[open] oh lamia please try to help me

[tothemetal]

Who: Styx & OPEN
When: All through Noveuer
Where: Various
What: Catch-all for the month! Quests and other various activities around Aefenglom. Starters in the comments!
Warnings: I'm also doing the sex pollen quest, you know how this is gonna go.


if you'd like to do something else or want a closed starter, hmu! PMs or phantomblood ouo

Comments

clean up & clear out

[tothemetal]

[wow, that is a hell of a lot of stuff! in a way Styx is kind of impressed by this weird and unintentional display of excess; he's never seen so much garbage that really isn't garbage in his life. it must be crazy to have money, huh?

the awe is short-lived once it becomes apparent just how badly it's inconveniencing the people who actually live here. one of his own self-proclaimed few talents is lifting things, so it doesn't take very long at all for the big guy to roll up his sleeves and pitch in. it kind of reminds him of his old job at the music store, honestly, and so he's in an especially cheerful mood as he works along.

you can find him doing one of two things:]

a;

[peeking at the passersby rather anxiously from over a rundown fence. he's got a prodigious number of boxes stacked up high in his arms, but these don't seem to be the cause of his disquiet in the least. as soon as he locks eyes with anyone who seems to be even remotely amenable to being flagged down, he's tentatively calling out to them.]

Um, hey! Uh...do you know anything about plants?

b;

[alternately, he's seated on a recently cleared doorstep taking a look at the pile of things by his feet that feel like they could still have some use. this isn't the sort of handiness that he's got any experience with, but it just seems like such a damn shame to toss all this stuff. someone could definitely be using it!

the big guy's further stymied, unfortunately, by the fact that a lot of these things are firmly lodged in the "weird Victorian shit" category of items. chairs and trinket boxes he can understand, but some of this stuff...

well. it leads to things like him holding a, uh, whatever this is in his hands like it might explode, very gingerly turning it over this way and that.]

This how it's supposed to look..?

b

[sonnestark]

[When it was clear that hands were needed to help take care of the situation in the Outer City, Karin had been quick to volunteer, but it wasn't until she actually arrived to do her part that she realized just how extensive the dumping damage was.

It's disheartening— as much as she appreciates the sentiments behind Samuin, it just seems so wasteful. Having grown up without much to call her own, she can't imagine tossing so many things away without a care. Much of it can be repurposed, it seems, or at least used for parts, but the locals don't seem to find that a comforting thought, instead angry at being used as what essentially amounts to a junkyard.

She's been doing her part with the cleanup efforts for awhile when she comes across Styx on his doorstep, waving as she sets down the box of refuse she'd been carrying to give herself a brief break as she approaches him, nose wrinkling as she draws closer and gets a better look at the object in his hands.

Creepy. And not too long before her time, unfortunately.]

You know, I think I've seen one of those before. Terrifying, isn't it? Scarier than some demons I've seen.

[tothemetal]

[Styx looks up at the movement at the edge of his vision, waving back cheerfully. he's always happy to see a familiar face, and even more so when Karin informs him that she's actually familiar with the...uh, whatever it is, in his hands.]

You've seen it before? [like...there's more than one in the world? why is that sending chills down his spine?] Uh...you know what it's supposed to do?

[murder? murder demons?? it must murder demons.]

[sonnestark]

Crawl, I think?

[She winces slightly. Yeah, not very exciting, she knows. She smiles as she comes to a stop beside the doorstep, propping her right hand against her hip.]

It's a toy. I never had one, thankfully.

[They were creepy even at the turn of the century.]

It just looks like it's probably haunted, doesn't it?

[tothemetal]

Really?

[what are you talking about, that's definitely exciting. mostly because Styx isn't entirely sure how something like this is supposed to get anywhere, let alone without summoning the spirits of the damned, but the reason is unimportant!

his gaze drops down to the ""toy"" before he very gently places it on the sidewalk between his feet. stares a little longer...gives it a gentle nudge, just to see if it can be prompted to move even with the broken machinery bits.

