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The Big Oof! Volume 2 Chapter 50: Fairies and Fruits
🕑 Added 2023-07-05 17:56:39 +0000 UTCElijah was kneeling just outside of a window, his eyes scanning the dirt and grass for any signs of disturbance. “You’re sure the only thing you saw was your brother being pulled out of here by shadows?” He asked, looking up at the window cut out.
The thing looked too small for an adult to jump through with a child kicking and screaming, but it was large enough for someone or something as large as the child to crawl through. “Yessum. I saws it with my own two.” The little girl standing behind her father pointed at her eyes. “The things took Damyl.”
Clicking his tongue in agitation, Elijah brought his head back down to continue his investigation. He wished the room where the child had been abducted hadn’t been thoroughly cleaned, but at least just outside of the window held the promise of overlooked clues.
“Thanks, that’s all for now.” Elijah said Running his gloved hand over the ground. A child's testimony was always massively unreliable and he wasn’t going to grill the kid. He was just going to have to make due with what he had, but luckily what he had was quite substantiation.
Furrowing his brow, Elijah sank down into a crouch beside a patch of disturbed soil and broken foliage. “How long has it been since the kid was taken?” he asked, looking up at the girl's father.
He was a burly man, strong from years of labor, but this ordeal had hollowed him, made him appear smaller "Two nights past," He replied in a gruff, but pained voice.
Elijah nodded, returning his attention to the soil and foliage. “Two nights huh…” He said to himself while running his gloved fingers over the disturbed ground. “Has anyone disturbed this area to clean or anything since then?” He asked, finding several adult sized footprints outlined by the disturbed grass and dirt.
The father's eyes flickered with a hint of hesitation before he nodded, "Aye, there was... there was a fair bit of blood. We... we wents to clean it up. Along the wall there,” He motioned vaguely to the window and the area where Elijah was crouched.
A hum left Elijah's lips as he ruled out most of the adult-sized prints as the villagers who had cleaned up the scene. He focused on the smaller, more subtle marks that remained, and his hand gently glided over an imprint in the soil that seemed… odd. "Are these… footprints? Claw marks?" Elijah muttered quietly to himself, as he traced a peculiar outline with his fingertips.
Even though the sun was high in the sky, Elijah pulled his pistol from his holster and used the attached flashlight to illuminate the area. As the beam of light swept over the ground and while the entire area had signs of a struggle, he noticed slight irregularities in the soil.
Four distinct impressions decorated the soil, a pattern that told a story of a creature's passage. Three of these marks were uniformly spaced, precisely two inches apart, their proximity implying a forward-facing orientation. The fourth, however, situated a curious six inches away from the trio, facing the opposite direction. Each indentation bore the hallmarks of a claw - sharp, punctuated, and precise.
Pursing his lips, Elijah stood up and turned to the father once more. "Has anyone moved anything heavy through here recently? Barrels, carts, debri?”
"No, sir. Nobody's moved nothin’ here since we gon’ n’ cleaned.” The man shook his head, his eyes wide and filled with confusion.
“What about livestock? Could livestock have wandered around here and moved anything? Do any of them have claws?” Elijah peppered the man with question after question.
The father's face became confused, unsure why the man in front of him would consider their livestock. "We don't usually let the animal wander 'round here, especially since the children started goin' missin'. "We got Golomir’s, though.” He said, still confused.
Elijah’s eyes shifted to the side as his memory replayed his last encounters with the Dodo like creatures. “No… this is too big to be them…” He muttered, standing up and taking a few steps back. Elijah then motioned for everyone to move out of the way as he took in the whole scene. The subtle disturbances in the grass, the snapped stocks of weeds and small splotches of dried blood.
This was no ghost.
“Where’s that hunter? We want to go see the other areas where people have gone missing.” Elijah said to the father, before turning to his crew.
The man nodded, swallowing hard before pointing towards a small hovel on the outskirts of the village. "Ye can find him there," he replied, a mix of apprehension and hope coloring his words.
“Find something?” Bennett asked, as he and Azeline jumped off of a cart they were sitting on.
Elijah’s gaze said he was still in thought before he looked to his engineer. "Potentially," he replied, waving for his crew to follow.
