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@bluebellevivi
HELL BENT BABY!
A new Lewis Pepper RP/ask blog looking for some RP pals! I have over six years of experience role playing but this is my first Tumblr RP blog. This blog will be canon for the most part but i’m open to crossovers and AUS. Like/reblog if you’re an active RP blog and want to RP. Also ask Lewis some questions!
(( Hello do you like spooky tragic skeleton men? Well this is the blog for you! This is an independent Lewis Pepper side blog from mystery skulls animated written by pineapple! please read about and rules before interacting. ))
Hi! My name’s Dean, and I’m… pretty dang new here!
I’d like to find some other RP blogs, so If you’re an RP blog for a Mystery Skulls character or you’re willing to interact with one, give this post a like - or better yet, a reblog - and I’ll check you out!
Thank you so much, and I hope everyone has a lovely day!
Our Inbox is open!!
Lewis: It’s been a while huh?
Arthur: …a-are you guys really sure this is a good idea?
Vivi: C’mon Artie! You know as well as we do that the more people that we talk to, the more chance we have at some cool investigations! And who knows what else!
Arthur: T-That’s exactly what I’m afraid of, Vivi!
Lewis: While these two are busy… Talking… Go ahead and send in your questions. We’re ready and waiting.
Hello everyone, this is an voice acting ask blog for Mystery Skulls Animated, send us any question and we will answer it in character! We also include most of the extended cast and side characters of the MSA universe, feel free to ask them stuff too!
Before sending something in, read our ask rules! We also have fun stuff on the blog so be sure to check it out!
Art credit: Image belongs to @lottafandoms and is used with her permission. Do not repost or use this image without speaking to her first.
Interview with a Ghost Dad
follow-up of a previous thread with @cherrypinksoul
Vivi glanced around the lobby of the Haunted Playhouse, feeling more than a little lost. After the mess she’d made last time, she figured it was a good idea to call ahead of time and schedule her interview with the Phantom of the Musical - Mr. Rowan Russel, she reminded herself, recalling the name she’d finally thought to ask over the phone - and she was thrilled to actually get an appointment. And yet… She still recalled how Cerise had been in tears after learning the ghost haunting her family’s theater was in fact her father. Had the two sorted everything out yet? Had anything changed between them since Cerise learned the big secret? … And was anybody going to come show Vivi where to go? She didn’t want to sneak in through the shops again, but if Mr. Russel, or Cerise, or Note and Cadence, or SOMEBODY didn’t come out and give her directions, she might just have to.
Cerise let a chuckle out, “If it helps, my mom was the first one of her family born over here. My own grandparents were brought here as young kids,” She crossed the room to a bookshelf and pulled out a photo album, bringing it over to Vivi.
“This was my 16th birthday, that’s Nana Hana with Mom.” In the picture, a much younger Cerise, though the green streaks of hair were still there, was dancing with her father. In the background, Akane could be seen laughing with an older woman in more traditional dress.
“Sadly… she passed the next year. Papa Daiki is still alive though.”
Vivi smiled sadly at the photo. “Your grandmother seems like she was a wonderful woman. I can’t even imagine how much it must have hurt to lose her. My Granny Ayame also passed away, but it was before I as born, and Dad doesn’t talk much about the family back in Japan, but...” She reached up one sleeve, melancholy smile shifting to a conspiratorial grin, and pulled out a photo of her own, showing it to Cerise.
“I did some digging around in the attic last time I went home for New Years, and I found this in an old album.” In the photo was a woman who might well have been Vivi, albeit with an extra twenty years on her, and longer hair that was a bright blue instead of Vivi’s gold. Her posture was immaculate, her clothing pristine, with a string of prayer beads around one wrist. Her arm draped protectively over the shoulder of a boy in his younger teens, who wore a high-collared school uniform. His eyes weren’t on the camera, but rather on something outside the picture, wide with fear and swollen with tears. He clutched a bouquet of blue roses so tightly his knuckles were white. At the pair’s feet sat Mystery, alert, attentive, and scarcely any different from his present-day self.
“According to the caption on the back, this is from my dad’s middle school graduation ceremony. It caught him at a bad time, though. Apparently his dad passed away just a week before, though I couldn’t find any clue as to how.”
“Murder,” Mystery growled, glaring daggers into the floor. “It was my fault. I got careless.”
“Um... Whoa, for real?” Vivi blinked in surprise. “Care to like... elaborate?”
Mystery glanced up at her, as if only just realizing he’d spoken aloud. “No,” he said flatly after a long pause.
“No, no, no – run!”
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Vivi darted after Alice, Mystery close behind, as the trio searched for any possible escape from a massive nine-tailed fox that was chasing them through the halls of the Offbeat Animal Hospital. From the corner of her eye, Vivi spotted an open door to an empty exam room. She yanked Alice and Mystery in behind her before slamming the door shut and slapping a warding tag onto it.
“There,” she panted. “That should… hold it off… for like… an hour…” She looked at Alice. “How the hell do you guys keep getting these idiots dropping off magical creatures at the clinic!?”
Alice took a deep breath and handed Vivi the map she drew. She positioned herself to get ready to run out the door. “Hookay. Ready when you guys are.”
“Nice. Let me just set up some spells and then we’ll roll out.” Vivi pulled four tags from her sleeve, similar to the one she’d slapped up to keep the kumiho out. She slipped the first under the exam room door with some hastily whispered Japanese. A faint hiss could be heard beyond the door, and a small amount of lavender vapor slipped back under the door. “That should make it a little less aggressive,” Vivi muttered.
She distributed the other three among her small party, slipping one into the folds of her scarf, securing one under Mystery’s collar, and handing the last to Alice. “Place that wherever it will stay on you best. It’ll give you a warding bubble to keep the fox away. Once you’ve got it set, we’ll go on three.”
Alice slipped the tag into one of her back jeans pockets, the one that didn’t have her phone tucked in. She gave a nod.
“Alright then,” Vivi said, taking a pre-run stance as she gripped the door handle. “One… Two… THREE!” She flung the door open, and in an instant she and Mystery were out the door, the latter sticking around to pick a “fight” with the kumiho.
Vivi, on the other hand, made a mad dash down the hall, map from Alice in hand, aiming for the nearest exit. Hopefully she would find her target there.
Alice had to dodge past the fight between Mystery and the kumiho. She felt something smack the back of her head, but she kept running until she reached the kennel room. She closed the door and locked it. She ripped open one of the cupboards, and yanked out the bundle of leashes. She frantically tied as much together as possible while cooing at the yelling boarding animals to calm down. She wasn’t sure how long Vivi wanted the “rope” to be so she just made the first one as long as the space between the door and a kennel.
No extinguisher here, none here, not here either, dammit where do they keep these things!? Vivi was having terrible luck with her search, and was even beginning to doubt the safety of the clinic. After all, a fire extinguisher shouldn’t be nearly so hard to find. Frustrated, she made an on-the-fly decision. Finding a fire extinguisher was proving entirely too time-consuming, so instead she would go for a weapon she knew exactly where to find. Hurriedly she made her way back to the main entrance and out to the van.
Mystery was having a tough time of his own, the kumiho all too happy to smack him around with its tails. “You’re lucky I’m keeping a low profile,” he snarled at the beast, blowing wisps of fox fire in its face. Oh, how he wished he could cut loose and use his full power on his malevolent Korean cousin, but between his own poor self-control in that form and a certain bloodthirsty tree, he knew he couldn’t risk it. No, he would have to settle for wisps, kicks, and bites until Alice had that rope ready.
The first rope was done! Alice started on the second rope…
A minute of digging around the back of the van proved promising, as Vivi quickly found her trusty bat. She gave it a few quick swings through the air, appreciating the lightweight metal in her hands. Yes, this would do nicely. That nasty fox would be seeing stars once the Mistral Specters’ legendary Blizzard Batter came roaring in.
The hallway was starting to heat up as Mystery and the kumiho resorted to blowing puffs of fox-fire at each other. Mystery was doing his best to keep up, but it wasn’t easy with a two-tail disadvantage and the majority of his power held back. Eventually the not-dog gave it up, nimbly rolling to one side so he could- Oh for the love of Inari why do these floor tiles have to be so damn slippery!? He slid across the floor, claws clacking as he scrambled to regain his balance.
