Fifth Over || Video

[fiveagainstradley]

[ David woke up yesterday with not one but two dogs in the apartment. What's more, this strange new mystery dog started talking to him, saying it was a part of his soul. Luke was off doing something or other, so David couldn't ask him about it, but now that it's Sunday and the dog's still here, David's starting to need reassurance. ]

Hello City. This is Cara. Please tell me you all can see her too and I'm not going crazy.

I keep telling you, David, you're not crazy, and I am real!


[ ooc: David's been daemon-ized this weekend. He'll be out walking Chew (and Cara) so feel free to run into them. ]

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[oceantrauma]

[Oh, Ken can see her, alright. He was headed in the direction, then immediately turned around when he noticed two dogs.]

Are they cursed as well? If not, I'm staying in this tree until you pass!

[fiveagainstradley]

[ A cat in a tree? David pauses. ]

Well, he's just a regular dog [ indicating the big slobbery one ], but she's a curse [ indicating the little grey one ].

You can stop calling me a curse, I've told you, I'm a daemon.

[oceantrauma]

[The tree's safe!]

Definitely avoiding your regular dog, then.

But.... [Peers at David.] What's a daemon? [Back at Cara.] You look like a dog.

[fiveagainstradley]

He'll behave. Chew, sit. [ Chew lies down in the snow, deciding it's way more fun to slobber on than some cat in a tree. Close enough. ]

A daemon is a representation of a person's soul. We take the form of whatever animal best represents that person. For David, a skye terrier, known for their loyalty.

Huh. I didn't know that.

[oceantrauma]

[Seeing the other animal is behaving himself, and Cara is fascinating, Ken slowly moves to a lower branch. Looking back at Chew once in a while.]

That almost sounds like my partner, back home. Not a bad thing for a curse. A companion like that is a good thing.

And hello, Mister David. I'm Ken. Currently a cat.

[fiveagainstradley]

Do you miss your partner?

Hello Ken. Are you not usually a cat?

[oceantrauma]

[A pause.] Yes, I do. Again, that's an amazing companion you have right there. She'll probably be steadfast and more loyal to you than anyone else you've ever met.

No. I'm usually a young boy.

[fiveagainstradley]

I dunno, my friend Luke is pretty loyal.

Not half as loyal as you are to him, though. If you know what I mean.

Hush, Cara.

I suppose you're cursed then? I was cursed into being a girl last month.

[oceantrauma]

[If cats could raise eyebrows, Ken would have to that remark.]

She's likely right.

And yes. Very cursed. Have had the girl curse, too. This is definitely better. Not as...strange.

[fiveagainstradley]

Why, do you know Luke?

I didn't mind it so much, once I got used to it. I don't much care about gender, I suppose.

[oceantrauma]

No. But if she's as close to you as my partner is to me, she knows.

Oh? It was just weird for me. It felt like the body wasn't mine. Much like this one doesn't.

[fiveagainstradley]

I suppose she does, if she's a part of my soul and everything.

[ Cara 'hmmph's. ]

I think I'd feel more strange in a body that wasn't even shaped right. Are you at least a boy cat?

[oceantrauma]

[Ken licks his paws to that, nonchalant. Cara's becoming accepted? From the sound of it. He's not calling her just a curse any longer.]

Yes. My gender is the same.

[fiveagainstradley]

That's a relief, I suppose. Better than having both changed at once.

[ David's learned to roll with the strange, it's just that sometimes they take time getting used to. ]

[oceantrauma]

Yes. That would be too much. Being a boy cat isn't so bad.

[More licking.] And you must be a very good owner to have the real dog trained so well.

[fiveagainstradley]

Thanks! I've always wanted a dog, and Chew's my first. [ The dog in question is busy chewing on a stick and seems oblivious to both cat and boy. ]

[oceantrauma]

A dog that can actually listen and isn't chasing after me? Good choice.

Have you had any other animals before?

[infernoandhearth]

I am sorry, David. Will you light a match? I think we might well work as each other's reassurance.

[fiveagainstradley]

I haven't. My family never let me.

