[OPEN] Jin Guangyao March/April catchall

[turmoiling]

Who: Jin Guangyao and YOU
When: March/April catchall
Where: Aefenglom and the Wilde
What: Various prompts! Daily life + full moon night hunt.
Warnings: None right now.


1) NIGHT HUNT - FULL MOONS (back or forward dated, whichever!)

Though on a normal day, the pattern of Jin Guangyao's snake-y lower half would camouflage nicely among fallen leaves and twigs of the forest floor, this moonlit night he is anything but concealed. All bits of human skin have been shed, and the scales covering his body shimmer under the moons with a metallic gleam, hard as metal. Even then, the black dahlia tattoo forcibly graven on his forehead above the red zhushazhi mark remains still, unfortunately hardly faded at all. But even with his powers sealed away, there's something almost hypnotic about the shimmering scales.

A ribbon of gold and bronze, he slips though the forest at a modest pace, but with intent. Though it can't be said he's truly accepted his life as a monster, at least in the months since his transformation, he's come to at least accept that quelling certain urges is part of the monthly routine. With the prolonged absence of his Bonded (and that entire dispute), that means subsuming other thoughts and heading out on a solo night hunt.

He doesn't venture too far into the wildest depths; at night the blackness of the Cwyld is more easily obscured in the environment, especially dangerous to one whose body makes so much contact with the ground. Instead a flick of his serpentine tongue has caught the scent of something unpleasantly foul. Though aware there are creatures of the forests here that might be too much to handle alone, the pursuit is gratifying to monstrous instincts. If it's something too difficult, he can turn back and warn others. Otherwise, he has his sword in hand, blade catching the light as silver in contrast to gold.

The smell is stronger here, and must be along the creature's normal path. Shimmying into a neat coil, Jin Guangyao pauses and listens for the faintest sounds, tongue flickering again for some sense of the world around him. He is the most visible creature here, after all, and for all of the extra protection offered by the full moons to naga, being caught off guard is still unwise.

2) MAKEOVER, MAKEOVER

How does one deal with this, though?

[Is the mild-mannered comment easily overheard at the perfume and cosmetics shop. Jin Guangyao has his hand offered out to the clerk to compare against, seeing how the pattern of the scales join with the skin. At this point, he's still wearing a bandage across his forehead, concealing what had been done to him. But surely there was a half-decent non-magical meas to conceal it?

But the positioning is terrible, across the few scales at the edge of his forehead, an issue that would require some artistry, at the very least.]

3) A SNAKE IN THE GRASS BATH

[Aefenglom's more spa-like bathhouses, especially ones that have extra attention to Monster care, are a small blessing for a naga far too long for a conventional tub, and still rather cramped even at home. Peeling away some of the shed skin on his human half was awkward to do cleanly on his own too, and it was about time, with his scales dull and blue-ish opacity of eye scale obscuring his vision somewhat.

Soaking in the bath, he glances over as you enter the bath as well.]

Oh? I'm sorry. I hardly saw you there.

[If a snake could squint properly he probably would be; it's hard to make out through the blue. The pause is a little awkward because he really isn't sure if it's someone he should greet by name or a complete stranger.

The mark on his forehead still hasn't come off; and he can't wear bandages over it in public forever -- but at least the tattoo is partially obscured by the dullness over the scalier parts of his forehead]

[Don't see anything that strikes your fancy or want to plot and cook up something new? Give me a yell at (nanomachinesson)]!

Comments

[oftheletter]

[Near has spent a good portion of his life detecting what's bullshit and what isn't. And this is some grade A bullshit. It's even accompanied by a smile that tells him the other naga does this sort of thing all the time and expects people to believe it. Near doesn't even need to biased based on L's interaction with him to get that.

But the man's interest in make-up most likely doesn't have anything to do with his bonded or his bonded's bonded, unless it's needed because of something they caused. He doesn't care enough to pry, allowing his fellow council member to cover up his embarrassment.]

Ah. How thoughtful.

[Unlike Jin Guangyao, Near is quite willing to wear his disingenuousness on his sleeve. He points a scaled finger toward a shelf of perfume bottles.]

The children like it when the doll section of my store smells fancy.

[turmoiling]

[That's clearly just as much nonsense as his own reply, but he keeps smiling anyway. Come on, doesn't he deserve a bit of a break when things have been so hard lately? Having to live with something brazenly tattooed across his forehead -- even though a flower, the symbolism is bad as well. At least makeup would be better than a bandage that so many ask about with concern.

The attendant at the counter is the exact opposite of helpful at this moment: polite enough to not interrupt their conversations, but sliding a helpful little brochure over on the counter on how to accentuate and work with the coloration of various scale patterns, aimed mostly at naga with a nod towards dragons and chimera.

His smile is definitely a little strained on noticing, but there's really nothing to do other than offer a perfunctory thanks and internally debate which is worse, being so vain, or covering an unsightly mark. Or...]

Ah, this wasn't really necessary of her, but a nice thought, I suppose. It is the sort of store we're in. Or would you like to have it?

[He suggests pleasantly as an offhand thought upon picking up the brochure. Even though Near could probably clean himself up a bit more nicely, he's not about to imply that he could use a bit more work like *that* anyway. Just get the tangential suspiciousness out of the way as quickly as possible.]

[oftheletter]

[Ridiculous though it might be, the difference is that Near is actually being truthful. He keeps a light perfume scent hanging around the doll shelves in the hopes that it will draw in the young female customers. He can't say for sure that it improves his sales, but he also can't say that it doesn't. He's doing his best to add atmosphere. Having a grouchy naga behind the counter has to be a little off-putting even for people who are used to being around monsters.

The smallest of amused smiles crosses his face as Jin Guangyao is offered the brochure, and he shakes his head when he's offered it in turn.]

I've tried enchanted tattoos in the past. I find that anything I put on my skin is bound to come off the next time I shed, so I'd rather save myself the money.

[And he's clearly not someone who cares about enhancing their features otherwise. Make-up takes too much time to bother with. It's hardly worth using unless he can paint his scales and tail away completely.]

I don't suppose you're due for one yourself?

[turmoiling]

Ah, at some point or other.

[He says vaguely, as if he doesn't know that he, personally, tends to shed close to the full moon as part of the changes that take place during it. The mark had faded a little, it was true, but it had been etched in quite well... how many sheds would it take to be rid of it?]

I really hadn't considered that. [He lies, tucking the little brochure away in a sleeve. Out of sight, out of mind, hopefully.] In only a single shed? That really is quite inconvenient in a way, isn't it? I had thought some around here used tattooing for small enchantments now and then.

[oftheletter]

Quite inconvenient, yes. I had hoped to use them to help regulate body temperature, but I've since found other methods.

[Several other methods, because one back-up plan isn't enough. He'll take any precautions necessary to avoid freezing to death whenever it becomes slightly chilly. Jewelry enchantments have worked the best for him so far. The one talisman has been enough as long as it can be recharged.]

I'm sure it works differently for everyone.

[No one monster is the same, and all that. They aren't even the same type of snake, so who can say what differences there would be in shedding thickness.]