CLOSED SIGNUPS Celosia Isle {IC}

[wren.]

i ii

• ♥

  LENNOX

  Lennox rolls his eyes at Isidore's shit-eating grin and his reluctance to eat microwaved meals. He's not truly upset with him, of course, and he would like better for his friend than eating cheap junk food alone in his room as he does. "Mm, not that long, then. Though that's pretty usual for you, huh? And it's not like you're ever missing anything," he snorts cynically, tearing off another piece of the soft bread with his teeth. He's never been known to eat as a gentleman.
  
  "Dad's okay," he shrugs, reluctant to say much more. The man tragically lost his wife and his youngest son, and his remaining son is a total failure. How good can he be? If he says as much, though, he'll only hear empty platitudes from Isidore or worse; actual concern. It's better for everyone that he keeps things vague and polite. "Just trudging along like everyone else. The mines aren't any less hazardous than when you left, so, unfortunately, we haven't suddenly struck gold. Metaphorically or literally," he smirks. They're falling rapidly into bankruptcy, but that's the status quo for Celosia.
  
  "I wonder how long it'll take Melanie," he emphasizes the name since Isidore is just finally explicitly giving it, or at least he assumes Melanie is referring to the new farmer, "to realize she made a horrid mistake." Before Isidore can scold him for being too pessimistic, he changes the subject. "Did you say hi to anyone else yet? Mariana always misses you, and I'm sure Alanis and Bel will be happy to see you, too." Not that he'd fucking know, as little as he talks to them anymore. "Andrew..."
  
  He swallows, rolling a piece of torn bread into a ball between his fingers. He's been purposefully avoiding the other man since he returned to Celosia from college, unprepared to tell him all that he's missed and how much he has changed. At least one person still thinks highly of him, unless he's already ruined Andrew's good opinion of him through his silence, and he'd hate to ruin that by being, well, himself. He clears his throat. "I'm sure he'd also appreciate the hello."
  

  「 @MaryGold 」
• ♥

  LENNOX

  Alanis King	♥♥♥♥
  Belvedere Halloran	♥♥♥♥
  Ozmodeous Green	♥♥♥
  Quinzel Bowman	♥♥
  Isidore Badru	♥♥♥♥
  Theodora Tracey	♥♥
  Dorothea Sparrow	♥♥♥
  Li Ming Wen	♥♥
  Leander van de Laar	♥♥♥
  Jiang Zhao	♥♥♥♥
  Emrys Jernigan	♥♥
  Andrew Wu	♥♥♥♥
  Mariana Cabrera	♥♥♥

code by wren.

 

[MaryGold]

i ii

• ♥

  THEODORA

  If there was a way to make Teddy's grin grow wider, it was interacting with Mariana. Most people hardly had such positive and upbeat energy in the morning, aside from Teddy herself, but Mariana did. She was the morning itself, bright and fresh, and Teddy's best friend. The first she made coming to the island. Though many could and would also call her their best friend. It was hard not to grow so close to the beekeeper when she was friendly as she was.
  
  Bonus, she always played along with Teddy's jokes when others ignored them or awkwardly replied.
  
  "I did not see the Amphitrite," A ship name that was clever and creative but not so pretty. Something she would never repeat out loud to Elijah unless sincerely asked. She tilted her head toward her. "But I did see your boy. A gave him a little feast before I left the restaurant, and I was on my way to do the same for Elijah and the new farmer." She raised her basket to emphasize her point.
  
  Teddy leaned over to peek into the bag of honey and sighed. "But I was also planning to stop by your place to see if you had any jars of honey on the market. I need to restock. But that can be discussed later." She gestured down the road and began the walk. Mariana's excitement was palpable and she wasn't going to be the one to stop her from seeing the new farmer any longer. Her food would go cold anyway. "Now, I didn't get to hear any details about the new farmer except that based on how excited Isi was, they are very likable. But then with Isi, that could mean very little."
  
  The man hated only the most awful people. And though Lennox was surely good at heart, he was a horrible friend. Depression or not. More words she could never express out loud, at least not without immediate defense cries.

  「 @Dusk 」
• ♥

  THEODORA

  Alanis	♥♥♥
  Bel	♥♥
  Corlin	♥♥♥
  Dorothea	♥♥♥♥
  Emrys	♥♥
  Jiang	♥♥♥
  Leander	♥♥♥♥
  Lennox	♥♥
  Mariana	♥♥♥♥
  Maven	♥♥♥
  Quinzel	♥♥
  Tumelun	♥♥

Code by Jenamos

 

[MaryGold]

i ii

• ♥

  PAOLA

  "Yes!" Both Luna and Leo shouted simultaneously in response to Jiang before Paola even had a chance to think of a reply. The former wriggled her away out of her grandmother's arms and held on tightly to Jiang's hand instead. As long as someone was keeping a leash on her, Paola had no objections. The triplets were all too fond of Jiang, young as they were, they still held memories of the times he babysat them. And there weren't very many children on the island, so they played with the "bigger kids" when they could.
  
