Fourth Seed; [Action]

[nearlychosen]

[This morning isn't terribly different from any other morning near House 26. The lawn there is a little bit greener than the neighboring homes, and the multicolored plantlife is as healthy as ever, fed a steady diet of the best quality dung Neville can get his hands on. The gardener is even mostly the same, a boy of average height spending far too much time on his hands and knees in the mud getting filthy in the care of things that can't talk back. It's not even very strange to hear him chatting with the vines and petals surrounding him, though this particular morning he seems to be hissing at his garden rather than rambling on in English. For those who recognize it, the language is Parseltongue.]

...And I haven't found a single lead anywhere in this place. I think there just aren't any Horcruxes to be found here. I should talk to Harry or Luna about this, shouldn't I? ...No, you're probably right. It's supposed to be a secret. What's that? Your leaves are getting dry? Well don't worry, I'll fix that.


[Later in the afternoon, after he's had a shower at least, he'll venture into town, rifling pointedly through the rebuilt item shop for something very specific and emerging empty-handed. It's okay to miss him as he moves among the people in mid-town, though; he avoids eye contact like the plague. Still, he won't be unfriendly if approached. Feel free to gape at the lightningbolt scar just barely visible under his fringe. He's used to it.]

[OOC: AU Cheatsheat is here.]

Comments

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

[Soaring about town, Terra (http://community.livejournal.com/lucetiooc/1198105.html?thread=33030425#t33030425) catches sight of Neville. She hasn't talked to him in a while, so why not now? The Esper woman glides on over, hovering before him and nodding at him with a light smile.]

Hello, Neville!

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[Terra, why are you pink today? And also naked? Neville reflexively clutches his wand out of jumpy instinct when she approaches, trying to make out what curses might have been lain upon the woman who certainly sounds Terralike, but looks so very very different.] ...Terra?

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

[That questioning tone catches her off-guard.]

Of course it's me, silly. Who else would it be?

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

It's just that you're... different today. [Like many of the neighbors seem to be. He doesn't really trust all that black metal that seems to be moving around House 25, personally.] I suspect there's an experiment.

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

[Terra looks herself over with the usual -to her- lack of concern for the fact that she's wearing no clothing.]

What do you mean? I don't see anything different.

[She glances back to him and then furrows her brow, hovering a little closer now.]

Is that why you have a scar, now? Or did that happen because of the earthquake?

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

The scar's not new. [Though his muscles are growing taut the longer she stares at it.]

You weren't pink the last time we spoke, though.

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

[At least she stops looking at it thanks to that comment, though the confusion doesn't abate.]

What? I've always been this way, Neville.

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

It's probably an experiment. That's the kind of thing that's done here. [The poor, delusional thing.. Has no idea she's being influenced, does she?]

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

But...didn't we already have that? The earthquake and then the Espers suddenly arriving? I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce you to my father, but we were so busy trying to help the others....

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

Maybe there's just more than one. Maybe... It's something else. I'm not sure. Your father was one of those monsters that attacked us?

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

He didn't mean it! He would normally never do that but coming here...it overwhelmed his powers.

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

It's overwhelmed most of us from the looks of things.

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

[She nods solemnly.]

That's true. I would be glad it's over...but it's been so long since I've seen any of my kin.

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

I know what it's like to lose a parent. ...I'm glad you've gotten to see yours, even if it was just for a little while.

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

[She smiles brightly at that.]

Thank you, Neville. At least they're home, now...and safe.