OPEN

[hippocarnival]

Who: Yuya + you!
When: First half of October
Where: around Aefenglom
What: Picking up parttime jobs, drinking regrettable potions, and going a little magic-mad
Warnings: Local teen boy slowly losing his marbles, lingering Dorchacht suffering

[Turnt-Up Turnips]

[The Coven is absolutely generous, but they can't provide absolutely everything. Yuya's going to need some way to actually make some money. Not a lot, he figures, so when he finds the hiring sign for the turnip shop for a little stint, he goes right away to offer help. There are probably worse jobs than carving faced in turnips.

He sits by the window on the days he's needed, so he can watch the people passing by outside while he digs faces into the turnips. Every one that he finishes, he props in the window sill for display.

But they might be a little alarming. Maybe you'd like to buy a few to terrorize anyone else with.]

[Homesick]

[Most of the excitement of bargain deals and spring cleaning is lost on Yuya, who as neither enough coin nor looking for enough possessions to take full advantage beyond trying to get a few more sets of clothes before he tears through what he has. Except the market's special potions, next to the seance ones, that the shopkeeper promises will let Yuya connect with his friends and family back home.

He falls for it hook, line, and sinker.

It isn't even ten minutes before he's sitting on a bench in a park with one, turning the vial in his fingers. He didn't get a lot of instructions beyond to "think about who he wants to see". Will it let him talk to them, maybe...? So he can let them know he's okay.]

Well, no harm in trying... [So he pops the cork off the vial and tips his head back to drink it down at once, his thoughts on his parents and his closest friends in hopes that it'll prioritize. It's unexpectedly cold, but not bad, and then there's a rush of heat that might be the magic working.

But probably not. The fever crashed onto him immediately, and regret, and then he lets out a groan and tips forward, gripping his head. He flops over on the bench, curling up and gripping the vial with misery plain on his face.]

What? It didn't even work...

[Past Curfew]

[As the nights progress, Yuya finds himself more and more unable to sleep. Sometimes it's the too-vivid memories of what he'd seen in Dorchacht, flashing behind his eyelids. That one's worse in the beginning, but he still finds rest difficult to come as it instead gives way to an agitation. Something tingling other his skin, tense and persistent and ever present in the silence of the night. He just can't take it.

So he throws on his clothes and rushes out the door in tbe middle of the night. He shivers from the cold, for a moment, hopping from foot to foot before he trots with a hurry down the road--snesking through alleyways and climbing over fences and up the sides of short buildings to get around. Occasionally he looks over his shoulder, quickly, before he continues away into the night.

He stops at some point, sitting down and waving his fingers by his knees to play around with making small illusions. Stars and glitter, changing patterns on the ground, then the shapes of his pets, building up to more elaborate scenes that fit within a couple feet.]

[Wildcard]

((For all other shenanigans over the month, feel free to hit me up at discord or monochromic

Comments

Turnt-Up Turnips

[whomthebelltolls]

[It seemed like an easy way to make a little money. A bit of a silly way to make money, but an easy one nonetheless. Also, something quiet, and calm, and meditative, and Maria needed something like that after last month.

She mostly comes in the evenings, a couple hours before the shop closes for the night. It seems today is either her lucky - or unlucky - day, however, because she recognizes one of the faces sitting in the corner, near the windowsill.

The displeasure flares up, and then dissipates. No, they can avoid each other. She's going to hope he has the grace not to make a scene in this nice place, and interrupt her meditation.

If he doesn't think better of accosting her when she's sitting there with numerous sharp implements within easy arm's reach, at least. She'll hope, as she sits, and pulls out the little peeling knife, and starts carefully, methodically, and probably too accurately peeling the reddish skin of the turnip right off it.]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya looks up when he hears the door chime, seeing Maria at the same time she sees him--and then he bristles, pursing his lips with an equally distasteful expression.

The staredown lasts for a minute before Yuya finally turns back to his turnip and starts to carve with new urgency. After everything in Dorchacht, her attitude is a little bit of a sore--]

Ow! [And being so distracted means he jams the paring knife into his thumb. He jerks his hands away and shakes it with a hiss.] Shoot!

[whomthebelltolls]

[Ah yes, and he still hasn't gotten over that. Well, it's not Maria's job to cater to other people's emotional states, especially when they don't even like her to begin with, so she's just going to enjoy her time carving a few more turnips. She has a task she would like to accomplish with them, and the more she can carve, the closer to that goal she gets.

... Even when it's very obvious that now he's so distracted that he's obviously not as okay ignoring her as she is with ignoring him, though she doesn't really look over at him until the slight tang of blood hits her nose.

