[Open] February Catch-All | Pegasus Moon

[bergamotrose]

Who: Lorenz Hellman Gloucester + Open (with potential closed starters as needed)
When: Full Moon and after
Where: Throughout Aefenglom
What: Lorenz finds himself facing the consequences of not having his priorities straight.
Warnings: Possible body horror. Will update as needed.



A

[It was a miscalculation.

That was what he would tell himself later, after the dust had settled. It was a miscalculation of a variety of factors that he had neither predicted nor given the appropriate weight in his planning. The first was finding others from his land with yet a different set of memories than the ones he had already encountered, and navigating the particular frustration of not being able to determine who among them was friend or foe. The second, Lapis Lazuli. The ferocity of the rage that boiled within her was far more intense than he had realized, and it was a disruption in the plans he was trying to pursue with her. As much as he wanted to trust her as an equal, for the moment that was impossible. The third...

Marianne.

In an ideal setting, they would have been of similar age and had met with the same trials. She would have faced the darkness inside her heart and made peace with it, and they could have moved forward. But she had arrived in this realm as she was five years prior-- seemingly fragile, certainly untempered, and as liable to shy away as she was to explode in her fear. That alone would have been enough to still Lorenz's own plans, but then she had been taken. Taken, and forced to endure an untold number of disrespects that she was still reluctant to speak of. She, among all of those in this realm from Fodlan, had faced the most trauma in Aefenglom.

And yet, she was the least able to accept the final verdict delivered by the judge.

Knowing all of this in his heart, Lorenz was faced with a singular certainty that she needed his protection. But, that certainty was coupled with the fact that he felt he could not interfere.

He itched to write something-- a poem. Anything. 'Amid time’s flow I mourn bonds I’m not sure I can ever rend...' It left an unsettled feeling in his fingers that crept up his arms and firmly clenched his swiftly beating heart in it's fist, binding him to it's will.

At least he had the foresight to lock the bedroom door. Stocked in his personal quarters were sundry items that he suspected he would need until dawn--

But, it wasn't enough.

The wave of pain that met his body as he caught a glimpse of the full moon slowly dawning over the horizon had him biting his tongue in shock. Hands clenched tightly upon the rails of his bed in a white knucked bid for support as his knees buckled beneath him, changing configuration into something wholly unfamiliar. His ears burned, his vision blurred--

Amid the disjointed thoughts that rolled in a tangle in his mind was one recurring thread: Marianne. He couldn't let Marianne see him like this.

He knew he shouldn't be alone. Yet, unbonded as he was, he had no choice.

Finding his footing, Lorenz took the only course he could think of: Flee. Throwing the window to his bedroom wide open, Lorenz leapt for the freedom of the night. The late winter chill of the wind helped him have a grip on his intention, kept his awareness sharp.

Thus, with an inhuman stillness he crept through the shadows of the city, intent on making it to his destination unimpeded: The Harbor.

The salty air at the docks, the frigid bite of the sea, would surely help.]

B

[It was a miscalculation, yet here he was.

Lorenz sat on the edge of the dock, wrapped in a blanket he had procured from parts unknown while his unfamiliar feet dangled in the empty space wrought by low tide. His silken hair hung in his face and clung to the ears that now twitched in the cold breeze, tangled with muck and dirt that Lorenz was too hesitant to attempt to define. Uncomfortable and exhausted, Lorenz squinted out over the crisp horizon while he attempted to ignore the hollow feeling in his chest and the distinct knowledge that he was certain his flight from Haven had not been as clean as he had wished.

People had seen him. They had to. If they hadn't, they surely would in the near future.

Huffing irritably, Lorenz idly picked at the delicate swatches of velvet that were now hanging from his antlers.]

This must make quite a sight,

[He mused darkly, bitterly. After spending so much time keeping his appearances in a perfectly coiffed illusion of grandeur, Lorenz knew there was no coming back from this.]

Comments

B

[crestfallenfor]

[It was a late night, as many had been since arriving here in Aefenglom. He'd been studying, Felix was struggling, Bernadetta was buzzing on the edges of his awareness, and sleep was tugging on his consciousness. He'd read the full moon would have an opposite effect on him than it did on his more monstrously-affected companions, but the extent was still somewhat unexpected.

So - fresh air. A walk outside to clear his mind and to practice a little bit of practical application - there's a small plume of magefire in his hand as he walks, illuminating the night, but it's that light that makes his eyes unable to make out just what is sitting on the edge of the dock as he walks through the harbor.

