{Mini Event} Day of Devotion

[expiationmods]

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.

Comments

Wen Kexing | Word of Honor | OTA

[yeshou]

i. scarves of love

[Wen Kexing can't resist the fancy looking scarves. They all look extravagant and colorful in a way he assumes must come from great wealth. Of course he's going to poke at every merchant stall and display, admiring them all. All of the vendors tell him he can barter for other items or even run some errands in exchange for one, but he's having a hard time settling on an agreement.]

Ah, maybe later. I want to keep looking!

[All of the scarves look fine, but that's the problem.]

I need to find the best one.

ii. flowers of Aldrip

[Wen Kexing doesn't necessarily mean to volunteer himself as free labor. He originally just came to look at all the flowers, but when some of the young local children came up and insisted he dig and garden too... well, he was apparently planting flowers and pulling weeds now. Or he's trying to, anyway. Transplanting flowers isn't too difficult, but weeding new areas is a bit more complicated. When Wen Kexing grabs a fistful of green plants and yanks them all out at once, he ends up getting scolded.]

What do you mean those are flowers too? They don't look like flowers! Tch, why are you planting so many things you won't use anyway? These aren't edible.

[How did he get in trouble already?]

iii. wildcard

[I'm happy to trade feelings for scarves or brooches, although Wen Kexing is already very emotionally open and honest about how he feels. He's happy to flirt with hot guys for fun, but I'm also happy to thread cute things, arguments, or chats about other people. He can give really bad advice?]

ii

[fatalism]

[ next to wen kexing, another man has been roped into free labour—admittedly willingly because he wants to build some goodwill with the people here, it's a survival mechanism.

dostoevsky glances as his companion, in flowering or harvesting or whatever this is, pulls out a bunch of them carelessly. his sleeves rolled up, thin hands coated in dirt, he pauses to offer some advice.

after all, if they keep pulling out the wrong thing they're going to be here until nightfall. he's not sure his knees can withstand that. ]

Just put them back carefully.

[yeshou]

[Wen Kexing looks at his fistful of sprouting plants, then at the ground he took them from. Cooking is one thing, but he's not really a farmer. Harvesting herbs and wild greens takes recognizing which plants to harvest, and he honestly has no idea what half of these flowers are.]

How do I know which ones to put back?

[Carefully, the man says. But that's also frustrating. It feels like even trying to separate the little stems from each other might be enough to crush them all.]

They all just look like leaves to me.

[fatalism]

I haven't the faintest idea but maybe use your own personal sense of aesthetics? [ because it is true, mostly they are green and leafy, he kind of wonders (hopes) they are poisonous. that'd be amusing to make his one dear friend here a tea with those. ]

Or at least make sure no one is watching you pull them all out arbitrarily and we'll replace them with whatever we have on the cart. [ he nods behind them where a wooden cart is sitting with an assortment of plants ready to be replanted. ] I will not tell if you don't.

[ also, because he doesn't want to be here for hours on end under the sun. ]

[yeshou]

[Wen Kexing stops to stare at his gardening neighbor. His aesthetics? He really has to pause to take in what the other man is doing for a moment, to figure out what everyone else is doing.]

So you don't know if they are flowers either? Why are you gardening? Did someone trick you too?

[He totally takes Dostoyevsky's advice, though, replanting seedlings without much discrimination at all. Whatever looks reasonably good--at least they are in a line, right? He can't help if they end up being different plants.]

[fatalism]

Correct, I'm still trying to figure out if they have any other use besides aesthetics. [ a pause ] This place's aesthetics, because I would not have these in a vase in my home.

[ two sets are picked up and held for inspection; no the leaves are similar but slightly different on each of these. there will be no neat, clean symmetry in this. at least if they line them up in neat, even rows... that's something. ]

I was half-tricked, how did they get you involved in this?

[yeshou]

You think these are useful?

[ He picks up a flower from the waiting cart, eyeing it and turning the stem between his fingers. He even smells the top, but sets it back down. ]

I think you're more likely to find good wild plants. These ones are probably just for show?

[ Maybe. He'll have to see what Zhou Zishu found. ]

I was just watching and they dragged me in. But it's not like I can't plant flowers. If they'll give us something for this, then it's worth it.

[ He didn't necessarily pick up what they are offering, though. ]

[fatalism]

I would hope so. [ dostoevsky looks at wen kexing with the flower's stem he's having a closer look at. ] Tea, maybe? Or is that too optimistic to hope for... [ after all, he likes his tea. a lot. a good cup of tea is worth its weight in gold.

a crooked smile. ] Planting flowers should not be difficult, technically it is making sure they are well watered before transplanting them. [ he appreciates at this man is looking for a reward in exchange for their labour. that's the kind of open honesty he can get behind. ]

I quite agree, though I don't think we are being given anything substantial, if at all.

[yeshou]

Tea? Maybe. There should be some kind of plants around to brew. And medicine.

