that's in the sky where the rain's from [OPEN]

[existency]

Who: Cole (existency) and YOU
When: Before Natalia's ball, but over a few days
Where: Various
What: Cole is getting used to his new home.
Rating/Warning: None unless someone rude tags in (probable)!!

---

option a — the basic arrival prompt

[ He doesn't belong here.

It's quiet, startlingly so, because there aren't the songs and shimmers of the Fade here like there were at home (wherever "home" was). It whispers, enough for him to be able to reach out and grasp it, use it like he does, but it's not the same. It's disorienting and startling, which is why he wanders. He's looking for the places where it's the loudest, since where it's louder, he's more comforted.

Of course, this process might seem quite strange to anyone nearby. Cole himself would seem to stick out enough, since a gaunt young man with a very large hat and wearing old, dusty leathers would be a contrast against the technology around. But it might catch you by surprise that you seem like you've seen him earlier today, but you can't place where. Unless you're a bit closer to spirits or magic yourself, in which case, it'll be a bit easier to remember seeing him earlier in the day, doing the same thing.

He's just wandering, as if he's lost something or looking for something, but he never makes eye contact with anyone, and most of the people walking by don't seem to see him at all. In fact, it's only you that sees him. ]

option b — memes never die

[ How's the weather today? Did you guess cold and rainy? It's definitely cold and rainy. At least for the purposes of this prompt.

If you're braving this terrible weather to head towards the park, you might notice a strange pattern along the main path. Every so often, there's a small cardboard box underneath a tree, and if you're curious enough to go inspect it, the contents might be a bit confusing.

They're all cakes.

They're not quite left out in the rain, since the trees manage to cover most of the rain, but they're still getting soggy enough that no one in their right mind would really want to eat them. And it's clearly not an accident, since there are quite a few!

Continuing along the path, there's a young man braving the rain, though he doesn't seem to mind it. He's out without even an umbrella, though he doesn't really need one, considering the large brim of his hat... But he's also clearly the culprit of the cake-related mystery, since he has a few boxes in hand, and he's setting one down underneath a tree, opening it, then looking up into the branches like he's checking for something.

But all of the sudden, he seems to become aware that someone is watching, since he looks towards who's approaching, but he's quick to bow his head shyly. ]

...Sorry. Am I in the way?

[ More importantly, why is he leaving cakes out in the rain?? ]

option c — not quite as exciting as killing dragons

[ His Cerevice had told him he was a florist, and so a few days after arriving, Cole starts to work. It's definitely not the same as the Inquisition, but he quickly finds that he enjoys the work. It's quiet and solitary, since Cole's odd appearance and mannerisms tend to keep him from getting put at the front and scaring away customers, but he can tend to the flowers dutifully while still getting to be around other people and listen like he likes to.

It's not quite the tavern in Skyhold, where he can just stand for hours and watch the lives of the people there unseen, but it's close enough that he's content.

If you have reason to visit a florist today, other employees will probably greet you first, since Cole tends to stay towards the back. But it's not long before he starts to busy himself with something, then approaches to hold out a bouquet that's stunningly beautiful, and whatever you've come to a florist for, this seems to fit the bill perfectly. ]

...Are these what you were looking for?

[ His voice is soft and gentle, but not quite shy. It seems like he knows, for whatever reason. ]

(( ooc note ; if you choose this prompt, just make sure to include something in your brackets about why your character is getting flowers please! ))

option d — choose your own

[ Wildcard! If you have an idea of a prompt of your own that's different, go for it! You can run it by me or just run with it and we'll figure it out. ]

IMPORTANT NOTE—If you haven't filled it out already, please comment to Cole's permission post before replying!

Comments

C!!

[manolia]

[The apartment Chibi's found himself in is nice enough - comfortable, with plenty of napping spaces and weird new things to explore. It does not feel like his, but he's sure he'll break it in in time. When he closes his eyes in his new apartment for the first time, though, he is disconcerted by something.]

