Horizon’s Sudden Break

A week passed since the Hive had briefly stopped for camp. And, well, also since his fight with Lazul.

The others knew something had happened between the two but not the full details. The only thing coming up through the hivemind being an intense feeling of annoyance and frustration and nothing further. And even when Prisma tried to gently pry at either them, or offer a way for the two to make it up to each other, they wouldn’t budge. Not that they didn’t want to appeal to Prisma’s feelings, they were appreciated, but the two cccat’s would rather emphasize the fact nothing really happened than actually go over anything that did.

And eventually.. that was that. The group traveled steadily over the last few days, stopping occasionally for food and to rest before finally the roads became smoother.

Less bumpy gravel, rough pavement or pure dirt road (sometimes even occasionally dealing with No road at all and needing to drive through pure woods), now instead a much clearer path with guard rails and asphalt. Maintained well-ish, cracked and grown through with plants at portions but compared to Fever, it was the best he’d seen for being this far out. At least outside the roads of Stonewing which were perfectly well maintained even miles out. Horizon enjoyed it as he leaned against the door of the car for once, unable to previously with his head knocking against the window with each tiny bump. Eye sitting in his half open mouth, rolling lazily as he watched the scenery pass by. Shifting from the earlier woods and plains, to hills and mountains, the road built circling and climbing around a larger one in particular. Higher and higher before starting to round the top of it. The shade of the mountain gave away to sunlight as they reached the very top…

And Horizon leaned forward, crowns raising.

“Huh.” Horizon hummed, breaking the silence with surprise as he saw the scene below the mountain.

Mountains and hills rolled below and in the distance. Stretching further and further, the far away scenery dotted with the green of woods but that wasn’t what caught his attention. What did was the river that cut through between two mountains, flat and curved and winding through. Creating flat, curving, land in the middle that was cleared out where various buildings sat within. Various shapes and sizes and colorful figures. Able to catch a few small ships flying in and out from the sky alongside a good flock of Gravent’s moving about, with what looked like a small artificial(?) lake the river fed in and out of..

It wasn’t a sprawling city by any means, especially as the car started to descend and approach but it was a large town for sure. Especially compared to the last few settlements they’d pass by earlier.

Glancing with his eye as a large wooden sign on the road passed by. ‘Inner Valley Village’

“Never seen settlements this big outside the main four.” Horizon hummed, crossing his arms as he leaned back and took in the sights as the car drove closer and closer.

“There’s not many that are this big, but there’s some if you know where to look for them...” Acasia replied, the car entering the village as they started to slowly make their way through the semi-busy streets, the cccat continuing.

“They can hold their own against the wild threats and make up material to trade with, or act as a general stop for travelers.” She motioned to the stalls near the buildings where vendors were set up as they passed by, offering a few waves as she did. “Mostly if they’re selling goods or need a place to rest or get food…”

“Like us!” Prisma added with a shake of her crowns and a big grin and Horizon chuckled.

Smiling at the smaller cccat before quickly turning away with a twitch of his crowns, Lazul’s previous words burning his brain. ‘The first village we see, if there’s a portal, I want you to get into contact with your hive and get out of mine.’

Sighing mentally as he then spoke, crowns flicking as he caught Acasia’s attention. “Will you be stopping to sell wares?”

“Oh yeah. Probably for just a day or two at max, stock up on our end. Then we’ll ask around if they have a portal or know a place with one, and head out that way.”

Horizon felt his crown twitch, “Right.”

“Not a set plan obviously. So. We’ll see.”

“Alright…” Horizon was wary about that, his emotion passing by the others and he quickly explained himself with a sigh. “I’ve never really been out of Uto before like this…. and even when in Uto I usually like having a set plan with these things….”

Able to feel Lazul brush his mental link but offered no comment or feeling, just presence. About to ask what he wanted before Prisma spoke, feeling her hand pat at his.

“Don’t worry about it Horizon.” Prisma smiled. “We always figure things out, even if there’s a few bumps along the way. The city is nice and comfortable if you have a routine, but being out here, making things up on the fly, can be fun too. And we’re here for you.”

“Yeah?”

Prisma nodded and squeezed his hand. “Yeah!”

The taller cccat smiled at that before looking away.

Silence after that. Not uncomfortable. Just… normal. The car making its way through the village, which was more of a town or mini city. Prisma’s crowns twitching as she talked to Lazul, he presumed.. or maybe any nearby hivemind signals. But? Nothing else…

Horizon fixed his eye in his mouth as he leaned against the window again. If anything came up, he’d see and they’d figure it out.

Watching the scenery as it passed by. More colorful figures, many humans, Cccat’s, Gravent’s, even a few Crook’s. Wondering how his Hive would feel about a place like this, as he started to drift off to the thought and fell asleep, eye instinctually swallowed…

…

..

