middaeg | Greetings always followed by sweet goodbyes [Open]

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Greetings always followed by sweet goodbyes [Open]

Who: Majima Gorō and OPEN
When: June!
Where: Everywhere!
What: Giant chickens, runework, plus quests and basically a monthly catch-all.
Warnings: Violence in the sunbear fight thread. Salty language, maybe.

A: I'll call you Nugget

[ Whoever had said 'don't go borrowing trouble' had been a smart guy, a wise man indeed, but the thing about being told you could potentially learn to transform yourself into a totally rad magic animal was that Majima wanted to do it immediately. So it was a quiet day in the Haven, sure -- up until, with a brilliant burst of magical fireworks, a giant, six-foot tall feathery menace descended upon one of the courtyards, stalking through the garden. ]

Fuck.

[ Someone get an adult. ]

B: Runetchers

[ Majima looked up when the shop door opened. It was a slow day, which meant he'd been making progress with the pile of scrolls and other orders for enchanted items. It also meant that his fingers were cramped, and a little distraction couldn't hurt. ]

Hi there, welcome to Runetchers.

[ He stood, gave the potential customer a little bow in a show of impeccable good manners. ]

Are you lookin' for anything in particular?

Research Required (For Justine)

Oh, I... yeah. Is there any way we could skip that part?

[ Apparently, no one had told Majima that this particular research was going to require Bonding. Hey, don't get him wrong -- connections were important, and so was emotional support? But getting himself magically attached to someone when he still hadn't made peace with the idea of sticking around long-term didn't really strike him as the best of ideas.

...especially since he wasn't sure if he wanted to get un- magically attached. He looked around for a friendly face, wondering how the hell he was going to bullshit his way out of this one. ]

Pastoral Pursuit (For Iramaat)

Hey, uh. For what it's worth, I'm sorry about your ears.

[ Look, maybe while they were wandering out into the woods looking for some stray sheep was not the best time to bring this up? But hey, Iramaat's ears had been kind of cool, and she knew how to nab foxes, and Majima knew if he'd had to give up one of his favorite features, he'd be pretty pissed about it.

With no outward signs of change, it was fairly obvious what side of the monster-witch coin that Majima had ended up on. He climbed over a fallen tree trunk, careful not to stave in its soft trunk. ]

Wildcard

Feel free to hit me up via Tetradecimal or PM for plotting!

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No, I—

( turning a small circle to better take in the store that she's come into, she pauses upon a glimmer of recognition and her sentence becomes an entirely different one: )

We've met, I think?

( it occurs to her a moment after saying it that she's not certain they exchanged names in the doing, and has a brief moment of excruciating embarrassment that she crushes and sets aside. a great deal happened very quickly, and small lapses are surely forgivable.

she lifts a finger, a loose gesture to encompass the shop— ) I am most interested in runes.

Madame de Lamorraine, if I'm not mistaken?

[ Having a head for names came with his last job, and the skill had stood him in good stead since he'd showed up at the Looking Glass House. ]

They're useful, for certain. Buy somethin' from a craftsman, and ya know you have a tool that will work the way you're expecting.

[ Which was not always something that could be said for other forms of magic, sadly. ]

[That's quite the impressive chicken.

But, also, why is there a chicken.

The gardens outside the abandoned mansion Kaede supposed she (and...others?) lived in now were still in a state of neglected disarray, but Kaede had at least wanted to fix a little of that and wanted to get it right first. So she'd been tending to a small corner, tucked away mostly out of sight of the main house; the plot had just a few daylilies and marigolds, gifts from the gardening class. And some of the rows were crooked, but that was background information to a whole ass rooster that had appeared over the wall.

Quite a bit bigger than that, really. But its appearance was so sudden that Kaede started back, kicking over a bag of soil as she stood. Her horns were longer than when she'd met Majima last;--almost twice as long, with a little antlerlike fork starting on the left one. And her posture was still hunched over, but that might just have been because Kaede was Alarmed yet undecided if she wanted to be defensive or to run off yet.]

What was that?

[Did...it just talk? Or was she just imagining its squawk sounding like a word?]

[ Was is possible for a chicken to break into a cold sweat? Because that sure was how Majima felt at the moment, registering Kaede's face before her horns. ]

Uh...

B-kawk.

[ When in doubt, do an incredibly terribly job of pretending to be a normal chicken, right? Goddamn, when was this spell going to run out? Maybe he should just come clean.

Or maybe he'd just kind of... guiltily make pecking motions at the ground. Sorry to disturb... ]

[Okay, it was...sort of acting like a chicken? Kaede had still never seen an Actual Legitimate Chicken in person, just an irritable cockatrice. Was this another of the magic animals running around, too? This...whatever it was seemed nervous, though. Which also seemed silly, given Kaede was quite a bit smaller than it even without the feathers.