...is he disappointed or relieved it just sits there?]

I mean...don't wanna be mean to it or nothing, but uh. Seems kinda heavy for something to give a kid, doesn't it?

[heavy with the souls of its victims, at least.]

a

[exsoldier]

[ There's something about this situation that feels a little too familiar. The have's treating the have-not's are their dumping ground just has Midgar written all over it, and while Aefenglom doesn't resemble Midgar in most respects, this is certainly one of them. The clear class divides are impossible to ignore.

If Zack can make a few cunes while also saving someone's small backyard from a mountain of discarded furniture, he'd be happy to, especially since he tends to get way less wary looks for being a chimera when he's in this part of Aefenglom. Funny how that works, but there are plenty of chimeras out here in the Outer City.

His chimera features are becoming more pronounced with each full moon, which means that now he doesn't just have some subtle feathers around his neck and in his hair, but also golden eyes and fingers that have hardened and become scaled.

It's not a surprise that other Mirrorbound have also picked up this work, and yet Zack is slightly taken aback when he hears a familiar voice. It seems that both he and Styx have a similar taste in jobs; this is the second time they've run into each other in the middle of one. ]

Plants? [ Zack wanders over, eyeing the towering pile of boxes in Styx's arms. He's ready to reach out and catch one if that becomes necessary. ] A little. Why do you ask?

[tothemetal]

[those boxes look to be stable - far more stable than they ought to, really - but it's questionable for how long they may remain that way. this is Styx we're talking about, after all.

but having spotted a familiar face in his hour of need reassures the big guy greatly; while he does note that some things have changed about Zack since the last time they met, attuned to monstrous developments as he is, they do nothing to temper the broad grin which settles onto his face. oh, thank god. someone who could help.]

Uh, well, - [he steps back from the fence just a bit, so that the other man can peer over it better.] This stuff ended up flattening a lot of the garden, yeah? But I don't think everything's dead-dead yet.

[he goes to shrug, then thinks better of it.]

Don't know anything about plants, though, so...not really sure how to help 'em.

[exsoldier]

[ As soon as Styx steps away from the fence, Zack moves forward so that he can get a better look at the small garden that's been unceremoniously trampled by discarded furniture. It's hard not to feel a spike of anger at the sight, understanding the carelessness and lack of consideration that went into it.

More than that, the aristocrats here seem to actually view the people of the Outer City as lesser in many ways. Zack can't abide it. ]

Man, if only she were here. [ He sighs to himself, head tilting up to the sky for a moment before he shoots Styx a sidelong glance. ] A friend of mine's got the greenest thumb you've ever seen. She'd have this garden back to normal in no time. Anything I've learned about plants, I learned from her...

[ It's like he can hear Aerith's voice in his head for a moment, encouraging him to just give it a try and see if he could help the brutalized plants and flowers. For me? Come on, it's not so hard!

So with that, Zack hops over the fence in one quick movement and then carefully approaches the garden, crouching down to take a closer look. ]

[tothemetal]

No kidding? 's crazy what some people can do with plants, man. Even if I wasn't so big, don't think I've ever be able to figure out all stuff you gotta keep track of.

[but that just made the talent that much more impressive to the drummer. people who could hold that sort of information in their heads and intuitively use it to nurture other livings things to reach their utmost potential...it was really amazing.]

Just means you had the best teacher ever though, right? Bet you can fix things up here no problem.

