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[featherknives]

INBOX text / audio / video / action Xayah here. Leave a note if you really need me for anything. Chances that I am busy are high code credit

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[inthenightmods]

[After the Night Market has descended back into the lake, Xayah receives an inbox message!]

THANK YOU FOR PURCHASING THREE (3) HINT(S) FROM DR. SCHICKSAL'S HINT-O-MATIC. YOUR PAYMENT HAS BEEN PROCESSED.

[Xayah is now blind in her left eye. She can't stop feeling guilty, though she won't be able to discern a reason for the guilt. Finally, at least once a day, she will feel the impulse to hurt someone around her.

These effects will last until the next full moon.]

[featherknives]

[There's a loud "You cheating piece of shit I didn't even ask you properly those last two questions" and a crash.

...and Xayah guilty crouching to pick up the pieces of her device and some kind of urn that was in the corner of her room.]

@silent | Dec 18

[callada]

I'd like to head toward downtown as soon as this snowstorm lets up. Will you be ready?

[featherknives]

Rosinante

I'm not sure if I should come with you...

[callada]

You're free to back out if you want.

Mind if I ask why not?

1/2

[featherknives]

It's not that I willingly want to back out

I just don't want to be a hindrance

2/2

[featherknives]

That weird machine thing from the carnival did strange things to me

[It's... weird to admit that, a weakness. But, she has to.]

[callada]

What kind of things? Are you all right?

[inthenightmods]

Next time Xayah visits the post office, the Postmaster General will give her a package!

"A small wrapped package containing homemade sweets, including homemade marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate, and homemade peppermint sticks. These are all wrapped in cellophane and put into a clean shoe. A bottle of generic red wine is also included."

The package includes a note that says "Happy Christmas", but the sender is left anonymous.

[featherknives]

Well, this was a surprise. A very nice surprise.

"The first time I saw something packed in a shoe..." She doesn't wear shoes. "Thank you, Postmaster General."

And... she has a hunch who sent her this. She'll leave one peppermint stick for the General as thanks. "Happy holiday."

[inthenightmods]

Oh, delightful. Taking the candy cane, they inspect it for just a moment before rubbing it enthusiastically against a wet sponge they've got nearby (for when they're sorting the mail, see, and their fingers get dry). Once it's sticky, they press it firmly up against their cheek, til it stays put.

Yay, holidays!

AT HER HOUSE

[lunchbreaks]

[ On the 25th, Xayah might awaken to find a parcel at her door, in plain paper, with a note reading "To Xayah, From Aziraphale." It contains a bottle of red wine that might be miraculously nicer-tasting than any of the other ones on offer. ]

Dec 25, in person

[worthallthis]

[At some point early-ish in the day, the Soldier stops by Xayah's house and knocks. As soon as she opens it, she's presented with a long, slightly curved knife in a sheath. The hilt is wrapped in leather, one side of the handle etched with the Soldier's trademark star, and the other with a fair representation of one of Xayah's own feather knives.

The Soldier says, a bit shyly,]

Happy Christmas. It's so you have one knife you don't have to pluck.

[featherknives]

[She, at first, peeks over the edge of the door, to see who it is and then opens it all the way when she sees Bucky. The effects from the Market didn't wear off yet, so she has hair (and an eyepatch) covering her left side of the face. For a moment she's confused, but then she remembers that it's-]

Ah... the holiday... that's-...

[That's a beautiful dagger. She gently takes it from his hand and traces the edge with her finger. It feels very sharp.]

...Are you sure?

[worthallthis]

[It's as perfectly balanced a blade as the Soldier could find at the armory, in a weight that would work for her size, and sharpened well. The Soldier nods firmly.]

I'm sure. Christmas gifts for people you care about. Misty told me about it months ago.

[Which means they've had those months to prepare, for some people, and slightly less for others as it became apparently they, too, were people the Soldier cared about.]

[featherknives]

[She looks moved as he explains and, well, it makes sense. It's a gifting holiday. She just... didn't expect she'd get anything.

