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Who: Akko + You!
When: August
Where: Aefenglom
What: Akko turns into a rabbit. Send help?? She's also digging more holes than Stanley Yelnats and experimenting with alchemy!
Warnings: None!

i. silly rabbit

[Although still not quite up to her previous ability with transformation magic, Akko's gotten a much better handle on things. Or so she thought until this happened. Because as it turns out, Akko has a bit of a problem on her hands. (Or, well, paws.) She has no idea how exactly she ended up like this and she doesn't know how to make herself go back. She just seems... stuck for the moment. And she doesn't really have the time to think it through because nobody walking the street is necessarily thinking to look down for potentially small creatures hanging out on the sidewalk.]

[Thankfully, she hasn't panicked yet. She's very intentionally tried to keep herself very calm because she knows if she lets instinct take over and she ends up freezing? She needs to just focus on getting off the street and worry about being like this later. Get off the street, get off the street, get off the street... Don't get stepped on.]

[It's not particularly easy because this, of course, had to happen to her on one of the busier streets in the city. Those nearby when it happened seem to assume she intended to do it as they merely step around her without so much as a passing glance. After that, it's anyone's guess as to whether or not they're aware of her. Akko ends up staring down what she feels to be certain squashing beneath heavy boots several times as she cuts and weaves through small groupings of foot traffic until she can find a patch of grass or somewhere underneath a bench or the like to duck under and catch her breath. Looking around... The city suddenly seems much bigger when you're so much smaller. But she... She cannot focus on being stuck like this right now. She should get home. The safest place for her to be is home. She can worry about it then.]

[Of course, that begs the question of where is home? No, Akko has not forgotten where she lives. She knows exactly which building it is and how to get there from this street. But instincts pull at her and she feels compelled to begin digging into the ground. It's only a moment or two of that stray thought, that urge, before she starts digging into the earth and trying to create her own little space to hide in until whatever this is passes. Or maybe it won't'? No, cannot think like that. Must dig. Dig. Dig. Dig.]

[Eventually, she'll snap out of that compulsion on her own and manages to make the dangerous trek back to her apartment. It just doesn't occur to her literally until she's on her own doorstep that she has no idea how exactly she's going to get inside like this. As it turns out, she doesn't have opposable thumbs and the doorknob is a good several feet taller than her. But that isn't going to stop Akko from launching herself at her own door. Over and over, trying to get a handle on the doorknob to give it a twist and hopefully gravity will pull the door open.]

ii. mud on your face

[For the most part, Akko's gotten a pretty good handle on her Puca instincts. Most of them, anyway. The binkying thing seems to sometimes catch her off-guard if she's not too careful or in another form, but that's minor. It just seems that this full moon has brought about an entirely different sort of instinct.]

[Which is precisely how you end up with dirt flung in your face. Or close to it if you were paying close enough attention to get out of the way. Akko is, at this point, managed to dig a hole deep enough that the very tips of her ears are able to peek out over the edge if she were to stand upright. She just doesn't happen to be because she is digging furiously right now with bare hands and extended claws.]

[Of course, that's probably the nicer way to come across one of Akko's attempts at a burrow. The arguably worse way to do that is falling straight into one. Which could happen if you're not watching where you're going or you're a bit clumsy. In which case, maybe Akko will break your fall. Or she might peer sheepishly down at you from above. Either way, she wants to know:]

I'm so sorry! Are you okay?

iii. drinks on me

[Although other areas of magic that don't pertain to her Puca abilities are generally still hopeless (mind you, Akko still refuses to give up!), she has been working quite hard at alchemy. Or as hard as she can stand to work before she gets distracted or bored. She not the most attentive when it comes to classes and reading books is a fast track to a nap. But despite this, this hasn't stopped Akko from trying outside of class at all!]

[Which means it could be your lucky day to be her guinea pig! Er, assistant? Whatever! Point is, she isn't shy about stopping someone while they're walking past her where she's been totally not experimenting and absolutely following recipes perfectly (scout's honor) out in the courtyard where Witches are busy practicing other spells. She holds out her vial of mysterious liquid.]

