songerein | [closed] Everyone's so serious all the time. Boooooring.

[To say that Hilda has not enjoyed the summer thunderstorms is an understatement. Downpours are awful enough on their own, but the addition of starfish of all things just makes the experience that much more unpleasant. More than once during the ~~Garland Moon~~ month of June, she's been caught outside when the sky has opened up and sent her screeching for cover.

If there's a bright side to all of this, however, it's that the starfish themselves are quite pretty. The surviving ones give off a soft glow, while the less-fortunate ones still have enough sparkle to be useable for crafting. With that in mind, Hilda is out after the most recent storm with a couple of glass jars and a bucket, collecting starfish both living and dead.

As she goes about her business, she bumps into a young woman who seems to be a bit younger than she is.]

Oh, I'm sorry. Wasn't looking where I was going.

[ Susato, on the other hand, finds the weather quite soothing for reading. She has no complaints in that regard, at least, but she isn't doing any reading indoors today. She also finds herself collecting the starfish, having a jar of her own when Hilda bumps into her.

There aren't too many just yet. Some keep dying as she's been fiddling with the salt ratios, and she ends up having to toss them into the Wild Harvest's ponds like coins. But at the moment, she seems to have enough that they glitter and coat the bottom of the jar.

She looks up, a little surprised, but otherwise doesn't seem overly fazed. ]

Oh! No, it's alright. I usually pay more attention when I'm walking. Are... Are you collecting them as well?

[Oh good, the girl seems okay. No harm done, then!]

I am. I really like how they look in the jars, and the ones that have already dried up are too pretty to waste. I bet I could make all kinds of really nice jewelry with them.

[After a pause, Hilda sets her bucket down to smile and hold out her hand.]

I've seen you around--you're the girl in The Wild Harvest, right? I'm Hilda.

[ Jewelry? She seems to glance into her jar, as if considering it for the first time, but then nods, giving her a friendly, customer-service type smile. ]

That's correct! I'm Susato Mikotoba, one of the cooks there. We recently had to clear many starfish off the roof, in fact, Miss Hilda.

[ More so the roof of Kazuma's house, rather than the Harvest itself, but still. ]

Most of them were far larger than these, though.

Nice to meet you, Susato. And no need with the "Miss" thing. I'm not nearly old enough for that kind of formality.

[She's only 19! And she has no interest in putting on noble airs while she's here--and hasn't for some time now. Weird to think it's been over half a year now.

Susato's description of cleaning starfish off of the rooftop causes Hilda to look up on the roof nearest to them and wrinkle her nose slightly.]

That must have been pretty rough. Especially with the big ones. Those kind of creep me out.

[ Still older than Susato! She would rather be polite than not. She still uses 'Miss Tifa' at work sometimes, and they've known each other for months.

Susato gives a sigh as if she is relieved Hilda understands. ]

Yes! Mainly when they're all dried out. What a nightmare . . . [ Pun not intended. ] He did all the hard work, though. He was afraid the roof would collapse.

[Fair enough, but Hilda's not going to stop trying to get her to stop being so formal either. They'll just have to go around like this a few times every so often until one or the other accepts it.

That's for future them to deal with, however. Currently, Hilda nods in understanding.]

Ugh, I can't even imagine. At least the tiny ones look like beads and not weird spiky star things. And good for you, getting the guy to do the heavy lifting. Delicate girls like us can only do so much, you know?

[Which is a bold-faced lie, at least as far as she's concerned. But Susato doesn't need to know that she's stronger than she looks thanks to Crest magic, does she?]

Who is "he" though?

[Look, Hilda's a bit of a gossip. It's probably fine.]

[ Susato has no reason to question Hilda and her secret axe-wielding ways for the moment. She does seem delicate, though it leaves Susato wondering if she herself comes off that way as well. Fragile.

It's not bad. It's fitting for a girl of her time. She is accepting of this fact, but she's no longer sure that she likes it. ]

Oh! The... The owner. He's... [ ......It looks like she's about to say something else, but she continues, ] It was his idea to go up on the roof, so I'm not sure I got him to do much of anything... really. If you've been to the Harvest, perhaps you have met?

[Hilda's relationship with the ~delicate~ expectations of her femininity is very different than Susato's, and she mostly uses it as an excuse to get away with what she wants. If people see her as weak and incapable, then they can't put their expectations onto her and she can't disappoint them. Everyone wins.

This is a totally healthy mindset and she will not be taking criticism at this time, thanks.]

Oh, right. His name is Kaza-something? [Hilda, you didn't even try.] I guess it makes sense that he wouldn't want the roof to cave in.

Hopefully we won't be worrying about these storms for too much longer.

Kazuma. Kazuma Asogi.

[ She corrects her politely but seriously before saying anything else. Then her expression seems to soften once she speaks his name. ]

Hmm. The storms will likely last through the summer months, at least, but we will see. [ Who knows how dream weather works. ]

...Could you really make jewelry out of these smaller stars?

Right. Kazuma.

[That's what she said, isn't it? Although she does note the way her new friend softens at the mention of the name. Just going to tuck that thought away for later~]

I hope they don't, but it's possible. We'll have to keep our fingers crossed that dream weather is kind to us and lets up sooner rather than later. Or at least stops with the starfish.

[Speaking of, she grabs one of the smaller dried out ones and turns it around in her hands.]

It depends on how fragile they are, but I think so. You could make these into really pretty beads if you pierce them with a fine needle.

[ It is absolutely not what Hilda said, but it's not as though she could tell you the owner of every restaurant she's visited, so maybe she can be forgiven. Susato doesn't get any disrespectful vibes from her anyway, just a certain...

......Well, she's certainly something.

Susato brightens. ]

That's a wonderful idea. I do sew on occasion... though I have never made anything from scratch quite like that. Perhaps a necklace, or a bracelet.

[Hilda doesn't mean to be disrespectful. But she's prone to microaggressions, and that's sort of what's happened here. Sorry, Kazuma.

~~At least they're not Almyran?~~

Hilda brightens right alongside Susato.]

A necklace or a bracelet would be perfect. I have some different gauges of jewelry wire if you'd like to use some of that.

[ Almy-who?

Susato notably lifts up her bare wrists, turning the fist she made with her hand, which probably reveals which she was thinking about more. It's probably because she is already wearing a necklace, but there's no reason she can't do both if it goes well! ]

Oh, that would be quite kind of you. Though I suppose we shouldn't use the ones that we are trying to keep alive. I have more in my pouch.

[ She holds up said pounch. While Hilda wouldn't be able to see through it, it has some of the prettier (and smaller) dead starfish that she would definitely use and share. She has been keeping them separate. ]

That is, um, if you aren't busy now.

[closed] Everyone's so serious all the time. Boooooring.

Susato 🌸

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