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Who: Alex and you!
When: Mid to end of May, Full-moon
Where:River Temese, Tavern
What: Dealing with some troublesome full-moon effects, quest, possible catch-all
Warnings: Just mild changes

Full Moon/ Transformation

i. Fish Out of Water

[ She had heard that the full moon would have an effect on her now, but hearing was different from experiencing. On her way home from the tavern, her body started to feel strange. Something was changing, and it terrified her, and while she had been warned not to fight it, Alex couldn’t help but do that. It was her automatic reaction to anything that scared her. Her neck in particular felt uncomfortable. Not painful, but she kept scratching at it as she felt something start to form across the sides.

Not fully aware of her surroundings or where she was going, Alex found herself closer to the river Temese. It was only the sound of the water that took her attention away from her neck. Something about it was soothing..beckoning even, drawing Alex towards the ledge. She gripped at the banisters that prevented people from falling into the river, her nails scraping at it as she stared down at the water. Without much thought, she started to climb over the railing, the only thing on her mind being that she needed to be in there. ]

ii. 'Cause You're So Shiny

[ Even away from water, Alex is restless, scratching the back of her hands as something harder starts to form on her skin. She keeps her head low and tries to keep to herself and out of people’s way until she can find someone who could maybe help her out, but that plan is tossed out the mental window when her eyes focus on something else. Maybe it was the way the moonlight made it twinkle or maybe it was just pretty, but whatever it was, Alex couldn’t look away and suddenly, she just had to have it. Was it around your neck? Your wrist? Maybe you’re wearing a well-polished belt buckle or your favorite earrings.

You may feel a tug as she takes a hold of you, or maybe she goes straight for whatever shiny thing is on you. Watch out for the claws. ]

Tavern

[ Alex noticed a difference in the way people spoke to her in the tavern after the full-moon. While the monsters seemed more comfortable talking to her now, the human patrons suddenly became colder. Even the way they looked at her had changed, at least, it did when they caught sight of gills on her neck. On one hand, it was kind of nice to have the other monsters lighten up around her, but the way the humans looked at her was a little too familiar for her, and not in a good way.

During her break, Alex can be found in the back trying to decide between keeping her hair up, or maybe putting it down to try and hide the new additions. You might catch holding her hair up into a ponytail, then letting it go, then repeating those actions.

Do you have an opinion, or would you rather leave the weird woman to whatever the hell she’s doing. ]

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[Since settling into his new abode Salieri has learned the trails from further into the woods towards the winding roads leading into the city. He finds it comforting to walk alone in this time of night— not only for his own sake, but for that of the quietly simmering instincts rising above the surface of his still human-self. He knows he is changing, and it will happen very soon, but for now... he merely wants to remain like this. Like the man he knows when he looks into the mirror.

The man not possessed by rage. Salieri's wary gaze scans the road ahead in the moon's dim lighting, and without missing a beat he catches the slim shadow of a figure walking toward him. His eyes squint as he attempts to make out the face of the person, but as he looks closer he sees—

—that shadow suddenly dashing toward him. Salieri's hand jumps as it reaches for the dagger at his sides, but the flash of black hair triggers something strange, something familiar—] ... Alex?!

Ngh! [She's uncommonly quick, enough so that he barely realizes she's taken hold of the gold medallion draped over his front. His hand clamps over her wrist, his gaze bewildered as he strains against the hold she has on the item.] Alex, please!

What are you doing?

[Kaede had been crossing the bridge too, though she'd been keeping an eye mostly on the moons. Her bone white horns were already difficult to hide, her pink hair impossible, and she just didn't bother anymore. Most people gave her a suitably wide berth, or at least made it easy to avoid them. She'd glanced back down every so often to make sure she wasn't about to run into something--or when movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. The horned woman's gaze snapped forwards again, her focus a bit more intense than it should have been.

She kept advancing, but with her posture stiff and alert--more like a stalking cat than a concerned bystander.]

[ The hand on her wrist doesn't stop her. If anything, it has her gripping at the medallion even harder, some of her newfound strength kicking in. Her eyes stayed on the gold that shone in her hand, so entranced by it she barely noticed her name being called. She wanted it, and she was going to have it.

She puts her weight into the back of her foot as she continues to try and pull the medallion towards her, her other hand attempting to pry Antonio's off of hers. ]

[ Alex jolts backwards slightly when someones addresses her. She's stunned for a moment, looking at the other woman before looking back down below. ]

I..I'm not sure..When did I..?

[ Yet she remained where she was, not yet climbing down from the ledge. She still felt that pull, that need to be in the river. Her nails scraped at the banister, not sure whether she was keeping herself from falling in or walking away. ]

[When she jerked like that Kaede abruptly stopped, both feet on the ground and without unbalancing and lurching over.

When the woman looked away, though, Kaede continued until she was a bit more than arm's reach away. When she stopped this time, though, Kaede just shrugged. How did she get there, so close to just jumping the railings? Or how long was she there to begin with?]

