Magic Shapechanging in the Arrow Sanctum

[Kaze]

Kaze is a cat!!!

BestiaryCat, Domestic[3]
Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 4, Resolve 3, Strength 1, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3, Presence 3, Manipulation 1, Composure 3
Skills: Athletics 4, Brawl 2, Stealth 3
Willpower: 6
Initiative: 8
Defense: 5
Running Speed: 13 (Acting Speed 7)
Size: 2
Weapons/Attacks:
Type Damage Test pool
Bite 0 (L) 7
Claw 0 (L) 7
Health: 5
Special: * A cat’s attacks receive no damage bonus, but still inflict lethal damage.

Whoa! Instincts aside, the increased sensory input and sheer agility of the cat form is nearly overwhelming for a moment! For one thing, with the superior cat's senses, he is pretty sure that something is bugging Phoenyx, mostly because she's talking to him when she knows he can't answer. And...maybe not though, because now Aurora just did it too. His impulse to shrug goes unacted upon due to the new, cat physiology not being designed for that.


Kaze the cat looks utterly unconcerned about Phoenyx's remonstrations regarding his lack of clothing. And Aurora just basically punting, not mentioning that he'd offered to wear a robe, and she said it wasn't necessary. Whatever. This is just too cool, and he's going to enjoy it.


He yawns and stretches languorously, enjoying the sensual pleasure of this form. Definitely going to have to try a big cat, like a tiger or something; this is amazing! His peripheral vision is far superior, almost on par with the new, Omnivision spell he's been experimenting with!


He turns his back towards both the women, able to keep them in his peripheral vision nonetheless and tries to sneak up on a sunbeam, just to see how light footed and stealthy he can be.

4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-04-20 15:42:45	Kaze rolls 8 to test cat stealth capability (Dex 5 + Stealth 3) (10 Again)	7, 9, 4, 10, 3, 9, 8, 7, 1	4 successes

Wow, he's awesome!


Kaze the cat turns back towards Phoenyx and Aurora. He head bumps Aurora in the shin. Yes, this is a challenge. It's the first time he's done any size shifting; he said that before. He move over towards Phoenyx and sits in front of her, looking up. He meows. It just comes out. Sounding kind of like a complaint. He could use a snack. Next time, he's going to have to make sure to put a mouse or something in his bag.


He looks around idly for any signs of movement. It would be good to test this form out some more by hunting something.


Hang on. That's really distracting. There's a scent of another cat. A female. Old though, faint. Probably Skye. She was trying to get Phoenyx to agree to adopt a cat, and she didn't want to, which was dumb, because cats are awesome! Yeah, Skye probably had the scent on her, and brought it in with her.


He looks around for any signs that an actual cat has been here, not just second hand scents. Nothing though.


Okay, now this is kind of boring, feeling all this amazing ability and just...not having anything worthwhile to do with it. He absentmindedly rubs against Phoenyx's calves, covering her with his scent.


Then he starts exploring, rubbing up against anything with the distracting, other cat's scent to cover it with his.


It's kind of soothing, and something to do until the spell runs out. In like an hour.

[Phoenyx]

Pheonyx listens to Aurora. It was amazing how she could sound like an Arrow sometimes. Warning of over-reliance on magic. Growth through challenge. Adaptability is strength. Existance is war.

"If you want to train, I'm always here," she offered. "Maybe we could get you to throw a proper punch at last." A small smirk forming on her lips. Somehow treating her like an Arrow made everything else easier.

She listens again, and nods. "So... no. You didn't need to be naked," she says down to the cat, her tone cynical.

Her dark eyes follow the cat as it moves around the floor, staring back as he looks up and meows pitifully. "What? You aren't actually a cat, Kaze. Remember that."

He moves around and she steps away as the cat tries to rub on her legs. "Stop it. Are you even listening?"

This was starting to get very old very quickly. She walked over to the discarded robe and threw it over the cat. "Keep that on when you turn back." She looked to Aurora, rolling her eyes.

[Aurora]

It was hard to take things seriously when Kaze was…well…a cat. Never really an animal person, but he did look cute. In a weird…your friend is now a cat kinda way.

Wait…did he just try and sneak up on a ray of sun? Like, it wasn’t going to go anywhere or attack him. Weird. Maybe a cat instinct?

With the headbutt, she couldn’t help but reach down to pet him. It was weird, she knew this. But it was just a thing she felt compelled to do.

