June Catch-All | OPEN

[indolentaxe]

Who: Hilda and others
When: early Iuneril
Where: throughout the city
What: Hilda's back in Aefenglom, for real this time.
Warnings: none as of yet; will update if this changes


I. Arrival

[Hilda had just about convinced herself that her month in Aefenglom was a weird dream when she finds herself back in it, mere days after she had left it behind. This time, at least, Geardagas does her the decency of not flinging her into violent, stormy seas. Instead, she comes to in a room full of mirrors, all dingy and neglected except for the one in front of her. What she sees inside of it speaks of home. She quickly turns her attention elsewhere--no point in making herself feel worse about being here.

It's not long before she and a few others are ushered away from the mirrors and into the Coven. There, they are given a re-introduction to the city and the world, tested for magic, and given a new set of expectations now that they seem to be regular Mirrorbound and not strangely-arrived visitors.

Again, Hilda tests negative for magic. The Coven can't confirm or deny that she'll be Aeternae, but they do warn that her full transformation this time will take months.

Hilda's not sure if that's better or worse than her rapid transformation before, honestly.

Either way, soon she's set loose into the city. She parks herself in the Coven's courtyard, not really in the mood to go exploring just yet, and watches the passers-by. Should someone catch her eye, she'll smile and wave.

Just because she's overwhelmed by her re-arrival is no reason to be rude, after all.]


II. Party

[Whether or not she's still one of them, the Diasteran Aeternae are more than happy to welcome her back to the fold. One such individual with whom she had dalliances last month even goes so far to express his condolences at her current appearance, assuring her that she'll be back to form in no time. It doesn't occur to him that she's not really supposed to be a monster, and that this is her truest form.

Ultimately, Hilda supposes that fact doesn't matter. She's a monster here. It's only a matter of time before she looks like one again.

Even without the buzzing of energy pulsing under her skin and the monstrous instinct to overdo it, a party is a party and the Aeternae are good at them. She's not even sure what this particular one is for--someone's birthday, she thinks she overhears?--but whatever. She's into it. She'll just duck out when things start getting too crazy.

In the meantime, she can be found approaching random partygoers with a smile.]

Come on, let's dance!

[Or, if it's later in the night, she can be found lounging on the very outskirts of the party.]

Needed some air too, huh? They're definitely getting into the 'send the kids to bed so they don't see anything' part of the night.

[As it goes with Aeternae, really. It's not as wild as the full moons last month, but it's still plenty rowdy.]


III. Network, text; un: hilda

Hey everyone, so it looks like a few of us who came in on the ships last month are back. Including me.

Has this sort of thing happened before? The Coven was kind of weird about it when I asked, going on about how it seems like every Mirrorbound arrival is unique or whatever.

Also, how long can I get by without a Bond? I don't want to rush into anything, since it sounds like it's really intimate, what with the sharing of feelings and all that. But I don't really want to go feral, either.

Thanks for the help! ♥


IV. Wildcard

Feel free to tag in with your own starter or hit me up at asondeiru or asondeiru #9009.

Comments

arrival

[worldcleansing]

[ Someone as studious as Light spends more than enough time at the Coven and over time, he's become accustomed to the various faces that come and go. The friendly-seeming girl isn't one such case. Of course, it doesn't make her a new arrival, but it's about that time. Deciding to take that chance, with arms full of books, he decides to head in her direction. His own face wears a friendly smile. ]

You're a new face.

[ Be it because she's new to this world or simply only now decided to check out the Coven. ]

Did you just arrive or grow an interest in magic?

[indolentaxe]

Just arrived. I was part of the shipwrecked crew last month, and I guess this city couldn't get enough of me.

[Hilda shrugs with a wry smile, trying desperately to come off casual even as she's overwhelmed by everything. She's somewhat successful, although an astute observer would definitely be able to see through it.]

From what the Coven tells me, there's not much point in me taking up an interest in magic--I don't have any. Which isn't all that different from home, except the whole 'turning into a monster' part. Not really looking forward to that.

Anyway, where are my manners? I'm Hilda. What's your name?

[worldcleansing]

[ It's interesting; Light is one such astute observer and if he wasn't, Hilda would have come across as someone who didn't seem to hold anything back, not even to a stranger. Not that he blames her for trying to hold everything together since he'd been exactly the same. You can be honest and still try to keep yourself under control under stressful situations. ]

Light.

[ He offers her a smile and takes a seat, giving enough distance to be polite. ]

But I disagree with the Coven. Even if you can't learn magic, it's good to understand it. It's everywhere in this world. Everybody should understand it a little.

I can't really blame you for being nervous about the changes into a monster. If it's any help, it won't happen all at once, usually.

[indolentaxe]

Nice to meet you, Light.

[That's an odd name in that it's not really a name at all. Hilda's not judging him for it, per se, but his parents must have had a screw loose or something.

