[action]

[la_matrona]

[Locked to Hector]

[she has drunk twice as much as the potion as normal just to get her through the day. Somehow she wants to be vital for it. It makes no sense and she doesn't care to think about it. Instead, first thing in the morning, even before the sun is really up, she tromps into the hut, shedding her muddied coat and galoshes by the door, thumping a box on a nearby table and spotting the idiota snaps:]

Give me your pants.

---
---

[Locked to Dove]

[sometime near mid afternoon, Imelda is sitting at a cafe, dressed reasonably well with a flower in her hair and stirring some tea, waiting and looking generally annoyed at life. It's nice to meet someone who she is starting to consider a friend-- though who knows how long that will last.]

---
---
[Open]

[Imelda, still under the potions affects and looking alive and in the flower of (irritated) youth, is trying to get an armload of unwieldy supplies across town and/or on public transport. She doesn't seem in a great mood, but when is she? Will you help her or bar her way? Take care with either one]

[Sometime in the night, you might find an exhausted skeleton who is nevertheless alive but doesn't have the wherewithal to stand. She'll be fine. She really will. It's not as if she can die again]

Comments

[chocobosnap]

[Prompto was out for a jog when he came across Imelda. He hasn't met her, in fact he doesn't remember reading anything on the network about her. He's kind of had his head buried in the sand as of late.

He really needed to get with the program. The world didn't end just because someone's life did.]

H-Hey. [Prompto smiles and waves in a friendly manner.] You look like your hands are full. Need a hand?

[la_matrona]

{she shifts the things in her arms, eyeing the young man who has come up to help. ...Supposedly]

What makes you think I need any help?

[chocobosnap]

Well it's not that you need it exactly, um, maybe I could be helpful anyway? I'm sure you've got it, it's just...

[Prompto knew he was babbling, he could hear it, and yet he didn't quite stop.]

It's just that your hands are full and sometimes when my hands are full it's kind of a pain so-

[la_matrona]

[she regards him a moment]

Very well. Gracias. [and hands him all the things]

I have a bit more to do while I'm at it. This way. [and she strides off. You've been recruited. Congratulations.]

[chocobosnap]

Sure. [He smiles and takes her belongings, it's not a problem, he's a strong guy after all.]

I don't mind. [Prompto said before walking after her.] I'm Prompto.

[la_matrona]

And what do you do with yourself every day, Prompto?

[chocobosnap]

Nowadays? I just work at the photography shop. We get hired for special events to get candid shots for our clients. It's not bad, it was the kind of thing I wanted to do when I was a kid.

[Action]

[micancion]

[He'd nearly startled into pieces when she stormed in, flinching back more in surprise than anything else.]

I-imelda!

Ah..wait.

[He shook his head, but quickly took in the box, her state (alive?)]

M-my pants? Did you get that much mud again, I have skirts too.

[Action]

[la_matrona]

[she rolls her eyes, quickly counts a breath and then tries to say in a more even tone without looking directly at him:]

I've bought you two more pairs, but I know how you like old, comfortable things so I'm going to darn those before they drive me loco.

Can I, por favor. [it doesn't really sound like a question though if he says no-- She will do her best to be fine with that]

Re: [Action]

[micancion]

[He blinked a bit before just, nodding. He really had no idea why she wanted to fix them but eh, she also had a point about him and comfort.]

Ah...a second?

[He riffles through his trunk, pulling out a skirt and wrapping it around his waist. With a bit of maneuvering and loosening bones he wiggled out of his pants. Stepping out he bent down to hand them to her.]

Is it so bad to be a bit loco, 'melda?

[Action]

[la_matrona]

[she rolls her eyes. It's not as if she's not seen him naked before. But it will be a shock to... well... She supposes some things don't cross over regardless-- and that's fine.

Also he looks ridiculous in a skirt and she doesn't understand how he manages to look somewhat attractive to in an odd way. She is half tempted to pull his foot on her lap and run her fingers along the back of his thigh bone just to make him rattle. That was always fun when they were alive.

When--

When he--

She takes a measured breath and calms herself, taking a seat on what passes for a couch and taking her darning supplies from her apron.

A little bit loco. She could thank him for putting that song in her head where it can run circles around her mind and just add to the feeling of being pecked to death from the inside. She is not just a little loco. The feelings sit in the back of her mind day in and day out with no where to go.

She realizes after a moment she hasn't actually replied to anything he's said.

Well...what's to say anyway. She bends her head and gets to work]

Re: [Action]

[micancion]

[He waits a bit, but she doesn't respond and he shrinks back a bit. The silence fills the area and with a slight rustle of the skirts he sits down, feet back in the water as he reaches for the slightly beat up guitar. He had tried to get a new one but...the sound this one made.

