apocalypsehowcomm | Log | Late November through December Catch-all

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Log | Late November through December Catch-all | OTA

Who: Eda Clawthorne and YOU
When: Late Nov - Throughout Dec
Where: ADI, Gloucester outskirts, Bonnie’s
Summary: Moving to Bonnie’s Flophouse (and settling in there), sparring, survival training, exploration.
Warnings: Injured animal/pet + blood mentions (and minor self harm in the context of needing blood for potions purposes) in the second Hunter thread

Nesting 2.0 Late Nov - mid Dec

a) let's decorate it with things of our own
Late November sees the ADI’s resident witches, Eda and Raine, moving to Bonnie’s Flophouse. Fortunately this isn’t all that difficult, given how close the place is. There’s not an exhausting amount to move in the way of possessions, but there are definitely some.

In a trait that might be more befitting of a magpie than an owl, Eda likes things. In her over six months here, she’s been accumulating shiny objects, potted plants, books, little gadgets, and a lot of art to hang on her walls. Along with a few more unique pieces of décor, not all of which will necessarily fit in one bedroom. Hope you like taxidermy jackalopes and clocks that look like they’re made of teeth. Both are in the shared living space now. The jackalope is also a lamp. You’re welcome.

Eda doesn’t appear to be a terrible housemate, but she does wander in and out at strange hours, sometimes via windows. And there are starting to be a lot of feathers around. There might be one in your last load of laundry.

At least… she’s not a terrible housemate at first. After a few days she starts to seem increasingly sleep deprived and on edge.

b) |Closed to Raine| we'll be faced with highs and lows
Eda’s doing her best. She really is. But the not sleeping is starting to become obvious, and probably not a good time for anyone around her. One morning she corners her roommate, clearly out of sorts and holding a mug of what might actually be coffee for once.

“Look, we need to talk about the–” she waves a clawed hand vaguely, “rooming situation. I gave it a go, but I can’t do this.”

c) I know somewhere down the road / we can make this a place to call home
It’s the day after her conversation with Raine, and about a week and a half into staying in the Flophouse that Eda disassembles one of the beds in their room and stuffs all the pieces into the attic.

Beyond asking Bonnie what to do with the unused furniture, Eda doesn’t bother to explain anything about what she’s doing. People are free to make whatever assumptions they want about the witches not needing both of them.

She also doesn’t bother to explain anything ahead of time when she starts dragging sticks and branches into the house. She’ll be at this for at least a couple of days–apparently she needs a lot of them.

Survival of the Fittest Dec 1 - 31

a)
Anyone want to practice their monster fighting skills? There’s a harpy happy to indulge. Possibly happy to challenge you just because you walked by. Eda needs to blow off some steam, and sparring in the new gym is technically an ADI-sanctioned way to do that.

Those who take her up on the challenge–or watch for a while, will find that she’s definitely not the most amazing fighter here, but she certainly knows how to hold her own and it doesn’t hurt that she’s seven-plus feet of wiry muscle, claws, and talons.

She knows she could use the practice herself, given that she’s still getting used to both the body and the lack of using magic in her fights. Not that she’s admitting that, to most people at least. No, mostly she’s just daring people to try their luck.

She had actual training, once upon a time, but for the last few decades her practice has been the kind of fighting that’s more about evading capture or staying alive than it is about form. Then again, survival training is the theme, so that might not be the worst thing.

b)
Eda is offering tips on outdoor skills, sometimes in the area set up for it officially–but especially for anyone who wants to follow her into the local wooded areas. Whether this part is specifically sanctioned by the ADI is anyone’s guess, but she sure is offering it.

Her advice ranges from surprisingly useful to somewhat baffling to outright unhelpful.

When it comes to topics like tracking things, and to navigating in the woods without getting hopelessly lost, Eda knows what she’s doing. She can show you how to set a snare trap in a pinch, too.

On the other hand, she has a lot of tips about getting in touch with the land via approaches like sniffing moss or eating snow. She thinks it’s your loss if you want to pass up this wisdom.

