(i had a night, i had a day, i did one million stupid things)

[skelters]

Who: Vash + YOU????
Where: Around Aldrip
What: Feb catch-all, dealing with month's shenanigans! Please find Vash's plotty comment for some of the related ideas. If we have plans together, please hit me up with a starter or I can write one up. If we don't have plans together, what are you waiting for ...
Warnings: Will update as they come up!

i ➤ REBUILDING

[ the attacks, and the earthquakes, and the explosion that happened not too long ago ... it seems like disaster follows vash wherever he goes. well, the only thing he could do is try his best to help where he's needed!

vash will be around everywhere - so much so that you wouldn't be able to help running into him at any point around aldrip; balanced precariously on a ladder helping to hammer new awnings and windowsills into place, hauling rubble and dragging away rubbish and broken things, and many more physical work besides. it is a workout enough that he has shed his red coat - and would you look at that, he's actually bricked up underneath all that.

anyway ... with all that bulk, plus the shiny augmentation of his left arm, means that the people leading the repair relief has mostly left him alone, trusting him to pull his own weight ... but as you know, sometimes it's just plain impossible to do everything just by yourself. ]

Uh ... [ a voice, awkward and reedy, will stop them as they happen to pass by. vash is leaning his weight on a wheelbarrow on which a heaping pile of broken rocks and stones rest, and it seems like one of the wheels have come off - leaving the cart precariously unbalanced, if he doesn't keep holding onto it. when they make eye contact, vash will start to smile - though the strained frown on his face still remains. ] I'm so sorry to bother you, but would you be able to help me?

ii ➤ PARTY PREP

[ if it isn't rebuilding, it's preparing the town to welcome the guests who are arriving any day now. there seems to be a talk about some kind of misunderstanding, and needing everything to be absolutely perfect for the ketsoran delegation ... now, vash has no idea who or what they are, but if it is all about keeping peace between people, then sign him up!

which is why he is busy running around, ducking in and out under awnings of shops and stalls with a basket full of things that people have asked him to deliver - or maybe his tall height attracts some people to help hang some colourful lanterns and other hangings around the streets for decoration - or even repainting the stalls and signages. some other days he can be found with a fluffy apron tied around him, chopping up mountains of vegetables (watch out for those onions) or covered in flour ... and many other cooking-related mishaps.

you think he is doing enough? not by half, because it seems that he's been roped into learning some kind of trick, to amuse the children who needs supervising (read: babysitting) while the adults are busy. currently, he is balancing handfuls of colourful balls on both hands, apparently learning how to juggle - currently he's graduated to having four that weaves themselves in wobbly circles over his head, and vash wobbles dangerously as his eyes squint, concentrating on not messing up.

now, if they weren't mean, they would try to stay a wide circle clear of his efforts ... or they could try to mess it up. the kids certainly seem to want them to! it's boring when he doesn't drop the balls, okay? ]

iii ➤ TOAD TERRORS

[ look, vash is notorious for never learning from his past mistakes, and the pesky amphibians are no exception. it isn't as though he is exactly looking out for them either, seeing as they are probably seasonal (or so he's been told), and after all the disaster in Aldrip ... well, they wouldn't be as smart as he'd have thought if they still chose to stick around.

in any case, there are plenty of food to go around for the volunteers helping to clear away the rubble and repair what can be fixed up - not to mention the abundance of leftovers from whoever is learning how to cook up a feast for the days ahead as the delegation's visit draws near.

maybe they are the ones who's cooked the food, maybe they're just simply passing by, running their own errands or doing their part to assist in the preparations (or just trying to stay well clear of it) when vash happens to come across them. he's got an armful of food tucked in the crook of one arm, and the other is holding out a drink - hot chocolate, it seems like, smelling sweet and foamy with steam gently rising from the top of the mug from the cold weather. as if that wasn't enough, he's got a big bite of a sweet pastry bulging the side of his cheek like a hamster.

seeing them, vash quickly struggles to chew enough of the mouthful to speak around it: ]

Come on! There's plenty to eat here - why don't you take a break for a bit?

