[OPEN] little bread-and-butterflies kiss the tulips

[oathkeeper]

Who: Sora + YOU
When: The month of January/ Ieneuer
Where: Aefenglom, The Wildes
What: An open catch all log for the month of January
Warnings: tba

[a: new moons: aefenglom streets]

[During the new moons Sora is usually not terribly affected by the changes in the moons. He feels a little antsier than usual or more physical or like he needs to run around and play. Not usually more than his usual energy levels but he has had his bouts.

This month it seems like the witches in the city are dealing with a surge in magical energy. And that is something Sora is actually noticing more than any of his heightened puca tendencies. Because Sora was once bonded to four witches in the past he has quite the sensitivity to magic. The surge of magic in the area has Sora practically sneezing at every turn. Long rabbit ears twitch and he bristles when any witches nearby cast any spells or shoot off any unwanted discharge. It’s actually kind of annoying!

Zzzaaap!! A sudden crackle of lightning magic snaps in the air! So close to Sora’s head that he has to duck down out of the way! Stray spells from witches who suddenly can’t control their magic or witches who suddenly have more than they can handle- Is that you or are you witnessing the snaps of magic too?]

Ack! Whoa- watch out! Ahh--- Achoo!!

[And Sora promptly sneezes... It’s like having too much pollen in the air. Goodness.]

[b: quest #2 - wet 'n' wilde: aefenglom / northern outpost]

1. [With several outposts suffering damage from the storms and mudslides out in the wilde, there is a need for workers and volunteers to help fix and repair the damage before it gets worse. Sora is out in the wilde doing his part to help keep the mud from making things worse and doing repairs where he can to several of the outposts.

He happens to be heading towards one of the outposts with several packages of supplies and tools. But the path towards the cliffside outpost has gotten perilous with mud and rain. Sora is trying to make his way up the path but is dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. He’ll keep going but one wrong step and Sora could slip and fall off the edge of the path and down the muddy side of the cliff.

He might need a hand before it’s too late. Make sure to watch your step! The mud and rain are cold and slippery.]

2. [Not only do the outposts need repairs but it seems that several outposts are being threatened with cwyld-infected wolves. For someone like Sora (a rabbit-shaped monster through and through) that does not bode very well. Sora finds himself running through the muddy landscape and through the trees as several of these cwyld-sick and very feral wolves chase after him.]

I’m not your afternoon snack, leave me the heck alone!

[Luckily Sora’s monster legs make him fast. He leaps through the forest at a sprint but fails to miss the sharp tree branch he knicks his arm on. Blood splatters but he keeps running!]

[c. quest #3: are you good with kids?]

[Sora is a normal worker and volunteer at the new orphanage. He can be found here several times a week helping with the kids. Or bringing food, clothing, toys and stories. So naturally here he is working with the kids once again to help them have a craft day. And today is face painting.

He can be found with a gaggle of monster children and several pots of colorful paint. But it seems that some of the paint is glowing or sparkling under the sun. It might just be magical face paint. And if he happens to find someone coming along he’ll wave a friendly wave.]

Hey! Wanna get your face painted? We’re charging the great price of just a smile today!

[Come let a little orphaned monster child paint your face! Or ask Sora to do it, it won't be much better in terms of artistic talent.]

[d. chambers cottage]

[Sora has recently moved into a new cottage. In the deep of winter in the city, he’s come to figure out that he likes growing indoor plants. Growing them leaves the house looking lively and the smell of fresh herbs and flowers is great. As a puca Sora has a tendency to want to snack on anything green so it’s also beneficial for him to grow things in little pots in and around the cottage.

He’ll be busy in the kitchen tending the little herb gardens (and stuffing a piece of basil or two into his cheeks when no one is looking) or out in the front of the cottage fixing up some old planters and pots so they’ll be ready for Spring.]

I wonder how hard it is to grow sunflowers?

[He’ll totally eat so many sunflowers...]

[e. wildcard]

[have something else you’d like to do? feel free to post it here. or contact me at michrure for some plotting!]

Comments

[noblegarnet]

That's the closest word I have for it. Or at least how it feels to me.

