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[scourgingstars]

Comments

[scourgingstars]

[yes thank you carby, you can have a nice headpats. as a treat.]

...It's fine. I'm just glad it turned out to be nothing.

[astralera]

[ She still doesn't know how to react to people truly caring about her well-being. Era rolls again, pressing her forehead against Ardyn's side. ]

...You would be the one I would contact first, if I was dying and needed help.

[scourgingstars]

[Era can also have a slightly awkward headpat, as he is both trapped by a fluffy creature as well as spoken for.]

Well, there are worse people to call than a healer.

[astralera]

[ She laughs, accidentally inhales some snow, and promptly coughs. Divine punishment for the prior snow assaults, clearly. ]

My partner would be one such person, which is actually why I sought to meet with you.

[scourgingstars]

[DIVINE JUSTICE]

Oh? Was there something you needed from me?

[astralera]

Just an ear, if you're willing to lend me one.

[ Era sits up, smile lop-sided, hair caked with snow, and unable to resist: ]

Seeing as I've no ears of my own.

[scourgingstars]

[oh my god era please]

Anything you wish. What is it?

[astralera]

I know a way by which I could give him another chance to live, but I cannot go through with it.

[ A quick gesture has Carbuncle reluctantly letting Ardyn up again. Era gets back to her feet, offering a hand to help her friend back onto his as well. ]

Let's build a snowman.

[scourgingstars]

...

[That was a strange and confusing change of subject, but...sure?]

D...do what, now?

[astralera]

[ She gets to work, rolling a small ball of snow to make it larger. ]

Giving him life again, or building a snowman?

[scourgingstars]

...both?

[the lucian continent is like 50% desert, this man has seen snow maybe a handful of times prior to niflheim]

[astralera]

[ She hefts up the ball of snow she's been making and holds it out with both hands for him. ]

Place it in the snow and roll it around until it gets bigger. We stack smaller spheres of snow on top of each other to make a body and a head, then decorate.

[scourgingstars]

Er...alright.

[A simple enough task, and he presumed the other subject would get explained as they went along. Hopefully.]

[astralera]

[ Era gets to work rolling up a second sphere, ignoring the cold and how it begins to seep in over time through her jacket. Carbuncle is careful to keep enough distance and a low enough temperature to not melt the snowfall too quickly, lest it ruin their fun. ]

When you think it's large enough, roll it back toward where you fell.

[scourgingstars]

I shall endeavor to do only my best, of course.

[astralera]

I expect nothing less.

[ She appreciates his company, even if she isn't very good company herself at the moment. Eventually when she has an appropriately sized head's worth of snow, Era lifts it in her arms and begins carrying it over to the agreed upon place. ]

[scourgingstars]

[He is, in fact, putting in real effort and concentration into a large enough lump of snow, rolling it back to where he'd started.]

Is...this alright?

[astralera]

It's perfect.

[ As long as it's large enough to support the head, the rest doesn't really matter. She lifts her own ball up and does her best to place it carefully, assuring that it doesn't fall.

It is likely a bit of a lop-sided, imperfect result, but Era likes it. She reaches into her pockets to see what she has that might work for a face...

She has some thread, but little else of use. Shrugging, she cuts a few lengths of black thread and holds some out for Ardyn. ]

Now to give it a face. In Coerthas they use small lumps of charcoal for the eyes and mouth, and a krakka root — or carrot — for a nose.

[scourgingstars]

Hm... [Ardyn took the thread, thinking for a moment...then a pen appeared in his hand in a small flash of crystalline light.]

I'm afraid this is all I really have of use, I think.

[astralera]

[ Era gets to work stuffing bits of thread into the snow in some semblance of a mouth and eyes. She glances at the pen, thoughtful. ]

It could be a nose.

[scourgingstars]

You're welcome to it, if you like. I can get another one if necessary.

[astralera]

[ She nods her thanks and takes it, then stabs it into the snowman's face.

Taking a step back, she looks at the end result. Tilts her head from side to side to view it from different angles, lips pursed critically.

Era reaches her arm into her pocket again, digging around until she pulls out a long, thin scrap of fabric that she kept for use as an emergency bandage, then wraps it around the creation's 'neck'. ]

...What do you think, Ardyn?

[scourgingstars]

[It...probably wasn't quite as intended, Ardyn was vaguely aware of that much. But even so, it was an accomplishment in its own right.]

I don't think it's that bad at all.

[astralera]

[ She takes out her phone and reaches out for Ardyn, trying to get him close enough that she can get a picture of them both with their snow-monstrosity. She even stands on her tip-toes to help (not that it helps that much, given their difference in height). ]

The knights stationed in the Central Highlands liked to build snowmen and engage in snow japery.

[scourgingstars]

[Familiar with the concept of 'selfies', Ardyn would at least lean over to help with a small smile.]

Lucis never got much snow; the kingdom was a rather warm place in most areas, not remotely like Niflheim.