star light, star bright

[gameofsocks]

the stargazing meme

prompts
(optional)

one → meteor shower you just saw a falling star! and another! make a wish!
two → aliens what was that? was that really? omg no way a ufo!
three → lunar eclipse you've been sitting out for hours, waiting for this. it's so cool!
four → comet does it move fast or slow? either way, it's amazing.
five → full moon the moon is so huge! just don't look too long, it's really bright too.
six → solar eclipse this might be happening in the middle of the day!
seven → planet sighting is that a new star? nope, just a neighbor in the solar system!
eight → constellations do you know the stories behind these odd patterns?
nine → deep space normal stargazing isn't that much fun. you got a telescope!
ten → star dust anything can happen in space. make up your own plot!

Comments

Leslie | The Monster Duchess and Contract Princess

[foundfamilies]

One

[unlucky7]

[There's a flurry of activity as the servants make final preparations for an evening outing for a meteor shower viewing. It's in some part a distraction, some part needed superfluous fun. All for the newest little mistress, but the servants wouldn't deny it's a welcome reprieve.

With Leslie's usual maid called away for other matters, making sure the girl is properly dressed for the cold evening falls to Ginia. They've only seen each other in passing, both of them difficult to miss. Leslie, the young white-haired girl who swept into their lives and brought some truly needed levity and joy. Ginia, with a full head of curls that just manages to stay pinned back, easily among the taller servants, who keeps her head down because it's another way to go unnoticed.

Really, Ginia's only seen Leslie in passing, but she'd murder anyone who tries to hurt the girl. She's brought joy to the people she cares about. That's all that matters to her.

In Leslie's room, Ginia curtsies to the girl. There's a slight, awkward pause as she produces a small flat book, a piece of chalk wrapped in cloth and tied with a string attached. Ginia folds back the flap to show a small chalkboard, a message already written inside. Her handwriting is neat and tidy, large enough to easily read.]

My name is Ginia, I'll be attending to you tonight.

one day I will NOT instinctively try to capitalize Servant like in FGO and neither will autocorrect

[foundfamilies]

[Leslie has at least noticed Ginia to recognize her as one of the servants: while not nearly as tall as the Sperados, her height was enough to make Leslie look in the first place and her curly hair kept her appearance in Leslie’s memory. No one in the Sperado mansion Leslie spent most of her life in had curly hair and she’d yet to see anyone with hair quite so curly as Ginia’s outside of the Salvatore estate. The sight had fascinated her the first time, but she felt it would be rude to mention that or interrupt a servant in her work.

Leslie smiles in return at Ginia’s curtsy, her hands clasped in front of her, maybe just a little nervous at their first direct meeting. At first, when the woman in front of her doesn’t speak, Leslie’s smile falters slightly — has she forgotten something she is supposed to say in a moment like this? — but when Ginia produces the chalkboard, that changes to surprise and curiosity. Her previous tutors certainly weren’t the sort to explain about even the existence of people who are mute, and she has only had one lesson so far with the etiquette teacher the Salvatores hired. As for the Salvatores themselves, all of whom have lead far less snobbish lives than many nobles and have met many kinds of people, and Madel, Leslie’s slightly clumsy but friendly usual personal maid, it likely never occurred to them to mention this as something worth noting.

Still, despite Leslie’s unconcealed curiosity, asking about the chalkboard is not her first priority once she sees what is written on it.]

Good evening, Ginia. Please look after me.

[A hesitation.]

Um, is it fine if I speak? I could find something to write on if that would be better....

[Her eyes dart around the room as she wonders if she does have something she could write on, or at least something that would be usable without a desk.]

#Fate/Problems

[unlucky7]

[There's a usual path conversations go with new people. Surprise, shock, those are the comm ones, sometimes judgement or disdain. Ginia wondered if someone warned Leslie about her, but well, why would someone? She's one servant in many and the only reason she's here is because Madel isn't and the usual list of other maids that would fill in are also all busy.

Surprise is fine. Curiosity too. Ginia didn't expect anything negative, but she breathes a bit easier. A smile softens her serious expression as she nods quickly. There's a pause, but she writes quickly, the next sentences under the pre-written one.]

