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WHO: Vivi Ornitier and whoever he runs into
WHERE: Around Nonah!
WHEN: The whole month!
WHAT: Grocery shopping! Staring at all the hover cars! Being nostalgic! All sorts of exciting things. I'll match whatever format you use!
WARNINGS: Nothing yet! I'll add if it becomes necessary.

A. stocking up

[ In this world, Vivi is just another weird face in a sea of weird faces. He tiptoes around people and shies away from attention (though it's hard, when people seem to insist on saying hello to him, and he doesn't know why exactly people would smile to see him).

But he's on a mission, and so, crowded or not, he quietly shuffles his way into various grocery stores, accumulating bags as he goes (he acquires so many, in fact, that he has to balance his staff on his shoulder and hang bags on it to hold them).

He can be found heading to his new home with groceries in tow or shopping around, staring in bemusement at various products he doesn't know the use of. ]

Um. What's a microwave...?

B. what's a hover car? what's a train? and where are all the gargants?

[ Vivi has seen a lot of things in a very short time, but the amount of moving things on the streets here are pretty incredible. He's not sure he can appreciate it very much - mechanical stuff isn't really what he's good at - but he dawdles around Nonah's train stations and on the sidewalk just to watch the sheer variety and colour of transportation pass by.

At one point, the wind kicked up by some errant speeding car knocks his hat flying, in one of the rare moments where he's not clutching it tightly (a nervous habit he's yet to break). He chases after it with an alarmed cry, and while he manages to catch it before it goes too far, he also manages to ram straight into a stranger as he does so. ]

Oh no--oh no! I'm so sorry! I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to- [ He...he sounds like he's going to cry a little bit... ]

C. ANIMALS EVERYWHERE

[ For all his experience, this tiny black mage is nine years old (and technically, maybe a little younger than that), and like many children his age he is absolutely enamored by animals. And he's apparently a regular disney princess with them; dogs and cats seem to get along quite well with him, and birds eat from his gloved hands and perch cheerfully on his hat like he's just another tree.

He kicks his feet and talks about the weather, hums strange little songs to himself loud enough to be heard by anyone passing by, and generally seems to be passing time quite happily with all these animals in tow.

(Sometimes, though, he talks to them like they're people he knows, and gives them names, and he seems lonely. A stray white cat is named 'Mog'; a calico with a belled collar is 'Eiko'. A particularly cheeky terrier is called Zidane, regardless of its actual name. The list goes on.

At least the animals don't seem to mind being hugged. And it's a good thing he has such a big hat, that can cover his eyes.) ]

D. WILDCARD

[ Have an idea? I'll match you! ]

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[Victor had been coming from a tea shop in the meantime. His brown bag includes a selection of loose leaves in tins; and sitting on those at the top is a punnet of strawberries. And how, with his height and his arms full, can he stop them from inclining dangerously to the side when that hat smacks him in the face? And how can he rest on his weight when that child nearly puts his back out?

A tingling, bone-numbing sense of tiredness comes over his fingertips. He adjusts himself and hands over the hat with due haste. He does look a bit like a frozen icicle, though.]

If this is yours, perhaps you'll take better care of it next time?

Edited 2016-10-05 14:11 (UTC)

I'm sorry, [ Vivi mumbles, clutching the hat and shoving it back onto his head where it belongs. ] I wasn't holding onto it tightly enough.

Um - do you want me to help you with those? I can carry them for you. [ He seems pretty eager to make up for his mistake, at least. If he thinks Victor's response is harsh, he doesn't show any signs of it. ]

No, its fine.

[Soon after that, he moves his bag and sees Vivi's face for the first time - or what exists of it in that darkness. What a curious little creature. His own expression is calm as he takes a good look. He should do something to return it to some calm, at least.]

You are quite small to be here alone. I would have you tell me how old you are, at least?

[ Two glowing yellow eyes stand out in the featureless black mass of everything else. It could just be a really pronounced shadow, but it's not likely, especially considering the rest of the outfit.

And the staff strapped onto his back, that too. He'd be a little sad at not being allowed to help to make up for ramming into this poor guy, but he gets distracted by the question. ]

Oh, um...I'm nine years old! [ He's younger, technically, but nine works. Otherwise people would baby him, and he's independent enough most of the time not to want that much. ] And...it's okay! I can travel by myself. I'm, um...inde...pendent.

