April/May Catch-All

[frogfear]

Who: Willow Rosenberg (frogfear) and you!
What: Open Prompts (Will add closed ones later)
When: Throughout April.
Where: Throughout Trench

Content Warnings: Themes of loss/grief, some werewolf body horror, will update threads as needed.



1. At Ritual Gig [Open]

[It's hardly been an easy few weeks. Stan's departure had been sad enough, and Willow found her thoughts drifting often to how the Pines family was coping with the loss. Then Glitch had left. Then John as well.

She had met John in her early days in Deerington, shortly after both Buffy and Giles had woken up from the dream. She had never experienced a real Maine winter before, and had been out enjoying the snow when he startled her, and she had nearly pelted him with the snowball she had been making. She thought it was embarrassing, but he insisted he was impressed with her aim.

They had bonded quickly, and easily, and his protective, parental nature filled a void she hadn't even really been aware of. Both of her parents had busy careers that kept them away often, and even when she was home, her mother in particular had never really been interested in what Willow did, aside from a brief period of time before the novelty of her relationship with Tara had worn off. John had never not been there for her.

She glances back at the counter occasionally, half-expecting to see him there.

Faith and Tara make things even more complicated between the confessions forced out of all three of them the previous month, and the pair moving back into the house for the additional safety it offers. It feels horribly awkward, but with the danger April has presented them, it also feels necessary. Willow copes mostly with avoidance. She feels ill-prepared for the difficult conversations she knows they ought to have, but maybe it can be delayed just a little while.

Ozpin had cautioned her that her reunion with Tara might present some challenges, and but she had never expected it to get so complicated so quickly. She certainly never thought she would find Tara preferring Faith's company over hers.

Time spent helping with the shop is a welcome distraction, and an excellent reason to spend time away from the house when she can't keep herself busy there. It's little easier to cope with her grief by funneling it into productively tidying the shelves that never seem to quite be free of dust, or studying a particularly interesting book she's found on the shelves.

Anyone entering the shop will be greeted with a little wave, and a small smile that doesn't meet her eyes.]

Hey.

1. Werewolf of Trench (With link to bonus dreamwalking open post) [Open]

[It seemed like an obvious solution. If her soul couldn't leave her body, then it couldn't turn into a wolf. If she didn't turn into a wolf, she could just sleep quietly in her bed at night instead of getting restless and feeling the need to get out and wander. If she didn't get out and wander, there was no risk of anyone else being hurt.

Her necromancer friend had seemed confident pinning her soul would work, and as far as she can tell it has. Mostly, anyway. She doesn't remember her dreams, and even when she gets a full night's sleep, she still wakes up tired. It's all easily explained away by the stress of an incredibly difficult few weeks, not to mention the adjustment of no longer changing forms at night. There's probably no cause for concern. Besides, she has already rediscovered she can use dreamwalking as a means to counteract the exhaustion.

Unfortunately, preventing her soul from leaving her body in place has done nothing to end the curse that came with Robyn's bite, but only changed the effect. Instead of leaving her human body behind to rest and taking a separate form, she changes. She grows fur that matches the colour of her hair, she grows sharp claws, and sharp fangs from a very canine snout, with ears that stand on top of her head. Muscle and bone that stretch and change in ways they were never intended to hurt. It makes it harder to think straight, it makes it harder to focus, and it makes it harder to act on anything beyond instinct.

When she changes, the urge to roam becomes overwhelming. She maintains enough sense to generally want to keep to the forest to avoid Sleepers who might mistake her condition for true beasthood and decide they need to take action, but nervousness of the area she was killed in, even if she doesn't consciously remember, drives her to linger near the edge of the woods where she may be more easily spotted. The nights she feels particularly restless, she can be heard howling by anyone nearby.

She will fight if provoked, and instinct might insist she chase someone who runs even if, deep down, she genuinely does not want to harm them. Sometimes her instincts can be mercurial, though, and she may protect another Sleeper from danger, particularly if it's someone she knows and trusts.]

Comments

1

[entreats]

[ Ange still isn't feeling absolutely great herself. The effects of the way her world was completely turned upside down last month are still lingering, but Ange also knows that she can't afford to keep lingering in those when everything could start going wrong real rapidly during a month where everything stays completely dark like now.

And when she slowly tried to draw herself out of her own feelings, shoving them down, it started to become easier to notice other people's feelings again. Like Willow's. Even if Ange doesn't know all the details of what has gotten the other feeling off, she has noticed something is going on with Willow.

