December/spring catch-all

[feralheart]

WHO: M-21 and anyone!
WHAT: Open + catchall
WHEN: All spring
WHERE: All over the island
WARNINGS: none, TBA if needed. Plotting here!


i. what do you mean 'consequences'

[ On one specific, highly cursed day this month, M-21 can be found lurking forlornly outside the island's little clinic. An internal war seems to be going on; he takes a grudging step towards the doors, then stalks away again. As if unaware he's doing it, he reaches down to rub irritably at his lower back. Maybe someone's a little less suited for farm work than everyone else? ]

This is so stupid.

[ He shoots a mutinous look up at the sky like he'd like to direct a complaint right to the management but doesn't quite dare. Then he's back to his pacing, with an occasional sideways glance thrown in towards the vet. Or he can be found draped somewhat pathetically over the nearest fence-shaped thing he can find, apparently no longer willing to move.

Help. ]

ii. like herding cats

[ On days when the weather is sunny and cooperative, despite all complaints, M-21 is hard at work in his fields. Reluctant concessions to farmcore have been made to spare what's left of his suit, and a sturdy pair of farming gloves covering his hands well past the wrist spare what's left of his palms from the sub-par farming tools. Things are coming in pretty nicely, especially the new stand of trees. They're full-grown and leafy and already showing a crop of... one fluffy orange kitten with oversized paws perched on a branch, chirruping furiously. ]

You got yourself up there.

[ Rescue? Or wait another few seconds to catch M-21 sighing and stripping off his gloves as he goes to climb a tree for what appears to be the five hundredth time that day. ]

iii. wildcard

[ Catch me on my planning link or PM if you want a starter! I welcome any and all bingos or just chaos. Or just hit me with anything, he'll be Around. ]

Comments

closed to syrlya

[feralheart]

[ M-21 admittedly knows next to nothing about camping. But it's camping in the mild spring weather, so how hard can it be? His careful preparations after a few chats with the locals include a stash of marshmallows, a few sandwiches, water, and firewood from a stump he hacked up while he was cleaning up his fields. So... really, the essentials are covered, right?

He frowns in some focus as he clears away more leaves from the ground at the spot they've picked in the forest. This is probably loosely how this works... ]

You know if that's enough to keep anything else from catching fire? I think there are supposed to be rocks?

[ He probably should have asked how much experience a plant guy has with building fires. ]

[chronosynthesis]

[Luckily, camping actually is something Syrlya has experience in. Long stretches of time spent away from societies makes learning to live on the land important. Though... it helps when one's biology is also closer to the land.]

Right. [He sets a makeshift pack from a pillow sack on the ground, with what supplies he could get from his farm: blanket, matches, water canisters, and some dry food. It's just for one night, he doesn't think they need any serious survival tools.

Once the pack is dropped, he's checking the ground for stones that can be circled around.] And we will want all of the foliage cleared from that spot, including the grass. Digging up just the surface is easiest.

[feralheart]

[ M-21's expression brightens when he spots the matches, then turns sheepish. The only downside of spending time with competent people is having his nose inadvertently rubbed in his own shortsightedness. ]

Alright. Sounds simple enough.

[ Not that he brought something to dig with, either. But with a quick glance to see if Syrlya is occupied, he flexes his fingers and turns his nails into claws to start cutting through the grass down through the soil. Overkill, but it makes quick work of the job. ]

You've done this a lot?

[chronosynthesis]

Mmhmm. When the next town or waypoint is days away, it is important to know how to survive. Even creatures that do not eat plants may respond to movement.

[Also, starvation sucks a lot worse than things tasting bad.] But we should be safe here, and the farms are only a few minutes away. I know someone on this side well if we did need any assistance.

closed to satoko

[feralheart]

[ It had sounded like a good idea in his head. They both need this square in particular. He likes her company, and she's seemed... okay, he doesn't have any confidence in his ability to read her in return, his experience in this area being less than zero. But a simple date for the bingo should be easy. Not weird to ask. Good for both of them. Right?

