December Open Post/Catch All/Overflow

[winebar]

Who: Van Zieks and whoever
What: General catch all for bingos and other effects
When: December
Where: Various
Warnings: TBA

Something has gone terribly wrong? (December 9th)
[You are just minding your own business, walking on the beach, or through the wood, when you hear what is certainly an unfamiliar laugh. If you look around, you'll soon attach it to... van Zieks? No, this can't be him. He's smiling. He's barefoot and covered in dirt. His hair isn't immaculately combed back and he's simply wearing a loose cotton shirt with his tight lawyer pants, though he does have a sword now hanging at his waist, which is new. This cannot be van Zieks. Even the cadence of his voice is lacking his normal ominous grit, but the voice is certainly his otherwise.]

Oh, come here! I have something to show you.
[Seriously who the hell is this and what did he do with the real van Zieks???]

Nevermind, Uncle has the Depression Again (December 10th)
[The following day, van Zieks is back in his austere best, looking more glowery and somber than ever before, like he's making up for the time he lost yesterday. You may find him at his usual haunt in the darkest corner of the winery, OR if you're wandering around in the woods, you might find him surveying the plot of land on his farm, or rather, the chaos that the him of the day before wreaked, which is to say, something was done to the plots, but it's hard to tell if it was anything constructive because they're upturned earth everywhere. Van Zieks is leaning heavily on the shovel he's holding, looking tired.]

Let me know if you have something specific in mind for bingo
[Hit me up on discord or on plurk agentmaine]

Comments

[unsync]

...

[ Well, he would never outright say so, and really, there's no part of him that does actually want to say the same -- but van Zieks seems like a man dedicated, so Ryuki thinks he can understand.

Sometimes, only certain things can take your mind off of... well, other certain things. ]

I think I do. That being said, it doesn't really look like there's a real legal system in this place anyway. The closest thing is the Harvest Goddess, and what she says seems pretty absolute... er. [ Right, questions... ] It's... eighteen, now? What's the first thing you'd like to do when you get to leave?

[winebar]

........
[It's clear his pause is not out of searching for an answer, but out of reluctance to speak it aloud.]

Have tea with my niece.

[ANYWAY. Divert!!! Last question!!!]

Who are you sharing your residence with?

[unsync]

[ Oh...

What a nice answer. His expression kind of shifts and it's probably the most normal he's ever looked here by far -- distracted by the cute domesticity of the response, forgetting about the stress and havoc that comes with his whole baggage on top of the farming thing. ]

Huh? Oh -- uhm, it's Adelis.

[ He wonders if he should say more, but he figures maybe van Zieks has met him already. He won't insult the man's intelligence by suggesting he doesn't know who that is before he's asked. ]

...I'm the last question, huh? Uhm, let's see...

What do you like to do for fun? Like... real fun.

[winebar]

.......



If my previously stated hobby does not count, then nothing.
[Yikes.]

[unsync]

[ Well what a bummer way to end 20 questions. He's frowning. ]

...Would you like to find another hobby?

[winebar]

Are you suggesting you have an idea?

[YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER HOBBIES EITHER?]

[unsync]

[ HE SURE DOESN'T BUT THAT'S WHAT THE FARM'S FOR. ]

Maybe...! If anything else, maybe we can find something that suits you. Do you like nature?

[winebar]

So you don't have any ideas.



I don't loathe the out of doors, but I certainly don't enjoy traipsing around in the dirt.

[unsync]

I might have an idea, that's why I asked if you liked nature... it's not like I can read your mind.

[ It is a power best saved for nobody. ]

Maybe you'd like meditating in the park, too. Is what I wanted to suggest.

[winebar]

Meditating?

[His tone is somewhere between skeptical and genuinely not really knowing what that means.]

[unsync]

Yeah. Sometimes, when everything gets a bit too much and overwhelming... I like going to Ikume Shrine. Or Yoyagi Park.

The air is different, and it's just calming, you know?

It's like a reset.

[winebar]

[He think about this for a long moment. Being alone with his thoughts... not his favorite activity if he's honest. That said.]

I spend most of my time in a townhouse. But the family estate has a large garden, and I did spend a lot of time out there growing up. So I can at least understand the appeal of the outdoors.

But I do far too much time alone thinking as is, I think.

[unsync]

Yeah... don't I know it.

[ Far, far too much time spent alone with his thoughts, sometimes, and sometimes it gets so bad. It's only his own guilt that keeps him from doing anything horrible. That, and of course, Tama. She keeps him off the slippery slope... most of the time. ]

But that's not what meditating is for, it's the opposite. It's getting to step away a bit from everything into something different, and take your mind off everything bad.

[winebar]

[Frowning, clearly confused.]

You're saying meditation is to try to stop thinking.... by doing nothing?

[IF YOU'RE JUST SITTING THERE HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO ANYTHING BESIDES THINK?]

[unsync]

Stop thinking about the things that bother you. Think about something nice! Like... cats.

[ Ryuki isn't an animal guy, but who can deny an animal is quite cute? In the English version he asks Tama for the news, but in Japanese, he asks her for wholesome images. ]

Try it. No distractions. Just cute animals, sound of the woods, or whatever else it is you like.

[winebar]

[The news feels like a bad thing to ask for if you're trying to not think about bad things.]

... I feel like this may make me seem foolish, but personally what you're describing sounds outrageously difficult.
[YOU WANT HIM TO REFRAIN FROM THINKING ABOUT BAD THINGS???]