( open) la pista è come uno specchio d’argento
Who: OTA parties interested in the Remove the Obstacles! job, with the added bonus of collecting the frozen-to-the-canal toys and donating them to the orphanage for bonus cookies and affection points from the orphans!
When: Before the start of the Flower Festival.
Where: Anywhere in Caissa!
What: Several Heroes take up Stuart's request of taking care of freeing frozen toys from the canals and repairing ice where they can.
Rating: None, will update as becomes necessary.

The canals are used by citizens looking to shave time off their travel through the city during the winter season, skating on anything but thin ice. The troublemakers salting patches of the smoothed ice has turned it into a hazardous endeavor, made all the worse when wooden toys have been frozen to the ice. Of the Heroes who've stepped up to help take care of this clean-up (or perhaps even catch a culprit in action, despite the guard saying they had a plan in place for the very thing) were finding themselves facing a variety of challenges, up to and including...
One: getting out on the ice. The salted patches aren't too slick, but the rest gets slippery, and those who might be borrowing ice skates to speed up their travel times from trouble spot to trouble spot might be facing the biggest challenge yet. Learning how to ice skate! Or walking out, or giving up and sliding on one's rear end to reach the trouble spots. Whatever works! If people are judging you, well, they're probably no one worth listening to anyway, right?
Two: communication over radios is a dream and a wish, but Heroes do have Carriers, and Carriers do have audio capabilities. Trying to coordinate with fellow Heroes over Carrier-audio is more of a challenge than it may seem, especially with so many new to the idea! (And not all Carriers being willing to cooperate...)
Three: there are places where the salt has thinned the ice too much to support added weight... be careful, Heroes, lest you fall right in! Though if you do fall in, can you swim? Or fight off the shock of potential hypothermia? Oh dear, where are the blankets? Victims of thin ice may need to get wrapped up and brought indoors as soon as possible. Heat 'em up! We don't want our Heroes losing fingers or toes!
Four: though once the wooden toys are found, prying them off the ice is a challenge in and of itself. For those Heroes already tapping in to the Pawn rank's limited magical abilities, matchstick level fires can be effectively used... at a cost. Patience and perseverance are key to this method of toy removal, as will purifying and replenishing one's mana. Toriel will insist that everyone should try and salvage both the toy and ice for the sake of donating these toys to the orphanage along the way. Then again, one might try using brute force to pry the toys free... or see about convincing one of the residents who lives near the canals to allow them to borrow pots of hot water to extract toys that way!
Five: all work and no play leaves people grumpy and gives people aches and pains, which means that breaks are a must have, even for the heroes! If that means earnestly learning how to skate, picking impromptu snowball fights, or volunteering to haul a load of salvaged toys to the orphanage for a cookie break is up to each individual. This may not be their city, but wandering the canals, at least they're bound to get to know the layout of Caissa a little better than before!
When: Before the start of the Flower Festival.
Where: Anywhere in Caissa!
What: Several Heroes take up Stuart's request of taking care of freeing frozen toys from the canals and repairing ice where they can.
Rating: None, will update as becomes necessary.

The canals are used by citizens looking to shave time off their travel through the city during the winter season, skating on anything but thin ice. The troublemakers salting patches of the smoothed ice has turned it into a hazardous endeavor, made all the worse when wooden toys have been frozen to the ice. Of the Heroes who've stepped up to help take care of this clean-up (or perhaps even catch a culprit in action, despite the guard saying they had a plan in place for the very thing) were finding themselves facing a variety of challenges, up to and including...
One: getting out on the ice. The salted patches aren't too slick, but the rest gets slippery, and those who might be borrowing ice skates to speed up their travel times from trouble spot to trouble spot might be facing the biggest challenge yet. Learning how to ice skate! Or walking out, or giving up and sliding on one's rear end to reach the trouble spots. Whatever works! If people are judging you, well, they're probably no one worth listening to anyway, right?
Two: communication over radios is a dream and a wish, but Heroes do have Carriers, and Carriers do have audio capabilities. Trying to coordinate with fellow Heroes over Carrier-audio is more of a challenge than it may seem, especially with so many new to the idea! (And not all Carriers being willing to cooperate...)
Three: there are places where the salt has thinned the ice too much to support added weight... be careful, Heroes, lest you fall right in! Though if you do fall in, can you swim? Or fight off the shock of potential hypothermia? Oh dear, where are the blankets? Victims of thin ice may need to get wrapped up and brought indoors as soon as possible. Heat 'em up! We don't want our Heroes losing fingers or toes!
