January/Summer catch-all

[feralheart]

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


i. message in a bottle (beginning of month)

[ M-21 can be found at the memo board leaving his incredibly compelling self-advertisement-slash-transparent attempt at cheating. He's also lingering a little over the response to another one before he takes it with him. Catch him in the act, or take him up on his proposition!

Threads using the "compelled to speak the truth" event happen before Jan 7. ]

ii. rain on the beach (Jan 10)

[ Possibly M-21 did not understand the assignment to exercise with a partner. Possibly he's just getting in his laps industriously, proving why he counts for the "works out five times a week" scavenger hunt option. Either way, a little rain isn't going to slow him down any. He's jogging contentedly along the beach with absolutely no regard to how annoying running in sand is, or the rain that should be soaking him.

Probably because there's a localized sunbeam around just him. The smugger he gets about this, the brighter it seems to shine. Does this mean the goddess made up with him? He has no idea, but he's going to bask in it while it lasts. Anyone approaching will get a relatively good-natured nod. ]

You coming?

iii. wildcard

[ Catch me on my planning/PM/discord if you want a starter! ]

Comments

Roomie!

[feralheart]

[ It's a lovely morning in the village. The sun is shining. The plants are thriving. M-21's roommate is now small and purple.

Also, she has horns.

He takes a moment to contemplate this, weighing it against the known range of the 'pranks the goddess pulls because her sense of humor is terrible.' Then he tries to slide out of bed so he can slink down to the kitchen on quiet werewolf feet. If this process doesn't wake Oriphi, he will very presently be returning with oversweetened coffee with which to soften the whole awkward kidnapping news thing. ]

1/2

[hearthwarming]

[ With a 16 for Stealth against her passive perception and also the fact that she is fast asleep, the soft padding of werewolf feet across the floors doesn't cause her to stir.

The distant sounds of things happening in the kitchen (their kitchen, now?) slowly but surely pull her from her slumber, though it's not until she can smell the coffee he's brought that her golden eyes flutter open to find... ]

—!?

[ All of this. ]

[hearthwarming]

[ she's in— a bed!? They had just camped down for the night, how could she be in a bed? And— someone is there with her, waiting with a cup of coffee—

She gasps and sits up in her bed immediately, unwittingly pulling her blanket up to cover the lower half of her face in the process. ]

H—Hello?

[feralheart]

[ M-21 leans back as far as he can when she startles, extending the cup of coffee between them like a peace offering. He's doing his level best not to loom. His face is, unfortunately, just like this. ]

Hey.

[ Good... good start. This is going smoothly. He blinks a few times, regrouping for attempt #2. ]

...You're new. Harvest goddess probably brought you here. [ A beat. ] Here's coffee.

[hearthwarming]

[ He's doing his best... But she can appreciate that, nonetheless. One of her best friends is an almost 7' tall half-orc man so... This is fine.

There are other things about this that are more worrisome than how his face looks, besides.

She spares just another moment to look him over, though, before dropping the blanket from her face to reach out and take the coffee. ]

Uh... Harvest goddess? And where is here, exactly? A... house?

[feralheart]

[ Thank the harvest goddess (maybe) for half-orcs that make him look like a teacup poodle in comparison. This is actually going better than he expected.

He twitches a little, suddenly reminded of the fact that he'd just rolled out of bed, too. Once he hands her the coffee he tugs his long-sleeved shirt lower on his wrist and makes a futile attempt to shake his hair out of his eyes. Nothing is achieved! But it seems to placate him. ]

Yeah. My--your house now, too? Fairies probably already dropped off a new pamphlet... [ He catches himself before he gets too far afield on this unhelpful tangent. ] I don't know much more than that. People are from different planets, so who knows where we are.

[hearthwarming]

[ The fact that he looks similarly disheveled as she feels and probably looks doesn't seem to bother her, at least! Hearing that she suddenly has a house with this man and is dealing with something involving different planets however, does. ]

Different... planets. So not even a different plane of existence, but...

[ He mentions fairies, but something tells her this isn't a Feywild thing. Oh, boy. Oriphi, what have you gotten yourself into this time...? ]

Wait, did you say... my— this is mine? [ "ours"?? ] I... I've never really had my own house before.

Crow

[feralheart]

[ Farming isn't such a hard life that M-21 has to be drinking habitually. His cooking, on the other hand... that might be. Happy hour is a nice way to supplement his supply of instant ramen, because he's a well-adjusted adult whose limited life experience definitely includes good food habits.

Who knows by what strange alignment of the stars this meeting hasn't happened yet. But on this day of all days, M-21 approaches the table he's mentally designated as his (meaning: one, safely far away from the karaoke machine radius; and two, where no one will be passing by behind him and making him jumpy) only to find it occupied. ]

...Hey. That's my spot.

[ No it is not?? ]

[chevaliered]

[ i deeply love that everyone is farming, yet some are thriving(?) on instant ramen alone. everyone is doing their best.

and yeah. no, this is a free for all space. crow just glances up when his peace is disturbed. he's not againsts being in the thick of things? but sometimes a little peace and quiet, and not being in the sight line of any and everyone who enters the place is... nice.

he's always down for a little people watching, after all. ]

No name, no claim. And I didn't see a name on the seat, so.

[ this was free real estate, sir. ]

[feralheart]

[ In the battle of 'ramen' vs 'raw turnips,' M-21, a survivor, wisely chose both. He's doing amazing.