Yana had stopped chewing on a strange, bright pink bulbous fruit she stole from someone and caught up with her Humans. “Eli, this is yummy. Eat it.” She said, dangling the thing in front of his face as the rest of the crew quickly fell in behind him.
An apprehensive look formed on Elijah’s face as he stared at the lime sized fruit as its outer layer glistened wetly in the sunlight. A sweet, tangy scent wafted up to him, that made it oddly enticing yet entirely alien.
"Yana," Elijah began, a hint of trepidation in his voice as he gently swatted the fruit away. "Where did you get that?” He asked, warily.
Unperturbed by his reaction, Yana took one hand off of her newly found treat and pointed at a little boy that was glaring bloody hatred at them. “From that thing," she said before taking another bite.
“Yana, you can’t just– …” Elijah immediately became speechless in the middle of his own reprimand. Instead he just dipped his head down and pinched the bridge of his nose before letting out a deep sigh. “... I’ll try one you pick yourself… okay? Come on, let's go.” He waved his hand dismissively knowing that anything he would say to this psychotic fairy would just go in one ear and out the other.
“‘Kaaaay.” Yana chirped cheerfully, her wings fluttering in excitement at the prospect of finding her own fruit. The pink bulbous fruit in her hand was promptly forgotten, dropped to the ground as she planted herself firmly on his head.
With Yana now hitching a ride atop his head, Elijah and his crew continued the walk towards the outskirts of the village where the cluster of huts and homes gradually thinned out. As they moved beyond the confines of the settlement, the landscape gradually opened up, revealing large farm fields and beautifully colored orchards. Their leaves, kissed by the shifting seasons along with their fruit that were painted in either bright pink or dark purple.
Just at the edge of this pastoral beauty, a solitary structure nestled against a small thicket. Hewn logs stacked atop each other to form the walls, their rugged texture softened by years of exposure to the elements.
Outside the cabin, the hunter's trade was on full display, showing a humble tannery setup that dominated one corner of the clearing. A deer hide that had been skinned with meticulous precision, was stretched taut on a large wooden frame after being scraped meticulously clean of residual fat and tissue. Next to the frame, a large wooden barrel rested, its dark interior filled with a concoction of water and tanning solution, a vital part of the leather-making process.
The hunter himself was already outside, engrossed in the grim tableau of his dressing station. Suspended from a sturdy overhead beam were several carcasses of creatures that bore a striking resemblance to rabbits, save for their peculiarly elongated hind legs and thick, fluffy ears. Their fur, an amalgamation of earthy browns and soft grays that was already slick with the sheen of death, their lifeless eyes staring blankly into the distance.
As the crew approached, the man paused to look up at the new converse before giving them a nod of acknowledgement. He then bent over to dip his hands in another barrel full of water, wiped his hands clean before grabbing his trademark bow and spear that was leaning snuggly against a tree.
“Name’s Jucap” The hunter's voice rang out rough, but clear. “Ye the ones the elder was talkin’ ‘bout?”
Elijah looked the hunter up and down, sizing him up and saw that he was rather short, stocky, but muscular. The man’s skin was deeply tanned and spotty with damage from spending the long years in the sun.
Gazing behind Jucap, Elijah could see that the sizable, but humble dwelling looked to house more than just this lone hunter, but not another soul was in sight. Instead where two spears, stabbed into the ground with a deer-like pelt drabbed over them as if they were memorial markers.
"That’s right," Elijah finally responded, pulling his gaze back to meet Jucap's. “We want you to guide us to the areas where people have been going missing.” He explained, getting straight to the point.
Jucap's silence lingered in the air as he scrutinized the crew, his gaze a mix of caution and skepticism. He took in the unusual assembly before him – two oversized Primate Beastkins, a strange pixie-like creature, and a Northern Aethari woman, all strangers in these parts.
Finally, Jucap nodded, his gruff voice cutting through the tension. “A’ight," he agreed reluctantly, his tone heavy with disdain. "I’ll show ye the areas. But I ain’t baby sittin’ no city folk.” His eyes narrowed at the group. “I ain’t also tryna get killed ‘cause some city slicker wants to go and wander.”
Elijah held Jucap's gaze as his eye twitched in irritation. “That’s nice," he responded sardonically. "But, I’m fairly confident we don’t need you for anything else other than taking us there and answering a few questions."