It pecked at the ground near where she had planted some of the flowers, and Kaede made up her mind finally. With a scowl she started forwards, raising her claw-tipped hands.]

Hey, don't knock those over.

[She's going to shove the chicken.]

[ Why is there a chicken in their courtyard? Why is there a chicken easily a head taller than her in their courtyard? Walking through the gate with grocery parcels in her arms, she stares up at this fowl creature, blinking owlishly as her brain attempts to catch up. Should she be running in terror right now? She should probably be running in terror right now. And yet... ]

...Ah, are you lost?

[ Look, after walking through some weird magic mirror into a land of magic and monsters, acting surprised every time something weird happens gets tiring after a while. But this definitely ranks top 10 weirdest things she's seen this month. ]

Ow, hey! What's with the animal cruelty?

[ Kaede truly was the real monster here. Majima, unused to balancing in his new form, had to flap to keep upright, and sort of had to hustle a little ways away like when you dropped a chicken in Breath of the Wild.

Okay, chicken cover blown. ]

I see you're feelin' better.

Uh, literally or figuratively?

[ Great, a wise chicken. Majima fluffed out his tail, but it was completely involuntarily because a minute ago, he hadn't even had a tail. ]

Just my cluck. I don't suppose ya know a good counterspell?

I've had a bit of time to get over the loss.

[ Iramaat sighs, perhaps a bit dramatically. ]

I did love them. Do love them. But I suppose it can't be helped and I certainly can't lie around all day and mope.

[ Although she absolutely would if she thought it would get her the attention she wanted. Instead, she's out here, being active and trying to be as forthright as she can. She hopes over the tree trunk and gives him a sly look. ]

I suppose you haven't had any changes...?

Physically speakin'? Sorry to disappoint.

If anything, I'm weaker here.

[ Which Majima wasn't happy about, to be honest. Look, everyone had off days. But when you were used to being able to hit dudes into midair 270s and tank small-arms fire, it was disconcerting to... not be able to do that. ]

Been trying to figure out how to best use the magic around here to get back to where I used to be.

[ So, doubling down on that enchantment study, basically. Why did he have to get stuck with the powers that required studying? Not that it wasn't nice being able to snap his fingers and turn on the lights. ]

And is it just me, or do we end up retrievin' a lot of animals?

I understand that. I'm not... weaker, I don't think-

[ Her skills haven't been dulled, although she isn't quite at her physical peak anymore. ]

They've definitely stripped away some of my power, though. Or the journey here has. It's odd.

[ She wrinkles her nose with a frown. ]

...maybe they just like animals? This is, what, the second time? Maybe they should build better fences or something.

Right? It's frustratin'.

[ Oh, and what was this? A little teeny bit of golden fleece, stuck up on a thorny bush that looked like it had been munched. ]

I think we're on the right track. Unless, of course, someone else lost their special gold sheep in these same woods.

[ Which seemed kind of unlikely to Majima even in this new world of weirdness. ]

C'mon, the game's afoot and all that.

Need a hand?

[Justine's voice is light and warm as she steps next to Majima's side. She'd been hoping to see him again after spending the afternoon exploring the city together.

She glances at the quest that Majima is interested in and genuinely considers helping him. It'd be a way to pay him back, after all, he's done so much for her. Even if he doesn't realize it.] If you don't mind bonding to me. [She looks up at him, her smile nerve wavering.]

It can be temporary.

[She doesn't mind.]

We just keep runnin' into each other, don't we?

[ The question was part amused, and a little bewildered. But if there was anyone whose face Majima was happy to see right now, it was Justine's. ]

I... yeah, okay.

[ For good or ill, he sort of... trusted her? Trusted that she wouldn't somehow turn this around on him, use it to try and extract something he didn't want to give. ]

It's not that I'd mind all that much, anyway, y'know? It's just... you let someone get close, it's easy to get burned. General principle, and all that.

[ One of the witches was holding out a silvery goblet; Majima took it. And, after a moment's hesitation, offered Justine his hand. ]

[Her smile softens as her gaze shifts from the board to the ornate silver cup.]

I know. [Understanding laces through her voice as she lightly slips her hand in his.] I don't trust people Majima. I... never have. I couldn't afford it but- [Her dark eyes lifted to meet his.] I can trust you. Even if it's only for a little while.

[Her heart is fluttering like a caged bird in her chest. She's made her choice but she can't help but be a little nervous about it. Justine's never done something like this before and it's... it's a step forward. Hopefully it turns out for the best and not the worst.]

