EVENT ▸ HANABIRA FINALE

[futurologists]

HANABIRA FINALE A week passes after the summit at Doro's castle, during which some members of Guild Ophelia presented arguments in favor of Youmi and Nama joining together in marriage. They are now left to their own devices as the empresses and their aides presumably negotiate behind closed doors; there's not much to do around Doro's property beyond relaxation, so if you're looking for a little more action, you might want to continue patrolling the Flowerlands for clan conflicts while you wait. The Sea Clan capital is open to visitors, while the Mountain Clan capital remains under lockdown as the guards search for the remaining rebels. Finally, news circulates that the empresses have an announcement to share, and ask for their citizens' attendance the following night. The empresses emerge together on the balcony of Doro's castle, a large crowd in the garden below hanging on their every word. There is, of course, heavy security keeping the rowdy at bay, which turns out to be necessary after the announcement is made. Nama speaks first. Those standing close may notice her hands shaking ever so slightly. ❝We have caused you all to be summoned here today so that we may acquaint you with our resolution in the matter of imperial claim over the lands of the Crashing Wave and Celestial Mountains, which have caused the people much distress over the months. We have determined that, due to forces unknown and out of our control, neither side shall be faulted for laying claim to land they truly believed belonged to their clan. We find that the clans will remain at an impasse as long as the public believes an empress is deprived of land that is rightfully hers. Therefore, in the interest of public welfare, it is my intention to ally myself with Her Imperial Majesty Youmi in the bond of marriage. The crowd murmurs among themselves in shock. A couple people shout, angry, before guards from both clans roughly escort them out. Nama seems a bit dismayed even by the small outburst, so Youmi steps up to speak next. ❝I am deeply affected by the gravity of this engagement. Neither I nor my future wife have come to this decision without strong contemplation and assurance that the other will care for all people, not just her clan, as her own. A marriage between us shall mean a marriage between the empires. The benefits to the people will be great. Unfettered access to natural resources across our unified empire will improve trade, and will the end of skirmishes in Lord Doro's lands. And I assure you, the bloodshed ends today. Guards from both empires will be stationed in the Flowerlands and will be aided by a foreign mercenary group who have proven themselves formidable allies. Those who do not heed this warning will pay dearly, as to threaten members of any clan is to threaten both of us. Those who wish to live in harmony need not worry, as our soldiers are even more powerful together than they are apart. None need worry about the change that is to come. We shall maintain both capitals, and we do not ask that either clan change their traditions. Above all, our union is one born of love for you, the people. Youmi squeezes Nama's shaking hand for a moment, urging her on. Nama speaks once more, finishing up the announcement. ❝We have thought fit to make our intentions known to you at the earliest time, so that you may be informed of a matter so important to the empires. The wedding shall take place in two days' time, but I promise you, Empress Youmi and her subjects are under my protection as of this moment. A move against them is a move against me, and shall be treated as what it is -- treason. I trust this will be most acceptable to all. ...And if it is not, I suggest you persuade yourself otherwise. Nama and Youmi leave the balcony. Most of the crowd talks among themselves, more bewildered than angry, although a small number of people do begin to swing insults -- "I'll never be one with Sea Clan scum!" "Scum? Better than Mountain Clan filth!" -- and are forcibly removed. ▸ THE WEDDING The wedding of Empress Youmi and Empress Nama takes place at Doro's castle, the neutral ground between each empire chosen so as not to show favoritism to either clan. The ceremony is held at night, as is Hanabiran tradition; the cherry and plum trees are strung up with electric lights that softly illuminate the castle grounds, lending a certain romance to the atmosphere. Hanabirans from all walks of life are invited to the wedding and the banquet after, from farmers to merchants to soldiers, in celebration of the promising future for the merged empires. Only the nobility is allowed inside Doro's castle, however -- the exception being the honored guests of Guild Ophelia, of course -- to view the elaborately laid out gifts from one empress to the other: lacquer boxes, mirrors, decorative combs, tea chests, and more are laid out on beautiful silk cloth, heirlooms from each empress's family and the empresses before them. The ceremony itself is short and takes place on the balcony for all to see. Youmi and Nama, both dressed in black furisodes with motifs representing their clans, share sips of sake from elaborate lacquer cups to symbolize the joining of their families -- and