Tana-baa-ta

[survivaltricks]

WHO: everyone!
WHERE: the pasture
WHEN: day 22, all day

[the morning of day 22 begins with a light drizzle, as has been typical for the past few days. but despite the damp weather, a playlist of music also echoes across the pasture, luring you towards the center!]

[there, you will find that someone has planted a large bamboo tree, which is surrounded by wooden tables that are covered with colorful slips of paper and pens. a colorful sign, decorated with random doodles of stars, clouds, suns, and other fun shapes, contains a set of instructions:]

WELCOME TO TANABATA!

WRITE A WISH ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND TIE IT TO THE BAMBOO TREE.

HAVE FUN!

[the music and the bamboo wishing tree are a great start to the festival, but other people have been hard at work to make this a day to remember, right?]

[it's time to celebrate Tana-baa-ta!]

((FEEL FREE TO MAKE YOUR OWN TOP LEVELS IN THIS POST AS WELL! I made a few to get things going, but you should all run wild and free and thread to your heart's content ♥))

Comments

[noarchitact]

...that is romantic. [ said wistfully. ] Ah, that makes sense. But I'm glad I chose the cards. I really do feel like I learned something about myself. [ and specifically his future, which was what he was after. the past can't be changed, and he's living in the present, but he's... hopeful about the future. ]

Have you ever done a reading on yourself?

[finalbows]

Ha, ha... certainly. Many a time. Here, I'll show you a lark.

_{[ he places the deck, neatly, in front of Fantasia. ]}

Give that a shuffle for me?

[noarchitact]

Sure. [ mehrak hovers behind kaveh as he reaches for the deck, shuffling it. ]

[ once he's satisfied he sets it down in between them. ] And done.

[finalbows]

_{[ once he's done, Angel Devil draws a card from the top of the deck, but doesn't look at it. he puts it down in the middle of the table.]}

Four of Spades. I'm sure of it. Want to do the honors?

[noarchitact]

... [ stares, skeptical, but... hm. ] Sure. [ flips it!! ] Is it...

[finalbows]

_{[ sure is. ]}

...Rest. And, or, a need for it. To be short about it. I hardly need a deck of cards pointing out I'm unrested, but there you have it. I've been getting the same card every first draw since I got this deck, days ago, silly thing.

1/2

[noarchitact]

[ ]

[noarchitact]

...that's kind of creepy. [ except that, no, it's EXTREMELY CREEPY. ] Do you just not want to rest or do you have a hard time resting?

[finalbows]

Why can't it be both? Ahaha, ha. ...But, really. It's not so bad, now that we have proper locks, over at Rose. But I have to admit, it was hard to stay relaxed, for a while, after, ah, that fun little... turn-crank, machine, game?

Unfortunately for my nervous disposition, I happened to be lounging in my chamber at the time. Perhaps that's why the deck's so concerned on my behalf?

[noarchitact]

It can be both. And that's good. I'm working on getting locks for Bluebell. It felt all sorts of weird to have everybody in our barn and on our lawn when we came back from the dead... [ he gets WHY everybody was there, but knowing that people just went in and did archons only knows what... ]

...ah. [ he frowns. ] Is there anything that you find particularly relaxing? Maybe I can... help?

note i have no idea if this'll work for them but kuja would suggest it so

[finalbows]

Who knows if it'll work, for you all, but the ritual Blossom taught us for our locks was actually quite simple. ...how about a trade?

The steps, of that ritual, for... whatever you're about to offer me, out of the kindness of your heart?

Re: note i have no idea if this'll work for them but kuja would suggest it so

[noarchitact]

A trade? ah, Sure. It couldn't hurt to know... even if it might not work for us. [ knowledge is power etc etc etc. ]

And I would like to know if there's anything that you like to do, because I'm not sure you'd find the things I enjoy doing relaxing. Like, drawing... But I suppose I could always try and make you relax.

[ his element is dendro and he could theoretically call on his dendro vines to use something like 'sweet scent'. ]

[finalbows]

_{[ pulls out.... some paper and pencil. and starts writing while he talks. he would LOVE to see if bluebell can pull off a ritual... powered by hate. ]}

I read. I used, to mainly, as a hobby... spectate. Take in performances. I like music, in particular, but that's not as easy to get on demand as a story, unless one happens to have a fondness for music boxes...

_{[ he stops. smiles slightly incredulously. what does that Mean. ]}
..."Make me?"

