❄️ Wilting Catch-All ❄️

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

Who: March, Evernight, and you (in general and specific)!
When: End of Wilting
Where: In town, with a few closed prompts in the castle grounds
What: Just a catch-all!
Anything Else: Some NSFW discussion in a closed prompt but nothing actually spicy, will update if necessary.

Comments

March - When There's a Will, There's a Way

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

a. mad (photo)science
[Anyone who happens to stop by the infirmary a few days after the Wilting Festival will overhear someone arguing with one of nurses. Well, "arguing" is stretching it—"pleading" is more apt.]

C'mon, pleaseeeee? I get that you're worried about me using these for off-prescription treatment, but I really, really, really did my research, and these medications are dead ringers for the pharmaceutical effects of phenidone A and hydroquinone. At least let me test them to see if the composition is the same! Synthesizing developers from scratch would take aaaaages...

[Blah blah blah science stuff- wait a second. Is that March 7th, possibly the biggest ditz in Rosavelle, talking graduate-level chemistry at an increasingly bamboozled nurse? What's next, pigs flying?]

Hobbies are CRUCIAL for a young woman's wellbeing! You're a nurse, right? It's your job to attend to my health! You agree, right?

b. beast of burden
[It's only after she emerges from the junk dealer that March realizes that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Not with this entire project, of course—she'd walk 500 miles and 500 miles more for the love of her life (photography). But in this specific circumstance... she may have overestimated her carrying capacity.

She looks between the pile of metal and wood she just purchased, the extremely delicate and sensitive Bloomcraft devices that she haggled down to merely expensive, then back. Only one thing to do, then.]

Hey, you! [She pushes the box of scraps into the hands of the nearest passerby.] We can work out whatever I owe you later, I just need you to carry this stuff to the forges for me, OkayGotItLet'sGo [No room for argument, March is already hustling toward Emberlight Forge.]

c. ...with just a box of scraps
[It began a few days before Emberlight Forge's public workshops were due to open. The mysterious new girl appeared, begging with big ol' doe eyes to have space to practice before the main event. Begrudgingly, the guild elected to indulge her.

And now she has lodged herself in a corner and refuses to leave, coming in a few hours every day to bang away at some bizarre project. There have been two failed prototypes. One incident that nearly got her kicked out of the place entirely. But...]

EUREKA! [March nearly throws up her arms in celebration, but at the last minute remembers basic workplace safety.] After all the work I put into this thing, I better be able to take it back home...

d. all for the sake of a small wish (Closed to Nyuu)
Heyyyy! [After chasing after Nyuu all day, March has a newfound appreciation for all the effort her friends go to finding her every time she zooms off to the nearest thing that catches her eye after touching down for a new Trailblaze. That's not going to stop her from doing it, of course, she'll just need to remember to get them some souveneirs as thanks. (March absolutely won't remember to do this.)]

You're Nyuu, right? [Just... double-checking. Considering she has a twin running around elsewhere in Rosavelle.] It took way longer than I would've liked, but... here! Your gift is finally ready! [March presents a small package—a book, maybe?.] Us pink-haired gals gotta look out for each other~

d

[saudadist]

[ Nyuu stops in her tracks and looks over at March, skirt swishing around her legs and hair ribbons swaying. She grins brightly and nods. ]

That's me! You're um...Miss Evernight's sister?

[ Since they look the same but have different eyes! ]

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

[Oh, March knows that swish full well. Even if Nyuu isn't a sister in that way, she too knows the joy of "hehe, skirt go spinny." They're going to get on just fine.]

You got that right! I'm March 7th. And... I bring a gift!

Ta-daaaa!

[She hands it over to Nyuu, beaming.]

b

[lovelikeyou]

Oh - okay!

[ Rose jogs lightly, catching up to March fairly easily. She doesn't need her to lead the way; even if she never goes to the forges, she knows where they are. She explored this whole place ages ago!