Much, much more delicately, she sets the knife and the turnip down on the table, and looks over at him, quietly observing to see how bad the injury might be, but not saying anything yet.]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya looks at his thumb for a moment before sticking it to his mouth to cub the bleeding. He seems inclined to treat it like it isn't a serious injury. But it is bleeding and he doesn't want to get blood on his turnip.

So he tries to hold it between his knees as he digs in with the knife with his other hand, which isn't a great idea and he's lucky, when the force of the knife just dislodges the turnip, that he doesn't just stab himself again.

Instead he just sends his turnip rolling along the floor to Maria's feet. Yuya watches it go, and then his eyes roll up to her.]

[whomthebelltolls]

[Ah yes, he's so agitated and distracted this is just going to be a problem if he keeps it up. But what is she going to say? Some sort of shallow platitude. Not at all. She won't apologize for what she said, or did, or the threat she made, even if she hasn't yet acted on it. At least not fully.

The turnip thuds to a stop at her feet, and she leans down, reaches out, and grabs it up. It's carved like he's gotten pretty used to doing this, and it even looks like the turnip got out without any blood on it, from his little accident. Once she's done appraising the face, she turns to look back up at him, and makes a little motion like she wants to throw it back over to him.] Here.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya's halfway out of his seat when he grabs the turnip, and it makes him stop as he waits to see what she'll do. He's not about to just tear it out of her hands or anything.

When she motions like she's going to throw it, he just stares for a moment before he sets his knife on the chair and holds his free hand open to catch it.]

[whomthebelltolls]

[She turns her hand underhanded, and gives the turnip a light toss. It's mostly on-target as long as his reflexes are good and he lines it up right.

There, see, that was painless. And she even got his turnip back to him.

Truly the worst kind of villain. Especially once she considers her turnip again. Let him be feckless in her presence, it's fine.]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya fumbles a little, but manages to catch the turnip in his free hand. He pulls his thumb from his mouth to inspect how stopped the bleeding is before grabbing his knife and sitting back down.]

... Thanks. [He hasn't completely forgotten his manners, though he doesn't look up from his turnip.]

[whomthebelltolls]

Mm. [She gives a firm, but brief nod, and watches him completely avoid eye contact for a moment. She'd be more amused, if she actually had a sense of humor.

As it is, it's just sort of mildly fascinating. She wasn't here to make friends - she's said that time and again, and she doesn't really care what people think of her, but it is interesting to watch them distract themselves with their own dislike.]

Do you need anything for the injury?

Past Curfew

[firewalled]

[Rich usually doesn't go to bed early, though lately, he has been finding himself tired earlier, the cold sinking into his skin sooner. He still often finds himself going for walks on those nights, though, just to make him exhausted enough to make sure he's not lost in thought when his head hits the pillow.

He's surprised to see Yuya out, though, though he is quietly impressed when he sees the display of magic. He watches from afar for a moment before stepping closer, whistling a low note.]

Those are pretty cool. Guessing your lessons are paying off.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya looks up, the distraction causing his illusions to dissipate as his focus is drawn elsewhere. When he sees who it is, though, he smiles.]

Thanks! It's pretty fun. [He circles his fingers to create a new swirl of rainbow lights.] I've been feeling like I need to do more, lately, so I guess I'm getting used to the magic.

[firewalled]

It does sound like it. Don't burn yourself out too much though. I can't imagine learning all the different spells is easy.

[Though to be fair, Rich isn't up to date on what magic lessons are really like. Are Witches all taught the same thing, or do they focus on different areas?]

What are you doing out so late anyways? It's damn cold...

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya shrugs.] Didn't feel like sleeping, so I thought I'd enjoy the nightlife.

[He spreads his hands, waving them a little for emphasis, not entirely serious.] What about you? Do you need a jacket?

[firewalled]

[Rich chuckles, sighing exasperatedly.]

Fine, touche. I don't usually get cold, though. Usually I ended up too hot. That's why I'm always wearing tank tops.

[Or... wore. He doesn't often have the option for that now.]

[hippocarnival]

Well, it's getting closer to winter, right? [So it's colder outside. Makes enough sense to him, in all his simple wisdom.]

[firewalled]

You underestimate my ability to be a space heater, dude.

[As if mocking him, the wind makes a shiver run through him, and he frowns.]

I guess it is a little colder than it was back home here, though.

[That's probably why he's been feeling so cold to the touch. He's just not used to the weather here.]

[hippocarnival]

I'd offer to get you my jacket, but I don't think it'll fit. [Because Yuya is a shrimp.