[and oh, how he beams when Zack acquiesces to his request and swings over the fence. those boxes would need to be deposited somewhere in case he needed some help, and while the other man is investigating his new patients Styx is scurrying over to the back steps to drop off his burden.

the garden is, as he'd said, in pretty rough shape. carefully tended rows and produce alike have been carelessly smashed, those that had escaped being flattened by a heavy box trodden upon by cruel boots instead. the flora seemed to be mostly of a utilitarian nature, all edible...except for something similar to marigolds lining the outer edges of the plot.

life was difficult in the Outer City, but the residents were still reaching to be something more in any way they could.]

a watery pit

[tothemetal]

[in all honesty, Styx probably can't swim.

he's never really had the opportunity to learn, growing up, and now...well, it isn't something that he's ever thought about here. that little fact doesn't seem to have impacted his desire to help any - or maybe it just never registered in the first place, his dull mind failing to connect a need to swim with disappearing waterbound creatures. if they're underwater then you'd want to sink, right?

whatever the reason, he's standing at the bank of the river now with a big stick, tentatively poking as far as he could reach with it in the hopes of dredging something up. he'd written down a spell from the Coven to provide him with some air in case they had to wade in deep, but at the same time...the waters just looked so peaceful right now. did something really happen here to all those people?

guess there was only one way to find out. whether you'd come here to investigate as well and had just wandered over from looking at another part of the banks or are just an innocent passerby, you'll notice there's a massive dude pulling his shirt off now. it's unclear whether or not he'll be going for his pants as well, but...why take the chance and leave him to it?]

im not late

[themogget]

[Mogget could swim, if he had to, but he would much prefer (like most cats) to not get wet at all.

He's exploring when he finds the very, very tall man by the river, who appears to be undressing to go for a dip. He watches silently for a few moments then moves forwards to step on top of the discarded shirt. It's warm, and far dryer than the ground is, and he sits on it with his tail curled around his front paws.

Then he looks up, looks at the water, and looks back up again. The question seems obvious. Is he really thinking about going in there?]

time is an illusion

[tothemetal]

[there are a lot of strays circling the streets of Aefenglom - cats, dogs...people. it honestly reminds him of the less than savory neighborhood that he was raised in, and so with something more pressing on his mind it takes Styx the entirety of pulling off his pants before he notices the cat that's made his shirt its home.

maybe it's because he used to feed the cats back home when he could...or maybe he's just an idiot. but Styx smiles all the same and answers that little stare, as if a cat really cared what he had to say.]

Haha, yeah, gonna have to take a dip! Think if there's any clues they're gonna be down there somewhere.

lunch time, doubly so

[themogget]

[Clues? Hm. Mogget pads his paws against the warm shirt without thinking about it and looks at the water again. You couldn't give him anything that could get him in there... but humans were very strange creatures.]

If you drown, who should I inform? [The small cat asks casually, settling down on the shirt and tucking his paws beneath his chest.]

I'm sure you understand that I won't be able to come in and rescue you.

food warps the spacetime continuum, it's true

[tothemetal]

Eren, I guess? Though he might know already since we're bonded 'nd all...uh, maybe Karin instead.

[but he'd feel kind of bad if Karin learned that he'd died at all, let alone as the first person outside his bondmate to find out. the big guy's caught up in the question so thoroughly that for a few moments he doesn't realize that the cat has engaged in the conversation on its own.

.........wait.]

- oh!

[his head snaps over to affix wide eyes on Mogget, half-folded pants in his hands forgotten for the time being. the cat was talking? that was fucking incredible! it was out of this world! it was -

it was probably just a turnskin hanging around in their animal form, wasn't it? Styx feels a bit foolish for temporarily forgetting that he was now in a place where fucking monsters were as common as blades of grass, but also faintly relieved. since this wasn't weird, he didn't need to feel weird about continuing to talk to a cat. ...it's kind of nice.]

