[open] April Catch All

[nachetanya]

WHO: Natalia Fairweather & You ! !
WHERE: The Recollé Woods (maybe Fight Club if that's still going), the Stone Pegasus Casino, Recolle University, and generally around town
WHEN: Throughout April! Hirt birthday is on the 17th but other than that, whenever for the rest of the month and maybe into earlier in it.
WHAT: Training with her blade powers, dealing with a curse mark, and
WARNINGS: Possible allusions to violence.

I. There was a moment [sword training]
[ Maybe it's out in the secluded forest. Maybe it's at that Fight Club thing if that's still going on. Either way, Natalia knows that she needs to get some sort of practice with her blades. Maybe she called you as a trusted sturdy person to watch over her. Maybe you just happened to walk in on her? Either way, she's got her little rapier in hand and is using it to ... well, conduct some small crystalline swords into existence around her. She practices moving them around, changing their shape... spinning them.

Honestly, she's wary to use them to cut anything, after...

But still! Practice she must. ]

II. There was a time when [curse mark shenanigans]
[ Natalia went out to Magatus one day and it ... well, it's not pleasant. She passed out, she ended up in a cave, she stumbles out into the woods. There in the woods, she faced some awful whispers, she got a terrible prognosis, and ... well, it was a whole thing. So you might have encountered here out there in Magatus's woods if you're similarly lost out there or knew of people thee and stumbled on her or... well anything.

You might also catch her once she's home the next day. She's really too busy to afford to take too many days off, and so once she's back she's immediately back to school and work. Are you seeing her in class looking a little bit feverish? Do you happen to be a patron of the Stone Pegasus and notice that one of the severs seems to have sickly glowing skin on her left shoulder above her prosthetic? Are you otherwise concerned for the fact she yelped in pain when you bumped into her?

Any or all of these can be yours! Hell, you might even come across her fainting later in the month ]

III. Emotions we held kept our hearts connected [her birthday]
[ Fortunately, be it that the curse is giving her a slight break, the curse doesn't happen until after, or it clears up before this, on the 17th of April, Natalia Fairweather is tired but pleased to have turned 22 on this day. In the end, she didn't end up planning a party, but she might have a family get together planned tonight. Maybe you remember her announcement about it earlier in the month on then network. Maybe it's a chance encounter. Maybe you just don't know her at all?

But either way, today, she calls out of work (though promises to see her friend later that night) and while she does attend classes, a lot of the day is spent following around those cute little rabbits that she's seen around town, studying them and taking notes. But one other thing stands out about her today:

When she's doing that, when she's at a diner getting a vegan curry mix, and at any point that day she happens to be wearing the rabbit ears headpiece she got in Retrospec's mailbox around all day today. ]

IV. Wildcard
[ Okay so obviously these (aside from the curse mark one) don't relate to the event prompts but feel free to either bring your event prompts into this and/or ask me if we can set something in some prompt or another. She has every reason to go to Pesgare for relief efforts and she likes Respatrum. I don't want her to lose her name in Bosuma / go through that I'd love to play off people that did? But I'm open for any plotting in general if you have suggestions or requests. Hit me up in PM or bigdamnhero. Only day this month she's totally booked on is the 22nd for a mission and possibly part of the 17th for a family birthday thing if anyone is overly curious about that. ]

Comments

I.

[quiet_storm]

[Cloud was spending more time in the Recolle Woods these days, and not just because the weather was slowly getting warmer. There was something peaceful about the tamed wilderness, where trees and shy furry creatures were the only witnesses to whatever you were doing. What Cloud is doing right now is looking for a nice quiet clearing where he can practice his kendo forms with his trusty wooden practice sword. There would be no one here to point out that he was still a clumsy beginner, and no one to tell him to stop practicing so obsessively.

But someone seems to have found this clearing first, and for a roughly similar purpose. Only roughly, though. Her weapons were infinitely more interesting in form and she was amazingly good. Careful to approach from the front while holding his ordinary wooden sword at his side, Cloud made his way to the treeline.]

Is that magic?

[nachetanya]

[ - Oh, someone- !

The minute the young woman realizes someone is there she steps. Her right (biological) hand joints her left (prosthetic) hand at her sides and as she brings the rapier back down to her sides, the whirling swords vanished. The shatter and dissolve into golden dust. With that done, she looks over at the newcomer with wide, red eyes ]

Yes! I think.

[quiet_storm]

[One thing Cloud had to admit, all the magic weapons he'd seen in the last two weeks came with really cool lighting effects. He watched in fascination as the crystal swords disappear, then gives the sword-wizard a little smile.]

