Our love is like water

[awryprincess]

Who: Heralia il Gardlanda and OPEN
When: Auguril
Where: Various
What: Catch-all! Quests, event, Full Moon Shenanigans(tm)
Warnings: A bit of blood and body horror for babby's first transformation. Will update as needed.

[1: Auguril 3rd, Full Moon, Night]

[She'd felt it itch like an infected cut, under her skin. Things flitting past her vision were... distracting for the whole day, and by the night, she could feel the itch across all of her to catch those distracting things in her claws (claws?) and bite them with her fangs (definitely doesn't have fangs). Something wanted to come out. Something bursting her at the seams.

As the sun sets, and the moon rises, Heralia understands what it means to be a Turnskin. Her skin stretches over something much larger, bulkier, furrier than she is, splitting and cracking, and the beast within starts to emerge, with a slosh of some... sticky, unidentifiable liquid that's a bit like peritoneal fluid, though it smells less like viscera, and more like wet dog. The skin liquefies as it hits the ground, into that same, strange, watery substance.

She bursts out of her old form with a growl, fur wet and slick and gleaming in the moonlight, and proceeds to... shake herself off, splattering the nearby structures with the remnants of the liquid. Her tongue runs across her forearms to clean off what's left of the substance, as though the taste doesn't bother her. And it doesn't - it tastes a bit like liquefied fat, with a tinge of blood. Once the grooming is complete... the hunt is on, and the wereleopard, now standing a good almost foot taller than Heralia's usually diminutive stature, rights itself from four legs, to two, and scents the air.

Hm. Something smells good. Something like... meat, perhaps?

She's out on the look for it. Close enough to the edge of the city to go hunting for live prey, but close enough to the wall to smell meats curing overnight, or someone sneaking a midnight snack. Whatever it is, the leopard stops, and stares, almost expectantly, long, pink tongue lolling out and curling over her muzzle.

Luckily, she can be sated with food. She can be sated other ways, as well, but it's not like she can communicate that at the moment. Or, perhaps, another Monster wants to join her on a hunt. Leopards are solitary predators, but pack instinct among Turnskins means she can be brought out for something more productive and less dangerous.]

[2: Match Made - Around Aefenglom - Lunasa]

[Let's rewind a couple of hours, or a couple of days. Ah, a festival made for romance. Such a thing had been a priority of hers, once, when she was a young girl, dreaming of a love that would sweep her off her feet, and promise adventure and companionship.

She got that, eventually. It just took an attempt on her life, and... well, it's not like her relationship with Laurel was traditionally romantic. That with Moraster, or the other dragons, either. But the end was more or less the same as what some people tried for when they married for love - and she got it without even needing to go that far.]

Oh! How's the happy couple? [Whether or not it looks like your character is dating said person they're standing next to, or not, she's there - she's there, and she's making that statement just to get attention. If she's right? Great. If not? Well, she can take the argument it'll spawn. Work it to her advantage. She's good at that.]

[3: Hazard At The Harbor - Aefenglome - Whenver]

[Through the harbor, a child runs, clearly holding something.]

And what do you have there? [And there's Heralia, calling out as the child scoots past, heading toward a back entrance to the factory.

A knife! [There's a glee in the child's voice. Definitely something they weren't expecting. Heralia claps her hands together.]

Excellent! Then you found the crate! Use it wisely~.

[Yep. She's giving kids knives. That's how she's going to start the urchin factory revolution. She feels eyes upon her, though, and looks to whomever is approaching.] Ah, hello!

[4: Antler Fruit - Wildes - Any time after the full moon]

Shh, shh-shh. [Heralia says, and drops into a crouch. Her ears, definitely furry and cat-shaped, swivel to the fore, pointed like radar dishes at the deer that's pawing its way through the underbrush.]

Theeeere it is. That must be it, yes?

[5: Lady of the Lake - Wilde - Any time after the full moon]

Well, well. Isn't that a sorry sight... [She mumbles to herself. This must be the lake and that must be... the spirit. Heralia looks at her traveling companion, as though to dare them to take the first step forward.] Well, let's get this started, shall we?

