(open) amphibiène lupin

[heartsteals]

WHO: Lupin and You!
WHERE: Ruga
WHEN: early January
WHAT:

WARNINGS: none



[ Lupin normally starts his days with a cup of tea, then a jog around town. Today, he's not even making it all the way through step one. A lot of weird things have happened to him since he got here, including but not limited to being forced to wear exclusively clown pants, turning into a werewolf, and looking for leaves in the woods with a giant gun-toting pigeon. He thinks turning into a frog and falling into his mug is among the worst.

Fortunately, he manages to not drown in hot leaf water. Also fortunately, he takes one look at his hands (if he can even still call them that) and realizes very quickly what's happened - he saw that quest posted on the forum the other day, and, now that he thinks about it, they never specified where the frog would come from. It's a little bit flattering to be considered analagous to a prince. A little. That's really the only good thing he can say about this situation.

He considers that it might be wiser to stay inside where it's warm; then he realizes that means he's definitely never getting his kiss (from anyone other than Akechi, anyway), and figures he has no choice.

So? After some time (like, a long time, because he doesn't have thumbs anymore), a singular fist-sized red and black frog can be found hopping down the roads of Ruga. He's noticeable not only for being out of season, but for having what looks like half a napkin tied sloppily around his neck - presumably for warmth, except he's cold-blooded at the moment - and holding a bobby pin in its mouth. Unless you catch him holding it in one froggy hand, instead, trying to fend off one of the town's handful of curious cats. He's holding his own... better than you would expect a frog with a bobby pin to?!

Unfortunately for Lupin, he can't fight off the weather with a bobby pin, and can be found an hour or two later passed out in the snow on the road towards Bluo. Frogs don't do very well in the winter. ]

Comments

[scooptimistic]

[ That... that's a frog wearing a napkin and conked out in the snow. And Maya's first thought is not immediately "oh this has to be someone for that quest", but "how did this frog end up like this".

Which is why she stops rather quickly, tugging her sleeves down over her hands and scooping up this poor frog. ]

Oh, please don't actually be dead...

[heartsteals]

[ the frog is not dead!! hurray!! Although poor Lupin doesn't exactly spring back to life in her hands, either. Still, he twitches when she moves him, at least, and groans sleepily, which probably sounds more like a really weird croak to her ears.

He is so cold. That's really all he can think about right now: how cold he is. As he hangs onto the vestiges of consciousness, he doesn't have room to think about anything other than being cold - not even the fact that someone's picking him up right now. In fact, he kind of doesn't even remember that he's a frog right now. Mostly, he just wants to take a really long nap... but some part of him, thankfully, is telling him that he Must Not do that. ]

[scooptimistic]

...

Well, that's progress.

[ He's still alive, but she knows that frogs are not really meant to be chilling out in the snow, so Maya tucks him a little closer to her chest for warmth and heads for home. One thing at a time, and the frog will probably feel a little more lively when he warms up. ]

[heartsteals]

[ just being closer to Maya helps - a little bit of human body warmth goes a long way. Slowly, he starts coming to as she walks. He still sort of feels like his limbs are made of lead, but his eyes slowly blink open, though he doesn't quite register what he's looking at yet. ]

Ugh...

[ his head hurts... he wrinkles his nose. Or, rather, he tries to, realizes he can't, and then slowly starts remembering what's going on. He was trying to get to Minato's house, and then... what? Staring up, he finally recognizes the face hovering over him while he moves through the air. ]

-- Maya? What's going on?

[ ribbit ]

[fineprinted]

[ seeing frogs all over town is a funny sight, but not when it's in the middle of winter where they should be hibernating at this time. while tsumugi's all for helping these poor things back to their previous forms, seeing a bright-colored frog in this landscape is setting off red flags in tsumugi's mind, but only because he's read somewhere that bright-colored frogs are usually poisonous.

still, he can't help but feel sorry for the thing, and since he's become a bright blue gemlike humanoid the poison might not actually kill him. but just to be safe, he'll take off his glasses (he's still wearing them for ease of identification), and gently prods the frog with it. ]

H-Hello... Are you still alive?

[heartsteals]

[ He is, in fact, still alive! Tsumugi would be forgiven for not being sure of this after poking him with the glasses, though, seeing as Lupin doesn't really move when he does so. All he does is release a solitary wheeze-ribbit.