Uh, sorry, I - um, never mind. [he laughs good-naturedly] You don't gotta worry about nothing like that! Be real mean to expect you to have to do something just 'cause I fucked up a little.

prurient petals (possible nsfw in replies 👀)

[tothemetal]

[the Wilde is dangerous, he knows, but Styx has always felt...not quite at peace, but something sort of pleasant vibe from the time he's spent here. growing up in an inner city as he had, he'd never had the opportunity to take advantage of all the wonderful nature spots that Eddan had boasted; simply being able to wander here and see nothing but trees is a novelty that hasn't worn off on him even after nearly four months in this world. every journey really does seem to bring something new to his attention.

it's that childlike wonder that has the big guy humming even as he puts his back into some rather hard physical labor today, the tune audible even through the bandana he has tied around the lower half of his face. he'd been told to keep his face covered if possible, and that it would be better to keep the plants in as much of one piece as he could manage, but not a lot else. with the way that there always seemed to be a million things going on at once around the city, it's understandable that nobody really had time to brief every single helper in depth.

they're heavy, but Styx is strong, and he doesn't have any problem at all with spending a fair amount of time sawing away at the various appendages keeping these things in place. he's more than happy for any help extended to him, of course, and will sidle over gladly to make room for an extra pair of hands.



bandanas can only do so much to block out foreign particles, of course, especially when one has been working for hours. if you don't happen to run into Styx earlier in the day, you may instead see him later in the afternoon in the midst of disaster striking.

the drummer's seen the way that the plant's shoots have wrapped rather stubbornly around its fellow flora, but this is the first time that he's spied it actually gripping onto something a bit more alive. the bird is practically shrieking in terror, thrashing its wings as it desperately tries to fly away with enough force to tear off the tendril knotted about its leg. his heart aches the moment he notices, and in an instant Styx is abandoning his work to go to its aid.

the only problem is that the bird is (quite understandably) terrified out of its fucking mind. it only grows more agitated when the big guy reaches for it, prompting him to withdraw his hand immediately. he sits for a moment, contemplating his next move to the best of his ability; Ymir had always held a deep affinity for birds, but on the occasion that he'd found an injured one he would usually wrap it up in something. it made them feel safe, he'd told his friend. ...ah, perfect!

and, without another thought, he's pulling that bandana straight off in order to try and swaddle the panicked creature...]

[ooc; it is up to you how spicy you want things to get! I'm just as happy with cuddles and makeouts as I am with smut. or, you know...both. both is also very good. OuO]

sometime late november/early december, i don’t follow no rules

[usurpers]

[ recently under significant community service arrest, eren has taken to working on breaking, gathering and distributing the wooden house frames destroyed by himself and soren from about two or so weeks ago. anything destroyed was going to be rebuilt by the help of his own hands and perhaps other volunteers— a much needed aid now that his strength was sapped from him and the populace of that pocket of the city needed their buildings back. by the latter portion of the day, eren spends it hauling the collected debris to farms and the outskirts, for chopping into favorable pieces to fend off aefenglom’s winter. during one of these returns and hovering more for the wilde’s refreshing summer heat, he comes across a gush of scents— one of them is styx, something sweet, and the faint flutter of a desperate animal thinking death is near. fear has a very poignant taste.

the dragon has no mask, unknowing of what the wilders have been dealing with here and far too busy to check the boards as of recent to have much caution. it wasn’t as if the summer wasn’t a time of energy and rejuvenation of all aspects. the heat building in his belly was seen as nothing but normal. ]

Is it intact?

[ he might just eat it. considering. what it was. his actual greeting comes in silence, a curt dip of his head toward the witch as he bends into a crouch and sets his hand on the drummer’s shoulder, with him to curiously tongue flick at the panicking creature thrashing behind the fabric of a bandana. ]

you are truly a time bandit my friend

[tothemetal]

[he can feel Eren's approach even with his own situational awareness as dull as ever, and so the dragon receives nothing but a warm smile when his presence is more obviously made known. it should probably surprise the big guy, someone just popping up, but...it's familiar instead, a welcome addition.

the bird is less pleased by this new development, but that is almost surely because it can actually make sense of those teeth.]

Looks like it? Uh, 's far as I can tell.

