Test Drive Meme #3: Season of Budding

[royaldecreemods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to the Royal Decree Test Drive Meme!

If you're new here – hi, hello, welcome! This is your chance to give your potential character a little test run and see how they might fit into the world of Rosavelle. You can find all the relevant info over on our Navigation Page, so take a peek if you need to get caught up on the setting, rules, or just want to gnaw on the worldbuilding a bit.

This TDM is non-canon to the game overall, but feel free to treat individual threads or CR as canon between characters if everyone involved agrees. We've included some prompts and locations below to help spark ideas, but as always, feel free to go off-script and go ham!

---

Not long after Budwake ends, the shift into Budding becomes impossible to miss. The last of Fallow's frost finally retreats, though early mornings remain chilly and the first weeks still bring occasional overnight dustings of snow. From there, Rosavelle wakes quickly. Fresh shoots push through newly turned soil, vines reclaim walls and bridges and colour steadily returns as gardens, trees and canal paths grow greener by the day.

The thaw also brings with it plenty of rain, usually just in passing showers that are chilly but surprisingly refreshing. According to locals this is a prelude to the rainy season that won't be too far behind. And as the Azurite Sea warms, new fish return to Rosavelle's waters, filling Marelys' markets and drawing seabirds back to the coast - another sure sign that the cold season has finally passed. Rosavelle is finally awake again!

By now you've likely found your footing in the ebb and flow of island life and you know how things go around here: when someone needs a little warmth, a little effort, or a little magic, the people of Rosavelle come together - and that includes you!

PROMPTS

Budwake Work

The first thaw has finally broken and that can only mean one thing: Budwake has officially arrived! Across Rosavelle, everyone’s pitching in to help the island wake up in time for the warmer weather. Volunteers are needed everywhere, whether they're tilling fields or tidying the streets - hauling soil, pruning stubborn vines, reorganizing tools, or just providing moral support while someone else does the heavy lifting. Once the work is done, the After-Till Feast begins! Castle kitchens and community halls alike declare it time to eat everything that won’t last another day: soups, stews, pies, fritters and casseroles made from odds and ends and whatever happened to be left in the pantry. Enjoy the fruits of your hard labor and tuck in!

A Stormy Situation

Storm clouds are rolling in earlier than expected and the docks at Marelys are suddenly alive with urgency. Boats need to be secured, sails tied down, loose cargo hauled out of reach of rising water and ropes checked twice before the wind picks up. The fishermen are grateful for any extra hands willing to help even if you’re mostly just holding a rope and trying not to get blown sideways by the gusts. Between the rain rolling in and occasional wave splashing a little too far inland, it's a pretty soggy affair - bit once everything’s secured, there’s something oddly cozy about ducking under an awning or crowding into a dockside shelter with your fellow volunteers, watching the storm roll in together while the sea churns safely beyond the harbor.

Secondhand Spring

Budwake has everyone in Menthward in a tidying mood and the market district has transformed almost overnight. What started as a few people clearing out cupboards has turned into a full-on swap meet, with rows of temporary stalls and plain old blankets rolled out on the street, all piled high with old trinkets, forgotten keepsakes, mismatched dishes, spare tools and plenty of things nobody quite remembers buying in the first place. Everyone's browsing with enthusiasm, bartering cheerfully and swapping stories about where each item came from - and if you're in the mood to be busy there’s plenty of opportunity to get involved. Help vendors sort through clutter, hunt for hidden treasures or even set up a stall of your own if you’ve got belongings ready for a new home. Just be careful what you pick up - while most of these items are perfectly safe and ordinary, there might be some magical trinkets with with surprising effects mixed in with all the clutter...

Freshwater Overflow

A rain-heavy week has caused the freshwater channels near Primavain to overflow, flooding nearby vegetable plots and washing nutrient-rich water straight into the fields. The result, somehow, is explosive growth well and beyond anyone's expectations... or, really, their imaginations. Greens the size of shields, root vegetables pushing themselves halfway out of the soil and herbs so fragrant they're making people dizzy - it's a blessing, truly, but also a logistical nightmare as the sheer volume of produce is at risk of going to rot before it can be properly harvested and preserved. Calls for helping hands have gone out across the island, with promises of warm meals, a share of the harvest and enough pickled and preserved produce to last you through to next Budwake. You can either help with getting the greens out of the fields or, if you're still sore from Budwake work, assist in the processing of already-harvested goods.

Primavain Food Tour

The Season of Budding always brings with it new fruit, fresh herbs and seasonal flora and tradition calls for these tasty treats to be spun up into experimental desserts. Many cafes and kitchens up and down the district are offering free samples of brand-new seasonal treats in exchange for honest feedback. Which is all well and good, but depending on where you go, you might have to be very honest. Some of these recipes look gorgeous and taste delicious but they might be a little too experimental - enchanted pastries that change flavor mid-bite, cakes that temporarily change your hair color, jelly-filled pastries that have a surprising amount of bounce, or candies that make you talk in rhymes for a minute... or an hour. It's up to you whether the free food is worth the risk, but maybe you can take a friend along - or interrogate those who have already done their dues to find out which desserts are safest.

Rainy Day Reading

With the weather turning unpredictable, the Amourian Library has become the refuge of choice for those in and around the castle - all that rain pitter-pattering against the windows makes for the perfect atmosphere to catch up on your to-read list. Claude, the librarian, is delighted (if just a little overwhelmed) by the sudden uptick in activity and as such, extra hands have been drafted in to assist with the day-to-day upkeep of the place. Depending on where your expertise lies, you might be found at the front desk checking books in and out, or maybe you've been tasked with reshelving returned tomes. If you've spent a lot of time in the library, you might be able to step in for Claude and point people to where they need to go. Or you could just go around aggressively shush-ing the people who are getting a bit too rowdy. Your call!

