01 🐣 HYJ: November Catch-all

[monsterdaddy]

((OOC: A general catch-all for stuff Yoojin's doing in November! There are four open prompts up here in the main post, closed prompts to come in the comments below. Want to do something with Yoojin, but the open prompts don't suit your fancy? Ping me in the game Discord or reach out on Plurk asherdashery and we can set something up!

You can find Yoojin's info here and his permissions here.))

A. Mr. Yoojin, All Contusions, How Does Your Garden Grow? (Everbloom's Greenhouse; from 11/3 onward)

[Yoojin came to Rosavelle with the express intent to relax and recuperate. Yet, after spending a mere 48 hours with neither kids nor kidnappings to deal with, he finds himself at loose ends, restless.

Thus, even though getting around is more difficult than he'd like on his crutches, Yoojin decides to spend the next few weeks slowly exploring the castle grounds.

The first place he visits is the first part of Rosavelle he saw: the Everbloom's greenhouse, lovely in its rose-tinted warmth. The garden plot Yoojin feels is connected to him is overall quite pretty. It isn't arranged with precision, but he still registers pleasing sort of harmony among the colors and shapes. The plants at the center are especially impressive, with flowers of azure blue, cerulean, orange, gold, and all shades of pink.

He smiles as he sets his crutches down and gingerly lowers himself to the ground. He lifts an azure bloom to examine it, then touches a cluster of the perky, tiny ocean-colored flowers that remind him of his ward.]

Hey, kiddos. I miss you. Hope you've all been eating well while I'm away.

[Which might sound a bit odd, from someone who believes the Princess's claim that time in their home worlds won't pass while they're here.

From then on, Yoojin makes it a habit to swing by the greenhouse every day to weed, water, and check for dead leaves and branches, often humming while he works, sometimes murmuring to himself. If he happens to say, "I love you," to a bunch of plants, well, haven't we all seen and heard weirder here already?

Once or twice, he can be found staring up at the Everbloom tree with a much harder expression to read on his face. He doesn't touch it. Eventually, he mumbles:]

So you're the Source of this place's magic, huh...

B. Hizzztory Homework (Amourian Library; whenever)

[Supposedly, the library has a copy of the history text Nadeshiko references in class. Supposedly, it can't have left the room; it's on reserve all month, for use only within the library itself. So where is it? Who stole it?!

One needn't look far for the thief. Snug as a bug in one of those "warm corner" reading nooks the staff has set up, Han Yoojin has clearly succumbed to the Blankie + Boring Book double-whammy combo. He's managed to curl up sideways in his armchair, completely burrito'd not only in the chair's throw blanket, but an oversized, hot pink knit cardigan that clearly doesn't belong in this world.

And he's hugging that history tome to his chest like a security stuffy. The corner of it sticks out of the blankets, poking him in the chin in a way that should be uncomfortable.

The shadows under Yoojin's eyes suggest he hasn't been sleeping well, even amidst this royal luxury. On the other hand, it's his sneepy face today or Nadeshiko's temper tomorrow. Choose Wisely.]

C. Coo Coo (At the base of the Lilac Couriers' Loft; latter half of the month)

[Yoojin's kitted out in a whole hot pink ensemble on top of his castle clothes: knitted cap, mittens, long cardigan, even longer scarf. It must keep him warm and cozy, because he doesn't shiver in the slightest even as his breath mists out in front of him. He watches the messenger doves come and go from the top of the watchtower above, winging expertly amongst the ribbons and charms, cooing and fluttering.

He sighs eventually and drops his gaze, then starts when he notices someone else nearby.]

Oh! ...Hi!

[He covers up his surprise with an awkward smile, turning on his crutches.]

They're cute, aren't they? The doves.

D. A Spritely Sort (Barracks Courtyard; 11/25)

[Speaking of cute: frost sprites. Look at them, they're so little! A handful of them have gathered around Yoojin, who's sitting on a bench in the barracks' shared courtyard, picking off flakes of pastry from a sugar-crusted, danish-looking thing in his lap. A couple sprites are brave enough to dart in and take the crumbs directly from his hand. He grins as he watches them, singing some silly thing he's clearly making up on the spot.]

♪♬ You're little frost sprites, yes, you are
Zipping around, near and far
Have some snacks on me, they're free... ♫♩

[He looks up. Locks eyes. Oh no. You're in this together now. His smile widens even further.]