Hey, would you mind trying this?

((ooc: it's entirely up to you if the potion works or not. but if you choose for it to work, it should have a positive, desirable effect. you know like making you real strong, giving you a cool temporary power, immunity to something, the ability to remember 60+ digits of pi, remembering where you put your keys, or otherwise just something real helpful! if not, a goofy/relatively harmless side effect is more the name of the game here. so it could be anything from excessive sneezing to the urge to try to make friends with everyone, to growing a sick mustache to making hair color into a temporary mood ring. or idk maybe you wanna be a vampire that sparkles in the moonlight. you get the gist!))

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[Fortunately, one particular area of sidewalk is fairly clear!

Less fortunately, it's due to a Chimera. A rather feathery, antlery, and all around prickly one. An ear flicked as movement caught her peripheral vision, and Kaede turned to look—

Oh. A rabbit. A very...very, soft looking rabbit. And one that didn't seem very worried about people, given how it was wandering a crowded street like one. Were there collars or harnesses for rabbits...? Kaede didn't see one. Maybe this one was a pet that got lost.

The Chimera's face softened considerably as she slowly crouched, dipping far enough forward to hide the claws on her feet under her skirt and curling the talons on her hands inwards.]

Hey there. [She says, quietly. Animals didn't really seem to understand her words, not like if a Faun was talking to them. But being quiet and moving slowly seemed to help, along with not towering over them like a preposterous giant.] You're lost, aren't you?

[It's on Akko's trek back to her apartment, braving the busy streets once more in her small rabbit body that Mettaton catches her. She's close enough to the apartments, but there's still a ways to go... And so much foot traffic to weave through.

There's someone whose presence practically forces natives to part for him ahead, and he walks along in heels that click in tempo against cobblestone. Taller than most yet sporting an even taller pair of ears atop his head, he's a Puca, somehow. It's his sense for impending danger that causes him to freeze, foot in the air.

Foot in the air, because under his impressive red-bottomed stiletto is a small, fluffy rabbit: Akko.

Mettaton's black-tipped ears spring upright, and he stoops protectively around her form by kneeling. People continue to avoid Mettaton — he's much easier to avoid, after all. The robotic idol's inclined to scoop her into his hands, but he resists: if she's a Puca, he'd end up burning her if he touched her with this metal body! (And she's a bit fancy of a rabbit to be a common wild rabbit or jackalope.)]

Ohhh my... This isn't a place for a little bunny like you. You were about to be skewered on an expensive pair of heels! Good thing I noticed you. Poor thing. [He tilts his head.] Are you lost, darling?

[please don't bolt...]

[ Mordred is never one to turn down free food, but she might draw the line at vials of mysterious liquid. Could this be that "bonding potion" crap she's been hearing about? It could be useful to her if so...

She takes a sniff at the vial, although she hasn't quite accepted it yet. ]

Eh? I dunno, looks kinda cheap...

[ Yes. It's also literally for free. ]

[Kaede is a confusing blend of predatory warning signs and it has little to nothing to do with her general temperament. And so, when the Chimera first takes an interest in this now very bunny-shaped Akko, Akko freezes. Not a full Puca freezes, but close to it. This is probably not the most helpful response when there's a potential predator afoot, but fortunately for Akko, she doesn't seem to be in that much danger of being gobbled up. Kaede, rather than suddenly giving chase or beginning to stalk her, instead crouches down and makes herself small (or as small as one can get with all that plumage) and as non-threatening as possible.]

[...]

[Slowly, she ambles her way over, look much like a slinky as all rabbits do when taking their hops over a lot slower. Still, Akko tentatively stops a little ways away from Kaede, just out of reach. The more rabbit-y part of her brain hasn't quite fully found its chill in dealing with a Chimera.]

