middaeg | [open] catch-all, Full Moon, quests

Entry tags:

[open] catch-all, Full Moon, quests

Who: Reno and you!
When: first half of Septeril
Where: Aefenglom
What: Full Moon, Quests
Warnings: NSFW in one of the Full Moon threads (feat.dragon)

FULL MOON

[ The last Full Moon at least happened during celebrations. Drinks, merriments, and brawls were all but a normal thing to happen. But it somehow made this whole Full Moons deal a little easier to bear. It's now the third time it happens and Reno hates it a little more with each passing month. Figures, it will pass into a routine eventually, unless they get out of this place first. This time the Moons provide him with even more feathers, not just tufts here and there, his arms are slowly turning into wings Thickly feathered tonight, even if still not enough to fly up into the sky. The rusty red only a few notches more desaturated than his hair.

And given that... potential revelations that might have happened in the month prior... he is less likely to stay at the quietness of his apartment, wallowing in the misery. He hits the town, Entertainment District mainly. The brightness of the lights there causes a bright and hot irritation in him at first. Unsteady anger, pre-battle jitters, that quickly turn into weird neediness. He craves company, and it doesn't really matter if it's a peaceful and pleasant or involves ripping someone's face off. ]

A )

[ So eventually giving into that, Reno nearly pounces someone; hand occupied with a bottle of beer, smile almost jovial but a bit too sharp. No glint of recognition in his eyes at first, if he should happen upon a familiar face. His eyesight is going to shit at night, but no way he is going to mention that. ]

Lost? [ He points at the building that hosts both a pleasure house and a pub, depending on if you go up or down the stairs ] Do you wanna go try that together? I'm kinda curious how it looks like.

——Alternatively

B )

[ When his mood crashes, and it's probably the last moment of the night that doubles as the earliest hour of the morning, Reno can be found sitting on the fence, somewhere in Haven. Sun is literally about to rise, but he's yet to see if it helps his eyes in any way. Are you going early to work/classes? Running for fitness? Whatever it is, the redhead soon-to-be harpy waves you, cigarette in feathered hand— ]

Got any fire? [ It's almost pretty please. The matches are gone, and he doesn't have the nifty Witchy powers to just make a flame out of nowhere. ]

QUEST #1 Heliofonic Hospital; the peddler

[ The potions, no doubt having its origin in dubious places are a real catch from a business standpoint. He gets a hefty cut on each potion he sells, basically. Surprisingly clean for the shady scheme that it probably is, but not that Reno is going to bother asking questions. He doesn't really concern how they're made, or whether they're a placebo or have some actual effects beneficial effects. It seems like a dumb, but an easy job. And who knows what you can learn along the way. ]

A )

[ —so should he see Mirrorbound seemingly suffering from a headache, insomnia, or even simple Monster growing pains, (or just simply being tired) he will approach them with few stock phrases about a miracle cure, and a good deal before it hits the market— He's clearly repeating a memorized phrase, not trying to hide he's here to sell shit ]

B )

[ But now that a certain hospital makes a focused effort to crack the operation down, a suspicion that it's all more than just a ruse rises. So if someone calls him out on this he will be both willing to listen and discuss the issue.

Yeah he's— ]

Listen, I got only two bottles left on me. Buy them and you'll get bonus info" [ He's not above ratting the alchemist to the guards (getting chummy with them is a better investment in the long run), but he wants to make a coin on this still. ]

QUEST #2 Under New Management; just checking it out

[ The job at the factory last month was, he'd want to say, uneventful. But that ain't true. So when the word goes around that the orphanage itself changed hands and is now under new management... Reno does go to take a peek.

From afar.

Look, it's not like he cares, okay? If he spots any face that he might have seen in Haven or identify from the network as a Mirrorbound he'll ask. ]

Hey, I heard there have been changes here. [ He starts and goes straight to the point ] Do ya know anything else about it? Word on the street says its owned by a Mirrobound

[ And that sounds like an incredibly curious thing, orphans aside. Because owning an orphange sounds like a big deal for a bunch of refugees. Also, are the kids still working oin the factory? ]

WILDCARD

｢ ooc: Wildcard aka hit me with whatever. For plotting through plurk aetarna, PM, or discord ｣

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[ Oof, stepped on by a cat. ]

Harpy. Guess this world decided if I like to fly I should become a bird. [ While there certainly were worse options, he'd rather not be changed into anything, thank you very much. ] Okay, now my turn—

[ With questions and all. He just needs another drag of the cigarette. Supposedly, he quit them a long time ago but old habits die hard ]

—how do you manage a day at Coven's classes without getting petted?

