Tell me what you see [Re-Intro/Halloween Event]

[momentbymoment]

Being back in semi-familiar stone hallways in a place that shouldn't exist isn't what bothers Eva. It isn't the fact that she's only slowly remembering that she has been here before, and what transpired, or how freaking weird it was.

No, what's bothering her right now is the fact that she's eyeball level with a dandelion.

She tries to frown and finds that her face doesn't cooperate, like it doesn't have the right muscles. Frustrated, she tries to see what she can do, and begins to notice the buck teeth, and the whiskers.

She startles herself horribly and springs wildly into the air, spinning around and flailing her fluffy limbs. An outside observer who knows a thing or two about small mammals might call it a popcorn. Eva lands and her eyes are wide, her nose twitching at a million miles a minute.

WHAT THE HELL?!

The force of her thought is enough to send it out psychically into the area around her. She doesn't know it yet, but she can communicate that way, for as long as her mouth won't obey human language.

Eva may be distressed, but she is a scientist. So she will handle this the way any scientific thinker would. She observes. She takes.. mental notes, since she can't write. She can see her hands (front paws) and some of her body if she turns (a fluffy tail). She's apparently blue and yellow for some cosmically ironic reason, and she is, absolutely, unequivocally, unarguably, a rabbit.

Nothing for it but to look for answers. Or help. Or a nice carrot. So off she hops, down the hallway, and through whatever doors are left open.

Comments

[dr_awesome]

In all honesty, Neil probably shouldn't be out in the courtyard.

Sure, he's been having a lot more good days than bad days, but that's only due to all but chugging Grune and Tauriel's tea remedies and mainly sticking to strict bed rest. Plus, he knows things have been weird around the castle, and knows leaving his room even just to say hi could lead to him getting his arm bitten off by someone he'd call a friend.

But bed rest can get very boring, and Grune had mentioned how nice her flowers looked, so if she caught him out of bed, he could wave it off that he had to come see for himself, when in reality he just thought even going for a walk would help him feel like less of a worthless lump.

He isn't expecting to hear Eva's voice, and it reaches him like a slap in the face. His partner... is here? She came back? He isn't sure whether to be overjoyed or guilty for that joy or angry she hadn't managed to get him a stock of his painkillers before she disappeared. So many things he wants to say, should have said before she left, flood into his mind before he pushes them back, focusing on finding her for now.

"Eva!" he calls out, as he tries to at least speedwalk if not run to her location. "Eva, where are you?"

There's nothing but a rabbit... a weird blue rabbit, but a rabbit regardless. He sighs, trying to hide his disappointment behind a weak smile.

"Great, I thought I had gotten past hallucinations." He looks down at the bunny. "Hey little guy. Don't suppose you've seen a tall, dark and naggy lady somewhere around here?"

[momentbymoment]

She's trying to sort her thoughts as she travels. Walking has always been good for thinking... hopping isn't too bad, either. Even if it is a bit humiliating.

This is a place she has been before. She met some very strange people. Neil was here, and he was in really bad shape. He was... dying. He hadn't even told her. She'd forgotten, when she left, and now she remembers, being here again. She'd determined (mostly) that this place wasn't a memoryscape before, but she's starting to second-guess that again.

Neil was home when she was home. Maybe he isn't here anymore? Maybe that's for the best, since he can't exactly treat himself, while he's here. But still, the thought of facing this weirdness without her partner makes her feel a little pang of... something. Something she doesn't want to name, but still feels guilty about.

Then she hears his voice. Her long ears perk up dramatically and her nose goes at it again. Neil? You're here?! You're... not dead, she whispers to herself in relief. She still doesn't know that her loudest thoughts can be heard, so she bounds off in the direction of his voice.

She can pinpoint him with her sensitive ears, and finds him with no trouble... only to very quickly realize the problems, here. She's a lisa frank rabbit. Of course he doesn't recognize her.

Shit. Of course. And then two and two come together. He called out to her because he probably heard her. Also, he's rude as hell.

Excuse you, short, scruffy, and obnoxious. Yeah, that should about test it.

[dr_awesome]

He can hear her speak once again, calling out to him. So she really is here. He's so relieved. Even if he feels really selfish about being relieved. He just wasn't sure how long he'd last without her around, is all.

But as he hurries farther into the gardens, he can't find her anywhere. There's absolutely no sign of her. He frowns down at the little bunny, who's nose is twitching, before it... swears?

Wait, no, he's just hearing a swear. From Eva? And then an insult, and he searches the area fro her, huffing already as he riles himself up for another back and forth of insults.

"Hey, excuse you, I'm only two of those things! Come the hell out and say that to my face Eva!"

And then another look down at the bunny, and a lopsided grin.

"Sorry. My partner can be a little rude, but she's a softie at heart. I'm sure she'll love you."

[momentbymoment]

Bunnies may not be able to frown, but she sure can roll her eyes. Which she does, repeatedly, as Neil keeps looking around for her and not realizing that she is the bunny.

She could make him suffer with it, play along like she's hiding or incorporeal or something... but that level of mean-spiritedness just isn't in her. Not right now. Not with how sick he looks.

I didn't know you felt that way, Neil. I'm touched. A softie huh? Maybe...

She hops up to him again and gets up on her hind legs as tall as she can go. Which... isn't very high.

I am saying it to your face, dingus.

[dr_awesome]

Well, excuse him for assuming his partner was actually a human. You know, like normal. Not that he should expect normal in the castle, but he was stupidly, foolishly hopeful.

Fortunately, hearing her voice again helps him realize just how close it is. Weird. It sounds like she's right in front of him...

And then the bunny gets up on her hind legs and... oh. Oh.

"...Um."

Sorry, just. Give him a minute to stare. Another minute.

