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rosavelle2026-02-01 12:11 pm
royaldecreemods) wrote in rosavelle2026-02-01 12:11 pm
Entry tags:
Event: Budwake
PREPARATION
It's midway through Fallow that the advisors are given the heads up from Nadeshiko that Rosavelle is stirring and that can only mean one thing: Budwake has arrived!
What the heck even is the Budwake, you ask? Nadeshiko wastes no time explaining it; Budwake is a week-long, kingdom-wide effort to prepare the island for the first true thaw of the soil. Fields are turned, flowerbeds cleared, tools checked, mended and blessed for the coming warmth.
For anyone suddenly realizing they own exactly zero farm-appropriate outfits, the castle has you covered for anything from boots to gloves and even some surprisingly fancy sets of overalls. Callie appears among the preparations as well, also bundled up and outdoorsy, though they clarify with a sheepish smile that they'll be spending Budwake in the Everbloom's Greenhouse, tending to the sacred tree itself. Future sovereign's duty, apparently.
The familiar ferry boats carry everyone down the canals toward Rosavelle, packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people hauling tools and farming gear. Once ashore, it's easy to figure out where you need to go - a steady flow of townsfolk are already heading toward the open fields at the kingdom's edge, laughing and chatting all the way. Whatever's happening, it's clearly happening there.
Once everyone has arrived, the crowd gathers around a stretch of marked earth that’s dark and damp but still hard and compacted with frost. A voice rings out, calling a name the advisors likely don't recognize, and older woman steps forward. You can tell at first glance that she must be a farmer of some sort; her hair is bleached nearly white by years of sun and salt and her face is deeply lined by long, honest work. Someone hands her a tall harrow.
She grips it, grins and with a sweeping, theatrical swing drives it down into the ground. The soil breaks with a wet, satisfying crunch - and the field erupts into cheers. Laughter, applause, shouts of encouragement echo across the land as the thaw is officially broken.
Budwake has begun!
What the heck even is the Budwake, you ask? Nadeshiko wastes no time explaining it; Budwake is a week-long, kingdom-wide effort to prepare the island for the first true thaw of the soil. Fields are turned, flowerbeds cleared, tools checked, mended and blessed for the coming warmth.
For anyone suddenly realizing they own exactly zero farm-appropriate outfits, the castle has you covered for anything from boots to gloves and even some surprisingly fancy sets of overalls. Callie appears among the preparations as well, also bundled up and outdoorsy, though they clarify with a sheepish smile that they'll be spending Budwake in the Everbloom's Greenhouse, tending to the sacred tree itself. Future sovereign's duty, apparently.
The familiar ferry boats carry everyone down the canals toward Rosavelle, packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people hauling tools and farming gear. Once ashore, it's easy to figure out where you need to go - a steady flow of townsfolk are already heading toward the open fields at the kingdom's edge, laughing and chatting all the way. Whatever's happening, it's clearly happening there.
Once everyone has arrived, the crowd gathers around a stretch of marked earth that’s dark and damp but still hard and compacted with frost. A voice rings out, calling a name the advisors likely don't recognize, and older woman steps forward. You can tell at first glance that she must be a farmer of some sort; her hair is bleached nearly white by years of sun and salt and her face is deeply lined by long, honest work. Someone hands her a tall harrow.
She grips it, grins and with a sweeping, theatrical swing drives it down into the ground. The soil breaks with a wet, satisfying crunch - and the field erupts into cheers. Laughter, applause, shouts of encouragement echo across the land as the thaw is officially broken.
Budwake has begun!
BUDWAKE
So what exactly is there to do during Budwake? Well… basically everything! The list of tasks is seemingly endless and even if you're not the outdoorsy type, there's always something somewhere for you to contribute. But if you need some ideas to get started, here's a snapshot of what's going on around Rosavelle over the week of Budwake;
- ❊ Across the outskirts of Rosavelle, volunteers gather in the many fields to help in finishing breaking up the winter thaw. Plows and harrows are dragged through damp soil with a satisfying crunch, winter-compacted ground finally giving way. Some folks focus on clearing stones, dead roots and frost-bitten debris, while others carefully re-mark crop rows and field boundaries lost to snow and ice. Horses also play a central role in Budwake labor, harnessed to tillers and carts with patient professionalism. Volunteers are needed to guide, soothe and supervise them, brush mud from their coats, make sure they get proper breaks and to keep Gold Ship from strapping herself to a cart and challenging the horses to a race. You know, just as a hypothetical.
❊ Community sheds - and in particular, Marigold Hall - open their doors for Repair and Care Days to make sure that everyone's tools are in tip-top condition for the hard work ahead. No matter what ails your equipment, there's someone who can help. A team of volunteers in the back of the Hall handles the big repairs - cracked handles, dulled blades, rusted parts - while others staff the tables at the front, ready to tackle small fixes. Tools are sorted, counted and redistributed as needed, ensuring everyone is ready to contribute their part to the island's agricultural success.
