crescentview | of swords and sugar

🌸 if the bones are good

( it's been a few days since.... well. everything. and admittedly, satoko knew she'd have to actually take this seriously eventually. so here she is now, finally taking a better look around. especially because what the fuck she has a sheep now.

the sheep is named meringue.

it looks as if hizen's started some fieldwork, which... she feels bad that he did alone, especially when he's so unhappy with the situation. note to self, stop exploring too much and help out. at least she's been able to provide meals for him, but still-

she's been unhappy with the house. but now that she's got a living creature depending on her, she's even less thrilled. catch her wandering the fields with a speculative look on her face, tending to meringue, or angrily trying to check one of the buildings-

and eventually, she'll be joined by a little siamese kitten. )

🌸 spring breeze and spring seeds

( eventually satoko gets a little plot sorted out- maybe you catch her right as she's taking a break after tilling... maybe you helped! maybe you didn't! with meringue and éclair within view, satoko is now working with some of the seeds she's been given. six plots are tenderly cared for... except when she's holding a bag of mushroom spores, she mostly looks confused. )

... Oh my god I never thought about how to grow mushrooms.

( TO BE FAIR. SHE DOES NOT WORK WITH MUSHROOMS OFTEN. BUT STILL. )

🌸 what she does best

( at some point you may be wandering through the woods, when a delightful sweet smell hits you. should you choose to follow it, you'll find your way to satoko and hizen's farm- and look, just by the window is some fresh-baked goods, just waiting to cool! but if you get too close- be it to approach the actual door or to be a fucking criminal, satoko catches sight of you.

seems she's in a good mood! then again, baking always puts her in high spirits. )

Followed your nose, hm? I'm not against sharing. Come on in, front door's open.

( this is the satoko feeds you prompt, yes. )

( the worst part of all of this is that there's no privacy. right now, hizen and satoko share a room, with little crappy beds on opposite sides, and it's... complicated.

uncomfortable.

a goddamned trial, honestly.

satoko gets nightmares. hizen hasn't asked, but she knows there's been a night or two since their arrival that she's cried out for help that won't come.

and hizen... hizen's solitary. naturally they try to handle changing and things when the other isn't in the room, but it feels more guarded with him. she won't ask, either. it's not necessary for her to know, and it feels like repayment for not asking about her, too.

except one day she sees the truth anyways- it was bound to happen eventually, when she didn't realize he was getting dressed one day. she'd ducked out with a loud apology and a scrambling I didn't see anything! but that was a lie.

... that scar on his neck may haunt her for a while, now. and when she looks at her anger, his makes all the more sense.

it's several hours later now. they don't have a lot to be honest, but she's good at making things last. it's been an awkward, kind of awful day- hizen deserves a nice meal for everything. she's still at the stove when the door opens. )

(It was bound to happen eventually. Their farm house isn't very big and there isn't much room for privacy. Sure, they can take turns taking showers and be mindful when they change. Learning schedules help and luckily, Hizen is an observant person and picked up on routines quickly enough.

But today, Ringo had knocked him over in the fields, getting him covered in freshly tilled dirt. He'd decided it was best to take a shower before he trekked dirt all over their home and made an even bigger mess.

He'd just gotten out and dried off when Satoko comes home. He doesn't hear while he's shaking his hair dry. He's only half dressed when she enters and he looks back, eyes wide with surprise but doesn't yell like he normally would. He can tell in her eyes that she saw.

A thick red scar, a jagged but straight line that goes completely around his neck. Like he'd been hanged? Strangled? Lost his head and reattached it completely? Who knows.)

...

(He pulls a t-shirt on and wraps the towel around his neck.

It was bound to happen.

He keeps his distance for a bit. He has to change the bandages for fresh ones. He should take Ringo out for a walk around the farm. There's still work to be done. Maybe if they act as if nothing happened-- the same way he does for her nightmares-- they won't have to say anything at all.

When he comes home, Ringo bounds ahead of him and barks in greeting. Something smells good and Hizen isn't surprised to see her in the kitchen cooking.)

