The rules had seemed simple enough: grab some straw, rummage through the donated bins of clothes, and stuff together a cheerful-looking scarecrow. Most participants were happily tying flannels and plopping old hats on crooked heads. And then there was Donatello Hamato.
Kneeling in the straw pile with a focused scowl, Donnie had sketched what looked suspiciously like blueprints for his scarecrow on the back of a festival flyer. He muttered under his breath, a pencil jammed behind one ear and his goggles firmly in place. “Scarecrow 2.0 ! Enhanced durability, improved posture, and possibly… low-level AI for authentic crow deterrence.”
He packed straw with military precision, then paused, eyeing a pile of discarded wires. Within minutes, he had rerouted them into the scarecrow’s “spine,” rigging it to a salvaged battery pack from his pocket. "I don't wanna hear that I'm taking it too far." Donnie looked up, dead serious. “A scarecrow’s purpose is to scare. If it can’t strike terror into the heart of an average crow, what’s the point?”
Mabel frowned at the lopsided scarecrow spread out on the ground before her. This should have been her wheelhouse, even coming armed with her craft materials once she'd heard of all the different creative activities that would be going on during the festival.
She'd done pretty well to her standards on the legs and torso, but then when she'd reached the head, her flow had been disrupted by indecision on what to do with their facial features.
Buttons or beads? Thread or ribbon?
She sat back on her heels and looked around the group for inspiration, eyes landing on the mechanical monstrosity just a few feet away.
"Those crows are probably about to get the fright of their lives with all that," she replied, waving a hand at the tangle of wires and parts.
"Are you sure it's not going to scare them to death?"
* . ⊹ › The festival grounds were supposed to be peaceful before the gates opened, but instead they echoed with the hurried patter of sneakers and the unmistakable laugh of someone who thought he was sneakier than he really was. Sora darted between hay bales, arms full of tiny painted pumpkins; some with goofy faces, others smeared with glitter that was already getting on his jacket. He crouched low behind a wagon wheel and then promptly dropped three pumpkins in plain sight right in the middle of the path.
“Uh—oops. Totally part of the plan!” he whispered to himself, scrambling to shove them under a pile of leaves. Everywhere he went, his trail of “hidden” pumpkins was easy to follow: bright orange sticking out from behind barrels, one perched on top of a scarecrow’s hat, another wobbling on a fence post like it might fall any second.
The festival organizers had wanted a Mystery Pumpkin Hunt. What they were about to get was more like a pumpkin obstacle course, courtesy of one very excitable Keyblade wielder. “Okay, okay,” Sora grinned, plopping down another pumpkin in the open grass, “if they can see it, that just makes it… extra fun, right?”
an 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 for BARLEY LIGHTFOOT set at the scarecrow arena. 0 / 6 replies !!
——— ❛ do you think they punch hard ? ❜ barley asked, wide eyed with curiosity. the enchanted harvest fair had always been one of barley's favorite events. the city was alive in ways he never imagined possible. it was nice to see people in the town enjoying themselves once more. for a moment, barley could believe that nothing bad had ever occurred here.
for a moment at least.
❛ follow up question, do you think they can feel ? ❜ of course he wanted to dual scarecrows. who wouldn't! the more he thought about it the more barley wondered how their straw companions may feel about being fought.
Kida chuckled, her arms crossed across her chest as she observed the creatures in the ring.
"I can't imagine they do, for they are only made of straw," she replied. She wanted to get in there and show off her skills, but that would not be keeping a low profile.
This fair was something to behold. The Atlanteans held their holidays, but as their population dwindled, the spectacle became less and less. Kida was overwhelmed in the best way by the whirlwind of light and color and food, delighted by every new attraction she discovered.
