(no subject)

[telepathicignorance]

Who: Sidestep and ...you? (+ closed starter for Ranma)
Status: Open
Where: Eltrut
What: Chris hides out at the Conservatory, swindles bounty hunters, has terrifying experiences with rifts, gets ambushed
Warnings: Violence in the prompt with Ranma and the last prompt, extreme panic attack in the second to last prompt



A)

(Well, the brands aren't hurting them just for being here anymore, so Chris is back to working at the Conservatory.

It's safer for them to be around friends right now, so they're spending a lot of time on the grounds, patrolling, feeding the animals, etc. Their particular favorites are dogs like Angel and the Xolos... and the mimic.

Find them cuddling on the grass with a bunch of well fed, happy Xolos, or making the mimic chase them to get its food. Or just wandering around. If they don't like--or just don't know--you, you'll probably get a middle finger from them, if they let you notice them at all. If they do like you, they'll wave.)

B)

(Of course, as much as they might help out they're way more likely to be found taking advantage of the fact that the Conservatory has fridges and a snack supply.

Catch them raiding the Conservatory supply of cake and brownies, taking what's probably more than their fair share. They don't care, they let Turo have their sweets all the time, and they only give just enough of a shit about everyone else to not steal anyone's personal snacks or lunches: as far as they're concerned, any communal treats are first come first serve.

Alternately, sometimes they'll nap tucked into a corner of Turo's lab... though it's better if you don't approach them in this case, as you risk being hit with psychic bleedover from their nightmares.)

C) CLOSED TO RANMA

(And then they have an idea. A terrible idea. A profitable idea.

They'll need help to pull it off, of course, but a lot of their friends have also recently been in some kind of trouble with the Paladin authorities and/or the crystal traffickers, so they're gonna have to be careful about that. Don't want to risk having an enemy recognize someone and becoming suspicious.

So they'll show up at Ranma's house, banging on the door.)

Hey, Asspull!

D)

AHHHHHCK!

(The farm.

It's the nightmare they're trapped in when the rift opens up to grab them, and it's all they can think of when they are dumped, screaming in terrified shock, into an alchemist's lab.

A more awake and rational brain might realize that while clean, the surroundings aren't sterile enough, too much magic and not enough high-tech clinical perfection, but fresh from a nightmare, Chris' mind is as far from such a state as can be... and they're already primed for a panic.

Their resulting screaming and thrashing is enough to get the owner of the lab running into their room and they immediately take a swing at his confused and shocked face, laying out the poor man before vaulting over him and out the door, down a hallway, blasting anyone they sense approaching with all the psychic strength they can muster until they hurl themself--no, not the window, the door--out into the damp and misty morning sun.

Panting, on the verge of hyperventilation, they stare around them in utter confusion.)

E)

(They can't always hide behind their friends.

It happens one afternoon when they're walking back to the Conservatory after picking up some baked goods from Daily Kneads. They're taking one of their usual shortcuts, away from all the crowds. It's a stupid choice, but they're confident in their ability to detect potential attackers... until the sound of movement has them turning around with barely enough time to lift an arm to block a blow coming right for their head.)

Fuck!

(They don't know how they snuck up on them, but there are at least five thugs attacking them, and they weren't prepped for a fight. Shit! They dodge a punch, only to narrowly miss being kicked, and fuck, one of them is trying to circle behind them...

Someone might want to help.)

Comments

B

[velocityraptor]

[ Hawks does catch them raiding the fridge, but he doesn't seem to think anything of it, he's just glancing around. ]

Hey. [ He'd just been checking in that's all, with whoever was around who happens to be Chris at the moment. ]

What's going on?

[telepathicignorance]

I'm hungry, that's what's going on.

(They have a lunchbox of holding, they're just raiding the fridge because they can.)

Want a slice? (Of cake, they mean.)

[velocityraptor]

[ He knows, but he's not worried about that. No one said Chris couldn't go rooting around the fridge. ]

Uh. [ That's a good question. ] A couple of bites maybe.

[telepathicignorance]

(They get him a much smaller slice, one that he can consume in a few bites.)

Here you go.

(Once he's taken it they'll grab their own plate with its large slice + two brownies and retreat from the fridge.)

[velocityraptor]

Thanks! [ This is junk food for him. That applies to everyone, but it's borderline whether or not he should be eating it. He's stubborn though and cake tastes good.

He'll grab a seat on a backwards chair and settle in. ]

Feeling alright after all...that? [ Hawks waves his fork a bit to accentuate his question. ]

[telepathicignorance]

(Hawks is an adult, he can eat what he wants.)

All what?

(They're 100% gonna make him spell it out.

They take a bite of one of their brownies.

They also think about how the Glitzenwings probably have chairs designed to accommodate people with wings, and file it away as a possible subject change if necessary.)

[velocityraptor]

[ He certainly can, and does. At least with sweets it's nice to eat. ]

Uhh, you know, the rescue and everything.