Pollen Problems

Budding has arrived a little too enthusiastically around the Castle Grounds. A burst of early blooms has coated everything in a thick layer of glittering golden pollen - statues, windows, unsuspecting passersby… nothing has been spared. It's harmless in the long term, according to the gardeners, but that hasn't stopped the sneezing fits, watery eyes and wounded pride of anyone caught walking through the worst of it. The castle attendants have organized a cleanup effort, armed with masks, brooms and enchanted cloths designed to gather the pollen without spreading it further. Unfortunately, the stuff seems determined to drift right back where it came from, reforming into lazy clouds the moment anyone turns their back. Volunteers are needed to help clear paths, keep the worst of it out of the halls and maybe figure out why the blooms are producing quite this much in the first place.

(CODE)

Comments

QUESTIONS

[royaldecreemods]

Any questions about anything on the TDM? Drop them here!

Nero | Fate/Extra

[qualisartifex]

Secondhand Spring

[ One might be forgiven for thinking an emperor would be above the common stalls of the everyday folk. What could the peasantry possibly have to suit the palate of a living god?

With Nero, such a question is laughable. Every antique is a work of art! It holds such value beyond the monetary for how tenderly it was created, the circumstances within which it joined a family, and the pride it instilled within following generations.

So, it stands to reason that the miniscule monarch has a whole collection of heirlooms stashed under her arm as she peruses the stalls. ]

Mmmm, I see! So your great Nano fought against a voracious sea cucumber and took for their glory this fantastic coral crown. Then I shall be honored to take the crown for Rome's glory! Your family's triumph will be all of Rome's!


[ wildcard ]

[ please reach out to me via tsukiwo for special starters! ]

[believesit]

[ kyoshika knows why she's here. as expected, her quest for anything even resembling manga continues, but to no avail. still, there's quite a lot of interesting antiques that she's finding! little baubles and small ceramic figurines, which feel close enough to the merchandise she's looking for.

she's still scanning around as she ends up next to this boisterous woman, and overhears a couple words.

"Take the crown for Rome?" ]

Pardon. [ she's dead serious when she says this-- ] No one shall attempt a coup while I draw breath. Reconsider your intentions.

[ the teller's trying to get her attention to tell her she's misunderstanding completely, but kyoshika's fixated on nero. all these goods, are they really from the swap meet? ]

Hot springs top-level

[qualisartifex]

[ Diploma-steam ]

[ While you're going about your daily activities in Rosavelle, you will receive a sudden letter addressed solely to you from underneath your dorm door. Upon opening it, the letter reads as follows:

Fellow advisors of Princess Calanthe Rosabella Petalia de Amoré, I hope this missive finds you well.

Since my illustrious presence was specifically requested to aid the princess, I seek to perform this advisory role with utmost perfection prior to the date of coronation.

However! Some among you may be better versed than I in certain aspects of the romantic arts and the progress the future monarch has made in this regard. I wish to familiarize myself with this progress! I therefore wish to "compare notes" as it were to ascertain the next steps in this endeavor.

Thus, I cordially invite you to join me in the hot springs that are so famous in this Kingdom. If this strikes you as a strange meeting place for those of intellectual minds, I must assure you that conversation is the lover of the bath. We will lay bare our intents, our goals, our wishes, our plans, as well as our bodies! With no trappings behind which to hide, we may truly converse as people were meant to do!

I await your arrival with much enthusiasm!

- Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus

It doesn't matter which bath you step into either. Nero makes time to go to each without a care in the world. ]

Aha! I see you received my letter. Please make yourself comfortable, as I have requested sole usage of the spring for the entirety of the day.

Levi | Spookzones/Original

[siliconroots]

So this was Rosavelle, eh? Maybe it had been a good idea to take the invitation after all; the winter had begun to chafe as Levi navigated the forests around his home day by day. Preparing for spring would suit him quite well, he felt. This was truly work for a witch if he'd ever seen it.

1: Essential Herbs and Spices
After the initial groundbreaking, Levi had wandered off slightly from the bulk of the fields. He had a feeling there would be some that needed him a little more. And so he'd found his way to the places he knew would be there. The gardens for herbs and spices, the little tucked away places. If the Everbloom was as powerful as it felt to him, these little gardens and their deceptively vital products were surely the sort that showed love.

Levi smiled, even as he worked to till the soil of the little garden plot just off the main path. He liked this place, he had to admit. It suited a witch such as he quite well. His forest already gave him strength, and the knowing made the Everbloom shine all the brighter in his senses. He stood with a grunt, leaning on the hoe for a moment. The overalls had been quite the boon, but his own work shirts had seen far worse and come out perfectly well. A little more work and this one would be quite ready.

2: Househusband Powers ACTIVATE

Levi was in his element. With the unexpected bumper crop, the call had gone out and he had answered, reporting to the kitchens to aid in the preservation of the bevy of oversized vegetables of all sorts.
“Alright, I'm open for another basket!”

Levi accepted the basket of carrots with both hands, dropping it to the side of his station and setting to work with a knife, peeling each one in a few sharp motions. His expression was focused, his cuts precise.

Oh, these would be wonderful eating in the winter. He'd have to get some soil samples later to see if he could recreate this with some of the native magic when he returned home. With a harvest or two like this, he could stock his bunker completely.

3: Librarian Way

In hindsight, it was far from surprising that he'd been recruited into a role as assistant librarian. His fashion sense had been described as such on many occasions, after all. Which. Seemed like a compliment?

It had been a pleasant enough task, in any case. Keeping basic records, stamping the little cards... It was quite fun, he had to admit. Perhaps one day he could retire and do something similar as a day job.

