dreamcrystals | The Old College Try

Yup

feathers, beak, webbed feet

But I don't quack and I walk and talk like humans (I assume you're human? Cause I swear 95% of the population here is like either human or human-based)

Human, yeah wait so question what do you think about bread?

???

I like it? I guess? I mean when it comes to food I'm not picky, I'll pretty much have it any way you serve it

toast, sandwich, those weird bread bowls that are in restaurants everywhere now, i'll eat it

Bread's awesome. Especially when you leave it out for a while and it becomes toast. Anyway, I'll see ya.

[ Della is no kitchen master, but she's pretty sure that's not how toast works??? But he seems to be off and waiting for him, so with a shrug, she decides to head out and start the beat-down.

So yes, Denji, when she arrives at the designated location, she is indeed a duck... In a pilot's outfit. And has a metal leg.

When she sees him, she waves cheerfully. ]

Hey there! Are you the one who wanted to get into a good old fashioned beat-down?

[He was enjoying a cup of hot chocolate when Della came on over. Sure as shit, she was a walking, talking duck. No freakin' way. She was straight out of some comic book or something.]

Yeah, that's me. Sick robot leg!

Thanks! It's made out of rocket-ship parts. Long story.

[ Long and depressing, and they're here to have fun by beating the shit out of each other! So she punches her fist into her open palm! ]

So, should I just leap right into kicking your butt, or you got more questions for me?

[Talking duck with rocket ship leg. Okay. He accepts this. He nodded.]

Let's get right into it. Questions can come with lunch if I think of any.

[She answered his bread question. That's about all he was curious about.]

[ She grins, cracking her knuckles. She takes a step back... then dashes forward, swinging her metal leg around. It caught his attention before, so she figures he might still be distracted by it...

... So she uses it as a feint, as she actually intends for a gut-punch! ]

[He widened his stance and only now wondered if she had a fighting style or anything to think abou-

She came at him with a kick and was NOT about to deal with a metal rod to the ribs ~~again~~, so he moved to take an arm to it instead. He was rewarded with a punch in what would later be the lunch.

Shit, he was glad he hadn't eaten yet. "Cyborg ducks hit hard" was today's lesson.]

Nice-

[He managed to wheeze back before he retaliated with a knee.]

Thank you~!

[ And she means it! Even as she takes the knee, straight on to the beak!

It's hard enough to make her fall onto her back... and try to follow up with sweeping his legs! ]

[Okay, duck lady was awesome. Down she went and he reached into his shirt. Before he could really get that going, the sweep removed the ground from his high-top shoes. He pinwheeled an arm but it was nothing to maintain his balance when he had a hand occupied.

He fell hard and fought to untangle himself. He managed to grasp some sort of cord from between a buttoned-up portion of his shirt and give it a sharp yank.

A rumble, then a sputtering engine. A bark.]

Damn it... c'mon, Pochita, we got a cyborg on our hands! It's the perfect time!!

... I'm sorry, did your shirt just bark?

[ If he's trying to distract her, he's doing an excellent job, because she's sits where she is, head-tilted and confused. Granted, her fists are clenched, but she's still... processing what's being said.

Also, he's got some nerve calling her a cyborg when he's the one with a pull-cord?! ]

Yeah, that's kinda new.

[He yanked again. Another bark. He sighed.]

...I think he's mad at me.

[ Oh good, so at least they're both confused. Um, yay? ]

... Is your... shirt... mad because we're fighting?

My- what? No...!

[He reached into his shirt and eased the cord out between two button positions.]

I pull the cord and I'm s'posed to... change. But I ain't changin'. Instead it's just barks.

Maybe he's mad at me 'cause you ain't tryin' to kill me for real... like... everybody else.

[He brought a hand to the back of his head.]

...Crap, that was kind of a downer thing to say... I mean, it ain't a lie, but...

[ Huh. Della supposed she should be a little more concerned about that, but then again, she and her own children were put in life-threatening situations daily... ]

Well... No offense, but I can't just... you know, try to kill you. And I doubt anyone else where will do the same! You'd have better luck trying that when actual monsters invade this place.

[ Not sarcasm or patronizing - this place does seem to run into danger once a month. ]

Nah, I wouldn't ask anybody for that, but I get what you're sayin'. What'd you mean about monsters...? You mean those nightmares the faeries were goin' on about?

[He took a minute to offer her a hand up if needed before dusting himself off.]

What... are they, though?

Ah, the Noctare! They're destructive monsters made out of nightmares and negative energy. They can look like anything and can cause chaos in all kinds of ways - but you can tell they're noctare cause they've got black gunk oozing all over.

[ She wiggles her fingers for emphasis. She is best teacher. ]

And the only way to beat them is with good ol' dreamotion energy!

[Goopy nightmare monsters, negative energy. Got it. The finger wiggle sells it, really.]

That's feelin' good about stuff, right? Cancels 'em out.

[A pause.]

...I think I've got some real good memories somewhere that can help. You sound like you know a lot about the dreamotion stuff. Can we try that instead?

Well... I may sound like it, but I'm no expert at it. Magic stuff like this has never been my strong point... shoot, the whole family used to be kinda anti-magic for a while, but that's another story.

[ Still, she's not about to say no! She came here to help, even if means just beating the shit out of each other. So she rolls her shoulder. ]

But let's give it a shot, what have we got to lose?

[He shrugged.]

Time? I dunno. Gotta think of a memory that really makes me feel somethin'. Like... like my first time havin' soba, even if it was kinda soggy 'cause I passed out.

[A pause. He was thinking really hard about it.]

Mm... nothin'. Uhhh... what kinda memories make it work for you?

Oh, that's easy! I just think of my family! My uncle, my brother, my little boys... anytime I think of them, I'm filled with more energy than a million lightbulbs at once!

[ did she mention her family is awesome because HER FAMILY IS THE BEST, BETTER THAN THE REST ]

Ohhh... so you're one'a those super-moms.

[He smiled a little.]

So I gotta think harder. I need a happier memory! Like...

[Hmmm, give him a minute. Oh! He stopped to think, even scrunched his nose a little as his eyes closed. He and Pochita found a stray burger in the trash. It was still a little warm, and it tasted so good. They hadn't had anything more than bread in weeks...!

A small spark popped before him, and both he and Della would briefly have the warm and familiar sensation of being hugged, but that was it. He cracked an eye open.]

Oh... Oh, hang on, I'm onto somethin'. Keep goin'. Uhh... the boys! Tell me about 'em!

[His mom was very much dead but he could live vicariously a little bit. He wondered what she was like... would she have felt like she had million-lightbulb energy thinking of him?]

[ She's not sure why her bragging about her kids helps him, but she's certainly not going to complain! ]

You won't be able to make me stop! I've got three, they're triplets! Huey's the thinker, can memorize any fact in seconds, and is awesome at getting Junior Woodchuck Badges! Dewey is a great performer, always down to boogie, and has the same love for adventure as I do! Louie is is so sharp, he can see through any con and scheme before bad guys think twice, and he's got a heart bigger than the universe!

[ The warm feeling is just gunna keep on growing - her word of hers is sincere, and she can easily babble about her babies non-stop. ]

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