The hunter snarled and grunted in response. “Fine.” With that, he turned his back to the group, and started making his way towards the Orchard in the distance.
“Well that went well,” Azeline observed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. With a glance to her companions, she nudged her head in the direction of the receding hunter and started off after him.
Yana, who had been unusually silent, finally piped up from her perch atop Elijah's head. “He’s grumpy!” She added with an innocent giggle, tugging away at Elijah’s hair as if she was controlling him.
Already used to the fairies' antics, Elijah simply shook his head in mild annoyance at the exchange. Yet, he couldn't help that flicker of understanding at the bottom of his gut. He knew all too well the kind of bitterness that came from losing people that were really close to, assuming the hunter was close to his colleagues.
Empathy had always been a struggle for Elijah, even during his time in the Army. His emotional responses seemed to work differently than those around him. He could understand the theoretical concept of empathy, the ability to share and understand the feelings of others, but it didn't come naturally to him. His reactions were usually much more pragmatic and analytical, even when it came to death.
Where others might feel sorrow or grief, he felt a need to find solutions and put an end to the problems that caused those feelings in the first place. This often made him seem detached, unfeeling, but that didn’t mean he actually didn't care, nor was it that he was incapable of feeling. He could feel happiness, sadness, anger, and a myriad of other emotions just as deeply as anyone else. But when it came to connecting with others on an emotional level, truly understanding what they were feeling… he found himself often at a loss.
But when Elijah started his own crew and became responsible for their lives and well being, he found himself easily making these connections where he previously struggled. It wasn't that his capacity for empathy had miraculously increased; rather, it was more the bond he chose to form.
“The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb, huh?” Elijah muttered.
Yana looked down with a quizzical look on her face, "Eli, why are you talking about blood and water?"
Elijah looked up at the fairy as she bent over his head, using his hair to keep her balance. “Look Yana, cut the hunter guy some slack.” Elijah said finally, his tone a shade softer. "He probably lost some people important to him and that has a way of making anyone guarded, even prickly.” He explained. “That’s just his way of dealing with it."
Tilting her head to the side and causing her long ears to bounce, Yana blinked several times as she tried to process the information. "So he's grumpy because he's sad?" she asked, her tone full of uncertainty.
"More or less," Bennett confirmed as he spoke out. “For example, when you were stuck in your cave for however long, were you grumpy about it?”
Pondering the question, Yana sat down on Elijah’s head with a thud as she crossed her leg. “I was… Angry…” she admitted, with a furrowed brow. "And maybe a little grumpy. But mostly angry."
Bennett's face contorted in bewilderment as he looked off to the side, trying to figure out what the difference between being angry and being grumpy was to this being. His brain felt like it was twisting into knots attempting to understand the nonsense coming out of her mouth.
Satisfied with her answer, Yana turned her attention back to Elijah and bonked his head with her small fist. “I’m still grumpy with you by the way! You know I hate that and you did it anyway!” She shouted, turning her head up in a huff and shutting her eyes.
“Ya, I’m sorry.” Elijah relented with actual regret in his voice. “It was pretty messed up for me to attack your trauma like that. I won't do it again.”
Yana opened a singular eye and looked down at the man. “Did you mean it when you promised not to do it again?” She asked in a soft voice. “Really really promise?”
Elijah paused for a moment, before nodding lightly. “Ya, I promise, Yana.” He said sincerely. “I really, really promise.”
Silence reigned for a few moments as Yana regarded him with her violent eyes. “Okay,” she said simply. “I forgive you.”
“I’m glad” Elijah replied as they crossed the vast farmlands and found themselves approaching the long rows of the strange, bright pink, bulbous fruit that Yana had stolen earlier . The fruit dominated this side of the orchard as it hung from the branches of short, stout man-sized trees that were thick with leaves. “I’ll always apologize and try to fix my mistakes if I ever actually upset you.”
"Okay," Yana said again as she laid flat and hugged Elijah’s head. “Thank you.”
Yana then started rolling around and ruffling up Elijah’s hair while a strange, but comfortable silence fell over the group as they ventured further into the orchard with the sun hanging loftily in the sky. They didn’t find the quiet unpleasant, but rather, it allowed them to gather their thoughts.