[It's just not living enough. Being the largest point of Wakfu in the room is disconcerting; he is so used to the energy of life being always there, always circulating around him. He can't rest if there isn't anything breathing around him!]

[So he carries himself to the florist to pick out a new, potted roommate. Walking through the aisles, all the flowers - cut and potted - are beautiful, but none feel right! But... Before he knows it, one of the workers has come to him, carrying a sunflower in brilliant bloom. Chibi takes a look, closes his eyes for a moment; when he re-opens them, he looks positively delighted.]

She's perfect! [The sunflowers this kid has picked out are vibrant, a ray of sunshine (ha) against the winter outside... And they're a 'she,' apparently. Can you blame him? They just... Feel feminine, something about them. The soul within them is definitely a girl.] I didn't even see her there.

[existency]

[ Cole nods, though his eyes turn down again, hiding under the brim of his hat. He's glad that he was right, because if nothing else, his talent here was getting a feeling for just what people were looking for, but it was actually offering it that was the difficult part. He preferred his gestures to remain unseen and unacknowledged, since that was simply his way. ]

...Good.

[ It's awkward and stilted, but as he draws back to cross his arms, his speech becomes a bit smoother. ]

They're lively, growing only when the sun is brightest, when things feel most alive. So I thought it was what you wanted.

[manolia]

[Why's the kid embarrassed? Chibi's not sure; clearly he has an eye for living things, both sapient and not! He wonders briefly whether he comes from a civilization as attuned to Wakfu as the Eliatropes... Maybe. Certainly, it's a place with great hats.]

[He takes the flower and holds her carefully, swaying from foot to foot, almost restless in his constant movement.]

You're getting a few people looking for things like this, I imagine? [A much more logical conclusion than 'he read my mind.'] Life is all around us, I know, but my people were much more attuned to its energy than this world seems to be. It just feels strange, not to have growing things everywhere. Is it the same for you? Since you're working here and all, it seems like a lovely place--

[It occurs to Chibi that he's babbling; he scratches the back of his hat in embarrassment.] --Ah, sorry. Should I let you get back to work?

b!

[perfectstrike]

[What's going on here... the first box she sees, Peko kind of pauses and looks inside because what the heck... maybe there's a kitten in there? Or some other kind of small animal, that would be nice. She's, of course, sorely disappointed and more than a little perplexed to see cake in the box. She still has her sword bag on her back, covered by the black umbrella she has to protect herself from the rain as she follows the trail of cakes; maybe this is a prank? Or maybe it's meant as bait to try to lure someone who does like sweet things into a terrible situation. Either way, it's worth investigating.]

What are you doing?

[Once she finds him, she's not answering his question as to whether or not he's in the way, instead just kind of staring at him with visible confusion and more than a little suspicion.]

[existency]

[ Cole meets her eyes, but it's only briefly, since he bows his head to look at the rest of the boxes in his hands. It gives the impression that he would fidget if his hands were free, but it seems like he's not going to abandon his cake quest for that. ]

I'm leaving cakes.

[ ...It does answer the question, though not exactly how Peko wanted. If nothing else, his answer is at least completely earnest rather than sarcastic. It seems like he feels he adequately answered the question. ]

[perfectstrike]

Yes, I see that.

[It seems to be extremely important to him for some reason? If anything, Peko only frowns harder. Is he up to something weird...]

Why?

option c

[emotive]

[Ai Thao had been glancing around looking at several orchids, mostly intrigued at how plant life on this planet was able to thrive quite well even if certain blossoms shouldn't be in season. She likes flowers and now that she's been here for almost three months now, Ai's noticed that her apartment is bare. There's the view of the city from the window, for sure, but she feels the need to beautify her residence somehow.

Flowers? It's a logical conclusion to come to when thinking about adding beauty to ones space.

The quiet voice gets her attention and she blinks when he holds out the bouquet.]

Oh! That's... Yes, I was considering those for sure. That's a lovely arrangement you have there.

