expiationlogs | ethereal moon logs (closed)

Yes, that makes sense.

[ She pulls the sheets snug against the wall, overlapping them by a few inches in case they get nudged around. Once that's done, she straightens up. ]

Okay. I think we're ready for the paint.

Right, yeah.

[Tsuna goes over to his little pile and makes a small noise of effort as he picks up the can and the tray.]

This is kind of the part I'm worried about. I don't know how much paint I'll need.

I'm not sure, either. We could start with a little bit and layer it on...

[ Saying so, Marianne picks up a brush and dips it into the paint bucket that Tsuna has brought over. She's seen Ignatz in front of his easel working his brushes, admiring how a landscape can bloom across his blank canvas. Painting a wall should be easier in theory, but she hesitates before she applies the first stroke, glancing over to Tsuna for him to go first, and in doing so give her the go-ahead. ]

Oh, don't worry about it. [Ethlyn glances around a bit and wonders if she should offer to help Marianne get her space back into a bit more order--actually, part of her is itching to just get started on it.] Tea sounds lovely.

[She can't help herself from helping at least enough to clear off the table so that there's room to put the tea things down.]

I'll come straight to the point--there are too few of us in the Arztenritter now. Only four... that's not enough. Especially not when something this bad happens. We need to replenish our ranks.

[There's probably something about paint rollers and cutting in and all these terms that are appropriate here, but hell if Tsuna knows them.

Instead, he gives an encouraging nod, letting her go ahead and start.]

Go ahead, we'll see how it looks.

[ Marianne busies herself with the teakettle. While the tea is boiling, she brings the cups over to the now-cleared table and takes a seat with Ethlyn, looking embarrassed that she's troubled her. ]

We've lost some people these past moons...

[ Including dear friends. Her expression falls to think of it. She prays they're happier back home, all of them. ]

What should we do? The posters didn't draw in any new recruits?

Um, here goes...

[ Marianne is from before the age of paint rollers, so she's approaching this as someone from the ye old days might, simply dipping into the paint and brushing it on the wall. Repeating the tentative motions until the old color has been covered up by the new one.

And that's just one small part of the overall wall. ]

Should we paint the bottom first, and then push chairs over to paint the top?

[ Marianne had always found Astralin's farm a sanctuary to her with its many animals and Astralin's own kind, patient presence. In his absence, she tends to the stables, not wanting to see their beloved animal friends neglected or lonely. However, the farm is vast with more land than she knows how to cultivate, and the helpers from town have been preoccupied with other happenings lately, which led her to put up a call for extra hands.

On the crisp winter morning, Marianne wears a plain work dress and a shawl wrapped around herself. She greets the woman politely, wearing a bit of an anxious expression as first meetings tend to feel to her. ]

Hello, I'm Marianne. Thank you for coming.

[Tsuna has to think about that. But the paint does look nice on the walls.]

It would probably be easier to start at the top. That was if the paint runs down we can just paint over it.

O-Oh, that's a good point. Then let's do that.

[ She'll help drag over some chairs and they can get to painting. ]

It’s my pleasure, Marianne-san. Several people pointed me this way, and it was by luck I happened to also see your bid for help as well.

[ Sure, she hasn’t been here long. But Haru has long since learned that standing by idly will do no one any amount of good. So she is happy to find somewhere to keep her occupied so soon.]

My name is Haru Okumura, just Haru is fine. Can you show me what needs tending, and what things I need to know about the farm as well?

[They can talk about other things, if they come up, too.]

[Who's to say if it's the right way to paint a wall, but it seems to be working for them. Or at least, Tsuna thinks so.]

Thank you for your help with this, Marianne-san. I really appreciate it.

[Ethlyn shakes her head.]

I think people might be too used to seeing them around--you know, how when you see something every day you stop noticing that it's there.

I was thinking we could host a workshop, like we did back in April. [Saying it aloud, Ethlyn realizes just what a long time ago that was. So many things have happened--so many things have changed.] ...I can't believe it's been so long since then.

It's nice to meet you, Haru.

[ Haru seems friendly and Marianne feels encouraged by her warm greeting, even managing a small smile. ]

Yes, of course. Please come this way. Astralin grew a lot of flowers and herbs on his farm when he was here. It's wintertime, so some of the beds are empty now.

[ Perhaps with Haru's help, the farm will bloom once more. Marianne begins leading her down a dirt road to a part of the farm where the evergreen herbs can be seen still growing, adding a dash of green to the dreary winter landscape. ]

Not at all. I'm happy to help.

[ She just hopes she's helping more than hurting, fumbling her way through it.