She doesn't appear to have any issue with this whole thing, peering down at the box curiously. ]

Are you a blacksmith?

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

Nope! Not particularly interested in sweaty work like that, either. I'm much more suited to laying around, looking cute, and getting praised for it.

[ughhhhh these next few days are gonna SUCK

But! She needs to stay positive!]

I do need to make someone a present, though, and to make that present, I need to make a gadgety thing. So I guess I need to find a way to make an apron, goggles, and gloves chic~

A

[soldragon]

[Ryu listens. Someone with organic chemistry knowledge?]

[His brow knots as he continues to listen to the conversation.]

... Skin-bleaching agents?

[That's a little odd, but it's not like he's in the infirmary for something super common.]

Are you trying to keep your skin pale, miss?

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

For the MILLIONTH time, no! Evernight's vampiric look works for her, but my rosy complexion and blushy cheeks are too perfect to give up!

[Big sigh- oh no, her hands on her hips! March really IS frustrated.]

Look, I can't exactly walk into a hobby store and ask for photo development agents, and these are pretty advanced chemicals so I can't homebrew them either. My best bet is finding medications that have the same effects as developers' medical applications and praying!

C

[afraidtoawaken]

['EUREKA!'

The crying out gives Firefly pause. Her blue-to-pink eyes blink, slowly, and she turns as she walks past the Forge and its workshops. She had been looking around -- exploring, after she got her invitation, and getting used to walking on her own two legs again after... after returning to her cryopod. But that voice...

She's certain she recognizes the voice. And yet, she thinks, it couldn't be possible. Could it? Her heart's suddenly in her throat, the familiar but unwelcome sensation of nervousness almost overtaking her. She has to know, though. She steps into the forge. She looks, first, as the -- the strange object, because March's triumphant cry demands some recognition of her work. But then, her eyes are on the pink-haired girl. Firefly's own eyes widen.

And then she breaks into an earnest smile.] ...March? Is--is that really you?

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

[It's almost too good to be true.

Firefly? Here? In the waking world, not just a dream? And- Shhhh. Hush now, March. Some memories are better left in dreams. Especially when they're, in truth, nightmares.

...what was she thinking about again? GAH, it doesn't matter, Firefly's here!]

FIREFLYYYYYY!

[March swoops in for a hug, but stops at the last minute, nearly tripping over herself.]

Wait, hold on. Is it okay if I hug you? Because I really want to give you a big ol' squeeze, but... [what if firefly literally crumbles in her arms, it's an illogical fear but in march's defense she has no idea how entropy loss syndrome works]

b;

[likememore]

Me- wah!?

[The nearest passerby buckles a little under the weight of what she's given, but rallies and steadies her grip; looking at where it came from, Ena does a double take, seeing what looks like Evernight, but... well, like the not-Niigo version of Evernight. Huh. Strange. Does she have a sister or something? But also no time to ask questions, or she's going to end up dropping this box. So she stumbles forward, putting one foot in front of the other, not at risk of dropping it (and hey, that means she really is getting stronger, doesn't it!?) but not going terribly fast.]

Emberlight? Fine, fine! What the hell are you making with all this, though?

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

I'm not Evernight, silly. I'm March 7th! Her sister, I guess. We look a lot alike, so I can't blame you for the mistake.

[The real question is who's on first.]

My camera ran out of digital memory a while back, but there's NO WAY I'm letting all the precious memories I make here vanish. So I turned to the old, dark magics...

Literally dark. I have my darkroom all set up, all that's left is the enlarger.

Evernight - The Devil('s Fling's Sister) is a Part Timer

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

i. stuck with the tab (Closed to Hyacinth and anyone who has a reason to regularly visit)
[The bad news arrives while Evernight is cooking her regular breakfast for her g- g- g- g- girlfriend. (She can think it now. That's progress!) A nervous courier arrives at the barracks, clearly prepared to be received by haughty nobility... and Evernight's frigid demeanor does nothing to soothe her worries. The poor thing stammers out an apology for existing and also delivering this letter in particular before shoving the thing into her hands and fleeing. With a sigh, Evernight opens the envelope addressed to March, and-

Ka-THOOM. The crack of Arguably Diegetic Comedic Thunder can be heard across the dorm. Evernight looks like she's about to turn into a statue and crumble to pieces.]

