武媚娘 | Wu Meiniang (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ladyemperor) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
isleofavalon2021-04-07 10:49 pm
ladyemperor) wrote in isleofavalon2021-04-07 10:49 pm
OPEN: catch-all for April
🧙 WHO: Meiniang and YOU
⚔️️ WHAT: Quests but also anything and everything!
🕒 WHEN: During the beautiful month of April
🗺️ WHERE: Anywhere and everywhere
⚠️ WARNINGS: Probably none, but subject to change if anything crops up
General April Shenanigans
i. The Survival Option
[Living as a concubine for many years didn't exactly prepare you to live life on your own, and having to learn to draw her own bath, get her own food was definitely an experience. Made much easier, of course, with the various magical conveniences like running water and electricity.
And made easier still because her first thought when seeing all of it was wondering how it worked, why it worked. That took up time in her day that would have been spent in bed with the covers pulled up and a book she'd only really be reading half-heartedly. Having to learn how to live one's life anew made it easier to try and forget the life she'd had.
The emperor's death feels simultaneously like yesterday and yet like too long ago so she stubbornly keeps the white silk flower in her hair though the pure white clothing she'd worn was impractical and for all that she had to grieve, she'd also been thoroughly spoiled by Rui An and the luxury of the Imperial Palace. So plain clothes it is.
Do you...]
A. Find her at breakfast, 8am
[Learning to wake up this early is hard for a concubine that usually woke up whenever she wanted, but it was either this or go hungry and Meiniang had never liked that feeling. Though she does find herself longing for some plain buns, or even noodles as she eats her cold fruit, chasing it with warm tea and frowning as she does so.]
...I can see how this would be refreshing in the height of summer, but to eat it like this now when it's so wet outside feels odd. [It's definitely why she's already on her third cup of tea at this point.]
B. Find her standing at the top of the stairs
[This would usually be the time when Rui An comes to bring her an umbrella. And also to tell her not to go out. But on her own, Meiniang takes one look at the water then proceeds to pull the bottom hem of her robe up a little so she can actually tie it tight and wade into the water.
She knows more than one of the emperor's other concubines would be raising their eyebrows at her, probably outright saying that was exactly what they'd expect from her of all people but none of them are here. In the end, it's once again just her.
If you're at all hesitant, she turns to you and offers a hand.] Do you need help?
⚔️️ WHAT: Quests but also anything and everything!
🕒 WHEN: During the beautiful month of April
🗺️ WHERE: Anywhere and everywhere
⚠️ WARNINGS: Probably none, but subject to change if anything crops up
General April Shenanigans
i. The Survival Option
[Living as a concubine for many years didn't exactly prepare you to live life on your own, and having to learn to draw her own bath, get her own food was definitely an experience. Made much easier, of course, with the various magical conveniences like running water and electricity.
And made easier still because her first thought when seeing all of it was wondering how it worked, why it worked. That took up time in her day that would have been spent in bed with the covers pulled up and a book she'd only really be reading half-heartedly. Having to learn how to live one's life anew made it easier to try and forget the life she'd had.
The emperor's death feels simultaneously like yesterday and yet like too long ago so she stubbornly keeps the white silk flower in her hair though the pure white clothing she'd worn was impractical and for all that she had to grieve, she'd also been thoroughly spoiled by Rui An and the luxury of the Imperial Palace. So plain clothes it is.
Do you...]
A. Find her at breakfast, 8am
[Learning to wake up this early is hard for a concubine that usually woke up whenever she wanted, but it was either this or go hungry and Meiniang had never liked that feeling. Though she does find herself longing for some plain buns, or even noodles as she eats her cold fruit, chasing it with warm tea and frowning as she does so.]
...I can see how this would be refreshing in the height of summer, but to eat it like this now when it's so wet outside feels odd. [It's definitely why she's already on her third cup of tea at this point.]
B. Find her standing at the top of the stairs
[This would usually be the time when Rui An comes to bring her an umbrella. And also to tell her not to go out. But on her own, Meiniang takes one look at the water then proceeds to pull the bottom hem of her robe up a little so she can actually tie it tight and wade into the water.
She knows more than one of the emperor's other concubines would be raising their eyebrows at her, probably outright saying that was exactly what they'd expect from her of all people but none of them are here. In the end, it's once again just her.
If you're at all hesitant, she turns to you and offers a hand.] Do you need help?
no subject
Light magic is a good one to have. Me, I've got fire magic and death magic. But they're, ah... broken at the moment.
[He really needs to sort himself out... little does he know that his familiar will stage an intervention for him before long.]
No worries, though. I'll get it fixed on my own; I already know what to do.
[They've made it to the supermarket, which had a multitude of efforts put in place to keep it operational. A light magic barrier surrounds the store, maintained by volunteers during rotating shifts while a physical barrier is erected behind it. The work looks just about finished, given that it's been a few days of heavy rain already. The only entrance features a ramp that keeps the water at bay.]
See? Light magic is really handy for protection.
[If Meiniang wants to split up from him in the store he won't mind, but if she sticks with him she'll find him beelining to the condiment aisle and filling half his basket with mayonnaise bottles. Beyond that he'll perhaps grab some ready-to-eat meals and call it a day.]
no subject
I'm glad you can get it fixed but if you need any help at all...
[Once they make it to the supermarket, she looks first to the physical barrier then to the light one. Sure, she's tried to create some small illusions before but to think it could actually be used like this. To protect.