Elijah decided to break the silence as he looked towards the rows of bright pink fruit that flanked them on either side. “Didn’t you want me to taste that fruit? Go grab one.” He told Yana, shaking his head in the direction of one of the trees.
Yana slipped off his head, but her wings quickly found purchase as she giggled and zipped towards one of the small trees “Kaaaaay!”
As the fairy buzzed around, fussing over which fruit to pick, Elijah scanned his surroundings for a moment before turning towards Bennett and Azeline. “This is actually some sketchy shit if there's something roaming around snatching people.” He said,adjusting his rifle to be more accessible.
Bennett nodded, his brow furrowed in thought. "Agreed," he replied, his eyes flicking towards the rustling trees where Yana was choosing a fruit. His hand also went to his rifle, adjusting the strap on his shoulder and checking the ammunition for good measure.
Azeline, on the other hand, hummed in excitement as she pulled the sword at her waist out, taking a moment to admire the gleaming blade. "That's my favorite part though," she said, flashing a wolfish grin at her teammates. The prospect of a fight seemed to only heighten her spirits.
Peering over his shoulder at the woman, Elijah gave her an incredulous look before shaking his head and continuing the trek. “I swear to god…” he muttered, dragging a hand down his face. “There’s something wrong with everyone on this god forsaken planet.”
Responding with a dismissive shrug, Azeline flashed him a bright smile. "Or maybe there's something wrong with you for thinking there's something wrong with us," she teased, which caused Bennett to look back this time.
“No, he’s right. He’s definitely right.” Bennett interjected in a deadpan voice. “There’s definitely something wrong with you.”
Azeline chuckled at the statement, “I don’t want to hear that from two idiots who hustle and haggle literal Gods!” she retorted, pointing the end of her sword towards the two men. But just as she said that, Yana came buzzing back with an especially large and bright piece of pink fruit in her hands.
“Eli! Eat this!” The fairy demanded
With an expression that clearly conveyed a large amount of repulsion, Elijah reluctantly accepted the fruit and held it gingerly between his fingers as he scrutinized it with a wary gaze. Its smooth, bright pink surface looked almost luminescent in the bright sun, and it had a weird, squishy texture to it that made him even more hesitant. "This isn't going to, like, explode in my face or something, right?" He asked Yana, giving the fruit a slight squeeze, half-expecting it to burst.
Yana slammed her hands on her hips and gave Elijah a reprimanding look. ”You said you’d eat the one I picked, you stupid! It’s yummy! Just eat it!” She insisted, fluttering closer until she was right in front of his face.
Under the intense scrutiny of the little fairy, Elijah's face twisted with a mixture of apprehension and disgust. The man took a few more moments to steel himself as held the fruit a little more firmly, feeling the fleshing interior give way. Realizing Yana was getting more angry as a snarl formed on her face, Elijah finally decided to get this nightmare over with and his teeth sank into the soft fruit.
On the side, Bennett watched with intense fascination, his gaze moving between the strange pink bulb and Elijah’s reaction. At first glance, the thing looked appealing, but the engineer knew better from previous experience that looks could be extremely deceiving. “Well?” Bennett found himself asking as he watched his Captain's expression shift repeatedly while chewing. "Is it edible?"
Elijah's brows furrowed in contemplation, his confusion clear on his face as he turned his gaze to Bennett. For a moment, all was silent. Then, without a word, he took another bite of the fruit as a thoughtful expression crossed his features as he tried to pinpoint the peculiar taste that was spreading in his mouth.
“This is…” Elijah muttered hesitantly. “This tastes exactly like Vanilla ice cream.”
Bennett didn’t say a word as he immediately snatched a fruit off of an unsuspecting branch and took his own bite. “The fuck…” The engineer added in surprise, his eyes wide as the familiar flavor burst in his mouth. "You're right, what the shit…?"
But before anyone could comment any further, Jucap came to a stop and crouched to the ground. “Here.” He said, looking back at the group. “First of ‘em were went missin’ round here.”
The crew finally snapped back to reality and looked up to see they were close to the edge of the Orchard, and beyond was a giant mess just outside of the border. The ground was littered with compost piles, broken branches, and heaps of organic refuse, forming a veritable landfill.
A mere hundred meters from where they stood, an eerie dark forest began.
“I think I found your problem.” Bennett said with raised eyebrows.
