Bog of What Hutt Died Here? [morning]

[momslilassassin]

Today Ben's investigation had taken a slightly different tack that just looking in books. He'd fallen back on his GAG training and was viewing the abductions for what they were--a crime.

And a criminal investigation required evidence. After scraping off rock samples from different walls in town (maybe he'd be able to discover what property was allowing those walls to grow so fast), Ben pulled his rebreather over his mouth and slowly approached the swamp near the school.

Even with the aid of the rebreather, the stench of rotten eggs was almost overwhelming. He glanced at the rickety bridge, wondering if it would be worth it to construct something a little sturdier.

[OOC: Open! Anyone want to build a bridge?]

Comments

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

Percy hadn't ventured out all that much, choosing instead to stay close to the dorms and deal with things there. Still, when he saw another student near the...pit that smelled like it was home to some rank cyclops, he couldn't help but wander over.

Hand over mouth, he said, "Going for a swim?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben snorted. "Do I look insane?" he asked, taking the rebreather out temporarily.

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Well, you're out here," Percy said and coughed a few times. "That's pretty insane on its own. What are you gonna do?"

[momslilassassin]

"I was thinking of building a better bridge, actually," Ben admitted. "That one is just asking to drop someone into the swamp."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Build a bridge with what?" Percy asked, looking around. "The power of positive thinking?"

[momslilassassin]

"It's a swamp," Ben said. "Vines, rocks, and sticks are kind of a thing with a swamp."

Vaguely he wondered if Dagobah had smelled this bad.

"It won't be as stable as the air bridges in Kashyyyk," and that was a helpful description, "but it has to be better than three planks and the," he smiled quickly at Percy, "'power of positive thinking.' We might need to escape to the school if the maze keeps expanding."

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Percy said because he couldn't disagree with that. He couldn't even really make the liquid in the swamp harden and he'd been trying since arriving. Something was blocking his powers from working.

"You been closer to that thing?" Percy asked, indicating the labyrinth with a gesture of his head while moving around to see if he could find helpful things to build a bridge with.

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "I got made fun of by the weird short things that live inside it when I asked for them to give the people they stole back." He held up his hand, which was clasping his datapad. "I took some rock samples for analysis, just to see what's making it grow so fast."

Ben was a dork thorough like that.

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Guessing they didn't give the people back," Percy said, pinching his nose harder to make that awful smell go away. "That would have been too easy."

[it-bit-me.livejournal.com]

"Halt!" Sir Didymus said, appearing virtually out of nowhere and extending one small hand towards Ben. "What is your business here?"

[momslilassassin]

"Just wondering what the swamp was made of," he said. "It has a most--" horrifying, "--unusual smell."

[it-bit-me.livejournal.com]

"Smell?" Didymus sniffed the air haughtily and then scoffed at Ben. "There is no smell, young man! Perhaps there is something wrong with your olfactory sense?"

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe," Ben said, though he didn't sound convinced. "Do you live here?"

[it-bit-me.livejournal.com]

"I," Didymus said, pulling himself up to his full height, "am the guardian of this bridge. I have taken it upon myself to keep it safe and secure from all the threats that I might cross."

Didymus sized Ben up, eyes narrowing at the boy.

"Am I to perceive you as a threat to this bridge?"

[momslilassassin]

"I think gravity's kind of a threat to your bridge," Ben said. "No offense."

[it-bit-me.livejournal.com]

"And yet, this bridge still stands!" Didymus announced proudly before moving forward and thwacking Ben on the shin with his staff. "I take offense to your statement as it reflects my work as a bridge guardian."

[momslilassassin]

"Ow!" Ben said, reaching down to rub his shin. "How long have you been a bridge guardian?"

[solo_sword]

Jaina was trying to make a habit of patrolling town- or what there was of it, anyway- and it figured that eventually it would take her to the dorm grounds. She was a concerned teacher here, and there were a few specific people there she'd like to make sure weren't in too much trouble.

Of course when she stumbled on Ben, it wasn't what she'd been expecting. "I'm almost afraid to ask what you're thinking."

[momslilassassin]

"Fixing the bridge," Ben said, "with a side of countering the overwhelming stench. That second part I'm stuck on."

[solo_sword]

"I've accepted the fact that it's given me a headache. That's as far as I've gotten," she said. Nevermind that it made her more than a little queasy, but she'd worked through concussions. She'd deal with the stench, dammit, she would. "How are you fixing the bridge?"

[momslilassassin]

"Branches," Ben said, "I'm thinking of adding some dorm furniture. The Force has gone all hinky on me or this would have been so much easier." He gave her a quick look. "Is this what Dagobah smells like, you think?"

[solo_sword]

"If Dagobah smelled like this, I would have hoped your dad would have mentioned it," she said, wrinkling her nose. "And never sent anyone else there ever." She'd feel worse for Lowie and Tahiri and Tesar if that were the case.

She looked up at the nearest trees, musing, "I really wish the junkyard wasn't gone. Could have raided that for metal, welded it to the bridge for added support."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "I've gotten some help from the weird creature that guards the bridge--not like the other weird creatures, he wears clothes--and his dog."

Pause.

"Really. I'm not hallucinating."

[solo_sword]

"I'm more surprised he was helpful and not kidnappy," Jaina admitted.

[momslilassassin]

"Me too," Ben said, "but he doesn't think it smells here and thought the bridge was fine."

So...not so bright, in Ben's mind.