...

(He'll go to the cabinets and start to set the table for them. He isn't much a talker. Today isn't any different. She's probably figured that he's more of the type to use actions instead of words.)

( ringo announces their return, and satoko glances up from the chicken idly before she resumes. it's been a while, so she suspects the dog will take a nap soon- eclair keeps trying to get into the kitchen to watch and get underfoot, so maybe that'll distract the kitten for a while?

hizen comes in and starts to grab plates. she's not entirely sure what to say- even if they pretend nothing happened, there's still a lingering something she can't quite shake yet. especially since he's not really the sort for small talk. )

--Oh, I just remembered. I got some more seeds today. I don't think the flowers are safe for the cat or the dog, so we'll want to keep an eye on them once they've bloomed.

( nailed it )

They eat flowers...?

(Please appreciate how completely clueless he is with animals. He's not used to them at all. This whole experience is going to be a learning process for him,)

... Whatever.

(Fine. He'll keep an eye on them. Table set, getting the glasses now,)

What d'ya wanna drink?

(At this rate he's going to run out of small talk but its fine.)

It can happen- leaves especially. But it's the pollen I'm especially worried about. Theee tulips and hyacinths especially, if I remember right...

( shame she can't just look it up on her phone or something anymore. yes she's mad about the lack of wifi still. her gachas...

sigh.

... what does she want to drink? )

Mmm... oh, we have that apple tea still, right? That'd be nice.

[ M-21 (fine print technicalities aside) is not a monster. He wouldn't have intended theft per se. But the smell definitely brought him in to inspect. He looks up just a little guiltily at her comment. ]

Satoko. So this is your place.

[ And, clearly, her baking. M-21 looks between her and the baked goods again. ]

... Hm.

(He didn't know and he makes a small note to himself.)

What a pain.

(Animals are so much work. They're worse than plants.

But apple tea. He can do that. Hizen will probably settle for just plain tea but it's fine. )

How'd you get everything anyway?

(It shouldn't be a surprise that antisocial Hizen Tadahiro hasn't caught on to the exact rewards yet.)

Yeah, but it's better than them getting sick. Or worse.

( better a pain and alive than dead.

satoko tends to the meat frying in the pan before taking a taste- it feels like it's missing something but hizen will be no help with that. damn. )

Turns out filling up those dumb bingos has it's worth- each square got a new upgrade, and I got the rest from filling out those tasks the Goddess put up.

Mmmhm.

( it's cozier than what they started with, at least. there's already-sprouting vegetables and flowers planted, and a few mushroom logs in the shade. she's gotten the house fixed up, too. there is also a sheep some ways off, napping happily in the dappled sun.

m-21's treat of the thread? a lovely apple pie! )

You're in the forest too, right?

[ He glances around in curiosity, sidling a little more towards the door when he spots the sheep. Evidence of the past few days is suggesting animals don't actually have a problem with him, but...

Also, each step towards the house puts him closer to apple pie. Win-win. ]

Yeah. Not that far. I probably could almost smell your baking from there. [ There's something more he should add here. Tao would be better at this. ] ...It's nice.

( the door is unlocked and as she waits for him to come inside, satoko grabs a plate, a glass and a fork. by the time he gets to the open kitchen, she's already plated a slice and a chilled vanilla spiced tea is waiting alongside. )

Thanks! I hope you enjoy it. Baking is my favorite thing.

[ Hey it's a normal day. As normal as it can be when you're in magical farmland, that is.

Ryuki is out here by someone's farm's animal barn, with the whole ordeal. This could be yours or some NPC's, but he's staring at the grazers with a vaguely bewildered look in his eyes. He's a city boy, through and through, and it's not very often that one gets to see farm animals in real life -- and so up close, at that.

He starts a little when one of the animals looks at him in the eye, stiffening with a slight nervousness like he's the one under inspection... and then relaxes a little when it carries on its way, like the sight of him wasn't interesting enough. ]

Wow.

