[Open]

[promissum]

WHO: Val and quest takers!
WHERE: Bluo, the woods, around town
WHEN: December
WHAT: Open quests
WARNINGS: None for now!

A. Quest 36, blue for quest, anyone for chatting

[He reads it several times and honestly he has no idea what caroling is. A human thing, surely. Does he know much about human things? Not the joyful spirited kind.]

You there. [Stranger or not, blue or not.] What is caroling?

B. Quest 38, wide open

[He has no idea what Christmas spiders are, but decorating a tree is at least something that makes sense. There are no little bat charms around, but he could pretty easily make them with enough effort.]

I'm a yellow. [It's as abrupt as he ever is.] Come get and decorate a tree with me. [It's more like a demand than a request.]

C. Wildcard
[Wildcard, just tag him here for any other ideas. He sure loves fishing.]

Comments

[expulsions]

[...in a way it reminds him even more of Chiron and Percy doesn't reply just yet. He mulls over those words as they slip and step over the snow. Making time is important, and it's not like Val's not wrong. People want to help people and people thrive on engaging with people. It's how people stay out of the dark. It's why Percy himself is determined to stop ignoring people back home, why he'd made the deal with the gods that they had to claim their children, why Percy made an effort here for certain people.

He'd almost forgotten that in his own dip into the dark places he was avoiding.

In a way he feels stupider than ever, but...what can he really do?]

I don't think it's just humans who are social, Val. [It's maybe an aside that he doesn't expect an answer from, a gentle jab at Val not being human but social as social can be. He's about to clarify that, but he stops suddenly.] Hey. Take a look. Think that's our bell?

[It's silver and bell-shaped, but it's a short distance away.]

[promissum]

[When has Val ever been wrong? (That time Artina died, that's one.) But he's always intensely sure of himself and he always sounds like he's sure of the words that are coming out of his mouth. He knows what he likes and what he wants and he'll make sure everybody knows it.

It's a little aside, but he chuckles lowly. Percy doesn't have to complete it. Val is incredibly social, but that's not the norm.]

Yes, I think so.

[expulsions]

[At least Val Understands. But upon spotting the bell, he perks up and Percy begins walking quickly toward their designated spot.]

Come on. I want to see what happens if we really make a wish.

[promissum]

[ He follows at his usual quick pace. It seems they both agree. Will it really grant wishes?

Val knows exactly what he wants from this bell. A thought that's been weighing on him for a while now. ]

Are you going first?

[expulsions]

[As he approaches the tree, he looks up to where the bell is. It hangs almost innocently and Percy nearly finds that suspicious.]

...you think I should? [He's curious though, he'll admit that.]

[promissum]

If you already have your wish in mind, why not?

[ He's also a kid, after all. ]

[expulsions]

[...]

Do we make the wish first and then ring the bell? Or vice versa? [But he's approaching the bell. He'll go first.]

[promissum]

You think I spend much time wishing on bells?

[ But he's going to guess. ]

Ring it then say it.

[expulsions]

I never really know what you do in your spare time. [But there's a thoughtful glance before he reaches up and yanks on the bell, forcing it to ring through the woods.]

I wish I knew where to go from here to get the answers I need.

[promissum]

I fish. [Or he works, but there's not much work here.

Does he really feel that lost...

Once Percy is far enough away from the bell, Val rings it. Loud and clear.]

I wish my comrades at home stay safe until I return.

[expulsions]

…I'll go with you next time. [Fishing, he means. He's good at that. But surprise, he sure is lost at this point. He's not used to feeling essentially useless and his mirror pointed that out.

Still, he hears Val's wish and he smiles slightly.]

Your party's lucky to have you, man.

[promissum]

[There's a pleased chuckle.] I would enjoy the company.

[The again he likes most people's company so how much does that really mean.]

They are. [Confident as always.] I'm lucky to have them too. [As sincere as he ever is.]

[expulsions]

[Val...you're hilarious.]

I hope your wish comes true then. That's how wishes are supposed to work, right? [He looks at the bell again, tugging a little to see if it'll budge. It looks pretty stuck though.]

[promissum]

Usually you have to work to make them come true... These are a bit different.

[expulsions]

We think. We don't know that these are going to come true right away either, as nice as that'd be. [He makes a face at the bell.] ...I wonder if we're supposed to wait here or head back for results.

[promissum]

I wonder...

[But also they have some meat to deal with.]

We do have a bear to pick up.

[expulsions]

We do. [Hm.] Let's go deal with the bear and maybe by then we'll know what the next step is. Do you remember the way back?

[promissum]

I remember where we left the bear.

[Which was more or less the same straight line they walked in from...]

... By the way, Percy. I do have that holy water. It might return your color. I won't use it.

[expulsions]

Close enough. [Let's start walking. He heads that way, kicking some snow out of the way before he hears Val's offer. There's a little pause then.]

...I appreciate that. But I'm worried about wasting it in case it doesn't work. We could use it for something else.

[promissum]

[There's an approving little nod.]

Very well. I will keep it in case of an emergency.

Do you know how to restore your missing colors?

[expulsions]

[...]

Yes. I have a list to go through. [So he can at least admit that...] I want to find another way though.

[promissum]

Is the list dangerous to you?

[expulsions]

I'm not going to die if that's what you're asking.

[promissum]

[He worries. Not that he says that.]

Then why do you want to find another way?

[expulsions]

[Because he's stubborn.]

The things on that list are too personal to just do just to get my stupid color back. Except for the yellow thing. That's whatever.