deercountry | [OPEN] December Catch All!!!!

Entry tags:

[OPEN] December Catch All!!!!

Who: Abigail Williams and OPEN
What: December Event Top Levels, escaping from being trapped under ice, hunting down a twisted version of people and stories, and Christmas shopping
When: Through the first half of December
Where: Throughout the city

Content Warnings: Horror, blood, gore, potential insanity, cuteness overload. I'll add more as applicable.

I – Cold as Ice

[Abby remembered being warned about these sorts of situations back home. Of falling into a frozen lake, and how the water would risk freezing over above you. Or how you might not be able to find the hole you fell through again. It’s a common, terrible trap during winter that many fall for. One of the worst ways to go.

That and tree wells.

Her mind wasn’t on things she was told about back home. Her mind was on getting out of the water. There, she could feel something budge as she pushed. It was difficult, however, given she was underwater. Luckily for Abby she had her tendrils… and another person evidently.

With a one. Two. Three.

They lift up and make an opening, one large enough for Abigail to skirt herself through, keeping a shockingly strong hand on her partner to pull them up and through as well.]

Ah- what… what was that all about?

II – Now You See Me

[None of this was her doing. Not this time. The image was of Ritsuka, only it wasn’t them. And Abigail wouldn’t be fooled so easily by some copy. A copy with red eyes, weeping wounds, a torn reindeer outfit hanging off of their frame. She wasn’t going to fall for it.

Not at all.

It doesn’t stop her from being upset about it. It also doesn’t stop her from going out on a hunt. From dropping whatever pretenses she might have had at being a good girl. Abby’s skin had taken on a purple hue, her dress hung around her in ribbons, limbs darkened black and eyes red. A large hat sat on her head while what looked like a dark, bottomless keyhole sat in the center of her forehead.

She walked around, looked around, expression blank as she followed a trail of red. Nearby dogs could be heard barking loudly, violently, as she moved along the late night streets.

She wouldn’t stand for this twisted afront to her precious Master. Or really, anything that gets in her way.]

III – Christmas Shopping

[Presents! She was shopping for presents for others! This wasn’t something that Abby really got to do until arriving at Chaldea. Holidays hadn’t necessarily been a thing for her. Let alone Christmas. Something banned and considered as being sinful in her time.

But even a little bit of sin should be fine if it meant sharing a bit of kindness with others, right!?

Wide, blue eyes, stare into the brightly lit storefronts, a smile on her face, as she browsed over the window displays. The candies, the decorations, clothes, and everything else in between. There was so many amazing things! And she had no clue what to get for her new friends!

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[ If there's one thing she can't do with Usagi and Makoto next to her all the time, it's Christmas shopping. How will she ever get them gifts if they go with her? The answer is clear, Hotaru just has to hit the stores by herself at least once. Christmas always means an abundance of lights and she has to make sure she doesn't get distracted by them.

That's easy enough once she spots Abigail doing some window shopping. She hurries over and raises a hand in a wave. ]

Abigail! Are you here to do some Christmas shopping?

[She was gasping, shivering as she felt her body yanked by a tendril through the manhole cover... wait. What? It had just been a sheet of ice? Fucking hell, not this shit again. More illusions. Hacking more water out, she managed to shakily get to her knees.]

Thank you...

Probably a curse of some sort. Impossible to say for sure.

[ .. that girl looks oddly familiar, Ange can't help but think as she's wandering through the street - just planning on getting some groceries for herself before heading home again, since she definitely thinks this isn't great weather to casually hang around in.

And yet the girl distracts her along the way. At first Ange is still walking, but then she realises just why the other looks so familiar, and that does get her to stop for a moment.

God, it's the girl who got drunk at the parade, isn't it. And now she's out here alone again..?

Ange isn't even sure whether or not the other would remember her, considering Abby's state from back then, but she approaches the other all the same. ]

Are you out here by yourself again? [ She asks, then pausing, before adding with a glance at the storefront windows-- ] .. looking at stores?

[Hotaru! It's her friend Hotaru! Abigail beams at the other girl and waves back happily. It was all too easy to get distracted with all of the lights, toys, candies, and other goods on display!]

