Near/N/L/Nate River (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
blankpieces) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
middaeg2020-03-11 09:40 pm
blankpieces) wrote in middaeg2020-03-11 09:40 pm
Entry tags:
open | march catch-all
Who: Near ("Eli Dagwood") and open
When: from the full moon on
Where: various locations
What: catch all post for monster changes and the toy shop opening
Warnings: Descriptions of gross things, blood, etc.
the full moon
[Near knows when it's going to happen. He's been scratching at his skin for days now, even had to have the painted tattoo protection moved to a different location on his arms so he stopped scratching it off his wrists. Parts of his skin have been scratched raw despite his best efforts to keep himself from making things worse.
He hides away in his room, door locked and bolted, as the full moon rises and he proceeds to pull off his own skin.
He's becoming a snake, after all. It only makes sense for him to shed like one. Most snakes, however, don't strip off a complete layer of human skin to reveal the scales underneath. It's the most unusual process Near's ever gone through, but it isn't all that painful. The growth of his scales beneath his skin has clearly been happening for some time now, and all he's doing is removing the excess. He does have to pause and rest several times, as physically weak as he is.
The worst part is probably the removal of his eyelids. They come off completely and aren't replaced in his transformation. Snakes don't have eyelids, just a protective layer over their eyes. Not being able to close his eyes is going to bother him immensely - moreso than the scales.
When he's finished he has a complete, large, single piece of human skin on the floor and many black, gray, and white scales in their place. There are certain other things that had come off in the shedding, such as his tongue (which is now black and forked), which makes the whole thing that much more disturbing. He should really burn it all, even though he's sure it would be worth a killing on some black market somewhere. He'll keep it for now, but only as a precaution.
At least he still has his legs, though he doesn't know how long that will last.
The transformation leaves him exhausted, and he falls asleep for several hours after. Unsurprisingly, the next morning finds him spectacularly hungry. He knows what he wants - he's been craving meat for as long as he's been itching. But now it's worse. It feels different, and he's not even sure if raw meat from the butcher will fix the ache in his gut.]
i. [Near is out and about, which isn't common for him. The new scales are obvious, as he's done nothing to cover them up, and his forked tongue darts from his mouth frequently to taste the air. His eyes are the red eyes of an adder, unblinking but darting around quickly.
He stops at the window of a butcher shop and just stares inside.]
ii. [It's late evening in the harbor district and a rat darts along the edge of the street and into the shadows. This isn't anything out of the ordinary. What is out of the ordinary is the white-haired young man that runs after it. As it disappears under a stack of crates he lets out a frustrated hiss and pounds the side of them in frustration.]
iii. [Transformation wildcard - any other scenario you'd like to use here.]
Shop Opening
[Near finally has the toy shop in a state where he can open its doors. Currently he only has two employees and there's a help wanted sign out front in the hopes that he might be able to get one or two more. The shop is located in the northeast section of the shopping district, and a bright sign on the awning says: Life's Playthings.
Inside is a small collection of hand puppets and carved wooden toys, as well as a slightly larger collection of brightly colored animals. It's not a huge stock for now, but it will be growing. At the counter are several varieties of candies.]
((ooc: Other prompts are also welcome!))
When: from the full moon on
Where: various locations
What: catch all post for monster changes and the toy shop opening
Warnings: Descriptions of gross things, blood, etc.
the full moon
[Near knows when it's going to happen. He's been scratching at his skin for days now, even had to have the painted tattoo protection moved to a different location on his arms so he stopped scratching it off his wrists. Parts of his skin have been scratched raw despite his best efforts to keep himself from making things worse.
He hides away in his room, door locked and bolted, as the full moon rises and he proceeds to pull off his own skin.
He's becoming a snake, after all. It only makes sense for him to shed like one. Most snakes, however, don't strip off a complete layer of human skin to reveal the scales underneath. It's the most unusual process Near's ever gone through, but it isn't all that painful. The growth of his scales beneath his skin has clearly been happening for some time now, and all he's doing is removing the excess. He does have to pause and rest several times, as physically weak as he is.
The worst part is probably the removal of his eyelids. They come off completely and aren't replaced in his transformation. Snakes don't have eyelids, just a protective layer over their eyes. Not being able to close his eyes is going to bother him immensely - moreso than the scales.
When he's finished he has a complete, large, single piece of human skin on the floor and many black, gray, and white scales in their place. There are certain other things that had come off in the shedding, such as his tongue (which is now black and forked), which makes the whole thing that much more disturbing. He should really burn it all, even though he's sure it would be worth a killing on some black market somewhere. He'll keep it for now, but only as a precaution.
At least he still has his legs, though he doesn't know how long that will last.
