Open Fauna post!

[nightwild]

[Fauna is a villainous general who recently reformed and became a hero, transforming into the armored figure Night Wild in order to combat the monsters of the Circle of Salvation, a cult whose goddess gives power and causes great destruction around the city.

Of course, Fauna has very little in her life outside of that. She's got a strong sense of justice, but still has to survive, and she has no way to do that legally in this world.

A: At a store.

If you're at a department or secondhand store, you might spot Fauna hanging around the racks of the cheapest clothing there, as she browses... and then discreetly picks an item or two and stuffs them into the pouch she wears at her side. It's easy to hide from the store staff, of course, but she's going to hurriedly move on. You might also find her just punching a vending machine to get some instant food or snacks without paying.

B: In the city.

If you're just hanging out outside in the evening, you might be minding your own business in the streets or the parks or what have you... until a large monster, green and muscular like an ogre, bears down on you, swinging a chunk of steel that was probably a streetlight a bit ago like a club.

Fortunately, before long, an armored figure in all red and black shows up, and kicks the monster back.

Perhaps less good, if you've been watching the news, this armored figure definitely used to help the monsters. Yet they're checking on you now?]

Are you all right?

[C: Wildcard.

jamjar option, other settings option, AU option, hit me with whatever you're feeling. smut probably goes in this one too if you're feeling getting the bang on.]

Comments

A

[deusexhormones]

[ Here to get materials to make a new costume at this thrift store... on the one hand, looking over from the next isle over (benefits of being tall) he's pretty sure he just saw a minor crime. On the other hand... who cares? These guys will survive a minor crime or two. On the other, other hand, this is a thrift store, so why is that redhead going and stealing something from there and not a department store who can take the losses better! On the other, other, other hand, they probably have more security cameras there-

Oh fuck it.

A voice from the next isle over as she makes to flee gruffly says, ]

Oi.

[ But will it stop her? If it doesn't he resolves to just kinda let it go in his head. ]

[nightwild]

[She pauses, before fixing him with a dirty look.]

What?

[If he's paying attention, the clothes she's wearing also seem to be very... well. They also look like they were dirt cheap and secondhand at best.]

[deusexhormones]

[ ... is the sort to stop, but looks a little desperate. To be honest, he's not exactly swimming in disposable income either, but he was ultimately here for costume components which could be passed up for the time being. And so he groans, runs a hand over his face, and, ]

Spot ya' for something.

[nightwild]

... What?

[She just sort of... stares, confused but suspicious.]

[deusexhormones]

--Spot you for something!

[ Wait, too loud. He grunts and shakes his head, holding up his hand as an "apology" before shuffling to walk to the end of the isle and slide into her one so he's not talking over a few shelves. ]

You know, clothes or food or whatever.

[nightwild]

... Yeah? And, what, in exchange, I've gotta do you some 'favors', right? I'll pass, thanks.

[passifloraincarnata]

A:

[to the average eye, Fauna's actions probably don't attract a whole lot of notice. it's not that this shared world they find themselves in runs on good behavior and people simply wouldn't judge the less fortunate more harshly any more than our real world would, but they also just never grew up passively surveilling their own peers for potential points off failure and imperfection to take advantage of like Setsuna did. and even if she's not the sort to judge first or at all anymore, the reflexes never really fade. someone trying to get away with something they know they shouldn't is someone she notices.]

Excuse me.

[she tries keeping her voice soft, as she approaches. not just to put Fauna at ease - but because she'd rather not make a scene at Fauna's expense, either.]

Did I just see you, er ... stealing something from that store ...?

B:

[Setsuna is not expecting to be attacked by a random monster from out of nowhere in the middle of the night, but neither is she unprepared for the experience - which is why she's (barely) managed to dodge each swing of that streetlight thus far, in an impressive feat of human exertion under the power of adrenaline (and also an entire lifetime of physical training, but what other people don't know can't be used against them); she's stood there in her red and white-striped tracksuit, breathing hard, sweat on her brow, one hand an inch from her pocket, and staring in bemusement at the sudden armored figure.]

I - I'm fine, yes! But watch out, it's really fast!

A

[nightwild]

[Crap. Who the hell is this?

Fauna tenses, giving the other girl an appraising, if hostile, look.]

What's it matter to you?

[passifloraincarnata]

Ummm ... well ...

[she's not actually sure how to broach this subject, and the bristling is what she was afraid of - ahhhhh, she's gotten better at this, but it's still so hard to be confident and kind in the same gesture, sometimes.]

That doesn't look like nearly enough clothes to get by on. Do you not have any money to buy your own clothes ...?

[nightwild]

[... Huh.

Usually, Fauna expects more judgmental, condescending responses. Someone accurately understanding the situation is... unusual.]

If I did, would I be here?

[passifloraincarnata]

Er. Maybe? People steal from each other for all sorts of reasons ... some of them good, some of them bad.

[she purses her lips.]

You didn't seem like you were just doing it to hurt anyone, so ... I was hoping it was for a good reason, yes.

[she shuffles around in her purse and pulls out a wallet.]

My mom gave me some clothes money, and I was thinking of getting some for myself, anyway, so if you wanted - I could buy those for you, and some more, too?

[nightwild]

... What, is this a pity show now?

[She folds her arms.]

I don't need pity or handouts. I don't need to be in someone's debt.

