entrancelogs | Event Catch-all Post

Entry tags:

Event Catch-all Post

Who: Natasha ~~Romanoff~~ Liddell and [OPEN] to whoever wants her in human form or leopard.
Where: Around the mansion and the grounds
When: the duration of the event
Rating: Anywhere from PG to ??? (depending on if she reverts to human on any of you)
Summary: Natasha's cursed with the Spirit of Leopard.
The Story:

[Option 1: Natasha]
Natasha falls somewhere in the middle generation of Liddell cousins and siblings that inhabit the mansion. She's not one of the most social of them either, preferring to be more solitary like the animal spirit she was cursed with. That doesn't mean she doesn't still keep tabs on family members and keep an eye on the happenings around the mansion, just that she's usually fairly subtle about it. For a few years when she was younger, she traveled the world to see what she could see, but in recent years, she's been more than content to stay home, around her family, for whatever she might be needed for. Family's important to her, despite the fact that there's so many of them and she might not be the best at showing it sometimes.

Most days (or nights, as she's known to have a nocturnal streak) she can usually be found wandering, or possibly curled up somewhere comfortable with a book or a companion. If you spot her alone, feel free to come join her or lure her out into into some fun. Despite her occasional aloof manner or cool stare, she does have a mischievous playful side that shows up at unexpected moments.

[Option 2: Leopard]
In a house with so many people inside its walls, its inevitable that sooner or later collisions occur. Natasha's not usually overly worried about this - she understands the need to keep their curse a secret and faithfully endeavors to do so but accidents happen and unlike some of her relatives, she's just as comfortable in her cursed form as she is in her human one.

It's why she doesn't sweat it too much if she does accidentally bump into someone nearby - she's good at vanishing out of sight quickly if need be, and there are plenty of shadowy heights to perch in out of sight. Sometimes this plays out to her advantage, especially if she's feeling particularly bored or playful. Not everyone in the mansion is very good at staying aware of their surroundings when there are predators looking to pounce.

((OOC: This is Natasha's catch-all post for the event. Feel free to pick either option, if you want to interact with her as human or in her leopard form, or even both, if your character's inclined to trigger her transformation in some way. I'm up for anything!))

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[Bigby has a knack for catching his relatives when they are in their animal form. Unfortunately, he has had his own streak of bad luck. With so many outsiders walking around sometimes it was inevitable to bump into someone you didn't expect to be around that corner. But, it wasn't the first time Bigby had gotten himself into a bit of trouble. He quickly grabbed his clothes in his mouth and before the smoke cleared he was off and running toward the trees.

He was careful to avoid any others, his sense of smell heightened in his wolfy form. He didn't stop until he was safe inside the forest. There wasn't anyone around except...

Bigby looked up and caught the scent of a large feline. He knew that smell anywhere. ]

Glad to see I'm not the only one looking for a place to hide.

Edited 2014-06-07 20:17 (UTC)

[The cat in question is sprawled lazy on a high branch, tail twitching absently in the air underneath. One green eye blinks lazily open to peer downwards at the sound of the voice. When she recognizes Bigby, Natasha stretches slowly, claws scratching against the bark.]

Who's hiding? It's naptime. What happened to you?

You nap in your panther form? Really?

[Huh. Something Bigby doesn't know about his cousins. He tucks that information away should he ever need it.]

Ran into someone in the hallway. She wasn't looking. I didn't even catch who it was but given that I'm now wolfy I'm going to guess it wasn't family. Just my luck.

Sometimes.

[she gives him the feline equivalent to a shrug before flopping back down on the branch once more, head resting on dark paws.]

I'm much less likely to fall off the branch this way. And yeah, that's been happening a lot the past few days. More than normal, actually.

[Something she'd ponder some other time. At the moment, she couldn't really be bothered.]

That's what happens when we have so many who aren't family around. It's not all that big a deal though.

[But for Bigby it is a big deal. There was a time when he would have stayed in his wolf form, proving to everyone that he was tough and not a little runt who didn't deserve to be the wolf. He was bad and did terrible things but now, he was trying to change all of that. Part of changing was giving up the wolf. He avoided the change as much was possible. Even these simple little run ins were difficult because the desire was there to lose himself. This was the price of being good.]

Maybe not for you. I don't know why Alice doesn't keep all of the outsiders on the opposite side of the mansion. That would solve so many of the problems.

[She didn't have any such moral dilemmas.]

And probably create a lot more. I don't think it's that big a deal, really. Besides, there's some that would object to being separated pretty strongly. [Like her sister, for one.] And I think it would get boring if it were just us.

I'll give you that it's not boring but maybe that's what we need around here: a little boring. It would be much easier to make sure the rules were being followed.

[There's a puff of smoke and Bigby transforms back, leaving him named beneath the tree. He picks up his discarded clothes and starts to redress himself. He sighs when he realizes that he was going to have to walk back shoeless. At least his cigarettes were still in his front pocket. He taps one out and lights it, breathing deeply.]

At least it didn't last too long this time. Hopefully no one noticed.

I remember a time when you enjoyed breaking the rules.

[She stretches again, then rises, hopping down out of the tree to land gracefully beside him, tail twitching faintly beside him.]

Maybe you were lucky and it's someone who already knows. There's plenty of them around these days.

Things have changed since then. You know that. I've changed.