After they've given the wall a fresh coat of paint, there's nothing to do but sit back and wait for it to dry. Usually Marianne would lapse into silence and let the more talkative personalities in the room carry the conversation, but it's just the two of them and she feels comfortable with Tsuna to speak up first. ]

I've been wondering, Tsuna, what was your home like?

That's a good idea. Um, I can try to ask around, too.

[ Her social circle isn't large by any means, but she wishes to support the troupe in any way she can. Especially since... ]

A lot has happened since then. Things haven't been as peaceful lately. [ The calm land she had arrived in had been disturbed, and she feels like she's been bracing herself for bad news for some time now. ] It's all the more reason that we prepare.

[Tsuna isn't really the loudest individual, and he usually leaves it to Yamamoto or one of his other friends to start the conversation. Or argument. Whatever it ends up being. But starting a conversation is hard. Starting a conversation with a girl is hard.

So, he's grateful when she says something. But it also takes a moment because, right, he needs to answer.]

Oh, uh...well, it's kinda like Aldrip, I guess. Size wise anyway, but a lot more modern. Way more technology and everything. But, also pretty normal, more or less.

[The town itself is normal, it's inhabitants on the other hand...who's to say?]

I kinda miss it, honestly.

What about you?

Now is the perfect time to tend the beds.

[ It’s a comment, generally, even if nothing is planted they should be tended. But she’s sure that she can manage that. ]

Do you happen to know if Astralin left any seeds behind? It’s okay if he didn’t.

[ …and then…]

I hate to distract from the farm, but, I heard rumors that strange things happen in Aldrip. How much weight does that hold?

Aldrip isn't unlike where I grew up by the countryside. There were farms and animals...it was a lovely place.

[ If not always kind to her and her family, made pariahs by their bloodline, that Marianne had spent more of her childhood playing with animals than with other children. She smiles sadly, thinking of memories both good and bad. Despite difficult times, she misses her countryside home more than she missed living at the Margrave's estate. ]

I pray we'll be able to return someday. [ Fódlan hadn't been very peaceful when she left it, but she still wishes to see her classmates again. She feels like she should be fighting alongside them. That reminds her... ] It sounded like you had a lot going on back home.

Oh...I'm not sure, but I can show you where he kept his tools. Knowing Astralin, he wouldn't mind it if you planted something different. He'll be happy to know the farm is flourishing.

[ She doesn't imagine Astralin, gentle as he is, would be upset if the garden was overhauled. Marianne smiles a little remembering him, but her expression turns somber at Haru's question. ]

It's true there's been strange happenings. Whenever there's unrest, monsters around Aldrip will grow aggressive and wander in, so we try to protect the farm from attacks.

[It's true. Ethlyn can remember how it was at the start... almost hard to believe with how tranquil the place was. The hospitality of the locals veering into uncomfortable generosity. And the worst problem was having to scramble to fix the refrigerators after a fishing contest proved more abundant than expected.

And then the the monster arose from the forest, infecting the town, spreading destruction and chaos. Nothing has been the same since then.]

Something was lurking under the surface here... forces that none of us knew about. [She sighs.] Maybe we should have suspected that this place was too peaceful when we arrived.

[ Marianne wonders if they can ever return to the peaceful days. Maybe things had never been right to begin with; they just hadn't noticed back then. But now that the cracks have shown themselves, how do they begin to pick up the pieces? ]

I don't really understand what's happening, but I know there are people who need us. If only we can prove the Artzenritter is here to help, we could regain the people's trust.

I hope so. I miss my friends.

[His Family as well, if you want to put it that way. But he laughs.]

That's one way to put it. Things are never really boring for us, even if I'd like it to be.

[If it's not an external squabble, it's an internal one.]</small.

I would have loved to meet Astralin, it sounds as if he was gentle, and kind.

[ She would try her best not to upset whatever system was here before. But maybe some new things would be good for the space, and good for the people working here. She likes the thought of being helpful.]

I see, of course I have concerns of what is happening, but I can’t imagine I have all the questions I need to ask at this moment.

I don't have all the answers, but if you're concerned about anything, you can always talk to me. Astralin used to lend me his ear when I felt troubled. He was one of the kindest people I know.

[ A visit to Astralin and his animals always lifted her spirits and soothed her worries. He would brew her a cup of tea and they would sit and talk. Maybe that's why being on the farm is comforting to her even now, she can feel his presence and the love he put into looking after the land and animals. She hopes Haru will find the place to her liking just as much. ]

ethereal moon logs (closed)

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@mapsio

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