The Park - Thursday afternoon

[mages_suck]

Fenris was in the park looking up at the trees as if they'd somehow betrayed him. "Your leaves were green three days ago," he accused.

The trees didn't answer. His eyes narrowed. "It's not even that cold yet." Said the man who'd been bundled up as though he were exploring the Arctic just a few days prior. In his defense, he'd been carrying a snake at the time.

The trees still didn't answer.

Glowering, he threw himself down on a park bench. One leg drawn up and tented, he rested his chin on his knees and ..well.. brooded.. about the starkening landscape.

The ducks floated by to look at him curiously.

"What are you looking at?"

The ducks didn't answer any more than the trees did.

He wasn't having much luck with conversation today.

[Park is open. Broody McElfEars is both brooding and having the elf ears.]

Comments

[onefootoutthedoor]

"They don't talk," Peebee felt the need to helpfully inform him as she passed by. "Or not in any language we can understand anyway, which is a little disappointing."

[mages_suck]

"They never do," Fenris responded, "They're stubborn." He gave her a curious but approving glance-over. It was a relief to see another nonhuman around the place.

[onefootoutthedoor]

"Oh, is that something you try often?" Peebee actually sounded kind of approving about that, if amused. "It could still happen one of these days, you never know."

She tilted her head and looked at him. "Love the tattoos, by the way. Very edgy. What would you do if the ducks actually do talk back someday?"

They could. Because Fandom.

[mages_suck]

"Ever since I saw another man here talking to them," Fenris confirmed, "I try occasionally to see if perhaps they'll answer me. Hope springs eternal, even in fall. If they ever spoke back, perhaps we'd have a conversation."

He considered it. "Probably not a very stimulating one. What would ducks have to say, after all? 'This pond is cold'? 'Fish taste great'? I suppose we could argue about that. I'm not a fan of seafood, myself."

A small grimace about the tattoos, and a dry response. "Thank you. They weren't my choice but since I'm stuck with them now, might as well be.. what was the word? .. edgy?"

[onefootoutthedoor]

"You never know. Around here? Those ducks have probably seen things," Peebee said, shrugging. And now she wanted to know, dammit. "Weird invasions, juicy illicit makeouts after midnight, you name it. It'd probably be a great conversation if you're into gossip."

[mages_suck]

"It might be wasted on me," Fenris said with a small smile, "I don't know many people here yet, so I'm not sure I would know who was being spoken about. Though that might make for interesting introductions later. 'Oh, you're the one the ducks spoke of.'"

He inclined his head politely, "I'm Fenris, by the way. Since everyone seems to ask, yes, I'm new."

[onefootoutthedoor]

"Orrrrrrr you could just give them a mysterious smile, which you look like you're good at, and say something like 'Oh, I've heard of you,' and don't elaborate, just to mess with them." Peebee, no. "What a way to make a first impression, right?" NO, PEEBEE.

"Oh, right. Peebee," she added as something that would be embarrassingly close to an afterthought if she had shame. "Not so new. Which I wasn't going to ask, if you were, I mean, but good to know. Not a student, I'm guessing."

[mages_suck]

Fenris chuckled. "That would be a way to make a first impression." Not one he was above using, should it come to that.

"Definitely not a student," he agreed. "At the moment, I'm a florist and a perfumier."

This amused him no small amount.

[onefootoutthedoor]

"Huh." Peebee squinted at him for a moment, then laughed and nodded. "Definitely not at all what I would have guessed! I like it. How's that working out for you so far?"

[mages_suck]

Fenris smiled wryly, "Not much call for warriors around here. Surprisingly, I enjoy both jobs. They're very relaxing. The flower shop even has a recent display of orange head effigies. I've drawn the conclusion that many people must be very angry at the yelling man who's constantly on the ..television.. thing."

[onefootoutthedoor]

"Orange head -- oh! You know what, I think that's the most plausible explanation I've heard yet for those things?" Or she liked it best, whatever. "You're right, though, it's pretty quiet around here for the most part. Every now and then there's a bit of excitement of the scrappy variety, but eh. Good excuse to branch out a little bit, right?"

[mages_suck]

"Have you heard many other explanations for them?" Fenris asked with interest, "I've heard none and gathered my own conclusion. Someone at the store keeps putting them in rows, and that's just not how they should be displayed. I've spent no few hours stacking them properly outside the doorway."

He brushed his hair off his forehead. "There's been precious little excitement since I've been here. My roommate did just turn into a snake for a week, which was a surprise but not a very exciting one. I'm happy to have the work with the jobs, though. Otherwise, I fear I'd be bored right out of my skin."

[onefootoutthedoor]

"Some harvest holiday thing," Peebee said airily, waving a hand, "but everything I've learned about the holidays around here makes it seem like however they started, they turn out to be something completely different, and good luck finding people who actually remember what the original point is. I'm not sure they even really care, as long as they have an excuse to party, or eat candy, or whatever."

Humans were weird.

"As for the excitement, I hear you. There's some loooooong dry stretches where you have to make your own fun, but that's a useful life skill anyway, if you ask me. Was your roommate at least a cool snake?"

[mages_suck]

"An excuse to party or eat candy seems a better reason than some," he allowed, "even if that's not very exciting."

He smirked a little, "He became an emerald tree boa. Suited him, since he's green even as a man. He didn't eat, though I've been told snakes don't eat very often. Still, it was worrisome. He's back to normal now and making up for it. We are both hoping it will be a long stretch before either one of us turns into an animal of any sort."