For a moment there is nothing, then as quietly as he can, he begins to warm up. No solid melodies, simply chords, strums and a few bits of scales.]

[Action]

[la_matrona]

[she startles at the sudden sound. The sudden music. Chills going through her fleshy body. Why she'd decided to come here like this, she'd never know. It makes her loco, him playing. Him playing sad. Why does he have to be sad? Why can't he just be happy? She doesn't have to be happy for him to be happy because she is never happy. It's just so]

Ah!

[she curses under her breath as she jabs her finger too carelessly with the needle and sticks it in her mouth to suck away the blood. Perhaps she's doing the wrong thing. She feels like that's always her lately. She always thought it was more him but maybe it was exactly the opposite]

Lo Siento. I suppose it would be easier for you if I weren't here. [and she's really here out of her own selfishness. What other reason would she have?]

[halfdeimos_king]

[Darc stops and tenses when he sees a skeleton lying around. He draws his sword, guard rising to full alert. Is this some sort of evil magic? Is the skeleton a monster that got into the city somehow?]

[Taking careful steps, he approaches the skeleton. He keeps an eye on his surroundings as well. Any movement, any spark of magic, he'd be ready for. The skeleton is wearing clothing, and there doesn't seem to be any blood or gore around. Another possibility dawns on Darc: is this another citizen?]

[Not taking any chances, he stops just out of the skeleton's lunging range, sword raised.]

Hey! What are you?

[la_matrona]

[she is not so much lying about as slumped against a wall, but when she sees him, she startles momentarily before sighing, irritated. Shifting she arranges her skirts about her legs and folds her hands on her lap, leaning back against the wall to regard him]

A person, like who, who just so happens to be dead; as everyone will be one day.

Now stop being rude and put that thing down.

[halfdeimos_king]

[His latter guess was right: the skeleton - she, it seems - is a citizen. Darc sheathes his sword. He's a little sheepish, but he's not ashamed of being cautious, either.]

All right, all right! I don't usually see skeletons unless something bad's happened. What are you doing out here anyway?

...Do you...need help?

[He's not sure what kind of help a dead person could need, or if he could even help them, but curiosity got the better of him. And his soft, human heart, apparently.]

[la_matrona]

That's no excuse. There are plenty of people who look monstrous but aren't. You could start with the question of help instead of just threatening someone.

Right now I am gathering my strength.

[but she's used too much of the potion and now feels drained. She wonders a bit of this is what being forgotten feels like] What are you and what are you doing?

[halfdeimos_king]

[Her words hit hard. Darc hadn't thought of his reaction that way, but he'd been judged for his appearance too. Experience guided him to expect danger and aggression, yet he couldn't deny the truth of what she said. For a moment, flustered thoughts boil beneath his furrowed brow. He reaches up to touch the crescent moon birthmark on his right upper arm.]

I'm new here. I want to know my way around, in day and night. [He's also feeling restless, and is walking to calm his nerves, but she doesn't need to know that.]

[As for what he is, there are several answers he could give - a Deimos, a king...a person, as she said. He seems to go with that thread.] I'm...Darc. My name is Darc. What's yours?

[la_matrona]

[she's pleased by this and can't help but show it]

You may call me Señora Rivera. [because that is how he should address her]

Are you looking for anything in particular? [she doesn't know Fayren well but can find her way to a few places if need be]

[Action]

[beautyrest]

[When something drops out of Imelda's arms, it does not fall to the ground. Rather, an owl swoops in, silent as ever and grabs it in mid-air, swooping back up and dropping it into Aurora's waiting hands before moving to sit on her shoulder.]

Forgive me, miss, you dropped this. [She held out the bag of fruits.] Do you need any help with your packages?

[Action]

[la_matrona]

[she startles a little at the owl, surprised at its presence and not so far from earlier days that she can't help but see it as a sign of bad luck. As if this young woman is a lecuza. But it doesn't take a second for her common sense to kick in and, at any rate, she is rather fond of women who do as they wish.

The kind gesture startles her]

Gracias, but I wouldn't want to trouble you.

[Action]

[beautyrest]

Oh, it's no trouble, I assure you. My friend and I [She gestured to the owl] were just out for a stroll.

[Action]

[la_matrona]

[she glances at the owl, hefting the things in her arms] Does he speak? [she's a little thrown by the word friend and can't tell if this woman means it literally or not]

[Action]

[beautyrest]

He does, as any owl can. But not in the way you might be thinking. He won't suddenly say "Hello" as you or I might.

[Action]

[la_matrona]

So he doesn't. [She's one of those floaty women, isn't she? Imelda doesn't mind but it's nice to know]

He is well trained then. [she adjusts the packages in her hands] I'm not far if you would like to help. I can give you something for your time.