And on the plus side, he was quite enjoying the few history books he'd been able to select for himself between patrons, his gaze focused intently on the book as things slowed for a time.

“Interesting…”

4: Wildcard?

I’m exuberantOddity on Discord and Plurk! I barely use Plurk but I really need to get better about it!

1

[myturf]

Sometimes, you have to go with your gut and follow your instinct. Karin had been working in the field-- it's not something she necessarily likes, but it keeps her from feeling lazy and complacent. At least, long enough until she decides that she'd much rather wander off than do it anymore.

Luckily, she spotteed someone else who had the same thought. Or at least, potentially did.

This is why Karin approaches the witch, a slow saunter from the young lady, speaking in her typical rough fashion.

"Now what're ya hidin' over here, huh?"

Might be something interesting.

2 | Akane Tendo | Ranma 1/2

[mahjongheart]

[Akane is, meanwhile, trying to weigh out the proper amount of salt for pickling, and is, otherwise, working the various stations as needed.]

where did those stones go...?

[Still, she looks at Levi's cuts, and hums.]

-- you're new.

2

[monsterdaddy]

Yoojin, who paused to wipe the sweat from his brow and catch his breath after bringing in the carrots, watches Levi speed through the peeling process with increasing awe.

"Wow. You're really good at this, huh? Are you a professional cook or something?"

chelsea | akame ga kill!

[prickster]

I. Our Labor Is Loving

[ There's plenty that needs doing, but Chelsea finds herself hesitating at first. Choices, choices—where would she be the most useful? It's not like she's averse to taking on jobs that require nothing beyond simple labor, but it'd be nice to get involved with work that she can have some fun with, too.

By late morning she's decided to help out in the overgrown fields. "Fun" for Chelsea tends to involve provoking reactions in people, and there are a couple ways she might capture someone's attention:

First would be her harvesting method. The dagger she's using to hack the engorged produce from stalks and vines looks like it was designed more for slitting throats. Chelsea sure is handy with it, though, and she hums to herself innocently while she works. She'll even throw in a trick or two, twirling the blade deftly between her fingers, with its deadly sharpness catching gleams of the sun whenever its light manages to peek through the clouds.

Second? That would be her loose code of dress. Once she's worked up enough of a sweat, Chelsea strips down, leaving herself in a bikini top and a tiny pair of shorts. Stare for longer than a second or two, and it's likely that she'll catch you in the act. Her little smirk indicates that she doesn't really mind the ogling. ]

Hmm? Liking what you see? Well, you better stay focused! Tsk, tsk~


II. Shall I Compare Thee To A Budwake Day

[ Chelsea isn't usually this easy of a mark! It just so happens that she's particularly weak for desserts, and candy in particular. Oh, and if anything else is to blame, it's how unbelievably peaceful this whole kingdom is. Compared to the Empire, her old home, it's like a children's picture book world. No Danger Beasts? No torture or wanton violence? The nobles don't even seem particularly evil or corrupt, which is the strangest thing.

Early on, Chelsea tasked herself with trying to uncover Rosavelle's dark secrets—there had to be some, right? After coming up empty, though, she's put that effort temporarily on hold. Of course, the moment she decides to let her guard down a bit and enjoy herself, she ends up cursed by her favorite type of treat. Betrayal!

Well, whatever. As a silver lining, maybe she can earn some good will by warning others about the, uh, special potency of the sweets on offer. ]

You should be careful before trying those.
Just who knows what threat they might pose?

[ Along with the rhyming, her voice has adopted a sort of singsong delivery. People are going to start thinking that she's some kind of weird bard, but alright, that's fine. It's not like she needs to make a decent first impression... ]

***
(ooc: Chelsea is extremely bisexual, so ota for flirting/shippy stuff! Happy to discuss any potential wildcard starters, too. I'm phindin on Plurk if you'd like to reach out there.)

I.

[monsterdaddy]

[Chelsea catches his attention first with the fancy knifework, but Yoojin simply flags the choice of weapon tool as interesting and returns to his own heavy-laden row. It's when she strips to the skimpy clothing that he ends up freezing to stare.

When she catches him, he jumps and flushes. Instead of acting embarrassed, though, he blurts out--]

Aren't you cold?!

[Sweetie, no, you'll catch something, etc.]

II

[retethered]

[ Simran has a simple, straightforward rule for getting along with strangers: match the energy you are shown.

Simran also tends to forget how free people are with magic in Rosavelle. ]

–huh? O—oh, um, fuck. Uhhhhhhh, I'll, I'll try to be careful about what I eat, I'd hate to. Get owned. Right here in the street?

i

[nightwild]

Uh- Huh?!

[Yayoi is... well, she's used to being on the receiving end of stares herself, given her... busty nature. But she's not used to people just, stripping, in public.

She's carrying a large basket, to help move the produce. And she's, well... A little nervous about that dagger. It looks a lot like Stinger's... but a murderer wouldn't be here, right?

Mostly, she just seems a bit flustered and confused.]

I'm just jealous you can find something cute that fits like that... Why are you showing off like that in the fields, it's gonna get dirty.

Lukas | OC | new player

[badatmyjob]

🞂01. Arrival/Budwake

[Lukas had held on to his invitation for about a week. He had a lot to think about, working the little hamster running on a wheel that his his mind, into overtime. He opts in, and arrives like an excited tourist ready to see a whole new world, and to get away from his own for awhile.

Since he had time to prepare, he arrives with a little backpack of supplies - mostly snacks, and a toothbrush for good measure - and can be found wandering around Primavain taking photos of things with a disposable camera.

He's really hard to miss. Six and a half feet tall, Lukas is a demon with small orange horns - one broken - a long, smooth forked tailed nearly as long as he is, a big scar on the left side of his mouth held together by some gnarly-looking sutures. It's an old wound, though. He's dressed in a black suit, black sneakers, and a bright magenta shirt.