Just for a little while.

[ He repeated, feeling somehow exposed despite being in a neatly-pressed full suit. Hell, why not? She'd kept him from those fae, he'd watched over her while she slept.

Majima took a sip from the goblet and handed it to her. He didn't mouth any words of promise, that wasn't part of the Bond, but he couldn't help thinking of the last time he'd shared drink with someone.

That wasn't this. It was... different. ]

[Justine inclines her head in a subtle nod of acceptance as she takes the silver goblet and lifts it to her lips. Cool metal touches her lips and then the chilling liquid coursing down her throat. It's odd but then the moment ends and the chilling sensation ebbs.

When she speaks, her voice is soft but determined as she makes a single promise.]

I will do by best to earn your trust.

[It's the least she can do, as long as they are bonded.]

[ Majima's response was more subdued, but it came with the weight of a man that meant more than what he was saying. ]

...I won't let ya down.

[ Wouldn't let any harm come to her, wouldn't betray her trust. Once Justine took her drink, it was like a reaction had gone off inside him. That magic, which he'd kept in check through daily practice, a constant struggle to regain what Majima felt he'd lost, suddenly blossomed in intensity.

Right. Witch-witch bonds. ]

Let's... let's get going, right? Make some good observations.

[Justine's own magic had been subdued somehow. Either by her own skepticism or by the simple fact that she knows nothing about magic but it's different now. Warmth and energy pulse through her frame, blossoming and unfurling in its dangerous beauty. She knows some about the technicalities of bonds but she'd never truly understood it until she felt it.

This is why the witches stopped these kinds of bonds and yet, they'd lived centuries boding to each other.

Her hand stays in his as she inclines her head in a gentle nod.] Yes. Let's go. [She'll follow him wherever he went. Now it feels like she needs to follow him or feels more complete near him. It's an odd sensation but not entirely unpleasant.

As they step away she lifts her fingers summoning little glowing dots of light that begin to bob and wave in the path in front of them. They're completely harmless and they siphons off a little of the magic that parks between them.]

Hey, you've been practicin', huh? Me, too.

[ A little cat made of light, slightly scribbly in appearance, wobbled into existence and followed Justine as they made their way to the observation point. He took out a notebook and pen. ]

I understand the wildlife out here ain't too hostile. They probably wouldn't ask us out here if it was.

[ The cat meowed silently and bumped its head against Justine's calf. ]

[Her smile widens at the sight of the cat padding along next to them.]

I see that you have too. He's cute. [She glances up at Majima as they head towards the edge of town.] Does he have a name?

[Her question is interrupted by the soft warm head bumping against her calf. She turns towards the cat and attempts to bend out and pick up the magical form of light. It's just too cute for her to ignore.]

That's what I heard too. I think we'll be fine between the two of us.

Uh... Y'know, I didn't really think about that one. What does he look like to you?

[ It was just easier, on some level, thinking up a glowing animal that would behave on its own versus lights that had to be explicitly controlled. The cat's body vibrated with its purr, casting warm light over the area.

As they reached their destination, Majima spotted a little cluster of birds, huddled under the leaves of a thorny bush for the night. ]

Hey, somethin' to record already.

[Justine found her attention divided between the path in front of them, the cat shaped light and Majima. She tries to keep her focus evenly split between the three but she finds herself petting the cat as it spreads light along their path. Justine attempts her own animals but they all turn into little balls of light that flicker and fade over time.

She's still learning and much better with water and air than she is with light.]

I think we should call him Sprinkle. [It kind of sounds like sparkle but it isn't.

Justine lifts her head and spots the cluster of birds. She finally places the cat down and hopes that it doesn't feel the need to go after the birds. After all, it's only light.] You're right. Their cute. Do you want me to write?

[She holds out her hands now that their free.]

It's always a gold sheep. Never a normal sheep - always "oh, my golden sheep has gone missing, please return it!"

[ Iramaat laughs and crouches to examine the game trail they're following. There are definitely hoof prints here. ]

That way, I think-

[ She points and then suits action to her words and heads up the trail. ]

Yes—and you are...apprenticing to this craftsman?

( probably 'apprenticing to this craftsman' is not his name, but she is very interested in this prospective profession—likely to purchase something, if only because it's good manners to do so after taking up the time of a tradesman, but more interested in how the sausage is made than eating it, so to speak.

and it is a good pitch, she thinks. one hopes the product meets the expectations it raises, but well, there is only one way to find that out. )

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Greetings always followed by sweet goodbyes [Open]

b. runetchers.

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excuse me what the cluck

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Research Required

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