[Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Xurtan on 04-04-2022, 02:55:31</h2>
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				Title: <strong>[Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Xurtan</strong> on <strong>04-04-2022, 02:55:31</strong>
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				<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: 24pt;" class="bbc_size">Camp Runamuk<br>Surrounding Woods</span></strong></div><br><div align="center">(https://dynamic-media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-o/0c/e8/56/62/hallormsstadur-forestry.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=1200&amp;s=1) (https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/10/25/02/06/forest-5682990_1280.jpg) (https://jooinn.com/images/forest-river.jpg)</div><br><div align="center"><hr>The woods that surround the camp are easy enough to navigate, though the terrain can be hilly and rocky at times. There's clear paths to follow and a couple of nearby rivers that move slowly enough to safely wade or walk through. Even if one were to lose their way, there are frequent signs pointing back towards the camp. Though wildlife is not uncommon, anything dangerous tends to skirt around the territory of the camp.<br><hr></div><br><div align="center"><strong>GM Announcements (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341209.msg16151117#msg16151117)<br>Character Sheets (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16144921#msg16144921)<br>OOC Chat (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341011.msg16144918#msg16144918)<br>Sporting Yard (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341078.msg16146870#msg16146870)<br>Performance Center (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341080.msg16146899#msg16146899)<br>Arts &amp; Crafts Hall (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341081.msg16146941#msg16146941)<br>Science Building (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341084.msg16147012#msg16147012)<br>Sweetwater Lake (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341117.msg16148075#msg16148075)<br>Gardens (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341118.msg16148093#msg16148093)<br>Cabins (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341119.msg16148106#msg16148106)<br>Dining Hall (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341130.msg16148627#msg16148627)<br>Deep Woods (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341131.msg16148641#msg16148641)<br>Administrative Offices (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341133.msg16148771#msg16148771)<br>Surrounding Woods (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341183.msg16150460#msg16150460)<br>Mountain Trails (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341188.msg16150578#msg16150578)</strong></div><br><hr><br><div class="codeheader">Code: (Header) <a href="#" onclick="return smfSelectText(this);" class="codeoperation">[Select]</a></div><pre style="margin: 0; padding: 0;"><code class="bbc_code">[floatleft][img height=200 padding=3]Stuffy Picture[/img] [img height=200 padding=3]Human Picture[/img][/floatleft]<br>[b]Character Name:[/b] [i][url=https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=326182.0]Name[/url][/i]<br>[b]Wearing:[/b] [i](Optional) What is your character wearing, or 'as pictured?'[/i]<br>[b]Time:[/b] [i]Time; Morning/Afternoon/Night[/i]<br>[b]Location:[/b] [i]Locationl[/i]<br>[b]Tagging | Mentioning:[/b] [i]Tagging[/i]<br>[hr]</code></pre>
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				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Amarlo</strong> on <strong>10-04-2022, 07:20:35</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/AbL9djv.png) (https://i.imgur.com/QS9cAVI.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Elle "Ellie" Greene (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16146281#msg16146281)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>As pictured: Unbuttoned flannel shirt, black leggings, basic sneakers and socks.</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 4th, 1 pmish</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em><s>Felicia</s> Felix | Robin</em><br><hr>Ellie was positively bustling with excitement. She hadn’t seen Felicia in— <i>Gosh</i>, what felt like a decade! What sort of luck was it that they all got sent to the same camp? It was almost as if the two were meant to be soul sisters or something! Thank god she recognized Robbie – and <i>that</i> was another blessing in and of itself. He had grown so handsome since she last saw him. It was scary to think he was actually starting to lose that boyish charm of his, and beginning to look like a <i>man</i>. <br><br>“<i>Oof.</i>”&nbsp; Boy did that thought give her shivers. Strangely, not the good kind either… Not that it was unsurprising either, considering how she felt towards <i>men</i> lately. She just, well, never thought she’d ever get that feeling thinking about Robin…<br><br>But Felicia, Ellie! <i>Felicia</i>! If she hadn’t spotted Robbie and they hadn’t exchanged numbers, she wouldn’t currently be waiting for her long lost bestest friend of all friends ever! Sure, their lucky get-together would only last 6 weeks, but this time around she would get to say goodbye – <i>and</i> they would have each other’s phone numbers! They could text and call and keep in touch until they could be together again.<br><br>“<i>Aaaah</i>!”&nbsp; Ellie squealed to herself excitedly as she buried her face against the tops of her knees, repeatedly stomping her feet over the large rock she was sitting on.&nbsp; It was the primary landmark for Felicia to find her on – and conveniently near the girls’ cabins. It was a bummer the two of them didn’t end up in the same cabin, but maybe they could work some magic with the administrators and get them to switch a few assignments around. Either way, at least they wouldn't be too far apart regardless. <br><br>It was with that thought that the sound of feet shuffling closer earned them a bright beaming smile as the girl's head popped up expectantly. The person that approached, however, wasn’t who she was waiting for -- or so she thought at first glance -- and the smile faded just as quickly as it had appeared. “Hey–” “Not to be a bitch or anything,”&nbsp; Ellie interrupted the blonde kid that approached her before he could even get a second word out. “But I’m waiting for someone important. So unless it’s an emergency, can you maybe move out of the way? I don’t want her to miss me.”&nbsp; She leaned far to the side, deliberately peeking around the guy to see if she could spot Felicia somewhere in the distance.&nbsp; <br>&nbsp;
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				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>12-04-2022, 18:06:01</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/z3xtB59.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Felix Elliot (http://httphttps://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16147442#msg16147442)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>This</em> (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/18/58/531858649f4d2e264b3e453766c63d47.jpg)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>1pm June 4th; Afternoon</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Elle |</em><br><hr>To see Elle at the camp had been quite the mixed bag. On one hand, <em>oh my god, yes</em>! And on the other, well, he wasn’t even really the same person he had been when they’d parted ways before. In just a few short - nothing about the last five years or so had been short - years, Felix had reinvented himself. The most obvious of which was, well, Felicia was gone. Well, gone might be the wrong word for it. Felicia was in the other room and Felix was at the door now. That didn’t need to make sense for anyone other than him, which was fine, but it had helped him figure himself out. Regardless, Felix was trepidatious about approaching Elle as he was now. They’d shared so much when they were young, it seemed impossible that she wouldn’t support him. But Felix wasn’t new to the relentless and inconsiderate judgment over a thing that really shouldn’t have been any of their business. Remembering Elle as she was, as they had once been, was a lot better than meeting again and tarnishing it.<br><br>But three days later he knew he couldn’t spend six weeks ignoring her. So now they were meeting. And he had no small amount of anxiety about it.<br><br>“<strong>Hey–</strong>” He started, almost holding up a hand to wave. She hadn’t changed at all. Okay that was a lie. She had changed a lot. But not really. It shouldn’t have been surprising that she didn’t recognize him, but it didn’t do much to soften the sting. After all they had been through, Elle didn’t know. Maybe that meant he was succeeding at his presentation, at his new self, but in that moment it didn’t feel that way. “<strong>I have bad news.</strong>” He says, dropping the hand that never got to wave and stuffing it into his jacket pocket. “<strong>She isn’t coming.</strong>” And that was true. Ish. He leans the same direction she does to block her view, tilting over a bit to match his face level with hers, “<strong>But maybe I’ll do instead?</strong>”<br><br>He pulls the hand back out and reaches up, running it through his hair and pushing it all back. “<strong>Hey Elle.</strong>” His other hand pushes against his pocket and he holds that side of his jacket out as wide as he can to the side, “<strong>It’s me.</strong>” And with some effort, he deliberately lets his voice go higher. Something softer. Something more familiar. And for a moment his jaw quivers, and his eyes squint, and little beads of water well in them, “<strong>You missed a lot.</strong>” His voice cracks a hair. “<strong>I missed you a lot.</strong>”
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Intimate Ink</strong> on <strong>13-04-2022, 09:56:15</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/kh94Ulp.png)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Robin Elliot (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16145131#msg16145131)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>Trunks, backpack nearby</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 5th, 3:00 pm</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Swimming Hole</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em> Felix | CJ, Ellie</em><br><br><hr><br>As beautiful as Sweetwater Lake is, Robin’s experience with it so far is that it does not allow much privacy. That presents a dual problem really: first, he’s been wishing to talk with Felix outside of the prying ears of others, which their sleeping quarters did not exactly afford despite sharing a bunk bed. Perhaps less directly, Robin has some unspoken questions about his own brother’s comfort in the water around a bunch of others, and while it is not something that he felt like Felix would benefit from being asked directly about, providing an opportunity to swim alone did not seem like a bad idea.<br><br>Fortunately, with the rivers that contributed towards Sweetwater Lake’s flow, it wasn’t exactly difficult to find a swimming hole by following up the path. Believing that private meant <em>private</em>, Robin had seen that Fellow was left to his own devices down the path. (Seeing as Robin had been otherwise willing to keep the plushie with him during most times, it was an agreement that didn’t come with much difficulty.)<br><br>He sits barefoot at the bank of rocks and earth; while in broad strokes it is geography that you could see in California, it also is so very different.”Ellie was a surprise,” he begins with something easy; not that talking to Felix was ever difficult, but given Robin’s exuberance to follow CJ here and his subsequent public dismissals, there were some subjects that he just felt would be more trouble potentially bringing up.