Four: though once the wooden toys are found, prying them off the ice is a challenge in and of itself. For those Heroes already tapping in to the Pawn rank's limited magical abilities, matchstick level fires can be effectively used... at a cost. Patience and perseverance are key to this method of toy removal, as will purifying and replenishing one's mana. Toriel will insist that everyone should try and salvage both the toy and ice for the sake of donating these toys to the orphanage along the way. Then again, one might try using brute force to pry the toys free... or see about convincing one of the residents who lives near the canals to allow them to borrow pots of hot water to extract toys that way!
Five: all work and no play leaves people grumpy and gives people aches and pains, which means that breaks are a must have, even for the heroes! If that means earnestly learning how to skate, picking impromptu snowball fights, or volunteering to haul a load of salvaged toys to the orphanage for a cookie break is up to each individual. This may not be their city, but wandering the canals, at least they're bound to get to know the layout of Caissa a little better than before!
toriel | ota
oh where oh where has my little dog gone
wildcard at the canals!
about that magic fire thing...
A bit, ma'am.
[ She seems like the kind of person-- being? that should be called ma'am.
To demonstrate, he'll go and summon the tiny flame...
...or try. Okay, maybe it isn't working right now. That's embarrassing. ]
no subject
I am Toriel, if you would like to call me that.
[ Ma'am works, but would feel more appropriate in a setting where she was actively teaching. Sitting a little more straight, letting her unkink her shoulders, she encourages him to go on. ]
It is okay. Try again.
no subject
If that's what you prefer.
[ He'll note that, though.
And this time, he actually does manage the little flame. It's...temperamental, okay. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
1, YOU CAN ALWAYS USE A CHAIR
that's hardly a problem. the bigger problem is that, as badd approaches with his mace balancing against his shoulder, accustomed now to the slip-and-slide routine, it—no, she talks to him. specifically, asks a question that sounds harmless enough to answer.]
Dunno what yer talkin' about, [he begins with a rather disdainful tip of his head, eyes aiming down at her with a hard stare.
it's not a particularly hostile expression, rather one of some restraint; hesitation. he's tired with the furry of events and this is a troublesome thing to have to do for an army he didn't even sign up for, but these are the children's toys laid out like lures; badd is doing this so the civilians with no stake in any war have a safe place to skate.
the moment the monster's fire flickers at the tip of her finger, his own weapon whips out to the side in a very clear warning.]
You been causin' a lot a' trouble for the people in Caissa. Anything ya wanna say?
does this look like a wrestling match to you
Indeed, I do. Please refrain from smashing these toys. I am hoping to collect as many as we can to donate to the orphanage.
[ In reality, she heard what he said, and the accusation there; it's not something she can't understand, but in first addressing what's actually going on, she hopes to guide him toward not choosing to escalate to violence through short-sightedness. She's a monster, and he's probably not used to such things. She most certainly is not a delinquent! ]
we canadians let our children use chairs to skate with
[donate to the orphanage? a hesitant thought, nose immediately wrinkling with the new information.
it doesn't match anything he's come across before, since his promotion to s-class. a monster willing to help the human population? after hearing the rumours of an entire monster association, it's all become very touch-and-go back home; he's been on call to dispatch these creatures more than he can remember. now's no time for a startling revelation and an existential dialogue about good and evil.
his fingers tighten around the handle of his bar mace.
—and metal bat lowers it, the tip of the weapon grazing the ice benignly... which could be the worst mistake of his life, if the monster is lying, but her voice is gentle and he has the higher ground...]
I ain't gonna smash the toys, that's what I'm here to get. Whaddaya gotta say 'bout all these holes in the ice, huh?
[still implying that you're a troublemaker. prejudices run deep.]
canadians and californians have more in common than i realised...!!!
i knew it... we are of the same people...
/the people of the snows/
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
2
Just as Aggravating Dog starts to get close to eating a wing, the dog will find itself the unwilling subject of Dorothy's camera! She'd introduced herself briefly to Toriel before she went off to work on the task in her own way (her cries of pain could be heard in the distance, but locating Dorothy seemed to be more difficult than hearing her), and now she's back to maybe lend a hand instead of working on her own.
But what a photo op! A cute dog, disobeying its owner...the futility of controlling beasts, but the potential for a future friendship with an icy, wintery backdrop...]
What a sexy pose, Mr. Dog! Keep it up! Fantastic! ♡
[Maybe that will get the dog to drop the toy? One can only hope.]
no subject
He likes the camera. Likes the attention. But where are his pets? Oh, and treats: if he's a fantastic dog, then he should get a fantastic treat, shouldn't he? ]
You little nuisance, come here! I am sorry, I do not know what goes through his head —
no subject
[Of course, she doesn't stop taking pictures, so she doesn't really have a good eye on how close AD actually is. She steps to the right to add a different angle, steps back to the left where the light of the sun reflects off something hidden in ice and bathes AD in an angelic glow. Only Dorothy could take shots like these, but she knows what she's doing.
