[Open] Catch all!

[bravelyathome]

Who: Bernadetta and YOU
When: First couple of weeks in the month
Where: Various locations
What: Bernadetta is having to adjust to some new changes. It's a lot to take in! For someone who is getting smaller every day...
Warnings: Hopefully just her usual anxieties. But I'll throw up a warning for potential mentions of child abuse (she had a rough childhood) just in case. Other than that it's just body transformation things!

A. Home is where the heart is (Closed to the people she lives with at the Lions or Eagles houses)

[Those who live with Bernie may not see her that often. Which, honestly, is pretty normal! She loves to spend time in her room and keep to herself. With that said there's always food for either household and she makes sure it's well suited to individual needs. Of course she makes sure that she doesn't make a mess either. After all she doesn't want to be a rude housemate!

With that said, her housemates might notice something rather...odd. Or maybe even a few things.

For one, she's definitely been getting smaller. She'd started out at around 5'5" but now those around might notice that she's got to have shrunk...several inches. Why, she's shorter than Edelgard now!

But there's more than that. Thin, almost hairlike things are starting to stick up from her hair. She's a little self conscious about how weird they might look so she's been dodging people. That and the fact that the window in the back of her clothes is definitely showing off very noticeable nubs that indicate her incoming wings. And are her ears...pointier?

Well she can't dodge people forever. Eventually one of them will find her! Especially if she thinks she's alone and has a space to do some sewing or reading in another part of the house.]

B. Sometimes she has to get outside

[It's rare for her to go outside right now with her odd looking changes but she knows she can't hide forever. Besides, she really wants to do some painting or sewing outside! Which means that she tries to find a private but pretty location to do just that. It helps that there's a lot of gardening things going on right now which happens to be one of her favorite things in the universe.

A nice vase of flowers arranged on the ground before her as she hums to herself while she either paints it or embroiders the design of it onto fabric. She seems lost in her own little world so she's not likely to notice she has company right away.

Don't let that stop you though. She might be jumpy but friendship is good for her!]


Wildcard

[If we have other plans feel free to use this one here! Otherwise feel free to plot with me and we'll figure something else out!]

[ooc: Just a heads up that tags will be slow on weekdays because of school for this month! Still I will do my best to not keep you waiting too long! Thank you for your patience in advance!]

Comments

A.

[foundfamilies]

[After over a month in Aefenglom, monster parts have become less and less remarkable. Sure, she's too curious of a child to not have some interest in things that she never saw before then, but the level of interest has been slipping down.

What has not fallen in interest? Height -- or, rather, height changes. That is what makes Leslie freeze when she sees Bernadetta. Because one explanation is that Bernadetta has shrunk. The other is that Leslie has grown.

Sure, she knows she can't have shot up several inches in one night. Sure, she knows that she hasn't noticed anyone else looking smaller. But she also hasn't been awake very long, on her way to breakfast, so it makes sense to her sleepy brain that maybe she didn't notice because everyone else she'd seen daily while she hadn't crossed paths with Bernadetta for a few days. It's hard to notice small changes day by day compared to seeing something that you haven't seen in a long time.

Sorry, Bernadetta. In this moment, Leslie has forgotten about trying not to startle the other anxiety girl and doesn't make any effort to announce her presence before she's scurrying up towards Bernadetta.]

Have I finally hit my growth spurt?! Oh, please tell me I look taller than the last time you saw me!

[bravelyathome]

[The handsome knight in the book she's reading is about to partake in some rather intimate moments with his love when suddenly little footsteps rushing her way alert her to something horrifying.

She's not alone.

Slamming the book closed, she quickly hides the title against her chest as if she's some child having been caught with a dirty book rather than a grown woman allowed to read whatever she wants. Face bright red and eyes wide, she stares at Leslie, not even comprehending what she's even saying in that moment as she wishes desperately to sink into the chair she's currently sitting in.]

I...what...

[She's frozen in humiliation and terror and confusion.]

...what?

[foundfamilies]

[Leslie doesn't even know what a dirty book is. She just assumes, ah, this is the skittishness she was told about. She takes a few steps back to try to give Bernadetta some space.]

I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you. I only wanted to know...

[She should probably focus more on soothing Bernie's anxiety, but Leslie forges ahead anyway.]