She has also noticed that the other seems to prefer to not spend time around the house as much, which means that Ange's idea of sitting down there with the other didn't end up seeming all that great to her.

So Ange has tried to kick her ass back in gear enough to actually go out again this month, rather than bundle herself up in her room or in the house. At least enough to make it over to the shop, carrying a bag with her as she enters, her eagle omen hopping in after her, wings tucked in to actually fit through the door. ]

Hey. [ Ange says, greeting the other in return before pulling a thermos out of her bag. ] I hope this isn't the weirdest place ever to suggest having some tea.

[ Especially since the shop seems to be quiet right now anyway. ]

[frogfear]

[It's good to see Ange out and about again. Hopefully it means she's starting to find her equilibrium after Sayo's confession. Willow finds herself still a little bit in a state of disbelief on that, given how kind hearted Shannon seemed to be.

The smile turns a little more genuine as the thermos comes out. Leave it to Ange.]

No, not at all. Maybe it's just me, but tea and a magic shop seems like a pretty reasonable combination. How're you doing, Ange?

[entreats]

[ Now isn't that a question that isn't easy to answer. Maybe that's the main reason why she first just says: ]

I could ask you the same.

[ She moves over to find a spot to sit down so they can have the tea while the shop is quiet, putting the thermos down and then seeming to focus for a moment until she manages to conjure two cups out of thin air - first appearing in a golden light before they seem to solidify.

The eagle omen keeps moving until it's next to her seat, where it seems to stop. ]

But in fairness.. [ Since it wouldn't be right to ask how Willow is while dodging the question herself, Ange thinks. ] I'm keeping it together. Kind of realised I can't continue to mope while things could get super dangerous this month, if the sky is anything to go by.

[frogfear]

[Willow clears away some of the books on the table and sets them off to the side so she can re-shelve them later, and pulls up a chair to join Ange.

She debates her own answer for a moment, and how much she wants to tell Ange about what happened in the catacombs. Talking too much about it is likely to bring out the same inevitable confession, and after how Tara and Faith had reacted, she's unsure she wants to go down that road with someone else she cares about so soon.]

Oh, um. You know. About the same, I guess? Between Glitch leaving, and John...

[entreats]

.. and you seeming to avoid the house?

[ Okay, maybe that call out wasn't exactly the most subtle.

But Ange is not always the best at navigating social interactions, though she sure is trying - especially when it comes to people she doesn't want to hurt, like Willow. Maybe it's why Ange picks up the thermos to start pouring the tea into the cups, rather than immediately continuing to speak.

Allowing for a slight pause while she's busy.

Besides, she is curious about that. If there's something wrong with the house, she'd like to know. Especially since Ange had to kick someone out last month, just to continue to have it be a comfortable space for herself. ]

2

[eudaimonikos]

[Michael tries to avoid the forest at night. It's a dangerous place, far worse than the woods back in Deerington used to be. But Eleanor's accustomed to their old strolls, and occasionally he does like to indulge her. So he's headed out towards the edges of the woods himself, riding on Eleanor's back.

The Warg catches wind of the other wolf first, stopping up short and letting out a low rumbling growl from deep in her chest. Michael frowns into the shadows. Human eyes aren't well-suited for this.]

...Bigby? That you?

[frogfear]

[It's not so much the scent of the Warg that catches Willow's attention, it's the growl. She might not bother if the creature was just looking to quietly pass through with Michael, but a growl is a challenge that demands an answer.

The werewolf steps out onto the path from the underbrush, and rises up to her full height. Glaring at Eleanor, she lets out an answering snarl, showing her fangs.]

[eudaimonikos]

[Eleanor bares her teeth and snarls back in earnest at that! She didn't come out here looking for a fight, but she's got a rider; she's not about to let some other predator think this is fair game.

Michael, on her back, doesn't actually have much way of controlling her. What's he gonna do, put reins on her like a horse? Even the leash he sticks on her for walkies is mostly just for show. Still, he grumbles and hops down to the ground to shove her back.]

God - okay, can we not do this? Let's all just chill out, there's plenty of woods here.

[frogfear]

[The werewolf isn't backing down either; she's already laid claim to this section of the woods, and she is not willing to entertain interlopers. The man, at least, is trying to convince the warg to leave, but maybe they both need a little extra convincing.

With a low growl, she takes a slow, menacing step forward.]

[eudaimonikos]

[Michael may not want a fight, but he's not going to put up with his dog getting attacked by some wild animal either - he turns and lets some blue flames swirl around his hand as he points.]