Sure looks like magic to me. Do they cut through real things, or only other magic things?

[nachetanya]

[ She winces a little at the question, actually. But... ]

Anything. They can cut though just about anything, as far as I can tell.

iii

[convincing]

[ Charlotte is the type to keep a planner with everyone she knows's birthday on the calendar, but she does remember seeing something about Natalia's birthday on the network, too. She also totally doesn't mean to run into to her at all, but she happens to be picking up her own meal at the diner when she sees her. ]

Oh, Natalia! What... what are you wearing?

[ She tips her head up to indicate the rabbit ears, fluttering her eyelashes a couple of times as if to show she's not judging. But she is a little. Easter is over, right? ]

[nachetanya]

[ That gets a big, beaming smile from Natalia and a motion that Charlotte might as well sit next to her! She herself is nursing a smoothie now, and also has some sort of a salad in front of her. As ever, following her vegetarian life.

But... ]

It's something I guess I liked in that other life, so I thought I'd try it out!

[convincing]

[ She comes along and takes a seat, holding her food in front of her. The smoothie looks good...maybe she should have gotten one! ]

Oh, really? Seems like a random object to get returned to you. I wonder if it was very important?

[ She still isn't sure how this all works. Like what kind of things will she end up getting along the line? Still, she tilts her head a bit, looking Natalia over. ]

It's not bad. Kind of cute.

wildcard

[breakingvoice]

[well, if Natalia wanted to show Lina something outside the city that's even more interesting than dragons, it's definitely gotten her attention. she shows up at the agreed upon time wearing a tasteful knee-length skirt and brown stockings with little bear ears and faces printed on them near the top. they're the centerpiece of a very cute outfit that she wants to make it seem like she didn't put a lot of time into.]

Natalia! [she sounds, of course, extremely excited when her friend shows up. even if she might consider shortening Natalia's name, now is not the time for nicknames! not when they have whatever sort of secret she has planned for her.] Oh my gosh, I'm so excited. You look fantastic!

[this is of course perfectly fine for meeting inside the city, but she has no idea where she's going to be taken or what's going to happen. she's ready for anything, or so she thinks.]

[nachetanya]

[ The other woman was waiting with her ... Prius! Not really a motorcycle, alas. Still, she did have Some cool plan here. Pesgare has sunk like she discovered when she went out for the Tsunami so instead... well, one of the other regions up until maybe towards Bosuma? We'll see. ]

My rebel cred might be in question a little, though... But gosh, look at you, Lina!

[ Rebel cred in question because Natalia's decided to wear and loose red dress and tights. It's cold enough and they're be going into terrain which is dubious enough, potentially, that she needs to be wearing somewhat more functional boots, and so she is. That said, she does have her make up on point. As ever, she has longer sleeves to cover up where her left arm becomes prosthetic (namely, at the elbow). She waves with her right hand as the other shows up, heading on over to each out and take ones of her hands in hers. ]

[breakingvoice]

[it doesn't matter what she's wearing because she looks wonderful in everything! that's Lina's professional opinion of her friend and as she thinks it, she concludes the thought with a firm mental nod.]

We both look great. [and she's content with that.] I didn't realize it would be a road trip! [though it certainly makes sense. she's not going to walk for two hours; she's not built for that kind of thing. what she is built for is the safe, economically sound, and environmentally friendly option of a Prius. rebel cred can take many forms, and Natalia is showing it perfectly fine all on her own.]

Do you know how long it's been since I went on a road trip with anybody? [a pretty long time, as it turns out. she's trying not to be too excited about it, but despite herself she's all but holding back from pulling Natalia into a hug from the position they're both already in. ...but what the hell, she goes in for it anyway, her scarf rumpling up against her face when she brings her head over her friend's shoulder.]

This is going to be so much fun! And don't worry, your rebel cred isn't taking a single hit.

iii.

[blacksong]

—That's just an accessory, right?

[Rose is bored and passing by, which means she'll take any opportunity for something even mildly interesting, even if in this case that just means questioning the fashion sense of someone vaguely familiar. Granted, given her own situation, she's also just. Genuinely curious on if it's just an accessory or not.....]

[nachetanya]

Mmmhm! Afraid so.

[ she turns her head to better show off the red little headpiece where the ears are attached to. That said, for how well the color matches her platinum blonde hair, it makes sense to question it. But seeing the other, she grins and admits, ]

Which isn't to appropriate anything, promise! [ It's a bit of self-humor at the fact Cleo actually is turning into an animal person. ]

[blacksong]

If someone actually thinks you're appropriating something, they need to relax.

