kaisou | Traded daffodils for a kingdom of ash and bone

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Traded daffodils for a kingdom of ash and bone

WHO: Persephone and the Cottage Crew
WHERE: Her(???) cottage
WHEN: Early November, before everything kicks off.
WHAT: Cottage crew get a weird new landlady
WARNINGS: Probably nothing.

[Persephone had felt her power return to her, suddenly and inexplicably. It wasn't the level it should have been, not even slightly, but it was better than when she wandered into the Labyrinth and she supposed it was as good a sign as she could get that things might eventually return to normal. She also felt a pull. It was a little like the pull she had to the Underworld but also...not. This was something else. Something that was originally hers, instead of wrested from her late husband. It was feeding on her, too, it wasn't enough to bother her overmuch, but it WAS enough to warrant an investigation.

She follows the pull through the city, further out, further still until she comes across the cottage. She doesn't recognise it, but the feeling of it being HERS is there. Strong as a siren call. It stirs up old feelings- like those of Old Olympus. It reminds her of her mother. She figures she doesn't remember this because it was something from one of her previous lives- something lost in the shuffle of countless passing on of her Eidolon. But this is hers. Of that, she is absolutely certain.

There are animals here. There's a motorcycle and sidecar parked outside. This place is clearly inhabited. But regardless, she wanders the garden. The plants here are dutifully cared for, that much is clear. She stops by a narcissus, waving a hand idly over it. A few more flowers spring up beside it, but they do not bloom- she frowns, her strength is still only a fraction of what it should be. She doesn't like feeling weak.

She wanders to the door. It's her right to just walk through it, the door is hers, after all. But her experience with Orpheus has made her reconsider just immediately attacking a perceived usurper. The Underworld is her true realm now, she doesn't need to remove anyone from this place. Besides, she should probably... not be terrible to every single person in this city. Grace has taught her that friends are needed when facing the great unknown, too. And so, despite the fact she doesn't need to, the Queen of the Dead knocks. ]

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[a few moments after persephone knocks at the door comes the sound of little footsteps approaching. they don't get many strange visitors here, and kni presumes it's someone he already knows, usually in passing as a friend of one of the other cottage's residents. so, when he opens the door and looks up to see a complete stranger, he frowns.

and then slams the door shut again, right in her face.

if she's a friend of someone's here, then they can answer the door instead.]

[Eve had been reading when she hears knocking from the front door. Curious, she goes looking for a bookmark but not in a hurry. Probably someone (most likely Vash) invited their friends again.]

[But then she hears the door slam, and she gets nervous. Forget the bookmark, Eve drops the book as is and hurries to the hall.]

[What she sees shouldn't be that worrying. Just Kni in front of the door, the most likely culprit for the noise. Yet her heart lurches at the sight, old memories of a splintered door and pain, pain. Eve's nervous. Who knows who could be on the other side. Kni shouldn't be there.]

Kni?

[There's worry behind that questioning tone, surprisingly apparent for Eve. She might be trying to keep composed, but she's one step away from putting herself between him and the door.]

[when he turns away from the door it's to see eve there, no doubt called over by the little commotion. her nervousness is obvious as he walks over to her; strangers made him nervous too, but something tells him this is more than just being stranger shy. it isn't in his nature to dig down to the root of a problem, so he just shrugs.]

It's fine.

[someone else can get the door, if the stranger is still there. kni reaches out and tugs lightly at eve's sleeve.]

Come out and feed the rabbits with me.

[it's a request, even if he frames it like a command.]

[Her nerves ease as Kni walks over, away from the door, but not completely. Still tense in case of the worst.]

[Good. She'll keep him safe.]

[Eve seems surprised at the sudden request. Her eyes flicker to the door again.]

But I-

[Despite her fear, she wants to know. Who is there. And what if she needs to protect the house? But then she remembers Vash and Wolfwood are there. And Libra. All more than capable of holding their own.]

Alright.

[The first thought Persephone had when Kni opened the door was oh fuck, it's a kid. She's not the best at kids. That was her brother's area, never hers. Still, she opened her mouth, ready to introduce herself when-

The little fuck.

Slammed the door in her face.

She stands there for a moment, dumbfounded by the sheer audacity of it all. And then, she knocks again. Louder this time. ]

It would be a wise life choice to open the door, Kid.

[of course it'd be too much to ask for the stranger to leave without a fuss. kni seriously contemplates just ignoring the warning and leaving with eve in tow, but...]

State your name first! I'm not opening the door for a stranger.

[is it a good idea to yell back through the door? probably not, but he'll take that risk.]

[There's an actual flinch when the noise returns but louder. This doesn't seem fine, Kni.]

[Eve tries to scoot in front of the younger kid in a defensive stance, heart pounding. Ready to change forms any second should it come to that.]