Her comments about what mushrooms are edible (to witches), meanwhile, should be avoided at all cost by anyone who is not a witch.

c) - Exploration
Eda will be taking a few trips into Dogtown now that it’s open, and she’s willing to admit it’s safer to go in pairs. She’ll be teaming up with people who are interested, provided she thinks they’d have her back and also aren’t likely to get themselves killed.

If we have exploration planned, feel free to throw me a starter or ask for one!

Wildcard
Throw a custom prompt at me! Or hit me up to write one!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Eda doesn't fully understand the human holiday that's apparently coming up, but she does understand shiny objects and string lights. She's currently hauling a bag of assorted lights and ornaments back towards Bonnie's, where she's still decorating her new room and nest.

Normally she'd probably just stuff the lot in her hair, but she really is try to use less magic here. Unfortunately, this means she's startled enough to drop said bag when she hears a thoroughly unexpected voice.

There's a little sound of something breaking and at least one colourful orb rolls away across the sidewalk as she turns.]

...Hunter?

[Shiny bobbles completely forgotten for the moment, she rushes over.]

Where were you we all thought-- [And then she blinks, and as excited as she is to see the boy alive her brow furrows with worry as she takes in the fact he's acquired a good deal more scars than the last time she saw him.] What happened?

[Her voice is a little softer on this question--if she sounded exasperated for a moment there, it turns to pure concern once she has a look at him.]

[He winces at the sound of something breaking and makes an aborted move toward the dropped bag. A bauble rolls away, and he thinks someone should catch it before it also breaks. But then Eda is right in front of him and looking...concerned.

His hand finds his cheek and attempts to cover the larger scar stretched over it.

He blurts out:] Gravesfield.

[The first question is easier to answer, even if he's not entirely sure what she's asking. For instance, who is "we"?]

I...We were in the human realm. Or, I guess, here, but not here here. I didn't think I'd see you here, though. [Or anyone from the Isles.]

[Eda backs off, just a little, as Hunter tries to hide the scar. She doesn't want to pry--well, she kind of does, but not if it upsets him. She's just worried. But then his answers leave her looking very thoroughly baffled.]

Gravesfield? We don't have one of those here--wait, why didn't you think I'd still be here? [After all, she'd seen him pretty recently, albeit long enough that she'd been deeply concerned. But Gravesfield... that's in her--their version of the human realm. Does that actually mean that the people who vanish go home? She has so many more questions than he probably wants to deal with. The gears turning in her head are practically visible.]

[His hand shifts from his cheek to the back of his neck, though he unconsciously angles his face away. He hasn't had much time to get used to his new look.]

I know. [He'd had a lot of questions for the personnel who found him when he first arrived. He had even insisted that if they just pointed him in the right direction, he could make it back to Gravesfield on his own. Imagine his surprise when they showed him it wasn't on any of their maps.

His eyes narrow, confused.] Because you should be on the Boiling Isles? That's where we saw you last.

[Eda wants to look him over closer, but it doesn't seem like any of the injuries are terribly recent, so for the moment his new look can wait.]

...And the last time I saw you was here. Were you home after that? Had... time passed there?[This already isn't adding up, but then again things didn't add up with Hunter last time, or with Raine when they got here. She's getting really, really tired of trying to figure out exactly how this place works.]

[That gets his full attention, and a very confused stare.]

Here?

[She had to mean Gloucester. They'd already established that he'd been in some other version of the human world. But that didn't make sense.]

I...I have never been here before.

What--actually... that might explain some things. [Eda looks... thoughtful now. Because Raine remembers her home past the point she showed up here. She remembered Hunter home past the point he showed up here last time. Neither of them acted like they remembered this place there, did they?]

Okay, kid. This is gonna be confusing... but you have. I think maybe--maybe we don't remember this place if we leave.

[That, or they're not the real versions of themselves. Or there are actually multiple versions of the Demon Realm, just like there are apparently multiple versions of the Human Realm. But that's getting headache-inducingly confusing, so for now she sticks with what she said.]

[He gives her a sharp look and snaps his mouth shut before he can insist she's wrong. She seems pretty certain, but she's also right about this being confusing. He's also very new here and is aware there is a lot he still needs to learn about this place.]

Okay, let's assume you're right. Shouldn't there be a gap in my memories?

