abraxaslogs | don't, don't, don't bite your friends

[ Nanaue doesn't seem to register the darker side of Henry's laughter, and he roars victoriously over the receding sound of the goat's screaming as it flies through the air and hits the ground somewhere in the tall grass. The circle of goats around him scatter in fear, bounding away in all directions - except for Seven, who Nanaue spots heading toward Henry. ]

RAWWWGHHHHHH!! [ He roars in its direction, stomping a thundering foot into the ground threateningly. It's fortunate that the scent of blood isn't in the air, not yet, his flared nostrils catch nothing that might tip his predatory nature over the edge into a true frenzy. This is all threat display, defensive. This Seven goat wants to hurt friend Henry, and he will not let that happen. ]

Hey! What are you two doing with those goats? [ an admonishing voice calls out to them, an older native with a weathered face and gray hair. He stands at the edge of the maypole circle, two younger men flanking him. One looks at Nanaue with nervousness.

Nanaue holds his position, but blinks at them in confusion - then at Henry. ]

[Uh-oh. THE JIG IS UP.

Henry might not have minded seeing Nanaue tilt himself into a frenzy, but that's probably more indicative of a well-hidden violent nature than an easy-going one. But thankfully, that's not something they'll get to explore today, or at least... it doesn't seem to be.

Instead, they're duly interrupted by an older man who looks to be disapproving of the turn their "guarding" of the maypole has taken. Henry swivels around to look at them, then clasps his hands neatly behind his back, the very essence of innocence. (Citation needed.)]

The goats are causing a ruckus a little too close to the maypole.

[He smiles. He can sense Nananue's confusion, but it's fine; he'll take it from here. Number Seven bleats indignantly from where he trudges forward.]

We're just making sure they give it a wide enough berth.

[ Nanaue watches, jaws agape, as Henry maneuvers the conversation alone. The elder gives them a dubious look - clearly one of the few who is not intimidated by the giant manshark in the settlement.

The sharkman is, however, suddenly fixated on the last thing Henry said. ]

Birrrth?

[ Huh?

He looks at Henry, then Number Seven as it (she???) trudges forward. He puts a massive hand in its way, catching a headbutt in his palm. ]

Baby?

[ He's crouching down, arm still extended to gently keep the goat at bay, while apparently trying to check the under-carriage...

The elder looks both confused and irritated now. ]

Make sure he doesn't do anymore damage! [ he grumbles at Henry as he stomps past them toward a group of younger children, probably giggling too loud or something. ]

He hasn't done any damage.

[—Henry turns and says with a smile as the man trudges past, in that well-practiced tone of politeness that holds an edge of patronization beneath. But it's not like it’s a lie; they’ve not “damaged” any goats or property. They’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. (Probably.)

But with that out of the way, a warning tucked firmly under their proverbial belt, Henry turns back around to see Nanaue checking Number Seven’s belly. Some of his mask-like politeness eases back and he allows his brows to cinch a little.]

No, he’s a boy. “Berth” is just another word for… room.

[Speaking of room, he holds his hand out and the goat once more skids back under the force of his telekinesis.]

Maybe I should just keep him like this all day.

Edited (omg sorry for your inbox) 2023-06-04 22:25 (UTC)

Not yet he hasn't... [ the man grumbles on his way out, seemingly intent on having the last word.

His under-carriage inspection reveals a very large pair of hanging organs. Nanaue turns to blink at Henry for his explanation, and he can probably hear the gears grinding within that large skull as he processes this information. It's hard for him when two words are pronounced the same, or when one word has too many meanings that he has to remember.

The goat is punted backwards again and away from his extended arm, which causes him to laugh low and rumbly for a moment, before looking curiously at Henry again. ]

Tired?

[ Nanaue never gets tired! But Henry is small and skinny. Or does his magic make him not get tired doing this? ]

[Oh. That man is definitely going to have to deal with Polite Yet Passive Aggressive Henry the next they meet. But for now, his attention returns to the matter at hand.

Mostly: Henry's powers keeping the goat at bay. He hasn't frozen every bone and muscle in his body, though, so Number Seven paws fruitlessly at the ground with his hooves, trying to gain traction.]

What, this? No. A goat's easy.

[Not nearly enough to cause a nosebleed.]

I can handle much bigger. Want me to lift you for fun?

[ Another rumbling heh heh heh heh from him as the goat tries to fight back.

Nanaue tilts his head at skinny Henry. ]

Fun! [ but then he adds: ] You lift try...

[ This is like a challenge.

(it's almost like he's forgotten how he recently got punted across Horizon by seemingly average human man)

(he has most definitely half forgotten this) ]

[His brows lift high enough to nearly reach his hairline. Try. Was that a challenge, Nanaue? Somehow, bafflingly, this actually amuses him.]

You must really think I'm weak.

[And physically, yes. He is lanky and noodly and does not command much of a presence. But there's a reason why Papa had implanted Soteria into his neck for all those years, back at the lab.

While one hand keeps Number Seven at bay, his other reaches for his companion, palm-up. Nanaue will feel an invisible force simply... lift him off the ground, raising him a handful of feet up into the air. And keeping him there. He can move his limbs around, but it's just like he's floating.]

How's this?

[ He shakes his head. ]

I no think...

[ That Henry is weak.

His attempt to lie about this after just heavily implying the opposite is extremely transparent.

It doesn't matter, though, because soon after Nanaue finds himself floating. He looks down at the ground in wonder, wiggling his toes first and then spreading his arms out wide in delight. ]

Grahahahahah!

Up! Up!

[ Can he go higher? ]

[Yeah, no, Nanaue thinks he's weak. But that's fine; there's more to strength than physical power, especially where psychics are concerned.

Case in point: when his companion requests to go even higher, Henry humors him, hoisting him up several feet more. Then, very slowly, Nanaue begins a rather lackadaisical rotation around the maypole.

All the while, Number Seven is kept in his spot. At this point, the even the goat cranes its head up to look at the shark man floating in a circle above, and bleats as though to comment.]

[ As he floats in his circle Nanaue begins to happily paddle - the way a dog might when held above water.

He'll continue on like this until Henry eventually lets him go. ]

[Aren't you a shark, Nanaue? Why do you need to doggy paddle.

Henry is "nice" enough to give him a few more rotations around the maypole, just slowly enough that Number Seven somehow loses all of his fire and grows bored, sitting down. Henry tests its loss of motivation by letting it go from his powers; he immediately gets up and... trots the other way.

Good.

Eventually, Nanaue is set down.]

Back to guard duty, Nanaue.

don't, don't, don't bite your friends

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we can wrap this lmao

consider it wrapped!