[open] verdant moon catchall

[snowslip]

Who: Marianne & you
Where: Aldrip
What: August catchall
Warnings: None



i. a clean break

[ If you live at the inn, Marianne can be found going in and out of her room with a broom tidying. Having decided that she should cease shutting herself away so much, it feels like the right time to sort out the mess her room had become.

After an hour spent clanking around and moving things, her room does not look any cleaner despite her efforts. In fact, it's messier than before. How? Her real curse may be her inability to organize anything. So, she's resorted to boxing up the items she wants to part with and moving it out into the hall, with apologies to anyone who has to step around her pile. ]

Sorry about the mess. I'm doing a bit of tidying. If you'd like any of this, please, help yourself.

[ She gestures to the box of goods she's planning to rehome. There are jugs, pressed flowers, candles, books... ]

ii. uncanny admiration

[ Despite being fond of gardens, Marianne has largely avoided the botanical gardens where the statues of the Chosen are on display. She finds her own image carved in marble too embarrassing, too shameful for someone who had brought the town ruin not too long ago. With her newfound determination (and feeling plagued by it long enough), she arranges for her statue to be taken down and dismantled.

The next day, she thinks she can finally stroll the garden in peace...that is, until she sees an incredibly detailed carving of herself erected in a new location, again engraved with the words Savior of Aldrip. Oh, how those words make her hide her face in her hands. ]

It's back? I don't understand how.

iii. (don't) stop to smell the flowers

[ Marianne feels most at peace in the Aldrip meadows, though she still feels guilty whenever she comes across a strip of devastated land. She's taken to helping the fairies with their work to restore nature, bringing them seeds and whatever they request. This afternoon, however, she has trouble keeping her eyes open. The flower's sweet scent, the gentle breeze, the calmness all lull her to close her eyes and lay down in the grass. Once she's drifted off, birds gather around her still form, and one plucks at her hairband as she sleeps. ]

Comments

[snowslip]

That's right. [ Marianne smiles faintly. ] Some flowers have healing properties when consumed, but in candles, the difference is mainly in the fragrance.

[ Some people prefer the smell of rose, some prefer lavender. She remembers pressing flowers with her mother once upon a time, preserving the delicate and beautiful blossom between the pages of books. Aldrip has always reminded her of her childhood home. ]

Personally, I think they all smell nice. The flowers were grown locally, too. These came from Astralin's farm.

[usarinpa]

Oh!

[ She does seem like the 'I like them all,' type. Astralin's name does perk her up though, and it's obvious Mizuki knows him. ]

I was actually heading over there. I helped him build it, and ever since then, I've just kinda been working there. [ Beats retail. She scratches her head a bit sheepishly. ] Hey, do you think he would like some of these?

[snowslip]

Oh, I don't want to assume, but he seems like the kind who would appreciate them.

[ Maybe because they shared a similar fondness for nature? Astralin's been kind to her. Marianne always feels at peace visiting his farm and speaking with him in the pleasant, quiet way two introverts comfortable with each other would. She has much fondness for the animals there, even (and especially) the troublemaking chicken. ]

I would visit him with you, but I've still got a mess on my hands... [ She glances around at her sad state of affairs tying her down. It's nice to meet a friend of Astralin's though. ] Perhaps you can pass on the message?

[usarinpa]

[ She can certainly relate to that. Mizuki may have come out of her shell in recent years with joining ABIS and almost graduating high school, but a large part of her still remains introverted at heart. ]

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I... I could stay and help for a while if you need it, though. [ Peering over Marianne's mounting pile. She wouldn't blame her though for not trusting a stranger. Mizuki herself wouldn't. ] I'm Mizuki. Pretty good at heavy lifting if you have bigger stuff back there.

[ Though some of those books already look a little heavy by themselves, perhaps. ]

[snowslip]

I'm Marianne. It's nice to meet you, Mizuki. Um, I think I'll be okay...

[ It's not that Marianne doesn't trust her, but that she feels embarrassed at her mess of a room and troubling someone else with a task as mundane as cleaning. Especially a friend of a friend. The heavy lifting, though...she might have overstuffed some of the boxes without thinking. ]

Though maybe you could help me move the boxes downstairs?

[ Mizuki looks small, but she knows size doesn't necessarily equate to strength. After all, Hilda was plenty strong, swinging a battleaxe almost as tall as her. Marianne can only hope her friend is staying safe in the war... ]

[usarinpa]

[ Yep, Mizuki totally gets it. Maybe it was weird of her to offer anyway. She gives a nod all too readily. ]

Sure thing. I guess if you're giving them away anyway, it doesn't matter if someone takes them in the meantime. [ ...So she probably doesn't have to ask the innkeeper to look after the stuff. She looks at the candles in her hand and after a pause, she'll offer them back to Marianne. ] Can you box these up for me then? I'll be right back.

