★ AUG. (CATCH ALL); i made knives outta broken ribs. i will be the one to eliminate you

[opheliac]

Who: jinx + anyone that wants to do one-on-one stuff with her.
Where: aldrip, possibly rumpitur, and pessiria forest
What: stuff that happens this month.
Warnings: jinx suffers from mental illness. such as the following - schizophrenia, hallucinations, PTSD, & separation anxiety. these may or may not happen in this log. BIO, PERMISSIONS + OPT-OUT: here.

TOP LEVEL DIRECTORY

➤ [ SEMI-CLOSED ] 💣 GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT
➤ [ CLOSED ] 💣 YOUR SILENCE IS THE LOUDEST SOUND
➤ [ — ]
➤ [ — ]

Comments

(SEMI-CLOSED); GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT —; FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.

[opheliac]

❝

I hardly know you, I think I can tell. These are the reasons I think that I'm ill.

❞

❝& birds were singing to calm us down.❞
• cw: hallucinations, paranoia & voices

'what's happening?'
'did you see that? just now.'
'they're watching you.'
'watching.'

( a staggering breath escapes her chest as she forces her feet to take yet another step. it must be her mind playing tricks on her again. because no one can just phase out of existence and back again. it's physically impossible unless some arcane talent is involved. and as far as jinx is aware, the locals are as magicless as they come. )

'where is she going?'
'is she stupid?'
'they're watching you.'
'look around you.'

Shut. Up.

( she hisses an order to the others through her gritted teeth. her fists are hard and tight like rocks at her sides as she pushes forward. her heart is hammering and thundering in thumps, but she is doing her best to ignore it. if she can just make it to her little hideout in the forest in one piece, all of this will be over. it'll be over because she will be with her weapons and they've always been in great company to her whenever things... get like this. usually. sometimes. okay, half the time.

jinx nearly jumps out of her skin when she hears a twig snap into two nearby -- a quick swift to her left and all ready to attack. but what she sees is a deer, but not... just an ordinary deer. a creature with three eyes and horns so abnormally long and jagged that she knows for sure it'd end her life if it made any contact with her body. is that animal real? she had never seen one waltzing around in the village before. or maybe she just hadn't been paying that much attention? )


'it can feel you. '
'it knows... '
'it knows what you've done. Jinx.'
'death will always follow you... '

( it's like right on cue, the deer's head tips back and slips off its own body. the head thuds heavily by its hooves and yet somehow still stands before her majestically; undaunted. in a flash, jinx squeezes her eyes shut to block out the imagery -- her hands covering her face for good measure. 'it's not real. it's not real.' she tells herself, she even hits the side of her temple with the bottom of her palm to try and knock some logical sense into that stupid brain of hers. but when she removes her hands and opens her eyes again, enforcers are circling around her with their ghostish stares. her muscles tenses and her nostrils flare in rage, it's because of them this is all happening. it's always been them destroying every little aspect of her life. but when she takes a step, they take several -- they close in so quickly that she trips over her own two feet to the ground.

is it her imagination or are the enforcers growing larger in size? they seem to be towering over her inch by inch and she feels as if she's sinking. wait. with eyes widen in fear, jinx shoots a rapid look underneath her -- the green grass now pitch black and sticky. and whenever she attempts to move, the goop only clings to her legs that much tighter. )

No. Nonono, let me go. Please! — Please let me go!!

( jinx thrashes in sheer panic and more or less in tears -- she wants to scream, but her cries are getting drowned out by the crows screeching in distress overhead.)

'i'm sorry... i can't watch this. '
'help us!! '
'you're not a fighter. you're a disgrace!'
'you will get punished for what you've done to us.'
'ha ha ha, you're pathetic!!'
'cursed.'
'stupid'
'everyone hates you'
'look at you.... worthless, weak.'

( she's becoming more submerged to the black gooey-like abyss and there's nothing she can do to stop it. is this the end? it was stupid of her to believe she could be free from the dead, from their anger, and their groans. she thought she was giving them peace -- a lifetime away from the pain and hurt that the world seem to cast over them. ... but it doesn't seem to matter now, doesn't it? no matter where she goes, death will always follow her. )

( OOC: so anyway. what's actually happening is jinx is lying on the ground and somehow wrapped herself in her own braids when she tripped. and now she is thrusting around and hyperventilating. fun. but yes this prompt is semi-closed, meaning jinx + whoever replies to this first. i'm also open to do a 3 way thread/tag too if one extra person wants to join in on this. just let me know over @ bunchew on discord or buttlet )

[rebellions]

[ First he's heard random voices over the charms, and now this? Ragna knows better than to trust something like this ─ especially when these particular voices belong to his little siblings, because of course it's impossible. They're not here, and even if by some miracle (curse, really) they were, they would not be calling out for him like this. Regardless, he still heads out towards the woods to investigate, if only because finding the bastard who dares to mock him by pretending to be his siblings and tearing them limb from limb might provide him some relief.