.

“OMG-“ Horizon flinched as he heard an excited cry from Prisma.

Snapping to attention and alert. Sleep washed away by a sudden rush of magic in his body, looking around. Eye firmly slotted back in his mouth as it rolled around before slowing and Horizon slumped back. Swallowing it back down and sighing.

“What is it.” He groaned, tired as he ran his hand over his face and ears.

The vehicle was stopped, trunk open. Acasia and Lazul outside, setting up the stand while Prisma’s door was open and she stood outside, pointing to something. The smaller cccat looking back to Horizon as her crowns twitched then drooped, apologetic feelings washing over him in their shared link, which he dismissed with a warm feeling and a nod.

“Sorry! I got excited because me and Acasia wanted to meet the magic mentors one day but it never lined up with our travel- but it turns out two of them are actually in this little city-“

Horizon woke up a bit more at that as his ears raised. “Oh really?”

Prisma nodded. That was surprising. He heard that the magic mentors did travel, often having their own marked locations and businesses where they’d handle things. Of course he had never seen them in Fever, or even heard of them going to Fever. Maybe Key (and obviously Choice) were the only options within Uto, and even then he would’ve never afforded the trip and amount of lessons needed.

But two of them, in one village, that was in the middle of nowhere? Maybe this place was more special then he gave it credit for.

Slowly making his way out of the car as Prisma walked away and turned her attention to Acasia as the two spoke. Horizon stretching loudly, groaning as the bones in his back and shoulder popped and cracked. Seeing Lazul staring at him and shooting a grin, being met with a crown flick and a mental eye roll. Brushing it away with a flick of his own crowns before focusing.

Ears twitching as he heard Prisma speak, her voice uncharacteristically lowering from the earlier excitement. “I can try and use one of my moms cards..”

“No, that’s not worth it.” Acasia’s tail swished as she quickly blocked that option out before sighing, “I think we can grab maybe… two lessons? For both of us? But not sure if we’ll end up selling enough by tomorrow to get a place to stay in or afford the rest, we’ll only have the basics…”

“Yeah..” Prisma nodded with a frown, “Makes sense. We can always get them next time.”

They couldn’t afford it? The cccat paused, glancing at Lazul who also looked towards him. Both their crowns twitching, the same idea and a subtle head nod.

“Not a big deal. I’ll talk with their people and see if they can give us a list of locations they’ll be in coming up in next.” Acasia decided as she walked past Horizon to the stand,

“Sounds like a plan!” Prisma smiled with a nod and Horizon stepped forward.

“Me and Laz are gunna go looking for a portal, that ok with you two?”

“Oh?” Prisma’s crowns flicked, a feeling of surprise, like a pop of confetti that fizzled out to warm water, “…you sure?”

Lazul nodded. “Yeah. Are you two ok staying and selling off materials?”

“Yep! We’ll be fine.”

The two nodded and started to head off. Crowns twitching in a private conversation as they got to work… And to work they did. Hours and hours passed as they wandered and explored the whole of the city, using their shared experiences and personal strengths as they started to earn currency.

It was easy enough… even if it was /maybe/ not the smartest idea. Lazul was intending on ‘going clean’… but this was relatively harmless compared to what he used to do. And Horizon probably shouldn’t have stuck himself front and center to other peoples memories, the whole point of hiding out with a group being his presence wouldn’t stick out in the Hivemind any further then it had currently… but this was a rare moment.

Him and Lazul agreeing on something? Having mutual ground?

The first scam was easy enough. They took some extra materials from the car and sold them on the street, off to the side as other Skirean’s walked past. Sticking to one very busy street in particular, where Skireans washed down it in waves, back and forth towards buildings and businesses, along with where the lake and the airships flew in and out from. This wasn’t entirely a scam, though Horizon did briefly use his ‘charms’ to *encourage* purchases. Lazul mentally smacked him with the feeling of cold water for trying to pull a ‘healing item’ shtick on some humans who couldn’t see any better, forcing him to focus on embellishing the objects rather than outright lying…

Hyping them up, making them more desirable, etcetera…

The second was more of a scam. Sales were slowing down by noon, barely a quarter into the funds they needed. So they ran games off to the side (on another street of course). Cards, guessing games, even the old cup and ball trick where the ball magically somehow is in another cup. Difficult when half of the populace can see magical threads (so basically through the cup) but they managed to get around that one way or another.

The third was just straight up theft. As things wrapped up, Horizon felt that burning urge come to him, and, with Lazul only finding out last minute, pick pocketed a few Skireans that looked well off. Not a smart move, he knew, and Lazul ripped him apart for that as soon as he noticed but oh well- He figured they were maybe a quarter off their goal after everything, so what he took easily put them over it without the Skireans noticing a few dollars and loose jewelry gone.