Don't know.

[ The other woman's voice was closer now, and she could feel her near by. Still, Alex didn't budge. ]

The water..looks really nice..

[ It was like that feeling of hearing running water on a hot day, like her throat and skin was dry and she hadn't had anything to drink in hours. That wasn't the case, but that's how she felt. She shifts a little, her weight leaning just a bit more over the edge. How much more weight did she have to put in before she had no choice but to fall in..? ]

[Kaede glanced to the side as far as she could without looking away from her. The river did look nice, with how it reflected the moonlight.]

Are you going to jump from here?

[There was no admonishment or judgment in her voice--nor was there concern. Like a neutral observation about the weather. Maybe this person would be fine; there was water down there. Or maybe the water was shallow and she'd break her neck. Could she even swim?]

Odd place to dive from, don't you think?

I..don't know how else to get down there.

[ It probably was strange to dive in at all, but if there was a better way. ]

I know I shouldn't but..I really want to.

—! [Salieri's teeth clench tight as her claws bite into his gloves.

It hardly takes any thought then for him to come to the realization of the moment. Alex must be enduring some kind of change, something similar to his sicknesses, only more violate and possessive. He cannot rightly imagine what sort of Monster would be so desperate as to steal his medallion but that doesn't matter right now, does it—]

Alex. [He grounds out, the chain of his necklace digging into the nape of his neck— she's pulling so tightly, as though her life depended on this.] You mustn't- get a hold of-

[And then he breathes deep.] —ALEX!

[Right in her poor face!]

[ Now that was enough to get her attention and snap her out of it. She stands there, stunned, as she stares at Antonio’s face. It takes another moment for her to recognize him, and then another to look down at her hands and see what was happening. ]

Oh..Oh my god, Antonio, I— I’m so sorry, I don’t know what-

[ She releases her hold on him. ]

I don’t know why I did that.

[ Then she catches sight of her nails. ]

What..what’s happening?

Why?

[It was a blunt question. Kaede's head tilted slightly, the motion emphasized by her horns.

Seeking water at all costs was a new one to her, but...a lot of things were new to her.]

[ He's noticed the different gazes he would receive throughout the days during his first transformation. Albeit subtle and only showing the scales and sharpened claws, hardly even at the cusp of his full ability that he himself isn't aware of, the humans of this world would look at him differently -- glaring at the black scales as he offers a smile in return.

It's easier this way, and much more efficient to earn satisfying responses.

But he's earned his fair share of entertainment for the night. The tavern is an earnest place to work but he doesn't actually perform -- he's just here for the drinks and those unfortunate to trust him once the night is over. But for the time being he's bored of that, and happens to come across Alex while she's going through her current hair dilemma. ]

I think you should wear it up. [ He says, leaning against the door frame. ] A woman's neck brings a lot of appeal.

I'm..not sure..

[ One way to find out.

Before she even finished the thought, Alex let go, her weight dropping her forward and down towards the river. ]

[It was the movement that did it. Not worry, not concern, something baser--almost mechanical. When the woman fell, Kaede lunged forwards before her thoughts caught up with her, her smaller frame wriggling through the guard rails with ease.

She reached out with claw tipped hands, grasping for the falling woman's limbs.

...Kaede didn't exactly have a plan if she did make contact, though. And she wasn't exactly anchored to anything.

This could be a problem.]

[ It's hard to find a moment of quiet in an establishment that feels as welcoming as it is unbelonging to the new blood from the Coven, but one does the best they can in the middle of work.

Kaoru's busy dancing through the throng of guests with appetizers and drinks in hand as long as it keeps him busy and keeps them happy ( human and non-human alike ), but the moment he spies one of his coworkers having a little... trouble?, he manages to slip out of routine, to find an excuse and a little time set aside to pretend like he's on break too. The staff will probably forgive him if he gets caught, anyway -- they've been soft on him ever since his charming behavior started filling up the place more than usual during his shifts.

And while it's not like he isn't noticing what's different about her, just like what's different about him -- the little things that trespass anxiously through his heart whenever he glances at his reflection now -- it isn't going to stop him from greeting her just like anyone else. ]

It looks good like that. Your hair up, I mean.

[This night has a peculiar energy that’s all its own. He’s learned of the role the full moon plays in Talas, and it’s curious and exciting to feel the charge in the air for himself. He’s walking in the night-quietened streets, musing on this and not on the others milling about at the late hour.

Not for the first time, he’s taken surprise by Alex veering into him suddenly - the hands slashing towards his chest are an alarming shift, though.

He jumps, and yells something inconsequential (perhaps fenedhis, what are you -) and reflexively grabs her wrists as they grab something in turn. Then he notes the claws, glinting in the moonlight. He stares at her face a long moment (he’s encountered her, and he knows that she was not a Monster to begin with) as his alarm fades. It leaves intrigue in its place. She is not attacking, she’s clutching the jawbone about his neck, merely – entranced?

