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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Feb 29, 2024 17:11:30 GMT -5
“Fine, fine, maybe yer not rushin’ per se, but we don’t have ta do everythin’ by tomorrow. We got time. Far as I can tell, I ain’t goin’ anywhere,” Astrid says, waving off Fish’s suggestion that they aren’t rushing. Being engrossed certainly counts, especially when you don’t take a step back to view the whole picture again. At least, that’s Astrid’s experience.
It takes a lot of control for Astrid to stifle the snickers and try to push themselves out of her nose. She covers her mouth, trying to hold it in, but she can’t keep it all from bubbling out in a giggle. Sometimes she forgets how literally Fish takes things, but to her, that’s part of their charm. “No, silly,” she says, still giggling. “A sleepover is like a slumber party. Which is stayin’ overnight at a friend’s house an’ doin’ fun stuff together! Ain’t ta say this ain’t fun, I’m havin’ a great time, but we could make snacks an’ drink cocoa an’ build a pillow fort or somethin’! Just have fun without doin’ a bunch a’ work. An’ it ain’t like campin’ or nothin’, but I s’pose it could be if ya wanted.”
She becomes a little sheepish as she admits, “I ain’t an expert or nothin’. I’ve only had one sleepover before, but it was a lot a’ fun. Stuff friends do together! An’ if ya like sleepin’ in a hammock, I could set somethin’ up like that fer ya in the rafters upstairs.” The two of them together and their ideas of fun will probably turn into them brainstorming ideas until they pass out, if Astrid's being honest with herself, and that's alright with her too.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Feb 29, 2024 22:10:09 GMT -5
"You cannot slumber *and* party, the two words do not work together...also pillows are a terrible thing to make a fort out of. It does not have the structural integrity to withstand siege weapons." Of course, Fish takes even that literally. "Fish has their own hammock stored away."
While Fish may not understand any of what Astrid is talking about, the half-dwarf has at least noticed continuing to explain these things has worked to pull Fish away from the equations. It was a cheap distraction tactic, but supplying Fish with new information or things they don't understand usually works. Their desire to know more things is a powerful motivator.
In any case, the pencil is down as Fish looks to Astrid to explain virtually every part of her offer.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Mar 1, 2024 23:03:38 GMT -5
“Oh, gods, Fish, no–” Astrid starts, nearly losing it and letting her giggles take over her. How the heck does she explain this? “It’s… It’s all fer fun!” she says. With some great effort, Astrid attempts to explain to Fish the concept of a slumber party, that it’s just a way of saying that you’re spending the night with a friend and having a good time. Usually, they involve multiple people, and that’s what makes it a “party” in the same way that a group would be called a party. As far as a pillow fort, it’s not meant to withstand a siege, it’s like a little building out of pillows, blankets, and cushions to be a place to hang out or sleep – not because it’s defensive, but because it’s fun.
And that seems to be Astrid’s focus on the different things that someone would do spending the night. The whole point is to have fun with friends, and given what she knows about Fish, she doesn’t think that they’ve gotten to do a lot of “fun” things in their life. Maybe she can help them with that, or maybe they aren’t interested. Nevertheless, she still explains and suggests that they try it, all with a smile on her face.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 2, 2024 8:25:09 GMT -5
Fish has had "fun" in their life it is just a problem of what they consider fun. It is a little sad that a child has become such a workaholic, but much of what they do are things they enjoy. Fish likes traveling, climbing, making things, watching things explode, it is just most of those things have been done as work.
To say Fish is a little confused by everything Astrid is explaining would be a bit of an understatement. The bird is usually pretty literal and precise in their speech, so all of this is foreign. Why would people use contradicting words or improper descriptions when they could call it something else? To a normal person, this is just how language works. To Fish, it is sloppy and lazy.
Still, Fish does not believe some of these things can even work but if other people can do it then so can Fish. The little avian convinces themselves that they will now become to the best at any of these activities.
"Bring Fish the sturdiest pillows."
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Mar 3, 2024 16:31:40 GMT -5
While Astrid also considers working on projects fun, those are projects at the end of the day. They’re a way to express creativity with a purpose. Granted, pillow forts can involve creativity and have a purpose, it’s just different. Either way, Fish agrees to give it a shot, and Astrid grins wildly.
“The cushions on the couch are perfect fer it! Come on!” Without removing the clunky metal arm because she’s honestly so excited she forgot about it, Astrid races upstairs. “Charles, we need as many pillows as we got!” she shouts, which is soon followed by the rhythmic thumping of the construct’s footsteps through the house. Astrid starts moving furniture in the living room around and pulling pillows and cushions off of the couches.