❊ Along the canals and promenades, both private gardens and public flowerbeds are carefully cleared of dormant growth and winter debris so the colourful sprouts of Blooming will have plenty of space to grow. Volunteers here help clear away dead leaves and stems and in public spaces, assist gardeners in planting the very first seeds of the season. It's slower, more delicate work than the fields, often done in pairs or small groups and while it's arguably less vital to the island's functioning than the field preparation, it's no less vital to the island's heart.
❊ Down by the coast, crews from Maerlys focus on livestock care in preparation for their release back into the fields once the weather warms up. Pens are repaired, feeding troughs scrubbed and filled and the animals are checked for health issues. While the adults handle the more demanding work of mending fences and loading feed, the younger islanders happily take charge of the smaller tasks: brushing mud-caked wool, counting sheep and goats and ensuring every creature has a clean place to rest. There's also a smaller, more select group of volunteers invited to assist in ensuring the coral reefs offshore remain healthy - diving into the freezing waters to clear away debris, gently scrub away harmful algae and monitor the local sea life for signs of stress or illness.
❊ Kitchens around Rosavelle - but in particular, those at the castle - shift into high gear with the sole purpose of producing endless supplies of easy-to-carry meals for Budwake volunteers. Steaming soups, crusty breads, hearty hand pies and magically insulated flasks of who even knows what are packed in wicker baskets and loaded onto wagons that will trundle out to the fields and work sites. Volunteers in the castle kitchens assist the chefs and their underlings in chopping, mixing and wrapping countless meals. If you were looking for a less outdoorsy way to contribute, offering to help peel potatoes for stew or pack lunchboxes might just be your speed.
❊ With parents and caretakers pulled into Budwake work across the island, Little Buds Atelier opens its doors wider than ever. Volunteers are invited to help supervise the children of the island, running games, telling stories and keeping them occupied until their families are finished with their tasks. The caretakers also use this as an opportunity to teach kids why Budwake matters by leading simple lessons about planting seeds and explaining how everyone's hard work now helps the whole kingdom bloom later.
AFTER-TILL FEAST
After a solid week of early mornings, late nights and hard work… Budwake has come to an end and Rosavelle looks all the better for it. Things everywhere across the island look refreshed and everything that needed to be done has been done. The city is poised on the edge of warmer days, ready to bloom.
Which, naturally, means it's time to eat everything.
The evening of the final day of Budwake is the After-Till Feast, a long-standing Rosavellan tradition and a mostly practical celebration In castle kitchens and community halls alike, cooks have unanimously declared that every odd, end and “this will absolutely go bad if we wait” is officially fair game. The result is a glorious spread of soups, stews, pies, fritters and casseroles ready to fill your bellies after days of hard labor. The advisors are warmly invited to join the festivities down in Rosavelle itself, though there's no shortage of excellent food waiting up at the castle too.
Down in the city, the celebration is busy but mellow - after all that work, nobody really has the energy to do much more than sit down and talk over food. The mood is relaxed, the food is genuinely excellent and there's a shared sense of quiet pride in work well done.
Up at the castle, the feast is a bit more austere, as expected, and held in the Hearthsong Salon. Callie is present, despite looking as though they’re running on fumes. At some point between courses, exhaustion finally claims its due and Their Highness nods off at the table, head resting on folded arms, utterly unbothered.
However you choose to celebrate, the night ends the same way. Full, weary and deeply satisfied, everyone eventually makes their way home, reassured that Rosavelle is ready for what comes next.
Which, naturally, means it's time to eat everything.
The evening of the final day of Budwake is the After-Till Feast, a long-standing Rosavellan tradition and a mostly practical celebration In castle kitchens and community halls alike, cooks have unanimously declared that every odd, end and “this will absolutely go bad if we wait” is officially fair game. The result is a glorious spread of soups, stews, pies, fritters and casseroles ready to fill your bellies after days of hard labor. The advisors are warmly invited to join the festivities down in Rosavelle itself, though there's no shortage of excellent food waiting up at the castle too.
Down in the city, the celebration is busy but mellow - after all that work, nobody really has the energy to do much more than sit down and talk over food. The mood is relaxed, the food is genuinely excellent and there's a shared sense of quiet pride in work well done.
Up at the castle, the feast is a bit more austere, as expected, and held in the Hearthsong Salon. Callie is present, despite looking as though they’re running on fumes. At some point between courses, exhaustion finally claims its due and Their Highness nods off at the table, head resting on folded arms, utterly unbothered.
However you choose to celebrate, the night ends the same way. Full, weary and deeply satisfied, everyone eventually makes their way home, reassured that Rosavelle is ready for what comes next.