The locals aren't going to let a big guy like him go by without helping. He might appear intimidating at first, but Lukas has been stopping to excitedly chat with the locals, asking a lot of questions. In exchange, one of them asks if he'd help prune some tree branches they can't quite reach. Armed now with a large pair of pruning shears, maybe you're a little afraid to approach at first, but that isn't going to stop Lukas from questioning you as you pass by. Since the local he promised to help wandered off, he needs help. He might have pruned a little too much.]

Hey! So, uh, how do I know when I'm done...?


🞂02. Primavain Food Tour

[Getting to futz around in the kitchen is something Lukas has begun to enjoy the last few years, so getting new ideas and try new cuisines sounds like a lot of fun to him. He picks up an unfamiliar-looking pastry from the table and takes a bite. You'd think it'd be difficult to eat with that scar on his mouth, but he's had a long time to adapt. Small bites.

He seems pleased with whatever it is, but a few seconds later, the magical effect takes over. Suddenly, Lukas is lighter than air, slowly rising off the floor and headed towards the sky. He makes some distressed noises that ramp up the higher he gets, and loses his grip on the table. He rapidly swats his arms towards the person nearest to him, desperate to grab on.]

Heyheyhey help! What's-- C'mon, I don't like heights--!

---
[[OOC: Please excuse me while I get this 15 year old account and its art back up to date! Player can be contacted at hellglass, thanks!]]

2

[nightwild]

[Yayoi hears 'help' and her body is already moving. She doesn't quite understand what's going on, but some guy is starting to float away...

So, Yayoi does the only reasonable thing. Run towards the shout, jump, grab the floating guy, and slam him back down onto a chair with the force of a piledriver. At least he's weightless enough that it shouldn't hurt that much, right?]

Are you okay?

emerald sustrai | rwby | new player

[hallucinogem]

a. are you in need of assistance? [a stormy situation]

[emerald sustrai has never been very good at standing her ground. it's part of the reason she agreed to come here in the first place, if she thinks about it for too long, so she's simply choosing not to. after doing her best to haul stuff in from the brine, she looks a little bit like a wet rat and smells fully like the ocean, and there's not going to be much for it until she can get clean. at the very least, she can stop herself from getting any wetter, so she drops herself under an awning in sight of all the dockworkers—in the event, of course, that they need her help again.]

[even if her arms ache and she already looks tired. even if being stuck on that stupid grimm whale has worn down too many of her edges lately and she can't bring herself to the level of her usual bravado.]

Ugh. Do these sorts of things happen a lot around here? [great way to start a conversation, but, well, coming from a desert nation doesn't exactly inure you to torrential downpours.] I don't know how much more hard physical labor I can take.

b. the taste of it, a little slice of bliss [primavain food tour]

[it's probably not typical to be suspicious of free food by default. even if by all accounts this seems to be a professional operation in a thriving and downright normal setting (not that emerald has much to compare that to), she's... well, a little cautious of being burned. which feels silly. but she's not exactly leaving the most stable and welcoming of environments back home, and maybe she's waiting for a little while before jumping into a brand new... pool of. whatever.]

Hey. [she flags down a passerby who looks like they've been a lot less cautious about these free samples than she has. which seems like a long enough list that em is a little worried that she's gonna be the weird one.] All this stuff. It's not going to, like, kill you or anything, right?

c. your pounding chest tells you to cross your heart [wildcard]

((any other ideas? hit me up at samielherbei on discord or on this journal!))

b (also cassette beasts lyrics!!! great taste)

[retethered]

Huh? Oh, worst it'll do is get you stuck rhyming. Then you meet someone new like, "this is MISERABLE timing."

[ Simran—dressed in clothing that could pass for local, but walking with a distinctly modern-looking cane—holds a neutral expression for barely a second before cracking. ]

Okay, that one didn't actually happen to me, sorry, I'm just playin'. But some people get caught by little stuff like that, weird hair colors or really trivial little magic curses that make your next couple hours feel really weird. They're pretty fast and loose with it here.

Bea Valentine | OC | New Player

[thunrian]

Budwake Work

[ Being strong like a bear, Bea is very well suited for tasks that require a lot of heavy lifting. It helps to be an android who doesn't have to worry about silly things like backpain and soreness. She can be seen hauling carts with whole heaps of soil to dump elsewhere, pushing them uphill and even stopping in the middle of it. She looks up and takes a deep, deep breath and smiles. ]

You smell that?

[ She takes another breath, holding the cart steady and smiling. For the nose blind, it's probably impossible to smell. But the air carried the scent of food being cooked. The aroma of meats and spices unlocked from the heat of the fire. ]

Mmm... Smells glorious... Smells like.. meat.

Stormy Situation

[ As someone who carries Mjolnir, Bea should be able to control the storm. But this world has reduced her powers, there's not a lot of the residual type of energy that she uses back home to power herself and her weapon. But her brute strength remained, and even while being battered by hurricane winds and angry waves on the shoreline, Bea held on to the thick hawsers to make sure the boats don't get swept by the sea, trying her best as her feet start to skid a little. She holds on to the ropes connected to two large boats at the same time, giving it her all. ]

Grab one of them, and tie one of them to one of the bollards! I'll hold them until you do!