Please, go ahead. I can still hear.

[With a job to do, Ginia tucks the chalkboard under an arm and walks over to the wardrobe. Madel had enough time to point out some of Leslie's favored outfits. A coat, scarf, and hat or earmuffs will be needed too. Looking over the options, Ginia turns back around and writes again.]

Madel told me which outfits you like the most, but do you want to choose something yourself?

[foundfamilies]

[Ginia's response ends up answering most of Leslie's curiosity. "I can still hear" -- which suggests that she has something she can't do. So Ginia can't speak, and that's why she has a chalkboard setup that is as tidy as that. A silver lining to her isolated upbringing is that when she encounters something that she doesn't know, her first instinct is to assume that she hasn't heard of it rather than that it is weird. So she nods to herself as she puts this new information in her mind and shifts her focus to the question.]

Oh, may I?

[It's not like Leslie minds when her outfit is picked for her -- it can even be fun sometimes to see what combinations other people come up with, and she's discovered new things that she likes that way. But after a lifetime (relative to her age) with no control over her life, she likes the opportunities to choose things that the people of the Salvatore household have given her, even if it's just a case of choosing which ribbon she might use in her hair on that day.

She toddles up to her closet, looking over her options. Okay, one downside to being given choices is that the number of them she has available seem like a dizzying number to her. Since it's only been a week or two after she visited a tailor to begin the process of ordering clothes for her, the number of dresses is on the low end for a noble girl of her age, but she'd previously had, like. Three choices. And two of them were bad. This is already an amazing amount for her.

(This will absolutely change when Sairaine, the duchess's husband, is no longer busy making preparations for the noble trial. He's been waiting their entire marriage to spoil a little girl rotten.)

After some thought, she points to a a navy blue dress with yellow trim.]

How about that one? Since it's kind of got the colours of the night sky in it.

[And has the added benefit of coming with some warmer accessories that match. It's much better than when they had no outdoor clothes that could fit and she had to use the younger brother's old coat. Because he's a Salvatore, this is to say his coat from when he was 10 and it almost buried her.]

[unlucky7]

Of course. It's a very beautiful dress.

[Of the short list, Madel had mentioned the navy blue dress with yellow trim. Ginia can understand why; it's a very nice dress even without the convenience of winter accessories. Ginia pulls the dress and all it associated layers out, carefully setting the layers out on the bed.

In truth, she's never helped anyone dress before. Leslie is old enough to mostly dress herself, Ginia assumes, it's just a matter of assisting with all the buttons and hooks. There hadn't been much time to ask about specifics as a new list of tasks was thrust upon her.

She hesitates a little before deciding asking Leslie can't be the worst thing. With space running out, Ginia wipes the board clean with the cloth around the chalk and starts anew.]

I'm sorry, I've never helped anyone dress before. How would you like me to help you?

after squinting at the comic and a "getting dressed in the 18th century" video

[foundfamilies]

[Leslie looks proud at compliment to the dress, even though she had absolutely no hand in making it. As for help:]

Oh, it's fine. Before I came here, I always dressed myself. Why don't I do that, and then you can help to straighten up anything crooked?

[The thing that Leslie forgets is that, at the Sperado mansion, her clothes were much less complicated: a dress pulled on over a shift. On special occasions she used her singular petticoat. Here, she has a lot more under layers. The dickey petticoat and the hip pad go on fine, but the two or three other petticoats she has to go on top of those tie at the back and, while she can reach, she is not used to tying behind her back.

She will be able to do an okay job at tying them eventually even if Ginia doesn't help, but help will make it go much faster. The rest of the layers are a lot less difficult, though Ginia will probably be a lot faster at the buttons on the front of the shirt under the dress.]

[unlucky7]

[Is this cheating or failing to do her job? Ginia weighs the decision out before pragmatism wins out. Leslie knows how best to dress herself, it'll be faster if she sticks to the fiddly bits and making sure she looks presentable. After all, they're going out to watch a meteor shower, not a ball.

Really, if this was any kind of formal situation, Ginia's pretty sure she wouldn't have been pulled for dressing duty.

