awashlogs | well, i'll BEE! it's... another september catchall

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well, i'll BEE! it's... another september catchall

Who: ochako and co.
Where: EvErYwHeRe
When: the entire month of september
What: BEES!! there are some open prompts for the honey quest, so feel free to jump on in. i'll probably add other stuff, too... eventually...
Warnings: nah

a. the polite way

[Ochako has never collected honey in her life, but.... how difficult can it really be? She's seen cartoons! She knows what a beehive looks like! (Spoiler alert: Ochako has no idea what a beehive really looks like.)

So instead of doing any research at all, Ochako messages a handful of people, grabs a small jar from her kitchen cabinets, and heads to the edge of the forest to wait. She's just, you know, loitering there, idly tossing the jar from one hand to the other, until she spots one of her friends making their way over to her.]

Hey! [She waves excitedly, leaving the jar just... floating right in front of her. Neat.] Are you ready to go?

bee. the rude way (aka thank u, ghost, for reminding me that b is bee)

[Even if Ochako didn't message you, that doesn't mean you're safe. Maybe she knows you? Maybe she doesn't? It's not like it matters! As she wanders around town, if she spots anyone who looks like they're not doing anything particularly important... well, she's going to walk right up to them with a smile.]

You're not busy, are you? Because there's a ton of honey out there waiting for us to gather it up! Let's go!

[Sorry, mystery character, but you don't have a say in the matter! Any reluctance will be met with her sliding her arm through yours and tugging you right the heck along.]

c. wildcard!

[HIT ME WITH ANYTHING!! I will roll with whatever you send my way. Alternatively, feel free to chat with me over at

tuchanka!!]

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[ Cairn is in the same boat in that they have no way of knowing what sort of things to pack for a Bee Hunting Excursion. Nor have they done any research on the topic, since bees aren't that popular in fairytales... they're going to have to rely entirely on her for that lot of information, and only bring what they usually carry around with them— which is their sword, clearly the most delicate and useful tool for this task. ]

I'm as ready as I can be.

[ They don't wave back, but they do give a tiny nod of acknowledgement, slowing their pace the closer they get to her. ]

Do you already know where we're supposed to go?

[Always so ready to get down to business!! Ochako appreciates that about Cairngorm, which is why she turns right around and begins walking into the forest. This... is going to be a beautiful disaster.]

Yeah! I'm as ready as I can bee, too! [She pauses, trying to let her Hilarious Pun sink in, before charging right ahead.] Bees like flowers, so I thought we'd look around this clearing I know? It's full of lavender and other pretty things.

[And she could leave it at that, because #business, but this... is Ochako, the friendliest person alive. She has to turn back to give the gem a wide smile.]

It's good to see you again, Cairngorm. I haven't stopped by the library in such a long time!

[She's a bad student...]

[ The pun is lost on them (VERY SAD), but they easily nod in agreement to her suggestion, a part of them even curious about this alleged pretty clearing. Usually around this time of year, there aren't many flowers at all where they live, so to see some in Fall would be a new experience... ]

Well, it's the same as ever. [ They wave a gloved hand, as if brushing off any guilt she may have about not stopping by. They're aware it takes a certain personality to sit around with old dusty books all day. ] It's not the most exciting place to be in, so— it's good to be doing something active for a change.

[ And in the sun, too!! Delicious sunlight for their weird gem particles. Opposed to her bursting forward, they continue at their casual pace, tilting their head slightly at her wide smile. ]

You've been getting by alright? I know a lot of people got injured with those "siren" things.

[ they're not even aware of the potential injuries that can happen on this quest?? ]

[Hmm! The memories of her time spent on Hell Island are terrible, but as for any physical injuries...]

I was... pretty scratched up, I guess? But other people had it way worse! I just had to rest for, like, three whole days, and then I was back to normal.

[There's that typical Ochako Positivity™!!]

That's why is really is nice to be outside on a day like this! It's like— [She spreads her arms wide, looking up at that nice, clear sky.] Everything feels bright and happy, so maybe the bees will be in a good mood! I hope so, because I really don't want to get stung.

[ They suppose that is not so bad, for a human at least! Three days is not very long at all. And it's certainly better than having to assemble yourself on arrival like a furniture from overseas, as they were forced to do with themself.

For a moment, they just watch her smile and look so positive. Even though they're not capable of showing the same brand of optimism, the fact that she seems confident about the task at hand puts some of their worry about walking into something they don't know much about at ease. ]

"Stung"? [ That, on the other hand, gets them to quirk a brow, half-concern and half-curiosity. ] I'm not really familiar with bees, they didn't live on my planet. Are they harmful to humans, or something?

[It's surprisingly easy for Ochako to forget that Cairngorm isn't human with a super nifty quirk? When you spend sixteen years surrounded by people with all types of quirks, you just, you know, learn to overlook even the strangest-looking ones.]

Sorry! I didn't even think about—

[Well, you know. She laughs, just a touch awkwardly.]

Okay, so... bees are good for humans, but they're very small? It scares them when bigger things get too close, and that's why they sting! [Ah, how to explain this?? She holds up one finger and uses it to poke the back of her other hand.] And a sting is when they user their stingers to, like, poke through our skin. It really, really hurts, but they can only sting you one time before they die.