[noarchitact]

...hm. How about coming over to Bluebell at some point? I can play the piano for you. I'm not as good as our former Bluebell friend, but my talents are nothing to sneeze at. Perhaps I can even invest of an instrument of my own. [ he did talk to her about that. ]

Mm. [ he purrs, several vines rising up beside him. ] I could probably do so with my vines, er, more specifically the flowers that bloom at he end of them... you'd relax, but I don't know if you'd want to try something like that.

[finalbows]

Ah, but you do play? _[✨️] I never turn down a chance to take in music. I hardly expect you to match Vivace's level-- delight that she was! Just as I'd hardly expect any here to match mine, in the topic of magic. You hardly needed long to tell she breathed music...

_{[ fond sigh, before a fleeting looks to the vines that gets subtly chillier... ]}

...Alas, though I don't doubt I'd enjoy their perfume, I'm not much one for sedatives. Perhaps it's part of what fosters my problem, but... I'd like to keep that part out of a social call.

[noarchitact]

I do. Perhaps I can impress you with another instrument sometime, but if you'd ever like to come over and listen to the piano, then all you have to do is let me know. [ but, yes, vivace definitely breathed music. ]

[ he sets a hand on his shoulder. ] I know that going to an extreme such as this can be incredibly daunting but if you think you're reaching a breaking point please come talk to me. I promise not to go overboard. I really do just want to help.

[finalbows]

<sub>[ the last time Fantasia had set a hand on his shoulder, it was a consequence of Angie's own baiting, in a moment of feigned emotion to try and ingratiate himself to the man. You feel bad about what happened to Rose, you feel bad about what happened to Rose, you won't let it happen it again will you...? he'd tried to radiate, with his confession.

Fantasia HAD certainly taken steps, technically, to protect the whole goddamn pasture after that.
...this man's kindness remains the same. Angel Devil casts a contemplative look, at that hand. ]</sub>

...Perhaps something I could take home...? _{[ he demures. ]} I do not doubt your sincerity... ...I merely have some quirks of personal history that make the concept complicated.

Being...
Perfectly, honest...
_{[ something that is frankly like pulling teeth for him, but he literally has One Day of fully possessing his whole self before the bullshit curse comes back down on him, so he's consciously trying to make it mean something, ]}
...It's already a bit of a step, for me, personally, sleeping in a building with people around all the time.

[noarchitact]

...hm. I'll see what I can do. Perhaps I can make a drink that you can take at your leisure. It's going to take a bit of work, but... if it's going to help, then I'll give it my best effort. [ a nod. ] You don't have to explain yourself. I hadn't meant to push you too hard.

Just one at a time then. We'll start with the music, since that's something you already enjoy.

[finalbows]

That I shall great~ly look forward to! We've the library now-- I wager we will never be short on material.

..sometime after the festival. Just give me a nudge, by cube, when you feel you've got the rust off. They're fantastically useful things.

[noarchitact]

I actually need to check out the library and see what kind of materials we do and don't have. I imagine it's pretty heavily regulated.

[finalbows]

...they've got every book I ever went looking for, at least. There's some manuals on some of the more unusual technologies I've encountered here, too...

[noarchitact]

Really? I'm going to have to stop in and have Mehrak scan some of the more useful stuff.

[finalbows]

Do you all have a kitchen, yet? It's really worth digging for books about the underlying theory behind... what Rose has in ours, at least. _{[unfortunately, given free reign of a library, angel devil has now identified that microwaves are not REALLY called hot boxes. ]}

[noarchitact]

...no. [ #sobbing. ] We don't have any upgrades. But, what do you mean, what Rose has in its barn? [ what DOES rose have in its barn??? ]

[finalbows]

Oh, goodness. Has Bluebell really never...?

_{[ appears to do some calculations in his head, then... shakes it. ]}

You don't have to wait for the demons to give you leave for it, at least. Blossom or Stormy's advisements will do in a pinch. Rose is working on something a bit needful for our home right now, as a matter of fact...

...ah, but you asked! Here, I've a... camera portrait, that happens to show the room.

<sub>[ hands over a polaroid picture of the Rose kitchen. It's very... red and black and white and roses. It's quite well-kept, too, according to Pond Fiend's own system, and Blood Fiend's rigid chore-doing. It has a fridge, microwave, stove-top oven, baskets with some odds and ends...

and also Face Making Devil with perfect bedhead hair-horns raiding the fridge, which is presumably why someone took the picture. ]</sub>