Foxy - OTA

[prince_of_nymphs]

There were still no textbooks or youtube videos on how to fairy, and so Fin was still learning by doing. Sometimes he would do his best to focus on something, like reviving wilted flowers or forcing the wrinkles out of his bed sheets. Other times he'd try slightly harder things, like changing an item into another item- Something he hadn't yet mastered, but at least had a grasp on the basics now.

He played with elements, toyed with using his magic to tidy up or take notes for him. Nothing huge, nothing grand. It was a slow build after all.

Occasionally, however, he let his magic lead. It was a part of him, yes, but just as his mind was prone to wandering and building worlds for him to jot down on paper, his magic had a tendency to- Create. An extension of his imagination, he assumed, and he often let it lead as he created small items from ice, or even repainted a whole room with idle thoughts. It was remarkable, the things he could do with little more than a spare thought and a vague grasp on his powers. Will was right, he was powerful. He understood now why the other fae had feared them.

Today he was simply laying on the sofa, a pen taking notes by itself on a pad of paper nearby while he drew random patterns in the air with the tip of his finger. He was working on a pitch for a mini series, something prompted by a friend at the network, but his mind was dancing between ideas, and his magic was, for a lack of a better word, getting a bit bored it seemed. Or, perhaps he was bored and just didn't want to admit it.

The pen slowed, then stopped, and Fin closed his eyes as he sighed softly.

"Perhaps I should leave this all behind, go live in the woods on the Other Side, to be a wild thing like my kin," he mused. "You could come, if you like," he told Keats, opening one eye and looking over at the German Sheppard. The dog simply yawned though, then settled back in to finish his nap.

"No? Alright then. I'll just live alone then. Or, perhaps I'll live with Winter's pixie friends," he joked, smiling as his mind wandered to thoughts of thick forest like areas, wild flowers and strange stones. The many wonders of the world that was apparently his true home. The memories of his brief time there made his magic long for it- Or, again, perhaps it was just him. His secret desires, the needs of his blood. Whatever it was, it was powerful, and as Fin slowly got to his feet and headed for the private rooftop garden for a smoke, he felt something shift inside of him- Then outside.

It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, yes, he was suddenly small and a touch fluffy, but the sudden shift from human to fox had been painless- Pleasant, even. So much so that Fin had simply gone along with it. It was just more of his magic after all, harmless enough it seemed... At first.

Three hours later, and Fin was still a fluffed up white fox. He'd managed to get back inside the flat, but no matter what he tried, he couldn't seem to make himself human again. He was sure part of that was due to how worked up he'd gotten himself when his first attempt had failed, but now- Now he couldn't seem to calm down at all.

He'd gone looking for Will first, but the other fae was clearly out, and using a phone as a fox was a lost cause. Even if he could have dialled a number, he was struggling to speak. All he managed were some odd purrs and sharp sounds. Nothing intelligible. Clearly he would have to seek out help elsewhere. ...Perhaps Phouka and Winter might help, though they were quite a way away, and he really didn't think any Uber driver in their right mid would pick him up.

Well, a walk wouldn't be so bad. ...Not if he stayed hidden, right?

He'd barely made it three blocks before he'd been spotted, and he was currently cowering in an alley while a rather large and unpleasant man was attempting to whack him with the blunt end of a broom.

Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, he thought, unaware that anyone passing by with magic ability or sensitivities could hear him loud and clear.

(OTA. I was going to put this up on Thanksgiving since I'm off all day, but figured there was no harm in tossing it up early. ^_^ If you think your pup could hear Fin's magic telepathic chatter, be my guest. Or if you just want to save a fluffy fox, feel free! As always, late tags and slowtime are welcome.)

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[offthebeatenpath]

Em bit her lip to keep from laughing, and when the lift doors opened, she stayed back, letting him go first. She was afraid she'd trip over Fin in his eagerness to get home otherwise.

She followed him to the apartment and tried the door, hoping it was unlocked. She wasn't sure Fin needed to see her lock picking skills.

[prince_of_nymphs]

The door was never locked, and Fin happily scampered in, rushing off straight to the kitchen.

Food, food, food, he chanted, pawing at the fridge. Open, open, open.

[offthebeatenpath]

So that's what the fox says, Em thought as she followed the yips and huffs through to the kitchen.

"I have no idea what foxes shouldn't eat," she said as she opened the fridge and scanned it for things that looked like they'd be okay. "'Je ne mange pas de pain. Le blé pour moi est inutile.' Fox in the henhouse. I'm guessing you're more carnivorous, huh? And probably need help opening containers."

[prince_of_nymphs]

I cooked bacon this morning, I know there's some left, Fin huffed, paws up on a shelf as he nosed at a foil wrapped packet.