[He doesn't exactly come from a place where magic is felt, much less smelled... although Sora's description of being really into it makes Ferran even more concerned than he previously was regarding Sora's... inclinations.]

Uh... huh. [He hasn't forgotten how the Puca said witch magic "feels good." His own two bonds have certainly grounded him and made him feel more... comforted, but he wouldn't say he's into it. There's a definitely look on his face that's got some unspoken, slightly judgmental questions in it as he continues.]

I guess that could come in handy. Can you tell different kinds of magic apart? [Ferran is still working on identifying the sensations, himself.]

[oathkeeper]

[Hey now- Magic and feel good emotions. It's all the same...?? Maybe.

Sora puts up his hands and waves them a bit quickly, looking just a little embarrassed.]

Uh- Sometimes, yeah. Like evocation magic usually smells a lot like burning coals or charcoal to me.

[He's actually not sure at all if it this would be different for other monsters with the same sort of inclinations.]

Scrying magic smells like yogurt?

[noblegarnet]

[That reaction doesn't improve Ferran's perception much, but judging doesn't mean he thinks it's his place to verbally call Sora out for questionable bonding decisions.

yet.

The idea of yogurt smell is distracting, anyway.]

That's... an interesting comparison? [To say the least. He'd figure evocation just smells like... whatever is being evoked. Water or fire or earth and whatnot.] Do you know anyone else who can smell it?

[oathkeeper]

A few of my friends can notice it too. Roxas, he's a turnskin.

[So maybe it's only the more animalistic monsters that can do it? Honestly, he has no idea.]

You've never noticed anything like that before?

[noblegarnet]

I see... [So monsters with monster types with stronger senses of smell? He guesses that makes some kind of sense. Ferran hasn't grown any antennae or anything, so his sense of smell is still the same as it's always been.]

Not with smells. I couldn't really sense magic before I came here, so it's still just a bunch of mental noise to me. It's like trying to identify the notes in a song when you're tone-deaf.

[... Ferran may be a little bit tone-deaf, but don't tell anyone.]

I can tell it's there, and that there are differences, but I haven't gotten to the point to where I can actually distinguish any of it.

[oathkeeper]

[Sora tilts his head. His ears twitch.]

I think I get what you mean. When I got my first bond it sort of hit me like a truck at first. And I couldn't really tell what was what until a few months later. Now it's pretty easy.

[And Ferran is still new into his changes, isn't he?]

You've got wings now, right? Maybe you'll get a better sense as you and your bondmates get stronger? Then you'll be able to tell what all the notes are!

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran doesn't directly respond to the comment about his wings—he's been doing his best to simply ignore them and mostly pretend they're not there, out of spite. Keeping them under his long cloak has been easy enough thanks to the weather, so he's been able to avoid talking about them for the most part, as well. It's not the best coping method, but it's good enough for him.]

... right, it's probably just a matter of time and paying attention.

[Thinking more on it—about the potential of the future, specifically—sends him down some unpleasant roads, so he focuses on something else.]

Bonds are supposed to keep witches' magic stable too, right? [He casts a glance around, partly to indicate the situation that narrowly missed cooking a rabbit.] I wonder if there are a bunch of them going without one right now.

[oathkeeper]

[Sora twitches his nose. The magic in the air really is so thick that it's almost making his nose burn. And like he wants to sneeze a few times more.]

... Yeah, maybe. Bonds are supposed to help keep witches more stable so I wonder why it's been such a mess today.

[It's kind of concerning.]

Or maybe the moons are messing with them?

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran's brow furrows.] The moons?

[He looks up briefly, as if they'd be visible in the probably-cloudy midday sky. Shaking his head at himself, he turns back to Sora.]

Do they affect witches? [He hasn't been paying attention to that aspect—too much to worry about regarding his own changes.]

[oathkeeper]

I mean at nighttime, too!

[Sora chuckles.]

Sometimes the moons can get monsters all worked up and annoyed. But I don't know if the same thing can happened to witches or not. At least Vanitas has always been okay.