Help me get these kiddos to the Everbloom tree~! ♬♫♩

Comments

Ranma, 11/2

[monsterdaddy]

Hey! Ranma!

[Here comes Yoojin, making a beeline for Ranma at the speed of crutches, wherever it is he (or she) finds himself at this hour. The man looks excited about something.]

Are you busy? I wanna run something by you real quick. It's about training!

[catsgothistongue]

[Yoojin wouldn't have to comb the entire castle looking for the teen. In the greenhouse, hanging upside down from a tree branch with only his legs keeping him hooked, was Ranma. Albeit neither with the pastel pink hair she possessed... or even the same sex, but as Yoojin already knows, safe to say the raven-haired average weighted male was Ranma. That, and who else has Yoojin met wear their hair in a braided pigtail?

Plus his coup d'oeil from the book he was reading is a telltale sign.]

Yoojin, yo! Nah, I'm free, give me a sec' to...

[Before Yoojin's arrival, Ranma had came to the garden to better study Bloomcraft. Yes, while hanging like an owl. The blood flowing to his head gets his brain pumping and ready to digest info. That, and he was getting some work out in while he's at it, hence why he's in his black muscle shirt while the red silk Tang suit is draped beside him.

Grabbing hold of his shirt, Ranma unlatches his legs from the branch. In the seconds it take from the tree to the ground, Ranma righted himself up to land safely on his feet to meet the older man face-to-face.]

Whaddaya wanna know 'bout training? I thought you wasn't much of a fighter.

[monsterdaddy]

[Look at him, all acrobatic teenage grace, while Yoojin can't even walk on two legs. Bahhh. Whatever, all he needs to make this work is his mind and the mana boost in his earrings, and both are intact and functional. Mostly. Well, people might argue about his brain, but those people aren't here right now and they can shut their face holes.]

I'm not. But that doesn't mean I can't help.

[To business! If Yoojin had his hands free, he might clap once to get them started, but he just straightens his shoulders and continues to radiate bright earnestness.]

First of all, Akane said you'll fight other girls, but not her? Why's that?

[catsgothistongue]

[Even if Yoojin was, Ranma doesn't think he can take on a student needing crutches for the time being. Man, if only he could achieve the technique of using your ki to heal others many grandmasters foretell regale of. He could get Yoojin's legs' in working order lickety-split then!

Ranma pauses in the middle of putting his right arm through his shirt, blinkingly nonplussed. Akane? Why's he bringing her up at a time like this? Weren't he just asking about training? The pigtailed fighter casually carries on with dressing himself, doing up the golden threads.]

It's not like I'm fightin' every other girl for the heck of it. Most of 'em are either tryin' beat me or Akane to a pulp, kill one or both of us, or it's for a competition like Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics.

[monsterdaddy]

So, what, you want her to try to maul you? Dude. She thinks you don't take her seriously. Or, no--she thinks you don't think she's strong enough to keep up. She doesn't think she's strong enough to keep up.

[Does Ranma even know how shitty it feels to be the one that either gets in the way or gets left behind? To know, no matter how hard you try, there's just no bridging that chasm between you and the one you want to stand beside?

Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. But when Yoojin heard Akane say, 'I've said I'm not as strong. I... Catching up to Ranma's impossible for now, I know. But... I hate being a burden, too,' he felt it like an A-rank slap in the face.]

Anyway, I think you two should train together, and I have an idea to make it interesting. Honestly, I'd like it if you'd spar, but we don't have to start there if you're nervous.

A, somewhere in the second week

[steel_over_blood]

[ Bulat is another greenhouse aficionado. He shows up with a sketchbook and Rosavelle's closest pencil equivalent now and then, and takes note of Yoojin tending to the flowers when their schedules cross. Absolutely massive heart in that guy, huh?

Naturally, he pops out of seemingly nowhere when his easily flustered friend is mumbling to himself. He doesn't make much noise when he walks, a persistent habit even in the greenhouse. Especially in the greenhouse? It's as close to his woodland haunts as it gets in the palace. ]

You'd think something this powerful would feel more dangerous.

[monsterdaddy]

ACK!

[On the plus side, there are no healers here to shush them for being noisy. On the negative side, Yoojin almost topples right off his crutches.]

Ah, really! Bulat! Warn a guy before you sneak up on him!