So he extinguishes it in a wisp of smoke, lets his eyes adjust...

Sees familiar purple hair and antlers, a Lorenz looking the worse for wear.

The moon must be doing a number on him, too.

So he approaches calmly, but not quietly, not wanting to spook him before squatting down next to him and taking in all the sudden changes - the shifted feet and legs, the velvet peeling off his horns, the ears...]

Lorenz? Are you alright? Do you need a hand somewhere?

[bergamotrose]

[--Sylvain.

Inwardly, he cursed in the name of the Goddess that he had in which he had no faith and pulled himself deeper into the woolen blanket. Lorenz breathed in the scent of must and stale beer, clinging to the pungent, acrid nature of these aromas while he tried to find his words.]

...I need...your d-discretion.

[He grated out, none of the usual poise and politeness in his tone. It was beyond even the condescension he would take to when agitated, beyond even the pompousness he still wrestled with from time to time.

It was pure agitation. Irritation and anxiety rolled into a sickening ball that weighed heavy in his stomach and was exhausting to fight against. He kicked out a leg irritably, smacking a hoof against one of the sturdy pillars holding the dock sturdy in the ebb and flow of the tides.

Lorenz didn't dare turn to face Sylvain. He wanted a drink or ten. He wanted sleep.]

[crestfallenfor]

Hm. Is that so...?

[There's weight in the way Lorenz speaks, in the tone of his voice, in the way he seems to curl in on himself layered on top of how he sounds agitated.

How he kicks out a newly-hoofed foot, smacking into a pillar.

He's not looking at him, but that's fine. He's not telling him to. He doesn't need him to as he reaches up to straighten out Lorenz's hair, combing fingers through it to remove as much muck and grime as he can without water, tries to get him looking somewhat presentable - or at least as presentable as one can be in the dark, wrapped in a musty, beer-scented blanket.]

I assume you'd rather not go back to your house.

Wildcard bb

[bravelyathome]

[After hearing that Lorenz is there, she doesn't waste any time in going to get some tea ready. Lorenz must need a fresh cup after what he's been through. The least she can do is this since she's sure she can't really do much else. It's not even about being mentally equipped for this, of course. She can handle this. No, it's another matter entirely.

Namely that they're both monsters.

Knocking politely on his door, she waits until she hears that she can come in. Slipping inside, she offers a shy little smile as she lifts the tray up some.]

I...I brought tea. I thought maybe it would help.

[Setting it by the table by the bed, she picks the cup up to offer it to him.]

I remembered you talking about tea to someone once. So I made it that way. I hope it's okay.

Oh boy

[bergamotrose]

[He hadn't wanted to be seen, but Sylvain's insistent mother henning had him penned up in bed regsrdless of his wishes. He was far from ill--just tired, sore, and now dealing with problems he hasn't anticipated so soon.

He really should have anticipated the problems that had arisen. Other details had simply taken precedence.

He sighed.]

Thank you Bernadetta. You didn't have to do this.

[bravelyathome]

I wanted to.

[She gets a chair to sit next to the bed. She's still feeling so restless from the full moon but at least this gives her something to focus on. It's something she's really appreciating right now.

Noticing his antlers, she blinks.]

Oh. The velvet is falling off.

The Harbor

[unyieldingmarch]

[The moons were a hard time for everyone, though Edelgard had undergone several such transformations now and had something of a handle on them. She tended to lock herself in her rooms during these events, not wishing to show the world her monstrous bat-form, but with the advent of a second bond and several months, it was easier to maintain herself.

The restlessness, though, that was different. She needed to get out, and did so quickly enough. She could not say what exactly drove her towards the harbor. Perhaps the wind, perhaps the salt that she could easily associate with Enbarr's port, or perhaps just random chance.

It hardly mattered, for when she spotted a lanky, antlered form sitting idly at the dock she was somewhat glad that she had come this way. Their first encounter on Aefenglom had been not far from this very spot, and strange as it may be, there was a feeling of things coming full circle when she made the decision to approach Lorenz.]

Not a particularly dignified sight, but there's certainly nothing I'd find fault with.

[bergamotrose]

[A familiar voice cut through the cold and had Lorenz turning despite his misgivings.]

Lady Edelgard, [He breathed, his eyes already dilated with adrenaline widening further as his gaze lighted upon the shock of white hair in the moonlight. Even in their monsterous forms, the young Emperor was still a picture of gallantry amidst chaos.]

[unyieldingmarch]

Lorenz.