He's alive, but barely conscious at the moment... ]

[fineprinted]

[ oh no! no time to be hesitant, then! with a careful, too-cold gemified hand he scoops the poor thing up, pulls off his scarf and wraps it around the dying frogger. why a gem is wearing warm clothing despite the fact that his body can withstand the cold, he cannot say. it's just weird not wearing one during winter.

since they're both here, tsumugi might as well head to the library with lupinfrog in tow, thinking that he'd need to warm up by the bitty fireplace there first before any kissing should commence. so off he runs; time is of the essence here. ]

[heartsteals]

[ the scarf shields him from the wind and also from Tsumugi's frosty rock hands, at least - death is held at bay. Without any body warmth, though, poor frog!Lupin isn't going to wake up until the two of them actually get to the library. Please be gentle and don't squish him in these vulnerable times, Tsumugi. ]

[messianic]

[Oh my god. That sure is a bright, spunky frog just hopping right along the roads.

Minato's... left tilting his head curiously, stepping a bit closer to watch this craziness happen. He's a little worried about Lupin, of course; he left a concerned message when Lupin didn't end up meeting him for their typical job, but. Well. He has to look around, at least, which is why he's in Ruga.

Of course, cats being cats, his presence is enough to get the cat to come closer to see if he has any easier food, and then rubs against his hand, so Lupinfrog is free and safe for the moment.]

[heartsteals]

[ He can be forgiven for not noticing Minato right away when his life is in danger!! Bobby pins aren't even sharp. He was hoping he'd be able to get the cat to go away with a few well-placed pokes to the nose, but he hasn't, and so he's left pondering other options - there's no way he'd be able to outrun it, and there's not really anywhere he can hop or climb to that a cat couldn't reach in the immediate vicinity. If it weren't for the snow, maybe he could find a crevice along a building's edge to stuff himself into or something--

but the cat leaves, miraculously, and then he notices Minato, and is overcome not only by relief at not being eaten by a cat (what a way to go), but at finding someone who can actually maybe help him. The cat looks soundly distracted, but he's still cautious in his approach, relatively; he takes a few big hops over, tossing the pin aside and ribbiting at Minato loudly. ]

-- Minato! Hey! Over here! You're a lifesaver.

[messianic]

[Ribbiting......... That's. Hm.

That sure is a frog that's trying very, very hard to catch his attention. Minato blinks, and then gently shoos the cat away (the cat flashes him a look that promises that it will remember that), and then he peers more closely at the frog.

Frog...

... Oh. Oh no.]

For the quest, huh...? [...] I... don't really know about this.

[heartsteals]

[ no indication is given that Minato didn't understand him, and thus, he keeps talking. Or, well, croaking. ]

You're telling me. I never really appreciated my thumbs until I lost them. [ As he draws nearer to Minato, Lupin instinctively tries to stand up on two legs, then falls, although he manages to catch himself before faceplanting. Nobody saw that. ] Don't worry about the whole kissing thing yet, all right? If you could just take me inside for now, I'd appreciate it. I'm freezing.

[ he holds out one little froggy hand, presumably waiting for Minato to extend his big humany hand so he can hop on. ]

[unghost]

[ Luckily for Lupin, the shiny spots on the ground that follow them wherever they go when the sun is high and bright enough are just enticing enough to draw the cat that's currently swatting at him's attention briefly. Frankly, they don't even notice the little squabble going on between the cat and him, not until the cat pounces on a shimmering light near their feet against the cobblestone, forcing them to stop so they don't accidentally step on it. ]

Oh. A cat...

[ It's very cute. And they haven't seen one in real life before! So they let the feline paw at the sparkles on the ground while they turn their head around to look for where it came from - only to find... a mutated looking frog on the ground. Which they make a face at. Aren't frogs supposed to be green?

Now, it's not really gems' style to prevent the natural order of things. Animals eat other animals; it's not their problem. But even with their suspicion that this one might be one from the forest, with it's strange color, the chance that it might be someone from the town is enough for them to crouch down and pick up the cat to restrain it. ]

You. [ Their voice is rude and expectant, typical of how they speak to people they've never spoken to before. Also, they did just do whoever this is an enormous solid, so they deserve some explanation. ] You're someone from the town, aren't you?