The transformation leaves him exhausted, and he falls asleep for several hours after. Unsurprisingly, the next morning finds him spectacularly hungry. He knows what he wants - he's been craving meat for as long as he's been itching. But now it's worse. It feels different, and he's not even sure if raw meat from the butcher will fix the ache in his gut.]
i. [Near is out and about, which isn't common for him. The new scales are obvious, as he's done nothing to cover them up, and his forked tongue darts from his mouth frequently to taste the air. His eyes are the red eyes of an adder, unblinking but darting around quickly.
He stops at the window of a butcher shop and just stares inside.]
ii. [It's late evening in the harbor district and a rat darts along the edge of the street and into the shadows. This isn't anything out of the ordinary. What is out of the ordinary is the white-haired young man that runs after it. As it disappears under a stack of crates he lets out a frustrated hiss and pounds the side of them in frustration.]
iii. [Transformation wildcard - any other scenario you'd like to use here.]
Shop Opening
[Near finally has the toy shop in a state where he can open its doors. Currently he only has two employees and there's a help wanted sign out front in the hopes that he might be able to get one or two more. The shop is located in the northeast section of the shopping district, and a bright sign on the awning says: Life's Playthings.
Inside is a small collection of hand puppets and carved wooden toys, as well as a slightly larger collection of brightly colored animals. It's not a huge stock for now, but it will be growing. At the counter are several varieties of candies.]
((ooc: Other prompts are also welcome!))
no subject
[A very small young man with white hair and skin covered in monochromatic scales walks in from the back. He has a small wooden rocking horse in his hands which he places on one of the many still empty spots on his shelves. He doesn't even look at the other boy as he then takes his place behind the counter, shuffling around and searching for something beneath it.]
What are your qualifications?
no subject
Well, I’m great with kids, [ comes the immediate, preplanned lie. Stiles even forces a smile despite the fact that the other boy isn’t looking. ] Used to babysit all the time back home. [ Werewolves, that is. Not children. ] I’m a team player. [ From the bench. ] And I’m hard working. [ True, though he absolutely doesn’t actually believe it. ] I’ve never worked in sales before, but I pick things up fast.
[ A pause as he tries to gauge how well his bullshit is being taken. ]
no subject
You sound like you're reading off a generic script. Try it again, and this time make it sound less like you're filling out the "things that are good about me" section on an elementary school worksheet.
[He makes a little gesture with a lollipop for emphasis before adding it and several others to a box behind a glass display case on the counter.]
no subject
Sorry, I guess I’m nervous. [ He’s not. ] Okay. So, babysitting gave me experience in how to balance having fun with maintaining order. That’d be useful here. I can help kids find the right toy without letting things get crazy in the store. Because I’m pretty creative and playful, I’ll be able to relate to them better too. [ Most kids just find him weird. ] If you guys decide to do special promotional events –
[ “…you guys…” because no way is this person the owner, obviously. ]
– I’ll be able to use those, uh, qualities to keep the energy and interest high. Y’know, make sure the kids are engaged and stuff.
[ Another pause, which he addresses with a laugh: ] Is this any better so far?
no subject
He leans against the counter on his elbows, black forked tongue darting out of his mouth a couple times as he listens. It's a bit of an irritating habit, but given what a snake can taste in the air he can't say it isn't useful.]
This isn't a daycare. I may sell to children, but it's the parents that will do most of the buying.
[Keeping an eye on them to make sure they don't break anything while avoiding yelling at them will be most of the interaction his employees have with the kids. Everything else is just frosting.]
How are you with customer service?
no subject
The flickering tongue is given a long, curious stare. Most people might glance away uneasily or politely; Stiles does neither. ]
I get that, but parents tend to let their kids do the choosing, right? It would probably look better if I actually interacted with the kids instead of talked at them.
[ There are other things he’d rather say here, like, “Parents are assholes who let their asshole kids do whatever the hell they want,” but that probably wouldn’t go over well. ]
Uh, I…don’t know. [ Best not to lie on this one. ] I like people. Helping them with what they need wouldn’t be an issue for me.
no subject
Only if the children approach you first. If you were a parent, would you like some store employee coming up and trying to entertain your kid without you asking for it? It's the parent's job to look after their children. I wouldn't want you getting swatted with a purse.
[That's not entirely true. It would be entertaining to watch.]
But I appreciate your enthusiasm. How are you with heavy lifting?
no subject
Good. [ The most blatant lie yet. ] Back home, I play on the lacrosse team. So, I’m in great shape. Lifting stock will be a piece of cake.
[ As if to demonstrate, he lifts an arm and flexes the bicep. Which is all well and good, except it’s impossible to appreciate whether or not he has any impressive muscle when he’s wearing a bulky hoodie. ]
Uh. [ How else to convince this kid? ] “Lift with your knees, not your back!” That’s what my dad always taught me.