[existency]

[ He nods, but it's difficult to figure out how Cole seems to feel about it, since his expression doesn't change at all. He's still stuck in a slight frown, but really, he's pleased that he got it right. He passes the flowers onto her, then takes a step back to cross his arms. It feels a little stand-offish, but really, he's just shy and uncertain how to interact with people. These aren't the people of the Inquisition, so it's quite unnerving for him still. ]

...They'll be good. The purple catches the eye, makes a small place more full of life, reminding of warmer weather.

[ That's his vague impression of what she was looking for, at least, so he speaks to that with a confidence that contrasts against his shy mannerisms. ]

[emotive]

[Warmer weather... Ah... Well, she was thinking of home to an extent. Ai takes the flowers in her arms, caressing them gently and giving them a thoughtful once over.]

Now that you mention it, I do come from a warm and humid country.

[His stand-offish behavior doesn't bother her much. They're strangers to each other so far, after all, but she feels like continuing that line of thought, wanting to share something about where she's from.]

There used to be a lot more flowers in the mountains in my home, but things changed so now these are just for special occasions.

b!

[harepiece]

[okay but first off, why is cake in the rain haunting this cast

Oz will indeed be out and about, because weather doesn't dictate what one must do in any given day! He's got errands to run and things to accomplish, and he's got his little plaid umbrella to keep him (mostly) dry. Once he spots the first box, though, he ditches his route momentarily to take a look. ...Cake? Maybe someone got chased away by the rain mid-picnic and had to leave it behind. That's a dang shame, but Oz isn't desperate or rude enough to steal someone's soggy rain cake.

By the time he comes across the fourth, he's just wondering if there's some maniac out here trying to trap people with a really bad sweet tooth. It's a good thing he catches sight of Cole soon after, or he would have been left wondering about this strange mystery for the rest of his life.]

Oh— Hello! Are you the one leaving those out?

[And more importantly WHY, but Oz will just ease into that...]

[existency]

[ ghosts, duh ]

[ Cole nods, though he looks to the boxes in his hands as if they'll provide more of an answer to Oz's question. But he ends up glancing to the side rather than at Oz. ]

...I am. I'll come get the boxes when it stops raining.

[ Which doesn't answer that implied question at all, and Oz will have to be direct about asking. He's a little too humble and shy to want to claim the gesture as his own. ]

[harepiece]

[At least Oz doesn't have any qualms with asking... or with scooting his way right up to this dude, which most people probably wouldn't do.]

Are you leaving them for someone?

[The "they're getting wet" goes unsaid.]

A!

[oneirism]

[Lapis is still trying to get her bearings, everything far too new and strange that simply going to where she's supposed to be staying doesn't sound right. If she's stuck here, she may as well get a mental map of the area, even if she does have an actual map. She want's to actually see everything.

She stops when she spots Cole out of the corner of her eyes, blinking in confusion at what she can sense from him. And that she had seen him before, when she was wandering around; she had been too absorbed in taking in her surroundings and talking to Mitchell (which would have looked like she was talking to herself to most people) to approach back then.

But it seems like he's still wandering around too, so after a moment of thought, she doesn't hesitate to walk over to him. Her expression and tone are completely neutral, but Lapis is never good at expressing herself.]

... Are you alright? You seem lost.

[existency]

[ When Lapis approaches, Cole immediately senses something similar and he perks up. It's not the Fade clinging to her, but there's still a song written into her, and one that he's never heard before. Ghosts aren't something that exist in his world like they do for Lapis, but he's responding to Mitchell, because he feels enough like a spirit that it's familiar. Not a demon, but a spirit, which is something rare.

...He wishes Solas were here, in this moment. Solas would be able to explain what it is he's feeling, since Solas always seemed to know, since Solas was so much in both places.

But without Solas to interpret, he's curious, and so he looks up to meet her eyes. His face is gaunt, and he looks sad and sickly, but his eyes are kind and gentle. He doesn't step closer, but she has his attention, which is more than what can be said for most. ]

You're different.