DONE!!!!
Alice darted out of the room.
…..Wait, how was she going to do this again?! Was she supposed to get under the beast and put its paw through a hoop and then pull till it gave out and fell?!
Alice wouldn’t have long to wonder, as Mystery’s wild slide across the floor tiles sent him careening right towards her. “INCOMING!” he yelled in a panic.
“Kyaaaaa!!” Alice jumped out of the way.
SMACK! Mystery skidded into the wall behind her, thankfully not hitting any of the animal enclosures in the kennels. He rose to his paws, still slightly shaky on the floor tiles, but he regained his balance more easily now that he was stationary. “Sorry about that,” he mumbled before turning to face her. “Oh good, you’ve got the leashes ready. Gimme one end and we can-”
Mystery’s sentence was cut off by a deep growl. The kumiho had followed his trajectory, and was now sizing up him and Alice, puffs of flame spouting from its mouth as it prepared to pounce.
“HERE’S AN END!!!!” Alice yelled in panic as she tossed the leash end at Mystery.
He caught the leash end in his mouth, then turned to look at the magical fox which was rather prominently blocking their exit. “Crap, how are we supposed to get past it?” he hissed through clenched teeth full of leash. The kumiho seemed to think “not at all” was the appropriate answer, as it made a lunge for Alice and-
CLANK!
The sound of metal rang out as a blur of blue charged into the side of the beast and swung, sending the beast sliding down the empty hallway a short distance. Where it had been moments before, Vivi now stood, leaning on her metal bat. “Sorry I’m late, guys,” she said, wiping sweat from her brow. “I couldn’t find a damn fire extinguisher, so I had to run out to the van and get the old Specter Swatter!”
“Your timing couldn’t be better, Viv’.” Mystery grinned and looked at Alice. “Come on, Alice. We’re gonna run circles around this thing, literally. Opposite directions, and get the rope around its legs so it can’t take a step.”
“O-o-ok! I’ve got another rope it this is not enough!” Alice stammered slightly, still shaken up by the near attack.
“Good thinking, but this should do nicely. Now let’s go!” Just like that, Mystery bolted out the kennel room door, pulling along his end of the makeshift rope.
The kumiho snarled, still shaking off the hit it had taken from Vivi. The bluenette didn’t give it the chance, though, giving it another whack to the head before it could fully recover. “Don’t even think about it,” she said with a glare.
Interview with a Ghost Dad
follow-up of a previous thread with @cherrypinksoul
Vivi glanced around the lobby of the Haunted Playhouse, feeling more than a little lost. After the mess she’d made last time, she figured it was a good idea to call ahead of time and schedule her interview with the Phantom of the Musical - Mr. Rowan Russel, she reminded herself, recalling the name she’d finally thought to ask over the phone - and she was thrilled to actually get an appointment. And yet… She still recalled how Cerise had been in tears after learning the ghost haunting her family’s theater was in fact her father. Had the two sorted everything out yet? Had anything changed between them since Cerise learned the big secret? … And was anybody going to come show Vivi where to go? She didn’t want to sneak in through the shops again, but if Mr. Russel, or Cerise, or Note and Cadence, or SOMEBODY didn’t come out and give her directions, she might just have to.
Cerise nodded, “Sure. Maybe Dad can give us a place for it,” she turned to Mystery, “You… don’t happen to know of a way to, say, test for what element I’ll use…?”
Mystery hummed softly. “I suppose I could try and sniff out a clue. Though, with how muddled your aura is, I’d have to get pretty close to get a good read. And I mean really close, like uncomfortably close. It’s up to you.”
“You realize I’ve had to get closer to some strangers in order to help Dad get them fitted for costumes?” Cerise deadpanned.
“I can honestly say I didn’t know that. Just how many departments does your dad have you working?” Mystery pouted at her. “In any case, if you don’t mind me quite literally sticking my nose in your business…” He hopped up on the bed, careful not to get his paws on any of her notes or reading material, and proceeded to give Cerise a thorough sniffing. “Hmm… I’m picking up vanilla, lavender… No wait, that’s deodorant, not aura. There’s a hint of… soy sauce?”
“I think that miiiiiiiiight be the tempura downstairs.”
Mystery paused and stuck his nose in the air, sniffing intently. “… Ah, yeah, that is the tempura. Hang on, I’ve got this.” He returned his focus to Cerise. “Weird, I’m still getting something salty… Tears, maybe? Yeah… Tears and… Aha, melon! Your aura’s loaded with tears and honeydew melon. And there’s some other scent on you, something… floral… It smells like…” Mystery’s eyes went wide as the aroma of cherry blossoms filled his nose. With a terrified yelp, he leaped off of Cerise, all care for the notes forgotten as he dove to the floor and hid under the bed with his tail between his legs.
“Whoa! Mystery, are you okay?” Vivi crouched down beside the bed to check on him, but the only reply he gave was a frightened whine.
She jolted back, knocking her head on the wall with her own yelp before trying to check on Mystery. That one would smart later…
“M-Mystery..? Did I do something wrong..?” She leaned over her bed, pink and green hair draping onto the floor, “I’m sorry if I did…”
Mystery slunk further under the bed, as far as he could get from Cerise’s hair. He still wouldn’t give a coherent answer.
Vivi frowned, the gears turning in her head. Clearly it was a smell that set him off, but… No… surely she can’t be THAT cheesy. “Hey, Cerise… Are you by any chance wearing anything with a cherry blossom fragrance? I don’t know why, but Mystery gets REALLY freaked out when he smells cherry blossoms. I can’t even take him down certain roads in the spring without him making a run for it.”
“I… I sometimes use a body spray that smells like it… And my shampoo?” She smiled sheepishly, “It… helps with keeping this,” she pulled at a few long strands, “Tamed.”
She hopped off the bed, going to her bathroom and coming back with the bottle, “I… I didn’t know…”
“Hey, it’s okay. You had no way of knowing, and I didn’t even consider the possibility.” Vivi gave her a gentle smile of reassurance. “Just gimme a minute. I can calm him down.”
Reaching up her sleeve, Vivi pulled out a small tube of scented hand lotion. She squirted a tiny amount into one hand and rubbed her palms together vigorously before putting the lotion away and bending down to reach out to the frightened pooch. “Hey boy, it’s okay. It’s me,” she cooed softly, extending her hand for Mystery to sniff.
Hesitantly he took a whiff. His whole body relaxed as he recognized the scent of jasmine, Vivi’s fragrance of choice, and he bowed his head for her to give him a scratch behind the ears. Eventually Mystery eased out from under the bed. He still glanced around the room warily, but at least he wasn’t scared out of his mind anymore.
Cerise sighed, “Guess I should change hair products if I’m going to hang around you two?” She wouldn’t mind in the least it… just might take a bit.
“Sorry, Mystery… I didn’t know.”
“Its fine,” he said, his breath still a bit shaky. “It’s my fault for not checking first… And overreacting.” He glared down at the floor and mumbled to himself, “you’d think I’d be a bit less jumpy after 150 years…”
“Well, if yo– I’m sorry…” Cerise stopped, shaking her head, “One hundred, fifty, years???” she looked to Vivi, “I knew he wasn’t a normal dog, but… but criminey! What is he???”
Vivi sighed. “If I knew, I would tell you, but SOMEBODY likes to keep secrets. All I know is he’s been in my family for like… ever. Like he’s passed down from generation to generation, and I’m his latest owner.”
“You wish,” Mystery quipped. “None of your family owns me. You’re my latest ward. And 150 years is just the tip of the iceberg. I lost track several decades ago, but I’m somewhere over 1200 at least. But uh… you know, if anyone asks, I’m seven. I’m trying to keep a low profile.” With that last sentence, he sniffed around the room anxiously.
“… 7… Wait…” Ward? 1200… “I… So you’re a guardian?” Cerise sat back on her bed, straightening up some of the papers again, “An old ass guardian who just happens to not like the smell of one of the most iconic things from, and I’m wildly guessing here, his home country?”
Mystery’s eyes narrowed. “No comment,” he said, turning away with his nose in the air.
