S'mores! And a Request

[hearthwarming]

Sender: Oriphi
To: All
Subject: S'mores! And a Request

Hello, everyone!

Since there are so many new dreamwalkers who've just arrived, I thought it might be nice to encourage everyone to get together and meet! There is a communal firepit in a clearing just outside of the residential area where I've got a fire going, and I have plenty of supplies to make "s'mores," which I only just learned about recently. (Thank you, Miss Tifa!) If you haven't had this before, please come and try it, it's delicious!

Additionally, I have a request for everyone to please keep an eye out for a few individuals... I realize that this may be in vain since their names did not appear in the directory, but just in case...

Colin
He is a tall, half-elven man with long, dark hair. He is very charismatic and funny and likely to be found busking with his lute somewhere or telling stories!

Aerie
Also tall, but fully an elf, very pretty and intelligent, also with dark hair (but not related to Colin!). She usually has three wolves with her. Extremely competent hunter!

Mellon
Also tall, also fully an elf, he usually does not wear a shirt. He loves to drink and might try to clear out any supply of alcohol... Please do not get into a tavern brawl with him.

Dae
Also tall, and also fully an elf, with white hair and red eyes. He is very good at magic and possibly would want to spar with you! Would likely have an owl familiar with him.

Cibark
Even taller and very very strong! He is a half-orc with green skin and usually wears armor and wields large weapons. He has a very dashing and heroic aura about him!

Sian
Not tall! They usually wear a cloak and a mask. Usually quiet but very sassy. They might be flying around, but they also don't usually remember that they can do that.

[ Ori why are you always surrounded by tall people ]

If at any point in the future you come across anybody who seems to fit these descriptions, please let me know!

(( ooc: Naturally open to these moving into or starting as an action thread! Come get s'mores! Or not. I can't tell you what to do. ))

Comments

sender: kinomoto

[keystaff]

s'mores? Those are chocolate and biscuits or something? Right? With marshmallows, I think? I've not had them but I think I've heard of that sort of thing? Should I bring anything too? I only recently got here so I'm still figuring things out, but. I feel like I should.

But I can keep an eye out for your friends! I know I already miss my friends and family, from home.

[hearthwarming]

That's exactly it! If you'd like to, you're more than welcome to come and try them! A fellow dreamwalker showed me
how to make them recently and now I'm sharing this with everybody! And there's no need to bring anything, just yourself. You've only just arrived, after all.

Thank you! I'm sorry, I know that it can be really hard here sometimes when you miss friends and family... but you're not alone here, too!

[ And that's exactly why she's trying to get people to come out - to remind them that they're all in this together! ]

[keystaff]

If it's okay and there is enough. I'd like to try! You're sure I shouldn't bring anything? Drinks? Or more marshmallows or something for the s'mores?

I've just never really been away from home before, besides school trips. So this is going to take some adjusting to. But I'm sure I'll be alright!

[hearthwarming]

I really appreciate your offer, but we'll be fine! Maybe bring a light jacket or blanket just in case, since it might get chilly, but other than that please do not worry!

Oh, I should also mention - when you arrive, please look out for someone with horns and a tail. That would be me. Please don't be afraid to say hello!

[ Ori frowns at the rest of the message, though. This person must be quite young... She'll do her best to make sure they can be comfortable here! She can't imagine how difficult it must be to be all alone here at such an age. ]

It will, but like you said - you will be all right! There are plenty of us here who can help you if you ever feel lonely or need assistance with anything.

[keystaff]

Okay. I'll keep an eye out. Horns and tail, got it!

I'm not sure what to say about me. I'm pretty normal I guess. Short light brown hair, green eyes. Human. I'm thirteen. I'm used to helping out back home with cleaning and the washing and cooking but not doing it all on my own all the time? But I'm sure I'll figure it. Thank you.

[hearthwarming]

[ Ah, thirteen... she's so young...! ]

Wow! It's great that you can do all of those things. Like I said, there really are plenty of very kind and helpful people around here, so please don't hesitate to reach out whenever you need help!

I'll see you soon!

[ Whenever it is that Sakura finds her way to the communal fire pit, Ori will be there with the few other people who have likewise responded to this entry or have simply decided to spend some time out here for the evening. Either way, Ori will be fussing over the bonfire with a smile and making sure it keeps going, horns and tail and all. ]

[keystaff]

I will! I'll be there soon!

