isleofavalon | (open.) october catch-all

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(open.) october catch-all

🧙 WHO: Tsumugi Tsukioka and you!
⚔️️ WHAT: catch-all ft. pumpkins, street acts and gardening. also maybe some closed prompts later on? who knows.
🕒 WHEN: throughout October
🗺️ WHERE: around Camelot
⚠️ WARNINGS: N/A, but will edit if needed.

A ❄ pumpkins spicing things up | quest prompt: PUMPKIN MAYHEM!
[ Tsumugi isn't really... the most artistically gifted individual... to put it kindly... but it's fine! What's most important is that he's having a good time while not injuring himself with the knife! And he's succeeding on both fronts! Though either: ]

[ 1. he's carving out the last details for his dog (? question mark?) jack o'lantern. when suddenly it barks, causing him to jolt and carve into the poor dog's face. ] Ah! [ Can... can pumpkins growl...? His pumpkin might be growling now. Uh. ]

[ or 2. he's admiring his, honestly, very ordinary looking jack o'lantern with a comically big smile when, without any warning, it speaks! ] Hey! Why did the witch get kicked out of school? [ There's an awkward silence, save for the pumpkin's "eh? eh?????"s, before it finally gets to the punch line. ] Because she failed her spelling tests! Get it? Spelling tests? Hahahahahahaha!

Ahahaha... [ ... at least his forced laughter is kinda convincing? Kinda? ]

B ❄ to bloom, but only for a while | limited to: second week of October
[ The few days of sun amid the rain are a welcome sight for Tsumugi. Not wanting to waste any precious time, he's quick to roll up his sleeves and gets his hands dirty - quite literally, in fact, as parts of the ground are more mud than earth.

The flower beds outside Kaika Theater have seen better days, and with the temperatures dipping steadily, it's only a matter of time before it's too cold for them to survive. Still, Tsumugi is determined to keep the gardens beautiful for as long as possible. Maybe the sight of vibrant flowers blooming, despite the changing weather, can bring a sense of hope or comfort to someone? At the very least, he's been entrusted with their care... but selfishly, it's for himself, too, so he can have something for his hands to do while he thinks, and thinks, and thinks.

Whether you have business at the theater, or are just walking by, you might overhear Tsumugi talking to someone, or something. It's either: ]

[ 1. a small group of children surrounding him, including one sitting on his knee, enraptured as he teaches them the basics of gardening, answering each and every one of their questions with patience and grace. ]

[ or 2. the fae frog he picked up earlier in the month that decided to accompany him on this gardening excursion. Despite having green magic and how useful it'd be for his Garden Bossing, Tsumugi hasn't really been using it... which the fae frog has plenty of thoughts about. ]

Honestly! You could at least be trying to use your magic! Anything is better than nothing, you dolt!

Sorry... [ He reaches his hands down toward the flower bed, about to try something - but before he gets very far, the frog croaks indignantly (if that's even possible) and smacks his hands away. ]

Wrong!

C ❄ putting the "act" in "charitable acts"
[ Tsumugi Tsukioka isn't a fighter, or even all that confrontational. When he tells himself there's nothing he could've done to stop the destruction, it isn't self-deprecating, but the cold, harsh truth. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but he tries nevertheless. Because as a good friend of his would say, "the show must go on". There wasn't anything he could do then, it's true - but there are things that Tsumugi Tsukioka the actor can do, here and now.

Rain or shine, fog or wind, if you're out and about within Camelot, you might come across this acting junkie preparing for yet another street act. Replacing his usual sign advertising Kaika Theater is a slightly one that reads "If you enjoyed this street performance and are able to, please make a donation to one of the following:", along with a list of any charities, soup kitchens, and the like that need support. There's even instructions on how to do so, just in case (thanks, kazunari, for teaching him how that works).

With the street corner as his stage, Tsumugi takes his place, breathes in, and begins. ]

1. a monologue about someone pining from afar (click to expand)

[ In Tsumugi's hands are a pen and a notebook. He flips to a blank page, then begins to write. ] To you, [ His voice is warm and gentle. ] I hope you are in good health, and that you are happy.

I suppose I know the answer to that first part, though - I heard that your procedure went smoothly, and you are well on your way to recovery. Words cannot begin to express how happy that makes me.