But the voices go silent before he can find the culprit, leaving him even more frustrated than he was at the start of this whole ordeal. He's almost ready to turn around and go back to the outskirts where he's made his temporary base of operations (which is a fancy way of saying "sleeping on the ground"), when he hears a scream ─ one that feels decidedly more real, more raw than anything that was going on inside his head before. Ragna doesn't even bother to stop and consider whether it really is who he thinks it is, and before he even knows it, he's already running towards the source of the cry. It doesn't take long for him to arrive at the scene and find... Jinx? Lying on the ground? A quick scan of the area tells him there's no immediate danger around, so whatever the hell is going on with her, it doesn't look like she was attacked by a monster, at least. ]

Smurfette...?

[ Forget dumb nicknames and wisecracks; it's clear this isn't the time for this kind of shit. Ragna kneels down next to the girl, catching and holding her wrists in his hands to try and keep her from trashing around (she's the biggest danger to herself like this, after all). If worst comes to worst, he can always knock her out and take her somewhere safe, but for now, he'd rather try and get through to her. ]

Jinx! Hey, look at me!

[opheliac]

( her mind is twirling in a tornadic spins of voices and chortling. and she whimpers in desperation to just break free from anything and everything that has a hold on her. but there's one cry that's vastly different from all the rest -- someone familiar and not spitting out poisonous words or hatred. so as her eyes shoot open, her pink pupils glitter for a second or two then settles.

her face is wet from her shimmer tears and her breathing (still frantic) is now a little more in control. in panic mode still, she zips her gaze to their surroundings -- everything returning to its normal atmosphere with no questionable sounds beyond the village's usual night. jinx looks up to him again, relieved to see him, but still a little unsure if he is the real deal. )

—! ... Ragna?

( his name squeezes a little meekly; her throat somewhat hoarse from the screaming just seconds ago. )

[rebellions]

[ Hearing his name from her, however weakly spoken, Ragna lets out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding, relief washing over him. Sure, they're not out of the woods yet, but the fact he's managed to reach her feels like a step in a good direction. He loosens his grip on the girl's wrists, hoping this will get the idea he's not trying to hurt her across. ]

Yeah, it's me.

[ He bites his lip, unsure what else he should say. It's clear as a day Jinx is distressed, but having no clue what caused it, his options of approaching the subject are limited at best. Watching her eyes dart all around like that, however, gives him some vague idea of what might be the issue. ]

There's no one else here. You're fine.

[ That's an exaggeration to be sure, since it's quite obvious she's anything but okay... but how else is he supposed to get her to calm down? All he can think of is to just reassure her that she's safe now, and whatever it was that caused her to freak out ─ whether it was the voices like the ones he heard, or a nightmare, or whatever ─ isn't going to harm her now. ]

[opheliac]

('there's no one here?' no, that can't be right. sure, sometimes she gets all mixed up with things, but that animal was definitely there and the voices too. jinx anxiously peeks down at the grass underneath them, cautiously patting it down to make sure that it isn't that black goop in disguise. )

But that... ( she pauses and gazes up to him again, her eyes large and doe-like in which is such a contrast from how she would act and appear to be. it seems there's another side of jinx that not many newcomers realize. jinx shakes her head, trying to get a grip of the real reality and focus on her breathing for starters. )

What are you doing out here?

[rebellions]

[ He knows that look on her face ─ the uncertainty, the confusion, the helplessness... none of these fit the Jinx he knows, however briefly. It feels so completely out of place that for a short moment, he has to wonder if he really got the right person here. ]

I─

[ Shit. What does he say to that? He doesn't want to talk about the voices that led him here; that is way too personal to bring up, and he sincerely hopes he drops dead long before the day when he's forced to talk about himself or his past comes. At the same time, he doesn't have it in him to just tell her it's none of her business like he normally would ─ not when she looks so... uncharacteristically vulnerable.