thus, their empires. The banquet afterwards is opulent, with traditional food from both clans prepared. The Sea Clan has brought various fish dishes, most notably all kinds of sushi! They've also prepared tuna and cuttlefish sashimi. For those who don't care for fish, the Mountain Clan has prepared sukiyaki, a thinly-sliced beef dish simmering in a pot with vegetables, soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. There's also skewered chicken and pork cutlets. For the crowd who doesn't like meat -- or just wants some variety! -- there's soba, udon, and plenty of fresh vegetables. Beyond food, there are entertainers who have been hired to perform music and to socialize with guests, and contests of skill for the guests to partake in themselves: hanetsuki, tea-guessing, and Go. Owing to the romantic theme of the gathering, prizes for winning any of these contests will be a plum or sweet rice cake intended to be shared with a loved one. But the wedding isn't all fun and games -- before the ceremony, Doro asks any interested members of Ophelia to volunteer to play guard and ensure nothing is interrupted by displeased citizens of either clan. Volunteers are recommended to guard in shifts so as to keep fresh eyes on the situation at all times. Throughout the festivities, there are a number of attempts at disruption: the Mountain Clan inventor who scales the walls with a grappling hook, worrying that the new competition from the Sea Clan will put her out of business; a group of Sea Clan teenagers who start a riot at the gates simply because they want to riot; a Flowerlands farmer who becomes a bit too inebriated for his own good; and finally, a dangerous plot about which one of Doro's guards alerts the volunteers: Mountain Clan rebels have escaped the lockdown of their city and have slipped into the wedding party with the intent to poison Nama due to her betrayal of siding with the "enemy." It'll take the best investigators of Ophelia to figure out who the rebels are and to stop them before they kill Nama and destroy the burgeoning peace everyone has worked so hard to secure. All they know is that it's likely the rebels will be slipping the poison into her drink via a poison ring or will have a moment alone with her food to slip the poison into it. (Mod note: Players are welcome to NPC their Mountain Clan rebels and can make them however they wish as long as it doesn't contradict game canon! Their motivations, personalities, and backgrounds can vary, and they can work alone or in groups. Whether they can be persuaded out of it or will have to be taken down is also up to player discretion. This is your chance to get as creative as you want. Keep in mind that if your character accosts the wrong person or gets too rowdy themselves, they'll be kicked out! Please let us know if your character destroys anything in Doro's castle during a fight... he'd like to know himself, as he'll be expecting reimbursement.) ▸ THE AFTERMATH As the festivities wind down, the guests are invited to stay the night at Doro's castle (or camp outside, depending on their social standing) instead of heading out in the middle of the night. When the morning comes, most guests sleep in, worn out by the revelry the night before, so Ophelia will have some privacy to talk amongst each other freely. In the later morning, while guests begin to depart Doro's land, the empresses send word that they wish to speak with the foreigners; Ophelia is invited to meet them in the garden, where they are seated and holding hands. Youmi says that the future of their people is bright now that they are together, and that they couldn't have done it without Ophelia's assistance. Nama thanks them for their strength in military matters -- and immediately blushes when she realizes how blunt she sounds when compared to her wife, though Youmi only smiles and doesn't seem to mind. Several hours later, Ophelia's magitek suddenly projects words in front of their eyes that only they can see: Guild Ophelia: Hathaway mission analysts have observed you to have successfully completed your mission. You'll be pleased to know that on your success, timeline analysts have also found continued peace in the Hanabiran region to be a 99.8% certainty for the foreseeable future. Please prepare for return to Headquarters. You will be rifted in exactly 36 hours, so do make sure you're not visible to any natives at that time. - Guild Master Imogen With that, Ophelia has their orders. Finish up your business, buy whatever souvenirs you want, and get ready to return to Hathaway Headquarters. ▸ OOC NOTES If you have questions about this log or the overall mission, please ask them on the dossier. Questions about Futurology in general should be directed to the FAQ. ▸ Up now: Activity Check is due 5 March 23:59 UTC. Please note: we do not accept late activity and we do not post warning lists. Voting for Guild Ophelia's uniform is now open! Voting will close on 10 March, after which finalist voting will be held. ▸ Coming next: Post-mission assessment goes up on 11 March. Finalist uniform voting will also go up. Mandatory How's My Driving meme goes up on 25 March. Participation is required to pass March AC. ▸ Bounty Board ▸ Items Page ▸ March Calendar

