[IC] Misc. Open Post

[curriculum_fictae]

For various overflow, misc. threads that don't fit on the comms they're for, etc.

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[hijoperdido]

[They are the cutest rats.

Not to be confused with the honestly fairly filthy man hiding behind the potted plant.]

Yoouuu are definitely somewhere you should not be, there is no celebration happening in Casita tonight, you should definitely not be here, nope.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Ah. That’s.

Martin just sort of looks past the plant at the weird man hiding there. ]

Well, I’m sorry. I will happily go home if I can find my way, but I don’t think I’m from this area.

[hijoperdido]

Uuhhh no you are not. You are really, really not.

[He moves, still trying to stay in the shadows, but bits of color can be seen - the dark black-graying-curls, the green ruana draping down low to his feet.]

Do you not know how you got here?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ That -

UH. Martin just stares for a moment? Rubs at his eyes. CLEARLY, it’s not Jon, and yet it’s firing off every familiar instinct he’s got. ]

N-no, ah. I just. Woke up outside?

[hijoperdido]

[The shuffling stops. But maybe Martin will be a little too familiar with the feeling of eyes boring down onto him.]

You. You mean, you just... literally woke up outside?

No, no no not possible, that's not possible.

[curriculum_fictae]

Yes, I am aware of how impossible it is, but I am sorry to say it’s what happened.

[ He inches closer, trying to get a closer look at those Eyes. ]

[hijoperdido]

[The man is doing his level best staying in the shadows, but even his eyes reflect the light here and there - a pair of very natural, very human green eyes watching him closely.]

No, you don't- I mean, you really don't understand, this valley's hidden. No one can get in, been that way for almost fifty years. So if you're here, just poof, then that means you got through somehow, found a break in the magic, the-

Oh no. [Nooo no no no. A dark hand reaches for Martin's wrist, aiming to tug him closer to the painting-door.] You need to come with me.

[curriculum_fictae]

What -

[ Okay, he’s definitely tugged along. He’s a big guy but he is not resisting? Just DEEPLY confused. ]

Magic? What magic? Where are we going?

[hijoperdido]

We are going somewhere we can talk.

[Sure, Dolores could hear them. But she's a little distracted elsewhere. No, it's clear now this is a short Columbian man, malnourished and eyes carrying some heavy baggage. He pulls Martin in through the tunnel entrance and closes the painting door behind him.]

Go - Go that way, we'll talk when we get there.

[curriculum_fictae]

O-okay, okay! All right!

[ He would be more suspicious if this man weren’t so obviously sad? A sad Eye man?? God.

He heads in through the painting, then, and stands for a moment behind the house walls. Then … slowly, carefully, heads the way Bruno said he should. ]

[hijoperdido]

[He gives the painting-back and side walls quick knocks before continuing behind him.]

It hasn't reached Casita just yet, but- Oh it will. It will, I saw it so there's no real stopping that, but I didn't think it'd be enough at the start to bring a whole person from outside, that's - I can't even figure that one out.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin just. Stares a bit at that little ritual. ]

What? What hasn’t reached Casita yet?

[hijoperdido]

The cracks. [Like it's the most obvious thing.

Around a few turns until Martin has definitely lost track of his direction and it opens to a small room with old, neglected furniture and so many more rats.

The man is in full view now, short, wiry with longer black curls and eyes that don't seem to focus while he paces and gestures with his hands talking.]

I knew it was coming, just never knew when but I should've guessed since she's been getting older, so it was only a matter of time. But you being here is a crack in the magic, which means it's going to happen soon.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin just sort of stumbles along, then, until he gets to that room and …

Oh. There is something DEEPLY familiar about this. Especially with this man in front of him looking the way he does. (Is it wrong that he kind of likes this look? This is a dream, right?) ]

Cracks. Okay. In - what magic, exactly.

[hijoperdido]

[Almost like if Jonah had allowed his hair to grow properly, not let it bother him.

But no, the man here is Not Jonah. He's just pacing circles, letting the rats jump onto and off of him, occasionally reaching to pet one here and there.]

In the encanto! The whole valley, the pueblo. This whole place is protected by magic. But they don't know, I didn't let Abuela see it, so they have no way to know it's coming.

[He makes some tchah tchah tchah noises in his teeth before stopping. Looking at Martin. Then looking at the rats.]

What d'you think, you think he's part of it? Or something else, maybe? Seems harmless enough.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ At least the rats seem friendly? Martin tentatively offers a hand to one of them.

And. You know. Stares at Bruno. ]

Are you. Are you talking to the rats?

[hijoperdido]

[The rat does sniff at the offered hand before jumping to climb up Martin's arm.]

Uh. Yeah? Who else would I be talking to?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Cute. Martin reaches down to pet its little head. ]

I mean, most people where I come from don’t talk to rats. Or talk about magic at all.

[hijoperdido]

Well, then your place didn't have a miracle.

Or me. So.

[curriculum_fictae]

… We are definitely a place without miracles. Yes. That is 100% true.

[ Martin sighs a bit and leans on the back of that threadbare armchair. ]

Who are you, anyway?

[hijoperdido]

[Meanwhile, he's sorting to some of the rats, dolling out some of the food they brought. Gotta share, all of you.

But that question. He looks up at Martin in disbelief.]

You- You don't know me? Really?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Does this blank face look like he knows you. ]

Absolutely not. Should I?

[hijoperdido]

Wow...

[He pets at another rat on his shoulder, but he's hunching in on himself a bit. Nervous, this guy is the definition of nervous.]

You are... really not from around here. Everyone knows who I am.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Gosh. Maybe it’s his looks, but Martin is abruptly feeling a lot of sympathy for this poor nervous man. He gives him a gentle smile. ]

Well, I’m not from around here, and I don’t know who you are. Would you mind telling me?

[hijoperdido]

Uh.

[He hesitates, just wandering the room a bit, setting one of the rats onto a barrel]

I'm Bruno. Of the family Madrigal, the family who lives here. Out there. Abuela Alma has been leading the village out there since we found this place.