🍇 what strange things grow from little seeds 🍇

[graftage]

WHO: Steinbeck and....YOU!
WHAT: Random effects time! And random Steinbeck prompt times! (IF YOU WANT A PERSONAL STARTER PLEASE ASK/DM!)
WHEN: Summer mid to Summer end
WHERE: Everywhere
WARNINGS: some attempted superpower self harm in one prompt but otherwise nothing else (will update as needed)



1. "Everything you touch ends up with glitter on it, and every time you sneeze, confetti comes out"

ACHOO-!

[Whoah there, that's a whole sneeze and a half. If you're walking by Steinbeck's farm, you may notice him walking up, looking a bit miserable as he wipes his nose, which...looks glittery. Actually, a lot of him looks glittery.]

Ugh, what is this...some kinda cold... [He's murmuring, looking up as he sees someone and waves.] Hey, are you feeling sick at all? I keep just...s...s-sn...

[Oh no.]

ACHHOOOO-!

[And now you're covered in confetti. Whoops.]


2. "A sports announcer voice narrates every significant event in your interaction with others."

[Later after that whole nonsense (and still a little glittery) Steinbeck can be found at the grocery store, poring over the wares. He's grabbed a few things for cooking, looking over a couple of packs of cookies, and he turns to whoever is nearby with a smile-]

[Except he doesn't speak. Because what speaks is a very loud and eager announcement, booming as if its coming over some intercom that clearly is not there.]

AND HERE WE GOOOO-!!! JOHN STEINBECK HAS MET THE EYES OF A HANDSOME AND BEAUTIFUL INDIVIDUAL ACROSS THE AISLE. NOW BRAD, ALTHOUGH HE'S GOT THAT WHOLE TRACK RECORD FROM LAST YEAR ON HIS PLATE, FORTUNES MAY TURN FOR HIM YET! LET'S SEE WHAT HE DOES NEXT-!

[Steinbeck. Freezes like a deer in headlights. (WHO'S BRAD?)]


3. and better things will sprout, won't they? (tw: attempted self harm for superpower purposes)

[He's really trying hard to stay in the shadows here - if you happen to be out in the evening close to the woods, you may see Steinbeck trying to sneak in there with something in both hands. One of them happens to be a knife, the other, a small cloth bag.]

[He doesn't seem to think anyone is following him, even as he casts his gaze over his shoulder a couple times. Once he finds a clearing, he shifts open his collar with a finger, before he flicks open his knife.]

[He moves to raise it directly to his neck, as if he's going to jab it at his own skin.]

[Are you going to stop him, or are you going to watch-?]


4. WILDCARD

[get your personal starters here if you want!! Steinbeck is still open for scavenger hunt and mine shenanigans or whatever you want to do with him!]

Comments

[framestory]

Welcome to Freaktown.

[ One of them. :) ]

I have a grape juice box in the fridge. You can take one on the way out. Homemade.

[ He's just really tired to move. Ellis would just sleep on the edge of the bathtub after Steinbeck leaves. ]

[graftage]

[He gives a halfhearted salute.]

Nice to be here, fellow freak.

[Now that makes him laugh.]

You really know irony, huh? [And a beat.] But I'll rest here a while. I don't want to take chances.

[He folds his arms over his chest.]

That ability of yours...you always had it?

[framestory]

[ At this point, Ellis's eyes are half-closed, but he's trying his best to stay awake. He's never did this for so long at once and wonders if he can increase stamina about using his powers like exercising. ]

I was made because of the ability.

[graftage]

[...........]

[His expression hardens.]

What do you mean, "made"?

[framestory]

[ Oh. Huh. Ellis looks at Steinbeck, intrigued by his response. ]

Why the long face?

[graftage]

...

[A long pause.]

Doesn't sit right with me. But explain.

[framestory]

[ Well, that's alright. Because this is something that happens every day somewhere in the omniverse of worlds. ]

I'm from a story. I was made since I'm a fictional character.

[graftage]

....?

[Huh?]

So what? You're...not real? Someone wrote you into existence?

[framestory]

[ Ellis nods. Yeah, this is a reaction that he expects. Don't worry, since he thinks everyone else is real but him. No fourth walling in that regard. ]

That's how characters come to be, isn't it? They get written and then they exist.

[graftage]

[........]

[A little huff.]

I guess it would be like if you pulled a guy out of one of Poe's stories. [A beat.] But you feel things, don't you? You breath and eat and walk like all of us, right?

[framestory]

A bug can do the same.

[ No, he won't be going into technicalities. ]

[graftage]

So what, are you a human-shaped bug?

[framestory]

A monstrous vermin.

[ But Ellis just laughs. ]

[graftage]

[He doesn't seem amused.]

Did your writer write you like this, then, too?

[framestory]

If you have any complaints, you can take it up to my maker. Though, I'd be much happier if he wasn't here.

[ So, yes. His maker wrote him like this. ]

[graftage]

[A low huff.]

Have you met him, then?

[framestory]

[ Ellis nods. ]

I don't like him.

[graftage]

What about him don't you like?

[framestory]

[ Ellis tilts his head from side to side on the edge of the bathtub, thinking. ]

I don't like his eyes. They're green.

[ Ellis's eyes are green-- ]

Where I come from, green eyes mean that you're his tool.

[graftage]

...

[Hm. Again, something pensive settles in his expression.]

What's stopping you from doing anything to him? His power?

[framestory]

[ Ellis takes some time to write this out in particular-- ]

1. I can't go back even if I wanted to.
2. I'm not a fighter.
3. He's a personification of the concept of destruction.

[ You know, just normal god things and tool life. ]

[graftage]

[The last one makes him bark out a laugh.]

Ooh, boy. [Wow.] That doesn't mean he's immune to it, though, right? His own destruction, I mean.

[framestory]

It's more like he is the destruction itself, so it's weird. I don't know much about it. I don't think anyone can top him for having the absolutely worst personality, but if you think there are contenders, I want to know.

[ Tell him a little story, Steinbeck. ]

[graftage]

[Sorry, his wound hurts so he can't full-on laugh like he wants to, but he tries, his laugh ending in a wheeze.]

I think I know a guy who could give your creator a run for his money. And he isn't even some being of destruction or whatever.

[framestory]

[ Ellis seems interested. Please tell him, Steinbeck. The suspense is killing him!! ]