[ semi - closed ] Catch All

[makoglow]

Who: Cloud + Others
Status: Semi-Closed | No prompts but starters available upon request
Where: Various
What: MANTA stuff or other things as needed
Warnings: TBA

Comments

🧪 potion permit.

[activatingcombatmode]

[Zack isn't much for drugs and things like that. But this enchanti drug that's been going around apparently is pretty bizarre. He catches the job on the manta board and he figures he might be able to help with getting the testing down. it's not like he's new to getting weird chemicals pumped into his body or anything]

I didn't know there were going to be a few of these things to pick from.

[He frowns and glances at Cloud.]

Which one do you want to test?

[makoglow]

[ Honestly, are either of them at this point? At the very least, Cloud is pretty confident that whatever they have going on here will burn through their systems quickly.

The blonde sighs and looks over the different potions. ]

I guess we just pick one?

[ Cloud is reaching for the pink! ]

What about you?

[activatingcombatmode]

[Look at the two of them standing there with their arms crossed. Twinning.]

Pink, huh? Alright. I'll take green.

[Bottom's up!!]

[makoglow]

Figured you'd want to avoid anything too green.

[ But Cloud will also pick up the pink potion. Give it a little sniff. Then he decides to 'drink up' so to speak. Gives a little shudder and makes a face. ]

Sure doesn't taste great.

[activatingcombatmode]

[Zack shrugs.]

I'm not that picky.

[He's not going to let the trauma hit him like that either. But down the potion goes with a gulp. And he doesn't feel much different... yet.]

Kind of tastes chaulky.

[makoglow]

No, you've never been that way.

[ Cloud doesn't necessarily feel different... But his head does start to itch. So he's reaching up and scratching.

And are his nails just a little sharper? ]

[activatingcombatmode]

[He thought he heard Cloud say something just now but something makes it sound like a garble of white noise. Zack frowns and rubs his ear as if he's trying to dislodge something...]

What did you say?

[Uh oh.]

🐇🐝 Nimona

[makoglow]

[ Cloud has the blacklight in hand. Nimona is attached to his other. Honestly, he's not put out by Nimona in the least. It's just... ]

This is going to be a long day.

[ He holds up his wrist... That is tied up with Nimona's. How are they going to do this? ]

[pinksidekicking]

[ Nimona is her usual self, without a care that they're tied together by some magic string. Now they're going to trek up a mountain to undo it. Cloud is right to hold the blacklight, because Nimona would be pointing it at everything. ]

Every day is the same amount of time, it's just your perception of it!

[ She shifts to stand in front of him, looking at him. ]

We could do this the easy way. I carry you, or you carry me. Then we don't have to worry about the string getting caught.

[makoglow]

[ Cloud is going to reward Nimona's sass with a level stare. There's no heat or anger behind it. But it is pretty deadpan as if to say "don't start with getting smart with me."

He sighs and rubs the back of his neck soon after. Sometimes she makes sense. ]

Can you still use your powers with that string around your wrist?

[pinksidekicking]

[ That look just earns Cloud a pat to the shoulder like "but I'm always smart!" Though they both know that is not entirely true, she absolutely has dumb moments.

But that is such a Dad look, and Nimona enjoys it. ]

It's a magic string, so the only way to find out is to try. If I go smaller, maybe I can slip right out of it.

[makoglow]

[ Yeah... He's skeptical of that, but you keep thinking so Nimona. You keep thinking so. She definitely does have dim moments that contrast her brighter ones.

But for now Cloud is looking at the string. ]

Go ahead. I don't think it will work though.

[pinksidekicking]

[ She's just an excitable being who feels comfortable and safe enough to have those dim moments around people she trusts now. Times when she can let her guard down.

As for whether shrinking will get her out of the magic string, Nimona just stretches her arms out first. Like that's going to help. ]

We might get lucky! Okay, here goes.

[ Then she's transforming into a cat, looks at the paw that still has the string tied around it - before trying a series of very quick transformations into other animals, hoping that maybe it'll trick it. Sometimes she throws in a larger one just to see if maybe it'll break.

She finally settles on bird and flies up to perch on Cloud's shoulder. ]

Looks like it's a no-go. We'll have to climb this mountain.

[makoglow]

[ Cloud watches Nimona do her thing. He figures out why she is going through those different forms at such a rapid rate. And yet it doesn't seem to work.

So Cloud looks over to her and nods. She can stay right there on his shoulder. ]

Can you pick something small that has good eyesight.

More 🐇🐝 with Denji

[makoglow]

I might actually be able to get this done now.

[ Because while working with Nimona isn't actually painful or anything like that, her energy levels can be a little over the top. And being tied together like they had been? Yeah, that had made things difficult on a different level.

But now he has to look out for the little paths that the creatures leave. ]

[nutsornothing]

[Denji had stumbled upon his newfound companion at the MANTA center who seemed to be checking out the quests as well when he asked what the other was planning on doing. Coincidentally their stars aligned as they both seemingly decided to take upon the challenge of the bashful bunnies. He was a bit tired of always having to transform into chainsaw man to fight something for extra spending cash so this seemed like a nice change of pace without getting all battered and bruised like usual. Not to mention it would be a fun way to pass the time and get to know someone new, the teenager always wanting to make new friends after all!