[ note: the effect can be for both of them or just vash, depending! the choice of eating something spiked is up to you :) i'm interested in having vash have all or any of the following: seeing things that aren't there / compulsion to tell the truth / crave the closeness of another person. the chattiness and helping people are a moot point with vash, but feel free to notice that he is over-exaggerated on both! ]

iv ➤ PARTY ROCK

[ it is finally party time!!! all of the hard work and efforts made by everyone to prepare for the event seems like it was all worth it, because everyone seems to be enjoying themselves (hopefully) ... as well as being dressed up nice for it. vash is decked out in red, and his mask is clutsters of flowers that sway and fluff with every movement of his head.

and yes, it is mandatory to have one, but nobody said it was mandatory to keep wearing it! sometimes the characters might find that vash has pushed it up so it rests in an untidy mess at the crown of his head, the wildflowers scattered and mixing blond strands of hair. ]

OPTION A:
[ while he is eyeing everyone dancing and eating and drinking with wide, fascinated stare as though he has never seen something like this before, vash doesn't immediately move to join in on the fun, straying to the edges of the crowd and just observing for now. he's worked hard for this, so let him relax! though perhaps that would be easier achieved by asking him to join in... maybe get him to try some of the fancy food platters that others might be gorging on? do you want to share some of that? or what about some drinks? bully him into sneaking into the kitchens to snag you some top quality hors d'oeuvres? ]

OPTION B:
[ as much fun as it all is, you can't just keep partying forever ... or maybe vash is just enough of a pushover that he is moonlighting as a replacement bartender, complete with a lopsided bowtie and all that he keeps tugging at occasionally. it's not like he really knows how to mix drinks, but hey, he's always up for some experimenting! how about you sit yourself at the bar and order some specials? ]

OPTION C:
[ it won't be a proper party until there are people playing for some pretty high stakes - it's not so serious as life or death as some of the card games that vash has taken part in, and this glittery setting is a far cry from the smoke-stained saloons of noman's land, but the tensions are running pretty high at this table with everyone clutching their cards and glaring at each other ... except for vash, who sits in the middle of all of them with a wide, stupid grin on his face. so much for a poker face, huh. will you help him from getting cheated, or will you watch on? though if you do choose to not interfere, you might realise that there's actually a sizeable collection of chips growing at vash's elbow ... hey, this guy might not actually be so dumb after all? ]

OPTION D:
Hey! Wait! Hold on! Over here! [ this is D for DANGEROUS ... not. it's a scavenger hunt, and the characters might find themselves waved down frantically by this scatty-looking blond man, who hops and weaves through the crowd to make his way to where they are. when vash finally makes it to their side (if they don't walk away, of course), he is going to sheepishly flash a smile and hold out a card, on which it would say something that fits the character's description. wearing a funky hat? is really tall? looks like they'd win at chicken nugget eating contest? go wild. happy to come up with something fun (and awful) myself if you need ;) ] Whew, thank you ... Do you mind helping me with this? It'll just take a minute!

OPTION E:
[ please teach him how to dance before you are stuck with this disaster stepping on your foot or worse ... he is a quick learner, promise! vash will lose his voice for the duration of the dance until they fill out their name on his card, OR he will lose his prosthetic left arm, and that sleeve will hang empty. i'm happy to do either of these for people because what is time but a wobbly space! ]

[ note: the TOAD TERRORS effects are still okay for this party setting! ]

v ➤ WILDCARD

[ happy to do closed prompts for any of the options above, otherwise hit me with disasters - ping me in game discord or find me at plurk for chats! happy to match prompts :) ]

Comments

[conflictresolution]

[Children were still shouting their demands and their bets continually changed when Vash failed to meet their assumed expectations. He patiently wrote down each one as the blond fumbled and recovered with the rock thrown into the mix, and the corner of his mouth pulled in an amused smile.

He also reflected that this buffoon was the only other person in this entire place aside from Jinx who was excited to see him. It was so rare that he found it a little off-putting, but he was also getting a sense that Vash was someone so desperate to see a friend in everyone that the red flags would probably be ignored. It was fascinating.]

Do you think he can handle a sixth children?

[They hollered their answers over one another, creating a cacophony of laughter, shouting and movement as they jumped up and down and moved around. Still, he crouched patiently as if he understood their babble of conversation. They were thoroughly distracted at least.]

He has good reflexes. I think he can handle six; it will balance out the other rock.

[He turned his head to search for another rock of approximate equal size. The next one was not particularly round though. Oh well, it would be entertaining. He waited, wanting to enjoy any protests from Vash about the whole affair.]

[skelters]

[ he sees that smile, silco, and vash is clearly unamused - though the exaggerated pout he shoots in the other's direction might also be partially for show for the children as well. they don't seem daunted by it at all, in any case, because most of them just laugh at his chagrined expression instead of actually trying to help. ] Wait, are you serious? At least- whoa!!

[ his whine is almost drowned out by their excited clamouring around their favourite uncle silco ... and vash lets out a series of panicked sounds under his breath as he scrambles under the new addition, hands frantically paddling for balance - it is almost barely successful (a lot of oooh and aaaah filling the air and hopefully deafening silco) but he manages it, straightening back up with the rocks joining the circles. ]

At least give me a little warning before you come in like that!

[conflictresolution]

[Everyone could say he was an evil crime lord who destroyed his city and was a monster that lurked in the dark, but few had the opportunity to deny that he was good with children. After all, he knew that all they wanted was attention and to be paid for some menial task to feel some semblance of importance.]