[heartsteals]

[ So Lupin keeps bobby pins on him for picking locks, not for combat emergencies; they're not pointy, obviously, and that means he's not doing much other than bopping the cat on the knows with it ineffectively. He's been in frog form just long enough to have the agility to not get eviscerated by a stray cat claw yet. Frankly, though, he's not confident he can keep that up forever. He needs a place to hide.

Or for a convenient portable cat distraction to appear. It distracts him for a second, too - a second the cat thankfully doesn't take to grab him - and in that timespan, he instantly recognizes those sparkles. Because, well, of course he does. He loves those sparkles! It's kind of frustrating that Cairngorm is saving him yet again, on a personal level, but he can hardly complain about it in his current condition; when they stoop down to restrain the cat, he immediately breathes a sigh of relief. ]

Looks like I owe you yet again, my dear. [ ribbit ribbit ribbit. It's weird having Cairngorm talk to him this way again, but he wouldn't recognize himself, either... no hard feelings. At their question, he nods his little froggy head enthusiastically. The cat's still close, so he doesn't jump right over the way he'd like to. ] It's me. Give me a hand, would you?

[ guess who doesn't know nobody understands him yet ]

[unghost]

[ The cat is squirming a bit in their cold hands, but they still hold it against their chest while they keep kneeling down to talk to him. ]

Look, if you're trying to say something, I can't understand you. [ They'll be blunt about that much, and their look is flat as they stare down at the little amphibian. Maybe they should call Phos and see if they can understand this little creature, since they were so good with the slugs. At least they know for sure this is someone from the town. ] I guess I can only ask you yes or no questions...

[ They pause for a little bit, thinking. What's going to be the easiest way to lead to a solution... ]

Are you someone I know?

[heartsteals]

[ Ah. Well, that explains it. Lupin manages to look crestfallen, even as a frog, but he picks himself back up pretty quickly. It should be easy for Cairngorm to figure out who he is, right? They're closer to him than anyone else, so theoretically, this is still fine. He starts preparing to put on charades until they figured it out, but they're smart enough to come up with a more efficient solution without even communicating. He feels a little bit of pride at that. That's his Cairngorm.

At the question, he nods very emphatically. But he thinks he can probably still speed this up. The frog very pointedly picks up a hand and presses it to the tip of its snout, then waves it at Cairngorm. Blowing a kiss...? (Do they even know that gesture?! He hopes so.) ]

[neronian]

[ Nero is, unfortunately, stuck in the exact same situation as Lupin. It is utterly appalling, an emperor turned into a mere frog of all things, and by god is it frustrating being even tinier than she actually is. At the very least, she managed to nab a mitten to kind of keep herself warm and the ribbon from her hair for...general use. If needed.

(Nobody tell her that she is tiny normally.)

Anyway. She spots Lupin hopping around, trying to fend off one of the curious cats with a bobby pin, and despite being a brightly-colored red and gold frog herself, cannot let this...harassment slide. So she ribbits, loudly and incomprehensible to everyone but other townspeople-turned-frogs, and proudly (or at proudly as a frog can muster). ]

Get away from them! Cats do not even like to eat frogs! Our colors are so vibrant because we are...we are poisonous, yes!

[ Cats most likely can't understand frogs, much less people-turned-frogs, but she has to try, at the very least. Maybe she can try to trip the cat with her ribbon if needed...? But even 2 frogs against a cat is a battle she isn't quite willing to fight. Better to escape. ]

[heartsteals]

[ Weird, a talking frog!! Actually, Lupin doesn't even question it for a second; he has an uncanny memory, and he places the voice as Saber's after a scant few words. Both he and the cat comically turn to look at her when she announces herself; Lupin has the advantage of having a human brain in his frog body, though, and he takes the opportunity to shove the bobby pin into one of the cat's nostrils, which it does not like one bit, judging by the loud yowl and sudden scrambling backwards. He doesn't take any time to relish his brief victory - instead, he immediately starts hopping towards Saber, his silly napkin cape flopping behind him. ]

Thanks -- now let's get out of here!