[fiveagainstradley]

Alright. [ He fetches the matchbox from his pocket and lights one up. ]

[infernoandhearth]

[At which point, David is being converged upon from two directions. One of the people is Luke, obviously, walking towards David with a casual stroll that might be the slightest bit forced. The other is a young woman who looks slightly anxious. Luke relaxes when he spots her, and they both reach David and the dogs at once. The woman crouches down beside Cara to offer her hand for sniffing and then to scritch at her ears.]

Hallo, David. I think I've sort of the same thing, today. I might not have had all my facts about fylgja straight, though...? [The last is sort of directed towards the woman. She shrugs, even though she's still preoccupied with Cara.]

I've never been an omen. Perhaps seeing me outside a curse might do something. I only know as much as you.

[fiveagainstradley]

[ David is surprised by the young woman, but she seems rather friendly with Cara... ] Oh, hello. Who's this?

She's like me, David. She's a daemon.

[infernoandhearth]

I'm Neisti. I thought I might be a bit less offputting, like this.

Oh! That reminds me. [And Luke changes from being a young man, fat in a slightly unsettling way, to an obviously pregnant Chloe.] I knew about daemons, I suppose. But seeing them when they're animals and you're awake usually means you're about to die.

[Neisti kisses Cara on the head.] Which isn't happening, of course.

[fiveagainstradley]

You mean you can change too, like Luke?

[ David looks a bit startled by the "going to die" bit of news, but Neisti's confident reply reassures him. ]

[infernoandhearth]

Oh yes. Hold on, I'll match.

[She turns into a terrier, like Cara. The way she changes looks exactly the same as when Luke does.]

I'm not sure there's anything I'm meant to look like, though, not like Luke.

[oceantrauma]

...then you are doing very well for a first timer.

And at least you have the opportunity here. Do you enjoy your companion?

[fiveagainstradley]

[ David looks at Cara, ] So why can't you change?

Remember what I told you? A daemon is a reflection of a person. Luke can change his shape, you can't. Neisti can change hers, I can't. It's simple, really.

[fiveagainstradley]

[ Cara looks at David expectantly, and he looks back at her. ]

...Yes, I think so. Now that I understand what she is a bit better. She confused me when she just appeared yesterday.

Now, that's hardly my fault, isn't it?

[infernoandhearth]

You might have, once. Neisti said.

But you've settled, you know? You've settled on what feels right.

[fiveagainstradley]

The terrier, because of loyalty and such.

Exactly. Now you've got it.

[infernoandhearth]

[Neisti shoves her little terrier body up against Cara again for a moment and then switches herself back to a blue-haired girl. She seems kind of loath to leave Cara now she's arrived.]

Shall we carry on? I wouldn't want to keep you lot from your walk. Chew's getting restless, besides.

[fiveagainstradley]

I think he's not used to not getting the attention. [ Chew does indeed seem to be eyeing Cara and Neisti suspiciously, not getting close enough to sniff them out. ]

I've had a very strange walk so far. I met a boy who was cursed into a cat, and two dogs who were cursed into little boys.

[infernoandhearth]

Really? Could they talk? [Neisti finally steps away from Cara, only to walk to stand quite close to David, not touching.]

Especially the dog boys. The mind works quite different for animals, usually.

[fiveagainstradley]

[ Cara shuffles along at everyone's feet as they continue their walk. ]

They talked loads. They kept calling their owner their mum. They said she had a daemon curse too, once. [ He'll keep their opinion of the "mean bird" to himself. ]

[infernoandhearth]

I imagine it must not have been a direct change, then. [Neisti is currently distracted, seeing how close she can get to David without actually making contact.] This must be a common curse, too, if it's happened to someone else, outside today.

[fiveagainstradley]

[ Neisti wut r u doin. ]

Like changing genders. The boy-turned-cat said he'd been a girl once, like I was last month, remember?.

[infernoandhearth]

[She feels like she maybe shouldn't but she WANTS TO ANYWAY COS SHE'S A REBL.
It's like a weird, more affectionate version of the NOT TOUCHING YOU game.]

Oh, yes. I've always sort of wondered if those curses would stick, with me.

[fiveagainstradley]

[ A game which David has never played with anyone because his first real friend was Luke and Luke just touches if he wants to touch. ]

I figure you would just think nothing happened. Then maybe whichever gender you were trying to be, the opposite would happen.

[oceantrauma]

[A light chuckle from the cat, who is now waving his tail.]

Well, I definitely like her. She seems pretty sensible.