A forest that was not there yesterday

[unprophesied_of_ages]

The Lord Ruler is in his palace, when he sees a sight he hasn't seen in centuries. Trees, sunlight...is he hallucinating? The fact that there's a forest in his living room isn't the surprising part. The fact that there's a forest on his planet is. As soon as he walks through the door to where his living room isn't, it's definitely not a hallucination.

His stores of Allomantic metals abruptly disappear. They're still physically there, but the power is completely gone. He immediately turns to go back, only to see more forest.

At least his Feruchemy still works—he can tell because he's still alive—but that won't last him forever. He only has so much stored youth, and without both sets of abilities he can't replenish it. He hasn't been in so much danger since the beheading that one time. Returning to Scadrial is the highest and currently only priority. If spontaneous forests are a thing, he needs to find someone who can explain them and more importantly how to get back.

The next few hours are spent walking in an essentially randomly chosen direction, with the sun to his right. He's quite certain that suns are supposed to be moving across the sky, but that's not a pressing emergency. He already knew he wasn't on his own planet when he saw proper trees and plants instead of ash-covered monstrosities. Whenever he calls out, nobody responds. If it's an empty spontaneous forest, he's probably doomed.

After some time, he hears his stomach growl. He hasn't seen much that looks edible, but possibly that's just because he's not used to real plants. Berries. Berries used to exist. Those berries look tasty, and if they're poisonous it's not like he needs to worry about it. As always, he has a truly ridiculous amount of stored health in his gold jewelry. Tapping gold just in case, he eats a handful.

Comments

[nemoconsequentiae]

Yes.

[imeanforever]

She should be very, very paranoid about the god of destruction. "How would you do that?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

By preference, by destroying all others except you.

[imeanforever]

"Coooould you do it in some other way that leaves them alive?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

Yes.

[imeanforever]

"Such as?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

Destroying the organs they use to speak, and rendering them similarly unable to write.
Failing that, I could scramble the vibrations coming out of their mouths to hear no words and erase any markings as they write them.

[imeanforever]

She is clearly going to have to make up her own methodology when what she wants is not the literal destruction of something. Or apparently being picked up and transported rapidly; it did come up with that of its own accord. Probably just because it can't hurt her.

"Can you go selectively deaf, instead, so that you can hear me, and I can hear them, but you can't hear them?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

It picked that methodology because it likes sonic booms.

Yes.

[imeanforever]

She should be very paranoid about the god of destruction.

"Would this have any side effects?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

It would increase this universe's total entropy.

[imeanforever]

"...I can live with that. Would picking me up and carrying me to the yellow fairy have any side effects?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

It would be loud enough to destroy everything in its path behind you, while leaving the air perfectly still to your perception.

[imeanforever]

She can't have Yellow deafened; that will defeat the purpose and she can't even heal him until after he's rescinded her orders.

"Can you do it quietly?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

I can do it more quietly. If instead of getting pushed away that column of air were to stop existing, it should cause no other damage.

[imeanforever]

"Would this be loud enough to damage my or Yellow's hearing, or remove enough air to make it uncomfortable to breathe, or have other side effects?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

No.

[imeanforever]

"In the nondestructive way described, implement your selective deafness. Then, in the nondestructive way described, gently, bring me to Yellow."

[nemoconsequentiae]

Promise rises into the air and starts moving. There's no wind from it; the air surrounding her is being transported in the same way. She accelerates at a comfortable pace, and keeps accelerating at the same pace until she's halfway to Yellow. Then she gradually slows down, and is deposited next to Yellow.

[imeanforever]

Where Yellow is extremely relieved to see her. "Promise!"

"Yes. I'm working on it, hang on. Ruin, did you hear him speak?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

No

As it happens, nobody except Promise could have. Any vibrations out of Yellow's mouth are being scrambled except between the two fairies.

[imeanforever]

Well, there is no one else there, so that's academic.

"Do you by any other means know what he said?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

No.

[imeanforever]

Okay, good.

"Can you arrange that you do not hear the next single word I say, while letting Yellow hear it, and without fail resume listening to me afterwards?"

[nemoconsequentiae]

Yes.