  "We'd love your company." Paola said, finally. The children may have already made the decision, but she wanted to let the man know he was just as welcomed by her. "After I dropped the kids off, I was thinking about checking in on Elijah. He should be back by now."
  
  Lily attached herself back to Paola's side and Leo marched beside Luna. The walk was launched back into action. And the line of conversation highjacked by Luna who didn't care for visitations of "old men who smelled fishy" she referred to Elijah ever so affectionately. "I know what woke you up Jiang," the little blonde started with a mischievous smirk.
  
  "Do you now?" Paola quirked an eyebrow at the girl.
  
  Luna nodded and answered in her spookiest voice (which wasn't very spooky at all), "a ghost!"
  
  "Really?"
  
  "Yes. It makes sense, you work with dead people." Luna pointed at Jiang and grinned. "Maybe it was Kenji's. Have you been on his hill, Jiang? I wanna go! Maybe we can take the new farmer, and give them a spooky Celosian welcome."
  
  Paola clicked her tongue at the girl. "I think we can come up with a much nicer welcome. Don't you think so, Jiang?" She looked at the man with hopeful eyes. Whatever he would say Luna would have to agree to, or at least come around to. Or the new farmer may need up leaving of a heart attack from whatever spooky prank she would set on that hill.

  「 @Dusk 」
• ♥

  PAOLA

  Dorothea	♥♥♥
  Emrys	♥♥♥
  Elijah	♥♥♥♥
  Ezrean	♥♥
  Jiang	♥♥
  Leander	♥♥
  Mariana	♥♥♥
  Merriam	♥♥♥
  Odessa	♥♥♥
  Rose	♥♥♥
  Tumelun	♥♥

Code by Jenamos

 

[IceQueen]

i ii

• ♥

  ROSE

  
  Rose looked at the hoard of cats crawling over Andrew with a little smile. They always seemed to like him, probably because he brought food with him most of the time. "They're healthy because they have me and you to look after them." She stated. A good chunk of what money she earned went to feeding the cats but Rose didn't mind. She had scraped up a little to cover the costs of spaying and neutering a few more of her regular visitors.
  
  "I have a few that seem to depend on me regularly so I want to get them spayed. Then there's a very prolific tomcat who's causing problems so I'm going to have him snipped to calm him down. They might find a permanent indoor home but at the very least they'll be fed and looked after by me." Rose was fine being the crazy cat lady that voluntarily paid for outdoor cats to be spayed. She just didn't want the number of cats to keep growing in the area. She tried to nab the ones she saw were in heat and put them in quarantine till it was over but every year there were kittens born, more mouths to feed and more future spays. Keeping up was nearly impossible, but the ways of life ended quite a few of them. With the island as bad as it was surviving was hard.
  
  "Your grandmothers always team up on you. It's not hard to imagine since you are a young single man, they want to see you get married and have kids. That's kind of how all grandmothers are." Rose hadn't had much interaction with her own grandparents but she assumed most wanted to see their kids happy. Rose was lucky if she would even get a well wishes card from her sperm donor, not that she wanted it anyway.
  
  "Business is good. The online part is taking off and though shipping is a nightmare since we don't have planes here the money has been good. Seems my work is sturdy and liked enough that people want custom works. The money from that is what keeps all these babies fed, which helps a little with the PR side of things." Rose stated, sitting down on her porch to pet a dilute tortishell cat that had come up for love. "This love bug, Sweet Pea as I call her, is one of the spays. I'm tempted to take her inside forever though I'm not sure Luna would like it. George would be all for a buddy, the little menace he is." Her cats were two polar opposites. George, her heterochromic tabby, was a young menace. He'd been an abandoned kitten from a litter and Rose had raised him herself. She couldn't let him go, even if he climbed the curtains on a regular basis. Luna had been her mother's companion in her dying days, and while she was snuggly at times she was also an old bat who detested the presence of anyone she didn't approve of. Snuggling with either of them was a hit or miss, but Sweet pea wanted snuggling all the time every single day of the week. As if to prove that thought Sweet pea bumped her head on the underside of Rose's chin, causing her to laugh gently and give the kitty more love. "She will probably be your favorite patient, though she gets quite loud if you ignore her need for attention."
  
  Rose nearly forgot that Andrew asked about the newcomer until a second of silence fell over them. "Oh right, the newcomer. I haven't had a chance to leave the house yet other than to feed the hoard of cats so I haven't met them yet. I hope they can bring some new ideas on how to fix the island back up. New faces are rare, but my mom always thought that each new person brought new possibilities. Somehow I have a good feeling about this one."
  

  「 @Nemopedia 」
• ♥

  ROSE

  
  

  Lennox	♥♥♥
  Elijah	♥♥♥
  Alanis	♥♥♥
  Belvedere	♥♥♥
  Li Ming	♥♥♥
  Ozmodeous	♥♥♥
  Quinzel	♥♥♥
  Odessa	♥♥♥
  Isidore	♥♥♥
  Theodora	♥♥♥
  Paola	♥♥♥♥
  Leander	♥♥♥
  Jiang	♥♥
  Mariana	♥♥♥
  Dorothea	♥♥♥
  Corlin	♥♥♥
  Tumelun	♥♥♥
  Maven	♥♥♥♥
  Merriam	♥♥♥
  Ezran	♥♥♥
  Emrys	♥♥♥♥
  Elinor	♥♥♥
  Sebastian	♥♥♥
  Andrew	♥♥♥♥♥

Code by Jenamos

 

[PavellumPendulum]

i ii

• ♥

  Luzviminda

  
  Owen was no dumbass.
  
