deercountry | (closed) december catchall

[this is a magical experience for mob, who has only seen christmas in western movies really. this looks so much like one of those, down to the reindeer in the yard. when he looks through the sweaters he goes with this one, which is way too big on him and jingles every time he moves.

his blank face when he keeps flicking the bells does not give away how much he enjoys the sweater, which is a lot.

he brings a small cake with him to offer, because it was only polite. he thinks. thankfully it was one he bought so it's edible, just a cute little chocolate cake from some shop. he bows to anyone he sees thanking them for having him and otherwise looks like he has no idea what he's supposed to do at any party, let along a christmas party, in between bouts of spacing out.

eventually he'll approach robby though, a sort of messily wrapped gift in his hands and a card attached. he's got a small, nearly not there smile- he's having a good time.]

I like your sweater. [it's colorful and fun. christmas? pretty okay in his book.]

[ His dad and Mister LaRusso? Make Robby nervous. A kid who barely changes facial expressions who knows fuck all about Christmas that he's grown fairly attached to? Amazing, wonderful, absolutely great to have around. Robby beams whenever he looks the younger guy's way, would've taken his cake with a thanks, invited him to the fun of a Christmas cracker.

Mob's omen is welcome too, and even Robby's is sitting inside the living room with interest in the happenings. Quiet as always, observant, and only with a few wisps of smoke now and then (and the occasional tail wag).

But, for now: gifts. Robby turns to Mob as he comes over, and his expression more than makes up for Mob's mild one, a 'hey' already warm in greeting. His grin shows teeth at the comment of his sweater, and he gives Mob a friendly bump on the arm with a fist. ]

My sweater? Look at you! I've got a feeling you really like cats. [ Not a bad thing. Robby glances at the gift in his hands however, will say, 'gift time?', and if he gets a nod, he'll go over to grab Mob's own. It's a small string pouch, though made rectangular, with a small lump visible. ]

Those stamps were more fun than they had any right to be. [ Right? ]

[oh, the cracker absolutely happened and he's probably wearing the paper crown inside as we speak. meanwhile shibe has done enough warning stares to chill with robby's omen and just enjoy things, ears perked and content. for now.]

I like the bells too. [mob informs, resisting the urge to jostle one again for the moment.] They were, I can even use them on the omni sort of. On text stuff.

[a new world has opened... regardless he offers the gift, which when unveiled is indeed a little white flower in a small pot about the size of a mug. he looks a little down in his way when it's revealed.]

I wanted to show you I was practicing with everything you've been helping me with. Focus and control, and being calm too. But um... it didn't turn out that impressive.

[except it's actually so full of his very earnest attempts that it exudes a calming aura, especially when close enough for long periods. very good for getting asleep. it also won't seem to wilt for ages no matter how mistreated, but for the moment mob's kind of bummed he couldn't make something to really show robby how much he appreciated everything.

the card has that though, no surprise. lots of cats, happy christmas and a note of very sincere thanks. how robby is cool and he's very glad they met.]

[ The news about stamps on the omni gets a small surprised 'Yeah?' Did he find emojis?? Emotes?? There will be no stopping Mob now. Wow, he should find out more so his friend 2B can use the boar stamp he gave her...!

But for now, it's time for presents. They exchange, but Robby manages to get the look of his first, and... a flower was not what he would expect from anyone. Has he ever owned a flower? No, and he wonders what it means, except--

Mob tells him. Mob, with his practising and quiet earnest energy, even without what's (unknowingly) there in the flower. Robby looks from the flower to Mob, smile pinched onto his lips. ]

You made me a flower in December with the coolest idea behind it. [ Just let him say that out loud so that everyone's on the same page here, especially Mob. ] You know that's amazing, right?

[ He reaches out, puts a hand on Mob's shoulder and gives it a squeeze. ]

Thanks.

[ Let him let Mob soak in that appreciation, before he turns to the nearby mantelpiece to set the flower down on, garland wreathing underneath it. ] There. It'll go here for now 'til I can find a better place for it.

[ Though, that's not a bad spot either.

If Mob starts to have a peek inside his own bag, there is - surprise! - a card inside, a lavender purple. Snowflakes have been stamped on the front, and on the inside is a deer by a message:

Mob,

Merry Christmas. I know it's not your thing, but to be honest
it's never been my thing either
shopping with you was the most fun I've had about Christmas
I know I probably tell you this all the time,
but never be hard on yourself. Always keep trying to be better
you've got the spirit for it. I'll help you as much as I can

Remember to breathe,
You've got this

Robby Keene'

And with that card is a necklace, a peculiar orange-red stone with white streaks glittering inside it. Which Robby will talk about in a second this tag is already long. ]

[oh, he hadn't thought of it like that. he's immediately relieved (a certain internal meter ticks down from 25% to 22%, thank god let's not have a christmas explosion) and he offers robby a smile. maybe the tiniest bit bigger than usual even.]