<br><br>He laughs very lightly, having taken a hike with Ellie earlier that day. His muscles had already begun to ache from it, and he knew that more was coming by the following morning. ”Don’t worry, I told her that if she had a relapse you’d give her a black eye.” Robin pauses, again seeming disinclined to <em>directly</em> approach the subject of Felix potentially being uncomfortable by someone other than him knowing his history. He’d breeze by it and see what, if anything, his brother had to contribute. ”You two doing okay? He had, obviously, left any initial story telling (or choice to withhold that,) to Felix; Robin didn’t think it was his place to share certain things about his brother that had occurred over the past few years.<br><br>Inhaling the smell of pine and fir that definitely is a far stray from the drought-tolerant Acacia and Cedar of San Diego, Robin adds, ”I… I mean, I know I already said it a couple times.. Okay… too many times back home, but thanks for coming here with me… to camp. I don’t think I would have been able to be as comfortable alone.” That would be to say nothing of the fact that the first thing Robin would want to do, the first person he’d want to share the sentiment of [i’]magic is real’[/i] with would have been Felix. He imagines the experience might be oddly dismal if Felix was back home, and Robin had the choices of either saying nothing or sounding like an absolute crazy person. Having a brother who both liked to dress up like a mime <em>and</em> sounded like he belonged in a psych ward was likely too much to ask of any single sibling, certainly Felix..<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Amarlo</strong> on <strong>14-04-2022, 03:11:52</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/AbL9djv.png) (https://i.imgur.com/QS9cAVI.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Elle "Ellie" Greene (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16146281#msg16146281)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>As pictured: Unbuttoned flannel shirt, black leggings, basic sneakers and socks.</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 4th, 1 pmish</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em><s>Felicia</s> Felix | </em><br><hr>The boy got her attention the moment he mentioned bad news. Apprehension was clear as day on her face from all the different branches of possibilities her anxiety was already creating before he could even finish what he was saying. Bad news was never a <i>good thing</i>, after all. What if Felicia got hurt? What if some horrible accident transpired and Felicia was dead?! Or even worse, what if Felicia didn’t actually want to see her after all?!<br><br>“<i>She isn’t coming?</i>” Ellie repeated under her breath, her gaze lifting to the boy’s face as he leaned to obstruct her view yet again. Except this time she wasn’t about to interrupt him and shoo him away. Instead she was immediately struck by the familiarity of his stark blue eyes. Then his nose, and his lips… If this were a comic book you would see little question marks popping up all over the top of her head. <br><br><i>Felicia?</i> She blinked, very obviously more than confused. Ellie was absolutely <i>dumbfounded</i>. There was something very obviously familiar about this person, but there were <i>definitely</i> some very obvious differences. She expected Felicia to lose a bit of that baby fat and slim down. She expected Felicia to be taller <i>and</i> curvier. What she <i>didn’t</i> expect was… well, <i>this</i>. <br><br><i>This</i> was definitely not the Felicia she had anticipated.&nbsp; &nbsp; <br><br>Ellie’s jaw dropped and for a moment of stunned silence all she did was stare. “H-how?” She knew how. “Wh-why?” She also kind of knew why. It wasn’t like this kind of thing never happened, for fucks sake! It wasn’t like she was living under a rock– Which, speaking of, Ellie couldn’t just sit idly by while – uh – <i>he</i> was looking at her like <i>that</i>. Different appearance or not, it still twisted in her chest all the same. <br><br>“<i>God</i>,” Ellie pushed herself off of her rock and allowed herself to simply fall against the stranger. “Why did you have to scare me like that?” She huffed, sweeping her arms underneath the poised sides of his coat, and wrapped her arms around her long lost friend’s waist. It really was so mean to make her worry like that, saying Felicia wasn’t coming and all. Sure, she kind of got it, but her heart had literally dropped subterranean. “<i>I missed you <b>so much.</b></i>” She admitted as she buried her face against his shoulder – only to realize one very important detail. <br><br>“Augh! And you’re taller than me too?!” Ellie tipped her head back and stomped her foot between his. “That’s just so unfair!” SO unfair! Why was everyone taller than her?!<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>25-04-2022, 20:25:33</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/z3xtB59.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Felix Elliot (http://httphttps://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16147442#msg16147442)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>This</em> (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/18/58/531858649f4d2e264b3e453766c63d47.jpg)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>1pm June 4th; Afternoon</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Elle | Robin</em><br><hr>How. Why. Those were probably fine questions - and Elle certainly deserved some answers, when they got to it. As much as he might be able to take offense to them, he’d accepted it’d be a part of this. Robin aside, she might well be the only person who gets to ask those questions and get answers that don’t involve knuckles - really it’s no one’s business, and Felix has, largely, grown tired of trying to explain himself to people or justify his existence. No one else has to do that, he shouldn’t either. But for her, well, she gets spared the anger. For her he can try and explain, <em>if</em> that’s what she wants - needs. Robin had. But none of that seemed immediately important, despite that being the first things out of her mouth - it really was its own whole conversation. “<strong>Payback?</strong>” He whispers, weakly, very in his feelings over it. She had gone so very quickly back then. Without warning. The sting had faded. “<strong>Or just…</strong>” He clicks his tongue and scrunches his face, “<strong>Setting expectations.</strong>” Because more than a little he worried that she wouldn’t understand when the conversation did come.<br><br>He sniffles again. His arms collapse - well, as much as they are able bound by his jacket - around her when she slips against his chest. And he <em>squeezes</em> her. Felicia had <em>always</em> been something of a tomboy, but there is a decided newness in the strength of her arms now - they’re not nearly as noodley as they used to be. He tucks his head over top of hers and breathes deep the scent of her hair. It’s not the same. But it kind of is, in a nostalgic hopeful way. “<strong><em>God</em>,</strong>” He mimics her, still softer, still somewhere on that bridge. He’s unsure how, where to exist with her. It’d be more confusing if he wasn’t so wrapped up with just being her with her - Felicia had given up hope they’d ever be reunited.<br><br>“<strong>Heh.</strong>” Levity gives him grounding - humor means a great deal to him, these days - and he is able to find his footing. Correct that broken voice and he pulls back a bit, grinning at her, “<strong>Kind of hoping I have a few inches left in me still.</strong>” He jokes back, no matter how unlikely. If he could just hit that six foot mark! He holds onto her for probably longer than is socially acceptable, but he has precisely zero fucks to give about that. This is a catharsis long needed.<br><br>Finally dropping his arms from her, Felix shuffles back a foot or so and looks her over - really giving her that up and down eye. “<strong>Not half as pretty though, huh?</strong>” He pulls a hand out of his hand as he says it and swipes a crooked index against her chin, winking. “<strong>Look at you. <em>God</em>,</strong>” His eyes roll with… Excitement? Jealousy? “<strong>What’re the chances.</strong>” He sighs, dropping his hand to his side and hooking his thumb through a belt loop. “<strong>Where have you been? Where did you go? How are you?</strong>” He grins, there’s another fifty questions that all want to waterfall from his lips but he does his best to contain them. “<strong>Oh man, I have missed you so much. We have… There’s so much I want to tell you.</strong>”
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				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Amarlo</strong> on <strong>27-04-2022, 09:04:08</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/AbL9djv.png) (https://i.imgur.com/QS9cAVI.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Elle "Ellie" Greene (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16146281#msg16146281)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>As pictured: Unbuttoned flannel shirt, black leggings, basic sneakers and socks.</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 4th, 1 pmish</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em><s>Felicia</s> Felix | </em><br><hr><i>Payback?</i> Ellie wanted to smack him! How very cruel – as if moving was <i>her</i> choice? Still, that did suggest that her sudden absence had an effect on <s>her</s>him. Did it make him feel just as lost and disconnected as she had? From Kindergarten to middle school and all of a sudden she had nothing. The void Felicia had left gaping wide just couldn’t be filled by anything else, no matter how many friends she made. No one clicked. No other puzzle piece matched. Had Felicia felt the same? Did Felix <i>still</i> feel that way?<br><br>Ellie sniffed, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes as she tried her damnedest to stamp it all back. Still she could feel her throat constrict all the same, and she just buried her face against his chest all the harder. Why did he– she– gah! <i>He</i> have to say something like that? Why did he have to seem so <i>affected</i>? As if she still mattered… <br><br>And why did she want to <i>sob</i> when happiness was swelling so large in her chest she felt she might actually burst?<br><br>“Yeah, me too.” Ellie agreed with a watery laugh as she rubbed at her eyes with the base of her palms. Only to freeze a moment later when she realized what she had just said. “I meant for me!” Her eyes widened up at her friend worriedly. “I hope that <i>I</i> grow a few more inches too.” She nearly stammered. Jeez, why was she acting so silly? She was actually <i>nervous</i>. Would Felix like her just as much as Felicia had? She didn’t want to fuck this up…<br><br>“<i>What?</i>” Ellie suddenly choked, her eyes bugging out like some sort of cartoon. “Look at you with all the moves.” She swipes away his hand and bursts out laughing – though she was pink as a strawberry. “<i>Flirt</i>.” She accused, shoving against his shoulder playfully. “If you think you’re not half as pretty as me when you’re <i>three times</i> more gorgeous, you’ve got some serious eye problems.” She snickered, rolling her eyes. It was so like Felicia though. She had always had issues with her self image all along – although Ellie hadn’t understood it back then. <br><br>“You have no idea how much I missed you.” She grinned as she took his hand and started to lead him further into the woods. “Let’s explore while we talk.” Neither of them were ever really capable of sitting still. It felt like one of the reasons they went along so well. “We live in Denver now. At first we lived in Northgate to be closer to my brother while he went through boot camp – and my mom really liked dating those airforce boys.” She snickered. “But eventually she got a bad reputation,” And various other things happened… “So now we’re in Denver. Still living out of a trailer though.” She sighed and shrugged. <br><br>“But I’m more curious about you.” She grinned as she released his hand, almost forgetting she had it for a moment there. “How did my bestie become such a hot guy? I bet you’re really popular back home.” She remarked as she started climbing her way up onto a large rock that sat there for no particular reason. It was strange to think about, but for whatever reason the idea of Felicia… er, Felix, being <i>popular</i> kind of made her feel…lonely? She didn’t like it at all. Not one bit.