Home in hell (invite)

[Pride]

"Well, I mean we are."

He'd motion to Joy.

"And I thought you two were."

He'd motion to Thorn and Stigma.

"And I guess they are?"

And apparently they knew each other? And one of them was old? Who knew!

[Joy]

Okay, maybe torture was a thing, after all, given Stigma's tone. Joy had no objections. She planted a hand on her hip.

"Sounds like you're not wanted."

[Thorn Wyatt]

Thorn's eyes narrow at the sound of his "grandfather" speaking.

He continues to hold Vee down!

[Pig God, God of Pigs]

"Such aggressiveness."

The man laughs, shaking his head. He looks at the other three, smiling happily.

"Here I assumed you may want some actual answers, as my younger brother may not be able to give them. As a gesture of goodwill, I'm happy to provide any assistance you may require."

Vee's scowl deepens.

"You know we're not allowed to do that."

"Only if we're caught. I'm not going to tell anyone. Are you?"

Vee shakes his head fervently.

[Stigma Wyatt]

"Then tell us everything. You owe us that much." she says, the spite still clear in her voice.

[Pride]

"What kind of help? Like with trees?"

Cause they didn't seem to be much help fighting. So far it was unimpressive at least.

[Joy]

Joy's eyes narrow further, but lets the man continue without interrupting!

[Thorn Wyatt]

Thorn leans back, so he's basically just sitting on Vee, as he looks up to listen for the answer.

[Pig God, God of Pigs]

“Tree growing, information, I’d imagine a more prepared Vee could even support you in combat if you required.”

W laughs, shaking his head. Vee continues to glare at him.

“However, it’s difficult to mention everything in one telling, so I’ll give you what you’re most likely interested in asking. Vee and I are members of a race that lives outside of your universe, but also within. We are…”

He puts a finger to his chin, tapping it as he considers how to phrase it.

“…caretakers is too strong of a word… we are observers, I suppose. We are meant to watch and see how your world develops, and not interfere. Not that we particularly could, if we wanted to, I suppose. Allow me to explain.”

W smiles again, seemingly very pleased with himself.

“Imagine, for a moment, you and a group of siblings are to watch a forest, to see how life develops. You yourself are given a few trees to watch over personally. Now, all people are different, so your siblings and you treat your trees differently, despite being told to leave them alone. Some watch attentively, some try to help their trees grow with water, others are disinterested and don’t look at all.”

He shrugs, leaving it up to them to decide which they thought he was, if any.

“One day, you discover a sickness infecting one of your trees. Then, it infects others as well. You don’t know how to get rid of the disease, and you were forbidden from interfering in the first place. Still, some don’t listen, and they try to cut the sickness out, or remove the infested trees, but nothing works.”

His smile seems to fade, ever so slightly.

“That is the position we are in, now.”

[Stigma Wyatt]

"So you interfere constantly." Stigma huffs.

[Pride]

Pride shook his head.

"Okay, so I'm confused. Are we talking like actual trees? Or people trees?"

Cause he thought the dude was trying to get trees to grow or something.

[Joy]

It felt like a lot of half-speak to Joy, who shook her head.

"What sibling are you watching for?"

[Thorn Wyatt]

"I don't understand."

Thorn says simply.

[Pig God, God of Pigs]

Vee actually laughs at that, and W ends up sighing.

“The trees in my example were your worlds. This world here would be one tree. The world merging into this one would be another. Vee was in charge of the other one, while you four are from the one I watched.”

At least one of them seemed to understand, but hopefully that was a little more clear.

“I interfered, as you put it, because I was attempting to save that world from the one who’s been acting as a disease. I believe the four of you met him when you left the building as it was being transported, he was the one you attacked.”

He looks at Joy.

“I have my suspicions about which of my siblings may be responsible in part for this sickness, but rest assured, the man you attempted to fight is not one of my kind.”

[Pride]

"Ooooooh."

He thought he got it.

"So you are chasing after the powerful coward?"

Hadn't seen him since that day. So good luck with that.