When I'm better I'll make something nicer. [he can promise that. admittedly he already could make like a field of flowers and be showy as hell but he wants this to be proof of control, not his boring, op powers. special, not easy.

he regards the flower now on the mantel and resolves to make sure to offer something better soon, along with practicing more. but oh, gift time. the first thing he does is read the card. that smile of his stays, and he does tick back up to 25% but it's with a burst of cheer so... probably okay. hopefully okay.

he just really likes the card. frankly he would have been happy with just it, but there's a necklace too, which he pulls out.]

Oh, it's a bloodgem. [he's never seen one like this before. he tilts his head as he puts it into his palm, sensing something from it the way he does all bloodgems. maybe something a little more- robby doesn't have an aura exactly but he's starting to be able to sense some energy that's distinctly his.] I've never seen one like this.

[ One unknowing fear is always the internal meter...

Watching a guy read a card you wrote is a little weird, so Robby keeps his eyes elsewhere unless Mob looks at him. But there's the necklace, and that's easier -- and he's internally pleased, thinking about how both of their gifts have a bit of them in them.

Sure, blood should be weirder, but at least it's pretty solid blood. ]

It's warmblood. Actually, --it's my warmblood, [ he clarifies awkwardly. Okay, scratch the feelings above, it's weird again.

But! Forward! ] I know you worry about corruption, so this is to help out. But, it should help you with calming down too -- find some peace of mind, 'til you can find it yourself.

[ There's a part of him worried it might not work (despite the cost--you better work), but he's hopeful, smiling anyway, nodding at Mob eagerly. ]

Try it on? Or -- just hold it and see what you feel.

[if there is any weird vibes it is impossible to tell from mob. is this a blessing or more unnerving? who knows...

he does look surprised a moment before nodding.] It felt like yours. [that's a weird thing to say about blood but. welcome to the trench. then robby keeps talking and he gives up examining the necklace to up at robby.

30% it's a positive, christmas-y emotion it's probably fine

time to put it on though, so very careful, like it's a very precious thing. because it is, it's probably one of the nicest things someone ever got him. it's thoughtful and useful. he was so, so wrong about robby being bad at gifts.

when it's on he touches it lightly and- oh, he does feel something. the sharp edges of all the things he pushes so deep down are dulled. (25%!) and when he looks at robby it's with a smile.]

... I'm sorry I said you were bad at gifts. You're really, really good at gifts.

[ Look, he got a real, nice smile out of it. Maybe still one of those Mob classics, but it's good, no less pleasant to see, and Robby's smiling back. ]

I got some help. Your brother's the one who said get them what they wouldn't think about, wasn't he? [ Which is a lot of things when you're new to Trench, but people also rarely work with warmblood like this. But he's glad, regardless; he wants Mob to feel safe. ]

You're not bad yourself, [ he adds, because it has to be said: ] I never thought I'd be this happy to have a plant. [ He looks back at said plant, then points a thumb at it. ]

You can make me more if you want, but you know he's never gonna get beat, right? He's going nowhere.

[ He is now the top dog of plants. ]

[oh, he's having a Feeling about robby remembering that and ritsu managing to help from beyond the weird squid sea.] He did. I wouldn't have thought of something like this. [he didn't even realize it was possible.

he touches the necklace again, holding it up a bit to get a look at it. so weird such a pretty stone was made of blood. he's only really seen coldblood ones before, one so blue it didn't look like anything but another stone.] It's like the breathing stuff we did before, it feels like that.

[paired with the breathing too? look out corruption and/or exploding. ge looks over to the plant though, far less down about it being kind of unremarkable now.]

I never thought much about having plants either. [he admits.] They're kind of nice here, though. Everything is so dramatic. [could use a little lowkey greenery.] I'm glad you like it.

[ Robby's never had this before -- watching people receive gifts from him. There's his mom, sure, which was more exciting and nerve-wrecking when he was a (younger) kid, but this isn't the same. It's warming and exciting in a different way, personal with the receiver. With Mob.

It's a little piece of good he's done, brightening up another. It's nice being able to do that -- to kinda be more than just himself and his own problems. ]

Well, how about you keep growing while you've got the bug? Bet you could do some stuff with the plants after they're grown. Corruption even gets into the soil around here, and they don't have a way of getting anything out of season.

