abraxaslogs | (oct and) september catch-all; open

Astarion? I retrieved a few new handbills for the shows in Ikorr this month. We have options, both serious and entirely for commentary.

[It has become a little tradition at this point - going into Ikorr and picking a few of the galleries to go to. As it turns out, Ikorr's modern art scene is both deeply silly and extremely beautiful, depending on what set of doors one walks through. Clearly there's no catering to the Summoned, and that part makes it all the more enjoyable.

The nice part is that many of the galleries have their little calendars of shows available to take home in the form of handbills. There's more than usual this month, and that's exciting.

Except Astarion has been replaced by--

--Alucard follows the squeaking. He knows what it sounds like, he has suspicions, but he dare not assume until he lays eyes on it.

His attention goes upwards, just in time to see a white bat smack into a cabinet.

How is this the second time he's found a friend turned into an animal by watching them flail and crash?

He's careful as he walks over, not sure if the crash has actually made Astarion fall on the ground or if he's just panic flying. Either way, Alucard has a hard time not sounding warm as he says:]

Well, congratulations on your wings

[ The crash has made him fall to the floor behind a workstation, where for a moment there is no more squeaking or struggling.

However - as Alucard approaches, the little vampire bat that is Astarion bursts up in a panic, no longer stunned, and flies blindly into Alucard's face. ]

[Okay, so now he knows how Jaskier feels. A face full of bat is, in fact, not pleasant. In fact, it hurts. Just a little.

But with a batstarion on his face, Alucard can also gingerly remove the creature and try to carefully, carefully nudge it into his other hand, palm up, slightly curved, ready to try and figure this situation out.]

Stop squeaking and sit for five seconds. You're fine.

[ Batstarion struggles a bit in Alucard's grip, but once within the confines of his curved palm he seems to calm down enough, at least to get across a message: ]

I am NOT fine! I am nowhere close to fine! This is... this is...

[ ... not the bat transformation he had in mind when he was imagining himself as the Vampire Ascendent.

He wraps his wings around himself, giving the impression of an indignant cotton ball. ]

This is your first time as a bat.

[Is he...proud? Delighted?

No, he's being very serious. Promise.]

Do you want to change form or try flying in a bit of a more controlled manner?

[ Astarion in no way believes Alucard is being serious about this. However - ]

I would very much LIKE to change back before anything else...

[ You know, just to be certain he actually can. What if he's stuck like this forever - he is catastrophizing, slightly. ]

Okay. Listen to me carefully, because this is going to sound strange and it will take effort.

[Alucard's tone, thankfully, does shift to fully serious. With his free hand, he offers it out towards Astarion.]

Think of your wings as a modified version of your hand. Everything is large and spread out now, but you have certain bones. I'm going to touch them.

[He does just that, gingerly tracing a finger over Astarion's right wing, identifying what keeps the glorious, leather wings capable of flying around the workshop.]

They're not too different from your hands, they're just spread out more and with your skin stretched taught over them. Now imagine what you have now starting to rearrange itself. The skin shrinks. Wraps around your hand as it should be. Everything just goes back into place, and it's doing so because you're willing your body to behave in the way it should when it has a human shape. Just keep visualizing it until you feel things start to move, then it should follow naturally.

And here I was hoping you would simply offer me words to an incantation...

[ Ignoring how he can't speak them properly right now.

Astarion is... familiar enough with animal transformation, having traveled with two druids. But beyond knowing how it looks when they change shape, he'll have to trust what Alucard tells him will apply to whatever this is.

Silently, he curses the godsforsaken rock for the upteenth time.

His wing flaps in agitation as Alucard traces along the shape of it, though he eventually spreads it taut, trying to concentrate on his words. ]

Perhaps you ought to put me down somewhere... private.

[ If he messes up and turns into some half-bat monstrosity... ]

I'm afraid that this isn't how it works.

[Actually, Alucard has no idea how it works, but he can make a few decent guesses.

The wing flap makes the dhampir nervous for a moment, worried he's applying too much pressure or all the flying around has caused some other bone damage to his friend's new form. As it is though, it's just an expression of fuck this entire situation, which Alucard can understand.

He looks around, and settles for a spot that has two sets of bookshelves that form a sharp L. That'll have to do. Astarion goes down on the ground very, very carefully.]

I'll be over here.

[Over here being the other side of the shelves, but still.]

Squeak if you need me.

[ He gives an indignant squeak as he's lowered to the ground, still quite overwhelmed with the reality of being so small and moving on four limbs. The floor is much more dusty than he recalls, and some sort of beetle crawls nearby, distracting him for a minute.

