orphne: (Kotone 44)
Kotone "sleepy bitch disease" Shiomi ([personal profile] orphne) wrote in [community profile] expiationlogs2024-03-01 07:53 am

[open/mingle] a light in the darkness

Who: any and everyone!
Where: astralin's farmhouse
What: mingle log for post-blackout!
Warnings: y'all tell me, please be good and don't break the house :(

If she hadn't been at the party, Kotone wouldn't have even known about the extent of the blackout. Sure, it's inconvenient, considering a lot of the lights are electric, and the fridge is, of course, powered by electricity as well, but the farmhouse she'd taken over from Astralin is an older and more traditional building. The main heat sources are the fireplaces strategically placed throughout the building -- a large one in the living space, a smaller one in the kitchen along with a wood-burning stove, and another large central one upstairs to help heat the bedrooms -- and the geothermal hot springs on the land. With the cold weather and snow on the ground, it's easy to take the food from the fridge and leave it outside in a locked box away from wild animals, but aside from the inconvenience of resorting to the candles and lanterns that were stockpiled in the basement, the farmhouse itself survives relatively unscathed!

Therefore, not long after the blast, Kotone sends a video message over the (charm) network inviting anyone who wants to take shelter from the cold, or even just cook some food, to come to Astralin's farmhouse on the edge of town for as long as they want or need.

She won't even make anyone help out on the farm. Probably!

1. Rural Snapshot

Power might go out, but life on the farm doesn't stop for something like that! The old wood stoves in the barn need to be cleaned up and made ready for use to keep the animals warm, and the animals still need to be taken care of. Goats, sheep, cows, chickens (a particularly big and brave one has the tiniest leather collar and a tag that says her name is "Scramble," and her friends Benedict and Sunny aren't far behind. They are Not For Eating (though their eggs are!))

Kotone won't make anyone help her with the farm chores of cleaning the barn, feeding the animals, or generally keeping things up and running, but she definitely won't turn down the help, either, giving pointers so the new folk don't completely muck it up (sometimes literally).

With the snow and general chill, there's not much to do with the crops themselves. Everyone is safe from the fields for now!

2. Potluck and BYOB (chef's recommendation: hot cocoa)

The farmhouse is not the inn -- Kotone has some food prepped and stored, with preserves from the fall harvest one of the key features, but it's not meant to feed the whole town. Thus, Kotone's going to request that anyone coming to stay at the farmhouse bring either raw ingredients or something they've made to share with any other hapless souls. Feel free to use the kitchen to cook, or get some help from someone else with cooking!

The wood-burning stove in the kitchen is perfect for heating up cocoa or wine, and there's room to get close with someone in front of any of the fireplaces. Like, it's encouraged to get close. It's a big farmhouse, but not that big. Make a friend! Share some warmth! The couches are cozy and comfortable, and if someone dozes off, well, Kotone won't be the one waking anyone up.

If someone would prefer to sleep in a bed, there are some bedrooms upstairs! One is, of course, sharing the room with plants. They're benign, normal plants, from potted flowers to hanging vines, but they are everywhere. Kotone herself doesn't have much of a green thumb other than keeping the plants watered and in view of sunlight, but the plants themselves seem to be flourishing throughout the farmhouse either way. It's almost as if someone (Astralin) had used magic to keep them growing strong and healthy, even indoors.

Oh, and speaking of sharing, again, the farmhouse isn't the inn. Expect to be sharing a space with someone else. Maybe a few people! Cozy up and make a new friend. It's better than freezing to death, right?

3. Hot Springs Episode

There are natural hot springs on the farmland that have been developed to mimic a Japanese onsen in places. The air might be cold and dark, but there are candles and lanterns around the springs to light it, and the water is nice and warm, perfect for those chill nights.

There are rules posted -- namely, clean yourself before going to soak -- and while there are separate bathing spaces for genders, Kotone doesn't really care too much about mixed bathing as long as everyone is respectful about it. Others may not be so casual about it, though, so one has to venture across at their own risk!

[ooc: This is a mingle! Feel free to use these prompts as inspiration or make your own. The only request I have is not to completely destroy the farmhouse or harm the animals -- anything else, go wild!]
scythedance: i paid for all of these why would you steal them (Default)

[personal profile] scythedance 2024-03-06 04:20 pm (UTC)(link)
It is rather empty at this hour... I own a hot springs in my own world, and I also do not recall it being so empty. However, I have yet to clean the women's side of the hot spring, so I do not know if there are people here or not.

[If there are, the women on the other side are eerily quiet.]

Is there anything I can get for you while you are relaxing? A cup of tea, or perhaps... Well, I suppose if you are old enough -- some alcohol?

[THE MASK MAKES IT HARD TO TELL OK.]
battlefieldbrat: (stoic)

[personal profile] battlefieldbrat 2024-03-06 04:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Girls tend to chat in the bath. You'd probably know if there were any over there.

[and while kakashi could argue that he's an adult by the standards of where he comes from and thus should be entitled to a drink if he wants one, he doesn't care much for the stuff so it's a moot point. plus, he doesn't fancy getting into an argument about his age right now.]

No, thank you. The hot water is enough for me. Now if I could just find a laundromat for my clothes I'd be doing great.
scythedance: i paid for all of these why would you steal them (Default)

[personal profile] scythedance 2024-03-06 08:55 pm (UTC)(link)
That is true... So I suppose it is just you and I, but I do not mind. It makes things much more peaceful for the time being.

