mayfield_rpg | Equius Zahhak ♐ 3 Little Hoofbeasts ♐

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Equius Zahhak ♐ 3 Little Hoofbeasts ♐

[1. Action | Afternoon | Downtown | Open to All]

[While you're wandering downtown today, about an hour or two after school has let out, you might happen across Equius near the grocery store. He's definitely not approaching it, as he's sitting on the ground across the street from the parking lot. Rather, he's just looking at it uncertainly, clearly in deep thought about something. But what's so interesting about the grocery store? Only he knows.

Will you ask him what he's up to?]

[2. Action | Evening | 507 Ricardo | Inside]

[There's some shouting from the drone-wife at 507 Ricardo around dinnertime, when she discovers Equius doing something with a particular piece of paper in his school bag that he was definitely trying to dispose of in the least suspicious way possible. It's a letter of reprimand from Equius's homeroom teacher, chastising him for being "rowdy" and "disrupting the class", and Drone Mom definitely informs Equius very loudly that she got a call from said teacher earlier this afternoon while Equius was in detention, and she was expecting him to bring this letter home.

Just wait until your father gets home, young man, she says, waving the letter around. The windows in the kitchen are open, and anyone walking down the street can probably see the whole debacle taking place, as well as Drone Mom testily attaching the letter to the fridge with a magnet and going back to cooking dinner, while Equius is forced to sit at the kitchen table and wait for Benson to get home.

Bug him in the meantime at your discretion. He's not happy, though.]

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One might wonder why Astral is at a grocery store, but given all the cooking he's been doing...

Regardless, a bag with groceries in hand, he spots Equius. "Ah- Hello."

[Equius perks up a little at the familiar voice, and he manages the weakest smile at Astral before turning his gaze back toward the store.]

...Hello. Collecting your rations, are you?

A nod.

"Correct- though I do not think many of my housemates appreciate it, I try to make certain that there is food for proper meals at all times. I am gradually increasing my skills in cooking, but I have yet to receive much word on their opinion of it."

[He glances back again, a little curious.]

...I find cooking to be rather difficult. My "mother" does most of it for our household. What sorts of things do you make?

"Aah. It took a bit of practice, admittedly... ...Typically, meals that I observed Yuuma's family making are what I create. Fish and rice were particularly common; I find it quite fortuitous that the latter is fairly inexpensive in fact, as it can be used to create fairly nutritious snack foods as well."

[Fish? Oh gosh.]

Nutrition is highly important. And although I don't condone the killing of any fauna for any purposes, I suppose that...as long as you aren't wasting any of the creatures' lives. You do consume them all, correct?

"Of course. It would be a waste to leave a single crumb uneaten. However, the fish within the grocery store are already deceased- I have no part in their capture... And I am not so sure that they lose all of their stock by the end of the day." Erk-

Noooo don't waste those-

[Rarity trots on by while out on errands, stopping to look at Equius looking at the grocery store.]

Equius? Is something the matter, darling?

[Oh, Rarity. It's always a treat to see you.]

...I suppose so, but it's not anything that you need to be concerned about. I'm certain that you have far more important things to attend to than my foolish problems. Which are entirely my own fault, anyway.

[Still staring at the store, for the most part. But he does glance at her. She's such a pretty hoofbeast, after all.]

Nonsense, darling! I have all the time in the world for a friend. Now what's bothering you, dear?

[Don't worry Equius. Benson can be happy enough for both of them.

Or not. Because today was just a miserable day at work, and he just wants to relax the moment he gets home. He's not sure why you're just sitting at the table like that. Steaming.

But he knows it bothers him.]

....Hey.

[Oh, god. He flinches, hiding his face in his hands. Drone Mom finally stepped out to go do something else for a moment, and he'd considered disposing of that letter while she was gone, but he knew she'd just yell at him again. So Equius just withers when Benson comes in, trying not to look at him and groaning a little.