[ It's not that fun, honestly. But he's a big kid, he'll manage. Even if he does trip over the occasional word. ]

[He listens to this affirmation with the displeasure of a person who truly needs to be elsewhere. His calm face masks his hostility, yet he cannot convince himself to smile to afford the child some comfort. The reason is a little personal. Save to say it's wailing has captured his attention in a way he doesn't want it to.

He just wants it to stop.]

Clearly so. You are very smart to make it out here, but walk on the other side of the sidewalk. Or do you intend to suffer grevious injury?

[ At least he's not crying! And he's starting to sound less upset, even if it's because he's trying to prove he really is independent.

Though he's feeling a little awkward because of how calm Victor is, really. Either he's not bothered or he just really doesn't like him. He's not sure which one it is. ]

I can handle pain if there's an accident, but I don't want to be a burden to anyone. [ He's not made of the same thing as humans are; he doesn't bleed or injure the same way. But he's certainly solid enough to feel pain of all kinds, and he's not trying to get himself hurt. ]

Oh, um...I'm not that smart. [ He feels like he has to correct that, though. A smart person wouldn't have gotten in so much trouble. A smart person might have been able to think of something to help all of the other mages.

(A really smart person would have been able to make people less scared of him.)

Zidane's smart. Garnet's smart, and brave. Eiko is smart, too, living by herself for so long. But he doesn't feel like he is, especially the way he's feeling right now. ] But...um. Thank you. And...

Sorry for running into you, mister. [ He makes sure his hat is firmly on, just to make sure there's no repeat incidents. ]

[There are several things he wants to ask; how it might handle pain and the reason it calls itself a burden being the answers he desires most. He meets its eyes - albeit with a gaze that tends to wander. He cannot imagine himself hanging around here long.]

Alas! I'm certain you'll survive. [He looks around.] But, if there is nothing else? You will be safe I hope?

[ Vivi looks away, after a moment. He seems unsettled by the whole thing. As small as he is, he seems to be trying to make himself smaller; he's not sure how to handle being looked at by someone who doesn't exactly brush off his appearance as 'another person from another world'.

Still, it's not like Victor has done anything! He shouldn't be so worried, he tells himself, and forces himself to look up at Victor because it's polite. ]

Um...I'll be okay. Thank you very much. [ He kind of bows a little, pointy hat flopping. ] And, um, sorry again!

[ And off he goes, down the sidewalk. And to his credit, more carefully this time. ]

[ It's the chirping that catches her attention. Happy chirps, the sounds of food and safe and that hat would be really good nesting material.

Her steps are cat-soft as she walks up behind him, not wanting to disturb his melody or the other animals. So few people here sing, too . . . not any kind of special song, but just music for the sake of music, of sharing a feeling with the world. It's nothing like the hymns she knows, but still . . . she waits, patient as any of the other birds, until there's a break in his song. ]

Heeh . . . they really like you.

[ Vivi honestly wouldn't mind if a bird made a nest in his hat, but he'd probably have to try and find a replacement for it just so he wouldn't disturb the bird. ]

Oh! [ He adjusts his position slowly to turn and look at Kururu. ] That's good...I like them, too. They sing, and they're so pretty, and they come in so many colours...

[ He fishes for more seeds in the little packet on his lap, sprinkling them out for the birds to eat. They accept it happily. One enterprising pigeon seems to have gone to sleep on his hat. ]

They eat a lot, though. I wonder where they put it all. [ Birds are small, after all. Even smaller than him. ]

[ Tiny birds, and a tiny mage . . . as short as she is, Vivi's a good thirty centimetres below her, and she shifts to crouch down beside him instead of looming above. ]

They use it to fly.

[ She reaches down to the scavenging, chirping pile, lightly petting the head of a sparrow. ]

Food becomes energy, and that energy powers their wings . . . they're trying to eat a lot now, though. Fall is a good time for seeds, and they all know winter is coming. All of them will get fluffier and rounder this month, if they can.

Oh...that makes a lot of sense!

[ He's learning cool bird facts! This is great. ]

Some of them are pretty fat already, though...that must be pretty good for them. [ The pigeon on his head is an example of a fat bird, he thinks, but to be fair, he can't tell the difference between fluffed plumage and actual body mass. ] It's cute...

Oh! Um, my name's Vivi. It's nice to meet you!

[ She looks up—

and stops, a moment, head tilting a bit. Whatever she'd been expecting under the brim of Vivi's hat, the pool of darkness (a mask?) and the glowing yellow eyes (is it a mask?) aren't it at all.

His clothing already marked him as an imPort, almost for sure, but this . . .

It's really different. ]

Sumeragi.

—Kururu Sumeragi, I mean . . . it's nice to meet you too.

