InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Promissa."

fallen_star (fallen_star) wrote in mirage_rpg,
@ 2008-10-31 16:48:00

Entry tags:

andy gallagher, ayla, complete, day 21, group activity, severus snape, yvaine

Day Twenty-One ; Group Activity
Who: Yvaine, Andy Gallagher, Ayla, and Severus Snape ((Posting Order))
When: Day 21 ; Early Morning
What: Group Activity ; Picking and Stomping Grapes
Where: First to the Winery, then to the grape fields, then back to the winery
Rating: PG-13
Status: Complete

Yvaine had been trying to ease herself into a schedule that consisted of wakefulness in the day and sleeping at night because of her fear of that horrid vampire coming to claim her in the night once he healed. She had no idea how quickly vampires healed or how slowly, so she decided it would be best not to take her chances. She had gone to bed a little before sunset, and she had awoken a few hours before that time.

Afraid to leave her room, she simply waited until she thought the sun would rise, peeping out her door every so often to verify that the darkness had or had not lifted. The stars twinkled down from her ceiling almost mockingly. Yvaine knew it was all in her imagination, but she also knew that fear was driving her to purposefulness. What good was a star if not for twinkling in the evening? Her only comfort in this was that a star should be twinkling in the sky. While one was upon the earth, they were to survive as best they could.

A scuffling outside her door sent her heart to beat rapidly beneath her breast. Of course, she knew no one could come into her room unless she wanted them there, but the idea that Lestat might be scratching at her door, waiting for her to come out so he could exact his revenge remained unnerving.

When at last the sounds seemed to grow fainter, she calmed herself, and slowly cracked open the door. Clear blue eyes scanned over one side of the hall, then the other. She thought she saw the back of a golem moving down the stairs. A soft grey glow had begun to light the hallway. Daylight was coming soon. Her gaze was drawn toward a white envelope that had been stuck to her door. Written in an interesting hand was her name “Yvaine” on the front. Curiosity won over her, and peeled it from her door, taking it inside to read.

Instructions:
Go to the winery. You will be picking and stomping grapes. This is mandatory. If you do not go, a golem will find you and take you there. Do not leave until the activities are finished, or a golem will take you back.

It also told her the time she would need to be there, and it informed her that she would be among others. That time was quite soon. Yvaine was excited. She had seen this sort of thing before, and she had thought it looked like a lot of fun. A dress like hers wasn’t so great for stomping grapes, though, so she closed her eyes and asked aloud, “Um… I need clothing that would be acceptable for a day like this?” She waited a moment before opening her eyes, and there on the floor, folded neatly, were a pair of pants and a shirt. The pants only came to just below her knees where they tightened with the help of strings sewn into them. They were the colour of dry earth. The shirt was a dark blue-grey like a stormy sky, short sleeved and almost conforming to her figure. They were the sort of clothing items one wouldn’t mind soiling in grape juices.

She peaked out her door again. The sun was rising at a quick rate. She waited only a little longer in her room before the time arrived for her to go, and the sun was bright enough that she wasn’t afraid of vampires coming to hurt her.

Yvaine left her starry night sky room, soon leaving the building and heading toward the winery. When she entered the building, she saw a few steps leading up to a platform where what looked like large vats sat. At ground level sat four baskets with a large notice beside them where it could not be missed. “You will take these to the hills to pick the grapes for half an hour.” They were good sized baskets, and she chose one for herself, but the evening star thought she should wait for the company of others before setting out to collect the grapes.

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_ayla_
2008-11-18 12:55 pm UTC (link)

Ayla rinsed her own feet with the hose just before she stepped into the vacant vat. She wasn't pleased that she was going to have to share her barrel with Snape. He seemed to have changed his attitude a little, but his appearance still frightened her a little. She would much rather have been put with Yvaine, but Andy had taken that liberty.

She couldn't fault him, it seemed no one wanted to be put with the grumy older man. In many ways, Ayla was very mature for her seventeen years. She'd already had a child and had been a woman according to clan traditions for at least six years. But in the ways of people and new customs with which she was unfamiliar, she was quite shy and reserved.

She kept her head down as she stepped into the barrel and felt the grapes give way under her weight. It made her smile slightly, but not for long. Juice ran between her toes and over the top of her feet as they sank into the multitudes of ripe fruit. She held on to the edge and lifted her feet, pressing down gently as the television had instructed them.

Luckily, she had made a few trips to the entertainment room and was now a little more familiar with the two dimensional people who moved around on the screens, or she might have been a little unnerved by the instructions. As it was, she was able to listen and follow the directions very well. She had a knack for hearing and remembering after being told only once.

She kept to the side so that Snape would have enough room to get in with her, but continued to step lightly on the grapes, squishing them beneath her feet, extracting the juice. She could see it running out of the hole in the bottom of the barrel, down the trench and into their bottle. She was not necessarily the competitive sort, but she was a little excited to see who would be able to make the most juice.

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severelyseverus
2008-11-22 01:39 am UTC (link)

Snape performed his work quickly and efficiently, keen on getting this ridiculous activity over with as soon as possible. Despite his improved mood, he had not forgotten that he was here against his original will. He had not come out to make friends. When Andy appeared interested in doing that very thing, Snape answered simply, "Snape." He hoped the other man would drop his feeble attempts at huggy-feely inclusion. It was obvious enough to the wizard that the other man was much more interested in the friendship of the sociable, smiling, blonde woman. Snape sneered to see such transparent obsequity.

Once his basket was full of ripe fruit, Snape lifted it in both his arms and bore it before him to the stomping platform. He was somewhat dismayed to see that, despite what he had thought to be efficient speed on his part, he was the last of the quartet to make his way to the next stage. With his burden poured into the vat, he bent over awkwardly to remove the black stockings in which he had been conducting his morning business at the time of his undignified removal from his quarters. The socks, which had likely not been laundered in some time, now had the soil of the vineyard ground into them. Snape pulled them off his grimy feet one at a time and threw them spitefully at the nearest golem overseer. After rinsing his feet thoroughly, Snape climbed the stairs to the stomping platform.

After watching the instructional video for as little time as it took for his considerable intellect to grasp its puerilely simple concepts, he tucked the hem of his black robe into his belt in the fashion of the women in the film and climbed carefully into the stomping vat. A space had been left for him by the quieter, younger woman -- he hadn't caught her name -- who, clearly, was going to be his partner. He attempted to offer her a perfunctory smile, but came out looking twisted and sarcastic. She seemed hard-working and quiet. Snape was glad he had not ended up with one of the more sociable participants.

Accustomed to doing unpleasant but necessary tasks, Snape sucked up his desire to complain, and began stepping on the grapes. He made a serious attempt to use the technique exhibited on the electric screens. He was a proud man, and was not ready to be defeated by an activity as seemingly mindless as this. He was good with ingredient preparation, too, however, and took to this sort of thing quickly.

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