[ Bea raises her voice through the loud crashing sounds of the waves and howling of the wind. She feels one of her feet almost slide off from how strong the wind is and how little grip she can get between her boots and the slippery dock. ]

Rainy Day Reading

[ The library is one of Bea's favorite places anywhere. She loves to read and the ambiance of libraries always help her feel at ease. She normally would be reading, but given how packed the library has become amidst the strong gales just outside the tall windows of the room, Bea helps keep one of her happy places up and running by volunteering at the desk. There's a lot of people borrowing and returning books, and Bea is behind the more sociable librarians talking to the patrons, just sorting the books to different categories. Her android self helps make things easier, sorting them out like a non-humanoid sorting machine would with Bea just looking bored and tossing books to the left and right of her. When someone comes in, she just says ]

Yo, are you here for taking the books back to the shelves? Let me help you. It's so dead down here.

libaryyyyy

[uncommonsense]

[ with the rain being as frequent and unpredictable as it is, haruhi's been a bit stir-crazy. when there's nothing else to do but hang around with your thoughts, things start to get shaky.

time to volunteer at the library then! and thus, she's here and comes across bea, who's just. working nonchalantly. another interesting one! ]

Yep! Figure I aughta do something to help out. Let's get it going.

[ she's got a cart all ready too, getting the books on to carry. ]

Ken Ichijouji (& Wormmon) 🐛 Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning

[ourtomorrow]

[ Off The String 🐛 Marelys ]

Nebaneba Net!

[ A storm is coming, and boats are in danger of being swept to sea? The newest advisors in Rosavelle are on the case! Ken Ichijouji - a twenty-year-old college student with bad fashion sense and a worse haircut - is looking around for the best place to start helping when the green larva riding on his shoulder jumps down and takes matters into his own....mandibles.

By shooting a white sticky web from his mouth.

One end of the net gums onto the nearest boat, the other the dock. Wormmon beams, proud of himself, for all of thirty seconds before a wave sends the boat rocking against the dock and the net is dislodged. ]

Awww....

Wormmon, over here! Can you hold this for me?

Ken-chan....!

[ And over the bug waddles to help his human partner tie off the boat with a proper rope. They fasten it tight, but Wormmon is determined to be of help. He tries again, this time hoping to stick the rope in place: ]

Nebaneba Ne--aah!

[ A gust just blew the webbing back at him. Half landed on his face. Half landed on whatever - or whoever - was behind him.

Whoever you are, Ken is so very sorry. ]

[ If I Was A Worm 🐛 Menthward ]

Sorry to bother you. Do you know anything about "Bloomcraft"?

[ Thus asks a young man at the secondhand swap meet. He's holding a dog bed in his arms, and resting upon the dog bed is a giant green grub. ]

We purchased this, but ever since he sat on it, he's been acting strangely. Is there a way to tell whether it's enchanted? He seems to think he's a-

[ The grub wiggles his butt like a wagging tail. ] Woof!

[ ....Ken doesn't have to finish that sentence, does he. ]

[ Caught a Bug 🐛 Castle Grounds ]

Achooo!!

[ Finally, a use for Nebaneba Net: Wormmon has been firing his special ability at the pollen clusters to gum them together for ease of retrieval. Ken has tied a kerchief around his face to keep the pollen out, but it's still making his eyes and nose run. ]

Ken-chan, are you okay?

This is nothing serious. Let's keep working.

Don't push yourself.

Mm.

[ Ken nods as if he's ingrained this advice. But his eyes are watering quite a lot. Should he stop, like Wormmon said...? He doesn't want to make his partner worry.

No. A little more. He can do a little more. ]

----Hachoooo!

worm OFF the string

[nightwild]

[Yayoi's battle-sharpened reflexes often act faster than her brain. She perceives a threat unconsciously, and her body already takes action before her conscious mind is even aware of the problem.

Which is to say, as the web comes flying back towards her, she immediately spins, kicking up wind to blast the net back the way it came.

In this case, flinging the net directly onto poor Ken.]

Himmel the Hero | Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (New Player)

[heroicstandard]

[ OPTION A: Budwake Work ]

[ Odd jobs to be done all around the city? You had Himmel at "odd jobs." Despite the cape and the sword at his side, Himmel can be found doing all sorts of menial work, from weeding gardens to moving soil and crates.

No matter the task, he has a smile on his face and no complaints to be found.

In fact, if he sees somebody else working, he's the first to head over with an offer to help. ] You look like you could use a hand. Luckily, I happen to have two. [ And without waiting, he'll start helping however it is he can. Enjoy your new companion, hard workers of the Budwake. ]


[ OPTION B: Freshwater Overflow ]

[ Himmel is here to help, as likely expected, for those who know him with even passing familiarity. He's out in the field, sword drawn... using it to cut produce from stem and root, and occasionally into pieces, as appropriate.

It's a rather fancy sword. Anybody from his own world would likely be surprised to see the legendary Hero's Sword being used for fieldwork, but this is Himmel after all.

Once he's cut a number of produce pieces free, he sheathes the sword and begins gathering up the vegetables. And once that produce is piled up far higher than most people should be able to carry, he begins... looking around. ] Where were we bringing all of these to, again?


[ OPTION C: Primavain Food Tour ]

[ You can find Himmel sitting at a small café, a number of pastries in front of him. His hair though? No longer blue, but a stark white. Himmel obviously knows it, since he has a hand mirror out, looking it over at every angle.

He does notice somebody else sitting down nearby, though. ] Do be careful, that one will change your hair color. But if that's what you want... [ He flips the hand mirror, and offers it handle-first. ] Make sure you admire the result!


[ OPTION D: Wildcard ]

[ I'm new to both Himmel and Royal Decree, so if you have any better ideas for a thread starter? Just go for it! ]

C

[nightwild]

[Yayoi looks at her own plate... Well, hers is sandwiches, instead of pastries, but.]

No, mine aren't the 'experiments'. Why would you eat something like that?

Cyber6 / Adrien Seidelman | Cyber6 | New Player

[cybersideman]

A | Storm Warnings

[Being in a new realm is strange enough, but its harder still to get used to the idea of being out and about in her daily "cyber suit," so to speak. She was mainly hoping to keep herself hidden while she gathered her bearings, but the ongoing weather ends up requiring her to step in a little.

