june catch-all; quests and more

[topslug]

Who: Yako Katsuragi + Others (TBD)
When: Throughout June Iuneril
Where: All over Aefenglom.
What: Your friendly neighborhood catch-all.
Warnings: TBD

[ I'll just be using this log for various individual top-levels and custom starters through the month and add them below as I go!. I write in prose because that's what I'm used to, but I can adjust to match. ]

1. Do it with Class

Although it's her second month here, Yako still hasn't made that much progress as far as spellcasting goes. The best progress she's made thus far is in enchantment, though for the most part, she's only practiced enchanting food and doesn't have much in the way of combat applications.

In Abjuration class, she looks a bit nervous when she's paired up with someone, giving them a sheepish look as she readies her focus.

"So, ah, do you want to practice blocking first, or should I?"

In Divination class, her fingers are covered with specks of pale yellow light, but when she shakes them off her fingers, they only drift down lazily onto the ground instead of pointing in any particular direction -- certainly not leading towards whatever hidden object they're supposed to be looking for. She sighs, shaking her head and glancing up at whoever's nearby.

"No good ... I can't get the spell to focus right. How about you? Any luck?"

It's in Transmutation class that she finds a surprising bit of luck: as she concentrates on the shattered teacup in front of her on the table, the pinpricks of light that seem to be her signature magic alighting on the ceramic, some of the pieces of shattered porcelain suddenly snap together in front of her, making her jump and lose concentration -- and it falls apart all over again. Still, she's elated.

"Did you see that?!"

Alternatively, you might catch her after classes end, holding a tray of various baked goods and a clipboard by a doorway. If you make the mistake of making eye contact or even coming too close, she'll perk up and step over.

"Excuse me, but would you mind trying one of these enchanted pastries and rating them? Um, the effects are temporary and nothing bad, I promise -- I just need to know how effective they are."

2. Lost in a Good Book

Early in the month, Yako can be easily found in Undermael College, sitting at one of the tables with a book open in front of her and some scattered notes scrawled all over in a girlishly rounded script. Some of it is information on basic spells and invocations taught in the Coven classes, but there's also a roughly doodled sketch of some kind of globe on one corner, and she seems to be intent on her work ... so much so that she's muttering under her breath.

Those close enough or possessed of keener hearing might catch something about 'leylines' or 'divination' or, more perplexingly perhaps, something about the ideal ratio of dry to wet ingredients ... but either way, as quiet as she may be trying to make it, it's a little bit disruptive.

3. Wiped Out

Closer towards the evenings, though, will see Yako straight up passed out on top of her work, pen beginning to leave a growing ink-stain on paper as she snores softly. Will you wake her up kindly and send her on her way, or be a bit more rude?

4. How Does Your Garden Grow?

In the Shopping District, Yako can be found intently browsing through a selection of ... plants? She hasn't picked up any from the shelves and planters yet, but she seems to be quite serious about looking through them -- so much so that she doesn't realize there's someone right beside her.

"Oh, sorry -- I didn't mean to get in your way. I'm having a hard time deciding what I should get for the garden."

???. Wildcard

[ None of these work for you? Want to write your own starter? Hit me up on the CR Meme, let's make something happen. ]

Comments

for ritsu: postal service to potion sampling

[topslug]

Yako's bottomless pit of a stomach may not quite need as much filling these days, between roommates generous with their cooking efforts and what she's able to eat at the Coven, but a girl's still got to earn her way somehow. In this case, she's taken up a part time job delivering mail around Aefenglom. As a bonus, it's a good way of getting to know the various nooks and alleys of the place, as well as getting to know more about the people who live her, and it's good exercise, even if it does end up working her appetite up even more.

The two mailbags hooked to either side of her bicycle are almost empty and she's towards the end of her route when she spots a familiar figure in the distance walking with his back to her. Standing up on the pedals of her bike to put a bit more effort into it, it's easy enough to catch up, and she slows down once she's pulled up right alongside Ritsu, glancing over to give him a quick grin and a wave of greeting. She's currently wearing a few more layers than she normally does, with a cape in the colors of the couriers Ritsu might have seen around town.

"Hello, Sakuma-san!"

[nemuru]

Lately, he's felt like being out during the day more - he wonders if it's him getting better, or if it has anything to do with the bunny tail he insists on hiding beneath baggy clothing. Regardless, he tries not to pay it too much mind, even if he still likes staying up, insists on doing it and ends up a little more tired than he needs to be. It's why he takes a moment to realize Yako's like, talking to him, especially with the Sakuma-san business.

