[PQ] [RQ] a rose by any other name is a scandal

'Cause I don't remember who I was before you

The Barrows probably shouldn't have been as beautiful as they were to Alys, but they'd held a special place in her heart since moving to King's End, regardless.

On this particular Leafchange day, the skies above the Barrows were grey, and a lightning storm flickered in the distance, warning of rain to come later. A chilly wind flattened the drying grasses, flicking at the King's End Seer's dark curls as she waited for everyone to gather at the agreed-upon meeting place. She'd dressed warmly in dark pants and a light blue coat; a checkered scarf was tucked in at her neck, protecting her against the worst of the breeze. Sascha sat at her feet, very much in her element as the seasons changed and the weather cooled.

Nearby, wagons of roses sat waiting, each pulled by a very patient donkey and covered by a tarp to keep the flowers from scattering in the wind. Along the back of an empty wagon were a collection of pastries and drinks suitable for clearing one's mind in the morning. Alys herself clutched a small mug of tea sweetened with honey, but she was waiting for the others to arrive before indulging further. The warmth was nice on her fingers, though, and she sipped lightly at the beverage as she scanned the horizon for familiar faces.

---

This is an 8-round PQ to place roses around the Barrows for our RQ! Please post your character arriving.

1. Alys
2. Sunjata
3. Lena
4. Colt

Painted all my nights a color I have searched for since

Alys

Colt

Hugging her jacket tighter over her shoulders as she pushes her hands deeper in her pockets, Colt strides up to Alys and the gradual gathering of work. She's left her horse somewhere behind her, content to graze while it waits hobbled, and as such she's dressed for work that will be dirtier than tossing flowers around a graveyard. There's an impatient edge to her gait, not quick, but purposeful and sharp with intent. She wants this task put behind them, the promise of it all feeling real thin with the absence of the Family. The storm on the horizon doesn't help, making her nearly as nervous as her herds. She's got shit to do.

"Hey," she greets with a practiced smile. Nothing's clipped, it's just, not welcome to the idle chit chat that sipping tea and nibbling pastries threatens. So Colt lingers by the wagon, resisting the urge to reach out and grab some, chewing on the inside of her lip instead to ease some of the worry she's shouldering. There'll be time to do this and get back and finish off what she needs before the lightning comes, there has to be.

---

Colt arrives and stands ready by the flowers

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me

SUNJATA

clipped wings and you're the one holding the bone saw
now things are getting so out of control

He can see the lightning off in the distance, though while it doesn’t bother him so much as it seems to bother Colt upon his arrival (not that he’d know that’s what was setting her on edge). It just meant that they should probably try to finish his up sooner rather than later, even though the Barrows weren’t a small amount of space to cover with the colorful roses that sit in the wagons.

They’d do their damndest, though, he’s sure.

He arrives with his usual crooked smiles and warmth, wearing a sweater that looks as though it’s already been put through the ringer or two (it’s one of his favorite leafchange sweaters for when he’s working on the House of Midnight, so he imagines it works well for getting his hands dirty here too). His sleeves are pushed up and he immediately makes his way toward the wagon with refreshments and snacks, snagging a paper cup of coffee that steams and a small pastry that won’t take too long for him to devour. “Hey Alys. Colt.” He greets them, flashing each a grin, though to Colt he dips his chin a touch with a warm smile sent her way before he’s mentally prepping himself.

---

Sunjata arrives and snags a coffee and a pastry!

the spiraling starts and we can't pull up, our hands are tied together so,
on the way down, we make every moment count

Lena

even when no one was looking
I was still kind

Lena was always beholden to her promises and convictions, so despite the recent changes to Stormbreak, there she was, amidst King’s End, intending to spread flowers. It was a way to give back for all of the kindness of this particular region, who’d been more than ready to invite and extend helping hands to all those who’d escaped under the Family’s tyranny. She was only a little bothered that it was much too late – but – any kind of advance was likely something good in retrospect; a strengthening of kingdoms, a newfound weight even Stormbreak didn’t have.