Out of politeness, she keeps these thoughts to herself.]

Maybe I'll peek in on some lessons or something after I've had a chance to settle. But I wasn't really good for much magic back home either, so most of it's probably going to go over my head. [She shrugs, clearly not too troubled by the fact.]

Part of me kind of wishes it would happen all at once. Like ripping off a bandage and just getting it over with, you know?

[worldcleansing]

[ She doesn't know half of the oddity that is his name. Light's only thankful that the translation is able to translate it correctly when he writes it out. ]

My world didn't have magic at all, but I don't think it's too much to say I've gained a lot of power as a witch. There are a few classes that teach a basic level of magic that a witch trying for any specialization to learn. That might be a good choice.

[ Her comment earns a chuckle. ]

A brave reply. On the bright side, once you start the changes, you can figure out what you might become and that'll give you more time to prepare for it. Since you're new, you have some time to look into it. It's good to be proactive, but don't get overwhelmed. It's a lot, coming to a new world and learning all of this.

[indolentaxe]

[Hilda nods along with the suggestion, sincerely considering it. If nothing else, it'll help her understand how everything works here. And since she's a Witch, it's not like the instructor can expect anything of her aside from her presence and maybe her attention.]

I don't know if it's brave so much as it's impatient, but thank you.

[She flashes him a smile that's not the least sorry about that aspect of her character.]

I guess you're right in that things happening slowly gives me time to prepare for it while I'm learning about the world and all that. It's very different here than where I'm from. Is it the same for you? I mean, aside from the 'has magic/doesn't have magic' thing.

[worldcleansing]

Magic is so important here, it's hard to imagine a world that wouldn't be very different without magic. Technology is more advanced in my world so, in addition to adjusting to the magic, I had to learn how to live without some things. Thankfully, a lot of things can be replaced by spells.

[ So Light imagines monsters must have a much harder time. ]

I'm from a country called Japan, and if I had to guess, this one more closely resembles a country that's on the Western side of the world. That means a lot of different customs, too. If we were back home, we'd have bowed to each other and used last names instead.

[ He chuckles and looks to the sky. ]

Even wearing shoes inside of houses was new.

[indolentaxe]

I'm having the opposite problem--there's so much technology here that we couldn't even imagine having back in Fódlan. Everything's so bright, and I never know what to do with all the lights and switches. [She holds up her watch.] Took me forever to even figure this thing out.

[She listens to him speak of his homeland with honest curiosity. As insular as Fódlan is, the closest to a foreign culture she's really engaged with is "those more religious people from Faerghus who live in the freezing cold." Major differences like this are totally unheard of. Except for places like Almyra, which are just Wrong.]

So I would be "Goneril" to you? That's weird to think about--that's my family's name, not mine. How do you tell people from the same family apart, if you call them all the same thing?

And you just go barefoot indoors? Don't your feet get cold?

[They're honest questions, if somewhat microaggressive.]

[worldcleansing]

It's a little harder to explain, but it would be rude to just use your last name when we first meet. Saying just 'Goneril' would be too forward. Since we seem to be close in age, and we're opposite genders, I would use 'Goneril-san' instead. It's a lot like Mr. or Mrs. in the English, which most people seem to get. If we got closer, then I'd switch to your first name.

If our feet are cold, the room's too cold. We just increase the temperature, but we do also wear socks. That's allowed. Public buildings allow shoes, and we have special shoes we switch into for school.

[ It's a complicated system. ]

But, I'm not in Japan anymore. Asking to use your last name isn't something that would be respectful, it'd just feel weird to you.

[ Light laughs a little, knowing it's a lot. ]

Like I said, a lot of adjustments.

text; un: jiangwanyin

[lotus_of_rage]

It has happened at least once before. When I arrived almost a year ago, my brother was completely unsurprised I was here and he was insistent that I would turn into a merrow. Which I did so I suspect there was another me then and he was also a merrow. Another who has been here longer also remembered the unusual arrival of people last year.

You can get by without a bond for several months. My current bond was pushing the limit of it before she bonded with me.

[indolentaxe]

It's weird enough coming back and remembering everything. I can't imagine what it must be like to have people remember things about you that you don't.

[It sounds downright creepy, honestly. She'll take the disorientation of her own situation over that.]

And good to know on the bond thing! Gives me time to get settled in and figure things out.

How do you go about finding one? Do you just ask around?

[lotus_of_rage]

You were certainly right about that. It was very strange to have people remember I'd been here, but I didn't. Of course, I can't picture what remembering would have been like.

I think around three months is where it begins to become difficult from what I have seen.

Hmm... asking around. A friend you've made. People can have several bonds so just because someone is bonded with one doesn't prevent them from bonding again.