<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Crash</strong> on <strong>30-04-2022, 00:58:55</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/5/59/Seadragon.jpeg) (https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/d3/Screenshot_2022-04-02_17.03.27.png)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Faith Carvalho and Coral (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16150945#msg16150945)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>This (https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/d5/Screenshot_2022-04-02_17.03.11.png)</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>9:00 PM June 9th; Night</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Concert --&gt; Castle Tree</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Karina, CLOSED</em><br><hr>Merry camp song floated across the clearing. Cheerful faces, tangerine, and crimson in the flicking fires joined in as if their joyful voices could chase away the nightly ghost stories and dark things that creep along the forest edge. It was a ritual as old as man. The trappings have changed, as have the words and verse. Sing away the night. Sing away the fear. Together we are safe. Together we can chase away the monsters with fire and song. There was comfort in obliviousness. In not knowing the monsters were real. <br><br>In the shadows between the flame, the flickering fires illuminated a half-face. Dark and brooding. A lurker at the music's edge. A monster in the night. A girl. Waiting…watching…annoyed.<br><br>Her uncomfortable fidgeting mimicked the dance of firelight and shadow. She wrapped herself in a solitary cocoon of disdain, keeping the merrymakers at bay. Danger. Do not approach. You will be bitten. The cheerful faces around her offered her no comfort. Her blissful ignorance had been shattered years ago. How many of these children would end up like her? Broken across reality's knee. She wanted to shake them. Slap them across the face like reality had done to her. It was better they knew, wasn't it? Light eyes clouded in doubt and frustration. Was it better to be shattered on the shores of reality or drown in blissful stupidity, unknowing of the dangers that threatened to consume?&nbsp; <br><br>Vulgar words spat from beautiful lips, startling a couple of firelight cherubic faces. Their angelic features twisted and contorted as they turned from the light. Shadows gathered in furrowed brows and crinkled eyes. Meeting scowl for scowl, she gave them the finger and chased them back to the light. Leave them to their ignorance. Reality was inescapable and would break them all eventually.&nbsp; <br><br>The soft coil of faux fur around her waist fidgeted with her, sensing her mood. Coral was soft and warm, a comfort she ignored, only making her frustration grow. The silent treatment was not working. Coral refused to be brushed aside or pushed away. Her stubborn streak was as wide and long as Faith's own.&nbsp; &nbsp;She constantly found ways to drag Faith into situations where she had to interact with the other campers or forced her to dig up things she preferred to keep buried. <br><br>"Where are we going?" Coral's voice came from inside Faith's leather jacket with its slight British accent. <br><br>"Anywhere but here," she said, standing. She turned away from the light of the concert fires and disappeared into the shadows. Faith didn't have a destination in mind other than to remove herself from all of that childish cheer. She had been one of those happy faces bathed in fire. Her voice enthusiastically raised. Laughing with her friends at the goofy ways they could twist the lyrics or add their own exuberant spin to them, often ending a song in a fit of giggles.&nbsp; <br><br>"What are you thinking about?" Coral asked.<br><br>"Nothing," Faith replied, shaking her head. She rolled her shoulders as the warmth of the concert faded and the night chill of mountain air enfolded them. Faith just walked. She passed the dining hall and the girl's cabins. She didn't wasn't tired and didn't want to deal with her cabin mates at the moment, so she turned away from the inviting light that flickered in one of the windows signaling someone was inside.&nbsp; <br><br>Behind the cabin was an old trail, one she had walked so many times she had lost count. The trail was indelibly etched in her subconscious. Booted feet walked confidently while her mind wandered. Even in the dark, she navigated the path easily, with no worry of tripping and no fear of getting lost.&nbsp; <br><br>"Um, Faith. We shouldn't be out here alone. It isn't safe," Coral said cautiously.<br><br>"Why did you feel anything?" Faith asked, only casually caring. She was lost in her head, trying to make sense of all the things that made no sense. Why her? Why magic? Why now? Did it change anything? Not really, and yet everything.<br><br>"No," came the response tinged with uncertainty and worry.<br><br>"Okay then," Faith replied as if that settled any discussion on the matter. There was a huff from her jacket, but Coral didn't push the issue.<br><br>Where the main trail circled around to the beach, an often used sneak path for nightly excursions to the lake for smoking or skinny dipping or spying on those who do both. The fork Faith took curled away from camp and up a slight rise.&nbsp; <br><br>"Ohhhh," Came the knowing voice from her jacket, causing Faith to surface from the deep dark pool she had been wallowing in. At the top of the rise was a large structure jutting from the hillside trail. In the dark, the old hollow tree looked like a miniature tower. Long ago hollowed by lightning and fire, the massive trunk's splintered top were jagged battlements and the old tangled opening in the roots a portcullis. The Castle Tree. Faith frowned. She hadn't intended to come here, had she?<br><br>"I remember this!" Coral said excitedly and uncoiled from around Faith's waist to zoom ahead through the air and disappear into the hole by the roots only to reappear atop the "battlements" with a giggle.<br><br>"I am the dragon queen! None shall pass!" she said, her voice taking on a snarl that tried to be intimidating in that fairytale villain sort of way. In the dark, even Faith smiled.&nbsp; <br><br>The Castle Tree had been the focus of many childhood adventures. Both shining home to Fay the Fairy Princess and her stalwart companion Karina the Brave and the evil fortress of many a big bad evil genius depending on the story. Faith had spent hours and hours at this spot, making up stories and playing them out with her camp friends. She approached the tree with less enthusiasm than Coral, but that wasn't that hard considering how the fluffy dragon darted from opening to opening, poking her head through and quoting snippets of old adventures.&nbsp; <br><br>Faith ran her fingers along the old roots and bark. In the dark, she allowed her thoughts to wander briefly to happier times, the phantom of a smile remaining on her lips as she walked old paths and older feelings. They seemed so distant they were someone else's. Someone filled with vibrant color and life. Someone happy. <br><br>Faith leaned against the tree, feeling the hard bark against her back through her leather jacket. It was solid, firm. Like the old fort could protect her from anything. It was nice to feel safe. She missed it. <br><br>She retrieved a pack of cigarettes from the jacket's pocket and rapped it against the palm of her hand a couple of times before pulling one out and placing it between her plum-colored lips. She shoved the pack back into her pocket and cupped her hand. A small flame appeared in her palm, the bloom of fire illuminating her face in warm light. She sucked lightly at her cigarette until the tip began to glow and flicked her hands a few times until the fire went out.&nbsp; <br><br>"You have magic, and that is how you use it?" Coral observed dryly, looking down at Faith from the top of the old tree trunk. Faith sucked in a lung full of death and blew a set of smoke rings towards her fuzzy companion. They floated upwards, growing bigger and less substantial as they went.<br><br>"You know that doesn't bother me, right?" Coral sniffed regarding her young charge with beady glass eyes that held way more life and wisdom than they should. "Why are you holding back?" She asked. It was one of those probing questions Faith hated answering. "I thought you would love having magic."<br><br>"Oh, sure. It's great. The timing couldn't have been better," Faith clearly didn't believe that, and Coral's eyes narrowed. <br><br>"What do you mean, Faith?" Coral dug down in that innocent, "I'm just asking an innocent question," sort of way that Faith had already come to hate. Dammit, Coral. Why can't you just let me enjoy my fucking cigarette? Faith sighed and flicked her finger, knocking the cherried end to the ground before grinding it into the dirt with her boot heel.<br><br>"Where was magic when dad died, Coral? Is it some kind of cosmic fucking joke that I get it now? When I can do fuck all to help him. Why did I get it and not him? If anyone deserved it, he did. Cause I sure as fuck don't." Her tone was conversational, but her voice was burdened with such deep pain that there was no hiding it. Faith was met by silence. Figures. She thought, bringing the cigarette to her lips and drawing the burn into her lungs again. The tip of her cigarette burned bright as she inhaled, causing her face to glow softly. Glancing upward, she spotted the unmoving Coral, and her eyes narrowed. Now what?<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>03-05-2022, 16:09:47</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/Wiq28x7.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Felix Elliot (http://httphttps://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16147442#msg16147442)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>Shorts &amp; Tank</em> (https://i.pinimg.com/474x/b3/92/65/b39265e92c21d4d6f293428cd35e5048--tanktops-beachwear.jpg)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>1pm June 5th; 3pm</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Swimming Hole</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Robin | CJ, Elle, Liam, Faith</em><br><hr>When Robin had said he wanted to swim, Felix found it to be the perfect opportunity to tell him about his future date with CJ. Maybe opportunity was a better word, but not if Felix had anything to say about it! So he’d agreed with eagerness, and gotten ready - which was a strangeness, only because swimming was an awkward presentation that challenged his body. No swimsuit really applied to him, so largely Felix just avoided swimming with lots of people. Small groups, or one on one, were much better. When many were required, well he just made himself busy not in the water. Or he did what he did now with Robin - grabbed a tank top. Hissy had been left along with Fellow, they deserved some time alone… Didn’t they? Really considering their feelings was a most bizarre instinct to develop.<br><br>Felix stands in the water, ankle deep, arms over his head, twisted at the wrist and stretching. “<strong>Right?</strong>” He laughs, turning his head to look over at his brother, “<strong>The best kind though. We got a chance to catch up yesterday. She uhm,</strong>” He quiets and drops his hands to his side with a pair of loud thwacks. “<strong>She took…</strong>” He vaguely motions at himself, “<strong>Everything, I don’t know. Better than most. It’s hard for her, I think.</strong>” But then it had been for Robin originally too, hadn’t it? Robin had been the first he’d talked to about it - maybe he wouldn’t have done it if Robin hadn’t been okay. Preserving that relationship probably meant more to him than his own comfort. If Elle had been around still, she might have been told at the same time. “<strong>Well, I’m just glad to see her again. She looks <em>great</em> though, doesn’t she?