[ WOW WHAT. ]

( there's a guest on the farm and that's... not entirely unusual, but also it kind of is? is this normal farmlife behavior. people dropping by to watch your sheep. (more people should watch meringue though, she's cute as hell.)

satoko has been preparing a few things for an outing, so when she steps out, she's a little surprised to see ryuki. but, well, they're all stuck together, right? with a carefully sealed baggie tucked into her backpack, she wanders over to the fence. )

Wonders of nature? Or just the fact that she looks like cotton candy?

[ He pauses a little in the doorway at the sight, something nostalgic about having food pressed on him like this. So it's second nature to sidle up to the seat and take the plate. ]

It's fancy. You do a lot of this? [ And a beat later, self-consciously before he takes the first bite, because Frankenstein has glared certain manners into him: ] I'll wash the dishes.

Wh- I'm not gonna have a guest do dishes. Don't be silly.

( that is not how her hospitality works! though, her pointed 'do not' glare looks more like a pout at the moment...

how has no one triggered her temper yet? i do not know.

but once she thinks she's made her point, she sits down at the table and nods, chin in hands. )

I want to open my own bakery some day. Have since I was 9.

[So he's started to get a little more used to this weird world, what with its farms and its animals and having to live out under the sky day in and day out... so Asuka's decided to broaden his horizons--

No. He's chasing a cat. The little (...little) beast has apparently claimed him and has run off with his ribbon and Asuka's been trying to hunt it down. It hasn't been going well, but he's scrabbled up into the giant trees of the forest by this point and is currently trying to chase it through the trees, using his magic to keep himself balanced.]

Get back here or I'll take you back home and feed you to the sand-walkers!

[The cat doesn't seem to like this threat, turning and arching its back and hissing at him. But Asuka's eyes are on the ribbon, which falls from its mouth--he lunges for it, and it's only after he's committed to his lunge that he considers the fact that he is some height off the ground and said ground is coming up at him very rapidly--]

Fuck--

[It's fine. Kind of. He throws his arm out and a burst of water follows, splashing up under him like it's coming from a very large hose. It's enough to keep him from impacting hard, but he's soaking wet, sprawled on the ground, and there is a very angry cat in the trees above.

...but hey, at least he's got the ribbon!]

( you ever just go out to water your budding little flower garden only for... whatever the fuck that entire racket was to happen? between the rustle of tree by tree being bothered to a bunch of yelling and angry cat yowling, and whatever else, satoko has to wonder if she needs to get a frying pan or something heavier-

and then there's that one guy from the meeting and water all over. ...

well, at least the flowers are watered. )

... You good?

Oh --

[ Well. Now he feels a bit embarrassed, having been caught in action.

He looks at Satoko for a moment. She reminds him of someone, and can imagine Iris saying something similar. ]

Both, I think. Uh, I've never seen a farm animal up close... and not so many, either. Is this yours?

[Oh. He was seen.

...

Well, that's fine! Asuka's the type of guy to own his dramatics, so he simply lifts the hand with the ribbon in it, waving it in her direction.]

All good here.

[After a moment more he'll push up to his knees and then his feet, making a face at how damp he is, ugh... but easily fixed; he touches his free hand to his chest, making a full-hand pinching motion as he pulls his hand away and drawing all of the water out of his clothes, then spilling it over the budding flower bed. He's at least learned enough to recognize that!

And with that being done, he's going to just set about retying the ribbon around his neck...]

Now I just have to figure out how to deal with that thing... [With a point up toward the cat in the tree... it's a big, fluffy Siberian cat, staring down at them reproachingly. Asuka looks over at Satoko.] Do you know what these things want?

[ What an interesting game. It took Kaeya a bit of time to figure out what "Twister" is and how you can play it. It just seems like a good way to get all tangled up with someone else, which is probably exactly why the Goddess added it as a bingo square. ]

Would you like to start us off?

[ They're standing in Kaeya's home with the Twister mat on the floor. This is... a little weird. ]

( she still thinks this would be funner with more people. but fiiine, she'll do this. it's not like they don't both need it anyways. with a nod, satoko picks up the wheel and flicks the spinner, annnnd... )

Right foot, green.