QUESTIONS & INTERACTION REQUESTS
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Yayoi is free to tag along and observe, though Callie is very insistent on doing all the work on their own. Not because they don't trust Yayoi to help, but because caring for the Everbloom is a very important part of the Sovereign's duty and Callie takes it very seriously. It's important to them that they do it on their own...! But if Yayoi gets a bit bored just watching, she's welcome to help tidy and care for any of the non-sacred flora and fauna around the greenhouse in the meantime.
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Yayoi's going to be watching and observing. Not that she doesn't trust Callie to do it right- Yayoi frankly has no clue what they're doing, after all- But just to make sure they're okay and not pushing themself too much!
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Unfortunately, what she's observing is... kind of boring! It's mostly just Callie caring for the Everbloom's trunk, roots, flowers, branches... it seems to be the sort of care you'd give to any other tree of this size. That said, SG does learn during all this that Callie can apparently fly....??!??! Or at least that they can use some sort of Bloomcraft to float up from the ground... they have to get up to the high branches somehow, I guess.
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As for Artoria's cloak... it seems like Callie is truly out for the count, so she doesn't get it back that evening. However...! Bright and early the next day, she'll be visited by a very apologetic Callie who's tripping over themself to thank her for her kindness and apologize and all that. Her cloak is returned to her freshly dry cleaned along with some fresh pastries from the castle kitchens. Yummy!
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Also oh man the princess went above and beyond for this, huh? I-It’s nothing, really! Or so Artoria claims, at least. Somehow just as awkward about the whole thing.
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She'd also want to pay respects to Callie! Thanking them for the experience and asking what their role for the proceedings would be.
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Callie's quite bashful under Haruhi's attention...! They tell her that they hope she has a wonderful time and to not push herself too hard if she's not used to this sort of outdoorsy work. As for Callie, it's their job to care for and prune the Everbloom over the next week and ensure it's in tip-top condition. It's, er, kind of tedious work (which they admit in a whisper, presumably so as not to offend the Everbloom...) but it's quite the honor to be trusted with it!
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The read Uther will get is that Callie's well-meaning and mostly competent, even if they're still a little wet behind the ears. They're well-read and educated when it comes to the history and politics of the kingdom and their #1 priority seems to truly just be creating a kind and peaceful kingdom for everyone in Rosavelle. As far as Callie's concerned, being a sovereign isn't a position of privilege but of duty and one they have to work hard to prove themselves worthy of it.
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His motive here is that they seem to spend a lot of time on duty as opposed to time spent being a normal person, which is admirable but tough to deal with. So instead of a dignified monarch picture they get one that features them with their guard down, acting like a normal person.
He doesn't say that out loud, he says something jolly and superficial.
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also we casually talked about it in the discord but sorry about the agitprop (ᵕ,—ᴗ—,)
Yayoi Tenju | OC | Lily
[Yayoi didn't want to participate, at first. It was too... well, different, from everything she knew. She never left the city, after all, and she'd certainly never done farm work. And the idea of touching all this stuff made her skin crawl. Fortunately, a tool carelessly tossed her way gave her a surprising sense of purpose.
The hustle and bustle around Marigold Hall, around the canals, around everywhere, had left things pretty messy. Everything was being cleared, but this meant quite a lot fell onto the roadways, onto the walkways, just to where it was not immediately inconvenient. After all, everyone was so busy, who had time to take care of all the details?
And that was where Yayoi came in. Wielding a broom someone gave her, she is simply walking the streets of Rosavelle, sweeping up all the trash and dead bits in her path. Unlike the frantic action of everyone else, though, she's moving slowly as she works. She seems to have hit some kind of meditative trance, almost, doing this...]
meals on (B)ikes
[Of course, she was drawn to the food.
But once she's eaten her fill, she's been put to work too. The rumbling of a motorcycle engine heralds her presence, but overall, she's working as one of the food wagons, delivering meals to wherever she's told to go. And, amazingly, she's pretty good at it! Soups aren't spilled, despite the bumpy ride, food is delivered quickly, and she's off back to the kitchens for more. The city may not have been designed with motorcycles in mind, but a bike is still faster than a wagon, letting her make longer trips to get hot food further away.
You may hear a motorcycle as she arrives, bearing food! Or, if you're in the kitchens, she'll be coming back to restock, and looking for where the next delivery is headed.]
full (C)ourse
[And finally, the feast. It was all worth it for all the other reasons, of course, but Yayoi will never say no to a feast. And even if it's odds and ends, it's still miles better than what she ate for a long time, so she's quite pleased to tuck in.
Her plate is, as should be expected by now, stacked high. Mostly meats, but it seems like her time in Rosavelle has actually softened her stance somewhat- There's a couple vegetable fritters in her mix, even.