There ought to be... if this place made sense. But it doesn't do that.

[Eda takes a deep breath, sighs, runs her fingers through her hair in agitation.]

Last time you were here, the last time you'd seen me was at Eclipse Lake. And the last time I'd seen you was... later. [She fidgets a little uneasily, she doubts his 'uncle's' mind is a great topic.] But you didn't have any gaps back home. It's--it's weird. Time's weird here. I know it's a lot, kiddo.

[He's probably equally confused by how familiar she's being, too, come up think of it. But it's habit.]

[Later... He frowns.

They're coming from different points in time. If whatever brought them here can pull them from other worlds, then other times isn't too far a stretch.]

Okay. [He rubs a hand over his face with a sigh.] Okay. Time is weird, got it. What was happening the last time you saw me?

[Later was so unspecific.

The last time he remembers her addressing him, she'd called him "kid". He figures this is what she calls everyone. Or maybe she doesn't know his actual name?]

Last time I saw you back home... I'd just gotten you and Luz out of the Emperor's mind. You ran off before we could really see if you were alright.

[To be fair it was pretty clear the answer was no, but still. Her brow creases a little in concern, because she wants to ask now--after all, she never got to talk to he last version about any of that, and she doesn't know what happened to him back home. Then again, it's probably best to make sure they're, well, if not on the same page, from roughly the same timeline.]

Did that happen for you? [He looks like this has to be later, but what if things went differently in general? She's not sure if that's a possibility.]

...oh.

[He winces at the memory. His entire worldview had been shredded that day. And while he was better for it in the end, it still hurt. A sense of guilt and shame still lingered over what he had been and done.]

That's...Yeah. I remember that happening.

[Though it doesn't quite clear things up for him. Was she telling him her last memory of home or the last time she'd seen him specifically? Because the last time he saw her was the Day and Unity, and she hadn't looked too good. No one had.]

But that was months ago.

[She feels a little bad and glances away when Hunter winces, but she did need to know.]

Okay, we've got somewhere to start. That's--that's about when I got here. The next day. And I've been here... six or seven months? [But she has no idea if that lines up with how long it's been for him.]

The latest news I have from home was from the Day of Unity. [She swallows and drops her gaze again. Her ears fold back anxiously, but that doesn't show in her human guise. Fidgeting with her nails does, though. She's clearly not happy about whatever she heard, even if she's not outright saying how bad she thinks it was.]

Was it... before or after that for you?

[Did she say months? His brain scrambles a bit before remembering that, right, time is weird here. It's like they fell through a horrible time pool that was also a portal.]

After. We...Luz and I, and Amity and Willow and Gus...We escaped to the Human Realm. We'd been stuck there for...a while. I don't know what's happened at home while we've been gone.

[He glances up at her, cautiously hopeful. Does she know? Were they people they left behind okay?]

[And Eda blinks several times in surprise, but for once she looks like this piece of news made her less worried instead of more.]

You--you and the other kids got out? I had no idea anyone did--! [She's clearly about to ask a lot more excited questions, but then her face falls a little when she sees his own worry and she bites them back, just for the moment.]

I don't... know that either. I'm sorry, Hunter. [And she sounds sincere about that. She knows what it's been like for her.]

The ceremony was the last part Raine was there for--oh hang on! I should let them know-- [She's probably stopped making sense again, but she's clearly a bit overwhelmed and thinking faster than she's bothering to explain things. She scrabbles to grab her phone from a pocket and thumbs through her contacts for a second.

Unfortunately, it goes to voicemail, but Hunter might catch a familiar voice on the recording: 'Hello, you've reached the inbox of Head Witch- Wait.. I'm not that here am I? Let me start over, Hell-' beep.]

Hey Rainstorm? Call me when you get this--it's important.

Edited 2022-12-27 00:46 (UTC)

[He mutters something that sounds like "it's okay", even if it really isn't. What he means is, it's not her fault so there's nothing to be sorry for, but he hangs his head instead. His hopes aren't dashed - she doesn't know either, so there's still a chance - but they are bruised.

His ears twitch at the name of the former coven head.] Raine's here?

