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

Locations Proposals PCs Check-in Gifts Profiles NPC Contact Main Nav

code

Comments

[moonblades]

[Oh yay, the wizard tower? Where nothing bad ever happened to anyone? That place? It sure is a good thing this isn't a location with a traumatic history of loss.

Mio is here despite the creeping dread, the neckline on her dress giving her bandaged chest room to breathe. No sense in covering it, especially when the air might do it some good. There's also no covering the still-cooling swelling and bruising around the front of her face, from her forehead to the one fading black eye.Felt cute, might delete later this is not. Approach her for a dance, and she might look startled.]

With me? I'm not sure I'm super spry on my feet right now, but... I'd hate to miss it.

[Alternatively, for those who don't want to dance or who are just chilling, she'll gesture to the white flute in her lap.]

Would you rather I play for you instead? I've been dabbling in writing my own just a little bit, and I can probably keep up with what's playing.

[duckinghell]

[Wallflower duck has been wallflowering, but makes an approach to Mio.

It doesn't seem interested in dancing, however. Instead, it waves its wings at the flute in her lap.]

[moonblades]

[She's honored to be approached by the wallflower duck and gives it a small smile. See, courage just takes the first step, right?

When it waves a wing at her flute, she holds the instrument up and out so it can see.] You'd like to hear something? The horn over there's pretty loud, but... Should I just play along?

[duckinghell]

[The duck gives her a nod with its whole head, almost tipping over. Yes! Show it what you’ve got, Mio!]

[moonblades]

[Mio bursts into laughter when the duck almost tips forward. She bends down a little unsteadily to press her hand to its huge ducky forehead and keep it upright.]

Easy, easy. I'll play you something, but if you like it, maybe you should try to dance?

[She's not the boss of this little duck...or any of the little ducks, as it were. Mio lifts her flute, trying to match the classical folk music playing in the background with an uplifting tune.]

[duckinghell]

[The duck listens to the tune, standing still for a moment. It seems to hesitate to move at first, but then starts to bob its head in time with Mio's flute. Eventually, it begins to clap its wings along too. Its not quite dancing, but surely the sentiment is the same?]

[moonblades]

[Help, that's too cute. The corners of Mio's eyes crinkle in a silent smile as she continues the song. It's a pretty big development from being a wallflower duck. How could she be disappointed in that?

She plays through to the end until the gramophone switches to another track, when she pauses and lowers her instrument.]

Well? What do you think about my improv? It makes me think of quieter times spent with friends, resting before facing another day. [Isn't that exactly what this is, in a way?]

[duckinghell]

[The duck gives a gentler nod this time.]

Quack quack.

[They almost sound wistful.]

[moonblades]

That's something you understand too, huh? Even ducks must have fond memories.

[She hasn't had too many duck conversation, but she's noticed there seem to be some things they can't fully share. Mio chews on her words for a while, thinking of how they might actually converse.]

Do you have any friends here?

[linearcrash]

[ SOMEONE BETTER DANCE WITH HER

Nine is here for the flute though. He'll notice it and after a moment he'll come over to give a nod towards it. ]

Only if you're feeling up to it, yo.

[moonblades]

[Will Mio be left alone at the prom....? Tune in next time on Degrassi.]

Mm, it's nothing. [Playing comes so naturally to her; it counterbalances any problems that exerting herself performing might present.]

The music's kinda loud, but I think I can improvise from what's there.

[She lifts the instrument and meets Nine's eyes, waiting for his approval on that idea.]

[linearcrash]

[ It's a crime! ]

If it gets to be too loud, I could always rip off that horn. [ Or find the volume control like a normal person. He'll give a nod though and even crouch down by her to hear it better. Who needs chairs ]

[moonblades]

Property damage, huh? Then I'd have to be your sole accompaniment for a while.

[So it's fine, really... for now. Besides, even with loud music, the classical tunes on the gramophone don't completely clash with her melodic improvisations to match the pace and tone of what's playing.]

[linearcrash]

I wouldn't rat you out or anything.

[ He will take the whole blame.

He looks at the ground as he listens because it's very very interesting and he's definitely not hiding that he's feeling a whole emotion here. ]

[moonblades]

[Of course he wouldn't. It gets a tiny smile on Mio's lips as she plays anyway, until her eyes flick to him. Her expression neutralizes, though she doesn't speak again until she's finished her song and lowered the flute once more.]

Something on your mind, Nine?

[linearcrash]

[ It takes him a moment longer before he just waves his hand as if brushing something off. ]

It's no big deal or anything. Just hearing a flute reminds me of Deuce and the rest of Class Zero.

[moonblades]

Your comrades?

[The past few days are fuzzy, but she certainly remembers him talking about following orders. In her mind, she's already starting to think of him as a soldier, though she hopes he's bound to something less absolute than the unending cycle of the Flame CLocks.]

You're probably used to spending a lot of time at their sides. Was the music a reminder?

[revelate]

[Startled? Hopefully not. Noah approaches her without any sort of hesitation, but then why would he be hesitating? He's spent so much of his time with Mio following her injury that none of it shocks or unnerves him. He only wishes he had the means to more effectively heal her, but Eunie he is not.