[At least, he tries. He slips sometimes and goes off into the forest when the pressure gets to be too much but he is trying. That had to count for something.

Her next words give him pause. It's his job to keep the amount of people who know about the curse to a minimum. Those that know have to be brought in front of Alice. Most of the time their memories are erased. If there are others who know then Bigby isn't doing his job and that's a problem for him.]

What do you mean there are plenty of them?

Yeah, I know. A pity, really. You used to be pretty fun.

[She's teasing him, her tone light, because her role as cousin seems to have entitled her to give a wide circle of her relatives a hard time whenever possible. Still, she bumps her head against the back of his knee, both fond and playful.

The way he suddenly goes all serious and suspicious again, however, has her huffing ouot a sigh and twitching a tail in mild irritation.]

Calm down, it's not that big a deal. Not everyone looks to their relatives for companionship all the time and there are a few who've gotten serious with... others.

[There, that's about as diplomatic on the matter as she's likely to get.]

Companionship is one thing but the curse is supposed to remain a secret. What would happen if everyone knew about our little... animal problem. It would be dangerous not only for us but for them.

[Bigby sighs. He didn't want to be worried about this all of the time. A part of him said fuck it, let everyone know. But that was against the rules, the ones that he promised he would try to follow. He doesn't expect his family to understand his sudden change of heart.

He reaches out and gives her a pat on the head.]

Yeah, I used to be a lot of things. I'm not sure I'd call them fun.

Sometimes it is, but we've always taken care of it when that's become a problem. Some of them still can't help but try.

[She thinks it's rather futile, honestly, but people do crazy things for love. That's a fact that's older than their curse, she's fairly certain.

Still, she nudges up against his hand, a gravelly sound that almost resembles a purr escaping her.]

Yes, well. You're forgiven for being biased, I suppose.

[Bigby smiles as Natasha lets him pet her. Underneath it all she's just a large house cat. Of course, he'd never tell her that. That's the best way to lose a hand.]

I guess it's nice to have your forgiveness. It's something. I know that some in the family think that getting close to outsiders isn't a big deal but they don't consider the consequences. What happens when it is a big deal and they have their memories erased? Sure, it's all fun and games in the beginning but once it happens... It's just sad.

[Smart puppy.]

Maybe it is, if that's something that needs to happen. It doesn't always though. Besides, that's not a choice we can make for them.

[She winds around his legs for a moment and as she comes back around front, the transformation ends an she's rising up in front of him, naked but not really self-conscious about it.

As cousins, this happens so frequently, she barely bats an eye anymore.]

[Bigby doesn't comment when she stands in front of him after her transformation. She has seen him naked many times before. It isn't a big deal, however he doesn't stare and politely turns his head.]

We can't make it for them, no, but she can. Do you have any clothes? You can have my shirt if you don't want to walk back to the mansion like that.

But she doesn't seem inclined to.

[Natasha feels this is a rather important fact to point out as she turns towards the tree she'd been perched in. Her clothing is bundled at its base, tucked out of sight. She tugs it out and starts to dress, amused at his polite modesty.]

I'm fine. Considering how the past few days have been going, I've learned to keep myself prepared.

You are one of the rare few who are prepared but I'm not surprised, considering who I'm talking to.

[Bigby smiles, mostly to himself. If there was one person in the family who was prepared for any situation it was Natasha.]

I'm beginning to think that maybe you have the right idea. Stay out in the forest away from the others. Maybe the rumor that there are monsters living here will keep most outsiders out.

Oh, I'm not always. I was just nearby when I bumped into someone last, so I figured this was the safest spot. There's not a lot of places to sneak up on people in the yard. Too open. The house is great for it though. You'd be impressed how fast people change directions when they see me walking towards them.

[There's mischievous humor in her gaze as she finishes dressing and turns back towards him again, hands propped casually on her hips.]

[Bigby grins. He knows what it's like to have people fear you. It can be lonely but he would be lying if there wasn't a sick amusement to watching others run.]

I wouldn't be all that impressed at all. I've seen the same thing when the wolf comes out. I wonder who they'd be more afraid of - a black kitty cat or the big bad wolf?

Please, there's no contest. [She smirks back over her shoulder at him, all playfully smug, before she covers up her hiding spot again and comes to join him, arms crossed over her chest.]

You can still pass for a giant puppy dog, after all.

But doesn't that make me more dangerous? People don't know when to stay away. They get lulled into a false sense of security. You know how the story goes - my Grandmother, what big eyes you have!

[Bigby is grinning, enjoying the banter as it's better than all of the serious talks he has had all day.]

You'd make a terrible grandmother. [She flashes him a grin in return, playing along.] Besides, are you sure it's your eyes they'd be commenting on?

[Bigby grins broadly.] Why, do you think it should be something else? My eyes are bright but I suppose people could be drawn to another part of me.

Edited 2014-06-21 22:25 (UTC)

[She pretends to give him a considering look for a moment, all serious assessment despite the hint of mischief in her gaze.]

It could definitely be your ass.

[Bigby can't help but laugh out loud at that and turn his head, glancing down at his ass before shrugging his shoulders.]

Guess it's big enough to be attractive - like gravity. Of course, I'm still partial to sparking personalities. [He winks at her when he says this. ]

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Event Catch-all Post

Option 2: Leopard in the woods

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