what in the longdark spitting-pit is that

inourhead

"- But it would be bad if it partly brought them here. What if it just put Book back in with us, then what? He'd have to move out again, I don't know what would happen to Lightning!"

"I would like to state for the record that it may not be the best idea to teleport someone without their knowledge or permission, unless they're in danger or something. I'm older than I look, by the way, I've seen thousands of wishes and my intuition is saying that if a Favor couldn't do it completely, it would most likely do nothing."

inourhead

"...We were all in the wilderness being chased by demons," says Crystal. "And low on mice. They may have been eaten too, maybe to someplace less safe than here."

"You should still wish to see where they are and what they're doing before wishing them here."

inourhead

"In case they're, what, in another world with more convenient extra magic about to transport us there?"

"In case they're... Holding someone else who is about to fall into a demon's mouth if they let go, or some similar thing. I admit that sounds unlikely, and they're your wishes, I've said my bit."

inourhead

"There was no one else around," says Holly.

Crystal makes the wish. She wants Lightning and Book, here, safe, in their customary body, please.

There is a spike of discomfort, like trying your very hardest to lift something and only barely being able to manage it.

Lightning and book are here, safe, in their customary body. But it felt- draining, like troporting tiredness onto yourself. And two of Crystal's Favors are gone, not just one.

inourhead

Some unclear blend of Holly-and-Crystal fling themselves at Lightning for a hug. "You're okay!"

"We're what? Where is this?"

"No idea really, but there aren't any demons in it! And magic that isn't troportation!"

"Hi. We have no demons, no cohabiting, no troportation. But we do have wishes from what may or may not be a god."

inourhead

"Look," says Holly, pushing up her sleeves, "look, they're -"

"Holly, let Crystal tell me, would you -"

"We'll both tell you, it changes when we do, watch -"

Lightning watches. Crystal fades forward and the constellation of wishes changes.

"That's - I'm sure this is amazing," says Lightning, "but right now I really need a mouse and water and maybe food."

"Will nonmouse small animals do? We have frogs and fish, in the pond. I really want to troport. If I can't get it without, I'm going to burn one of my last two Favors on it."

inourhead

"It doesn't matter if they're mice in particular but I don't know if frogs and fish would work as well," says Crystal.

"I'm not sure I can pull it off even if they do technically work. Used to mice," says Lightning.

"Holly can do it for you," Crystal says, patting his arm, "if it does have to be something non-furry."

"You could probably buy mice somewhere in the city if you were willing to troport things for people. Or catch squirrels in the forest or something. But the frogs are right here if you want them. You're Lightning and Book, correct? I'm Erin."

inourhead

"He's just Lightning. Book's asleep - very completely asleep, he can't hear you," Crystal explains. "When do you think...?"

"I can sleep in another sand or two," says Lightning. "I don't quite understand...?"

"They don't have demons here. Any of them. Or troporting. She's all alone in there, apparently everyone here is," says Crystal.

"If I have to run through a forest to get a squirrel - ugh. Holly, a frog, please."

"No problem," says Holly, and she leaps at the nearest frog.

The frog attempts to evade. Not very well. It's just a frog, after all.

inourhead

When Holly has it, she touches Lightning. He perks up. The frog droops. She lets it go.

"Not to bore you, Crystal, Lightning, but here I have interesting magic in front of me. Was that body-tiredness or mind-tiredness? What other kinds of things can be troported?"

inourhead

"Body-tiredness. Frogs haven't got minds to put mind-tiredness into and I can't touch Lightning's mind without doing tricky fancy stuff. They handle mind-tiredness by switching. Not like me and Crystal, but still."

She makes a thoughtful face. "Can you troport injuries and disease? Real miracle-quality healing powers need a Boon, but I know people with good regeneration from a Gift, they might be able to troport ailments on themselves and be fine in twenty seconds."

inourhead

"...Why would you put the injuries on a person?"