She keeps a firm grip on a few ropes, but her outfit isn't quite prepped for this sort of weather either. She doesn't have any trouble balancing, but the cape keeps slapping into people's faces, herself included. She doesn't have arm free when her hat get knocked off her head, rolling away in the wind.]

Hey- can someone grab- [Its hard enough to speak up over the wind, but the loud THWAPS of the cape aren't doing her any favors either.]

B | Budwake Shopping

[Alright, so maybe she should look into more casual outfits. She's still in her cape as she click-clacks through the streets, trying not to get nervous about the potential attention she's getting being out during the day. They keep saying no one from her own country should be able to reach her here, but is it really that easy?

Still, Cyber tries to engage with people as best she can. Unfortunately, "her best" typically involves staring at people while they conduct business, interrupting the flow of traffic as she gets lost in thought. Her room back hope is usually a mess, so she's never really had to worry about antiques or decorations before. But would it look better with a painting or two on the walls?]

C | Library Living

[In his button-up shirt and oversized jacket, an uptight little geek has found himself a nice enclosure of stacked books. Literature, poetry, the works. Being back in his Adrien fit is normally a process he finds constraining when it relies so heavily on his 9 to 5. But with all this free time to peruse the local culture, he's got something of a skip in his step as he combs through the kingdom's classics.

He's adding so many pounds of books to his pile, there's a genuine concern its all gonna topple down on him. A romance novel is trying to maintain its position beneath the weight of numerous tragedies and the wobbling tower isn't likely to offer any comfort to observant passerby. Granted, Adrien doesn't seem to be having any particular issue carrying them, but its hard to imagine someone so tiny has the strength to survive the possible impact event of the tower's collapse...]

D | Wildcard

[Do I still have a handle on this character??? Let's find out and throw anything at me you can imagine. nerdiethings

Storm Warnings | Ryu 1/8192 | Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter

[soldragon]

I have it!

[Man, I use this reaching picture a LOT.]

[But more seriously, he gets one hand on that cape of hers, and one hand helping to secure the rope.]

Someone else get that rope tied down!

mizuki akiyama | project sekai

[nocturnalpetals]

🎀 budwake work

[ well. she is simply not dressed for this!!! and like, let's be real, this fucking nerd does not have the arm strength to do much hard labor. but akiyama mizuki is nothing if not a stamina freak with a lot of moxie, so she's doing her best on the sidelines, helping to sweep the streets and generally providing a pair of extra hands as needed. the atmosphere around this whole place is just so cute, she thinks! it's like a real-life isekai setup, too...

either way, she can be found flitting hither and yon simply doing what she can without ruining her clothes or chipping a nail. ]

Okay, heave-ho...! [ the frilly jirai kei dress is something of a mismatch with her moving a loaded wheelbarrow, but here we are.

later, though, she's delighted at the feast, tucking into a huge slice of pie and chattering with those around her. ]

Hey, is it always like this?

🎀 secondhand spring

[ oh, this is much more mizuki's speed. most of it's not all that interesting to her, but she finds herself picking up old clothing if the pattern or fabric catches her eye, eager to modify it or cannibalize the material. a book of vintage patterns gets snatched right up, along with plenty of ribbons and jewelry and just about anything that she thinks is cute. if she seemed full of energy at the budwake cleanup, that's even truer here, her excitement plain to see. and hey, if she happens to pick up something magical by accident, well... things happen, don't they? ]

Time for the next stalls! [ she pumps a fist, even laden down with purchases as she is already. ]

🎀 primavain food tour

[ well, it may not be fries or curry, but mizuki does love sweets. she joined a small group that was making its way up and down the cafes and restaurants with new experimental treats, and now finds herself looking uncertainly at some almost daifuku-like... thing? giving off the appearance of ephemeral sparks. she looks up to whoever's nearest, her doubt more than a little apparent after some complications at previous stops. ]

... I'll eat one if you do? [ it comes with a nervous, crooked smile and a tilt of her head. c'moooon. ]

🎀 wildcard

[ if you've got other ideas, go ahead and just hit me with it if you like. if you want to work something out in more detail, you can reach me via this journal or on discord/plurk at hexennacht! ]

Budwake Work | Ryu 1/8192 | Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter

[soldragon]

Well. Budwake's a hectic time, but there's always something interesting.

[Ryu just kinda... felt like sitting next to this new girl. There's surely nothing about this fellow that's unusual.]

Why, only a month ago, I had to help unfreeze some fountains, rescue crabs...

reze | chainsaw man

[swimlesson]

[ Reze stands in an alley. A messenger hands her an envelope. A rat scurries underfoot, and then Reze is gone. ]

budwake work

[ Looks like she's arrived just in time for spring cleaning. A townsperson gives Reze a broad-brimmed hat and offers her a broom. She smiles broadly and accepts them both, making a big show of situating the hat juuuuust right. She winks at whoever's nearby - the hat does look a little silly, doesn't it? - and then gets to work, sweeping the streets, clearing old leaves and weeds, and the like. She's smiling the entire time, humming pleasantly as she works.

If you've been working beside her for some time, she'll turn to you, and ask: ]

Have you heard the story of the city mouse and the country mouse?

[ She frames the question mildly, like how you might talk about the weather. ]

after-till feast

[ Once the work is over, Reze expects to go back to her bunk. It's not a particularly conscious expectation; more of a matter of a routine. You finish what you need to do, and you go home.

(Home. Reze doesn't think about the sound of the waves.)

That's not what the people here do, though. They gather each other up, Reze included, and head towards a community hall, where there's a big pot of stew bubbling away. It's warm in here. The light is low. It smells nice.

