thenearshore | it's familiar, but not too familiar, [OPEN.]

Entry tags:

it's familiar, but not too familiar, [OPEN.]

Who: Hazel and various/open.
Where: Temple of Team Hot Stuff, Park.
When: May 30th.
What: Hazel talks about stuff and gets a shinki. She does kid stuff.
Warnings: tba, possibly child abuse, fantasy racism??

[rude little goblin. - closed to Jae-Ha and/or Hazel.]

[It's been a few days since Hazel arrived, and while she's been content to return to her temple, it gets...pretty boring there, when you're all on your own. And kinda lonely. Luckily, Hazel's wormed her way into a couple of hearts, and is more than willing to take advantage of that fact to score some free cereal and company. Hello friends, here she be, kicking her legs back and forth in a careless manner and shoveling sugar into her mouth.

...But it's possible that there are a few things weighing on her mind, too, with the way she glances furtively through her bangs when approached. Just maybe.]

[let's go fly a kite. - open.]

[She'd been delighted at first, when she stumbled upon the simple, lush park. It seemed like forever since she'd been to a playground -- a proper one, not the weird play areas that had been in the detention center or the destroyed structures she would climb on with Kurti. She scrambled up the slide immediately, letting out a whoop of laughter as she slid back down and jumped forward when she reached the edge, then she rushed over to the swings to stand on one and get as high as possible.

It was a little less fun when she realized that the other kids around her weren't paying her any mind, since it meant the sandcastle she'd been perfecting was crushed beneath some dumb boy's feet. Not maliciously, or anything. She could tell he was just going around, unaware of her and her hard work, but... Man. It takes a lot of effort to not push him down instead of just glaring at him.

Now Hazel sits on the swings again, arms looped loosely around the chains, and she toes the sand with her shoe. This sucks!!!!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It feels natural to me.

[Uncrossing his legs, he takes off his other boot so they're even. One human foot, one dragon... It's weird. But.] A friend of mine has one hand like this, but white. He's a dragon like I am.

[The regular foot sure looks weird alongside the dragon one to Hazel. She wonders if it makes a different kind of footstink as a normal foot... Hmn, she could discover that one on her own, but right now she doesn't know if she could handle the experiment. She just ate, after all.]

How come it's only one for each of you? That'd be like... Like if I only had one set of wings, or one horn.

[Hazel please,]

It's not always the case. The yellow dragon's scales only appear when he's injured, but work anywhere on his body. I never did get to see the blue dragon's eyes... but I believe both were different. So, it's only two of us that are like this. Having two seems like it would be too much power, with how our strength works.

[Look, footstink is important.]

That's a lot of dragons.

[it's not, but she's a kid. Her wings fold up again, though she keeps them looser than if she was going to tuck them away for hiding.]

I just think it would look cooler that way. And then both your legs could be strong instead of one being normal and the other being super strong!

My left leg is actually quite stronger than normal. My right is just considerably more so. [Dragon logic... He trained a lot. Not that he knows this.]

I hate how it looks, and I can fly just fine with one of these, so I'm fine with how they are.

I guess.

[Her reluctance is exaggerated, but...dragons are probably really cool? In theory, definitely, and Jae-Ha was cool so a more dragon-y Jae-Ha had to be the most badass thing.

She scuttles back up onto her chair so she can prop her elbows up and rest her chin on her hands.]

I think it looks fine, but I know it's different when it's you. Brains are just weird that way. Or maybe 'cuz I've seen lots of different people? Some are way grosser.

Haha, it might be that. Unfortunately, if I think for too long on that, my head begins to hurt. It must be an issue with memory.

[One he shouldn't explore, sadly. It doesn't matter, anyway.]

Oh. Right.

[That's a...thing she has to be careful about. Hrmn.]

Hey. How come you get to remember some stuff, anyway? Big Hazel said it was okay that you remembered the mean ghost guy, but I was told that shinki remembering stuff was really, really bad.