Oh come now, boy, we're helping you hone your skills, and these children so love watching you master this.

[At this point, the excitement was causing kids to look around and pick up rocks of their own, and oh did he know where this was eventually going to go. The youngest ones just saw and wanted to participate, but when would the hail of rocks start? Not yet.]

You're going to put on quite the show. Your hand-eye coordination is impressive as well as your reflexed. [He said that instead of giving attention to the call for warning.]

[skelters]

[ it's not that vash isn't good with children ... but he somehow ends up being the butt of a joke or a prank more often than not. maybe it's because he's too accommodating to a fault, and children don't have restraint like (some of) the adults to not take advantage of a pushover like him. not that vash seems to mind, of course, because he manages to flash a cheeky grin at the kids surrounding the other man. ]

It's Vash, [ despite the correction he doesn't seem put off by the title at all - sounding not at all annoyed - and he turns his gaze back to the juggling balls and rocks in his hands, trying to concentrate and keep him from dropping them all. ]

And still, would be nice to give a guy a little warning, right?

[ as good as his hand-eye coordination is, it's clear that he is barely holding on ... and as soon as vash catches sight of the kids beginning to shuffle around looking for their own bit of rock to throw at him, the frown of concentration turns to outright panic. ] Ah- Ahaha ... Guys, hold on! I'm not that good!

[conflictresolution]

[Silco was fully willing to take advantage of the push-over nature of being walked all over, but he would make certain to do it in a way that didn't seem like he was enjoying himself too much with it. Besides, this was one of the few easy sources of entertainment that he could interact with given that his daughter was falling apart all over the place, and he was too loyal for his own good when it came to what she represented.

He was still writing bids and such in his notebook, but they were at the point where he was just writing over other notations. It didn't matter because the children were to riled up that they weren't even paying attention to how he was scribbling. They were too busy watching Vash manage stones and balls and scrambling to see how far this would go.

At this point, he could just sit back and watch the fun.]

Oh yes, very well, I'll provide you a verbal warning the next time I add a stone to the mix of your exercises. How are the arms feeling, hmm? I expect you're on the verge of being bombarded, by the way.

[After all, kids were grabbing stones and they were eagerly waiting and watching to see if they could add to the juggling scene in front of them.]

I'm not certain we can stop them at this point. They seem keen to see your skills in action.

[skelters]

[ really, vash is used to being used for a quick source of dumb entertainment ... which is probably why he's here like this in the first place anyway. if he really minded things like that, well - he'd probably be at his brother's side by now, wouldn't he, instead of stubbornly sticking like glue, being made a joke by a bunch of kids and a shady old man?

maybe he's aware of it and is letting it slide, or maybe he truly is oblivious as he makes it out to be - but vash makes an inarticulate, upset sound at all the staring and watching with bated breath (and handfuls of stones too, on top of it all) - and scrunches his face in obvious distress. ]

H-hey! I really don't think- Waaaah!!!!

[ some of the older kids decided they are really done with the whining, and lobes their stones high in the air towards vash. the other kids soon follow suit. ]

[conflictresolution]

[Silco knew that no one was this foolish without a reason. He couldn't yet sort out what that reason was, but he had no doubt that there was one. It was why he was here watching as the kids escalated in their excitement, which was to be expected with how well Vash was doing.

He remained seated, corner of his lips twitching in a smile as the children launched their rocks as chaos was unleashed. It was expected. If anything, he was more amused that it had taken the children this long. The rain of stones had his gaze following their trajectory to see how Vash handled it.]

A candy for everyone if he keeps juggling after this.

[No one was listening to him, too focused on Vash.]

[skelters]

[ sorry, even if he was doing pretty well up to that point, there was no way he could juggle all these rocks all at the same time ... especially as some of the smaller kids who don't have as much strength or finesse in their arms as others, straight up throw their bits of rock and pebble straight at him. that's dangerous, you know! it could hit him in the soft bits!

the balls and rocks fly and roll in all directions with vash dropping to a crouch in the middle of it all, huddling with the hood of his coat pulled up over his head. there are a few thunks and pings as the rocks glance off his metal augmentation that's held crossed over his head for protection, so at least that's lucky. ]

Have mercy! Please! [ muffled crying comes out from under the bundle, making the children giggle. ]

[conflictresolution]

[He watched with bemusement, resting a forearm on a raised knee and lightly tapping his pencil against his leg as the hail of rocks. This was not uncommon where he was from, and it seemed like it might not be too uncommon for Vash either. The guy reacted relatively gamely given that there was a hail of projectiles from a laughing gang of children.