She's actually spending time at the castle for this, though! Maybe she's just tired of spending so much time in the city...? But either way, she's going to eat her way through as much of the castle feast's food as she can.]
naming these is har(D)
[wildcard option! plot with me on discord or at
C
Hey, Yayoi - try this. If you've never had smoked brisket before, you're in for a treat. See that pink ring? That's how deep the cherrywood smoke flavor got in.
[It's fall off the bone tender, almost black on the outside but juicy inside.]
c
so, busy busy.
when the feast rolls around and haruhi's relieved of her duties, she's decided on giving some meat pies and veggies a go, when she spots yayoi and her... giant plate. she's really going to eat all of that...?
well, anyway. haruhi goes ahead and takes a seat nearby. ]
Hey. Nice work this week.
[ otsukareeeeee. ]
kyoshika magadori (hundred line) → geranium
[ kyoshika is still, for the most part, new to the idea of "weather" and "seasons". she was already confused about the concept of slush and snow, but now it's getting slightly warmer and the ground is more damp than slushy. having lived in a temperature controlled climate for her whole life, seeing these new traditions was incredibly tantalizing to her!
plus there's a part of this budwake tradition that requires manual labor! easy additional training time. so she dons a pair of overalls over an undershirt. she still has her haori over it though.
this has led her to the outskirts, moving debris and stones as directed. she's not paying any mind of her getting dirty, keeping herself busy for minutes into hours without rest. when she's finally taking a mild break, she wipes sweat from her brow and grins, speaking at whoever's listening to her. ]
Phew! Quite a workout, is it not? Yes, this year's crops will be plentiful!
[ ...as is her understanding. she really doesn't actually know what's going on. ]
b. kyoshika for the children
[ oh no
okay, no, it's fine. kyoshika's offer to supervise children's not going quite as poorly as one would think. she's absolutely there simply to tell stories to the kids. she'd been instructed to not dress in her usual, instead wearing something closer to a sailor dress, but that's not going to stop her from telling stories about a wandering samurai.
one that roams the land to defeat villains and plant trees in their wake. she recalls a story where the samurai was unable to defeat a villain and have time to prepare for a local festival they had agreed to help with. finally, as they learned how to ask for help, they were able to accomplish both tasks and somehow, even recruit the villain to create one of the best festivals in the history of the world.
...there's plenty wrong with the story, a lot of the setting doesn't make sense, and there may be some sillier inconsistencies as she tells the same story with different specifics, but she's still telling it with great fervor! ]
So then! The moral is, if you work hard and lend a hand, you truly can do anything you set your mind to. I will now accept any questions.
c. feastin'
[ after working hard through the week, it does in fact, look like all of her tasks have caught up to kyoshika. in the city, she's started nursing a hearty stew for quite a bit. part of that is because partway through eating, with her spoon in mid scoop, kyoshika nods off a bit.
she snaps out of it, takes a few more spoonfuls, and then... starts to nod off again.
this will continue on if you let it. ]
d. wild'n out
[ this is for other things i forgot. ]
Lucy/Nyuu | Elfen Lied | Hyacinth
[ She'll help. She's told herself a dozen times she will. She will give whatever help she can, as the people here are kind enough to warrant it. She'll put on their offered overalls, gloves, and a hat to block the sun—what little of it can be seen on a cloudy day—but she doesn't wear much under it due to her (or Nyuu's) dresses being too bulky to pack underneath. The work will keep her warm as long as she moves, right?
Still, Lucy looks as sullen as always as she tends to her portion of the fields. She doesn't use the hoe in her hands much to break the earth from its frost. Her vectors see to that. They slither into each plot carefully to loosen up the dirt beneath, so when she does swing the hoe down, it sinks into the earth with a satisfying shhk.
Her work ends early with her handy cheats, so she makes her way to another person's spot. ]
I can help, if you want.
[ Helping Hands ]
[ Marelys is going to be her new home. It's still hard to believe. Even after seeing her housing request come back, Lucy's been rubbing her eyes before rereading the approval letter. Surely any of these rereads will show she was hallucinating the acceptance, right?
But no, it's real. It's real and overwhelming. While the house is inspected to make sure it's structurally acceptable to live in, she decides to show a bit of appreciation to the town itself. There are crews diving into the water to check the reefs for debris or invasive urchins, but rather than dive into the freezing water, she has a workaround.
Like in the fields, her vectors have a good enough reach that she can and does slowly brush them across the sections of reef from the safety of the boat. Thankfully, there's no plastic that she can find since Rosavelle doesn't have any, but the amount of discarded liquor bottles still makes her lips twist into a scowl. ]
There's a lot of bottles down there. And a big net. I can pull it up, so make space for it.
[ Lunch Delivery! ]
[ With so many people taking part in the Budwake activities, there's no way Nyuu can hope to match the workload put upon the castle staff. Which is precisely why she's the delivery girl!