But they’d count it to be sure and after that, Lazul didn’t fight further.

Finally taking a well needed break by the mid afternoon as the sun coasted towards the horizon. Settling down in a cafe, sat out front and across from each other. Horizon leaned all the way forward on the table, hunched over and resting while Lazul leaned back, both waiting for the server to return. Horizon’s crowns flicking as he listened to the nearby Hivemind as other cccat’s were served or went about their lives, while his ears tuned in to the sound of Lazul flicking at the bills in his hands.

“Prisma and Acasia say anything?” Lazul asked while never breaking focus, continuing to simply count.

Horizon mumbling, a flick of his crowns and then a mental stop sign, “No, they’re busy.”

Another few flicks of Lazul’s hands as his crowns twitched. A few comforting feelings but overall the sensation of being walled out. Less purposeful, more from the fact they were busy and likely focusing.

Lazul continued to count before he paused. Horizon quickly looking up as he *felt* Lazul’s sensation, watching him nudge one stack to the side then continue. Counting, counting, counting.

Nudging that aside, then continuing. Counting, counting…

“We tripled our goal?” Horizon asked in excitement as he sat up straight, crowns raised forward, then laughing.

“Haha holy shit-“ Quickly cutting himself off as he leaned back casually, Lazul also leaning away and sliding the bills off the table and into his bag as the waiter returned, tucking said bag out of sight.

Two coffees and waters quickly set in front of both cccat’s, followed by their food. The two thanking the server, Lazul giving them a large bill to cover payment and then another as tip before settling in.

Both ordered the same coffee, Horizon never having it before as he never felt the need, so he followed Lazul’s preference. Food wise they differentiated, Horizon ordering himself a warm cheese and sliced meat sandwich while Lazul got what looked like a sandwich with fruit and whipped cream layers. Horizon, looking at the coffee, sat in a small white ceramic cup, a deep brown color, nearly black, swirling on the surface with a slightly lighter color that moved with the steam coming off it.

Lifting it by its small handle to take a sip, then immediately taken aback by the heavy hit of bitterness. Watching as Lazul casually took a smooth sip of the same drink and then set it down, following it with a sip of water and then a bite into his ‘sandwich’. Horizon’s crowns flicked as he ignored Lazul’s amused feeling over the hivemind, brushing the mocking smugness away as he took a huge bite of his own snack. Both foregoing the knife and fork, though Lazul did pointedly remark over the hivemind that Horizon was getting his hands all dirty.

Horizon about to bite back but held his tongue. Lazul’s snack kept his hands clean looking, while his felt greasy. Whatever, didn’t matter though. In a few minutes the surface layer of thin skin on his hands would dust and regenerate as it always did for all cccats in that microscopic way.

The pair quickly finished up and left the table. Lazul slinging the bag around his body, held protectively to his front while Horizon walked slightly behind Lazul. Starting to make their way back to where the car was before diverting the path.

Horizon’s crowns twitching. The largest street they took to head here in the first place was busy as people left work, or started to return home, leaving it flooded with various figures. The two decided to take a way that was more clear (so, faster) while also avoiding risk of being pickpocketed themselves. Now cutting closer to the artificial lake, where things were far more clear. An open square holding walkways surrounded the lake, along with the other side having a small park. Neither of which had a vehicle presence which was nice.

Something then catching his attention. A blob of magical energy in his magic sight along with various figures. Curious if it was the mentors as he let his eye slide up into his mouth before freezing.

Oh.

Lazul stopped ahead of him at the mental pause, turning back as his crowns twitched, questioning Horizon before he then spotted it.

“Oh.” Lazul said more clearly.

The cccat looked over to Horizon and then to where his gaze was held. A round metal frame sat in the center of the square, on a slightly raised platform overlooking the artificial lake. Within the frame was a glowing swirling blue portal of pure magical energy, pulsing occasionally. A few Skireans stood around it and chatted amongst one another.

Both looked at the other after a long moment and Horizon looked away, ears slightly rotated down. Lazul looking over Horizon’s posture and feeling the emotions running through his crowns before sighing.

“We should get back to the group.” He motioned, raising the bag full of their hard earned cash up and then dropping it back over his side. “Plan what to do next.”

“Yeah?” Horizon looked at him, crowns raising.

Lazul only nodded and continued to walk. Horizon looking back at the portal for a moment before catching up to Lazul’s side. Breathing out a sigh of relief as his crowns rattled, gratitude and some hidden feeling of calm.

Lazul brushed them off with a twitch of his crowns. It’s fine.

Glancing at Horizon as he looked around in cyclops mode, then focusing on the path ahead of him after a brief glance to the portal, shaking his head.

It’s fine.