He makes a face, hunching his shoulders with a siiiiiigh.

"Riiiitsu, Yako-chan... Don't call me Sakuma. Ritsu's fine." Very Firm About This. Ritsu peeks at her a little, then looks at her better to size her up. Hm... Hmmmmm... "Plannin' on trading in your witch's cap to be a postwoman?"

[topslug]

'Ritsu' just seems so familiar, though ...! She'll settle on some compromise that works for both of them later. For now, she puts her feet down to hold the bike steady while gives him a jaunty wink, showily tipping the brim of her hat.

"Even witches have to pay the bills, you know! And enchanted food doesn't really fill your stomach..." The last is said in a mutter, but she sighs, dropping her hand back onto the handlebars. "I'm actually heading back to the Coven after this -- what about you? Do you need a ride anywhere?"

for kaoru: the joy of cooking

[topslug]

Usually, when someone's using the kitchen at home, it tends to be Kaoru -- Yako's more than happy to partake of his cooking (even if it comes at the price of smoothly blanking over his attempts at flirtation). This afternoon, when Kaoru comes into the house, there's the distinct smell of scorched food and ... Yako's crouched on the edge of the kitchen counter, apron and skirts hiked up high enough to bare her cycling bloomers as she warily scans the floor, wooden spoon gripped tight in her hand.

Realizing she's not alone is what has her looking up in surprise, blinking. "Ah-- welcome home, Hakaze-san!"

Nothing weird about this tableau at all!

arrives fashionably late

[kaowont]

Honestly? It's more worrisome than weird, and the instant he smells the... uh, overwhelming whatever-that-is, Kaoru gently places his shopping tote down and to the side.

"Uh, are you sure everything's okay in there... ?" Because, like, look at this. He isn't sure where to start or what to ask besides that — and there's also... well, it's not cool for a guy to waltz in uninvited when a girl's got her skirt folded up like that, so he's hanging just on the edge of the kitchen with a wary look and a casual need to amend the situation.

After all, given how often he's cooking for a household of four ( seemingly, since one of the ladies is nearly always absent ) now, he's starting to grow pretty fond of the kitchen space.

[topslug]

"Everything's fine!" Yako replies, a bit too quickly, but her gaze is darting around, and --

There. An ominous, metallic clatter and scrape from somewhere behind one of the chairs, and Yako pales a bit as a shadowy shape scurries along to dart away. Still, she does owe Kaoru and explanation for all this, which she tries to offer even as she awkwardly crabwalks as best as she can in a half-squat, trying to catch sight of her prey.

"... I think I might have. Um. Overdone the magic while I was cooking."

I. Transmutation Class

[hearthebell]

This is actually L's second class of the day in which he's noticed Yako; the first was Divination, which was enjoyable to him as the branch of magic he's excelling most in. It comes naturally to him the way mathematics did as a child, with every new lesson a challenge to see how much higher he can climb; the discipline is exciting, rather than discouraging. Transmutation is another story, especially when it comes to fixing broken things (or healing magic), it's... well, a bit of a disaster, really. Every attempt L has made so far in those arenas has had the precise opposite effect of what he was going for. Broken things break more; a papercut turns into a laceration that requires stitches. That's why he's perhaps a little more apprehensive about practicing these particular spells, chewing on his pen, eyes scanning over his classmates looking for anyone who seems to truly have the hang of mending.

He's rough on his body and his possessions. This branch of magic goes beyond useful, to him, and actually hangs over into pathetically necessary territory. It doesn't work to his advantage to either ignore it or keep failing as hard as he has been at it.

He approaches Yako when he notices that she seems to have had some success with a shattered teacup. He's more quiet than is really polite, and when he speaks, he's probably encroaching far more on Yako's personal space than most people naturally would assume is OK, but he seems earnest enough when he says "I don't suppose you'd mind doing that again..."

While he watches, is the fairly blatant implication. His eyes are already boring holes into the tabletop among the ceramic shards, with such laser-beam intensity that it might be enough to shatter a cup by itself.

[topslug]

Yako’s not always the most perceptive of her immediate surroundings or an alert person by nature, so someone appearing so suddenly at her elbow when she’s not expecting it takes her aback, the table shaking again as her knee bangs into it reflexively.