He doesn't say anything.]

[...Okay. That was a little weird. Is he sick, or did something happen or...

Something happened. He knows that reaction from his employees. He just takes a seat beside Equius.]

...What happened?

...

[Maybe it'd be better to just get it overwith. Waiting for him to get home from work had been exhausting enough, and Equius knows what's coming. Punishment, at the very least. Benson getting angry and possibly kicking him out was more likely, though. Equius guesses he could find somewhere else to stay. Maybe Rarity could help. Or Jade. Or he could just...camp out at the school. Even though he hates it there.

Equius exhales hard.]

...

...I was detained, after school today.

[Oh. Oh is that all? Benson can't help but let out a small sigh of relief. With all the psychopaths and murderers and crazies around here, he thought actual trouble might have started.

Benson just lets out a little laugh.]

Detention huh? I remember what that's like. Don't worry too much about it. It's a big part of just being in school and your age.

Just tell me what happened. I'm sure it's not a problem.

[Oh god but that chuckle is probably masking intense rage. It has to be. Equius swallows hard, reaching up and rubbing at the back of his neck.]

...My instructor sent me home with a letter. The...Drone Mother was very displeased.

[He flinches again, gesturing vaguely to the fridge, where the typewritten letter is displayed prominently. After a moment of thought, he realizes he should probably hand it to Benson himself and be accountable for this disgrace, so he gets up miserably, shuffling to the fridge and moving the magnets out of the way before he gives the paper to his "father", withdrawing his hand quickly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Benson,

Your son Equius was being incredibly disruptive in class today during a pop quiz, repeatedly remarking that not only was he ill-prepared, but he also neglected to bring his pencil case to class with him and he was in need of retreating to his locker to get a pencil. No pencils offered by his fellow students would do, he insisted. His dire need for his own materials delayed the quiz considerably, and after several warnings, he refused to..."

It goes on like that for a while.

"...finally allowed him to go to his locker to retrieve his supplies..."
"...did not return for nearly twenty minutes..."
"...found him hiding in the boys' bathroom..."
"...arguing loudly all the way to the principal's office and disrupting several more classes..."

And so on. The drone teacher had signed her name with a flourish at the bottom.]

[Dammit Equius you didn't need to do that. Benson fights back the urge to tell Equius to sit down and that he can get the note himself, because he's sure by this point Equius will just end up interpreting it as him being angry at him and hurt the kid's ego even more in front of him. And Benson just does not feel like doing that to the kid.

Benson takes the letter from Equius and reads through it. Okay. This is simple stuff. Benson just shrugs and folds the letter up.]

Well, alright. All you need to do is make sure to bring your pencils to each class. It's no big deal.

[...What.

It takes him a good twenty seconds to respond.]

...But. Everyone else was so angry with me. And. Y-you're not...

...

[Drone Mom is probably peeking her head into the kitchen at this point, as obviously as possible, waiting for Benson to lay down some sort of punishment on their juvenile delinquent of a son. Equius glances over at her, pale.]

...Are you not punishing me...? Or. Anything...?

Equius, you forgot your pencils. They're overreacting because they're drones and that's what they're programmed to do.

Punish you? There's-

[Oh. He notices her now. Goddammit.]

a very big punishment I have in mind for you. In fact, I don't think I can convey it in words. Here.

[And, looking super stern, he'll write something on the back of the letter before handing it back to Equius. It reads the following.]

Don't worry about all this. Just go to your room for ten minutes. Then sneak down to the car and meet me.

[And Benson just frowns as much as he can.]

Now. Do you understand what you need to do?

[Well this is. Strange. Very strange. For a moment he tenses up again, bracing himself for the onslaught of shouting, but then Benson slides the letter over and Equius just looks at it in confusion for a few good seconds before looking up at him again, frowning back, though nowhere near as convincing and mostly because he's bewildered.]

I...y-yes. Yes, Father.