The short walk to Satoko's farm gives him entirely too much time to mull over whether this is a bad idea, and somehow not enough time to actually prepare what he's going to say. He's still fiddling with the pink primrose in his hands and trying not to shred the stem when he comes to knock on her door. ]

Satoko.

[ If her housemate answers he is fully prepared and committed to dive into the nearest shrubbery. ]

[sugarnaut]

( thankfully, that doesn't seem to be a problem at all- satoko opens the door with a kitten curled up against her collar almost precariously, like this isn't any big deal. (it's not. eclair's a cuddly baby who likes to hear people's heartbeats, and she's realized this fast and adjusted as such.)

where m-21 is likely an anxious mess, satoko's perfectly relaxed. she's watered everything, checked on meringue and is considering taking a nap in an hour or two. her mood is perfectly content for once! that's about to change. )

Oh, hey. Everything good?

[feralheart]

It's, uh...

[ If he doesn't say something, she's going to think something's wrong. M-21 blinks down at her and the kitten, fidgeting a little more for the feline audience before he holds out the primrose to her abruptly. ]

These bloomed. [ Obviously, ] ...There's no aquarium here. But the inn's got a cafe thing. Want to go?

[ That... that didn't even address the main thing he was trying to ask. Does it make him look weirder that he checked her profile? Maybe he should have asked the kids for dating tips instead, back when he had the chance. ]

i

[bluminescence]

[ It would be easy to assume that Kaspar doesn't notice the man draped over the fence. He walks past the first time without pause. His glance is for the trees above them and not the farmer or his suffering.

But Kaspar returns, eventually yet suddenly. His neighborly curiosity, and concern that he hasn't moved, gets the better of Kaspar, though not before he freed his hands of wildflowers and other findings at home before coming back. He leans or squats down enough to comfortably and casually ask-- ]

... would you, like some help?

[feralheart]

[ M-21 has been just a little dead to the world. People passing back and forth aren't worth lifting his head for without a really compelling reason. The voice finally gets him to stir just enough to turn an eye towards Kaspar in bleary assessment. ]

Make it stop.

[ Not his most cogent, but that's probably a resounding 'yes.' He's sulking. ]

[bluminescence]

[ Kaspar tilts his head, pausing for a beat. It is nice that they have to freedom to laze about over a fence while dealing with apparent pain. But the other man has given him permission, his curiosity is piqued, and Kaspar had lived too physical a life not to eventually recognize the signs of soreness. So, he nods with finality and rises again to move closer. With his light being restored, so too comes the additional strength. There's nothing but steady confidence on his part when he reaches over to try and casually lift M-21 off the fence with gloved hands and set him carefully over a broad shoulder if he lets him. At least he's wearing his soft blue flannel today.

The quiet and only explanation: ]

... ice, and rest.

[feralheart]

[ M-21 was directing his words more as a general lament against the universe. He hadn't expected anyone to actually take action. He definitely hadn't expected to be picked up. He startles a little, but when the first twitch sends another pang through his back, changes his mind and melts quietly over Kaspar's shoulder.

Maybe... this will actually shake something loose. He isn't opposed to that idea. It's more comfortable than the fence, and he doesn't want to think about moving right now. ]

You sound certain. ...Where are we going?

[ Honestly, he'll take the comforting reassurance of someone who sounds like they know the answer right about now. Blond forces of nature are a soothingly known quantity. Frankenstein isn't nearly this gentle. ]

i

[associative]

[ Gaku happens to find M-21 draped over a fence.

How odd. This guy seemed to be the motivated type, so he's surprised to see him in this state. ]

What's up?

[feralheart]

[ He lifts his head mournfully to assess. Gaku, huh? Not that he feels like keeping up appearances in front of anyone. Succinctly: ]

Goddess. Probably.

[associative]

What'd she do?

