middaeg | Open - Monthly Catchall

Entry tags:

Open - Monthly Catchall

Who: Hector, semi-open
When: The month of Maiuril
Where: Around the city
What: A Monthly Catch-All post for Hector.
Warnings: Potential for language, full-moon shenanigans, and descriptions of violence

Egg-Sitting, Early Maiuril

[Working so closely with another Mirrorbound for weeks is not ideal, but when the reward is an exciting new animal, Hector’s willing to endure it. Yes, there’s equal chance of it being an angry snake-creature, but that’s not a deal-breaker. He is going to love whatever comes out of the egg.]

So, if we divide our time equally, it shouldn’t be too much to handle. I can take the first shift.

Wilde Hunt, Maiuril 7th

[Well, Hector’s starting to look for a witch to bond with, but he’s still unbonded for the moment. He can almost feel the buzz of the energy from the full moons in his skull. So Hector joins the hunt, against all instinct.

He isn’t hunting, but his prey-animal paranoia is increasingly aware that he might be hunted. So he is running through the woods, panicked and regretting his decision to come out of here. He doesn’t mean to happen onto another person, but when he does, he comes to a halt. Sheep aren’t meant to be alone. They flock together and find safety in numbers.]

Wild Card, Any time

[Have an idea for another prompt? Let me know!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's how I've been feeling. I need to find another bond...

[ She sighs and puts her chin in her hand. ]

I feel like one day I'm just... going to go too far. Lose myself somehow. And I don't want that.

[ Another swig. ]

But I haven't found anyone. It's atrocious.

Nobody wants to go feral.

[The witches have it easy. They are fine, until one day they explode. The slow descent into madness is much worse.]

More Mirrorbound have been arriving. Maybe you'll find a bonded there. Or maybe it's a matter of reevaluating your criteria.

[Lowering your standards, he means. That's the direction Hector is leaning.]

When I arrived, I thought a bond must be like...like a marriage. But it doesn't have to be that. I think I could be content with a witch bound to me by mutual convenience and a few shared interests.

That feels so mercenary, but I suppose I don't have a choice.

[ She starts refilling her glass with a frown. ]

Otherwise who knows how long this will go on?

We are like batteries for witches, aren't we? If it's mercenary, it runs both ways.

[At least, that is what Hector's been telling himself as he tries to psych himself up to take the plunge.]

Because we don't know. Are there any unbonded fauns who have been here longer than you? Other monsters are too different to compare when tracking the onset of feralness.

[Even hung-over and on his way to getting himself tipsy again, Hector's a geek for scientific research.]

I wouldn't know, honestly. I haven't been asking...

[ Although since she's already getting tipsy, it's sounding like a great idea. ]

Maybe we should! Ask, that is. See if anyone knows.

We could. Who is the oldest Mirrorbound you know...no, um, the one who's been here longest? They might know.

[Words are hard. Drinking is easy. Hector flops back into the couch and nurses another glass. They can make a plan, but Hector's not planning on getting up off of this couch anytime soon to pursue it.]

Me.

[ Iramaat volunteers with a laugh, likewise stretching herself out and enjoying her drink. ]

Over a year, now. And sadly ignorant... although might be my fault, really. I didn't care that much until recently.

Oh. Really? You're the oldest?

[Wait, you know what he means. He's not always smart, but he's not dumb enough to ask a lady's age, at least. He'd been around another murderous vampiresses to have learned that one.]

Huh. But...hmmm, you had a bond for a while, didn't you? So if there's someone else who came in around the same time, or even a little after, we could still get a point of reference.

[the science must go on! ...after another drink...]

[ She's not a murderous vampiress, but she is a (mostly recovering) fair folk with a vindictive streak, so maybe he should be a bit careful.

Still, she's tipsy and on her way to being drunk. ]

I did have a bond.

[ She sounds sad. ]

Then she vanished. I miss you, Nel...

[ She sighs and pours another drink. ]

I'll ask around. When I'm not... drinking. Because the drinking helps, doesn't it?

[Hector nods, and leans up so he can clink his glass against Iramaat's.]

Yeah, it does. 's why we're doin' this.

[They don't have a day-drinking problem. This is medicinal.]