[Akko backs herself back up a little when Mettaton drops down closer to her level, her own instinct for danger wanting her to keep a safe distance from his metal body even if other parts of her brain can't exactly discern why that is. There's a part of her that assumes she's also about to be snatched up, too, and without enough time and space to register who it is that's gotten this closer to her, instincts override and she seems quite ready to bolt.]

[But Akko relaxes slightly when she recognizes who it is. Oh! She hasn't seen Mettaton in person in a very long time. She wonders if he even remembers her. Well, he likely remembers her from their conversation over the network, but maybe he never made the connection. In any case, she doesn't recognize him as a threat and her head does a little roll. Just a small, half-binky because she recognizes a potential friend!]

[Oh, but??? How does she talk like this? This isn't like her other transformations. She sits up on her hind legs for just a brief moment before plopping back down again as she tries to puzzle out how to speak.]

[Akko's expression crinkles itself into a frown.]

What do you mean cheap? I worked really hard on that you know! I had to save up to buy the ingredients and everything.

Hmm, so you're offering me something that you put effort into - I like that!

[ It still looks cheap to her, but if the young girl says it was made with lots of love and care, then it's only right that someone of Mordred's kingly stature should consume it. ]

I have just one question - what's in it for you?

[She expected that freeze, the way small prey animals did to try and pretend they were in fact invisible. Kaede didn't move until the rabbit did; wouldn't do to scare it and have it take off into traffic. The Chimera was effectively blocking this part of the sidewalk and didn't care in the slightest about it. Soft thing more important than disgruntled pedestrians.

When the rabbit started to approach, Kaede didn't fully conceal her delight; the harsh lines around her eyes softened further, and while she didn't quite smile, the edge of her mouth curved a bit.

Slowly, she extended her hand—claws still curled back—so the rabbit could sniff her knuckle if it came closer. Kaede didn't know if they needed to, like a dog or a cat, but it seemed like the right thing to do.]

[Prior to arriving in Aefenglom, Mettaton didn't necessarily "speak" rabbit. An erratic movement like that might not have registered to him as anything but perplexing. But elation displays itself the same in his own body nowadays... He gets it.

The rest of her movements seem investigative, but Akko, strangely, remains silent. She seems like a Puca in manner. (But it's true: especially like this, Mettaton doesn't recognize her at all.) Mettaton contemplates shapeshifting into a human in order to pick her up, but the last time he did that in a busy street... Well, he's not wearing clothes, save for heels. He may be drop-dead gorgeous, but everyone's just going to have to miss out on getting an eyeful.

Mettaton snaps his fingers. Instead, he points to the other side of the street.]

I've got it! Let's talk over there, instead of in the precarious middle-of-the-street we've found ourselves in. I'll cover you.

[He winks, for all that it can be seen. That is, he'll keep her path clear of feet. Mettaton's incredibly broad shoulders and unyielding metal body are good for something, sometimes. Running into him might mean running into a sharp edge, after all, and people generally avoid him. The robot rises to his feet, his shoes parallel to her body. She really is small, he observes... Much smaller than his own rabbit form. But maybe he can figure out what's got her tongue, if she's one of the Mirrorbound like he assumes she is. The Mirrorbound Puca have a disadvantage with learning their own bodies, after all.]

[Rikku is a lot of things. Light on her feet. Nimble with her fingers. A decent asset to a battle.

Unfortunately, she's also somewhat accident prone. That last thing is how she manages to fall face first into a hole in the ground that by all rights really shouldn't be there. A bit of dirt crumbles down onto the back of her head, as if to add insult to injury.

In response to the voice asking if she's okay, Rikku turns onto her back and looks up at the rabbit girl staring down at her.]

Owwww.

Yeah, I think I'm okay. Did you dig this?

[Partway along her journey. The bunny might notice that she was slowly being followed by... A fae with large black eyes. Not getting any closer, she was hanging back watching where the little bundle of fuzz went, what it did.

Cute...

But she stayed close enough to step in if danger arose. Yes, she would protect the little one. Because it was small and needed protecting. What were they doing, digging?]

