(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

[heartsteals]

[ Oh! The laptop! That's a good idea, actually. Lupin nods energetically at the mention of it, splashing over to the edge of the bowl clumsily with his half-numb limbs and quickly forgetting his momentary awkwardness. ]

Later? How about now?

[ ribbit ]

[nascere]

[ Noctis might never understand Frogese, but he's very aware that he's clearly interested, and really does sound like a pretty good idea, doesn't it? ]

That eager, huh. [ He can't help but smile a little, though, because this clearly means that he has someone he loves(?) waiting for him. Noctis would want to go back to his person ASAP, too. So he shifts the fluffy dishtowel closer, gesturing to him. ]

Okay. You don't mind if I carry you again? Just gotta put you on your towel and get you dry before I take you there.

[heartsteals]

[ how to communicate that he doesn't mind?! He shakes his head back and forth and hopes that Noctis takes that as a "no, I don't mind" and not a "no, don't put me on the towel." (Although he has to admit that being in the water feels uncommonly nice... It's like he was struggling to breathe before, and now he feels rejuvenated and lively. Must be the frog thing.) ]

[nascere]

[ All right, buddy, he's totally taking charge! He's bringing the little froggy to his own laptop, and sets him on the keyboard after making sure that he isn't tracking any wetness onto it (the last thing he or froggy needs is to be electrocuted or something).

But hey! He's taking a seat, too, and deciding to ask him a question. ]

Okay, so. Who are you?

[heartsteals]

[ that would be unfortunate for all parties involved. Once he's there, he hops out, seeming reenergized at the prospect of actually being able to communicate despite also feeling cold and a little out of sorts once he's removed from his makeshift hot tub. He rubs his webbed hands together, then reaches out to start typing...

Turns out, it's harder to do this as a frog than he thought. ]

loupinj

[ he sits back, looks at his work, and... deflates a little bit at the errors... ]

[nascere]

Lupin?

[ Thankfully, Noctis knows how to connect the dots. It's actually kind of really cute, watching a frog be this crestfallen at his work, but he supposes that it really is a pain in the ass to be a frog. Those webbed limbs aren't good for much out of water. ]

It's all right, buddy. Do you know who I should return you to?

[heartsteals]

[ he brightens up when Noctis guesses correctly, hopping once in place and nodding enthusiastically once again. Now we're making progress! ]

Easy for you to say. Hold on...

[ this is going to be harder to type, but he does his best... concentration mode, activated. ]

cairnjbgyormk

[nascere]

What?

[ He stares down at the jumble of words blankly, then at the frog. ]

Okay, I don't know what that is.

[heartsteals]

[ he makes a sort of... displeased squeaky sound? It's adorable, frankly. But even if he's frustrated, he can't blame Noctis for not getting that one. Time for attempt two: ]

cainjgkirm

[ ... that's not any better... why does their name have to be so long!! and weird!! Quickly (relatively), he bangs out another two words. ]

rock gemk

[nascere]

[ rock gem -- oh! oh. noctis brightens, he remembers them! ]

Oh, you meant Cairngorm? [ wait, oh, obviously there's realisation dawning in his eyes. ] Oh, dude. You and them are together?

[heartsteals]

[ oh, thank god, Noctis knows who they are. Lupin turns away from the laptop, looking back up at his looming face. As for the question - he offers a sort of playful, noncommittal shrug (or frog equivalent, at least), not quite willing to lay all his cards on the table. ]

Well, yes. Not very gentlemanly to go telling the world, though, is it? [ he'd be smiling if he could... instead, he's just ribbiting. ] They're going to think this is some sort of prank, I bet.