thehometree | [amber; 001]

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[ Amber entry is the name of the game today, even if it's one that has kind of a slow start to it. Namely two solid palm-down pats from one of Steven's hands, because he's still solidly convinced that this setup is cool as heck. Plus it never hurts to make sure your equipment's on the up-and-up.

With that taken care of, he'll be offering a friendly smile. That's kind of his M.O. ]

Hey there! My name's Steven, first of all. If you already met me, you probably know that. Annnd if you haven't met me, now you can meet me! I don't bite; I just live here.

Anyway, I actually wanted to talk about the spiders. Because I know they were pretty awful. And that they tried to web everyone and drag them away to get eaten. And that they were poisonous. Which got people poisoned. But I still kind of feel bad that they ended up getting destroyed. I mean, if they hadn't been awful, they could have been really great! And if their boss wasn't telling them to take us to get eaten, maybe they wouldn't have been awful in the first place? It's weird. It just seems like the Servant was trapped in the big spider, and the spider was trapped in the tree, and we're all kind of trapped in the tree, too. People do a lot of crazy stuff when they've been stuck in one place for a long time. It's too bad we couldn't work things out for everyone, you know?

Sooo, I've been thinking about it, and I figured if anyone wants to help me find a nice rock or something to make a memorial with, that would be pretty cool! We could carve something into it, or write a song... I don't know about painting portraits of them, though. That would take a lot more paper than we probably have. If you think you're interested, just give a call to this guy! [ He sticks his tongue out and points at himself with both thumbs, like a cool dude. ] And if you're not interested, I can respect that! Since a lot of us did almost get eaten.

[ Or if anyone would like to take a more traditional action route, he'll be doing a lot of poking around anyway. It's a combination of memorial-rock searching, attempted animal investigation, and probably more than his fair share of leaning over the edge of a branch in a reckless fashion because he's trying to look at stuff. Basically anything's open. ]

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I'm in.

[She didn't have to think twice, really. Evil or not, a life is a life, and who was she to let those spiders go without at least letting them have one final ceremony. For closure and all that.]

Great! [ Don't care who you are, where you're from, what you did, as long as you're down with spider memorializing, basically. ]

Wow, I thought it might be a lot harder to get somebody on board! I haven't even started rock-hunting yet.

Well why don't you start with the hunt and I'll prepare a nice flower altar to go with it?

[It was definitely something to do. Plus she thought picking flowers was quite calming.]

Where do you plan on holding this?

There are a lot of places we could get started at. The house I'm in usually has some extra room. Or there's the bath house where people were trying to figure out the riddle before the spiders got out? If we keep whatever we make the right size, we could probably even fly it over and set it up on a branch outside!

Hmm...well I don't think the bath area wouldn't feel right. I'd be like holding a funeral in a bathroom, and that's a little disrespectful to the spiders, don't you think?

Personally, I think your home would be since so the flowers won't accidentally get blown away. But I don't mind a branch too if you really want to. This is your event, after all.

I don't mind doing it in my house. [ Privacy is overrated. He basically has no concept of it. ] They're pretty roomy places! Or they're at least not too small to get stuff together in. But I think either way that's pretty much the same thing. Do you know where number 5 is?

Number five, huh?

[She was at her on home at the moment, and finding out that the little boy live in the house right across from her made her glance out her window, at the house. ]

Who else lives with you?

Oh, I live with Arno right now. He's pretty cool! You know, he's got this accent thing going for him, and he's good at battle strategy... his hair is really nice, too. He's a great guy! What about you?

[Oh.Well. That may just be her greatest discovery today. Apparently her closest friend lives jut a few steps away from her. This was very valuable information.]

I live with Judar. He's a very special snowflake with...really nice hair too, I guess.

I wish we could have found a way to talk to the mother spider, too. It's very kind of you to want to do something for them--I would like to help.

Oh, great! Welcome aboard. I think we're gonna need whatever people feel like bringing to try out, if you wanted to bring anything around for it. It really would've been nice if we could have figured everything out with them. But I guess spiders aren't cut out for a lot of small talk. Go figure.

I don't know what I would have expected from spiders, but I suppose it wouldn't be small talk. I'll have a look around and bring something to you.

[She finds a suitable-looking pebble outside, round and flat enough to write something on. Well, it's probably more like grit than a pebble, but it's all relative....

Anyway, once she has it she goes to find Steven... leaning over the edge of a branch. Yes he has wings but it's still a little alarming.]

Oh! Do be careful!

[ A life without risks is a life... without risks. Something like that. Steven takes the logical course of action and drapes himself over the branch to look at her upside-down, initially. ]

Hey, you found a good rock! That's great! And you even came to find me! That was probably a little easier than finding the rock, but I still like it!