[She approaches without fear, her steps all but gliding as she makes her way down the dock, stopping next to the pitiable noble. What a sight he is, bedraggled and roughed up. As though he'd lost a fight.]

It seems as though the full moon has struck you particularly hard. Are you in pain?

B

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Perhaps it was due to the treatments being given, so he didn't pull anything, but that night was probably one of the easiest moons to have to pull through. No amount of 'treatments' would get rid of the restless energy, however. Which is what had Judar walking through, and getting around the harbor area. (Look, it's been so long since he's had a drink...)

Walking around has four dulled sounds, instead of two from covered hooves, as the faun's getting around with the help of crutches. Something that was their bright idea of working on his grip again while getting him moving. Funny how it's led him to another faun, picking away at the velvet. Was he seriously out in this part of the city overnight? ]

At least it's around the time you're supposed to be shedding. Wait until the bones just pop off and leave you bleeding.

[ You're such a great comfort, Judar. ]

[bergamotrose]

[He had been hunting. It was a noble sport and, while his knowledge with a bow was passable at best, he had learned quite a bit about deer during those trips into the wilderness. However, the keen reminder of what was a future inevitability was not what he wanted to think about.

Because antlers bled. A lot.

Groaning in irritation, Lorenz wilted. He curled up tighter in the smelly, woolen blanket he had grabbed from parts unknown, pulling it up around his head to obscure all but the offending antlers from view.

He wasn't of the right mindset to deal with sass. It was a little much to take, and too difficult to return in proper form.]

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Gee. What an irritated response that wasn't much of one at all. No sass for sass or anything. Normally Judar was ready for more lively reactions the day of, and after, a full moon. So Judar did what any concerned stranger would obviously do to help things along.

He gently nudged the other faun's side with a crutch. ]

At least do all this where it's warmer, and you're less likely to get pulled in by a hungry merrow.

Wildcard!

[finesseblade]

[ Felix doesn't even realize Lorenz is there at first—he's passed out in an armchair by the fire, where he's spent most of the day distracting himself from his own restlessness by reading while he struggles through his own lunar side effects.

He can breathe through all of one nostril right now, and through it he smells... mud. Salt water? Most strongly, though, the scent of wet animal, which is strange enough to drag him from a stupor and make him open his eyes.

There's a big brown-and-violet smudge draped across the sofa opposite him that takes a moment to resolve while Felix's vision swims. They're... hooves. Hooves, and attached to them, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester. Felix stares, for once in his life managing to look properly aghast. ]

What in—Lorenz?

[bergamotrose]

[Ears flicked at the sound of motion from the sofa opposite him, and flicked a second time at the sound of his name. Lorenz, blissfully clean after a difficult night but barely able to tolerate pleasantries, quickly flicked his gaze sideways to level on Felix for a moment. Even now, in the safety of a home that wasn't his own residence, Felix would note the dilated eyes that returned to the task he was working on with the swiftness of a startled deer.

His hands trembled, even as he quickly scrawled a pen across the page of a notebook he was currently borrowing just so he could get his thoughts into a coherent order.]

...Felix.

[He said with an overemphasized briskness and formality. His silken hair, now cleaned of the muck, was tied into a neat tail that flowed down the back of his head.]

Should you give in to your impulses, you'll find that I make a poor meal. Even if politeness does sustain you... pleasant conversation is difficult right now.

[The pen continued scratching the paper as he spoke, the end of the stylus trembling with every motion: 'The fog in my heart froze into a milky rime, unkenned by the light of the Pegasus Moon.']

[finesseblade]

[ Felix takes in Lorenz's appearance properly this time, his eyes drawn to the movement of his ears first—leaf-shaped, covered in fur, decidedly not human anymore. It's a far cry from Lorenz the last time he saw him, with flowers all woven into the prongs of his antlers as if it were no more than an amusing inconvenience, and the sight makes his heart crawl upwards into his throat.

From the way he's scrawling across the page like it's a race, Lorenz is feeling it, too. Felix's eyes settle on the frantic fluttering of his pen for just a moment too long, which sets the room spinning around him again and forces him to press a hand over his eyes. He groans quietly. He cannot believe this is happening. ]

Is that a joke? I'm not going to eat you.

[ His middle and forefingers part, showing a glimpse of an eye just starting to develop a few gleaming flecks of gold, glancing down at Lorenz's cloven hooves draped off the couch. He lets out a quiet noise of disgust and covers his eyes again, muttering quietly: ]

...I like my meat with a little less hair on it, anyway. What happened to you?