What am I to do with you, March... [Normally, whenever Evernight says something like that, it's with great fondness. Now, though? She sounds horrified.] Lady Nadeshiko will have our heads for this...

ii. kingdom hearts 2 prologue ost intensifies
[Ironically, Evernight's first proper gig is with the company that delivered news of her and March's impending execution by Nadeshiko. It turns out that having a penchant for finding the best route to suddenly and mysteriously appear from translates to a talent for the courier business.

And so Evernight finds herself hustling through the streets of Maerlys for an hour or two every day. If she had the opportunity to wax poetic about the irony of delivering packages to their recipients when she, a being of Enigmata and oblivion, was created to hide the truth, she would. But unfortunately for Evernight, having an athletic body courtesy of her dear March does not necessarily translate into knowing how to use it efficiently. Or being used to exertion at all.

So much of Evernight's mental energy is devoted to keeping herself upright that she doesn't even register her destination... until she realizes that the door she's knocking on is that of one of the Bloom Bond barracks, and the recipient of the order is a fellow royal advisor.]

Ah- Er- I- [Sweaty, flushed with exhaustion (and embarrassment), and dressed in a sensible outfit made for tearing down cobblestone streets as opposed to her usual gothic attire, Evernight looks like... well, a person, instead of mystery made manifest.] Delivery for you. [Face burning, Evernight fixes her gaze on her boots and thrusts the package forward. So much for her mystique.]

iii. i miss my aibou, tails
[As the center for Rosavellian culture and the royal capital, Maerlys is something of a tourist destination, to put it lightly. And without the convenience of futuristic transportation networks, those who come to the city by boat or carriage often arrive late at night, disoriented, sleepy, and hungry.

This is the market that Sunflower's Paradise has cornered. Despite its flowery name, the establishment is humble, cheap, and provides a much-needed service to its customers: a breakfast bar opened all day and night. And, with few other options and basically no marketable skills, this is where Evernight has found herself sneaking off to in the middle of her and Akane's trips to the Rosavellian Memory Zone. Half of her mind (and all of March's) on maintaining the Xianzhou Luofu, Evernight puts all the skills she's learned over the past weeks of cooking for Akane to use. Hashbrowns, pancakes, eggs—all dispensed with robotic precision but zero art and no love. Not like the meals she cooks for Akane.

Akane.

Akane...

Evernight is so busy pining for the embrace of her partner (and dissociating from the mental strain of acting as a line cook while keeping a whole Memory Zone functional) that she doesn't notice the familiar face among her customers. Or that anyone's watching her as she steps outside for her break, slumps against the wall, and murmurs,]

Akaneee..... I miss youuuu......

iv. an attempt is made (Closed to Lucy)
[Between all her part-time gigs and the elusiveness of her target, Evernight's had little luck in finding a good time to talk to Kaede. Well, she could just stroll up to her and ask about having a cup of coffee to discuss their situations over, but... Evernight needs a win. If she doesn't mysteriously appear before Kaede and unsettle her at least a little bit, Evernight will die from the lack of mystery surrounding her personage. (Not literally, but metaphorically.)

Her plans have come to fruition. (Evernight saw Kaede at the tail end of one of her deliveries and ducked into an alley before her quarry noticed.) Now is the time.]

Kaede, is it ♭ [All-knowing smirk, check. Shadows blurring her outline, check. Intersection that's oddly quiet by sheer coincidence, check. Evernight's still got it.] I believe we have... much...