[He nods, though, and takes that at face value. After all, there were people in his world that looked young, but were more than old enough to have a drink.]

Hm... I have not seen one here yet but I have only just returned. However, if you are not pressed, I could perhaps do your laundry while I am here. I do have some supplies here for that, and I can hang your clothes by the hearth to warm it up faster once it is clean. Unfortunately, I was only blessed with ice magic; not fire so I cannot speed up the process.
battlefieldbrat: (my gai sense is tingling)

[personal profile] battlefieldbrat 2024-03-07 02:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[kakashi straightens a little from his comfy slouch, surprised.]

You'd really do that? No charge?

[oh, to be in clean clothes...so tempting. he thought he'd have to wash them in a river or something.]
scythedance: i paid for all of these why would you steal them (Default)

[personal profile] scythedance 2024-03-08 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
No charge. If you could just put your clothes in the basket, I can take care of it with the fresh water we have around the farm.

[To make it easier for Kakashi, Astralin looks for one of the baskets that he liked to use to do laundry. His hand grasping the basket, and placing it right beside him so that he can place his clothes in it. His lips curved into a friendly smile.]

Here. I would be happy to do this for you.
battlefieldbrat: (wheezes)

[personal profile] battlefieldbrat 2024-03-09 03:13 pm (UTC)(link)
[kakashi scrambles to obey, eager at the thought of clean clothes after so long without. once the clothes are in the basket kakashi sinks back into the water, content.]

Thank you very much!

[he would bow, but that would require getting out of the water again and would be a little awkward naked.]
scythedance: i paid for all of these why would you steal them (Default)

[personal profile] scythedance 2024-03-10 06:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[A-Aw... Astralin can't help but smile a bit too happily. It made him happy to do dad duties, apparently, and he gathers the clothes that Kakashi was wearing before and the basin to put the clothes in it for now. Quickly standing up from his position; walking toward one of the wells outside of the hot spring and dumping the water in with ease.

He returns shortly after, and retreats to the shed where he kept some cleaner for his own clothes. Happily returning back to Kakashi and sitting on one of the smaller chairs. The man content to clean his clothes as he makes small talk.]


Might I ask what you do? Are you a fighter or sorts?
battlefieldbrat: (better than you)

[personal profile] battlefieldbrat 2024-03-10 07:14 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm a jonin of the Leaf.

[a pause and a small sigh, as he remembers that no one here really knows what that means.]

So...a soldier, of sorts.
scythedance: i paid for all of these why would you steal them (Default)

[personal profile] scythedance 2024-03-13 12:22 am (UTC)(link)
A soldier... I see. Are you an assassin of sorts or an ordinary foot soldier? If you do not mind divulging your secrets. I am merely curious, as some of my children are wonderful assassins... Which I suppose is a strange thing to say.
battlefieldbrat: (ok...that sounds fake but ok)

[personal profile] battlefieldbrat 2024-03-13 04:02 am (UTC)(link)
[a strange thing to say indeed...kakashi sweats slightly internally at the comment and the outright question.]

I guess you could say I'm whatever my village requires of me.

[that much is true - assassin, spy, foot soldier, and even boring errand runner. he's done it all.]
scythedance: i paid for all of these why would you steal them (Default)

[personal profile] scythedance 2024-03-15 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, that sounds similar to what my daughter does... Or what is required of her. So, I understand.

[And he leaves it at that, knowing full well what that meant. Though, he isn't bothered by it in the least. Then again, he was never the judgmental type.

Once he's done with his clothes, Astralin retreats momentarily to the resting room, where he neatly hangs up Kakashi's clothes above the hearth. The pure heat should make it fast to dry off, and he's content with that.]


Your clothes should be dried in about an hour or so. If you grow tired of the hot spring, I can bring you something from the farm house to eat if you are hungry.

[Dad...]
battlefieldbrat: (stoic)

[personal profile] battlefieldbrat 2024-03-17 12:40 pm (UTC)(link)
You're not from the Elemental Nations, are you?

[he's not super hopeful, but then again this guy keeps bringing up his kids who sound a lot like ninja.]

Ah - you don't have to...

[he seems a little flustered at the offer of food.]
scythedance: i paid for all of these why would you steal them (Default)

[personal profile] scythedance 2024-03-18 10:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Unfortunately, no. My daughter... Works for an underground organization, one that I was employed under when war broke out. She is a trained soldier, and, to be quite frank, an assassin of sorts.

[To be fair, they are kind of like ninjas... He can't deny that.]

I do not mind. It helps keep me busy, and I am sure a nice snack is always welcomed after bathing in the hot spring.
battlefieldbrat: (but MOM)

[personal profile] battlefieldbrat 2024-03-20 01:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Huh. Seems like there's war everywhere.

[DEPRESSING HUH.]

Er - if you don't mind, I guess...

[he is way too awkward to outright ask for something to eat.]
scythedance: i paid for all of these why would you steal them (Default)

[personal profile] scythedance 2024-03-23 04:22 pm (UTC)(link)
In your world too, then?

[PRETTY DEPRESSING TBH.]

I do not mind at all. Is there something in particular you like?

[Cause he was gonna make him a nice sandwich, but that might not be a Thing.]