“He IS pretty much a guardian, yes,” Vivi said. “And yeah, he’s definitely Japanese. He came over to the states with my dad some ten years before I was born. His full name is actually Mitsuru Benjirou Yukino, but I couldn’t say Mitsuru when I was little, sooooooo... Mystery. Chichi calls him Benji, for what it’s worth.”
“Wow, okay, just go ahead and tell a girl you barely know the true name of your magical companion, because someone else knowing my true name totally can’t backfire on you later!”
“If you’re willing to talk around her, I figure it can’t be that bad. Besides, it’s important information for anyone close to me. Chichi might not like magic, but he still passed that bit of family wisdom down to me. ‘Anyone you get close to needs to know his name, for their own safety. If ever he goes rogue, you have to call him by his full name.’ If Mr. No-Magic-Allowed still told me that, it must be important.”
Interview with a Ghost Dad
follow-up of a previous thread with @cherrypinksoul
Vivi glanced around the lobby of the Haunted Playhouse, feeling more than a little lost. After the mess she’d made last time, she figured it was a good idea to call ahead of time and schedule her interview with the Phantom of the Musical - Mr. Rowan Russel, she reminded herself, recalling the name she’d finally thought to ask over the phone - and she was thrilled to actually get an appointment. And yet… She still recalled how Cerise had been in tears after learning the ghost haunting her family’s theater was in fact her father. Had the two sorted everything out yet? Had anything changed between them since Cerise learned the big secret? … And was anybody going to come show Vivi where to go? She didn’t want to sneak in through the shops again, but if Mr. Russel, or Cerise, or Note and Cadence, or SOMEBODY didn’t come out and give her directions, she might just have to.
Cerise nodded, “Sure. Maybe Dad can give us a place for it,” she turned to Mystery, “You… don’t happen to know of a way to, say, test for what element I’ll use…?”
Mystery hummed softly. “I suppose I could try and sniff out a clue. Though, with how muddled your aura is, I’d have to get pretty close to get a good read. And I mean really close, like uncomfortably close. It’s up to you.”
“You realize I’ve had to get closer to some strangers in order to help Dad get them fitted for costumes?” Cerise deadpanned.
“I can honestly say I didn’t know that. Just how many departments does your dad have you working?” Mystery pouted at her. “In any case, if you don’t mind me quite literally sticking my nose in your business…” He hopped up on the bed, careful not to get his paws on any of her notes or reading material, and proceeded to give Cerise a thorough sniffing. “Hmm… I’m picking up vanilla, lavender… No wait, that’s deodorant, not aura. There’s a hint of… soy sauce?”
“I think that miiiiiiiiight be the tempura downstairs.”
Mystery paused and stuck his nose in the air, sniffing intently. “… Ah, yeah, that is the tempura. Hang on, I’ve got this.” He returned his focus to Cerise. “Weird, I’m still getting something salty… Tears, maybe? Yeah… Tears and… Aha, melon! Your aura’s loaded with tears and honeydew melon. And there’s some other scent on you, something… floral… It smells like…” Mystery’s eyes went wide as the aroma of cherry blossoms filled his nose. With a terrified yelp, he leaped off of Cerise, all care for the notes forgotten as he dove to the floor and hid under the bed with his tail between his legs.
“Whoa! Mystery, are you okay?” Vivi crouched down beside the bed to check on him, but the only reply he gave was a frightened whine.
She jolted back, knocking her head on the wall with her own yelp before trying to check on Mystery. That one would smart later…
“M-Mystery..? Did I do something wrong..?” She leaned over her bed, pink and green hair draping onto the floor, “I’m sorry if I did…”
Mystery slunk further under the bed, as far as he could get from Cerise’s hair. He still wouldn’t give a coherent answer.
Vivi frowned, the gears turning in her head. Clearly it was a smell that set him off, but… No… surely she can’t be THAT cheesy. “Hey, Cerise… Are you by any chance wearing anything with a cherry blossom fragrance? I don’t know why, but Mystery gets REALLY freaked out when he smells cherry blossoms. I can’t even take him down certain roads in the spring without him making a run for it.”
“I… I sometimes use a body spray that smells like it… And my shampoo?” She smiled sheepishly, “It… helps with keeping this,” she pulled at a few long strands, “Tamed.”
She hopped off the bed, going to her bathroom and coming back with the bottle, “I… I didn’t know…”
“Hey, it’s okay. You had no way of knowing, and I didn’t even consider the possibility.” Vivi gave her a gentle smile of reassurance. “Just gimme a minute. I can calm him down.”
Reaching up her sleeve, Vivi pulled out a small tube of scented hand lotion. She squirted a tiny amount into one hand and rubbed her palms together vigorously before putting the lotion away and bending down to reach out to the frightened pooch. “Hey boy, it’s okay. It’s me,” she cooed softly, extending her hand for Mystery to sniff.
Hesitantly he took a whiff. His whole body relaxed as he recognized the scent of jasmine, Vivi’s fragrance of choice, and he bowed his head for her to give him a scratch behind the ears. Eventually Mystery eased out from under the bed. He still glanced around the room warily, but at least he wasn’t scared out of his mind anymore.
Cerise sighed, “Guess I should change hair products if I’m going to hang around you two?” She wouldn’t mind in the least it… just might take a bit.
“Sorry, Mystery… I didn’t know.”
“Its fine,” he said, his breath still a bit shaky. “It’s my fault for not checking first… And overreacting.” He glared down at the floor and mumbled to himself, “you’d think I’d be a bit less jumpy after 150 years…”
“Well, if yo– I’m sorry…” Cerise stopped, shaking her head, “One hundred, fifty, years???” she looked to Vivi, “I knew he wasn’t a normal dog, but… but criminey! What is he???”
Vivi sighed. “If I knew, I would tell you, but SOMEBODY likes to keep secrets. All I know is he’s been in my family for like... ever. Like he’s passed down from generation to generation, and I’m his latest owner.”
“You wish,” Mystery quipped. “None of your family owns me. You’re my latest ward. And 150 years is just the tip of the iceberg. I lost track several decades ago, but I’m somewhere over 1200 at least. But uh... you know, if anyone asks, I’m seven. I’m trying to keep a low profile.” With that last sentence, he sniffed around the room anxiously.
“No, no, no – run!”
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Vivi darted after Alice, Mystery close behind, as the trio searched for any possible escape from a massive nine-tailed fox that was chasing them through the halls of the Offbeat Animal Hospital. From the corner of her eye, Vivi spotted an open door to an empty exam room. She yanked Alice and Mystery in behind her before slamming the door shut and slapping a warding tag onto it.
“There,” she panted. “That should… hold it off… for like… an hour…” She looked at Alice. “How the hell do you guys keep getting these idiots dropping off magical creatures at the clinic!?”
Alice took a deep breath and handed Vivi the map she drew. She positioned herself to get ready to run out the door. “Hookay. Ready when you guys are.”
“Nice. Let me just set up some spells and then we’ll roll out.” Vivi pulled four tags from her sleeve, similar to the one she’d slapped up to keep the kumiho out. She slipped the first under the exam room door with some hastily whispered Japanese. A faint hiss could be heard beyond the door, and a small amount of lavender vapor slipped back under the door. “That should make it a little less aggressive,” Vivi muttered.
She distributed the other three among her small party, slipping one into the folds of her scarf, securing one under Mystery’s collar, and handing the last to Alice. “Place that wherever it will stay on you best. It’ll give you a warding bubble to keep the fox away. Once you’ve got it set, we’ll go on three.”
Alice slipped the tag into one of her back jeans pockets, the one that didn’t have her phone tucked in. She gave a nod.
“Alright then,” Vivi said, taking a pre-run stance as she gripped the door handle. “One… Two… THREE!” She flung the door open, and in an instant she and Mystery were out the door, the latter sticking around to pick a “fight” with the kumiho.
Vivi, on the other hand, made a mad dash down the hall, map from Alice in hand, aiming for the nearest exit. Hopefully she would find her target there.
Alice had to dodge past the fight between Mystery and the kumiho. She felt something smack the back of her head, but she kept running until she reached the kennel room. She closed the door and locked it. She ripped open one of the cupboards, and yanked out the bundle of leashes. She frantically tied as much together as possible while cooing at the yelling boarding animals to calm down. She wasn’t sure how long Vivi wanted the “rope” to be so she just made the first one as long as the space between the door and a kennel.