  ... From her knowledge, anyway. He was a parent, like she was. If he hadn't been sure about the boat, he wouldn't have let her children on it, much less his own child, she was sure. If only she was gifted in physics or mathematics, perhaps she could've done some sort of calculations before boarding just to be absolutely certain, but for now, she'd just have to trust in the island policeman, the sole member of their local law enforcement. Luzviminda nodded, though the faint crease in her brows remained. She would feel better once she was more acquainted with the boat itself. Though she did not particularly want to ruin her nice fur coat, she would do so if she had to jump in to save a child.
  
  As they approached the docks, with the kids chattering, even Cielo forgetting themselves and excitedly making banter instead of trying to look like a cool teenager, Owen noted all the other people out near the sea themselves. Considering the population of their island, this was already a little party. Bel, Elijah, Emrys, Maven... Luz counted them out in her head, humming quietly in response to the man. "It is a beautiful day. No better way to enjoy it than to be out near the water." she remarked, squinting up at the sky briefly, feeling the sun try its damndest to melt her makeup straight off her face.
  
  Ambrosio was already waving at everyone he saw, even if they were far down the beach, "GOOD MORNING! I LOVE YOU!" with such enthusiasm. Luz had already given up on telling him to stop opening every conversation with that, especially towards adults, but he held strong. Everyone needed to know that they were loved, he would say innocently, pouting until the conversation was over and he'd won. Cielo, remembering that there were people around and that they had an image to maintain, returned to curling the tips of their hair around their fingers nonchalantly.
  
  Luz gave everyone that received a proclamation of love from her son a pleasant wave as well. Though she wasn't particularly embarrassed by it, she was sure that the others didn't enjoy having their conversations interrupted by a little boy screaming good morning.
  
  As they approached the end of the docks, she set her eyes on Owen's boat. Well, it was no cruiseline, but it did seem like it could fit all of them comfortably... "Let's get you three into lifejackets." she told the kids, only to receive a collective groan in response.
  

  「 @Kuno @honeydew @wren. @Nemopedia 」
• 
  
  ♥

  Luzviminda

  
  

  
  

  Odessa	♥♥♥
  Owen	♥♥
  Paola	♥♥♥
  Teddy	♥♥♥♥
  Elinor	♥♥♥♥
  Lennox	♥♥
  Elijah	♥♥♥
  Andrew	♥♥
  Merriam	♥

Code by Jenamos

 

[Nemopedia]

Edith

Location:
On the road

Interacting:
Ezeran

Mentioned:

Tags:
@PavellumPendulum

Hearts:
Merriam -

So, Edith was a little concerned to have someone she barely knew drive her car, but this was an island and not the urban cities of Germany, with barely any traffic if there were any paved roads to begin with. It would be fine, right?

When the belt clicked into place Edith couldn't help but eye the lights of her dashboard, watching Ezeran smoothly pull up, at first a little awkward, as anyone would be in a new car, but soon at ease, as much as the man could be at ease in the car of another, that shimmer of excitement never dying out as if Edith had granted a childhood dream of his.

And when he sighed that it was the best day ever? Edith could feel her heart thump a little, her shoulders relaxing at the knowledge that Ezeran was, fortunately, a good driver, and at the endearment that she felt towards the farm's help, for he genuinely looked like he was on top of the world, which wasn't something she would have said when she saw him initially.

"You know," Edith piped up, straightening up in her seat as she paid attention to the slight slopes and curves of the roads here. The scariest parts about these rural areas with their wide and open spaces was that corners and curves were hard to see, as the horizon seemed to blend into each other, it would take some time getting used to them. "I haven't had a tour of the island yet, Merri gave me some description of the island, but otherwise I haven't really visited anything."

Side-eyeing Ezeran the female wondered if he had a lot of work to do, but decided that he looked like a hard worker who deserved some joy in life. Besides, not wanting to break the obvious excitement on his face with a reminder of work, Edith was already glad to have found a friend so soon at all.

"If you don't mind, that is!" she quickly added, not wanting to obligate the man to anything.

 

[Nemopedia]

Andrew

Location:
Tailor shop

Interacting:
Rose

Mentioned:
-

Tags:
@IceQueen

Hearts:
Lennox - ()
Elijah -
Alanis -
Belvedere -
Rose -
Isidore -
Theodora -
Paola -
Merriam -
Ezeran -
Emrys -
Elinor -
Sebastian -

The kittens twisted and turned, interested in food but also in his attention as Andrew easily picked up a few of them, letting them wool around in his arms as he got up, "I can take these with me for now, bring the rest later?" he offered, a laugh escaping him when one of the cats headbutted him in the chin. The story of the tomcat concerned him, but he trusted Rose if she said she would catch him, as Andrew affectionately scratched one of the cats underneath their chin, regretting not bringing anything with him to bring more cats back with him.