[6: WILDCARD]

[For all your Wildcarding needs! You can make your own starter, you can hit me up at Heralia's plotting top level, you can get me on Plurk at Reslari or you can hit me up on Discord, Reslari#9561.]

Comments

3

[wylderrant]

[ Iramaat is down in the harbor area, probably looking into the same thing that Heralia is. In theory she's meant to stop the orphans and urchins from making a mess of things, but where's the fun in that? She has to sidestep the child and their knife and she arches a brow at Heralia as she finishes her approach. ]

Handing out knives, are you? I heard someone was stealing them, but I don't think this is what the man meant...

[ Funny way to meet again, but it's not like Iramaat can complain. ]

[awryprincess]

Oh I'm not handing out anything! There just happened to be a stash of knives left out where the children could find them. [There's a giggle and a grin. It's too obvious of plausible deniability to be real, but the phrasing of it is entirely intentional.] Besides, wasn't that about obsidian knives? Don't know where you'd get those if the merchant had his stock stolen.

[Aka, it's probably not her.]

[wylderrant]

Oh dear, how tragic. and you're just being responsible by making sure no one steals those knives, aren't you?

[ Iramaat understands perfectly. ]

And I suppose they were obsidian... I've heard a few stories. [ Including that it was a dragon. She knows one or two herself, so maybe it was one of them? ]

Still, I'm glad to see you being such an upstanding citizen! How have you been adjusting?

[awryprincess]

Well, if they're going to be there, they may as well be put to good use, in good homes. [You know, with children. Children should totally own knives.] I think that's what they said, but you're right, now I want to go and check.

[A pause, and then she grins.] Well, I've got fur in places I never thought I'd grow it, and my nails are all sharp. It's a pity, I'd probably hurt myself trying to wield one of those knives if I picked one up. So it's even better that they're off to good homes. And how are you doing? It seems you're not still growing Monster bits, are you?

[wylderrant]

Oh, no, I stopped growing things ages ago... I mean, my antlers will fall off and regrow, but that's part of the process, I think.

[ Not, you know, an on-going change. She lifts her shoulders in a shrug. ]

Sounds like you might be a turnskin, then? What with the fur and the claws. Although I'm not sure if you'll know for certain for a little while yet.

[awryprincess]

Ahh, such as a regular deer, it seems. [Though she's pretty sure only male deer do that, but you know, she's not going to question much, here, when everything is soaked in so much magic. Magic makes everything strange.]

And it's not like I remember the last full moon very well. I might've eaten some... thing. Living. Not a plant. I'm going to guess your guess is right; unless all the monsters like to hunt and kill things.

[She motions.] But! That's a few days past, and this is now, and it's just going to get more fun from here, I think. Were you planning on scoping out the factory these children come from?

[wylderrant]

I was honestly. And while they want me to... oh, I don't know... break the scamps up that just doesn't seem all that entertaining, you know? Much better to see what they can do when they have the run of the place, I think.

[ Look, she's an agent of chaos. ]

[awryprincess]

I mean, labor disputes aren't really our concern, are they? [Oh, she likes how this conversation is going.] I am a member of the Mirrorbound Council, but none of these are Mirrorbound, so this is more up Parliament's alley for their representatives.

To that end, I think it's perfectly fair to say that simply leveling the playing field and seeing how it works out is the best course of action.

[wylderrant]

Oh, certainly, but I enjoy being helpful, you know? What kind of heroine would I be if I just left things alone...?

[ She flutters her eyelashes with a smile. ]

So... I thought I might give things a bit of a push, but you seem to have beaten me to it.

[awryprincess]

Ahhh, I see. [Oh man. Hero-types were always the best kind to lure into the Sanguinaquia and let the wildlife and/or dragons and/or ghosts eat.

She wonders how long this one would last. Then, smooths it over with a grin. Nah, no point in that now. There's no reason, anyway.]

Well, there's more you can do to give one side or the other little pushes and advantages. I only helped the side of the field that I thought to be more interesting - the children tend to be more creative than stuffy businessmen, so I was just looking forward to what they did with their new... assets.

