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

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya scratches his head.] So how can they be here but not missing back home because they're here?

[firewalled]

That's... a great question. Unless they're from, like, different quantum scenarios where they were missing, but I don't know it because... I'm in a slightly different timeline?

[That kind of sci-fi nonsense would be way more up the SQUIP's alley, but like hell Rich is asking it anything. For now, he just rubs his head.]

Thinking about it gives me a headache.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya laughs sheepishly.] Eh, I hope it's not something like that! I don't need any other versions of me out there.

[Four is enough, he doesn't want to think about the reality of actual timelines crossing over either.] Are you still going to stick together?

[firewalled]

Yeah, god, one of me is definitely enough.

[Rich laughs along easily, before the next question gets his attention.]

Oh, of course! I know this place well enough to at least show them the ropes. Just because they don't know me as well, doesn't mean I can't try to get to know them, right?

[Or should Rich take this as a sign to finally leave them be? He hopes not...]

[hippocarnival]

I think that's a good idea. You're still the most familiar person around, so they don't have to be as alone to figure things out. But--I think we all do a pretty good job helping each other anyway.

[He squints at the growing lights up ahead, trying to gauge the first building that looks like it's still open at this hour.]

[firewalled]

Yeah, I guess so. As long as they trust me enough with all the extra monster parts, then I don't mind helping them out...

[Rich gets distracted as they get closer to the businesses, some still bustling despite how late it is. Should they go somewhere with more people, where they're less likely to get into something dangerous? Probably a safe bet.

Rich starts moving towards the closest place that looks more like a restaurant and less like a bar.]

[hippocarnival]

[Oh--Yuya slows down a little to follow Rich instead when it seems like he has an idea where to go. Hes not terribly picky so long as it's in doors with plenty of warmth.]

Who are your friends?

[firewalled]

[The restaurant Rich finds does seem plenty warm, a few fireplaces going. The place is also fairly deserted around this time, only a few stray patrons eyeing them as they walk in.]

Uh, their names are Jeremy Heere and Michael Mell. They're two big nerds. Jeremy's a tallass who looks nervous pretty much all the time and Michael's a big soft guy wrapped in a red hoodie. You'll probably be able to tell it's them if they have their backpacks for some reason, I wrote "BOYF" on Jeremy's and "RIENDS" on Michael's.

[...Yes, he thought this was extremely clever at the time, okay?]

[hippocarnival]

Uh... huh. [That sounds kinda like bullying, actually, but he's become friends with people who picked on him so he can't judge that much.

He waves to the hostess, who quickly gathers some menus and gestures to follow her to the table.] I'll say hi if I see them. Or when.

[firewalled]

[It was... definitely bullying. Rich honestly would be mortified to know they still had those backpacks if Michael hadn't turned it into a badge of honour, plus a teasing reminder that Rich's posturing bully days were over now.]

Hopefully you'll see them around. I think they're just trying to get used to this place right now, so they tend to hang around at home.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya nods, sitting down at the table and taking the menu offered and looking right for the drink options.]

You're staying together? Do they know if they're a monster or a witch yet?

[firewalled]

No idea yet. They didn't check. I would tell them to, but I get being nervous about it. When I got here, I didn't even believe I could change into a monster, even after they proved I didn't have magic.

[No sense pushing them into accepting something like that if they're prone to anxiety, especially Jeremy. Rich looks over his own menu, searching for something warm and sweet to keep his temperature up while he heads home.]

[hippocarnival]

I guess you guys really have a harder time. [His eyes glaze over the menu before he spots something that gets him to pause

He points at a peppermint hot chocolate.] Oh, that looks good!

[firewalled]

I don't know if I'd really call it harder. I mean, we're all away from home and people we care about. And you guys have problems too that monsters don't have.

[Granted, monsters are also likely to go feral... well, it's complicated, so Rich isn't going to just flat out say he has it worse. Seems too pitying.

He looks over at what Yuya is pointing out and makes a comical face.]

Ugh. Peppermint? It's gonna taste like you brushed your teeth.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya laughs.] It doesn't taste like that, unless your toothpaste is made of something way different.

[firewalled]

Mint always reminds me of toothpaste. It's way too weird for me.

[He notes one of the drinks has cinnamon in it and brightens as he points it out.]

This is more my style. Hot cocoa should have a kick!

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya leans over to peer at the menu.] I didn't think anything would have enough kick compared to your flaming breath.

[firewalled]

Hey, c'mon! Lay off!

[Rich reaches over to shove Yuya's shoulder, giving a sideways grin.]

I liked spicy things before I got hit with monster puberty, you know.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya chokes on a laugh.] Is that what it's like? You should hope it won't take years, too!

[Haha, it's funny, until the full moon and the transformations are agonizing.]

[firewalled]

God, I mean, as long as I don't end up with my voice cracking again. Its hard enough to get people to take me seriously with the lisp.

[Not that his fangs are making him any easier to understand.]

[hippocarnival]

Hey, a lisp gives you character? [Voice cracking is just embarrassing.

He glances up at the waitress as she passes their table again, pointing out the peppermint drink he wants and letting Rich request his own.

Once that's done he rests his elbows on the table.] Anything good about being a dragon?

[firewalled]

You don't have to try to flatter me. Pretty sure I sound pretty goofy.

[He orders the drink he was looking at, and then waits for the server to wander off before giving a half smile.]

Not a whole lot. I mean, I guess I have ways to defend myself if I get in trouble, but the talons mostly just get in the way. I guess I can sell my scales for more, because they're rare or some bullshit. And I practically shed them like confetti.

[Probably a side effect of growing on his scarred up skin.]

[hippocarnival]

You don't sound goofy. [Yuya props his chin on his hands.] If I'd been a monster, I'd definitely would have wanted to be a dragon.

[He kind of was, once, it was pretty boss and maybe this time he wouldn't be trying to destroy the world.] If you have claws then you never need a knife. And scales are shiny and look nice, right?

[firewalled]

Maybe the grass is always greener, then.

[He looks over his hands with a thoughtful smile.]

I don't mind the talons, and the scales are nice, but... I don't know. I know I'm probably going to end up turning into a full on dragon at some point, and I don't know how I'm going to feel about being that big.

[hippocarnival]

Its pretty cool. But I don't think you'll get that big, like--Fafnir wasn't.

[Morgana's dragon. They didn't have the chance to get them out of her clutches, even for a moment...

His gaze drops to the table.] I think you'll be okay. It's hard turning into something you weren't before, but you're the same person at heart.