</strong>” He whistles lightly and then kicks some water out, disturbing the little not-pond. “<strong>Yeah, I think we’re good.</strong>” And that was nice - Felix had missed that tremendously.<br><br>A wide grin spreads across his face, and Felix turns to slog through the water and silt of the not-pond toward Robin on the bank. Coming up short, he leans slightly forward and extends a long armed hand down to Robin, “<strong>Don’t mention it.</strong>” He winks. “<strong>Which reminds me, you and CJ have a date with a tire swing and a lake.</strong>” He hoists Robin to his feet, “<strong>Well, maybe minus the tire swing. But the lake! That little camping trip last night, good thing I went,</strong>” He gently shoves Robin’s shoulder, “<strong>Liam was trying to get worm his way in on that. So I invited you and me to join them. A Faith. You’re welcome.</strong>” But then he scrunches his face and shakes his head, “<strong>Last night was <em>weird</em>. At least that came out of it.</strong>” His eyes get big and he blows slow air from thinly parted lips upwards toward his own hair, “<strong>Magic huh? It’s more than talking stuffed animals.</strong>” Felix casts a glance around at the woods.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>03-05-2022, 16:49:54</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/z3xtB59.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Felix Elliot (http://httphttps://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16147442#msg16147442)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>This</em> (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/18/58/531858649f4d2e264b3e453766c63d47.jpg)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>1pm June 4th; Afternoon</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Elle | Robin</em><br><hr>Felix wasn’t sensitive about his height. He didn’t immediately take Elle’s statement as a soul crushing example as to why he needed to be six foot minimum. Even after her ‘correction’. No. Not at all. “<strong>Whaaat?</strong>” He covers his own frustration over, and wrinkles his nose, “<strong>You’re bite size, it’s great. Don’t give it up!</strong>” He teases. She wasn’t quite <em>fun sized</em>, she’d need to shrink about four inches for that. But anywhere in those two size categories was great in his judgment! “<strong>We’re probably both doomed to eternal shortness though, so…</strong>” He shrugs - it stings to say - and slumps, “<strong>We should just get used to it. Or engineer very convincing platform shoes.</strong>” Because that was an option for someone as smart as Elle, probably.<br><br>Seeing her all pink was <em>great</em>. “<strong>Three times?! <em>What</em>? Are you kidding me?</strong>” Felix states in disbelief. He bobs back from the shove and pulls hands from his pocket. A hand comes out and brushes some of the wisps of Elle’s hair, and he makes ‘jazz hands’ as he outlines her form, grinning the whole time, “<strong>Look, I might not be able to see why kids love Cinnamon Toast Crunch the way I used to, but even I can see that you’re <em>at least</em> four times more gorgeous than I am.</strong>”<br><br>Huffing slightly, Felix shakes his head, “<strong>Actually I have a pretty good idea.</strong>” There’s some sadness there. Yes, Felix had Robin - and he wouldn’t trade that for anything - but… What he had needed through everything that had happened was a friend. A best friend. And every instance where he needed Elle was a glass-grinding-into-the-wound reminder that she was gone, and how badly he missed her. His hand coils around hers and he follows her off with a gentle laugh, “<strong>Oh so you’re like, a camp Runamuk native then huh? Look at you.</strong>” That did sound like her mom though. He shakes his head. “<strong>Hey, we had fun in that trailer, don’t hate.</strong>”<br><br>Hand free, Felix wraps his arm around a tree and sorta swings around it, leaning away and letting momentum carry him around until he has to stagger to catch up with himself. Did she say hot? Felix perks and looks up at her climbing the rock. “<strong>Would you believe me if I said pixie dust?</strong>” The details about how and why it all happened were, uh, complicated. And a particularly unpleasant memory. “<strong>Popular is a word.</strong>” He says with a sort of broken laugh. Shrugging off his jacket, Felix turns to his tree and eyes it. He crouches, then jumps up and grabs the branch over his head. He really has gotten stronger - his arms really aren’t noodley anymore. With a little effort, Felix pull-ups himself over the branch and twists so that he can sit, being somewhere slightly above Elle. “<strong>I made the varsity soccer team in sophomore year. Kind of a star player.</strong>” He says <em>glamorously</em>, flipping some of his hair over and shrugging, “<strong>I don’t know, I uhm, you know things just…</strong>” He quiets and shrugs, gnawing his lower lip and staring past Elle to the ground around the rock, “<strong>And I uhm, ended up here. I just… You know?</strong>” He says a whole lot of nothing. He makes a squishing noise with his cheeks and tongue and shrugs again, “<strong>Lots of people know me if that’s what you mean.</strong>”<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Amarlo</strong> on <strong>05-05-2022, 00:14:48</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/AbL9djv.png) (https://i.imgur.com/QS9cAVI.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Elle "Ellie" Greene (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16146281#msg16146281)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>As pictured: Unbuttoned flannel shirt, black leggings, basic sneakers and socks.</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 4th, 1 pmish</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em><s>Felicia</s> Felix | </em><br><hr>“I’d rather be <i>fuck with me and I’ll break you in half</i> sized.” She retorted sharply, almost bitterly. Not that any of that was aimed at poor Felix. She was just a tiny little bite sized redhead that anyone could mess around with, right? She was tired of getting messed with. “You’re at least a head taller than me. I think your membership with the short club has been revoked.” She laughed, rolling her eyes. <br><br>Gaaaah… She missed this.<br><br>At least that was what she thought until he was air tracing her body. Now she just had the urge to kick him. “Excuse you!” She huffed, almost as red as her hair. “Cinnamon toast crunch is amazing and if you think otherwise you’re obviously a witch!” That’s right. If you didn’t float in water you were a witch, and if you didn’t like a sugary cinnamon cereal you were also a witch. This was hard science, people! <br><br>“And <i>we</i>,” Elle spun on her heels to watch Felix mess around with some tree. “Only had fun because my mother was never there.” She was done with the argument about who was hotter. Neither of them thought they were hot. Both of them thought each other was hot. What a wonderful duo they made, no? <br><br>“I was thinking like a jug of milk or carton of eggs a day, but pixie dust does sound better.” Her lips pursed thoughtfully as she settled at the peak of her big rock and decided to make it her new home. It was the perfect spot to watch Felix tackle his tree with. “Touche.” She muttered as she lowered onto her rump and crossed her legs comfortably. “That’s awesome.” She perks with Felix’s new found fame in sports, even if a little part of her seems to sink. That little part of her that imagined herself going to each game, pompoms and all, shrieking her best friend on from the side lines like a loony chick. And every time she–er, <i>he</i> – got a goal she’d look to the people next to her and be like “That’s <i>my</i> best friend that just got that goal!” <br><br>God, she was so lame…<br><br>“<i>Lots of people know me…</i>” She repeated, her head tilting from side to side with every word. Ellie’s knees fold back up as she absentmindedly tugged at the hem of her long shirt sleeve. “Yeah,” Her nose wrinkled. “I think I do.” Whatever ideas were bouncing around in her head, Elle was quick to shake them off. “I’m guessing the usual suspects are being dicks.” Her eyes rolled, and she found herself chewing on her bottom lip in frustration. It wasn’t even just the kids at school even. She was certain his parents were being a problem too. “So who am I beating up?” She turned to look at Felix with a crooked brow and an expression that suggested she was entirely prepared to kick the shit out of some people. All he had to do was say the names.&nbsp; <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>05-05-2022, 16:06:16</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/PIE4NqI.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Karina Hampton</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>This</em> (https://img.ltwebstatic.com/images3_pi/2021/11/08/1636348259f52018dd870d57bef13c7ef70cf71d43_thumbnail_600x.webp)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 9th, 8pm</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Castle Tree</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Faith, Closed |</em><br><hr>This was going to be the last year she’d come to Runamuk - and Karina was heavily invested in making the best of it. Oh there were so many things that she wanted to do. So many people she wanted to stay in contact with. One, in particular, despite the distance that had grown between them in the most recent years. She’d allowed space to grow - and she wrestled if that had been the right thing to do the whole time. Regardless, this year was going to be different. Space and time had been allowed, it was time to find resolution - this year, hell or high water, she was going to rescue her princess from the isolated tower she had been resolved to occupy for so long.<br><br>The concert was a camp tradition, and though the whole thing in no way played to Karina’s strengths, she enjoyed it every year nonetheless. It was the nights where stories needed to be told that she shined the brightest - but standing among the magic created by others was, for her, every bit as enjoyable and making it herself. And really, at the end of the day, what is magic if not the ability to move the hearts, minds, and experiences of others. In their own way every day is magic, and reality is what you make of it.<br><br>She had not been unaware of Faith’s attendance - from a distance, Karina had picked Faith out of the crowd on day one. But she had remained distant. Quiet. She had hoped that another year apart would see the beautiful soul she knew existed return and come running once more to her side. She had hoped that same hope every year for the last several camps. When it didn’t happen this time she wasn’t discouraged, it just meant she had to enact Operation: Your Princess Is In Another Castle. Which was just fine by her. She had been biding her time, waiting for the right opportunity. She didn’t want to bombard Faith - actually that’s <em>exactly</em> what she wanted, but it’d have been futile and she knew it. It just so happened that, among the song and dance, she had been watching the scowling maiden in the distance - and when Faith broke away, Karina saw the doorway to success as though it were outlined in bright white light. She’d broken away from her dance-group and meandered slowly after Faith.<br><br>When she found herself walking a familiar path, one she had walked with Faith a hundred times before, she couldn’t help but smile. This really was magic, there could be no better location for this. Being behind as she was, Karina misses most of the conversation - but she catches the tailend of it. And for a moment her heart freezes as if clutched by Faith’s <em>actual</em> magic. Her dad had died? <em>Oh, Fay…</em><br><br>Without context, Faith’s words mean something very different to Karina. There she is talking to Coral again, saying she has magic! That’s not the Faith she’s known in recent years, always busy with her glam-group, but it is very reminiscent of Fay the Fairy Princess. Wrapping her sleeved arms around herself, Karina quietly steps forward and replies where Coral does not, “<strong>It was still with you, you know.