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"This is my home dimension," Mike said. "We're going because it's been several days since I left, and I need to make sure that my company didn't go bankrupt or something while I was gone. We'll probably only stay for like a day, unless the situation demands otherwise." He offered a half-smile. "It doesn't seem weird there to me, although I did grow up there."
"Ah. Okay." Red attempted a smile back, but stopped, trying not to bring attention to her fangs.
"Anyway…" He stepped through the door and into the veil of grey beyond. "C'mon."
Red silently stepped after Mike, trying to match his posture and movements, since it was his home dimension and all.
After a few moments, the veil parted to reveal a forest of old, skeletal pines and half-dead bracken. The ground was rocky and steeply sloping to their right. It was a cloudy day, and a light rain was filtering down through the branches. The only sounds were the raindrops falling and a few crows calling in the distance.
Mike took a deep breath. "Ah, it's good to be back. I missed the quiet more than I thought." He looked around. "Funny place to put a dimensional gate….I had no idea this was here." Shrugging, he set off up the hill. "The camp's not far, let's get out of the rain."
"Woah…." Red just stood in the rain for a moment, curiously looking at the falling water and putting her hand out to try and catch some drops on her palm. She trailed after Mike, gazing at her surroundings like a wonderstruck child.
Mike smiled at her expression. "Never been in a forest before?"
"No…." She still looked around, following him. "For-est… Four-ist…. forest" she repeated the word, feeling it roll around in her mouth. New yet… familiar?
Mike led them onto a narrow trail between the trees. "It's not a bad place to be, if you know how to live off the land. In this country, there isn't much technology or civilization anymore, just farms, villages, bandits, and monsters. We're lucky to have a land-line phone and a helicopter at camp." He paused, listening, then kept walking. "Almost there."
(hello I was unconscious lol) Pluto frowned at the rain, unfolding her wings to put them above her to keep some of the rain off. "Ugh. It's cold."
"Okay…" Red trailed off, finally focusing on walking and not on the forest too much. "How well do they receive outsiders?"
"And how likely am I to get stabbed?" Pluto asked, gesturing to her wings
Red suddenly put her hand forward to touch one of the wings. She felt her back pulsate in two lines down her shoulder blade to mid-back. Her eyes widened once she realized what she was doing and she snapped her hand back to herself. So soft…
Pluto's wings subconsciously puffed up, and she slowed a little. "Um…What?"
"As long as you're with me, you're fine," Mike replied, not listening. "The hunters are a pretty friendly bunch, once they get to know you." He pushed aside some branches and stepped out into a clearing. "Ah, here we are."
Up above them on the side of the mountain was a large, fortress-like structure surrounded by a stockade wall. Lookout towers stood on either side of the gate, and it was possible to make out the small shapes of the watchmen within.
Pluto squinted down at the fortress. "Okay, that's great. Because my wings aren't listening to me and I can't hide them."
Red's face ironically went slightly red in embarrassment "Ah… Yours are so soft… Sorry." She pulled her attention back to the 'camp' of sorts, which looked more like some sort of obstacle-course castle.
"Uh, yeah. They are kinda soft I guess." Pluto felt herself grow a little anxious as they got closer to the fortress. It wouldn't be the first time she had a bad reception for something like her wings, and she had started mentally preparing herself for a fight
(hang on I gotta type)
Red noticed Pluto tense up in anticipation, so she tensed up too. She might need to protect the winged-human.
Mike waved at the watchmen, who waved back. "Don't worry. I'll try to explain to them that you're not a demon or a Hapbringer, but expect to be misidentified a bit at first. I apologize in advance."
The gate opened, and a cheerful-looking man in battered tactical gear stepped out. "Mike, you're back! Good to seeya, man! Who are your friends?"
"Red, Asura, and Pluto. Call a meeting, will ya? I've got some explaining to do."
Sure thing." The man nodded politely at them and trotted off, whistling.
Pluto folded her wings, trying to make them seem smaller. She put her hands in her pockets, thumbing the handle of a small knife in one of her pockets
They walked into the camp, heading for the largest building at the end. All around, men and women with a mixture of military and hand-made uniforms went about their business. Many called out greetings to Mike, who waved at them but didn't slow down.
On their left, a series of large pens and corrals came into view. Most of them were empty, but some contained strange creatures like you'd never seen before. Wolves with wings, lions with scales, people with fur or feathers covering their skin. A woman with the head of a leopard saw them and grinned, leaning against the reinforced fence casually.
"Somebody let me out," she yowled pitifully. "I'm booored."
Pluto glared at it. "God, that must be annoying."
Mike walked by without a glance. "Luckily they don't stay here long. Usually we relocate them or send them off to a buyer within the week." He reached the door of the large building and opened it. "Come on in, looks like they've got the fires going already."