gotyourbach | [balance] ic inbox

I could use some advice, when you're available.
It's nothing dire so don't worry if you're busy at the moment.

hey
what are you doing
you found the piano right

Where are you? Check in with me as soon as you get this, kid.

[After spreading some holiday cheer, the very last of Ryuji's cane stash is spent on probably the most expensive thing. All at once, too. Woodwork Willy quoted him at "a wheelbarrow full of cane," and he thought he was pulling a fast one over on Ryuji when he said it, but lo and behold, he had dipped into town a few days before everything went to hell, and had a comically large sized hunk of candy cane ore ready to trade. Figures, though, he had nothing else to do out in the wild, not being accepted in town because of his stank, he'd have ample time to collect the requisite cash needed for this.

And then... everything just went to hell in a hand basket. Kaede was kidnapped, Ryuji had no idea of what was going on, and he, along with Dave, Dwer, and Willard, were trying their hardest to figure out a way to crack the snow globe around town. He'd completely forgotten what he commissioned back in New Aspen, but on Candlenights Eve, Woodwork Willy sees that familiar streak of blond and approaches him immediately. Ryuji's eyes light up.

So, on the morning that Kaede awakens, wherever she is- out in a bedroll, or staying in a room somewhere, he's packaged up something for her that he figures isn't an easy find around Faerun. A bit primitive, and requires wind up, but it keeps almost perfect time. Outside the box, a wooden ornament that's shaped like a violin (sorry, he tried a piano but that shit just wasn't happening with his lackluster woodworking skills), is hung along the side and dangles down in place of a tag. There's a small note, too.]

Happy Candlenights.

I figured you could use some of the most holiday cheer, considerin' everything that went down. Yeah, everybody knows. It's pretty much what everyone in town's talkin' about, and even though they didn't know your name, it was pretty easy to guess from the descrip.

Anyway, this thing here's called a metrognome and you gotta call it that or else it ain't right. See what I did there? Willy put a tiny metal gnome on the top, just like I asked 'em too. He didn't think it was funny? But it's pretty goddamn hilarious.

Hoping you have a good holiday, Kaede. Keep warm and see you Bach at base.

Yours,
A fellow blondie

Edited (man i'm so sorry for all these mistakes :() 2018-12-24 17:40 (UTC)

[There's a present for Kaede sitting outside her door! It's wrapped in blue paper....also it says "From Erika" on it so the sender is kind of obvious.

It contains a pair of fuzzy slippers shaped like little penguins with bowties.]

hey so uhh
just a hunch but is your door all fucked up and weird now

Kaede are you awake?

[it is four in the afternoon.]

[and when you give a god of time a time frame, as much as he may complain about the fact, he won't forget it.]

[so at the door to Kaede's room is a small bag of chocolates and a embarrassingly stupid note written in that patented #e00707 ink.]

hey
did i do this right
like the extended valentines day thing but its dudes only for some reason
not to shit on your customs or anything
i guess im just used to consolidating chocolate holidays
anyway
i know exactly jackshit about your story and thats pretty mutual in my direction too
but if ive learned anything over the past four years its that good music is a universal constant
not always a lot of people to share that with you know
so thanks for being all about that thing weve definitely got in common
the piano lessons are pretty damn cool too

happy guysentines day

[No matter what Komaeda tried to do what was 'proper' even if it didn't look like it to observers. He was given Obligation Chocolate, so he would give a White Day gift.

Though, what did you give someone for White Day exactly? A white Ribbon? White Chocolate? Marshmallows?

In the end he simply found sheet music that seemed to be something that could be played on a piano. The pages were white, so it counted, right? And it was for piano, and piano keys had white.

Perfect!]

Akamatsu san?

[He knocked on her door to see if she was there.]

[ Vista Virs is a wreck and Minato's been spending his time helping with the clean up and consoling the residents to the best of his abilities. Out of the corner of his eye he spots Kaede. There she is! He has a gift for her. Now is a good time to take a break.

Unlike Kaede, he doesn't materialize out of thin air in front of her. His approach is out in the open and clearly visible. He's a bit sweaty thanks to the desert heat as he stops a few feet away. He holds a small white bag out to her that has unfortunately gotten some sand or dirt stuck to it. ]

Ah. Happy White Day.

[ ... He hopes that isn't inappropriate, given the circumstances. ]

[ Sometime during the camping trip, Kaede will find a piece of paper neatly folded on her top bunk bed with

To: Akamatsu-senpai
From: bottom bunk mate

written on the outside. Inside is a poem that Minato showed Sayori while he was in the clinic on the moonbase. He brought it with him to the camp show Kaede but ultimately decided that handing it to her in person was awkward so he left it on her bunk bed. It reads:

The sound of rushing wind
The engulfing pain of impact
We haven't met yet
But I can imagine it
The ground is above me
And she's below my feet
And I remember my choice
For soft fur
For a mischievous mate
For the smile she brings to everyone's face
Paddling in the air
Trying to catch me
She doesn't know it
But I'll see her again
I smile at her
And meet the ground

Sorry for the mess
]

Kaede is heading down to the Chamber of the Voidfish, and in Lucretia's absence, Lucas has had to tend to the various needs of the Bureau of Balance in her stead. He's not exactly doing the most amazing job of it, simply going on instructions that were left to him- when the SHSL happens upon the scientist arguing back and forth with Johann.