[momentbymoment]

He is excused, only by the grace of Eva's kindness.

And the fact that she's maybe a little overjoyed to see him. A little. Sort-of.

Yeah, I know. I don't know why, but I'm apparently a rabbit. And I guess you can hear my thoughts, too, which is... helpful, but creepy. I'll assume by the stupid look on your face that you don't know anything about people turning into rabbits.

And therefore doesn't know how to change her back. Fabulous.

[dr_awesome]

He is still kind of overjoyed to see her, though a lot of that is overcome by the fact that she is definitely a rabbit instead of a human what the fuck.

"Um... yeah, yeah, I can hear you, it seems. I uh, don't know if this helps, but a lot of people have been turning into weird things lately. So at least you turned into something pretty harmless and cute."

He can't resist a little teasing at the end.

[momentbymoment]

What the fuck is exactly correct. Ten points to Wattvenclaw.

I guessed, since you kept reacting to my thoughts. She thumps her foot impatiently on the ground. Some people are turning into weird things, huh? Well at least Neil seems normal... for now.

Har-har. Cute her big ears. Bite her, asshole.

[lightofthestars]

Tauriel blinks, and then blinks again. A familiar voice has spoken within her mind. It is not one she knows well, but she still knows she has spoken to this person before.

Are you well? she calls back in her mind. Her skill is not great, but maybe it will be enough.

[momentbymoment]

Her skill is absolutely enough. Eva takes her turn blinking, and shaking her head a little, and blinking again. She gets up on her hind paws and stretches high to look around. She heard the voice, but didn't hear it. Like she was listening to her own memory, but it wasn't under her control.

It's a voice that sounds familiar, even if she can't quite place it yet. Hello? Are you... hearing me? Ah, but she was asked a question. I am not in immediate danger, no. But it would not be correct to say she was 'well' exactly.

[lightofthestars]

I am, yes.

She closes her eyes. The voice is not distant, but neither is it near.

Where are you, so that I may help you?

[momentbymoment]

Something tells her she can trust this voice. She knows they've met, she has a series of emotional reactions to remind her of such. A rocky start, but ultimate trust, in the end. Someone who took care of Neil...

All right... that's new. Um... I'm not far from the gardens.

She starts to hop toward them, trying to remember the way. I think I know you, but I can't quite recall.

[lightofthestars]

I think I may know you as well, she says as she begins to walk that way. I am Tauriel. Did I once tell you my name?

[momentbymoment]

Tauriel. The name activates the face in her memory, and the elf woman's features appear in her mind. That's right. The one who mistook her for an apparition the first time she saw her. But the intent was always to protect Neil, and in the end they had reconciled. Tauriel is a powerful, caring force. Eva is almost envious of her. But someone she can trust, for sure.

You did. I remember now. Some things are coming back slowly... now that I'm here again. It's Eva.

[lightofthestars]

Eva! She did not mean to cry her name, but she is greatly startled. I did not know you could speak as one of my people.

She had been sure Eva was human, and yet....

[lostinmyway]

If Eva cares to look for more dandelions, she'll find a decent share of those in the central gardens--along with a green-haired gardener carefully pulling them out from her beds. She's humming softly as she pulls the weeds and sets them aside in a possibly tempting pile to a hungry rabbit.

handwaves some timeline idk

[momentbymoment]

Eva is looking for pretty much anything, at this point. Answers, a transform-back stone, food. She's a little more at ease now that she knows Neil is here and safe (ish), so she isn't in a rush.

She does smell a garden, though, and that's a very tempting smell to a rabbit. So she follows her nose, until she finds Grune gardening away. The sight of it is rather soothing, actually, and she leans back on her haunch to watch for a moment or two... until the smell and look of that pile of weeds starts to get to her.

Pardon? She wonders if this lady will be able to hear her, too.

/wave wave

[lostinmyway]

Grune blinks and looks about. "Hello?"

Was someone talking to her?

It doesn't occur to her to look down.

[momentbymoment]

Yes, hello! Eva tries to sit up on her hind legs and puts her ears up to get attention. If that doesn't work she will politely thump her foot. or as politely as she can manage.

Sorry, down here...

[lostinmyway]

Grune looks down.

"Oh!" She beams. "Hello, Miss Bunny! Your fur is so pretty!"

[momentbymoment]

Eva's ears relax down a little, as if to look sheepish.

Ah, well, I'm not usually a bunny, but thank you. She seems so sincere... even if Eva thinks she looks a little garish, may as well be gracious.

This is really weird to ask, but, would you mind if I took that stack of weeds off your hands?

[lostinmyway]

Her head tilts to hear that Miss Bunny isn't usually a bunny--but then she asks a question, and Grune brightens.

"Oh, no, you can have as many as you like!" she answers. "Would you like me to rinse them off?"

There's still a little dirt in the leaves, after all.

[silvermists]

LOUD.

Being naturally sensitive to projected mental voices, plus being in a dragon's body in an extra-magical place... he picks up that 'shout' from halfway across the castle, where he's resting on a rooftop. He's awake in a heartbeat, confused and hopeful at the same time. Zidane?

No, sadly, not Zidane. Just an annoyance.

Keep it down, would you? he sends back to whoever woke him, irritable.

[momentbymoment]

She is not in the mood for your sass right now, random voice. She doesn't even stop to be surprised that she can hear another... nonverbal voice. She's too angry about being told off.

Well, excuse me for being loudly displeased about being rudely dislocated and transformed. Please, carry on with whatever your important business is.

[silvermists]

Trying to sleep for the first time in a week and a half. You didn't hear me screaming about being yanked out of the world and transformed, just like you.

True, he didn't. He's not the shouting sort, unless things have gone very wrong. Nothing the castle has thrown at him yet has held a candle to all the weirdness and horrors of his life at 'home'.