He frowns a little bit down at Crow and considers deeply. On the one hand: that's fair. On the other hand: pettiness. Compromise wins yet again and he pulls out the stationary he carries around in case of Ellis to write "M-21" on one sheet and drop it to the seat beside Crow. ]

Now there is. That good enough to count while I get a round?

[ Was he really in danger of Crow taking a second seat? Who can say. ]

[chevaliered]

[ it's fine the turnips counteract the ramen, for sure. ]

Hmmmm.

[ he puts his feet on the seat. notes can stop him because he can't read. (he can) ]

Think of this as extra insurance. Or a take over attempt, we'll find out once you've got your round in.

[feralheart]

[ The incredulous face he's making right now... Could this be the wages of pettiness. ]

Then we'll find out if I'm throwing you out.

[ But when he vanishes and returns with his beer he puts a second one down in front of this menace. This is a transparent bribe. ]

[chevaliered]

You can try~

[ hehehehehehe. crow looks quite comfortable where he is, honestly. maybe he won't move.

buuut-- ]

Oooh, bribery? Good plan.

[ smart move, honestly. after an enlongated moment, a pause that lasts juuust a bit too long...

he moves his feet. ]

i truth or truth let's go

[yourlenore]

( Mishka checks up on the memo board whenever he passes by, just because it's a delightful little artifact - like a bounty board back at headquarters, but less murderous.

Still, he recognizes two things: firstly, that the handwriting across the bingo buddy/scavenger buddy notices are similar; and, second, that his suggestion had earned a response. He reads over it with a slight smile before he glances at the guy namenapping his suggestion. )

Oh? Were you the one who sought help naming this cat?

[feralheart]

[ M-21 pauses and glances over at the stranger, looking like he's considering denying it outright.

The note is still in his hand. ]

...Yeah. I've got one now. [ He lifts the piece of paper he just picked up. ] This yours?

[yourlenore]

That would be me. Avolyn.

( He says this with a slight accent, suggesting the native pronunciation. )

I'm quite glad you like it - I don't often find myself in a position to name cats. I'm Mishka, by the by.

[feralheart]

"Avolyn."

[ Maybe not quite there, but it's clear M-21 wanted to get this one right. He looks kind of pleased with himself. ]

M-21. How'd you know he was trouble just from the picture?

[ He didn't even draw paws... ]

[yourlenore]

Very good!

( He respects the effort, perfection or no. )

Hmmm... I suppose it's the eyes? You have a talent for capturing a creature's essence on paper, I'd argue.

( A compliment! )

Your name's a curious one - any particular reason for it?

[feralheart]

[ That's definitely mockery, right? But if his art was that easy to interpret, maybe not? While M-21 is in the process of pondering this greater mystery, he answers casually: ]

I guess. It's my experiment serial number.

[ ...And blinks once in mild surprise. He really has been getting lax here. ]

Why, what's "Mishka" mean?

wildcard;

[esurientabyss]

[ So, shortly after those events when He Xuan walked off, he ended up thinking about that time, and also that, while he wasn't in a good headspace, that there is something to be said about someone trying to be a good friend. Not that He Xuan will ever call someone that in audible words, he thinks.

Maybe that's why he arrives unannounced with some crops he has happened to take with him. As thanks.

So, M-21 may be finding a light knock on his door. ]

[feralheart]

[ Everyone here being generally helpful means M-21 is about 250% less grumpy to answer the door than he had been the first week. He opens the door with an inquisitive tilt of his head and blinks a little in surprise to see He Xuan.

Huh. He hadn't actually expected to see him turn up. M-21's expression brightens a little in a way that hopefully doesn't make He Xuan immediately regret his choice. ]

Hey. Decided to try that ramen after all?

[esurientabyss]

[ He Xuan might regret it times ten.

Just kidding, though. He has brought along some vegetables from the harvest time, so he's going to lift up a bundle. Probably like, squash or something? ]

I've never had this 'ramen', so I may as well.

[ Then he will also pass along said thing of vegetables to the other male. ]

...And here. Consider it as something for the other day.

[feralheart]

It's noodles. You'll like it.

[ M-21 gives the vegetables a pleased look, somehow still not the most excited a wolf has ever been to see squash. He turns to carry them inside, giving a nod to invite He Xuan in. ]

...It was nothing. But I'll take them. Thanks.

[ There's prettymuch only one thing He Xuan can be talking about. At the time, it'd been pretty hard to tell if He Xuan was annoyed about him being there or not, so... this is nice. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ ...As a fyi, this mun didn't know wolves liked squash, I'm crying. ]

Hm. We'll see if we do.

[ Also, He Xuan was definitely irritated about M-21 being there. That is an indisputable fact. He'd prefer his dreams not to be attended by anyone.

It's fortunate he doesn't think the other is some kind of dreamwalker, though. As usual, He Xuan doesn't say typical things like 'your welcome' or the like, but he steps in. ]

...Did you ever get back at those who took your loved ones from you?

[feralheart]

[ M-21 doesn't need verbal expression when he's got an armful of vegetables. He's pleased as punch with himself as he makes his way to the kitchen to deposit them with his stash. He should give He Xuan something back, while he's at it.

...Or He Xuan could just go for the throat with his questions, instead of pleasantries. M-21 grunts and nods towards a seat as he goes to dig out the ramen packets for him. ]

...Not the one I wanted. Some small fry. Another experiment who killed my partner for standing in his way. But not the man who turned us into this in the first place.

[ It's probably a little generous to even count it as his revenge, when he was kicked around by Jake before Rai stepped in. But the end result is the end result. ]