[ Vash IS there in the cottage of course--he hears the knock on the door and, honestly, expects Eve or Kni--or even Libra to answer the door. He's currently over at the little kitchenette, hands full of cinnamon and apples as he's busy mixing up muffin mix with big chunks of apples--

He stares down at his hands, then at the door... and ... that isn't someone he recognises at all? Either? But. OH MY GOD KNI YOU DON'T? JUST? SLAM THE DOOR IN SOMEONE'S FACE?

He makes an exasperated hissing noise at the back of his throat as he tries to clean muffin mix and cinnamon from his fingers with no luck. Fuckfuckfuck. ]

--Um! Just a minute! I'm sorry about--

[ oh god ]

Libra can you please answer the door?? I don't know who that lady is but--Kni, you don't just slam the door in someone's face!!!

[Well, there's something new to add to the Kni bingo card. Libra puts down the book he was reading when he hears Vash shout at him about the door. He should have stood up earlier, but he was hoping that Kni would be polite.]

Kni, didn't we teach you a bit better than that?

[He steps between the children and the door before opening it to see the woman standing there.]

Ah, hello, I apologize for that. How can we help you?

[The kid has some guts, that much is clear. She folds her arms, listening to the commotion inside as adult voices join the children. When the door opens, finally, she looks around Libra to fix Kni with a glare- though there's a curve to the corner of her lip which gives away her amusement.]

Your'e fortunate that I appreciate someone with moxy.

[Her eyes graze over the other inhabitants, measuring them up, before turning her attention back to Libra.]

I am Persephone. Queen of the Dead, Goddess of the Spring. I am a recent captive to this world and was surprised to find a piece of my domain here also. I wished to explore it, to try and understand how it came here before me. [She leans forward a little, peering inside again at the cottage's inhabitants.] And found myself even more curious about the people inhabiting it.

[ there's a.... twinge, in Vash's face. Libra answering the door was enough to calm his freyed nerves due to Kni being. Well, Kni. And slamming it in her face--but when she introduces herself as a 'Goddess', something in him that is uglier than the rest of him twists in a way he can't describe.

He swallows it down, though, for the sake of politeness. Taking a long, deep breath as he raises both hands--still covered in oats and sticky muffin mix, to welcome her. ]

Your domain? [ it's a curious enough ask; he knew this place was magical, but Jun never told him more than that... hm. Time to ask some things. ] You mean you made it?
My good buddy Jun said this place belonged to a buddy of his--said that it was 'His Mom's Garden', and that the guy who was taking care of it for said mom 'went home'.

We've been taking care of it since, 'cause this place is really. Well, you saw it yourself, right? If it's 'part of your domain', you probably know exactly how special this place is.

...What am I doing!! There's no need to be so serious!!! Hey there, miss Persie--can I call you Persie??
Name's Vash the Stampede!! [ and he is absolutely going to offer her a flour-and-batter dirtied hand, unthinkingly. All seven feet of this tree-man hovering over her--said offered hand made of metal and copper with... plants. Growing from it. Around it, moving and twitching, like they're alive. ]

[regardless of everyone's obvious displeasure at kni's choice in greeting, he doesn't seem very sorry at all. stubborn to the very end over here.

when libra opens the door he's darted off to stand by the back door, ready to abscond whenever the conversation gets dull and boring. the look persephone shoots him earns her a glare of equal size. definitely a lot of moxie in this one.]

Are you really a Goddess?

[if she is, vash should definitely not give her a nickname but his brother's overly friendly nature just has kni rolling his eyes. everyone was way too trusting.]

[Eve follows Kni, not wanting to leave his side just in case.]

[While Eve doesn't say anything, she slowly lowers her arms. So far no one seems to be jumping to fight. She looks at the new arrival curiously.]

[Libra moves out of the way so Persephone can fully enter if she so pleases, before raising an eyebrow when she refers to herself as a goddess. He'd ask more about that later, considering the present company.

Vash... is being Vash, and that's good at least.]

Please come in ma'am.

Would you like anything to eat or drink?

[Sometimes, when presented to someone who claims to be a Goddess, you go a bit into host mode.]

[Persephone watches them all, expression flat. The tall one is doing a lot of talking all at once and she's really not got the requisite social skills to deal with that. She stares at the hand for a moment, before taking it, disregarding the mess of it all. She will not baulk over a little dirt, she shakes the offered hand. Firmly.]

My memories only go so far back, so I do not recall - but I suppose that is a possibility. And yes, I can see it has been well maintained, you have a gift when it comes to plants. I'm actually a little impressed.

[She pulls a face at the nickname. Uggggggggggh, this is like spending time with Freddie. She could say no of course, but she has a feeling that is a battle she not win. ]

If you must. [Her life is fucking suffering forever. She peers around Vash at the children. ] Yes. You can Google me if you want to. Though I warn you, mortals have a habit of simplifying my story.