Until the dog runs right into her, and down she goes, landing right on her back. At least she has a camera strap and that doesn't go flying.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
2!
It'll probably just chew on it. [ That's what dogs do, right? ]
There are still plenty of toys left anyway, if that's what you're worried about.
Re: 2!
[ Assured that he's steady on his feet after sliding into him, Toriel casts a disparaging look at the dog. The dog whom snaps his jaws around one wooden, hinged wing, and starts vigorously pulling on it, tail wagging in furious glee. ]
Chewing is bad enough. What if he also eats the poor thing?
[ Cupping her hands around her mouth, she calls out again. ]
Drop it!
[ AD shakes his head as he attempts to yank the wing off. He shifts to present his rear end to his audience: a rear end with a fluffy, wagging tail. ]
Oh, I know he can hear me just fine! [ She starts toward the dog once more, and he picks up the toy, arcing around to the side. There's only so much room on the canal, but he's clearly having a time of it. ]
no subject
The pain of having any sort of plea fall onto deaf ears is a feeling that's all too familiar to Murasaki, which might account for his sudden change of heart about rescuing this duck from an unfortunate end. Its wing may be damaged, but its spirit could still be saved. Probably not, but it's the thought that counts here.
He wasn't exactly the pinnacle of grace on the ice before these two bumped into each other, so he's still fairly wobbly trying to move forward after Toriel. ]
If you get him out of the canal and onto the snow, he'll be easier to catch. [ Maybe the snow is thick enough to slow down the dog for Murasaki to catch up to him, that is if Murasaki can get off the ice himself, but he can worry about that later. He's not much help on the ice when he moves like a purple slug. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
skates
[ Astrid hoists one of the two buckets she's carrying. ]
Uh, heated water. If Star could breathe fire, this would be easier, but since she can't - no, girl, I'm not complaining, you're fine as you are - [ This is to the dragon curled around her neck ] this seemed like the next best thing? Rather than trying to learn to make fire myself, on the fly.
[ SHE'S NOT SURE WHAT TO DO WITH MAGIC, HONESTLY. Like Toriel, Astrid isn't wearing skates. However, she walks on the ice like she was born to it - which she was, really, being born in Berk. ]
no subject
[ She jests, offering Astrid a smile. ]
Are you familiar with magic? It is not something most humans were familiar with in the history of my own world. Here is different and not so different, from what I am beginning to understand.
[ People have magic, or mana is in most living things, but the access limitations and general view trending toward fearful even as magitech is in use? Reads like a page out of history, only it's the current reality in this place.
Toriel holds out a hand in case Astrid wants her to hold one of the buckets before pouring it out over the toy; her flame flickers out as she does so, letting go and not summoning up another. ]
Star is your Carrier, yes? She is a lovely little creature.
[ No comment on what the white dog running around is or isn't. (Annoying, aggravating, frustrating, a nuisance? All true.) ]
no subject
[ Ask her about weapons or dragons? She's more your girl. Magic, though...
She shakes her head, not really minding it existing so heavily here so much as being more than a little off-kilter at how to use it herself. She's never really had to use a weapon besides her mind that she couldn't grasp in both hands.
The offer to take the bucket distracts her from trying to find a better way to word that, and Astrid offers a half smile as she hands one bucket over. Toriel is a strange sort of creature to her, but this place is so strange already, and honestly she feels like Gothi might like the woman. That's enough to go on for her. ]
Starsharp, yeah. That yours? [ She steadies the other bucket to pour carefully over the toy, patiently melting the ice. This would be faster with a dragon, but it's not so bad to be slow every once in a while. ]
(no subject)
WILDCARD idk im creative
[If Toriel isn't paying attention, she might get one of her toys that she's found stolen off her by a rather persistent three-legged crow. Of course, it's not very strong, so even if it manages to swoop in and grab one, it'll definitely go for the biggest toy. Its greediness will only result in it flying erratically as it tries to get away, onto the ice.
Where does it think it's going?! It's headed towards a lady with pink hair on the lake, desperately trying to pry a toy train out of the ice... if the crow drops the toy near her, which is a very real possibility, it's going to shatter right under the woman and re-enact every tragic Christmas ice-skating drowning backstory.]
fistpump, yais!!
Toriel mostly sees where this is heading, pushing up to her feet (forgiving that this skirt is nowhere near the ankle length she prefers) and racing to a slide across the ice, calling out: ]
Overhead! It is a bird, carrying a plane! Watch out!
