through the darkness and the light

[manlet]

Who: H.C. Andersen & you!
When: Before embarking on the Dragon's Tree quest.
Where: All over the place, tbh.
What: Andersen campaigning for an arts fund, getting used to being part of society again, generally being his grumpy self.
Warnings: Mild Lostbelt spoilers, nothing major! Will update if anything changes.

1 | THUMBELINA
[Spring brings with it sorely needed splashes of color. In the frozen heights of Chaldea, flowers were nonexistent. With all that their organization had experienced, it was becoming increasingly rare to find any sights of natural life. Aefenglom has fulfilled that need, but Andersen can't feel fully comforted by it. This still, after all, isn't his world.

But that doesn't mean he can't find a bit of diversion for himself. He's gathered flowers that've been thrown away and casts some enchantment on them. Infuse a bit of air into them, and they'll dance as if they were people. He sits on the steps of the flower shop that's so kindly donated their rubbish to him, surrounded by curious bystanders and floating flowers of purple and red and blue, his voice clear and loud:]

"You must not be called Thumbelina any more," said the spirit of the flowers to her. "It is an ugly name, and you are so very pretty. We will call you Maia..."

[The reason for his storytelling soon becomes evident as he begins passing around a hat, which people toss in their tips. A blue tulip, fashioned into the shape of a sparrow, sits atop his head and preens itself.]

No, I don't take requests. I take commissions. If there's a story you want told, you'll have to contact my agent. What's an agent? Ha ha ha! Forget it, just toss me a coin and I'll give you a story that's worth the amount.

2 | THE NORTHERN OUTPOST
[He's to venture beyond the city, anyway. What harm could there be in a quick stop? This is how Andersen winds up at the Northern Outpost as a researcher, lugging a laughably large satchel full of journals and whatnot into the caverns. It becomes apparent he isn't used to rappelling and that he needs help to safely navigate the bowels of the earth. But for all his complaining and pouting, his eyes noticeably light up once they reach the room.]

Look at this place... [He goes straight for a verse etched on the nearest wall, careful not to touch it.] It's going to take hours to capture everything in here.

Comments

MIKASA.

[manlet]

[For Andersen, full moons are quiet nights spent at his desk. His Bonded isn't the sort to go rampant, thank god, though there are some instances in which he'll disappear. He isn't too concerned about these occurrences -- Dantes can take care of himself -- but as it happens, he actually needs to talk to him about something.

Which is why he's braving the dark streets in a hooded cloak, careful to hide himself with an illusion. He doesn't want to be bothered by any Monsters gone wild... but when he reaches a spot where he thinks Dantes may be, he lets his spell drop. The last thing he wants is to startle him.]

[stopfen]

[If he was paying attention, he might notice that he was being followed long before he dropped the illusion. Mikasa didn't bother with hiding, why would she? Instead she just wanders, keeping her distance. Large black eyes peering out at him. Seeing where the much shorter person went. It's late, why was someone so small out so late?

But for now, she stays still, watching...]

[manlet]

[It's a cold, chilly night, made all the worse by the wind whistling by. He can't stay out for too long, least he catches a cold, but he's too stubborn to turn back. A little further, he tells himself. He raises his lantern, shadows dancing with the flickering light, and he peers up at the rooftops for any hint of a feline form.]

[stopfen]

[Mikasa was patient enough. Waiting, waiting for the best moment to approach. Not the best moment to strike. Nothing violent. Nonono, just...Not-stalking, yes. She hadn't been stalking at all. Just guarding him. Making sure he wasn't in danger.

After watching for another moment. Seeing him looking around, lost? She starts moving closer. It wasn't a run or even a jog. But her legs were long, a lot longer than his. Her paces could cover a lot more ground.

It doesn't take her long to be close enough to just reach out. An arm wrapping around his waist as she just hauls him up onto her shoulder. Lets go.]

[manlet]

[No sign of Dantes. Andersen makes a frustrated sound. He's been out for far longer than he'd like to be and he's beginning to think he should've just waited for him at the theater. He raises his hand, ready to recast his invisibility spell, when he feels something snatch him up.

He screams. How can he not scream? He's being kidnapped!]

Fuck!

[His pulse skyrockets. For a brief, wild moment, his panicked mind spits out that maybe this was a Rathmore who somehow escaped, who's now enacting revenge-- no. No, they were taken care of. Right?

Andersen squirms, struggles, and is overall uncooperative as he tries to wiggle his way out of his captor's grasp.]

Put me down this instant, or I'll set both of us on fire!

[He knows the magic to do it!!]

[stopfen]

[His captor pauses, leaning down. Letting her head hang close enough to look at the boy's face, not even blinking as she stares with solid black eyes. Small, stubby antenna twitching forward, to short to prod at him. Not a Rathmore, nowhere close, just a fae that was now tilting her head.]

...You have a very deep voice.

[Child, why do you sound older than the runt?

But still, the threat doesn't make her let go. Instead her grip tightens. Stop wiggling. You'll hurt yourself.]