</strong>” She steps into view with those words, and stops. Her head lulls to the side and the heavy braid of her hair dangles in the air, brushing her shoulder. “<strong>It’s not a joke, there’s just some things that even magic can’t make right.</strong>” She sucks both her lips in briefly and smiles, “<strong>That’s what makes the Dragon Queen’s plots so wicked, remember?</strong>”<br><br>Karina straights and steps forward a few paces, but stops shy again, “<strong>Hi Fay. Haven’t seen you here since we defeated Coral’s onyx giant. Remember that?</strong>” She laughs, smiling ear to ear. Her gaze sweeps the area - somewhere, she’s sure there is still a pile of rocks that had once been the evil giant who defended the castle. But the joy of the memory melts away, and Karina furrows her brow, “<strong>I’m sorry Fay. About… Your dad? I… I didn’t know.</strong>” She says quietly, in little more a whisper, and sways in place. Her heart breaks for Faith - she really can’t even imagine. “<strong>But if,</strong>” She rakes her teeth over her lower lip and steps forward again, “<strong>If you’re here to settle the score with the Dragon Queen, I’m here for you, you know that right? You’ve got my sword. Always.</strong>”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>05-05-2022, 19:44:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/z3xtB59.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Felix Elliot (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16147442#msg16147442)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>This</em> (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/18/58/531858649f4d2e264b3e453766c63d47.jpg)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>1pm June 4th; Afternoon</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Elle | Robin</em><br><hr>“<strong>Wow, aggressive Elle.</strong>” He says with faux-shock. “<strong>Do you need to talk to someone?</strong>” He grins. “<strong>Not according to tinder, I’m a short-king yo!</strong>” He laughs as he says it, but there’s something subtle in the very back of his voice that makes it feel like something he’s conscious of. But maybe that’s just him using the word yo, which isn’t a normal part of his vocabulary.<br><br>Felix too had missed this, even the accusation of being a witch. He rocks with laughter, pure and genuine. God it’s been a long time since he laughed like that. “<strong>That’s not very scientific of you, don’t you have to like, I don’t know, confirm it with multiple tests? I have hair too, but I’m not a dog. Mmm? Mmmmmm? MMMMMM?!</strong>” He shakes his head, “<strong>Face it, you’re just going to have to stick around and make sure I’m not a witch. That’s really all there is to it.</strong>” Felix big shrugs and makes an ‘oh I’m so sorry for you’ face.<br><br>“<strong>It did involve a lot of milk to be honest.</strong>” His nose tightens, “<strong>Mom threatened to put a chain around the fridge.</strong>” That had been a day.<br><br>Felix scootches along the branch until he’s up against the trunk. Turning, he straddles the branch and leans his back to the trunk. “<strong>It’s a long list, really.</strong>” He snorts, leaning his head back against the wood and staring at the broken sky through a veil of leaves. “<strong>Yeah, the usuals, and a whole bunch of new ones. It’s kinda why I was excited to come out here. Just be away from it all, and be, like, me, without all of the…</strong>” He holds a hand out to the side and waves it incoherently.<br><br>He sighs and closes his eyes. “<strong>Let’s see. So after you left, high school happened. I met Matias. We dated, I guess. Which ended up going about as well as microwaving a fork.</strong>” His hands drop and dangle at his sides, below the branch. “<strong>He sorta turned around and stirred up a bunch of drama. That was <em>great</em>.</strong>” The sarcasm is enormous. “<strong>And then there was the teams, they didn’t want to let me play. And I don’t know…</strong>” He shrugs, “<strong>I just. It was… I just wanna be who I wanna be, you know? It’s not like I hated being a girl. I just…</strong>” He makes a raspberry.<br><br>Shifting again, Felix lowers himself out of the tree and meanders to Elle’s rock. “<strong>You know, actually, it’s all your fault.</strong>” He says very matter-of-factly. Felix puts his hands on the rock and scrambles up to her side, turning and plopping down beside her. “<strong>I wanted to talk to you about it. Like, a lot.</strong>” He picks at the rip in his knee. “<strong>I really could have used someone to talk to. I mean, Robin was there but. I needed someone that wasn’t my brother. Not like I could talk to my parents they’re…</strong>” He sighs and shakes his head.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Amarlo</strong> on <strong>09-05-2022, 03:23:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/AbL9djv.png) (https://i.imgur.com/QS9cAVI.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Elle "Ellie" Greene (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16146281#msg16146281)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>As pictured: Unbuttoned flannel shirt, black leggings, basic sneakers and socks.</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 4th, 1 pmish</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock in forest</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em><s>Felicia</s> Felix | </em><br><hr>You had to be aggressive when you were her size. People didn’t get it if you were quiet or subdued. Which was exactly what she <i>wasn’t</i>, not even from day one. Although, that was incidentally a sizable source of Robin’s own suffering – but that was a discussion for another day. Right now she was more concerned with the fact that Felix was on freaking <i>tinder</i>. Wasn’t that like… a hookup app? <i>For adults?</i><br><br>Elle blanched. “Wow, you’re <i>eighteen</i>...” She marveled briefly, completely shaken by the concept. Weren’t they supposed to be a bunch of kids still? The idea that Felix was not only legally an adult, but knew he was titled a ‘short king’ on a hookup app was actually <i>mind blowing</i>. “What would I be called on tinder? A <i>Bite-sized Queen</i>?” She posed with a snort, even if she honestly couldn’t imagine herself using the app. <br><br>She was still thoroughly convinced that Felix was, in fact,&nbsp; a witch though – and the fact that they <i>both</i> had access to <i>unusual</i> new abilities just made it all the more convincing. Dodgy dog theories aside. “Hair that just happens to be <i>magically</i> fabulous.” She shot back smugly, hands on her hips. <br><br>Once again Elle grew quiet, happy that Felix was giving her this chance to know <i>him</i>. She knew Felicia. She still remembered her friend clearly. Still felt her heart flutter with a mix of levity and pain whenever she thought of her. There were so many memories between them – and now she was getting a chance to create more. To hear what she missed out on. To gather a list of hits for after she fixed her busted ass car she bought for five-hundred bucks… <br><br>Ellie’s brow furrowed. “<i>What</i>? Were they afraid you were <i>too weak</i> to play on a <i>boy team</i> or something?” What the hell was up with that? But seeing as Felix claimed to be a star player, he was serving them their shit and making them eat it too. <i>Asshats</i>.&nbsp; Wait a minute, what did he just say? “<i>My fault</i>?” Ellie reels back, motioning to her own chest in disbelief. <br><br>“...Oh.” That made sense. Ellie relaxed and allowed her head to bob idly in agreement. “I don’t know how much help I would have been.” Would she have made things better or worse? Or more importantly, how would her family have reacted? She was more than certain her mother would have been a massive cunt about it. “But I’m here <i>now</i>.” She adds, leaning right in against him just like she always had when Felicia was upset. Felicia had always been very expressive when she was sad. She liked being touched, being held – and Elle liked making her feel better. Would the same thing help Felix? “I know it’s not the same – that you deserved and <i>deserve</i> better...” There were no real <i>buts</i> that felt right there. Anything that came to mind just felt like pointless excuses. So she simply left it at that – no buts necessary. “So I’ll try to be there now.” She promised quietly, laying her head against his shoulder. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Intimate Ink</strong> on <strong>09-05-2022, 14:55:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/kh94Ulp.png)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Robin Elliot (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16145131#msg16145131)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>Trunks, backpack nearby</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 5th, 3:00 pm</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Swimming Hole</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em> Felix | CJ, Ellie, Liam, Thorne</em><br><br><hr><br>Robin lightly laughs at Felix’s wolf whistle about Ellie; it’s the kind of thing that makes him both love his brother’s openness and feel a slight tinge of awkward embarrassment. At times Robin considered that he might react less gingerly to simply expressing his attraction for another if his parents were different, more supportive; Felix seemed to be the ultimate challenge to that hypothesis, though, given that he only got a more comprehensive lesson from them about what he wanted was wrong. Robin was who he was… and he wasn’t always sure how he felt about that.<br><br>”You know it’s interesting that you say that because.. Oh, what were her words about you earlier today… a <em>’handsome guy that she found extra hot’</em>?” Two could play the matchmaking game, after all, and it wasn’t like Ellie hadn’t said that. Well.. she had used the word <em>pretty</em> which Robin had taken some brotherly liberty to change to handsome. It wasn’t that plenty of guys did not qualify as pretty and that was a good thing, but Robin didn’t see any reason to not empower Felix’s sense of uber-masculine confidence. Even if Robin imagined some outsiders believed that was unnecessary, he felt he knew better. ”Sounds like you two should go on some walks some time.” With his final assessment Robin reaches down from his place at the bank and shoves a light splash of water in Felix’s direction, shaking his head. Of course he crossed inter-state lines with the hopes of spending time with a boy, and his brother was the one who was already hooking up.<br><br>It’s a thought that blends into a nice bit of awkward glancing around as the subject of CJ comes up, and Robin does his best to not look like the fact Liam was in pursuit after Thorne already got bunking privileges with the Georgian hadn’t felt like someone was punching him in the belly. ”I mean, Liam’s got as much right as anyone, I guess.. Seems CJ has them lining up at this point…”<br><br>Robin breathes, aware enough of his brother’s physical advances and wipes the sullen look on his face for something a bit more fitting for summer vacation and magic, extending his hand with a smile. ”I’m sorry, I don’t mean that. Thank you. I guess I should have expected that he’d be more.. Uh.. popular… I’m looking forward to it.”<br><br>He follows Felix into the more slippery mud and marky waters, which he has absolutely no problem seeing as a metaphor for <em>other</em> aspects of their life. ”Yeah? I guess I should have expected as much. I guess we can’t expect anything to be normal, anymore…” Robin’s voice drifts off a moment as he questions if that is even true.. He’s always been the type to be a bit in his own head, and he can’t help but wonder what the end of the summer will be like. Goodbye camp and goodbye magic, or will it somehow find a way to follow them?