As she does, she explains, “Guess the best way ta think about it is usin’ ‘em like giant, fluffy bricks. But the point ain’t necessarily ta build somethin’ that can withstand an attack, just makin’ something that’s like a cozy little pillow cave. It’s fun ta sleep in, ‘specially when ya line the floor with soft stuff an’ make a little nest.”
When Charles returns with his arms full of pillows pulled from various parts of the house, Astrid takes them and sets them aside. “We’ll need blankets too.” With a whir that indicates processing, Charles pauses then turns to go retrieve those as well. Astrid looks at Fish. “Alright, let’s see what ya come up with.”
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 4, 2024 12:31:05 GMT -5
It is nigh impossible for Fish to do anything without taking it incredibly seriously. Even something as silly as building a pillow fort is given the same amount of dedication as building a prothestic arm with magic. Fish takes the sticky paste from their hunter's kit to help give their fort more stability. Maybe it won't stand up against a ballista, but Fish will at least make it withstand a breeze.
They build and build and build, unknowingly having fun. Fish is a flurry of pillows and blankets that moves about like they are constructing an actual building. Without even thinking, Fish even begins mimicking the sounds of construction. Hammers hitting nails, feet moving across roofs, the general hum of people building up a house.
When all is said and done, they have built a simple but functional fort. They have even constructed a little door to allow only who Fish chooses to allow in. Blankets mark off makeshift rooms which are really just different corners of the fort.
"Password." Their little beak pokes over a cushion to look out a window at Astrid.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Mar 14, 2024 14:30:10 GMT -5
Knowing fully well that Fish is practical and creative, Astrid doesn’t spend any time telling them how to build a pillow fort. That would either lead to questions she doesn’t have a good answer for or discourage them from doing the thing that seems right and fun. While she works on her own parts of the fort, she enjoys the focused silence that eventually becomes a small chorus of construction noises from the aviankin, which brings an amused smile to her face. Before long, the living room is full of pillows, cushions, and blankets in a surprisingly intense and well-made fort.
“This looks great, Fish!” she says. When she tries to poke her head in, Astrid is met with Fish demanding a password, and she can’t help giggling at the prospect. Drumming her fingers on her chin, she contemplates, “Hmm… Fish is the smartest bird in Charon?” Her eyes peek over at them with glistening hope behind an amused smile.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 14, 2024 23:02:51 GMT -5
Fish ducks back behind the wall of pillows. The sounds of mimicked muttering escape from the otherside of the pillows. The beak then returns to the window they made.
“Technically wrong, but Lord King Fish will accept.” Fish mimics drawbridge sounds as the pull the curtains aside.
For all the pomp and circumstance, it is just a pillow fort. Still Fish walks proudly with a little extra height in their step, hands clasped behind them like royalty. It seems they were taking the fort part of this literally and usually nobles man forts as the commanders. Without thinking about it, they were fully engaged in playing like a mostly normal child.
“This is Fish’s Great Hall....the dungeon is below....the treasure room is secret, don’t ask about it.”
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Mar 15, 2024 21:29:49 GMT -5
Astrid grins, glad to see Fish getting into the idea of playing, maybe without realizing it, and when they peek their head back out and accept the password, Astrid says in a somewhat posh accent, “Oh! Forgive me rudeness, Lord King Fish, ser. An’ I thank ya fer yer grace in allowin’ me ta visit.” She does a little curtsy on her knees then crawls into the fort and looks around.
“I must say, yer Great Hall looks pristine, m’lord,” Astrid says with awe and wonder, imagining the underside of the blankets as something fanciful and proud but not gaudy. “Ya simply have divine taste in decoration. A’ course, mentionin’ the treasure room makes me wonder about it more, ya know. Perhaps the lord would be so kind as ta give a simple noblelady a tour?”
While she did not expect to be playing pretend, Astrid finds herself getting wrapped up in it quickly and easily. It takes her back to the times of being a smaller child and not worrying about the rules of the world or what makes perfect sense. Whether she was a hero slaying monster squirrels or a noble knight guarding a tree in the yard, the goal was to have fun.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 15, 2024 21:50:52 GMT -5
Fish looks to Astrid, beak held high like they’ve seen so many nobles do. They stroke their beak as if it was a long and wispy beard. Considering this lesser noble’s request to see their incredibly treasure. Please ignore the fact that this entire fort is taking place inside Astrid’s home and is made of Astrid’s possessions. That seems irrelevant to what is currently happening.
“It is permissible.” Fish mimics the sound of going downstairs before turning to another corner.
