YOU'RE A NATURAL // OPEN

[GABRIEL]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; text-align: justify; font-size: 9.4pt; line-height: 1.4;"]/please wait for Lazarus first!

Gabriel had been toying with the idea for a while, from a short while before they arrived at this group, and with little else to do, he supposed he could finally do something with it. Laz wasn't...great with people, or even mediocre the way Gabe was; he couldn't tell them what they wanted to hear naturally or otherwise, and he wasn't the best at soothing any fears about his level of danger. He shouldn't have to, but that was just how things were sometimes, especially for a kid who'd survived by being dangerous because everyone else was. Things weren't so complicated in this place, and he didn't want the kid suffering for something out of his control, so this idea was intended to- mitigate, in a way. Laz deserved to at least feel a bit more comfortable around a group, and that was difficult to accomplish when that group was perturbed. Solving one would resolve the other. Hopefully. As long as they didn't perceive it as an attempt at humor, or were startled off even more than they already were. Gabe just had to try.

By now, though, he'd tried several times, with planks of wood discarded at his side after he'd loathed either the quality of his writing or had made an innocuous mistake that drove him insane to look at. This was his- fourth go? No, fifth. He'd thrown the other one over into the bushes after deeming it impossible to carve into with his beak. Which, by the way, was not modified for wood-calligraphy, or anything of the sort. Maybe he should have been spliced with a damn woodpecker.

"Is there an accent on this A?" The hybrid tilted the panel upward, shifting it toward the Cane Corso lying down nearby, one talon tapping said letter questioningly. "I put one but something looks wrong."

[align=right][i]——INFO

[LAZARUS]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; text-align: justify; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 1.4;"]If you were gonna compare Gabriel to Lazarus in terms of social interaction, he was... Van Gogh to Laz's finger paintings. The extent of his interactions before had been teeth sinking into his skin and then guarding the wound viciously, sweating through infection and blood loss and starving nights. Where Gabe had been given time to grow up and learn, pull through years after years, sometimes with support Lazarus had desperately lacked for so long, and sometimes on his own. Either way, he'd learned. Laz hasn't yet. The sign is going to be a useful thing. Uncomfortable, maybe, but that's alright. It hadn't taken long for the canine to settle to the ground near his adoptive father, massive head on his paws as he watches. Each discarded sign has him perking up for a moment, watching where they fall with wide lime-green eyes. Maybe like he'd wanted to go get them and bring them back, but he doesn't.

Instead, he's lulled back to a tentative complacency, noting the concentration on his face. He's not sure being a woodpecker would give him anything 'cept a migraine, but it looks like he's going to get one anyway before he finishes this thing. The dog lifts his head at the question and smiles, the expression subtle and then gaining until his teeth are bared in a grin. "Es inglés, anciano. El burro sabe mas que tu."

[align=right]—— [url=https://beastsofbeyond.com/index.php?topic=2939.msg22800#msg22800]TEMP TAGS

[GABRIEL]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; text-align: justify; font-size: 9.4pt; line-height: 1.4;"]Gabe wouldn't necessarily consider socializing a matter of art, although maybe, with the broad ranges of styles and various ridiculous backgrounds brought to the table, he should. Of course, if he thought that way, it would...diminish the experiences of someone like Lazarus. Painting wasn't everything, and thus, socializing wasn't everything, but it was still a component he wanted his adopted kid to at least taste without cringing away from the bitterness. Was it so awful of the hybrid to want to give him better than what he used to have? Yeah, maybe that wasn't a high standard considering Laz was from a slum, where he fought through blood for a bone, but that didn't give him any less reason to try, even if it was as simple as hanging a sign around Laz's neck to say what the Cane Corso couldn't. Which was a lot, but Gabe would do his best to cover the important bits and hope that people were discerning enough to read between the lines; otherwise, if they couldn't manage that, Gabriel didn't want Laz associating with them anyway.