&nbsp; ”Now if we can just find a spell to make mom and dad stop being such assholes, we’ll be great.”<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>09-05-2022, 20:58:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/z3xtB59.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Felix Elliot (http://httphttps://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16147442#msg16147442)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>This</em> (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/18/58/531858649f4d2e264b3e453766c63d47.jpg)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>1pm June 4th; Afternoon</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Elle |</em><br><hr>“<strong>For like, a whole six months.</strong>” He confirms, “<strong>Which reminds me, you owe me like five birthday presents.</strong>” Felix chuckles at the idea, “<strong>Sounds like a good profile line. I’d eat you up.</strong>” He says with a smirk. But how was that any different than before? Only in that it was more age appropriate! The fact that Elle wasn’t on Tinder really wasn’t that shocking - it didn’t seem the style of the girl he’d once known. But then she could probably say the same about him. Well, times change and all that.<br><br>Even Felix couldn’t deny the fabulousness of his hair. “<strong>In my defense, the camp did give me magic powers.</strong>” He shrugs.<br><br>“<strong>Uhm, yeah, pretty much exactly that.</strong>” He scoffs. “<strong>The one time it paid off to have a mom on city council.</strong>”<br><br>Lightly nudging her with his arm, Felix smiles weakly, “<strong>You would have been great. I talked to you even though you weren’t there.</strong>” He reveals. Tossing his hands behind himself, he leans back and looks up into the sky. “<strong>I went out back and thought you might be looking up too. So I had whole conversations with you about it, you just didn’t know it.</strong>” Felix’s eyes slide closed. “<strong>I wondered what you would think… If it’d upset you. If I was crazy. Felt crazy. God I felt… Still do, somedays.</strong>” He sighs and sits forward.<br><br>“<strong>You are here now.</strong>” He says with a little nod, throwing an arm over her shoulder and squeezing her into his side. “<strong>And I am over the moon about it.</strong>”<br><br>Well. Enough about that! Felix pushes away and pivots in his seat so he’s partially facing her. “<strong><em>Soooo</em>, what about you?</strong>”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Amarlo</strong> on <strong>10-05-2022, 01:19:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/AbL9djv.png) (https://i.imgur.com/QS9cAVI.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Elle "Ellie" Greene (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16146281#msg16146281)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>As pictured: Unbuttoned flannel shirt, black leggings, basic sneakers and socks.</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 4th, 1 pmish</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock in forest</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em><s>Felicia</s> Felix | Robin</em><br><hr>“<i>Ditto!</i>” Elle shot right back at her greedy companion, finger pointing and all. “Unless you wanna call it even?” She flashed him a cheesy grin, subliminally asking for mercy. After all, she was pretty tight on money – as always. Then again, she could always try to <i>craft</i> him something with her totally amazing artistic skills… <s>(Not really)</s> Maybe even do something as lame as making one of those braided friendship bracelets camps always taught kids to make just to pass some time. <br><br><i>Actually</i>, that might really be a good idea… She was definitely leaving a mental note in her head to try that later. She already knew what Felicia’s favorite color was, but did that still hold true…? <br><br>Ellie was actually stunned by Felix’s confession. If she thought <i>she</i> was being cheesy, his level of cheesiness just hit the moon. She had to cover her mouth to hide how badly she wanted to grin and laugh – not to mention how red her face was growing. “<i>Really?</i>” She failed to stifle a snort. “That’s so cute!” She grinned from ear to ear, actually giggling to herself. “Haaah – you weren’t wrong though. I probably was looking at the stars.” Her hand finally fell away and she peered up at the sky as well. “I sat on my roof alot. Just watching them, just thinking to myself.” <i>Crying</i>. <br><br>It seemed like poor <s>Felicia</s> Felix was going through just as much of a whirlwind as Ellie had. A harrowing story where they both learned to feel ashamed of their own bodies… “It’s… <i>complicated</i>.” Elle answered, any signs of that smile she held earlier now gone. Instead something else began to crease at her features. “I have some friends.” She pointed out, as if that were the greatest highlight. “My grades have never been better…” She added, her arms folding in front of her. Almost as if she were trying to hug herself. <br><br>For a moment Elle grows silent, unsure of what other good things she had to tell Felix. “Oh! And I have another little sister.” She flashes him a meek, yet still warm smile. She really did love her little sister – but she weighed heavily on her mind. <br><br>Then Ellie’s head lowers and her gaze finds her feet. “There’s a picture of me naked in the school locker rooms circulating through half of Denver.” She states as casually as ever, even going so far as to busy herself with retying her shoes. “Well, not <i>totally</i> naked. I was still in my underwear.” She waves if off like she was just talking about another Saturday morning. “Oh, and socks too.” She smirks grimly, pulling her shoelaces loose just so she could retie them both for a second time. “They <i>really</i> liked making fun of those.” Elle said with a puff, struggling with getting the loopty loop done with the second pair. Maybe it had something to do with how misty her eyes had become? “I guess you could say I’m a local celebrity too.” She joked with a watery laugh. By then her voice had lost some of it's feigned levity, and she tossed her unmanageable shoelaces down in frustration. It was only then, as she turned her head away, that she used her long sleeved shirt to wipe over her eyes -- and keep them hidden thereafter. <br><br>"<i>Sorry</i>." It was karma, right? This was what she deserved for being such a bitch before. Would Felix even be sitting here with her like this if he knew what she had done to his brother? For all she knew, she was just the spark that lit the fire.&nbsp; "Just give me a sec..." Her voice quivered as she took in a deep, steadying breath. She could do this. She knew she could. She just needed a moment to breath and pull herself back together. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>10-05-2022, 18:55:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/Wiq28x7.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Felix Elliot (http://httphttps://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16147442#msg16147442)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>Shorts &amp; Tank</em> (https://i.pinimg.com/474x/b3/92/65/b39265e92c21d4d6f293428cd35e5048--tanktops-beachwear.jpg)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>1pm June 5th; 3pm</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Swimming Hole</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Robin | Liam, CJ, Elle</em><br><hr>“<strong>She said that?</strong>” Felix deadpans a little, turning and staring at Robin with slightly narrowed eyes. Cogs spin behind that enthusiastic stare - and Felix can’t help but smirk to himself. Maybe he shouldn’t have written her off so quickly. Camp might be a buffet waiting to feast on, but if a real dish was available… “<strong>Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?</strong>” He says thoughtfully - only to be ripped from them by the splash. He grins and raises his eyebrows and bobs his head in a ‘yeah? You wanna go?’ loo. He takes a couple hoping steps backward.<br><br>“<strong>The fuck he does!</strong>” Felix protests, reaching down and slinging an arch of water at Robin. “<strong>Don’t you dare back down, you came across the country for this boy!</strong>” They’d crossed two whole states, it counted! “<strong>Liam thinks he’s hot because he plays the guitar, but he’s not half as good looking as you. Besides, if it comes down to it, I’ll make sure he’s too distracted to play in that race.</strong>” He winks. If that meant he needed to show Liam a good time, or just get with Elle and make him look like the coke-head that musicians were doomed to be didn’t matter, Felix wasn’t about to let Robin down. “<strong>You just gotta put yourself out there with him, you know? He’ll figure it out.</strong>”<br><br>Felix nods and reaches up, scratching under his chin, “<strong>Big snake. Big, big snake. The counselor, Courtney, was stone for a bit. Like, a statue.</strong>” Really he’s still processing it all. “<strong>Yeah, goodbye normal. But… <em>But</em>, think about our normal for a minute huh? Is it <em>really</em> that bad to be done with it?</strong>” He snorts. “<strong>Oooh, wouldn’t that be great? We should ask Hissy and Fellow about that.</strong>” Felix wades out further into the water until he’s about waist deep. “<strong>You know, by the time we get back it’s gonna nearly be your birthday.</strong>” Felix gnaws his lip, “<strong>And Elle’s.</strong>” He snaps his finger as he pulls them out of the water, “<strong>You know what we should do? We should, the three of us, get an apartment. Maybe in Georgia? Who knows.</strong>”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>10-05-2022, 19:13:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/z3xtB59.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Felix Elliot (http://httphttps://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16147442#msg16147442)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>This</em> (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/18/58/531858649f4d2e264b3e453766c63d47.jpg)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>1pm June 4th; Afternoon</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Elle |</em><br><hr>Oh she figured that out did she? Felix groans mockingly, and sighs dramatically, “<strong>Fiiine, I guess we can call it even.</strong>” Elle was getting the better end of the deal, since she was younger, but that’s what you did - you gave kids gifts. The thought amuses Felix to no end and he snickers to himself. “<strong>I actually think I have a present I bought for you the year you left back home somewhere. Mom couldn’t find where you went, so I couldn’t send it.</strong>” What a terribly shitty situation that had all been.<br><br>Felix’s nostrils flared, and he nodded lightly. His feet dragged up, till his knees were bent, and he leaned on them, staring at the rock between his legs, “<strong>Really.</strong>” He looks over at her quickly and flashes a big grin, “<strong>Well, maybe one night you were looking at the stars, and I was looking several fewer stars,</strong>” Because smog sucks, “<strong>And we were looking at the same time. And it was just like we were talking. It takes what, a billion years for stars to transfer information to us or something right? We should probably set up, like, answering machines or something.</strong>”<br><br>He sort of stares at Elle with a blank, deadpan stare when she says it’s complicated, “<strong>More complicated than changing genders?</strong>” Maybe, just maybe, their perceptions of <em>complicated</em> were different. “<strong>Some friends, okay, yeah, that’s good.</strong>” He nods. “<strong>Well, yeah, there was no doubt about that right? Mine are still average to meh, by the way.</strong>” He grins a little, nodding to keep her going. “<strong>What?! Oh! What’s her name?! Pictures please!</strong>” He says, scouting her form for her phone. “<strong>Way to bury the lead, Elle!