[friendships with harpies notwithstanding, he was no fucking bird doctor. but the thrashing seemed to be terror rather than pain, a potentially harmful action that seems to have increased tenfold with the dragon's arrival.

he...doesn't really need their supernatural connection to kind of figure some of the thoughts going through Eren's head right now. this is not a snack!! and he gently tugs part of the bandana right over the bird's eyes to help assure it that, at least for the time being, it wasn't going to explode into a squishy mess of feathers and blood beneath those jaws.]

Think it just got caught in the plant 'nd started freaking out.

[he leans his head against the arm at his shoulder, ostensibly to provide bonded affection but also appreciating how cool Eren felt compared to the unseasonable heat of the Wilde. the drummer has been sweating a little more in the past few minutes, but he thinks nothing of it - this has been a day of hard labor, after all. and anyway, it makes it easier to tilt the little avian package closer (but, uh, not too close) so that Eren can see what he means for himself.]

[usurpers]

[ reptilian scales had that chilly touch to them compared to mammals, and some might even find it soothing. eren’s knuckles rasp briefly into the cushion of styx’s cheek in equally warm exchange before crouching down to better see both him and the snack— bird. the bird. it was a lucky little thing too, to not see eren at the moment he looms and thinned, predatory pupils observe its quieting.

there’s the tongue too, that extends uncomfortably longer than you’d think it was. the dragon leans just a little lower to catch sight of any entanglements and to assess them. he didn’t have his fire, but he still had talons. essentially swords for hands.

it smelled awfully sweet around here, truth be told. that and styx’s scent are more of interest than the bird. ]

Where can I cut?

around aef

[tothemetal]

[it's slow going, but Styx really has been trying his best to improve his magical abilities. today's the cold, rainy sort of day that just begs to be spent inside, so he's indulging the desire and being productive all in one by holing up in a local cafe with his textbooks.

today's focus? transmutation. it's a subject he's been putting particular effort into for several weeks now; after the incident in Dorchacht, he wants to make absolutely certain that he won't ever cast a spell he can't undo himself again. which means...lots of practice. and lots of failures.

after an hour or so, he finally manages to achieve a small victory! it's not really even close to his intended transformation, but his cup of coffee now sports a gangly set of legs all the same. he laughs quietly to himself as it gallops around, gently bumping into his protective hands before changing course. it's...kind of cute, honestly? he can't help but wonder if it would be weird to use this same spell on some of his own drinkware at home.

a waitress chooses this exact moment to drop by, inquiring as to whether he'd like another slice of cake; while answering in the affirmation he thoughtlessly drops his arms back into his lap, allowing the adventurous little cup to escape out into the world. it lopes elegantly down the counter, stopping only to very gently 'head'butt the arm of another patron that it has decided needs a fresh cup of coffee.

at this point the waitress has left and Styx has realized his tiny companion is nowhere to be seen. locating it quickly, he calls out an apology with a pretty embarrassed look on his face.]

Oh, shit, sorry about that. 's not gonna hurt you or nothing though, promise! He's just curious...uh, I think.

[stopfen]

[IT HADN'T BEEN RAINING WHEN SHE'D GONE OUT-!

It was probably a funny sight. A drenched fae in a light jacket, clutching the soggest puffball to her chest. She's getting a few things at the cafe. Some nice warm hot chocolate for her, some warm meat in gravy for Tater. The waitress was even nice enough to give her some tea towels to attempt to dry herself and the puppy with. With both fae and pet as dry as they could be, she settled, nursing her hot cocoa in both hands.

Eyes sliding shut as she let out a sigh. That rain...really had come out of nowhere. Then something bumps into her. It got a wrinkle of the nose, her antenna flicking back as she turned to look at the....

Moving cup of coffee? Then a familiar voice spoke up and she's looking to Styx instead as she kinda, pushes the coffee back. No, no likely.]

What is it?

[tothemetal]

[oh, a furry potato...Styx is thankfully too wrapped up in his runaway coffee to lose all sense of purpose and quietly admire how cute that dog is, at least for the immediate present. his mouth briefly quirks up into a smile when he recognize the unfortunate 'victim', dropping back into a neutral line as he neatly misinterprets her question.]

Uh...Dorchacht Dark, think they said? Supposed to be really powerful.

[not...not the blend. the moving cup, you dingus.

speaking of the coffee cup, it slide backwards under Mikasa's push with a small dip that almost seems to express disappointment? before trying to waddle over to offer the same invitation to the fae's dog - a path that is thankfully intercepted by Styx's long reach. alright, little guy, that's enough.]

[stopfen]

[The small puppy feels about the same as his owner about the coffee. Reeling back, small ears folding into his fur and yipping. Like how the fae was leaning back with her antenna flattened.]

I can smell that... It's so bitter.

[She's just going to hold her hot cocoa up. May it's sweet chocolatey smell smother out the coffee.] I've heard that stuff wakes people up. But...

Is it worth it? [Sokie had offered to show her how to make such drinks sweet. But...then Sokie had left.]

[silentsavant]

[soren is usually aware of his surroundings, but he's not perfect, and he was in the middle of speaking to the barista about his order, forearm propped on the counter, when ah... you spilled your coffee on soren, styx! or rather, it spilled itself, as the case may be. as liquid tends to do when its receptacle is jostled, a tiny amount breaches the walls and splashes out to mark the dragon's sleeve. this would be considered a minor offense if the dark brew made its mark on the black of his sleeve, but the sin is a little more serious when it sullies the white ruffled lace peeping out from his overcoat. he submits a light gasp and retracts his arm on reflex, then huffs sharply.

the small dragon flashes a look of cold smoldering umbrage at the identity of the real mess-maker. his eyes flare once like poked embers.]

I could have been burned.

[he says so calmly and levelly, like he's not actually concerned about the potential to be burned, but the tone is pinched with the faint bite of obvious resentment for the inconvenience his clothes soiled by a stranger's carelessness. he keeps his arm raised so the mess is on display for styx to be shamed by.]

[tothemetal]

[another dragon...it really doesn't matter how many times he sees one, or apparently what sort of sour expression they were shooting his way; each and every time he has to pause for just a moment and allow himself to come to terms with how fucking cool they were.]

Oh shit dude, 'm sorry! He kinda got away from me when I wasn't looking - was it still hot?

[despite the genuine penitence in his tone, Styx can't help but sound faintly impressed by the possibility that his coffee was still hot enough to burn. he'd really thought he'd been struggling with that spell long enough to chill it to the bone, but perhaps he's been making more progress than he'd realized?

a little thoughtlessly, and certainly with no heed for the fact this brew had the very real chance of scalding him, he dips a finger lightly into the cup.]

...geez. Really could've been bad. [which just makes the chagrin in his expression deepen.] 'm real sorry, man. Um, think there's a spell in one of my books for fixing that kinda thing if you want me to give it a shot.

[it's an offer that he makes in earnest, even as he doubts it will be taken. who'd trust someone letting their hot drinks slosh all around on strangers to fix that sort of thing?]

[silentsavant]

[whether it was hot or not, soren would have said the same thing. he raises an eyebrow as he watches him dip his finger directly in the drink to test the heat when cupping it in his large hands would have spared him any possible burns. is he thick? or just thick-skinned?

soren sighs to nurse his exasperation and seizes the handle of the frisky cup to stop its rampant skylarking. his tail thumps the floorboards.

but based on the nature of the spell that the witch used to transform the coffee cup, and the nature of what he now offers as remedy, soren can gather that he must be studying transmutation. the air tastes like an alluring blend of roasting beans and confections, peppered with the use of magic. thanks to one of the dragon's own bonded witches, he's grown quite familiar with this school in particular.]

I might just know the very spell. Have you ever attempted it before?