Well, you can't tell if it'll work if I don't show you, after all.

[She flutters a little closer so he doesn't have to crane his neck or anything. Hikaru would like this boy, Fuu thinks. He's a little bit like her ~~small and idealistic and cute~~ so Fuu likes him too.]

I think we'll be able to write something suitable on it, once we find something we can use for ink and brushes.

I'm glad. Everybody's been so willing to work things out together! It's like we're a real team. [ He'll right himself again with that, taking a closer look at the stone. ] And painting would be easier than carving. That was a good call. Do people make ink with berries?

Yes, to carve we would have to find some stone or metal that was harder than whatever type of rock this is. [She smiles.] It does seem like we've all been able to get along and help each other so far, even though we're from such different places. I like that.

[She hopes it will continue that way, too, but she doesn't know how likely it is. Cautious optimism!]

I think that's how ink was made originally... certain flowers, too, because they have such strong pigments. I'd rather keep the berries for eating, myself.

[Arno was on the other side of the house, what was he doing? Probably most likely cooking something. Using some herbs he got from the market, he was able to make a little mushroom stew to eat. He wasn't the best cook in the world but he had to pick up the duty sometimes back when he lived on the Serre estate.

You know when he got into enough trouble.

Someone also had to do it now, so.

He was hearing Steven talk a lot on the amber and decided he couldn't half focus on one thing and focus on another. Trusting in the power of the living cooking apparatus these people had instead of an actual stove, he decided he just had to see what Steven was up to. He was talking to a lot of people as well so.]

Steven, what are you doing?

[Why was this a thing? It was like Arno was a parent or something.]

[ Steven's pretty used to people walking in while he's doing stuff. It's been happening his whole life, and his idea of privacy is irreparably altered because of it. Presumably following some form of "I'll be right back," he turned his attention away from the amber for the time being. ]

I'm getting people together for a spider memorial. Nothing too big. [ Catering would be a nightmare. ] There's plenty of room for another team member if you want in.

...For the spiders that nearly had us all killed.

[How very...Steven. Was Arno allowed to use those terms? He hadn't known Steven for too long but he did know by now he was probably the most sincere person he's met. Out of everyone Arno had ever known. Almost surreal. How many people would actually agree to a spider memorial? Those things did try to kill them?

Arno never disrespected the dead, as per what Assassins usually don't either. But Arno can't say he's thought of holding a memorial service for them.

But they did kill a lot of them. It was like any war, wasn't it? Respect the dead.

Arno actually considered it. He couldn't believe it. The Steven had gotten to him again, worming inside his heart. Arno grinned.]

How very...you.

[Arno crossed his arms.]

Well, if I said "no", I wouldn't hear the end of it as your housemate. What should I do, monsieur?

Edited (goddamit) 2015-04-21 18:07 (UTC)

[ An appropriate adjective. ]

I'm still working on what a spider memorial really needs, since I've never memorialized anything before. And I'm still not sure exactly how many people wanna help with it yet. I think we'll need flowers, a nice speech, a rock we can carve stuff into... maybe a song. What do you think you can do?

[Arno was taking this about as serious as Steven was. Probably anyone he knew would look at him strangely and laugh. He was honestly taking the time to help this kid out with something like this.

Arno had nothing really better to do. He was the one cooking the soup in the other room.

Hey, it was a respectable thing to do. Honorable, amicable, all of that. He pondered for a moment before replying, bringing a hand to his stubble ridden chin.]

Rocks, you say? You mean to make a headstone of some sort then?

[Aha, Arno sheathed his blade.]

Other than helping with the arrangement of the house, I can certainly help with the carving.

Edited 2015-04-30 19:55 (UTC)

That would be a huge help, Arno! Would you say you have really nice carving handwriting? People should at least be able to read whatever we write.

Little man, you underestimate my penmanship.

I know English quite well, at least. I learned how to write it since I was a small boy, I can manage something.

Now its just a matter of what it should even say.

[Sappy writing for spiders. That wasn't going to be Arno's strong suit.]

Seriously?

[ He sounds more amused than disdainful, though. ]

Aren't kids supposed to be scared of spiders, not sad for them?

Aw, what? But spiders are so small! Or they usually are, I mean. I'm pretty sure they don't even usually want to eat people. They just like to do their own thing! How can you be scared of a little guy in the corner who just wants you to leave him alone?

Some people are creeped out by all those legs.

But you got the right perspective, kid. I wasn't here for the spider attack, but I guess I could help you find a good memorial.

