[ open ] Life is what our thoughts make it...

[darkcharge]

Who: Vanitas + You!!
When: All of April
Where: Various
What: Open + Closed Prompts
Warnings: Violence, PTSD, Fluff, and more to be added later



( Cometflies: 4/3 only )

[ Vanitas has already spent enough time watching the meteor shower. He's a little dazed and confused trying to walk back to the house and there's a reason for it, but that's neither here nor there.

He is soon distracted by all of the colorful little glowing things now fluttering around. The natives seem amused by it, but Vanitas does not. Red and yellow seem to want to linger close to him as well as blue, but he keeps batting them away before any single bug can actually hand on him. ]

Go away and bother someone else!


( Pile's Plantagorium: A )

[ Earning some funds by growing plants? Well count Vanitas in. It's not that he went out with the mindset that he is going to specialize in flora. In fact, it isn't as though Vanitas really finds any relaxation or enjoyment in this activity. However, he is good at it and he believes plants are easier to deal with than people are.

So, sure. Vanitas spends plenty of time helping out on that rooftop, tending to and growing what seedlings tare there. Vanitas can be seen putting his talent to use, standing above flower beds and soon seeds become greenery and leaves. Then they begin to bloom in an array of colors. ]

( Pile's Plantagorium: B )

[ Buuuut there's more to be had if he ventures outside, right? Vanitas is standing right at the edge of the Wall. His Keyblade, Void Gear, is strapped to his back. The problem is, Van sure doesn't know what is a deadly plant or what isn't. So maybe stop him before he goes out and offer a hand?

Or maybe Vanitas is encountered already exploring beyond the wall. He has a plant isolated, it's true. It doesn't look sick... But those are a lot of sharp looking thorns on it. That's probably not a very good thing to bring back, but it looks like Vanitas doesn't really care. Only... he's kind of circling it. Looking for how he can get a cutting of it. ]

( Out of the City )

[ Once again Vanitas takes the opportunity to not stick around the city. When the chance is offered to venture beyond the Wall to one of the settlements, Vanitas takes it. He makes sure to leave a note stating that he'll be out. Doesn't state why or for how long because who needs to know that? He played it pretty safe last month by staying within the city walls so naturally Vanitas needs to get out and actually do something.

To get rid of some of his restless, excess energy, Vanitas takes to patrolling around the settlement he is brought to. There are plenty of infected monsters in the area and the spar he had last month isn't enough. Thus he can be found engaging in battle, fierce grin on his face and laughing. It's almost like he's enjoying every single moment that he cuts down one of those monsters, hurling around Void Gear like it weighs nothing. There's no magic used, just brute strength.

And when Vanitas tires of this - not that he will ever fully tire - there is something else he can do. Don't get him wrong it's not that he cares about these people. He doesn't, at all. Vanitas isn't doing this for their sake, but for his own. He joins some of the other Witches that have set up healing stations. Vanitas, see, has been working on the healing artes for months. Now he's putting himself to the test to see just how much mastery he has over those skills. Feel free to bother him or tease. ]

( Book shopping )

[ Vanitas enjoys being self-sufficient. He doesn't like to rely on others, though there are at least a few people out there that... Well he'll let them help him out if he really needs it. Over all? Vanitas still is uneasy. Normally that would be his motivation for getting out and learning anything.

That's not the case this time, but he's going to keep that to himself. Instead he's at this bookstore, going through the shelves. However, Vanitas looks more and more irritated as he goes. ]

Augh. This one's useless too.

[ He's getting aggravated enough that he's not bothering to put all of the useless ones back. Nope. There's starting to be a book scattered here and there. ]

Why is this proving to be so difficult!?

[ All he wants is a ding dang recipe book. To meet certain Monster dietary requirements. ]

( Wildcard )

[ Anything that you wanna do with Van, of coruse. As always, feel free to contact me at jardaan

Comments

[darkcharge]

[ Van scoffs, but it's not like he's really going to get into it, is it? He'll roll his eyes and just move on. ]

Puca.