Of course, not all the rocks hit. They flew in all directions honestly, which amused him just as much. He suddenly snapped his book shut, creating a loud sound after Vash begged off for mercy. He would provide.]

That's enough, children. Vash has shown you his skills, and he needs a break now.

[The kids made various 'aww', 'nooooo', and 'boooo' at him, but he waved them in and actually handed out a coin to each of them then shooed them away. They liked shiny things, liked being rewarded, so they didn't mind leaving the area soon after with their little bounty.]

Not too bruised up, are you Vash?

[skelters]

[ as the children's attention sways back to the other man, crowding around silco and holding out their hands and waving for the coins that he was giving out, vash has slowly picked himself back up from where he's been folded over like an armadillo. as dusty and unkempt he looks from all that commotion (which seems, somehow, the usual state of being for him) vash doesn't seem to mind it at all, looking apparently quite charmed by the kids regardless and watching them chatter excitedly to each other and to silco, with a happy smile on his face.

he dusts down his coat, brushes the gravel from his hair - waves goodbye to some of the kids who came running back to show off their spoils of war - and finally when the last of the yelling has faded to the distance, turns back to the other. even if silco was the cause of such trouble, vash certainly doesn't seem to hold it against him, with the way he is grinning. ]

Haha, I'm alright - Thanks for helping me out!

[ is that sarcasm, or is he being that stupidly sincere? ]

[conflictresolution]

[Silco remained seated on the ground, still handing out a coin to each child and shooing them away with a gamely hand. Even as Vash uncurled and popped back up like a resilient critter, he remained on the ground and watched the seemingly 'younger' man compared to himself, and he was again reminded of how strange Vash was.

It made him wonder if this one had a temper. Where was it? Where was the lines in the sand that would stoke more than a jovial or wild response? No doubt this place would test those boundaries... or maybe that brother of Vash's.]

Technically I instigated the whole stone affair. [He remarked that blandly, not apologetic but also completely willing to take responsibility.] We both have different methods of dealing with children, I see. Your personality invites their attention; tell me, is a people pleaser all you are, or is there something more?

[skelters]

[ hasn't silco heard of all those sayings? sometimes it's better to not pry, better to leave things well alone, and vash's constant, steady display of placidity is much the same thing; the reason why it's not faltering is because there might be a very good reason for it to stay that way, no?

in any case, vash seems oblivious to that particular line of curiosity running through the other's mind ... taking a few more steps to bring himself closer to where silco is sitting on the ground, vash braces a hand against his knee and bends down to reach out a hand towards the other, clearly offering to get him back on his feet. ]

Well, that's certainly a way of keeping them occupied ... it's not like I was hurt, so it's fine! [ though from the careless way he reasons, it might be that he is more used to the opposite scenario happening than otherwise, maybe ...

the smile doesn't fade or falter at the line of questioning, and vash even shrugs a little, apparently unconcerned with being labelled a 'people pleaser'. ]

What do you think?

[conflictresolution]

[Silco was never one to leave something well enough alone, not when such information could potentially give him some power or it might prevent him from being harmed. It was best to gather as much information as quickly as possible, and there seemed to be a select few that held a similar opinion.

He tipped his head back to observe Vash before he reached out to take the offered hand and allowed the young looking man to haul him to his feet. He took a moment to tuck his little notebook under his arm and then dusted off his trousers, continuing to observe Vash in front of him.]

They like being entertained one way or another. I find that aiming them in a faintly productive direction is helpful. [He did allow his eyes to drag over Vash to check for signs of injury all the same.]

I think you're putting up a front to keep people at a distance to hide trauma you have compartmentalized to avoid dealing with how its affected you. There's something sad about you, I think.

[skelters]

[ wow, what a callout ...

the only outward sign that he's heard the other (and really, there is no way he couldn't have helped hearing; they are right in front of each other, after all, silco's mismatched eyes steady) is a little blink - a surprised flutter of eyelids that vash can't quite rein back in time. it is only for a second though, the motion blending seamlessly into another smile that curls his eyes into bowed crescents. ]

Do you say that to everybody? [ trying to scatter the focus, he tries to make a joke of it - sad? who was sad? certainly not him! ] Now I'm surprised that those kids didn't run away crying!

[conflictresolution]

[The sign was enough for Silco who had been looking for a tell on his insertion of his opinion, and it was confirmation enough to know he was at least heading in the right direction. He expected that if he needed direct confirmation, he could approach the brother with the question and Knives would be more than willing to kiss and tell. He'd prefer to grind the information out of Vash, of course. That was more satisfying.]

Hardly. The people of this place have their traumas, but they are likely minor and unworth hiding so well. You've had practice. [He shrugged his shoulders.] Who did you lose?

[It was usually a person. If not a person, he had a follow up question of course.]