[Open] Intro + April Catch-All

[badsunrising]

WHO: A scrunkly new arrival and YOU
WHAT: Intro and Catch-All for April
WHEN: Throughout April
WHERE: Mostly in Nightwake, with a little in Amberfall



ARRIVAL
[ His head still swims with the memory of the last few moments. The phantom scent of fresh flowers was almost intoxicating. The dazzling bursts of living color and the powerful sense of rebirth were mesmerizing. As if he had been walking through a brilliant dream.

And then it was gone, melted away. He's left only with the moving crowd around him and the feeling of confinement he always felt among walls. A frustrated growl rises silently in his throat. He'd let that vision distract him. He needs to know where he is and how he'd gotten here. He strains to listen among the faint din of confused conversation.

The eventual explanations that come from the one called Olwen do little to alleviate his irritation. He offers skeptical glances toward the bits about a troubled world and seasonal powers. But his most dismissive reaction, a sharp "tch" forced through his teeth, is saved for the line about the necessity of physical touch. What a bunch of nonsense.

As soon as this Olwen is through, he's moving again. His pace is slightly staggered, as if he hasn't moved too much recently. But it's essential to discover how much truth was in Olwen's words. Which means finding others to observe. (Instead of just talking to people like a normal person.) Something he was not especially skilled at doing with any degree of subtlety, being used to doing it in a slightly different form.

Whether he's leaning against a wall and obviously people-watching or staring from behind some restaurant table is entirely up to you!

OR maybe you catch him browsing deeply through books at the Amberfall library while muttering to himself:]

So I'm just supposed to ask a random person to hold my hand?

WINDS OF CHANGE
[ He's gathered enough basic information to learn that he's allegedly been appointed to the Spring season. Whatever that means. Apparently, there were more details to be found at the Spring Guild in Blossomcrown.

After more half-believed explanations, finds himself in the practice area, trying to visualize anything dealing with wind. So far, his focus has resulted in a faint orange-red glow from the amulet beneath his shirt but little else.]

What does spring have to do with wind anyway? Shouldn't it be rain?

[ As he mutters it, a gust smacks him directly in the face, disheveling his already messy hair even further.]

HERE KITTY KITTY
[ He hadn't actually intended on questing. Sure, he'd seen the posters talking about some sort of strange cats roaming about. But his focus had remained on gathering as much information about this place as possible. It was only when he'd noticed his amulet feeling oddly hot that he decided to track down the source of the magical disturbance.

Just when he thinks he's discovered its location, he notices the glow fading entirely from the artifact. Something that's never happened before. Alarmed, he looks around himself to find the culprit.

A light mewl startles him, followed by an inky black creature dropping down from a ledge.

A kitten. His brows furrow in concern, as the animal's fur bristles. Hardly an unfamiliar reaction.]

It's not a good time, cat.

[ He goes to nudge it away with his foot, as he continues to search the place with his gaze. Despite its lack of brightness, his amulet still feels warm against his chest. To make matters worse, any light around him seems to be slowing fading as well. The kitten hisses at the motions of his foot and takes a quick swipe at him.

Sighing in frustration, he scoops the animal from the ground to make a quick exit. Only to watch more lights flash out as he walks briskly. All while the cat yowls in protest.

Sorry if you happened to be enjoying any bright technology along the way!]

Comments

[forgingfires]

I don't have a warped sense of agency. I have simple agency and it disgusts me when people choose to ignore it because of their own cowardice.

You're holding back because there's people around. You're not near scared enough for it to be for your life.

Its an invitation because you'll never figure out a way to kill me in a fight where I won't be held back. But in a fight where something has to constrain me, you might just figure out weaknesses to exploit later.

Plus I want you to hate me for me and not because I'm a demon.

[badsunrising]

[ He gives him a skeptical look. ]

You do realize how much like a trap that sounds, right?

And I can hate you for both.

[ It's called multitasking! ]

Don't think you can manipulate me so easily. I understand your play now.

[forgingfires]

Its not really a play when I spelled it out.

If I wanted to kill you, I would do it now. I'm the one without moral qualms, aren't I~?

And you can't hate me for both. As long as you hate me for being a demon, that is all you will hate me for, because you blame everything of me on being a demon. Its the lowered mental faculties of the speciesist, you just can't multitask.

[badsunrising]

Is that what you think? Well, let me correct your severe misunderstanding. I hated you just for being a demon before. You've since given me plenty of reasons to hate you personally.

All you've done is confirm what I already knew.

[forgingfires]

And what do you know?

[He steps closer again, teeth on display, confidence and danger.]

What do you really know about demons? I'm a rabid dog? As I recall, you're the one who lunged at me without a plan, while I quickly kept you from hurting me, and knocked you off your feet without breaking a bone, putting you in a prone position to make it ill advised to continue the fight.

I was calm and controlled. I have done nothing without a clear thought.

You acted wild. You have chosen to hate for no reason then because I'm a demon.

Because that's all you 'know.'

Is that all you had for the person you've murdered? Because the way you're reacting...

There is someone who you've killed where that was the only thing you knew.

[badsunrising]

[ He continues to stare him down, unfazed.

... At least until Red Son calls him "wild." Just like he'd been that day. Choosing hate and betrayal after months of kinship. Love. That his partner had taken him back still leaves him shocked and confused in so many ways.

Then of course the guy starts talking about who he's murdered again. While that bastard had 100% deserved it (he would have killed his partner otherwise), the knowledge still can't erase the feeling of disgust in his heart.

He clenches a fist at his side, digging his nails into his palm to keep from punching this asshole. But the tremble in his heated gaze still suggests that a mark has been hit.