But even if she's inexperienced, it doesn't mean Ginia is inept. She still knows the order of layers and how they're supposed to go. She secures the petticoats without going too tight, kneels down so she can fasten all the buttons. It takes just a bit longer than if Madel was helping, but it's not the biggest loss of time.

Next is Leslie's hair. With the slight wind, it'll be best to braid it out of the way. This Ginia can do, well even. She's very gentle as she brushes the girl's hair out, marveling lightly at the light color and how fine the hair is. Once Leslie's hair is brushed, she begins to separate the hair into sections, working on a braid that goes around Leslie's head and finishes in a bun. It's not a typical style, but it's one she's picked up and feels it'd look nice for the evening.]

[foundfamilies]

[It's certainly faster than if Leslie did it herself. She's a little embarrassed that she said she'd do it with such confidence and ended up having as much trouble as she did, but more than that, she is a big enough person to admit that this is much more practical, despite being maybe a bit over four feet tall.

When it comes to her hair, she knows that her lack of education in hair care means she can get the tangles out of her hair at best. She probably could figure out tying it back. Anything more complicated is beyond her at the moment.

When the bun is done, Leslie looks in the mirror and gasps slightly, bringing her hand up to touch the braid.]

It's like I'm wearing a crown....

[She turns this way and that to get a view of the sides of her head in the mirror, which is how she notices the bun as well. She reaches back to push on it briefly.]

I don't think I've seen anyone with a hairstyle like this, or at least, not both at the same time. [Which she knows could very well be a case of she hasn't seen a lot of people, period.] It's so cute. It's like --

["It's like I'm a princess," she is too embarrassed to finish, as taken as she is with the way the braid encircles her head. She doesn't resist the urge to turn around once quickly enough to make her skirts flare a little and smile at herself in the mirror, though.]

[unlucky7]

[It's not a style from the region at all. It's not a part of her life Ginia likes to talk about much, but sometimes travel has its benefits. She's seen parts of the world, the good, bad, and ugly parts. Some things she's discarded, others are heavy baggage to lug around, and a few things aren't so bad.

Ginia smiles a bit softly, bows her head in a thank you as Leslie admires the hair. It's a very cute style on the girl, regal while still casual. She can imagine the word left unsaid and agrees. A princess many would follow and protect.]

It's a style from another region, one that's quite cold.

[It's a functional look, but also a practical one. Ginia demonstrates by taking a hat out of its box and placing it on Leslie's head. The braid causes the hat to fit snugly without feeling too tight, the bun in the back a small brace.]

[foundfamilies]

[When Leslie first reads the message, she looks a little confused. A place that is cold...she would have expected the hair to go over her eats. But then the hat answers that question and a look of understanding passes across her face.]

I don't think I would have ever thought of something like that.

[She takes a moment to look at the hat in the mirror before looking back to Ginia.]

How did you find out about this style? Did you travel there before?

[Her eyes are definitely displaying the unasked question of "and, if so, what was it like?" She wants to at least give Ginia time to answer the two questions she's asked before she starts rapid-firing a bunch of them at once.]

[unlucky7]

[The hats in that region have flaps to go over the ears too, but here there are ear muffs. Or pulling up a scarf. Or both? Ginia's pretty sure some of the servants wouldn't be opposed to Leslie completely bundled up until nothing but her eyes were visible. No risk of frostbite here for their dearie.

But there's time yet before Leslie is turned into a walking pile of cloth. Ginia's piece of chalk taps against the slate as she searches for an answer. She knows that curious glint, she knows there's a deluge of questions coming.]

I traveled a lot before I came here. Stayed there for a bit, but I prefer warmer weather.

[foundfamilies]

[Leslie is a very agreeable child, so it will not be difficult to turn her into a ball of warm clothing that probably has a Leslie in there somewhere. She would prefer to at least be able to walk instead of roll, though.

For now, there is nothing between Leslie's enthusiasm and Ginia.]

Did the household you worked for before have someone whose job required a lot of travel? Or did you travel on your own?