Oh, to hell with it ─ he might as well go with the truth, if as vaguely as he can. It's not like he's gonna come up with anything better anytime soon. ]

... I heard something... someone who can't be here.

[ Ragna is painfully aware he's not just answering her question, but also trying to convince himself that's the case ─ it's just impossible for anyone from his world to end up here. Not even gods can intervene with that place now, after all, so it should be safe from this bullcrap...

The man shakes his head, pushing that thought to the back of his mind. His worries can wait until Jinx is back on her feet. ]

[opheliac]

Oh...

( her tone still quiet as a mouse as she takes one more look around for good measure. it does seem like they are alone (for now) and there are no other noise beyond themselves and nature. inhaling a quiet breath, jinx gathers up to her feet then straightening out her braids -- undoing any twists and knots from when she was swirling around in. that doe-like and somewhat child feature she had seconds before vanishes when her eyes shift up to him now. it curls distant, dark, and a little empty too. )

Forget what you saw here.

( she commands him (or attempts to) then side-steps to the right to move around him. jinx paces back to the direction of the forest, hoping this will be it of their conversation. if their partnership is meant to stay in tact, she needs to continue to hold authority and not show signs of any vulnerable. although, it might be too late for that. )

[rebellions]

[ Ragna lets her do her thing ─ it's pretty obvious she needs a moment to get her bearings, and that's fine with him. It's a small blessing she doesn't ask any further questions about what he heard, too, but the way she looks at him now leaves him momentarily dumbfounded. The difference between this and what she was like just a moment ago is so stark, it almost feels like two entirely different people. Make it three compared to how she usually is, which only serves to confuse him even more than he already is. Before he can think too much about it, however, he's already on the move, following the girl and grabbing her arm to stop her. ]

Not so fast, princess.

[ Seems like all she's earned herself with that haughty attitude is a new nickname, because Ragna clearly has no intention of obeying her orders. ]

I'm all for going our separate ways and forgetting this ever happened, [ because he's not entirely happy with how he's handling this situation, either, ] but not before I know─

[ that you're okay, is right there at the tip of his tongue but he stops himself at the last second. What is he even doing, getting involved in someone else's crap? Even this whole "partnership" thing is nothing more than them agreeing to use each other for their respective goals until they find a way out of here. And once they do, none of what happens here will have mattered anyway─

Realizing he still hasn't finished the sentence, Ragna finally manages to spit out the next best thing that comes to mind. ]

... what the hell was all that about, anyway?!

cw: voices.

[opheliac]

( the grab of her arm surprises her and she quickly whips back around to him -- braids flying afterward with a shock look on her face. but the bewilderment doesn't stick around for too long as her eyes narrow darkly to him; bearing teeth like she is some kind of animal that got snagged by the leg. )

Let go of me! It's none of your business!!

( and right as she says this, jinx's attention darts off to the right of her. to ragna, there's nothing there but the open area -- but she's behaving as if there is someone beside her. )

And you're not helping! Stay out of it...!

( just... who is she talking to? )

[rebellions]

[ Instinctively, Ragna's grip tightens on her arm in response to her yelling, but just a second later he lets her go. She's right, after all ─ it's none of his business. He has no reason trying to pry into whatever's wrong with her (the fact something is wrong isn't really in question at this point), and it would be for the best if he simply turned around and walked away. In fact, he even takes a small step backwards, like that's what he's going to do.

But he can't.

Jinx's expression from before is still on his mind, and while it's entirely possible he's simply overthinking it, her sudden change of attitude feels like she's trying to overcompensate for that earlier slip-up. How many times ─ hundreds, thousands? ─ has he missed a cry for help disguised as cruelty, violence and sheer insanity? The answer is too many, and even if he's completely off the mark this time, he can't risk making the same mistake again.

Easier said than done, though. Having absolutely no clue what's gotten into the girl (or why she's screaming at the air, for that matter), it's hard for him to figure what to do next, and for a brief moment, he simply stands there in silence. ]

... There's no one here.

[ He repeats, though this time his voice is flat, like he's simply stating a fact rather than trying to sound reassuring. But for what it's worth, he's trying a different approach and not asking about what happened anymore, since that was obviously going nowhere. ]

[opheliac]

( no one here? jinx is a bit taken back by that and when she turns to look at her side again... it seems that he's right. whoever she was talking to just now has disappeared and left her to feel like an ass. her face sinks sour again, only this time -- appearing more embarrassed on how to go on forward from this. it helps that he no longer has a hold of her, so she wraps her arms around her small frame for a bit of comfort. )

Okay, so... whaddya want from me?