So she arrived with a bright smile on her features, her bag over her shoulders, and Mittens hovering behind her, growling at nothing. “Hello! Thank you for letting me help.” She nodded at each in turn, opting for a nice mug of tea and a smaller, meager pastry before they got started.

--

Lena and Mittens arrive!

with all of my heart
even when it is invisible

'Cause I don't remember who I was before you

They arrived soon enough, all dressed for work and ready to be put to use. Colt was on edge, though Alys couldn't begin to imagine what had put the rancher in a tense mood so early on in the proceedings. Sunjata was warm and welcoming, snagging a quick snack and drink as he settled in. And Lena was kind and determined to help. All in all, a good group, Alys thought, greeting each of them as they arrived with a smile and a hello.

Once they were all in place - and, hopefully, finishing off whatever breakfast they might have gathered from her cart - Alys began. "Thank you all for coming," she said, brushing an errant curl off her forehead with one hand. "You all know why we're here, so let's just jump right in. There's a lot of ground to cover, and I'd be willing to bet that it's going to storm sooner or later - so let's try and get this done quickly, hmm?"

---

Round 1! Start placing flowers. No post order.

Painted all my nights a color I have searched for since

Alys

Colt

It feels like a test of sanity, having first picked basketfuls of flowers with Thorn and Sunjata, and now grabbing basketfuls of flowers and throwing them back to the dirt. She's certain Frey could make the flowers bloom wherever they pleased. Must be the madness of doing work just to undo it that makes the magic of the barrier work.

Sunjata's warmer greeting is lost to her with the haze of thoughts, though the sound of her name does register and she flashes him a look and a nod before sinking back into her mind. It's only when Alys calls them all to order that she clears the to do list of her day after this, nodding at the threat of the storm and the commitment to getting this done quickly. No better motivator than some competition, so Colt means to turn this into a race.

"Last one done does the winner's laundry for a week!" she declares as she grabs for a basket and begins to jog down the barrows, flinging fistfuls of blooms like a wedding's flower girl on a sugar high.

---

 

Colt says race ya and throws flowers

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me

Lena

even when no one was looking
I was still kind

With the directions in place, Lena gave a steadfast nod, taking one of the baskets. Instead of inspecting it for particular flowers and petals (as she would’ve done in any other circumstance), she proceeded onward, knowing this was the last portion they required – before King’s End could finish what it’d started, Family or not.

Hearing Colt’s competitive suggestion, the Caretaker tilted her head. She’d never been one for any kind of hurry, unless they were in the midst of battle, so she remained thoroughly unbothered, making a follow me gesture towards Mittens, and walking towards the barrows, ensuring the outstretch of their section had every flower it needed.

--

Lena places flowers carefully.

with all of my heart
even when it is invisible

SUNJATA

clipped wings and you're the one holding the bone saw
now things are getting so out of control

The smile is extended over to Lena as she arrives, before the Flood is busy devouring the pastry and sipping down the coffee in his hand to the dregs. Listening as Alys thanks them, the Flood nods at the mention of trying to get it done as quickly as possible, and with Colt’s addition of a competitive spin, the Flood snorts and watches as she zooms away. As he grabs his basket, he notes the careful way that Lena places her flowers, sure that she’d be the loser if Colt really planned on cashing in on it.

Himself, however, he snags the basket and with a partially shifted hand turned to dragon’s claw, the Flood scoops and plants the roses down the line with glittering water lingering over his shoulder that rains down onto the flowers that not only he is planting, but extending it out over toward Lena’s, Alys’ and Colt’s flowers, wherever they’ve landed.

---

Sunjata plants his own flowers flowers and waters his and everyone else's!

the spiraling starts and we can't pull up, our hands are tied together so,
on the way down, we make every moment count

'Cause I don't remember who I was before you

Alys had barely finished speaking before Colt was zooming off, adding a competitive spin to the proceedings that had the seer shaking her head, bemused. "Wait, Colt - Sunjata, do we have to actually plant the roses, or simply scatter them about?" The instructions she'd received had been perhaps a little unclear on this particular point. Either way, Colt was in luck. Despite her rather haphazard approach to the task at hand, her flowers managed to stay more or less where they were placed.