[It just takes her a bit, even with mostly having her bearings in starting to learn her way around in figuring directions. It isn't the most subtle, with the fire and all. She does make her way there though, glancing around, curious. And a little unsure given she knows there won't be any familiar faces from home, at least as far as she has figured, yet. But she had been invited. And some others might be new too.

First off she glances around though in search of Oriphi, looking for the telltale horns and all as she had been told to. It isn't too hard to spot her at least,over by the fire. She approaches, giving a sheepish and almost hesitant wave.]

[hearthwarming]

[ Ori looks up as she sees somebody approach, and upon seeing Sakura, her smile brightens as she returns the wave, though hers is given more enthusiastically. ]

Oh, hello! Kinomoto from the journals, right...? I'm Ori.

[ She gestures for the young girl to sit down anywhere. ]

And... welcome! Please make yourself comfortable!

[keystaff]

Ah, yes! Kinomoto Sakura! Or....Sakura is my first name. Kinomoto is my family name.

[Just to explain. Given she does at least know that some - most other cultures have the given name first and family name last. Where Japan is the other way around. She does glance around before taking a seat, straightening her skirt as she does. In a way this is almost the sort of atmosphere of camping on a school trip or something.]

[hearthwarming]

[ Cozy camping is absolutely the vibe that Ori has gone for with this gathering; it's highlighted further by the fact that the tiefling, who's happy that so many people seem to appreciate this offer and gesture of hers, seems to be manifesting her dreamotion energy in the form of little firefly-like motes of light that are floating in the air around the area.

She tilts her head curiously at the young girl. ]

Oh, I see! Would you prefer that I call you Sakura, then...?

[ She's made a habit of asking whenever she meets someone new here. It's only polite, after all, and everyone comes from such different places! ]

[keystaff]

If that's easier I don't mind. Some call me Sakura back home.

[This. Definitely isn't Japan, after all. So of course others might not be as aware on the honorifics, the whole thing around names here. Sakura does also seem rather distracted with the lights, her gaze catching them from the corner of her eye as she watches them, admiring and curious.]

[hearthwarming]

Sakura...

[ She repeats it once more, just to make sure that she's saying it correctly. ]

That's a very pretty name!

[ The attention that Sakura pays to the floating lights doesn't escape Ori's notice, and she chuckles a little. ]

Do you like the lights?

[keystaff]

I guess my mother loved the trees, the flowers in spring.

[Her mother already had that name in mind. When she had Sakura. And it does fit. The name suiting her for her optimism and the way she draws people in the same way the cherry blossom festivals do. She tilts her head as she watches the lights before glancing back to Oriphi with a smile and a rather enthusiastic nod.]

Yes! They're pretty. Is that...you? Are you making them?

[hearthwarming]

[ Oh, Ori is already so endeared. What a sweet girl, and she can only imagine how sweet her mother must have been to have given her such a name. ]

That's right... "sakura" refers to cherry blossoms, don't they?

[ Ori smiles at Sakura before she closes her eyes. The motes of light floating around them seem to still for a moment before they shift and change, unfurling into little glowing, pink petals. When she opens her eyes, she gives a soft little laugh and nods at Sakura. ]

You're right! It's dreamotion.

[keystaff]

Yes, that's right!

[Sakura tilts her head a little, admiring and curious about the lights. Her green eyes widening a little as they seem to shift, to change to petals. Sure, she had Flower before, the card that created flowers, but still. This was still pretty amazing, even if she herself was considered the most powerful back home, her power growing as she gets older.]

It's so pretty!

[hearthwarming]

[ The young girl's awe really warms Ori's heart, despite the slight chill of the early spring evening, and the floating petals glow just a little bit brighter. ]

I'm glad you think so!

[ It's then that Ori turns to rummage through the various supplies she's obtained for this gathering and then holds out a stick with a marshmallow pierced through its tip for Sakura, holding another one for herself in her other hand. ]

If you'd like, we can try to make more lights together after we have our s'mores?

[keystaff]

Together? You think I could do that?

[Sure. She had the Glow card back home for a good while, but. This is different? This is not the Cards. This was something else. She's still new and learning about this place, the particular abilities here. She isn't sure if this was something the other could do back home or something specific to this place that she could also learn. She does take the offered stick though, thanking the other and figuring the rest to add to the marshmallow. Holding it out to the fire for a little.]