[indolentaxe]

It's disorienting more than anything. I got to go home for a few days and then suddenly I'm back here. Gives me a headache, but it's better than having people I don't know recognize me or whatever.

Three months still isn't a lot of time, but I guess I have no choice but to start networking and hope for the best, huh? Good to know that you can bond with more than one person at a time. It'd be a real pain if I had to find someone unattached so quickly.

[lotus_of_rage]

Hmm... when you describe it like that, I certainly understand. Remembering means you also get to remember being in multiple places in only a few days.

I was lucky and didn't have to work to get my bonds. But I've heard plenty of people who were struggling with that. I believe my sister was bonded with three at once.

Are you a witch or a monster?

[indolentaxe]

I guess it's tough both ways. It'd be nice if we only came in the once and were done with it.

And wow, three people at once! And it didn't do anything weird to her? The Coven told us not to overdo the bond thing.

I'm a Monster. Which sounds really dramatic, spelled out like that.

[lotus_of_rage]

Yes, that would be nice. We have people who have left after being here for a while or have been compelled to look in the mirrors and they apparently get new memories from both of those actions. Very strange.

Not that I am aware of. I think three was the limit of what she could do so I wouldn't try any more than personally.

I am as well. I am a merrow.

[indolentaxe]

The more I think about it, the more it makes my head hurt.

I'll keep the limit of three in mind, thanks! I'm glad your sister didn't overdo things.

[She notices that he's speaking of her in the past tense--either something's happened to her, or she's no longer in the city. Hilda hasn't been here long, but she at least knows that Mirrorbound seem to come and go without much rhyme or reason. Either way, maybe for the best that she not bring it up.]

Aren't merrow the fishy ones? Is it gross to be one?

[Tact is optional when it comes to Hilda.]

text; un: zack

[exsoldier]

Hi there, Hilda, and welcome!

This kind of thing has happened before, but we didn't come in on a ship. That's new. When it happened to me, people were showing up all over the city, coming through anything that could be considered a reflective surface. I woke up in a fountain. Can't say I recommend that.

You can go a few months without a bond, and there are potions you can take to stave off the effects, but I wouldn't push it. If you wait too long, you could end up hurting people, whether you're a Monster or a Witch.

[indolentaxe]

Thank you, Zack!

I think I would have preferred to wake up in a fountain over an ocean, but I can understand why that wasn't a fun experience. But it's so weird how Mirrorbound just pop in randomly like this. It's pretty rude, if you ask me. It wouldn't kill them to have us wake up somewhere comfortable like a bed, you know?

[Never let it be said that Hilda doesn't have her priorities straight.]

I don't plan on pushing it, but the warning's good to know. I've seen feral, and I really don't want to end up like that.

[exsoldier]

Normally it isn't quite as jarring as what happened to me and you. There's a place where all of our mirrors are kept, which is how most people arrive. Even though you showed up on the boat, you should have one there too. I think.

And wait, you've already seen someone go feral here?

[indolentaxe]

I came in on the boat, left, and then came back the normal way. So I have a mirror in the house, but it's all dusty and dingy in there! It's better, but still not great.

[There's a long pause before she sends another message to address the question. She invited it upon herself, really, but it's not a happy memory. Even now, it brings an unpleasant sting to her eyes to think on it for very long.]

No, not here. Back home. An old friend lost it, and it wasn't pretty.

[Hopefully Zack will get the hint and drop it.]

[exsoldier]

I also showed up, left, and then came back again. It's disorienting, I know. Hopefully you don't have have too much trouble settling in.

[ And oh, that explains it. Zack does have some idea of what that's like, seeing a friend go over the deep end and having no way of bringing them back. Which is why he will take the hint. ]

Sorry to hear that. Well, if people go feral here, it's usually something that can be handled, but better to avoid getting to that point at all. Are you a Monster or a Witch?

[indolentaxe]

It's nice to know it's not just me. Or us, I guess. I think there were four of us who came back?

[Thank the Goddess for small favors--he took the hint.]

That's good that people can be brought back from it, but I still don't want to try it out.

I'm a Monster. Last month I was an Aeternae, so I'm thinking I'll probably be one again. How about you?

[exsoldier]

Huh. That's not many at all. Feels like there were way more of us last time.

[ Does that mean something? He has no idea. It's worth noting, though. ]

Yeah, you probably will be. Aeternae are pretty new around here, so I don't know that much about them. I'm a chimera. Fully done with my transformation, at this point.

... Typing with talon hands took some getting used to.

[indolentaxe]

Is that so? Weird.

[Hilda also notes that fact, even as she pointedly insists to herself that it doesn't matter.]

Aeternae only showed up last month on the ship, right? Everyone was really shaken up about what a ruckus they caused. [She says, as if she weren't also involved in the parties that popped up.] Have they calmed down at all yet?

And I can imagine. I'm having a hard enough time typing in the first place.