[ Well, he did say he would meet up with the guy at the temple. Eli isn't much for lying or going back on his word, anger issues aside, and so here he is, wandering up the long set of stairs and pausing outside the temple itself to look around the darkening area. ]
[ Right, the big guy. He's seen him around, even if he hasn't spoken to him. There's some reluctance to draw closer but after that second of hesitation, Eli figures, what's there to even lose? Right?
[Yuri gives Eli a quick nod and goes to sign 'nice to meet you', but stops himself. He pulls out his phone, slowly and deliberately typing a message for Eli to read:
[ Eli squints at the question on the phone. What? ]
Uh.
[ Shit, why hadn't he paid more attention to this back home? It wasn't uncommon amongst other RHs, especially the ones who could no longer speak after what the demons had done to him. Ultimately, he has to shake his head, though he offers a few uncertain signs: Little. Bad. Sorry.
Of course, this is in Auslan signs. Whether those track for Yuri or not, Eli has no way of knowing, so he adds verbally, ]
[ Eli reads out the message as it's held out before looking up at Yuri again. He has to think for a moment but he eventually manages to get the sign for "which" out before going, ]
Uh, are you... Is this like a "can't speak" thing or a can't hear thing?
[ He'll point to his mouth first, then his ears. Which one is it? At least, that's what he's trying to get across. ]
[I've been meaning to get writing materials, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. This... thing is a good alternative for now. Especially when talking over long distances. This sort of speaking normally requires magic where I'm from.]
Magic? For phones? Really? We, uh, got radios mostly where I'm from. They're like these but without the fancy screens... and you can only talk over 'em.
[Not things like this, no. Magic itself is used to speak to others from long distances. But if you can't cast magic, you have to rely on letters or paying a messenger to relay your words.]
[ Wow, night? Ruined. Even more now. Eli immediately feels panic clawing up from the pit of his stomach and he whips back around to face Yuri, stuck between flight or fight mode. ]
...the fuck...? How'd you... Why are you even asking that?!
[Demon? Yuri knows that while lycanthropy is a magical curse (or in his case a blessing), he can't place 'demons' as being the source of its existence, at least in his world. Still, that's besides the point.
I don't know how things work in Ostrayleah, (He tried.) but you're not alone here.]
And with that, Yuri puts his phone away and leaps as high as he can toward a nearby wall of the temple, latching onto a handhold and pulling himself roof-ward rather effortlessly with his amount of upper body strength.
Once he climbs to the top, he gestures for Eli to follow him. They need a good angle to view the moon, after all.]
[ Big guys shouldn't jump that high! Eli's startled for a second that he goes for the roof, but honestly? It makes sense. He'll follow suit in short order, having no difficulty scaling the temple to get to the rooftop. ]
[With the two werefolk now at an optimal vantage point for seeing the moon, Yuri pulls out a pad of paper and begins drawing a reference chart. Underneath it, he writes:
To figure out which phase of the moon we are in, check to see which parts of the moon are lit up and from which direction. If you keep a close eye on what the current phase is compared to the last time you looked, you can guess how many days until the next full moon.]
[ Surprise, guess we're not done with Eli giving Yuri funny looks. ]
Tried to...? Doesn't it just happen?
[ Sure does for him! ]
Mm, I plan on asking someone I know will be immune to my bite to watch me. I didn't really think about restraints but... I dunno. If I'm weak here even when transformed, we might not need chains.
[You know someone here that is immune to lycanthrope bites?
With that question lingering on the page, Yuri moves the pen a few lines down and continues:
Where I am from, there are multiple strains of the curse. Some have control, some do not. We all react to the full moon however - for me, it is a tug, a wanting to be in that form. Those nights are when I am the strongest as well.]
[How ominous. It gets Yuri's mind turning. Is there a zombie among the group assembled here? Some kind of lich? Maybe a vampire?
It may sound like there is no downside to my other half, but I was given this as a privilege. I must use my strengths to protect nature, otherwise my end will be swift. That is why I want to get home as soon as possible. I have a duty to fulfill.]
[ That must be cool... having a purpose behind why he's the way he is... If only that could be Eli, but he won't whinge about the difference between them. ]
Protecting nature. That's pretty cool. Hopefully, this all wraps up fast. I think we all got stuff to get back to, yeah?
