forum Trapped in the Encante | o/o or small group? closed

Started September 01, 2022 by @Tired-but-passionate

tune

Toshiaki was late getting home one night and decided to make a jog back to her place when..she heard a beautiful melody being sung down a mysterious path she hadn't seen before.
She moved to just jog past it but for some reason she felt as if she had to find whoever wad singing the melody.
She moved almost as if in a trace towards where she heard the music, walking down the pathway into the jungle, looking around as she did so.
She moved to push vines and tree branches out of the way, well the one that's actually reached her given how short she was.
She continued forward as she tried to listen to the melody that was being sung.

As she listened, she began to hear another sound, blending and mingling with the hauntingly beautiful melody. It wasn't the same tune, but a harmony line, more of a countermelody, giving gentle contrast to the singer's song.

A person came walking through the woods just then. He was a little man, about 5ft tall, with long blonde hair and bright eyes. He was leaning on a walking stick, and he was whistling. The whistle was the harmony, woven together with the melody from the unseen singer.
He winked at Toshiaki as he walked by, taking a turn and looping back into the trees, still whistling.

(Please lemme know if this doesn't fit what you're looking for. He'll appear as other things, like in the mythology, just thought I'd give the flavor I'm going for here)

Although the original melody seemed loud enough to be nearby, its source was deep, deep in the jungle. It rose up from a rushing river that appeared tranquil and unassuming, but secretly held immortal creatures hungry for a taste of mortal flesh. The queen of this river rested on its bed, weaving her song from the waters of the river and the undulating flesh of her larynx. She knew a mortal when she sensed one, and she would have it all to herself. She had claimed it the moment her song reached the mortal’s ears. No one would get in her way, if they didn’t want to face the consequences. The queen laid in wait, eager for her prey to come to her.

She blinked, before moving to rub her eyes and chase after the blonde man, who was still technically taller then her from how short she was.
"Wait-!" She called after him, hearing his whistle blend into the melody she had heard before, and was still currently hearing. Looking at her surroundings she realized she had gotten distracted from her run and gotten lost.
Hopefully this guy, whoever he was could help her get out of this foresty area.

The man stopped on his tracks, and turned to face her. "Can I help you?" His voice was lyrical, something about the lilt of his words exuding friendliness and warmth. He smiled at her, an impish expression, and began shuffling to the tune still being sung, whistling while he waited on a response. It was almost as if he couldn't hold still from all the energy coursing through him.

She was a bit speechless for a few moments before shaking her head to try and get a grasp on what she wanted to ask. “Uhm…where is this place exactly?”

The little man did a spin, and held his hands out as he did, gesturing at the jungle around them.
"Where is this place exactly?" He laughed, a mischievous, melodic laugh that seemed to echo through the trees and plants.
"Why, this place is everywere and nowhere, exactly! It is right here and now, as well as yesterday and then, and it can be tomorrow and never, if you like." He stopped spinning to look her in the eyes, his bright, energetic orbs burning into her very being.
"It is everything you want it to be and nothing you expect it to be." His voice lowered all of a sudden, the words coming out soft, almost like a warning. "It is where all of your nightmares and all of your dreams meet and shake hands in the moonlight." He stared at her for a moment, before giving a small laugh and resuming his dance.
"In short, just your average jungle!"

She looked at him as he spoke, confused by his words and his dancing. She frowned as he laughed about all his confusing words and just moved to look around the area before being drawn back to looking ag him.
"Yes but, how do I leave? I seem to have gotten a bit lost.."

The man smiled at her, and pointed. "Well, some have gone that way and found peace."
He pointed the opposite direction, crossing his arms. "And some have gone that way and found what they wanted."
He switched his hands, still pointing both directions. "And some have gone this way and found a way out."
He leaned towards her this time, lowering his voice like he was telling her a secret. "But if you'll follow me, I'll show you the real way." He turned and walked hurriedly, moving deeper into the jungle, whistling again and looking over his shoulder to make sure she was still there.

She nodded and moved to run after him swiftly, keeping up a good pace as she followed him. She made sure to keep him within sights though the whistling did help when he got obstructed by jungle vines and the like.

The little whistling man lead her deeper, and deeper into the dense undergrowth, not slowing down at all. At some point, he disappeared, but his whistling remained a beacon, calling her after him.
It was still blending and folding with the melody being sung, which had never stopped, only been muffled for a bit. Now, that melody was very clear.

Indeed, the melody grew clearer, more pervasive and alluring as they walked. The shadows deepened and overlapped with the density of the jungle, and the trees swayed and shivered. But something was amiss. If one listened closely, they could hear something shifting betwixt the trees. Something that appeared to be following them.

She just continued to follow after him, not paying attention to whatever was rustling the trees and the bushes. She had lost sight of him, but was trying her hardest to follow the whistling that she continued to hear.

The diminutive figure seemed to be circling, which was an odd tactic, but he was easy enough to follow with the jaunty whistling still leading them on forward.

He managed to circle back around the rustling, and stepped up on their follower. "Well! Hello!" He glanced over his shoulder as Toshiaki caught up to them, and smiled wider. "Our little friend has questions."