Perhaps you’ve received blessings from an angel. [ He smiles, wistfully. ] It’s a nice thought, don’t you think?

Do you believe in angels, friend? I understand if you don’t. But I-- [ His head snaps back, as though the paper he’s writing on bit back. He scratches up whatever he wrote, then continues. ]

Sorry, my pen slipped. What I meant to write is: I hope you know that you are never alone. No matter how far you may stray from home, there will always be someone by your side.

Sincerely yours, your secret admirer. [ He folds up the paper and slips it delicately in an envelope. He seals it with a kiss, then holds it over his heart as his eyes close gently and he ends with: ] ... your guardian angel.

2. “that sounds like something a supervillain would say” (click to expand)

[ With a potted plant in hand (a miniature yellow daffodil), Tsumugi goes through the motions of ringing up an imaginary customer’s purchase. ]

Thank you for your patronage! We hope to see you again soon. [ He smiles pleasantly for a few seconds... and then the smile drops as he chuckles to himself. ] ... Heheh.

[ He gently strokes one of the petals with the back of his finger, reminiscent of how a cartoonishly evil villain might pet a cat. ] It seems my plans are starting to bear fruit.

It’s only a matter of time until- [ He stops, and turns suddenly. ] - what was that?

[ Are you a fellow conspirator? A hero? An ordinary citizen? Something else entirely? Whatever you choose, it’s time for you to take the stage with him! ]

3. create your own (give me something to play off of, or message me and we can come up with something together!)

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[ The crowd, for the most part, disperses after Tsumugi takes a bow. So when he lifts his head, he finds himself staring right at Alberto. He can see he made an impact - he wouldn't be so stunned, so clearly emotional otherwise - but while he'd like to think it's a positive one, he rather be sure.

With a soft, kind smile, Tsumugi steps a little closer to Alberto, but remains mindful of his space. Just in case. ] Is everything alright?

Ah—? Y-Yeah...!

[ The check-in takes him aback a bit, but he's quick to recover, straightening up his stance hurriedly. But he can't quite wipe that painful look off his face, can't stop his knotted brow from quivering slightly still. Definitely clear a chord was struck, even if it's also clear he's hesitant to admit it to a strange (however kindly) stranger. ]

Yeah, yeah, everything's great. Um—

[ He hesitates, averting his eyes, before meeting Tsumugi's gaze again more earnestly. ]

...Was that all true? The letter you wrote — to your friend?

[ Oh no. Tsumugi feels bad for misleading him - now he can see the pain in his expression, and he can't help but think he hit too close to home - but he's not willing to lie, either. ]

I'm afraid it's only partially true. Thankfully, I don't have any friends who've gone through procedures recently... but the feelings expressed were my own. [ Minus the secret admirer bit. He's not in love with anyone at the moment - not like that, anyway.

This time, he's the one averting his gaze for a moment. ] I'm sorry if I upset you. That wasn't my intention.

No, no! You're, uh— an actor, right? Like in movies or something?

[ He loosens up his stance, trying to shake his emotion off. ]

I don't know anyone who went through any procedures, either, but — I get the feelings. I, uh, used to write letters to my best friend after he moved away. I still do...

[ Oops, he didn't quite mean to admit that he still writes letters to Luca, even here. He tries to make up for that lapse with a sheepish smile in spite of himself, rubbing the back of his head nervously. ]

Heh— I mean, just proves you're a good actor, right?

[ While he notices that little slip-up, he says nothing about it. After all, he knows how that feels, too - to want to hide the fact that he's writing to someone. Their circumstances are completely different, of course, but the familiarity makes him smile knowingly. ]

I suppose it does! And I'm honored that my performance touched your heart. [ He bows his head slightly - not quite a full bow, like he would on stage, but it gets that feeling across. ] Thank you for watching me today.

[ If Alberto weren't a child, he'd give a "would you consider donating" pitch here. Instead, he'll ask, ] Was this your first time seeing a street performance like that?

Uhh, yeah, actually, it is! I’ve seen movies before, though!

[ He’s quick to shake off that emotional blip, masked with a sudden burst of energy — and a chance to brag. The excitement in his voice to compensate for his ignorance of street performance is almost as if even movies are totally novel to him. He even finger guns for emphasis, gesturing as he talks, smiling with eyes alight. ]

Back home I went to the movie theatre! To see Marcello Mastroianni films~! Do you know that guy? He’s just, like, the best actor ever~ I mean— No offense.