Have I gotten taller since we last saw each other? I don't feel as short compared to you as I did before, but I don't know if I'm misremembering.

A

[crestfallenfor]

[Not seeing Bernie often is honestly kind of nostalgic. It's like being back at Garreg Mach - she'd either be in the library, the greenhouse, or her room (with very quick jaunts to the kitchens) - so when Sylvain doesn't see her for several days on end, he just assumes that their schedules haven't matched up. Maybe she's in her room there. Maybe she's at the other house. Maybe when she is around, he's out and about doing odd jobs or going to a class or studying outside of the house.

Whatever the case, he hasn't seen her for a bit, so when he does see her in the kitchen, when he's going to make himself some tea, it's a bit of a pleasant surprise!

What is less of one, though, is the fact that there are two odd... bumps? Clearly visible on her back, that make his eyebrows knit together in concern.]

Bernadetta? Did you hurt yourself?

[bravelyathome]

[The perfect thing to go with sketching? Tea. So of course she's in there making some when Sylvain walks in. Sketch book wide open to a rather compromising image...

Squeaking, she spins and slams it shut, keeping her hands on it. It looks like he didn't see it though. He's busy being worried about...her?

Bernie blinks.]

No?

[The little strands of what look like hair sticking straight up wiggle a little.]

b!

[loverboi]

[ lance is out and about, pointedly avoiding the marketplace for the time being so as to not trigger his weird thievery urges. he's wanting a quiet place to do some training, actually -- somewhere where temptation won't get him, somewhere he can get away from the stress that's been coming from his own teammates recently.

he wanders towards a quiet place -- a little patch of grass off to the side -- when he sees a familiar shade of purple hair. his eyes widen, and he knows how jumpy she can be, so he approaches slowly and clears his throat from a few feet away. ]

Bernie? Is that you?

[bravelyathome]

Huh?

[She stops humming and the stroke of her brush stops. Blinking, she looks over at the person speaking to her. Oh! It's Lance!

She offers him a little smile. For whatever reason he's just easier for her to relax around. Maybe because he's always been gentle with her.]

Hi, Lance.

b

[crowsfeat]

[ The day was overcast enough that Eileen found herself out on patrol before dusk, wanting to get more used to the local color, and perhaps familiarize herself more with her fellow mirrorbound. Of course that was easier said than done with her usual habits of stalking about in the shadows and peering at others from perches. The latter had become particularly more common as she found herself rather liking higher places lately. No doubt part of her 'transformation'.

But it did make people watching a little easier. Most of the time, anyways. But it also came with some issues, still not quite used to her new sense of balance. So she'd be leaning forward and...

Suddenly lose her perch.

Like she did just then, falling from her place on the edge of a nearby roof over Bernadetta and crashing into the ground next to her. ]

[bravelyathome]

[She forgets to scream because she's too startled. Instead she states with wide eyes at the taken...woman? She thinks this is a woman.

Bernie slowly looks over, worry replacing fear surprisingly quickly.]

Are you okay?

[Should she call for help? Maybe Sylvain? She knows he's learning healing magic!

...this is not how she expected the end of her painting session to go!]

A.

[finesseblade]

[ They're all changing, for better or for worse, though Felix hasn't noticed much of a shift in Bernadetta—yet. He hasn't had the chance. She flits about the house when she's here, her appearances as brief as a ghost, the evidence of her passing often only found in a fresh pot of tea or a warm meal left out on the counter for the rest of the house's residents.

They cross paths when Felix is sharpening one of his blades in the dining room, the very one Edelgard gifted him for his birthday. Felix greets her shortly, content to let her come and go as she pleases, but as she starts to exit into the library he notices something that gives him pause—and colors his expression with fleeting concern. ]

Bernadetta.

[ He speaks up before she can escape, maybe a little too stern, but, well, he's worried, alright? ]

Are you sick or something? [ Indelicate as ever. Felix gestures vaguely. ] You have these... welts.

[bravelyathome]

Huh?

[Stopping at the door, she turns back to blink at Felix. The question is really confusing though. Enough so that she wrinkles her nose in confusion and is distracted from the stern tone immediately.

Sick? Does she look sick? Is there something wrong with her skin now t...?

Welts?]

Welts? I don't have welts?

[She has no idea he means her back.]