[ Sheriff Stilinski would never let his clumsy son anywhere near heavy objects. ]
no subject
[Somehow, Near feels as though Stiles isn't quite at the same level strength-wise as his current employees.
He turns and gestures with one scaled hand toward a single box in the back corner of the room. It's unlabeled, but it's full of wooden blocks - perfect for carving.]
See if you can bring that one up front for me, would you?
no subject
…You sure that’s a good idea? I mean, don’t employees usually have to sign waivers and stuff before manual labor? If anything happens, you could have a lawsuit on your hands.
no subject
[And he also doubts this kid has a lawyer, at least not one recognized by this city.]
I want to get a feel for your capabilities. If you can't lift it I'm not going to force you to.
[It's not as though he could really force anyone to do anything. As it stands right now, whether or not Stiles can lift the box he could at least beat Near in a physical struggle. Most people could.]
no subject
[ Stiles is becoming increasingly skeptical of this kid now. Maybe he should ask for a manager? But throughout the interview, he hasn’t heard anyone else in the store. ]
It’s not an issue of whether or not I can lift it, it’s about ethics and responsibility.
no subject
[Near shrugs lightly.]
It doesn't matter, really. You already told me what I needed to know.
[If Stiles was confident about his strength he would have at least made an attempt. He's not, and that's alright. The smaller boy isn't a tyrant, he just needs to be aware of what he's working with.]
This job aside, what would you consider your real strengths?
no subject
[ Which it is, but that’s irrelevant.
Stiles scrubs a hand down his face, reminding himself to keep a pleasant, customer-facing-appropriate demeanor in place. This is an interview, after all. ]
Research, [ he answers, sighing. ] Investigation. The supernatural? Strategy.
no subject
[Near's demeanor changes slightly, as Stiles has basically described his own background. His experience with the supernatural involves only one case, but that case had taken up all of his professional career up to the point he was brought here.]
Tell me about that. I share an interest.
[It has little to do with the position being applied for, but he owns the business. He can go off track with his own interview sessions.]
no subject
Supernatural creatures exist back home, unknown to the public. I got caught up in their world about two years ago, when a friend was bit by a werewolf. Crazy stuff started happening and no one could give us answers. So, I kinda stepped into the role. Started researching and investigating what I could to help – figure out what was happening in our county and why.
no subject
That doesn't make him better than Stiles, it simply shows the difference in their situations.]
The monsters here aren't so unfamiliar to you, then, are they?
[Werewolves, or at least turnskins, were at least among the options.]
Were you successful?
no subject
[ Since this seems like it might turn into a full-blown conversation about his home world, Stiles makes himself comfortable by leaning elbows on the counter. ]
Depends on your definition of success. There wasn’t always a happy ending for everyone involved, but we’ve gotten to the bottom of things.
[ Except for their current open case: The Dread Doctors. ]
What’d you mean by sharing an interest? In the supernatural?
no subject
We don't have werewolves, or vampires, or any of the typical mythological creatures in my world outside of stories. At least not that I'm aware of. [And with the exception of shinigami. One would think if they did exist he would have come across them more often in his research.
It's not that Near hadn't looked. Knowing there was a book in existence that could kill anyone who's name was written in it opened the doors for a lot of things. But he'd found nothing.]
But that hasn't stopped me from being interested. I make toys, after all.
no subject
What, like…you take inspiration or something?
[ For the first time, Stiles straightens to give their surroundings a cursory glance – he looks at the toys on display, trying to get a sense for what the general style is here. ]
no subject
All creators rely on their imagination, is all I mean. Nothing inspires the imagination more than the mythological.
[It had seemed like a fairly obvious correlation to him. Fairy tales and toys were both considered the realm of children.]
no subject
[ Creativity has always been a weakness of his, with a mind much better suited for analytical thinking. With a shrug, he dismisses the topic; it’s not really any of his concern, one way or another. ]
Uh, anyway. I should probably give you a name, right? You can call me Stiles.
[ Not his real name, but the only one he goes by. ]
no subject
And I'm Eli. [He purposefully doesn't use the same wording. Near isn't the name he was born with either. Whatever alias he's taken on is just as good as that is.]
Nice to meet you.
no subject
Nice to meet you too, Eli. So… How’d I do? Do you guys have a lot of other applicants?
no subject
[Enough to function, even if it means he has to work the front and greet the customers with a certain level of apathy unbecoming of a toy store employee. He's going to have to practice his customer service no matter what. Such a pain.]
As for how you did...
[He tilts his head, regarding Stiles with a slight frown.]
I don't think we'd get along.
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LMAO