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[ Even after attending the Halloween carnival, Susato still isn't entirely sure that she completely understands the holiday. She has picked up on some things, however; namely, 1) it takes place today, on this last day of October; 2) she is to hand out treats; 3) her dress, while appropriate, was somewhat generic? ...and 4) between turning into a stuffed toy and facing the red-clad figure in the maze, it can be a dangerous holiday.

She doesn't really know what to expect tonight. But however Ori is preparing, here comes an innocent message from Susato. ]

Dear Ori, Happy Halloween! I don't know whether you have plans tonight, but if it is not terribly inconvenient for you, may we meet?

[ Susato has to mentally kick herself as to NOT add an apology that's not warranted. Instead, she just signs her name. ]

[ Ori feels much the same way about the recent festivities, to be honest... She doesn't think she's ever encountered such an occasion at home, and even if she had - it certainly could not have matched the grandeur and chaos of the carnival. Especially given the way that it had brought in new dreamwalkers...

She's spacing out a bit when Susato's message arrives, and she writes back duly. ]

Dear Susato,

I don't have any plans tonight, and seeing you for any reason would not be inconvenient at all! I'm happy to meet. Where would you like to do so?

-Ori

[ Susato perks up when she sees the response. Not that she'd expected Ori to say no exactly, but Susato had been prepared for the possible disappointment, just in case she was already busy.

She glances back at the Wild Harvest building, then back at her journal, already falling back into more casual language as opposed to the letters she's used to. ]

I am told I should be prepared to hand out treats, as per tradition, but I could come see you if you're still at home?

Don't be silly, Susato! If you're expected to be somewhere, then by all means don't let me take you away from there. I can come to you easily.

[ teleportation and all that! ]

Are you at the Wild Harvest? Or the clinic?

[ Right! Teleportation...! ]

The Harvest. "Trick or treaters," I think is what he called them? The ones who dress up in costume, to whom I am to give the treats. But if I had to choose, I would rather disappoint them for a short while than you, Ori. [ Luckily, she doesn't. (She's just going to make it completely clear that she's willing to go out of her way, okay? Okay. ]

Ah, but you could never disappoint me, Susato.

Why don't we meet halfway, then? Maybe by the wishing well?

[ They must compromise because otherwise they will keep trying to out-nice each other...! ]

[ Compromise is a most excellent idea, and Susato likes it. Ori is so smart...! ]

Of course! Will you be in costume tonight yourself?

Not that I am likely to miss you either way, but I am curious.

Oh... Am I supposed to be...?

[ she doesn't know these things!! ]

I can throw something on really quickly!

[ and indeed, whenever it is that they do meet by the wishing well, Ori will be wearing.... a normal outfit, for her, but also some black bunny ears on her head that had been a part of Diluc's requisite costume when they had attended the carnival. They sure overlap strangely with her horns, but at least she tried... ]

You don't have to!

[ ......Ah. But after the silence she receives in response, Susato is certain her message had fallen on deaf ears. After a moment, there's a quiet shake of her head, and when Susato shows up not long afterwards, it will be in something of a devil's costume, with a bow of candy on her arm.

There's something else weighing in her pocket, but they'll get to that.

She grins as she approaches, arm raised casually in greeting. ]

Did I keep you waiting?

[ Ori, whose horns are not part of a costume and who has infernal blood... stares for a second. ]

Oh! No, um. I just got here. Your costume is very cute!

[ Ah, youth. She remembers when her horns were that tiny. ]

Th... Thank you!

[ Susato looks down briefly. Truth be told, she was afraid of what might happen, wearing such a costume in place like this. What if this world's magic somehow activated and consumed her mind? Made her... evil?

...Yet that doesn't seem to be the case. ]

I, I like your bunny ears.

[ Not even close to the reason she called Ori out here. ]

[ Blessedly, there doesn't seem to be such an effect at play... Ah, how awkward it would be for Ori, indeed. She hasn't forgotten how she had to insist with Sholmes that despite her devilish appearance and ancestry, tieflings aren't inherently evil....... At least it's just a cute costume!

On that note, Ori reaches up and flicks one of the bunny ears, though it hits the curve of one of her horns. ]

Ah, I'm not sure it makes any sense for me to be wearing these, but they were the first things I could find, ehe.

[ A beat. ]

Now, what brings us together today, Susato?

[ Susato watches as the bunny ear is flicked, then blinks, shaking her head as if she just remembered something. ]

Oh, yes! It's... It is because there is something I wanted to give you, actually. Something that has been on my mind for a while. [ Once she actually reveals what it is, it'll become more obvious. For now, she digs into the pocket of the devil dress, speaking idly. ]

Were you at the Dream Faire before the dragons appeared...?

[ The tiefling is left blinking at Susato for a moment, all in surprise. She’s not sure that she’s done anything to warrant receiving anything from Susato, much less anything that seems to have required a lot of thought… But of course she won’t refuse such a kind offer from such a kind young lady, so in response, Ori nods and smiles and allows herself to feel excited and curious about what it is, rather than worried. ]

I was… I was helping out at the stalls for a bit. You were quite busy then, weren’t you? I hope you enjoyed yourself even despite everything that happened after…!

