In His Name

Chapter 28 - The way down

Sleep wasn't coming to him as easily as Rosco would have liked. His limbs twitched and jittered nearly buzzing with energy. He never slept well when he was excited.

"Hey, Tansy?" Shifting to peak up at his friend, "You're from the spirit realm, right?"

The wildflower nods, blinking open a sleepy eye.

"What's it like?"

Tansy just looks at him for a moment, then takes pity on him. Sucking in a deep breath, the little spirit puffs up their cheeks, letting it all out in one quick push and nods. Rosco closes his eyes to the sounds of Tansy telling him about their home. Hayden made it sound like a land of nightmares, but Tansy tone was one of love and beauty. The wooden building creaks with the wind and Rosco just about jumps out of his skin, wide eyes scanning the darkened loft for dangers.

Realizing the sound was nothing and he's just being paranoid, Rosco gives Tansy a sheepish look, "Sorry," He mumbles, "I guess I'm still a little freaked out." Tansy doesn't laugh, or get angry, instead they pat the pillow encouraging Rosco to lay down again and starts humming a soothing little song. A nearly painful wave of affection and gratefulness sends Rosco back down to the bed, eyes falling shut again as Tansy gently cards their little hands through his hair trying to lull the boy into sleep. He startles a few more times, but Tansy's presence is a welcome comfort.

Groaning, Rosco curls in tighter on himself. Tansy's tugging at his hair. Somewhere along the way the little weed had decided that this is the best way to wake him up. The tugs come again, and the boy has to admit, Tansy is being gentler this morning. He hears a soft bell like sigh and feels another gentle pull. Now it's his turn to sigh, feeling more than a little guilty for mentally calling Tansy a weed, but anything he says or thinks before fully awake should not be taken seriously. He pushes up on his elbows. Blinking bleary eyed at the little spirit who smiles brightly, chatting excitedly about who knows what. Rosco may or may not call them a weed again.

Hayden is nowhere in sight when Rosco arrives at their arranged meeting place in front of the inn, but the god taps the boy on the shoulder seconds later anyway,

"Afternoon." Hayden greets, amused by the way Rosco jumped. "Are you ready?"

"I guess so," the boy shrugs, "I tried to pack my stuff, but Tansy kept hitting me? I can only assume that meant I wasn't supposed to bring much?" Reaching into one of his coat pockets, "But Mr. Rosewood gave me a lunch bundle," Showing Hayden the little cloth wrapped package, "He insisted I have some good food since I wouldn't be here to eat tonight."

"Just as well," Hayden replies, "You won't feel hunger in the spirit realm, but it won't hurt you to eat."

"I really shouldn't bring anything else?" he asks, tucking away his gift.

Hayden mulls it over, "No," he decides with a nod.

Rosco eyes the god suspiciously, "really, really sure? You are the one who forgot I have to sleep when we first started this adventure."

"I didn't forget," Hayden defends, "It simply slipped my mind." Tansy snicks and Hayden shoots them a glare. "The fewer physical things in the spirit realm the better." Turning his attention back on Rosco, "You won't need to eat or sleep, so there's no need to worry over objects that assist you with those tasks."

"Aright." He relents, deciding to trust, "In that case, I'm ready."

Hayden leads them out of the city, far into a field, away from the road to a place where there are no prying eyes. Tansy dashes in and out of the flowers as they walk, opening a few buds and closing a few others, testing leaves between their tiny fingers and shooing away some bugs.