[ He states that bluntly, then pauses. She might have something to say, but before she can, he interrupts. ]

You hear more than most, but not a mage that let's the songs sing through them and turn it. You just listen.

[oneirism]

[Lapis watches him perk up as she approaches, her head tilting slightly - though maybe he can sense something from her, like she can from him. She isn't sure what she's sensing, spirits like Cole not something that she's ever encountered before, but she can at least tell she has nothing to be wary about. Which is why, even though she tenses when his eyes meet hers, she doesn't glance away like she normally would; she can never look people in the eye, but it's different with ghosts. Or spirits, in this case.

That blunt statement simply gets a blink, not really minding it, though anything she was about to say is interrupted. But she listens patiently, confusion and curiosity showing in her eyes as her brows furrow, though her expression doesn't change much beyond that. She can... maybe understand part of that. Or she'll try to, anyway.]

... That's right. I like to think I'm good at that, though it's quieter here. [Back home, she could always hear the crowds of ghosts talking alongside the living, especially in cities. Here it's far too quiet.]

You're different too. You're like a ghost, but you're not.

b

[topscores]

[. . .

He moves his own umbrella to further investigate the guy in front of him -- he'd been following the boxes of cake, and he'd been so confused by it. He might've even had a bite or two-- So when Cole speaks up, Nice just stares blankly.]

What're you doing? Aren't you wasting a perfectly good cake like that?

[????? He even sounds a little judgmental at this point.]

[existency]

No.

[ His answer is blunt and straightforward, and there's a tiny note of frustration in his voice, as if it's troubling that people don't understand his actions. He doesn't expect them to, but at the same time, he doesn't do things just for mischief like people assume, and that's troubling. Mischief can hurt, so he wouldn't do anything like that. ]

They were thrown out of the bakery, since they're stale or not good anymore. But they don't need to be trash. They're not bad either.

[topscores]

[He might be a genius but he doesn't understand why people would be leaving cake in the rain ok]

Well yeah, I had to have a quality test back there.

[Of course he did.]

But why leave it out in the rain, though? I guess that's what's confusing me the most.

a!

[immobileyes]

[ Mary is not a stalker.

But she thinks she's seen him before, not enough to claim familiarity (because there was no one here from home yet, no Kido to sigh at her, no Kano to tease her or Seto to gently encourage her, no quarreling siblings)-- but she remembers that hat.

From much earlier, actually, and she has to wonder: has this person been wandering around this whole time? If she'd done that, she would have probably doubled over from exhaustion, but she's since taken several breaks on her little walk.

Honestly, it's his hat that holds her attention (is it like her hood, is he trying to hide himself), and she pays it - and him - more mind than she should, because when she notices someone who looks as though they might walk right into him in their hurried way to elsewhere, the words, panicked, escape her. ]

Look ou--!

[ And in true Mary fashion, which is to say that no one really knows how it happens, she gets jostled from behind as she steps forward to try and assist.

... And tips over, landing with the most impressive of WHUMPs. ]

[existency]

[ Cole notices that someone is following him, because he's good at noticing such things. It used to fill him with fear, a feeling that he shouldn't be found, but now, he can just ignore it. At least a little. He knows he sticks out when people see him, when he lets people see him, because he doesn't look like he belongs.

...But he's not used to it being this distracting.

When Mary falls, Cole is quick to be at her side, almost running there in concern. He holds out a hand that's worn and calloused, even though he's only in his late teens, but there's a clear gentility in his expression as he looks at her, which isn't something he often does. ]

I'm sorry. You fell because I forgot.

[immobileyes]

[ Okay, so he's not shy. Or as shy as she is, and Mary would make a note of this... except she's far too chagrined to think of anything except how utterly mortified she is that this total stranger is blaming himself. ]

No, that's--

[ Her voice breaks in a squeak, embarrassingly, and Mary bites her lip as she inwardly debates with herself as to what to do. If she ignores his hand, he might be hurt. If she takes his hand, is that like agreeing with him? Why is interacting with people so scary? ]

It's... n-not your fault... [ And like a graceful, regal medusa, the powerful lineage she's descended from--

She sounds as though she's about to cry as she reaches out and... pats his palm several times. There, there, she doesn't blame you IS SHE BEING REASSURING YET?? ]

C

[remainingtwin]

[It was strange to think that Christmas was coming up already, when in her world it had been summer. It was even stranger to think of passing that holiday without her mother or sister around her.