[Not that she'd be surprised if someone was turning into an animal person......... But hey animal ear accessories and filters are popular for a reason, even she can admit that!!]

III

[fiddlestick]

[ Elliot remembers her birthday, and while he felt it better that someone who could drink organizes her birthday, he does eventually manages to track her down at the diner. So he'll be popping in across the table, with a smile on his face. He's got a present with her. ]

Happy birthday Natty!

[nachetanya]

[ She has something planned at work, at very least. She's having one of those disjointed ones where she's got many little celebrations with everyone. Still, seeing Elliot, she beams at him, the rabbit ears shifts a little as she does it. ]

Ooooh, thank you!

[fiddlestick]

[Did..those ears just move....okay then]

Hehe, having a good day so far?

III

[activatingcombatmode]

[Zack's terrible for keeping up with social media and the app isn't exempt from that. But he doesn't need to look at network posts to know when his little cousin's birthday is. He's actually pretty good at remembering things like that.

When he catches her wearing those rabbit ears he comes over and swoops an arm over her shoulders and presses his cheek to the top of her head.]

Happy birthday, kiddo. What are you, ten?

[nachetanya]

If only!

[ Ten, back then... well, she giggles a little, nudging her elbow into the other as she does. ]

Thank you, Zack!

[ She beams at the other when the bigger man closes around her, her red eyes sparkling. She defiantly will have a good day today. ]

[activatingcombatmode]

Oppf! You're welcome!

[He grins and is glad for her seeming to be in a great mood. With everything going on lately it seems like she deserves a break to just to be her.

He then reaches up to poke at one of the little "bunny ear" things.]

What's this, huh?

wildcard!!

[maskreant]

[ After the fiasco with Akira losing his name and memories (luckily, got them back), he's back in Bosuma while teaming up with Natalia. Unfortunately, this is no date... At least the witch is taking a break, so they're be spared from any name taking nonsense during their visit, but Akira has a goal to help the black blobs, the remnants of people who lost their name and now everything.

First, they have to maneuver through the swamp to find them. Doing well, but it feels like they're being followed by not one, but several. On high alert, he turns to the sound of rustling brier. Nothing. ]

Got any idea what might be following us?

[ With hungry eyes, at that. ]

[nachetanya]

[ Well, I mean.

It's kinda weird to be out here with the Cat Santa, but she doesn't mind it at all, really. She doesn't dare yet have her rapier in hand, but she does glance around, inhaling softly before... well. She's studied the "monsters" in the outlands as extensively as she could. And... well, she'll try to focus ]

Maybe...?

[maskreant]

[ Cat Santa has an agenda today and it isn’t delivering Christmas presents to lost children. While both of them being armed is ideal, he doesn’t fault her for coming without one, knowing some of her ideals and lifestyle. There’s light, but the swamp’s murkiness and the trees cover give it an entirely different feel, as if it’s later in the day.

Everything goes silent again, so Akira pushes forward. For now, there are no suspicious sounds, but it may be because whatever is following them is mirroring their footsteps perfectly. ]

... We might have to find out soon. I thought we could shake them off earlier.

[ Zig-zagging and going in circles was supposed to help. ]

Doing okay?

iii!

[lifespanned]

[ Why they keep meeting when Mia is trying to take pictures of animals, she doesn't know, but either way, she sees the other playing with the rabbits around town in that (in her opinion) ridiculous bunny headband from a mile away. Mia vaguely remembers seeing something about it being her birthday today, maybe even heard so from her boyfriend, not that she would comment on it until absolutely necessary. But she's nice enough to at least throw the line out on this special day. ]

You know Easter was a while ago, right?

[ This is her attempt at friendly conversation, giving the other a half wave while she approaches. ]

[nachetanya]

I was thinking about making it a lifestyle!

[ Hi Mia.

But yeah, these rabbits or whatever they are are super cute. Very friendly, more than willing to cooperate with and play with humans? She's crouched down and sort of teasing them with some broccoli of all things. She nods at Mia, looking up at her with an amused expression. ]

Not really, but it sounds cooler that way.

[lifespanned]

[ She adjusts her purse strap on her shoulder before crouching down next to the other, keeping her eyes on the little animals rather than Natalia herself. ]

A lifestyle? Like wear them everyday? [ That sure is a fashion statement. ] I guess then you might fit in with these little guys.

[ Speaking of which, she holds her hand out to pet one of them while they're distracted by all the broccoli. ]

I didn't even know they ate broccoli, so you must really gel with them.