[ Which also implies poison, and Wen Kexing doesn't mind at all that he's implying that. If there's a use, there's a use. He isn't idealistic enough to believe that people don't regularly try to take each other's lives for arbitrary reasons. If it exists, someone will use it. ]

Are you a gardener? You do this?

[ Dostoevsky seems to know enough about plants in his mind that he must be some kind of expert. ]

Tsk. They want our help, but they don't want to pay for it. That's typical. Well, if they're asking, I'm asking.

[ It's completely fair trade! Wen Kexing might lack in manners, but he knows what transactions are. What's wrong with wanting to be treated like a normal human? ]

[fatalism]

[ oh, this man is delightful in fyodor's books so far. the smile he offers is a smidge more genuine and he shakes his head. ] No, I am not a gardener though I am familiar with some of the mechanics.

I am particular about my tea so I thought it would be a useful thing to learn.

[ again his mouth twitches at the blunt declaration, you know what? he can get behind this completely. ]

You don't seem surprised by the attempt to piggyback off of our free labour.

[yeshou]

[ Wen Kexing nods in agreement. He also doesn't have any particular mastery in skills, but you do what you can to survive. He learned all kinds of things just because he had to. It must be the same thing. ]

I don't know that much about tea. I can brew it, but only basic teas.

[ The whole cultured, expensive tea plants are far beyond anything he's even seen, let alone been in contact with. ]

Tsk, of course they want to take advantage of us! What can we do but go along with it? The good and righteous are always the ones that have the most need of the unfortunate.

[ He's still not over his anger, despite how he keeps planting. Some things don't heal. ]

[fatalism]

[ those words catch his interest, and he smiles briefly in silent commiseration. oh that is very much true, in this world and any others out there. humanity is unable and unwilling to change unless forced. ] Don't worry, perhaps between the two of us we might come up with a way to get properly compensated for our labour here.

[ though ultimately material anything means little to an individual like fyodor, he will never turn down a fine cup of tea. and so that will be what he will seek to extract after they're finished here. there must be at least one decent brew around. ]

And we are doing well on time, we are more than halfway by now.

[yeshou]

[ Does he want compensation? The assurance makes Wen Kexing quiet at least a bit as he chews on that. Technically he really has no use for anything from the people here, but the principle of being used still rubs him the wrong way despite that. Somehow, the calm suggestion from Dostoevsky does help. He draws a short breath and huffs, settling into a dry satisfaction that someone else agrees with his ranting. ]

What should we do? You mean rob them? They don't have anything good.

[ At least he got to complain, though. That's something. ]

Maybe I'll keep some flowers. You said they could be useful? Maybe there are plants that we can use.

[ Surely Zhou Zishu at least could turn them into something. ]

Do you like tea that much? You'll crawl willingly through the dirt for the promise of it?

scarves of love

[killtohero]

[There'd be a flash of color and the tinkling of a bell as a young man would flourish a scarf in front of Wen, the most colorful, intricate looking one he could snatch up from the stall. He'd been told that if he helped sell enough scarves he could earn a pair himself, and he was so very eager for that.]

The rarest silk, the finest dyes of blue, and golden threads woven in dizzying patterns. Sir, you certainly deserve the best, and this is the best scarf you'll find in alll of Aldrip.

Wouldn't you agree?

[yeshou]

[Wen Kexing might not actually know much about fine taste or rich materials, but he loves the idea of them. Extravagant things that true heroes and princes might wear in fairy tales--and the fact it is unrealistic only makes him like them even more. But at the same time, he doesn't want to be sold the scarves. It isn't like he has bad taste, right?! He can decide for himself!

So Wen Kexing stubbornly flips open his fan, waving it in front of him lightly with an exaggeratedly proud pose. Cold and distant beauty, that is his aim here.]

I am seeking the best, of course. ["Of course."] But how can you guarantee that the best is this scarf? It's pretty, but I have many beautiful treasures. I want something to match.

[killtohero]

[Kazutora tilts his head. He knows some brats - one brat in particular - but this guy certainly seems elevated from all the gang guys he usually hangs out with. He doesn't understand why someone as rich as him would be out shopping alone, and it intrigues him.

As does how pretty he is.

So he sidles in closer and nods his head knowingly.]

You know what you like, or else you wouldn't be here. ... Is it for someone special..? [He lets the silk fall over Wen Kexing's hand, lets the fabric's softness speak for itself. His voice lowers, quieter, more intimate.] I can't imagine why else a man of your stature would be here alone...

[yeshou]

[Wen Kexing watches the silk drape over his hand, feeling the light brush of the fabric spread out on his skin like a pool of water. For some reason, it does feel finer, more comfortable than the other scarves he was casually rifling through, and Wen Kexing raises his eyes to Kazutora's, looking for some catch even though his body is already relaxing.]

I want to pick one for my senior. He is very particular about clothing, so it has to be nice enough for him.

[He sighs a little, maybe out of exasperation or fondness, adding a pleased laugh at the end.]

My stature? Do I look that grand?