“Ow!” Wincing faintly, she cranes her head over to her a better look at who’s addressing her. She can recognize his face from earlier in the day, but she doesn’t recall a name to go with it. The intensity is a little intimidating, flustering her, but she’s quick to turn her attention back to the broken pieces of porcelain in front of her. Something had clicked, in a way that made a lot more sense than some of the magic she’s tried so far; the surprise came from how relatively effortless it was.

“I can certainly try,” she says, gamely. She didn’t it once — surely she can do it again, right? She studies the pieces in front of her again, holding the image of the teacup whole and unbroken in front of her, and her nose wrinkles as she concentrates on the mending spell again.

This time, the light takes its time to gather on the brittle edges. Some of the larger pieces wobble, magic struggling to bear them up, but when Yako reaches out to help prop it up with a finger, it locks into place. The end result isn’t quite a mended cup, but it is one that is whole, held together by magic that threads through the cracks like veins of gold.

[hearthebell]

Though L is not naturally an empathetic person, there's a definite ripple effect when Yako bangs her knee on the table at her startled lurch. He reels back himself, long-limbed, skittish and spidery as he regards her warily before, very slowly, his shoulders lower and relax. He moves closer to watch, of course, and now that Yako is aware of him fully, it goes much better.

"Thank you," he replies, neat and crisp and rote, when she agrees to give it a shot. The process is fascinating, and seeing the slower transitional phases is even more so, and it's far better than anything L's managed so far in terms of mending charms.

"Is... there a trick to it, do you think...?" he asks, his words slightly distorted by the finger in his mouth that he is speaking around. Yako might notice that his finger is actually a little battered-looking, with several bandaged lacerations. It's clear evidence that with his existing magical skill, he hasn't been able to heal them himself, hinting at his intense interest on mending spells in general.

a midsummer night's dream

[topslug]

1. a very listless full moon

[ The last thing Yako rather expected to be roped into on the night of the full moons was agreeing to an impromptu (and, she's realizing, probably questionably illegal) run of a hedge maze. Despite the relative energy she'd felt earlier in the day, right now, the concept of having to run around doesn't much appeal at all for some reason, and she turns to who she's partnered with to give them a wry smile. ]

I don't suppose I could convince you to take it easy on me, could I...?

2. litha celebrations [ day ]

[ Its unfortunately difficult for Yako to resist free food whenever it's on offer, meaning that Yako's pleasantly buzzed on spiced food as she wanders around the celebration. It brings a flush to her cheeks and a lightheadedness which isn't all that different from the magical exhaustion she'd felt during the full moons, only instead of listlessness she finds herself filled with a strange energy.

Which means she can be found:

a. wandering the crowds and occasionally bumping into people when she grows a little clumsy, though she's quick to apologize and offer a bit of whatever food she's been carrying as a token of her repentance;

b. abruptly appearing out of nowhere, clasping your arm and rather too loudly asking if you'd like to run through the maze with her;

c. sitting in a rather unladylike sprawl on the ground, a flower crown already in her hair, happily plaiting more and more blossoms into one that's looking -- hang on, that's not a crown at all? Maybe someone should tell her that. ]

3. the witch in the well [ night ]

[ Perhaps you were thinking of making a wish or looking for your true love. Or perhaps you just happened to be passing by on the way to somewhere else. Either way, a young woman's voice echoes up from the depths of the well, faintly plaintive, though with a bubble of laughter rising for the ridiculousness of the situation. ]

Hello? Is anyone there?

[ A thoroughly damp young woman is diligently treading water in the bottom of a well, looking surprisingly placid despite her predicament and squinting up at the distant, lit circle of the well's mouth. ]

I seem to have gotten myself a little stuck.

[ That and someone seems to have pulled up and put aside the bucket and rope that originally went down there. Hmm. ]

4. wildcard

[ None of these suit your fancy? Hit me up on Yako's plotting post or PM and we can hash something out. I've written them up in action for convenience, but I can adjust to match.

For the Litha prompt, she's more 'cuddly and touchy and giggly' than 'single and ready to mingle,' but I don't mind threads turning in a more NSFW direction. Just let me know if that's where you'd like it to go! o/ ]

Witch in the Well

[psychotronics]

[ Morgan doesn't believe in wishes and she doesn't believe in true love, so passing by it is. She can't ignore a cry for help when she hears one though, so it's only a few moments after Yako calls out that her face appears framed by the well's mouth above, peering down at her through the depths using a simple candlelight spell. She grunts incredulously; never thought she'd see something so cliche as a person trapped in an old timey well, but. Here they are.]

