deercountry | April/May Catch-All

Entry tags:

April/May Catch-All

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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ 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.

[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...

.. 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. ]

[Oh. She's been noticed, or missed. Willow gives Ange a guilty look, but she tries to cover it.]

No, no, it's just... with everything going on, someone should be here. Luna's been busy, and it's kind of hard for both of us with John being gone. It's nice to have something to keep me busy.

[She shifts a little as Ange pours the tea, debating whether or not to say more. She probably could just leave it there - staying away from the house could probably be easily explained by grieving for her lost friends, and wanting to spend time in familiar spaces that keep her feeling close to John, at least. She doesn't think it will really be believed, though, and she knows she can trust Ange to keep her confidence.]

Plus... things are a little weird, you know? With Faith and Tara at the house, sharing a room...

[ In all honesty, Ange was perfectly content with just accepting whichever answer or information Willow wanted to share. Despite the call out from a moment ago, it's not like she was going to really press this matter - unless Willow looked like something she was repressing was causing her major trouble, and Ange doesn't think this situation seems like it's at that level yet.

Which means she's perfectly fine with giving Willow some space and privacy. Ange gets it, often having a hard time herself with sharing problems.

But surprisingly enough.. Willow says more than Ange anticipated. Though there's not much of a sign of that surprise - instead Ange just keeps looking calm, slowly nodding as the other speaks to show she's listening. ]

So you haven't talked much to them? [ Is that why Willow is staying away - because she's trying to avoid having too much contact with them? ]

Me and Faith talked a little. We're...

[Willow shrugs a little. They've tried to talk things out, but it's hard not to feel awkward and uncomfortable under the circumstances. It was easy to forgive Faith for her reaction in the catacombs, with the stress of the trials all three of them endured, being trapped underground for days, and the hole tugging at them and playing on all of their emotions. Letting go of her own insecurities around Faith and Tara's friendship is far more difficult. Especially when Tara isn't speaking to her.]

We're okay, I guess. Tara... not so much. I, uh, don't think she wants much to do with me right now.

[She glances around the shop; it's a relief to have something else to focus on. Something that's not missing John, or Glitch, or the complexities of trying to navigate through things with Faith and Tara.]

And now with John leaving, and Luna's running the shop, helping out here kind of helps with everything.

Well.. [ Ange starts. Slowly. Like she's still trying to take in all of this information, trying to form a complete picture of the situation in her mind, even as she's slowly speaking up already. ]

It's not a bad thing. [ After all, it's not like Ange hasn't thrown herself harder into things at times, just because there was stuff she didn't want to think about. She gets it. ] If you want to do more here, you should.

[ Not like Ange is going to stop her. ]

It's just.. [ Her voice trails off, the ring with her family's symbol on her finger lightly ticking against the side of the cup of tea she's holding in idle thought. ] Suppressing stuff can sometimes backfire in this place. We both know that.

[ It's not like they haven't seen corruption before, after all. ]

I just wanted to make sure you are alright.

[Willow nods as she listens to Ange.]

It helps, at least. Being here.

[She glances around the shop. It's a comfort to be able to spend time here alone with her thoughts in the familiar space. It feels like less pressure than trying to deal with everything all at once at home.]

I'll be okay. I'm not... suppressing. Just, I dunno, taking a break from some of it? Besides, it seems like a good idea to maybe give Tara some space for now. Until we're both ready to talk, you know?

Okay.

[ That first 'okay' still sounds a little tentative, but as Ange seems to consider it for a moment longer, she nods and then repeats: ] Okay.

[ She trusts Willow, at the very least. After everything they've seen here already, she's pretty sure the other would at least be careful enough about corruption to not lie about not suppressing stuff while actually doing exactly that. ]

I can stop by here more often, if you want. Unless.. you know. The lack of company is the point.

[ If there's a hint of awkwardness in Ange's tone, then she's definitely trying to get it out of there, even if it might not be super successful. Even with all her social experience at this point, she's still just awkward enough with it to not be able to offer this stuff and not sound a little worried or awkward about it. ]

[Willow thinks she's doing a reasonable job of not trying to suppress what happened in the catacombs too much. She had gone to talk to John about it before he and Herc had been called back to the ocean together, and she and Faith have talked as well.

She's just not prepared to talk to Tara and potentially be rejected again just yet.

She does manage a small smile as Ange offers to come around more often, and she nods. If she notices the awkwardness, she doesn't comment on it at all.]

Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that. Of course you can come by any time.

[ Well, that sure is a relief. Not having to deal with a potentially awkward rejection is always great, and Ange even manages to withhold the sigh of relief she finds arising in her chest as she realises that asking that went better than expected. Maybe one day she might end up a social genius just yet.