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran will not reference his own restlessness during the full moons; if there is a monster here who is wholly unaffected, he envies them.]

Hmm.

[So neither of them have any idea, is what it boils down to. But if this world can change them into different creatures and grant others magic, maybe the moons can affect both, as well? Maybe he'll ask his bonded...

Either way—]

Maybe we should head somewhere less crowded, if the magic is bothering you. [Less sneezing sounds like a better time.]

[oathkeeper]

[Sora laughs sheepishly and rubs his hair. Then he sniffles as predicted.]

Yeah, that's probably a good idea. I was heading back home anyway. It feels like I'm inhaling flowers out here.

[Guess he'll have to pick up snacks later.]

Were you heading that way?

[noblegarnet]

Yeah, I was doing some reading at the Coven, but I can only stay there so long before I lose focus.

[Unlike certain other incarnations of him where spending all his time reading had more concrete results. So he's heading home to recharge!]

We might as well walk together. [Especially with the cult nonsense going on.]

[oathkeeper]

Yeah! Let's go.

[No need for them to get kidnapped too. Or zapped by a stray witch bolt. Off towards the residential district they go.]

Are you reading anything cool? Vanitas always has a pile of books at home.

[noblegarnet]

[Off, to relative safety...]

I don't know about cool, but I was looking into some of the city's history.

[Ferran doesn't really judge the things he's doing based on "coolness." It's about practicality and not a lot else, at least for right now.]

There are a lot of things nobody would think to bring up because it seems obvious to them, so I guess I'm trying to play catch-up.

[oathkeeper]

[So he's a bonafide nerd. Got it.]

Oh, I was hoping you'd say stuff like some adventure books or something.

[Heh.]

Are you finding anything out about the city?

[noblegarnet]

[Wow!!!! Like sure it's true but that doesn't mean Sora should call him out.]

I'll read for pleasure when I stop feeling like I'm lost all the time. [He sighs.] It's been a lot of dry politics between noble families... but there were some interesting things about the other races moving in.

[oathkeeper]

[Sora snickers and gives a smile.]

Uh-huh. That sounds about right. What did it say about races moving in? Aefenglom has always had monsters living in town, hasn't it?

[noblegarnet]

If that were the case, I'd think there'd be way more non-humans in the nobility.

[Ferran hasn't missed the class divide. It's a significant part of the reason he hides his monster nature so often.]

It took a while before they all started living and working together... that was a long time ago, but you can still kind of see it around.

[oathkeeper]

Oh.

[That does make some more sense.]

Yeah, I guess so. Almost all of the kids at the orphanage are monsters too.

[The nobility don't tend to adopt them...]

[noblegarnet]

Are they?

[Ferran may have noticed a few requests for help there, but he knows little to nothing about the orphanage in general.]

I'm guessing you help out there? [Sora seems to be sort of a kid at heart, so he'd fit right in.]

[oathkeeper]

[He smiles and nods.]

Uh-huh. Since it opened! If you're ever bored and wanna tell some stories we're always looking for more volunteers!

[How's Ferran with kids??]

But I guess I do get the whole thing about the nobility in the city. I just wish it wasn't really the way it is.

[noblegarnet]

[Answer: Nervous, ninety percent of the time. He holds up a hand with an anxious chuckle to dismiss the idea.]

I'm not a very good storyteller.

[It's a good excuse which also happens to be true. He sobers a little at thoughts about Aefenglom's society, though.]

There are a lot of things about the world that should change, no matter where you are. [Not just that he wants to change—that should. He's had an inclination towards remedying the world's ills since he was young, and he's only become aware of just how powerless he is recently. It hasn't changed his opinions much, though.] It's easy for people with power to stop caring and just let things happen.

[oathkeeper]

[Don't worry, Sora might be obnoxious sometimes but he tries not to be pushy. If someone doesn't want to do something he doesn't push the topic. So he smiles gently and nods at that.

And about people, worlds and power...]

Yeah, I think I've seen that a few times in other worlds too. Things get out of hand if people stop caring. When the bigger picture and everyone inside it are always important. If we keep trying then maybe things will be equal for everyone someday soon!