The florist's shop is usually a nice respite from daily life, but right now the flowers just remind her of things she couldn't give those she actually cared about. But maybe getting some flowers to brighten up her own place would help her brighten her mood.

Something with red and white flowers, to remember her sister by? She stares down the flowers like they might somehow make the decision for her, when Cole seems to appear from nowhere. Mio starts in surprise and stares at him for a long moment, as if trying to determine who he is or what he wants (mostly it's just he evokes a strange feeling that's both familiar and not and makes the butterfly bruising at her throat throb strangely), before remembering that in polite human society, you should probably acknowledge when you're spoken to.]

I... Yes? [Baffled, Mio reaches for the bouquet and then hesitates] How did you know?

[existency]

[ He's used to being stared at, but all the same, it makes his head bow a little more to hide his face under the brim of that large hat. Even though he's quite a bit taller than she is, the way he slouches and carries himself makes him come off as quite shy and small. When she reaches for the bouquet, he holds it out gently for her to take, though she she hesitates, so does he, and he withdraws it. ]

...It seemed nice. Nostalgic.

[ A thought floods in, but he tries to push it away, since at least around complete strangers, he's tending to learn not to blurt out the thoughts that come in, but... It's hard not to sometimes. He fidgets nervously, wanting to speak to it, but he holds himself back, saying only something simple. ]

It— Will help. Remembering helps, soothes, and smooths out old wounds that scar, darkening, dimming.

b

[braider]

[Astrid hadn't intended to go out to the park today, especially given the rain, but it's not like she isn't used to rain or anything. Back on Berk, if it wasn't raining, it was snowing. That was about it when it came to weather. So this? This was nothing. All the same, she still didn't want to be out long.

But her dragon had other plans.

Astrid had flown Stormfly into town, planning to be in and out in a shop. She left the dragon outside while she did what she needed to, but when she exited the store, the dragon was nowhere to be found. At least, in the immediate area. Even though the rain, the bright blue of her dragon wasn't hard to notice at the park across the street, so she replaced her hood over her head and followed after her.

When she caught up to Stormfly, the dragon in question was poking around a box under a tree. Astrid sighed, grabbing on to her saddle to get her attention.]

Stormfly, what are you doing? That's not yours.

[...not that Astrid knew who would have left a cake under a tree in the rain, but still.]

[existency]

[ When you're from a video game called "Dragon Age," there are a few creatures that you don't take kindly too, and chief amongst them is dragons. Cole had seen the dragon approaching one of the cakes he had left out in the rain before it saw him, and he had quickly retreated into cover where he could hide. He had fought dragonlings before, but that was with the others of the Inquisition at his side to help him. Alone... He wasn't sure if he could handle it.

But dragons were dangerous. They didn't mean to be, just like a bear didn't really mean to be, but bears didn't breathe fire, ice, or whatever else. So in his cover, Cole silently pulls out his daggers, as tense as a bowstring as he waits for the best chance to attack, but luckily, he never quite gets his chance.

Astrid approaches, and he hesitates, watching the interaction instead. It makes Cole's brow knit in confusion, since, well, the whole thing about dragons as far as they knew is that they didn't like anything else around. This one didn't even seem to mind that there was someone else there. And she didn't seem scared at all.

The grip on his daggers relaxes slightly, though he doesn't sheathe them. It's not the sort of thing he feels completely comfortable enough to do. But he shifts, then stands, peeking out of the cover where he had been hiding. Yet despite the threatening appearance of those daggers in hands, his voice is gentle and curious. ]

You're not afraid. Most people are afraid of dragons.