"I'm sure they will find a home soon, as soon as I have sprayed them and done a general health check I can send word out. They're lovely," Andrew reassured Rose, warmed at her active concern for the stray animals on the island. Perhaps that he will even take a few in himself, if they could adapt to the ever changing size of the family, that was.

"I should head back for now, they're getting impatient," Andrew laughed when a paw found his lips, a puff of air escaping his mouth in a teasing manner before he quickly drew up in height, wiggling his head as he did with the kittens he had armed himself with as a quick goodbye.

 

[PavellumPendulum]

i ii

• ♥

  Ezeran

  While he sometimes drove Maven's truck for moments at a time, either to transport something at her request or to pick something up in a similar situation, it had never felt like this. Ezeran marveled at how the car smoothly shifted underneath him, the handling made so easily that he took to it like a duckling into the water, despite this being his first time driving such a car. The seconds ticked by, bringing him closer and closer to the moment in which he'd have to bid this feeling goodbye, making him somewhat sad, but he brightened as soon as Edith suggested that perhaps they could visit something together. Now, normally, this would not be such an appealing idea. After all, Ez had just met her today and couldn't say that he would be a great tour guide, considering his usual rate of 4 words per sentence and abysmal lack of interesting vocabulary.
  
  But just the prospect of staying a little longer, of enjoying the life that he maybe could have had if he hadn't fucked everything up, the luxuries of life that he'd missed out on... Aah, well, they were enough to smooth away any glaring anxieties he had about the situation, eyes on the road despite his grin.
  
  "I can do that." his response, despite being curt and quick, was much warmer than normal as he carefully brought them over on a turn instead of continuing straight down the dirt path back to Maven's farm. He'd been working since much earlier that morning. Though he normally did not quite like taking breaks, feeling a bit useless when away from the fields, he was sure Maven wouldn't mind a little detour on his part...
  
  It only took another two minutes before the main bits of their town were easily visible, from the honeyed tones of the paint on town hall to the cozy brick cottage teeming with life that was The Drowsy Orchid. He pulled the car into an empty spot in front of the general store, relishing in the fact that he'd managed to get himself another few minutes driving the beauty, before turning off the engine. The joy of it all was almost enough to distract him from the fact that Maven's truck was parked just a few feet away. He blinked, pulling out his old phone, before paling and seeing the notifications from her.
  
  She'd asked him to let Barry out. He froze in place, unmoving in the driver's seat, before his head snapped up, seeing Maven herself, not too distant from her vehicle.
  
  Guilty and alarmed, he scrambled out of the vehicle without even a word to Edith, knowing that he would be maybe a bit better at talking than texting when it came to explaining himself. "M-Maven!" he called out to her, perhaps a little too loudly at first, a flush coming to his cheeks, "... Sorry. I saw your text, um, just now..."
  
  Ez skidded to a halt in front of her, his hands immediately moving to nervously hold onto the edge of his shirt.
  
  

  「 @Nemopedia @Kuno 」
• 
  
  ♥

  Ezeran

  
  

  Maven	♥♥♥♥
  Quinn	♥♥♥♥
  Oz	♥♥♥
  Hiro	♥
  Merriam	♥♥
  Emrys (anonymous)	♥♥♥
  Jiang	♥♥♥
  Mariana	♥♥♥
  Paola	♥♥
  Odessa	♥♥
  Andrew	♥♥
  Edith	♥

Code by Jenamos

 

[wren.]

i ii

• ♥

  MELANIE

  She's not sure what she'd expected the house to look like, but she's still surprised to find it so vacant. It makes sense that her grandfather would have taken most of his things with him when he'd left the island, but a part of her had been hoping she'd get to see exactly how he'd been living during what he claims is the best time of his life. A glimpse into the past, when Celosia had been the paradise it once was. Instead, it's just a dusty cottage, warmed only by the soft yellow of the walls and the framed photographs and art that her grandfather had left behind.
  
  Disregarding Merriam for the time being, she inspects the photographs, each showing a young curly-haired brunet with a face-splitting smile. Even out of the context of being in his old home, she can recognize the man as her grandfather from the photographs he keeps in his current house, most of those being ones of him posing with old friends and family. These mostly showcase him working the fields and posing with giant fish and crops.
  
  "Sorry," she chuckles when she remembers that Merriam is waiting for her, rubbing the grin off her face as the blonde leads her deeper into the house. Not that they need to walk far, given how tiny it is. The bottom floor appears to consist only of a kitchen and living room, both sparse but blessedly containing the most necessary furniture. She's never needed much, and she'd instead use things until they gave out entirely than obsess over having the newest and nicest things. She prefers well-loved objects with history, precisely how she'd describe the living room's threadbare couch and soot-covered fireplace. The colored tiles reflecting little rainbows in the air are incredibly charming and just like her grandfather to have added; she'll have to keep those.
  
