Horizon-Bound

---Group---

You had been too exhausted to keep moving, and with CC accompanying you now, it wasn't like you were going to be allowed to push yourself any further. So, you had helped set up a small campsite, and had spent a long while explaining everything that had happened in your journey up to this point.

"I was really wonderin' why you had that little dear all tied up," CC chuckled sadly, "You gonna let him go now?"

"Yeah kid, you ever going to set me free?" Chester snorted, tugging on the triple knot, "Or am I supposed to just live like this?"

"Oh shoot!" You exclaimed, grabbing your small pocket knife, "I almost forgot..."

With a snap of the rope, you watched the subconite toss it up in the air with a hoot, spinning around for a moment before settling into a goofy pose.

"Chester Mulligan Campos The Third, you are a free man again!" He boasted, opting to jump up and cling to your shoulders, "A prisoner no more!"

You laughed heartily, lifting the doll off yourself, "Free to cause chaos across Subcon, huh?"

"Oh you know it kid!"

You released Chester, watching him scurry back close to the fire, soaking in the warmth almost like a reptile. It was quiet for a few moments, with mostly Hat Kid chattering and questioning your two new friends. It gave you time to wonder. Again.

This time, however, you decided to bite the bullet and try asking again.

"Shapeshifter," Your tone was firm, but an air of nervousness clung to it, "What is your relation to Moonjumper?"

The creature froze slightly, glancing from their perch on a small rock towards you. Hat kid also turned to give you a quizzical look, releasing their floppy ears from her small hands. You felt slightly guilty from distracting their good time of bonding as new friends, but...You needed answers.

"It...does not matter," They muttered.

"Yes. It does," You argued back, "He was enraged with you, and...I want to know why. If you're calling me your friend, then I'd like to know why my friend angered someone close to me."

With a huff, they pushed the alien child off, ignoring her annoyed 'hey!' as they stood, approaching the flames of the fire pit before settling infront of it.

"Fine. Gather close. This old immortal has some tales from an old era of Subcon."

Shapeshifter seemed tense.

---0---

It had been many, many years ago. Time always blurred together for The Shapeshifter anyhow. Everything becomes the same night and day when you're an immortal.

Nomadic during this period, they never could find anything to hold their interest for long. Things changed too rapidly, fell apart and built back up in what seemed like days to them. And Subcon had befallen the same. A kingdom they once held great interest in, watching each king and queen come through and rule the land with their various ideas...Various styles of ruling.

Now, as the creature had begun to make their way to the place, it was like a change overnight. What once was bustling with life was now dead as a door-nail. Empty. Fueled with magic and an apparent fight between some sort of ice and fire powers. They sensed a great sadness in the mostly frozen over forest, eyes spying across the acres of burning woods in the distance.

Horrid, really. But not a shock. Things changed, they should've learned not to get attached.

Their form twitched, the sense of death and grief was heavy in the woods. So many little trapped souls, wandering around with no where to go. They would have to do something about it, surely.

It wasn't like anyone else could.

And as the Shapeshifter scurried through the freezing Subcon woods, they came across a figure laid flat across the ground, chest heaving as if in pain or grieving.

They would start here.

-------

"I only meant to help those lost souls," Shapeshifter's ears twitched, "Freeing their souls was not easy. You have to sever their connection to the mortal world, and release them from what anchors them here. Once more got caught up in those contracts...I simply left."

You blinked slightly, "You told them about the Horizon?"

"Hm. Yes! Indeed. Though, I knew Subcon's connection to it was...unwell," Their eyes scanned the sky, "With such a curse, it's only fair their paradise ended as well."

"...Are you why Moonjumper ended up trapped there?"

"...I implanted the idea into your friend of a paradise," Shapeshifter's eyes seemed to squint down sadly, "And I assume they thought of me taking those dwellers from Subcon as a threat, rather than a help. I feel as though my meddling is constantly a cause for great strife."

Your fists clenched just slightly. If they knew that Subcon's connection to the other plan was bad--- Why would they ever want to talk about it? Convince someone to go there? 

With a sigh, you recognized this as a mistake. A great mistake, but a mistake none-the-less.  Shapeshifter was an odd creature, with no real idea of how interactions were supposed to work from what you had seen. Like they had stated, when they took dwellers out to release them, they were only wishing to help.

Your eyes drifted around the small clearing your group was in, worrying of what to do now. What could you do?

"I am sorry for meddling," Shapeshifter sighed, "Perhaps those dwellers never wished to be 'free' either. I was selfish in attempting to be a hero."

"Do you know how to get up there?" Cooking Cat spoke up, eyes filled with concern, "Can we get him down?"

"Hm, well yes there is always a way to get out of the Horizon," The being's head glanced up, "You have to anchor yourself to the mortal world."

"...What does that mean?"

"Simple. You have to have connections and reason to come back," They hummed, "You have to truly believe you should come back."

"...Meaning?"

"It's up to him to get himself down. You're only trapped somewhere if you believe it to be so."

"And what can we do to help?"

"I'm not sure," Shapeshifter admitted, "I truly am not."