Oh deer.

[ofcatsandfate]

Now that Fabrice has moved back in, gotten settled, and assured his beloved cats that yes, this time, they are home to stay, he really craves a Quill run. He has the rest of today off, not starting work back at the zoo until tomorrow, and he desperately needs a greasy junk food fix. Sating his cats with an extra can of wet food (and God, do they ever have him wrapped around their paws, with their big, sad eyes and pitiful meows every time he so much as blinks), he grabs his wallet and keys and heads out the door. He pauses for a moment in his walkway to send a text to Cecilia, just to see how she's doing, before shoving his phone into his pocket and heading on his way.

He could ride his bike for the extra exercise as he heads into town, but today, with its slightly less humid temperature and overcast sky, feels like a day for walking. It's been too long since he's last had the chance to enjoy the view of Siren Cove coming in from the outside; the gradual decline of trees into civilization is a beautiful sight, and if he had any artistic abilities, he would dearly love to paint it.

And, he thinks to himself, though he tries not to, this venture is also a test, of sorts. Ever since that night in Oregon, at that bar, Fabrice has had more cause to worry about venturing out in public. That asshole, Donny, he thinks, who started bragging about how many wolves he's killed; he continued from there about derogatory remarks about the women he's slept with, and then wound up getting in Fabrice's face once he saw how uncomfortable he'd been at the source of his conversation. He kept prodding at Fabrice until he nearly punched him in the face. Said asshole also turned out to be a witch. A damned good one, considering how quickly and subtly he'd managed to curse Fabrice.

Fabrice now lets out a steadying breath. He refuses to let that jerk win, from however many miles away they are apart. As long as he remains calm, and he doesn't let his nerves get the better of him, he ought to be okay.

Surprisingly, his resolution holds; he doesn't encounter any mishaps on his way to Siren Cove. At least, not until he reaches the edge of town, where various people sprawl in the damp grass, on blankets with books and significant others to keep them company. He smiles briefly at the sight, though his heart aches a little at it, too. He manages to clear his head of those thoughts a moment later, distracting himself with thoughts of a black raspberry iced tea and a bear claw to go with it.

This is, of course, the moment that a teenager nearly collides into him on his bicycle. Fabrice's stomach drops as the tingling sensation that comes with every transformation begins spreading across the tiny hairs on his arms, like wildfire. He desperately looks for a place to hide, but by then, he's already dropped to all fours, and it's all he can to quickly shove his wallet and phone in his mouth as the magic takes over.

He arises minutes later, fully a deer. The teenager gapes at him, before running off and screaming. The various people gathered begin to panic in their own ways. Shit, he thinks. And then he runs, back towards the woods, knowing he's already failed his own test. And possibly a few laws, while he's at it.

[OOC: Basically, Fabrice's curse is that he transforms into his animal form every time he's startled/overly nervous. I want to play it out as a plot for a little bit, so I do ask that any magical suggestions not work for while yet. Eventually, he'll overcome it, but not yet. Set to late morning/early afternoon; feel free to have witnessed him transform from anywhere on the edge of town by the woods! Have him nearly run your pup down or whatever you like. A good time to meet him, despite everything. Open to all!]

Comments

[ofcatsandfate]

Oh, damn it. Perhaps equally as horrifying as potentially scarring a child, of course Fabrice would run into someone he knows while a deer. Of course he would.

"Yes, hello. Bach, right?" He runs a hand awkwardly through his hair, trying to think of how he can best explain his situation. His mind remains blank. "And who is this young man?"

"I actually work at the zoo full time," he explains. "And during our petting zoo days, we do sometimes have deer."

[bachjones]

"Zoo?" That's much more exciting than sharing a name and seeing a half naked man. "Petting zoo? Did the deer run from the zoo?"

"Isaac." Bach shakes his head. "Let it go. This is my son, long story. Sorry, remembered stuff wrong. I talk to too much people. But you're alright about the name. You okay, except lucky that you lost all your clothes on a nice summer day?"

[ofcatsandfate]

"No, that was just a wild deer, I believe," Fabrice says, with a smile he hopes is convincing. "I think he might have just accidentally wandered a bit, in search of food."

"Isaac. That's a nice name," he tells Bach. "And no worries. I'm fine, if a little embarrassed," he admits. "It's like those old dreams where you're standing in front of your class naked."

"Luckily, I don't live too far from here."

[bachjones]

"Right. That fixes the rest of it, than. Weather's too hot for me to take off any more clothes in public." He was wondering if there was anything useful to remember about this guy, but his mind drew up on a blank. Just another Siren Cove weirdo, probably.

Isaac, on the other hand, was a bit more enchanted. "I think the deer sang", he tells Fabrice, hands under his chin. "I hear singings. But not Alfred. Alfred is our cat."

"Let him go home so he can get dressed. Adults don't like to walk around in their underwear in public." Now he winks. "Especially not in the day time."

[ofcatsandfate]

"You think the deer sang?" Fabrice says, tilting his head to turn his attention to the little boy. Though he really isn't much of a people person still, he's always had a soft-spot for children, and Isaac seems especially endearing. "What kind of song did it sing, do you think? And you have a cat too? That's wonderful. I have three, myself."

He blushes at the reminder of his lack of clothing, running a hand nervously through his hair.

"Yeah, silly me. I was too happy at the prospect of Quill food, I forgot my own clothes," he says, hoping it'll sound convincing enough to Isaac.

[bachjones]

Dude. Bach is starting to remember now, guy's weird. Not evil weird, but definitely not the guy you want talking too long to the child you want to raise as normal as possible. Nobody forgot their clothes, especially not for food.

"I think it did", Isaac replies, his face serious. "Soft, like blankets after washing and hanging in the sun. But pets don't sing. Is deer a pet?"

"No, it isn't." Seriously, was this happening. "You must have heard someone else, monkey. I think I heard it as well, going that way. Want to go find who it is?"

[ofcatsandfate]

"Deer aren't pets, no," Fabrice says. "They live in the woods. We do have some down at the zoo, though. If you ever feel like visiting."

"Those are the best kinds of songs, too," he adds. "Soft."

He can sense Bach's obvious discomfort; he doesn't blame him, considering how he must look, let alone to anyone who doesn't understand magic and the fact that he's been cursed.

[bachjones]

Isaac nods in agreement, like he understands every word. Maybe he does, Bach is simply getting more lost by the moment. "Like you feel feather skins."

That's enough for now, the kid's babbling. "I'm going to let you give you a chance to get to the Quill, if I can take this guy away from here. You may have given him a new favorite animal."

"Alfred's our cat, he's red!" Isaac grins. "Bye?"

[ofcatsandfate]

"Yes, I don't want to get in your way," Fabrice excuses himself, offering a smile both to Bach and Isaac. "I'm sure you have much more exciting adventures planned, no doubt."

"Your cat is red? How lovely," Fabrice tells the young boy. "Perhaps I'll see you around the zoo sometime."

[bachjones]

The zoo means money, but of course Fabrice doesn't know that. Isaac is a little ball of happy right now, and Bach doesn't want to ruin it. "Always a possibility in Siren Cove, right?"

"Goodbye, sir", Isaac beams. "Zoo sir."