Slowly, curiously, he lets go of her wrists. He goes instead to slip the leather cord over his head so that she can take the necklace freely.]

[ She turns her head just enough to see Belly, her hands still holding her hair up. She was quite aware he was in the tavern, although she thought he was just here as a customer. He had certain changes since she last saw him, but he didn't seem bothered by them. Nor did he seem to care for the reaction of other people. ]

..They dont seem to find..these..very appealing.

[ She knew they were gills. It was just still strange for her to call them that. Her hands lower, her hair draping over her neck. ]

[ Alex felt her ankle get tugged at, but there was only a bit of resistance before sh continued to fall down, possibly with someone in tow.

The yank was enough to snap her out of it though, realizing just where she was headed. ]

Ah!!

[She manages to grab onto a ledge, her claws digging into it. Her other hand she uses to grab the poor woman she dragged down with her. Alex winces as she feels the weight of the woman pull on her, not particularly strong herself. ]

S-sorry! Are you okay?

[ She doesn't lash out at him when he grabs her wrists, all her focus on the jaw hanging around his neck. One she feels his grip loosen along with accessory, she steps back, eyes still on her prize.

She touched along the bone, admiring he smoothness of it against her fingers and its shine. Maybe it wasn't as sparkly as a jewel, but it had a pleasing sheen to it. It gave a weird sense of satisfaction to Alex, and she felt happy having it in her possession. She appears to be more docile now too. ]

[ Alex looks over, giving him a small smile in greeting as she releases her hair. They worked the same shift sometimes, although she hadn't spoken to him much what with the tavern being busy and all. But he did greet her when he could, and she could see how friendly he was to all the customers. His own changes didn't seem to change that. ]

Thank you. Although it's not so much how it looks like that I'm worried about.

[ She admits this a little bashfully, realizing that it probably looked like she was more concerned about her appearance. ]

I'm just wondering whether I should be hiding..these..or not.

[ She gestures at her neck vaguely, not really wanting to bring attention to her gills. ]

[Well. This escalated quickly. Or...de-escalated, rather. Kaede had made contact, she'd Caught The Thing.

...now what?

She didn't have time to figure that out. In the sudden moment of clarity that came after a burst of instinct, all Kaede had time to acknowledge was that she was holding onto the woman's ankle and only her ankle.

So the horned girl just slid right off the bridge like an irate fish, complete with the same wriggling protests. Something--that person--was holding her free wrist, which was good. Relatively. Kaede was on the smaller end of things but was still definitely human sized, though, and the water shone below as mockingly calm as ever.]

What do you think?!

[Her voice didn't rise out of its contralto growl, she just got louder with it.]

[He holds his arms behind him loosely as he waits for her to regather herself, watching with patient concern. Her sudden lurch did not suggest self-possession. These transformations are troubling; he has a great compassion for those who are twisted against their will to act against their nature. He is glad, also, that something so simple is bringing her peace.

When a quiet, unhurried amount of time drifts by, he asks her gently:]

Do you need help?

Then maybe they should learn to be a little more open minded.

[ He sighs, a mixture between boredom and feigned offense. At the end of the day he could genuinely care less of the stares he received from those without the same features -- if anything it makes for a good excuse for any actions that most would describe as inhumane. ]

A ponytail suits your face.

[ He watches carefully as she lightly flutters a hand towards what's actually bothering her, and — oh. Well.

The beginnings of gills... they weren't there before.

... maybe it's just natural to be worry about something you can't control, because every time one of his newly sharpened canines presses more than a little too firmly against his tongue, he finds even the slightest puncture a cruel reminder of something he isn't willing to admit. Does she think about it that way too, though? He's wondering it now, hoping even, that maybe the share the same insecurity.

What comes out of his mouth, though, is something totally different. ]

Oh, those?

[ He keeps up his smile, more for her sake than him. ]

Meeting a mermaid is every guy's fantasy, right? ♪ I don't think it makes you any less stunning, to be honest... -- and we've got plenty of patrons with, uhm... additional features? Which means no one's going to judge, basically.

Edited 2019-06-05 03:00 (UTC)

[There wasn't a lot on Newt that shined, but the man wasn't completely devoid of metal. Newt kept a pocket watch tucked into the pocket of his vest. It was attached to a leather strap, but a small metal ring and a metal orb of some kind hung from the button of his vest it was attached to.

He's merely taking a walk when Alex and him come across each other. It's a bit late out, but the streets were emptier and he did want some time to himself with the zouwu and his niffler asleep at the moment.

Newt, needless to say, is rather surprised when the other takes a hold of him. He's surprised for anyone to be bold enough, especially at that hour, but more surprised when he recognizes who it is.] I-

Alex?

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II. 'CAUSE YOU'RE SO SHINY.

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iii; since they both work here...

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/wiggly fingers

\o/!

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II.