No extinguisher here, none here, not here either, dammit where do they keep these things!? Vivi was having terrible luck with her search, and was even beginning to doubt the safety of the clinic. After all, a fire extinguisher shouldn’t be nearly so hard to find. Frustrated, she made an on-the-fly decision. Finding a fire extinguisher was proving entirely too time-consuming, so instead she would go for a weapon she knew exactly where to find. Hurriedly she made her way back to the main entrance and out to the van.
Mystery was having a tough time of his own, the kumiho all too happy to smack him around with its tails. “You’re lucky I’m keeping a low profile,” he snarled at the beast, blowing wisps of fox fire in its face. Oh, how he wished he could cut loose and use his full power on his malevolent Korean cousin, but between his own poor self-control in that form and a certain bloodthirsty tree, he knew he couldn’t risk it. No, he would have to settle for wisps, kicks, and bites until Alice had that rope ready.
The first rope was done! Alice started on the second rope…
A minute of digging around the back of the van proved promising, as Vivi quickly found her trusty bat. She gave it a few quick swings through the air, appreciating the lightweight metal in her hands. Yes, this would do nicely. That nasty fox would be seeing stars once the Mistral Specters’ legendary Blizzard Batter came roaring in.
The hallway was starting to heat up as Mystery and the kumiho resorted to blowing puffs of fox-fire at each other. Mystery was doing his best to keep up, but it wasn’t easy with a two-tail disadvantage and the majority of his power held back. Eventually the not-dog gave it up, nimbly rolling to one side so he could- Oh for the love of Inari why do these floor tiles have to be so damn slippery!? He slid across the floor, claws clacking as he scrambled to regain his balance.
DONE!!!!
Alice darted out of the room.
…..Wait, how was she going to do this again?! Was she supposed to get under the beast and put its paw through a hoop and then pull till it gave out and fell?!
Alice wouldn’t have long to wonder, as Mystery’s wild slide across the floor tiles sent him careening right towards her. “INCOMING!” he yelled in a panic.
“Kyaaaaa!!” Alice jumped out of the way.
SMACK! Mystery skidded into the wall behind her, thankfully not hitting any of the animal enclosures in the kennels. He rose to his paws, still slightly shaky on the floor tiles, but he regained his balance more easily now that he was stationary. “Sorry about that,” he mumbled before turning to face her. “Oh good, you’ve got the leashes ready. Gimme one end and we can-”
Mystery’s sentence was cut off by a deep growl. The kumiho had followed his trajectory, and was now sizing up him and Alice, puffs of flame spouting from its mouth as it prepared to pounce.
“HERE’S AN END!!!!” Alice yelled in panic as she tossed the leash end at Mystery.
He caught the leash end in his mouth, then turned to look at the magical fox which was rather prominently blocking their exit. “Crap, how are we supposed to get past it?” he hissed through clenched teeth full of leash. The kumiho seemed to think “not at all” was the appropriate answer, as it made a lunge for Alice and-
CLANK!
The sound of metal rang out as a blur of blue charged into the side of the beast and swung, sending the beast sliding down the empty hallway a short distance. Where it had been moments before, Vivi now stood, leaning on her metal bat. “Sorry I’m late, guys,” she said, wiping sweat from her brow. “I couldn’t find a damn fire extinguisher, so I had to run out to the van and get the old Specter Swatter!”
“Your timing couldn’t be better, Viv’.” Mystery grinned and looked at Alice. “Come on, Alice. We’re gonna run circles around this thing, literally. Opposite directions, and get the rope around its legs so it can’t take a step.”
‘ this is a mistake. ’
“Don’t be like that! You won’t make any progress if you don’t get even a little practice.” The two women had arranged to meet up in a vacant lot on the outskirts of town so Alice could have a real practice session with her dynamokinesis. “Now take my hand and let’s see what happens when you try and blast that old oil drum. Mystery said I’ve got some kind of new energy waking up inside me lately, and I can’t think of a better way to find out what it could be.”
Alice offered Vivi her hand, used her other free hand to hover over the thawing bin, and closed her eyes. She pictured the ice getting frostier and frostier until it was light and fluffy.
Vivi took the offered hand, doing her best to keep her energy open to Alice without accidentally freezing her over now that the magic was flowing a bit more freely. She watched eagerly as a layer of snow began the overtake the remaining ice on the bin.
Alice squinted her eyes open….and saw a layer of snow. Alice could not restrain her excitement. “Holy shit, I can’t believe that worked!” she giggled. But then she stopped with a sudden realization. “Duuude….we could perform Let It Go without props and special effects!”
“…We really could.” Vivi put her head in her hands. “That’s what this is, isn’t it?” she groaned. “I’m fucking Elsa. I’m gonna get kids asking me for snow days and shit.”
Alice stared at her. “I…didn’t quite expect that reaction.” She figured that Vivi would be one of those Frozen fanatics. Guess not.
“It’s a cool idea and a cool movie, don’t get me wrong. But my god, the hype was entirely too much. I remember I couldn’t escape from Frozen for like a year after it came out. A year of anything will make you sick of it.”
“Right…well anyway, I’m gonna try the icicle thing again.”
Keeping Vivi’s advice in mind, she drew in a breath, gathered the energy, pictured an icicle, and with a sharp hand motion and a “HAH!”, an icicle pierced the bin.
The nigh-unshakable grin returned quickly to Vivi’s face as she applauded the show of skill. “Nice one! You’re learning really fast!”
Alice felt a little proud. “Do you want to give it a shot?”
“Sure, why not? Let’s see if I can do something a little more complex.” Concentrating on a shape in her mind, Vivi pinched her thumb and forefinger together, and released them with a flick of her wrist. To her delight, a flat four-pointed star of ice flew through the air and into the side of the bin, where it stuck for a few moments before melting away. “Hell yes, ice shuriken!” Vivi pumped her fist in the air.
“No, no, no – run!”
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Vivi darted after Alice, Mystery close behind, as the trio searched for any possible escape from a massive nine-tailed fox that was chasing them through the halls of the Offbeat Animal Hospital. From the corner of her eye, Vivi spotted an open door to an empty exam room. She yanked Alice and Mystery in behind her before slamming the door shut and slapping a warding tag onto it.
“There,” she panted. “That should… hold it off… for like… an hour…” She looked at Alice. “How the hell do you guys keep getting these idiots dropping off magical creatures at the clinic!?”
Alice took a deep breath and handed Vivi the map she drew. She positioned herself to get ready to run out the door. “Hookay. Ready when you guys are.”
“Nice. Let me just set up some spells and then we’ll roll out.” Vivi pulled four tags from her sleeve, similar to the one she’d slapped up to keep the kumiho out. She slipped the first under the exam room door with some hastily whispered Japanese. A faint hiss could be heard beyond the door, and a small amount of lavender vapor slipped back under the door. “That should make it a little less aggressive,” Vivi muttered.
She distributed the other three among her small party, slipping one into the folds of her scarf, securing one under Mystery’s collar, and handing the last to Alice. “Place that wherever it will stay on you best. It’ll give you a warding bubble to keep the fox away. Once you’ve got it set, we’ll go on three.”
Alice slipped the tag into one of her back jeans pockets, the one that didn’t have her phone tucked in. She gave a nod.
“Alright then,” Vivi said, taking a pre-run stance as she gripped the door handle. “One… Two… THREE!” She flung the door open, and in an instant she and Mystery were out the door, the latter sticking around to pick a “fight” with the kumiho.
Vivi, on the other hand, made a mad dash down the hall, map from Alice in hand, aiming for the nearest exit. Hopefully she would find her target there.
Alice had to dodge past the fight between Mystery and the kumiho. She felt something smack the back of her head, but she kept running until she reached the kennel room. She closed the door and locked it. She ripped open one of the cupboards, and yanked out the bundle of leashes. She frantically tied as much together as possible while cooing at the yelling boarding animals to calm down. She wasn’t sure how long Vivi wanted the “rope” to be so she just made the first one as long as the space between the door and a kennel.
No extinguisher here, none here, not here either, dammit where do they keep these things!? Vivi was having terrible luck with her search, and was even beginning to doubt the safety of the clinic. After all, a fire extinguisher shouldn’t be nearly so hard to find. Frustrated, she made an on-the-fly decision. Finding a fire extinguisher was proving entirely too time-consuming, so instead she would go for a weapon she knew exactly where to find. Hurriedly she made her way back to the main entrance and out to the van.