The treasury is actually just some of the comfier looking cushions that were too oddly shaped to build with. Fish hops over and takes a seat on one of the cushions, looking towards Astrid expectantly. They had not really thought through the rest of this act. The bird was mostly just stringing together things they’d heard when tailing marks.
They may be playing, but there is a limit to what Fish knows to do. Games and such are likely out of their depths. For the most part though they were just happy whether they wanted to admit it or not. If only Del and Cyran could see them now.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Mar 15, 2024 22:07:21 GMT -5
“Ah, thank ya, ser,” Astrid says, bowing her head about as elegantly as she can manage without giggling. With great excitement, she shuffles through the pillow fort until they reach the area full of the awkwardly shaped pillows, and when they get there and Fish sits themself on a throne of cushions. Astrid, taking the hint, settles herself on a cushion, sitting primly and looking at Fish before she breaks character and starts laughing at the ridiculousness of their pretend game. She falls back into the mess of cushions, trying to let her laughter subside. It’s the first time she’s really laughed in a while, and it feels good. It feels better than good. It feels normal, which she hasn’t felt for a few weeks.
Finally catching her breath, she rolls over on her side and looks at Fish with childish joy in her eyes. “Ya built a real nice fort! It’s perfect!” Astrid flops her arm over and splays out in the pile of pillows, sighing contently at the moment. “Thanks fer comin’ over, Fish.”
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 16, 2024 14:42:33 GMT -5
Fish doesn't exactly laugh since they lack the ability, but the better indication is probably the fact they don't get upset. There is obviously still a lot of emotional development ahead for the bird, but tonight was certainly a start. They don't immediately assume Astrid is laughing at them instead understanding this is a shared enjoyment. Fish also opts not to mimic Astrid laugh so as not to mistakenly mock her.
They blink at tilt their head when Astrid thanks them, "Astrid needed help. Mom and Dad tell Fish that you are supposed to help your friends."
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Mar 17, 2024 1:13:37 GMT -5
Astrid looks over at Fish while they move their hands to sign a response, and she can’t help the genuinely touched smile that tugs at the corners of her mouth. Fish probably could have found other things to do that might have been more important, but instead, they chose to help her because she needed it. It’s a small thing, or maybe a big thing, that makes her really feel cared about. It’s the opposite of being lonely in the streets without friends or family. Even more, it reminds her of how far she’s come, and maybe how far Fish has come too. She doesn’t know everything that the tiny bird has gone through, but she has enough to piece together that neither of the two of them has had the most average of childhoods. Now here they are doing a perfectly normal thing of playing pretend and building a pillow fort – a stark difference from the advanced project of building a prosthetic that utilizes challenging magics.
In all honesty, Astrid really wants to give Fish a hug, but she doesn’t want to press their boundaries, so she just sits up instead and looks at them. Astrid has long since thought of Fish as a friend, but with how hard it can be to read them, it makes her feel all the more cared for to see them say it. “I’m real glad we’re friends,” Astrid says.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 17, 2024 20:37:43 GMT -5
The weight of the slow shift in their demeanor has yet to dawn on Fish, but it is happening nonetheless. If Fish wasn’t here, they would probably be working on their own projects or running Fish’s Market. In a way, they were glad that Astrid called since this was entirely new work.
Work was an afterthought for once though as Fish sits on the throne of cushions. The itch to go and do work is always there, but for once they aren’t desperate to run off and just do what they want. Tonight was a lesson in the importance of having work partners and/or friends, to lighten the load of the work and also remind you when you need to take breaks.
Astrid is smart not to go for the hug, that might be something Fish never gets used to. They look over to their cohort.
“Fish is.....H-A-P-P-Y.” They look down for a moment and pause realizing that no one ever taught them the sign for happy and have to spell it instead.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Mar 17, 2024 20:52:06 GMT -5
Astrid tilts her head while she sees Fish pondering a word before simply just spelling it. Happy. She smiles wide. “Good! I’m glad yer happy. We should be happy when we’re with our friends, an’ I’m certainly happy ta have ya here with me.” Though she realizes they spelled it and wonders why they didn’t just sign it. That’s when it occurs that maybe they’re not sure how to say it? Or they don’t have the right signs to do it they way they feel is necessary?
With the flick of her wrist and the twisting of purple magic, Astrid summons a book into her hand[1] then somewhat sheepishly offers it to Fish. The title and cover indicate it is a book on the basics of sign language – something Astrid picked up after first meeting Fish so that she could learn to better communicate with them. “Just in case there’s anythin’ ya don’t know how ta find the words fer. Sometimes I can’t find the right words ta say aloud, an’ I feel like I know a lot of ‘em.”
1. Summon Possession
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