[ At this rate, it might result in a two-person re-enactment of a Christmas ice-skating almost drowning, with extra drowned rat look for all the associated fur involved! ]
no subject
Hold it!
[Tamamo hasn't actually been able to use her Pawn magic much, for the mere fact that seeing how much her magic ability has been dimmed makes her feel depressed. But, this new, living body grants her rather fast reflexes, and though she's wearing embarrassingly thick woolen mittens and a fat fluffy winter jacket, she manages to whip out her magical weapon quickly enough. It's a wooden fan capable of summoning strong winds with a flap, which is what Tamamo does-- the gust sends the train flying towards Toriel instead.]
Catch, hurry!
[Or she can get hit in the face and fall over... that could happen too...]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
slides in 15 years later w/ Starbucks and shit and wait this is skates prompt
[That's not really what he meant to say, but just now Bernard is a little more focused on not sailing right past her, down to the next curve of the canal and over the side (and possibly into a doorway opening onto the waterfront). He's not quite as clumsy as a newborn fawn, nor even as uncoordinated as most people on the ice for the first time, but that doesn't mean he isn't distracted.
He's also discovered that if he puts his halberd blade-down on the ice he can sort of use it like a giant walking stick-slash-skate (not that he really knows how to use the latter, but it's the idea that counts) to keep his balance and slide around. Luckily, most people who aren't overzealous Heroes aren't out on the ice and can't see him faceplant--
His axe ends up planting itself in the side of the bridge not too far from Toriel... Luckily, it's more support than property damage. He's at least careful enough not to go through the ice or through something important so far.]
Is it normal to have this much water in a city?
[It's a mutter under his breath, even as he tries to orient himself to examine Toriel and the thing she's working on.]
/tops off your starbucks late, smiles???
Cities come in a great many shapes and sizes, do they not? I would believe it is normal for some cities to have this much water, while others have much less. Even the Underground had a few waterways.
[ Mostly the one, which is neither here nor there. ]
As for fire being normal, it is... not, from what I understand, unless you are from Noir. Different appreciations of magic and its use. Noir is less than kind in their uses of magic, and here in Blanc, we are to be the exception to their rules of who uses magic.
[ Openly, she suspects, since some of the technology she's run into on the periphery is magical in nature. So what hits on acceptable use and not? Humans having a reduced capacity rings true for back home, too... Ah, but better to focus her attention on the young man out on the ice with her. She holds up her hand enough to bring attention to the small flame contained there-in. ]
Is magic like this something you have dealt with before?
/drinks cold Starbucks.... ;u;
[It's not quite a question, more of a further complaint against the general state of everything, as he's mistaken Toriel's statement in his state of attempting to keep his balance and get a closer look at the summoned flame without accidentally singeing his bangs off.
That being said, tucking even more waterways underneath a city already beribboned with waterways sounds pretty precarious. Sewers, of course, are a fact of life in cities; but it still seems like something ill-advised to him. Oddly more so than sliding around halberd-blade first on frozen water...]
I know fire magic. I don't know what this is. [He has dealt with fire magic here before, even if it doesn't feel right compared to his fire magic and he still hasn't figured out the trick to calling it at will. It's maddening, for someone who grew up wreathed in flame.] Is it wise to use on top of this?
[... Okay, so maybe he's a little more ill-at-ease with traveling on frozen water than his composure might indicate. That doesn't mean the question is any less calmly posed even as his foot slips and he bangs a shin on the bridge.]
we are enjoying our iced frappes or whatnot, yes yes
The latest tag! One btw
No--…what?
[He looked at her arms, and almost expected to see a cat curled within them. Instead, he saw a flame no brighter than the end of a candle. He stared, not sure what to think of it.]
\o/ yay!
She keeps her hand held open, the tiny, seemingly insignificant flame burning steady and bright. Not too hot, as it stays in the warmer hues, but that's for the best. ]
I am of the understanding that all of us labeled 'Heroes' by the matter of how we arrived here have some ability to work with magic, even if we did not before.
[ She glances down at her little flame. ]
Or a reduced version, if we did. Perhaps that will change.
[ She's needing to learn about the rules of magic around here, when she's being honest with herself. ]
no subject
Perhaps. [He said vaguely and in a way that ended the subject there.
He continued to chip away at the ice. Only the toy's leg remained in ice. He could just cut it off and seal the crack over it, but that would ruin a perfectly good toy. That got him to thinking.]
You're not going to burn the toy, right? [Because fire and wooden toys. That looked like a disaster waiting to happen.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
... ignoring that this is a hug icon IT IS THE SENTIMENT
Can't handle this sweet mombeast!
hasdf she's just so glad he's helping out... and letting her help in turn alsdfj ways to her heart
goat mom is too good for this asshole