[Ah. That's a good question, and his expression dims into seriousness for that.]

It is bad. I woke up one morning remembering a single event of my life, and I was terrified that I might change... but somehow, I was fine. I still don't understand how or why, but this can happen to we different shinki sometimes.

It's a bit worrying how it encourages me to try and think more of the rest. If I attempt to think around that single memory, my head hurts and something tells me I shouldn't. I don't want to push that at all, because a shinki who becomes an ayakashi isn't one who can turn back at all, I've heard.

...That sounds awful.

[And confusing... How were you supposed to know if something was the wrong thing to remember before it was too late? Even leaving it up to the shinki didn't seem fool-proof.]

Um... Do you think it's easier because you're with Hazel? Like, you're happy here and now, so you don't have to think about it so much?

You know me so well already, dear. [He smiles a little again, folding his arms.] That's exactly it. It doesn't stop all of my curiosity, but having him by my side has been a saving grace in many ways. I can sleep just fine without knowing.

[Well, it's more like she knows being taken to a new place with limited precious memories and wanting to cry if you dwelled on it too long so it's better to make the most of it with the ones you've found to love there, BUT SURE. Hazel nods in determination.]

Okay. Good. Then I'm gonna have to be an extra good god to my shinki when I get them so they don't have to worry about that stuff, either. [Like, she can't do that gross kissing stuff, but. You know. She'll find another way.] I think it's really good I found you guys... I don't know if I could be a good god at all if I hadn't.

That's not true at all.

[Moving closer, he gently places his hand on top of her head, behind her little horns. It's an affectionate gesture.]

You're a kind, smart girl. Everyone comes into discovering how to best do this one way or another. But I am glad we met, so let's not worry about any alternative situations, okay?

[hey her horns could kill a dude

But she seems emboldened by his words, tucking some of her hair behind her ear so she can peek up and get a better look at his face to read it. After a long moment, she takes a deep breath. Very serious.]

...Can I paint your claw-nails?

[Well, that wasn't a question he expected.]

Excuse me? [Why would anyone want to touch that foot let alone hold it long enough to paint the claws!! Why!!]

[Hazel wiggles one set of fingers.]

Like with color? I've only seen black, but Izabel says there are lots of colors, so we could probably find others if you don't want that. ...Said.

[Right, she's gone. Oops.]

Um, but I think black is cool! Miss Petri and Izabel both use black.

Your nails would be much nicer to paint, dear... [Haha... Hazel is going to judge him if he climbs into bed with painted claws. But. She's a cute little girl.]

But if it's something you'd like to do, I wouldn't mind it once.

I mean, we can do mine, too, I guess. I never have.

[Exciting... And hey, they can probably drag Hazel into this hell along with them.]

Claws just look way cooler.

I'll do yours once you've finished with mine. I can make them look cool.

[He's actually amazing at things like this so he'll manage...]

[gasp!!! she'll look cool... hella.]

Really? [Ah, one problem.] Where do people even get stuff like that here...? [There aren't shady people to bribe, as far as she can tell...]

[Reaching into his robe, he pulls out a little money pouch and then pulls some money out from that, passing it over to her. It's plenty to cover nail polish and whatever other trinkets she might want while stopping at a shop.]

There are stores in the near shore that you can browse. Just be sure to gain the attention of the staff and pay them properly. Slapping the counter a few times works.

[free money? places with lots of stuff?? permission to hit things??? what is this witchcraft...]

...Oh! I think I've been to one! When I was really little, with my dad, I think. That was for food, though.

It's not so different! If you'd like, I could take you shopping.

Yeah! I mean, I could prob'ly do it on my own, but that sounds fun! And for just in case.

[Most things covered in school hadn't been on dealing with money or businesses, so far... Kind of spent a lot of time working on learning Language and getting over trauma. As you do.]

Have you ever flown before?

[He asks her this out of nowhere, smiling as he leans back against a counter.] I could take us there soaring.

it's familiar, but not too familiar, [OPEN.]

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