EVENT: A Certain Confession

[joybound]

Who: everybody!
When: Day 16, evening
Where: wherever you are

[As the sun sets and the new stars come out, there's a message on the ChainChat app. The username is new -- it's not The Construct, but it also doesn't have a profile attached, and doesn't accept private messages. It appears to be some different admin account.]

★: Hi everyone. Good news and bad news here. Good first: you should find your new train car attached as of this message! You guys wanted a garden, so hopefully you'll like this one.
★: As for the bad news: we're having a bit of a problem generating positive energy, so from now on we're adjusting the whole "sparks of light" thing. Starting tomorrow, you'll only get a payout when you consciously make a decision to increase your bonds. We're talking about increasing prices, too, but... one thing at a time.
★: Sorry for the bad timing.

[There's a pause, and then a follow-up.]

★: There are some things I ought to explain now, but I'm not sure where to start. Just be aware that things might get rougher in the future. And that Trials... I might've lied a little about those.
★: I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen. Please try to hang in there.

[It's not a cheerful message, but on the upside, there is in fact a new train car at the end! On the outside it looks like one of the communal cars, with a stylized flower symbol on the door. Inside, however, it's a huge greenhouse. There are several different "rooms", each about 50 feet square, aligned to different climates. It also comes with various basic gardening tools - trowels, gloves, etc -- and enough seedlings to get started growing flowers and veggies. There's always (artificial) sunshine coming down through the glass roof, and the soil in the beds never loses fertility. There are even benches here and there -- it's not only a practical facility, but a nice place to relax!

More seeds and seedlings, equipment, and decor, can be bought via the sparks shop. You may in the meantime assume any simple plants you want are provided -- but they won't be re-issued for free if you kill them!]

[OOC: You can use this toplevel to reply to the prince's chat message. He'll respond for a limited time, but you can use this opportunity to uncover some major plot info! You're also more than welcome to talk to eachother -- it's a chat room and the conversations are public. The changes to the sparks system are outlined in this OOC comm announcement. Thank you!]

Comments

[nihilmancy]

It was a joke. I'm not going to mix things like that, I was simply remarking on what appears to be my new reputation.

[desirestruth]

Is it a reputation if it's just one person, Hlasoh?

[She's continuing on her planting while she talks, only now and then picking up her chain to respond to the Prince. She doesn't look outwardly angry...but then, she wasn't around to hear any of the Prince's initial words, anyway.]

[nihilmancy]

Don't look down on me.

...And fuck that guy. Seriously.

[desirestruth]

You know, for all you assume I do, I've never once looked down on you?

[She sighs, and shrugs a little, methodically planting the roses around the bed. She is setting it up so taller growing bushes cluster at the center of the bed, to short, squatter bushes around the outside. She thinks it'll be a pretty effect.]

...He seems like a child.

[nihilmancy]

I suppose it's just that monarchical nature coming out.

[She examines the arrangement, nodding. She likes flowers and pretty things.]

That will look nice. I suppose I'll have to involve myself in this.

I've met him. He didn't seem to be taking this business seriously enough, he was all smiles and jokes.

[desirestruth]

I mean, he seems literally like a child. A teenager, maybe. Unprepared for the responsibilities of a crown.

[She pauses in her gardening, and then hands Hlasoh some seed packets. Flowers, mostly, with some flowering herbs.]

You'll have to till beds first, but pick some you like. They are labeled. I'm not sure what colors of roses we'll get, yet.

[nihilmancy]

[She looks at the packets, musing.]

Chrysanthemums. And Irises. Those were- no, never mind. I just want them here. And basil too.

[She has a Look on her face, a soulful, sorrowful, determined look that brooks no disagreements.]

[desirestruth]

Basil and other herbs should be kept in a different room, so we can harvest them easily for cooking. But there shouldn't be any problem with that.

[She is considering these choices as she gets up from the rose beds, dusts herself off.]

...Chrysanthemums and snapdragons in one bed, irises and narcissus in another. They'll pair well, help each other grow. And we can add more colors later.

[nihilmancy]

You're right. And naturally, we should have our own team's herbs in their garden, for whatever that means. Which isn't much lately. But thyme and ginger will be nice for cooking.

[desirestruth]

'Isn't much lately'?

[Hlasoh. C'mon. But she's pausing, and considering.] Licorice is often used in sweets, and senna and jasmine have medicinal purposes. I'm a little uncertain about clover, but I'm sure there's uses for it as well.

[nihilmancy]

Crow wasn't the central issue. But I'm sure other teams have felt it too. This arrangement is unstable.

[nah, she's just really bitter and bad at emotions and communicating.]

I have heard that senna is an effective laxative.

[desirestruth]

I haven't.

[She pauses, and just stares at Hlasoh. She's trying very hard to not go "is that why you are spewing forth more bullshit", because that'd be unproductive.]

This arrangement is not the core problem. A lack of communication, trust and understanding, as well as constant fear and distrust--of each other--is the enemy. Literally, from the sound of it.

[She is picking out some chrysanthemum seeds to get started planting.]

If you don't trust your team, that's none of my business. If you don't trust anyone here, that becomes everyone's problem. We must not let the Prince's incompetence undermine the only weapon we have to work with.

[nihilmancy]

[Okay, I could address this, but consider also: not]

Mm. You'll want to make sure not to overcrowd them.

[desirestruth]

I tended the royal gardens, Hlasoh, but thank you.

[Doop doop doop. Just gonna plant flowers and let you stew in your emotional problems!]

[nihilmancy]

[this is what she meant, you're so smug!]

Wonderful. I'm sure you'll do a great job, then.

[She pulls out her flute and begins playing a tune.]

[desirestruth]

[MAYBE IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE ANY INDICATION OF SKILL AS SMUGNESS, HLASOH?]

Maybe, maybe not. We'll just have to wait and hope it's enough without magic.

[nihilmancy]

[YOU'RE JUST BRAGGING AND LORDING OVER IT]

Mm, indeed. I am, and perhaps you do not believe me, truly looking forward to the results.

[desirestruth]

[No????? Get your projecting out of my narration boxes!]

Why would I not believe you?

[nihilmancy]

Do I look like a cheerful, optimistic person?

[desirestruth]

No. But you do look like someone who likes flowers.

[nihilmancy]

Yes. I am. I like many things, actually.

[desirestruth]

I look forward to finding out about them.

[Emotional terrorism is one of Naeva's favorite pastimes.]

[nihilmancy]

[Uuuugh she knows what this feeling is and she has so much ambivalence that it's happening to her

to her it's an aching longing, something that she denies herself but has let slip in piece by piece over the years working with the Committee. It's friendship. Or the beginnings of it, anyway.]

Melodramatic fantasy, romance, drama novels.

[desirestruth]

[She doesn't stop her work, but she does pause, tapping a shovel to her chin briefly.]

...Kind of a shame we don't have a library, come to think.

[nihilmancy]

That's why I bought myself a few books that I remembered.