Wildcard? If you want me to change anything, lmk

[beautyisthebeast]

[Marianne didn't even realize anything was wrong at first. She knocked on his door to see whether he wanted a cup of tea. No answer. Perhaps he's sleeping, or just wants to be alone.

But she tries again a little later. Still no answer. And now she's starting to get nervous. Does she mind her own business? Does she try to break in? Or maybe get help? What if... what if something happened to him? Marianne knows very well this world isn't safe. And it's a full moon tonight....

There is another good hour of fretting and pacing before she finally decides to risk it. He'll be angry, but she just... she has to know if he's okay. That's all she wants. She does try calling out one more time.]

Lorenz? I... I'm coming in.

[Still no answer. A well placed ice spell later and the small hole she's punched into the door is enough to confirm that he isn't there. And that his window is open.

What follows is a very long night. A night of wandering, searching, and questioning everyone she meets. Lorenz is the sort of person who is hard to miss. He makes an impression on people easily. So the fact that no one seems to have seen him is even more worrying. As the sun rises, she's exhausted and running out of places to look. Maybe she should ask Edelgard for help? She might have some ideas. Or should she go back to see whether he came home? Or maybe just try one more person.]

Excuse me... I'm looking for someone...


[OOC: Sort of generic here but basically if he wants to run into her on his way back or if someone else like Sylvain, Edelgard, Felix or whoever want to run into her and let her know where he is(or call her, I'm not picky), I'll roll with it.]

[bergamotrose]

[Goddess, there was the voice of yet another he did't wish to find him in such a dreadful state. At least with Sylvain's insistence he had gotten blissfully clean, but there were other differences at play;

The flick of fuzzy ears and the odd stance of his legs, precariously supported by a simple hiking pole he had all but begged Sylvain to help him find, were the obvious changes. Less obvious were the change in his eyes-- with horizontal pupils, fitting for a Deer.

Completing the look was the fact that he was wearing clothes borrowed from Sylvain, with hems and seams that were not made with a narrow figure like his in mind. The extra fabric bunched at the sleeves and stood loose across the shoulders. It was a terrible fit-- but, functional.

Dreading the inevitability of this discussion, Lorenz sighed as he approached Marianne while she spoke to a stranger on the street. The cadence of his footfall was different, but he was trying to maintain an air of calm.

For her. Only for her.]

Marianne. [He called softly.] It... has been a night.

[And he was exhausted.]

Wildcard

[kivatteru]

[ Full moons are... something. Wataru clearly avoided going outside when he wasn't Bonded, as the level of madness between the Mirrorbound tends to get worse around that time. Luckily for him, things have become more stable once Jill was added into the picture, but that's just it. He was lucky. Some of his friends weren't.

When he sees Lorenz next it's at DiplomaTea during his shift. The faun is looking worse for wear, his horns looking like they've definitely shed recently, and Wataru is instantly concerned.

Last time he checked on Lorenz, the man didn't have bonds. Things might have changed since there, but too short of a time flowed between the happenings of last month and now. Considering how they arrived to Aefenglom together, and over three months have passed... this is definitely not a good sign. ]

You definitely need some tea. [ He says gently, inviting Lorenz to sit down. ] Had a rough night?

oh god

[bergamotrose]

[Clothes had been acquired at the cost of some of his sensibilities and pride. Appropriate accessories as well-- the difference in his vision alone was headache inducing, and the fashionable sunglasses he had procured managed to help mitigate some of the uncertainty he had read in the faces of his peers. The only true necessity as of that moment was the cane he had taken pains to find. It needed to be both sturdy enough and tall enough.

The hooves, still unsteady on the flagstone streets, had increased his height by several inches.

Taking in a calming breath to allow himself a moment to think, Lorenz tipped down his sunglasses to more properly regard Wataru.]

That obvious, is it? I do need to work on that.

[Even if he didn't manage to stay for the right length of time, he sought for one thing: that awful Springtide tea that threatened to purge any and every demon from one's soul.

Perhaps it would cleanse him of his own foolishness.]

this is technically a wild card! full moon night

[mirrortide]

[As it turns out, getting into an argument with the only other person you feel comfortable being around isn't really all that great. It makes her feel cramped and enclosed inside her own body, and while Pumpkin is great for doing some damage control, Lapis can't really talk to her the way she can with someone else. And without Peridot as a buffer, she doesn't really feel comfortable in the house she's in anyway. It's a nasty situation that leaves her feeling even more emotionally raw than she was. Pumpkin is good at least for company, good at least for giving Lapis something to focus on, though the gourd is just as upset as Lapis is.