What would be appropriate to gift him? She doesn't have anything useful. After pocketing the knife at the hilt of her belt, she extends her hand and summons one of her feathers. There's a steady purple glint around it and hovers above the palm of her hand for a while.

After a while, it seems it had finally taken solid form, as the glint turns deep purple, and then falls heavy in the palm of her hand.]

This one's for you. You can't sharpen it by regular means so come see me when it dulls out. Oh and also, you can't attack me with it, since it's, well, my magic. It just won't reach me, it will disappear within my wings. Anybody else- it will make filets out of them.

02/14, in her post-office box

[arsarcanum]

[ Xayah, go check your mail! There's a small paper packet waiting inside. It has three heart shaped chocolates tucked in there, each with its own filling. The packaging reads, "Happy Valentine's Day! From, Sora."

No other explanation than that. Enjoy your chocolates, Xayah! Sora loves you! ]

5/1

[callada]

[In the early hours after the rain dies down and the water begins to subside, Rosinante is one of the first out to go looking for people nobody has heard from yet. He's tall enough to wade easily through what remains - although he can clearly see that as he heard earlier from people who went out into the thick of it, the bridges are now gone. Rope, though, will do in a pinch, or so he hopes, and he pulls a chandelier from the tavern ceiling to use as a grappling hook just in case. Look, he'll put it back.

With that coiled over one shoulder, he heads off into the woods, casting his light far and wide in the residual mist. Most of the movement he sees are spirits splashing through the puddles and droplets falling thick off the trees. He himself makes no sound as he searches - a customary precaution even though his light is plainly visible, but there are things in these woods he doesn't want to run into alone and if walking in dead silence through what should be the sloshing of mud keeps their attention off him, all the better.

He's about to give up on this patch of woods when he sees a tuft of familiar feathers floating on the water by a log. He sucks in a breath, then paces quickly over to find that Xayah is indeed pinned down by it and out cold - but his fingers in front of her mouth prove she's breathing, if barely. He carefully bends at the knees and lifts the log off her, then checks her over to make sure nothing is badly broken before he picks her up to return her to the warm, relatively dry interior of The Invincible. He'll set her up in one of the empty rooms and get someone to check on her injuries - if she doesn't wake up on the walk over.]

[featherknives]

[It was a bad calculation on her part to leave the greenhouse and head out. But she had heard unholy screams that chilled her to the bone and, well, her heart is not made of stone no matter how bloodthirsty she might appear at times or in anger. She had managed to save a person caught up in the sinking mud, somehow dragging them out and tossing them to the side. They took off running, but she wasn't as lucky. One particularly nasty gust of wind broke the trunk of the tree and sent her flying in the water. She somehow managed to get herself stuck so she doesn't sink, but she quickly lost consciousness- not sure what from.

When she first came to it, she felt that someone was carrying her. Quite easily so. She didn't, however, have enough strength to open her eyes, regardless of how much he wanted to. Always on the alert, she wanted to know who got ahold of her, but strength failed her and she passed out again.

She finally starts coming to her senses when she feels bed and sheets underneath her. Her body feels like it weighs a ton, but she still lifts her head, squinting to see the surroundings.]

In...vincible, huh?

[callada]

[He turns his head quickly when he hears her stir and speak. Good, that didn't take long. He breathes a sigh in relief, then nods.]

Yeah. Found you not too far away. Looks like you got hit pretty hard by one of those trees in the storm. How are you feeling?

[She's still soaking wet, unfortunately - the walk hadn't been enough to entirely dry her. He turns away for a moment to take a couple quick steps to the room's bathroom and grab towels left by whoever had been staying in here last, then sets them on the end of the bed in case she finds them helpful to dry off with. Yeah, the bed's kinda wet too now, but what are you going to do.]