It feels like I should do something...

[ That pout utterly lacks menace. M-21 blinks. And then bends his head over the plate to hide a smile as he tries a bite.

...It's a very good pie. He makes a thoughtful noise, too polite to say anything with his mouth full. What would it be like to have a dream for that long? ]

You could do it. Too expensive to get a start yet?

[ i can't believe that there's an online twister spinner but at the same time i can. Anyway, Kaeya steps his foot on a green circle. ]

Let's see.

[ He reaches over to spin the wheel. It lands on... ]

Left hand, green.

( from here. )

( satoko hums in thought as she looks at the dog- his breed always has such nice colors. the dark fur evokes an eclair... buuuuut she already nabbed that for the kitten who's been following her around. )

Tiramisu. It's a layered pastry that's been dipped in coffee and a cream filing, topped with a dusting of cocoa powder.

( from here )

( wh- what?! satoko flusters, looking away. this. good start, satoko, noe. they're doing great at this first meeting thing. )

A-anyways, t-there's a lot of ground to cover so there's bound to be something that can help...

( ... 'also', though? )

( from here )

Oh- a celebrity, then?

( must be serious, if he's got to worry about fan perception of his love life. ... yeah, no, she'll avoid the spotlight for as long as possible if she can, thanks. )

( from here )

( seirai- the pure, refreshing sound of wind blowing through trees. ... well, given the amount of lighting there, x to doubt. satoko hums thoughtfully, before shrugging. )

"Inazuma" is a word where I'm from- "Seirai" too. If they're places, though, I haven't heard of them.

( from here )

It'll be fine, probably. It's a small town. Just... don't go overboard, I guess.

[ At the restaurant, Kaeya has ordered themselves a nice glass of wine that he's sure that Satoko might like. He's chosen it with her tastes in mind, based on what she seemed to pick last time (even if it was non-alcoholic). The food will take a bit longer to come out, so when their drinks come out first, he tips his glass towards her. ]

Cheers.

An idol, yeah.

[ At least she knows what celebrities are... but he braces himself for having to explain what an idol is. ]

( satoko doesn't seem to notice anything wrong, at least. (or rather, she does but she's being polite.) with a nod, she leans back a little. )

Mmhm. Her name's Meringue. She's a sweet girl, but she will steal food from you... even if she can't actually eat it.

( yo what the fuck-

satoko knows, logically, that not everyone is a normal person by her standards. some of the neighbors are plant people, for instance. there's a goddess who lives in a lake. the goddess has kidnapped them all from across the universe.

yeah.

and yet, that completely catches her off guard. )

Oh- um- it... probably just wanted to play. They like strings and stuff.

[...it wants to play?

Have you seen this thing.]

It tried to attack me.

Meringue. That's really adorable. I don't usually carry snacks around though, so sorry to disappoint her.

Do you like sheep?

In a small town you might need to go a little overboard for a good time, y’know?

Now you've got me curious. What place do you call home?

[ Is it Japan? Earth? Locations that he's really only heard in passing, so far. Must be quite an interesting region to boast the same terminology as Inazuma, though. ]

As for where I'm from... you could say I've traveled quite a ways to arrive here. I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but does Snezhnaya ring any bells to you?

[ The dog barks, happy to pick up any name, really. ]

Tiramisu... I haven't had that before, but it sounds like a treat. [ Gauges how the dog feels. ] And he seems to accept it.

[ He might be dumb at times, but he knows better than to tell her that she smells nice. What Satoko might notice is that his eyes are no longer violet, but golden. ]

We can investigate after we rest, what do you think?

of swords and sugar

early in the month...

closed to hizen 🌸

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🍰!

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SATOKO ✧ Dec 13+

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for satoko but also if eski wants to throw a hizen at me i won't say no uwu

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satoko - play twister

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zhongli

noe

gaku

childe

crow

satoko - wine and dine

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hi sorry i died

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it's okay, i stop existing often

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