2018-10-22: Now, Engage Yourself To Me

From Dream Chasers
Jump to navigation Jump to search


<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied is spending the day with a project of personal import today, though she hasn't quite hung a 'DO NOT DISTURB' sign or anything given that would be... well, that would be terribly imperious of her, wouldn't it? It's just not the kind of sign she'd hang up.

She is being more technical than she usually is, though; she's borrowed an open-space workshop from Hammer and Lydia, with a desk in front of her where the ferroflora from Glint Mirage has been used in what appears to be kind of jewelcrafting experiment, with several precision tools having formed...

... two silvered bands on a propped-up station in front of her. But something's missing, since the seat upon which the jewels would centre the ring remains empty.

At least, until she makes a bit of a spectacle and gathers her light -- perhaps drawing attention as it shines outside the windows -- and struggles for a moment, focusing deeply and firmly within herself...

... and condenses just a faint few specks of that light into what appears to be a pure, incandescent crystal of off-white quality. The same crystal as can be seen on her necklace, the Dragon's Tear, reverberating softly with the light of emotion.

<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.

There is a knock at the door, followed by a creeeeak as it slowly swings open.

"Riesenlied?"

Avril's voice is a touch muffled coming in from the opposite side. "You are in here, are you not?"

Footsteps follow as the young lady invites herself in, slipping into the depths of her friend's workshop.

"Oh, you are also a metalsmith," she comments, uninvited, before her gaze tilts down towards the Hyadean and sights, as if for the first time, what work Riesenlied is now concentrated upon.

"Oh...?!"

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

ELLY VAN HOUTEN is in a slightly fluffy green-and-white dress with a decorative little waist panel with the suits of playing cards on it. It's the kind of nice cotton dress that makes you feel like a Princess(Maker 2). She's been pretty happy about it.

Sitting outside, she has also enjoyed a small picnic lunch with a certain F. F-W., saying as she does, "It's nice out here, isn't it? Well, hopefully Riesenlied will come out a bit - I don't want to intrude on her when she's developing something in these situations, and this is as good a place to sit as any oth-"

cucco............... flash!

Elly paps her knees at this and rises to her feet. "Okay," she says: "If this is something horrible..."

Elly then opens the door --

-- on the other side of the workshop! She immediately sees Riesenlied, who is not being carved up for nuggets by Lady Harken or something; that's a relief. She also raises a hand to flutter fingers in a wave to Avril, saying over her shoulder, "She's alright!" After this Elly bustles into the working space, probably because now it's not rude, someone else already did it! Heh heh... thanks, Avril!


<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei is feeling pretty good today. It may involve that new dress that Elly is wearing (it involves that new dress Elly is wearing). He's in the kind of mood that good or ill, he thinks he can handle what may come even if it's not the best of circumstances, even if it might be a bad end. It's not going to last, of course, but it does feel as if at least one weight is off his chest. That's still related to the dress, but not in a direct manner.

"I heard she was having trouble walking." Fei says. "If nothing else, I want to see how she's doing." She nods to Elly.

CUCCO...FLASH!

Fei blinks a few times. He slowly lifts up the sandwich he's been munching on and slides it into his mouth. He then, by all appearances, swallows it whole (more accurately he just chewed very quietly and then swallowed).

"Right--" Fei says, unsettled as he follows after Avril. He is acting like he's not busting in at all because Elly and Avril already busted in. "Oh hey Riesenlied!" Fei says, brushing crumbs off his face. "Is everything alright? We saw a flash and--"

His gaze slants towards that incandescent crystal. He doesn't say anything, but he is clearly observing it.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

To say that Riesenlied flummoxes and becomes a ball of embarrassment over what happens would be a bit of an understatement, because--

As Avril calls her name and opens the door, she yelps and flails as she instinctively tries to hide the rings and winds up knocking over her stand. They're fortunately secure, but still tumble down out of reach as--

She's alright!

"I--I'm all right, I'm all right!" Riesenlied croons bashfully as her face reddens, shoulders sinking up as Fei enters after Elly and she whines wordlessly with a quietly high pitch as she drapes her arms around the crystal she's just coalesced into solid form.

"Aaaah..." she looks around frantically, but...

