Fluff Chapter Thirty-Seven - Orbjective

Chapter Thirty-Seven - Orbjective

"Okay," Emily said as she looked over her sisters. They were more or less ready to head out. "Maple, do you want to co, or did you want to stay here?"

"Um," Maple said. She gripped the fabric of her skirt for a mont, eyes downcast as she hesitated. "Can I co?" she eventually said.

"Of course, I wouldn't ask if you wanted to if I didn't expect you to... maybe want to take the option," Emily said. She could have worded that better, but it was close enough. "I'd love to have you with us."

"Oh-okay," Maple said. She looked around, then darted away.

Emily figured she was off to grab sothing, so she looked over the rest of her sisters in the anti. Teddy, Athena, and Aurora were dressed more or less normally. Lots of cargo pants and sweatshirts with pouches on the front. Rough, but tough clothes, and warm, because it was a smidge chilly out at the mont. Trinity, both of herself that were here, was dressed normally as well, but with the poncho that Maple had made on as well, which gave her a strange, warped silhouette.

Emily made a ntal note to see if Maple couldn't make more of those. Or similar, at least. If this was going to beco a more stealthy operation then having more stealth capabilities would be worthwhile.

On the other hand, she didn't want to overwhelm Maple. The sister in question ca running back, with a large-brimd sunhat plopped atop her head. It was covered in taped-on leaves. She was also wearing a large belt with so zip-lock baggies hooked into it like pouches.

"What's all that?" Emily asked.

"Um, the hat hides in the woods a little," Maple said. "And it protects from the rain and sun. But that's just... normal hat stuff. And the belt is for things? I need so natural stuff too... even if we got a lot of things already."

"Alright," Emily replied. Who was she to question Maple's process? "Well, it's cute."

"What? You haven't said that I'm cute in weeks!" Teddy said.

"Yes yes, you're all very cute," Emily said.

Trinity grinned. "Heard that, Teddy? If we're all cute, and there's twice as much of here, then I'm twice as cute!"

"Alright, enough of that," Emily said. "You're all individually as cute," she said, cutting that entire argunt off before it could really start. She didn't need Teddy turning into a bear in the living room. "Let's just head out. Rember, we're trying to be discreet. So no big noises, alright?"

The plan was simple, for now. Or rather, this first, tentative step of what might one day soon, hopefully, be sothing of a plan.

With that done they headed out.

The path from the ho they'd... made their own to the edge of the Endga was well-trod by that point. The grass was flattened out and in so places they'd crossed so many tis that there was an actual deer-path forming.

She made another ntal note to co back another way. They didn't need such an obvious path back.

Trinity was the first to cross the line into the Endga's territory. It was a solid three feet from the space they'd marked out on their last crossing.

"It's growing faster," Emily muttered. "But also slowing down a bit?"

"Probably growing based on activity in the city," Athena said. "Like it's pushing out as much as it can when there are more people doing Endga-related stuff, but when there aren't as many people doing that kind of thing, it's not as fast. Maybe?"

"I suppose that makes sense. But doesn't that an that if everyone leaves the Endga alone, it'll... just stop growing?" Emily asked.

"Won't it get bored if you do that?" Trinity asked. She was flashing her Minor Shadow Blend on and off constantly, even with the body that was outside of the range of the Endga. "Oh, there's new information for you, Big Sis Boss."

Emily blinked, then took a long step forwards and past the invisible line that marked the edge of the Endga's territory.

Endga Entered.

Hi again!