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[ She wouldn't know if Blake were late unless told and even then, it's easily excusable considering the crowd. It's likely she'd gotten stopped more than once on the way over and that, in itself, was pretty exhausting. All the more reason to treat herself to a breather! ]

Or, at least by their standards. I know the previous ones have been easily solved by remaining calm under pressure, for example. So long as we don't panic we should be fine.

[ Well, that's technically true even now. ]

I hope so.

[ Blake looks up at the graceful archway that frames the entrance they're standing at. Vines writhe their way around the curling latticework. Taking a breath, she steps through, and the air instantly feels different. Heavy and sweet with the scent of flowers.

Ahead of them is a T-junction, the impenetrable hedge of the maze stretching across in a green rustling wall. ]

Left or right?

How any kind of puzzle ends up solved, no matter the details.

[ Even if it was enchanted with Dunamis or... however they do it, giving in to panic would only make it all the more difficult to get to the other side.

The way Jill sees things is different and she's begun to appreciate the beauty of it all, but in the end, she's always too direct to really let it sink in. Too tactical and focused on if there's thorns and traps. Yet there's been something soothing about this festival that's quelled some of her anxieties. Maybe it was the flowers. ]

...hm, I'm a little partial to cool colors, so how about we take a right? [ A smattering of blue and purple hydrangea drag through the shock of foliage. There's been no hints on what the real path may be yet, so might as well choose this way instead of being entirely random. ] Have you ever been in a maze like this where you've come from?

[ Right it is. She orients herself and begins to walk, a step or so ahead of Jill, cautious despite herself. The flowers seem to stretch out towards them, opening to release more of their heavy fragrance. It could be a trick of the light, or not. ]

No.. I mean, it's very pretty, as a festival decoration, but my people tend to be much less ostentatious. [ She thinks of Menagerie, the tropical humidity of nights on the island. ] We don't have a lot of space for this kind of thing.

[ Jill isn't on edge as she may be normally, but it's hard not to search your surroundings. The caveat could be most anything although she'd heard it was compliments? It wouldn't be too bad in that case. Definitely easier than not panicking.

Considering everything else here, she assumes it's part of the maze itself. Sort of like its own special flower viewing. ]

Makes sense. Sometimes in autumn there would be mazes like this built from corn husks but hedge mazes were kind of rare. Usually grand, expensive hotels and things like that. [ Maybe it's best not to think of The Shining right now. ] They seem to have one at most events here. Do you have many festivals? We have a lot of holidays that seem to sort of align here or be celebrated here and I'm kind of curious how it compares for most people.

We have some. Different parts of the world have different ones. Probably the biggest, which everyone celebrates, is the Vytal Festival. It's held in a different country each year, but they all send delegations. Multiculturalism and all that. There are dances, food, a big tournament...

[ Her voice falters a little and she trails off, remembering the way the last Festival had ended. That had been the beginning of the end, in so many ways. Their school, destroyed; her team, split apart. The fruition of a conspiracy bigger than any of them could have feared. Her own mistakes.

Up ahead of them is a clearing. As they approach, deep blue morning glories grow wilder and more tangled up the sides of the hedges, choking out the vegetation underneath. Blake's steps slow, cautious. ]

Pretty amazing sounding. We don't really have anything like that where different countries come together.

[ Jill picks up on her hesitance and that it might be a sore subject, but she chooses to ignore it rather than make a point of acknowledging it. She doesn't carry on any further than what she has already said, though, if it's any indication that she really does get it. She suspects it's homesickness.

She doesn't notice the flowers moving about; it's Blake's movements she catches on to first. Though she doesn't think it will be violent or anything, she still follows suit. ]

...hm. That's an interesting trick, isn't it.

Everything's so alive here, [ she says, and means it; the emotion that flows through Empatheias is vital and universal. It's amazing, in its own way, if often highly unnerving.

She takes a breath as they step into the clearing. It doesn't feel ominous, though, and for that she's grateful. There's a small cherubic fountain spouting barely a trickle. The whisper of water against stone is almost soothing. Across from them, there's a gate, shut tight, overgrown with deep purple flowers. Other than the way they came it's the only exit. Blake approaches, lifting a hand to touch it. ]

[ It does occur to her that they have they Olympics but that... is a very different thing than what Black seems to be describing.

Jill doesn't verbally respond but it's the sort of thing that definitely weaves into her, through more than just her thoughts. In many ways, she thought it was fortunate to be here. It felt honest here and though she was the sort of person to hide her feelings -- especially if they were on the negative spectrum -- it still was something she appreciated.

The flowers have a sense of midnight to her and she wonders if maybe it was indicative of herself or (and?) Blake, catering to the sor to people they were more than the atmosphere of Empatheias itself. Though Jill doesn't expect it to be dangerous, she's near enough just to make sure she can extract the younger woman if the flowers suddenly grow teeth or spit poison. ]

...don't count me on it, but I think I recall them saying that paths opened with honest compliments to your companions.

[ Jill would much rather dish than receive. ]

[ The vines shift, curling around her hand, a morning glory arching towards her face. She nearly pulls back, but the movement isn't aggressive. It's slow, languid -- almost inviting. Still, there's no sign of the gate moving. ]

Oh. That's...

[ Not terrible? ]

I guess we can do that.

[ Kind of awkward, though. ]

[ Jill is about to jump for the plant and take her knife out to take to it and sever the vine. However it seems to be part of the "game" here.

She makes a sound and with Blake's response she eases up. The tension on her shoulders eases and slacks. ]

I think this means I should go first? You're a competent young lady. I was surprised over your skill and the seriousness you have in those situations. It was impressive to me, if I'm to be honest. It's rare I meet someone that can keep up with me.

[ It's honest, so she hopes it works. ]

[ There's a rustling that sounds almost like a sigh, and the vines gracefully withdraw, pulling back from the gate's wooden slats. ]

Thanks? [ It lilts upward at the end, but the uncertainty is from the strangeness of the situation, not any sense of ingratitude. The small smile she shoots Jill is sincere. ]

I had to...I grew up fast. [ She pushes the gate open and takes a careful step through, and then another step when nothing happens. ] If I hadn't learned those things early, it would have been much harder.

[ She guesses the movement is sign that it took the compliment as genuine or at least that it approved? ]

Hey, you're welcome.

[ Compliments can be awkward. She knows that she kind of stiffens up over them, especially when genuine and not just meant to flatter. ]

From what I know of your world, I'm not surprised. Obviously that... doesn't make it good or anything, but the skill you have is something you should be proud of. Some people can try all they want and not manage.

[ But she should probably save the sweet words for the foliage, right? Although she's still uncertain how she might attack back if anything were to happen, Jill makes sure to have Blake's back as they push forward.

Once on the other side of the gate, she takes note of the scenery: not that much different than before, just hopefully closer to the end of it. ]

Well, guess now we keep going. Your pick on direction at the first turn.

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