[ Not like he's going to hide that information either. It is pretty harmless. ]

[bloodwit]

Puca...

[ mused aloud, this time. he taps a claw against some one of the book's spines, pulling back then to get a broader view of the available reads. while he searches -- ]

I know... a fair enough amount, about those. [ spoken with a thoughtful, wry tug of his mouth. truthfully, he does have a puca -- just one -- that he considers to be a friend: that alone is enough. ] What do you want to know? The changes they're to experience? Weaknesses, strengths? Likes, dislikes...?

[darkcharge]

[ It seems as though just about everyone has at least one Puca that they are in acquaintance with. ]

Pretty much all of the above. First priority is needing to know what changes could be coming in the future. I'd rather not have a change come about and not knowing how to react to it.

[ The likes and dislikes... That's actually for a little more of a personal reason that Vanitas isn't going to get into. Not yet. ]

[bloodwit]

For their sake?

[ an idle question.

viren gets to pulling out a few; hopefully vanitas is prepared to receive these, because he'll pretty much just unceremoniously be dumping a massive monster encyclopedia into any available hold.

that's to start. he "hmms" as he peers through a few more volumes, then, this time motioning for vanitas to accept a thinner volume. ]

[ dryly, ]

Dorchact readings have instructed me they taste well with garlic and rosemary. Does that help?

[darkcharge]

For us both, really. I don't like being in the dark.

[ Oh he doesn't mind Viren just dumping a giant book on him. Nope, not at all. Anything will do. Something for him to go off of, really. He'll go through the information in no time, actually.

The secondary comment does have Van snorting. ]

That would help if I was planning on eating him.

[bloodwit]

No, I suppose not.

[ viren's mouth briefly curls into a smile, amused, but soon returns to his more typical stoicism. ]

[ two more books get dumped into vanitas' hold, then: another thinner volume, puca-specific, and a medium sized book that appears to specifically be written on the topic of monster physiology and how it contrasts to the average. ]

[ he pulls his hands away from the shelf, then, giving a glance to the stack. ]

From what I've witnessed... Sometimes, the emergence of larger incisors can be painful. Having sometime available to chew, such as a root imbued with anesthetizing properties, could be of help. The development of stronger legs will take some acclimatization. Growing pains, too, can be expected if they're to undergo a change in height.

Whenever their shape shifting abilities come to fruition, expect restlessness and, perhaps, rapid over-expenditure energy.. [..] And, of course, be wary of iron.

[darkcharge]

[ Okay Vanitas might enjoy reading, but even this is a bit much. How is it Viren could find all of this stuff but Vanitas struggled to? ...Likely because Viren knows how sections work and Vanitas doesn't.

He's listening to all of this and some of it he's already familiar with - that bite hurt. Then Viren says something that has Vanitas frowning. ]

Shape-shifting abilities?

[bloodwit]

[ excessive poring over monster books, experience firsthand with pucas, and extrapoloating his own changes. he wouldn't blame vanitas for not having known some of that, already - a witch has to begin learning somewhere. ]

Right... For instance, my acquaintance, [ friend. just say friend, viren ] -friend, thought it was funny to take my likeness, for some time there. A task to keep that form, I would imagine. He also seems to like a cat form. Smaller, likely easier to manage.

People, animals, that sort of thing - beyond that, I haven't witnessed more.

[darkcharge]

[ Look, the only monster in his immediate vicinity before his Bondmate arrived happened to be a vampire. He hasn't seen any of her actual changes, other than being a small bat from time to time. Roxas and Ventus? Eh... What does he care about what they had to go through? ]

Look at you, having people that you call friends. [ Watch it. Vanitas doesn't have much room to talk here now does he? ] Right now I'm starting to wonder if all Pucas had those sorts of personalities beforehand or if the transformation just enhances it.

