OPEN POST ♞ THE BIRD IN THE BASKET

[optimistical]

WHO: Makoto Naegi and anyone else!
WHERE: Literally everywhere in Recolle
WHEN: 03/06
WHAT: There's a crane. There's a crane in the mailbox. There's a crane on university grounds. Help. This is the accompanying network post.
WARNINGS:

ONE

After getting that murder weapon from Retrospec, Naegi thought he wouldn't get anything as bad as that. He means, that's the worst of the worst, right? Nothing can really top that. But this? This... this is definitely bad. Not murder weapon bad but still pretty awful.

It's a giant red-crown crane. It's a giant red-crown crane and it's stuck in the mailbox. It's stuck in the mailbox and Naegi, being the good kid that he is, is left with the terrible duty of getting a wild animal out of it. He honestly doesn't even know where to start and when he tries to move closer to try and help, he just gets pecked twice on the forehead instead.

Pecked really hard.

He stumbles back and just holds his forehead in his hands while the bird still trashes in the mailbox.

He's... he's already done.

TWO

Well, after a minute of dealing with the searing pain of an angry bird pecking you despite you wanting to help, Naegi still tries to figure out a way to get this poor crane out of the mailbox. He takes a deep breath and gets right in there, willing to withstand the Pecks of the North Star to try and shimmy the bird out. However, it would be a lot easier if the bird didn't act like he was trying to take it out so he could eat it or something and trash around like a headless chicken.

"H-Hey, i-it's all right! I'm just trying to help you!"

He says as if the crane can understand and can suddenly realize that this human is, in fact, helping and not trying to kill it. It's going to be a long and difficult fight, resulting in someone losing an eye if this keeps up.

Please help.

THREE

Probably an hour after Naegi gets the bird free, he now doesn't really know what to do with it. There's no way he can take it home because he's pretty sure you can't keep cranes as pets (and he doesn't really want to) but the thing is...

It won't stop following him now.

For a bird that put up such a fight when it was in the mailbox, it now seems to have no problems with Naegi. The thought process is probably like this: "yes, this is a good human. This human saved its life. Gotta follow this human to be safe. Maybe it will be fed. Good human." Something like that. Anyway, Naegi is exasperated by this turn of events and he keeps looking back at it as he walks.

"I'm telling you... You really can't follow me home..."

He sounds so defeated though and that's probably because he knows that he's not going to win this fight. The crane is determined and that's that.

FOUR

Wanna know how determined this crane is to following him, though?

Well, Naegi is at Recolle University, trying to attend class, pick up some supplies from the mentoring office, actually be in the mentoring office to help his mentees, and do some studying at school and this goddamn crane is following him. Throughout the entire school... Naegi is just pretty much trying to ignore it and going through his day like it's completely normal.

Feel free to meet him anywhere on campus grounds because this crane isn't going to leave him alone...

WILDCARD

Anything is game! PM me or toss me a private plurk at northpaws if you want to do something outside the above options or to discuss anything! Will be replying with action tags rather than prose!

Comments

Three

[sketchythief]

[ Daisuke was on his way back home when he runs into Naegi. He's about to wave over at his direction, but he sees a crane following him. His mind immediately tracks back to the turkey incident and wonders if this is anything similar to that...

He digs through his bag and gets out a can of goose spray. There will always be an occasion for such, no matter how much questioning he gets about it. ]

Makoto...? Is that crane bothering you?

[optimistical]

[ i can't believe that daisuke still carries around the goose spray. maybe naegi should learn from his example and finally carry around some self-defense spray rather than carrying around 29381910 art supplies and coupons in his bag (he'll just throw expensive paint at the next mugger's face, he supposes) but anyway, hey, daisuke. naegi stops waking when he sees him and as a result, the crane stops walking too. it just stands behind him and stares deep into daisuke's soul ]

Uh, kind of... It's been following me around since I pulled it out of the mailbox.

[sketchythief]

[ Well, to be fair... coupons are extremely important in their lives. Daisuke looks back at the crane, only turning away when Naegi answers his question. He tries to process the information, but... ]

... You pulled it out of a mailbox?

[ Daisuke looks surprised. Sure, he may have also gotten Wiz out of the mailbox too, but a legitimate crane... inside a mailbox...?