[Yuri nods. He only hopes that things are okay back home while he's gone. Imbalance in nature is hard to correct after it's already happened...
If you need any more help, do not hesitate to contact me. I am more than willing to help someone of my kin, especially when they are having difficulties adapting to a new environment.
And he really means it. Which is a strange feeling for someone who usually shrugs off all forms of social communication for one reason or another.]
backdated to the night after the full moon post debacle
Hello?
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He'll walk over. ]
You're the forest ranger guy, yeah?
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Do you know sign language?]
oh he used his phone first lmao
Uh.
[ Shit, why hadn't he paid more attention to this back home? It wasn't uncommon amongst other RHs, especially the ones who could no longer speak after what the demons had done to him. Ultimately, he has to shake his head, though he offers a few uncertain signs: Little. Bad. Sorry.
Of course, this is in Auslan signs. Whether those track for Yuri or not, Eli has no way of knowing, so he adds verbally, ]
Not a lot. Sorry.
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That's alright. I appreciate the attempt.
It's nice to meet you. My name is Yuri.]
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[ Eli reads out the message as it's held out before looking up at Yuri again. He has to think for a moment but he eventually manages to get the sign for "which" out before going, ]
Uh, are you... Is this like a "can't speak" thing or a can't hear thing?
[ He'll point to his mouth first, then his ears. Which one is it? At least, that's what he's trying to get across. ]
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[ Speaking it'll be. ]
Ever thought about getting a big pad of paper to write on instead, or do you, like, actually like using that dinky little thing?
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[ He turns slightly, looking uncertainly at the night sky. ]
You were gonna figure out when the next full moon is, yeah?
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Are you a lycanthrope by chance?]
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...the fuck...? How'd you... Why are you even asking that?!
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I know what to look out for because I am cut from the same cloth. I am a werebear.]
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A...? What the hell kind of demon makes werebears? Those... aren't over in Australia. I know that for sure.
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I don't know how things work in Ostrayleah, (He tried.) but you're not alone here.]
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[ He could still leave. Can he trust this guy? Another were... thing?! ]
I'm just another monster in Australia when the moon is full if it ain't handled properly. That's how it works.
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And with that, Yuri puts his phone away and leaps as high as he can toward a nearby wall of the temple, latching onto a handhold and pulling himself roof-ward rather effortlessly with his amount of upper body strength.
Once he climbs to the top, he gestures for Eli to follow him. They need a good angle to view the moon, after all.]
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To figure out which phase of the moon we are in, check to see which parts of the moon are lit up and from which direction. If you keep a close eye on what the current phase is compared to the last time you looked, you can guess how many days until the next full moon.]
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Holy shit, the other phases have actual names?
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Go ahead and look up and match the phase to what I have drawn here.]
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Uhhh, it's... the Waning Gibbous one?
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That means we have a few days to prepare for the full moon.]
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I have not tried to transform here yet myself, but my senses are still as sharp as ever. Should we set up a way to restrain you just in case?]
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Tried to...? Doesn't it just happen?
[ Sure does for him! ]
Mm, I plan on asking someone I know will be immune to my bite to watch me. I didn't really think about restraints but... I dunno. If I'm weak here even when transformed, we might not need chains.
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With that question lingering on the page, Yuri moves the pen a few lines down and continues:
Where I am from, there are multiple strains of the curse. Some have control, some do not. We all react to the full moon however - for me, it is a tug, a wanting to be in that form. Those nights are when I am the strongest as well.]
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[ He won't specify who it is, however. ]
Tch. All I do is turn into a stupid beast and try to kill people. I mean, my necklace usually suppresses it, but that ain't working here, either.
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It may sound like there is no downside to my other half, but I was given this as a privilege. I must use my strengths to protect nature, otherwise my end will be swift. That is why I want to get home as soon as possible. I have a duty to fulfill.]
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[ That must be cool... having a purpose behind why he's the way he is... If only that could be Eli, but he won't whinge about the difference between them. ]
Protecting nature. That's pretty cool. Hopefully, this all wraps up fast. I think we all got stuff to get back to, yeah?
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If you need any more help, do not hesitate to contact me. I am more than willing to help someone of my kin, especially when they are having difficulties adapting to a new environment.
And he really means it. Which is a strange feeling for someone who usually shrugs off all forms of social communication for one reason or another.]