#firefcxian

[avataroftheswarm]

"One, two, worms in my shoe, three, four, flies on the door, five, six, covered in ticks, seven, eight, wasps full of hate, nine, ten, crickets again!"

The child skipped down the street, singing off-key. They'd been told that they needed to act more like a 'normal child', and skipping and singing was something 'normal children' did, at least from what they'd seen. Surely a song about bugs would be fun! Bugs were great!

They didn't notice the other people avoiding them or carefully pulling their children away. If they didn't look, they wouldn't get sad about it. What they did notice was a fellow down the street who was busily opening a restaurant, nice smells wafting out the door. Their stomach rumbled, and so they skipped up to the fellow with a smile.

They didn't notice it was too wide, their voice too cheery. Zazie was supposed to be a normal, happy child after all.

"Hi there! It smells nice in there, do you have leftovers? My worms are hungry." So were they, but surely people would be more receptive to bugs than them.

@firefcxian

[purecompassion]

@firefcxian

He had been walking around for a bit, trying to make a metal map of the area around where he showed up in. Though he was quickly noting the ache in his feet. Was the ground harder here? He would think He frowned a bit, wondering if he should take a break when he spotted movement.

Fox ears? He knows hes never met anyone with ears like that, though he can remember stories about cream foxes taking on cookie forms. He steps a bit closer, giving a soft greeting to the other.

"Hello there," He wants to comment on the other's ears but holds back, wondering how often the other might be asked about it. "I am rather new here... may I ask if you know what this area is called?"

[epilvgue]

「𝔟𝔞𝔫𝔤 𝔟𝔞𝔫𝔤!」- Honestly, Jiaoqiu was too perceptive. Even keeping away and out of the man's reach hadn't stopped him from knowing that something was wrong - it was the little things. The way it seeped through now as of late. He'd thought that so long as Jiaoqiu didn't somehow feel the feathers growing out of him...

"I'm fine, really! That week of no night just messed with my is all, honest!" He laughed, offering a smile to a man who couldn't even see it.

The motion pulled at the corners of his lips. The entire thing twitched.

He knew that the fox man had self-proclaimed him as his 'patient', but Vash had been doing whatever he could to negate that.

"I just need to get some more sleep! You don't need t' worry about me, all right?"

@firefcxian || Erudite Challenge Act I

[trapsforbreakfast]

@firefcxian

one of the biggest problems of living in bigger cities that weren't necessarily vastly populated by half-foot had to be the noise. it never ceased to amaze chilchuck how little awareness other races had of the noise of their own actions, but while he generally managed, some days the sounds definitely got to his head after a busy day. today was one such. navigating a new cityscape was stressful enough on its own, and having to argue his case to be able to buy some liquor to bring home and enjoy definitely hadn't helped. granted, the majority of the people here appeared to be tall-men, but surely there had to be some form of awareness towards other races, right?

heavy steps brought him to the tranquility of a garden in the central district. the two bottles he had managed to fight his way to were clicking against each other in the bag he had slouched over his shoulder. maybe he really was getting too old for new adventures like this. or maybe he just needed a break from ignorant tall-men. which was why the appearance of one rather peculiar individual sitting on a bench caught his sight as almost a blessing.

"oh man, i was worried for a second i'd never find any other races here." certainly beast-men weren't necessarily the easiest to get along with, but he'd take one right now as a change. "mind if i sit down for a bit?"

[ttauriwanderer]

Pick really hated having to go to the market. It was busy and loud and there were just... so many people there. He'd avoid it whenever he could, or go when there were less people around, but sometimes he couldn't manage it. Sometimes, his mother left him a note with a grocery list, due before she got back that night, and he couldn't get around having to go on a busy day.

Didn't she know something bad could happen? What if he got hurt? Kidnapped? What if they were out of food? What if--!?

But he was an obedient young man, and he wasn't about to disobey when he was told to do something.

Which left him here, with a basket on his arm, standing a bit behind someone else while they browsed. Right where Pick needed to get his own vegetables. The list crinkled in his hand. He needed to get some too, but he couldn't get in... he could... he could ask them to scoot over? He could, it was just a question, right? Right.

He opened his mouth.

"...." Nothing came out. He tried again. "...." Okay. One more time and he was giving up and running home.

"'S.... 'scuse me....." Barely louder than a whisper, but he'd said something!

..... What if the man took offense and swung around to hit him with that stick??? Oh no....

@firefcxian

[goodnessknew]

❝   something  is  very  wrong.  —   i  didn’t   get  my  way  .    ❞

@firefcxian / starter call !

[avataroftheswarm]

Things were strange and unsettling lately, itchy and twitchy and Zazie wants to scratch their skin off and shed. They don't know how, or why, but the feeling is getting more intense and impossible to ignore. They are Other and Strange, even to themself now.

Keeping up a facade about being a Normal Human Child has become impossible and it's affecting everything around them. Places that were moderately safe, are no longer because no one wants to tolerate the strange beast that talks in riddles and can't sit still for the crawling under their skin. They've been chased out of parks and the youth centers they'd linger in and they just... they want somewhere safe.

Snowfall Eatery is safe. Jiao-Jiao is safe.

The problem is, it's not open. It's closed. The time is far passed when it should be open but Jiao-Jiao doesn't come to change the sign, doesn't open the door. There's no sign of him.

It makes them nervous so they go to check on him.

They aren't sure how exactly they get up to the window to peer in but they manage it somehow. The window is unlocked, so they just push it open and slide in. There's a lump in the bed, a tuft of red the only sign of the occupant in the dark room.

"Jiao-Jiao? Are you sick?" They ask quietly, clambering up on the bed to peer at him. How does someone take care of someone who's sick?

@firefcxian

[epilvgue]

「𝔟𝔞𝔫𝔤 𝔟𝔞𝔫𝔤!」- Vash was a known meddler. Trouble tended to find him, but he also tended to involve himself in things that didn't really concern him. Like right now.

He'd been at the market, looking over the produce when he noticed something. Vash had been casting glances over toward another man for a while now - another Aercon. The man was clutching a cane alongside his basket. The interaction was just giving him a bad feeling.

"Vash, come on!" Tesla called out to him, and he turned slightly - "Just a minute! You guys go on ahead, I'll find you!"

He waved them off and once his sister and brother had gone on, he wandered over to the man with the animal tail and ears. As he walked by, he peeked at the basket while the man was getting out a couple of keys to pay with.

Vash paused, trying to act as if it were something he was casually noticing as he walked by (he wasn't good at not sounding nosey), "Hey now, it seems a little disingenuous to sell a blind guy produce that's going bad, don't ya think, mister?"

@firefcxian // Untold Stories Event starter