[steel_over_blood]

[ Bulat half raises a hand to catch Yoojin if he tips all the way over. ]

Ha, that'd take the fun out of sneaking up on you, wouldn't it?

[ See, at home, he would have said something like 'an enemy wouldn't warn you of their presence, sharpen your senses'. ]

[monsterdaddy]

[Yoojin could sharpen his senses, in a way, but then Bulat would have to speed his reckless F-rank carcass right back to the infirmary.

While he manages not to fall--Yoojin's fairly deft with those crutches--it's not without bumping chest-first into Bulat's hand. Yoojin rights himself quickly. Predictably, he's blushing.]

Yeah, yeah. "Fun," my left foot.

[There's no actual bite to the grumbling, of course, and after a moment, he returns to the topic of the tree.]

...Not everything powerful has to feel dangerous, does it?

[steel_over_blood]

[ average rosavelle invitee has three distinct medical conditions actualy just statistical error. Monsters Yoojin, who lives in dungeon & suffers esoteric misfortunes 10,000 times per day, is an outlier adn should not have been counted

It doesn't count as getting to second base without the intent. Bulat's face keeps its apricot complexion. Yoojin is truly a fascinating tomato of a man, growing strong amongst his herbaceous brethren. ]

It always does, in my experience. Up until now.

[ He closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath of floral-scented air. Absolutely nothing sets him on edge. Good atmosphere, good company. ]

I'd like to think I'm a good judge of character, but nobody's senses are foolproof. What do you make of the Everbloom?

D

[lovelikeyou]

[ Oh! Well, singing comes naturally to Gems, and perhaps especially to Rose. She jumps right in! ]

♬♫♩ Here we go, adventuring
Towards the Everbloom tree~! ♬♫♩

[ Is there backing music now? Or is it just some elaborate auditory hallucination? ]

[monsterdaddy]

[Yoojin lights up like it's Christmas. Who wouldn't? He's in a musical princess movie starring a giant woman!

The frost sprites, even more excited than Yoojin, flit over to Rose and seem to be considering nestling into the huge whorls of her hair. As they test the curls' bounciness, Yoojin takes the opportunity to set the plate safely aside and grab a nearby crutch.]

♬♫♩ Adventuring, adventuring,
Towards the Everbloom tree!

[The sprites' chiming, bell-like laughter gives him an idea. Standing, Yoojin pulls a half-moon tambourine out of nowhere and taps it lightly against his hip to the beat of their song.]

♫♩ I know a place that smells like roses,
A flowery delight for frost sprite noses...! ♬♫♩

[lovelikeyou]

[ Rose claps her hands together and laughs when the tambourine appears. How fun! She doesn't have any musical instruments herself, nor has that ever been a talent of hers, so she just keeps singing. ]

♬♫♩ Here we go adventuring
Towards the Everbloom tree! ♬♫♩

[ She lets the sprites land on her however they will, then takes a step in that direction with a questioning look towards Yoojin. Is he coming? ]

[monsterdaddy]

[He is! Just. Not very quickly or elegantly. He hobbles after them as best he can, using his crutch to take the weight off his still-recovering leg.]

♬♫♩ Adventuring, adventuring,
Towards the Everbloom tree! ♬♫♩

[When he's close enough, he whispers quickly:]

Wanna take a verse?

[lovelikeyou]

[ She doesn't jump in immediately, instead whispering back: ]

Are you hurt?

[ Maybe his leg is just different. Humans are born different sometimes too, just like some gems come out off-color. Rose couldn't do much about that even if she thought she should (which she's not certain of at all). But if it's an injury, she could help! ]

Darin, 11/10 or 11/11, IDR. BOYS' NIGHT OUT!

[monsterdaddy]

[The time: sunset. The place: behind the Tulip barracks. Yoojin appreciates that Darin agreed to a meet-up spot more convenient for him, with his leg and all, and the gratitude keeps him warm as he waits. The primary function of the leather jacket he's wearing over his Rosavellan clothes isn't heat retention, after all.

He hums, rocking idly back and forth on his crutches, excited for a night out.]

c

[liedol]

[ The barracks and the palace are all... nice. Okay, better than nice, obviously! They're fancy and magical and even with the slightly nauseating amount of money Ai pulls in for Strawberry Productions every month, they're better accommodation than she's ever had in her life. But when she hangs out in any of them for too long, she just starts feeling... claustrophobic isn't the word, exactly, but boxed in. Restless. Maybe it's just a symptom of homesickness - but the restlessness comes and goes while the dull ache of how badly she misses Aqua and Ruby throbs under her ribs every moment of the day.

