[VIDEO]; UN: [USERNAME NOT SET]

[demonicbeauty]

[Ariadne's gotten good enough with her Omni that the feed only wobbles a little bit when she turns it on.  That's progress!  No one's getting sea sick.  Hopefully.

She's standing on the threshold, between her building and her garden, moonlight lighting up her silhouette.  She's wearing her gold gown, clearly eager to make a good impression.  Her long hair is unbound, falling nearly to her calves in rolling waves.  It gives her the look of some kind of forest spirit (but she's not one, Maul, shut up).

Arrayed behind her is Serenity Garden.  Which would look a bit more impressive in sunlight, but Ariadne's done her best to arrange lanterns to illuminate everything.  She does, however, continually cast a concerned glance over her shoulder.  You can't trust fire, you can't turn your back on it.]

Well, it's April.  So I was planning to announce the opening of Serenity Garden to the public.  It's just meant to be a nice place where you can sit, meditate, talk with a friend, court your lover.  Just be in nature.  All are welcome, but no violence against the other guests or the trees.

...hopefully the sun will be back soon so you can enjoy seeing it in the daylight.

[But it's Trench, so that may not be a sure thing.  She can only hope.

Although, on the subject of hope:]

Also, the anniversary of my birth is at the end of the month.  Does that mean I should expect some kind of mysterious gift?  Any thoughts on what that might be?  Just so I can...prepare myself.

Comments

[demonicbeauty]

Could it be a...very, very long eclipse?

[She knows it's not...]

[droptheious]

You know what, let's call that Option B. Like. The hopeful option.

[AKA the tragically unlikely option. ]

[demonicbeauty]

I rather like hopeful options.

[Even though she knows it's...unlikely.]

I guess it could be worse...

[droptheious]

We definitely could use more of them - especially this month, I feel.

[This feels like it's gonna be a month where optimism is low on the ground. He laughs softly.]

Oh, now you've said that, it's definitely gonna be worse.

[demonicbeauty]

Believe me, if the water turns to blood, it's not because of anything I said.

I don't have nearly that much power.

[A pause.]

Actually, the natives say I'm "waste of potential." I don't have any powers.

[droptheious]

Hah, good. Man, I really don't want the gross blood water again. That was awful.

[Trying to heal from an amputated leg is much less fun when you don't have access to clean water easily.

At her second comment, he snorts. ]

Wasted potential. As said by anyone who doesn't bother to get to know you for like...five seconds.

[demonicbeauty]

Well, some people are just too busy.

[She can't really let it get to her.

Too many other things on her mind, anyway.]

Anyway, sunlight or not, I hope you and Fern will come for a visit.

[droptheious]

Too busy and also wrong.

[Sorry Airy, friendship with Varian means he's ready to fight for you at a moment's notice.]

Oh sure! We'll be around, Fern can come outside with his parasol. We can drop by!

[demonicbeauty]

Good! Because...

[She hesitates.]

I'm kind of hoping you two can give me some advice.

[droptheious]

Oh? Dooooo I get to know what kind of advice beforehand?

[He and Fern don't have a lot of crossover interests, aside from depressing self-worth issues. He's intrigued what she'd need both of them for. ]

[demonicbeauty]

Well, I don't want to get into it too much.

But I'd like to learn about...courtship rituals. Here, I mean. In Trench.

1/? I'll tell you when he's done

[droptheious]

Oh well that's-

2/?

[droptheious]

[Wait what.

Did she say courtship rituals?]

3/?

[droptheious]

[Oh no. Oh no. Oh no why is she asking HIM about this? HIM AND FERN? Does she think they have any earthly clue what they're doing?]

4/?

[droptheious]

[Oh god, she probably thinks they have an earthly clue what they're doing.]

5/6

[droptheious]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

6/7 I lied

[droptheious]

I mean. Sure? But uh. Mostly we just...wing it? And hope we don't make a mess-

done

[droptheious]

[WAIT.]

Wait. Waitwaitwait, why do you need to know? Do you...have someone you...want to...court?

[demonicbeauty]

[The number of facial expressions he cycles through is a bit baffling, to say the least.

Ariadne's almost afraid to reply.]

Maybe?

[droptheious]

[Sorry, Airy, he wasn't expecting this to happen to him today. Still, this is much easier to deal with than trying to give her romance advice so:]

Only maybe huh? Do I know this maybe person? Do they have a name?

[demonicbeauty]

I'm not sure we should really get into this over the network, Varian...

[Voice | UN: JustLuke]

[faithfulson]

[ Interrupting, slightly trolling boyfriend? Who, him? Never! ]

That might be wise.

[ And then faintly, under his breath: ]

...only 'maybe'?

[demonicbeauty]

[Still on video, this is the face of true humiliation:

Note the flush of lavender in her cheeks.

Observe the wide eyes.

And's not forget the little squeak that manages to emerge from her throat.

Yes, this is a truly mortified look.]

[droptheious]

[OH YES THIS IS-

...Someone he's never heard before. He might be kinda...squinting at the screen. He won't talk because he'll be nice and respect his friend's wishes, but oh boy is he making note of that username, Good Sir!!!]

[droptheious]

OH! [Oh snap he just realised this was public.] Okay, no problem. We'll uh- drop by sometime.