why is there a word for that

[alicornucopia]

Finnah's just arrived at work to open the store for the morning shift; she has her apron on but hasn't put her hair up yet. She lets in the customer who always takes half an angle to determine that he wants four buttercreams, again, and then nips into the back to tend to her hair and check the overnight progress of the rock candy.

This isn't the back.

But that -

No, he's too tall to be Mial, if this is a Mial prank it's a stupidly elaborate one.

"Okay, I give up," she says, "what the hell?"

Comments

[first_and_final]

"And yet for once I'm not inclined to tell you so. There's - something."

He proceeds a little further.

"I think I see a break in the trees up ahead. Would you rather make for it, or turn around?"

[abeance]

"Mm - well, you can't get much more 'not trying to enter the Enchanted Forest' than 'attempting to depart a clump of trees for not-a-clump-of-trees' - let's go."

[first_and_final]

"Sure. I accept your logic."

Milo proceeds forward.

In a minute or so, the trees do indeed thin out again, and they emerge onto a grassy field that surrounds a very pretty lake. There are mountains visible in the distance. It is almost precisely the wrong direction for them to be the Mountains of Morning. Also, a few minutes ago it was midmorning and now it seems to be late afternoon.

The lake and its surroundings are subtly off in the same way as the forest. There are fewer sticks on the ground out here, but that just means the weirdness is harder to pinpoint.

Also, there are plenty of rocks. Such as the one Milo carelessly steps on that turns under his foot and pitches him sideways into a slight dip in the ground, where he encounters several more rocks.

"Fuck!" he hisses, and then continues in that vein.

[abeance]

"Ah, shit," says Jann, dropping to his knees to assess the damage and render assistance. "...Also: where in fuck are we?"

[first_and_final]

"I don't know!" exclaims Milo. "But I don't think I like it very much, wherever it is!"

His right leg is broken twice below the knee, and his right wrist isn't looking too hot either.

[abeance]

"Right, I see a building over there, what say I haul you to it on the off-chance that there's something more recuperation-friendly for you to lounge on than the ground in there?"

[first_and_final]

"Sounds good to me. Ugh. Should probably get these set first, though."

Milo always hates it when someone else has to help him set his bones. He could technically get these ones done by himself, but not being able to use his right hand makes it much more complicated and annoying. And Jann knows how, so it won't be like having to rely on a horrified stranger.

[abeance]

Jann is brisk, and as gentle as possible, and not a stranger! Presently all the bones are located where they ought to be. Jann picks up his cousin and makes for the building.

[first_and_final]

Having to be carried places is also pretty annoying, but again, if somebody has to do it Jann is one of the best possible candidates.

[abeance]

Jann manages to get the door open without jostling or discharging Milo.

[middlingalong]

"Uh, hi."

[first_and_final]

"...What the fuck," says Milo.

[middlingalong]

"Welcome to this puzzling interdimensional bar, additional Miles! Those are yous, except that one, and we're hims, and that's a you's wife," says Ivan.

[unmarred]

Mark stands up and cranes his neck to peer at the additional Miles.

"...What's your charming twist on the Shortness And Medical Problems pattern?" he inquires.

[first_and_final]

"Cursed by a wicked fairy so my bones break if you look at them funny. But also blessed by a quick-thinking non-wicked fairy, so in a week the ones I just broke will be fine again. Nice to meet you too, Not Me."

[middlingalong]

"That's Mark. That's Miles. That's Mial. That's Stalas. I'm Ivan, this is Aurin, I go with Miles and he goes with Mial and Stalas hasn't got one, poor Stalas. That's Linyabel, she goes with Miles."

[abeance]

Jann stops staring at Linyabel and says, "I'm Jann and this is Milo and this is weird."

[first_and_final]

"Nice to meet you all. What the fuck is going on?"

[thisvorlunatic]

Miles and Mial and Stalas actually stop swearing at each other in order to pay attention to their newly arrived alt.

[middlingalong]

"Those three Mileses are having an extremely vicious game of something with pegs," says Aurin. "Is the main event. You just missed Mial's immediate family."

[isthisart]

"Alas, with them goes the last dose of nigh-magical healing blood, and its donor is long gone, so we can't help you very much with the bones beyond your already impressive fey blessing."

[abeance]

"How did it happen that you came in the back door?" wonders Aurin.

"Well, we were looking for the Enchanted Forest, but it doesn't seem to want us to find it," says Jann, stepping further into the bar and putting Milo in a chair. "Why this place did want us to find it I couldn't say. Perhaps it's on some sort of spree."

[isthisart]

"There does seem to be an element of spree involved. You've also missed child versions of me, Ivan, and Miles; and another of my alts who came with a 'half-alt' of Mark. 'Alt' being what you are to those individuals who resemble you thusly and 'half-alt' being more complicated and requiring a very crowded personality."

[middlingalong]

"And a Bothari and a, what was his name, that doctor fellow. Have you got a Bothari?"

[abeance]

"...Doesn't ring a bell..."