Her fellow advisors will get a visit during the middle of the day throughout the week, with enough wicker baskets of meals and drinks packed up into her horse-drawn wagon. She hops down after bringing the horse to a gentle stop, sundress fluttering around her legs, and immediately sorts through the wagon's provisions depending on who comes up to her first. ]
Thank you for your hard work, but it's time for a break!
[ Wildcard ]
[ feel free to reach out to me at
haruhi suzumiya (nagato yuki-chan) → forget-me-not
[ haruhi, in all honesty, is not a big fan of cleaning. of course she'll help if asked, but she'd much rather be doing literally anything else. still, as an advisor, she was kinda expected to do something, right? and so, she considers a couple options and acts on them throughout the week:
-a. by the coast, haruhi's going back and forth between loading feed and brushing gunk off of livestock. wearing a straw hat and overalls, hair tied into a ponytail, she's not at all shy about really giving her all on this one. she may struggle a bit in lifting, but she's enthusiastic!
-b. speaking of feed, towards the end of the week haruhi can be found in some of the kitchens in the castle. packing lunchboxes creatively, ensuring that she's got most of the elements that go in to a meal... unless of course, she's gotten word from one of the volunteers in advance. one wants more meat than veg? done. one wants something sweet instead of savory? she's got it. to one helping out, she may even be called out on it. luckily, she's worked on her excuse, and the tone she should take. ]
Please excuse me for deviating a little from the plan. However, I find it does wonders for those working their fingers to the bone to have something not just to be nutrious, but to also fill their hearts with something they enjoy. I assure you, I would not intentionally do anything to jeopardize the reputation of the chefs in this castle.
[ ...which'll, if that is accepted, end a couple minutes later with an exhale. ]
Haa... hope that sounded fancy enough.
ii. after-till
[ those who know haruhi suzumiya would tell anyone else: it takes a lot to actually tire haruhi out. between the kitchens and livestock care, she should be running on fumes. if she is though, she's absolutely not showing it. her plate's nothing special, giving a meat pie and some casserole a try in the castle and finding a good spot to sit, even if it's near folks she hasn't spoken to yet. either way, once she tries it, fairly excitedly-- ]
Ooh! That's really-- [ she catches herself, and speaks a little more conservatively. ] --quite delicious. My compliments to the chef.
[ minding her manners was typically easier, but it was getting tougher the more time goes on. still, she's enjoying the meal and doesn't seem to be skipping much of a beat otherwise. ]
iii. i ran out of ideas
[ honk shoo mimimi. this'll be for when other ideas pop up-- feel free to hit me up through discord or at jusenkyo on plurk if you have any ideas! ]
after-till;
He looks thoughtful for a moment, before taking a moment to place a piece of the food into his own mouth. After finishing the bite, he sees fit to make commentary as well. ]
...I agree that it is well worth expressing appreciation for their hard work - and their result of it. Especially as it is clear that the efforts so far are, without a doubt, above reproach.
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Wow, you're good.
[ granted, he's probably actually "proper" enough. but the way he did it was effortless! ]
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He wonders what exactly is it that he did that could be considered as such (a bit like a fish out of water in healthy socializing and some cues), and so he inquires curiously: ]
…Good at what, exactly?
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I'm not used to speaking so formally. This is one of the first times I've been invited to an elegant looking ball, so being "nobility" is brand new for me. You sound and look like you're doing it easily.
Alesha "Herezhade" Jeffords || The Wonders of Mundus || Geranium || OTA, Romance F/F!
Alesha is there to do the heavy lifting, the weeding and removal of rocks, and to lead the horses in tilling. Curiously, her presence and - and showing the others how it's done - seems to have an effect on those who follow her lead, and the sun seems to shine a little warmer on her and those emulating her.
[[Asset: Carpe Diem - The Least Boon Of Aurora. The faithful to the Goddess of the Dawn and Civilization are not distant or high-and-mighty; like the Sun, their presence warms and enlightens, and they're never above getting their hands dirty. Once per scene, when you lead the way in any noncombat task that requires you to put your back into it, those who follow your lead get a +3 on d10+(STAT)+Athletics rolls to do the same work.]]
2 - Rosavelle Kitchens - See you lickin' frostin' from your own hands, want another taste, I'm beggin', "Yes, ma'am"
Alesha does some of the cooking as well. The main things she's doing are an array of baked goods - cookies, and hand pies full of either spiced fruit or savory meats and vegetables - and if she marks some as having a bit of stamina-boosting Infusery to them, all the better.
Who would care for a taste?