You could also use a little bit of chill, buddy.

[And he grabs Eleanor's harness and starts just kinda dragging her off.]

2

[mactirebeag]

[Mebh has lived with being a Wolfwalker her whole life, so she doesn't think anything of leaving her body as a wolf when she's fallen asleep. Even though she's more hesitant about going into the woods here, she still feels the need to stretch her legs, so she heads out with her wolves to leave the Waystation.

They've gone a little ways before Mebh hears howling in the distance. That's not something she hears often since she arrived here, so she can't resist answering with a howl of her own, with her wolves soon joining her.]

[frogfear]

[Her ears prick when she hears the answering howls. She has had very little experience with other wolves, but instinct tugs at her to go and search them out. The previous month had brought a brief respite after she had bitten Savage, but it had only lasted a night, and was tinged with the guilt of what she had done.

She dashes through the forest towards the sound, heedless of the noise she makes as she goes as the underbrush tugs through her fur. She aches from the change, but she presses onward in spite of it. She needs to find that pack.

They are not quite like her, she realizes, as she comes up from behind. They look like real wolves, while she is taller, with longer limbs able to support her walking on two legs instead of four. She has clawed hands instead of proper paws, but they still work as well for gripping the ground, or prey.

Will they still welcome her? She's not sure, but she still feels the need to try.]

[mactirebeag]

[Mebh tenses up at first when she sees Willow approaching. She's never seen a wolf that can walk on two legs or has paws that look more like hands, and her first thought is that she could be one of those monsters that live here. But on the other hand, this stranger does smell like a wolf...and there's something else about that scent that seems familiar.]

...Willow? [Mebh says this with some hesitation. She remembers Willow telling her that she'd become a Wolfwalker herself, but she'd never expected a Wolfwalker to look like this.]

[frogfear]

[The werewolf's head tilts. She doesn't remember Mebh, but the she seems to know her, and it gives her pause. Is this the wolf that bit her? No, no, it's not Robyn. She remembers Robyn.]

Huh? Yeah, I- yeah. I'm Willow. Do I know you?

[Is she? Is she still Willow like this? She supposes she must be. It feels far more complicated than it ever did before, between rising Corruption and the effects of the necromancer trying to find a cure.]

[mactirebeag]

[Well, this is certainly strange. Wolfwalkers don't forget things like that, as far as Mebh knows.]

Yeah. It's me, Mebh. We met before, remember?

1.

[unphase]

[despite Tinya's debutante past and her own naturally bubbly nature, one might think she wouldn't be much of a reader. but she'd met Willow while searching for books, so why wouldn't she go to a store with books?

when Willow smiled and waved, well...it didn't take much experience reading people to see that her eyes were troubled although she was trying to pretend she wasn't.

but she wasn't about to mention that. not at first, anyway, they barely knew each other]

Hello, Willow! Have any recommendations?

[frogfear]

Oh, hey. Um... I guess it depends on what you're looking for.

[Spell books, books on magical theory and history, really anything one might be able to find in a magic or occult shop. The shelves aren't quite as well stocked as they were in Deerington, but there's still a decent selection.]

Probably not so much with the, uh, Trench specific resurrection stuff. The Archives are really your best bet for that.

[unphase]

I'm looking into books on, well. Other dimensions? I don't know if anyone, anywhere has something about those.

[because she was trying to figure out if anything could point her in the right direction to making her birthright actually work properly]

No, no. It's [she could feel herself flush slightly] about other dimensions. I tried the archives, but I couldn't get much more detail than "yes, they exist." Which I know, I'm proof of it.

[frogfear]

[Willow starts to browse the shelves thoughtfully, looking for something that might be useful. It's good to be able to throw herself into something helpful, to get her mind off her current problems.]

Huh... That's another one of those kind of broad topics. If you're checking the Archives, I'd try reading stuff other Sleepers have written. Sometimes you can find old diaries and stuff there. Since we're all from other worlds, that might be your best bet. Or asking some of the Scholars - they might know something too. Is there a specific dimension you're looking for, or something else we can use to kinda narrow it down a little?

[unphase]

[that's how she keeps herself going. that and eternally smiling and insisting that Everything is Fine, even when it wasn't. and when she thinks about what she lost, what her mother and her mother and all of her foremothers have been able to do for all of recorded history, she gets a little neurotic]

Yeah. It's hard to be more specific, though, with me apparently being the only one from my particular dimension. [she tries to not look as concerned as she feels] Have you ever heard of something called the Phantom Zone? If my planet is one one dimension and Earth on the other, the Phantom Zone is what's keeping the dimensions separate.

