kaisou | [Open] Happy Yam Ween Everyone

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ruby gloom

[Open] Happy Yam Ween Everyone

WHO: Ruby Gloom and YOU
WHERE: Here and there around the city
WHEN: December 25th
WHAT: A new arrival, just in time for festivities
WARNINGS: N/A

[A: Out from Gloomsville]
[So, this was far from the home Ruby knew.

That was obvious by the time she escaped her personal labyrinth; mansion halls haunted by ghosts that just weren't all that friendly. A bit of a hassle, but she persevered. But the moment she sets foot in the city of Kaisou proper, for the first time, it's basically a whole new adventure.

And... Ruby's excited. What an odd detour from her trip home! She's also cold, but some locals were nice enough to help her with that.

Her first full day in Kaisou, and it was a celebration! What a treat! Even if she needs to get back, there's so much she'd like to do first - plus, it would make for a great story back at the house, wouldn't it?

With that settled, Ruby spends most of the day getting into the swing of the season. Throwing herself into helping with any last-minute decorating, which grants her a good look at this snow-coated metropolis. For the cold, she's been bundled up in the warm clothes the locals were kind enough to share.

But it makes holding things somewhat difficult; be warned, the snow isn't the only thing falling on you in these busy streets. There's also a string of... popcorn decorations?]

Oops! [A light giggle from above, where Ruby is sat on a stepladder looking down. One hand covering her smile.] Sorry.

[Or, you might just be the lucky recipient of some Christmas Day caroling. Answer the door and be greeted by a young girl with bright red hair, singing... well, it's not a traditional christmas song. But there's feeling. right?]

[B: Wildcard]
[For whatever else we might like to do in the last days of 2023. Put it here!]

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Persephone doesn't celebrate Christmas. She existed long, long before it came into being and regardless, winter was never a fun time for her. It was just a reminder of her time trapped below. Of her mother's grief. But she will not spend her time trapped inside, either. So she's currently walking Cerberus around the city- the normies making space for the too-large dog while not really seeing him for what he was.

That was until the popcorn started dropping from the sky, anyway. Two of the three heads immediately start snapping at the falling treats, while the third tries to snuffle what they miss on the ground. Persephone exhales sharply.

"What have I told you about putting things in your-," she looks upwards and that is a child, on a stepladder. "...You seem. ...Small. To be up there."

As always, she is the best at speaking to children, a winner, clearly.

Clearly, she's doing something right. As the whole situation earns some quiet giggles from Ruby, on top of her ladder. Well, it wasn't hers, it was on loan.

"Do I?" She seems to consider that. "I feel like I've bee much higher up than this before."

The amount of danger this child has been in would worry most adults, but not Ruby. Nevertheless, she starts climbing down.

"Sorry about the mess, and the quick snack your dog is having. I hope you don't mind?"

Persephone folds her arms, letting out a soft snort of amusement.

"...Well, if you say so. Don't come crying to me when you break your neck," she looks at Cerberus as three tounges lick up three muzzles, tail wagging, delighted. "It's...fine. It wouldn't kill him. Though I'm sure he'll expect you to give him more of that again, should he see you again. You might have made a rod for your own back."

Ruby, fr her part, seems perfectly content in her work. No worries about taking a tumble here. She's either particularly brave, or a bit naive. Perhaps both.

"That might be a little difficult, we've only just met," she's not so sure that she hates this rod of hers, but you know what they say about strangers. "For starters, I'm Ruby Gloom! And... could I possibly pet your dog? They're just so cute."

"You'd be surprised how little that discourages people in this place."

People keep trying to be obnoxiously friendly and she frankly does not get it. She lets out a put-about sigh.

"If you must. It feels like half the city has done so already," that's an exaggeration. "The right one prefers the petting."

Unfortunately, Persephone, you're going to be in for more of the same now that Ruby is here.

Ruby tries not to be obnoxious with her friendship,but sometimes you just need to pet a dog, you know? She's happy to follow the instructions and give the rightmost head a good dose of affection.

"They're so cute!"

One day she will stop fighting this and accept her lot in this city. Maybe.

Cerberus happily leans into the petting, lowering the chosen head to give primo petting angles for Ruby. Persephone sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"He's supposed to be a fearsome guardian of the gates of the dead."