[When he gets up he scoots his chair in gingerly at the table and sulks as quickly as he can past his Drone Mom, who pats his head condescendingly as he passes and makes him flinch out of her reach. He'll do as Benson said and wait exactly ten minutes up in his room before he tries his best to make it back downstairs and out to the garage without a sound.]

[Benson will putter around the living room for a moment, avoiding the conversation the drone mother tries to start. Eventually he goes into the garage to wait by the car for Equius to arrive.

When he does, Benson just gives a small nod to him.]

You had dinner yet?

[Equius is still not entirely sure what to be doing with himself, and he's not expecting that question by any means, closing the door behind him a bit louder than he means to because of it. He winces, but shakes his head.]

...The Drone Mother said it would be up to you if I was allowed to have the evening familial meal tonight or not.

Alright. Do you want her to make something, or do you wanna go get something to eat?

[Oh please god, say go out to eat. He just feels awkward eating the drones' cooking.]

[Have a blank fucking stare, Benson.]

...Go...get something? What do you mean?

Get something to eat. They have restaurants here, just not great ones.

Still better than eating what the drone cooks.

...

...I have never done that, before. If you would like to go...I will gladly accompany you.

[Especially since you didn't kick him out or even punish him or yell at him at all, like he was so sure you were going to.]

Alright then.

[And he'll just unlock the doors.]

Go ahead and get in. What do you like to eat, anyway?

[Oh gosh does he like the car. He's definitely been sneaking downstairs some nights just to look at it curiously, ever since he promised he wouldn't dismantle it. He finds it fascinating, though, and being granted permission to ride inside it, now?? That's way too exciting. He can't help but smile the tiniest bit, gingerly opening the door on the passenger's side and climbing slowly inside.]

Oh. I like most things. Uh. Anything that isn't an animal, essentially. Animals are meant to be looked upon in admiration, not eaten.

[He's fascinated by the seats, the dashboard...everything. His eyes are fairly wide as he looks everything over.]

...I do enjoy milk quite a lot.

[Benson smiles as he watches Equius looking over the car as much as he is. Considering how stern and anxious the kid seems to be most of the time he's happier than hell to see the kid actually enjoy something. He'll have to suggest driving around a bit more often, he likes it that much.]

....Milk huh?

You ever had a milkshake?

[He looks up at Benson again, still smiling nervously.]

...I can't say that I have. It sounds interesting, though.

...Is it nutritious?

[Just tell him yes. He'll be so happy.]

[God no. Not in any real way. But he really wants a bigger, and it's not like one would hurt the kid.]

Sure. I think you'll like it.

[And it isn't too long before they get to the burger place and he stops the car.]

...

Really, don't worry about the note either, okay? Detention is just something that happens. Learn from it and move on.

[Equius is thrilled through the entirety of the car ride, peering out the window and listening to the sounds of the engine and touching the details on the door, and the dash, and pretty much anything within reach. He looks at Benson a little as he's driving, memorizing his posture and where the controls are on the steering column, and he's considerably more calm when the car stops, enough so that he's able to nod understandingly and continue to smile crookedly up at his "father".]

...Very well, Benson. I hadn't known, before but...now I do. I will try as hard as I can not to get into any further trouble.

...Thank you. Also. For being understanding in the face of my ignorance.

That's all I can ask for. Do that and you'll be fine.

[Benson just looks at Equius for a moment. And tries not to smile. It's honestly kind of rare when he can think of times he's been openly thanked before. And he has to say, it's kind of nice.]

Hey. It's no problem. You're not used to here.

....Anyway. Let's go eat.

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Equius Zahhak ♐ 3 Little Hoofbeasts ♐

1. Action

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With luck, Nepeta will appear soon. ;u;

yay!!! he'll be so happy to see her ; v ;

I'm so nervous, ahhhhh ;;u;;

awwh you shouldn't be!!! I'm sure you'll be great!

Fghghghg if you say so. ;u;

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