[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

video; un bluebird69

[venatoris]

Hey that's awesome, congrats. I'll have to come check it out.

What do you want for your birthday?

[demonicbeauty]

[It's immediately obvious how pleased Ariadne is to see Dean's reply. They're not where they were, what they used to be. But they're on a good path. And she's so grateful to still have him in her life.

Even starting over.]

I don't have the first idea what's right for a birthday, to be honest. We never really celebrated mine.

[venatoris]

I haven't really celebrated mine since I was four. You probably don't want a gift from me anyway... unless you want motor oil and skin rags.

[demonicbeauty]

[She laughs.]

Oh, I don't need gifts. I'd just like to spend some time with the people I know and like, I guess.

[A pause.]

Can I ask you something? Why "bluebird69?"

[venatoris]

Oh good.

[ thank god ]

Oh, uh. It's a Zeppelin reference. From the song Ramble On. It talks about a bluebird and '69 is the year it came out.

[demonicbeauty]

I...didn't understand some of those words. I'm sorry!

What's a Zeppelin?

[venatoris]

It's okay. It's a song, I can let you listen to it sometime if you want?

[demonicbeauty]

I would love that! The music from your world is so different. Unlike anything I've ever heard before!

[venatoris]

Yeah, I bet it is. You're from like, medieval fantasy land, right? What've you guys got, harps and stuff?

[demonicbeauty]

Well, I don't know about "fantasy."

[And she's not even going to touch "medieval." But she shrugs.]

We do have harps, though. Also drums, lutes, ocarinas, pianos. I play the flute!

un: trienemybest; video

[droptheious]

It looks great, Aridane. Really peaceful. [He's worried about the lack of sunlight, quite a bit, and he can't really hide it. ] I really hope it's not gonna be like October was in the dream. With the lack of sun and everything.

[Because October wasn't what bad in Trench, so maybe this is the new awful month.]

And maybe? It's my birthday this month too, but I got my patron gift in November. I guess it depends on if this is your patron month as well, or not. Most of what I've seen of patron gifts are...well, useful. To survive here.

[demonicbeauty]

Well, I'm all for surviving.

[She makes a face.]

But I'm with you, I really don't want another month like those Octobers...

audio; un: doublehedgedsword

[laminae]

Man, the garden's looking great. I hope it'll be okay, I don't like how dark it's been today.

[It reminds him of Octobers back in Deerington, and he knows from firsthand experience how rough long stretches of darkness is on plants.]

Happy early birthday. If you get some kinda present from a Pthumerian, hopefully it isn't junk.

[venatoris]

[ called it ]

Yeah? You like it?

Video; un: darkness

[survivalthroughhate]

It looks wonderful.

[Maul means that sincerely. He's come to a greater appreciation of nature again now that he's been trying to change.]

I shall have to come by and meditate, see what the trees feel like in the Force. How is Riot doing?

[demonicbeauty]

I do. I'm not sure I'm very good, but I have no one to impress so...

[Shrug.]

[demonicbeauty]

Thanks, Fern.

[She frowns.]

Maybe it's just an eclipse? I saw one once before. Although it didn't last nearly this long.

[ruinously]

Well, maybe you can play for me sometime. I'd like to hear it.

[demonicbeauty]

[Maul meditates? This is new information.

And here Ariadne always though meditation made you calm. She can't begin to imagine what he's like when he's not meditating, then...]

Riot's doing all right. I'm just hoping we don't get another...you know. October sort of month.

He needs sunlight!

[demonicbeauty]

[She laughs.]

I'd be honored. Although I'm not sure you'd like it very much. No rocks or rolling involved.

[venatoris]

Wel, you never know. I'm a man of varied tastes.

[ he loves him some taylor swift ]

[laminae]

Huh, maybe it's a Trench eclipse and they just last longer?

[Seems like a reasonable guess to him!]

I just hope the sun isn't totally kaput. That would suck big time.

[demonicbeauty]

That I do know.

[Ariadne grins.]

Which reminds me, I saw your bar. It's very pretty. Michael taught me how to karaoke.

[survivalthroughhate]

[Oh, indeed he does meditate on a near daily basis. It just so happens the way Maul was taught to meditate involves keeping his emotions close at hand and unfortunately his usual emotional state is some sort of anger.

He thinks over what he might be able to do to help Riot. After all, Airy does so love her trees. It would be a shame to have one of them die.]

I could see if I could create a rig that will create artificial sunlight for him. [Maul has a technical mind. He's made custom modifications to his hovercycle and his own ship before, plus rewiring the entirety of his house while he's been renovating it now for two years.] It might help at least temporarily while the darkness is at hand.

[demonicbeauty]

Yeah. Yes. That would...suck.

[Is she using that right? She hopes so.]

There must be a way to...get you light. How did you deal with Octobers in Deerington?