Summer Sun, Something's Begun | July Catch-All | Open

[forgeabettertomorrow]

🧙 WHO: Darin Altway and YOU
⚔️️ WHAT: July Catch-All with Open and Closed prompts
🕒 WHEN: Throughout July
🗺️ WHERE: All around Camelot! Quests and shenanigans ahoy!
⚠️ WARNINGS: Some ridiculousness? Some fluff? Will update as necessary!

🛡️ SHIELD SUMMER FEVER! 🛡️ - OPEN

[Darin always felt bad for the people who could get sick. Back home, his powers prevented him from falling ill, even to such banal things as a summer cold. But he did have experience as a gofer for his town's doctor, as well as doing errands and chores for the people who fell ill. So, this job was right up his alley.]

[One thing he knew for sure, when you're under the weather, nothing beats a good laugh.]

[With the trusty use of the new EmphaSize spell he nabbed from the traders, you'll find him waddling around with huge, oversized feet as he goes from room to room delivering flowers, teddy bears, medicine, fruit baskets, you name it. If he happens to be entering a kid's room, he'll make a big show of his giant, floppy feet. If its an elderly person's room, he'll sit with them for awhile and ask them about their day or let them ramble on.]

[But it's likely leaving one of the rooms is when you'll bump into Darin. Or trip over his enormous, floppy feet.]

Oh, hey! Easy there! You okay? Sorry, I should get a signal or something for these things...

🗡️ LAVAFT BEHIND 🗡️ - OPEN

[This seemed like a pretty easy task, all things considered. Everyone knew slimes were low-level monsters, even if they had the same temperature as magma. And Darin worked professionally around molten metal all day. If there was anyone who could handle this task, it was him.]

[Though, having someone along in case things went awry was a good idea too. Especially since his blood magic wouldn't really do him much good here.]

[So back to the Diamond Falls Darin goes. He's got a pickax and some mining tools in a pack slung over his shoulder examining the hardened rock for any sign of the slime.]

So, since I know how my luck goes, what's the plan for when we free this thing and it immediately attacks us with the fury of a particularly cranky volcano?

AT THE FORGE - OPEN

[With the reconstruction from his rampage doing well, Darin's back at the forge doing what he loves. He might be down an apprentice, but that hasn't stopped him from taking orders and commissions from those who seek him out! Got something you want Darin to make? His consultations are always free so come on in! Got some gear that needs mending or ideas you want to pitch? Maybe you just need some work? Darin's door is always open! When you step in, you'll likely see him working on something or tidying the place up. If there's one thing Darin can't stand, it's a messy forge! So come on in and let's get to work!]

BAR CRAWL - CLOSED TO KATE

[It's been about a month since he tore through Camelot as a terrifying, familiar-fused monster. Barring his (and everyone else's jaunt) to Celliwig, Darin had largely avoided going into town. And when he did, he wore a cloak with a hood that concealed his hair.]

[Now, a month later and the reconstruction mostly complete, Darin is feeling a little more hopeful that maybe he won't be kicked out of town if he decides to hit a bar for a drink or two. He's still wearing his cloak, but when he settles in at the 'In For a Pound' pub, he slowly pulls his hood back to reveal his very obvious blue mane of hair. He gets a few looks, some of which he's not too thrilled with, but orders a drink and sits at the bar.]

[Unfortunately, the patrons on either side of him scoot away. Fortunately, that leaves space should anyone decide they want to pull up a stool and join him.]

MY DINNER WITH DARIN - CLOSED TO ALLURA

[So, it really only dawned on Darin about a day or so before the date that he and Allura had chosen for dinner that this might actually be a...you know. A date. In a panic, he considered calling her to clarify that this wasn't a date...but what if she wanted it to be a date? What if he tried to clarify and they called the whole thing off? That would be awful! And he'd feel terrible too! She was really looking forward to it! But did that mean she was looking forward to a date with him?]

[No, that couldn't be it.]

[Could it?]

[So, after spending a day laying on the floor and staring at the ceiling weighing his options, he decided that, you know what? He could do this! Even if it was a date! Hell, it was only a date! He could handle that! Even though he'd never been on a date before, much less with someone who was so strikingly beautiful and had spent the last six months worming her way into his every though— NOT IMPORTANT!]

[And so, it was the evening of the big-but-maybe-not date. He'd agonized over whether or not he should dress up and finally he decided on an off-white polo shirt with pink piping around the collar and sleeves (hey, pink goes good with blue, alright?), and some tan slacks. With a menu all set (he did promise it would be an amazing meal) he sets out to begin cooking, listening intently for the door to the forge to open so he could go up and greet her.]

[Everything was set for the evening. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?]

[...Right?]

WILDCARD

[Not seeing anything that catches your fancy or want to do something else? Go ahead and top-level! And if you're not sure and want to hash it out, hit me up on Discord @ Ant#0062 or on plurk @ bitterbearface!]

Comments

[patchricide]

Wait, hold on — he won that fight?

[She turns her head, following him as he walks.]

But didn't people get hurt, then? Aside from you, I mean!

[forgeabettertomorrow]

...There wasn't really anyone else left to hurt. The city that used to be there...he already leveled it. It was just me and the woman I was traveling with at the time.

He was proving a point. Showing me that I couldn't beat him and my only option would be to give in to what we were. Eventually.

[patchricide]

['The woman I was traveling with at the time'?]

[That's right. There were moments where she was certain that she was playing someone else's role. Someone similar to her, perhaps. But she hadn't given it much thought after he addressed her directly... not some other person, but herself, Allura.]