This had better amount to something at least. His beak wasn't appreciating the treatment, and Gabe worried his body might spontaneously go intangible, as it so loved to do, but for the time-being, he was solid. He wished he wasn't, that he could go through the ground and disappear as soon as Laz outlined why, exactly, it seemed fucking stupid to carve out a dash over the letter. "Are you- fucking hell." The hybrid banged his head against the wooden plank once, twice, and a third time. "You're a shit and I hate you." He glared balefully at the grinning canine, though there was no heat in his words, and after a moment of considering hitting his face on the board again, he took it between his talons and sent it spinning away from him.

Honestly, if it hit someone, Gabe probably couldn't find it in himself to care.
[align=right][i]——INFO

[adomania]

[align=center][div style="borderwidth=0px; width: 55%; line-height:115%; text-align: justify;font-family: calibri;"]It was the steady murmur of voices that vaguely sounded other than English that brought Sombra over, ever curious as her nature made her out to be. There was very little the girl wasn’t ready to stick her nose into, her socialization skills not lacking in the same way as Lazarus seemed to, but rather in the uncanny ability to not take a hint. Or maybe she was just obstinate and it wasn’t an inborn inability but one she donned by choice.

That sounded more like it.

Either way, it was exactly why the suddenly flying sign that just barely missed the weasel didn’t deter her whatsoever, and rather piqued her interest all the more, ushering Sombra to scurry over at an increased speed lest she miss something interesting.

And who else was it but her favorite ‘Grass-isn’t-that-great” Gabriel, doing gods knows what with all those planks and a guy next to him who, evidently, had a mouth of sass on him who spoke Spanish as well. It seemed she had hit the jackpot when it came to which direction Sombra had decided to waddle in after leaving her old home. She never expected this much Spanish out in the world.

She figured, as a result, that it was safe to drop the English at least for the time being, and with a grin and a flourish, the Weasel scurried even closer, not at all taking into consideration what ‘personal space’ was and cozying up to where Gabriel was while eyeing Lazarus to try and get a feel for him. She wasn’t about to test her luck, not with those jaws... though she guessed Gabriel wasn’t any better with that beak of his.

But at least Gabe she sort of knew, and knew that he had good taste in humor, and that she was still thinking about asking him to go set fire to something. What? He had indirectly offered it. Sorta.

“¿Está todo bien?” the question was uttered with one of her usual mischievous smiles, taking her eyes off of Lazarus for the time being to peer up at the hybrid instead, then at the sign that had nearly hit and probably killed her. A sorry way to die, that would be.

Sometimes she wished she’d been born as something... bigger. It was a bitch and a half trying to survive as a prey animal when everything was ready to eat you. Now she had to worry about shit falling from the sky as well.

But she didn’t point that out, for now. It was better not to try and anger either of them... for the time being, of course. She could nag about flying signs later, once she knew why they were flying to begin with.

[MOONMADE]

[div style="; width: 55%; margin-left: 180px; text-align: justify"]Yeah, there's no chance Gabriel would find it in himself to care. Especially when the person who gets hit by the soaring board is Moon.

There's the sound of scuffling in the trees beside the trio and various curses, and then the teenager pokes his head out from the undergrowth, thoroughly disgruntled. He's not a bit suprised when he sees Gabriel, surrounded by wooden boards. "Feathers." Says Moon, squinting. He rubs at his forehead as he stumbles out into the clearing, where he sits dramatically. "Man, this better not leave a bump. Not all of us are mutants; I've got good looks to maintain."

It's only when the lion drops his good paw from his face and blinks that he realizes Gabriel's not alone. He glances between the dog and the weasel, considering. "This is the kinda' company you guys keep? Terrorizing the locals with flying wood? Some kinda' hospitality." He's joking, of course, as he always is. Feigning offense for the most part, though that's not to say his forehead doesn't hurt. He's silent for a moment, before, begrudgingly, the youth introduces himself, because that's what folk 'round these parts do and Moon's still a little worried they might sacrifice him to the Star Gods. "I'm Moon. Nice to meet you guys, I guess."