[ Ah. ] I know a guy. I can ask him for some seeds if you're interested. He's one of those Jedi people.

[welcome to how mob is going to idly play with the necklace all the time now. an unintentional bonus really, just an absent thing that is calming. it's what he does as he considers robby's idea.]

I wouldn't be very good at helping grow plants for food, they always taste bad when I do that. I think um, not going through the whole process of growing makes them bland. [shame, it would be such a useful skill. still-] But the plants are here do seem like they could use a little help.

[a glance at the flower again and he turns back to robby with Resolve.] Do you think sensei would mind if we got some of those seeds and grew them at the dojo? [it would look nice? he hopes. and be something to give back to the place doing so much for him.]

Sure. [ Why wouldn't he? He nods his head to wherever said man is, currently. ] How about you ask him? And I'll ask Ezra about some seeds, or getting clippings. Think that's what you do with some plants.

[ He's like...really unsure. And even only knows about growing some clippings because he wanted some of that Cool Cherry Blossom Tree that grows near the sea..... ]

Actually, [ thinking 0.5 second more, powerful, ] --how about you come to the big library in Gaze with me sometime? I want to do some reading on electronics, finding some easy reads. Maybe reading up on plants will help you out a lil' more.

The better you understand something, the more you can work with it, right?

[ Or it'll have no effect except bore Mob. But hey--why not try. ]

Oh, it's Ezra? [someone he knows and likes. yeah, he can see ezra as a plant guy with cool seeds. but-] Okay, I'll ask sensei tonight- unless I should wait?

[still figuring out this christmas thing. it seems pretty casual so he assumes it would be fine?]

Oh, yeah I'd like that. I went by once but um, it's kind of confusing. [that archives just. has a lot going on all the time. constantly.] Why electronics?

[somewhere viktor is proud regardless]

Sure, go ahead. Talking and palling around's the idea before dinner. [ ah ] And you already know Ezra? That makes things easy.

[ Hey, maybe he can even do some plant-y things with the guy. He takes care of his plants with the Force. Time will tell.

But as for electronics, Robby gives a sheepish face. Just a little. ]

I'm trying out something new, too. [ ...well. ] Well, I used to learn how to take apart stuff now and then, but a guy's helping me learn more than that. And sometimes the books in there are more modern than the rest of the place, so - a book for dummies would be cool.

I used to just watch videos on the internet.

[ Heh. ]

[good, he's coming for you daniel. giving the bonsai is probably a good way to shift into asking about cool dojo gardens too.]

Yeah, we met in the woods. [stop going in the woods mob] He's easy to talk to.

[well have mob being impressed. yes, he is easily impressed by everything not power related but to be fair this is pretty neat. that's some Smart Guy shit.]

Oh, really? So you're going to learn to build things?

[ Stop going in the woods, Mob?? At least Ezra was in them too (??? weird but ok).

But please don't be impressed, Mob. Robby hears the word build, and he's instantly making a face. ]

I don't know about building, but-- helping? Fixing up? That sounds closer to my level. I'm not going to be inventing anything, just -- knowing how things work.

[ And how you can add magic to everything. Hextech is so cool.... ]

But the guy who's showing me was making a portable heater. When he's got it down, I'll see if I can get you one.

[ There, it's easier to talk about the actual inventor guy, here. Even if Viktor should not be spoken about in Mob's presence, and vice versa.... ]

[sorry, still impressed. fixing is pretty cool too, you're doomed.]

That's a really good idea, everything's kind of broken here. [a shame he can never meet viktor or the world will implode, as rp law dictates. that meeting would just be viktor despairing over another wholeass child in the trench and mob zoning out so it's fine.]

Like a heating pad? Oh- [not. exactly. he rifles through his pockets a second to pull out a round, blue stone that he holds up to robby. it exudes a bit of heat, very good for keeping hands warm.] Miss Makima gave me this, because my hands get so cold. It's weird to think it was someone's blood.

[at least robby's necklace looks a little like blood, it's a little more translatable.]

[ This is the second person to go 'but you can use a stone for that'...!!

Except Robby gives a huff, amused. ] Right? It's fun to think about the different stuff you can do with blood too. ... even if it's blood, [ he appropriately adds, nose wrinkling. ]

Here, let me show you- [ Just, he needs to put up a finger for Mob to wait, and then he goes out into the entrance hall, taking just about ten seconds or so before he re-emerges. He's making a fist with one hand, which he places on the couch, leaving behind a flat stone with markings in black.

Then, he waves a finger at the seat. ] Try and lift it up.