Seriously? How in the hell did you even wind up down there? Hang on...

[ This doesn't immediately appear to be some kind of sinister trap or anything, so she's already reaching for the bucket and rope to lower it down to the trapped woman. ]

[topslug]

[ Oh, how kind! She didn't expect to be rescued so readily, but Yako's not going to turn it down. ]

To be honest, I don't really remember myself! [ Yako calls up, cheerfully. ] I was just leaning over the well to look into the water, and the next thing I knew, I was in it!

[ Once the bucket's close enough to grab, she'll reach out for it, though mostly to cling onto it and steady herself for now rather than trying to haul herself up. ]

2a

[catasstrophy]

[There are still times when Konoe would rather avoid the crowds, but on the whole, he's gotten used to them - and honestly? With the festival happening, he just can't resist getting in the middle of it. It's kind of exciting, being a part of it all, just by virtue of being there.

That just makes him more annoyed when someone bumps into him - but it's an anger that quickly dissipates when he sees who it is.]

Yako... [He didn't think he'd run into her - or the other way around, as it happened - let alone like this. He can't help but worry as he sees the flush on her cheeks, though. Between that and her running into him, worrying is inevitable.] Are you okay?

[topslug]

[ Yako uses a hand to push up the wreath of flowers that’s slid on her head back up, beaming when she realizes she recognizes who it is. ]

I’m fine! I’m fine. [ She says, a little too quickly and too loudly; she realizes that much, though, and she waves a hand placatingly before Konoe can call her out on obviously not being as fine as she’d like to claim to be. ]

Just had a little enchanted food, is all. [ She’s sheepish as she says it, and without thinking about it too much, she moves to loop her arm through Konoe’s and tuck her cheek against his shoulder with a beleaguered sigh. ]

2.B

[givemewings]

[There are innumerable pros to being a trained soldier.

What is about to happen, however, is one of the cons.

Being suddenly grabbed on the arm by a stranger is more than enough cause for alarm. Which means as soon as Yako makes contact with Mukuro, she roughly plucks the other girls arm off and proceeds to at the very least attempt to wrestle her onto the ground.

At which point she realizes that this was definitely not a threat. An icy glare of murderous intent softens into a dull, vacant stare. Oops.]

...Don’t do that. [speak for yourself]

[topslug]

[ Being grabbed and pinned down so suddenly should be an alarming experience, but Yako is too out of it to properly appreciate anything but how quick it is, or even consider resisting. If anything, she automatically relaxes into the sudden violence, letting herself go limp and roll with the motion.

When more doesn’t seem forthcoming, she’ll risk peeking up, tongue slipping out to wet the corner of her mouth before she tentatively volunteers: ]

Wow, you’re really strong. [ Pause. Wiggle. ] Umm, can you let me up now?

4

[alienwear]

Rather than a grumbled rebuke or a mumbled apology for a response, Yako gets a pleased exclamation of surprise.

"Oh! Yako Katsuragi! Long time no see!"

Yep, your friendly neighborhood Peridot is here looking over the plants as well, though her current lack of funds has relegated the activity to more of a window-shopping endeavor than any true intent to purchase. She's looking a far sight more chipper than she did during their last face-to-face interaction, though she has notably gained a set of nubby little horns at some point in the interim.

[topslug]

As soon as she recognizes who it is, Yako’s expression lights up, genuinely pleased to see a familiar face she hasn’t really heard from in a little while. Not that she’d be likely to forget a green alien, but... you know.

“Miss Peridot! It’s been a while.” And she seems like she’s doing better, though the horns clearly point to someone who’s had a few changes since Yako saw her ... in a quite literal way. “Are you buying plants today too?”

Even an ordinary gardening shop in Aefenglom has a touch of the magical about it.

[alienwear]

"Buying?" Peridot laughs nervously, briefly catching the stinkeye from one of the shopkeepers she was more than likely heckling for free stuff a few minutes before Yako got here. "No, no. I don't have any money. I'm just appreciating the botanical prowess of the locals from afar, keeping my hands to myself..."

for soren; the ties that bind

[topslug]

The opportunity to try a temporary Bond is one that Yako’s experienced once or twice, already, and for some people that might have been more than enough. As a curious girl by nature, though, learning more only makes Yako more likely to try again. How different are Bonds with different partners? Does it become something more familiar with time? And perhaps, most of all — how close is this to the real thing?

