WEEK THREE

[mayorityvote]

WEEK THREE

19 Villagers

They say nothing is healthier for the mind and body than physical labor - especially if you can hold the fruits of it in your hands and store it in your kitchen. Whatever cruelties you have witnessed or endured in the past week, your fields need tending to and they reward you with as quick as harvest as always.

If drowning your grief in work is not enough for you, there are new spots to explore in Puffin Town. Allow the novelty to distract you from your dwindling numbers!

Always remember, the value of a community is not measured by it's size.

(( OOC: Murder proposals are due by Tuesday at 4 PM EST / 1 PM PST for this final week! Get your bloodthirst in or forever hold your peace! Gift submission is still open as well!

If your character has been planting Astera, here's a reminder to report it at the Astera tracker - this does not need to have been threaded, we're just taking stock on an OOC level.))

MONDAY • TUESDAY • WEDNESDAY • THURSDAY

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[revelate]

[Humanity is the only thing in this world worth preserving, and even then, not all people are worth saving. Thinking about how ignorant he'd been makes Noah laugh.]

They've given us no choice. You know what happens when animals are driven into a corner, don't you?

[Speaking of that? Noah doesn't show much mercy to the poor little rock crab that thinks better of attacking him and pivots to run away. It's left itself defenseless in the hopes he might think twice about cutting it down, but he doesn't. An opening is just that: an opening.]

Your life is the only life you've got. By now... you should know to put yourself first. Don't throw away something so precious for someone else's sake.

[hyperbloom]

[ He seems like a completely different person now. Almost. At least since Mio got injured. She gets it -- she's sure she'd be enraged if anything happened to her Boss -- but at the same time...

It snaps her out of her anger for a second, to see Noah so focused on killing the crab that decided to retreat. She has a moment to collect herself at least, because some of the other creatures around them decide to follow suit. (Maybe they'll be spared.) ]

I don't disagree.

[ "That's a much better suggestion than giving in to despair." ]

Just don't do something that you'll regret later.

[ "There's only so much in our lives that we can control, but doing what we can makes all the difference." ]

[revelate]

[You know what? They will be spared, but not for the reasons she might hope.

Watch your neck, Shinobu. There's a blade at your throat and Noah's on the other end of it.]

Like placing my faith in other people? Like blindly believing no person would choose to harm another if given the freedom to choose? There's much I regret. Letting myself be fooled is one.

??? Hut

[driftingknight]

[... ah. Baldr sees that he isn't the only one curious about this strange new building that's popped up. When he realizes that he isn't alone, he very nearly turns to leave; he manages to curb that instinct after a moment, though it's a bit longer after that before he finally speaks.]

... it's almost like something out of a fairy tale, isn't it?

[hyperbloom]

[ She freezes in place. She looks down at the blade, so close to her neck, and her eyes narrow. She looks back up at him, incredulous. ]

So that's what you think, is it?

[ She pauses. Considers her options. She could die here...but she knows better than to allow him to kill her so easily. He's the one who said she should put herself first, right?

She doesn't fully believe this is Noah talking...or is it? Is he going to try to kill her, just like Dongrang did? Did he deceive her like Sora did?

...Heh. She has much to think about.

Shinobu lets out a sigh. She drops her sword and holds up her hands -- a gesture that she's offering to deescalate. ]

Your call, then.

[revelate]

[Take your time, Baldr. Noah isn't in much of a mood to socialize himself, turning with some delay to answer his question.]

What's unusual is that whoever is tending to this place is nowhere to be seen. A Garden like the one out back, all these baubles... Whoever lives here must not care much for what happens to their belongings.

[driftingknight]

It doesn't seem as though this belongs to the ducks...

[He reaches a hand out to run it along some of the little ribbon-tied sacks on one of the shelves. No, this all seems far too tidy to be their doing...]

... and I don't think it is the property of Adela-san and Makima-san, either. Very curious indeed.

[He purses his lips.]

With all of these Astera around, it makes you wonder why they felt the need to encourage us to cultivate more.

