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

[wants_the_phd]

No, but you're a shepherd, aren't you?

[featherduster]

Well, yeah. So?

[wants_the_phd]

I've been told shepherds are incredibly dangerous.

Is that wrong?

[featherduster]

[ VALIANTLY does not laugh ]

Now who the hell told you that?

We've got big sticks with hooks on the end and can tell where all our flock members are, but that's it.

[wants_the_phd]

Blood Fiend mentioned such abilities as "turning anything to sand" and "summoning death boats" [whatever that means?!]. I saw a memory where he exploded his own subordinate, and then he told me the shepherds were even worse.

Was that a lie?

[featherduster]

.........




[ ACTUALLY DOES JUST BURST OUT LAUGHING THIS TIME ]

[wants_the_phd]

[I hate this place and everyone in it]

[featherduster]

. . . Okay.

Tart of Daffodil can turn things to sand, that's his own magic from home. He goes to wizard school or whatever.

Charon of Lily can summon a giant fire boat, also his own magic from home. I can't explain any more than that because it makes zero sense.

Blood Fiend has all kinds of powers from home that he keeps secret and is also a gigantic asshole, so I recommend taking his advice selectively.

Hopefully that helps.

[wants_the_phd]

Thanks.

Turning stuff to sand still sounds really dangerous, though. I'm unclear how this changes anything.

[featherduster]

I agree actually.

Tart scares the shit outta me.

[wants_the_phd]

[ok thanks for laughing at me for seemingly no reason, then]

And what are your powers from home?

[featherduster]

That's a se~cret~

[wants_the_phd]

I can believe Blood Fiend is an asshole, but I've yet to hear a good argument about how he was wrong about the other stuff.

[as much as she would like him to be...!]

[featherduster]

He was wrong for correlating shepherds to danger. Some of us are actually pretty nice.

[wants_the_phd]

Can you tell me about them?

[featherduster]

Hmmm . . .

[ Ticking off on his fingers ]

Daffodil's is kind of a layabout, and I couldn't tell you what's going on in his head, but he's protective of his flock and steps up when it's really important.

Lily's is all businesslike, but he's reliable and gets things done. He's got a co-shepherd, Perci, who helps with interpersonal matters. They're both terrifyingly good at what they do.

Thistle's is a guy with a dry sense of humor and a good head on his shoulders. I don't know him that well personally, but he's been good to work with on the business side.

Clover's is kinda like a cat. He acts all aloof, but if he cares about you he'll sit by your bedside the entire time you're sick to make sure you're alright. He's real protective over his flock, which is good, since they're all kids.

Yours . . .

I dunno what her deal is exactly, but she's always in a good mood. And when a member of Rose ended up as Weed one day, she didn't turn him away -- that was telling, to me.

[wants_the_phd]

[absorbs all of this]

Is there a reason why someone would turn away someone whose collar turned black?

[featherduster]

Just saying "prejudice" seems a little reductive, but . . .

Some people distrust the Weeds on principle. They've got their reasons, but either way, it wouldn't be a longshot to say a black collar could mean losing your ties to a flock.

[wants_the_phd]

I didn't realize the ties were so weak.

[reflects on her own feelings toward her flock]

...Then again, that makes sense.

[featherduster]

[ FROWNS DEEPLY ]

Does it?

[wants_the_phd]

Yyyes...?

It's only because I have a red collar that my own flock tolerates me. If that changed tomorrow, I'd be outta there, and none of us would miss the other.

[featherduster]

[ FROWNS LOUDLY ]

That can't be true.

[wants_the_phd]

Do you want to ask them?

[featherduster]

Are any of you honest and straightforward about anything?

[wants_the_phd]

Wow! I haven't told you a single lie this whole time.

And why would they lie about something like this? It's not like you're a cop, remember?