[At least he is only a small cat.]

What makes you think that I do?

[Few people, it seems, can resist petting a cat. Most of them desist once they realise he's not only sapient but can hold a conversation with them, but there are still witches who have no problems with giving him the occasional scritch when he's near them.

He doesn't mind, if they're polite about it.]

People tend to be driven by their impulses when it comes to stroking animals.

[ Too pettable to leave alone. That's a hard life. But also— all the possible benefits. What a cat can get away with! Everyone will just "awww" and think "cute". It could be mighty annoying, but it also could be used a very good tool and weapon ]

Can confirm. I had to fight this impulse at least three times! [ The joking exaggeration might not be as big ] We are creatures of simple needs.

[There are benefits, and Mogget uses how cute he is and how harmless he seems to be to his full advantage. People are far more likely to do something if a helpless, adorable little cat is asking them to.]

If you must, I will allow you to stroke me once.

[Once, and not on the belly, but given he's sitting up Reno would have to twist his arm around to manage that.]

But if you try for more, I will bite you.

[ Valid strategy tbh

And hey, it takes the redhead by surprise. The gracious, generous offer— he follows up, doing exactly one stroke on the talking's feline back but something... something feels strangely odd. Something is stopping him from enjoying the indulgence fully. ]

Don't take it personally— but I think my instincts are on the opposite of what the heart wants, so to speak. [ A sigh as he takes the hand away.

Some of the larger birds would probably see a tiny cat as another chance of dinner, but it seems harpy instincts have a different opinion. ]

[Mogget enjoys the attention instinctively, it seems, as the curve of his spine follows the motion of Reno's hand against it, ending with a quick flick of the tail. It's satisfactory, as far as petting goes, but he does look curious as the harpy speaks up and voices his--... uncertainty?]

How unfortunate for you. [He says, lifting one small paw and briefly cleaning it. His small tongue darts between the small pink pads, then he stops and grows quite still for a moment, his tongue stuck out very slightly.

Then, as if nothing happened, he lowers his paw back down and lets out a purring chirp.]

If it's any consolation, I don't think I could eat you.

[ Blep. That was a blep moment, wasn't it? Count it on the cat to own something like that with confidence. ]

Oh, but I could eat you. [ Mogget's guess was correct, it's just Reno who's playing it as something opposite ] Damn those weird carnivore thoughts— Good thing I'm a master of self-control.

I never met a bird capable of unhinging its jaw.

[Mogget does not seem impressed by the attempt at bravado. The tip of his tail flicks slowly and he looks unblinkingly up at the harpy beside him.]

But I have more interest in fish than birds. More meat, less bones and feathers.

[ The bravado ain't going away. ]

Unhinging...? Hey, birds are not snakes! [ Not as slithery and creepy. Okay, maybe he was even lucky in a sense. Being a snake, how they're called, naga, right? That sounds like an even bigger pain in the ass

Especially since you lose the ass in the most literal sense— because tail instead of legs, yeah that's his train of thoughts ] No need for that shit. Just rip and tear the tasty bits.

Hmm.

[Mogget blinks once, slowly, and shifts his weight on his front paws. He does not appear to be intimidated.]

Are you expecting me to believe that you'd find something like that palatable? [He looks up at Reno again, and then stands up to slowly walk across the harpy's lap.]

You don't seem the type.

[ Mogget's not wrong, the idea of eating a kill raw isn't really appealing... although the idea of the hunt itself, that's another thing altogether. But that's no different than the thrill of a chase, that's what he keeps telling himself. ]

I don't seem to be many things— [ He makes a vague shrug, and as the full weight of tiny cat paws crosses his lap he steals a stroke along the tail ] Don't judge the book by its cover.

Not something I make a habit of, ordinarily. [The small cat says, and he sits down on the other side of Reno with the tip of his tail slowly twitching. He looks off into the distance, in the way that cats often do that makes it seem as if they're seeing something that only they can see.]

