**HANS** **stormborn | they/them | post 24 (1/5 chapter) | [profile](https://noogie.me/hans)** --- Right as they were beginning to enjoy breakfast, too. How annoying. At least they’re dressed for the occasion, with all the new gear they’ve bought. They nod at Hazelwood’s words. Yes, stay together. Being separated from the group would… it wouldn’t turn out well. Hans follows her calculating gaze back towards the beasts. An arrow flies towards the beasts, reminding Hans of the Phoenix Arrow tucked away in their pack. They scramble to dig it out, then hands it to the archer. “Healing arrow.” Hans signs. “Keep it.” Their brow furrows as the sight of the Phoenix Arrow reminds them of Lakas. It reminds them of the kids. We should be looking for the kids. They’re somewhere around here, right? The beasts just appeared, they couldn’t have… Hans drops to the ground, breath shallow as their eyes and nose search desperately for any sign of the missing children. --- ### Summary: Hans gives Izzovir their Phoenix Arrow. They try and look for any signs of the missing kids. - Action: Search area for kids - 21/21 MP | 53/105 HP - Reaction: Dodge ---  **HANS** **stormborn | they/them | post 25 (2/5 chapter) | [profile](https://noogie.me/hans)** --- Hans almost feels bad for the beast after they strike it, as it withers and screams. Almost. They’d kill it again if it meant protecting those kids. They sigh. What a violent thought. Have they always been this way? Hans walks over to the doll they spotted earlier, intending to return it to its rightful owner. It’s a raggedy little thing, made of canvas and other scraps of fabric. It reminds them of their daughter, of course. She still has her first doll, sitting proudly on her desk. Akari’s applying to colleges now. A little gray streak appeared in her hair just this year. She looks more like Jake with it, now. They’ve never really thought about it, but even though Kari’s birth ended their career, Hans would do anything for her. They would kill for her, if it came to it. In a way, they already have—those storm beasts might be monstrous, but they were still *alive*, right? It’s a worrying thought. They gaze at the distant storm clouds. “We need to find the children,” Hans says, tucking the doll into their pockets. --- ### Summary: Hans pockets the doll and thinks. - Action: Pick up doll - 21/21 MP | 53/115 HP --- **HANS | stormborn | they/them | post 26 (3/5 for ch 3)** Hans squints at the sign. Groundswell. Grounds well, or ground swell? They hum, then glance toward the well in the center of the town. Well, that means it’s probably grounds well, right? Laughing softly in amusement, they walk over to the well to investigate it. **Action: Investigate well - 70** ___ **HANS | stormborn | they/them | post 27 (4/5 for ch 3)** They head east, down a winding road, towards a group of houses. Hans knows that Groundswell (probably) has no living residents, but maybe they’ll see a ghost. Hans frowns and clutches the doll in their pocket. Hopefully they won’t see the ghosts of the kids they’re supposed to be looking for… **Action: Look around - 2** There were no ghosts, but as they gazed at the painting, as they thought about the family that used to live in this house—they might as well have seen a ghost. When’s the last time they were this alone? Even late nights in their office or at the practice rink, there’s still some janitorial and security staff milling about. As a child, Hans was often alone. Sure, their parents would send them money, but they had to take care of themself, since all of their neighbors were working people. Sighing, Hans presses their paw to the smaller paw print upon the page, and they promise to themself that they’ll never leave their daughter alone. … They’re disgusted at their past self that they had even considered it. ___ **HANS | stormborn | they/them | post 28 (5/5 for ch 3)** iw: Directrix Startled, Hans holds the painting to their chest upon the arrival of the other cat. They sigh in relief upon recognizing him as another eidolon, though they don’t recall if they’ve spoken to each other before. They turn the board around to show Directrix. “I just found this painting of Thalassa. It’s on paper, so it must be pretty old…” Hans sighs as they look at the painting again. The shaky brush strokes, the tiny splatters, it’s so… genuine. Something about little paws learning how to move, guided by a larger, caring hand. Hans pockets the easel and blinks hard, trying not to let their grief show in front of the other cat. They find themself walking back to the painting corner, curious about the scrap newspapers on the floor. It must have some kind of useful information about what happened to this town, right? Even if it is half-covered in paint… **Action: Inspect newspapers - 83** ___ **HANS | stormborn | they/them | post 29 (6/5 for ch 3)** Music. Hans hasn’t heard music in a while. They hum along as they track the source, not finding it odd they can hear the song while their hearing aids rattle in their pockets. They watch as other eidolons figure out ways to go down the well, casting spells and looking around. But… wasn’t there a rope they pulled up earlier, with a bucket full of coins? Now that it was empty, they could probably ride it down like an elevator, if someone was holding the rope steady… Action: Look for bucket and rope, which was seen earlier ___ **HANS | stormborn | they/them | post 30 (7/5 for ch 3)** Hans blinks a couple times, adjusting to the strange darkness. They follow the group with little resistance. They see Jones begin to sign, but switch to speaking. Hans expects to hear their voice above the soft piano, but… nothing. Hans paws at their ear to adjust their hearing aid, but they’re in their pockets, not their ears. Hans pauses. They shouldn’t be hearing *anything*. They frown as they speak to Jones, their own voice louder than usual. “I couldn’t hear you just now, but the music’s still there. It’s… magical music, I think.” Action: Hans loudly realizes that the music is magical. ___ **HANS | stormborn | they/them | post 31 (8/5 for ch 3)** iw: Jones Hans rustles through their pockets and presents the doll they’d been holding onto since the fight with the stormbeast. They look past the strangely-familiar stranger, to the children. They crouch down. “Did one of you drop this?” Hans signs gently, then offers the little ragdoll. Then, to the winged cat, they stand back up, trying their best to appear a little bigger, a little taller. They notice Jones’s hostility–very fair. Who knows what the hell this cat’s up to? They do know that Senia knows more about the stormbeasts than she had let on, perhaps even knows the individual responsible for siccing them on catkind. That diary they found implied that, anyways... Even if Jones’s accusations are true (and they seem pretty plausible), fighting in front of the kids is… well, it’s not good for their development. It’s stressful. Hans grits their teeth, steps in front of Jones, and coldly meets the stranger’s gaze. “We’re from Reverie. Looking for missing kids. We were the only ones who could search for them, due to the… storms.” Hans signs. They sniff loudly. “Their guardian is very worried.” ___ **HANS | stormborn | they/them | post 31 (8/5 for ch 3)** iw: Pam & Oz Hans gently herds the kids a small distance away from the stranger, as Directrix and Jones interrogate him. It looks like it’s getting a little intense. They sit on a bed of moss, then look towards the two kids. At least they’re okay. The little rascals. “So.” Hans starts, then flexes their paws as they think of how to make conversation without it becoming scolding. “Did you have fun on your… adventure?”