Have you . . . been to this park before?

[ He can tell when she notices, that pause - his reflex is to flinch backwards, shoulders up, head lowering to hide his face.

But when no immediate outburst is forthcoming, he settles a little. ]

Nice to meet you, miss Kururu... [ His voice sounds a bit plaintive. ]

I'm new...I haven't been here before.

[ And she . . . doesn't stop looking. Doesn't move, either, even as he flinches and pulls back; a curious pigeon hops up her hand, resting on her wrist. ]

You're an imPort, right?

[ For all the curiosity in her words, her tone is steady and even. As if it's not just the birds she's worried about startling.

A bit of a smile tugs at her lips, and the pigeon flaps its wings in protest as she turns her hand up, exposing the glowing tattoo on her wrist. ]

Me too.

Mhm. [ He nods, though he's still sort of curled up, as if expecting some kind of aggressive response.

The tone helps, though. He's not sure who he can trust here, but she's seen his face and wasn't upset...it's fine, right?

He uncurls a bit, tugging down his sleeve to reveal the glowing tattoo. As far as can be seen, it's just darkness there, too; the light of the tattoo doesn't do anything to shed any light on his actual bodily composition. ]

...Sorry. I just thought...people wouldn't like me. Since I don't look like them. [ It's more complicated than that, but...this is true, too... ]

Mm. That's true. Some people might not.

[ There's no point hiding it, even if . . . it's sad, saying that. Admitting it. The way he's holding himself, though, she's pretty sure he already knows. ]

You're an imPort though. And a lot of imPorts don't look like the people who live here—there's people with horns and tails and pointy ears, people who look more like the animals here than the humans, and even people who are made out of machine parts.

So . . . it's not as surprising, seeing someone who looks different. And for me . . . the birds like you. So I don't think you're anyone I need to be scared of.

[ Julian is finally off parole and is starting on his next project: the ambassador elections. Batman's birthday is very important.

Suddenly, with a thump, Julian is hit by a small person (child?) and stumbles backwards.

The strange bald man with no shoes and a tattooed head stares down at Vivi. ]

Halloween isn't until the 31st.

[ Vivi windmills backwards in alarm, falling backwards onto the pavement. He crams his hat back on his head before anything else, staring up wide-eyed (big, yellow and obviously inhuman eyes) at Julian. ]

...What's Halloween?

[ OH BOY ]

[ He raises his eyebrows, making no move to help Vivi up. But it's not difficult to make the leap. ]

You're an imPort, aren't you? Have you really never heard of Halloween? If you're not playing a trick, you're in for treat.

[ He shakes his head, vigorously, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. Hat is getting pushed on more tightly. ]

Um...I am! But I really don't know what Halloween is. Is it a festival?

[ And that halloween joke goes right over his head.... ]

[ An import from world the does not have the holiday slides Vivi back into fascinating. ]

It is. Halloween is a very important holiday. Costumes are a large part of it.

[ Explaining his mistake. ]

[Komasan has absolutely no idea why he's going this way, it's almost like something's tugging on his curiosity more than usual. One minute he's minding his own business, the next he's following a dog to see what all the hubbub is about.

So imagine his surprise when he sees all these animals are heading towards...is that a youkai?

He has to be, what else could he be?!]

MOOOOONGEE!!

Wah! [ He flails a little at the loud noise, but he's not super startled. He's seen stranger monsters (this is a monster, right??) but this one's not attacking him, and gets along with animals, so it's probably a nice one.

...Does it want something? Or maybe it's like that one that just wanted to ask questions... ] Um! Hello! It's nice to meet you, um...

[ It's basically his defense mechanism at this point. When in doubt, turn on the politeness. He does trail off a bit, though. Is he expected to know this small white dog's (??) name? ]

[...Did he just call him "um?"]

Ah, n-no, actually it's Komasan, zura!

[He supposes he kind of looks like an "um," it's an easy mistake to make.]

I-It's nice to meet you too, z-zura! [Keep it together, Komasan. Don't get too excited, Komasan...] Are... are these all your pets, zura?!

[Well so much for that, he ends up just shouting that last "zura." But he just can't help himself, it feels like forever since he's seen someone so...different.]

O-oh! Sorry, Komasan. I didn't know your name at first! [ He's matching volume. His wariness has gone down significantly, since Komasan doesn't seem to be reacting to what he looks like at all. ]

I'm Vivi! And, um...these aren't my pets, or anything. I'm not sure if they belong to anyone.

[ A pigeon coos affectionately at him; he giggles. ] They just really like me, I think!