None of those questions are anything she says out loud, because she suspects her partner for this round has enough on his mind already. In truth, she’s a little happy to see him here because it means he’s trying harder to adjust and accept his newfound nature, or at least get help dealing with it. So she smiles encouragingly at him as she winds her way around the other attendees to wherever he’s waiting, holding a slender vial of the temporary Bonding potion in each hand.

“Here you are,” she hands him one vial, but doesn’t drink hers just yet, looking at him warmly. “Is there anything else you want to know before we start?”

[silentsavant]

The tension in Soren's posture loosens up when Yako weaves through the scattered crowd in the basement room to meet him somewhere near the corner of it. It's not for a lack of understanding what they are doing, but a lack of comfort with the idea of sharing himself so intimately with another person. But if he has to choose anyone, Yako would be the top candidate. He already let her in by dire necessity, and though distrustful and suspicious of others by nature, he feels safe enough with her to submit a remarkable level of trust for someone he only just met.

"No." He releases his arms, letting them fall to his sides as he eyes the vial's silvery swish with placid hesitance, her warmth seeping in from the corner of his focus and making his heart tingle uncomfortably, a cold core sensitive to being breached so readily. He takes it between his fingers and takes a few seconds to study its contents. "I think I understand everything I need to know. Bonds seem to be a critical element between Witches and Monsters in this world, so it's good that we can enter them in a pinch this way." He pops the top off it and holds it upright. "And... that we can test the waters before we have to make any binding commitments." He lifts it closer to his mouth. "Well... I'm ready when you are."

To suggest he didn't feel any sort of trepidation about this first-time experience would be an outright lie... but as he said, being able to test it in a controlled environment is the ideal situation. It would be remiss to pass up such an opportunity for something that could be useful down the winding and uncertain road sprawled ahead of initiates such as them.

[topslug]

Outside of a full moon and the sway it holds over his mood, Soren is difficult to read -- or he would be, if Yako hadn't already gotten to know him better, come to understand that the sort of person he is underneath that cool exterior isn't so different from anyone else when it comes down to it. Soren doesn't want to lose himself, wants to stand on his own strength, and it doesn't take any great leap of reason or intuition to understand that desire, as well as the equally powerful need to avoid showing his weaknesses.

However she can, Yako's here to help him figure out a solution that works for him. With the greater experience she's had with Bonding, she's confident that she can make the experience a positive one for Soren, keep him from being spooked away from the real thing.

"I'm ready." She nods, uncapping her vial in turn, and concentrates on the positive emotions she wants to transmit: calm and assurance that this will turn out just fine, happiness to be doing this here, with Soren, someone she likes and wants to see settle in well into Aefenglom and get to know more people.

(Unfortunately, she can't banish the constant low-level desire to eat that colors her waking thoughts, so Soren will just have to deal with that distant hint of peckishness as a background hum to his own thoughts.)

"Here we go." She tips the vial up to her lips and swallows it easily, letting herself relax and open up to whatever passes along that artificial connection as it opens up between them.

2

[reenforces]

[As promised, Mikleo finds her after he's more sure of his schedule. He doesn't introduce himself right away, just takes a moment to see what she's working on. Something about leylines? He's immensely curious now.

He places his hand on a nearby chair.]

Yako, right? I'm Mikleo-- we spoke over the watches.

[topslug]

[ Yako looks up as soon as she hears her name, perking up as she recognizes Mikleo. ]

Yes, I remember! Hello, Mr. Mikleo. [ She waves at the seat across from her, a wordless invitation to sit. ] I’m sorry about not getting in touch with you sooner ... there’s been a few things on my mind.

[reenforces]

[He slides into the other seat, as eager and ready for a new adventure as ever, and happy to make a new friend besides (even if he might keep that inclination close to his chest for a while). He likes mysteries, and he likes the ferocity Yako has when diving into these things. He could do well to emulate her example and he knows it.]

Don't worry about it. I've been busy, too. [First losing Sorey, and then having to navigate a bond with someone else on top of intense studying and a new part time job... yeah, it's been a little bit of an adjustment.] Do you need someone's brain to pick with this new project?