expiationlogs | {Mini Event} Day of Devotion

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{Mini Event} Day of Devotion

DAY OF DEVOTION

This is an entirely opt-in very casual event that has nothing to do with overarching storyline and is just an additional introductory log, and a means for characters to meet. We hope you've all had a very happy Valentine's Day week however you've chosen to spend it!

SCARVES OF LOVE

The season of affection and love of all kinds falls upon Aldrip in the wake of their festivities for Those Who Were There. As part of the celebration, what's referred to as the 'Day of Devotion,' local merchants carry a variety of wares, but none so coveted as their multicoloured scarves available in a variety of prints, designs, and fabrics. Perhaps consider picking one up and giving it to someone who's important to you. No money? No problem! Whilst Aldrip doesn't exactly work on a layaway system or akin to, you'll find the mercantile business owners are quite open to trades and other means of bartering. Maybe they'll give out a scarf or two in agreement for running some errands...

Lucky recipients of these very fashionable scarves will find themselves suspiciously open to sharing positive, warm and fuzzy, or perhaps downright amorous feelings toward the person who gifted them the scarf to begin with, regardless of whether you've known them for years or even just a couple of weeks. But don't worry—the feelings are temporary! Once the Day of Devotion comes to a natural conclusion, your feelings will return to something like normalcy and you'll still wind up with a new fashion accessory. Of course, if you've always been amorous with that special someone, you likely won't notice any sort of change.

Take the opportunity to embrace the celebration, maybe embrace one another a little bit, too, and begin forming some potentially everlasting bonds with others.

BRING PROTECTION

Not everyone is choosing to celebrate the Day of Devotion in the same way. Due to the heightened popularity of the pretty scarves, some of Aldrip's jewellers have been bitten by the green bug of jealousy. In an attempt to compete with the sales of scarves, jewellers are advertising pendants, brooches, and other assorted charms that are meant to serve as warding and protective trinkets. What are they protecting one from? It's difficult to say and the merchants aren't inclined to give a straight answer. But whether you need protection from love, personal feelings, or perhaps something more physical, they've got you covered!

If you choose to give these amulets to others, recipients of them and their related will be compelled to share their true feelings with those around them in addition to the person who gave them the protective charms. This sounds like it could be a good thing, however, that means it covers the array of positive, negative, and every shade in between, without a filter in place. Consider these accessories a potential test of friendships, familial relationships, and more.

Like the scarves, this need and desire to be truthful with your feelings will be temporary, lasting until the Day of Devotion celebration is over. But at least you'll be protected. From something. Maybe. Probably. Or not!

FLOWERS FOR ALDRIP

By now, you may be well familiar with Aldrip's variety of fields that are filled with vegetables and fruits that grace the dinner tables of the town and local cuisine. During the Day of Devotion and weeks leading up to it, you'll find that they're clearing another field and preparing the soil. What for, you won't find out until the actual day of the celebration. Once it arrives, there's a collection of simple carts filled with flowering plants. Locals and newly-arrived alike are welcome to lend a hand in planting them along the neatly tilled rows.

You may find plants that resemble or are identical to plants from your home world. You may find plants that you've never seen in your life. They come in a variety of colours and are accompanied by a lightly pleasing scent that shouldn't be too overpowering, though may still disturb those with allergies.

All who help out with the planting, watering, and other tending, will be rewarded with a bouquet of flowers that can be passed onto others to show your appreciation and other forms of affection. You may even find yourself making a good and lasting impression on the locals by offering some assistance.

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[ Definitely do that, people will love the twist ending where Saito reclaims his body and defeats the evil cops. ]

Hey, it's all good. The past's the past.

[ Aw, but the flower move totally gets Peter. He'll even bend down to help, grabbing a daisy ot two to move into place. ]

My story's not all that.

[ Peter shrugs. He can gloat about parts of it at times, but now's not the time. But how to make it sound... not ridiculous? Most people here aren't from space. But what reason would he have to not talk about his own past? None. ]

My mom died when I was 13. Turns out my dad was some bigshot from space, and I made a perfect hostage. Just me, though, that's why... [ He pauses. ] Then it turns out my dad didn't actually give a damn about me. I mean, not super surprising given that he never showed up when it was just me and my mom, but...

[ He moves aside some of the dirt to try and plant this daisy. It's not going super well, but it's keeping his hands busy. ]

Long story short, I had to rescue myself with the help of some space pirates. Which probably sounds ridiculous to you, but I promise it's true.

[ Oh, Peter, you sweet fool. ]

[Losing his mom when he was still young? Check. Asshole of a dad who gave zero shits about him and also happened to be influential in some form? Also check. Saito can almost feel sympathy for this guy. If only his brain knew how to properly process those signals.]