But, eventually, he manages to do as Alucard instructed - calming down and willing his body to revert back. He does not, thankfully, turn into some hideous, half-bat monstrosity, and when Alucard hears him step around from the bookshelves he'll see his friend looking his usual pale self, albeit it annoyed and definitely embarrassed. ]

There - do I...? [ He grimaces, slowly spinning in place so Alucard can let him know for certain that he looks as he should, given that he can't exactly check himself in a mirror... ]

[Alucard has spent the last few minutes looking at the ceiling. Then the floor. Then at the door. Making a point to listen without really paying attention. Truth be told, he's expecting bad noises.

And they never come. He turns when he hears his friend's voice, and the dhampir smiles approvingly.]

You seem perfectly in tact from the front side. How do you feel?

Annoyed. [ He scowls at first, patting at his shirt absently. ]

I didn't expect my new form to be so... small...

[ Was he really able to fit in Alucard's palm? That doesn't seem right... ]

[Alucard manages not to laugh, but for god's sake Astarion.]

For what it's worth, I am about the same size when I take that form, and I can't communicate nearly as well as you just did. [Or at all, but never mind....]

This is new though. I thought vampires didn't have a bat form in your world?

[ Astarion waves his hand, and Alucard might get the sense that through his annoyance he's... grateful, for the effort put in to soothe his wounded pride right now... although he continues to scowl. ]

Spawn cannot take the form of a bat. But a master has the power of transformation...

[ Cazador could transform into a mist, and he'd kept bats around to command, along with his other less intelligent minions...

His expression turns pensive, and he arches an eyebrow. ]

You don't suppose this all might have something to do with our... ascension?

[ Perhaps this isn't such a terrible day after all. ]

[Out of respect for that pride, Alucard is not going to transform right now to match. Showing off that he's a number of bats instead of just one bat seems in rather poor taste.

But the suggestion he throws out? That gets a thoughtful noise of consideration.]

The awful magic rock has been known to grant abilities that one doesn't naturally come by in the past. It could very well be tied into that. [Based on what Astarion has described of home and Cazador, this seems a stroke of good luck.] This may be one of the few times it has done anything useful.

[ He does enjoy when Alucard bad mouths the rock with him. ]

Useful is... well... debatable.

[ Turning into a palm-sized puffball is kind of disappointing, actually. He folds his arms over his chest with a pointed look toward his friend. ]

Although I suppose now is when you suggest I try it again?

[Fuck that rock in particular.]

Believe me, attacking people as a bat is helpful is more helpful in a fight than you'd think.

[He grins, a little smug and a little proud. He's glad Astarion gets to be a bat now.]

Now is when I state that you'll have to practice eventually, but I am in no space to make demands of you. Am I allowed to sit, or are we doomed to stand and debate your current shape?

[ He gives Alucard a dubious look. He doubts his form is good for attacking anything larger than a field mouse... and even that feels generous.

A long stare follows, and then he sighs. ]

Then I suppose we may as well begin now ...

[ With practice, that is. Since he's standing there looking all proud for some reason. ]

[Believe in yourself and your bat form, Astarion.]

--Well if you're going to be that put off by it, we could do whatever you'd prefer. I just don't know what that might be.

[This is the least excited anyone has ever been to turn into a bat, in Alucard's experience.]

[ Alucard! He made his decision and he's sticking to it, stop second-guessing him! He crosses his arms over his chest, before admitting: ]

I've... ah, absolutely no idea how to get started.

[ It did happen by accident, the first time... ]

Well, the blithe version would be to what you just did in reverse.

[But he wouldn't just do that. Alucard smiles, gesturing for Astarion's hand.]

But using your fingers as a focus, imagine them stretching out. There will be skin between them. That's what makes up your wings. What were you doing the first time when this happened?

[ He hums, following his friend's gaze and extending one arm experimentally, splaying his fingers. ]

I don't recall... [ his frown deepens ] I - something startled me. A crash from outside. [ He wrinkles his nose at the windows, the chaos continuing to unfold on the streets. ]

And then I was just...

[ A bat. His gaze returns to Alucard, and he points at him. ]

Do not get any funny ideas...

[ About startling him. ]

I'd never.

[Buuuuut it does give him a different idea.]

Perhaps I can transform, and watching it done might help?

[ Ah - hmm. ]

It might?

[ At least it can't hurt. ]

I'll go for the wolf form. Pay attention to my nose, that's usually the point I focus on. I'm not sure if I'm capable of going slow, but I'll try.

[Alucard knows Astarion has seen this before, but there's never been a real reason to study it.

He does try to keep the process slow. His nose elongates. There's natural fine hairs, then there's fur, then a proper snout, and so it goes with the rest of him. A step and he's crouched down. A second and his arms are on the ground. The third sees his coat now closer to fur, and the fourth reveals an entire wolf looking up at Astarion with big, soft gold eyes.

Easy, see?]

BAT!

i need to make icons for this lmao

your really really do

i did it

FLUFFY FRIEND

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