Lucas: We don’t know anything about this, we don’t know anything about this creature and we’re putting all of our faith into it?! What if it, what-- wait, we don’t know its life expectancy, what if it just dies of old age? What would we be then?

Lucas: What if this thing reproduces asexually and-and… y’know, pops out a kid that makes us forget its own existence? Then we’d be sunk! You gotta let me-

Johann: No can do little science dude, I know the big boss is kinda out of town and stuff, but she gave me express orders not to let you do the thing you wanna do. And no offense, I don't like, think you're particularly good at taking care of living creatures, yeah?

Lucas: I’m just gonna go above your head there, Johann, and- and go see the Director about this when she returns, because I’m not gonna rest easy until we know how this thing operates, until we know more about it, because we-- I don’t feel comfortable putting the fate of the entire--

Kaede, Johann, or Lucas doesn't get a chance to respond as the Voidfish screams out one loud, bellowing, gut wrenching sound- as it tapers into a long, steady note. It's the most that it's ever communicated back with anyone on base, and rightly so, Johann is completely thrown off guard.

The next sound comes, a few steps higher in pitch. Johann reaches for his violin, and as the third note blares, the same as the second one, Johann begins playing back.

And this is the result.

The room goes deafeningly quiet as Johann performs this back in a fever pitch, but seems to have no control over his own body when he does so. It lasts like a trance, until he realizes what he's doing and stops playing.

Johann: Whoa, I've like... never seen that happen before.

Lucas: I think... I think we've made it angry?

Johann: I just... uh.

Lucas: Okay, everyone out, we're shutting down Voidfish visits today. It looks like we're putting a lot of stress on it. I'm- er? I'm sorry.

Johann: What just happened?

Try as he might, Johann can't remember the song he just played for the Voidfish, just moments ago. It's almost like it's completely gone from memory.

But you remember it nonetheless.

[ There's suddenly a knife inside him -- but not him. It's in someone else, behind him and to the left. Kaede. His hands dig into the cheap wooden toy he just won, concentrating on the feeling. The pain doesn't last long, but a moment later he registers her distress -- fear, confusion -- and she's not okay. He's moving, running full speed.

They knew this place was dangerous and they've been very lucky to avoid the worst of it so far, but now something's happening to Kaede and they made an Oath. Kaede got on her knee and made him a promise, and asked for his own promise in return. And though he answered in his typical manner, a nod and a "Yeah," he did take it seriously. Though he's sure she imagined it would be her running to his aid first.

He's out of the park, in Shadowdale, drawing his Evoker out from habit. He sees her walking away from the bakery, apparently uninjured. He slows down as he gets closer, looking all around them. He doesn't see anything or anyone suspicious around, so he goes up to her. ]

Hey.

[When Kokichi had first arrived and met Kaede's friend Erika, he'd been introduced to her familiar first. Her familiar which was a ginormous butterfly. A ginormous butterfly which Kaede was all too happy to push closer and closer to him, despite obviously picking up on his fear. Sure, it was just teasing, but there are just some things that Kokichi can't let go of easily.

And so it was time for revenge.

After things had settled down from Wonderland, and people had time to relax and recuperate (because he's not that cruel and understood that Kaede and her roommate both probably needed time to process All Of That), he made his way to her room in the middle of the night. Carefully, as quietly as he could manage - which was hard to judge but he felt pretty confident! - he picked open the lock on their apartment and opened the door. Creeping in, closing the door again behind him, he glances around the den area first. With nobody there and, therefor, Kaede surely asleep, he creeps his way to the bedroom next.

He peeks his head in, looking between the two beds to figure out which is which (pausing on Minato's because...he hasn't met him yet, and for a hot second he thought that was Shuichi), before making his way into the room and then up and onto the wall and ceiling. Just gonna...crawl along that until he's hovering over Kaede's bed, a cloth bag in hand. No big deal.]

[ Alex has had a busy few weeks. He meant to ask about this sooner, but you know. Dying takes it out of a person. So, presumably out of nowhere: ]

SHSL
Is that really a thing where you come from?

[ BEEP BEEP. Check your Bracer, Kaede, it's Santa on the line.

Just kidding, it's Honoka. ]

KAEDECHAAAAAANNNNNN
r u in your room rn??
i've got something for u! lmk where you are ok??