Glancing to Phoenyx, she snorts and laughs, “Good luck with that. We both know I’m not a fighter, and I don’t think any amount of training will help that.” It just wasn’t something that came easily for her.

Another shrug, “I suppose not. But, everyone is comfortable doing it their own way. And it’s not like being naked is really a huge shock, well, out in public maybe. But not in private.” Clearly she didn’t care.

Laughing, “I think he’s listening, but doesn’t care. Though I do have to wonder what he’s experiencing. I don’t know of a way to talk with him in that form, I might be able to, uh, transform some of his current features into human features. I might even be able to change him back.” Studying KatKaze as she spoke.

Looking back to Phoenyx, “The point of this was to see how long he could safely transform into an animal. I, personally, don’t have the answer. So allowing him to try, in a controlled environment seemed the best way. With me here in case things got bad.” Looking back to him as she threw the robe over him, laughing, “Come now Phoenyx, we’re all adults here.” Playfully teasing, but carefully. She knew their history, well, what each had shared with her anyways. It must be uncomfortable for the Arrow to see her ex naked. And with such a great body. But this is Awakened business.

“Wonder if we need to up the challenge, add a contender to the floor.” Looking at the both of them, “See if under pressure, it increases how hard it is for you to stay in form or keep control of your senses.” Eyes looking to Phoenyx and KatKaze to see what they thought.

[Kaze]

Kaze purrs in appreciation when Aurora stoops to give him pets. It feels good, in a connection making kind of way. He wonders what Sympathy would show as a result, if he used Space to check between them.


He leaves Phoenyx alone when she starts to complain about his trying to establish contact between them; he hadn't even been really conscious of doing it, well, trying to do it, offering, really.


When she tosses the robe in an arc to land on him, it is almost like slow motion! His well, 'cat-like' reflexes, enhanced by the Organic Resilience spell which still protects him despite being Cloaked and unobvious, plus his training against ambushes pretty much guarantees he could avoid it, but that seems somehow...undignified, and lowering to a childish level, which she seems to be reacting on right now for some reason.


So he holds his ground, and casts a spell, Turn Projectile, one that he hasn't actually managed to pull off when he practiced against Skye's blunt arrowheads, but somehow he's feeling extra confident or just willing to try things that he's not sure he can pull off successfully.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-04-20 22:39:14	Kaze rolls 1 to Paradox (Gnosis 2 for 1 die + Arcana 3 dots -1) (10 Again, Chance)	2	failure

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-04-20 22:39:49	Kaze rolls 5 to Turn Projectile (Forces 3 + Gnosis 2) (10 Again)	5, 8, 1, 7, 9	2 successes

The spell flares into existence, without disintegrating into painful chaos, and the robe alters its course, dramatically making a sharp ninety degree turn to land several feet to his left.


Kaze stares with cat eyes up at Phoenyx, as if in rebuke for her immature behavior. Him being naked was not about her. She takes offense at things, like they are all about her, when they aren't. He's trying difficult, tricky spells; it's not a sin to be as comfortable as possible, giving himself any little edge while he's learning. She is only thinking of herself, her own comfort, not his.


He turns his back on her and pads off into the shadows, keeping track of where Phoenyx and Aurora are and what they are doing as he explores the space, using his scent and other senses for a new perspective on the familiar territory, keeping an eye on what she's up to in case she decides to escalate her undignified game playing.


It doesn't take long to cover the space, and he doesn't find anything interesting, though the exercise of his cat senses is still a fascinating experience.


He comes padding silently up to Aurora, on the side opposite Phoenyx, so Aurora stands between them, when he hears her issuing another challenge.


Kaze looks up at Aurora with luminous, unblinking cat eyes in an expression that says, 'Bring it on.'

[Phoenyx]

There was a skeptical look. "Are you saying if you came into your kitchen and found a former partner stood completely naked, you would not find that.... strange?" And damned uncomfortable, when you had tried to move on and have a functioning friendship again. Was this just another social thing she had missed? Everything in her mind suggested it was weird. Kaze wasn't the kind to try and make her feel bad deliberately, so why hadn't he at least considered that possibility?

Phoenyx listens to Aurora's description, and frowns. "You said this was to practice... If his mind is still human, surely he can understand us?" She looks at the cat. "Kaze, can you give us some kind of sign? Tap your left paw three times."