[Seriously, go make chaos. She wants to watch.]

[wylderrant]

Well, they have knives now...

[ Iramaat taps her chin thoughtfully. What else can you even add to the mix there to make things get better? Or worse. Depends on your point of view, honestly. ]

...I wonder if I could get my hands on any fireworks.

[ Like, literal ones. Because she thinks those would be awesome, too. ]

1

[halfbloodhatchling]

[ Kai had felt the deep horror of the transformation, but he'd done his research, has been told and time again that fighting makes it worse. So even if the feeling of the change lurking under his skin makes him want to cut that skin off, makes him want to chain himself inside a basement to make sure he didn't hurt anyone.

And of course that was his first concern, and that's why he's spent the afternoon at the edge of the city, drinking faster than the alcohol could burn off.

He stops drinking at the first twitch of transformation, because claws can't hold the bottle and because he doesn't think he could keep it down anymore. The alcohol burns off quickly, and it's a stark relief when he realizes that what he is, whatever he is, he's not a dog. And then he's not him anymore, instinct and need and hunting. He's no larger than he was, perhaps a bit smaller, but the shape is all different - claws and fur and clouded spots and a need to sink his teeth into things, to eat, and to not be alone.

He falls into step easily beside her, and there's something about it that feels intensely right, something about this company so much unlike how he usually feels. ]

[awryprincess]

[She isn't really fighting it, either. She's not sure what she expected though, and while some of it sure as hell is alien and distinctly uncomfortable, the end result is somewhat less bad than she expected.

Well, what little snatches of her mind that do come to the fore - like a drowning person breaching for air in short, desperate spats, only to be helplessly pulled back beneath the waves of Monster instinct.

Her head rotates toward him, red eyes catching the moonlight in a luminous way that doesn't speak of human or animal, but sure makes for an interesting sight, and something like playfulness glimmers in their depths. She turns back toward the woods, and then begins at a faster pace, a trotting lope that eats the ground in a way she's never really managed to be able to do as a human.

The forest smells like prey, and there's a packmate here, and every one of her leopard instincts is telling her to head for the trees - trees are safety, trees are a place to store food, and trees are a place to hunt from, if she needs to. Trees it is.

She trots along, almost mindless, following her eyes and her nose, further out until the weather starts to crispen, until frost appears on the branches, and then a light layer of snow. It's then she catches the scent of something grazing nearby. It doesn't smell like predator - there's no swaggering musk, no sign of territory and danger.

This is it, and she glances over her shoulder at Kai again, in a quite human motion driven by not nearly human instincts to see if he's caught the scent, as well.]

[halfbloodhatchling]

[ Under ordinary circumstances Kai doesn't trust, and he follows the lead of others even less easily. For now it seems to only make sense that she is one of his, just as he is one of hers, and they will hunt together.

They will be the stronger for it.

He's slower than her - probably due to the whole 'getting drunk' deal, but the smell is something he can catch when he sees it on her face, and he gives her a fanged, toothy smile. His ears flick, and with another glance at her he takes off after the scent. ]

[awryprincess]

[And Heralia laughs, but it's not her usual ringing, lilting giggle. Instead, it's a deep hoff hoff hoff noise from somewhere in her throat that's part purr, part growl, and part human laugh, all the same.

Then, she takes off after him, letting him lead them into position. She brought them here, it's only fair that he do the honors of starting the stalking phase of this. It makes sense, at least, in that part of her mind that isn't quite human or monster, but somewhere between them both.

She moves out to the side of him after a moment, and as the scent gets louder, finding trees and brush - scrubby and leafless though they are - to hide among as she works toward the opposite flank. Her spotted, pale gold coat does blend in surprisingly well with the ashy brown of all the trees and bushes, but maybe even better because it is night.

Their prey is a deer - a sizable buck, with a full rack of antlers and a ruddy, spotted coat that seems to have gotten away from his harem. Or, perhaps, he was chased out of his old one by someone new in town taking over. It doesn't matter.