Lena, working more methodically, would find that her progress was particularly slow, perhaps because a horde of migrating birds decided to make this a stopping point and land directly in her path. Unbothered by the woman scattering flowers in their midst, the birds would make it somewhat difficult to walk through and continue.

Sunjata's efforts would have been the slowest of them all, if not for the fact that Lena had been held up by the birds, although he would certainly receive points for being the most thorough. Indeed, his flowers were firmly rooted where they were planted and glistened happily with the effects of being watered.

For Alys's part, she got nowhere at all, pausing instead to wait for confirmation of whether they were planting or placing, or whether it mattered at all.

---

Round 2!

Colt has been called back to make sure she's doing things properly, but can otherwise proceed without further delay.

Lena has run into a flock of birds making her life harder! Figure out how to get rid of them!

Sunjata's methods are slow but steady, and he can continue without further delay.

Alys hasn't done anything, unsure whether to plant or place, and will need to do her best to catch up.

Painted all my nights a color I have searched for since

Alys

Colt

If she gets done with her flowers fastest, not only does she not have to do laundry, but she can cut out of here first and long before the rest, having done the same amount of flowers as any of them. Head back home and set to tasks that matter, as if fire season isn't a goddamn threat breathing down her back with acres of land laid out like kindling and that brewing storm holding all kinds of promises she wishes nature wouldn't keep.

Her name jerks her back, the halt to her momentum so abrupt she visibly sways with the half-step she pulls back midair. "What?!" she calls back, angling her head to get a better sight of Alys under the shade of her hat brim. Her gaze skips over Lena trapped by birds, a rodeo Colt wants no part of, to Sunjata meandering along with his own personal brand of a watering can. She cocks a hip out for a moment, an impatient finger tapping along her beltloop as she peers across the meadow to Alys. She catches enough of the question, her attention equally rounding to her Archon, one 'brow lifting in expectation.

"If we have to plant each of these by hand we'll be out here all damn day. We should have asked the farmers for help, they have plows, would have sped this up. Or at least gathered some hoes if we mean to do this by hand." She gestures at his dragon clawed hand with a huff.

Still, she spins around, shoulders tight as she stabs a boot toe into the dirt instead and carves out a hole to drop her blossom into, grimacing at the added effort and its waste of efficiency. Better than getting on her hands and knees and crawling down the damn plains like a child playing horse.

---

Colt says why didn't you plan this differently and grumpily plants the flowers

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me

Lena

even when no one was looking
I was still kind

Lena would much prefer to ensure things were done correctly than in haste or speed; there were qualities to both, but if they rushed through the task, and the flowers weren’t where they needed to be, then the whole point had been moot. And despite her endless bounty of patience, she figured no one in the group wanted to repeat the junctures.

So in her methodical approach, she ended up waylaid regardless – the birds in her path ensured it. Shaking her head and smiling, she started utilizing her compulsion. Sorry dears, can you find somewhere else? Hoping that was efficient, she started planting the flowers again, stepping carefully around any birds that had yet to disperse.

--

Lena tries to compel the birds to go somewhere else and continues planting.

(Beastmaster) can compel any sentient animals not marked with a ☆ for assistance (6 large, 12 medium, 20 small)

Can speak to rare creatures/companions/regular animals

with all of my heart
even when it is invisible

SUNJATA

clipped wings and you're the one holding the bone saw
now things are getting so out of control

Perking up the second that Alys calls his name, the Flood’s mid digging for the next rose - a shallow pit as it was, the Flood’s scarred brows lift. “We gotta plant them at least a little bit.” He calls back over, looking toward Colt with a touch of exasperation as she makes her complaints. “Just dig the toe of your boot in, make a little pit to plant them, cover it and go on.” Sunjata shrugs, feeling as though they didn’t need all that work with the farmers and hoes and shovels in order to get this done.