[It's only now that Evernight notices that she forgot the most crucial step: glamoring her work clothes to look like her usual ominous outfit. Disguising her panic, Evernight flicks her finger and her garb changes to something more fitting for the encounter. If she's lucky, she can play it off as a disguise.] To discuss.

ii

[wingstosee]

[ evernight knocks, and venus opens the door.

for a moment, she doesn't quite know what she's looking at. it looks like... march? but in a quite frankly normal skirt and top. something meant for outside work, not Maximized Cuteness At Every Angle.

which means this must be- ]

Oh. You're, uh... March's twin...? Something like that?

[ she looks - awkwarded out about this. why does she look awkwarded out. ]

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

S- Something like that, yes. I mean, her twin. That.

[If Venus unravels all the careful lies that Evernight has built because of a stupid delivery, Evernight will expire on the fault.]

I (that may or may not lead to one of the other two depending on how it goes?)

[catsgothistongue]

[The Arguably Diegetic Comedic Thunder wasn't just useful for as a backdrop and for enunciating Evernight's trepidation to that steep bill her dear sister shirked.

It also acts as a good cover to tiptoe and skull behind unsuspecting goth girls. There's a whistle directly right beside her ear, a death knell perhaps sent by a certain Miss Nadeshiko?

... And the end of toothbrush too...]

Yeesh! [Oh. No. It's the exasperated breathy whistle of a pigtailed busybody startingly right behind Evernight without a sound.] Sounds t' me they want more than your heads.

[Just their heads couldn't cover what March rack up, they're gonna need to break down and sacrifice an arm or leg at minimum. Idly brushing his teeth still while eavesdropping. Brush brush brush.]

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

Hel. Lo. Ran. Ma.

[Great. Exactly what Evernight needed: more complicated human relationship stuff happening at her while she also has to reckon with physical reality while she's also struggling to process that she's feeling something other than glowing admiration of March for once.]

You're right. They'd want to repossess March's plushie collection too. This truly is dire... [Or not. Priorities, Evernight.]

IV

[saudadist]

[ Proper clothing can make all the difference. It's so odd and yet so comforting. Nobody so much as looks her way. Her hair isn't strange, her horns are safely tucked up in ribbons of Nyuu's liking. Her shawl and boots are warm. Long, swishing skirts aren't usually her type, but this kingdom is...different. Nice.

It puts her on edge. It feels like something will happen at any moment. The second her guard is down, someone-

...will appear like a flamboyant mid-boss in a video game. Alright.

Huh. Her face looks identical to March. That must mean she's...ah, yes. That's right. The "sister." ]

Do we?

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

We're colleagues in a sense, aren't we ♭ The least we could do is to get to know one another. [For the first time in weeks, Evernight has caught someone properly off guard and successfully intimidated them. She feels like the soil after the first rain in a long, dry season. Aeons, she needed this.]

Besides, I have a feeling that, for everyone's sakes... it would be prudent to lay down some "rules of engagement" with that starchaser of yours~

[Read: Evernight doesn't want to bring up Kaede or any other uncomfortable targets and make Nyuu sad,]

Closed to Akane - Sex Ed for, and by, a Dummy (NSFW topics but nothing spicy)

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

[The day after the Wilting Festival, March corners Akane and informs her that, if she wants to be Evernight's girlfriend (unlike Evernight, March has no trouble saying it out loud), she's going to have to have a talk with March. Uncharacteristically serious as March is in that moment, it almost seems like she's prepared to give Akane a shovel talk. Or challenge her to a duel to prove her worthiness, given what Akane's grown to expect from the Nerima Wrecking Crew.

Instead, when Akane meets March at the appointed time in an empty parlor of the castle... she'll find her standing before a chalkboard, instructor's rod in one hand, chalk in the other, and glasses (with empty rims, it's just for effect) on her face.]

Sit down, Miss Tendo. It's class time.

[March doesn't say another word until Akane takes a seat.] Now that all the students are present, it's time to begin the lesson. First question, Miss Tendo!