He desperately falls back on facts, flashes of memory, of the monster he knows. As he two steps closer, posture radiating pure aggression and threat. ]

What do I know about demons? I know how you enjoy causing pain, how the thrill of the hunt excites you, I can see it in your eyes. How you revel in your power over others.

And you know nothing about me.

[ Every word is nearly snarled through his teeth. ]

[forgingfires]

You aren't hard to read. The fact you have doubt means you already suspect your bigotry is wrong on some level. That you're wrong.

But admitting it means you're the wild, rabid dog. [He steps closer, hands still folded behind him.]

Because you're wrong on several points. I enjoy causing pain to those who've slighted me. I don't enjoy hurting people who have done nothing to me. I don't jump at the chance to hurt others for impersonal reasons.

I enjoy power, but again, that is a choice. It's valuable to my family.

But I can take or leave violence, unlike you.

[badsunrising]

[ He still doesn't break eye contact, though the heat in his gaze has changed to ice. ]

I know what I've seen.

[ And he knows he is the rabid dog. ]

And for one who can take or leave violence, you're insistent on a fight.

[forgingfires]

Because you've slighted me. After all, you were insulting for quite a while before I called you out on your cowardice. You broke at a single word.

You see what confirms your terrified viewpoint and ignore anything else.

As such, you've missed that I don't want to cause needless collateral damage either. But oh! That doesn't make sense for a demon, after all I'm just as rabid and mindless as you, clearly that can't be the case!

Go on, tell me the 'demon reason' for not wanting to drag in bystanders, I'm sure it'll be entertaining and utterly idiotic.

[badsunrising]

You misunderstand. I'm not afraid of you.

I said you were a monster, not mindless. Demons are preservationists, as any creature is. Needless collateral damage in an unfamiliar world with unfamiliar limits on your power would not benefit you either. Your kind knows how to lie low until the situation is fully to their advantage.

[ Is that not what Lucien's demon had always done? Rather than just forcing control at all times and revealing himself. ]

[forgingfires]

Don't lie to me, you're not good at it. You have been afraid the moment I said demon.

You said rabid beast, and with how foolish you are, you should be aware how little thinking there is in that.

Also still not my reason for not dragging in bystanders.

[badsunrising]

I'm not interested in explaining it to you. Arguing with you is a waste of time.

What makes you think I care about your reason in the first place?

[forgingfires]

Its only a waste because you're too afraid to do anything, but hate because if you don't hate, you've done terrible evil.

Because you're using that reasoning to wish for my death.

Because you're using that reasoning to wish for the death of demons who are genuinely good people. They do exist.

I'm not one.

But I've had several of them fight me because they are and they have earned my respect enough to acknowledge them.

[badsunrising]

You make a lot of assumptions about my wishes. You still know nothing about me.

[ And it's not like he has any delusions about who and what he is. He just happens to have an insane partner who believes he can be more than that. ]

Your other so-called good demons are irrelevant. They're not here. You are.

[forgingfires]

You're not a hard read and you haven't figured out a single thing about me that I haven't told you directly. And only that, you can't figure out any more beyond that.

Its good they're not here.

Since you'd try to murder them too.

You might even be able to murder the blue pacifist. Or the pig man who just wants to run his noodle shop who wants to keep the hero kids safe.

And you wouldn't even question it the moment you realized they were of demon blood. You'd just see you could take them in a fight and you'd do it and you'd relish in your feeling of self righteous control.

[badsunrising]

[ His look darkens again, something internally wincing at ever mention of "murder." ]

Are you finished with your pointless assumptions? Or do you plan on describing every decent demon you know?

[forgingfires]

You haven't denied you'd murder them.

[badsunrising]

I'm not here to indulge your assumptions about me. I gave you your chance and you lived up to my suspicions. This isn't about anyone but you. But please continue your self-important posturing. It's been very useful.

[forgingfires]

Oh, using me to justify your slaughter of innocents, have you?

How noble of you.

Such a good person you are. I'm sure whoever taught you to hate demons must be so proud.

[badsunrising]

That would be a demon.

And I don't need to be a good person. I just need to do my job.

[forgingfires]

Oh, is that where it comes from?

Such a mindless beast that all you can do is follow orders? Can only see one example and that's why its all right to follow those orders? It would explain your inability to have empathy, coming from the demon who admits his own is incredibly low.

But at least it exists.

[badsunrising]

I'm not following orders.

[ He practically spits it out, as if offended by the word. ]

There's no one to give them.

[ His fault.

He presses forward again until he is towering over Red Son with his height. ]

And you continue to make assumptions, based on my opinion of you, an admitted power-hungry monster. You got a reaction and you've grasped at anything you could, trying to exploit it. But you don't even know what you're exploiting. Everything you've attacked with is just a wild guess.

[forgingfires]

Oh? Did you lose your master then?

[He looks up, his own posture calm and controlled, the essence of a prince, projecting a larger presence than his body really was.]

Except it isn't your opinion of me.

You've made it very clear you're applying your opinion of me on every demon.

That is the problem I have with you. Its disrespectful for those I respect, and insulting of my own choices.

How pathetic you are where someone whose morally corrupt has higher standards for being fair in judgement of others.

[badsunrising]

[ Something visibly cracks in his expression at that first line, his gaze going completely feral. So much for that barely held restraint. He's going to try to punch him this time.

Anything else that was said after that is completely lost to his hurt and rage. ]

—SHUT UP!

[forgingfires]

[Ah, there's the trigger again. What is it about masters and wild animals?]

[He shifts down, hand shooting up to grab his wrist and pushing it up, over his head, other hand going to grab at his shoulder to push him to the side as he extends out his hand, not letting go of his this time.]