[ There’s a twinge of sarcasm as he tags the last bit on, looking at him with half-lidded eyes and a smug smirk now, waving a sympathetic but vaguely dismissive hand lazily at him. Marcello is the king of the silver screen in his time, in his country. He’s incomparable. Sorry, random guy.

Nevermind that Alberto barely knows of any other actors, but uh, the best is the best, right? He’s learned enough to know at least that much. ]

Edited 2021-10-17 01:18 (UTC)

[ No offense taken! Tsumugi's well aware he's far from the best.

But, ] I'm afraid I don't. Honestly, I'm not very familiar with actors outside of Japan... [ And even then, he's more of a theater geek than anything. ]

But I'd love to hear more about him. What kind of roles does he play?

Oh, he's always cool~ As soon as he shows up, you're like, "Wow, who's this guy," y'know? And the lady characters always like him, like multiple ladies at once, hah— cuz he's so suave and charismatic and handsome, obviously. He's dramatic, but not too dramatic, you know what I mean? And he's funny, too! He can do it all!

[ The admiration is there, for sure — though there's also a bit of infatuation, clearly, maybe not so unlike when young girls Alberto's same age gush about the silver-screen heartthrob almost exactly the same way, though the boy's not quite in tune with his own tone enough to hear how he sounds. Alberto's only seen a handful of Mastroianni films, truth be told, but he considers himself an expert on anything he likes... No matter that Marcello Mastroianni has been in dozens of films, an extremely prolific actor, the big name of his time. Alberto's barely in the loop. But he knew about Marcello Mastroianni before he'd even seen a Marcello Mastroianni movie, or any movie, for that matter — hell, he knew the man's face and name before he'd even been to a human town at all! That's how famous and iconic and striking the actor must be, even known to a sea monster child isolated on an uninhabited island off the coast of a tiny fishing town. Buuuut... Alberto can't admit to all that. Suffice to say, Marcello's cool. ]

[ He, uh. He kind of gets it? Not fully, but he's hearing that love and admiration loud and clear, and that's perhaps what's most important. ]

He sounds like quite the actor. [ And perhaps twenty other positive adjectives, if he's going by Alberto's word. Regardless, ] I wonder if Camelot has any of his films?

[ He's more of an indie sort of person, but he's willing to give just about anything a shot! ] Is there any in particular you'd recommend?

Oh, yeah, like, uh—! I soliti ignoti is my favorite, I think? It's the funniest I've seen. Massimo only let me go to the funny ones. Oh, but— Divorzio all'italiana is funny, too. And! And! Matrimonio all'italiana is great! And that one has Sophia Loren in it, she's amazing~

[ He rattles these off the cuff with the same enthusiasm. Big Deal on Madonna Street. Divorce, Italian Style. Marriage, Italian Style. The names come to mind without a second thought. He didn't have a lot of money living in Portorosso, but he went to the cinema at least a half a dozen times... ...some of them, he did not pay for, ahem, because he could not afford his own enthusiasm. But nothing bad came of it. He gives a fond, cockeyed smile, warm and half-lidded talking about this interest that's yet to be truly developed just for lack of exposure... No film pun intended. ]

...Heh. I mean, there were more, I just— never saw them... I heard some grownups in the plaza talking about La dolce vita but I haven't seen it yet. It was supposed to play in our cinema, but, uh— ...I showed up here... before I got to see it...

[ Aww, the disappointment. But Alberto, you're not old enough to watch La dolce vita and also could definitely not sit still for three hours, even with an intermission. He doesn't know that he didn't miss out. But his fascination is clear. An actor in the rough? At least a diehard-fan-to-be. ]

[ He pulls out his phone and types the titles as he says them (or, well, phonetic interpretations of said titles. he doesn't know Italian), so he can look into them later. Maybe his roommate can find if any of them have been uploaded online? He's always good at that sort of thing...

La dolce vita (written as "la dolche vita" - so close, Tsumugi, so close) gets an asterisk and an additional note, more for Alberto than himself.

But as he picks up on that fascination, he wonders, ] Are you at all interested in acting? If so, I might not be Marcello Mastroianni, but I could at least help you get started. I feel like your passion for movies would do you good as an actor.