A

[betweenduskanddawn]

[While Corrin didn't technically live at Edelgard's house, it would've been hard to guess that considering she spent a couple nights a week there. A few hours after Edelgard had gone to sleep, Corrin came wandering out into the rest of the house, stifling a yawn with one hand as her other tugged absently at a tangle in her hair. Unfortunately for anyone else at home, her bare feet and light steps meant she tended to be nearly silent as she prowled around.]

[She almost missed that Bernadetta was out and about, passing by a door only to pause as her brain pointed out something had been off. She took a step backwards, framed in the doorway, and peered sleepily into the room to where Bernadetta was sitting...sewing? Huh.]

Bernadetta?

[If she startled her, she certainly didn't mean to. She was just surprised to see her out of her room...]

[bravelyathome]

[She pauses in what she's doing to look up startled. Which leads to her pricking her finger on the needle.]

Ouch...

[Immediately she pops her finger into her mouth so she can stop the bleeding.]

b!

[usurpers]

[ eren is covered head to talon, especially hands, in colors, carrying some paint barrels over his shoulders (one on each) and sashes of fresh plants ready to planted. he doesn't need to spot her to know where she is— eren smells her first, of course, already an aroma proven difficult to ignore (he forces himself to ignore mikasa's, he can indulge in the others—) and makes his way over to her potted crafts to say hello. ]

Might be easier to paint with the plants outside of it.

[ from the looks of it, she put the plants in the vase first, and then started to paint. what if she needed to lift it, turn it upside down? ]

[bravelyathome]

[Bernie starts at the sound of his voice. Spinning around, she stares wide eyed at him. It's the lizard man who was sniffing her. Why is he back to look over her again?]

They're... They're supposed to be in the vase.

[That's what she's painting after all.]

B

[long_live_the_queen]

[With the weather warming up and ice no longer making roofs and walls hazardous to cross, Kaede had returned to her usual habit of casually trespassing to make her shortcuts faster. And she tended to favor quieter, less busy places anyway.

The Chimera would have clambered over this wall and vanished if she hadn't spotted--an easel, and canvas. The sight made her heart stop, and her head snapped around to get a proper look--but...no. The painter had violet hair, not brown, and it was too fluffy to be Aiko's. The clothes were all off. Let alone the signs Kaede could see even from here that signified this was a Monster.

...but. There was a distant thought that wouldn't go away; a crazy, impossible one. If this place could undo death, and change appearances just so, maybe--no. That was stupid.

Kaede shook her head like she was getting rid of cobwebs from her antlers, and settled into a crouch on the brick wall to watch.

And think, and watch, and tell herself that this couldn't be Aiko. Just because she could only see the back of this girl's head, it didn't mean anything--


...was it creepy, the staring she was doing?

It was probably creepy.

The end of the Chimera's tail flicked, and she finally spoke up.]

Are you painting the flowers?

[bravelyathome]

[She doesn't notice at all that she's being stared at. Nope. Bernie is just having fun painting and humming to herself. It's relaxing and lets her feel like she's not so far from home. Or that she's not going through these weird changes.

A voice startles her from her work and she squeaks a little before spinning around a bit.

Oh! Just someone asking her a question. She breathes out a sigh and laughs a little.]

Ahahaha... Yes. Sorry. You surprised me. But yes! I'm painting them.

[Bernie looks back to her canvas.]

The colors are pretty.

B!

[quintessent]

[Allura has been spending a lot of time outside too - taking part in the magical gardening classes means it's a good opportunity for her to practice and she's really taken to working with plants like that, finding a natural interest in using her magic to help them grow.

It's while she's out that she quite literally stumbles over Bernadette. Thanks to the girl's small size (especially when she's sitting) and the larger hedges around her, Allura doesn't see the girl until she's right on top of her and she gives a surprised shout when her knees bump into her, and she pinwheels her hands to keep from falling on her.]

My apologies, I didn't- [She stops,] Bernadette, what are you doing sitting on the ground?

[Said curiously, if not with a little bit of concern. She hasn't yet seen the embroidery hoop in the girl's lap.]

[bravelyathome]

[She thought she was tucked enough out of the way but apparently not! So she gasps and covers her head to protect herself. Well, until she realizes she's okay.

Looking up, Bernadetta sees Allura and she blinks a few times.]

