middaeg | Juril Quests and Catch-all [OPEN]

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Juril Quests and Catch-all [OPEN]

Who: Shu and you!
When: Juril
Where: Various
What: Quests and other things!
Warnings: Nothing right now, check thread headers for specifics

[ 1. Hissed the lovecats (City-wide Quest #2 - Blink and Miss 'Em) ]

[ Of all the things Shu has agreed to do, wrangling kittens seems like the most ridiculous and the most harmless. Their little ability is really something. He sits on the floor with a few of them asleep around him, calm and peaceful...Until he hears one blink back into existence. It must be one of the other volunteers trying to wrangle them.

Quickly, almost too quick to be seen, he rises (careful not to disturb the snoozing kittens around him) and intercepts the little runaway. Shu turns with a pleasant smile to whoever is chasing them and holds out the squirming kitten to them. ]

They're amazing, aren't they? You have to be faster if you want to keep them in your sight.

[ Not that he'd know anything about the sight part... ]

[ 2. My little runaway (Wilde Quest #4 - Runaways) ]

[ Shu has a soft spot for children and a knack for dealing with dangerous situations. There's no way he'd leave young ones to fend for themselves in a place as dangerous as the Wilde; it reminded him of kids trying to prove themselves in the wasteland, only to get in over their heads...

He puts his hand out to stop the volunteer closest to him. A rustling nearby caught his attention -- it didn't sound like a wild animal nor a Shade. ]

Over there. [ He points towards the sound, a nearby cluster of trees. ] It sounds different, we should check there next.

[ He could hear something that definitely wasn't friendly nearby, too...They had to hurry before the situation got more dangerous. ]

[ 3. Wildcard ]

[ Have an idea? Did we plot something out? Drop me a starter or hit me up on discord glitzkrieg#0673 ]

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[ It takes Shu a little while to arrive. He has his own hangups about this, mostly centered on his own need to keep others at arm's length. He's caring and kind, certainly, but letting people in ended badly. Bonds are ultimately a sign of trust and he does trust Eileen, there's just fear that something will go wrong. His thoughts turn to her, too, and her hesitations...

He swallows those fears -- he has an appointment to keep. As he approaches, it's the familiar sound of her feathers rustling that gets his attention. Her wings had a particular sound he'd grown fond of. Crows were sometimes feared because of their associations with death and yet he found this one's presence comforting.

He manages a smile as he looks in the direction of the sound. ]

Eileen...Are you sure you're ready?

An almost unfortunate degree of ready. [ Eileen mused, her un-covered voice making it obvious she was without her mask. ]

The witches here insisted that if I could healthily remove my mask for the ceremony, I should...

[ And since she didn't wear it for any medical reasons, she had no good excuse. ]

I told them it wouldn't matter to you, but they insisted... But yes. I am ready, Shu.

[ To be so exposed in public...He frowns for a moment before reaching out to take her hand. ]

Let's make it quick, then. [ Her comfort is more important to him than anything. ] I think we'll both feel better afterward.

[ Oh, uh. Hands. Right. They'd need to be touching, too. Her grip was... about as lacking in assurance as he might have expected, tentative and twitchy, and seemingly unwilling to fully grasp. For both their sakes, she'd left her gloves behind... nothing that stained with blood should be involved in a ceremony like the one they were about to engage with.

Within the ceremony chamber, the proctor of the ceremony gave them both a greeting, and explained the process one last time. She explained to Shu, especially, that his lack of vision would make the ceremony feel that much more profound, and that he should be prepared to feel woozy afterwards, especially since Eileen had gone so long without a bond and would likely absorb a lot of mana at first.

It all sounded... almost too simple, to Eileen. Good bedside manner, but it still felt like a doctor explaining away an amputation. Though... she supposed it was more like an augmentation. ]

I'll walk you to the center...

[ He doesn't mind. His grip is as gentle as everything else about him, his hands steady in the face of his growing nerves. This is a significant step, a considerable sign of trust to make themselves both so vulnerable in front of each other. If Eileen was so anxious, the least he could do is be the strength she needs.

It feels so routine the way it's explained, and yet...Well, no matter. Shu shakes those thoughts free for now, trying to clear his head as Eileen leads him. Despite his calm exterior, there's nothing he can do to slow his pounding heart. He takes a few slow, deep breaths, his head bowed slightly. When he looks up, his smile is peaceful and reassuring. ]

Do you want to start or should I?

[ Eileen let out another pregnant sigh, her hands shivering just slightly within his grip. Within the spell circle, it all felt so much more real. So much more actualized, and impossible to set aside. She'd agreed to this... they both needed it. She couldn't go on without accepting his help, and him hers. She couldn't run away from this. But even if she could... her legs weren't letting her. They felt frozen still... a sort of apprehension that seemed so far away in her memory that it felt alien now.

She'd need a moment. ]

Perhaps you should go first.

[ Shu nods. He'd expected as much. It's not any easier for him to open up, though for very different reasons. His own needs are secondary to the needs of others, to the point he'd closed himself off to his own emotions without meaning to. He'd never allowed himself time to ever mourn the loss of his own son because it meant he'd have to pause in his duties as a leader. After losing those closest to him, it's so hard to let someone in.

But he trusts Eileen. She needs this as much as he does...And so it goes. Shu takes a deep breath before starting to calm himself, to stop the quiver from entering his voice. ]

Eileen...What I can promise you is that I will be there when you need me. No matter what it is, no matter how serious or how trivial it may be, I will stand by your side. Nothing you can do will make me break that promise. [ He has to pause to collect his thoughts. No amount of preparation could have readied him for the feeling of the spell starting to take hold. ] I will be your strength when you have none. I will to be a shoulder for you to lean on. You can trust in me for whatever might trouble you.

