[ prp ] be awarg of chikn (America & Leila)

[lizbot]

America had meant to check up on Leila awhile ago and that wasn't why she was here but she was looking for silver linings wherever she could find them. Right now, actually, the silver lining was on the massive aluminum can laying in the gutter she'd fallen into. There was the literal silver (ish) lining but there was also the satisfaction of kicking something that huge out of her way in irritation. A sad whin came from above her, and her expression immediately turned to panicked reassurance, "No, no, don't worry Puddlepot! You are a good girl. You are such a good girl, you got me all this way here and I love you."

She opened her arms wide and the monstrous pug that towered on high bent down to inspect her and let her back up to finish out the ride. The litany of praise continued right up to the point she was at Eve & Leila's doorstep and found herself confronted with a new problem: how the ******** was she gonna reach the doorbell?

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

A scuffed boot hit the doorstep and pointed at the snorting dog as "Julian" leaned down to rest an arm on his knee and get a closer look at her. A sleepy grin grew across his freckled face when America caught his eye.

"Is that a tiny person you got there, buddy?" he asked the dog before looking at the redhead once more. "And did you need help with something? I live here."

lizbutt

 

[lizbot]

"HOLY s**t!" America shouted up in surprise. "WHO ARE YOU?! WHERE'S LEILA? OMG ARE YOU BISCUIT?????!" She waved her hands dramatically at the idea that chicken was some kind of reverse were. The idea that this was just a regular old human didn't hit until a moment later, signifying how deep down the rabbit hole of magic and animals she truly was.

"OR LIKE, A RELATIVE?" The girl added awkwardly.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

As America waved and shouted up at Julian, he waved back. "I'm not Biscuit, no! I am a normal human, and I guess I'm a relative. Eve's nephew. That makes Leila my aunt by marriage!"

Why he felt the need to spell this out when he already knew it was a mystery.

"I'm Julian." He offered down his pinky finger so America could give him a handshake. "Leila and Biscuit went for a run, but they should be back in a few minutes. You might've gone right past them on the way here without noticing."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"YOU DON'T LOOK NORMAL AT ALL!" America shouted up. "ARE YOU SURE YOU AREN'T A MAGIC?"

Taking the finger in both hands, she tried to give it a firm shake. "SHE TAKE'S HIM FOR RUNS?!" The fit of giggles that errupts at the image has her losing her balance and falling off her noble steed. It's have been quite a bruisey fall if she hadn't caught at the pinky again.

"WHOA!"

Even dangling from his hand she was still fighting off laughter,

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Whoopsie-daisy! Julian awkwardly swung the palm of his other hand downward so America would have something to land on. "Let's see... how about you perch up here while we wait?" he offered, standing fully and bringing his hand up to his shoulder. This way they'd at least be able to talk to each other without the tiny girl having to shout herself ragged. He wasn't sure what to do about the dog, though, just that Eve would be pissed if it took a crap in her front yard.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

The dog gave a pleased yip and America waved it off with cheery THANK YOU! And then it was another waggling tail, disappearing into the distance.

A tiny hand gripped at Julian's ear as the tiny girl balanced herself on his shoulder. "Hi! I'm America Jones, by the way. It's nice to meet you! If she's taking runs with Biscuit, I'm guessing the warg stuff is going along alright?"

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"America Jones?" Julian repeated with a smirk. "I was wondering when I'd get to see you in person! Leila and Eve talk about you sometimes."

There was a shuffly scratchy noise coming up from the sidewalk and a large fluffy chicken appeared, scampering down to the porch and stopping near Julian while muttering something or other in chickenese.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"Oh my gooooosh, YOU'VE GROWN SO BIG!!" America tearfully cried down at Biscuit. From the roof, something blue swooped down and then there was Mister Bitterberry, hopping around the chicken and inspecting the now much larger bird.

No longer a food... His opinion was one of sorrow and lost opportunities.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

In a pair of punctuated motions, the large hen Noticed Mr. Bitterberry and turned around to face him fully, her steely blue colored eyes giving him a good stare before moving on to her next task: pecking at a piece of lint on the ground. She also gave America an ambiguously toned burble, which was a friendly gesture coming from a bird. Being big, it seemed, was something Biscuit quite enjoyed being.

Leila wasn't too far behind. Her sweaty face brightened a bit when she saw the bluejay hopping around her familiar. "Hey, is that Mr. Bitterberry?" she asked, turning to Julian -- as if he would know.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

Mr. Puffed up. He could be big too. He was taller even than his warg.

Who cheerfully waved from her perch, calling out, "HEY LEILA!"

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"Holy s**t... you're sooooo tiny." No need to follow up with a 'how'd you get so tiny?' because they both already knew it was magic. Leila just needed to joyfully observe it for a moment. Ever since she and Biscuit had chosen each other, new abilities had started to become more like new clothes than the source of inconvenience they'd felt like before then. Gushing about them was just part of being a friend to someone like America.

Biscuit's inspection of the ground around her led her to notice Mr. Bitterberry once again, this time puffed up something fierce. She knew that this other bird was Flock -- or Flock-twice-removed?? -- and that was enough to decide her next response. Floofing up some herself, she moved to sit upon him. I am here to warm you, cold child. Suffer no longer.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

Mr. B warbled in discontent, he was undeniably the smoll in comparison to Biscuit's grand majesty, and this was both undignified and also kind of comfy.

"Yeah! I'm still working it out, but I'm getting by when it happens pretty dang well, if I do say so myself! Biscuit's so fluffy now! I mean, she's always been fluff but now she's like The Grand Fluff!"

By this point, America was basically coolguy leaning, one hand on Julian's ear, the other planted on a cocked hip. Everybody just chattin' it up in a neighborly fashion.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"This is great," said Julian, swaying to gesture at the five of them (counting familiars). "All of us standing around chattin' it up in a neighborly fashion. I feel like I'm in the beginning of an episode of King of the Hill."

Leila glanced over slowly, confused and marginally exasperated. "Yyyep. I wouldn't mind a cheap beer." Then she shrugged it off, back to being glad for America and Mr. Bitterberry's impromptu visit. "I have this power where I can get light enough to be blown away by the wind if I'm not careful," she said with a humbled laugh. "So I can relate. It's still a bit on and off with Biscuit, but we can pull off a good five minutes without it flickering out. Did you want to see the rest of the flock while you're here?"

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"YEP," America drawled loudly.

At Leila's description of her power, America couldn't help but clap excitedly. "Ohmigosh, have you tried riding a kite yet?! I wanna see Miss Snooty-toots! I bet she's hella pretty now, isn't she? Isn't warging so much nicer now, though? Back in the day it was all blinding headaches and a bag full of headache pills trying to do it on this side."

She chattered happily as they went, perfectly comfortable rising around on her new friend/mount's shoulder.

cibarium