Comments

Hayame | Jinba | OTA

[kisha]

０１ ↣ 装蹄師 ↣ DOWNTIME

ARCHERY} [Since the team discussion and the arguments presented to the Empresses, Hayame's mood has been most foul. She hasn't said a word in protest since storming out of Doro's castle to prepare for the banquet with the two rulers, even sat silent through the actual audience... but if looks could kill...

Her targets for early morning exercise may not be shaped like enemies, but she shoots them like they are, her aim cruel, her movements vicious, churning up the dirt of Doro's practice fields as she canters back and forth until the targets are but pincushions. Only then, pulling her embedded arrows from the straw, does she turn to glare in the direction of her company.]

GROOMING} [The mission will be ending, and to Hayame... that means returning to the ship in space that she despises, soon to be off on another mission that, statistically... will not be a world as familiar to her as this one. Which means taking care of a few things before they go. In the courtyard of Doro's castle, she stands with arms crossed, lips pursed, eyes closed and leaning against a hitching post for balance... with one back leg raised and one of Doro's stablewomen hard at work cleaning and filing her hooves. At the sound of someone passing through, Hayame cracks an eye open.]

... What?

[Never seen a centaur with a farrier before?]

０２ ↣ 軽蔑 ↣ REBEL SYMPATHIZER

[In the confused murmurs and whispers, the scattered cheers and grumbling discontents that follow the balcony announcement from the two Empresses now united, there is another voice in the crowd that spits out a disdainful comment.]

How weak the mountain clan empress seems.

[Except it isn't a local- it's Hayame.]

０３ ↣ 結婚式 ↣ WEDDING

GUARD DUTY} [Is that a centaur in full formal wear throwing herself up the castle wall stairs, ceremonial tassels and bells on her harness swinging, full sleeve a silk flutter as she harshly gestures to the side?]

Move!

[It is. One who has spotted a grappling hook sail through the evening sky and latch on to the ramparts.]

CELEBRATING} [Only once the most vocal of the opposition and the schemers have been ejected or imprisoned does Hayame allow herself to actually take part in the festivities. If by "take part" you accept simply dining. It takes a lot of food to keep a half ton body fueled, and the mountain clan's meat dishes in her area are all but demolished a mere few minutes after she arrives.

They've also broken open whole casks of sake for the celebration... and though the physical possibility of her being able to get drunk on human alcohol without poisoning herself from sheer volume is rather low... judging by the very depleted cask, red tint, and weak sway to her head where she sits... Hayame is making a valiant effort.]

０４ ↣ 鬼札を引く ↣ WILDCARD

[If there's several replies already to one starter, or you'd like a different prompt, just hit me up via comment or at stormcoming for a custom starter!]

03 | CELEBRATING

[forcevisions]

How can you still be standing?

[ Rey is several cups deep at this point in trying to keep up with Hayame (unwisely) and while she notices the signs this time where she hadn't in Poe and Kylo, she also notices that Hayame has not surrendered to those signs in any meaningful way. ]

[kisha]

Otaka...

[Sheer will power, Rey. And the fact that she usually cannot abide the weakness that comes of sitting down or laying down in front of other people. (Rey's seen it, in the hot springs- it takes her a second to get back on her feet with the four legs and larger body.)

Her face is... rather red, at this point, but. Not enough for her to be satisfied with having to shut up and watch this all happen.]

... I am far heavier than you.

[That's... one way to explain it.]

[forcevisions]

[ Rey looks her over, then shrugs like okay, yeah, there's no denying that. But Rey has always considered herself stocky and well-muscled, so this is still a surprise !! from a human perspective at least. And it's hard to juggle that Hayame is alien (well, that's the word Rey uses for it anyway) sometimes because half of her is so human. ]

I know, but …

[ She doesn't have anything to follow that. She looks down into her cup, which is full again. ]

I made a mistake when I stopped counting, and you… You don't even need to.

02

[reposing]

[To hear such a thing is rather disappointing coming from Hayame. She is an individual that Alucard has come to respecting. Clearly she is stubborn, set in her ways, which can be undoubtedly both rewarding and frustrating.

It would be easy to argue. But ultimately, it does not matter; their mission is frankly more important than her opinions.

Conversationally, he asks:] Why is that so?

[kisha]

[The question draws her gaze, arms crossed tightly, defensively, her lower half tense with displeasure she knows will have no where to go.]

"In the interest of public welfare"?

[Hayame is not one to reflect deeply on her own thoughts, nor her own actions. Not when she can avoid it. To stop is to be lost, and in her experience... only the strong and cold survive.

But she also knows without much contemplation that the people in this world she understood most, whose culture was most like her own... were the rebels of the mountain clan.]

If Nama wishes to keep her throne she has no choice but to align with the sea clan. Her own people turn against her, she was driven from her own palace... who holds the power here is clear.

[And therefore... who is the weaker. What shamelessness, Hayame thinks, to be able to stand before them all and speak so eloquently when she held power by the skin of her teeth... and Hathaway's aid.]