[There! A halfway decent explanation! Now give her a second to put two and two together—]

But you don't have to worry, Cairngorm! [She claps her hands together, obviously excited... and relieved.] They can't do anything to you at all!

[J A C K P O T.]

[ Don't mind while they make a slightly disgusted face at her explanation— human wounds, no matter how minor, are still highly gross to them. Her little happy dance distracts them, though not enough to relax their concerned features, a certain tension settling into their shoulders. ]

I see... [ They don't, totally, since they still have no idea what these creatures look like. But they at least get why someone would be interested in taking them on this particular quest. What curious little animals. ] Will there be a lot of them?

[ They bring a gloved hand to their chin, thinking. ]

If they're really tiny, I won't be able to control them from harming you.

[The thought of being stung... is awful, yes, but she's still smilin'.]

There will be a ton of bees in the hive, but don't worry about me! If you walk up in front of the hive, they should all swarm right to you? So then I can sneak around behind them and get what we need before they even notice that I'm there.

[As long as she runs really quickly after gathering the honey, then it's a solid plan, she thinks! Maybe not a Deku-level plan, but hey, she's doing her best here.]

You don't mind, do you? I mean, even though they can't sting you, they'll keep trying. It'll probably be super annoying...

[And gross? So gross.]

[ That plan seems... uh, risky, but they don't know enough about bees to dispute it. They mull it over for a few seconds before brushing a few strands of hair from their face, looking about as indifferent as ever. ]

I don't really care. They just sound like insects from my planet... [ Butterflies crawled all over gems if they stayed in one place for too long, so they're imagining that the sensation of bees crawling on them will likely be similar— as in, they'll barely even feel it. ] Besides, it can't be more annoying than the other animals I've dealt with in this place.

[ Those nasty wolves, for example. As they get closer to the clearing, they keep their eyes peeled for any of these supposed bee houses, even if they're not very sure what they look like. It seems like the kind of thing they'd know what it was the second thy saw it. ]

As long as you make sure all of them leave the hive— there shouldn't be a problem.

[And this is where Ochako realizes that she probably should have, like, given a better explanation as to what bees actually are, but it's fine! Everything is fine. Even this incredibly risky plan is just... fine...

So hey, why worry? Instead of fretting about anything and everything, Ochako decides to focus on finding a darn beehive as they finally step into the clearing. She's not sure what, exactly, they look like, but she narrows her eyes and scans every tree she possibly can.]

I think the best way to get them all out is to make them all angry? So what if you... throw a rock at the hive? A really big rock. [A beat, and then she guiltily adds:] I don't want to hurt them, but I think that's the fastest way to get their attention!

[Or so she hopes, anyway. But after another few seconds of scouting, she excitedly straightens the heck up.]

Hey, do you see that? In the tree over there? [She points!] Maybe that's what we're looking for?

[Dear God, but it looks a) huge, b) gross, and c) surrounded by way too many flying things.]

You want me to throw a rock at them.

[ They repeat back, slightly disbelieving. They might as well just go punch a hole in this hive?? How are these little insects going to know that they're the one that threw the rock? They have a lot of questions, but not enough time to ask them all since she's quick to point out the alleged hive up to the crook of a tree.

And ew, that looks gross. The bugs on their planet never quite swarm like that, or at least, they haven't paid enough attention in the last thousand years to witness it, which is equally possible. After they make the expected expression of disgust for a well deserved three seconds, they look around the clearing ground for some sort of rock, since after seeing that thing, they've decided they don't really want to get near it anyway. ]

And where will you go when I throw this?

[ Their gloved hand falls upon a stone the size of their heads, which, when overturned, reveals lots of other little bugs living underneath it, not that they notice (or care). ]

[Ochako pointedly does not look at the rock Cairn picks up; instead, she keeps her attention focused on the hive, because she knows perfectly well what creepy-crawlies lurk under rocks and logs and other things. No, thank you! She'd much rather focus on planning.]

I'll sneak around to the side? If I stay behind those trees, [she says, helpfully pointing right to them,] then they shouldn't be able to see me at all. They'll zoom out of the hive and go straight to you!

[She finally looks back Cairn's way, hoping for, like, a nod or something, but she finds herself instantly distracted by the size of that rock. Dear Lord? Even though she decides against asking if Cairn has really, really good aim, her eyes still noticeably widen before she shifts her gaze back to the trees. Stay on track, Ochako... trust your partner and stay on track...]

I-It won't take me very long to get over there, so just wait a few minutes before you throw... that. [PLEASE.] I'll grab what we need, yell for you when I'm done, we'll both run, and—that's it! We'll finish this in no time, so let's do our best!

[And hopefully escape this clearing with zero (0) bee stings. Time, however, is a-wastin', so after flashing Carin a quick thumbs up... off Ochako stalks into the surrounding brush.]