[And saying stupid-ass things about her ex-husband. She steps inside, when Libra moves aside, peering around the space, willing for it to trip a memory, but it does not. She just feels that tie to it, inexplicable and unmoving. This world is so strange.]

I don't tend to take offerings of food right off the bat. [You get tricked with food that captures you for all eternity once, you don't intend to do that again.] You do not need to be so nervous. I have no intentions of ousting you, nor bringing you into battle. It was curiosity which brought me here. I would not throw a family out into the cold.

[ Vash will listen to every word--because of course he does, that's who he is as a person. He's ... uncertain about googling her, though. The thought that she's a god is something that bothers him, and he knows that reading about her might get him unnecessarily worked up in a way that'd make it had for him to keep up his usual mood.

He gives her hand a firm shake, before moving to cross his arms thoughtfully over his chest. ]

Plants are pretty important to me. [ ...she said she's some sort of otherworldly being herself, so, what's the harm here, he decides, his expression becoming a little calmer, maybe a degree more honest than usual. ] Being that I'm a plant myself. But that's really not important right now.

It's okay if you don't trust us. Having people occupying a place that feels like 'yours' is probably real startling as it is, you know? I'm like. Super happy to hear you won't be kicking us out, but.

While I'm pretty curious to why you got yanked here too--most of us here are actually refugees from another world, too! The ... little one who closed the door on you is my big brother, and that's Eve, and this is Libra. They come from worlds that aren't this one either.

I think me and Kni were originally from Earth, but. We left it a long time ago to find another planet. It's kind of delightful being back on Earth after being told our whole lives it was a husk, you know?

...If you need a place to stay...

[kni will absolutely be "googling" her later, taking what he finds with a healthy dose of skepticism, of course. while he may not completely share vash's discomfort regarding her godliness, it does open the door to a thousand new questions he'd like to ask.]

Vash...

[always blabbing information to strangers! he wishes his brother was just a little less friendly. unintentionally, he mimics vash and crosses his arms over his chest, shoulders tense. at least eve seemed to be as wary as he felt.]

[Eve will also be reading up on her later, starting her Greek and Roman research phase, as a nerdy kid is apt to do. She probably should have started it before the biochemistry but ah well.]

[While Kni is tense, Eve seems to be relaxing little by little. The lady has a regal standing like Train's old supervisor. Familiar, in a way. Eve is still standing back from the adults, but she does feel curious enough to ask.]

You arrived here from another world, but don't remember?

[Have they ever seen an isekai like that before? Usually it was the Kaisou residents that dealt with memories coming in waves.]

[But then Persephone drops the "family" word, and she loses track of the rest of the conversation. Visibly stunned in the corner, brain repeating that over and over.]

[Family]

[She thinks they look like family?]

...Being a plant...yourself.

[She doesn't even sound that surprised- she's known plenty of dryads. She just...expected to recognise one. Maybe more cropped up? It's been many, many decades since she was in the old country, after all. ]

Don't take it personally. I don't even trust my family. It is something hard-earned and few have managed it in several centuries.

[She peers around at this "big brother". Idols often spend lives in different bodies, some younger than they should be. This...is not something she expected from a mortal...though given he might be a dryad, perhaps he's not as mortal as he looks.]

The older brother, hm? He has a good head on his shoulders, caution keeps you and yours alive. I can see why he's the elder one.

[Sorry, Vash, you are extremely friendly and it's WEIRD. She turns her attention to Eve.]

I remember the world I am from, but I am...very old. My kind forgets our eldest memories- there's only so much even a god can keep in their heads. Call it...self-preservation, I suppose. There are gaps which are...unfortunately, lost to me.

[She raises a hand at the offer of a place to stay. She doesn't like the Zodiac apartments but the place is wholly her own.]

That is...fine. I don't live well with others.

[ its fine its fine its fine its fine its fine he doesn't hear Kni's sharp admonition, just smiling like the fool he always is--listening to what Persephone has to say before deciding what to say himself. He's not... sure about 'not trusting his family'--he'd always believed knives could be redeemed, even if it wasn't explicitly a possibility in some timelines--

but he almost wilts like the plant he claimed to be when Persephone compliments Kni for his caution--he slammed the door in her face?! And he's the one being called weird?! His heart is broken... he can feel himself growing roots... ]

Yeah, he's ! pretty smart! Hahah! Hahahaha.... [ he's totally not bothered at all. He's gonna' go wash his hands in a small basin of water. ]

It can't be comfortable, having gaps in your memory, though.
I remember when I first arrived here, there were gaps in my physical ability. Like parts of me were... lost when I crossed over.

I'm fine with that, though. I think I'd feel a little sadder just. Starting to forget my oldest memories, though. [ Aren't you sad, persie... ]

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Traded daffodils for a kingdom of ash and bone

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