[revelate]

[Giving up. Surrendering. Is that not what he'd just discouraged her from doing? She's doing the same thing she did before: foolishly putting her life in the hands of someone she trusts, but what reason does she have to trust him? Why, after seeing supposed friends cut each other down and vote for each other's deaths would she insist on putting her faith in strangers?

...They really are too alike. Noah's handle on the hilt tightens, loosens, tightens again. He curses, furious for reasons he can barely parse.]

Spark's sake. Don't you get it? Don't you want to live?

[Anger overwhelms him. Before he can do anything he knows deep down that he'd regret, Noah draws back his blade and throws it into the depths of the mine.]

It makes no sense! You've got nothing but time, nothing but life to live, and what good is it to you?! If I could take what you'd so gladly waste and give it to her, I'd—!

[But he wouldn't. Not even now. That wouldn't make Mio happy and he knows that.]

[revelate]

You catch on quick.

[Noah sweeps out a palm to draw Baldr's attention to the plants he's plucked from the garden. He might notice that all the ones Noah's carefully trimmed away with every intention of taking back to his farm are poisonous... or maybe not. Does Baldr have a green thumb?]

But as usual, they've also given us another tool to serve their needs. Nothing good here comes without a price.

[driftingknight]

[He knows enough about herbs and spices used in cooking to be able to recognize at least some of those as being poisonous, yes, and he can't even find it in him to be surprised at this point.

His next exhalation is audible.]

Are you taking them to prevent other people from doing so, then?

[hyperbloom]

Noah.

[ She doesn't appear fazed by any of that, not insulted, not enraged. She speaks firmly, tone leveled, trying to conceal how much she's burning with disappointment and anger. She doesn't grab her weapon. Let this be an even playing field. She kicks her own sword off to the side and stands up straight.

She can't believe what he's saying. ]

Do you really think I would've let you kill me, just like that? Did you not hear a single thing I said earlier? Do you think I haven't learned anything from almost dying a few days ago? And before you accuse me of anything, no, I wasn't going to kill you.

[ She takes a deep breath, tries to quell her anger...but it inevitably starts to spill out. She doesn't raise her voice, but her tone is what gets hotter and hotter. ]

I don't know what's happened to you or Mio in your past. I don't know what your circumstances really are. I won't claim to know you or her or anyone else here, really.

[ ... ]

You can value her life and yours above the rest of ours -- and I'm not asking you to put yourself on the line for anyone else -- but you can also do that without threatening to kill your comrades.

[ She's pretty mad about that, yeah. Still, she realizes that her words may be falling on deaf ears, but he's not part of the Arataki Gang. His reputation is his to maintain. His decisions are his to make. She cannot force him to change his mind. She cannot force him to behave so he'll be respected, accepted, and have a place in the world even if it doesn't quite fit perfectly. ]

If you're willing to give up that side of you, the part that might have even an ounce of faith in other people, to protect yourself...there's no going back from that. That, Noah, would be giving into despair.

And then, they win.

[ And even if it would've meant absolutely nothing...

she wishes she could've told Dongrang the same thing. ]

working the field;

[enkiboo]

[ Greetings, buddy.

Enkidu is coming right on over, so that they don't damage his work. ]

Good morning, Noah.

You're out early. Did you get a chance to eat anything before deciding to work so hard?

[ Humans need that sort of thing, right? ]

Monday

[shamen]

Did anyone plant any chilis? I'll trade you cabbages for it.

[shamen]

[It's a Monday, and Nikaidou's looking oddly chipper despite everything that was not good that happened before. Maybe he closed his eyes and wore ear plugs, or maybe he finally lost it. He can be found mostly in Flame Lily Farm tending to the new crops, all old ones harvested-- or well, removed entirely from the fields in order to replace them with Astera. There's the old batch from when he started two weeks ago, but now he's replacing majority with just that. There may also be a familiar calf there. Whose could that be?

The crops, he sets inside ??? Hut. Something like an offering, maybe?