Well, a certain Crimson Noble isn't coming up and running to her side, so... she doesn't quite melt down as hard as she possibly could.

<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.

Fortunately (?) Avril does not heed many of the mores more common of the people of this world. Besides, there was no response... and a mysterious flash of light at that. Perhaps too with the way Riesenlied's body had been changing her intrusion might be thus forgiven. Perhaps.

It would seem the light had not gone unnoticed by others, either -- Avril is soon joined by Elly and then also Fei.

"Are you-- oh, thank goodness. For a moment, I had thought--"

Such proclamations of relief don't get too far before Riesenlied startles and then flails a little bit, knocking aside the stand with the rings.

Avril already is ducking down to pick them up.

"...I had thought it was jewelry. Actually, Riesenlied..."

She sets the stand down again after a moment's inspection.

"...Perhaps I might get your opinion on a set I am working on? It seems I wasn't the only one working on metalworking at the moment."

And then she sort of... settles into a silence, because she might have noticed that Riesenlied is sort of balling up. "...Riesenlied?"

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

"Oh! We were just surprised at the light, and with everything going on," Elly says, bustling upwards though not quite into full hug space. The stand is knocked over - "Ah -" Elly reaches for them, grasping for whatever-it-s. Hopefully not blades!

"We didn't want to interrupt you-- hello Avril!" Elly says with a smile. Then back to Riesenlied she speaks more quickly, "It's okay - everything's fine, isn't it? Or..."

Oh no, Elly thinks: Did she knock over her project??

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei has no idea what Riesenlied was working on. He can tell that it's jewelry and he can imagine it's for a certain someone but he is completely clueless as to the aim. "Well that's good. Sorry, I'm sure you understand--better to be safe than sorry, right?" He is too zetta slow to interfere with whatever happens to Riesenlied's stand, probably because he's not equipped with speed shoes at the moment, but he does say, "Making a surprise gift for Noeline? That's okay, we won't tell."

He gives Riesenlied a big grin and a /mighty/ wink.

He looks over to Avril. "Huh. I didn't know you did metalworking too. You're a woman of many skills, Avril." Man he's just so positive today what the heck. WHAT THE HECK.

He gives another glance at the jewelry. ... ... ... Yep! He's got nothin'!

<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.

Having been further away, it took Dean longer to reach Riesenlied's workshop after spotting that bright flash of light; it also helps that he's coming out of curiosity rather than thinking anyone might be in trouble. If he thought someone needed help, he would've been here on thd double. Before long, he finds--

"Hey Avril! Hey Fei, hey Elly!" he says cheerfully. He pauses, overhearing what people are saying, and adds, "A gift for Noeline? That sounds nice!" He turns his curious gaze in towards Riesenlied and her crystal, and also how she appears to be turning into corn. Also, Avril's working on some kind of metalworking too? "Whatcha working on?" he wonders, the question meant for them both.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied's horns are so thoroughly drooped that they kind of look more like... floppy sleeves coming out of her hair, at this point. Though as Avril picks up the stand to take the rings, there's a quiet pip of fright that accompanies them jumping straight back up--

"Y--yes, it is jewelry... it is a minor skill of mine, I'm not very good--" she kind of more sounds like she's filling the air to try to hide her nervousness, for all the good that's doing!

She shakes her head at Elly as her redness builds up until she's got the same colour as Elly's hair. "Y-you weren't interrupting--"

Making a surprise gift for Noeline? A gift for Noeline! That sounds nice!

Fei and Dean both tag-team their comment, which frantically prompts her to beg:

"A-aaaah, no, don't tell her!" Riesenlied pauses, before sagging and sinking onto the desk with her arms over her face. Though she pauses and looks to Avril to ask: "A-ah, were you?"

Now that she's holding it, Avril can see that the rings are rather ornate -- she's spent a lot of time on these. They're symmetrical, looking flush with a half-heart that completes when held against each other.

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

"Hello!" Elly says to Dean before moving closer to Riesenlied. She reaches out to put a hand on Riesenlied's shoulder and squeeze once, gently. And then to the two men she says firmly: "/sh!/"

But it's a gentle shh.

She says to Riesenlied, conspiratorially, "We won't tell anyone. We didn't see her anywhere nearby either... It'll be alright."

<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.