[By the time he looks up again, she's messing with her phone and leaving a message. He mouths the nickname, and then repeats it with more incredulity.] Rainstorm?

Er. [...Eda may have forgotten that this version probably doesn't know they even know each other, let alone to the point of cute nicknames. She looks flustered as she quickly clicks the call off.]

Yeah. We're... friends. Raine's my friend. What's it to you, blondie? [See, she uses nicknames for everyone. Perfectly normal behavior and she definitely isn't blushing even a little.]

[His eyes narrow at her reaction. It brings to mind the one time he walked in on Luz and Amity doing mushy stuff at each other, and they looked kind of like this, all red in the face and flustered. They also use cutey nicknames.

Raine was part of the rebellion, and while he hadn't been given all the details, he knew Eda had also played a part. It's not much of a surprise they knew each other. It's more surprising that this doesn't feel like a "just friends" kind of thing. When did that happen? And why does this feel so awkward?

He puts his hands up.] Nothing! It's nothing to me. It's...whatever? Let's not even talk about it anymore.

[Eda almost feels bad, because Hunter is one of the few people she actually makes some effort to keep an eye on her tone with, but she's pretty sure the whole thing is more awkward than anything else.

She's not even sure why it's this awkward either. After all, she's not even lying. They're just friends, these days. Friends who... still call each other Rainstorm and Calamity and share a bedroom at the moment. It's fine.]

Right. Yeah. Anyway, they're here. They got here a couple of months after me, and... they don't know much after the Day of Unity kicked off. [More specifically, after they passed out during the draining spell. But while Eda doesn't want to hide the truth like they did, she might be trying to cushion it a little.]

They'll be glad you're alright, though. [Well, he doesn't look alright. But he's alive. And apparently so are, at least, Luz and her friends. It's the first good news they've had in a while.]

I see. [That's good, but he can't help but be disappointed at the same time. At least they're here, and alive! But it sounds like they wouldn't know what happened to the Isles after he went through the portal with the others.]

Yeah. Sure. [He's alive. That's about the best he could hope for, after...well. Everything. He gives her a weak smile.] Um, you too.

[She can tell that alright feels like stretch, but... look, she can't help a little glance at his coven sigil, or at least where it would be if he has it covered at the moment. Alive is better than she or Raine thought.]

Thanks. [She starts to just give him a weak smile back, but then something occurs to her.]

Did we end up... spending any time together back home? After the stuff I remember?

[She's not quite sure where they stand all things considered, although if Hunter's been with Luz and not Belos she supposes that's a good start.]

Edited 2022-12-28 18:39 (UTC)

[The sigil is visible, but he misses her peeking at it. It aches sometimes, but he does his best to ignore it. He'd been so damn proud when he'd received it...]

Not really. [He couldn't say he hadn't thought of going back to the Owl House. Luz had offered him a place to stay. But it didn't feel safe. Nowhere did. He rubs the back of his neck.] After...that, I hid out at Hexside for a while. And then I stayed with Darius, until the Day of Unity.

[Eda listens, and nods. Maybe it's simpler if he won't need to fill her in on more things that she was there for, but it's still weird. All of this is weird.]

Oh. Well, I'm glad you found somewhere. I just asked because... we kind of had been here. Believe it or not you'd stopped trying to arrest me and everything.

[She flashes the boy a cheeky grin, but she sounds a little awkward. She scratches absently at the back of her neck. There's something a little bittersweet in him not remembering that they were actually starting to get along, even if it's outweighed by all the good news.]

[That's...interesting, considering the point she said he'd come from. He was still loyal to Belos then. (Sometimes he wonders what would have happened if he'd just accepted Amity's hand.)]

I think this place is well outside my jurisdiction. Or...was. Would have been.

[Past tense. That wasn't him anymore.]

[This gets a little snort.]

Well, yeah. It was. Didn't stop you from following me around to see if I was doing crime, though. [She sounds more amused by that than anything, at this point.]

But... look, you know what I mean. I guess you don't remember getting to know me but--you're alright. For a weird, scruffy little nerd. I'm around if you need anything, that's all I'm saying.

[It's probably not hard to tell that that's more or less Eda for I care about you, mild insults notwithstanding.]

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