Ah, Hotaru! Mm, I'm doing some Christmas shopping for my friends.

[Which also means for Hotaru as well!]

[She coughs a bit more and shivers, rubbing her arms as the chill of the winter air hit her soaked clothing and skin. A better question was probably how they managed to end up under a sheet of ice. Then again, dreams don't always make sense, less so when they seem to be relatively unstable.

Abigail shivered and began to ring out her wet hair.]

A curse? This seems like an odd curse....

[Maybe more like reality changing around them, was her thoughts.]

Um... are you alright, miss?

[Eeehhh???? Who is this? Abigail squints at Ange, the gears ticking away in her mind. Where did she see her before? Hm.... Oh! She remembers now.

It's the girl who stole her cider and gave her pancakes in return! And now she was approaching her again.

Except this time Abigail does not have any of her special cider with her. Checkmate, Ange!]

Um... yes?

[What else does a person do so close to Christmas time!? Abigail actually doesn't know the answer to that.]

Are you also... shopping?

I admit? [She was rubbing her arms to warm up. Motioning to suggest that they head to one of the nearby buildings, she sighed.] I tend to call all 'supernatural events' curses. This isn't a curse in the most traditional sense.

...Just cold. Very cold. Let's get inside.

[Maul keeps gasping for air long after he's pulled out of the ice by someone he's unfamiliar with. That had been one of his biggest fears. Since his lower half is entirely made of metal, being stuck in water like that meant he'd inevitably sink to the bottom in short order unless he was able to get out quickly.

His Omen materializes once he's out to keep him steady and calm, plus giving him a source of body heat to leech from in the frigid weather.]

I don't know. But it was monstrous.

Yeah.

[ At least Ange seems to answer the question easily. It's an incredibly harmless question, after all. Not even something that could embarrass her. (Which is clearly, obviously, the bigger threat compared to something that could harm her, right.) ]

I'm just surprised to see you out by yourself again. [ She even admits. Perhaps a touch bluntly, but Ange's voice is so flat that it doesn't sound mean or malicious in any way.. ] I mean, aren't you a little..

[ .. at least here she seems to be looking for a tactful word.

Even if it's just for a moment, before she gives up and just says: ]

.. young?

[ Hotaru comes to a stop next to the blond and peers into the window of the store next to them. ]

Do you have a big list of friends?

[ Everyone is getting at least some sort of tea from Hotaru. ]

Back home I do! Here... not really. But that's okay, cause it makes finding things easier!

[Have to look on the bright side of things! Inside was all sorts of Christmas knick knacks, trinkets, furniture, candies, and so on. The store looked bright and warm, and cheerful. How fun!]

What about you? Do you have a lot of friends?

Hm, I think I'm the same. I've talked to a few people here, but I don't know if we're friends or not. It does mean less shopping!

[ It does look fun and Hotaru moves to the door, holding it open for Abigail. Might as well go in even if they don't buy anything as a gift here. ]

Back home I feel like I have a whole big family. Two mamas and a papa, and lots of friends who I love like family.

Right... we shouldn't stay outside long like this.

[Drenched in frozen water, and standing in freezing winds. It wasn't a fun time at all to be sure. Let alone a healthy one for anyone affected by such things.]

Um... it looks like there's a bakery over there?

[How could shopping be an embarrassing thing? Geez, Abigail still doesn't quite get how older girls think sometimes. Then she was going on about it being strange for Abigail to be out and about?

Gosh, maybe it is?

She supposed the world can be super cruel and dangerous to girls her age, but she can still take care of herself!

Pouts and huffs!]

I think I can do just fine on my own, miss.

[Ah- this guy looks scary! She shrinks away just a little, but given what they had just dealt with Abby is going to lean into him not being too mich of a threat.

He just looks imposing.

Because Maul is imposing.

She's nmbusily trying to strain the water from her long hair. Escape or no, it is still cold.out!]

Monsterous... Mm, I guess it was. Um, we should find somewhere to warm up.

Oh, thank you.