She's distracted enough that she follows him without really thinking about it, absently getting her own basket and only jolting from her thoughts when she sees what he's putting into his basket.
Not that she knows what it is but seeing how much he likes it... maybe it's good?]
What is that?
no subject
[He looks about as happy and proud as if he were getting an opportunity to talk about his life's work. Before Meiniang can protest he puts a bottle in her basket.]
If you never had it you really need to! It'll enrich your life immesurably. Put it on any food and I guarantee you, the flavour will improve.
[He won't stop short of even ice cream or coffee with his obsession, so hopefully Meiniang will be a little more prudent in her first experiments.]
no subject
What is it made of?
no subject
[Well, with that he's done! He's a man of simple needs.]
Do you need help finding anything else?
no subject
[His basket, half-full of mayonnaise, gets another glance.]
....Are you... only buying that?
[Because then wouldn't he be mainly eating mayonnaise? Not even whole eggs but one made into a condiment. Isn't that like only drinking chili oil? Or soy sauce?? Sure, she can't cook and isn't entirely well-versed in nutrition but she knows that there should be a balance to things.]
no subject
[Since he carries a bottle of mayonnaise around at all times he never has to eat a meal without it. Sadly he hasn't been able to find a restaurant that makes the "Hijikata Special" like his favourite place back home - Avalonian rice dishes just don't taste the same, somehow -, but he isn't too picky, so it's been working out so far.]
But those are flooded now, so maybe I should stock up on some meals... since we don't have ovens and stoves in our rooms, how about you just buy some ready-made ones for now too? You can keep them in the fridge and heat them up in the microwave oven in the breakfast area.
[If this were Edo he'd suggest some rice balls since those are easy to make, store, and eat, but they don't seem to be a staple here. There may well be some shops that sell them, but not this supermarket, and Hijikata hasn't even tried to make his own food, so he's struggling to come up with further ideas.]
Otherwise... maybe bread rolls and cold meat or fish? They do sell that here. Or something sweet, like marmalade?
[He's trying!!]
no subject
Ready-made meals, hm? [Back home that would mean meals made by one of the serving ladies. But here that doesn't seem to be the case as she looks over at the pre-packaged food. It's a good idea though and she isn't picky when it comes to this kind of thing after all. That and she appreciates the fact that he's trying. With that in mind she smiles at him.]
I like that idea. [Though a lot of the food here is still unfamiliar to her.] Can you give me some suggestions on these ready-made meals then? I don't think I've tried food like this. Which would you recommend?
no subject
Sure. Let's see what they've got... this one is typically local: pork cutlet with mashed potatoes and peas with baby carrots! You should try cottage pie, too, and pork pie... lasagna isn't really local, I think, but it's filling. It's supposedly for the oven, but the microwave will do.
[Not only is he giving Meiniang horrible "cooking" advice, he's also putting everything he deems suitable right in her shopping basket.]
Oh yeah, and porridge! That'll warm you up if you're not that hungry, and you can sweeten it with honey and whatnot... right, we should get that too.
[If she feels that she has enough ready-to-eat meals he'll guide her further through the store to pick up additions such as honey, bagged tea in seasonal flavours she's unlikely to know, and, very importantly, snacks and sweets.]
no subject
It's been a while since she had to move heavy loads of wet laundry on her own though, and having things piled into her basket means that she goes from holding it one-handed to having to use both.]
Porridge, we have that back home too-... [Though once he gets to the part about honey she's smiling again at where the conversation has gone. Still, there's no better place to start than with food.]
Back where I'm from, food is never bought like this. [It's usually dainty, brought in multi-levelled baskets and extensively tested for poison.] But it's quite fun, isn't it?
no subject
[He takes the basket from her if she allows. See, even a man like him has a modicum of manners!]
Do you prefer sweet or salty stuff for snacking? Or both? Chocolate or gummies?
[If she picks a small bar or bag of each he won't object (though he may point out the better value of the store brand).]
I just realised, maybe we can get you some magazines too, so you can get a glimpse into the local culture while everything's boarded up.
no subject
Thank you. Are you the kind of person who would rather have someone cater to their whims instead, then? [But there's only a cheerful teasing tone to her voice as she says it.]
I like both, but I've never heard of "chocolate" or gummies. [Still, he seems to know what he's talking about so she'll trust him!]
And magazines would be very useful, thank you. I've looked at a few books but haven't yet thought to look for things about the local culture.
no subject
[He didn't miss a beat with that response. Smooth! But really, it's moreso that nobody's ever willing to cater to his (usually mayonnaise-related) whims, so he has to do it himself. With snacks added to the haul there's only the magazine aisle left to explore.]
Huh, they've got a decent selection. What are you interested in? Fashion? Lifestyle? Sports?
no subject
How independent of you. [But she'll agree as well that there's something nice about being self-sufficient, about living a life different from the one she had left behind.
Following along to the magazine aisle, she gives each cover a careful look. It's wonderful to see so much information available so easily, so freely. It's nothing like the thick rolls of books back home.]
It's hard to know where to start... [But her fingers hover over the fashion magazines before she neatly plucks one out to flip through the first page, her movements careful even now. Paper has always been precious.]
Do they also have magazines about current events?
no subject
[He walks over to where those are piled in their own little section.]
I get my daily news on AOL and from the hotel radio, but sometimes it's nice to leaf through a physical paper. If you're missing context for some of the articles you can just look that up online, I reckon.
no subject
But it's amazing to think that you can just buy books here, just like this. [Back home she'd have to count on news from a human source and hope that they were both loyal and discreet.]