It means he's isolated, and in perfect position to be... taken down. It seems to think something is wrong, and it lifts its head, ears swiveling around as it tries to figure out which side the sound is coming from, but being unable to decide which way, thus, which way to run just yet.

A long, pink leopard tongue curls over her muzzle, smoothing along fur and whiskers, as she waits for Kai to make the first move. There are definitely some advantages to pack hunting.]

2. sorry so late, work week was insane!

[scowlish]

[In complete contrast to the person who's just spoken to him, Onni has never actually considered romance, not even once in his life. It isn't that he hates the concept, and he doesn't begrudge people who are celebrating it or interested in it, it's just not something he's ever considered for himself. Or particularly dreamed about. Having effectively been a single parent since he was 15 sort of kept him from doing most of the things that normal teenagers had done.

So when someone comes up to him to talk, the last thing he expects is to be asked whether he's part of a happy couple. Blinking, he looks around himself for a few moments and notices he's standing near enough to some sort of bird monster that they might be together, perhaps?

Lifting both hands, he waves them a little and shakes his head.]

Uh. No. I don't even know that person. I'm just here to see if they're selling sweets.

Hah, I feel that, it's no issue

[awryprincess]

Selling sweets? [There's an almost owlish blink as Heralia looks from Onni, over to the harpy, then back. Then, she giggles.] No? Well, you'd look cute together, either way. And if they are, you can get free sweets!

[She's mostly joking, but it is keeping on in the spirit of what she was supposed to do to get paid, so heck, why not have some fun with it.]

That's the point of this festival, I think, isn't it? Finding relationships, or something like that. [And that's about exactly as committed to it as she is.]

[scowlish]

[At least the bird person doesn't seem to be too offended by his comment, she just fluffs up her wings, and Onni glances over at her, shrugging. Frankly, even if it means free sweets, he's not the type to pretend to be with someone and whether or not they "look cute together" it doesn't matter.

Or maybe it's just a symptom of whatever thing inside him is broken and has been for years. It isn't comfortable to think about, and he'd rather not, so he shakes his head and the bird monster heads away. Glancing back at the girl who'd spoken to him, he shrugs again.]

I can pay for my sweets. Anyway, I mostly just came here to look for those, not to find a relationship. I don't really think about that kind of thing. Is that why you're here?

[awryprincess]

Nope! I'm being paid to tell people they look cute together and to get into the spirit of the festival. At least I'm not being paid per the number of happy couples I get together.

[Not working on commission means she's not that invested, but it is a cute, fun little thing to do to fluster people.

This one is definitely not able to be flustered, though, so she very quickly is uninterested in continuing trying to push it. It's less fun if people don't react.]

It's a silly festival either way. I suppose they have to have this kind of propaganda here, though. Keeps people inundated with the desire to Bond, to keep everyone safe. Least, that's what I think it is, yeah?

i swear i'm not usually this slow, the adulting in my home is getting out of control

[scowlish]

Well, that makes more sense.

[The way he says it is completely serious, it's clear that he definitely means what he's saying - that it makes more sense to be paid to be at a romance festival than to come because you like romantic things.]

Mm, that also makes sense. I've run into quite a few people who aren't interested in the idea of Bonding, or who really hate the idea. It isn't my favourite either, but if it's necessary, it's necessary. This kind of thing...

[He waves a hand vaguely at the entire festival around them.]

...this wouldn't convince me if nothing else did.

Adulting is the worst and I understand

[awryprincess]

[Heralia simply nods in agreement. Yep, she might otherwise come for a similar reason as him - free food, and just to check out what everyone is doing - but she is definitely not to use this festival for its... intended purpose. Besides, the two people she wouldn't mind sharing such things with are Definitely Not Here, so that's another point against it.]

Yeah, but I think if you were raised in this place, and you had stuff like this happening every year, with all the other talk they always have of encouraging Witches and Monsters to take Bonds, then it'd like... just saturate you and be more normal. I don't know about you but I don't really come from a society anything like this, so instead it's just quite strange.