Reze takes a bowl for herself, savoring the warmth of it all, but you can only savor things for so long before it gets boring! Besides. She's an agent of chaos. A lion in the den. A wolf in sheep's clothing. And so on.

Reze takes a spoonful of stew and...flicks it in your direction, aiming for your face. It's a challenge. How do you respond? ]

wildcard

[ Hit me up with whatever, or feel free to pm to this journal or moonlanding! ]

feast

[uncommonsense]

[ splat. right on her forehead. haruhi had been in the middle of scooping a bit of casserole to try out before she felt warm and wet collide with her. sputtering and taking a napkin to get it off of her face, she immediately scans around the table to see who the hell did that.

she spots reze sitting nearby, and eyes her for a second. seriously? ]

Kanade Yoisaki | Project Sekai | New Player

[composalvation]

[Secondhand Spring]

[These are the sorts of places Kanade tends to avoid. Places with a lot of people, a lot of noise... it's not a bad thing, per se. It's nice to see this sort of life and vibrancy in a place, to see people happy. But Kanade has never been good with crowds, and the noise tends to get a bit overwhelming at times. But she knows that, if she's going to be spending the forseeable future in this world, she has to get used to it. Understand it. And what better way than to watch where people gather?

She hadn't really meant to browse, but... something manages to catch her eye. Among a few other things up for offer is a guitar - a bit worn but clearly in good shape. It almost seems to draw Kanade forward, and the older woman sitting next to the blanket smiles up at her.]

That's... really pretty.

[Her hand itches, like she wants to reach out and pick it up. But is it smart to be buying things for herself now, when she's still so new to this world??? And she has nothing to trade, either...

... So for now she's just. Going to stand here fretting. H-Help?]



[Primavain Food Tour]

[Given how she eats at home, some might think Kanade's kind of a picky eater. Sure, she has her dislikes, but as long as it's not natto or something with an uncomfortably strong flavor, Kanade isn't averse to trying new things. And sweets should be harmless enough, right?

.... Well. Yes, they're harmless, but Kanade hasn't escaped some of the side effects of these. Case in point: a few moments after eating a soft, flower-shaped confection, her hair starts glowing. Like something out of a magic princess movie, Kanade's nearly ankle-length hair is currently glowing with a sort of white-blue hue of a full moon.]

T-This, um... it's not permanent, is it...?

[HER SLEEP SCHEDULE IS TERRIBLE ENOUGH AS IT IS SHE CAN'T HAVE A PERMANENT NIGHTLIGHT ATTACHED TO HER TOO-]



[Wildcard]

[Wanna throw something together not here? Feel free to drop it here! Hit me up over at OwlKnight if you wanna hash something out first!]

food tour

[nightwild]

[The lack of a real moon is getting to someone like Yayoi, who likes the nights. Sure, the weird sky rose is interesting, but she misses the moon. So when she sees moonlight, she's immediately just going to park herself nearby.]

If it is, would that be so bad? Maybe see how it is once it gets dark?

[... if she had a tail, it would be wagging.]

"The Princess" | Tis Time for Torture, Princess | New Player

[dumbfaceometer]

[A: Budwake Work]
[A new realm like this is... It's not surprising - well, it is - but the princess had come this far burdened with trials of hardship. What's one more? Albeit, this was all rather extensive for another attempt at torture.

At least, that's what she thought at first. How could you blame someone who arrived looking like this? Thank goodness someone offered her some replacement clothes when it came time for volunteering. So it's easy to mistake the fair, blonde young woman as just another commoner lending a hand, were it not for the small crown perpetually perched atop her head.]

Fear not! [There's been a tumble of soil in the street. Bags strewn about that the locals were cleaning up until the Princess stepped in.] A minor mess like this is no worry at all!

[She's already started throwing several bags of dirt over her shoulder. She gestures with one hand, imploring to whoever else is there.] We'll have this sorted in no time, won't we?

[B: A Stormy Situation]
[The space beneath this awning is a bit cramped, but it's all the cover you've got as the storm whips up. The Princess, to her credit, is utterly adoring this weather. Even soaked to the bone, wringing water from the long tangled locks of her hair, her smile is unmistakably wide.]

Ahh... My first storm in this place. I never got to experience them like this; working with strangers, looking out for one another... this is the best!

[Even while a blast of cool wind hits her in the face.]

[C: Primavain Food Tour]
[This is worth the risk.

The great Princess herself, commander of the Imperial Third Legion, fearsome warrior, is having a time of it. Not with any insane task, mind you... but choosing what she wants to eat first.]

Oh, t-there's j-just so much to try!

[Dressed comfortably for the occasion, the Princess is nevertheless beside herself with the possibilities presented. A variety of interesting treats laid before her. All she had to do was... choose. It's a paralyzing prospect, shaken the young warrior to her core.]

Maybe the jelly pastries... or the cake! Hmm, but those candies... They deserve to be recognized for their efforts! I can't decide.

[She hangs her head in defeat. Is this the end of Hime-sama?]

[D: Wildcard]
[throw the other things here! Yknow how it goes. talk to me over at lightdrizzel]

B

[heroicstandard]

[ Standing under the awning with this girl is a young man leaning against the wall, sword at his side, white cloak wet, hair darkened by the rain. Still, he seems perfectly at ease, looking out into the storm. ]

It really is beautiful, isn't it?

[ He spares her a glance, amused rather than confused by her enthusiasm. Then he turns back to looking outward. ]

On the road, storms always felt intense. Like the world is reminding you of how vast it is... and how lucky you are to be part of it, even for only a short while.

Andromeda 🌠 Fate/Grand Order 🌠 new character, existing player

[bravechain]

[ Fields 🌠 Budwake Work ]

[ A cluster of farmers has gathered at the division between two plots. Every year, a gust is picked up by the nearby hills and knocks over the fence in this area, without fail. Some weird quirk of physics. They're deep in conversation about alternatives, and may have even started involving one of the foreign advisors, when a figure standing just outside their circle raises her hand. ]

Weird question alert, sorry. But would boulders help? I can get you, like. A lot.

