(oct and) september catch-all; open

[ancunin]

Who: Astarion and friends
When: Throughout the month
Where: Cadens, Nocwich, Farhill
What: Astarion goes about his daily business, first appearance of BATSTARION
Warnings: General vampire warnings for injury and blood-drinking. Full character content warnings here, I will try to add them to comment subject lines as things appear in threads!

Comments

[cryptsleeper]

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?

[ancunin]

[ 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. ]

[cryptsleeper]

I'd never.

[Buuuuut it does give him a different idea.]

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

[ancunin]

[ Ah - hmm. ]

It might?

[ At least it can't hurt. ]

[cryptsleeper]

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?]

[ancunin]

[ Astarion wrinkles his nose, not entirely the biggest fan of wolves in general, but otherwise makes no catty comments.

The transformation itself... he's never seen it performed this way. The druids he's travelled with merely exploded in a magic flash when they transformed. He thinks he might prefer that to this... and after Alucard is down on all four staring up at him he sighs, giving his canine-formed friend an almost reluctant scratch behind the ears. ]

Yes - alright, I'll try ...

[ It's a lack of confidence, after he bungled it the first time. Taking a step back he holds out one hand, staring at in intently while trying to imagine the fingers elongating -

- it's not a slow transformation. The air shudders around him, and suddenly he is very, very small - and plummeting. He furiously flaps his wings to keep aloft, landing on the furry back of his companion. ]

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard doesn't look away from the transformation, but he is trying his very best to put on a supportive wolf face instead of resting wolf face, which could run the risk of looking bitchy or judgey. That's the last thing he wants his friend to feel.

But it works! In seconds it works, and the wolf moves to make sure that Astarion lands in soft fur rather than on the floor. Flying will be the next lesson, but for now, going from A to B is the priority.

He's careful to lie down on the floor without dislodging the bat. Once he's there, Awoocard angles his head to offer as an approving glance as he can at Astarion, complete with a tail wag.

Guess who can't communicate like this.]

[ancunin]

It worked!

[ Batstarion chitters - but ah, can Awoocard even read the magical script? His little claws cling to his friends back, a big, warm furry pillow. It wouldn't be a bad place for a nap. ]

[cryptsleeper]

[Thankfully, Awoocards can read.

So he wags his tail yes to confirm that it absolutely worked!! And okay, perhaps not the time to fall asleep, but if someone is going to batnap, Awoocard won't stop him.]

[ancunin]

[ This transformation business IS tiring him out quickly, but he has enough energy to ask: ]

Now what?

[cryptsleeper]

[Buddy, you're killing him.

Alucard considers how to express this, and settles for wiggling his ears up and down to suggest flight?]

[ancunin]

[ Eh, he's not a mind reader. ]

Well... help me up onto a table.

[ He'll scurry up the wolf's neck for more height. ]

[cryptsleeper]

[Awoocard waits until his little bat friend is snug, then walks over to what looks like the most level transfer surface. It is indeed a table, and once Astarion's on it, Alucard has the good grace to transform and make the conversation go faster.]

--Unlike you, I can't communicate in my other forms. What I was trying to suggest is that we make an attempt at more controlled flight.

[ancunin]

[ He's quick to hop onto the table, briefly startled when Alucard changes back. ]

Alright. I suppose I'm ready.

[ Just waiting on you to transform. ]

[cryptsleeper]

My transformation is a bit different than yours. Don't ask how drunk I was with Geralt when we made conclusions about how this works, but I become enough bats to equal my body weight, so I'm more of a swarm. I'll have one bat be the primary bat you'll be focused on, and the rest will hang up on the ceiling. Try and do what I do, and I'll try to respond to messages.

[There's no waiting for approval. Only an explosion of bats.

Lots of them, squeaking in a chaotic swarm and moving up, up, up into the rafters in murmurations like starlings, a single bat staying behind and landing next to Batstarion.

That bat looks his paler friend and gives a little wiggle of his own ears to confirm that they're ready to start.]

[ancunin]

[ A bit different, he says... before erupting into a mass of wings and tiny bodies. ]

It's just like home.

[ The swarming bats. No time to get nostalgic.

Batstarion watches Bat Prime land next to him, motioning to go first. He gives his own high-pitched squeaks in return, creeping to the edge of the table. Best not to look down, he supposes...

Extending his wings, he flings himself off the table into a slightly unsteady glide.

Oh! ]

[cryptsleeper]

[Bat Prime is here to help!

Bat Prime also expected being asked to fly first, but that doesn't happen. Instead, Batstarion manages to get himself going and--

--now Bat Prime is joining him, just in time to give a series of wing flaps to show how to gain speed. But not too much, just enough to see it Batstarion can catch up.]

[ancunin]

[ Batstarion mimics his instructor, though it's height he wants more than speed - to get above the tables and not crash into anything. Now that he's not in a panic, some kind of instinct seems to take over, his outstretched wings stabilizing his flight. He banks to turn, circling the room. ]

[cryptsleeper]

[--Well then!

Bat Prime angles himself upward to help demonstrate how height should work, but in truth, it seems wholly unneeded. His friend has already figured out turning, and that means most crashes can be avoided.

But Bat Prime is also not going to deny himself some synchronized flying, so he moves to join his friend.]

[ancunin]

[ It feels almost natural as they glide, or at least as natural it can feel when you're less than 1/12 of your normal size, and flying. They sweep across the workroom together once more, before Batstarion can't ignore the fatigue coming on, his wings feeling a touch heavier and even attempting to message seeming like much too much an effort. He squeaks, breaking from Alucard to swoop down, then up into the rafters.

A little white cottonball amongst the larger bats already resting. ]

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard was set to transform again, offering wolf fluff for his friend to rest in. He had expected it, and then to deal with probably Viktor or Hilda bullying the both of them about it as revenge.

But Astarion's a natural at the bat urge to hang out upsidedown. He joins Alucard's other bats, and all that's left is for Bat Prime to join them for a good, solid rest.

And okay maybe surprising the hell out of Viktor later.]