[ Why Chris, why? Why make him do that? He's shifting slightly. He's feeling a bit awkward for having to be rescued. ]

[telepathicignorance]

Yeah. Pissed off a lot of people with all the video evidence I took of the traffickers before I rescued you, though. Got a bounty on me as large as some of the nastier monsters.

(Judging from that shit eating grin, they have zero regrets.

They nibble on their brownie some more and then:)

Your ribs heal okay?

[velocityraptor]

[ They aren't going to run into problems with him, he has no real complaint about exposing corruption. It should be exposed. The whole situation still makes him mad. He takes a bite. ]

Mm, yeah they're fine. Not fully healed, but getting better fast enough. Luckily I seem to heal pretty quickly, even though I'm sure the bones were a mess. Not my first time.

[telepathicignorance]

(It's probably from hero work, they tell themself. But they wouldn't be surprised if his bosses have broken a few of his bones too.

They clench their teeth, if only for a moment.)

Good.

[velocityraptor]

Not my wing bones, but other injuries, I do okay. [ Quick enough. Their instincts are correct, if only because how else does one measure someone's healing factor? How much they can take and still function? ]

Yeah, I'm fine. I was always going to be fine somehow. I appreciate you getting me out though.

[telepathicignorance]

Huh.

(They're curious, but they don't ask if or how he's ever broken his wings.)

You're lucky I was even able to find you.

(They don't think anyone else was looking.)

[velocityraptor]

Yeah, I was. [ Hawks can admit that. He knows no one would search for him, it doesn't even occur to him that that would ever be in question. Of course they wouldn't. He's expected to get himself out of the situations he runs into without back up. The Commission sees him as expendable. ]

So thanks.

[telepathicignorance]

...Yeah.

(They look away, turning their attention back to their plate.

...Probably time for that subject change.)

Have you visited any of the bird people spots yet? (Yeah, the island of peacock people isn't around but there's parts of town and surrounding villages that are primarily populated by them.)

[velocityraptor]

The other bird people? Not for long, but yeah I met a few of them. [ He hums a little bit. ]

And someone who was being rude about them. [ He rolls his eyes at that. ]

[telepathicignorance]

(They frown.)

Really? Who?

(They have a bite of cake.)

I haven't met people being rude, precisely, but I've run into at least two people who were weird about the animal people in general.

(Two people from worlds where having animal traits meant something terrible had happened.)

[velocityraptor]

I don't know, I didn't ask them. [ He wasn't that worried about it. ]

Yeah he was weird about it, saying it seemed unnatural.

[ He finds that offensive, but he also might be more sensitive to it. ]

[telepathicignorance]

That's a pretty shitty thing to say to someone who has wings.

(What. An. Asshole.

They'll eat some cake.)

[velocityraptor]

Eh, I've heard worse. [ Hawks shrugs a little bit, but he does take a bite of his cake a little stubbornly. ]

Haven't met too many people around here who have been weird about it, but at home it's a pretty common sentiment.

C

[catsgothistongue]

[Sidestep'll have to wait a minute or two for their to-be partner in crime to answer the door.

Why? Cause he was taking a nice hot shower. So when the knock-knock-knocking and namecalling rings out through his home, he scrambles to get dressed and enter the door. Once he opens the door, he's in the middle of braiding back up his pigtail, spooling the rapunzel-esque hair around his arm to keep it from dragging on the floor.]

Geez, ya' sure know how to greet a guy. Whaddaya want?

[telepathicignorance]

(Yeah they don't feel bad for interrupting you at all, Ranma. They're quite envious, actually, since they've been mostly stuck with cold baths and cold sponge baths.)

Sure, whatever. You wanna scam some assholes who really deserve it?

[catsgothistongue]

[Go bum someone else's showers then! It's not that hard when you know how to pick a window's lock!

A glint flashes in Ranma's eyes at their proposal. You had them at scam, Chris!]

Why didn't you say so sooner? What's the sitch, who're we screwin' over?

[telepathicignorance]

(Get naked in someone else's house? No. Too risky.

What if they were seen?)

You see that video I posted? (It's not a good memory and yet they smirk at the thought of exposing those assholes.)

Bunch of those fuckers got mad about it and put up a bounty.

[catsgothistongue]

[That only happens when you're an amateur and get yourself caught!

Ah. Ranma nods his head and clicks his tongue.]

Yep, that'd do it.

[If people are petty and shallow enough to post bounties cause they suck at casinos, why wouldn't they put out a hit on someone for posting confidential info?]

How should we do this? I rough ya' up a little and haul you in, or what?

[Cause he won't hesitate bitch]

[telepathicignorance]

Sounds about right.

(They half cringe, half grin. It's all in the name of a good cause.)

They were likely involved in the trafficking too, maybe we can get some evidence to bust them while we rob them.