isleofavalon | september catchall

[ despite living in the city for most of his life, naoto had always been one to care for animals. his one true love were cats, of course, but other animals were to be spoiled as well! but he had an image to maintain, plus these sheep could breathe fire! he's trying not to burn his clothes off while trying not to baby talk it to death.

so here he was, trying to calm down a sheep using feed. surely, that'll work! except he gets too close and gets himself bit, earning a yelp. ]

Hey! I may not feel it but have some respect! [ just because he loves animals doesn't mean he knows how to take care of them. ]

Edited 2021-09-02 21:07 (UTC)

Hey, you should feel glad that it's only biting you!

[ .. or maybe she should be glad that it's biting him, rather than her, because Minako sure would have felt that.. even if he apparently didn't. ]

Didn't they say that these things can breathe fire?! We have to be careful! [ She is NOT looking to get burnt to a crisp while trying to take care of sheep, thanks. She's too young and beautiful. ]

I just got this arm, I don't wanna lose it!

[ naoto's finally got his hand out of the offending jaw, and he stares at the sheep for a moment or two before petting it. this time, naoto succeeded, which caused him to grin. ]

They did say it can breathe fire, but they're really sweet! You just gotta keep your own head cool, or else they start freaking out. [ he finally looks at minako. ] Come on, give it a shot!

[ Minako isn't too sure if anything that can breathe fire can also be sweet.

But on the other hand, she knows that she ought to participate in this task as well.. So she slowly, and reluctantly, is climbing over the fence to get a little closer to where Naoto and the sheep are. Not all the way though - she is still very much keeping a safe distance. ]

I can't believe you're making a cute girl like me do something so dangerous!

[ .. says the hardened warrior.

Look, she gets to act the part of the innocent girl here for a moment, let her live it. ]

[ naoto just gives her a deadpan stare. even without makoto telling him about the senshi secret, he could tell she was playing it up. ]

They're sheep. If you treat them right, they're safe. Now come on, I need someone to clear the wool.

These aren't regular sheep!

[ Excuse you, Naoto! Even if Minako is definitely being overdramatic here about this whole deal, she's at least right about that one.

.. unless sheep do breathe fire where he comes from, but.. honestly, that's something Minako doesn't want to consider too hard right now as she approaches until she's near Naoto and the sheep. ]

If one kills me, you're going to have to explain to Mako-chan what you've done.

Is anything considered regular in Avalon?!

[ he's been to a world where animals with demon like powers was common, fire breathing sheep was really nothing to write home about.

but when he hears minako's comment about reporting to makoto, his face is deadpan. ]

Eh, I've been subject to worse.

[ the wrath of his master has no bounds. ]

[ ....

Minako has to pause for a moment. Is this.. something Naoto and Makoto are into?! Do they have some sort of weird punishment thing going on?!

Not like Minako is going to judge her friend's love life, but.. wild, Makoto! Wilder than she imagined, girl!! ]

Fine, fine. Let the expert handle this!

[ She sighs, but it's in a resigned way. She's giving in to having to do this, so she might as well get it over with. ]

Here, sheepie, sheepie.. Don't you want to come get a big old hug from auntie Minako?

[ at least naoto isn't being called a pervert for his choice of words. but he knows deep down that minako's probably thinking that way, so he isn't even going to bother. ]

Since when were you an expert...? [ he doesn't argue otherwise.

but one sheep does approach minako, curiously eyeing her as she calls out. ]

Yes, there, that's a good little sheepie...

[ Naoto is so lucky right now that she doesn't have time to get offended over that remark, considering she doesn't want to startle the fire-breathing sheep that's getting very, very close to her right about now.

But she will remember. Oh, how she will ever remember..

But for now she just slowly reaches out with a hand, and the sheep does seem to let her pat its head very slowly and carefully.

Naoto, you better be doing something too while she's keeping it calm, dude!! ]

[ the sheep seems to be rather open to the headpats, and that easily gives time for naoto to go ahead and start shearing. it was a slow going process, but when naoto got the hang of it, time went by and he was done.

he smiles, petting the sheep afterwards. ] You were such a good girl... [ and he only gives minako a warm smile, indicating his thanks. ]

[ Minako isn't too sure how she managed to escape from this - so far - without getting burnt to a crisp.

But.. you know what? She'll take it. She's good. So she slowly lets go of the sheep once Naoto is done, watching it slowly walk off, and only then dares to let out that sigh of relief she was holding in. ]

Sheesh, who thought that shearing sheep could ever get that tense? This place is so weird!