[ You know. That whole-ass couch. Lift it, Mob. Does this smiling Robby face look like it's joking?

(once you stop being a coward it's going to be piss easy, boy!!) ]

A real heater would be nice though. The Trench is kind of drafty. [he has the mild anemia, too easy to get cold. he pockets his stone, jingling as he does.

then robby leaves and returns with a new type of stone he's never seen before. honestly? he's kind of glad people use these stones a lot instead of real blood. messy and gross, honestly. pretty rock is superior.

he looks from the couch to robby, confused. with his powers? no he seams to mean... himself??]

I couldn't do that... [but he can try. it's not like he'll get very far, as much as he wishes he could be Strong.

so even trying to lift it looks like he isn't expecting much, and should it come up easily. have the most baffled face the boy has made so far.]

[ Please, everyone, ignore the sight of Robby encouraging a fourteen-year-old to lift a couch...and succeed! Mob could lift it up higher, easier, but Robby will move to press his hand against the flat stone in case he tries with a 'whoa, not too much'.

Otherwise, the example is given. ]

Magic written with a little darkblood. [ So, still blood, but-! ] Saves using a whole stone, right? I use it in my bag.

[ Feels like he's wearing nothing at allll. He grabs the stone, sits down. ]

Want it? I've got another. [ Hah- ] Even if you can already lift everything like a champ.

[ Options are nice, right. And Mob doesn't always like using his own power. Why not use someone else's? ]

[lifting couches is basically american christmas, that's mob's opinion on the matter. which mob is still wide eyed about, just looking at the couch he's lifted a little, wondering if this is what having muscles would feel like.

his resolve to get stronger strengthens, but that's really not the point of this.

he puts the couch down, moving to get a better look at the stone.] That's really useful... bloodmagic is way more versatile than psychic powers are.

[being offered the stone has him pause, torn for a moment before he shakes his head.] Thank you, but I need to learn to do things without powers better. I wouldn't be so weak if I didn't rely on my powers so much when I was younger.

[he does sit on the couch though to glance at the stone again.] Did you make this? Or find it?

[ Robby actually respects the reason that Mob turns it down, maybe seen in how he nods his head, the lift in his brows. He holds the stone between forefinger and thumb, before eventually sitting it on Mob's knee when he asks about it. ]

Made it--it's a copy, but I've been learning. See this? [ He points to the markings on the stone - carvings, then filled in with a black-blue blood-ink, and lastly covered in a polish. ] It's a magic language. I've been learning it for a couple of months now, and I want to introduce them to the dojo someday. Let people carry extra protection so they can get out of trouble.

[ He knows it's not always enough (gear is meaningless if you're stripped of your belongings), but Robby refuses to let go of that ambition of helping the dojo. Helping people, like he wants to help himself. ]

I'm trying to make some stones you can throw and paralyse beasts with, or maybe a satchel? If I write the right thing, I can make the spell do whatever I want.

[mob carefully picks it up, looking over the work. whoa.] You're like a wizard.

[this is some wizard ass shit, to be fair. he turns it over a few times before putting it flat on his palm between them.] How did you learn all this? It sounds like a lot of work.

[shocking no one he's impressed again. so this is what robby meant before, about looking into things. he definitely had to do some Ghost Talking.]

[ Okay, getting called a wizard? Makes Robby laugh. Not what he ever thought, but thinking about it now? ] --Yeah, okay.

[ yer a wizard, robby. It's got him tickled, smiling as they continue on. ]

I'm learning from a girl, Saeri. If you ever see a house on wheels in Willful Machine? That's hers. She came from a guild where people do this and make tattoos to help people. Better health, helping the people around them out? She even makes these tiny comfort pals based on golems. [ He shows his palm. ] They can fit in your hand, this big. And they're cute -- I should show you one, I was thinking about it when you said Jun was ill.

[ Robby has a lot of respect for what Saeri can do, and he doesn't hide it. But he wonders, sitting there, looking from the rune to Mob. ]

You ever thought about talking to people and their powers? I know your power comes from you, and, it's not the same, [ not really, ] but maybe hearing the way people use their powers might be worth it.

[he does have the staff and everything. maybe not a proper wizard one but close enough, probably.

it takes him a moment before he nods in realization. yes, he has seen that in passing, and it did look like some mystical stuff.] Yeah, I've seen it. I didn't know it did tattoos, though it did look pretty magical. [magic tattoos... trench is wild.] I'd like to see one. Are you learning to make those too?

[ah, talking to people about powers. he considers that for his typical beat of figuring out what to say, then nods.] Maybe I should. Just- people get kind of competitive, in my world at least. People here are a lot nicer though.

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