"Are you going to attempt against these critters?" She asked.
agnes was aware of the reputation surrounding her activism. some would consider her a menace, deserving to have the authorities called on her. some would consider a mere annoyance, like a buzzing fly. she wondered what people would think about what she had planned.
on one hand, agnes appreciated the idea behind the fair. it could connect a lot of people, and she even saw some small businesses running stalls here. citizens were having fun too, which almost made her feel bad for what she was about to do.
but it was necessary.
she was worried about this wheel. how could the people blindly trust a creation from the underland? did they not think about how it could harm the citizens? wasn't it the responsibility of the council to keep citizens safe? if the council wanted to extend an olive branch to the underland, why involve the citizens this way?
"i wonder who would love to be cursed by this wheel." the sarcasm was practically dripping from her voice. but she had to get away from the other person, she had some walls and artefacts to deface with her spray paint. "well, i'll see you around these parts. i'm going to look at the—food stalls... see if they have apple pies."
Mabel had come back to the wheel several times tonight. She hadn't spun, but she really wanted to. Maybe it was the chaotic energy inside her, the thrill of things going good or bad, or her childhood exposure to the wackiest things imaginable, but she wanted to test herself against the wheel.
When she's circled back this time, and the stranger spoke to her, she chuckled, shaking her head as if coming out of a trance.
"I don't think anyone would loveee to be cursed," she replied, "But what if you got rewarded instead? That's the thrill of it!"
She tapped a finger on her lips, considering the thought of pies, however.
"Although apple pie does seem like the safer bet. You'll probably have the best luck by the orchard, right?"
Hercules leaned on the edge of the table, arms crossed loosely as another person left with a flier in hand and a skeptical smile. The crowd was lighter now, which gave him time to breathe and spot the next passerby. "Let me guess," he said with a grin, "You were just walking by, definitely not thinking about joining a gym."
He stood up straight, tall and composed, but with none of the pomp some Council members preferred. “We’re offering something new today, membership in the gym in exchange for community work. Help clean a street, deliver meals to elders, volunteer at animal shelter for a day... you give strength to the city, we help build yours.”
Then with a big smile, “Also, you get a free t-shirt. So that’s worth at least one push-up, right?”
Cocking her hip to the side, Kida frowned down at the flier in her hand.
"Is it a particularly nice t-shirt?" she asked, only half joking as she looked up at the young man in front of her. She thought she recognized his face, having appraised herself for as much information about the people who ran this city as she possibly could.
"What are the people least interested in doing?" she asked, leaning forward to look at the list of things that could be done about the city.
there was something about the young woman's energy that alice appreciated, the light within her. "what are you studying in university?" the teacher side of her could not help but ask.
"oh, no," she answered with a shake of her head. "no, i moved here shortly after. i saw a lot of the rebuilding process, but not the war itself. i find it difficult to imagine what it must have been like, seeing how things are now."
"Oh, you know, a little bit of this and that. Spell weaving is a big focus for me. I'm also really interested in the different types of magical travel. I think one of my abilities has something to do with it."
Mabel waved her hands around, almost trying to bat the question away.
penny’s eyes lit up at the sight of the unicorns bouncing along the rope, her grin widening like she’d just stumbled into treasure. “okay but those are so cute! i definitely want pink charms, like the brighter the better. stars, hearts, maybe even a little lightning bolt if you’ve got one? basically anything that screams sparkle.” she laughed, watching mabel work her number into the phone.
in a way mabel reminded penny of herself. maybe a little more out there. a less refined version of her.. maybe who she would've been if she didn't let the other kid's judgement get to her.
“and hey, don’t knock d&d too hard,” she added with a sly little smirk. “my boyfriend plays and, like, he’s weirdly good at it. it's like his whole personality. i'm not good at it. i just show up for the snacks and the drama." penny wiggled her fingers in mock-spooky fashion, "maybe we can convince them to play together so we can hang out.”
“but karaoke and shopping? yeah, that’s more my speed too. what's your go to karaoke song? if it's bad i'm only gonna judge you a little.”
Mabel lifted her pointer finger to point at Penny with an approving look.