</strong>” Felix reaches forward and shoves her shoulder lightly.<br><br>But the story turns sour, and Felix calms and quiets, listening. Sounded like the sort of picture he needed - but then he wasn’t going to just <em>say</em> that. <em>Boy</em> could Felix relate to what she was going through. Of course he wasn’t particularly keen on the idea of bringing that up - he’d managed to keep it from her all those years, and wasn’t about to ruin that illusion right this second. Still, it breaks his heart because he <em>knows</em>. “<strong>Oh honey,</strong>” He softens. Even as she turns away he’s scooching forward and wraps both his arms around her - a leg too - and tugs her into his chest. “<strong>Hey, I’m sorry. That…</strong>” God there really isn’t even a strong enough word for it, is there? Grimacing he just squeezes her, “<strong>They’re probably just all jealous, you know.</strong>” He says, quiet, slowly trying to find a grin, “<strong><em>You’re so hot</em> after all. They just couldn’t help but show you off. I would.</strong>”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Amarlo</strong> on <strong>14-05-2022, 21:14:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/AbL9djv.png) (https://i.imgur.com/QS9cAVI.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Elle "Ellie" Greene (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16146281#msg16146281)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>As pictured: Unbuttoned flannel shirt, black leggings, basic sneakers and socks.</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 4th, 1 pmish</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock in forest</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em><s>Felicia</s> Felix | </em><br><hr>He bought her a gift? And <i>still had it</i>, even? Man, Felix was pulling at her heart strings. He really had been the best friend she’d ever known. Don’t get her wrong, she liked her friends a lot, but she didn’t <i>love</i> them like she did Felicia. There was just something <i>more</i> there. Felix was family. She had always just felt right when she was with him – Well, <i>her</i>, but she couldn’t really say she felt much of a difference with Felix either. He was still just… her very bestest friend ever. <br><br><i>Man</i>, she really needed to make them a pair of friendship bracelets like a couple of nerds, didn’t she?<br><br>Felix was just so adorably sweet that Ellie was starting to worry about getting cavities. “Are you still obsessed with stars too?” She gave a wistful smile. She missed those nights they spent outside with Felicia telescope. She managed to buy a really cheap one at goodwill but it wasn’t nearly as awesome as Felicia’s had been. “You’re such a closet nerd.” She smirked, shoving at the boy with a laugh. Here he was, Mr. Star Jock extraordinaire and yet spouting all these nerdy space facts. She <i>loved</i> it. It was almost a turn on. <br><br><i>Almost</i>. <br><br>Unfortunately their conversation took a drastic turn. Then again, the both of them had found themselves in pretty grim situations while they were away from one another. Elle didn’t want to cry. Really, she wanted to be aloof and indifferent about the entire situation. After all, they fed off tears. The better the reaction, the more it energized those assholes. Except, as she found herself swiftly wrapped up in a familiar embrace, she felt those walls – held together by duct tape and paperclips – <i>shatter</i>. <br><br>Elle buried her face against Felix’s chest, not even thinking twice about how soft it was. Her arms wrapped right back around his torso, and she clung to him like a giant cry baby – and she <i>hated it</i>. She <i>hated</i> how weak she looked, <i>felt</i>. If she could, Felix would only ever see the best of her – Yet here she was, day one, weeping all over him.&nbsp; “N-no theeey’re not!” The redhead sobbed as the tears flowed free. How could they be jealous of someone they had ripped apart so zealously? She didn’t even want to repeat the thing that had called her. “I’m <i>hideous</i>.” She spat, hating everything about herself at that very moment. <br><br>“How can anyone called Pep...Pep...<i>Pepperoni nips</i> be-e hot?!” She hiccuped, her fingers curling within his shirt. Felix was just too nice. She knew he was trying to cheer her up, but she just couldn’t get over what had happened like that. It was the reason why she was wearing pants and long sleeved shirts in the middle of summer. At a summer camp, no less! “I was called anorexic. Accused of-of being bulimic just because...because my rib were showing a little, but I was right in the-the middle of pulling my bra off!” It was just the way she was stretching. The things people would poke and critique about the photo were mind boggling! “Then I had guys pushing me around too!” Calling her a whore – comparing her to her freaking mother – offering to give her a <i>”sympathy lay”</i>. Men were disgusting. Apparently they would fuck anything that had a hole – or so they said. “This one kid wouldn’t leave me alone until I punched him in the throat! I even hit him several times before that. I kicked him in the balls and he still kept trying–” God, he was so annoying. The amount of times her friend kicked him from across the lunch table to get him to stop grabbing at her under the table. "Then I ended up with a referral and a week of in school suspension because of it!" All because her school was a "no tolerance" school. Apparently she wasn't allowed to defend herself from sexual harassment now? <br><br>“<i>God</i>, I <i>hate</i> people!” She finally cried for all of the forest to hear before she just buried herself in Felix like he was her own little protective bubble. And really, she felt much better for it. It was an admission she had been holding in for a long time. It was absolutely true. At that moment she just hated people. All of them. Everyone – Except Felix. He was the only one, and if she could exist in a world where only the two of them were left, Elle would honestly be fine. “You’re the only one I need…” She mumbled against his chest, voice muffled. Fuck everyone and everything else.<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Intimate Ink</strong> on <strong>18-05-2022, 06:21:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/kh94Ulp.png)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Robin Elliot (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16145131#msg16145131)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>Trunks, backpack nearby</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 5th, 3:00 pm</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Swimming Hole</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em> Felix | CJ, Courtney, Ellie, Liam</em><br><br><hr><br>Yeah, Robin did want to <em>go</em>. Not that he’d usually be quite so bold with a lot of others around, including their parents, but Felix endeared a special part of Robin. Maybe, in some ways, Felix helped spark a part of Robin that he wished he could be for the rest of the world. In the moment that part is goofy, and Robin finds himself leaping up, determined to make sure that any splashes his brother gives him are returned, Yeah, what of it? You think that just because you’re a bad-ass then you can act… all bad-ass…” It is not exactly a good comeback, but Robin is not exactly used to talking off the cuff, either… too much in his head. He swallows down the awkwardness borne out of his words and chases his brother deeper into the water.<br><br>That confidence, of course, does still stop short where CJ is concerned. Still, the idea of Felix sticking a syringe in the destined-to-be-a-druggie-rock-star’s arm to hasten his decline is absurd enough to make Robin laugh. Not like Felix would really do that… uh, probably. ”I didn’t come here <em>just</em> for a boy,” he offers a total lie there. Maybe most of all to himself, mind you.”Besides, it’s not like we don’t have other reasons now. You know… magic, stuffed animals that.. talk, Ellie…,” Robin shrugs a bit, ”CJ doesn’t matter.. Or… well, he shouldn’t matter.,,, especially with that stupid grin of his. Not really.” He concedes the last with a receding voice, eyes looking down as if momentarily lost; it’s totally a dejected puppy look, and Robin invariably thinks he’s better at hiding it than he is. <br><br>”... I still want to go with you all, though. Obviously.”<br><br>Robin breathes in an awkward deep breath, raising his eyebrows at the talk of big snakes. He glances at Felix, ”You’re okay, right? I mean…” Yeah, no snake bites that he can visibly see.&nbsp; Still that sounds… unpleasant. ”We’re like.. Talking what? A few feet? More?’ Robin thinks of the garter snakes in California and imagines them double or triple in size; it sounds awful. Courney becoming stone for the moment simply earns a confused blink; magic is real, but the idea is still.. Scary, with a side of odd. At least it was obviously not a permanent condition.&nbsp; <br><br>”Georgio? How about New York? I don’t think I’ve pissed off the parental authorities enough, I need to try to make it as an actor.” Robin laughs in a way that isn’t a joke at all, shaking his head. It’s not like he knows his shot there is definitely no better than turning CJ’s head at this point; it’s not like he knows it probably won’t end in him making a walk of shame to their parents house. After the anger and smug satisfaction at Robin’s failure will come the great compromise. Their mom will find some endearing way to coin it to the constituents like ‘Robin’s little year off’ before seeing that he lands in a proper college with a proper desk-job major.&nbsp; It may as well be a done deal.<br><br>Then again, maybe not. There is, after all, apparently now magic.<br><br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Crash</strong> on <strong>21-05-2022, 23:17:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/5/59/Seadragon.jpeg) (https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/d3/Screenshot_2022-04-02_17.03.27.png)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Faith Carvalho and Coral (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16145110#msg16145110)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>This (https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/d5/Screenshot_2022-04-02_17.03.11.png)</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>9:00 PM June 9th; Night</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Castle Tree</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Karina, CLOSED</em><br><hr>Faith knew the voice that emanated from the dark. It was different now. Lower, if only by a little. She had shared so many nights in tents and under blankets, giggling and laughing with that voice that even the minor changes in timber and tone couldn't hide her identity. Her brow furrowed in the red glow of her cigarette, the shadows forming deep cuts in her otherwise perfect skin.&nbsp; <br><br>She thought she had dealt with Karina a long time ago. Pushed her away far enough she could bury that part of her alongside her father. Faith could tell herself she had done it for Karina. That somehow, she had been trying to protect her former friend from the harsh reality that had forced Faith to grow up and leave childhood behind. That burning every bridge and olive branch Karina had extended had somehow been for Karina's own good. She could almost talk herself into believing it too. It was all bullshit. The truth was the games, and stories seemed somehow fake after her dad died. The world didn't feel magical anymore. It was cold and harsh, and hurtful. The magic they had created muted and hollow. The truth was Karina had been the only person for Faith to take out her anger and pain on, and she had. In spades. She rejected magic and fairytales and, in doing so, rejected Karina.