"Really? 'Cuz he sort of seems like a big softie."

Who loves ear scritches. So far, this has been a good day for Ruby.

"You know, he can be both things. A fearsome guardian, and someone who likes pets!"

"...Yes, well, I suppose he could be. And he doesn't exactly have the gates of the dead to guard here. He'll have to find another purpose."

She pauses, then makes sure to add:

"Though preferably not solely focusing on being a pampered pet. He still has work to do."

"--Right. Can't focus on being pampered all the time. Got'cha." Even though that might be nice. She'll give Cerberus some last pats before letting it end.

Okay, one more.

"I didn't even ask for your name, or your dogs. Sorry about that."

It would be so very nice, but Persephone isn't good at nice. She's good at being standoffish and just slightly on this side of threatening and everything tends to fall by the wayside.

"The dog is Cerberus, and I'm Persephone."

She's a little curious. People either know her or they don't in this realm, she's found. It's been an...interesting experience to see.

Well, good thing Ruby is good at nice.

"Cerberus... As in the protector of the underworld?"

Her eyes widen in wonder, with little sparkles. That's normal.

Persephone makes a soft sound of amusement.

"The one and the same. He defends my realm...or rather he did, before he was brought here, as I was," she folds her arms. "...Against our wills, I should note."

"So you're also from another place? Go figure, I was taken here from Gloomsville!" she's happy to meet someone else in this situation, if not happy about it. "But, wait, if that's Cerberus, and your name is Persephone, does that really mean...?"

"I am, from Earth still...currently, but not this one. Can't say I've ever heard of Gloomsville."

It sounds like a place from a Scooby Doo cartoon, she thinks, but she at least keeps that to herself.

"That I am a God? Queen of the Dead? Yes."

Hades is being kept very pointedly out of the picture.

"Wow, that's... that's so cool!"

Likely not the first reaction you'd expect a kid to have to a goddess of death standing before her. But Ruby wasn't most girls.

"Oh. Heh. Your godliness," Ruby gives a little bow. "Sorry again for dropping popcorn on your and your dog."

Persephone has seen a plethora of reactions from mortals since the Idols chose to reveal themselves but for her? Well, mostly for her it has been fear and distrust, as usual. People have a strange relationship with death, she knows- they distance themselves from it and as such they distance themselves from her.

So this is a nice change. The bow doubly so. She might even smile. A little.

"You are forgiven, largely because it makes a difference to see some proper respect for a change."

[ Christmas is great. He might not be from this planet and he might not understand why it's being celebrated, but the bright lights and cheery mascots was enough for Vash to decide he loved everything about this--and the existence of snow was a new and delightful phenomenon he likely won't get tired of, soon.

He's on his way to do a little shopping for some ingredients for a huge batch of cookies he needs to put together for gifts when--

He's suddenly being decorated, too.

All seven feet of him, now draped with a long string of brightly colored popcorn--and he goes stock still. Staring down at the stings, then up at where they came from, then back down...

...and he poses with his arms up, one leg hooked forward like a flamingo. ]

I know I look like a tree, but I promise I'm a bit too mobile for decorations, there, little miss!!!

[It's not like the holidays Ruby was accustomed to either, but it's close enough. Ruby always lived for celebrations like this; all the colorful decorations, the good food, the happiness on display, it all warmed her heart in the best way.

But that can make her distracted, which has lead to right now.]

...pff, hehehe. [She can't help a small laugh, ringing like bells.] I guess you could be a tree, but right now you look a bit more like a bird.

[ ...he moves his arms, flapping them a little. Maybe to help the image a little, seeing as she seems so amused. Putting on a show for a kid? Absolutely. That's what he's the best at, thank you very much. ]

Are there 'Christmas Birds?' I don't know a lot about this holiday, admittedly. As amazing as it is.

[The image certainly comes together! Ruby's more than a little amused, and finally coming down off her ladder to help with the mess... Goodness he is tall.]

Me neither. Actually, it's my first day here. And what better time to arrive here than during a holiday?

[Here, let her help pick up these popped corns.]

--[ she's so tiny. Give him a second--he'll move to crouch so he isn't TOWERING over the poor girl like a tree, a crooked smile on his face. ]

First day, huh??
You mean--you just moved to the city, or...