Have you ever masturbated? I need to know how much practical experience I'm working with here.

What the sam hill

[mahjongheart]

Wh--

[Akane's hackles raise in real time.]

Excuse me!?

[What the hell kind of-- Wait. wait.]

is this about what happened at the Wilting Festival?

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

Yes! [March whaps her instructor's rod against her palm.] A girl has needs, Akane, and Evernight is no different. You aren't either, for that matter.

There's a lot to learn about intimacy and sex that no book can impart. Experience is a good teacher, but fumbling through your first adult relationship without any guidance will end up with hurt feelings and hurt bodies. Since there aren't any search engines or message boards in Rosavelle...

[She levels the rod at Akane.] It's up to Professor March to give you lessons.

[Her facade breaks and she gives Akane a kind smile.] If you'd like, we can start with an easier topic? We don't have to dive into the deep end immediately if you don't want to.

Closed to Ranma and Bulat - Handsome Intervention

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

[One day, March busts into Bulat's room, declaring that the Kingdom of Handsomeness calls for his aid. Who could refuse such an earnest plea for a good cause?

And so, Ranma is shuffled from tailor to tailor across the castle and Maerlys. Bulat and March huddle to consult with each other at each stop with all the solemnity of generals preparing for war. As an expert in masculinity and manhood, the project is spearheaded by Bulat, with March advising on logistics, secret genderous techniques, and curbing Bulat's more... reckless swings to make sure it's not something that Ranma would be embarrassed to wear. As a guy, at least. Still, the overall design is Bulat's, only moderated by March's keen fashion sense.

The hour of decision has come. All March and Bulat can do is wait as Ranma changes (and occasionally pitch instructions on how to put on a lightweight binder through the door).]

Thanks, Bulat. For real. There's no way I could've done this without you.

Though, uh... [March chuckles awkwardly, keenly aware of the original purpose of this scheme.] I feel like you deserve to know that there's a pretty good chance that it was all for nothing. So I owe you DOUBLE.

frantically googling mens fashion tips

[steel_over_blood]

[ The two of them landed on a tasteful base design that's easy to move in. The high waist and vertical patterns create a subtle illusion of height, the cropped jacket obscures the hip-to-waist ratio, and a black cadet-style cap adds ~subtle masculine charm~ (March talked Bulat down from a cowboy hat). ]

You tell me this now, huh? There's no refuge in any world from hidden schemes, after all.

[ A belabored sigh. He's being theatric, but...]

But an afternoon making memories with friends isn't a complete waste of time for me.

Closed to Yoojin - 404

[thirdmonthoftheyear]

[How did Yoojin get here?

Where is here, actually?

His day was unremakable, until... until... That's the trouble. Yoojin didn't blink and suddenly find himself somewhere unfamiliar. Everything blurs, and he feels like he's been standing here for hours while also having just arrived.

There's tea for two in the garden. A seat is pulled out for him.

And in the corner of his eye, darting in and out of his blindspots, red jellyfish swim.]

[monsterdaddy]

[So. The thing about Yoojin--well, one of the many frankly insane things about our most generic-looking guy--is that he is, in fact, very familiar with mental landscapes. He also has a lot of experience with sudden abductions and/or attacks. Also also, he carries a lot of fairly recent, jellyfish-related trauma.

Really, the only thing keeping him from summoning a dragon and attempting to carpet-bomb the place is the familiarity of a table set with tea.

Resist Fear activated!

Yoojin whips around, searching for another presence beyond the jellies, stretching his weak sense for mana as far as it will go. His hand flexes as he considers drawing his gun, but ultimately, he doesn't access his inventory. Whoever's behind this, the setting suggests it might--might--be an invitation to a peaceful chat.]

That you, Jellyfish? Or do I owe this pleasure to the extremely annoying but not totally unwelcome Mr. Sung? Ah, but if it were my partner, wouldn't you just drop me into your fishtank again? Or are you already bored of me breaking your aquariums?