[ Since all of the ones that Vanitas knows are kind of hyper and a touch obnoxious. Or just obnoxious. ]

Not sure I want to tell him that he'll be able to do that.

[bloodwit]

That... may be wise.

[ viren just deadass stares at vanitas with the friend comment - pot, meet kettle!! not that he can entirely blame the comment, either, as he's well-aware he doesn't come across as the most amicable. ]

[ pointed clearing of his throat, moving on, ]

That's something I've wondered myself: Whether certain personalities lend themselves to certain Monster types. [ a pensive raise of his eyebrows. ] Easier to discern, that, rather than the reasoning behind who among the Mirrorbond are to become Witches.

[darkcharge]

[ Neither one of them really come across that way. Vanitas is fine with it, really. It isn't as though he is really out to change peoples' perceptions of him either. Let them think what they will. ]

You've got a point there at least. I've been wondering for a while how it is I ended up over here as a Witch.

[ Again, because he doesn't really have a great personality. Wouldn't becoming a Monster here have been more suitable? Don't get Vanitas wrong, he much prefers this.

He snickers. ]

Maybe whatever magic caused all this realized that would have been a disaster waiting to happen.

[bloodwit]

[ that's a new one to hear, to viren - he's only ever heard from the company of fellow ex-mages, desperately wishes that they hadn't been stripped of their magic, forced to become more beastly. every witch he's met has been -- satisfied. aggravatingly so. so relieved with their lot. it burns him with resentment. why not him, too? ]

[ but a witch questioning his place in all of this? that's news. ]

Why do you wonder that, that you became a Witch? Something only to do because of your personality?

[darkcharge]

[ Of course he is going to question these things. What makes someone become a Witch? What makes them become a Monster? Why is it that he gets to be a Witch but people like Marie and Sora - people whose personalities are bright and cheerful - become Monsters? ]

I wonder what the basis is. What determines who becomes what once they come through the mirror.

[ Vanitas shrugs. He isn't going to talk about the fact that he's only half a person here. The fact that he produces monsters from his emotions so why shouldn't he be one? ]

If not personality, then what? It's no secret that I am far more volatile than any of my Bondmates.

[ Who is really balancing out who here? ]

[bloodwit]

[ viren makes a noise of acknowledgment at that. ]

If not personality...

[ he lifts a hand, to stroke his beard once. ]

Abilities back home, physical traits, experiences, values... [ there's a small shake of his head. ] It may be a challenge - but I do not think impossible to pinpoint.

[ Research. he's now looking forward to this. ]

Beginning with superficial personality traits may be the most promising of avenues.

[darkcharge]

[ Hey, Vanitas may not look the type, but he is the sort of person that does want to understand things. Or, perhaps, it would be more accurate to say that he is curious.

Viren rattling off all of those possibilities only amuses him than anything else. Vanitas hadn't thought that anyone was actually interested in finding out things of this nature. ]

All of the sudden do we have a new goal?

[bloodwit]

[ there's a light roll of viren's reptilian eyes. but even in lieu of the question, it's not as if he can quite shake his fascination with the idea from his demeanor. that's readily apparent. ]

One of many! But nothing... that could ever rival the importance of the goal.

[ that notion's laughable enough that he almost smiles. but, his claws tap against an arm, and with a minute narrowing of his eyes as he looks to vanitas, ]

When you say "we" -- are you referring to me alone, or is this something you would also be interested in researching?

[darkcharge]

The goal?

[ Now just what is that about? Maybe Vanitas is misunderstanding, but it does feel slightly out of place, doesn't it? He watches Viren for a couple of silent moments - there's definitely some thought that is going through Viren's head. ]

I wouldn't have expressed my thoughts if I weren't at last somewhat interested.

[bloodwit]

The goal. [ repeated with emphasis, with a little smirk. smoothly,] My own, of course, but one for the betterment of all — to further bring prosperity to the five Kingdoms, for the future of humanity.

[ tone slightly more amicable, ]

In which case, I look forward to working with you.