B

[nightwild]

Yeah, it is...

[Night Wild takes the device from the side of her belt, and holds it out, clicking one of the buttons, ejecting a disk from the top of the device. Catching it, she swaps it with another in the container at the side of her belt, and slams it into the top.

The device announces loudly: "Claws in the Dark! Owl right! Owl night! Owl!"

Her form blurs, and when it fades, the fox and mage aesthetics are gone- Now, she wields large kunai and her armor is patterned with feathers.]

I'm fast, too. Get out of here while you can.

[passifloraincarnata]

Are you going to fight it alone?!

[she looks incredulous - and concerned for Night Wild, bewilderingly.]

[... of course, she realizes, she can't do much like this, anyway. so she completes the motion she was going for, earlier, and reaches into her pocket, pulling out what looks like a small cellphone-like object as, from out of nowhere, what looks like nothing so much as a flying, sentient key with a heart at the end of it and a smiling face inside the heart swirls around her and lands in her other, outstretched hand.]

Not if I can help it! Change, Pretty Cure!

[- and she slams Akarun and her Linkrun together, surrounding herself with a dazzling red glow -] Beat Up!

[- and, as one heeled boot clacks against the ground, with the sound of rushing water and shimmering, strumming noise - a pink-haired, scarlet-clad girl in a dress repositions herself where Setsuna stood moments ago.]

[she makes a heart shape with her hands and presses it to her breast, eyes firm.] The scarlet heart is the proof of happiness! Freshly-ripened - Cure Passion! And I will never run away when I can help, instead!

[and she is instantly moving to just. straight up kick that ogre thing in the face, barely seconds after the words leave her mouth.]

[nightwild]

What- Damn it, are you from the Circle too?!

[The words scarcely leave her mouth before she's kicking herself. That's not possible, obviously, for SO many reasons, but... That's not important right now.

Cure Passion, huh. Night Wild doesn't have any phrases like that, but... Part of her, in a weird way, envies that elegant, princess-like look, rather than the feral beast she is, inside and out.

Think about that later.

With the ogre kicked, Fauna jumps, and spectral wings flap, allowing her to fly- While Setsuna kicks the thing up, Fauna launches a rain of knife-like feathers down, creating a pincer attack.]

[passifloraincarnata]

I've never heard of the Circle before? From the sound of your tone, though, they sound like bad news!

[Cure Passion follows her kick to the thing's face with a barrage of thudding, rapid-fire punches rising up from chest to chin, the pummeling impact hopefully leading its back directly into those feathers' line of fire.]

No wonder Akarun was saying there's something scary about this city. I'll have to be more careful ...!

B

[hailraiser]

[ The monster caught her off-guard for sure, leaving Aurora's attempt to roll out of the way turning more into a tumble. She's never been the most graceful, but even so, this is frustrating. The assistance is appreciated, and while she's giving Fauna a look that seems familiar, it stems more from not being local, and surprised at encountering a different manner of armored individual.

Pushing herself up with a grunt, she huffs and takes on an aloof tone. ] I'll live, but I don't know if my pride can take the hit over being caught unaware like that.

[nightwild]

You should run while you can.

[She turns back to the monster.]

[hailraiser]

I could, but I can't just let something like this go unchecked.

[ Does she mean the wounding of her pride, or the rampaging monster? Or both? It is a mystery.

She slides the sleeve of her coat up, exposing a techy metal bracelet with an inset purple gem, then sharply cuts that arm off to the side, palm open as she takes a wide stance. ]

Stellar Flash!

[ That gem emits a bright flare of light, coalescing into a fixed beam that forms into a glowing, jagged purple M with a tail in front of Aurora. It exudes cold vapor for a few moments at a rapidly increasing rate until it concentrates and scales down, encasing the letter in a gem that lodges itself on the woman's forehead. She glows bright white all over briefly, then dims back down in black, blue, and lilac armor. ]

[nightwild]

Another one.... Damn it, are you with the Circle?

[Night Wild takes some distance, fire gathering around both hands as she seems to watch both the monster and the newcomer as threats.]

[hailraiser]

Can't say I know anything about a Circle--yet.

[ Scorp-Zero's attention is on the ogre, and after making a wide, circular motion around herself, conical chunks of ice form, about the size of megaphones, and fly off toward the creature. Where-ever they hit, they shatter on impact, leaving the area they hit feeling exceptionally frosty. ]

I'm from out of town, checking into some rumors about monsters in this area - looks like they found me, though.

A

[didntseiso]

[This song and dance. Nikki knows this song and dance.

[Valefor's cackling at this no-doubt Master Thief aside, first rule of retail is: you see someone shoplift food or clothes, then no you didn't.

[When she sees her again, at the vending machines, she can take a more active hand - punches in her cash for her snacks and drink, then punches them in again.]

Hey kiddo, think fast.

[There is now a Snickers bar sailing through the air towards Fauna's hands.]

[nightwild]

Who are-

[She wants to protest more, but then she manages to catch the Snickers.

In her teeth.]

-you ca'ing ki'o?!

[didntseiso]

What would you prefer I call you?

[She pops open her hot coffee, cupping it in her hands.]

[nightwild]

My name's Fauna.

[It's an obvious fake name, but.

She takes the candy bar out of her mouth, bites off an end of the wrapper, and then just starts chewing on the bar.]