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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[You can learn a lot from people by what they say -- equally so by what they don't. Alphen doesn't linger over any one observation, but he does sort of file them away for later. After all, not everyone is open to chatting about every little thing.

Oh, but speaking of pivots--] --A what? Uh.

[I mean, it's pretty forward, but it wouldn't be as forward if he didn't happen to just pick up a rose-patterned scarf that makes him think of-- ...uh, anyway.]

No. I guess I was thinking...well, devotion could describe friends, too, right?

Oh. [ That reaction is telling somehow. Mizuki doesn't push it, though. Perhaps it's a sign to back off a little bit. ] Yeah, of course. Family, too.

[ "Home." Family is home. She misses home...

A wistful expression crosses her face for a moment, before she adds, ]

We didn't call it a Day of Devotion, but we had something similar, I guess. It literally just passed before I woke up here.

[Family, huh... Alphen can't help but think of the small owl charm he'd passed by earlier. He doesn't know much about family, at this point --hard to, when your memories are only around a year old and don't include any-- but he's come to count his friends in a similar way. They even talked about it once or twice.

He doesn't miss the momentary change in her expression...but he doesn't ask about it, either. Not right now.]

Something similar, huh? What was it like?

[He's honestly curious; they didn't have anything like this on Dahna.]

[ Mizuki just nods vaguely, averting her eyes. It seems like she's still new to this enough that she seems to notice something new every time she glances over the scarves... though this time, she appears to look over the charms as well.

That's a lot of useless trinkets. But who knows? It's getting easier and easier to believe anything in a place like this. ]

It's called Valentine's Day. Couples buy gifts to show their devotion to each other, but if you ask me, the good couples won't need the excuse.

[ They would show it every day, even in small ways. ]

...It's mostly just commercialized bullshit so they can sell chocolates and flowers nowadays.

"Valentines"... [Huh. No, he's never heard of it -- not that it's terribly surprising. Dahna wasn't exactly known for an abundance of holidays, though it's possible they had more before the occupation.

It sounds sweet, but he can't help nodding faintly at what Mizuki says, either.]

Sounds like it's a reminder of something people aren't supposed to forget in the first place. If you care about someone, you should be able to tell them whenever you feel like it, not just on a specific day.

[Not that he has experience romantically-speaking, but he is a man full of shonen speeches about friendship. Declaring his dedication to people he cares about is kind of his whole thing.]

[ Mizuki nods, like "Yup, that is the correct answer." This guy gets it. Even with her increased interest in romance over the past few years, she's never really taken a huge interest in it, though she does think it's kind of a shame she has no more chocolates from home to give out. Maybe he would've liked one...

Oh well. ]

Well, I hope you find something for your friend. What's your name, by the way?

[It's funny; for as much as he's heard "we're all criminals" over and over again, most of the people me's met in this place --with one very glaring exception-- have been in the range of friendly to downright nice. Including her, so far as he can tell. Sure, you can't learn everything about a person from just one meeting, but...first impressions mean something.

But...right, he was drowning in a pile of scarves. Is she even a scarf person...? He's never seen her wear a scarf. Then again, he's totally lost when it comes to any part of the particularities of Renan fashion--

...erm. uh. Anyway.]

You can call me Alphen. What's yours?

Edited (i accidentally a whole italics tag) 2023-04-14 00:07 (UTC)

Mizuki. [ —remember?

It's not so strange though, definitely struggling to remember at least one name from home (poor Kaniza)—not that she realizes that she's doing it. It is a straightforward enough answer to give, at least.

She lights up suddenly, as if just remembering something. ]

Oh, Aerith told me about you! I never ran into you at the festival, though.

[I can't believe you expect me to remember something I wrote in my own thread, with my own hands. Absolutely unacceptable. Anyway, just chalk that one up to Alphen being scatterbrained thinking about certain things and people and, uh, scarves, and look, he's got that whole memory problem anyway, so--

...Anyway. Subject change. He blinks in surprise at that exclamation, but it only lasts a moment before the surprise is replaced with a smile.]

She did? I'm starting to think she knows everyone around here. I guess it isn't that surprising, though -- you both seem pretty friendly. To be honest, I had my hands full for most of the festival. [Figuratively and literally.] It sure was something, though, wasn't it?

[ Mizuki gives a nod. Aerith's level of "friendly" is well beyond hers, but she supposes she has been good at faking it enough around the shops. At some point, she probably stopped faking, and maybe it became genuine. ]

Heh, it sure was something. [ Because it bears repeating. She continues, ] She mentioned that, too, that you had so much stuff from the locals that you were giving some of it away.

We thought maybe you'd gained some kind of blessing from their gods. Did you end up leaving something at their altar?

[His smile turns a bit sheepish -- he'd forgotten all about that. At the time, it had been pretty awkward, but...now he can at least chuckle when he looks back on it.]

Honestly, I think it was more stuff than I've ever had at one time in my life. I couldn't imagine what to do with all of it.

[He pauses, nodding. His expression turns the faintest sliver more serious. It's true that he hasn't yet had to deal with any repercussions of that choice...but he can't help wondering if something is still waiting for him, somewhere down the road.]

I did. Nothing big, but...I wanted to see what would happen. To be honest, I'm surprised it wasn't anything bad.

[ Yeah, in hindsight, she's maybe a little surprised, too. She probably should've thought that through a little more, but she was probably still emotionally numb from.....everything. Physically, she was still in pain. ]

Yeah, I found a piece of chocolate in my pocket, but it was kinda melted and gross, so they probably didn't like it much.

...Someone else I met spit on it. Wish I'd thought of that.

[The idea is not lost on him that there could still be some sort of consequence waiting down the line. But worrying about things has never really been his strong suit -- he'd much rather take on the consequences if, or when, they happen.]

Spit? [Huh. He hadn't thought of it either, evident by the surprise on his face.] How'd that go? Did it work?

Uhhh... [ Truth be told, Mizuki was still hurt at the time. She laughed so hard that Vi was pretty intent on getting her help, and truth be told, maybe the rest of that day was a blur.

She shakes her head. ]

Don't think so... Too bad.

[ It's said in kind of a joking matter. In the end, it didn't matter so much once the festival ended, right? Not yet, anyway... ]

[There's a faint upturn in his expression at the tone of her voice. Maybe it doesn't matter at all in the end -- or maybe it will, later, but they'll have to deal with that if, and when, it happens.

For now...it is kind of funny.]

Too bad, huh? [He shrugs.] Well, it was worth a shot. That's some out of the box thinking.

Right?

[ Gotta hand it to Vi. It's kind of gross, but she can't help but admire her boldness, standing up to their literal gods. Mizuki leaves it at that, however, not explaining much more. There's a bit of an awkward smile, but eventually the pause becomes too much. ]

Well... Good luck finding something for your friend. Hang out for a bit and I'll see if I can talk them into a discount, 'kay? [ Time to make some ~commission~ if she gets this sale. ]

[Alphen flashes her a grateful smile, albeit still a slight bit sheepish. "Finding something for a friend" might not seem like a challenge, but when this isn't his strong suit and said friend tends to be very prickly...well, we'll just see how it goes, right? It'll be, uh. A good challenge.]

Thanks, Mizuki. I'll let you know if I find anything.

[Well. As intimidating as this task is, he's sure he's up for it. Better get back to looking.]

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{Mini Event} Day of Devotion

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