3 - Lil Buds Atelier - And the mother we share will never keep your proud head from falling
Alesha is singing the children here some songs that she sung to her Jasmine from a book she loved, after she was delighted to learn that the author had put out a canonical album. And so it is that she strums on guitar and sings:
(What's It Like To Be) Like You, CC-BY-NC The Crystal Furs
I always do things the hard wayCan't fall in line right now oh maybe someday
Try to smile and do what I'm told
Don't step out of line or be a little too bold
I just can’t win, so go ahead and leave me in the bargain bin
What’s it like to be like you
What it’s like to be beautiful and true
I fight and scratch for the middle
Then get side-eyed for everything I do
It must be nice to never break the mold
Lose my grip on all reality
Well-behaved girls don't make history
Disabuse myself of all my dreams
Feel myself rip apart at the seams
I just can’t win, so go ahead and leave me in the bargain bin
What’s it like to be like you
What it’s like to be beautiful and true
I fight and scratch for the middle
Then get side-eyed for everything I do
It must be nice to never break the mold
The road less traveled isn’t a cake walk
No matter what I do, they’ll talk, talk talk
Go do your own thing
Just stay in your own lane
What’s it like to be like you
What it’s like to be beautiful and true
I fight and scratch for the middle
Then get side-eyed for everything I do
It must be nice to never
It must be nice to never
It must be nice to never break the mold
But she also brings a foam shield and sword, and teaches a little bit of swordplay, which goes over about as well as you'd expect with little kids who love excuses to bonk each other. She's doing a good job teaching them respect for the weapons, at least, and making sure the fights stay friendly?
4 - After-Till Feast - And when our busy day is through, before we sleep and wake anew
And she goes all out for the final feast, gracing it with the kind of barbeque her Texan father taught her, as she promised to show Yayoi, among others: slow smoked brisket and ribs falling off the bone, with sides of pickles, mac and cheese, baked beans and coleslaw.
She is rightfully proud of her contributions.
Bulat | Akame Ga Kill | Tulip
[ Bulat has adopted the concept of overalls into his wardrobe; on the grounds that they're practical and socially acceptable to wear around without a shirt. He's rippling with muscle fit for an ox, of course he wants to show it off!
He can be found clearing up loose boulders, fallen logs... Anything that promises a workout by his high standards. Enjoy the sight of mighty triceps glistening under a thin sheen of sweat... or the sight of a nice clear path, for those not into big buff men.
People may have been keeping an eye on Gold Ship, but there's no such public warning out for anyone else. Bulat is pulling carts about and nobody has managed to stop him. ]
Or By Sea
[ Naturally, he's also reef diving. He runs hot; he can handle the chill! It's rote work, eventually. Care for the coral, avoid drowning, keep an eye out on the wildlife... There's one significant break in the routine over the course of Budwake, and that's when he wades out of the sea, a large turtle hanging blearily under his arm. ]
Right, who's got healing abilities? Step up!
Rest Day
[ Despite what he's up to out on the fields, Bulat does believe in the concept of rest and pacing. He's not going to be one of the people laid up in the infirmary. Every other day, he finds something light to do. It's not necessarily going to be one of his specialties.
That's why he is in the infirmary but not as a patient. He's ~giving back~ as a volunteer. He's decent at field medicine and can wrap up a sprain or treat a burn from a kitchen accident, even if his bedside manner can sometimes be. A lot. ]
What brings you in? Overdid it in the fields?
Feast Day
[ It feels good to relax and wind down and feel the ache of a job well done. He's thinks of himself as a party hard kind of guy, but everyone's been working for a week straight; even he doesn't feel like leaping on the tables and roaring in victory.
While he'd feel more at home during the city celebration, the Hearthsong Salon provides ample opportunity for a sneak attack on royalty. That is to say, he's brought his sketchbook, and is working on a life drawing of Princess Callie as they snooze amongst the potatoes.
Anyone at this part of the celebration runs the risk of being in the sketchbook as well. An earlier page contains an action shot of Yayoi absolutely demolishing a pie. ]
Feast Day;
But, at least when this time they so happen, he feels he has more of an opportunity to slide away from when there is too much hustle and bustle.
That is to say that Dainsleif is taking the opportunity to slip into the Hearthsong Salon and ten he sees the other at work. Bulat certainly looks indeed different from other people he's crossed paths with before...pompadour hairstyle and all. ]
...Indulging in a hobby as a reprieve from work?
[ Or would this man consider this serious practice? Only way to figure out is by asking. ]
no subject
I consider it more of a workout for my hands and eyes after pushing everything else so hard.
no subject
So...not a wholly incorrect presumption. Well, regardless, Dainsleif is not judging a buff man for engaging in a form of artwork. ]
That is...a unique but not wholly inaccurate of putting it, I suppose.
Is it proving to be fruitful, then?
[ Dainsleif imagines it may be a silly question.
But, honestly, he himself is taking to expanding his own efforts in art as well, and so...well, it is a genuine question on his mind. Although, his tone is overly serious, as per the usual. ]
Re: By Land
...his figure was admirable, she had to admit that. His work ethic and dedication to helping others was clearly strong. Clearly, this task should go quite smoothly.