"Yes, I did not mean to interrupt. I knocked and it did not seem as if anyone was in," Avril chimes in with Elly, glancing over at the other woman.

She nods. "I happened upon a kit in an abandoned house about a year ago and took it out of curiosity," Avril explains to Fei. In other words, she's (unknowingly) walked off with one of Matilda's holiday celebration/birthday gifts. "While it seems I still have things to learn, it feels strangely familiar. As if I've done this before, perhaps? I thought maybe I might remember something if I kept at it, but..."

It's about at this moment that Dean walks in and Avril grows tense. Maybe Riesenlied isn't the only one attempting to keep a project silent.

"Perhaps... I might show you later?" Avril says, before taking another glance at the rings.

"...Is there a meaning to the conjoined hearts?"

oh no

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly's cheeks pinken at Avril's question.

Of course she knows what hearts are for!! Didn't you see what it looks like when Vierge hits something with its rod?

<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.

"Shh?" Dean blinks rapidly to Elly. Then he lowers his voice: "Oh, do we have to be quiet so we don't ruin her concentration or something? Sorry about that!" Then Riese protests, begs them not to share the surprise. Dean smiles at her brightly and rubs a finger under his nose before nodding. "Don't worry, we can keep a secret! Right, Fei?"

But it seems like Avril doesn't want to share about her project. Dean gives her a confused look, but... maybe she needs to get metalworking tips from Riese or something? Dean doesn't know much about that himself, so he doesn't think about it further than that.

He does lean in curiously when Avril asks about the conjoined hearts, though. "Yeah, is that a Hyadean thing or something?"

He doesn't notice Elly's blushing, either.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei takes 250 critical damage from Elly's gentle 'shh'. A non-gentle one would probably do the full 500. He grimaces visibly and says, "Sorry, I guess I was being a little loud."

He turns as if he's about to step out to let Riesenlied have her privacy but then Avril says something. She says something very dangerous. The lightbulb in Fei's head flickers before turning itself on and glowing brightly.

His body tuuuurns slowly back to Riesenlied. He looks towards the Hyadean The...Hyadorable and he looks towards her eyes.

And then Fei's smile grows more and more powerful until--

Yeah it's basically this: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/steven-universe/images/8/89/Garnet_smiling.jpg. Fei is even pressing his hands against one another.

He then makes a sound that sounds like a faint squeal bubbling out from his body.

He doesn't even say any words. He can't.

He is undone.

<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.

"Fei?" Dean repeats quietly, blinking over at his friend. "Fei? You okay, Fei? Heeyyy..."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied is pacified gently as Elly moves closer and reassures that it'll be all right. She nods quietly, holding her hands very tightly to the Dragon's Tear, reverberating with a soft amber hue of anxiety.

"A--all right, I--"

Avril is still inspecting her rings! She sinks her head further as she chews on her lip, though she ruminates first on Avril's comment. She's tense, though, looking at Dean... should she not bring anything up? "I--I see... if you are curious, I could take a look at it, later if you need?" she offers the mysterious girl an out.

But then she draws attention to the conjoined hearts--!! And Dean's leaning in to comment as well!

And then Fei is grinning in that... that... how do you even describe that grin? A half-donut with teeth?

"F-feeeei!" she whines, because she knows /he's/ in on it, and Elly seems to be as well!

She pauses, and then embarrassedly twiddles as she admits: "I was feeling very scared..."

You can hear a cacophony of people immediately holler from down the hallway, muffled through doors: "It's okay to be scared!!" as if it were a running gag by now.

Riese blinks at that spectacle, before saying, "... about our trip to Elru, about what may happen, so I wanted to... I wanted to..."

Oh nooo, she doesn't have the courage to say it...

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

"I'm just trying to make it easier on Riesenlied,' Elly tells Dean quietly. Then Riesenlied speaks -

Elly side-eyes the door which no doubt has an entire cast on its other side -

And she looks back down to Riesenlied again. She squeezes her shoulder once. "You wanted to...?" Elly says, in a gently encouraging tone.

(She also glances at Fei in case he's... actually fundamentally overwrought or having a seizure, not just struggling not to go 'squeeee' really loud.)

