Day 18

[laurefindil]

[Greenhouse]

Glorfindel has been spending a lot of time in the garden, what those on the train called the greenhouse. His flowers were already starting to push up through the dirt, which he was encouraging with his light. He was also singing some songs from his old home, back when Ecthelion kept making up songs for every occasion and then getting them stuck in everyone's heads.

If anyone else is growing something in the greenhouse, it is thriving by association.

He is singing softly to his flowers as he waters them, the room is suspiciously bright.


[Cabin](For roommates to walk in on him if you want to!)
Glorfindel frowned at his bed. It was...functional, but lacked interest. If he was going to spend time here, he wanted to personalize his space more. He knew there was fabric available somewhere on the train. He wondered where he could get his hands on some, and if they had any greens and yellows, if there were sewing kits available, and what his roommates would think of custom curtains.


[Hallway]

Glorfindel stepped out into the hall, glancing out the windows at the colorful display outside. He was on a mission to find a sewing kit. He wondered where to start looking.

Comments

[stealsyourheart]

"I guess... what you're describing doesn't sound at all like a house to me!" He admits.

[laurefindil]

"It is an elven home," Glorfindel said. "But not a human one. Or a dwarven or Hobbit one, no. What is your home like?" he asked.

[stealsyourheart]

"Well...it's...it's a house I guess? Um. I live in a outer suburb of Tokyo so a lot of the houses look the same. Japanese houses used to be mostly wooden coz of all the earthquakes but then we used to have fires instead. So now we build with brick and concrete, but all the houses have to meet earthquake protection guidelines. It's not very big, only two bedrooms and a main room. Pretty standard really. A wall all the way around with a front gate."

And a secret room.

[laurefindil]

"Brick and stone and walls...reminds me of Gondolin. Do you have flowers? Plants? Fountains?"

[stealsyourheart]

"Most people have at least a LITTLE garden. But fountains isn't something people do unless they're filthy rich. Or the government."

[laurefindil]

Okay, that was fair, most of the fountains in Gondolin belonged to Ecthelion. Of course, he put them EVERYWHERE, as that was part of his responsibilities as Lord of the House of Fountains.

"Gardens are nice," Glorfindel said. After all, he was the Lord of the House of the Golden Flowers. "As you can tell, I like the one here."

[stealsyourheart]

He grins wryly. "There's so many people these days crammed into Tokyo that for most people, the only garden you have is the pots on your apartment balcony. I'm lucky, where we live there's a bit more space, so we actually have a small garden."

A lot smaller than it should be, which he realises now is because the secret room eats up the space.

"Are the gardens here like what you have at home?"

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel shook his head, then tried to paint a visual picture for Kaito. "In Gondolin, every street had flowers or trees planted along each side, and at major intersections there was a roundabout with a small park. Flowers, trees, greenspace for a picnic where the elves who lived nearby could rest and relax. Each section of the city also had a larger park, as well." He smiled at the memory. "My rule of thumb was a small park for every ten people, and a larger park per hundred. Of course the largest park was in front of the palace, since everyone at some point needed to come see the king." He laughed. "Turgon treated it like a waiting room for those who came to him."

[stealsyourheart]

"That sounds really cool." He nods. "We do have some parks - we Japanese like our green spaces - but in cities, there's not a lot of space for such things. Definitely, there aren't as many as you're describing!"

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel shrugged. "For my people, it is something we make a priority. It sounds like, though your people enjoy nature, they prioritize something else?"

[stealsyourheart]

He shrugs. "We prioritise a lot of things? I suppose you could say it's making a living. But like. It's a space issue too. There's ... over seven million people in the whole of Tokyo. There's just... no space."

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel blinked. "That's...a lot of people. That is...there have not been that many elves born, let alone alive at one time."

[stealsyourheart]

"Well I guess you guys are immortal, yeah? So you don't have to... er... populate as fast, I guess? But we're... not." He shrugs. "Tokyo's hardly the biggest city, either. But... yeah, no real room for gardens, although we do try!"

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel knew humans bred faster, but still, that was a lot of humans, too!

"Now I know what humans prioritize," he said with a shake of his head and a small smile.

[stealsyourheart]

He shrugs with a wry grin.

"We're humans. We prioritise a lot of different things! We're contrary like that I guess. But cities ... they're really big, these days. Massive great things with buildings that reach up to the sky. I think some of the tallest in Dubai are actually high enough to touch the clouds! There's more work in the cities, y'see. So even if you don't live there, a lot of people work there."

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel frowned. "The cities are where the tradespeople and crafters gather. How is there that much work for so many people?"

[stealsyourheart]

"Well, there's... uhh... I think they estimate there's... about 7.5 billion humans on earth now? So... there's plenty of work that needs doing SOMEWHERE."

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel's eyes were big. "Your cities must be awash with art!"

[stealsyourheart]

"I dunno about that." He shrugs. "Depends what you consider art, I guess? There's usually loads of graffiti around but I dunno if most people consider that art."

[laurefindil]

"What is 'graffiti?'" Glorfindel asked.

[stealsyourheart]

"Depends on who you're talking to!" He says with a laugh.

"Most government types consider it vandalism. Most people, too. But some folk think of it as art. It's spray paint, on walls. Usually public spaces, but sometimes private property. SOMETIMES it can be like. Pictures! Or like sentences. But often it's just random scribbles - it's called 'tagging' - it's like. A signature. Just an 'I was here' type thing, you know?"

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel frowned. "Art is one thing, but just scribbling your initials on someone else's property sounds...egotistical."

"We had beautiful murals of the sea in Gondolin. Along most of the thoroughfares."

[stealsyourheart]

He shrugs expressively.

"Right? But that's why a lot of people consider it vandalism. I've seen it done well. But most of them time... it's not."

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel sighed dramatically. "People need to take more pride in their work. Even when unsolicited."

[stealsyourheart]

Kaito laughs. "Well, it's mostly random people with nothing better to do, or gang members so..."