Early May; for the Emperor

[frogfear]

[It's taken Willow some time to figure out that the effort to cure her of wolfwalking backfired fantastically. She doesn't remember most of it - it feels like a dream. Most of the previous month, she thought it had been just a series of nightmares that kept her from getting a proper night's sleep.

It wasn't until after her fight with Luna after she fell to beasthood that she had suspected there was something more at play. Dreams don't generally cause most people to wake up with physical injuries.

She manages to maintain a state of denial for a little while - it's an all too familiar scenario that shouldn't be happening, and nightmares feel like a perfectly reasonable explanation for the majority of it. Worry overrides denial, though, and she doesn't want to risk hurting anyone, so she heads back to the same person who helped her in the first place.

She still wants to stop wolfwalking, and she's still sure her nameless Necromancer friend is the best person to help. So she makes her way to the house in Gaze where the skeletons don't even seem to faze her any more to find him.]

Hey, um. So. Update on the whole... furry problem... thing. I hope this isn't a bad time or anything, is it?

cw for body horror, riddled with bees

[necrolord]

[ It's a bad time.

Around John hangs the sound of a low, thrumming buzz. It's a gentle background hum like white noise, undulating faintly, some ripple of too many insect wings somewhere down deep. He can still those wings and hush the sound, but that's more trouble than it's worth, because that riles his bigger bee problem into a malicious simmer of smoke and violent interest.

So. Better that he just accept the eerie background hum, the sensation of crawling and prickling and buzzing deep in the honeycomb hollows of his bones. He can skin over the horror of bare bone and honeycomb. He can wrestle away the whatever-the-fuck is being done to him, the way his body seems to think its default state should involve wings and evil chitin. Augustine would shit himself and it'd be more sad than funny.

He's great at smiling like nothing is wrong. He's great at making classy public appearances and then vanishing back into his locked room. God moves in mysterious ways mostly because he's full of bees.

Willow has been waved into her usual chair in his study. He is clinking teacups with his usual dogged enthusiasm for the ritual of it. They can both ignore the prickling, horrible hum which throbs just at the edge of hearing. ]

I can spare a few minutes. How's our solution holding up?

[frogfear]

[Willow can ignore the sound politely, and she does. If it bothers him at all, there's no indication of it, and there's all kinds of reasons why there might be the faint buzzing of insects might be hanging around a house of bones. Most of them, she has already decided she'd rather not know the details of, and absolutely none of them involve a man of bees.

No, better to just not ask.

Instead, she focuses on the reason she's here - he says he has a few minutes to spare, and realistically, she thinks it ought to be enough as long as he can undo what's already been done anyway.]

Ohhh, it's not. I don't know if it ever really did, honestly. I thought so at first, but I, uh, was still having trouble sleeping - nightmares, waking up, not really feeling rested, you know? Then Luna turned into a beast, and I woke up looking like I had been in an animal fight - scratches and bruises and stuff.

[The not remembering in particular is frightening. It's hard enough not being able to remember the last several months in Trench, but not being able to remember what she's doing when she changes at night is a little too familiar from her Sunnydale days. From the dreams she thinks might be just bits of memory, she doesn't think she's actually harmed anyone aside from her fight with Luna, but she can't help but worry it's only a matter of time before that changes.]

I think it's still happening, but now I'm actually changing physically, not just leaving my body. Do you think you can still fix it? Or undo what you already did, or something?

[necrolord]

[ He pulls a grimace like this is all rough news, but there's a touch of real concern when he settles back into the chair across from her. He leans in to frown, thoughtful. ]

We might have to try another tack. [ He makes a little pacifying gesture, a gentle outward turn of his hands. ] I can undo it, but I do think we're close to something. This is useful data, Willow. I'd rather not set you back to square one if we other ideas in the tank.

Do you have anyone observing what goes on at night? Any reports?

[frogfear]

[Willow settles some with the reassurance. At least, worst case scenario, he can undo what he's done so far. It suddenly occurs to her that's probably a question she should have asked before letting him pin her soul to her body in the first place, but too late for that now.

She hesitates when he asks if she has anyone watching her at night. She can just imagine how most people in the house would react to the news that she was letting a necromancer who doesn't even give anyone his real name mess with her soul to try to stop her from changing forms at night.]

Uh, no... I haven't exactly told anyone at home about looking for a cure. It'd probably just start an argument.

What else do you think we should try?