unfinishedlibrary | do you bare your fangs at us, sir? MOONLIT RIVALS LOG 2, SCENE 2

Who: Readers and Actors
What: The werewolves who are not sneaking into the party cause a bit of mischief... and did anybody actually agree to keep the peace tonight?
When: The night of the ball itself. [ooc timeline: Feb 6th - 19th]
Where: The city of Montica.
Content warnings: Please include any warnings in headers.

Waxing Gibbous Moon

In Town

Above the city, the Umbra Mansion stands tall. Its grand doors and windows have been opened, spilling light like a beacon. Music lilts in the air, drifting so far as to be faintly heard even in the neutral centre of the city.

The streets have emptied, particularly in the vampiric half of town. Most of the vampire loyalists have joined the masquerade, leaving their homes and shops unattended. Tonight is a special night - a once in a century event, and they wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Even some werewolves and neutral citizens have been enticed to attend. Jadis the Mystic has created a lotion that will disguise the scent of a werewolf; an effect that is broken by shifting, breaking the skin, or the gradual passage of time. It is not widely distributed, but rumours travel fast. The lotion is only given to any Guildulf-aligned werewolves, but… well, there’s nothing wrong with a little trade here or there. Right?

For all of the wolves in town - with the moon so close to being full, it’s natural for them to feel a bit more excitable. Energetic. Ready to take on the world. And seeing as Montica is so empty, it’s like a playground has just been opened up. The young wolves in particular are eager to take advantage of the empty streets, the sound of not-quite-mature howls breaking through the air in their excitement. There are hardly any people around to be scared if they play too rough or run too fast, and they are taking advantage of this with great enthusiasm.

In the highly-debated 'neutral' zone, some small packs of adolescent werewolves are gathering. There's banter and roughhousing, the not-quite-adults playfully shoving each-other over the invisible line where the vampire territory begins.

Some of the bravest amongst them take the challenge to dart over and brush their fingers over silver doorhandles - their yelps spurring courage and adrenaline in the others. What starts harmlessly enough quickly escalates as they urge each-other on, teenage excitement and the thrill of the moon encouraging all sorts of bad choices. The longer they go without reprimand, the more bold they become; and somewhere along the way, bulbs of garlic start winding up in places they wouldn't normally be found. (There is at least one group who is excitedly challenging each-other to leave the garlic in more and more absurd places. If they happen to sting themselves on some silver ornamentation on the way, all the better.)

Not all homes are unoccupied, though - sooner or later someone’s going to disturb someone else’s peace, and tensions are already so high. Hopefully there are some Responsible Adults around to curtail the worst of the mischief before someone’s temper is sparked.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"... I'll hear you out." Another story. Yet another story to bear. He can do that. He's done that so many times before.

Who is he going to have to tell this story to next?

The shadows grow and pool around her. "I am not this body. I can protect you, heal you, from within, but it means leaving this person behind, and joining your shadow."

She pauses. "It means being stuck with me, for now. And it means you might have to hide me from the others. If. If you're okay with all that, then I'll fulfill this pact."

This is all beyond him. This is all a lot. He looks her up and down.

"... I've hidden a lot of things. We'll see if you can even save me. ... I'm a dead man walking in more ways than you know."

He presses a thumb against his forehead, rubbing for a moment. "... Lily. You're not going to have it easy if you stick with me."

"We are all dead men walking," she says, with... A laugh that's more sad than amused. "We live, breathe, die. Some of us more men than others."

Her expression fades back to melancholy. "So, yes. It will be terrible. But I've done it before, and I can do it again."

She's not sure what she'll do, after this.

but she extends her hand, palm up.

"You'll... you'll see, I guess." He doesn't know what he's doing. He has no idea what he's gotten himself into.

But that hasn't stopped him before, has it? Getting into things with only a surface understanding of what it meant... he stands and walks over to her. He hesitates - "As long as I can be myself, in the end."

- and then takes her hand.

For a moment, nothing happens. His hand is in hers, and things seem as normal as ever.

"... I have been informed this might feel a little weird. Like you're floating. Also, to please be ready to catch this woman. She lives, yet."