Letting out a soft sigh followed in short by a long stretch the boy crosses his arms at the back of his neck, casually walking in step with Cloud as he looks over towards him with a curious look as they searched for these little miscreants. Denji didn't get the memo about the blacklight lanterns since he skimmed over that part so here's hoping his counterpart had brought one.]

So does that mean you've tried this already?

[makoglow]

[ Don't worry, Denji. Cloud definitely has a blacklight. He's already using it to try and look for those little trails. Now one hasn't appeared yet so there's that.

And thankfully Cloud is pretty okay with teenagers in general. ]

Yeah. At least made an attempt. Kid's a bit hyper.

[nutsornothing]

[Hopefully round two would be more fruitful than the last venture but one thing was for sure, Denji was certainly no less hyper than Nimona and more unhinged to boot. Thankfully Cloud was used to dealing with energetic youngsters and would likely be able to handle this one's particular flavor of unhinged attitude here's hoping at least! Walking in step with his counterpart the boy looked this way and that for any signs of their quarry but was sorely met with dismay as there were none to be found thus far.]

Aw man- Where the hell are these things?!?

[Maybe you should have read the fine print and brought yourself a blacklight Denji and could have been less bored, an impatient brat when he found himself getting disinterested.]

[makoglow]

Calm down.

[ Yeah, Cloud can manage high energy teens. But that doesn't mean he's going to come across as anything less than prickly. It's just his personality. ]

You were supposed to pick up a black light. It's the only way to pick up their trail.

[ And, as if right on cue? Cloud's light finds a glowing trail. ]

Like that.

[nutsornothing]

Oh...You mean one of those things, huh? Guess I didn't read the fine print!

[Denji wasn't exactly the best at reading instructions or...reading in general for that matter having the basic understandings but big words often alluded him given his lack of education. At least one of them had the brains to think ahead and pick up one of the lanterns in question up so they weren't fumbling about like idiots.

A cock of his brow in curiosity is ushered forth as Cloud kneels down to illuminate the glowing trail of the little creatures they were searching for, an amused grin quickly forming into place of Denji's features as he joins the other.]

Now we're talkin'...

[Left hand tightening into a fist as he is fueled with determination.]

Lets find these little buggers!!

🌳🌸 Aerith

[makoglow]

[ He should have figured that he would end up tied to more people as time wears on. It's... Almost comical to him that this time it is Aerith of all people. Having it be her feels like something coming full circle. To have another moment where they are just having to share the day in one another's company.

Some things just don't change. ]

So where do you want to go?

[everblooms]

Well. [ Well.

They can't just go sidling up to Avalanche just yet, she supposes. Stuck to Cloud like this, it feels a little like they're back on Gaia, in the streets of Midgar— she knows the streets well enough for an adventure, but there's more to it this time. They both know this place. She can't just take him galivanting through the sector, again. ]

There's this place I know that... [ She offers it up haltingly, almost if to tease him the longer she takes to say it. With a simple smile, Aerith looks up at Cloud, her hands folding over her mid-section before remembering the invisible thread holding them together, and immediately returns one of her hands to her side. ] Seems pretty special.

[ Not that she's waiting for him to confirm. Already, Aerith takes to stepping in the direction of where it is she wants to go; she'd visited during the day, and thought it was a stunning, ethereal sight, and something feels right about seeing it with Cloud. In some ways, it feels like the best apology she can offer him. ]

Let's check it out together. [ Her smile is just a touch sardonic when she turns to look at him over her shoulder: He doesn't have a choice, as always. ]

By the way, Cloud. You got a favorite flower?

[makoglow]

[ They could, he supposes. But do they really want to? Cloud figures that Aerith would want to go someplace. She has a habit of tending to take Cloud around. Would be a shame to put a stop to that tradition.

And he's met with her keeping him on edge for a moment. Looking at him with that smile, as if Aerith knows that Cloud - despite how standoffish he appears - kind of looks for those excuses. He acts more put out than he ever actually is. The blonde watches her hands, his free fist coming up to hide a chuckle with a bit of a cough. Seems like she is trying to be mindful all the way around.

Somewhere special, huh? Cloud gives a nod, not really doing anything to hide the bit of a smile in his eye. ]

Sure thing. Gonna guess that you'll lead us there?

[ Because that's what she does. Aerith is just like that. Even if they hadn't been tethered together, Cloud probably would have went with her. ]

...A favorite flower? [ He sounds so serious as he hums in consideration. ] Maybe I do.

[ Maybe trying to play at Aerith's own game. Just a little. ]

[everblooms]

[ "Maybe I do," he says, voice drifting along coastal scented winds and over the swish of ocean waters. Aerith tosses him a look, staring up at Cloud with a playfully furrowed brow. The loop of her arm finds his, and Aerith presses her elbow into Cloud's say with a dramatic, childish sigh. ]

Gonna make me guess now, are you? [ After all, he doesn't offer up the information easily. Ahead of them is a gray road that conjoins with another cobblestone pathway, meeting to paint a neutral-toned horizon that is smattered with the colorful frames of numerous individuals walking in the same direction. Briefly, she considers chiding him for ruining a date so early, but the words don't escape her throat just yet. ]

Alright. How 'bout... Foxglove?

[makoglow]

[ Yeah, he can't quite maintain the usual look. There's a smile that tugs at the edges of his lips. It reaches his eyes, where they seem to light up just a little. ]

Maybe. You already have a pretty big clue.

[ Is he really ruining the date though? Or just giving Aerith some of what she had given him? ]

So not foxglove.