( open) la pista è come uno specchio d’argento

[totoriel]

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!

Comments

2!

[mamasaki]

[ Still trying to get his sea legs (ice legs?) out here on the frozen water, Murasaki is distracted and doesn't notice the on coming collision happening in 3, 2, 1-! His already wobbly balance is thrown off when he's bumped into, but takes advantage of the help Toriel is offering so he doesn't end up face first on the ice. He's ready to apologize as well for not paying attention, but all this shouting redirects his gaze toward the dog. He's just standing there though, apparently having no concern for the fate of this poor wooden duck and its limbs. ]

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!

[totoriel]

[ 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. ]

[mamasaki]

[ Ah, a beautiful sight of a dog's booty, indeed.

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. ]

[totoriel]

[ She glances toward the young man making this suggestion, then visibly gears herself up to do just that. Heading AD off at the metaphorical pass? Bending her knees, Toriel gives Murasaki a grave nod (that is a little ridiculous, and part of her wants to laugh at herself for this) before she tries glide-sliding across the ice. It's just smooth enough that she can manage it, with AD digging his claws in to try and run away, sliding and ending up with splayed legs as his chest and belly hit the ice. ]

Good doggy, bring that toy back here —

[ AD continues to slide on his chest and belly, turning in slow circles in an almost comic fashion, tail still wagging. He's now a spinning top of a dog on the ice! Toriel's getting closer to catching up, but she's not sure how to handle the spinning limbs. She "skates" past him, trapping the dog between Murasaki's position and her own.

Game on. ]

[mamasaki]

[ Oh no. Uhh, game off! Time out! Murasaki isn’t adequately prepared on the ice to handle a situation like this, which is actually a very simple situation but Murasaki just doesn’t want to end up like AD and go slippin’ and slidin’ like a fool. He did make the decision to help out though, so whether or not he lands with his face (or butt) slamming onto the ice is a consequence he’ll have to take. At least someone is having fun here at the expense of others (yeah, he notices that tail wagging).

He’s still moving forward (granted, very slowly), but seizes this moment to speed up with the idea he could pick up AD while skating over him. This all might look impressive if maybe this scene was sped up and what comes next doesn't actually happen. In fact, it would probably save the world from embarrassment if none of this happened at all and Murasaki never stepped foot on the ice.

Because he slides...right over the dog...He bent over to try to reach AD, but failed when he faltered on one foot. Trying to turn, he ends up slipping and landing on his side, but what he didn’t fail at was reaching out and grabbing one of AD's back paws. Toriel, please remind Murasaki later to never ice skate again. ]

Got him. [ Sounding just a tiny bit flustered here on the ice. How does he get up now though...Whoops. ]

[totoriel]

[ She might remind him, though right now she has to refrain from laughing, one hand held to her mouth to contain her amusement at the sight the two of them had made. It's rude to laugh, and she manages to swallow down that much, but her smile in those moments is telling. Neither have come to harm from what she can see. She doesn't feel so bad for being amused, particularly as she braces herself on the ice. ]

You have! If you will hold him for a little longer —

[ She slide-skates over, carefully leaning down to tease the toy back out of AD's mouth. He makes a pitiful whuffing sound, though it doesn't sell to Toriel when he looks unapologetic and like he's enjoying himself even as she's liberating the toy. In fact, he starts leaning out and away from Murasaki and his grip on his hind paw, yanking his leg along to see if he can manage to drag the young man forward on the ice.

If that happens, then it's Toriel pulling on the toy, AD pulling on his leg and trying to give in to Toriel's pulling, and Murasaki being dragged along behind with a hopping, small dog who could only manage this feat in present circumstances. ]

[mamasaki]

[ It's okay...Toriel can laugh. Murasaki is used to this. Everyone else though, avert your eyes. There can't be any witnesses to this!!

How Murasaki not only managed to fall, but also get dragged across the ice by this dog is beyond him. Regardless, it’s happening and it’s a sad sight indeed. As determined as AD seems to be about keeping the toy locked in his jaws, Murasaki is just as determined to stop this skate train from going any further. Propping himself up on his free hand, he’s able to regain some balance while still holding onto AD, although he does look even more ridiculous trying to keep his hand from sliding forward and from sliding in any direction, really. After an internal pep talk, he’s finally able to get on his knees.

Learning from his previous misfortune, he’s not going to make the same mistake twice by thinking the ice will show him any mercy. It’s better to be safe than sorry! So instead of picking up AD as is, he has to reposition himself so he actually doesn’t go face first into the ice. Still holding onto AD’s back paw, he sits back onto his legs carefully, doing his best not to pull on the little rapscallion of a dog. Reaching over, he scoops up the dog and lifts him into the air. He’s holding AD far away from his body as if the poor thing has cooties, but if he sits back it means if Toriel is still holding onto the toy in AD’s mouth, she’d get pulled back as well. Only one of them should be down here on the ice like a fallen baby deer. ]

There we go. [ He is definitely not going to try to stand up holding onto this dog when he was having trouble just standing by himself, so he offers up AD toward Toriel. Take him awaayYY. ]

How’s that?

[totoriel]

[ Oh dear! Still holding back laughter (it feels impolite, and she really shouldn't be rude to someone helping her with her ridiculous Carrier), Toriel finds the scene as a whole a cross between annoying (on AD's part) and endearing (for Murasaki's efforts). Once the dog has been fully brought to heel, held up in the air like an offering, Toriel lets go of the toy and sweeps AD up and tucks him under one arm.

Once he's under arm, she reaches up with her free hand and deftly twist and yanks the toy free, finding it mostly to have suffered drool damage, and few lasting toothmarks. AD's tail continues to wag. Once his mouth is free, he yips, smiling a canine smile, and looking down at Murasaki and waving his front paws. Almost like he's digging... or trying to get back to Murasaki, who has been a far more fun playmate than "keep away" with Toriel has been. ]

That is wonderful, thank you! Not that you are being wonderful, dog. You will not get treats if you continue to act like this.

[ Not even a threat, she makes it an even statement: act like a nuisance, no rewards. AD seems to understand to an extent, though by flopping like deadweight in her arms.

(Tail still wagging, albeit slower now.)

Tucking the toy into the make-shift sling she's wearing around the opposite hip, she wipes her hand on her skirt with a small sigh before offering it to Murasaki, to help him to his feet if he's so inclined. She'll even help keep him steady, considering he did the bulk of the work in stopping her Carrier's mad dash of icy destruction. ]

You are much better at catching him than I am.

[mamasaki]

[ No harm done despite how lame this all must have looked to someone standing on the sidelines minding their own business with no idea what was going on. His side (and pride, if we’re going to be honest here) still hurt a bit from that fall, but it’s something hardly worth complaining about considering he’s had worse. Now that he thinks about it, it does feel as though AD is mocking him with that yip and wave of his paws. It’s just awkward falling and sprawling all over the ice when he’s an adult and not an uncoordinated child. He had to go through those years already and he doesn’t need to go through them again. He swears he can walk normally on a regular basis. ]

Thanks. [ He takes her hand and (eventually) gets to his feet, which is a whole other ordeal in itself. If trying to turn on slippery ice was hard more, this is expert mode but somewhere out there in Caissa there must be fanfare once he’s standing and holding out an arm to keep balanced. Whatever works! ]

I think it may have just been luck. [ Good thing AD was within reach when he fell. It’s the little things in life that count. ] I’m glad I could help, though.

Is the toy all right? [ He's been too preoccupied remembering how to stand to notice. Almost forgot why he was trying to catch AD in the first place, too. His b ]