[ She's definitely putting more faith in them than they deserve, because they have no idea what the appropriate amount of strength should be to throw this thing. They wait until she's clearly in her chosen hiding place before they adjust where they're standing to aim, but not before letting out a sigh and making an expression that can only be described as why did I let myself get dragged into this.

But! Here goes nothing.

They hurl the stone at the hive, with way more force than is necessary. The good news is that it hits it's mark perfectly, square in the opening of the hive. The bad news is that the rock knocks it right out of the tree, sending it down, down, down until it plops right on the ground. There's a beat or two where the bees are just in shock, buzzing around their displaced hive before swarming out all at once like any angry cloud, searching wildly for the culprit.

Predictably, they zoom their way towards Cairngorm, since they're the only one standing around, but there's a few that have lingered by the sadly smushed hive on the ground. The vast majority of the insects quickly begin to cover their form, making them look comically like some beekeeper, minus the cool netted mask and everything... its a very concerning image, even to someone who knows they can't be harmed by them. ]

Aghhh, hurry up over there! This feels weird...

[ It doesn't seem like they're in pain, but they are squirming, quick to curl up into a ball at the discomfort. The worst of it all is the buzzing; it's strangely ticklish and invasive, and the sound is nearly unbearable. But they're nothing if not obedient when given a plan, so they just crouch where they are, waiting as patiently as they can for her to do what she needs to. ]

[Lecture her about this absolutely terrible plan, Cairn. Please. It's possibly the dumbest one she's ever come up with, and that's why it is... actually working? Holy shit. Ochako is right where she should be when the rock knocks its target right outta the park, and as soon as the bees zip over to poor, poor Cairngorm, she crawls right over to the broken hive and—

—freezes, because this is what a beehive looks like? This? Where's the honey? All she's seein' is a ton of bee larvae and honeycomb, which... okay, that last thing is useful, but how is she supposed to get the honey out of it? Where is Deku when you need his brain?

The sound of Cairngorm calling out to her, however, snaps her back to reality, and she chances a quick glance back at the gem. Oh, that's—that's so incredibly gross! And it must be so incredibly uncomfortable, which is why Ochako turns back to the hive, pulls apart the honeycomb, and begins shoving the honeycomb straight into the jar. It's a messy business, but honey is oozing out of the broken pieces? In fact, it only takes a minute or so for her to completely fill the jar with a gross-looking honey/honeycomb mixture (which may or may not include a few bee grubs, shh); then, as quickly as she possibly can, she stands up and sprints back toward the trees.]

I-I'm done! [God, she hopes so.] Run, Cairngorm!

[Hey, guess what? Now a few bees are flying over to her! This is definitely karma.]

[ They barely hear her over the insanely loud buzzing around them, but from tone alone they can get the gist of what she wants. The only problem is that it's so hard to see with all these bees on their face, and every time they open their eyes, they just get more of them crawling on their eyes, trying to sting them. Still not painful, but horrifying nonetheless, so they opt for keeping their eyes screwed shut, taking a stumbling step in the direction of her voice. ]

I can't see— [ They scrub at their eyes with their (bee covered) hand, accomplishing absolutely nothing. ] So don't run me into anything!!

[ By that, they mean, they're gonna follow your voice, Ochako!! Indicative by how they're starting to run, following her path, if not a few degrees off course. ]

[You know, by the time she hits the treeline and pauses to catch her breath, Ochako isn't sure how much worse things can really get? Her sides are aching, she's feeling pretty darn nauseous, and the bees that followed her are angrily avoiding her many attempts to swat them away. All in all: 2/10, would not do again.

But then she sees poor Cairn shuffling her way, and she realizes that her worries are tiny in comparison. Oooooh, boy. She straightens back up, forcing herself to keep the nausea at bay, because it is time... for the blind to lead the blind.]

I won't! But go more to the right, okay? The right! Just don't go—ah! [There's a shrill yelp as she's, you know, stung by a rude fuckin' bee, but she recovers as quickly as she can.] D-Don't go too far that way!

[When she's positive that Cairn isn't on track to collide with anything, she begins carefully moving and calling out for Cairn to hear her. She's making sure to find THE largest spaces between trees that she possibly can, but dear Lord, she hopes those bees covering Cairn fly away at a much quicker pace than they currently are.]

[ Well, this is definitely not one of the best ideas they've ever had. They pry open an eye at her yelp, glad to see there isn't some enormous bee or something like that that scared her, but this situation still sucks. Cairngorm is quite quick on their feet, even when running partially blind, so it seems that some of the bees give up on trying to stay on their trail, gradually coming off of them the farther they run.

By the time they've listened closely enough and gotten in her vicinity, it's okay for them to open their eyes again. There's still maybe ten of those little bees buzzing around them, trying to sting them and getting nowhere, but they continuously swat at them while they walk into the clearing she'd landed in. ]

Ugh. [ They brush off their shoulder, making a face as the bees they'd disturbed by doing so buzz around their head. ] You better have gotten everything you needed.

[ Because they so dearly never want to submit themself to that again. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

well, i'll BEE! it's... another september catchall

a!!

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1/2

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i'm dying... cairn deserves better kdgjdfg

jfkdjfkg it be like that sometimes..

it do indeed bee like that

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