The Bear and Barnacle

Over a month, some questioning of Victoire, and some very discreet questioning of Dora later, Iago is walking by a shop window and realizes what he's getting for Teddy Lupin in the gift exchange.

This perhaps useful and obscure enough that he won't already own it, probably.
This general but appropriate.
But the real prize is the third one.

Iago packages them neatly and drops them off at Teddy's door.

Minerva wasn't sure of the workability of this idea when it finally occurred, but it was the best she had and Xellos seemed to think it would be fine.

She goes into Canterbury to find a calligrapher and is greeted at the door by a young woman in a sleek pantsuit -- the shop is sleek and modern, monochromatic with dashes of red, the lines clean and sharp as the works the room is intended to display. It's lovely, but Minerva is still not entirely convinced.

But after she explains her errand as thoroughly as possible, the young woman invites her cordially upstairs into a small studio where a bent old woman, perhaps her own age, in very thick lenses grinds red ink on a stone. This is the master calligrapher. She explains the mechanics of the process dutifully, showing the paper, the silk scroll, and the red and black inks, pointing out examples on the walls in a clearly prepared sales pitch. When Minerva repeats her description of Anotsu, though, she seems to catch the woman's interest.

The calligrapher explains how the balance of the work is crucial to its success, how every composition must contain at least one blot where the brush is heavy with ink, and a dry fan where it's running lower, because while the harmony, rhythm and uniformity cannot be compromised, what might seem to be an imperfection is what carries beauty. Minerva is entranced. As they discuss the commission, the calligrapher mixes ink and paints a few ideas, small and quick, on thin paper.

They decide on the phrase onkochishin: "Respect the past, create the new." Minerva picks up the finished scroll in two weeks, and leaves it at Anotsu's door while he's out, with a note.

For Anotsu Kagehisa from Minerva McGonagall, in hopes you will find pleasure and use in this gift.

Anotsu isn’t given to reminiscing. Not much, at any rate. Time, history, his history... He shrugs without thinking. A river feeding an ocean feeding the clouds feeding the rain.

Last winter wasn’t good. He’d been sick, he remembers, and instinctively tucks deeper into the plush, fur-lined bomber jacket. This year he feels better. Stronger.

Had anybody asked him, last year, to give a gift, he would have got up and walked away. Now there’s a small bundle wedged under his arm. He does not pretend that he’s good with children, no. Magatsu was, he thinks, pushing against the door with his shoulder.

It’s warm in here. He does not care for the spilt beer smell, but if Xellos-san is around there‘s a good chance of green tea and sake.

He looks up, pursing his lips. "I have something for Dora-chan," he mumbles. And prays to all gods great and small and very small that she’s already in bed. ( It would help him save face in case she didn’t like his gift. )

Teddy Lupin didn't know what to think when he received the slip of paper with a name scribbled on it.

The Joker. Not a Joker but the. That changed things. His first thought was that he wished he had access to George's joke shop but he didn't dwell on what if's for very long; it wouldn't do any good and he knew it. Thankfully, Grandpa Weasley had sparked an interest in the Muggle World in the young Metamorphmagus and Nana Andy had reminded him that her Ted was Muggleborn.

And what did Teddy discover on his jaunts through Muggle London? Fantastic things called films. Televisions and their channels. Silly fantasy novels that got magic all wrong but were amusing, nonetheless. But the discovery that helped him the most in this time of need?

Comics. Or, more accurately, graphic novels.

So it's with some measure of pride and a feeling of a Job Well Done that Teddy does up the small stack in plain wrapping paper and some twine. He leaves it on the bar counter with a note attached.

( TO: The Joker (if you're who I think you are). )

Admittedly, Val was slightly alarmed when Dora handed him Mary Poppins' name, given that they've never actually spoken, but he spends a great deal of time in the pub, coloring with Dora and getting under Xel's feet and stealing Iago's liqueurs and staring at people until they get nervous and go away, so he knows what kind of tea she likes.

He weaves his way through the pub lugging a wicker basket, one of the ones with a handle and a double lid, perfectly sized for a small picnic, lined in cheery white and purple plaid. Inside the basket can be found a blanket and dishes for two. Val has occupied the remaining space with black currant tea; a jar of currant preserves; currant-flavored mustard, syrup, and balsamic vinegar; a black currant-scented candle; and a box of homemade black currant coffee cakes.



The basket is dragged to Mary's chair and Val plops down to sit next to it, looking up eagerly.

Gifts, he thinks, gifts are a language. A complicated exchange of gestures, signs and subtleties, to be delivered with the softest of kid gloves. He receives Dora's crumpled, sticky candy wrapper with mild apprehension: for one, there's half a caramel in it, and then... what if it reveals the name of someone he doesn't know, or, worse, knows and dislikes?

Ah.
Graciès a Deu.

Seeing the squiggled name, he can't help the small noise of contentment. Dolcissima.

Red, he thinks at first, garnets and gold, only to recall the spun light of her hair and fix his mind's eye on... something else.

He writes a note, then frowns at the jagged mess of steeples. Episcopal handwriting, how charming, he snorts, wads it up, and writes a second one in concise chancery style. A small black box has to do, tied to her door with green ribbon (after the young man has left).