Then, placing the rose in the pit, covering it and splashing it with a bit of water, the Flood straightens up. “When we did this last time, Alys, we were pretty high in the air so the fall planted them in for us. Doing it on the ground means it’ll be a little bit more work but I don’t really think it’s that necessary to have all the farmers come in.” If anything it could take longer having to delegate everything to them.

His dragon taloned hand flexes as he catches sight of Lena and the birds, before his attention flits back to Colt. “I can dig your holes for you, Colt, if you wanna plant the flowers. You just get to do my laundry.” He flashes her a crooked smirk and a wink for good measure.

---

Sunjata clarifies that they gotta plant it and tells Colt he can dig her holes for her if she does his laundry ;D

the spiraling starts and we can't pull up, our hands are tied together so,
on the way down, we make every moment count

'Cause I don't remember who I was before you

With the details now laid out more clearly, Alys cleared her throat, shooting Sunjata an apologetic glance. The first thing he'd asked her to take charge of, and she was already messing it up.

Colt had a fair point, and Alys cursed herself for not having brought more help. But perhaps all wasn't lost just yet. Maybe there was a way to salvage the situation. As the seer considered this, Lena's birds all took flight at once, having seemingly been convinced that some other location was the prime place to be. And on Sunjata went, steadily and methodically planting the flowers.

"Alright," Alys called, still by the wagon with her own bucket of roses untouched. "New plan. Let's go in teams of two. One group goes that way -" And she pointed in the direction she meant. "And the other goes the opposite, and we'll meet up in the middle once we've made it around the Barrows. On each team, one person can dig and the other can plant, and then once everything's in place, I can take Sunjata around and we can water them from the air - if the storm doesn't do it for us first."

With that suggestion out of the way, Alys waited for any rebuttals before using her telekinesis to dig a hole by her foot. If her plan was agreed upon, then she'd move on to the next hole; if not, then she supposed she'd get to planting her own roses and they'd just muddle along as best they could.

---

Round 3!

Colt's point is taken, Lena's birds disperse, and Sunjata is currently doing the best at planting. Alys suggests a new plan. Make any suggestions and/or get back to work!

Painted all my nights a color I have searched for since

Alys

Colt

Colt gestures at the plant she clearly just planted, exactly as he explained. "I know how to plant a fucking flower Flood!" she fires back, her wits beginning to reach an end at the all too blasé approach towards planting a whole area with four people. Maybe they all planned on this taking all day, but gods, why?

She glances back at the gathering storm clouds nervously, then huffs, waving him off and all his denials about farmers and hoes. She agrees it's too late now anyhow, if their intention is to be done today, so continuing to point blame would be no help. She's not trying to pick a fight, exactly, she's just trying to get a move on.

She sticks her toe into the dirt again, the clod shooting free with the effort, the whole thing a bit awkward. She drops another blossom and scooches some of the dirt back, but honestly her feet aren't nimble enough and half the flower gets crushed in the process. "For fuck's sake," she seethes, crouching down to straighten it out and finish it off with her hands. Sunjata's joke earns him a dirty look over her shoulder, done with the whole affair and ready to twist whatever hand is trying to poke her.

"Nice try, but I can still beat you. Your height is a disadvantage today!" Perhaps the only upside to this would be winning and offloading laundry to someone else, so the shiny objective of victory keeps her going. Magic or not, Sunjata's practically a giraffe, so chances are he's going to be stumbling through this by the end when his back is sore. He can't trick her, he's old too, and stooping is a young man's game.

Colt pauses as Alys gives out a new directive though. Teams. Much as she envies the dragon claw and walking watering can that Sunjata can offer, she'll let Alys deal with his old, tall ass. He'd probably go slow on purpose if she teamed up with him anyway, just to drive her mad, and she might actually lose her mind if he pulled that shit on her today. "Lena! Let's partner up." Of course Lena could always deny her, in which case she hopes Lena would pick Sunjata. Colt is positive she could work alongside either of the women pleasantly enough as long as she keeps her mouth shut and the pace remains decent.

---

Colt says fuck you Jata and selects Lena for a teammate while continuing to PlAnT the flowers

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me