( as in, what is he expecting her to say or do. brushing it off didn't seem to work the first time, and she rather not go in too deep in what's going on with her. maybe she can come up with some light truth without the nitty gritty details. )

[rebellions]

[ That's a great question, and one Ragna himself doesn't exactly have a ready answer to. What does he want? It's not like she owes him an explanation and he's definitely not about to start demanding one. At the end of the day, he just wants to make sure she'll be okay from here on, but hell will freeze over before he admits as much. Ragna scratches the back of his head, figuring he might as well say something to break his incredibly awkward silence. ]

... Fuck if I know. Not, uh, this?

[ That's a very helpful hint, huh. His request sounds so silly now that he's said it out loud, even he can't help but wince a little. The man waves his hand dismissively, almost as if telling her to disregard that comment as he starts over. ]

If you want someone to pretend something never happened, it'd help if you didn't do a complete 180 on them, y'know? This shit makes it kinda hard to ignore.

[ Sure, a part of him is aware that if he were in her shoes, he would absolutely storm off in a huff with zero explanation himself, so it might be hypocritical of him to say it... But he's always been better at preaching the right things instead of doing them, and it looks like it's not changing anytime soon. ]

(frozen comment)

[opheliac]

( THIS EMPTY SPACE IS FOR SPACING. )

Continuation Thread

[conflictresolution]

[Continued from here because frozen comments.]

Mmmm, indeed, and it's important to forge relationships that could be beneficial to the cause, even if it has changed for this place. Best to explore every nook and cranny.

[He was well aware that she had met someone, and that she was protecting this someone's identity. Or perhaps she didn't know and this someone had been met on the night in the casino where she had been very, very inebriated. Her reaction still lead him to believe she knew.

He kept walking as if he hadn't noticed her lagging or fussing with her hickey. He instead lifted a hand to push aside low hanging foliage then paused when she wasn't behind him to sneak under it same as him.]

Seducing future followers isn't generally your style, Jinx. Are you exploring a new avenue of approach?

[opheliac]

( this is truly the worst. never in her life she had thought she would be in this kind of predicament. sure, she heard stories of people doing stupid mistakes under the influence of substances. in fact, she had seen them first hand at the last drop. but jinx convinced herself that she would never sink so low to trip over that obvious landmine. so how in the hell is this happening then? how did this equation came to be on the blackboard? she definitely didn't put it there. ... it's all that boy savior's fault, surely! )

( his daughter didn't notice him stopping and before she knows it, jinx is side by side with him again. and what he says next has her want to hide underneath her long locks of her hair and hope to just... disappear out of thin air. with wide eyed, she sputters -- her tongue stumbling over a chaotic mess of mixed up words. )

I... wha... NO! — I'm not... doing that!!

( with her face burning like the sun above them, jinx exclaims out a groan and hurries off in her footing. this is the most embarrassing conversation she ever had in her life! )

[conflictresolution]

[It was a rare situation where he could actually take advantage of Jinx doing something innocently silly. Those days had long passed since she had first come to his care, though some of her awkwardness persisted into her teenage years. Her chaotic nature meant that she often put herself in interesting situations, but many of those he couldn't capitalize on as it was only by word of mouth or her own admission that he found out about it.

For once in a very long time, Jinx's reaction earned a low chuckle out of him. It didn't last long before he was following in her hurried wake. They had a few turns to make and then they would be back at the camp that Rumpitur had set up for them to stay in.]

If it is a random and they took advantage of you, I am not above removing fingers on your behalf.

[opheliac]

( she wants to plug her ears more than anything. to scream out a song to block out this talk or somehow erase it from both of their memories. but there's something about those words of his that puts her into a screeching halt. jinx does one stomp before snapping back around to face her father, hot air flaring out of her nostrils and appearing as if she's about to pop. )

He didn't take advantage of me! — Like I'd let any scumbag do that to me. I can handle myself, y'know...!

( there's a three second delay when her mind catches up to what she just admitted without thinking. and she stands there, stone cold dumbfounded. shit. )

I-I mean... hypothetically speaking!! I wouldn't let anyone pull a fast one on me when, hello? I have shimmer.