Mystery was having a tough time of his own, the kumiho all too happy to smack him around with its tails. “You’re lucky I’m keeping a low profile,” he snarled at the beast, blowing wisps of fox fire in its face. Oh, how he wished he could cut loose and use his full power on his malevolent Korean cousin, but between his own poor self-control in that form and a certain bloodthirsty tree, he knew he couldn’t risk it. No, he would have to settle for wisps, kicks, and bites until Alice had that rope ready.
The first rope was done! Alice started on the second rope…
A minute of digging around the back of the van proved promising, as Vivi quickly found her trusty bat. She gave it a few quick swings through the air, appreciating the lightweight metal in her hands. Yes, this would do nicely. That nasty fox would be seeing stars once the Mistral Specters’ legendary Blizzard Batter came roaring in.
The hallway was starting to heat up as Mystery and the kumiho resorted to blowing puffs of fox-fire at each other. Mystery was doing his best to keep up, but it wasn’t easy with a two-tail disadvantage and the majority of his power held back. Eventually the not-dog gave it up, nimbly rolling to one side so he could- Oh for the love of Inari why do these floor tiles have to be so damn slippery!? He slid across the floor, claws clacking as he scrambled to regain his balance.
DONE!!!!
Alice darted out of the room.
…..Wait, how was she going to do this again?! Was she supposed to get under the beast and put its paw through a hoop and then pull till it gave out and fell?!
Alice wouldn’t have long to wonder, as Mystery’s wild slide across the floor tiles sent him careening right towards her. “INCOMING!” he yelled in a panic.
“Kyaaaaa!!” Alice jumped out of the way.
SMACK! Mystery skidded into the wall behind her, thankfully not hitting any of the animal enclosures in the kennels. He rose to his paws, still slightly shaky on the floor tiles, but he regained his balance more easily now that he was stationary. “Sorry about that,” he mumbled before turning to face her. “Oh good, you’ve got the leashes ready. Gimme one end and we can-”
Mystery’s sentence was cut off by a deep growl. The kumiho had followed his trajectory, and was now sizing up him and Alice, puffs of flame spouting from its mouth as it prepared to pounce.
Be Veeeeewwy Quiet (Vivi’s Hunting a Griffin)
Starter for @ask-the-real-brownie-cake
“Don’t you think this is going a bit overboard?” Mystery asked as he watched Vivi pitch her tent. The pair were taking a little vacation from work at the bookstore to do some field work. Hikers had been reporting spotting a large winged creature of unknown origin lurking in the woods around Tempo, and Vivi, being Vivi, had decided to investigate on the spot.
“Would you rather leave this thing on the loose and risk nature enthusiasts disappearing when we could prevent potential disaster?” she countered.
“We didn’t exactly plan carefully for this trip. You don’t even have a clue what this thing is. ‘Big and feathery’ doesn’t really narrow down a literal world of mythological possibilities.”
“Tengu, angels, griffins, hippogriffs… There aren’t THAT many options. Besides, my wards are strong enough to keep anything malicious out of the tent.”
“Yeah, anything magical. I’d like to see those tags stop bears and raccoons from trashing the place.”
“Well that’s what you and the old specter swatter are for! Speaking of…” Vivi picked up the ward-coated metal bat, which she’d left leaning against a tree, and started smacking it into the tent pegs.
“You know there’s a hammer for that, right?” Mystery cocked his head to one side.
“Yeah, but! That’s! Not! As much! Fun!” With each pause, she swung the bat down hard on the pegs. Soon, the tent was securely fastened to the ground. Vivi wiped some sweat from her brow, holding the bat over her shoulder and beaming with pride at her handiwork. “See? It works just fiiiiine, and so will everything else on our trip.”
(Reply for @bluebellevivi)
While the bluenette and black-and-white dog were chatting and setting up camp, a large furry, winged creature watched from afar, clinging onto the side of a tree like a lizard as it watched with slight amusement glimmering in its eyes.
It could only pick up bits and pieces of the conversation, but it knew they had decided to set up camp for the express purpose of catching it. The creature’s tail waved back and forth slowly as it considered what to do…
A little wild goose chase should do nicely. It quietly leap onto the ground with a small smile, ready to initiate the chase
Mystery’s ears pricked up as he sensed a magical presence on the move. It was far off, too far for him to tell just yet what it was, but the pooch went on guard all the same. For now he wouldn’t pursue it, just observe.
Vivi, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the company. She merely continued setting up camp, assembling a fire pit and a decent size pile of kindling.
(Reply for @bluebellevivi)
The large creature crouched low to the ground and stalked to a tree near them. It leapt onto a high tree branch and sat with a feline-like hunch with its large wings spread wide open, it’s eyes highlighted against its silhouette in a squint.
Okay, now Mystery was concerned. He could get a read on the creature now, but more importantly, he could tell it was stalking them. The intent was still hard to read, but stalking generally meant hunting.
“Viv’, we’ve got our beast. Griffin, up there.” He pointed his nose up at the creature.
“Wait, for real? That was faaaaaaAAAAAAAA!” She nearly fell over in surprise on seeing the looming figure of the griffin perched high in the tree above them. “Shit, I didn’t think this would get real so fast! Dammit, where’s that tag…” She fished around in her sleeves, hastily searching for a binding spell to hold the griffin in place.
The griffin’s upper body shook a bit as if trying to hold in laughter, the amusement it felt likely stuck out like a sore thumb to the canine. But now it had their attention, and it was going to have fun with them while it could.
While Vivi searched for something in her sleeve, the griffin turned tail and proceeded to leap from one branch to another until it reached the ground and bolted
“Come on, I know I’ve got one somewhere in- H-HEY, COME BACK!” Vivi gave up the search for the spell tag, more concerned with the fact that her target was escaping. All plans went out the window as she made a mad dash after the fleeing griffin.
The griffin proceeded to go in a medium-sized zig-zaggy circle around the camp site, jumping onto branches or jumping off the sides of tree trunks along the way. After finishing a lap around the encampment, it proceeded to try and lose Vivi by parkouring its way up into a high tree and sat in a feline-like manner.
Vivi tried to scramble up the tree after the griffin, but she wasn’t exactly an athlete, and her shoes were poorly suited for climbing. After getting maybe a yard off the ground, she found herself sliding back down, frantically scrambling for purchase that never came. Instead she landed on the ground below with a thud.
“Ow,” she groaned before glaring up at the rather smug-looking griffin. “If I stained my skirt because of you, you’re gonna be sorry!”
The griffin let out a thrumming growl in a chuckling manner as Vivi tried and failed to climb up the tree after it. Though it looked a bit worried once she made that threat regarding her skirt and decided it had enough fun. After taking a breath to steel its nerves, the griffin slowly jumped from branch to branch to ground level, keeping a cautious eye on the dog and human as it went.
Vivi’s eyes followed the griffin intently as it made its way down to the ground. Once it landed, she slowly rose to her feet, hoping she wouldn’t startle the creature.
“Do you want me to fetch the bat?” Mystery whispered.
“Not a bad idea,” Vivi whispered back, “but go slow. We don’t wanna scare this thing.” The pooch nodded and padded across the campsite, keeping low to the ground. Meanwhile Vivi reached up her sleeve with the smooth, graceful slowness of a glacier, searching for the spell tag once more. She scarcely dared to breathe with the griffin in such close proximity.
The griffon just sat passively as the canine and human whispered to eachother, idly licking the top of its forearm to sell the dumb creature act. Of course, it wasn’t going to let itself be captured without a fight, but it may as well play along, try to convince them nonverbally to let it stay. It eyed Vivi carefully as she rummaged through her sleeve for a spell tag.
It’s mind was going a thousand miles an hour trying to carefully think of how to disarm Vivi without hurting her or facing Mystery’s wrath.
“That’s a good griffin,” Vivi breathed, rising to her feet as she finally found the tag she wanted. “Just stay put a liiiiiiittle bit longer.” She pulled the tag from her sleeve, still moving at a snail’s pace. At the same time, Mystery was creeping up alongside her, dragging the bat along in his mouth.