[Hotaru is flashed a smile as Abby wanders inside. The smell of pine is present, alongside different spices and sweets. It's even better inside!

Her eyes go wide in wonder of it all. The shop reminded her quite a bit of her home during this season, before coming here.]

You have two mamas and a papa?

[How lucky can a person get!?]

[She shivered and held her hands to her arms, swallowing hard and looking around. When the finger pointed out the bakery, she nodded. her teeth were chattering and she moved to help walk the girl over in a quick hustle.]

Good idea. We can get something warm and try to dry off.

You're welcome.

[ This is all the smells of Christmas, to Hotaru. Perhaps a little bit of home when mama Michiru would cook and bake sweets for them all.

She starts browsing the nearest shelves, admiring all of the items for sale and considering each of her friends while looking. ]

Yep. Mamas Michiru and Setsuna, and papa Haruka. They adopted me when I was really little. Mama Michiru and papa love each other the way parents do, Setsuna is their closest friend. They all took care of me in different ways as I was growing up.

[ More hands making a lighter load. ]

[ If Ange was a bit more of a cruel person, she'd point out how the other sure seemed to be doing 'fine' on her own last time... and while Ange can sometimes be that blunt to people who are a little older, it's not like she's going to be that rude to a kid.

Not on purpose, anyway.

So she swallows down the words, instead shaking her head a little. Not necessarily in a disapproving way, but just so she can clarify: ]

I'm just saying this place can be really dangerous. [ And even that is an understatement. ] Though I'm sure you've seen that.

[ Even if the other is so young, there's no way she can't have encountered at least one dangerous thing after having been here for-- sheesh, months now, right? The last time she saw the girl was back in October.. ]

[He barely noticed Abigail's reaction to him, though it wouldn't have surprised him if he did. A lot of people tended to be taken aback by Maul's appearance the first time they met him. Maul stripped his outer coat off, heavy as it was sodden with water, and wrung it out. That still left him in a lot of wet clothes.]

Yes, we should, or we'll soon resemble a pair of icicles.

[He looked around and pointed to the first shop he saw.]

It should be warmer in there.

You're quite blessed then! To have a wonderful family with lots of people who love you.

[She beams back to Hotaru as she browses around. Before stopping and snagging a jar of candy. Hm... everyone likes candy! But she also has a limit. Maybe something else? Like that jar of spices and pancake mix! And it looks like there was even tea next to it! Everyone enjoys spices!

At least back home they did, or back in New England when such things were a precious commodity.]

What do you think they would get you?

[She's hustling alright! Right on over to the warm, brightly lit store. With the leftover buns and pastries in view of the store front. Looking so very delicious and inviting.]

R-Right...!

Mm, it can be a little frightening at times. And strange.

[To put it blunt. But... there's scarier still. Things that don't care for your existence, and may not even be able to perceive you sort of scary.]

But if it's so scary then... then... why are you out on your own?

[Huffs! Ange can't be all that much older than her! And even then city streets at night can still be dangerous for a young woman! No matter the age. That's what she was always taught.

Ange may not even notice something dangerous even when it's right in front of her.]

Alright....

[She looks the shop over, it looked warm and inviting at least. Not a dog in sight, and there were things on sale as well. So if she wanted to do some Christmas shopping she could.

Slowly she took a shivering step towards the building, then another.]

[Vira-Lorr hurried to catch up, following her into the store with the ringing of a bell and shivering somewhat as a wash of warmth flowed over them. The shopkeep took one look at them and called for their husband to bring blankets and towels for them to dry off.]

Thank you miss. I love winters here...

[So much sarcasm]

Because if something jumps out, I'll just blast it in the face.

[ .. clearly the most elegant possible way to put it, huh? And in front of what Ange perceives to be a little kid too..

Then again, no one has ever claimed that Ange of all people has a way with words, when she's mostly just blunt Exhibit A: what she just said. ]

And what if something that bad approaches you? What will you do then?

[Maul took off his thick winter coat and began to wring it out. Sodden with water the way it was, it was useless for the purpose of keeping him warm right now.]

I don't believe we have met before. What is your name?

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[OPEN] December Catch All!!!!

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