"You have great taste, madam," she replied, punching the request in under Penny's contact info notes. She'd make the charm and maybe weave in something about great hair days or just a dose of confidence for when Penny wasn't completely feeling it.
"'Taking Over Midnight' duhhhh," Mabel chuckled. "Or I mean, honestly anything by Sev'ral Times. I'm a megafan, don't you know."
king pressed a hand dramatically to his chest as if her words had struck him right through. “an agent of unprecedented talent, you say?” his grin sharpened into something downright delighted, eyes glimmering like she’d just handed him a golden key to the universe. “miss pines, i may have just stumbled upon the crown jewel of the entire squirrel surveillance division.”
he glanced around the branches above them, lowering his voice to an almost whisper. “pacific northwest field experience and cul-de-sac operations? now that’s a resume the council of acorns only dreams about. you’ve just doubled our odds of uncovering the truth: what are they hiding in those tiny, twitchy cheeks?”
With a sweep of his arm, he gestured toward the tree like a commander presenting a battlefield. “welcome to the team. code name: agent glitterstorm?" he paused, his grin curved wider, then softened into something more teasing "Unless you’d prefer something with more menace. Your call.”
he leaned closer “first mission’s simple: recon on the oak perimeter. if you see any suspicious tail flicks or nut hoarding beyond standard seasonal protocol, you report directly to me. together…” he made a solemn nod, though his eyes danced, “we’ll keep this park safe from furry tyranny."
"Glitterstorm will do just fine. Who do I have the pleasure of working with on this particularly dastardly case?" she replied, giving her own curtsy, holding imaginary skirts out on either side.
"Heard," she replied solemnly, tapping a finger to her temple before turning to scan the surrounding trees.
"Have you picked a stakeout point? I see a probable bench just over there," Mabel inquired, pointing across the paths and trees to a bench situated just below a massive oak, perfect for observing both park and critters.
This was the kind of thing that Dipper would be rolling his eyes about just about now, storming off with a muttered expletive and leaving her to her own imagination. It was just so, honestly. Dipper had his own interests and she had hers.
What luck to run into a like-minded individual to shuffle her afternoon away with. Why, she couldn't possibly study when there was such nonsense afoot!
agnes only got to the library a bit later, mostly because her conversation with her editor ran a bit longer than she wanted to. it had been frustrating—another argument about how agnes felt she was ready to do more than just fluff pieces and her editor disagreeing.
it didn't matter. her work was not the only place she could make the difference.
in her hands were pamphlets about an upcoming protest... and these pamphlets need to be distributed... which was how she found herself in the library.
one person was particularly interesting to agnes. the woman had been sleeping.
"no need to apologise," agnes assured. "you slept pretty soundly there. has it been a long day?"
"Try a long year," she replied. It had been a strange and difficult transition over the past year, coming not only to the surface world but to Elias, where magic and danger walked hand-in-hand, testing the boundaries of her independence every day.
"I doubt the librarian would appreciate me drooling on her tables, though," she chuckled. Her eye snagged on the papers in the other's hand, curiosity spiking through her.
"Handing something out?" she asked, indicating the sheaf of papers.
——— ❛ i took a gap year with college ... then i dropped out. so, as someone who's actually done it i say don't do it. so make sure your homework is in one piece always. you're too smart to be rolling in without it. ❜ a big brother's work was never done. most wouldn't consider barley to be wise. his head was filled with useless tidbits but there were times when he could offer a piece of advice .. or two !
❛ it really is. i'm here too because of my brother, ian. we were on a journey to look for this phoenix gem to bring our dad back. ❜ he laughed, a jovial grin on his features.
❛ sick you have a twin! that's awesome. dipper's also a cool name. your parents win some brownie points for that one. ❜
"Sure, but I think they get a deduction for naming me Mabel," she snorted, pulling a face again.
"Cool that you have a brother too! Did you find your treasure?"