[hearthwarming]

Of course! Every dreamwalker is capable of using dreamotion. I think it comes to some more easily than others, but...

[ Ori is likewise in the process of roasting her marshmallow, with a smile on her face still.]

That's why practice is important! I'm sure that you'll get the hang of it in no time. Are you familiar with magic, Sakura?

[keystaff]

Eh? M-magic? Um, that is.....

[Does she admit it? She isn't sure yet. Only having recently arrived and so used to only certain few back home knowing. Or a few others knowing but she herself isn't aware they know what is going on with her, with her abilities over the years. She fidgets, debating on whether to be honest.]

I know of magic back home?

[It isn't a lie? Just not. The whole truth in that she herself has magic? Sakura relents in at least that much, as she watches, trying not to burn her delicious treat from Oriphi.]

[hearthwarming]

[ Ori, meanwhile, is asking purely out of politeness - she comes from a world where magic is ever-present and nothing like a close-kept secret, but she's met a few people by now who come from places where it either isn't as prevalent, or doesn't seem to exist at all.

So she doesn't read too much into Sakura's response - and in the first place, trying to gain insight into the words of a young girl doesn't sit quite right with her, even when she and her sister were surely up to no good at that age. ]

Oh, is that so? I'm only asking because where I'm from, magic can be very common, depending on where you are. I can use magic, too, so I think that really helped me get the hang of using dreamotion rather easily.

[ She glances over at her marshmallow and then at Sakura's and, after briefly evaluating their appearance, she adds, ]

That's almost done! We definitely wouldn't want to burn the marshmallows, haha...

[keystaff]

I know magic is a thing back home. I just didn't expect to end up in a place like this? But I guess. If it's a dream, anything is possible, right?

[Let's. Not focus on the potential for nightmares? Not reminding herself of that one dream with Syaoran and the robes. Nope. Focusing on the delicious gooey, sugary goodness of the s'mores as it heats up with the fire and starts to melt some with the chocolate. Sakura's so far trying to avoid actually admitting or showing her magic to anyone yet. Even if that might not last the longest.]

But ah! Right!

[Don't want them getting too crispy being distracted with the conversation! Sakura is quick to withdraw hers, blowing on it to try cool it some, as she gives it a moment before tentatively trying it in hoping it isn't too hot.]

[hearthwarming]

Oh, absolutely! I've been here for around five months, now, and I've experienced some rather impossible things... haha. I'm sure you've already experienced it a bit, too, right?

[ And that's coming from a lady whose world has dinosaurs and demon frogs and griffons and things like that.

In any case, Ori follows suit with her s'more, assembling it into the melty chocolatey gooey goodness that it is now that the marshmallow has been roasted. She holds hers up at Sakura with a smile and patiently waits for the young girl to ready hers! ]

Ta-dah! Shall we get to the best part, Sakura?

[keystaff]

Five months.....that is a long time.

[She isn't sure she wants to imagine. That long, without her friends or family. Sakura can't help fretting over that, in realizing just how long she might be here for. It has her pursing her lips, glancing down to her lap with her marshmallow. She's distracted from dwelling on it too much with Oriphi's question though.]

But ah, yes!

[She grins, finishing putting together her own s'more, imitating Oriphi with the order of the marshmallow and chocolate and crackers.]

[hearthwarming]

[ Oh, that momentary trepidation on Sakura's face is apparent to Ori, who realizes that she hadn't considered how 'five months' really is such a long time - especially to be away from your home at a young age. She promises herself, then, to be present for Sakura in whatever way the young girl will allow her to be! The other dreamwalkers will never be a replacement for her friends or family at home, but... they can at least make sure that she doesn't feel alone.

Starting with providing her with treats like s'mores. Mirroring her grin, Ori then turns her attention back at her s'more and takes a nice, big, gooey chomp out of it, humming with delight at the sweetness of it all before she casts another sidelong glance at Sakura to gauge her reaction. ]

Mmmph-?

[ (That's Ori asking Sakura what she thinks.) ]

[keystaff]

[Sakura is of course, oblivious to that warm, protective instinct she elicits from others. Merely doing her best after arriving here to get to know others, to get to know this place and figure what she is to do next while she is here, however long that might be for.

She gives her own little hum of joy at the treat, savoring it with small bites initially. She raises a hand to her mouth as she can't help giggling at Oriphi. But somehow she does seem to understand the question in giving a nod, swallowing before agreeing.]

It's really good!