[...It's a rabbit.

Lavi's own floppy ear twitches. He doesn't need this animal instinct to tell him to want to get close to this rabbit. But honestly--

What gets to him is the fact that if this rabbit isn't careful, she's going to get trampled on.]

Need some help there?

[Instincts are starting to wane a little in terms of the control over the situation as it presents itself as safer. Foot traffic is forced to go around Kaede, drawing more attention to the Puca in question, but none of the pedestrians present themselves as potential predators as they continue along their way. Kaede's movements are also kept slow and at Akko's pace rather than making a bold attempt to grab her. Thus, Akko is a little more cognizant despite that really weird expression on her face (which is only weird because it's on her face), that she's dealing with Kaede.]

[Still, she does hop a little closer to get a sniff of that hand, leaning and stretching herself closer to do as much. It's probably a little ticklish between the soft puffs of breath as she sniffs and the light brush of fur from her nose. Akko sits back once she's certain, her scent causing it to finally sink in that this is Kaede.]

[Not exactly her favorite person in the world admittedly, but she is still a familiar face and she doesn't seem to know that it's Akko? It's worthy a binky or two and Akko immediately trying to hop into her lap.]

[Being as short and as small as she is, Akko has to once again get back on her hindlegs to see where he's pointing as a safe space to sit and talk. Or, well, he can talk. Akko is probably going to be more stuck on attempting to talk for most of it.]

[But Akko is in agreement with the plan in any case. She would much rather not keep hanging out here in danger of being stepped on even if Mettaton has caused a lot of the foot traffic to step around and give even her some wide berth. It will be much easier to concentrate and figure out this talking while in this form. And maybe even how to get out of it?? Akko can only hope!]

[The indication that Akko is agreeable to this suggestion comes when she begins making her way over there, expecting that he will walk with her. Even if he needs to move at a somewhat awkward pace since although quick, she doesn't want to lose cover and it's a lot of ground for such a small rabbit to cover so carefully!]

Nothing!

[This is a lie. But not the sort of poor lie meant to mask ill-intent. (It's probably a little difficult to imagine that Akko would have negative intentions. She doesn't exactly look particularly cunning even if she is a Puca.) Instead, she is quick to mask any insecurity that it might not work. Although Akko is not particularly good at lying, so she gets a little closer to the truth with,]

It's just a new recipe.

Um.

[It does occur to Akko that maybe she'll want to lie and say no. It's a little impulsive because she doesn't want to get in trouble, she just happens to get into it a lot. But it'd be a little difficult for her to lie about this gigantic hole in the ground. Especially when she's already said sorry.]

[So...]

Yes?

[Akko is not particularly aware of being followed if only because there are so many people milling about that the thought that one particular pair of feet is following her path doesn't really occur to her. (She would definitely get eaten in the wild.) But when she feels eyes on her while she's digging, it causes a mixed reaction.]

[On the one hand, Akko digs faster. It's within just a few moments that she's carved out enough of a hole in the earth that she can fit half of her little body in. But on the other, there is this lingering sense of dread and danger that keeps cropping up for her from being watched and she finds herself pausing, reversing, and looking about to spot the culprit after she's managed to dig so far.]

[Akko startles at the voice behind her, instinct in this form taking the driver's seat a little more easily than normal. A terrified little squeak escapes her as she bolts. Whatever careful path she was taking through the feet is gone now as her only motivation appears to be getting the heck away from whatever just made that noise.]

[Fortunately, tragedy does not strike and as she's ping-ponging about, narrowly avoiding getting stepped on, she manages to find a shrub in someone's lawn to hide under.]

[Kaede breathed a soft note of a laugh as the ticklish little nose brushed her fingers. Rather than being alarmed at the scent of a maybe-predator, or offended at the smell of honeysuckle and feather, the rabbit seemed content to sit back on its haunches afterwards like it was considering something. It was dreadfully cute.