Phoenix gems and magical quests? Something the Mystery Twins were more than familiar with, though their adventures tended more to the side of mythical than magical, much to Mabel's long-suffering chagrin. Couldn't she find a princess or a dragon or a pegasus for once instead of stinky gnomes or dinosaurs trapped in honey?
Hercules leaned on the edge of the table, arms crossed loosely as another person left with a flier in hand and a skeptical smile. The crowd was lighter now, which gave him time to breathe and spot the next passerby. "Let me guess," he said with a grin, "You were just walking by, definitely not thinking about joining a gym."
He stood up straight, tall and composed, but with none of the pomp some Council members preferred. “We’re offering something new today, membership in the gym in exchange for community work. Help clean a street, deliver meals to elders, volunteer at animal shelter for a day... you give strength to the city, we help build yours.”
Then with a big smile, “Also, you get a free t-shirt. So that’s worth at least one push-up, right?”
Cocking her hip to the side, Kida frowned down at the flyer in her hand, then back up at the young man before her. She warred with herself to place him as Hercules Zervos, council member, taken out of context as he was.
"Is it a particularly nice t-shirt?" she asked, only half-joking as she leaned forward to read the available tasks. It was tempting, to earn a membership through the kind of works she would have done at home anyway, especially as she was loathe to ask Milo or Donald, spirits forbid, for the money to purchase a gymnasium membership. It seemed so frivolous to Kida, whose whole world had been an obstacle course of dangers to keep her fit and sharp.
"Tell me, do you offer sparring of any kind in your establishment?"
THE SMELL OF OLD BOOKS WERE COMFORTING. perhaps it was reminiscent of treasure maps or parchment rolled just right to fit into the crook of a bottleneck. slender fingers skim over the spines of the books. sharp gaze clicks to the soft snoring woman. it was tierney's belief that if you were tired enough to have drifted off to sleep in public than you probably didn't need to be disturbed by her.
she slipped the book about visable mending off the shelf and settled down at a table. quick hands bring out her notebook as she transcribed the steps that she needed. when the woman jumped up tierney was startled in her seat, leaning back a little bit.
"no, no, no need to rush -" she said quickly. tierney made the finishing touches to her notes before shutting the book. "i really was going to be out of your hair now. you don't have the apologize."
Kida gave the other woman a relieved smile, slowing in her scramble to shove her books back into her satchel, sinking back into her chair.
"Well, I appreciate that. I enjoy researching, but something about this really put me to sleep," she joked, smoothing the edge of one of the paperback books before slipping it into my bag.
"I'm Kida," she introduced, reaching out a hand to shake the other's.
* ∙ ✰ ◞ Donald would be a liar if he didn't say he still enjoyed amazing people with simple magic.
So he grinned a bit at her clear amazement as he answered her. "No but the ground still hurts and it would be an awful waster of magic." It wouldn't be a gentle closure of the realm. He'd rather that not happen. It was the main reason he was here every day re-checking wards and making sure it would hold.
"Sometimes. It depends on the person and the type of magic." Donald looked at her for a moment, searching her aura and her soul. She was a good person, that was sure, but yes, she had an energy that pointed to someone who either was affected by magic or could wield it. "Is that why you're here? To find out if I can answer that for you?"
Mabel met his gaze steadily, curious what he'd pick out of her.
"Oh, no I already know what I can do. It's control I need to find," she replied, a smirk crossing her face.
"I'm chaos incarnate, baby. I can manifest very limited stuff, I can manipulate emotion unconsciously, and I can even slip from place to place. That's the one I'm most afraid of."
She said it casually, belying the fear that laced her tone. Mabel looked down, kicking at a loose pebble as she swung her feet, still just short enough to dangle as she sat on the bench.
"Maybe if I can find someone to teach me, I won't be scared any more."
