video, un:charon

[notimeforfailure]

[Lysithea appears on the screen in front of a doorway painted mint green, looking grim, but resolute. Her arm is in a sling and she has obvious scars and cuts across her face and neck, but at the very least, she is in one piece. She couldn't say the same for some of her friends.]

I am one day late.

I am pleased to announce...

[And here she makes a gesture with her good hand, and it becomes clear that this is a recording through the eyes of her Omen. The bird flaps back a few feet to reveal a recently renovated building that looks, if not grand, at least, well... intact.]

The grand opening of the Patisserie Lysitherie. Located in the Willful Machine, [address here], five minutes' walk from the closest Lamp Friend.

[Lysithea steps inside and her Omen follows to showcase part of the interior.]

...I'm sure I've prattled on about my business long enough, so I won't bore you with more details. Just know that our trade rates are exceedingly reasonable, and we seek to procure only the finest ingredients from the docks. It is winter, of course, so temper your expectations accordingly. Additionally, all purchases will come with a package of Weeping Wafers, our first in-house concoction. The taste is nutty and earthy with hints of nutmeg and almond. It's delicate - and not excessively sweet.

Most importantly, it is made with raw, diced Weepers.

After the... occurrences of the previous month, I imagine we could all benefit from their magic. If you seek mental stability, come by and we're happy to provide you with free samples. Don't take too many, though - I don't know what the effects are if you overdose.

...Well, that's all. Thank you for your business.

[...It is evident that Lysithea has no idea how to end this. After a moment, she looks around awkwardly and then dips her head as if in a bow before the transmission cuts.]

[action, ota, at the Patisserie]
[Lysithea will be manning the sweets shop during business hours. Her employees are welcome to join her when they're free - she could use some extra help, given her dislocated wrist. Drop by to sample normal baked goods, Weeper products, or simply strike up a conversation.

On slow days, Lysithea can be found eating her Weeping Wafers and fingering what appears to be an old research journal of some sort.]

Comments

action

[entreats]

[ Is Ange's job around the bakery mostly just to taste things and look pretty? Yes.

But as she's rapidly realising that Lysithea's sling situation isn't better yet, Ange does show up at the bakery during some of the earlier days of December to help out a little more than she usually would. Though she's smart enough to stay away from actually making any food, instead helping out with helping customers. She's looking.. mostly recovered, though perhaps at times still a bit slower or more absent than she'd usually be. But at least she's not dropping anything when handing baked goods over to customers, so that's something, right.

Look, even if she's a little tired, she's not going to let Lysithea go without that little bit of extra help when she can clearly use it. ]

You sure picked some time to open this place. [ Ange speaks up to the other when things are thankfully a little more quiet for a few minutes. ] .. Then again, given the nature of this place, I guess any time might be 'some time' here.

[ You know, 'some time', as in a time when Wild Things Have Happened. ]

[imaglyphwitch]

Well. I caused dead bodies, though not that I enjoyed that part, back in Deerington. I'm not exactly clean there.

[It was an issue Luz was still grappling with: the idea that she's somehow tainted herself by seeing things she shouldn't have. Things just felt uglier, and she didn't know how to resolve that yet].

It wasn't good, to see that stuff, but I'm right along with you!

[Ok, you asked Lysithea. Luz looked at her friend hard a moment, then took a breath].

I haven't had one night of good sleep. I'm coping, because the house needs me to be Luz, the girl that's helpful and happy. But I don't...I can't feel happy right now. All I can do is close my eyes and be that girl hooked up to the tubes that took my blood.

Nothing feels the same anymore.

[onerthes]

Mmm, yes. I'm aware. I think I'm going to assume that the lunatics have lost sight of reality. But it's hard to be entirely certain. Nothing seems on the surface dependent. The Pthumerians aren't exactly forthcoming.

For the most part, I think I might describe the difference as more "surreal" here and more "horrifying" in the nightmare, if that makes sense?

[vibing]

[ He does in fact keep his lips pressed tight together, leaning away from her, and shoves the plate closer to her.

They are pretty good. More apple-y than the real apple gels, but he always thought they should be. When she eats it, she'll feel relief for whatever's ailing her-- not much, but some. Not as good as real apple gels in that way, but, hey, he only has mushrooms to work with. ]

One of the washed up ships. Found a whole bunch of them.

[ Still leaning away. Does not want the mushroom, no thanks, nope. ]

[thunderingcourage]

What's it like, and maybe we can find something that's an alright substitute.

[royalfling]

No, no! Not that. He's just... having a hard time. Getting a little smokey, you know?

[ Does she know? He doesn't know if that's a normal corruption symptom either ]

I'm not that worried, I just want to head it off. Before it gets worse.

[eudaimonikos]

[Michael chuckles. It's a little easier to laugh about the squid thing with the benefit of distance, and Lysithea not knowing about his Squid Baggage.]

Well, I'm happy to design a few outfits for you to start, but you probably won't be needing new ones of those every week. We can just work out a cash payment.

[notimeforfailure]

[Lysithea will refrain from asking her to identify a specific flavor of jam after that much hesitancy and simply bring something out from a tray with her good hand.]

Try this.

It's, er... a sort of apple mash with cinnamon tucked into a bun.

[notimeforfailure]

Noa fruit...?