And... even she was forced to admit. The view really was quite nice.
feast day
[ Simran sidles up to him during the feast with a fritter in hand, finding a place to rest her cane and sit before she can glance over his shoulder. ]
This is my bad, but somehow I didn't take you for an artist? You're a man of hidden depths, dude.
Vetra Nyx | Mass Effect Andromeda | Geranium
Pass the hammer.
[Vetra is working on the repairs. She's comfortable here. Not the first time she's made repairs on buildings - though, usually, it was repairs on the Nexus. But you had to learn the basics for colony life. You never knew what would break down out there on your own.]
It's right next to you - Sorry. Can't reach from up here.
[Oh yeah, she's up on a roof.]
Herd The Kids
[Oh she feels some kind of way about this.]
[Someone shuffled her off to a different workspace today. Saying something about the buildings all being in good shape by now. Which she doubts. Especially since they'd foisted a human toddler into her hands, and left a cluster of slightly older children around her ankles.]
Uh - [Vetra is currently holding the toddler like a bomb.] - You're... with me, I guess.
[She'd raised her sister, sure, but turian kids weren't this squishy. And vulnerable looking. She's looking around, hoping she can catch someone's eye for help. The toddler dangling in her grasp looks perfectly okay with this scenario.]
The Feast
[Like most people here, Vetra is exhausted by the time the feast rolls around. She's worked as hard as any of them, doing the repairs - something she felt the most comfortable doing. Not to mention, wrangling a handful of human children who had way too many questions about her no matter how many times she answered them.]
[Unlike most people here, Vetra is seven feet tall, and has metal in her scales. So when she starts to slump over in her seat, to one side - whomever she might land on is in trouble. To be fair, though, it's mostly her head doing the drooping.]
[Probably landing on someone's shoulder. Whoops.]
1
Is there anything else you need? Macy can grab more.
Akane Tendo: Budwake
Some of her week of Budwake is taken up with the others-- at the very least the first day is all devoted to turning the hard ground.
She does not eschew tools, but she does seek, after a few strikes, to apply her energies to the turning of the soil. And as might be expected, her first fitful attempts reinforce the tools, make them harder, the better to cut through the soil...
Until she thinks of something and uses the tilling-hoe instead to form a channel for yang chi instead, warming the cold soil as she moves, then switching to yin chi to soften a particularly hardened piece of the place.
Be warned, though her rows be even, and her aim be true, her pace is murderous.
2: The Lord's Responsibility (Kitchens)
It's BUDWAKE, and that means, for everyone's favorite kitchen assistant, that at least one day is taken up in a murderous before sunrise wake-up by the head chef and hours upon hours upon hours of prep-work in an increasingly hot kitchen-- everything from her habitual chopping and broth work to sauces and dough-making.
And all of it, to demand, with what has become her strongest and most unique charm: a proof against fatigue.
More than that, as she works on the dough, she begins to understand something else. Layer upon layer of fat and flour and water, and she weaves in ki, mote by mote, breath by breath, softening even as its chilled nature wishes to harden. It's become something of a light show, honestly.
3: Wild Card
Or if there's something you need to get out of the way that's not related, pull up and have at!
1
This was, until she noticed someone else working at a relentless pace, able to sift through soil with what seemed like ease. She couldn't hide her surprise at how Akane worked, how efficient she actually was... and while she didn't know exactly what was causing it, she knew one thing.
She couldn't afford to lag behind.
"Right! Here I come!"
With a mighty roar (ma'am other people are trying to work here), Kyoshika starts on putting more strength into her work, turning and slicing through the soil. She's absolutely going to tire herself out at this rate, but she has to keep up somehow.
Re: 1
Break the tiller.
no subject
After a brief struggle to pull the handle back, Kyoshika hears that sharp breaking sound, followed by her easily stepping back with the lower half of the tiller still embedded in the ground.
"Eh? Huh? Was I too deep?"
She looks baffled, stepping back towards the rest of the tool. Was there a trick she was missing?
no subject
[ It took a while for Simran to figure out what she could do. Agricultural labor, after all, is deeply physical, and badly suited to a girl whose muscles are only just being held away from destroying themselves at any given moment. She is not suited to tilling a field.
But her phantom can go anywhere, and while it can touch nothing, its powers of observation remain intact. To this end, anybody who's volunteered for reef maintenance may hear a voice pipe up from behind them, saying something to the effect of: ]
There's some algae that way, a few meters down, if you're looking.
[ On looking, you'll see Simran. She appears in every sense except touch; though the wind appears to blow her hair about, in actuality it blows directly through her. Strangely enough, her sudden appearance happens whether you're on shore or in a boat. If you haven't met before, she'll add: ]
Oh, I'm Simran, by the way. Hi!