... ]

How did it even fit? I don't think cranes are like octopi that can fit anywhere--

[ Then, he realizes. ]

Why do you have so many marks on your face?

[optimistical]

[ at the mention of the marks on his face, naegi just places a hand up to his cheek where one of the said marks are. does it look that bad? he hasn't had the time to look in a mirror since all of this happened this morning... ]

Oh, um, this is from trying to take it out of the mailbox. It was really panicking while it was in there. I don't blame it since it could barely fit...

Four

[impulsives]

[ To be honest, Shin's been thinking on getting someone to sketch a picture of the Gundam he just remembered piloting in a past life, the Impulse. Thankfully, he remembered that Makoto could probably draw it for him. At least, if he's free. His poor mentor has always been plagued by a crapton of assignments at this time, so...

Either ways, checking up on Makoto should be fine! Except... ]

Uh, what's with the crane?

[ Because why is there a crane in campus. No, why is it following him? ]

[optimistical]

[ naegi is sitting at the little mentor's office when he sees shin checking in. he... just looks up with an exasperated face ]

... it won't stop following me around.

[impulsives]

I... see.

[ ...There's just an awkward silence since well, uh. ]

Didn't know you're like Snow White where animals follow you everywhere.

[ Why is he here again? ]

[optimistical]

[ naegi doesn't even have a response to shin's comment because maybe this is just his life now. he's just going to keep on attracting animals and have them follow him around until he dies. ever since he got back his shsl good luck talent, his life has been... stressful, to say the least ]

[ he just lets out a small sigh before he shakes his head. back to trying to ignore the crane ]

Well... anyway, what's up, Shin? Do you need help with anything?

[ considering that they're in the mentoring office, he assumes that shin needs some sort of mentoring unless he wants to hang (which is also good, naegi can do that when there are no students who need help around) ]

One

[frostythehitman]

[ James came to the mailbox to check out his own recent package, but he sees now that he'll have to wait in line. Of course, once he realizes that the thing half-stuffed into the mailbox is alive, he stops dead in his tracks. ]

...Are you trying to take it out, or return it?

[optimistical]

[ you're going to have to wait a while, james, because this bird isn't coming out without stabbing someone in the eye. naegi is still holding one hand to his forehead before he turns his head to speak to james ]

T-Take it out... it's not making it very easy to do that, though.

[ the bird is still trashing around btw ]

[frostythehitman]

[ JESUS, James can't help but take a step back when the bird starts thrashing. ]

Yeah, no wonder, it's trapped in a mailbox! The quicker you get it out of there, the more it's gonna chill out.

[ Probably. He doesn't know anything about swans. Swans? Birds. ]

Do you have food? Lure it out with some stale bread or something.

[optimistical]

[ naegi has to kind of jump back when the bird trashes around again. it's got a killer reach with that long neck and would probably try to peck out james' eye to eat it. naegi goes through his bag and pulls out a little baggie that has a very boring and plain bagel in it. literally no spread or anything that would make it taste better than just boring bread but he holds it out to james ]

I have a bagel but can a crane even eat it? It's not like a duck.

[ spoilers: red-crowned cranes are more carnivorous than other cranes ]

Four

[falsepretentious]

[Byakuya is on his way to the cafeteria for lunch when he spots Naegi... being followed by some type of a bird? He frowns and raises an eyebrow, recalling the turkey invasion of last year.]

...Don't tell me there's another infestation. Makoto, behind you.

[optimistical]

[ naegi was kind of hoping that no one would stop him at school and question him about the bird. sure, it's an impossible thing to hope for but he was still holding onto the very small chance that no one would stop him to point it out to him. he was doing okay so far, getting onto campus grounds and not having anyone bother him but then while he was trying to get to the art club room, byakuya dashes on his hopes and ruins it all. thanks, man, thanks ]

[ naegi stops walking (and the crane stops as well) and he looks at byakuya, looks back behind him, and then back at the man ]

Ah, no, this... this is from Retrospec. It's... mine now, I guess.

[ his first pet in probably 20 years and it's a goddamn crane. he wants a refund ]

[falsepretentious]

[Byakuya's witnessed a number of unreal and bizarre regains over the course of his time with the Retrospec app. Even so, the idea of getting a living animal felt bewildering, and that was reflected in his face.]