[ Canals 🌠 Stormy Situation ]

Ya-hooooo!

[ SPLASH!

Far from being disheartened by the rain, a young woman dives into the canal and begins to swim around. (Don't mind the jangling sound every time she moves. It's probably fine.) Her powerful strokes take her up and down the equivalent of a block, and when she turns around it's with practiced ease.

Popping her head out of the water, she shakes it doglike and beams at the closest person on shore. ]

Wooooow, that feels great! Wanna come in? It's not like you can get any wetter!

[ Primavain 🌠 Food Tour (stupid fanservice alert sorry) ]

O-oh my gosh....Wow....do not want.

[ The woman from the canals is dry now, and trying not to whack people with the...are those wings or black holes...?....chained to her wrists and suspended behind her back. She'd just sampled a particularly wobbly pudding, charmed by its texture, only to discover that now every time SHE moves, uh.

Everything about her wobbles, too. At the slightest movement. Exaggeratedly.

Every. Thing. ]

Is this what's meant by "you are what you eat"....? Agh, this is why heroes never try the food when they go new places, huh?

[ She tries to cross her arms over her chest but it just breasts boobily upward behind its constraints. ]

Quick, somebody...I need, like....a stiff drink! Or. Uh. Something freezing....?

Jeeeeeeezzz.....

[ GURL STOP MOVING WHEN YOU WHINE YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE. YOUR HIPS (AND YOUR CHEEKS, AND YOUR THIGHS, AND,,) DON'T LIE RIGHT NOW. ]

food tour

[nightwild]

[Yayoi looks down at the untouched pudding in front of her.

Pushes it away and covers her chest.]

Never mind. Not eating this.

kitty song covey | xo kitty

[chaosqueen]

➤ budwake work.

[from the moment kitty received the invitation, it would be an understatement to say she was ecstatic over the idea that an actual princess would be asking her specifically to learn more about love. she should probably have questioned the validity of it because it could have easily been someone trying to pull a prank on her but she is a matchmaker after all albeit somewhat self proclaimed but this just happened to be a perfect distraction at the right time and you know while things in her own love life are kind of a mess, she'll at least be able to do what she does best here where it seems to be needed.

the thing that she doesn't expect is having to work almost immediately, which okay yes she volunteered but she didn't want to start off on the wrong foot and give off yet another terrible impression either. she definitely wasn't dressed for this sort of physical labour aspect but on the upside she knows a thing or two about gardening and helping with this sort of clean up from a school camping trip so hey at least she has some experience. she still remains as optimistic as ever while she gives her herself a little pep talk out loud] Come on Kitty— you got this, it's just like gardening, you've totally done this before.

[she claps her hands together and with a firm nod she jumps straight into action to approach whoever is nearby] Hi— do you need a hand with what you're working on?

➤ primavain food tour.

[ being in a new place means trying out all the new foods, which kitty is all too eager to do and who is she to turn down free samples? it doesn't even occur to her to be suspicious of the experimental foods, it's a totally normal thing for vendors to try new recipes and see what sells with the public. she takes a bite out of one of the dessert samples and it feels like she in heaven because even from just a bite, the taste is amazing]

Whoa— I can't believe how good this is. [she is almost about to take yet another bite but she notices someone looking her way, maybe staring at her] Huh— what... oh no, don't tell me. Did I get some of it on my face, is that it? [it was an assumption but currently unknown to her, one of the temporary side effects happens to have kicked in, dealer's choice: take your pick!]

➤ rainy day reading.

[ it was still a little hard to believe sometimes that she is actually in fairytale-esque castle somewhere far away in another world, like something right out of her sister, lara jean's romance novels. maybe that's how she ends up in amourian library browsing through the shelves first possibly looking for something herself or much later, cheerily lending a hand to help at the front desk when activity starts to pick up]

Hey. What books are you looking for? [sorry not sorry, she may be all up in your business because she's absolutely nosey like that]

➤ wildcard.

[ choose your own adventure! feel free to toss something else at me if none of the above works. i'm open to other prompts from the tdm ]

primavain food tour

[revengeisalie]

[ Much like Kitty, Rin is eager to sample the goods, for she will never say not to dessert. And it's free? Well, don't mind her. She's about to take her first bite, when suddenly, a bright light flares up next to her.

She turns, finding there another girl, and... oh. ]

Uhm. Your hair is glowing.

Suzume Yamada | Tabletop OC

[wanderingsparrow]

a. freshwater overflow
[Helping out at Budwake seemed like a good way to help get her stamina up. Put that physical therapy to good use, work on... on...

Suzume loses her train of thought from the exhaustion as she fumbles a wheelbarrow full of six-foot carrots, slips, and falls flat on her ass. The carrots spill out, burying her under a cavalcade of bunny bait. She reaches up a single hand from among the carrots, flailing around for something to grab onto, before giving up and resigning herself to her fate.]

b. rainy day reading
[It's after hours in the library at the height of the rainy season. Standard practice is to do one last sweep to find misplaced books, detritus from guests, and-

Apparently a young woman, fast asleep. This isn't an accident, either. She's all curled up in a little-visited corner of the library with a blanket around her shoulders, surrounded by books on Rosavellian history, culture, Bloomcraft... everything, really.]

Mm... gotta... get one last... before entrance exams... [she murmurs in her sleep, tossing and turning.]

A

[monsterdaddy]

W-whoa!

[FATALITY?? Yoojin looks on, horrified, before bounding over. Because he is a bnuuy.]

Miss! Are you okay?!