Maybe it's your sense of style, zura!

[He's pretty sure that's something animals can pick up on. ...Or was that weather?

Hm...

Well, it doesn't matter, the proof is obviously in front of him. The animals clearly like him, you'd have to be a fool not to see it. That's good, that's nice.]

Well if they don't have a home, you can probably take one with you, zura. You got a house now, right, zura?

Really? I don't think it's that stylish... [ He's been wearing pretty much the same clothes for so long...he'd gotten different clothes, but these are the ones he wears the most. They're pretty tattered, even if he'd mended them as much as he could. ] But, um, thank you! I think you look really cool.

[ He means it, too. He likes Komasan's colours! And his flaming eyebrows. Those are especially cool. ]

I do! [ He nods. ] But there's other people living there, and I don't really know them...I'm not sure how they'd feel about animals. But I can come to this park all the time to see them again, so I think it should be okay like that.

Who doesn't like animals, zura...?

[What kind of people is this poor guy living with?]

I guess that kinda works, but don't you think you're gonna get cold in the winter time, zura?

I don't know if they do or not... [ He doesn't really know how things work in a world like this! But there's five people including him, so that means the house is full. ]

Oh! It's okay. I can warm myself up.

[ He looks around furtively, as if to check nobody's watching except Komasan, and then cups his hands together. A bright ball of flame flares up in them, illuminating him nicely. It radiates warmth. ]

See? That way everyone can be warm!

[Well would you look at that.]

Monge...

[So then...

...this means...

...he must really be a youkai, too!]

That's so cool, I can do fire too, zura!

[And in a similar fashion, Komasan holds up his paws and produces his own little ball of fire, although his appears to be blue and somewhat swirly. ...Somehow.]

Oh! That's so cool! [ Vivi is very impressed by Komasan's fire. His own goes out as he claps his hands together. ] It's all blue like your eyebrows!

So does that mean you're a mage too? [ He leans forward a bit, kicking his legs in excitement. Definitely not a black mage, but who knows what mages look like in this world, right? An animal person who knows magic isn't really unheard of. ] Can you do other things?

[...Is he a mage? That's a good question, Komasan doesn't even have an answer right away. A mage is like a wizard...right? And wizards are just people who can use magic. Komasan always had a hard time figuring out if his abilities were magic or not, they just kind of came naturally.

...Better play it safe.]

Mn, no... I think I'm just a regular youkai, zura.

[But he never met a mage youkai before. What an interesting new person.]

[As Kidou commutes to school every day from Maurtia Falls, he spends a decent amount of time walking. By now, it's routine, and Nonah seems safe enough that he doesn't pay the strictest attention to his surroundings. Given the everpresent goggles that cut down on his peripheral vision, it's safe to say that when something small and fast slams into him, he never saw it coming.

Kidou stumbles, unable to catch his balance in time before he's sent careening to the pavement. He's a small teenager at just five feet in height. There was no chance.]

What the-?

[But he's at least not mad - just surprised. And when he looks up to see the culprit appears to be a child about to bust into tears, there's no chance of getting angry about it. Kidou slowly gets up, brushing himself off and picking his penguin backpack up again. There's no platitudes with this one, but no blame, either.]

...Hm. Seems I wasn't watching where I was going.

I'm really, really sorry! [ He crams his hat back onto his head, clearly flustered. That may be because what might be seen in that flurry of movement before he gets his hat back on isn't really human, but. Details. ] Um, are you okay? Do you need a hand up?

[Behind his goggles Kidou squints. If the lamplight eyes weren't enough underneath the heavy clothing, for just a second, he thought saw that without anything to put the kid's face in heavy shadow. But it's gone fast enough Kidou couldn't make sense of what he saw. He looks back to the cement, then shakes his head. The fall must have rattled him.]

I'm fine.

[To emphasize that, Kidou picks himself up, dusting off part of his jacket mostly for effect, then looks down at the...kid.]

...You?

Uh-huh! I'm okay.

[ He nervously pushes his fingers together, kind of twisting his hands. ] Um, I'm sorry I ran into you. I was just trying to catch my hat...

[ He looks at the street again. ] I didn't realise these cars went so fast...I've never seen anything like them.

[He'll take this new topic readily to spare this kid some embarrassment. Kidou follows his gaze. This is clearly an ImPort..]

To think that they can move without wheels is pretty strange... Did you have cars where you come from?

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do you mind this being a short thread? Victor'll head off soon

no problem!

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OH NO i missed this tag somehow, sorry !

C

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