  "I appreciate you doing that," she smiles at Merriam, "You really didn't have to. Once it's clean and gets a new paint job, I think this place will look wonderful." She can worry about filling it up over time; her priorities lie mainly with rebuilding the farm than with interior decorating. "Yes, you're probably right," she laughs at Merriam's suggestion, opening up the window above the sink demonstratively. The burgundy half-curtain matches the longer curtains she's spotted on the other windows, all muddy with dust. It's probably too much to hope that the place has a washer and dryer, huh?
  
  "Shall we see the upstairs?"
  

  「 @PavellumPendulum 」
• ♥

  MELANIE

  Elijah Ellwood	♥♥♥
  Isidore Badru	♥♥♥
  Merriam Winslow	♥♥
  Edith Gerhardt	♥♥
  Ezeran Vylkorric	♥♥

code by wren.

 

[PavellumPendulum]

i ii

• ♥

  Merriam Winslow

  
  It was sort of heartwarming, to see Melanie peer so closely at the art and photographs on the walls, a newcomer to a place that had known a soul just like her own. Merri wished that she could see it through her eyes, how their home looked through the gaze of someone who hadn't known it their entire life, especially someone whose family ties to it were so strong they felt like they could drown in them at times. She didn't hurry the woman along, only smiling softly when receiving the apology and continuing into the kitchen. She remained seated as the new farmer opened up the window, taking in a deep breath of relief when the air began to circulate properly, making the room smell fresh rather than dusty.
  
  "Just let me know if you need any help. I'll come on down and lend a hand if you need one. It's a big project to take on all by yourself." she offered, eyes finding small sections on the wall where the paint had faded, scuff marks near the lower ends where furniture and the general wear and tear of living inhabitants were visible.
  
  Her relief only really lasted half a minute, since Melanie was quick to get her fill of the first floor. Merriam sort of wished there was more to look at, if only to get her just another sweet, sweet thirty seconds of rest on that chair without drawing any attention to herself, but she still stood up, smiling brightly for the other. There would be time to rest later. Her joints ached, she thought, as she tightened her grip on her trusty closed umbrella, but she would survive. The stairs would be a formidable opponent, but nothing she'd never lived through before.
  
  "Yes, of course."
  
  And so she made her way up the stairs, at first mentioning for Melanie to go before her, both to be polite and to make her feel less pressured to go any quicker. At the top of the stairs, she gestured around at the various doors. "This one is just a little storage closet. There's a spare room there, that was used as more storage before, but I think you could make it into another little bedroom if you wanted. The master bedroom is beside it and the washroom too." Her eyes caught sight of an old cabinet in the hallway, meant for storage and decoration, but her cheeks flushed red when seeing the dead potted plant above it.
  
  "O-Oh, oops. I forgot about removing that. Sorry." she scrambled over herself at first, before realizing how silly she looked, picking up the pot and the shriveled up house plant within with an apologetic smile, "I'll take it off your hands."
  

  「 @wren. 」
• 
  
  ♥

  Merriam Winslow

  
  

  Edith	♥♥♥
  Ez	♥♥
  Bel	♥♥♥
  Isidore	♥♥♥
  Jiang	♥♥♥
  Leander	♥
  Mariana	♥♥♥
  Emrys	♥♥
  Melanie	♥♥
  Paola	♥♥♥
  Elijah	♥♥♥
  Odessa	♥♥♥

Code by Jenamos

 

[wren.]

i ii

• ♥

  MELANIE

  Is she hallucinating the pain behind Merriam's smile? It was only there for a brief flash, that disappointment and resignation, the slight wince of standing up on sore legs. She has only just met the woman, so she shouldn't be speculating about her health status when Merriam hasn't specifically told her anything, but it seems like there was a reason she had made a break for the nearest chair. She probably should have found some excuse to stick around the lower level if only to allow Merriam another moment's rest.
  
  Guiltily, she ascends the stairs under Merriam's direction. The upper floor is smaller than the lower, and she can get a good look at each room just by poking her head in the open doors. The master bedroom is at least furnished, containing a Queen-sized bed with dusty forest green sheets and a small dresser. The bathroom is maybe the most complete-looking room of all, still containing the toilet and claw foot bathtub. The free-standing sink is standing in the corner, made of a dark wooden cabinet with some white porcelain at the top where the faucet rests. Above it is an ornate circular mirror, likely made of some standard metal that has been spray-painted gold.
  
  Merriam catches her attention again with an apology, and she turns to find the other woman clutching a shriveled up plant that must have been resting on the destressed cabinet in the hallway behind her. "Aw, poor thing," she coos, gently lifting one of the dry, sagging leaves. "If there are still some healthy, white roots left, it can perhaps be revived, but I suspect it's too late for this little guy. Better to use it as fertilizer for other plants."
  
  She brightens, smiling once more at the blonde. "Thank you for everything, I appreciate it very much. I hope I'm able to make some sort of difference here; it's a shame that an island so magical has fallen into a wasteland. Speaking of which, I should probably head into town and meet the locals. I'm sure I can find my way around, so don't worry about showing me around," she assures, flapping a hand.
  