[reposing]

[The body language that Hayame displays is enough to read into. He wonders, briefly, if she had not been expected to be asked to speak more of it -- or if she expects reprimand.

He tilts his head, curious.]

There is always a choice.

[He considers, then says:] I could provide my own insight, if you wish it. But I see that you have a very firm perspective on the entire matter.

03; celebrating

[theseuschip]

[ Finding Hayame both unarmed and not looking like she is trying to kill people with her mind actually took some doing, but Simon eventually managed it, since he felt bad about getting into an ugly argument with a teammate. About politics. He argued with a coworker, who he had never even met, about politics. It was worth finding her to make amends.

Fortunately, she looks slightly more approachable than usual during the festivities. ]

Hayame?

[ wow, that sure is a massive... absence of food that used to be there. Centaur problems you never think about. ]

[kisha]

[To think her unarmed is... generous, considering the dagger concealed in her obi sash and the blade beneath the full sleeve of her formal kimono... but. Even without weapons she had hooves and muscles and teeth far sharper than belonged to human or horse, so... maybe there really just never was a good time.

As it is... she looks down at him when her name is used, pausing with a sake cup halfway to her lips.]

What?

[The two stomach problem is Real.]

guard duty IT'S NOW TIME i had to change some things

[boxedcrook]

[On the adjacent side of the ramparts, Inuyasha is running as fast as he can to meet Hayame and the hook. He could beat her if it wasn't for a particular night.

What he's had glimpses of throughout the mission, he's not going to lie to himself and say Hayame won't just cut the rope or toss the hook and be done with it, or so he thinks.

Regardless of looking like a stranger in Inuyasha's clothes, regardless of being human, when he gets to the edge, he'll hurdle the split between pillars and disappear if Hayame decided to do anything drastic.]

YES

[kisha]

[He definitely isn't wrong when he thinks that she's not above just cutting that rope. But as she maneuvers past the lug on the stairs, she doesn't see any other grappling hooks flying into view as she would expect from a full scale attack, it's just the one-

So when she beats him to the site, she braces on the ramparts and leans over just enough to see a single person climbing the rope, illuminated just barely by the lights of the wedding lanterns.

Which makes her next step... grabbing the hook and yanking. Up.]

02 }

[hackedhistory]

Her own people held her hostage a week ago and she's standing out here in front of them to tell them what a very vocal part of them don't want to hear.

[Zari wasn't particularly for the marriage plan, or for most of this mission in general - she isn't good at diplomacy. Give her a problem to solve rather than having to use people skills any day of the week. But she has a lot of respect for Nama standing up there and issuing her decree after everything she's been through.]

In my opinion she's the bravest person up there.

[kisha]

Her own people rebelled against her and she stands before us as if she actually has the power to make this an equal match.

[Really, Hayame wasn't against the marriage, even though she doesn't see why it was required over a truce, a trade pact, or a marriage of the siblings. But what she does find offensive... is whatever this speech was. She was a warrior, not a politician... and her respect didn't come from pretty words.]

It isn't difficult to be "brave" when you're marrying yourself off to someone with more power than you have.

[She's used to the concept. Lords marrying off their daughters to those who would conquer them, who had defeated them... Nama now just had the benefit of being both lord and daughter.]

2.

[spiritgun]

Hey.

[ Yusuke bristles, expression dark as he turns to look back at her. ]

She doesn't look weak.

[ Though the way Yusuke gauges strength is kind of haphazard. Nama isn't a warrior, and she's making a difficult decision. The fact that she hasn't turn and run is enough for Yusuke to be swayed. ]

[kisha]

[Hayame counts the fact that Nama had to be rescued by Hathaway and flee her own lands as "turning and running"... so when Yusuke turns around, she just raises a brow in challenge.]

Perhaps you do not see so well.

03

[sadgay]

[In the course of the festivities, Connor returns to the banquet table to scoop up yet another glass of plum wine - but en route he spots from several tables away a certain centaur whom he has managed to avoid for the duration of the mission. He falters in his step, remembering the last time they had crossed paths. Collided paths would be a more accurate description. He's pretty sure his last words to her were along the lines of "Have a nice life, bitch."

He considers leaving her a wide berth, but his pride - and perhaps the wine - ultimately rejects the idea of capitulating to her. He had said that he was done caring about what she thought of him, and so with his chin high and his eyes fiercely forward he continues along his original route. Approaching the table she occupies, he has to press his mouth shut to stop himself from firing off a sharp remark. This is a ceasefire: his goal isn't to antagonize her, but only to walk past her to get his damn wine.]