Regardless, all that matters to Noah is that she's on the mend and trying to enjoy her time in whatever ways she can. Part of him would prefer if she stayed away from the others knowing any one of them is capable of hurting her, but another part of Noah doesn't want her isolated. With so little time on the clock, she should be allowed to have fun, make friends, relax.

If only it were so easy for Noah to allow himself the same. He's content only to remain by her while she recovers, which means hauling his sour ass to this week's festival to join her. He's dressed in blue jeans and a tight, nondescript tee, but that's just fine with him. All the attention should be on Mio who, despite her injuries, looks as beautiful as ever.]

We can try, certainly, but I'll warn you that I don't know the first thing about dancing.

[moonblades]

You're a musician, Noah. [Mio laughs. Though her concern for him is close and present, she still can't let fear erase this time that they have to spend together. She smiles gently at him, cupping his chin in her hand.] Don't you think your sense of rhythm should help you out here?

[As long as he doesn't protest, she'll lead him out to the tiled dance floor set up behind the wizard tower, not thinking about how close they are to the scene of last weekend's nightmare. Taking both of his hands in her own, she begins to sway from foot to foot, side to side, rather than moving into any particular dance moves just yet.]

I can't believe you didn't take the chance to dress up. Do you think it's silly? [Selfishly, Mio would like to see him in something nice.]

[revelate]

When you put it that way, I suppose that skill should transfer over.

[Not that learning how to dance would serve any practical purpose at this point in his life, but Noah keeps that to himself. Wonky mood aside, he's not here to put a damper on Mio's fun. Folding his hands around hers, he falls into step with her easily enough, keeping count of their steps in the same way he would the beats of a song.]

I wasn't planning on spending much time here. Still... ["I don't trust any of these motherfuckers"] ...I wanted to make sure you had company. It isn't silly, per se. I'm just... not quite in the mood.

[You know. Because he's Brooding.]

i cannot believe you missed an opportunity for "i'm not really feeling it"

[moonblades]

Where else would you go?

[Maybe not everyone is here, but most of them are, and hiding out elsewhere in town might not be fruitful when they've looked all over already. So the only place Noah can really go that's not here at the dance is into his own head - a place Mio knows can be dangerous for him to stay too long.

They've got the basic rhythm down now. Mio steps a little closer, tilting her chin up as they keep swaying.]

... This is kinda how we met, isn't it? You figured my moves out way faster than anyone else.

i'm a fake xenoblade fan

[revelate]

["Wherever you go" is the real answer, but Noah shakes his head. If nothing else, he would've plastered himself to the wall and simply kept an eye on Mio while she mingled with the others, but... something like this? A dance between two people? This island is ass backwards and twisted beyond repair, but this is the sort of experience he'd want Mio to be able to enjoy if they were back home. No matter how much he's come to resent this place, the memories they build here are precious.

In truth, it's always been easy to fall into step with Mio. Noah frees one hand to support the flat of Mio's back, counting every step, every beat, so they remain perfectly in sync.]

It was simple. You always had your duties in mind, much like myself. Our music is that much a part of who we are, isn't it?

gasp...faker

[moonblades]

[It's true. Their music is such a deep part of them that Mio doesn't think it could ever be full extricated. Funny, when she thinks about it, that she'd never wanted to be an off-seer in the first place. Since he's seen her memories, Noah must know that, too.

How many little miracles like that had led to their meeting? Her eyes begin to shine, sparkling with wetness she doesn't let go any further.]

You don't think it's just that, do you? Maybe it's sort of silly... But it doesn't feel like chance to me. What you've brought into my life... I don't know where I'd be without it.

[She feels complete with him in a way that transcends the few months they've known each other. The noise they heard the day they become Ouroboros might as well have come from their own hearts.]

It's not your music, Noah. [It's you.]

[revelate]

Mio...

[He recognizes the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes but thinks better of drawing attention to them. Doing so might lead to actual tears. Mutual tears when they've both been doing everything in their strength to stave off total despair.

Rather, Mio has been doing everything she can to keep her head above water. Noah's begun to sink, but how can he fulfill his promise to Mio if he strays too far from her?

If he has any reason to carry on, it's her. Just as easily as they can fall in step with one another, they can remain by each other's sides until the bitter end, can't they? And after she's gone, he'll...]

...The more I hear you call my name, the more I question how prepared I am for the future. For saying goodbye. I don't know... what I'll do with myself once you're gone.

[moonblades]

... How do you think I feel?

[They're already committed to making sure That Night never happens again, but it's starting much the same way. Mio tries to mitigate her impulse to respond, already shaking a little. But instead of lashing out at him against, this time she tries to put her feelings into words.

When she thinks about the days and weeks she already spent never even calling Noah by his name, now that there are so few days and weeks in which to use it, it feels like such a waste of time. So much time she wasted being scared.]

Noah. [She stops dancing abruptly and holds his face between her hands.] You can't be afraid of the future. I've been so scared of what's coming that I...almost didn't let myself have what I have now.