[conflictresolution]

[Silco continued to walk until he came up in front of Jinx, and he enjoyed the dawning look of horror on her face. He offered a brief little smirk before he simply by-passed her to continue walking down the game trail.]

And because you do have shimmer, it seems to be mutual. Let us be mindful of bug bites in the future then.

[It wasn't the worst attraction, though he considered it inconvenient and convenient at the same time. If this went anywhere, the boy was going to be insufferable and Jinx tended to attach hard to people. Ugh, children growing up was never easy.]

[opheliac]

( she parts her lips to speak but then they just shut again. that's something she hadn't thought of, actually. ekko knows she has the gemstone and their truce is still intact. he also knows she has shimmer running through her veins and things seem to be in place. but... silco has vials of the serum in his possession. if he found out about it, where would that lead their truce? will that be the deal breaker?

sure, she misses the deadly games they use to play, but... toying with him without waving her guns around had been a little fun too. as a matter of fact, just... being around him somewhat normally has been way more pleasant that she had originally thought. shaking her head to snap her out of doubts and "what ifs", jinx hurries back to catch up with her father -- still in that light huff attitude. )

W-Well, hypothetically speaking again — ( why yes, she is going to keep phrasing it this way. it doesn't count as reality if she says "hypothetically speaking". ) — what if there's somethin' that's keeping me and this ( she makes air quotes with her fingers. ) "person" you're makin' up from going head to head? A thing that can't be broken no matter what.

And it's not just any ol' handshake truce la-de-da thing either. We spit in our hands and shook on it. That's like... WAY more serious. Shimmer or not, nothing's gonna happen. Nothing will happen.

[conflictresolution]

[The Undercity was full of every delight and depravity that anyone could think of. It was a city of progress in its own right, and with no formal education, informal job opportunities and exploitation around every corner, it wasn't unusual for teenagers to get themselves into trouble in their exploration of the world. If parents existed, some where better with their lessons and protections than others.

Of course, the more that he thought of this potential little tryst, the more he expected it to be short-lived. Physical on the boy's part with enough emotional to get what he wanted, and for Jinx, she wanted it all. Loneliness provided particular cravings.]

You think you can have a truce that lasts? [Silco shifted his gaze to watch her out of the corner of his eye.] We've been here less than a month, and this sort of interaction is happening? It's a suspiciously short amount of time, given the state he left you in when I found you on the bridge.

[He was a naturally suspicious person of course. He also had been a teenage boy before, and he knew for a fact that they had two modes and one mode was usually seeking for the other. Why not? It was fun; it was exciting; it was an escape from the desperation even for a few moments.]

Guard your heart, Jinx. Keep whatever it is physical and be prepared to cut him off.

[opheliac]

( she knows he is just looking out for her and he would never say anything that would purposely hurt her (right?), but that doesn't make his words sting any less. and having her father's praise and approval means literally everything to her. so for him to scratch out her long division problem, just to add a simple variable into it, and walk away like it's nothing, it makes her heart pinch in a way she hoped to never experience again.

and as silco elaborates his point further, her pace decreases and she falls behind for the second time. is it possible that this whole truce between them was only a ploy somehow? he... was the one who came up with the idea and not her. but that was before he knew about the gemstone. and he seemed he truly cared how she was faring when it came with shimmer being in her bloodstream. and when she asked why he cared in the first place, he gave her this... backwards explanation that shimmer screws everyone up no matter who you are. but what about when he saved her? that tree branch snapped into two when those plant tentacle things were hot on her heels. jinx figured she was a goner but then he flew right on by and caught her.

that must had meant something... although. she did gloat about having the gemstone at him several moments prior. a thought did flicker back then that maybe he was more concern about the stone's well-being than her, but she tossed that away. and now that question is being brought back to life now that silco's giving his thoughts on the matter. and that night, well, it's obvious the two of them were stupidly intoxicated. jinx figured that, but the morning after is what sticks out to her the most. he could had kicked her out of bed, tell her to beat it or scram, or show disgust. but... he was surprisingly a gentleman about the whole ordeal (despite every little bit inside of her screamed, "get out of there!"). ekko let her freshen up, he helped her with her hair, they had breakfast together, and then she left. they haven't seen or spoken since. it wasn't anything extraordinary, but the hospitality was something she rarely experienced and it was... really nice. jinx even thought about paying him a visit again because it was so nice. )

( — but now, what if there's a secret motive to that kindness? when she woke up in the middle of the night and found herself in his arms, what if that was just some bizarre tactic or he was just so wasted that it didn't mean anything? but that look... that look he gave her on the bridge.