[ Just the fact that Tsumugi took out his phone to write these movie titles down is stunning to Alberto, draws a bashful smile over his face. He's not used to people taking such an interest in him, let alone an interest in his interests... He's barely seen more movies than the ones he's listed. His time in Portorosso was cut short when he was spirited away here to Avalon. But that doesn't mean his fascination with human things was truncated — movies, music, whatever else... If anything, being here, it's only expanded it, almost to the point it's overwhelming. The boy needs some direction. He's a naturally theatrical soul, which is, uh, perhaps what has been so alienating to other people taking interest in him and his ever-expanding passions, to some degree. Sooometimes he's too much. Well, all the time, actually. He's pretty much always too much.

But is there any better environment where being "too much" is valued more than the theatre, really? His eyes light up in complete surprise at the suggestion, some vague emotion and wistfulness behind them behind the flattery, animated and expressive in every note to every beat. He's quite a transparent kid; that quality counts a surprising amount for actors, though, doesn't it? ]

Wha—? Me? Really?! Ya think?!

[ It's true that Alberto is a much more outwardly enthusiastic person than Tsumugi. Were he to come up with an analogy, he'd say he's like an explosion of fireworks, capable of illuminating the night sky.

But he wouldn't go so far as to say he's "too much". After all, that liveliness is captivating. He can practically feel the full extent of his emotions, as though they were his own. And maybe it's the acting junkie in him talking, but he has a feeling he'd be a real sight to see on a stage. ]

I really think so! [ But now he needs to dial it back a bit, whoops. ] - But it's just a thought. You really don't have to if you don't want to.

[ If only Alberto knew Tsumugi might be inclined to describe him as being like "an explosion of fireworks..." it'd be the greatest compliment ever. The actor dialing it back after his suggestion, spotting raw talent in the kid, is completely unnecessary, because Alberto just lights up even more than he already was, energy swelling. ]

What?! No way! Yeah-hah, I'd want to! I'd try it! How do I do it?! I could do it! I wanna be in movies! Like Marcello! Hah!

[ Oh, he shoots for the stars... He'd barely known about movies, no real experience with acting, stunned at the idea even being suggested, and now he wants to be the best?! A-At least he's confident...! ]

[ Hey, take it from someone who once lacked confidence - that's an important part of the equation!

But hm. He kinda wishes Tenma were here. He'd be able to help Alberto more with acting specifically meant for a screen. But what Tsumugi lacks in first-hand movie experience, he makes up for with sheer passion. ]

First, you'll have to learn the fundamentals. I can already tell you'll have no issues with stage presence, but there's more to acting than just being animated. You have to consider your body language, expression, and line delivery. And there's also improv...

[ ... but he's getting ahead of himself. One step at a time, Tsumugi. ]

I'll need a bit of time to get some resources together, so here. Let me give you my contact information. [ He pulls his phone out of his pocket. ] I probably should've introduced myself sooner, but... my name is Tsumugi. It's nice to meet you.

Oh!

[ As soon as Tsumugi pulls his phone out, Alberto follows suit. ]

Alberto. Alberto Scorfano. Piacere~ My username's signorvespa. What's yours?

[ He's giddy with these prospects. He has no idea what the fundamentals of acting are, what improv is, and he's never once in his life considered his body language or expression or delivery, unless... well... he was deliberately trying to put forth an act, it's true. But otherwise? The kid's practically see-through, unconscious in most of his movements, genuine to a fault... truly. It bites him in the ass, how little self-awareness he often has. Acting is a good exercise in mindfulness, though, and probably a better avenue for putting on airs to compensate for— well, nevermind, nevermind, he's excited about it...! ]

Mine is tsum.tsuki. [ And he'll text a quick "Hello!", to get their conversation started. ] I'm looking forward to working with you, Alberto-kun.

[ He loves acting so, so much - his entire heart and soul is devoted to theater - so to be able to share that spark with someone new... well. It's always a joy. ]

Heh~ Likewise! We'll be in touch, eh~?

[ He's not totally sold on the idea of himself as an actor, but it's definitely planted a seed, and while it may take some time to grow... definitely the idea is there for good. ]

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(open.) october catch-all

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wrapped?