[kisha]

[And oh, does Hayame remember those last words.

She might be drinking, but she hasn’t imbibed nearly enough to intoxicate- not with two stomachs and a half ton of flesh. Which is more the pity, perhaps- she was a far more pleasant drunk than she was... perhaps almost any other time.

Dark, hard eyes follow Connor from the moment he comes into view, anticipating some sort of word or jab. She doesn’t move, beyond the slow, measured sips of sake from her shallow cup, as the ring on her left finger burns, as she’s struck with the petty urge to transfer it to her right, don two legs, and show this man just how weak she was in that human form now.

Instead... as he passes close, her nose wrinkles as if she’s suddenly caught a whiff of cow dung.]

one;

[digiorno]

[Hayame is a much more complicated individual than one might at first assume. Giorno knows this firsthand, because he's learned that assumptions do in fact make an ass out of u and me. But there's one thing that's pretty hard to mistake: when Hayame is boiling mad.]

[He's known. And it's not so much that he's sought Hayame out as that he hasn't seen her since yesterday afternoon, and she's hard to miss, and maybe she's doing worse than he thought, and--yes, and he did seek her out a little. He watches to the side (so that she can see him) from a safe distant, hands locked behind his back as is starting to become habit around her. When she turns to glare at him, though, he puts his hands up pretty quickly.]

I'm not a target. [It looks like she might just throw the arrows at him. Yare yare.]

[kisha]

...

[It's Giorno.

Though she doesn't relax overly obviously, doesn't let go of her bow or unclench the muscles down arms and shoulders, doesn't even release her tense stance as sweat glistens on her flanks.]

Have you some business here?

[He hasn't been the only one who hasn't seen her since yesterday.

But she doesn't shoot him, so, there's that.]

celebration

[tenthousandmiles]

[Good lord that is a lot of sake you're putting away there, Hayame. Ginko learned from the conversation earlier that suggesting she pace herself won't go over well, so he's just gonna. Keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't keel over from alcohol poisoning or something.]

Enjoying the festivities?

[Or drowning your sorrows? He has to wonder, given everything that happened with the discussions before.]

[kisha]

[If only she could keel over from alcohol poisoning. Despite her best efforts, her body is too large and her stomachs too numerous to get drunk easily... but she's apparently trying. Very hard.

The question brings her gaze Ginok's way, staring at him as if debating whether to be honest, or falsely polite. But he isn't her superior, he isn't someone the mission involves, so.]

No.

[... Honesty, then.]

guard duty

[flexing]

[ It isn't very often Zarya finds herself confronted with someone who looks very capable of shoving her aside in haste — but that day has come. She blinks, cheeks a little rosy with a bit (a lot) of celebratory sake, but she wouldn't miss the look of someone ready to plunge into a fight if she were on the floor passed out with drink. ]

What?

[ That's not what do you mean, that's definitely more who are you after? She even drops the tray of food she'd been carrying, twisting to let Hayame past her on the stairway that isn't quite large enough for the both of them. Not without some squeezing, anyway. ]

[kisha]

[Though Hayame recognizes the woman, her identity doesn’t register as much as the fact that she was at least sensible and quick enough to react, the tray clattering almost as loud as uneven hoofbeats did on stairs, throwing herself up them and past Zarya- so close, considering the width of the stairs and their sizes, that she cannot help but graze the woman in the process.]

An attack from over the wall!

[She expects the sight of more grappling hooks, more assailants, unable to imagine a lone inventor might be scaling the walls on her own like a fool, and so she doesn’t stop even as she rallies the cry for backup.]

2

[undeserved]

[ she'd known that their team wasn't exactly united in the decision; she didn't know they'd been disjointed enough to warrant complaints after the fact. 2B is all the more surprised when she looks over to see the scornful voice belongs to Hayame - who was rigid and serious, to be sure, but also fairly reasonable.

It had seemed that way to 2B, anyway. She doesn't know very much about politics or weddings. All she knows is that this was a bloodless solution that seemed happy, if anything. ]

Does that matter? She just saved her people from fighting a war.

[ she's neutral in tone, as ever, but there's a shade of actual curiosity in her voice, as well. She doesn't understand. ]

[kisha]

Has she?

[2B has been, in Hayame's experience, a reasonable ally. Hayame had no complaints with her personally, which was more than she could say for a lot of the members of Hathaway.

But she does have a problem with this line of thinking. With all the hope and (to her) naive assumptions that this would make everything okay as a long term solution.]

She has announced a wedding. She hasn't even retaken her own damn castle yet.