....

gripping onto herself and biting her lower lip, his daughter ducks her head low and picks up her pace again -- this time not rebelling. maybe he's right. maybe it's better to keep him at arm's length and stop analyzing things with her heart and analyze with her brain instead. )

... Okay.

( she says, voice so hushed that one might need to strain themselves to hear it. )

cw: threat of violence

[conflictresolution]

[He had far more faith in Jinx's abilities than he did in the boy to upkeep a truce when the boy couldn't help but instigate something against him. A part of him was suspicious currently that the boy was using Jinx to get to him, and that wouldn't be unusual of a tactic either. In that regard, he had faith that Jinx would sniff out deceit as her paranoia made her question everything now and again. He knew she would sort it out if that were the case.

And if the boy was being truthful about the truce with Jinx, it certainly didn't apply to Silco. He had agreed to nothing, and he would destroy that boy if he decided that it was a necessary measure. After all, being close to Jinx did technically put the boy within his own reach, and never let it be said that he wouldn't utilize a resource if it came within his range.

He stopped and turned to allow his daughter opportunity to catch up after she had fallen behind again. He didn't move when she came up beside him but instead reached out to nudge her chin up lightly with a finger.]

Do what you feel you want to and must, just be careful. This might not be the Undercity, but everyone has conflicting motives. Be safe about it.

[And then he produced a razor smile, the kind that anyone who saw it knew that there was imminent danger on the horizon.]

And if this imaginary boy of yours hurts you, I will destroy everything he is.

cw: still threat of violence

[opheliac]

( she is sinking in a pool of her own thoughts and doubts when that finger brush underneath her chin, her pinks flicker up to his mismatch ones with a slight doe-like gleam to them. her sister said that aldrip is a place for everyone to start off fresh and put the past behind them. but humans are still humans, with emotions, thoughts, and the desire to live to the fullest. there are threats here, creatures and monsters she had seen first hand. but according to the people she spoke with, murder can still and has happened among themselves. jinx knew that upon arrival anyway, but this just further proves that despite how everyone preaches how they should be united as one, it's not fully realistic. there will be someone amongst them who yearns for blood to spill.

she feels thus far, she is being safe about it. only three people (excluding ekko and vi for right now because... it's complicated) are inching a little closer to her than most and for that, jinx thinks that's pretty darn good all considered. she's not opening to everyone with wide arms and all smiles. that's just plain silly to do. but... it's comforting to know that he will harm others for her if she is unable to. if her heart swells too much (which it totally won't, she'll make sure of that) he will come and shield her from all the hurt. so with that, jinx gently smiles back to him -- showing her gratitude. after all, that firelight does have wings. she can pluck the right one and he can pluck the left one. )

[conflictresolution]

[With the return of her smile, he considered the matter to be put to rest for the moment, until he had gathered more information on the situation that was. He reserved the right to about-face should he deem it worthwhile, and he had no doubt that this was going to potentially be a topic that would come to his radar often.

He had thought he had her best interests at heart, especially given the world that they came from where harm was around every corner. She had been through a lot in the weeks leading up to his death as well, so perhaps he was a touch on the overt protective side. She had almost died after all; it was a fact that he couldn't shake and a reality he faced each time he looked into her purple gaze.

Shimmer had saved her life with the doctor's interventions. He would be damned if he would risk losing her again.

He gestured with his chin to continue on their path back to camp and where the diplomatic actions were to take place. He turned to walk, the path narrowing enough that they had to go single file as they cut between some large trees.]

cw: slight voices

[opheliac]

( as the path twists more and more narrow, jinx uses this opportunity to scoot herself in front of him. not because she wanted to be the leader or anything silly like that. but because she has her pistol on her side -- just no chompers, fishbones, or pow-pow. so out of habit and reacting in pure instinct, her body straightens to be on alert, and unhooks her weapon from her side by doing her usual twirl.

whether they will come across those plant monsters or not is up in the air, but she isn't going to relax just yet until they catch up to the others. or they make it out of the forest before them. there's a sudden head twitch she makes (that silco had probably seen many times before) as she shut her eyes very briefly to take in whatever she's receiving. )

... I am listenin'. Maybe pipe down a lil' and I can hear things better.

( she murmurs out in slight irritation as she examines each little peek around of the trees. )