[ Susato pulls out what appears to be a small bottle, attached to a necklace chain. A small metal charm in the shape of a somewhat generic-looking flower clinks against the glass, with white petals and yellow center that sticks out slightly. ]

I did! Well... [ 'everything that happened after.' ] for the most part.

There was a stall where they were blowing dreamglass. So I tried my hand at it...

[ Immediately, Ori might notice some imperfections in the bottle. It might be slightly misshapen, but when she puts her hands on it, she will notice a floral pattern radiating in the glass, as if reacting to her body heat. Inside, there are a bunch of small, colorful paper cranes. ]

Here, for you. It's a protection charm.

[ For what it’s worth, Ori would be among the last to be bothered by anything like imperfectly-blown glass. The aspects of such fineries aren’t something she’s accustomed to appraising. More than anything, she’s moved by such a thoughtful gesture as a whole, and that much is clear from the way she momentarily rests a hand on her chest, over her heart. ]

Oh, Susato…

[ Carefully - oh, so carefully - she takes the charm off of Susato’s hands and holds the precious gift in her palms. It’s then that she’s truly able to catch the details like the metallic charms, the floral patterns in the glass, and the paper cranes than the shape of the bottle itself. Susato surely worked so very hard on each of these components, and knowing that, Ori smiles at the younger woman. ]

This is so incredibly thoughtful of you… Could it be… a protection charm with dreamotion?

Edited 2022-11-28 05:03 (UTC)

At its heart, when it comes down to it, I suppose... yes.

[ That's certainly a more elegant way of putting it than 'Hey! This charm actually works.' She watches Ori's reaction with relief as she takes all the finer details; but she should really explain further. ]

You see, in my homeland of Japan, the crane is a mythical creature said to live for a thousand years. It is said that if you fold a thousand of them for each year of its life, you're granted a wish.

...A thousand won't fit in that bottle, of course, but my wish seems to have come true anyway. [ A grin. ]

[ She listens dutifully and attentively, wanting to make sure that she remembers this little bit of folklore from Susato’s homeland. Ori enjoys hearing about these sorts of things, and it’s no doubt a precious thing to be able to hear of what exists in other lands, let alone other worlds. There’s no concealing the smile on her face as she takes Susato’s words to heart - nor would she want to. ]

That’s so lovely! So these are little paper cranes… Would it be rude of me to ask what your wish was?

[ Paper cranes! She nods-- Right, she probably should have made that clear from the beginning. Though at the question, Susato gives her an easy smile to go with an easy answer. ]

To keep you safe, of course. Well... you and everyone else. [ The implication being that she's given out several already. ] I don't know exactly how the magic may manifest. That night... the one I wore gave me air and warmth until Beat could get to me.

I hope it will do something similar for you, should you ever need it.

[ It wasn’t too hard to guess, in fairness - and she’s seen Thoma folding paper in similar ways. In the end, it doesn’t matter as much as the sentiment that Susato has put into his wonderful gift, the feelings that spurred her to create these. To keep her safe. ]

Oh, I…

[ Give her a moment. She swallows thickly, biting down on the inside of her lip in an effort to keep her composure, even as she feels a certain stinging in her eyes. ]

… Thank you, Susato. This is… Such a kind sentiment. I’m grateful that would think of me like this…

[ Her ears droop just the slightest bit. Here Susato is, making charms to protect everyone, when Ori herself couldn’t do much to protect them that night. Susato really is such a remarkable young woman. Ori wishes she had that kind of strength and fortitude when she was Susato’s age. ]

No matter how it manifests, I think that the very thought of your wish will protect us. It’s a powerful thing, the wish to protect someone.

... [ Susato is staring at Ori as she reacts. Butterflies flutter around in her stomach and she realizes she's actually a little nervous; but she will try to swallow that down the same way Ori does. ]

I hope so. [ She can only hope that she has the power to continue, fueling that wish. There's a beat as she seems to mentally struggle to respond. ] Th, The magic burns up the cranes, so if--

If you need more, you can always come to me.

[ DON'T DO THIS TO HER, ORI, THEY CAN'T BOTH CRY. ]

[ They're totally going to cry together. Especially because Ori senses that Susato's a bit nervous, which just makes her feel a bit more emotional in turn. Her lips are quivering as she responds, ]

O-Okay, and next time we can... We can fold the cranes... Together...!

[ Welp, here we go. It's crying time. ]

[ Gosh darn it, Ori, you had one job.

...Would Ori actually be interested in learning? Susato cannot bring herself to ask, though perhaps the answer is obvious. Susato attempts to swallow down her feelings as Ori starts to cry, and finally, she falls forward to hug the tiefling.

...... ]

Together.

[ She repeats it like a promise. ]

But for now... For tonight...

[ She clears her throat, steadying her voice. ]

......We require sweets. [ Lots and lots of sweets. ]

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