And then, the shadows crawl up Iris's arm, and onto Jun's, and sink into the darkness around him. Despite his lack of belief in magic, he can feel his shadow gaining substance, even as the deep inky color fades from around the other.

If Jun doesn't react immediately, the shadows themselves will reach and, solid, try to cushion the woman's fall. It's the least I owe her. After everything.

The tone in her voice indicates that, in fact, she cares a lot more about the woman than she's letting on.

Edited 2026-02-23 03:59 (UTC)

He moves to attempt to catch her, moving despite what's happening to his body. He can feel something going on, but he's not sure how to express it - so he pushes it aside for the moment.

For a few long seconds he's just holding this person, much larger than himself and heavier than he's tried to catch before. Carefully he moves, half dragging her over to the bed and, with some effort, laying her down on it.

Jun stares down at his shadow when he's done, experimentally reaching down to try to touch it. He feels... faint and a little weird. "... What now?"

Now, I fulfill my part of the bargain-- at least, the immediate. A warning: this will sting. I'm going to give you a shadow of the werewolf's regeneration.

The shadow reaches up to his injured hand.

You know that kind of itchy feeling you get, when you have a scab you know you shouldn't pick at, but it's pricking all over your skin, just under the bandages?

It's like that, but worse.

This won't stop the change. But at least you'll have the use of your hand again, should the Laurelthirst's peace be broke a third time tonight.

He shudders - the feeling is so odd, but he doesn't pick at it as much as he wants to. He has more self control than that.

He walks over to where he has a jug of water and dips a piece of his shredded sleeve into it, wiping the water on his wound.

"Okay." He says out loud, even if he's somehow suspected that she can hear his thoughts. "... We're going to set some ground rules."

She's stuck herself to him, it's only fair. "You can wander off on your own, but you're going to tell me where you're going when you do. And I'd prefer you not look like me if you can help it."

And now for the big one. "And don't you dare lie to me about anything. If I find out, which I will -" He hopes. "I'll find a way to make you regret it."

Now for other business. "There are some people I need to see tomorrow. Amalia's one of them. Is that going to be a problem?"

She addresses the ground rules in order.

As you just saw, my leaving a body, or using my abilities, are visually obvious. I can't leave you, for now-- at least, not where anyone can see. As he washes the sleeve and the bite mark, it's clearly healing over, whole. There's a scar, of course, but a mild one.

As for looking like you? I don't want to, so that's not an issue. I may have to, but that's more if I need to save you. The shadow retracts, and Jun's shadow looks... almost normal. A bit deeper. Ech. Thought I left this sort of thing behind over a decade ago.

Very well. No lies. Of course, the trick there is, does Jun know the right questions. Ask your questions.

Since I'm trying to hide from your other guardians? No, it isn't a problem. I'm content to stay hidden.

"Good." To all of that, really. "What sort of thing?"

He sits down in the chair she had been in, looking over at the person who she had been. "... Are you going to see my dreams? What's in my head? I don't know how this works."

being a man.

No time to dwell on that as she answers the rest of the questions. Probably not. At least, I didn't see this woman's. Her emotions, some of her memories, her thoughts, especially towards me. If you're feeling it, I'm feeling it. If you're remembering it, I'm remembering it. That is, as they say, the deal.

She's a shadow, why is it - you know what, never mind.

"... You're going to have some trouble at night, then." He settles into the chair - that woman can wake up whenever she wakes up. He can sleep sitting up if he has to. "My dreams are... bad. So..." He'd apologize, but she's the one who bought into this.

Everyone has their horrors. ... And. If it helps. I'm right here to protect you. Remember that.

Edited 2026-02-23 05:01 (UTC)

"They do. Trust me, I know that better than most." He swallows hard and shakes his head. She'll see. Or she won't, but she probably will. "Let me know if she wakes up."

He yawns and sets his glasses aside. "We'll deal with the mess in the morning, okay?"

do you bare your fangs at us, sir? MOONLIT RIVALS LOG 2, SCENE 2

In Town

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