The griffin wasn’t sure what that slip would do, but it probably didn’t want to know. Just as slowly as the two of them were moving, the griffin opened its wings and prepared to take off. Three… Two… One…
As fast as it bring itself to move, the griffin used its wings to propel itself to the nearest branch it could grab.
“Oh, no you don’t!” At the first sign of takeoff, Vivi flung the slip toward the griffin. If it hit, the beast would soon find itself unable to move.
“No, no, no – run!”
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Vivi darted after Alice, Mystery close behind, as the trio searched for any possible escape from a massive nine-tailed fox that was chasing them through the halls of the Offbeat Animal Hospital. From the corner of her eye, Vivi spotted an open door to an empty exam room. She yanked Alice and Mystery in behind her before slamming the door shut and slapping a warding tag onto it.
“There,” she panted. “That should… hold it off… for like… an hour…” She looked at Alice. “How the hell do you guys keep getting these idiots dropping off magical creatures at the clinic!?”
Alice took a deep breath and handed Vivi the map she drew. She positioned herself to get ready to run out the door. “Hookay. Ready when you guys are.”
“Nice. Let me just set up some spells and then we’ll roll out.” Vivi pulled four tags from her sleeve, similar to the one she’d slapped up to keep the kumiho out. She slipped the first under the exam room door with some hastily whispered Japanese. A faint hiss could be heard beyond the door, and a small amount of lavender vapor slipped back under the door. “That should make it a little less aggressive,” Vivi muttered.
She distributed the other three among her small party, slipping one into the folds of her scarf, securing one under Mystery’s collar, and handing the last to Alice. “Place that wherever it will stay on you best. It’ll give you a warding bubble to keep the fox away. Once you’ve got it set, we’ll go on three.”
Alice slipped the tag into one of her back jeans pockets, the one that didn’t have her phone tucked in. She gave a nod.
“Alright then,” Vivi said, taking a pre-run stance as she gripped the door handle. “One… Two… THREE!” She flung the door open, and in an instant she and Mystery were out the door, the latter sticking around to pick a “fight” with the kumiho.
Vivi, on the other hand, made a mad dash down the hall, map from Alice in hand, aiming for the nearest exit. Hopefully she would find her target there.
Alice had to dodge past the fight between Mystery and the kumiho. She felt something smack the back of her head, but she kept running until she reached the kennel room. She closed the door and locked it. She ripped open one of the cupboards, and yanked out the bundle of leashes. She frantically tied as much together as possible while cooing at the yelling boarding animals to calm down. She wasn’t sure how long Vivi wanted the “rope” to be so she just made the first one as long as the space between the door and a kennel.
No extinguisher here, none here, not here either, dammit where do they keep these things!? Vivi was having terrible luck with her search, and was even beginning to doubt the safety of the clinic. After all, a fire extinguisher shouldn’t be nearly so hard to find. Frustrated, she made an on-the-fly decision. Finding a fire extinguisher was proving entirely too time-consuming, so instead she would go for a weapon she knew exactly where to find. Hurriedly she made her way back to the main entrance and out to the van.
Mystery was having a tough time of his own, the kumiho all too happy to smack him around with its tails. “You’re lucky I’m keeping a low profile,” he snarled at the beast, blowing wisps of fox fire in its face. Oh, how he wished he could cut loose and use his full power on his malevolent Korean cousin, but between his own poor self-control in that form and a certain bloodthirsty tree, he knew he couldn’t risk it. No, he would have to settle for wisps, kicks, and bites until Alice had that rope ready.
The first rope was done! Alice started on the second rope…
A minute of digging around the back of the van proved promising, as Vivi quickly found her trusty bat. She gave it a few quick swings through the air, appreciating the lightweight metal in her hands. Yes, this would do nicely. That nasty fox would be seeing stars once the Mistral Specters’ legendary Blizzard Batter came roaring in.
The hallway was starting to heat up as Mystery and the kumiho resorted to blowing puffs of fox-fire at each other. Mystery was doing his best to keep up, but it wasn’t easy with a two-tail disadvantage and the majority of his power held back. Eventually the not-dog gave it up, nimbly rolling to one side so he could- Oh for the love of Inari why do these floor tiles have to be so damn slippery!? He slid across the floor, claws clacking as he scrambled to regain his balance.
DONE!!!!
Alice darted out of the room.
…..Wait, how was she going to do this again?! Was she supposed to get under the beast and put its paw through a hoop and then pull till it gave out and fell?!
Alice wouldn’t have long to wonder, as Mystery’s wild slide across the floor tiles sent him careening right towards her. “INCOMING!” he yelled in a panic.
Be Veeeeewwy Quiet (Vivi’s Hunting a Griffin)
Starter for @ask-the-real-brownie-cake
“Don’t you think this is going a bit overboard?” Mystery asked as he watched Vivi pitch her tent. The pair were taking a little vacation from work at the bookstore to do some field work. Hikers had been reporting spotting a large winged creature of unknown origin lurking in the woods around Tempo, and Vivi, being Vivi, had decided to investigate on the spot.
“Would you rather leave this thing on the loose and risk nature enthusiasts disappearing when we could prevent potential disaster?” she countered.
“We didn’t exactly plan carefully for this trip. You don’t even have a clue what this thing is. ‘Big and feathery’ doesn’t really narrow down a literal world of mythological possibilities.”
“Tengu, angels, griffins, hippogriffs… There aren’t THAT many options. Besides, my wards are strong enough to keep anything malicious out of the tent.”
“Yeah, anything magical. I’d like to see those tags stop bears and raccoons from trashing the place.”
“Well that’s what you and the old specter swatter are for! Speaking of…” Vivi picked up the ward-coated metal bat, which she’d left leaning against a tree, and started smacking it into the tent pegs.
“You know there’s a hammer for that, right?” Mystery cocked his head to one side.
“Yeah, but! That’s! Not! As much! Fun!” With each pause, she swung the bat down hard on the pegs. Soon, the tent was securely fastened to the ground. Vivi wiped some sweat from her brow, holding the bat over her shoulder and beaming with pride at her handiwork. “See? It works just fiiiiine, and so will everything else on our trip.”
(Reply for @bluebellevivi)
While the bluenette and black-and-white dog were chatting and setting up camp, a large furry, winged creature watched from afar, clinging onto the side of a tree like a lizard as it watched with slight amusement glimmering in its eyes.
It could only pick up bits and pieces of the conversation, but it knew they had decided to set up camp for the express purpose of catching it. The creature’s tail waved back and forth slowly as it considered what to do…
A little wild goose chase should do nicely. It quietly leap onto the ground with a small smile, ready to initiate the chase
Mystery’s ears pricked up as he sensed a magical presence on the move. It was far off, too far for him to tell just yet what it was, but the pooch went on guard all the same. For now he wouldn’t pursue it, just observe.
Vivi, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the company. She merely continued setting up camp, assembling a fire pit and a decent size pile of kindling.
(Reply for @bluebellevivi)
The large creature crouched low to the ground and stalked to a tree near them. It leapt onto a high tree branch and sat with a feline-like hunch with its large wings spread wide open, it’s eyes highlighted against its silhouette in a squint.
Okay, now Mystery was concerned. He could get a read on the creature now, but more importantly, he could tell it was stalking them. The intent was still hard to read, but stalking generally meant hunting.
“Viv’, we’ve got our beast. Griffin, up there.” He pointed his nose up at the creature.
“Wait, for real? That was faaaaaaAAAAAAAA!” She nearly fell over in surprise on seeing the looming figure of the griffin perched high in the tree above them. “Shit, I didn’t think this would get real so fast! Dammit, where’s that tag…” She fished around in her sleeves, hastily searching for a binding spell to hold the griffin in place.
The griffin’s upper body shook a bit as if trying to hold in laughter, the amusement it felt likely stuck out like a sore thumb to the canine. But now it had their attention, and it was going to have fun with them while it could.
While Vivi searched for something in her sleeve, the griffin turned tail and proceeded to leap from one branch to another until it reached the ground and bolted
“Come on, I know I’ve got one somewhere in- H-HEY, COME BACK!” Vivi gave up the search for the spell tag, more concerned with the fact that her target was escaping. All plans went out the window as she made a mad dash after the fleeing griffin.