&nbsp; <br><br>Karina's stubborn and dogged insistence on holding onto their friendship with both hands only made it worse. Faith got mean. At first, she ignored her, and she said hurtful things when that didn't work. She ridiculed their stories and their childish nature, never mind that they were children. She just knew it would hurt and drive them apart, and eventually, it had worked. Karina ignored her eventually, mostly. There were looks from time to time and monosyllabic exchanges when necessary. Still, Faith had succeeded in removing the one piece of her life she felt was holding on to a childhood she no longer wanted. It simply hurt too much to be reminded of happiness when happiness felt like guilt and childhood innocence felt impossible to hold onto anymore. Maybe she had been right to push Karina away, but she hardly did it out of some twisted sense of altruism. She did it because her pain needed an outlet, and it felt good to have someone to hurt when there was no one else around to hurt but herself.<br><br>Faith shook her head. It might appear as if she disagreed with Karina's words, but she wasn't. She was shaking in the dark, and it had little to do with the chill air.&nbsp; <br><br>She wasn't ready for Karina. Hadn't expected her to be the thing stalking her in the night. Faith would have preferred some monster out of myth to the tall figure that materialized out of the dark. Try as she might to dismiss Karina's words, she couldn't shake them off. Everything felt like it was spinning, like Faith's carefully cultivated control over her life was no longer the bedrock foundation with which she had rebuilt herself. <br><br>She felt about as stable as a house of cards and on a wobbly table. Karina was just the person to come along and knock the foundation out from under her and send her cards tumbling to the floor. She reached for the only thing she could. The only thing she had to keep her house from crumbling.<br><br>"Then what is the point of magic?" Faith said, the self-derisive laugh escaping her lips dripped with acidity and hopelessness. It would be impossible for Karina to know how accurate she was in her observation, which made it all the more ironic and aggravating.&nbsp; <br><br>"There is no Dragon Queen or onyx giant, Karina. There is no magic. I would have thought you would have grown out of that by now." It was not the first time Faith had made that observation between them, but there was something different in her tone. Her words didn't hold the conviction of belief or the blistering venom in them they used to. She tried to recover and focus that well of endless pain inside her for something more biting, but the words never formed. Karina's whispered condolence cut through words. It cut through thoughts. It cut into that well of pain and buried itself into her heart. She opened her mouth once…twice…and clapped it shut. She shook her head again, sending wispy bangs across her face.&nbsp; <br><br>"I…I just…I can't..I…." The cards were falling. She tried to catch them all, but they were too many. When she looked up, Karina was closer. Faith took a step<div align="center"></div> back, but there was nowhere to go. The dead tree bark pushed against her back roughly, and she shook her head again, trying to clear the swirling emotions from her head.&nbsp; <br><br><em>"You have my sword…."</em><br><br>"I…no…just…no," Faith shook her head harder and stumbled away from Karina, anguish on her face. "Why?" Her voice was incredulous…disbelieving. They were done. This made no sense. Karina should hate her. "Why," she said again with the same uncomprehending expression. "I…I can't." Faith held up her hands and waved them as if she was trying to wave away the phantom. She turned from Karina, from the castle tree, and she fled, leaving Coral behind.<br><br><div align="center">~End Scene~</div>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>24-05-2022, 19:44:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/z3xtB59.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Felix Elliot (http://httphttps://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16147442#msg16147442)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>This</em> (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/18/58/531858649f4d2e264b3e453766c63d47.jpg)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>1pm June 4th; Afternoon</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock at edge of forest behind the gardens</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Elle | Robin</em><br><hr>“<strong>I don’t know about <em>obsessed</em>.</strong>” He admits. The truth was that the stars made him think of her - and well that was a problem when there had been no way to remedy the distance that had been put between them. At first, when Elle had gone, yeah, he’d done it alot. But over time it had come to be less and less, until really it had been that one last conversation. “<strong>Am not, take it back.</strong>” Felix protests and gives her shoulder a gentle shove.<br><br>The goal of course had not been to send poor Elle into a full breakdown. So when she starts sobbing, Felix blinks, frowns and collapses around her protectively. This is familiar - how many times had Felicia been the shelter for her, or Robin, and then spun out on the people who had poked at them? All the time. There was probably a gold mine for a therapist to dissect in her youthful aggression. “<strong>Hey!</strong>” Felix snaps, “<strong>You absolutely are not.</strong>” Maybe he <em>does</em> need to kick some ass - he’s much better at it these days. “<strong>Well that’s easy, pepperoni are <em>delicious</em>.</strong>” He says, but he knows it can’t be easy - the things people say, they way they can make you feel. He closes his eyes. “<strong>I get it.</strong>” He’s soft again, quiet. “<strong>I really, <em>really</em> do.</strong>”<br><br>It’s at least good to hear that she was defending herself. “<strong>Well, better a suspension than being harassed. You did the right thing.</strong>”<br><br>Felix gently strokes her hair and nods, “<strong>People are the worst, they universally suck. There’s a few exceptions…</strong>” He holds up his hands and extends one finger, “<strong>Me,</strong>” He pauses, gets thoughtful, flips up a second finger, “<strong>You,</strong>” Then a third, “<strong>Me,</strong>” A forth, “<strong>Me,</strong>” Thumb, “<strong>Robin.</strong>” He grins.<br><br>“<strong>Elle…</strong>” He says, kinda touched. Once more he strokes her hair and wraps his other hand around her, squeezing her to him. “<strong>Well, we found eachother again. So we just need to make sure we don’t get separated again, right?</strong>” How hard could that be.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Aethyrium</strong> on <strong>24-05-2022, 20:20:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://imgur.com/Wiq28x7.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Felix Elliot (http://httphttps://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16147442#msg16147442)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>Shorts &amp; Tank</em> (https://i.pinimg.com/474x/b3/92/65/b39265e92c21d4d6f293428cd35e5048--tanktops-beachwear.jpg)<br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>1pm June 5th; 3pm</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Swimming Hole</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em>Robin |</em><br><hr>Excitement and laughter are <em>always</em> good things to pull out of Robin, as far as Felix is concerned. If it were possible to just spend his life making sure that Robin had boldness, and laughed his way through life, Felix might well consider doing just that. Robin has to come to that on his own, he knows, but Felix has never had anything less than perfect confidence he’ll get there on his own. And until he does? Well he’ll be there to drop breadcrumbs so he can keep finding his way back to it. “<strong>Elle at least.</strong>” He replies, not entirely convinced that magic or the stuffed animals was a good reason to be here - not that he didn’t love having powers, because those had already proven to be interesting.<br><br>And the stuffed animals… Felix turns and looks toward the path that had lead to this little watering hole where Hissy and Fellow were. “<strong>How is Fellow?</strong>” He questions, thinking about his interactions with Hissy. With a name like Hissy Fit it’s probably not - or shouldn’t be - surprising that the snake has an <em>attitude</em> problem. Basically the worst - or best, perspective depending - traits of Felicia. Hissy is loud, and abrasive, and <em>bitchy</em>... Or maybe opinionated is a better word for it. And <em>god</em> is he whiny. Did she sound like that? Ugh. “<strong>You know I think I would have, I don’t know, been a better role model if I had thought someday I was going to have to witness him emulating me.</strong>” It’s an oddly parental thought - which promptly makes him near gag. Felix wants to be a role model for precisely nobody. No children in his future.<br><br>“<strong>Yeah, I’m…</strong>” He looks down at himself and nods, “<strong>Like, twenty? Thirty? I don’t know. <em>Really</em> big though. And she had a human body. Like a centaur snake? Six arms. A… Disturbingly nice rack.</strong>” He groans and lulls his head to the side, “<strong>I really didn’t think I was into all that Japanese stuff, but I gotta admit, in person I can see the appeal.</strong>”<br><br>His hands clap suddenly together above the water's surface and he nods with the biggest, most serious grin, “<strong>New York. <em>Perfect</em>. Let’s do it. We’ll go, you can be a big shot actor. I’m sure I’ve got all the skills needed to be an agent. Elle can be arm candy as needed, to make mom get off your case. Huh? Huh??</strong>”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Camp Runamuk] Surrounding Woods</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Amarlo</strong> on <strong>28-05-2022, 02:50:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/AbL9djv.png) (https://i.imgur.com/QS9cAVI.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong> <em>Elle "Ellie" Greene (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=341012.msg16146281#msg16146281)</em><br><strong>Wearing:</strong> <em>As pictured: Unbuttoned flannel shirt, black leggings, basic sneakers and socks.</em><br><strong>Time:</strong> <em>June 4th, 1 pmish</em><br><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Big rock in forest</em><br><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong> <em><s>Felicia</s> Felix | Robin</em><br><hr>Ellie didn’t know how someone could blush and blanch all at the same time, but somehow she managed. Felix was just that gifted, it seemed. His retort to her pepperoni concerns made her want to curl up and die, and laugh all at the same time. Instead she sort of just blushed and gapped at him. Elle was just eloquent like that. <br><br>However, when he expressed his ability to relate, the redhead paused. “<i>Do you?</i>” Big brown watery eyes peered up to him – hoping with everything she had that he was just being nice. Elle wanted Felix <i>nowhere near</i> an incident like that. If she could, she would see that there were only good things in his life. If only her magic could provide something like that…<br><br>Or did she even need magic for that?<br><br>Elle managed to laugh as Felix agreed with her sentiments about people. If there was <i>anyone</i> out there that might agree with her, she knew it was him. Oh, er, and Robin too –&nbsp; How on earth could she forget him? He had been such an important part of her life when they were young. Sure, he barely spoke a word to her but he didn’t need to. It was practically love at first sight. Why else had she hounded him so religiously? <br><br>Then there was Felicia… Their connection had been undeniable from day one, and Felix wasn’t any different. She could still feel it like she’d moved only yesterday. “Right.” Elle agreed with a teary smile and a tight squeeze around her protective bubble. If she could, she'd stay tangled up with him like this forever. “Just the three of us...” And maybe her youngest sister... It might be kidnapping, but her sister wouldn't mind. <br>
			</dd>
		</dl>
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