Location: a rain-slick alley deep in the undercity, walls plastered with missing-person posters. a single flickering lantern throws more shadow than light.
the alley stank of rain and rust, shadows swallowing the corners where the lantern light couldn’t reach. walls were plastered with missing person posters, layer on layer, faces blurring together under the damp. some were half-torn, others smeared with ink where the rain had run.
orion stood in front of them like a man admiring art. dice rolled lazily in his hand, a soft, bone-deep rattle that filled the silence. he didn’t look at the ground. just the posters. just the vanished eyes staring back at him.
“funny,” he murmured, letting one die tumble over his knuckles before catching it again. “they call it chance. wrong place, wrong time.” a slow grin pulled at the edge of his mouth, sharp and knowing. “but I’ve never believed in luck.”
the dice clicked together, sharp as teeth. he tilted his head, as though listening for an answer only the walls could give.
“odds are never fair. someone always decides who disappears.” he let the words hang, quiet but heavy, an invitation for anyone brave or foolish enough to step into the dark with him.
A hunter's feet padded softly on the sidewalk as Kidagakash stepped forward into the flickering light, eyes roaming over the faces of the missing, the lost.
Even after being on the surface for most of the year, she felt out of place in the odd clothing, out of touch with the world in her sneakers and jeans. She longed for the soft down of grass beneath her toes, the cool slick of stone on her heels as she strode from place to place.
"What's lost may be found," she replied simply, shoving her hands into the pockets of her coat.
Kida jerked awake from where she had nodded off over the history textbook in front of her, grimacing at the small smear of saliva that now decorated the pages.
The library was quiet, twenty-four hours open for students of Walt Academy to find solace in the shelves of dusty tomes rubbing covers with crisp new editions.
Kida leapt to her feet when she locked eyes with the person across the table from here.
"I apologize, let me get my stuff out of here," she spluttered, diving across the table to pull the books Milo had suggested across the table towards her bag.
inspired by : kidagakash nedakh [atlantis: the lost empire] / added inspo ! Annabeth Chase (PJTO), Asuna (SAO), Zelda (TLOZ), Yue (A:TLA), Bo-Katan Kryze (Star Wars)
Kidagakash ["Kida"] Nedakh.
Paulina Singer.
July 6th, many centuries ago
Cancer
Bisexual.
ENTP.
Lawful good.
present !!
When Kida met the McDucks, she was instantly enamored by their stories of the surface world. Her father didn't want to welcome these strangers, but Kida convinced him.
Then the call came - danger. Kida was ready to face it, but her father convinced her to go with the them to protect Atlantis.
It broke her heart to leave her ailing father and their people, but that string of curiosity tugged and tugged. Maybe she could still find someone who could help her crack the code.
Elias was a marvel to behold, so foreign to Kida's home, but still. The anonymity she discovered walking among the citizens of this incredible city was freeing. To be an unknown for the first time in her life lighting the sparks of rebellious curiosity she'd worked so hard to temper over the years.
Elias is chock full of interesting people, and Kida wants to meet them all, learn their stories and try to apply their knowledge to her own problems.
And Milo, while scholarly, awkward, and scrawny, has a charm that Kida can't quite resist…
past !!
Kidagakash remembers little about the day Atlantis sunk beneath the waves. She remembers a bright light, like a star, and her mother’s hand slipping from her own.
Kida grew up quickly, training to be the strongest she could be to protect and serve her people.
She loved them, walking among them, learning their stories, determined to be fully in-tune with the needs of her people.
Over the centuries, Kida watched as Atlantean culture slowly withered. She longed to crack the code of their lost language, tinkering with the machinery that she found around the island.
While Kida looked to the past, she also looked to the surface world, and the future. Was there something up there that could help them discover the key to written Atlantean? Could unlocking the secrets of their past lead them to a better future?
In her patrols, Kida and her chosen few stumbled upon the McDuck expedition, sparking hope that maybe, just maybe, the gods had answered her many prayers.
future !!
Kida will learn how to read Atlantean and investigate the Heart of Atlantis further!
What powers does Kida possess? Is there someone who can mentor her and nurture these burgeoning powers?
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