So she thought about it, took her down to the water, in the dark of the night where no one might see, and she uses magic.

It takes more effort than she thought it might, to pull and raise the water, to shape it and bend it to her will. Something that should have been so effortless for her now took concentration, but once she has it, she understands it. Lapis Lazuli's know water. It's who they are. It's what they're made for. It's effort she's not used to, but she gets it done.

Lapis makes clones of her friends. Steven, Peridot, and even Lorenz, who she'd argued with, gotten mad at.

Pumpkin whines, and Lapis sinks down onto her knees in front of them, reaching out to Peridot's to bring the water clone in for a hug, which hugs her in return. The rest follow suite. It's not the same, they're cold and wet and simply clones made of water, but it's similar enough that when Pumpkin comes in, leans against her and the clones, Lapis reaches over to pat her head.]

I'm going to run out of friends at this rate.

[Her voice is soft, and Pumpkin leans into the petting. At least she has her?]

Oh my god. Lapis gets to see the awful.

[bergamotrose]

[--He didn't know how he had gotten to the Harbor, but at least the moons were bright.

Lorenz squinted in the shadows of the Docks while he tried to find a common thread to his thoughts, his newly sensitized ears picking up on the sounds of water-- but, water being pulled in a manner that wasn't ordinary. Chest heaving with every frosted breath that fogged in the air before him, he found himself struck by a wary curiosity.

What ever it was could be fascinating to see. But, in equal chances, it could be a danger that only the likes of merrows or certain chimeras could weather. With his unfamiliar legs shaking beneath him, he inched his way along the wall he was using as his anchor--

And paused when he caugh view of the source of the strange sounds.

-- She was embraced by the moonlight, and for an instant he felt like he was drowning--

He made no sound when his knees gave out beneath him; he couldn't take his eyes off her.

Lapis Lazuli.]

B

[prayerwheel]

[ She hadn't heard the commotion, she'd been out taking a walk already, but hey look, here's a guy looking real rough around the edges and sounding just as bad.

There's a soft ping as little butterfly made from fire flies over and hovers near him to shed some light on the area. ]

Not so much as others do on the full moon. There are many sights on evenings like this.

[bergamotrose]

[Her voice was tender against the roughened sound of the surf below them-- and Lorenz, distracted from his thoughts by the delicate butterfly made of luminescent flames, found his curiosity piqued despite himself. Ears flicking unbidden, he peered over his shoulder at the woman who appeared to be like moonlight put into physical shape.

She was lovely-- and Lorenz was a far cry from his usual polish in that moment.

How dreadful.]

...maybe. This is still unacceptable.

[His antlers were a mess, his clothes worse, he wasn't certain if he could stand... Briefly, he considered the merits of simply taking to the water. It would numb the aching in his bones, and give him a chance to escape.]

bursts in fifteen days late with starbucks

[bloodypath]

So it does.

[Surely the last voice that Lorenz wanted to hear drifts over the gentle sounds of the waves. Hubert doesn't bother to raise his voice despite approaching from a distance, well aware that the faun's hearing better than his.]

And what a grizzly one indeed. I've heard stories of deer and their antlers, but I admit I've never seen it for myself.

[His footsteps stop a cautious ways back—at the edge of where Hubert's certain he could hear Lorenz. The mage was so keenly aware of now the moons' waxing weakened his magic, contrary to its influence on Monsters.]

You better be sharing that starbucks!

[bergamotrose]

[Ears twitched at the sound of the darkly familiar voice, and Lorenz felt his stomach sinking as if it were chained to an anchor with the cadence of every syllable that the mage uttered before it was lost to the sea. Shifting slightly to get a better angle, Lorenz leaned back against one of the supportive posts that held the dock in place and watched Hubert from afar.

Somehow, in the haze of his moonstruck delirium, he found himself admiring the firm set of Hubert's jaw and the utter stillness that seemed to surround him in the shadows. It was a striking sight to behold.]

Blood stops flowing to the antlers after a time,

[He explained with an odd clarity, recalling the scattered hunting trips he had partaken of as part of his father's ploys to curry favor with another house. Finding a stag bereft of his antlers in the spring, bloodied but very much alive despite the near unbelievable amount of gore had been nothing short of staggering in his youth.]

Then the velvet comes off. I didn't realize it would happen so quickly.