Then he redirects the robe, and Phoenyx arches an eyebrow. "I...." am being an adult! He is the one being... being... "... know," came the slow reply. She should have remembered he could still cast spells. Dark eyes narrow at the retreating tail, and she takes a steadying breath. It would be so easy, just to reach out and pluck him from the floor.... but that was why it was so important to practice Wisdom. As she thought, things began to piece together. Something was different; He wouldn't do that to her if he was a person... would he? Was this a cat thing, or had he managed to develop a planet-sized ego between their coffee and today? He had seemed the same. She had to learn more, and keep her temper. Kaze just had a way of getting under her skin.

She looks to Aurora. "What did you have in mind?"

[Aurora]

She had to wonder what it felt like to KatKaze…to have some pet him. She makes a mental note to ask him later.

There was a snort and laugh as KatKaze turns the robe back on Phoenyx. Maybe she forgot that he could still cast when transformed?

Then she saw the look from KatKaze. Was he accepting the challenge? It appeared so. And if not? He could drop the spell.

Glancing to Phoenyx, “I..” she begins, realizing she couldn’t relate to this. Not at all. Eyes shift to look at something…anything, as she thinks of what to say. “I just see being nude as natural.” A quick reply, not a good one, and avoiding the question.

Nodding, “He can understand us. When I was transformed in the Seer’s Sanctum, I could understand everything going on around me, everything said and done. And I could still cast.” A little smirk to KatKaze. He figured that part out. Not that she was surprised. “I have the ability to alter living things, give them traits of another,” a pause, “but I’ve never done it, and I’m hesitant to ty it on him.” If it went wrong, she’d feel horrible. “So tapping the paws seems like the safest way.” Yup.

“Welll,” drawing out the word, “I was thinking of transforming you,” to Phoenyx, “into something. Something larger that would push the mind of him in his form. See if he can remain in control while under pressure. Because lets face it, if he has to transform in a fight, he needs to remain in control. Now, I’m not saying a fight here and now.” Just to be clear, “But the animal instincts will always be there.” Another look to Phoenyx, “I can transform you safely, you will not get lost in the transformation, it will be safe.” She would never put her friends in danger. “This way I can remain focused on him staying in control and not needing me to step in.” a shrug, “But that’s if it’s ok with you of course. If not, no worries, I’ll transform myself.”

[Kaze]

Kaze hears Phoenyx explaining to Aurora what it's like from her perspective. Wow. They really have a better relationship, communication wise than he and Phoenyx ever did. He doesn't remember Phoenyx explaining her feelings to him, at least, not until they were fighting, and she was yelling at him. When they were together, she basically just called him stupid whenever he didn't immediately understand where she was coming from, or just agree. They did better since the broke up, well just recently anyway, at the coffee shop. Even then though, Phoenyx really didn't seem comfortable talking about her feelings with him, and it's a revelation to hear her talking about them with Aurora.


And it's pretty eye opening to hear and see how gentle Aurora is with Phoenyx, too. Like she's delicate, like made of china delicate. He has always kind of taken her stoicism and show of strength at face value, but...what if he was just being selfish? I mean, would he treat Jennifer that way? Except Jennifer is way more mature, but it's not really a fair comparison since Phoenyx is really pretty young, only in her mid twenties, and Jennifer was born, what in the 70's? So she's got like, forty or fifty years of experience and maturity. The point is, he needs to learn from Aurora's example and be more considerate of Phoenyx's feelings, and remember her emotional frailty even if she's determined not to show or admit to it. He was gentle and patient with Skye. He should be at least as considerate and generous with Phoenyx.


So yeah. This cat thing...he's sure that he's in total control; there's no, like, compulsion that he doesn't want to do but can't resist. But...how far does just 'experiencing' things in a cat body go towards putting cat instincts in control? I mean, is it being 'controlled' by cat instincts to be moving around on four feet instead of trying to walk upright on two feet like he's still in a human body? That would be stupid, inefficient, but yeah, the form is going to dictate. This form is incredibly sensitive. Just that casual touch from Aurora felt amazing. In fact, another minute, and it would probably have been too much, really irritating!


And the incredible awareness of the space around him through the cat senses, and the amazing balance all the time, the power to weight ratio too is unbelievable! So...he hasn't lost control...but he has let it go to his head. He really would need to spend more time getting a handle on this stuff before trying a big cat or something dangerous to others. Time to humble himself.