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei is going to fail this will save, Riesenlied. Case in point, when Dean moves to check on him, Fei starts shaking Dean excitedly. It's probably the 'struggling not to go squeeeee' really loudly. He is doing his best to not scream out the solution to this puzzle like Descole but it's only going to be a matter of time. He is but one man.

The clock...is ticking...!!!!

<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.

Dean is shaken with extreme vigor, so much so that it shakes the yells out of him.

"aaaAAAaaaaAAaaaAAAaaaa...."

...but at least he keeps the yelling quiet.

<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.

"Yes, later, perhaps, if we have the chance? I... am not entirely certain I'll have the time to complete my project before Elru, as it stands."

Without picking the stand back up, Avril indicates for Dean's sake the hearts formed by the ring. "You see? When the rings are together, they make a heart shape. I was wondering if that had a particular meaning. You see, when I've seen that shape, it usally means things like l--"

Fei makes an odd noise, which then prompts Avril to cut herself off and look his way, baffled.

Riesenlied continues her transformation into a puddle of liquid metal.

"...You were scared?"

The melting, it seems, only continues.

"...Oh, I see."

Silence, for a moment or two more.

"You wanted to tell her how you feel. Isn't that right...?" Perhaps Avril isn't as helplessly dim with such matters as she might seem.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looks at Elly, with timid little eyes as she flicks them between the redhead, then her rings again; there's a faint swallow as she whispers, "I wanted to..." she speaks again, as if to stabilise and work off off a base.

Fei starts shaking Dean vigorously and they're like 'aaaaaaaaaaa' and he's trying to not go 'squeeeeeeeeee' and aaaaaaaaaa

"... I wanted to have... something more..." Riesenlied admits. "To move us forward, even if it were just a single step further... to try to quell the deepest fears I have in my heart..."

She pauses, then bashfully nods towards Avril as she encourages her. "So I created these rings. Like the Dragon's Tear... so that-- a piece of me will be with her..." She looks between Fei and Elly, then stammers--

"D-do you... perhaps... I wanted to ask... if you've-- thought about such things before," she blurts out.

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Now it's Elly's turn to freeze up. "!!!"

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei knows a lot about marriage and marriage equivalences. Why, he's probably blown up more weddings than anyone else here! Dean probably hasn't even blown up one wedding.

Thankfully Riesenlied finally says what this is all about. Well she's been kinda hinting at it for a while but you get the idea. Fei finally breathes, then he exhales out a long breath, and he looks towards Elly for a moment. Have they ever thought of such things before? Fei smiles at Elly, but he doesn't vocalize the answer immediately.

He lets go of Dean. "Sorry man," Fei says. "Got a little ahead of myself."

And then he crouches down to look at Riesenlied. "Riesenlied, just yesterday, Elly and I had these thoughts. Not quite the same, but similar. It's only natural to worry about the future and to do now what you want to do most, to say what you want to say most, so that you can move forward not with a heart devoid of regret of fear, but so that even in the most trying of times you can remember you at least said this, or did that, and that you can draw hope from it."

He straightens up. "But what you're doing isn't just preparing for the battle ahead. You're making a promise. A needless promise, really, because you already have lived that promise already. Perhaps it's better to think of it making that promise ever stronger. Whatever comes, your hearts have become two sides of the same heart, and you shouldn't fear that or apologize for it.. You should be proud of it. That's what I think."

He smiles. "Being nervous is natural. I think it happens to everyone."

<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.

Zero is the correct number of weddings to have blown up, Fei Fong Wong!!!

Dean wobbles about back and forth for a moment after Fei stops shaking him, eyes swirling. "aaaaaaa..." he continues, before finally he grabs his head and shakes off the dizziness. Don't ask how that works. It just does. He gets a hold of himself in time to hear Avril commenting on Riese telling Noeline how she feels, and he blinks, uncomprehending. "How she feels?"

... ... ...

"OH, this is one of those romance things, isn't it?" Dean utters. And, since it's a romance thing that doesn't involve him in any way, he gives Riese a firm nod. "So that's what the hearts were for." Then he tilts his head. "But why would you be afraid? It's obvious Noeline cares about you too. Just tell her you love her already."

GREAT LOVE ADVICE, DEAN. Maybe Fei and Elly have more insight? They're actually in a relationship, after all, a fact Dean recalls when he blinks over at the couple.