Heh. Good thing you at least had your mom and those space pirates to help you.

[There's a touch of acidic irony to the way the words come out of his mouth. Irony at both the similarities between his own (true) story and Peter's, and at Peter's luck. He mimics Peter's actions and picks a daisy this time; though yet again pulls out the irises that were probably planted by another hands earlier, to replace them with the more pleasant daisy.

It's totally normal behavior.]

It doesn't sound ridiculous at all. Believe it or not, I can relate to that. I mean, not to the getting help from space pirates part, but to growing up without parents and having to fight to save yourself.

[Meanwhile, Saito had to rescue himself with the help of the only thing that made him feel anything. Which just so happens to be something that is highly destructive, and justifiably considered a crime by any and every society.]

[ It's like looking in a mirror, right?? Maybe Saito needed to go to space where someone could've given him some meds. ]

Honestly? Yeah. I don't know what I would've done without them.

[ Peter misses the irony of course, though he catches the shortness of it. This guy could have his own thing, and that's fair. He did kind of just infodump on a stranger. So he's actually a little relieved to get some kind of encouragement, even sympathy from him. (Don't worry, he's too busy in his own thing to notice anything weird about Saito's anti-iris propaganda.) ]

Oh, dude. [ Whoa, he was not expecting that. ] That sucks. I mean, it's really cool that you did that -- it was hard as hell for me, and I had help.

[ (Peter no, the things this mad has done...) ]

Mad respect. [ Peter offers his hand to shake. ] I'm Peter, by the way.

[Oh. This is the part where he gets to play cop again, right? Without a single moment of hesitation, Saito brushes off some dirt from his gloves, then reaches into his coat to bring out a police ID. He holds it up in one hand, and uses his other hand to take Peter's in a handshake.]

I'm Kaname Date, ABIS investigator. You can call me Date.

[It always feels funny to introduce himself as such; Date stole so much from him, now it's his turn to steal back. He only wishes that loser were here to see this.]

[ Ooh, a cop, huh. ]

Nice to meet you, Date!

[ Peter doesn't miss a beat though, he shakes his hand just the same. I mean, Peter may not be super friendly with Nova, but he's willing to believe in people. Too much. ]

Hey, you work with ABIS too? That's Mizuki's division, right?

That's right. Not only we do... or well, did the same kind of investigation work back home. She's also my adopted daughter.

[The latter which Saito learned by looking at Mizuki's parchment. A small pause ensues as he prepares for yet another cheesy line.]

We've been living together for years. She's family to me.

[ It does not occur Peter that Mizuki introduced herself with the same last name. So this is blowing his mind. Peter really truly lights up to hear it. A dad?? A dad who has been there for his daughter?? Wild. ]

Whoa, that's awesome, man! Mizuki's great!

[ Poor sweet dumb Peter, he really does think 'Date' should be so happy to have a daughter as cool as her. ]

You raised a great kid, dude.

[Oh, Peter... prepare yourself for some serious plot twist later.]

Oh. Is she, really?

[There's something more than playful sarcasm behind these words... maybe scorn?]

I mean, with that bratty attitude and how eager she always is to dish out physical violence... As her adoptive dad, I'm worried she might never get herself any boyfriends.

[Can he say he hated being on the receiving end of her fondness for violence, despite being through that only once (so far), too? Because he did.]

[ Whoa, dude, that's your daughter you're talking about! Peter's so taken aback that he needs a second.

Dude, does Mizuki have a bad dad?? Is she cool despite her bad dad? Oh, no. Peter wants to give this guy the benefit of the doubt 'cause of what he said about his childhood, but yikes! OK, maybe he can still help this guy. ]

Aw, c'mon, she's not that bad! Plus hey, she doesn't have to think about boyfriends or girlfriends if she doesn't want to.

[ Advice! See, he's being helpful! So helpful. So kind. ]

I've met way worse, violent people, who've found the right person for them in the end. So you don't have to worry about that, honest.

[ He hopes this puts Date's clearly worried heart at ease. He really does. ]

[This guy clearly hasn't seen her capacity for destruction... of things and people alike. Besides, why is he getting all defensive over someone he met days ago, at most? Could it be...? Nah, no way, right?

Saito releases an intrigued hum under his breath.]

How old are you, Peter?

[Sorry, no worried hearts to be put at ease here, so he's going to poke some fun at the guy.]

[ Peter is what you call a bleeding heart. Especially for kids... he would betray his own father figure for a child he just met. It's a real problem.

He's a little thrown by the question, though. What's this Date getting at? ]

Thirty-three. Why'd you ask?

... Just so you know, Mizuki is eighteen.

[And yet another information Saito learned from Mizuki's parchment.]

As her legal guardian, I'll never allow her to date a guy fifteen years older than her. Don't you dare even think about it.