[ he's hoping she follows him, because he's already got an escape route planned out. Where? Well... up a nearby waterspout just barely open above the snow. It's not very elegant, but he knows the cat can't fit in there, and he'd rather lose some dignity than some limbs. ]

[neronian]

[ Ugh. A tactical retreat. But since she's a frog, she can't quite complain right now.

Actually, she can't complain at all, because the ribbon in her mouth that's dragging her mitten is preventing that as she quickly follows Lupin, hopping into the nearby waterspout. Hardly an elegant escape route, and certainly not her proudest tactical retreat, but it's better than getting hurt as a frog. Her wish is to not die alone, but that doesn't mean she wants a frog to be her only company when she does!! ]

[osuni]

[Okuni's caught a lot of people frogs so far, but seeing one snappily dressed in a napkin and wielding a weapon is a first. Fortunately, Okuni doesn't sit back and watch the show (she'd do that on any other occasion besides this one), she has frogs to find and somehow finagle into her evil plans.

Which is why she immediately descends, plucks up the curious cat, and then effectively tosses it over her shoulder into one of the bushes beyond -- SORRY, CAT!!! Amidst all the yowls from the extremely offended cat --]

Oooh, you're so pretty! I think you're the first red frog I've seen so far.

[Meanwhile, her now cat free hands spread open in a sort of 'please hop onto my hands, nothing bad will ever happen if you do this' gesture as she scoots closer to pick Lupin up]

[heartsteals]

[ In literally any other situation, he'd be grateful that someone appeared to save him from his clawed conundrum. When he watches the poor cat sail over her shoulder with a sad meow and lays his eyes on the angelic visage of one Okuni Kumou, however, he feels his heart sink. Not because he doesn't like Okuni, and not even because he's upset about potential animal cruelty... No. He just doesn't trust Okuni not to kill him in some weird prank. ]

Urk... Sorry, mademoiselle! Gotta go!

[ he ribbits out weakly before dropping his bobby pin to the ground and immediately hopping off towards a nearby building as quickly as he can. There's a little grated window into the building's cellar there -- if he can just make it in time, he can slip through the bars and be safe for at least a few seconds... ]

[osuni]

[Okuni, with an expectant gaze and hope in her heart, watches as Lupin.... bolts away in the opposite direction]

-- Hey!!

[THIS IS OFFENSIVE and also really smart of this frog to do, Okuni can't help but be impressed as she hikes up her kimono so she can zoom more effectively through the snow after him!!! it's a good attempt, but she very narrowly misses snatching Lupin up by like half a second there -- Lupin's phantom thief luck strikes again]

Oooh, you're faster than the last one I caught...

[WELL PLAYED... Okuni pouting as she squints through the grated window and gauges its size, and then shuffles around for a.... rock.

a rock big enough to BLOCK THE WINDOW!!! in an attempt to seal off the hopefully only????? escape route before Okuni darts into the somewhat dilapidated building and makes for the cellar.... her footsteps... loud and ominous as she descends...]

[nascere]

[ Oh, a frog.

Noctis has been seeing more and more of them lately, which is both startling and concerning -- but little is more startling and concerning than the fact that a brilliant red and black frog is passed out right in front of his district. It means that quests have started again with the whole frog thing, which means this frog is definitely someone in the town.

And Noctis, with a heart of gold despite all that sass, makes a small noise of concern before picking the frog up with both hands, careful not to drop him. Or her. How can you tell if frogs are girls or boys? ]

Hey. Hey -- are you okay?

[heartsteals]

Urgh...

[ translation: ribbit. Lupin evaded getting eaten by a cat, but the chill eventually caught up with him, and his body has one solution: hibernate, and be quick about it. The warmth of Noctis's hands and the sensation of being moved starts waking him up a little, thankfully. Blearily, he blinks, still not quite processing what's going on. ]

It's too cold... [ he mumbles, but it comes out sounding like a very melancholy frog croak. ]

[nascere]

Aw, man.

[ thankfully Noctis doesn't need a decoder ring to know when someone's in trouble. The poor froggy is cold, and he doesn't waste any time snuggling the frog under his jacket, keeping him tucked right against his chest. He can read distress, loud and clear, and he keeps the poor frog cupped in his palm. ]

You're all right, I've got you.

[ He says quietly, before he's setting off home. ] Bad time to be out and about, froggy.