  「 @PavellumPendulum 」
• ♥

  MELANIE

  Elijah Ellwood	♥♥♥
  Isidore Badru	♥♥♥
  Merriam Winslow	♥♥
  Edith Gerhardt	♥♥
  Ezeran Vylkorric	♥♥

code by wren.

 

[Dusk]

MARIANA

"Wonderful," Mariana replied, happy to hear of Isi and Elijah's safe arrival and the surely delicious meal Isi had been served. Teddy's meals were always delicious, after all. Teddy started down the road and Mariana fell quickly into step behind her, walking in confident strides that came with familiarity. Mariana was disappointed to hear Teddy hadn't seen the new farmer — she would've loved to get the older woman's impression of Celosia's newest resident. Teddy always had interesting opinions. The brown-haired girl made note of Teddy's desire to restock her honey, but at the woman's urging did not delve into the topic.

Mariana chuckled. She liked most people but Isi liked even more. There were definitely some people Mariana didn't like — both on the island and elsewhere. But there was hardly a person she could think of Isi not liking. Mariana shook her head, causing her dark hair to bounce around her shoulders. The humidity was giving it even more life than usual, and she wondered if she should have put it back.

"I'm sure she'll be lovely," the beekeeper stated confidently. She just knew it. Melanie had to be wonderful. Mariana stopped, as something occurred to her. It had taken her longer than intended to finish breakfast and she'd been delayed on the road by Teddy (not that she minded) but it stirred a thought. She picked back up taking several larger strides to catch back up to Teddy.

"Where do you think she is?" Mariana asked once she was once again in stride with her pink-haired friend. "She can't be at the docks anymore, right?" Mariana would guess she'd gone to see Mayor Merriam but she wasn't so sure.

「 @MaryGold 」

Code by Jenamos

 

[PavellumPendulum]

i ii

• ♥

  Merriam Winslow

  
  Melanie spent some time peering into all of the rooms, eyes curious and so open to whatever the old house had in store for her. The place had been around longer than Merriam had been alive, honestly, but it was still standing strong, so that was a good sign. Considering the warmth that Melanie emitted just existing, that can-do attitude practically glowing in neon lights around her face, Merri had no doubts that the new farmer would be able to turn the house into a home of her own in no time. Especially with the way that she breezed over the mayor's momentary stutter and embarrassment, her fingers gently checking the dead plant's leaves.
  
  Without even understanding why, Merri felt her face heat up, cheeks tinted pink. Despite her inability to even do such a simple thing, like keep one single plant alive in the house she'd been meant to clean, Melanie already had a solution, looking to bring the plant back to the earth and have it nourish the plants to come if it weren't salvageable. Still caught by self-consciousness, Merri carefully placed the pot back on the cabinet, rubbing her suddenly sweaty palms on the ends of her cardigan.
  
  "I'll leave it here for you then. Sounds like you know what you're doing." she laughed a little, meaning for it to be a joke (since obviously the farmer knew how to take care of a lil plant) but her own voice sounded strange to her.
  
  She almost protested at Melanie wanting to go into town herself to explore, wanting to be more helpful to her, but the fatigue that had been creeping in on her won out in the end. The blonde nodded, heading back down the stairs as she spoke, "Of course! It's what I'm here for. I'm so excited to see you breathe some life back into this place." When they arrived back at the door, she tried giving the other her brightest smile to signal her farewell, her bed back home calling to her, "Good luck! If you need anything, you can always come find me at the town hall."
  
  And with that, she set back down the road, leaning slightly on her umbrella and pacing herself as well as she could.
  

  「 @wren. 」
• 
  
  ♥

  Merriam Winslow

  
  

  Edith	♥♥♥
  Ez	♥♥
  Bel	♥♥♥
  Isidore	♥♥♥
  Jiang	♥♥♥
  Leander	♥
  Mariana	♥♥♥
  Emrys	♥♥
  Melanie	♥♥
  Paola	♥♥♥
  Elijah	♥♥♥
  Odessa	♥♥♥

Code by Jenamos

 

[Kuno]

i ii

• ♥

  OWEN

  
  "No whining and no arguing. Jackets on."
  
  If the boys thought they had had an ally in Owen against Luzviminda, they were sorely mistaken. Jaden in particular gave his father a pleading look, but the set of Owen's jaw was firm. No ifs, ands, or butts - the jackets went.
  
  He had to help Jaden with his. The jacket was almost as big as the little boy's entire body, and Owen made a show of hefting Jaden up under his arms like a surfboard and toting him to the boat, whistling loudly over his son's giggling and yelling.
  
  "Up you go!" He grunted as he plopped Jaden onto the boat. It swayed with the sudden weight, and Jaden ran off to the other end in a sprint.
  
  Owen turned to the other kids, "Alright, who's next? Cielo? Ambrosio?""
  
  With exaggerated lifting noises, he plopped each kid onto the boat. Then he dumbed his bags in the back, letting the fishing rods rest against them. With that done, he began to unwind the rope tethering the boats to the dock. He paused just at the end, blinking up at Luzviminda in her stylish fur coat.
  
  "Here."
  
  He offered his hand for her to grab hold of as she boarded his vessel.
  

  「 @PavellumPendulum 」
• ♥

  OWEN

  Character 1	♥
  Character 2	♥♥
  Character 3	♥♥♥
  Character 4	♥♥♥♥
  Character 5	♥♥♥♥♥
  Character 6	♥♥♥♥♥♥
  Character 7	♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Code by Jenamos

 

[Kuno]

MAVEN

At first, she'd been so absorbed in her phone that she hadn't noticed the other car pull up.

Maven wasn't really a texter. Most folks who'd ever received messages from her knew her style: blunt and devoid of humor, the woman finding neither the time or energy for infusing a soulless phone with her essence. Phone calls with her weren't much better. She hardly ever picked up; hell, she hardly ever had the dang thing on her. It took having to send a text for her to periodically tune in to the many messages and calls she'd been inundated with - much to her ignorant bliss. A text from Pete had her brows furrowing.

He wanted to have dinner with her and his sister?

The sound of Ez's voice broke her concentration. She glanced up slowly, noticing him approach her from a new truck with some woman she'd never seen before. She stared her farmhand down as he talked.

Poor man. All that size and bulk, and he was more timid than church mouse.

"Don't worry about it. Barry will stay put 'til I get there," Maven assured him, drawing near. If it was Quinn, she might've accused the girl of slacking off intentionally, but this was Ezeran. The man never took breaks, not even when she asked him to.

Inevitably, her eyes flicked over to the blonde's face.

"You new in town?"

@Nemopedia @PavellumPendulum

Code by Jenamos

 

[PavellumPendulum]

i ii

• ♥

  Luzviminda

  
  One by one, the children were carefully secured into their life jackets, then plopped into the boat. Luz could see the thing bobbing and swaying slightly with each addition of new weight, even while tied to the dock, but such was the way of the water, she supposed. Ambrosio looked absolutely elated to be onboard, excitedly pointing out bugs on the surface of the water to Jaden, making up pretend names for each one. Cielo looked on, unaffected, though they did stare at the bugs their brother gestured at, arms folded over the puff of their life jacket. With all of them now in, all that was left was her.
  
  Being truthful, she did not like swimming. Her parents would've paled at the knowledge, horrified by the mere idea of an island girl disliking being enveloped by water. Ah, the things she did for her children.
  
  At Owen's outstretched, offered hand, she took it with a faint smile of thanks, but even her measured, calm look would be easy to disregard when he felt her hand in his, a near vice grip in his palm. Carefully, her and her luxurious coat made their way onto the boat, using him as leverage since he had so graciously offered himself up as a supporting beam. When the heels of her shoes clicked firmly on the bottom of the boat and she found herself steady enough to let go, she did so, releasing Owen from the burden of her nails. "Thank you." It was a short word of appreciation, but her relief would be an audible undercurrent.
  
  "How many fish do you think we're gonna catch, Jaden's dad?" Ambrosio piped up again, palms pressed against his own rounded cheeks out of habit, "Like... 10? Or more?!"
  

  「 @Kuno 」
• 
  
  ♥

  Luzviminda

  
  

  
  

  Odessa	♥♥♥
  Owen	♥♥
  Paola	♥♥♥
  Teddy	♥♥♥♥
  Elinor	♥♥♥♥
  Lennox	♥♥
  Elijah	♥♥♥
  Andrew	♥♥
  Merriam	♥

Code by Jenamos

 

[Nemopedia]

Edith

Location:
General Goods Store

Interacting:
Ezeran & Maven

Mentioned:
Merriam

Tags:
@PavellumPendulum & @Kuno

Hearts:
Merriam -

The mood, at first comfortable and friendly, took a turn for the worse, suddenly charged and tense as Ezeran's earlier excitement melted like snow before sun at the sight of a woman named 'Maven', effectively and indirectly introducing the second farmer of the island to Edith. Slipping out of the passenger's side, Edith raised a brow, her hand finding the top of her car as she carefully stepped out, finding the ground underneath her more paved than the mud roads from before and easier to stand on with her shoes.

The woman named Maven didn't look like a bad person. Distant, to be sure, but not unreasonable, Edith found. Like herself, Edith even thought, making Ezeran strangely reminiscent of a nervous intern at her desk. Professional and no-nonsense, though Maven was a tougher and a more rugged version compared to the blondine fresh from the city and still stinking of its fumes.

"Edith Gerhardt, the new Deputy Mayor. Maven Lu, right? I heard a great deal about you from Merriam." The car door shut close next to her, as Edith fell into the same routine from before, introducing herself with a smile and an outstretched hand. "I asked Ezeran to show me around," she even provided the explanation that the man couldn't give himself, his towering figure seemingly shrinking like that of a guilty child found with its hand in the cookie jar.

 

[PavellumPendulum]

i ii

• ♥

  Ezeran

  He didn't know why he was always so terrified of disappointing her. Over the past decade that he had worked for her, she seldom expressed that she was upset with him, but the nagging fear always remained glued to every corner of his brain. Even after ten years, he still feared ruining his new start, the seemingly inevitable collapse of the new life he'd done everything in his life to build for himself. He nodded quickly, the relief seeping into his features when Maven smoothed right over the topic, her eyes now flicking to Edith. Ez's head flicked over to the blonde, realization in his eyes. Even after how kind she'd been to him, he'd jumped ship and completely abandoned her in the car without a single word.
  
  His face flushed slightly, but both Edith and Maven were as cool as cucumbers, carrying on the conversation. He wondered how the two of them did it. From the way that they held themselves, it was as though they had it all figured out, no matter how many times Ez embarrassed himself in front of them.
  
  "... I had her meet Merriam n' the new farmer." he added, finally able to add to the conversation after calming himself down with a few well-needed breaths, "And I got to drive." The final part was said with an actual goofy and proud half-smile, as if he couldn't physically restrain himself, the joy returning to him. In spite of it all, this was a good day. He wouldn't forget it for a long time.
  
  

  「 @Nemopedia @Kuno 」
• 
  
  ♥

  Ezeran

  
  

  Maven	♥♥♥♥
  Quinn	♥♥♥♥
  Oz	♥♥♥
  Hiro	♥
  Merriam	♥♥
  Emrys (anonymous)	♥♥♥
  Jiang	♥♥♥
  Mariana	♥♥♥
  Paola	♥♥
  Odessa	♥♥
  Andrew	♥♥
  Edith	♥

Code by Jenamos

 

[wren.]

i ii

• ♥

  MELANIE

  Melanie happily trails behind Merriam back down the stairs, opening the door for her. "I appreciate the help and that you preserved this place," she smiles, gesturing around the house. It's not like her grandfather had willed it to her, and with it vacated, Merriam could have seized possession of it and sold it for scrap or something.
  
  She waves at the blonde as she leaves, stepping onto her porch and shutting the door behind her. "I'll see you around!" she calls, watching her disappear from view. She's leaning noticeably on her umbrella as she walks; it seems her fatigue in the kitchen hadn't been something Melanie was imagining. Does she have leg issues? Well, if Merriam wanted her to know, she would have told her. Better not to dwell on it.
  
  Once Merriam has disappeared, she takes a deep breath of the warm, clean air. She hadn't even realized how smoggy Winnipeg was until now, the island's superior air quality a stark difference between them. She heads down the path Merriam had taken, pausing momentarily to take in the look of the cottage and the dilapidated farmhouse beside it. There's a lot of work to be done, and there's no time like the present to start repairs. Still, she's tired from her travels; she should allow herself a bit of rest. She should also introduce herself to her fellow islanders, lest they think her impolite.
  
  The walk toward the town is long, though that's partially due to her getting lost a few times. Some of the paths have become so overgrown that it's hard to tell where they pick up again. Can the island not afford to pave them? Someone could at least mow them or something to keep them more visible. She'll have to add that to her list of things to do. At least she gets to look at the pretty landscape! Well, most of it is trees and fields of dried grass, so it's not particularly breathtaking. She can see the potential, though, especially when she looks at the proud mountains in the distance. Maybe one day she'll get to experience what her grandfather did; a lush island with more animals and vegetation than its climate should allow, constant festivals full of joy and energy.
  
  When she finally reaches what she presumes to be the town square, based on the various businesses clustered together, it's not very busy, though she does see a few people milling about. Where should she head first? A sign titled Hestia's Hearth catches her attention, the slogan "a recipe for every life" written beneath it. When did she last eat?
  
  As if in answer, her stomach suddenly growls, and she laughs at herself before heading toward the building, eager for a nice breakfast.
  

  「 @PavellumPendulum 」
• ♥

  MELANIE

  Elijah Ellwood	♥♥♥
  Isidore Badru	♥♥♥
  Merriam Winslow	♥♥
  Edith Gerhardt	♥♥
  Ezeran Vylkorric	♥♥

code by wren.

 

[Kuno]

MAVEN

Deputy mayor. New farmer. Edith Gerhardt and...

"Hm."

Like a cow chewing cud, Maven stood there a long moment, watching the city girl. At length, she finally grabbed the woman's hand in a heavy shake, rough calloused skin meeting the baby smooth of a pencil pusher.

"Welcome to Celosia," The farmer said. "Edith, you said? Nice to meet you."

She couldn't shake the slight irritation that came with Edith's mention of the mayor. Merriam on her own was a sweet girl, truly designed for Celosia's lifestyle. As a mayor? Maven had many things to say. Many, many things to say. And now she was getting a deputy mayor? This woman wasn't even a local.

"I see you've met Ezeran already. That was nice of him to show you around."

Maven shifted her to one hip, resting a hand on it. She'd never been a woman to mince her words.

She didn't plan on starting now.

"Hope you don't mind a quick question. Ezeran, sorry - don't mean to hog your guest but..." Her eyes cut at Edith, sizing her up. "What exactly is your role here in working under Merriam? 'Cause the way things are going, the girl doesn't do much of anything as it stands or have the know-how to do it. And you don't seem to be from any sort of farming community."

@Nemopedia @PavellumPendulum

Code by Jenamos