7:10 PM]
(Fixed!)
(Sorry about that - the pose will show up even if Slack times out) (edited)

Tommy APP [9:13 PM]
Tommy peeks this way and that. "Coast's pretty clear," he subvocalizes in Esava's ear. "Just follow 'im in an' conk 'im out." And to move things along, let's assume Esava's able to do exactly that without any issues.

Inside the relative concealment of the stable, Tommy hops down from Esava's shoulders and discards the cloak. "If y'know any way t'tell which is th'best horse, choose it quick," Tommy mutters. "While you're at it, we wanna set 'em \_all\_ loose." Tommy sets the bomb carefully against the back wall. "A chap who's thinking a step ahead would want to do something t'keep enemies from followin' 'im, like takin' out their transportation." Gasp! Is Tommy planning to blow up the horses they're not taking? 8O Is he that ruthlessly survivalist? "A chap thinkin' TWO steps ahead sez, why not use that asset to me own advantage? Line up th'steeds by th'door as best y'can. When you're ready, I'll light th'sparklah an' we can make a bolt for it. Those blokes are gonna be too busy roundin' up their little lost ponies to chase us even if they spot us." >)

Esava APP [9:35 PM]
After rendering the guard unconscious, Esava nods to confirm his understand of the plan Tommy unveils. The desert figure had suspected this might be the play. It will cause panic and most importantly, stop them from being followed any time soon.

"These poor beasts would be better off in the wilds." Esava mutters after studying some of the horses prattling about. Tossing the scrub the dynamite he pocketed, Esava continues on his quest to find the best suited steed.

It's around this point when shouting and yelling in the distance can be heard. A siren goes off at the compound - a sort of 'whirring' noise as a local guard turns a great big dial to sound off.

"I can't tell for sure in the dark, but this one will have to do." Saddling up one horse in particular - a dark skinned beasty with fiery eyes - Esava then proceeds to line the other horses by the door as instructed. Mounting the black horse, he pulls a little on the reigns to assert his dominance. "Ready?"

Tommy APP [10:23 PM]
Tommy strikes a few sparks using a rock and a cast-off horseshoe ~(not that Link ever seemed to need anything to light a bomb)~ and gets the fuse fizzing. "Time t'start th'party!" he quips, dashing over and jumping up to grab Esava's hand. A moment after they're away, \*BOOM\*! The horses scream and bolt in every direction, causing mass confusion.

Esava APP [11:27 PM]
Despite the pair galloping away from the stables at maximum speed, the shockwave of the bomb set off by Tommy causes Esava to blow forward just a little on the saddle. The other horses all scream and bolt in every which direction - some of them even going for the compound in their panicked state! The mount which the duo are on is no exception to entering a panicked state, but Esava is able to calm her down with a few gentle touches.

And wouldn't you know it, the duo have made their escape. And in somewhat perfect scenic timing, they are riding directly into the sunrise of a crisp, new morning. With a giant fireball behind them.

"Well played, Tommy." The candid comment isn't met with any sort of look. Instead he's looking ahead of him, ensuring that they are headed in the right direction and also perhaps taking in the magnificent view. "I'm going to get us back to Termina. But I need to stop back at the village first to get my wife and son."

The cool and crisp air around the pair was already starting to warm, despite the sun having just risen over the horizon. "Once we're in town I'm going to pass out for a few days."