[ He gives M-21 a once-over, just to see if he can spot the difference... ]

[feralheart]

[ On the bright side, it's not visible this time. And his speech is normal! But he puts a hand to his lower back and straightens gradually with a grimace. ]

Back hurts. [ It sounds so minor like that. ] ...And it won't stop. [ ...Still can't convey the gravity of this, really. ]

WILDCARD

[framestory]

[ Ellis is here at the beach, sitting on several towels that are lied over the sand. The sunset is soon and he's been waiting for M-21 here after coordinating a time and location for their meeting. He has a book in front of him and a notepad too, looking at the waves coming in and out. ]

<3!

[feralheart]

[ M-21 probably should have asked if this was a date first, not that he'd have any more idea how to prepare if it was. After an annoying amount of waffling over whether or not to bring something, he's secured one bottle of some kind of bubbly cider. He doesn't even know if Ellis drinks, or what he likes. Maybe it'll count as a new experience?

He's really not familiar with the sense of nerves coming over him as he makes his way towards where Ellis sits on the sand. ]

Hey.

[framestory]

[ Ellis looks over at M-21 and smiles, waving when he makes his way there. He eyes the bottle of cider and wonders if it's wine. He's not very familiar with cider and whether it has alcohol in it. ]

[feralheart]

[ Neither is M-21... There's a little alcohol in this one, although less than a wine. Probably a safe enough gamble for M-21 if he ends up having to drink the whole thing himself. But he smiles back reflexively at the sight of Ellis' expression and flops himself down next to him on the towel. ]

Seems like I kept you waiting. My bad.

ii

[of_sablier]

[Oh no, poor little thing. At least it doesn't seem to be injured in any way, but it's fairly clear that it isn't going to be able to make it down without some help.

Jack may be a practiced hand at climbing trees. He may also think it would be much more entertaining to sit here and watch someone else make the attempt first before he offers any assistance.]

Well, that's certainly the most interesting type of fruit I've seen yet. You wouldn't happen to have any extra seeds for that one, would you?

[feralheart]

[ M-21 shoots his visitor an exasperated look as he hauls himself up deftly into the tree. This is attempt number five hundred, he doesn't even need werewolf reflexes to accomplish this feat. Holding the kitten to his chest--where it promptly latches onto his shirt and begins to purr--he hops back down. ]

Orange tree. You should ask the goddess if she's got spares. Unless you want this one.

[ This is a lie, he'll kill the man that touches his cat. ]

[of_sablier]

[... okay, that was definitely impressive. Jack does not regret opting to stay put on the ground-- there's no way he would have been able to do that even half that quickly, tree-climbing experience or not.]

Mmm, you harvested it, so it's yours fair and square. Besides, it seems to be rather attached to you, so to speak...

[He does kind of want to pet it, though. Look, he can't help it, look at how fluffy it is!]

we wildin

[framestory]

[ Ellis invited M-21 over to his house and it's pretty much what you would expect from someone who has nearly everything filled out on the bingo card: the two-story house is well furnished and clean, the farm fields water themselves, there's a greenhouse that holds the more sensitive plants... the whole nine yards. It has some animals here and there, but not many.

However, there's an a white adult samoyed dog that trots over to M-21 when he arrives with his tail wagging excitedly. New person! New person!! What does M-21 smell like.. ]

[feralheart]

[ M-21's already seen Gaku's place, so he's only gaping a little as he approaches. At least they're set for cooking as far as facilities go. He hefts the bag of ingredients (ingredients being produce and several emergency packs of ramen) over his shoulder and bends to reach out a hand to the dog cautiously.

He genuinely has no idea if he smells like wolf. The only animal he's dealt with yet here is the kitten he has that fears no man or god. Maybe he at least smells like food too? ]

...Hey.

[ Please don't panic, dog friend... ]

[framestory]

[ The samoyed trots to M-21's side and howls a little after sniffing him. You smell strange, but not bad! Doggo friend. It puts a paw on M-21's foot.

Meanwhile, Ellis happens to come out to the front door at the time and spots M-21, waving a little over at him. ]