The griffin proceeded to go in a medium-sized zig-zaggy circle around the camp site, jumping onto branches or jumping off the sides of tree trunks along the way. After finishing a lap around the encampment, it proceeded to try and lose Vivi by parkouring its way up into a high tree and sat in a feline-like manner.
Vivi tried to scramble up the tree after the griffin, but she wasn’t exactly an athlete, and her shoes were poorly suited for climbing. After getting maybe a yard off the ground, she found herself sliding back down, frantically scrambling for purchase that never came. Instead she landed on the ground below with a thud.
“Ow,” she groaned before glaring up at the rather smug-looking griffin. “If I stained my skirt because of you, you’re gonna be sorry!”
The griffin let out a thrumming growl in a chuckling manner as Vivi tried and failed to climb up the tree after it. Though it looked a bit worried once she made that threat regarding her skirt and decided it had enough fun. After taking a breath to steel its nerves, the griffin slowly jumped from branch to branch to ground level, keeping a cautious eye on the dog and human as it went.
Vivi’s eyes followed the griffin intently as it made its way down to the ground. Once it landed, she slowly rose to her feet, hoping she wouldn’t startle the creature.
“Do you want me to fetch the bat?” Mystery whispered.
“Not a bad idea,” Vivi whispered back, “but go slow. We don’t wanna scare this thing.” The pooch nodded and padded across the campsite, keeping low to the ground. Meanwhile Vivi reached up her sleeve with the smooth, graceful slowness of a glacier, searching for the spell tag once more. She scarcely dared to breathe with the griffin in such close proximity.
The griffon just sat passively as the canine and human whispered to eachother, idly licking the top of its forearm to sell the dumb creature act. Of course, it wasn’t going to let itself be captured without a fight, but it may as well play along, try to convince them nonverbally to let it stay. It eyed Vivi carefully as she rummaged through her sleeve for a spell tag.
It’s mind was going a thousand miles an hour trying to carefully think of how to disarm Vivi without hurting her or facing Mystery’s wrath.
“That’s a good griffin,” Vivi breathed, rising to her feet as she finally found the tag she wanted. “Just stay put a liiiiiiittle bit longer.” She pulled the tag from her sleeve, still moving at a snail’s pace. At the same time, Mystery was creeping up alongside her, dragging the bat along in his mouth.
Interview with a Ghost Dad
follow-up of a previous thread with @cherrypinksoul
Vivi glanced around the lobby of the Haunted Playhouse, feeling more than a little lost. After the mess she’d made last time, she figured it was a good idea to call ahead of time and schedule her interview with the Phantom of the Musical - Mr. Rowan Russel, she reminded herself, recalling the name she’d finally thought to ask over the phone - and she was thrilled to actually get an appointment. And yet… She still recalled how Cerise had been in tears after learning the ghost haunting her family’s theater was in fact her father. Had the two sorted everything out yet? Had anything changed between them since Cerise learned the big secret? … And was anybody going to come show Vivi where to go? She didn’t want to sneak in through the shops again, but if Mr. Russel, or Cerise, or Note and Cadence, or SOMEBODY didn’t come out and give her directions, she might just have to.
Cerise nodded, “Sure. Maybe Dad can give us a place for it,” she turned to Mystery, “You… don’t happen to know of a way to, say, test for what element I’ll use…?”
Mystery hummed softly. “I suppose I could try and sniff out a clue. Though, with how muddled your aura is, I’d have to get pretty close to get a good read. And I mean really close, like uncomfortably close. It’s up to you.”
“You realize I’ve had to get closer to some strangers in order to help Dad get them fitted for costumes?” Cerise deadpanned.
“I can honestly say I didn’t know that. Just how many departments does your dad have you working?” Mystery pouted at her. “In any case, if you don’t mind me quite literally sticking my nose in your business…” He hopped up on the bed, careful not to get his paws on any of her notes or reading material, and proceeded to give Cerise a thorough sniffing. “Hmm… I’m picking up vanilla, lavender… No wait, that’s deodorant, not aura. There’s a hint of… soy sauce?”
“I think that miiiiiiiiight be the tempura downstairs.”
Mystery paused and stuck his nose in the air, sniffing intently. “… Ah, yeah, that is the tempura. Hang on, I’ve got this.” He returned his focus to Cerise. “Weird, I’m still getting something salty… Tears, maybe? Yeah… Tears and… Aha, melon! Your aura’s loaded with tears and honeydew melon. And there’s some other scent on you, something… floral… It smells like…” Mystery’s eyes went wide as the aroma of cherry blossoms filled his nose. With a terrified yelp, he leaped off of Cerise, all care for the notes forgotten as he dove to the floor and hid under the bed with his tail between his legs.
“Whoa! Mystery, are you okay?” Vivi crouched down beside the bed to check on him, but the only reply he gave was a frightened whine.
She jolted back, knocking her head on the wall with her own yelp before trying to check on Mystery. That one would smart later…
“M-Mystery..? Did I do something wrong..?” She leaned over her bed, pink and green hair draping onto the floor, “I’m sorry if I did…”
Mystery slunk further under the bed, as far as he could get from Cerise’s hair. He still wouldn’t give a coherent answer.
Vivi frowned, the gears turning in her head. Clearly it was a smell that set him off, but… No… surely she can’t be THAT cheesy. “Hey, Cerise… Are you by any chance wearing anything with a cherry blossom fragrance? I don’t know why, but Mystery gets REALLY freaked out when he smells cherry blossoms. I can’t even take him down certain roads in the spring without him making a run for it.”
“I… I sometimes use a body spray that smells like it… And my shampoo?” She smiled sheepishly, “It… helps with keeping this,” she pulled at a few long strands, “Tamed.”
She hopped off the bed, going to her bathroom and coming back with the bottle, “I… I didn’t know…”
“Hey, it’s okay. You had no way of knowing, and I didn’t even consider the possibility.” Vivi gave her a gentle smile of reassurance. “Just gimme a minute. I can calm him down.”
Reaching up her sleeve, Vivi pulled out a small tube of scented hand lotion. She squirted a tiny amount into one hand and rubbed her palms together vigorously before putting the lotion away and bending down to reach out to the frightened pooch. “Hey boy, it’s okay. It’s me,” she cooed softly, extending her hand for Mystery to sniff.
Hesitantly he took a whiff. His whole body relaxed as he recognized the scent of jasmine, Vivi’s fragrance of choice, and he bowed his head for her to give him a scratch behind the ears. Eventually Mystery eased out from under the bed. He still glanced around the room warily, but at least he wasn’t scared out of his mind anymore.
Cerise sighed, “Guess I should change hair products if I’m going to hang around you two?” She wouldn’t mind in the least it… just might take a bit.
“Sorry, Mystery… I didn’t know.”
“Its fine,” he said, his breath still a bit shaky. “It’s my fault for not checking first... And overreacting.” He glared down at the floor and mumbled to himself, “you’d think I’d be a bit less jumpy after 150 years...”
Be Veeeeewwy Quiet (Vivi’s Hunting a Griffin)
Starter for @ask-the-real-brownie-cake
“Don’t you think this is going a bit overboard?” Mystery asked as he watched Vivi pitch her tent. The pair were taking a little vacation from work at the bookstore to do some field work. Hikers had been reporting spotting a large winged creature of unknown origin lurking in the woods around Tempo, and Vivi, being Vivi, had decided to investigate on the spot.
“Would you rather leave this thing on the loose and risk nature enthusiasts disappearing when we could prevent potential disaster?” she countered.
“We didn’t exactly plan carefully for this trip. You don’t even have a clue what this thing is. ‘Big and feathery’ doesn’t really narrow down a literal world of mythological possibilities.”
“Tengu, angels, griffins, hippogriffs… There aren’t THAT many options. Besides, my wards are strong enough to keep anything malicious out of the tent.”
“Yeah, anything magical. I’d like to see those tags stop bears and raccoons from trashing the place.”
“Well that’s what you and the old specter swatter are for! Speaking of…” Vivi picked up the ward-coated metal bat, which she’d left leaning against a tree, and started smacking it into the tent pegs.
“You know there’s a hammer for that, right?” Mystery cocked his head to one side.