[She waves a hand, and her ear twitches.] Either way, everyone's into different things. I guess if you think you have to have a romantic connection to Bond with someone, since it's basically a handfasting, then this is the kind of place that would appeal to you! Doesn't sound like that's your mentality though. I'm with you, as it is; it's a practical thing. Especially when it comes to, say, keeping Witches from exploding, or Monsters trying to eat people.

I've very little interest in dying. I have things to do at home. Might as well make myself useful as a Monster, here. But also! I need money~! Makes the world go 'round.

it's so bad...but I think....the light at the end of the tunnel is visible...

[scowlish]

[Frankly, there's never been room for romance in Onni's life, and he has no intention of carving some out now. It's a broken thing in him, but he is how he is and how he's always been. There's nothing to be done about it and it is what it is.]

I guess so. I already have a Bond figured out, though, and we'll go through the ritual whenever it becomes necessary. The world that I come from is pretty similar to this one actually, but there are none of these Bonds and there are no Monsters, just mages. There is a disease though, and walled cities, and all that.

[There's a pause while he considers the whole concept of romantic Bonding and how it's basically a handfasting, and for a moment he feels very strange about his planned Bond with Reynir. Is that what Reynir thinks it is?]

Don't people have platonic bonds, though? With friends and that. They aren't all romantic, are they?

[There's a hint of tension in his voice when he asks those questions, and he can feel the slight jitter of nerves building up.]

I don't have any interest in dying either, so Bonding is necessary, and it is for him too. Going feral would be almost as bad as dying, it's too much like what happens to people at home who get sick.

[awryprincess]

Well, I mean, most castles have walls where I come from, as well, but only one city I can think of has the whole city inside the walls.

[Okay, maybe two if she counts the capital of Moira, but... that's a conversation for a different time.]

That's what I hear; that's really what I am after, as well, when the time comes. Business partner, friends... well, 'family' is a bit of a question with me. But still, the ritual for it is a lot like a handfasting, so I can see where people would prefer it to be romantic.

[She waves a dismissive hand, like she thinks the concept is silly. Because she does.] At least you can wake up from being feral. You don't wake up from being a crater.

[scowlish]

Ah, we don't really have castles where I come from. Mostly just villages that are either walled or patrolled by scouts for safety. But I guess it depends on how many people are still around in how many countries where you come from. My world doesn't have many people.

[It's nice to know he's not the only one interested in a platonic Bond, though he wouldn't exactly call it business. Friends maybe, or something like distant family perhaps, with Reynir. But not, he thinks, romantic - that's not something he's ever thought about, particularly not in relation to Reynir.]

Hm, when you compare it to handfasting, I can see your point. But it's good enough for me if it doesn't have to be that way. I'll have to check to see if he thinks of it that way, though.

[A pause, while he considers that. Waking up from going feral, but not from a crater. He can't help but think of what 'going feral' would mean where he comes from, and how dying would be so much more preferable. He can't help but think of Tuuri.

That line of thought is shut down very quickly.]

True. But sometimes waking up after something that bad isn't the best option.

[awryprincess]

No? They're quite useful in a siege, and there's a lot of wars... dumb ones, ultimately, but many wars where I'm from, and a lot of people all trying to further their own goals.

[Among other problems. There's a decent population of-] Well, and all the different races and all the different ways they interact... and hate each other, and then there's more wars. [A laugh.] It's kind of pathetic.

You should, though! I think it's important to set what it's going to be from the outset, so no one has any wrong assumptions. No point in breaking someone's heart unintentionally...

[And then, she giggles.] I assume you mean being feral...? So long as you yet live, you can always try to make amends for anything. Death isn't going to solve that, either.

[Then again, there is not a single thing Heralia can think of that she would do while feral that she would regret to the point of not wanting to keep living or going on. Even if she seriously maimed or killed someone, or like. Desecrated a corpse or something. She wouldn't want to know about it if possible, but she'd be fine.

This is what she gets for not caring that much about other people.] So yeah, I'd rather be in my predicament than the Witches'.