(no subject)

[queendaze]

Who: EVERYONE!!
When: Day 1, early morning but not so early that you'd encounter monsters from last night
Where: Port Perplex
What: You have arrived to the kingdom!

[you weren't sailing that treacherous sea for long--in fact, the ride seemed surprisingly swift, if not potentially sickening. but here you are now, standing in the port of Port Perplex, unloading yourself and your belongings as the old ship sounds its obnoxious horn for the seventh time. and, well, come to think of it, you're not the ONLY one getting off the ship!

on land, you and the others are bombarded by a crowd of cheering townsfolk! they throw confetti over you, try to drape flower neklaces around your neck, and also blast horns PROBABLY RIGHT IN YOUR EAR, ow.]

"Who are these people? Oh... OH! They're here to help us!"

"Thank you! Thank you!"

"Please, have some petals. You like petals, yes?"

"IS MY HORN TOO LOUD FOR YA? WHAT? WHAT DIDJA SAY?"

[...anyway, it doesn't take long for them to disperse and leave you be, assuming you aren't getting caught up in their antics. should you explore further into the town, past the harbor, you'll find that the colorful town looks like it's on the brink of a festival--banners, streamers, bunting, balloons... they're everywhere! is it because of you? one might wonder, but you'll come to find that the town will always look like this from here on out. on the contrary, the beach/cliff area surrounding this little town leaves a LOT to be desired.

the Queen said you'd get a room of your own at the inn if you got a part-time job. well, the Dolph-Inn's visible in the distance. in an act of kindness, the innkeeper will gladly allow you to keep any of your stuff in a room until you get a job! however, should you return jobless by nightfall, the innkeeper will just as gladly toss your belongings onto the street and shove a cardboard box into your arms. yikes.

so... what are you up to?]

((QUICK LINKS: F.A.Q. - SETTING - THE INN - BUSINESSES & JOBS

NOTES: Just a reminder that job acquisition is ~handwaved~, ie nothing about it needs to be actually threaded, and you don't need modly approval to say if your character taking this job or that job is ok or not! It's in your hands, assuming your character takes a job!

ALSO backtagging is totally ok if you join in late, and you are certainly allowed to make posts of your own when you're ready! But just as a reminder, posts should steadily progress time in a linear fashion!))

Comments

[watertabled]

[He looks down at his arms, and then back to her. This colourful collection wasn't really an accident, was it.] That seems practical. The flower industry [...] is booming, here. They probably need plenty of help.

[bydesign]

I've never had a job before, so I'm a little worried. I hope they're patient with me.

What about you? Did you work, back home?

[watertabled]

I did some administrative work for a while, yes.

[More warmly,] We didn't have too many people your [apparent] age there, but there were a few. You'll be fine. They're not going to ask us for impossible things - except maybe in the labyrinths.

[bydesign]

Administrative? But you're so young!

[ She looks about nervous, jostling her things in her arms. ] I can't do the impossible.

[watertabled]

[ ;; ] I- yes. [ no. ] I suppose so.

[That's not what he's pinging off of you, Miss Madoka, but,] We can worry about it when we get there, but whatever our real work is, I doubt it's easy.

[bydesign]

I hope I'm able to handle it... Maybe I wasn't cut out for this.

[watertabled]

Why did you decide to come?

[bydesign]

It's probably... A little bit silly. But I just wanted to be helpful.

[watertabled]

To the queen?

[bydesign]

To anyone.

[watertabled]

. . .

[. . .]

Ah. That's... [broad]

[bydesign]

Sorry, I know that's a kind of weird thing to say.

[watertabled]

Yes. [I mean, it was.] Were you... was that something you struggled with back home?

[bydesign]

A little bit. [ She tries to kind of laugh it off and make it sound like she's joking, because she realizes this is a pretty downer first conversation to have with someone! But she also doesn't really know how to change the subject smoothly. ]

I mean, I'm just a student. And even my grades are just average.

[watertabled]

[He realizes he's being sort of rude! But he's curious/fascinated/concerned, and that totally makes up for prying ( :\ ).]

At magic? [It makes sense from his end of the conversation, okay] I mean, your studies?

[bydesign]

I know a lot of people are from worlds with magic, or even have magic themselves. But my world doesn't have that. It's just a normal academic school that I attend.

To be honest, it's kind of hard to wrap my head around that kind of thing.

[watertabled]

[Staring a little like there's definitely something not lining up here, but he nods slowly.]

It's admirable to want to help others, but- [no he's not getting involved, he isn't. Deep sigh.] You should... be careful. With how you direct that desire.

[bydesign]

[ She nods slowly, but doesn't seem to really... Understand. ]

What do you mean?

[watertabled]

[SO THEY'RE BOTH CONFUSED. Taking a moment to mentally compose.]

Two things. First, everyone is limited in what they can do. They may have this much ability, or this much, [small hand gesture, big hand gesture, he's actively trying not to use some kind of metaphor here,] but even a god or the queen here can't do everything. Every being's duty is first, to exist, so you don't want to run out of steam [dammit] and fail those who rely on you that way.

And second, what people may want help with will conflict with one another. [collision of hands like a fender-bender] "Anyone" is too broad. I believe the queen's intentions are good, but there are certainly people who are not deserving of help, however much they need it, so you should be cautious.

[bydesign]

[ She's quiet, listening carefully and respectfully. Then a moment longer, as she mulls it over. ]

I don't disagree. I think it's important to listen to people you initially wouldn't think should get help, because they may have perspectives you didn't think of... But... You're right. I can't help everyone. And there will also surely be people I want to help, but can't.

But the queen asked me. That must mean I can be of use to her, at least.

[watertabled]

Helping someone who.. goes against what you believe... is a terrible situation to be in.

[A little too earnest there, whoops, okay moment over! His expression smooths back to something blank and cheerful.] But I don't mean to worry you, Miss Madoka, or blunt your edge. You're right too, people are worth hearing out. Let's all just try our best while we're here.

[bydesign]

[ She catches that probably means something, but doesn't want to push it. He's basically a stranger, and that'd be rude! So she goes along with the change in tone. ]

At least here, we all have the same goal. Right?

[watertabled]

[She's definitely the more considerate party here, in that regard.]

That's right. Hopefully that will encourage us to work together.

[bydesign]

And I'm sure that the queen has taken into account that some of us are more capable than others... Right?

[watertabled]

[Do you really need to worry about that?] She did ask all of us, and she is offering... potentially a great deal. She must find the exchange favourable.