You get used to it after some time. [ says the boy who's been world hopping already. ] But hey, at least you've gotten some experience with sheep handling! It only gets easier from here!

.. how many sheep are there that we have to go through?

[ There's definitely some fear in her voice.

How much sheep handling is going to happen today?! Can they even get it done in one day? ]

A lot. [ deadpan. ] Better get used to it quick because these sheep ain't shearing themselves!

[ and then one of the more mischievous sheep them bites his left hand. Naoto only stares at it for a second before yanking it out of its mouth. he inspects it for a second, sighing in relief when it's deemed safe. ]

... alright, we're good. Let's get started!

[ At first Minako gasps as she watches that sheep bite his hand..

.. though once she's sure that Naoto really seems like he's alright, that surprised tension seems to leave Minako's shoulders again. Instead she leans a little bit closer to the sheep, forming one of her hands into a fist. ]

You were taking revenge for him being so cheeky to a beautiful girl like me, right? Thank you, comrade!

[ That, however, is the exact moment the sheep burps, as if it's ready to start firing - pun intended - off again, and Minako quickly takes a few steps backwards. ]

[ he was going to say "you're not that beautiful" but decided he liked living enough to not do so.

but thankfully it looked like he didn't need to do so, given the sheep's reaction. yes, sheep, do him the favor of biting back. he snickers for a moment, before pulling himself together. they still had a task to complete. ]

If we finish, then I'll treat you to some sweets. How's that sound?

[ Do you think you can bribe her with sweets forever, Naoto?!

.. because that might just be possible. Not that Minako still doesn't look a little sceptical, considering everything, but she isn't outright rejecting the idea either by the time she glances back over at Naoto. ]

What kind of sweets.

[ She first needs to make sure it's the top grade cake she had at his cafe, okay! She won't take any less! Minako is reading the fine print of this contract they're forging on the spot. ]

Hmmm.... [ he decides to pull all the stops here, which means using tricks he uses on his master. naoto makes a point to act like he's thinking about it despite already knowing the answer he was going to give. ]

How about you tell me what your favorite is, and I'll make it with all my best ingredients?

[ bait thrown, now to see if it sinks. ]

[ Minako is definitely the fool who believes that he's actually thinking about it over here.. So she's actually patiently waiting for him to finish thinking and speaking up before she speaks up in turn again. ]

My favourite?

[ Honestly, she's not.. too sure she has one when it comes to sweets, though that mainly comes down to-- ]

I'm not picky! [ To that. ] As long as it's sweet and has a whole lot of cream, I'm in..!

[ Apparently that's worth this deal. ]

Then would a parfait strike your fancy?

[ it's definitely working, and naoto's surprised. didn't expect it to go that smoothly!!! ]

Sure!

[ She's definitely not picky when it comes to sweets, so of course Minako is already nodding. And smiling. ]

Come on, come on! Let's hurry up so we can go and have some..!

Alright, alright... there isn't much to do now so let's get cracking!

[ what can he say, minako's enthusiasm is infectious! ]

[ news spreads fast, and now he's worried for the small friend group he has in avalon. he's so worried, in fact, that he's not sure how long he'd be able to sit still with the guy on the loose. but naoto doesn't exactly let that fear show. not at first, at least. ]

Jeez, this is creepy. My life's a horror movie already, I don't need this! [ he looks all over, hoping he wouldn't come across anyone. it's already dark, he doesn't want to be caught by the guy. after all, he won't bleed as much as others would. he'd be a boring target. ] But even so... where would he be?

It's not hard, okay? Just place it on my back and call it a day, okay?

[ no pain for a spell? sign him up.

then again, he's already signed up and is trying to rope another person in. he's already been through unimaginable pain, so he thinks putting a burning egg to skin would be nothing but a cakewalk! but the only issue is getting someone else to put the egg on his back! ]

I'll even pay you. Sound good?

[ around the cooler months tends to be when naoto gets the most creative, but september was the month he takes things a little easier. but now that he's got both arms, he finds himself making a apple-cinnamon layer cake with little issue, even making it this month's special.

he's currently placing the finishing touches on a display cake, and in plain view of customers to show his own work. he simply needed a change in atmosphere, and it was working to make this cake the best one he's ever made. he places an edible cinnamon stick on one of the dollops of frosting, grinning. ]

Done!

september catchall | this is letting go

quest | shear determination

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we can probably wrap it here, right? c:

yep!!

quest | cult classic

experience | pain tolerating badass

café | time to bring in autumn!