<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.

Ah. Understanding dawns afresh over Avril's expression and she dips her head in a short nod, as if to say:

'Say no more'.

"I understand, Riesenlied." Her gaze skims off, towards the rings, and she again nods when Dean asks the obvious question here. "Yes. It would seem so." Her gaze lingers on him for a moment.

/Rebecca... the way Rebecca feels.../ She looks away, discomfort settling mildly upon her -- but ah, even this is there and gone.

"..." Slowly, Avril tilts her head to one side as if listening to what Fei has to say. "I would not call it needless, Fei," she speaks up, a moment later. "I have heard it said that actions speak louder than words. I would think she has put her very heart and soul into making these rings." She pauses but a moment, as if thinking it over. "It... perhaps such a shared feeling would remain as strong even without such a gesture. Nevertheless... I can understand your feeling, Riesenlied, to forge a bond in this manner."

Of course she would know. She's attempting something quite similar.

"But... you are both right. Dean, Fei. It is nothing to fear or hide if you would rather otherwise."

Another pause, and then at last, Avril smiles. "I think she will like it very much, Riesenlied."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied immediately looks contrite when Elly freezes up, though she's mildly distracted as Fei kneels next to her. Then funnels her attention when he starts speaking, biting her lip. So he and Elly also...

"... I... I want to," she finally whispers, nodding quietly at Avril. "I want to push our bond forward, to temper it further than where it is at... you know that I am-- bashful and tongue-tied at the worst of times. I thought expressing it in this manner might help me... express what I struggle to, with just words."

A pause, as she stops herself from tangling herself in a nattering web of thoughts.

'Romance things', Dean says! "S-she does know. We have spoken of it... it is as Fei says, perhaps it is a needless promise, yet I feel... insecure enough about what may happen that I wanted something... a little extra on top."

But Fei says... be proud of it... don't fear or apologise for it.

She nods softly at Avril with a bashful smile in turn as she says Noeline will like it.

A longer pause. "... does... does crafting the rings mean I have to be the one to propose? I wanted her to--" and hitches up as she looks at Dean and then Fei again.

... well, even if she doesn't say it, it's not hard to imagine Riesenlied wanting Noeline to bombastically propose to her with her usual pomp and glamour...

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly slowly relaxes.

On Lunar, Margaret, the Black Pearl of Neo Vane, grimaces and doesn't know why.

But this is Filgaia. Elly says quietly, "Making a pledge like that... it's very brave of you, I think." She steals a sidelong glance towards Fei -

Dean speaks.

"... It's not so easy... there's always that fear, that you'll find out, that you were wrong," she answers Dean, shyly. Perhaps this will seem like coquettery, even if it is not coming from that place.

"I bet she thinks the exact same thing, though," Elly tells Riesenlied.

<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.

"Huh? Wrong about what?" Dean wonders, blinking at Elly. But then Riese says that Noeline knows she loves her, that they've discussed it before. He brightens. "Oh! Well, in that case, there's no problem, right? Just give her the present; I'm sure she'll love it!"

But... does this mean she has to propose? Dean scratches his head and looks at Avril, who glances over at him for completely different reasons. "I dunno about that much... but if you wanna get married, does it really matter who proposes?" He smiles back at Riese. "The important thing is that you're together!"

He grins and nods at Avril and her assessment. "Yeah! So you've got nothing to worry about! Go out there and get 'er, Riesenlied!" And... that's that, as far as he's concerned. Why hold back if you love someone? Dean doesn't understand why anyone would bother.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei glances back to Elly, before straightening. "Needless, but needed." Fei clarifies which is strange since it's a paradox, but that paradox is what Fei was getting at in the first place.

"But if Noeline knows about it, then she can certainly be the one to propose if you'd like."

He looks to Elly. "Mm... In my limited experience, the one who seems the least nervous often is the more nervous of the two."

He looks back to Riesenlied for a moment and adds, "May it fill you with strength."

He looks to Dean, then to Elly, then to Dean again. Fei looks at him as he eats his backup sandwich. Sometimes Fei can't help but wonder if Dean is the one from space.

Retrieved from "https://dreamchasers.space/index.php?title=2018-10-22:_Now,_Engage_Yourself_To_Me&oldid=6714"