[ ...is she an otherworlder, like he is? He's got a bit of a sparkle in his eye. ]

[Ruby is never not the smallest of her friends (unless those friends are little bats or crows). So, she's a bit used to looking up to others in daily conversations.

In fact, a lot of people in this city were so tall? Maybe Gloomsville was just short...]

Moved? Well, I guess you could call it that. But, actually, I just turned up here, all by myself!

'Just turned up here', huh?

Looks like we're the same that way. I'm from a place far, far away from here, too.

But this planet is super pretty, isn't it?

[ He'll actually start to help removing the popcorn strings, detangling it and coiling it up neatly. ]

What sort of place do you come from?

Wait, you're also from another world? Go figure!

[huh. Wait, that makes sense. Of course everyone's from somewhere. Ruby just assumed everyone else was from here.]

It is pretty beautiful, isn't it? And I just love the decorations. [Like it wasn't obvious.] It's familiar... but so different from Gloomsville - oh, that's where I'm from. Gloomsville's a lot... gloomier than here. Lots of nice graveyards and crypts.

I don't suppose you're from anywhere near there?

Edited 2024-01-03 05:32 (UTC)

Glooms...ville? Full of graveyards... man that sounds spooky, if I'm gonna' be honest.

Or is it just like... a Halloween thing? We recently had a halloween thing. I got stuck in a haunted house with my friend Jun.

Anyway. Yeah, I've been here--almost nine months now, I think? I've never heard of a Gloomsville, but.
I'm from a planet called No Man's Land.

It's just a big desert planet. All sand and rock and bugs.

..."Halloween"?

[She blink, puzzled.]

Sure, it can be a little spooky, but it's mostly... gloomy. I guess I'm just used to that. Everyone there is actually really nice.

And I've never heard of a whole world called No Man's Land, so I guess that ruins us being possible neighbors. [A whole dessert, though. She almost can't imagine it.] So, have you ever - you know - tried to go home? In those nine months?

Oh, do you not know about it? That makes sense. I didn't know about holidays like that, or Christmas back home either, so it makes sense to me.

[ he makes a jittery little laugh. ]

I think a world that's a little spooky would be fine so long as it's full of kind people.

[ but to answer her question... his expression looks a little... distant. ]

Hm.

I haven't tried.
But that's mostly because I kind of like it here, better. Than I do home.
So I'm fine with being here, really.

I guess not. How fun!

[It's nice to learn new things once in a while.]

Really? You've never tried? [That would explain why he's been here so long, she supposed. Something about it is a lil worrying... but she brushes it off.] Oh well, this place does seem pretty fun... I'm sure my friends can take care of the mansion while I'm here.

Besides, it'd be one heck of a story, right?

Edited 2024-01-04 10:31 (UTC)

Well, from what I've been told by a friend of mine. The last time someone tried to force a way to a different world--[ he points up. To the northern lights that hover in the sky--that green crackle of magic that not everyone could see.

He assumes... Ruby maybe can. If she's not from here. ]--The spirit vein up there got damaged. And it's why people like me and you appear in this city sometimes.

So it's probably not a great idea to force anything, yeah?

[ he chuckles. ]

It is definitely one heck of a story to bring home.
A planet far, far away...

[ he wiggles his fingers. ]

...Ooohh.

[She just thought that coloring up there was an aesthetic thing. That's... a good bit more worrying.]

Yeah. Probably better to find a way to fix that, before trying anything dangerous.

[Hmm, more problems on her tiny hands. Yes, she's added the spirit vein to the list of things she wants to try and fix. It's happening.]

Oh well. I guess this'll be a longer adventure than I thought. [!] Oh, right - I'm Ruby Gloom. I kinda forgot to introduce myself for a while there.

Don't worry your head about it too much. Once it becomes clearer how we can all help, I'm sure you'll be able to do your part.

[He's gonna reach out a hand and boop her right on the nose. Pausing when he realises--right. He'd been so startled by the popcorn landing on him, HE'D forgot introductions, too! ]

Oh! Ruby Gloom, huh? That's a great name. 'Ruby' like 'Red,' right? Red's my favorite color.

[ he says. Wearing a coat so red he looks like he could be some steampunk santa claus, honestly. ]

As for me, I'm Vash the Stampede.
Good to meet you, Ruby.

[ ...time to hang some popcorn over her head... ]

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