Whatever the cause is, wandering the grounds has turned out to be a good enough fix for it. Rosavelle is still off limits for the time being, but the outskirts of the grounds are still fair game. So with no real plan in mind, she wanders the paths as far as they'll take her until- ]

Ah-

[ Oh. Whoops. There goes her plans to brood all by herself, it looks like. ]

I, uh. Didn't even know there were doves here. [ She tilts her head back briefly so she can watch a few of them swooping to and fro. ] Are they pets or something?

[monsterdaddy]

Working animals, I think. Pretty sure they're being used as messenger birds.

[Something's gotta replace KakaoTalk in a pre-industrial world.]

Ai, right? I'm Yoojin. [He doesn't even wait for a moment of awkwardness before reintroducing himself. Yoojin would never expect anyone to remember him, and frankly, it usually presages something bad when people do.] We met at the welcoming banquet, but I figure most of us don't remember too much from that first night. How've you been?

[liedol]

[ Ai parts her lips to make some stupid joke about birds and messages and Twitter, just to fill the air - and then promptly shuts her mouth again, blinking in surprise - both at the introduction and how... smooth it was. She's used to people just expecting her to remember their names and faces as a given so having an out handed to her on a silver platter is...

Well, it's unusual. But she's totally going to take it. ]

Yup, that's me! It's been a crazy busy month, huh? [ Dodging around the question of whether she remembered him as smoothly as she can... ] I wouldn't say I'm getting used to things exactly, but... I'm sort of settling in, I guess. Even with all this homework...!

[ She giggles and shakes her head. ]

How about you?

[monsterdaddy]

I'm doing okay, I guess!

[All things considered.]

...Even with all the craziness, it's a lot quieter here than I'm used to. Not that that's a bad thing necessarily! Just... makes me miss the kids, is all.

[He looks up at the doves again.]

Wish I could just text them to ask how they're doing. Even if time is frozen and all back home.

[liedol]

[ Once again, Ai just barely manages to keep her facial expression Totally Normal in spite of that crushing cosmic irony taking a seat on her shoulders again. But it's easier to dodge around it this time - all she has to do is agree that yup, it really sucks not being able to talk to anyone back home and she can probably redirect the flow of conversation without anything being amiss.

She could.

But what she finds herself saying instead is - ]

... Kids, huh? Are you a teacher back home or something?

Wildcard: King Meets Mother Hen

[soldragon]

[It's been a little bit since Ryu arrived. The critical period is, as they say, over, but the wounds and starvation conditions he lived in, combined with the unusual nature of his case, mean that the healers want to watch him closely for at least a few days. He won't be going to the banquet, and he probably won't be up and about for a while, but...]

[he's awake, mostly.]

[monsterdaddy]

[In the meantime, for what feels like the fortieth time today, Yoojin's had to groaningly confirm that, yes, he really doesn't think full-strength Infusery will be good for him. He and the healers have finally worn one another down to a compromise: less overt magical intervention, more gentle assistance and encouragement for his body to fix itself naturally. Nobody's entirely happy with this plan, but with Yoojin refusing both to give in and to explain properly, no one has any leverage to push for something else.

So, as the healers in charge of his treatment withdraw to discuss options, Yoojin finally has some breathing room to himself. He immediately grabs the crutches he's been supplied and gets up to better examine the infirmary. Can't ever be too careful, and all that. As he passes Ryu's bed, however, he notices that his eyes are open.]

Oh. Uh, hey there. ...Sorry, I'll try to be quieter. You ought to rest up.

[Hard to move quietly on crutches, but he should at least try to be conscientious of his fellow patients.]

[soldragon]

[He pauses, looking around, eyes wide for a moment. His brow knots. He reaches a hand for the curtains and twitches them open, just a little. Not much, since he's supposed to be staying in bed, but enough he can see the sky.]

[... The real sky. Not a painted ceiling.]

... we did it.

[monsterdaddy]

Uh...huh.

[Okay. Yoojin also takes another look around, then sighs a little and changes course to sit by Ryu. Someone needs to look after this guy until the healers return.]

My name's Yoojin. How are you feeling?