[ You can tell she's in a hurry because she didn't even add any kaomojis. Astounding. ]

[Kaede will find a tape recorder in front of her door. When played, she can hear a monster song, played on trombone--so something Kaede is guaranteed not to have heard before. It's played simply, such that someone like Kaede would be guaranteed to be able to figure out how to play it herself.]

[Once Shinjiro actually resigned himself to doing the Gifts Thing, Kaede was one of the easier of his friends to shop for. It helps when you have One Highly Visible Passion, and after some back and forth with Garfield, finally manages to find a wind-up music box that plays songs that just so happen to sound very similar to Beethoven and Chopin and Bach. There are some Faerunian plagiarists out here, clearly -- or there are just some intense planar coincidences going on, at least.

It's wrapped up neatly in sparkly wrapping paper, with a standard holiday card tucked into it that has a cute little rabbit with a santa hat on the front and a very simple "happy candlenights" message on it -- which he meant to leave at Kaede's door and promptly skeddaddle, but fate does not care for the best-laid plans of mice and men.

That is to say, just as he reaches the door, aiming to set the box down .... well, the door itself opens up. And perhaps embarrassingly, Shinjiro's first instinct is to. hide the box behind his back. Can I get an f in chat.]

H-...hey.

[A messily-wrapped box, with Kaede's name written directly on the colorful paper. There's a handmade card on top, decorated with stickers and doodles of wintry images like snow, gingerbread men, etc. It's not properly signed, but the signature isn't necessary. On one side of the interior:]

Tall green trees in lights twinkling bright,
Sparkling strands of tinsel and snow pure white,
The smell of hot cocoa and apple cider too,
A very merry Candlenights, from Sayori to you!
[And then on the other side:]

Remember when we talked about Candlenights after Maru? I've been thinking about it a lot. It's not the way I imagined, but it seems like people are still having a good time, aren't they? Even though things went the way they did, I'm really happy I get to spend it with you and all the other wonderful people I've met here!

[Inside the box is a rapier care set consisting of light mineral oil and a metal polishing kit, pajama pants in a soft pink with white pattern, and a brooch. The sheet music protected beneath the glass is familiar to Kaede, but it's probably more planar coincidence.]

Edited 2019-12-26 05:40 (UTC)

[When Kaede wakes up on the day of the 25th, she'll find a simple paper wrapped gift on the foot of her bed. Because of course Kokichi snuck in to leave it there. There are simple doodles all over the brown paper of her and their friends from home, dressed up for Candlenights, and a card taped to the top.

The card is handmade, folded paper with a Candlenights tree doodled on the front and a picture of her using magic on the inside, along with a message.

This is kind of weird, but Candlenights you're supposed to give friends gifts, right? If you make this weird I will have to send one of my many trained assassins after you, just so you know.

The next few lines are heavily scribbled out, like he kept trying to write something but didn't like how it was coming out or changed his mind, before the message continues.

Thanks for being my friend, even with how I am.

- Oma

The gift itself is a necklace with a music bar in the middle attached to a delicate silver chain. There's a few different bottles of nail polish in various pinks, as well as a pair of leather gloves with furred cuffs. It's a thicker material, meant to help protect her hands some.

There's also a kazoo.

(In the kitchen is a box of cookies and chocolates plus a bag of fancy ground coffee, and a note addressed to Minato. Apparently it's a peace offering for always sneaking in.]

[Much, much later in the evening, Kaede gets a text:

Akamatsu-chan you're friends with Sayori-chan, right???
What kind of stuff does she like?
Clearly she likes poetry but like what else?
I need to get her a present.

[ kaede will find a music note shaped 'happiness' omamori blessed by mia and maya, a piano shaped ornament, and a card from maya wishing her happy candlenights! the card is full of doodles of kaede in various poses, such as: playing the piano, saving the seal with minato in lyrabar, and doing heroic paladin poses. it also details how strong and talented and tough and pretty maya thinks kaede is, and how inspiring she is. the card wishes her happiness and safety. ]

Edited 2019-12-26 07:52 (UTC)

[Happy Candlenights! Kaede receives: A music box that plays a beautiful tune when opened. More musical note hair clips.]

[ A day late, there's a wrapped gift for Kaede. It's a little purple and gold music box, simple in design, which opens to a...horse? You get the feeling this was just kind of put together with whatever animal inside. And whatever song?

This was the only one I could find. I'm so sorry. If Garfield won't let you return it, tell him he can have more of my blood.

- Alex ]

Edited (oh my god html) 2019-12-31 22:31 (UTC)

un: crow

un: turntechGodhead: 12/12

dec 15th

12/25

morning of the 26th

un: mrbellucci

one day before....dance

its 3/14 b

Whenever things are calm enough on or after White Day

3/14 White Day

During the corporate retreat