Oh. I'm sorry. I just was enjoying how quiet it is here. For sewing.

[She holds up her hoop.]

I'm sorry I'm in the way. I'll leave! I promise!

[Definitely the reaction of someone used to getting into trouble and not wanting to be a burden.]

A

[unyieldingmarch]

[Edelgard had noticed the shift in Bernadetta's height. It had been hard to miss going from the second shortest in the house after Leslie to being the second tallest instead. Bernadetta's changes aren't exactly unexpected, she was a monster and she'd have to change somehow. The exact how had been something of a mystery up till now, though.

When she comes across the other woman in one of the sitting rooms, she approaches with caution, making certain not to sneak up on her or anything. That never does poor Bernie well.]

Good evening, Bernadetta. [She sweeps in, white shirt and a dark red skirt swishing as she moves towards the window.]

Found a good book?

[bravelyathome]

[She's almost so lost in her world of the book that she might have been too distracted to notice Edelgard. Almost. She does end up noticing her though and she blinks a few times. Much like someone pulling themselves back into the world around them

It's a good book! Very involving!]

Oh. Good evening, Lady Edelgard.

[She looks down at the book and her cheeks color before she closes it. Mostly so the page won't be looked at accidentally. Largely because it's a rather, um, intimate moment between the protagonist and the love interest. It's very moving! But, well, she doesn't want anyone to see her reading something so...dirty!

Young ladies aren't supposed to read things like this, after all!]

It's really good. I'm borrowing it from a friend.

[It's easy to do when there's a number of fiction books like this at Sylvain's house now on the top shelves to keep them apart from the magical studies.]

A

[bergamotrose]

[Due to the shared Bond between them, Lorenz frequented the mansion that Felix and Sylvain had acquired often enough to be a semi-regular figure in the house. Between practicing his footwork with Felix and pestering Sylvain to rest and at least look at a vegetable every once in a while, it was just as common as not to find the on site.

Since he wasn't a permanent resident, however, it felt like the times were rare when he actually spotted Bernadetta.

Finding her at that moment in the kitchen, Lorenz leaned against the panes of the doorway briefly and watched her flit around the room in silence. Her cooking skills were always impressive... but the height.

The difference was cause for him to spend a moment second-guessing himself. Either he had managed to have another growth spurt unknowingly, or she had indeed gotten shorter-- if that was possible

He didn't know if it was.

After watching for long enough to notice Bernadetta having trouble with a high shelf, he announced his presence as softly and gently as he could.]

Let me get that for you, Bernadetta.

[Ducking through the door-- lest the antlers catch on the frame-- he strode across the kitchen and pulled down whatever it was she sought with the enviable ease of someone tall and handed it to her.

Sorry, Bernie. There's no hiding now.]

[bravelyathome]

[It's a shelf she could have reached before but losing even a few inches has suddenly made it impossible. Bernie is on her toes and everything but can't reach the bag that she needs. And not for lack of trying!

Hearing a voice, she blinks as Lorenz appears behind her and easily grabs the bag for her. Taking it, she looks up at the other noble, cheeks coloring a little but she does smile at least.]

Thank you. Sorry I'm so useless right now.

[She should move a ladder in here or something. Then she wouldn't need someone to rush to her aid. They could live their own lives without having to worry about her losing height!

That's not a bad plan actually...]

B

[mensrea]

[ When he needs to get away from the cottage, there’s a certain vista that Stiles likes to haunt. He heads there now, equipped with a bag stuffed full of books, snacks, and even a picnic blanket; clearly, the plan is to hang out at the vista for a while. Except someone else seems to have beaten him to his favorite secret spot. Frowning, he approaches as quietly as possible to get a look at what she’s doing. Stiles has been standing directly behind her, peering down at her painting, for a few minutes before he finally speaks up. ]

You’re pretty good.

[ Hi, Bernadetta. Meet Stiles. ]

[bravelyathome]

[She's been so involved in her painting that she hasn't noticed him approaching. So when he speaks, she squeaks and looks around at him. Eyes wide, she takes him in and then realizes pretty quickly this isn't a threat. Just someone looking at her painting.

Looking back to it, she frowns some.]

I'm not that good. I think I did the blues wrong...

[No one is harsher on Bernie than Bernie is. Except her father and that's another story.]