[featherknives]

[She shivers and nods- damn, she'd give a wing for some nice fire right now. Or set of new clothing. Leather is not nice when damp. She looks like a drenched rat... drenched, filthy rat; she can feel specks of mud and sand roll over her skin as she moves. Xayah wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, trying to be polite and not spit (that's sand on her face).]

Been worse... [This feels more like a trip and tumble compared to some experiences. She nods thanks when he brings towels and takes them both- discarding her cowl and upper cape to a nearby chair to dry (if they can), and then vigorously drying her hair whilst wrapping the other towel around her shoulders.]

I heard someone scream so I got out. [Sensitive ears even during storms.] Got really unlucky. [She lets the towel rest atop of her head, shooting glances towards Rosinante.] Thanks... for getting me out. I owe you.

action

[vampirella]

( it's a little after the storms finally subside and the waters dissipate that Carmilla braves adventure, teleporting back over the river to the greenhouse. she's stupidly on edge and honestly that fact annoys her. it shouldn't matter, honestly, that pretty much everyone she even moderately liked around here is probably drowned or dead or both. it shouldn't upset her that probably, Xayah is the same. Carmilla is frankly sore used to being left behind and alone. it shouldn't matter to her anymore.

and yet, the sore ache in the heart that doesn't beat tells her more than enough that it does matter, even if she doesn't like that it does.

the greenhouse is in surprisingly good shape, even though there's still a few puddles on the floor when she enters. Carmilla makes a face and fingers a few oddly bright red leaves. that plant seems new. )

Knock knock, anyone home? ( her tone is impressively devil may care, but the expression on her face is a little less cagey. )

🌺

[featherknives]

[Xayah did take a tumble. She didn't die, but she was a bit out of it for a few days. She was also out and scouting to see if she could find anyone else that needed help. It wasn't of much use, she only managed to help two little completely soaked bush-looking forest spirits. Despite her annoyance and anger with them and what they did, she can't beat the old habit out of her. "Give to the forest and it will give back". It's how Ionia lived. And if these spirits are tied to the forest she wouldn't want to be on the bad side.

She returns to the greenhouse after that and spends most of the time there. The flood had broken the lower glass of the greenhouse, so she had spent most of the time putting up planks against the lower walls to prevent draft or animals from sneaking in and eating veggies. After that, she spent time trying to get plants to recover.

Her ears perk up when she hears the door open and a voice fill the empty greenhouse. She stands up from where she's crouching, down the middle row, wings resting over her shoulders like a feathery cape and potted plant in her hands.]

Well, well, I didn't expect to have a visitor at this hour, [she chuckles. It's... attempt at a joke- it's always night and therefore always late?]

[vampirella]

( she's not relieved, and it's not like her lungs feel a little less tight at the revelation the fiery vastayan is still in her old haunt, and relatively in one piece. however, she's certainly not unhappy to note that Xayah seems to have made it through the storm, and in fact, manages what looks suspiciously like a smile. nobody point it out, she's sensitive about anything that isn't smirking or glowering. )

Better get used to it, cutie, these are my kind of hours. ( vampires love skulking around in the dark, after all. perennial dark would be perfect, if it weren't for the whole this world is dying aspect.

Carmilla wanders closer to where Xayah is, eyeing the plants on her way. besides a bunch of colorful herbs, it seems the rest of the plants more or less made it out okay. she's kind of surprised. ) I was wondering how you were holding up. I see you and your plant friends are just fine.

[featherknives]

[For better or for worse, this place didn't manage to get rid of her. And she also doesn't want to just disappear all of a sudden. Despite the fact that she is dead, she had met some people around here that she would love to see more often. And Carmilla is one of them. To see her safe and sound from the flood relief. She returns a playful smile.]

Excellent. I'm a night bird myself. [She likes the dark, but sun is good too, it gives life.

She laughs a bit and looks around the garden. There aren't many plants, but those that are here are growing and thriving. And she looks happy tending to them.]

A bruise or two because of the flood, but still alive and kicking. Can't just leave them all by themselves, [she raises the pot she's holding to point out and then places it down on the nearby wooden table.]