2. budwatcher (primavain/little buds atelier)
[ Simran may not be much of a laborer, but she seems to make an entertaining storyteller! It's easy to find her entertaining the kids at the atelier with a story. She conjures mirages like puppets to act out the parts, does voices, the works. Curiously, though all of her illusions are clearly false—they flicker the way projections of light do—she doesn't seem to require any of the gestures associated with Meramancy. Every now and then she'll conjure a new character to the scene with a wave of her hand, but as often as not they'll simply appear, shocking and delighting the kids.
All her stories begin the same way: ]
In a time before time and a land far away, a man named Adam had a terrible wish: he wanted to be king. So he and his friends built a huge machine, and named it God, and they said to all the people, "This is your creator. It says Adam should rule. You all have to bow to him, and bully whoever doesn't."
But one young person stood up and said, "No way! I don't believe you. I won't bow, and I won't bully anyone."
Adam got angry, and he said, "I'll turn you into a spirit!" But when he did, the spirit just laughed. She said, "I love being a spirit! I'm Iblis the trickster, the Adversary, the Devil. I'll never listen to you, and I'll teach all my friends not to as well!"
This is the story of when Iblis...
[ "...tricked a minister into revealing his lies," or "made everyone laugh at King Adam," or "won the wings from an angel in a game of chance."
...wait a minute, aren't these stories all kind of rebellious and anti-monarchist? Is that wise, given that the advisors are here on the royal dime? But it's a little late to intervene now; Iblis is popular in the way any young protagonist who gets one over on the stuffy adults is, and Simran's freedom with illusions only wins her more enthusiasm from the little ones.
If you want to chat with her about her stories, she usually lingers a bit after storytime, and she makes a point of talking to the kids like they're people. Her cane is with her here too—for those who know her, it's a sure sign that she's here in person, and for those who don't, the hugs she gives to the more enthusiastic kids demonstrates the same. Her face is alight with joy; it's clear she loves being here. ]
3. message delivery (anywhere & everywhere)
[ Simran has taken up message delivery! Around the island, she seems to just appear in locations that see frequent traffic: the infirmary, the bigger repair shops, etc. She appears out of nowhere and delivers her message quickly and calmly: "a cart broke down," "someone's coming in with a cut leg," etc. Flag her down, though, and she'll turn to you with a curious expression—and one of recognition, if you've met. ]
Oh, hey, what's up? Need a message delivered?
4. wildcard
[ you know how these go! hit me up if you want something specific. ]
2
I hope you don't mind them. Rinn loves showing off for kids, but I wouldn't to overshadow your own performance.
what the fuck this is so cute
2
Evernight just waits until Simran says something, never drawing any attention to herself... except with a self-satisfied smile.]
no subject
It's after the story concludes, and she's waved the children off to their next activity, that she makes for Evernight. ]
Well, don't you look proud of yourself. [ Simran's smile matches Evernight's; the tone of her voice is low and wry. ] You've got a surprising sweet side, Evey.
Nathaniel Berger | Pokemon OC | Tulip
[Nathaniel's physical capabilities aren't quite up for breaking stone and ice, but luckily he has his Pokemon with him. While Macy is still sticking close to make sure he doesn't stumble, he's supervising as Belle hauls debris from the ground, and Memo and Fran float along, holding hands and spreading warmth gently over the ground. Nathaniel is watching closely, occasionally pointing out a spot for them to head towards or calling out a warning so that they won't bump into another helper. Occasionally, he can also be heard humming a soft song under his breath, Macy swaying to the tune.]
2. Move the fences around
[Nathaniel is familiar with taking care of a flock of sheep, and despite not having dealt with them in a long time the muscle memory is familiar. People might notice him being surprisingly ginger as he checks over the sheep, and even more when he brushes them.]
Hey, don't shock me, alright? [He asks that, softly under his breath, before blinking.]
Right, you don't do that here, do you...
3. By the grace and gift
[Now, Nathaniel also isn't much for dealing with kids, but his Pokemon are definitely fascinating to them. And Rinn is happy to dance and show off for them, occasionally augmenting his dance with fancy sprays of water. Macy is still sticking close to Nathaniel, and Kate is also out, coiled at his feet. She watches the children quietly, tongue darting out on occasion-and both her and Nathaniel are surprised when a kid approaches her specifically.]
Wow, you're pretty!
Pretty? [Kate looks surprised as well.]
Yeah! Purple's my favorite color!
...well, she's not just purple. You mind showing off a bit, Kate?
[She lets out a slightly annoyed hiss, but rears up, the fearsome pattern on her hood flashing as she flares said hood out. She's not actually trying to hit her little fan with intimidate, and they seem really impressed, clapping.]
That's so cool!
Her name is Kate. And I'm Nathaniel.
[Eventually, Nathaniel's entire team comes out at some point, dispersing among the kids who each start picking out which one is the coolest. Nathaniel can't help but chuckle when some of them start arguing about which one would win in a fight.]
4. Nor any human eye to see them
[Wildcard option! Let me know if you want something specific.]