(Yeah, sure, Ange. Keep dreaming.) ]

Great. I mean, knowing this place, we'll probably have plenty to talk about.

[ There's never a shortage of things going on in Trench, after all.. For better or worse. ]

And you're one of the few people I definitely know won't judge me if I vent about something dumb.

[Ange coming to visit and hang around the shop seems like a good way to pass the time, and truthfully, the company is welcome.

She gives a little smile and looks around.]

Yeah. I mean, it's not as well stocked as it was in the dream, but... Waking World and all. It's still got a lot of really interesting things around, though.

[Willow glances back to Ange.]

And don't worry - totally judgment free zone here, as always.

I could take a look at a few magical items.

[ Especially since it's not like Ange has a whole lot of experience with them - not even for a witch. She's got the grimoire she got from Maria, and.. that's pretty much it.

Who even knows what kind of stuff this place has, even if it's a little less wild than the dream. ]

It also gives you an opportunity to practice your sales pitch.

[Willow grins and glances around the shop. It's perhaps not as well stocked as the dream where acquiring stock seemed to be a much easier process, but the shelves are still fairly well lined with books and various supplies.]

Yeah. I can help you find some stuff, if you want. I mean, it kind of depends on what you're looking for, and what you want to do.

[ Ange gestures vaguely. ]

I mean, that's the whole question.

[ It's not like she's super familiar with magical items, after all. She was kind of too isolated back home to really be able to dive into it. A catholic girls' school isn't exactly the number one place to procure magical items of any kind.. ]

I figure that I don't need to look at the books here as much, but I'm kind of curious about the other stuff. Maybe something that could help me practice my magic more.

Well, I mean, what kind of spells are you looking to cast? Ingredients and objects vary a lot, depending on what you're trying to do. Are you looking for illusions, or wards to keep the house safe, or maybe just an object to help you focus a little more?

[Willow already has a handful of ideas for things that Ange might find useful, she thinks, but she's still going to try to narrow it down some.]

Maybe.. the latter?

[ She doesn't sound super sure about that. But then again - casting magic back in her own world had very little to do with ingredients or anything of the sort, and a whole lot more with the power of imagination and determination and all that.

She's heard of words where objects and ingredients are a lot more important, but she still feels a little out of her depth when it comes to that. She knows so little about it. ]

I've been trying to expand my power, but so far I've only been able to do it in ways I'm already used to. Making my existing magic stronger and all. [ Which mostly has to do with summoning things. It's what she's always been best at. She's tried her hands at other stuff, but-- ] It feels harder to learn new things, or to get very good at them.

That's pretty normal for home too - it takes time and practice to get good at new spells. Just like learning any other new skill. Be careful, though, because sometimes things can still go wrong.

[Willow is no stranger to spells backfiring, and putting friends in danger, but at least she doesn't have to worry about that happening in Trench.]

Meditation might help, though. It'll help keep you centered and improve your focus for when you are casting. Crystals are good for that kind of thing, and we do have a bunch.

[She steps over to a shelf lined with crystal pillars of a variety of shapes and colours.]

Pretty much anything from this shelf would probably be a pretty good place to start.

[ Ange stares at the crystals. For a moment she seems almost hesitant, but then she does reach out to gently grab a hold of one of them, pulling it closer to look at it.

Now this is definitely something she has never learned about back home. ]

And these are supposed to help with meditation..?

[ She will believe it if Willow says so, really. After all, Willow is a friend - she wouldn't just lie about it to Ange.

But she's just having a hard time imagining right now how all this would work, since it's so unfamiliar to her. She knows about focusing, at least, but meditation is another entire step beyond that. ]

[Willow watches Ange with the crystals and nods. She's not absolutely certain it will help, but it feels like a good place to start, at least.]

Yeah. I mean, I don't know how much of it is specific to how magic works from my world versus yours, but the idea is it gives you something to put your concentration into and makes it easier to focus. You can always try it, see if it helps, and if it doesn't, just bring it back, and we can try something else.

I guess it can't hurt.

[ Probably. Magic tends to be unpredictable like that, especially since Ange still has absolutely no clear idea of where her limits are.

On the other hand, if it's just something to help her focus and not really something more, it probably can't hurt.

She pulls the crystal a little closer, nodding at Willow. ]

I'll give it a try then. At the very least.

No, at the absolute worst, it just won't do anything to help, and in that case - just bring it back.

[Willow gives her a little smile.]

It's as good a place as any to start, at least.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

April/May Catch-All

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject