(open) art day art day!

[happyends]

Who: Open to everyone, come and mingle!
Where: Garden carriage
When: Kazoo 27
What: For today the garden carriage is turned into a place to get creative.
Warnings: There's cakes. And glitter.

Whether or not you heard Romeo and Madoka's announcement, you'll know about it, unless you avoid the garden carriage somehow for the entire day (and then from then on). The changes are simple, but hopefully something to be built on: an outline made in gold paint that takes the shape of a tree with large curling branches that greets the viewer from the longer width of wall, and a fishing net draped down the length of wall by the nearest entrance, with strings hanging off it for decorations to be added to. Posters seem to be all over the carriage, carrying messages in a childish yet neat handwriting, like "Are you having a fun day? Please vote art so we can have do lots more art together!"

Small sitting pillows have been placed around so people aren't sitting on the bed of stones, and the statues once there moved to other parts of the 'garden', leaving them with sounds of the running water to keep them company.

So, just what is there to do?

THE CRAFTS;

The group have done their best to get as many art supplies as possible, with two trunks taken from the luggage car, and filled as tidily as possible. Inside one is a variety of papers, from tissue to cardboard, decorated and plain, some that's shiny, and even the kind for origami. There's also some sketchpads set out to the side, for any larger projects.

And in the net trunk is all the rest you'd expect: the fun supplies. Paints, inks, glue, glitter, threads, ribbons, and wooden beads, and even scissors are set inside. Some of those paints? Why, they're even shiny paints, and plenty of them. There are books too, at different crafting levels. From how to make paper cranes, butterflies, flower garlands, and whatever else you might imagine. How about a tree with stars?

Pretend what you want's inside them, and have fun.

Or perhaps you brought your own craft along to the carriage. Whether it's knitting, sewing or anything else creative you'd like to do, there's definitely a place for that as well! It's like there are spots in the carriage that have been left intentionally empty for people to sit down with their own tools and work.

MEMORY WALL;

Very, very simple folded animals have been put on the corners of where the netting is displayed, stretched out to make the most of the hanging that the netting provides (you have to get creative with what you can buy).

Looking it over, there's already what seems to be names on cards, placed around different parts of the netting. Perhaps you may recognize some of the names as people who have been on the train before, but have since left.

CAKE;

Of course there's cake. How else would they tempt people to come and sit down? There's one large cake made out of rainbow and sprinkles, and then a collection of cupcakes, all a mix of colours and whatever shakeable edibles has been decided to be plopped on top.

There's also a few plates of simple yet sweet biscuits cut into a variety of shapes (cat heads, dogs, dinosaurs, and even...a train), some with light icing, some not. The quality is about what you'd expect from some kids having fun in the kitchen, and the recipes are simple for it. Don't worry; you might have glitter and sprinkles dropping onto your lap with whatever you pick up, but the shakers were about all anyone went wild with in the kitchen than the baking.

Mami's helped to bring along refreshments in offering different flavours of tea, and there's even a few flavours of coffee to pick from too.

So grab a cuppa, a piece of cake, and have fun pretending you're five and in art class again and create a masterpiece.

Or even show others how to.

Comments

[canyounoct]

You'd think, right?

[ He'd take company, even company that ended up teasing his rotten origami skills. All of his friends would, anyway, Noctis wouldn't even be offended. ]

I picked these because they looked kind of easy and, err, I like fish? Sort of. I like fishing. Anyway. I didn't origami would be so hard.

[ But Tidus' offer made him grin a tiny bit. ]

Sure, I'm up for that challenge. Practice can only make perfect, right? And at the end of it all, they can get a whole school of fish this way.

[blitzcheer]

It's a lot of folding in the right spots. But hey, this don't look too hard - just gotta get used to it, you know? These're easier looking than the cranes some are doing.

[ Please, why did he ever agree to get involved with crane folding. But he can read fairly easy the amount of paper he needs for these fish, and starts measuring up. Being conversational as he does: ]

By the way, I'm Tidus. You showed up with Prompto, right? I know you, kinda - another you anyway. [ He pauses, to wave a hand. ] Just casually! We talked once or twice.

[ Don't worry, he's going nowhere weird with this! ]

[canyounoct]

Yeah, all the birds looked really complicated. And then there's those fancy flowers some people are doing ... I'll need to level up my skills first.

[ He's about to introduce himself and then blinked at him, felt ... just a little awkward about it. ]

Er, yeah, I'm Noctis. I ran into the other ... me? ... who's here. Does that happen a lot? Different versions of you showing up all at once?

[blitzcheer]

Er, not really, [ he admits. ] There's the other Noctis now, but there was a Noctis before him too? And a Prompto too - and the other Shields. Guards? Uh, Gladio and Ignis, months back; I used to chat with Ignis often.

[ Or, more than Gladio anyway. And there's some fondness for the guy still there. ]

You've been a favourite with the train, I guess. [ ... ] But, there is this whole other family... You seen them on the roster? Two or three of the same guys, and another one showed up the last stop too.

[ So many WangJis...! ]

[canyounoct]

Gladio's my Shield. [ He can't help correct him, even if he shouldn't. ] All of them are Guards, but ... a Shield's unique. Err. Not that it matters here, I guess.

[ Gladio would say it matters. He'd thump him for that one. ]

[ ... He missed all of them. Tidus sounding fond of them just made him miss them more. ] It's weird knowing they were here, in a way. Like. Weirder than other versions of me? Because that means there are other versions of them, too. And, er, if they're also kidnapped when I'm here ... maybe they're not the guys I know, but they're some other versions?

[ Ugh. Thinking about it made his head hurt. ]

[ Shook his head ] The train must really hate Eos if it keeps kidnapping me. And probably those other worlds, too. That must suck for them.

[blitzcheer]

Isn't it more like, it likes you too much? [ A light scoff. ] Not that the train really cares about what you've got going on back home... but you didn't have anything too important going on, did ya?

[ Well. ] A prince going missing's probably a big cause of concern, whatever you were doing.

[ But did he ever ask Ignis about his homeworld? Ignis wasn't one to talk too much, but he does remember suggesting to the guy about trying to get news from home by ordering it in...

Hmm, but was there a reason why? ]

[canyounoct]

... I did. [ Sighed, and, looked away for a moment. ] I was supposed to do something really important. I made promises to a lot of people, and ... it's been a month now. Since I wasn't there to do what I needed to do ... things have probably gotten bad. Really bad. I wasn't just a prince ...

[ Shook his head but sighed again. ] I know that doesn't matter to you, you - you probably had your own stuff going on too.

[blitzcheer]

[ The way that Noctis's mood drops does make Tidus's brow knit together, a quick shake of the head given. ]

No - hey, not at all. Me? I'm one of the lucky ones. But you... [ He's already said something important was going on, and he's reminded more of Ignis's concerns back home, brief as it was. ]

There a chance things will be okay?

[ It's more of a slim hope, for whatever was troubling the guy, the origami sheet forgotten in his hands. ]

[canyounoct]

... I don't know. [ He doubted it. ] Lu- I mean, my friend, she said it was very, very important that we meet as soon as possible, I had to negotiate a whole thing and promise that people wouldn't get hurt ...

[ Noctis looked, unfocused, in the direction of all the sad little origami fish on the ground. ]

I don't know. I've ... been trying my best not to think about it. There's no way to take control of the train, no way to get home, and if I keep thinking about it ...

[blitzcheer]

[ He can see where talking about it now is leading Noctis down, and what is there he can offer? When there's no way off voluntarily, so little they can do. But there is something, a chance of hope; a chance he's been holding onto himself.

Tidus reaches out, putting a hand on Noctis's shoulder, his voice dipping. ]

--There was someone, on the last mission. A woman part of another group. She'd been checking out the place before us, got trapped in that illusion in the city. We told her our situation and she said she'd try looking into. I know it's not much, but...

[ There's a beat, a glance between before Tidus brings his eyes back onto Noctis, nodding his head. ]

We're trying. To find a way. Even if we can get rid of what's keeping us here - I know your world and you need better, but... we've gotta hold on and hope we'll get something done about this. And you and Prompto can get back home.

[canyounoct]

[ Breathing out a long sigh, Noctis finally looked at Tidus, actually looked at him. Like he's trying to consider how serious he was about all of this. ]

[ Something, though, about him convinced Noctis that he really did think this was a good chance. He nodded a little. ]

It's not much, but it's at least something. And ... getting back soon would be better than never going home at all.

[ Another sigh, and Noctis shook his head. ]

Sorry, though. I really am trying not to think about it too much.

[blitzcheer]

It sucks, [ he says, understanding, sitting back on the cushion. ] We're here, all these people, nothing to do but just- accept everything? It's hard not to think about, 'specially when you've got stuff to do back home.

Your best bet for staying sane is doing something... [ He hangs, trying to think how to word it. ] --something that might be able to help when you get back. Get stuff you can take back, I guess. Your situation sounds like it just needs you, but...

[ He huffs, a light mirth, resting his elbows on his legs. ] I'd been training to meet some gods. Heard they had my dad and my girl. [ And with a slight tug of a smile, half-hearted. ] Figured I could go and kick their asses once I was done with this place.

[canyounoct]

Yeah. [ Clenched his hands for a moment, another sigh. ] And I've never been great at looking at the bright side of things.

Something to take back, huh? [ It seemed Tidus was great at being positive, though. Noctis frowned. ] I'll need to think about that.

[ Surprised blink, and then - ] Wait. You too? I've been doing these, I guess you can call them trials. I've had to fight this one god, Titan - and I passed this trial from Ramuh - I was supposed to meet another, just to talk, maybe fight if she's in a bad mood, Luna got everything set up and - [ it comes gushing out in a babble ] - it could be really dangerous and the Empire was already on top of us, pretty much, they've been holding her hostage so I had to be -

[ Shook his head ] But the gods have kidnapped your dad and, your girlfriend?

[blitzcheer]

Whoa, well - not to do trials, [ that's a big difference here. ] I don't really get it, but they have some kind of fight going on? Two gods, and they're snatching people to fight their fight for 'em.

[ He shakes his head, sighing. ] I don't care what they're fighting for, just that they're bringing people in. And there was no Empire or no nobody else, far as Light told me. [ He gestures at Noctis. ] What about you? What are you doing this whole...trials thing for? If you're in the middle of some kinda fight or war with these other guys?

[ Isn't that like, so not the time? ]

[canyounoct]

Bringing people in, to fight for them? That sounds ... [ Like something from one of those fish-out-of-water cartoons or something. Which was a little like the - ] ... almost like what the train is doing. That's completely nuts.

[ He rubbed the back of his head. ]

It's a little complicated and I don't know if you really want to hear about all of it, but, [ deep breath he tries to summarize; ] there's some kind of prophesy, and they stole the Cryst- it's this big magic thing that lets us protect our city from daemons, and the Empire is basically using daemons to research on so they seem to like them and hate the gods, and Bahamut has always been on Lucis' side trying to stop them, pretty much. The Empire killed Shiva already.

Luna knows more about what's going on than I do because she's the Oracle, but I'm the one who can actually do anything about it. If we can get the Crystal back we can stop whatever they're doing, and I need to be stronger for it. So I've been forming Covenants with the gods, and finding weapons left behind by my ancestors, and eventually we can take the Crystal back.