[ Another deep breath as he tries not to focus on how overwhelming this all feels. ]

That's what I promise. What I hope is that...through this bond, two lost souls can find where they belong.

[ Maybe too much, but he can't help himself. It's the first time he's spoken his feelings so freely in a long time and he owes her the honesty. ]

[ Eileen's hands clenched at the last line... The rest of his vows had been expected, almost obligatory. Of course he'd do those things. He was Shu, after all. She'd known him for only a few months, but those matters were never in doubt. But... the last bit... That's what hit her more profoundly, what let the magic of the Bond start sinking itself into her. Already she could feel the mana pooling against the damn of her soul. It was up to her to break it... ]

Your light shines within the darkness I dwell within. A night sky that seats the star you represent. As such, I will allow that light to burn for as long as I can, protect it, and keep it. I will allow it to be my reason to keep fighting... [ For something beyond being a Hunter. ]

Crow feathers shine in the light of stars. I'll endeavor to be worthy of it. I will make it my place to belong.

[ Eileen certainly had a way with words. Shu can't stop the quiet gasp that passes his lips, not just at her vows, but at the intensity of the magic around them and between them. He'd been warned and yet it still caught him completely off guard. ]

And I will shine a light to guide your way as long as I'm able to. Light needs darkness to exist...Two halves that are stronger together.

[ It starts as warmth building through him, steady at first, then fading away into a pulse, like a heartbeat. The magic circle beneath them glows brighter, its intensity rising with what he feels (though he can't see that to know that). A presence within him, undefinable by words but undeniably there. It's comforting, yet completely alien.

Words fail him. All he can do is squeeze her hands a little tighter, a reassurance that everything is fine, even if he feels like he might crumble beneath the sensation. If he could carry the capstone to the summit, he can withstand this.

The glow fades, the chanting of the spell stops, and it feels like there's no one here but the two of them. ]

[ This felt... remarkably similar to that moment at the lake. That moment her mind was no longer wholly her own, no longer her cage for herself. She felt Shu, not just his hands, but his spirit, inside...

But this wasn't the same, was it? This presence was gentle, soothing. It calmed her, flushed away the thorns of her Beastly self, found her humanity and brought it further into the light.

She felt her legs tremble, and her breath stall. ]

...Breathe.

[ His voice is barely above a whisper and it's as much as a reminder for him as it is for her. He still feels as though he's going to crumble, his legs as weak as they've ever been. Slowly, carefully, he lets his head drop forward, ending with his forehead resting against hers.

The proctor gives them their space for now -- they're used to this, especially with those new to bonds. ]

[ Her breath was a gasp at first, though a quiet one. She forced her eyes back open, to just be in reality once more instead of in the admittedly comforting wash of Shu's mind. Not only could she feel his mana, but she could sense his feelings, vague impressions of thoughts. His kindness wasn't mere concept now, but something she felt in her very veins, hands trembling within his. ]

And here... I thought I'd been prepared... [ A small laugh, at her own sake. ]

I can feel you. I mean... I can really feel you. Inside my thoughts, you're there. And I in yours.

It's...strange, but I don't mind it.

[ It's less lonely. He can't remember the last time he truly let someone in and even then, it wasn't quite so literal.

Shu backs away just a little bit, though he doesn't let go of Eileen's hands. His own hands start to tremble a little bit, then his legs. He only lets go of her because he can't keep himself upright anymore. Shu drops down to his knees suddenly, laughing. ]

I wasn't prepared, either.

I suppose nothing truly could prepare us for it...

[ She finally managed to catch her breath after a few moments. Shu's mana was calming in a way that was like immersing oneself in warmth, like stepping into a steamy bath. It just felt... good. It was comforting. ]

The moons are silent in my ears... first time in months.

[ Shu slowly rises to his feet again. The sudden loss of the build up hit him much more strongly than any fist ever had. As strongly as the sudden loss struck him, it felt so much better to have this balance now.

There's much more that could be said right now, but he opts to reach for her hand again. ]

We should go. I'll walk with you back to the slums, if you'd like.

[ Truth be told, he didn't want to just part from her right now, not after what just happened. A little more time in her company feels more than necessary. ]

[ She didn't... particularly mind holding his hand like that. It surprised even her just how much more okay she was with it as opposed to even a moment ago, before they had gone through the Bond. His mana felt so gentle, like a blanket to keep away the chill... ]

There is no need to rush... So long as it's not anywhere with crowds, I would be find to simply... exist, with you, for however long we feel like.

[ He's surprised she lets him continue to hold her hand. It was just for practical purposes before, making it easier for him to get around in unfamiliar spaces, but it feels different now. A pulse, steady and warm, accompanies the touch. Shu knew on some level that mana can be passed between bonded through touch -- he didn't realize it would feel quite like this.

He finds himself absently stroking Eileen's hand with his thumb. It's been sometime since he's taken comfort in touch at all and it's hard not to indulge that urge right now. ]

...I'd like that. Somewhere quiet we can just sit under the stars for awhile. [ He smiles warmly. ] Lead the way. I'll follow you.

[ Shu has a certain curiosity about being able to sense her proximity; it's not strong enough for him to relinquish her hand, though. Something to try later, perhaps. ]

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Juril Quests and Catch-all [OPEN]

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