[He's crossing his arms and looking serious but, inwardly, he's both scoffing and cringing at his own lame protective dad act.]

[ Peter is actually taken aback. Talk about protective -- though it certainly throws off some of the suspicion off him. ~~Nice move, Saito.~~ ]

Dude, yikes. I'm not trying to date your daughter. She's just a kid.

[ He kinda deserves this though, how many women has he actually dated? It's not 0. And how many dads has he met? 0. But still. He's grossed out by the idea, very clearly. ]

She reminds me of my daughter if anything! Her name's Nikki. She's twelve, but she's a little spitfire -- I just think it'd be cool if she grew up like Mizuki.

[Twelve is the same age Saito was when he took his first human life. Twelve is also the age Mizuki was when he last saw her. Funny, unrelated coincidences.]

It seems we have more in common than I thought at first.

[This guy is interesting so far. He seems to be straightforward, good-natured enough (and perhaps a little bit dumb, too). Which makes him easy to deceive... and manipulate, if the need for the latter ever arises.]

You better hope she doesn't develop superhuman strength like Mizuki did. You'll see how that is not so cool, if she does.

[ When you hit a certain age... I mean, Peter's daughter nearly caused the entire galaxy to get enslaved by an evil entity, so it really is just the worst year, apparently. ]

Yeah, that's what I'm saying! It's cool that you've been there for her, man. I'd just adopted Nikki a couple days before I ended up here.

[ Oooh Peter wants to believe in people so bad, oooh. It's a real failure in his upbringing, considering Yondu wouldn't have wanted this for him! Peter smiles. See, Date was just worried about his daughter! Even if his attitude towards her isn't totally the best... he can't really judge. ]

Hah, well. I can kinda relate there, too. Nikki has, uh, flaming hair? And she can fly. So I'm probably gonna need to make some adjustments on the Milano once I get back, otherwise I'm gonna lose a lot of furniture.

[Twelve is a cursed number in more than just one universe, apparently... Also, why has adopting temperamental brats suddenly become a trend among men in their thirties and forties?]

Well, Mizuki is old enough to take care of herself now, so it's not like I'm doing much babysitting.

[Thank goodness. Unlike the real Date, he likely wouldn't have the patience, or emotional capacity, for that.]

If your Milano is still in one piece when you return home, you mean. Or rather, assuming we'll really return to our homes after our journey here ends.

[ The dadification of video games is real... ]

I bet. But at least you've got some family here, right? I mean, I wouldn't wish this place on my friends, but you gotta make the best of it.

[ He's a little conflicted about the idea, knowing that if Nikki were here he'd probably be worrying about her constantly. But then he really doesn't know how to be a dad, maybe Date's just speaking from experience...? ]

Tell me about it. I mean, she can take a firefight against a fleet of Kree cruisers, but an almost-teenaged girl might be a tough one.

[ He's kidding. He doesn't think his ship will be destroyed, but he just assumes Date's kidding about that part too. ]

Hopefully we'll make it out of here. I mean, if they could pull us out, then there's no reason they can't put us back, right?

[If only Peter knew his real family was dead, killed by his own hands... but hey, there's Saito's chance to show how he actually appreciates Mizuki being here with him!]

Well, yeah, despite all the fights we get into, I'm really glad to have Mizuki around. Makes this place feel a little bit like home.

[And he can say such warm words with frigid conviction. It's with that same aloofness that he addresses the other topic at hand.]

That's a very optimistic way of looking at it. [Naive would be the better word here, actually.] But I agree... unless they have a reason not to put us back.

[ If only.... he'd be like "woah dude, that's seriously flarked up," but then be like "why is he like this" and it'd be a whole thing. Just be glad you're free of Peter's unassailable empathy for now, Saito. ]

Heh. That's good to hear, dude.

[ Families should be together... even if they're weird families and they have problems. What does Peter know about parenting, after all? Nothing. Even if the emotion in Saito's words is a bit off, he seems to have his heart in the right place (no). ]

Yeah, I'm just gonna keep hoping for now. [ He grins. ] No point in getting too down about it, with how little we know about how we got here, and everything else.

Mmhm. You have a point.

[Saito's attention briefly returns to the petals of the ripped irises on the ground before offering Peter a fabricated smile.]

Thanks. For reminding me what really matters. [Oh no, the lies aren't over yet.] Guess it wouldn't hurt to be a little optimistic and keep hoping until I'm back home and see the rest of my family again.

[Or rather, to a world where not even a single of them exists anymore. But that kind of sappy line would help solidify a sense of companionship, wouldn't it?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

{Mini Event} Day of Devotion

🥺 straight up

(´；_；`) peter noooo

he's a dumb soft boy

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