Kaze the cat moves over to Phoenyx and pats her, gently on the ankle three time quickly in succession. He looks up at her contritely and very slowly, deliberately pats his left paw with his right once, twice, three times.


Hopefully that will help Phoenyx to feel like she's got a little control over the situation. It makes sense; it's her place, she had no warning he was going to take off all his clothes; she didn't do shapeshifting, so she probably wouldn't have thought of that. He could see how it could feel like an invasion of her space. He makes a mental note to be vulnerable with her, admit that he wasn't sure about the whole shapeshifting thing and was just focused on making it as simple and uncomplicated as possible to not mess up, and he didn't think about her feelings, and he's sorry.


Kaze listens alertly to Aurora explaining what she has in mind. Huh. Something "bigger" but not to fight...well, the bottom line is, he trusts Aurora. She can dispel the spell he cast on himself or the spell she would use to transform either her or Phoenyx whenever she wants, and her spell wouldn't mess with the mind, so it would just be up to him to stay in control. And yeah, he is just kind of glad that she's not going with the 'transform just parts of you' thing. That was a little concerning!

He very deliberately looks up at Auora and nods his head, making himself do it in a very slow and obviously not cat like way to get the point across. He's game.

[Phoenyx]

"I'm not saying it's not natural, it's... we... I... It's difficult to explain," Phoenyx finished feebly. Though aurora seems to avoid her gaze... maybe she wasn't so sure herself?

Best to move past it.

She watches as Kaze wanders back out and taps her three times. "Thank you," she says, addressing him directly. "I'm trying to learn about this too, remember," she says, a small smile appearing.

Tunring to Aurora, her look is one of suppressed excitement. "Really? That sounds very interesting." She looks down as the cat, thinking. "A panther?" she suggests, carefully overlooking one of Aurora's points.

[Aurora]

It was weird communicating with KatKaze with head nods, paw taps and blinks. But, maybe this was good training for something bigger in the future.

But, he seems on board, so there was that.

She was glad Phoenyx seemed to drop the subject. It wasn’t one she wanted to get into. Well, one she never wanted to get into. She liked ignoring her feelings, she liked never having experienced a real relationship. But she wasn’t about to share it.

And things seem to smooth over. Good. Makes everything else easier.

But when she suggests a panther? Surprise. “Well, it can make that happen. But you do remember this isn’t about forcing him to try to fight in his form, right? Because if you’re thinking of fighting, then I’ll turn your ass into a house cat too.” Talk about an uneven playing field. Now, she knew it was never a fair fighting field, but here and now, it would be. “The idea is to complicate what he’s feeling, make sure he can hold onto himself and his instincts under stress. Not kill him.” Cause, no. “I might be a Life Master, but I have my limits.” And some of them she didn’t want to push. Some lines should not be crossed. Was she being overly cautious? Fuck yes she was. This could be serious. “But if we are on the same page, then I’ll turn you into a panther.” And if she had to…then she could make it a really pathetic panther that couldn’t do anything. But, she trusted Phoenyx. “Or maybe a dog?”

[Kaze]

Kaze just watches, looking at Aurora but seeing (and hearing) Phoenyx just as well with his amazing peripheral vision!


A panther, huh? Well fine. Since Aurora will be using Master level Life magic, there won't be any danger of Phoenyx being overcome by the big cat form's instincts. And everyone should get to experience the awesomeness that is cat form at least once in their life! He just gets to do it basically whenever he feels like it, which is definitely going to be more often, now that he knows just how great it feels!


Aurora is being professional, taking her responsibility seriously and making sure that Phoenyx isn't intending on 'applying stress' by trying to eat him or something! No worries. He's sure that with the amazing capabilities of his cat form, even though he couldn't actually fight a big cat, he should be able to evade one!


In fact, he starts looking up for places he can jump up and climb to that would be safe, if he needed a bolt hole. He can do that while still maintaining the impression that he's looking in the general direction of Aurora's face, so they won't know what he's up to.


A dog would be good though too, better probably for stirring up cat instincts to resist. Of course making her into a female cat in heat or a mouse would be the most serious stress test, but totally a bad idea. Good thing he can't talk to even bring it up!

He tries the grooming thing, with the tongue, just from boredom. He licks his paw, and then the other. It's nice, actually. The cat tongue has like a velcro effect to take off dirt and debris, and he's so flexible he can clean his back too. Not even going anywhere else with it, though he's definitely flexible enough to if he wanted to try. Still human in here!