Later, when he's done, he can be found at Gourmet’s Gallivant Food Vendors, munching on a sandwich as he sorts through boxes of produce. Red goes in one box, yellow goes in another, green stays on the table. No browns or blues, it seems.]

[linearcrash]

[ Maybe he'll just go to the Livestock show to get food from the ducks there and continue to avoid reading. ]

MAN I KEEP FORGETTING HOW MANY ANIMALS THEY BROUGHT HERE
CHICKEN AND ICE CREAM

WHAT ABOUT YOU
WANT ANYTHING

???

[mayorityvote]

[ It's a lovely evening and the spring breeze is gentle to all the dancers. Nevertheless, surely some of you need to to breaks from time to time - and maybe as you stand towards the edge of the festivities, you have your eyes on the forest bordering the village on this side.

Eyes to see... a light appear and disappear among the foliage, its green color only distinct against the backdrop through the darkness of dusk.

Huh? ]

[linearcrash]

[ Let's be real here, he will be there for the food. While he doesn't seem to know basic things, he at least knows how to dress up. Someone has been shopping around at the Auditorium.

He seems to be looking at his drink. ]

Not sure if we should be drinking anything associated with here. [ But he's going to drink anyways. Bottoms up! ]

[ Or he can be found looking at the gramophone. ]

Don't think I've ever seen anything like this, hey.

[mirrari]

[Honestly, Azure is more curious to see if anyone shows up than she is about what this Flower Dance entails. "Flower Dance" just doesn't seem like the sort of thing she'd find any appeal in, but she's sure seeing how people act - or if they show up at all - will be illuminating. Or at least interesting.

She does actually bother to wear something nicer than her usual farmcore fits, and she doesn't need a duck to encourage her to talk to anyone.]

Well, how do you feel about being my special someone for a moment?

[Complete with a wink! The horrors persist but a woman can still flirt.]

[duckinghell]

[This duck is all dressed up for the dance in a dapper little tux and bowtie. But, instead of joining anyone on the dancefloor, it stands off to the side. Watching. Staring.]

[hyperbloom]

[ Shinobu is surprisingly here, participating in her usual manner which is standing off to the side and observing. She seems a little worse for wear, though, in how she doesn't look entirely comfortable or content to be here. It looks like she's watching for something more than actually wanting to partake in the festivities. Odd, given that she's dressed up for the occasion.

She can, however, be persuaded or forced by a duck. Until, then, though? She'll glance away from anyone she makes eye contact with. ]

[linearcrash]

[ Hello little ducker ]

Hey, uh. Which one are you? [ They need nametags! ]

[duckinghell]

[Here comes another duck! This one has a green ensemble on.]

[It gestures excitedly to the party, then at wallflower duck, before giving a twirl and a little "eh? eh?" noise with an offered wing.]

[Want to dance?]

[duckinghell]

Quack.

[It gestures at itself. Understand?]

[liberazoth]

[ good mornyan stardew— i mean morning dews. definitely no stars here. we're all doing great after the weekend surely.

in the early morning vayne can be found around ghost orchid farm, tending to the fields as he has been these past weeks or puttering around with simple meals in the kitchen. breakfast is important, after all.

a bit later in the day, he'll be examining things at the ??? hut, frowning at some of the dried flowers there, noting the various things in the gardens and then some and more. every now and then the other entity that definitely doesn't live there makes him startle, but of course- there's no one and nothing there. duh.

even later on, he can be found in the blacksmith, hard at work with something...

... which, of course, means that later on in the day, a few more charms end up appearing next to the others already there at the museum: a cat paired with a B, a flask with D, a cooking ladle with B, and a miniature bar of chocolate matched with an A. he's trying to do this without getting too much attention, but you might be able to catch him placing them during the evening. ]

[enkiboo]

[ Hi folks, Enkidu is here. Fit check for them, naturally. ]

Would you like to have fun with me?

Or, we can just listen to music and talk.

[ Enkidu isn't about to force anyone to do much of anything if they don't feel like it, after all. But they are not going to sulk with these clothing choices available... ]