[But was it only one other woman traveling with him?]

[Somehow, she finds that idea annoying.]

So afterwards, did he just... leave? Abandon you?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

He left me 'to think about my future' and said we'd meet again.

In other words, he was going to keep on finding ways to push me over the edge.

[patchricide]

... ... ...

[This is... not a very romantic conversation for their dinner date. Maybe she should stop digging into that particular part of his ugly past...]

So, things turned out differently in your dream. Why is that? I didn't change the course of the battle much...

[forgeabettertomorrow]

I don't know.

Maybe it's because you believed in me so much. I've never...I've never had something like that before.

[patchricide]

Never? ... but you said a woman was traveling with you. Why was she there, if she didn't have faith in you...?

[Look, it's not prying into the subject, she has a legitimate reason to bring her up again.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

We'd only known each other for a few days. She claimed she was a 'fortune teller.' We got into it and she just...started following me.

Frankly, she was annoying.

[Wow, that doesn't at all sound anything like someone, does it, Allura?]

[patchricide]

... ... ...

Yes, she sounds it. [Though likely for different reasons than Darin found her annoying.]

[While Darin finishes in the kitchen, she decides she's going to take a seat.]

How did you manage to get on her bad side, hm?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

...When she read my fortune, she almost figured out what I was. I panicked and...

...destroyed her stall...

So! Who's ready for dinner!

[patchricide]

[Oh, that puts a smile back on her face.]

Did you really? How did you manage that? Come on, we can talk about it over our meal, can't we?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Alright, alright. Anyway, here it comes!

[He walks out with a tray and a bowl and sets them down. As he does, the room immediately fills with the smell of seasoned fish and citrus. The smell of the fish is hardly overpowering as it seems to be muted by the fruity smells coming from the accompanying bowl.]

[He sets down a bed of tomato and citrus salsa, the product of Allura's prep work, and then lays out a sea bass fillet; with the skin baked to a nice crisp. The scent of spices and citrus wafts up; a blend of peppery and sweet but still light and refreshing. Then he pours her another glass of the fey juice before serving his own plate.]

It's not exactly what I was planning but, I think this works in a pinch.

Don't be afraid to dig in, by the way. I'm not worried about manners.

[patchricide]

But... this looks amazing! Were you really planning something even better than this?

[She's practically devouring it with her eyes before she gives it a taste. And even though he said that her manners don't matter, she's quite proper in the way she cuts into the fish, pops the first piece in her mouth, and chews it...]

[But that just gives her more time to savor the first taste. Which she does, giving a pleased mmm~ as she chews.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Well, it was going to be on a bed of vegetables and some wild rice but...we improvised.

Is it good?

[He takes his own seat and takes a bite to judge for himself.]

...Hm! Grapefruit's a little strong...probably should have gone with lemon...maybe some berries...

[Already criticizing himself]

[patchricide]

It's delicious! I don't think I've ever eaten anything like it before!

[And she helps herself to another bite. Looks like she doesn't mind that strong, bitter grapefruit flavor.]

[But after she's made a good start on her meal, she stops to remind him:] So, weren't you going to explain how you manage to break that poor woman's stall?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Oh...that?

Well, like I said...she sorta figured out what I was and when she confronted me about it, my fight or flight responses kicked in...

You saw, right? In that dream? What I was physically capable of? Well, in that moment I sorta...jumped. Straight up.

And I took her entire stall with me.

[patchricide]

You launched it?

[She actually seems pretty amused by that. Normally she's not so cruel, but... somehow, she would have loved to see that.]

That's truly impressive. Was she following you around expecting you to build her another one?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

That and she wanted to see 'the future I made for myself.'

Like I said, she was annoying.

[patchricide]

... your future...

[She takes a long, slow sip of her juice. That girl... clearly, she was interested in him, wasn't she? Was he interested in her, too? Or did he not even realize what was going on?]

[She sets the glass down with exceptional care.]

You said she was a fortune teller. Did she say anything about what it would be?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

We didn't get to that part. She was in the middle of reading my fortune when I panicked.

I didn't let her get another chance.

[patchricide]

... you were that convinced, then, that it would surely be a bad future?

I can understand why, but... it bothers me to think of you as being so despondent.

[Maybe she can give him a little more hope?]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

I...I was scared. It was like...I mean, it was a coin flip. Either it would be good or bad...

Putting my life on that kind of coin's edge...?

I think it freaked me out more than her finding out what I was...

[patchricide]

So you thought you would be better off without knowing?

Well, if you did get a bad result, what would stop you from simply proving her wrong?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

That's the thing.

In that moment? I don't know how I would have reacted. She figured out who and what I was just by touching my hand. If she gave me a bad read...? I mean...I don't know if I would have believed her or not.

I ran. For the sake of my own sanity.

[He finishes his meal silently.]

...I'm afraid more often than not, you know. That's why I'm...so standoffish...why I have trouble believing you could...might...you know.

[Like me.]

[patchricide]

[You really should use your words, Darin, because she doesn't exactly know. But she has some guesses. How she can believe in him. Keep giving him second chances. Agree to this, eagerly. It's probably something along those lines... right?]

You know, I wouldn't have believed that when I first met you. But now that I've gotten to know you better...

[Her expression scrunches. Just because she understands it doesn't mean that she likes it. That he would live so much of his life feeling that way.]

... ... ...

What about since you've come here, though? Are you still afraid...?