“Yeah, but! That’s! Not! As much! Fun!” With each pause, she swung the bat down hard on the pegs. Soon, the tent was securely fastened to the ground. Vivi wiped some sweat from her brow, holding the bat over her shoulder and beaming with pride at her handiwork. “See? It works just fiiiiine, and so will everything else on our trip.”
(Reply for @bluebellevivi)
While the bluenette and black-and-white dog were chatting and setting up camp, a large furry, winged creature watched from afar, clinging onto the side of a tree like a lizard as it watched with slight amusement glimmering in its eyes.
It could only pick up bits and pieces of the conversation, but it knew they had decided to set up camp for the express purpose of catching it. The creature’s tail waved back and forth slowly as it considered what to do…
A little wild goose chase should do nicely. It quietly leap onto the ground with a small smile, ready to initiate the chase
Mystery’s ears pricked up as he sensed a magical presence on the move. It was far off, too far for him to tell just yet what it was, but the pooch went on guard all the same. For now he wouldn’t pursue it, just observe.
Vivi, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the company. She merely continued setting up camp, assembling a fire pit and a decent size pile of kindling.
(Reply for @bluebellevivi)
The large creature crouched low to the ground and stalked to a tree near them. It leapt onto a high tree branch and sat with a feline-like hunch with its large wings spread wide open, it’s eyes highlighted against its silhouette in a squint.
Okay, now Mystery was concerned. He could get a read on the creature now, but more importantly, he could tell it was stalking them. The intent was still hard to read, but stalking generally meant hunting.
“Viv’, we’ve got our beast. Griffin, up there.” He pointed his nose up at the creature.
“Wait, for real? That was faaaaaaAAAAAAAA!” She nearly fell over in surprise on seeing the looming figure of the griffin perched high in the tree above them. “Shit, I didn’t think this would get real so fast! Dammit, where’s that tag…” She fished around in her sleeves, hastily searching for a binding spell to hold the griffin in place.
The griffin’s upper body shook a bit as if trying to hold in laughter, the amusement it felt likely stuck out like a sore thumb to the canine. But now it had their attention, and it was going to have fun with them while it could.
While Vivi searched for something in her sleeve, the griffin turned tail and proceeded to leap from one branch to another until it reached the ground and bolted
“Come on, I know I’ve got one somewhere in- H-HEY, COME BACK!” Vivi gave up the search for the spell tag, more concerned with the fact that her target was escaping. All plans went out the window as she made a mad dash after the fleeing griffin.
The griffin proceeded to go in a medium-sized zig-zaggy circle around the camp site, jumping onto branches or jumping off the sides of tree trunks along the way. After finishing a lap around the encampment, it proceeded to try and lose Vivi by parkouring its way up into a high tree and sat in a feline-like manner.
Vivi tried to scramble up the tree after the griffin, but she wasn’t exactly an athlete, and her shoes were poorly suited for climbing. After getting maybe a yard off the ground, she found herself sliding back down, frantically scrambling for purchase that never came. Instead she landed on the ground below with a thud.
“Ow,” she groaned before glaring up at the rather smug-looking griffin. “If I stained my skirt because of you, you’re gonna be sorry!”
The griffin let out a thrumming growl in a chuckling manner as Vivi tried and failed to climb up the tree after it. Though it looked a bit worried once she made that threat regarding her skirt and decided it had enough fun. After taking a breath to steel its nerves, the griffin slowly jumped from branch to branch to ground level, keeping a cautious eye on the dog and human as it went.
Vivi’s eyes followed the griffin intently as it made its way down to the ground. Once it landed, she slowly rose to her feet, hoping she wouldn’t startle the creature.
“Do you want me to fetch the bat?” Mystery whispered.
“Not a bad idea,” Vivi whispered back, “but go slow. We don’t wanna scare this thing.” The pooch nodded and padded across the campsite, keeping low to the ground. Meanwhile Vivi reached up her sleeve with the smooth, graceful slowness of a glacier, searching for the spell tag once more. She scarcely dared to breathe with the griffin in such close proximity.
Interview with a Ghost Dad
follow-up of a previous thread with @cherrypinksoul
Vivi glanced around the lobby of the Haunted Playhouse, feeling more than a little lost. After the mess she’d made last time, she figured it was a good idea to call ahead of time and schedule her interview with the Phantom of the Musical - Mr. Rowan Russel, she reminded herself, recalling the name she’d finally thought to ask over the phone - and she was thrilled to actually get an appointment. And yet… She still recalled how Cerise had been in tears after learning the ghost haunting her family’s theater was in fact her father. Had the two sorted everything out yet? Had anything changed between them since Cerise learned the big secret? … And was anybody going to come show Vivi where to go? She didn’t want to sneak in through the shops again, but if Mr. Russel, or Cerise, or Note and Cadence, or SOMEBODY didn’t come out and give her directions, she might just have to.
Cerise nodded, “Sure. Maybe Dad can give us a place for it,” she turned to Mystery, “You… don’t happen to know of a way to, say, test for what element I’ll use…?”
Mystery hummed softly. “I suppose I could try and sniff out a clue. Though, with how muddled your aura is, I’d have to get pretty close to get a good read. And I mean really close, like uncomfortably close. It’s up to you.”
“You realize I’ve had to get closer to some strangers in order to help Dad get them fitted for costumes?” Cerise deadpanned.
“I can honestly say I didn’t know that. Just how many departments does your dad have you working?” Mystery pouted at her. “In any case, if you don’t mind me quite literally sticking my nose in your business…” He hopped up on the bed, careful not to get his paws on any of her notes or reading material, and proceeded to give Cerise a thorough sniffing. “Hmm… I’m picking up vanilla, lavender… No wait, that’s deodorant, not aura. There’s a hint of… soy sauce?”
“I think that miiiiiiiiight be the tempura downstairs.”
Mystery paused and stuck his nose in the air, sniffing intently. “… Ah, yeah, that is the tempura. Hang on, I’ve got this.” He returned his focus to Cerise. “Weird, I’m still getting something salty… Tears, maybe? Yeah… Tears and… Aha, melon! Your aura’s loaded with tears and honeydew melon. And there’s some other scent on you, something… floral… It smells like…” Mystery’s eyes went wide as the aroma of cherry blossoms filled his nose. With a terrified yelp, he leaped off of Cerise, all care for the notes forgotten as he dove to the floor and hid under the bed with his tail between his legs.
“Whoa! Mystery, are you okay?” Vivi crouched down beside the bed to check on him, but the only reply he gave was a frightened whine.
She jolted back, knocking her head on the wall with her own yelp before trying to check on Mystery. That one would smart later…
“M-Mystery..? Did I do something wrong..?” She leaned over her bed, pink and green hair draping onto the floor, “I’m sorry if I did…”
Mystery slunk further under the bed, as far as he could get from Cerise’s hair. He still wouldn’t give a coherent answer.
Vivi frowned, the gears turning in her head. Clearly it was a smell that set him off, but… No… surely she can’t be THAT cheesy. “Hey, Cerise… Are you by any chance wearing anything with a cherry blossom fragrance? I don’t know why, but Mystery gets REALLY freaked out when he smells cherry blossoms. I can’t even take him down certain roads in the spring without him making a run for it.”
“I… I sometimes use a body spray that smells like it… And my shampoo?” She smiled sheepishly, “It… helps with keeping this,” she pulled at a few long strands, “Tamed.”
She hopped off the bed, going to her bathroom and coming back with the bottle, “I… I didn’t know…”
“Hey, it’s okay. You had no way of knowing, and I didn’t even consider the possibility.” Vivi gave her a gentle smile of reassurance. “Just gimme a minute. I can calm him down.”
Reaching up her sleeve, Vivi pulled out a small tube of scented hand lotion. She squirted a tiny amount into one hand and rubbed her palms together vigorously before putting the lotion away and bending down to reach out to the frightened pooch. “Hey boy, it’s okay. It’s me,” she cooed softly, extending her hand for Mystery to sniff.
Hesitantly he took a whiff. His whole body relaxed as he recognized the scent of jasmine, Vivi’s fragrance of choice, and he bowed his head for her to give him a scratch behind the ears. Eventually Mystery eased out from under the bed. He still glanced around the room warily, but at least he wasn’t scared out of his mind anymore.