[He's actually impressed that he's apparently pulling it off. Do these vendors think he's a real noble? And he's even getting compliments! Wen Kexing can't help but stand a bit taller at that, showing off in front of this new audience.]

[killtohero]

You do, sir, you really do.

[Kazutora smiles slowly, tilting his head and letting the earring on his left ear jingle pleasantly. The cloth slowly melts off of Wen Kexing, and Kazutora catches it smoothly and wraps it around Wen's neck in one fluid movement-- pausing for a moment as he'd tie it, suddenly filled with a dark, irrational thought-- but he swallows and resumes, keeping close to Wen as he'd tie the scarf in a handsome knot.

He tilts back and plucks up a hand mirror to reflect back his customer's visage.]

Can I say, you look amazing, and if your senior is half as hot as you, he will love this piece.

[Tilting his head again with a mischievous smile.] What do you think?

[yeshou]

[For just a minute, Wen Kexing thinks their encounter is going to end in bloodshed. There's a short pause, a fraction of hesitation, and he's encountered so many assassins and killers sent from the Beggar Gangs that his instinct in that pause is to kill. Kill, before he's killed. He even tenses his hand, fingers arching like talons to claw out his enemy's eyes--but then the moment passes and he is merely standing there as Kazutora adjusts the scarf around his neck.

He does find himself staring back at his own confused expression, dressed admittedly quite nicely in that scarf and not tearing everyone apart. It gets a startled laugh from him, turning to a soft hum of amusement as he leans forward.]

You certainly know your flattery. Did they promise you something in exchange for selling these? You're very good.

[killtohero]

[Kazutora could feel it; the tension, the moment of hesitation, the flare of adrenaline. He's spent most of his short life surrounded by violence, so the signs are difficult not to notice-- but he ignores them. It's such a short spark, and he understands where it's coming from - he is being awfully forward. And why not continue to do so...

He smiles coyly and leans in as well, drawn to the hum of Wen Kexing's rich voice.]

Well, it's hardly difficult with a model as handsome as yourself~ [His own voice would quiet, tone musical.]

But yes.. [Nodding, lashes fluttering as he'd glance down for a moment.] They offered me a set of scarves on my own, since I don't have any money to speak of... and I'm eager to try them.

[yeshou]

[He can't help but be charmed by those words. Heavy handed as they are, they appeal to Wen Kexing's own forward and persistent approach. He relaxes, realizing this young man really is just selling him scarves with considerable charm, and reassesses his appearance as Kazutora glances down.]

Would you like one? It's nice to earn them with your hard work, but if you want a gift, I don't mind matching your beautiful voice with a silk accent. I'm sure any of these would suit you.

[He can humor this. It's exciting, actually, and the brief hint of danger didn't really do anything but make him more intriguing to Wen Kexing. Most people would avoid someone as strange as he is, but Kazutora seemed to come right to him. How can he let that chance slip by?]

[killtohero]

[Kazutora's cheeks flush pink and he smiles at the ground before looking back up at Wen from under thick lashes.]

Well, if there's one that suits a tiger tattoo-- [He tugs down his collar to reveal a long graphic of a tiger from the top of his neck down his chest, on his right side.]-- then I'd love if you picked one..

[yeshou]

Hm...

[He makes a show of looking Kazutora up and down, waving his fan lightly in front of his mouth to add some mystery to the expression he has. Suddenly snapping his fan closed he taps the end to his mouth and smiles decisively.]

Since you asked me, I have to offer my help. It would be a crime to turn someone's honest request away.

[Wen Kexing plucks a scarf from the group--one colored in burnished golds and thin black accents. He drapes it around Kazutora's neck like a bandana, tying the corners on one side and brushing his fingertips lightly against his jaw as he pulls his hand back.]

That one looks good on you. Strong and beautiful, just like a little tiger.

[killtohero]

[Kazutora flushes and smiles, pleased by the offer and the genuine thought behind the pick. He lifts the tip of the scarf up, glancing to the side at it.]

It really is beautiful.. you've got such a good sense of design, you know.

[He glances back up at Wen Kexing and tilts his head to the side, his bell earring jingling in response. There was something incredible about this man, something that made Kazutora want to gravitate towards him. He was handsome, fashionable, elegant, but there was an underlying layer of darkness that Kazutora had gotten a whiff of and which he found terribly intriguing.]

My name is Kazutora Hanemiya, by the way.

[yeshou]

Kazutora? Well, you certainly have good manners. Who taught you? Perhaps they can teach me how to wield such sweet compliments. If I were more wary, I might assume you were trying to rob me.

[He can't help feeling satisfied by both the easy flattery and his own work, taking the opportunity to brush his fingertips just slightly at the edge of Kazutora's hair, admiring how the whole look comes together. He can tell the young man isn't a fragile noble's son, but he is still handsome and carries himself with decent confidence that he recognizes as fighting potential.]

Wen. Wen Kexing. Now that you have your prize, are you still going to sell scarves?