But more often than not, the cover of a book tells what's inside of it well enough. What would be the use of it otherwise?

[One of Mogget's ears twitches.]

But I'm open to surprises. What are you, if you're not what you seem?

Oh, bah. Now you make it sound so serious-mysterious [ And as always, he is evading the answer. Covering it with a short chuckle-snort. ]

I get shit done, and I can survive anything that life throws my way, that's all I'm saying. Cute kitties are not part of my diet, but— [ Vague shrugs. ] I've eaten weirder stuff when I had no other choice.

So, we can agree this is a weird subject to sit on, no one in this company is going to devour one another, and we can move on.

If you're uncomfortable.

[Of course they can move on. Mogget is neither inclined nor capable of eating Reno, at least in his current form, though he was enjoying prodding at him about the possibilities.]

I take it that you were human, before.

[ Now he scoffs. ]

Watch out, we got a smartass here. [ Goddamn he better focuses on his cigarette, rather than on how irritable he is. ] Yeah, good old human. We don't have other options available.

[ Aside for Ancients, but they are technically extinct ]

Hm. [Mogget seems to consider this.]

Nor does my world. There are humans, and there are the Dead, who are still humans... in their way.

[Though he doesn't sound like he would really call them that, if he had another option.]

In a "decomposing corpses of humans" way?

[ That's a shitty way of inquiring into a topic, but he's been on edge for the entire night. The cigarette helps, but not that much. ]

That situation must stink a lot. [ Must resist using the "Z" word ] What's the deal with them? You die and then just start moving again?

Ah, no.

[Mogget isn't entirely familiar with the concept of 'zombies', but he has read a little about necromancy here already. It's different to how things work back home, yet equally as repugnant.]

When humans die, their spirits pass into Death. A Necromancer of sufficient skill may draw spirits into vacant bodies, or constructs, and command them.

[ Welp. In a sense that's— that's kind of what Shinra is doing, at least if you're one who buys into the whole "dead souls go to the lifestream, then lifestream is converted into mako energy" esoteric rhetoric.

So not only the image of the late President being labeled a necromancer, makes him chuckle, he also sounds absolutely casual about the whole topic. ]

The vacant bodies part is really gross, but constructs? You need the energy from somewhere to power them anyway. Gotta harness it at the source.

Oh.

[Mogget let's out that little exclamation, then falls silent to carefully clean one of his front paws. He spends a minute or so on this and then sets his paw down, looking up at Reno.]

I didn't realise you already knew how Necromancy worked in the Old Kingdom. If you already had a firm grasp of it, why did you ask the question?

[ The long silent pauses in conversation are something Reno is very familiar with. ]

Nope, got round zero on all of that. It just kinda reminded me of something from back home.

[ He doesn't talk about his world, but tonight... why not. ]

We got this thing, Mako energy. Big technological leap came with it, cheap electricity, a bunch of stuff. But some people are yelling how it's a lifeblood of the Planet, how the souls of the dead go there—

[ He couldn't help but draw a parallel ]

How grotesque.

[But fine, he'll let it pass.]

But nothing draws energy from Death. It is simply where the dead go, and where they should stay once they pass through the Gates. Unfortunately this is not always the case, and the deeper something has moved into Death before it returns, the more powerful it is. Dead commanding Dead is not as unusual as it ought to be.

So the Dead just keep piling up behind these gates? There's no— cycle of life, or reincarnation, or whatnot?

[ It's the only belief system he's acquainted with. Midgar is as secular as it goes, and philosophy was never topic he was particularly well versed in ]

Guess that means they outnumber the living by a fuckton.

No one can say what happens when the dead move beyond the Ninth Precinct of Death. [Mogget says thoughtfully, re-settling his paws in front of himself.]

But they are not 'piled up' there. It does take time, however, to move through the Gates, so should one capable of doing so wish to bring them back in any form... they are numerous.

[ Hmmm

Souls of the dead. Binding them to constructs or vacant bodies. Add one to the other and— ]

Is this how you became a cat?

[ Reno, you can't just ask someone if they died and were bound into a cat ]

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themogget - 2021-01-10 21:16 (UTC) - Expand

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