This! Bacon! Give it!

[offthebeatenpath]

Em opened the foil package and set it down on the floor where Fin could reach it easily. Then, making sure her fingers were free of bacon grease, she moved to the table and pulled a deck of cards out of her bag. "Don't eat too fast, you'll make yourself sick."

What do I need to know so Fin can unfox? filled her mind as she began to shuffle. She could go back to wondering over the strangeness of her life here once she was done with the tarot.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin ate nearly the whole lot, though he did eventually stop, plucking a piece from the top and trotting over to Em.

Looking pleased with himself, he dropped it at her feet and sat down.

Sharing.

[offthebeatenpath]

Focusing on the cards in front of her, Em didn't pay much attention to Fin's offering at first. One spread, then another, additional cards looking for more information and it kept coming back to the four of swords.

"That's all right, you can have it," she said when she saw the bacon he'd left for her. "Then I think you need to just chill out. Maybe take a nap or something. You were trying too hard, maybe?"

An idea came to her, and she looked for a card with a single fox. "I don't know if this will help, but if you follow the fox, it might." With the card in hand, Em projected the fox, and had it walk slowly around the room, tracing out an Askani calming pattern.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin didn't follow though, his tail fluffing out right before he attempted to pounce on the animal.

[offthebeatenpath]

Fin pounced, but Em's projected fox faded as he landed. Maybe she should've explained what she was trying to do.

"So much for that idea. Giving into vulpine instincts isn't going to help you turn back, you know."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin pawed at the floor where the fox had been, then whined as he looked back at Em.

Play. I want to play, he huffed, trotting back over to her and pouncing on her foot.

[offthebeatenpath]

"Your as bad as my friend's corgy Lenny," Em laughed. "Don't you want to shift back to your usual self?"

[prince_of_nymphs]

Of course I do! Fin huffed, flopping onto his side and whining a little.

[offthebeatenpath]

"I'm sorry. Figuring out new abilities sucks, I know. But I don't think I can do anything to help except stay with you until you shift back. Or Willy gets home." She wished she could do more, but it wasn't that different from trying to help with someone else's mutation – at some level, he had to do it himself.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin huffed a bit, then stretched out slightly, his tail thumping rhythmically against the floor.

He let out a low whine that faded to a yawn, and as his little heart thrummed in his chest, he started to shift back into his human form.

[offthebeatenpath]

When the fox finally started to shift, Em looked away. She hadn't known Rahne well enough to know how she felt about others watching her shift, and she wasn't sure it was the kind of thing to ask Val. Cessily's shifting was different, but she was shy anyway. And Jake – the less said about Jake's exhibitionism, the better. All that meant she didn't know how Fin would feel about it either, so wanted to give at least some privacy.

Oh, god, she hadn't even though about whether Fin's clothes had shifted with him. Please don't let him be naked.

[prince_of_nymphs]

He wasn't naked, thankfully, and he nearly banged his head on the table as he sat up.

"Oh, look at that. Furless," he said cheerfully.

[offthebeatenpath]

"And capable of speech again." And dressed, thank goodness.

"How do you feel?"

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Unsteady, a bit," Fin admitted as he pushed to his feet and then wobbled a bit.

"Oh, that's an odd feeling," he laughed.

[offthebeatenpath]

"Maybe you should take things slow until your body remembers how to biped?" Em stood ready to offer a hand if it looked like he needed it.

"I know it takes me a while sometimes to adjust to not controlling wings after I've been using them a long time."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"No, no I- Well, maybe," he admitted, letting out a nervous titter before sitting down.

"It's less the legs, more the, uh, vision. It was clearer when I was a fox. Undamaged, actually. It's all magic again now."

[offthebeatenpath]

It wasn't the same – and it wasn't magic at all – but switching between precognitive Sight and physical sight could be disorienting too, so Em felt like she could empathize. "Definitely reason to take it easy, then."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin nodded, eyes moving as he adjusted to the switch.

"I am worried now," he admitted. "What's to stop my magic from turning me into a fox whenever it fancies?"

[offthebeatenpath]

Em shrugged, not knowing enough about magic in general or for fae creatures to say. "Practice? Maybe some meditation? That's what I do, but... I don't have magic, so... I'm probably not all that helpful."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"I imagine I'll have to speak with Will about it," Fin replied. "He's the only expert I know."

[offthebeatenpath]

"How are y'all doing?" Jag had told Em a little of what had happened between them, and Em wasn't sure she'd have been able to work things out if it had been her. On the other hand, both Jag and Pyro thought she was too quick to forgive them, so maybe she would've.