[Margaery]

MARGAERY FOLIE-MIKAELSON

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MAKE ME QUEEN OR
I'LL MAKE YOU BLEED

If anyone asked Margaery, she'd wholeheartedly claim that socializing was indeed an art form- an intricate one at that. There were many ins and outs to the act, and admittedly, the Cosmic General had practically studied them all over the course of her life. One thousand years was a long time... what else was an immortal like herself supposed to do except for pose as a princess, a socialite, a flapper? Of course her dedication to talking with others and, surprisingly, sparring cost her any sort of education in the healing branch, and even to this day, Margaery could not even begin to know how to wrap even the most simplest of wounds.

She was alright with that though, a giggle falling from parted lips as she arrived just to watch the board hit Moon. [b]"My," She breathed easily, laughing again, "Hello all." Margaery would take a seat just after that, initially intrigued by their use of Spanish. That was another language she wished to learn, one that she perceived and a little more useful than Latin or Norwegian. "My name is Margaery and honestly... I don't believe I've truly gotten the opportunity to meet any of you. How are you all settling in?" She inquired easily, blue gaze passing over each individual intently. "Do you like it here so far?"

© MADI

[GABRIEL]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; text-align: justify; font-size: 9.4pt; line-height: 1.4;"]All right, if it'd struck Sombra and killed her, Gabe definitely would have regretted that; fortunately for everyone, she'd managed to dodge it, and he glanced at Laz briefly. The kid had always been more comfortable speaking in Spanish over English, harboring a self-consciousness about his pronunciation that, despite Gabe's many attempts to tell him his voice was fine, persisted. Sombra could be on another social playing field entirely, but it would still be easier for Laz to talk to her over- well, pretty much anyone who couldn't speak the language. As far as he knew, it was everyone outside of the current trio, so it was yet another reason to be thankful he hadn't brained Sombra with a block of wood. Not to mention things would be less interesting without her around to threaten trouble, which Gabe was still warily expecting.

If there happened to be a fire one day, he could put two and two together.

For the time-being, she was present for his shame, and he couldn't say if she was scheming at the moment. The frustration with himself was a bit too distracting for him to wonder what she'd been doing in the area. With a sigh, the hybrid glanced over at her, closer than she'd been a few moments ago; if he hadn't spent a few years losing all sense of personal space, he might've minded the proximity, but considering he'd done far worse things than share air with someone, it wasn't even noticeable. All he did was snort at her question, and despite the situation, he would've grinned back if he could've. "No te preocupes, aquí está todo bien." It was a dry answer, one that had him pointedly looking between Laz and wherever the thrown panel of wood had gone.

Which was soon revealed to be Moon's face. The lion emerged from the bushes looking a bit sore, and Gabriel was a little apologetic for it. Not too much, though, and the sudden flare of his wings precluded a low chuckle. "If that's the case, you've been slacking since you got here, twigs." Gabe watched as the kid seemed to realize it wasn't just the owl-cat lounging around, and the comment only had him laughing again, because if anything, he was the least mischievous person here, although Laz was more temperamental than sly. Regardless, he'd say he was reasonably even-tempered, and if anyone was most likely to purposely hurtle a block at someone, it was Lazarus, but Moon hadn't seen that capability just yet. For his sake, Gabe hoped he never did. "Eh, you'll be fine. You've got a thick head."

Margaery was getting a laugh out of it too, at least. He hadn't spoken with her much personally -if at all, he didn't think- but he'd seen her around a few times. Gabe honestly wasn't quite certain what to make of her just yet, but hey, maybe this was an opportunity for that. "It's not so bad when you get over the grass. And when people stop walking into your accidental projectiles."
[align=right][i]——INFO