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[survivalthroughhate]

"This is Maul. State your business."

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[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul arrives soon enough, leaving his bike in the front yard. He's not sure if there's any booby traps or vicious animals in the house as happens so often in this town, but seeing as how he was dexterous enough to avoid them on Christmas Eve, he figures he'll be fine now.]

Fern! Where are you?

[laminae]

[Fern quickly makes his way down to the front door when Maul arrives opening and looking like a total wreck. He's stressed, he's been pacing, and it's taking all of his self control to not start breaking things.]

He's upstairs.

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul takes the stairs two at a time and his silent, swift movements make it clear just how he was able to break into a home with three teenage boys fairly competent in defending off invaders.

When he reaches the room where Varian is at, he stops up short. Alright, this looks creepy and gross, but he doesn't seem to be in any actual pain or distress. So Maul is gonna approach this slowly and carefully. He walks all the way around him, prodding the veins with a curious claw, and stops back in the front where he first had stood.]

I'm going to try to peer into his mind. Stay quiet so that I may focus.

[One hand comes up and hangs there as he closes his eyes, focusing on what he can feel from Varian's mind.]

[laminae]

[Fern pauses in the doorway of Varian's bedroom, seeing the cocoon causing another spike of anxiety through him. He tries to keep his eyes on Maul instead, watching him examine it.]

Alright.

[He'll be quieter than a mouse, so as to not interrupt Maul.]

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul does his best to focus, trying to see what is going on. Most of it is cloudy, beyond his scope of vision, but he does get a few clear images.]

I see....snow. A mountain. He's climbing a mountain. And....devices. Building something. Something to protect...a kingdom? From what? From....nnngh, I can't make it out.

[Maul opens his eyes back up.]

He's not in any pain. I can tell that much. But his mind is far, far away from here in Deerington.

[laminae]

[Fern listens intently while keeping utterly silent. He only speaks up when Maul looks like he's done concentrating.]

That's - that's good, I guess. That he's not in pain. But why's he climbing a mountain?

[Chances are he's building something to protect Corona from Zhan Tiri, he's got that much figured out.]

[survivalthroughhate]

I'm not sure. There was a man there he was talking to. About his father, I think? Varian didn't seem happy and began to climb after they finished talking to each other.

[He rubs the back of his neck with one hand in a self-soothing manner.]

At least he's not in any pain or distress from what I can sense.

[laminae]

[Well, his dad is a sensitive subject, so he isn't surprised to hear that. Still, he slumps a little. He's grateful to hear Varian isn't in any pain, but this doesn't help in ways to get him out of the cocoon.]

Alright. Better than nothing.

[survivalthroughhate]

There's nothing we can really do except wait.

[Much as it galls Maul to be passive, they can't force Varian out of the cocoon, and since he's not in any distress there's no real sense of urgency. Still, the fact it's a cocoon at all gives Maul a thought.]

The thing about cocoons in nature is that the creatures who come out of them are usually much changed from when they go in. I wonder if it will be the same for our young friend here.

[laminae]

[Yeah, he hates that answer. He hates waiting, he isn't very good at it, and the thought of sitting around and doing nothing while Varian is in that cocoon is terrifying.

He doesn't have any other options here, though. It's just this.]

... Dunno. If he does, I hope he doesn't change too much.

[He likes Varian as he is, thank you.]

[survivalthroughhate]

Something we can both hope for, my young friend.

[He stares at the cocoon as if he can just will Varian out of it by his force of will.]

Let me know if there is any changes to him. I'll come no matter what I am doing at the time.

[laminae]

[He wishes you had that power, Maul. He just nods somberly, though.]

Yeah. Will do.