Yeah! I knew I had a good feeling about this tree! So many people are up for helping get stuff together. [ Of course, he comes from a town that basically only has like 12 people in it, so his statistics are questionable. ] You know, I bet the spiders would really appreciate this.

[ Sort of eying him dubiously through the amber. ]

You show up as a tiny bug-person in a tree out of nowhere, surrounded by impenetrable mist, and fight spiders.

And you got a good feeling about it? Kid, you're weird.

[ Steven shrugs. ]

Sometimes monster fighting just happens. We handle it all the time back home! You can still have a pretty great life outside of it, though.

[ That gets him a hard look, through the amber. ]

That's true, but--

You fight monsters back where you're from? For real?

[ ...but this kid's maybe ten. That can't be right. ]

[She looks at the amber concerned for a moment then it switches to a soft smile.]

It's nice to meet you, Steven. My name is Valamia and I can offer my assistance. Although I'm not sure what sort of memorial would work.

Don't worry, Valamia. I've never really made a memorial before, so we're in the same boat. I think everyone just needs to find the right flow. [ Because there are sure to be ways to memorialize that aren't actually good. ] It could be a little tough going, but we've got time to work on it together.

I've made a few memorials. [Actually she's made a lot, but that's a rather sad subject.] Along with your ideas I've seen some memorials contain small crystals, some leave candles or incense burning. Alternatively we could perform a ritual for their spirits.

A ritual? [ Color him pinged. ] What would we need to get to do that?

Someone who can communicate with spirits. Honestly, the memorial set-up would probably suffice as a good time for communicating with them and making sure they are at peace. Shortly after it's set-up would work too.

I haven't met anyone who says they talk to spirits, but I'm willing to ask about it! It would be kinda nice to make sure they're at peace. Since that's what people usually hope for.

...

Do you think spiders hope to be at peace?

Heh, you're speaking to someone who can do so right now.

[She nods with a small smile.]

I do. Even that in nature which exists to fight will seek peace once they pass. A lifetime of fighting in life does not mean they want it after.

Destroyed? Oh my, is that what happened to the poor things? I can't remember very much from that day. That's so... so awful!

[Her voice is quivering, and tears are welling in her eyes.]

[ He kind of knows that feel. If not on the same bug-royalty levels, necessarily. ]

Well, they sort of ended up turning into smoke? It seemed a lot more like being destroyed than... not being destroyed. Which is awful.

That's still so sad!

[She takes a moment to compose herself, dabbing at the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief from her basket]

I think yours is a wonderful idea! Those poor lil' spiders deserve to be remembered at least!

Exactly! Even if they maybe weren't exactly our friends. It feels like the right thing to be doing. I've never had to do a spider memorial before. Do you think they need anything really specific?

[Yuuya is about as tall as most of the larger humans here, deep chested and as bulky as pigeons get, though he has feathered arms with pink-scaled hands rather than bird wings. He's braiding plant fibers into a long rope, perched outside on a root.]

Salutations! I saw what you said over the amber. An admirable perspective!

Thanks! It just felt like something that I ask about. [ Steven's finally made his way down towards the root area with hopes of finding appropriately tiny flowers, or anything that seems like a particularly useful component to add to his memorial. Or possibly he's thinking about making grass skirts. It's very up in the air.

He belatedly considers that he's talking to a pigeon-man, and does a proper doubletake over his shoulder. Hmmmmm. ]

...

I like your feathers. Have you always had them?

I'm not sure it's mature or naive, but, it's pleasing to hear!

[Yuuya tilts his head, feathers arranged in some inscrutable bird expression.]

Well, thank you! I was as naked as you once, but I've been feathered for most of my life.

Oh! So you used to be like a regular human? [ In what world would that ever be a go-to assumption...? Steven needs to go to bird school for learning about birds. ] What happened?

No, no! Pigeons hatch out bald. As we get older we feather out. This is the most human I've ever been - hands, you know. I never had those before.

[Hello Steven. While he's busy dangerously leaning over the edge of a branch, there's a weird forest kid that appears behind him without much warning. He's less interested in introducing himself, and more interested in whatever Steven's doing.]

What 'cha looking at?

Ahh-! [ FOREST KID OFF THE STERN. Steven does a very graceful(ly graceless) kind of fall-over-and-catch-himself-before-he-plummets-to-his-doom maneuver, since in the moment the functionality of his wings kind of escapes his notice. When he's positive the branch isn't about to break under him or anything, he straightens up and considers the actual question. ]

Uh. Well, I'm looking for tiny flowers. And... and rocks. You know, stuff I could use to make a room look nice.

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