westwhere | they had a curio museum

Entry tags:

they had a curio museum

WHO: Lily & you, if you like.
WHEN: Throughout March
WHERE: Ke-Waihu
WHAT: A catchall! Being cursed, blocking cocks, gardening and other adventures.
WARNINGS: None yet

[ open and closed prompts in the comments, happy to switch formats to suit people's preferences! feel free to pm or reach out on plurk if you'd like to plot something else not covered below. ]

Threaded | Flat

“What do you think you’re doing!”

The objection is issued with a fair bit of fervor, and announces Lily even before she climbs out of the dense patch of low-growing bushes to act as interception for the young couple stealing a few kisses behind what Lily had gathered was the general store.

Appalled, the youths - who really couldn’t have been a year or two younger than their accuser - straightened as they gaped at the young lady peering down at them as though she’s spent years herding miscreant youngsters out of shadowy corners.

“You have to think about the consequences of your actions,” the admonishment shouted at their backs as the two locals scurried off, leaving Lily standing with her hands on her shoulders, looking after them with all the disdain an old lady might have after a ball had been kicked into her yard one too many times.

When she turns and catches sight of someone familiar she looks surprised, and then sheepish. “Curse breaking isn’t it?”

(b)

Until the time comes when Lily stumbles out of the undergrowth, a thin branch sticking out of her hair like a droopy antler, she discovers it isn’t a pair of carousing villagers she’s trying to split up, but rather a member of the group.

Paling from shock her shoulders sag as she frowns apologetically. “That is to say - terribly sorry!”

“There you are, I was so worried about you!” There’s no reason for the concern, or for her to sound as delighted as she does as she’s coming across someone she’s undoubtedly spoken with dozens of times. Despite that, however, misplaced it might be there’s real relief on Lily’s face as she approaches, resting a hand on their arm.

The emptiness that had gnawed its way through her since drinking that terrible brew wouldn’t be quelled no matter what she did. It was time to take action, time to round up everything and everyone she cared about and keep them safe somewhere she would always be able to check and verify that they were there.

Maybe then she would be able to get some sleep, maybe then, surrounded by evidence of her stability and faces she loves to see she won’t be plagued by the terror that the very foundations of her life teeter precariously on erosion, ready to fall away and leave her empty and alone forever.

“You’ve got to come with me, I need to make sure nothing’s going to happen to you.”

[ note: If not stopped, Lily will lead characters to a small shed on the fringe of the village originally used to smoke meat, where they can be expected to be ushered inside to hang out with stacks of books, and probably other group members, feel free to roll with whatever tickles your fancy and pm to discuss. ]

Before Taravast, before she’d gotten a chance to witness members of their group spending hours up on the roof of the Palace of the Doxe, Lily would have never considered rooftops when it came to finding a vantage point.

From up high, while safely obfuscated by a Disillusionment Charm she’d done her best to explain to Wangji before casting (he did get very alarmed about magic, lest we forget the box) they could see much. In addition to their vigil, they would need to keep an eye on each other, ensuring that neither went visible unaware, but they had time before that became a concern.

Aware of his penchant for silence, Lily entertains his preference for as long as she’s able to. The village is eerie this time of night, off-putting in a way that really drives the point home just how little she knows about where they are, it’s difficult to sit silently and marinate in that unease.

“What do we know of what’s ruining people’s wells?” Her voice is barely a whisper, spoken in a careful hush after she leans in enough to be heard.

“Is it because of this creature or something else I wonder.” It sounded similar to the ooze the group had encountered before, something she’d already explored in the notebooks she so dutifully kept.

“Stop looking at us like that!”

Lily would have never imagined such fear coming from a vine of cherry tomatoes, but then again, despite having grown up among the exotic plants thriving within the expansive greenhouses back at school she would never have expected to be admonished by what might have otherwise been a lovely salad for lunch.

After sending a message to Eleven and giving him a quick run-down of the bizarre standoff she found herself trapped in Lily sat outside of the cabin she’d been assigned to share with some of the others.

“You look so,” a cucumber spoke up, voice trembling in fear. “So hungry! Like a wolf!”

“Yes, yes a wolf, exactly that!” With some rustling, the bed of lettuce, untended and threatening to go to seed if it wasn’t amenable to being seen to soon gave its input, sounding surprisingly vehement for a leafy green.

“Sharp eyes, that’s what it is. You’re going to put a curse on us, aren’t you?” Once more the cherry tomatoes were the ones to voice their terror, leaving Lily flabbergasted, and looking over her shoulder, waiting for Eleven to turn up.

She had helped him in the garden in Sa-Hareth and wasn’t terrible with plants, but this was a little bit beyond her realm of experience.

Threaded | Flat

– curse breaking 101 a and b (ota)

– one greedy magpie (closed to existing cr)

– here in the hall of heads (for lan wangji)

– veggietales from cabin 9 (for eleven)