[Lysithea finds it difficult to think of a reasonable description on the spot.]

Er...

Well, the taste is quite sweet. But mellow - not overwhelming. The fruit is soft, a bit like a peach, but with more fragrance and sharper flavor.

It's hard to describe it. It... tastes like Noa fruit.

[It's like trying to describe the taste of an apple.]

[notimeforfailure]

No...

[Lysithea shakes her head.]

It won't be. Innocence lost cannot be regained, nor can trauma be so easily shaken off. It does become a part of you, in a way...

But that's alright, you understand.

You shouldn't be the same person you were before this happened. You shouldn't take on the burden of having to pretend, on top of everything else.

[notimeforfailure]

[Lysithea amuses herself by occasionally glancing sharply at his face as if searching for an ideal opportunity to stuff a mushroom into his mouth unawares. She will probably not do that.

...Probably.]

Oh - I do like these. Very soft.

[She chews thoughtfully.]

It's really the feeling of squishing it in your mouth that's satisfying.

[...She takes another one.]

And they're medicinal?

[notimeforfailure]

Erm.

[Lysithea frowns, her brows furrowing deeply.]

I... don't know.

Is he releasing smoke? That does seem to be more than a bit concerning. I'll give you two dozen wafers.

[Mako gets special treatment.]

[notimeforfailure]

...I'll take some outfits, actually.

[Lysithea responds after a moment's consideration.]

To tell the truth, to get this venture started, I traded quite a lot of my nice clothes at the beginning.

There's no money, of course, but I'll take any stones or feathers or goods you get as payment.

[notimeforfailure]

That's essentially what I figured.

[Lysithea remarks conversationally as she approaches the counter with a freshly baked tray of scones. No one really likes scones all that much, she has found, but it seems to be expected that a bakery would make scones.]

If I wait until there's nothing going on, I'm sure it would never have opened. Besides... my original plan was November 15th.

[That obviously didn't work out.]

...Speaking of unfortunate times, though - how are the injuries? Are they healing up alright?

[Ange seems to be doing very well in comparison to late November. Lysithea feels a vague sort of pride about this - perhaps her healing is acceptably adequate, after all.]

[danserai]

[ ahiru takes it eagerly, giving it a big bite. ]

Mmm, that's so gooooood.

[deadboywalking]

Oh, that's...good. I mean, that it'll heal. Not that it happened.

[He nods, looking a little...perturbed by this, actually.] Nothing happened to me this month. Which is...really weird.

[imaglyphwitch]

I'm starting to. There's something else though.

When I was in Deerington, at one point I met this jaded future version of myself. She was dying, and she'd lost all hope in anything. Even after the whole thing with the cave guys, I refused to be like that. I thought, "I'll always have hope, I won't be like HER."

But I wonder if I made that choice the moment I decided to stay here. I didn't have to feel scared all the time. I could have chosen to go back. I wanted to come back here, to be with you all, to have a life here.

So why does a part of me feel like I'm being punished for making that choice?

[thunderingcourage]

Maybe we could try some kind of melon and get pretty close, or an apricot if you said it's like a peach.

[eudaimonikos]

What is money, if not shiny rocks humans like?

[Michael's seen all sorts of forms of currency go by - it's all the same.]

Sure, that sounds good. Any particular requests, or you want me to come up with some sketches for you? [You can see his general sense of style by looking at him, he likes classy styles and bright colors.]

[royalfling]

He's just... smoking? His skin is smoking. It is very concerning, Lysithea, and I don't know what I can do to help him! You know Mako, it's all blah blah I'm surly blah. He won't let me help him!

[ Wu lets out a long-suffering sigh, waving his hand emphatically ]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I hope they work! All my clothes are starting to smell like smoke because of him. I'll come by and pick them up, and-- oh one of those little cakes? The really delicate ones? He loved those.

[vibing]

...they're not candy.

[ Except, they kind of are, here. He sighs, shaking his head. ]

I tried? Used some of the mushrooms. I dunno how good they are, but they'll do something. The mushrooms add a kinda... smokey taste, but it's better than the normal ones, from back home. Too sweet, y'know.

[ But it's still nice, that she likes them. He doesn't take the plate away, she can eat as many as she wants, but at least now she knows that they do have the mushroom in them.

His mouth is available, for mushroom stuffing. He thinks he won, for now. ]

[onekindsoul]

[It takes everything in Ruby not to burst out laughing but she just about meets Lyisthea's eyes behind the hidden eyeholes. Her vision isn't super great because she's had to hold her prosthetic eye shut less it's red light seep through.

When Lysithea starts to wave she'll just reach out with a gloved hand and tape it against her palm.

This is how you do it. She'll give a thumbs up and then tap the hand again.]

[notimeforfailure]

[Lysithea watches with pleasure.]

Great.

And what about this?

[A second bun is stuffed in her hands with a berry filling.]

[notimeforfailure]

[lysithea is very confused]

Ah.

[...what is happening here]

I'm sorry, are you -- ?

[Lysithea takes her other hand and taps it against her own upraised palm. This is clearly what is desired by the dancing cupcake.]

[notimeforfailure]

Hm, well...

It can't hurt to try to mix different things. The problem, of course, is that it's winter -- getting any fruit at all right now is difficult. I have some preserves and canned things for use in the treats to tide us over until spring.