He waves his hands to get rid of the illusions and gets to his feet.] Is any place still open right now?

For Myr

[hippocarnival]

[There's a lot of work to be done for the refugees they saved still--Yuya's glad to hear that there's still open housing for them, like the Mirrorbound, but it's also a little sobering to think about how so many empty houses have come about.

Anyway, the sooner they're prepped the sooner they can get those refugee monsters into a safe place to live and recover. Yuya has no skill in caprentry, so instead he's handling other tasks like cleaning out the dust, dirt, and old possessions.

He's got a broom to sweep everything out out the front door, creating a dust pile on the pavement outside. Occasionally he stops to peek out and see who's passing by.]

henlo friend!!

[faithlikeaseed]

[Myr's likewise not much use for carpentry, but there's so much else that needs doing--babysitting, provisioning, simple education--that he's never wanted for something to occupy his time and his hands. Which, given all he wants to keep his mind off of right now, is absolutely perfect.

Today's task is a little sight-seeing tour with a couple of the refugees themselves. It's not at all an ideal job for a blind man-- But, well, Myr'd made a friend of someone he'd freed in Dorchacht and she had insisted she'd accept no one else as a guide. They make kind of a charming pair, a full-shift aardwolf Turnskin dragging a half-finished Faun along by his elbow as they chatter away at a mile a minute.]

--only been through two full moons myself, [Myr's saying, as they walk past the house Yuya's sweeping out.] So I'm no expert on it, but it also hasn't been entirely terrible without a Bond. This'll be my first one with--

[Unbeknownst to him his companion's become distracted, peering into the house to see who's making all that noise. A Witch! she yelps, on spotting Yuya, and promptly puts herself on Myr's opposite side.]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya stops mid-sweep, staring at them. He leans the broom back and raises his hand.] Uh, hi.

[He sure is a witch.] It's okay! I'm not going to do anything.

bc myr has a good memory & i don't always, lmsk, lemme know if he's wrong here re introductions

[faithlikeaseed]

He's not going to do anything, [Myr echoes, with a reassuring smile.] He's Mirrorbound--one of the ones who came to Dorchacht with us.

[The Turnskin looks briefly dubious, studying Yuya closely for any sign he's not Mirrorbound and about to pull a charm spell on her. But the moment passes, and she lifts a hand to wiggle her fingers shyly at him.

Myr can't see all that, of course, but he's grown accustomed to interpreting pauses and making guesses about them.] Lalu, this is--serah Yuya, was it? I don't know we've been formally introduced ourselves.

THIS IS GOOD

[hippocarnival]

Uh--just Yuya. [Not Sarah.] We've talked over the little watches.

[He points between him and Myr for emphasis. Not that he can... see that. But Lalu can.] But it's nice to meet both of you properly! Are you settling in okay?

FAB

[faithlikeaseed]

Same to you, [Myr says, with a brightening smile. Lalu nods her own assent to that idea and adds, We are! There's sooo many things to do and see and we can do ANY of them! All on our own!

Someone's very happy to be free, even if it's scary now and then.]

We'd just been discussing the moons, since they weren't an influence on Monsters back in Dorchacht. They're unsure what to expect.

[hippocarnival]

Oh. [Yuya holds his smile on his face, but that's right--the moons were blocked, and if their memories of the time before that are too... they probably can't remember what it's like at all.]

Well, they happen all the time in Aefenglom... uh, I don't experience them personally, but I think you'll have a lot of support from the other monsters who do. It might be scary at first, but you'll be okay.

[He sure won't make it sound absolutely awful and make Lalu terrified. No need to explain how the last full moon he saw he was kidnapped, no sir.] Do you have a place to stay yet? We're getting them ready as soon as we can.

apologies for the delay on this; Birthday Weekend occurred ahaha

[faithlikeaseed]

[Ah, the moons. While Myr had likewise been doing his best to be reassuring to his fellow Monster, he also... was not one to stint on detail when questioned closely about something. Lalu looks suitably worried as the topic comes up, her earlier enthusiasm muted; she swallows hard as Yuya mentions the moons being scary...but also nods in brave agreement that she'll be okay.

Still, it is very obviously not something she wants to dwell on! Thus her eagerness to pounce on the topic of dwellings: Noo-ooo. Can I go look inside that one? I like the colors!

She points to a nearby house that's already got a partial--and enthusiastic--paint job.]

I don't see, [hah,] why not, [Myr says, tipping his head in Yuya's direction. Not quite the same impact as looking at the younger man, but, well.] Any reason why she can't?

[Not "we," so he's intending to stay behind.]