( 'Donna Vittoria', it says. )

The Joker snuck up to the door, which he was pretty sure belonged to blaise_samedi, and he carefully placed a large box in front of it. He paused to adjust the bow, then laughed, then knocked on the door and ran.




( The tag read: If you are brave enough to open )

Just be glad I talked him out of the dead fish he was orginally considering. Also, I have no photoshop, so tacky Paint edits is all you get!! Hahaha.

Dora doesn't really need long to decide what she wanted to give Mr Holmes. He was always asking her questions and investigating... everything. Or so it seemed to Dora. And The Minister agreed with her; he had a very good sense about these things, given that he was a parrot.

So she trudged off to find Professor McGonagall and ask if her idea was allowed- she had no desire to be in trouble with her. Professor McGonagall knew everything and everyone. And for a few moments Dora wondered if Mr Holmes had investigated her but couldn't decide if he must have or if she would have refused such an invasion. The internal debate came to a draw as both seemed equally likely and The Minister wasn't helping. He only squawked "Birds of a Feather" and something rather rude about cats before flying off again.

Professor McGonagall had agreed that it couldn't hurt and she would owl Dora's order for her. She had even taken the paper money that Dora brought with her for the purchase (money that Dora had earned from charging tourists 2 pounds a piece for having their picture taken with The Minister).

And now she had the two packages, wrapped up in alarmingly cheery paper with pink striped giraffes and green spotted zebras on it. She found Mr Holmes at the pub and scurried over to him.

"Here! I got your name in the gift exchange! I would have had The Minister bring them to you, but Xellos doesn't like him being in the pub and I'm already in trouble for bein' cleverer that Iago e'en though Iago's proud of me- sort of.. mostly! He says I'm sposed to be smart e'en though it was naughty to try to trick him- though I didn't. I just got my ear pierced, and he and Xellos agreed I could pierce one ear once- they just didn't say it had to be my earlobe and I got it up here!"

She points to the top curve of her ear where there is indeed a piercing through it, complete with a sparkling stud that changes between black and purple in the light. "But that's not your gift. These are your gifts!"

Dora hands over the wrapped books to him, one copy of Hogwarts: A History and one of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

One afternoon, in addition to the usual letters, the postman places a book




in the box of the house that Val shares with Jack Harkness and Zelgadis. Taped to the inside cover of the book is an envelope with: To Val, written on it. Inside are two pieces of paper. ( The first one reads: )

It's wrapped in lengths of clean rags and soft leather, the long, thin parcel, all bound up in brown paper and string like something shameful, and it's tied to his doorknob, dangling down like a bell to ring.

The card with the gift reads:



Cesare-kun,
May the happiness and good fortune this bat carries on her wings prevent you, in this coming year, from knowing again the death of softening hands.
Fushigiihoushi O-kage no Xellos

P.S.: You mustn't think the fortune it brings isn't real just because I was able to acquire it. It's only that the Elemekian Dominor who owned it last thought that luck would be enough help against a priest of my size.

P.S: It's enchanted to return to my holding space (has been for ce years) if it tastes more than a drop of pure blood free of death-thirst, so judiciousness for all during sparring matches is recommended if you don't want to have to ask me for it back.
X

Open your present
This link will make the page very small, but just needs expanding. :)

Everyone has someone to give a present to now!

Due to much, MUCH insanity in the modly world (travel, illness, PhD exams, etc) and late sign-ups, the gift exchange has just gotten under way. If you signed your voices up, you should have received the name of your giftee just moments ago.

This event will be running through the end of January, so consider these New Year's gifts if you wish!

You are free to give anything and any way to your recipient. IF you wish to post a picture of a gift that's fine! You may leave it at their residence, bring it to them in person, mail it to them, etc. Just have fun! Be creative.

And our apologies to whoever is getting a gift from the Joker. :P

Since it's almost Christmas, it's time to give presents to other people in our first Gift Exchange!

Just tell me here who wants to play by Sunday the 21st, and I'll tell you in secret who you're giving a present to then you give them something you think they want or need or might like! It will be a surprise that way, but not anon- anoni-... erm... anon-i-moose.

And no, I'm not giving you a person to eat, Val. You're a big fibber and did not eat people when you were bigger. So PHBBBT!


This is a post to the community event, but sign up to this post by telling us which of your characters wants to play- any or all is great. We'll then mix the names up and tell you in a screened comment who each of your characters will be giving gifts to. The posting/gifting itself should not be anonymous. The screening is just to make the posts a surprise. Anyone who gives a gift will also get one!

Sign up by the 21st and we'll get your assignments to you on the 22nd.

While we'll try to limit this, it will be possible that you may have to gift from one of your own voices to another. Consider this as a fun way to see how they might deal with one another! RPing in comments with yourself is definitely not necessary- unless you just want to be crazy. :D (ie, we'll not stop nor force you to play with yourself *eyebrow waggle*)

The tag for this event is Gifts 08.

PS: Sorry for delay- I've been dealing with DEI, Doctoral Exam Insanity. :P