Then, whatever important thinking completed, the rabbit moved--rather quick and very suddenly breaking into a fast little hop with a bit of twist to it. And another, and the Chimera's back only just stiffened up and her ears flattened in surprise before there were little paws scrabbling for purchase against her skirt.

Almost automatically, Kaede scooped up the little greyish fluffball as she would a kitten, and deposited it safely in her lap. She set a hand on the rabbit's back and folded her other gangly arm around her lap, so the feathers formed a protective screen.

That odd almost-smile returned as her surprise faded, and Kaede chuckled a little.]

Friendly, aren't you.

[She'd find her stalker watching. Crouched with large dark eyes focused solely on the rabbit. Yes, she much preferred watching the rabbit dig out here than in her own garden. She wasn't opposed to them eating vegetables, it was what rabbits did. Before she moved in they'd probably lived off of what had been in the overgrown garden.

It was only fair that they got some of her crop...She just wished they didn't kill her plants to take it.

But this rabbit. The little one gets a cock of the head when it looks at her. Black eyes not blinking as her antenna flickered out.]

H-Hey!

[Don't run away!

Lavi is quick to run after her, sidestepping around people and making sure not to lose sight of that rabbit.

When he does finally find her, he's careful in walking up to her.]

Hey, sorry--didn't mean to scare ya like that.

[Awkward a pace though it may be, Mettaton doesn't let it show, putting one foot steadily in front of the other as he crosses along the street, a tiny rabbit hopping along his stride. At some point he pushes somebody in the face for being obtuse and nearly shoving into him, Mettaton immediately chiding him with something along the lines of "No no no, use your eyes!! Can't you see I'm practicing my saunter??" The guy doesn't notice Akko, but it was a clumsy slight rather than an antagonistic one, so he meekly slinks away instead of getting testy. It all works out.

If anyone else were unwise enough to run into him, they'd end up running into very pointy metal shoulders... Passersby have an incentive to keep clear.

But they make it safe and sound. There, Mettaton leans down again.]

You're giving me the look as though you recognize me... Which doesn't surprise me. [he's so famous.] Are you freshly harnessing your Puca shapeshifting, darling?

[Akko is surprised! Not so much because Kaede decided to allow her in her lap or that she's created this little protective barrier around Akko, but because it's... actually really nice? Akko wouldn't really know how to put it other than it's like when you finally manage to reach that itch on your back you've been trying for a few minutes to get at only she didn't know she had that itch. She lets out a little sigh of relief and lays down, back legs extending behind her.]

[Was she more freaked out by having to navigate the sidewalk than she thought? Well, no. Akko's instincts were good at keeping her from getting stepped on. She'd do it again if she absolutely had to. It's certainly not because of Kaede. Akko can rule that out fairly confidently because while things have gotten better between them, it's definitely not to that level.]

[But it's just nice having an arm around her and a cozy lap to lay in. Akko's ears even relax a little, too, as she settles herself in, not swiveling in the direction of on-coming footsteps quite as much.]

[Akko manages to...! Well, she doesn't manage to talk. But she gets a squeak out! Which could probably mean just about anything and yet probably doesn't convey the nuanced response that she's been transforming a lot with her Puca magic and that this is just entirely new to her because she definitely didn't try to be a rabbit. Usually, if she tries to be something, she can still talk or mimic the sound of the animal, but it seems like this is what she's stuck with right now. Little squeaks. ]

[Akko's ears pin back in mild frustration.]

[Akko freezes in response to making eye contact with the fae that's been following her. She wants to dive into the hole she's started to dig out for herself and hide in there, but it's not deep enough. She knows it's not deep enough. She'd get caught in a second if she was suddenly pursued. But she can't take her eyes off her stalker because she can't read intention like that so easily. if she turns her head away and begins digging again, who is to say she wouldn't get snatched up?]

[And so she tensely freezes, her little nose barely moving as she sniffs the air idly for just a moment before it's back to an uncomfortable stillness.

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