In other news, I think I'm gettin' to the point where I can understand animals. 's weird.

[What they say has mostly been what he would have expected- wanting food or play time, wondering about strange smells, responding to perceived threats. Half the time, Hector wonders if it's just his brain filling in what he thinks they are communicating.]

[ Look, Iramaat can pretend to be a doctor, so this is purely for their own health. Absolutely. Yes. ]

Oh, right. Yes. That's a thing we can do. I was talking to a pigeon a little while ago... dreadful conversationalist, let me tell you, but at least it was a little distracting.

[ Another drink. ]

They don't have to worry about any of this nonsense, do they? Lucky sods.

[Ugh, Hector wishes he didn't have such a gods-awful headache. He can't geek out properly.]

The implications...of being able to speak with animals...is fascinating. Language has always been a separation between man and beast.

[If only he could enjoy it more.]

They have a simpler life. Only concerned with their basic needs and impulses.

[In theory, that should be all people concern themselves with, too, but people always have to get messy and illogically complicated.]

's why animals are so much easier to get along with.

I suppose they are... although they're also not nearly as entertaining at times.

[ Iramaat muses. Being a bit drunk and musing is basically the perfect state of being, honestly. ]

I'm not sure I'd like my life to be that simple, but it's awfully tempting.

There's a kind of...of purity to the animal life. No malicious intent, no secret ambitions.

[Being able to drunkenly muse with someone else is still novel for Hector. It's great, and much better than nursing a hangover alone.]

But I guess there'd also be no more philosophy. Don't think animals have that. [Because what's more entertaining than the study of philosophy?]

They don't, usually...

[ She hums quietly and takes another drink. ]

I wonder if that makes them better or worse. Philosophy is worth having, I think. Even if we're more malicious...

I used to think they were better...but I'm not sure anymore.

[The thought makes him tired.]

I guess we need both...so there can be philosophy...and pets.

[But there should definitely be a much higher ratio of dogs to people.]

I think a mixture of both is very important to have.

[ She laughs and reaches over to refill her class, then holds the bottle out to offer him a bit of a refresh as well. ]

Especially cats. Cats seem to know quite a bit about how to manage life.

Yes. Cats are worshiped in some places. A vast improvement to the modern church.

[Hector raises his glass for that offered refill. Wow, they've worked through quite a bit in a short amount of time.]

But consider... dogs.

[That's the full idea. Dogs. So good. Hector may be more than a little tipsy at this point.]

Dogs are rather nice. Especially a good hunting dog. Lovely creatures. Love to watch them run...

[ She's musing half to herself now as she works on her alcohol. ]

Lovable creatures, really. Do you have one?

Oh!

[Hector sits up suddenly, fumbling for his watch.]

Yes, I have one. Well, I'm taking care of lotsa dogs, but this one's mine.

[Hope you're prepared for pictures of Hector's pug, little Cezar. He's a scarred up former zombie dog, and Hector adores him.]

He's not much of a runner, but he's very friendly.

Do you have pictures? I'd love to see the little creature.

[ She leans over, bumping shoulders with him a bit drunkenly. Sure, it's barely afternoon (or maybe still morning, she doesn't know), but she's well on the way to being very pleasantly blitzed. ]

Yes, it's the only reason I haven't gotten rid of this damned thing.

[Well, maybe not the only reason. The watch has been useful for sending out messages when he's been in trouble, but he mostly keeps it for dog pics.

He clicks on a few buttons and starts pulling up photos as Iramaat settles against him. Cezar playing with another dog. Cezar, sleeping on the bed Hector made him, which looks like a tiny bedframe with a pillow as the mattress. Cezar curled up in a lap.]

Isn't he good?

[ Iramaat rolls her head onto his shoulder and laughs as he scrolls through the pictures. ]

He looks like a darling; I'm glad you have him for company. Maybe I should get a pet... I know Myr keeps bees, although they're not really pets, are they?

They could be pets, the way he keeps them.

[Hector's seen the way Myr cares for them, talks to them with his faun magic. They aren't a typical pet, but Hector's willing to count them.]

You should get something. A cat, or a petalwolf, or something. Pro'bly not bees.

A cat might be nice. They're intelligent creatures... and very affectionate.

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