What?! Are you saying that they sent you a living bird? Don't tell me that it was in the mailbox... [That probably violates some laws regarding animal safety and/or post service]

[optimistical]

[ for once, it's naegi who is calm while byakuya is the one going ?!?!. this is probably because naegi is just so tired and done with everything ]

It was in the mailbox... I had to pull it out but it put up a fight so it took me about an hour.

[ it's been a while since naegi had to do that but there are still little marks on his face from all the pecking the crane did to him. ]

Four

[nachetanya]

[ You know what or who is way more interesting than Naegi himself, particularly when they haven't really interacted in person yet? ... A crane. The crane is very interesting! The red-eyed woman with a prosthetic left arm see this and all but races over to get close to it...

Only to realize, ah, right, that's a species which shouldn't be anywhere near native here. So she settles close but at a respectable distance, crouching down to examine it a little closer out here in...

The school library?

Why is that thing here? ]

Oooh, what are you doing here?

[optimistical]

[ tbh, a crane is more interesting than every other way compared to naegi. that's just the truth. anyway, naegi is studying at a table while the crane is just standing next to him. it's surprisingly well-behaved but probably because it's not in a mailbox anymore and no one is really bothering it, but then natalia comes its way and start crouching near it... the crane turns its head and stares at her. it doesn't do anything (yet) but maybe that's a good thing. ]

[ naegi hears a familiar voice and turns his head as well, looking down at natalia who is crouching on the ground? for some reason? ]

... are you talking to the crane?

[nachetanya]

Of course I am!

[ the woman does know to be wary though, working with animals - even one which seems domesticated? like this) is always a little bit dodgey. As such, she remains here in place, smiling at the bird and waiting for its initial reaction. She spreads her arms gently to the side. both the right (bio) and left (prosthetic) one ]

the wildest card for the wildest protag

[optimistical]

[ naegi has practically accepted his mcnugget man job at this point. money is money and even though it's embarrassing as hell, at least his face is covered by the costume so no one will really know it's him under this hideous costume. plus, byakuya got him the job so he should be grateful and try his best so he's trucking through yet another shift, standing on some street corner with flyers and coupons in his hands. he holds out the flyer-coupon combo to whoever passes by and says this line with all the forced enthusiasm that the job requires: ]

Hello! Please try out our new McNugget combo at McDonald's with these coupons! You won't McRegret it!

[ he hates himself ]

oh my godddddddd

[reaquila]

[Nanashi's all down for food. Let's be honest here. He's part of the kids chanting "MCDSMCDSMCDS" section in the triangle meme. So he just smiles at Naegi and waves.]

I'll try your McRegret combo.

[So he accepts the coupon and folds it up a few times.]

Thanks. What's with that outfit, though? Is it a work uniform? [Hello??]

°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

[optimistical]

[ jouhei and nanashi on a tandem bike together. nanashi on the back and going "MCDSMCDSMDCS JOUHEI!!" and jouhei just steers in the opposite direction ]

I am the mascot of our famous McNuggets! It's only fitting for me, the McNugget Man, to spread out the joy of the McNuggets!

[ ... yeah, he's still trying to act in character because look, he can't slack off on the job and also he can't really see properly in this outfit. he doesn't really know who he's talking to. he can't tell that this is the kid he talked about murder with ]

one

[justfists]

[well, Makoto had been there for a different reason. But she's already pocketed that in her bag-- and instead, she's distracted by the cry, and she only just turns in time to notice the pecking. She places a hand to her mouth in shock for a brief second before darting over to make sure that she hasn't just witness a man get mauled by a bear or something.]

Are you alright?!

[optimistical]

[ naegi holds his forehead with one hand, rubbing the spot that the crane pecked him twice. he rubs it and pulls his hand back to check if there's any blood. there isn't and he looks up at makoto ]

I-- I think I'm all right. I don't think it's bleeding so that's good.

[ though there is a nice big bruise forming ]

[justfists]

[Makoto exhales-- why did you get a live bird, Naegi...]

You should be more careful. Food's particularly effective, I believe, for calming animals down.

[she's just riffing at this point... but that seems to work in nature documentaries?]