Pick a few others for me too, if you want to. [ ~surprise her~ ]

[snowslip]

I appreciate it - and of course.

[ Grateful, Marianne takes the candles and begins to search for a box in good condition and of the right size. Her gaze will drift back to Mizuki to see if she's doing alright lifting the boxes. She would offer to lift them together, actually, that had been her original thought, but the girl seemed confident in her strength. ]

[usarinpa]

[ Mizuki watches Marianne as she turns and starts to search. She will leave the girl to it then, and she casts a gaze over the first box she intends to take on. Without much thought, she bends down to lift the box with both arms, letting out something like a grunt that seems to be the only thing to suggest any struggle whatsoever.

She disappears down the steps, and Marianne might hear some faint echoes of "Watch out," "Coming through" as she disappears.

Some moments later, she'll appear again, now empty-handed, ready for a second box. ]

[snowslip]

[ While Mizuki is gone, Marianne delicately wraps up the two candles and packs it into a spare box. She slips in dried flowers - a bundle of blue and gold ones, and a pack of her favorite berry tea. To preserve the element of surprise, she hides what is in her hands when Mizuki returns, but she'll call out from behind her pile. ]

Thank you so much.

[usarinpa]

Hey, no problem.

[ As she approaches, Mizuki hears Marianne. She has no problem poking her head from in front of that pile to see her, though there's so much going on she doesn't realize she is hiding anything. At least, not immediately. ]

They're at the front desk. They say you can set things up however you like, if you want to. Maybe take a table.

[ She really doesn't know whether Marianne plans to stick around and turn it into some kind of giveaway booth. ]

[snowslip]

Oh. I was going to cart it into town to give away, but if they don't mind me doing it here...

[ It would save her and her horse a trip. The locals are kind. The Chosen she's met as well. Marianne subtly closes the lid on the box she's preparing to preserve the surprise. She feels sheepish that she's troubling not only Mizuki but the innkeepers now, but she's also relieved to have help. It makes tackling a monumental task - monumental to Marianne, anyway - easier. ]

Sorry, I must seem very disorganized.

[usarinpa]

Oh.

[ Well, darn. She didn't mean to ruin her plans. Maybe it would be better if she was able to go out into the town, get some more eyes on the stuff. Like that weird, traveling merchant she sees every one and a while. Then again, the inn does see a lot of foot traffic.

She decides to leave it up to her. ]

Nah, you're fine. Sometimes things have to get messier first, right? At least you're making the effort.

...Kinda makes me glad that our apartment back home was small. [ less stuff = less cleaning. ]

[snowslip]

It's okay. Actually, it might work out well this way.

[ She can always grab a cart later if there are leftover things. She doesn't know why she gets so overwhelmed when it comes to cleaning in particular, but Mizuki's encouragement helps. Sometimes things have to get messier first...that could be a motto right there. ]

When I arrived here, I just wanted to disappear, but now I think I should try to make this place my home.

[usarinpa]

[ It's definitely a certain someone's motto. Maybe hers, too.

But what she says next resonates with Mizuki really, really strongly, and it is visible on her face. She is quiet for a contemplative moment before speaking up again, all while finally picking up a second box. ]

...I know what you mean. But I guess it's kind of hard to think of it as "home" when you're living in an inn. [ She's doing better than Mizuki, though. ]

[snowslip]

[ Marianne sees Mizuki's expression falter and she hopes she hasn't stumbled on a sore subject. Her expression also turns wistful as she thinks of the world she left behind, and she nods quietly. Her voice turns soft.]

It's not the same, is it? Even if we were to move someplace of our own, home is not only about the space.

[ There were people who made a place feel like home. Or in her case, animals. ]

[usarinpa]

[ She nods all too readily in agreement, giving a passive "Yeah." There's been whispers about the construction of houses. Perhaps it'd even come up, what they would do if they were able to get a place. Ultimately, though, it's still a bit of a waiting game.

It's definitely not just about the space, but it certainly helps. ]

Do you share this room with anyone?

[snowslip]

I live alone. It's alright, though. I'm used to it.

[ She adds quickly. She's used to the isolation. When your family is rumored to be cursed, people tend to avoid you... The Margrave had adopted her despite it, and Marianne found it sometimes harder living with others than without. ]

What about you?

[usarinpa]

Oh... [ Honestly, Mizuki is used to it too, though with Marianne turning he question on her, she won't comment. ] Yeah, I live with Vi. She's a friend of mine who was there for me when I was in a tight spot.

And then her friend showed up here, so... then there were three.