[A thought occurs to Leslie, and her enthusiasm wanes a little. If Ginia is the sort to travel a lot, maybe this is just another stop on her way. Since she's only just met Ginia, it's not a thought that makes Leslie particularly sad, but it's certainly not one that makes her happy, either.]

Are you going to go back to travelling someday?

Eight

[fujimaru]

[ The problem with Chaldea (or you know, one of many) is that it's not exactly a great place for stargazing. The storms that normally wrap the hidden base don't dissipate at night, after all, and for all the vast amounts of high-tech and magical equipment housed here, they don't have quite the same impact as getting to see it for oneself.

But there's that one rare day, that single evening where everything goes calm and quiet, and it's on this night that Ritsuka has set up camp in one of the upper hallways, where the windows afford a clear view of the sky and its scattering of brilliant stars.

And by camp, it almost literally is: she's spent the better part of two hours carting blankets and pillows, along with a small portable stove and a pot (stolen from the kitchens), along with snacks and the makings of hot cocoa. No one's going to stop her. Some of the Servants tease her with varying degrees of mocking, but more of them end up getting wrapped up in her enthusiasm.

It'll be a stargazing party, all within the (relative) comfort of inside. Brilliant. ]

[foundfamilies]

[ While Leslie is still finding her feet as the newest Caster Servant in Chaldea, she is made to feel very welcomed. Though the memories of Singularities generally disappear, she has a vague feeling like she's been wanting to come here for a long time and she ended up calling her very friendly Master "Ritsuka" rather than something more respectful. For whatever reason, it seems that her Master prefers that, so as awkward as Leslie initially feels addressing her so casually, she makes an effort to continue to do so.

Among the people making her feel at home are the rambunctious group of fellow child Servants. Leslie still often feels overwhelmed by the energy they have -- at the age she has been summoned, she only ever interacted with people older than her -- but it's not a bad overwhelmed. The energy even rubs off on her a little, which is why when she hears about Ritsuka's activities of the day preparing for a stargazing event, Leslie sets aside her usual slower pace of acceptable high society behaviour to run without thinking about it.

She's still running with an excited expression as she makes it to the camp and scurries up to Ritsuka, looking very much her age. ]

Ritsuka! Is it true that the stars are different in the southern parts of the world? I heard about it and it sounds right, since there should be stars in every direction and the world is a sphere, but I never traveled far enough from Italy even after I grew up to see it for myself. But you can't get much more south than Chaldea, right? Since it's --

[ It's at this moment that she realizes she started chattering at Ritsuka without even a greeting and stops herself. ]

That is. Good evening.

[fujimaru]

Hey, good evening. C'mere.

[ She pats the nest of blankets and pillows she's made, in the spot to her left. Mash, of course, has the spot on the right, echoing the smile and the greeting. They've taken over nearly the entire length of the hallway at this point, as more and more people begin to trickle in. Even some of the human staff have ducked in and out at various points. Emiya has (as usual) taken over cooking duties. Everything is noisy and cheerful and companionable, just the way Ritsuka likes it.

And while Servants might not remember the circumstances of the Singularities where they met, Ritsuka remembers. Sometimes the memories feel like a weight around her neck, dragging her down, but sometimes... sometimes, it gives her the chance to do something for them in ways like this. She's grateful for that. ]

I don't know a whole lot about stars, but I know you're right. And there are barely any outside lights here, so you can see a whole lot further. You want some cocoa?

[ Even as she's asking that, Mash is getting to her feet, smoothing her skirt down and offering to get some -- including refills for her mug and Ritsuka's. ]

[foundfamilies]

[ Leslie greets Mash respectfully in return, which distracts her from the realization that she's being given a seat that is second only to Mash's own until she's already sitting. Granted, she's already learned in her relatively brief time in Chaldea that Ritsuka gives every Servant her attention. Leslie is sure that everyone gets opportunities like this from time to time -- not that knowing that makes being the one this time any less special to her -- and she has the knowledge that she "will grow/has grown" (Servants are weird) into the kind of person who can happily and freely accept affectionate gestures even from those she respects. But in this form, her emotional responses and thought patterns are dominated by those of her 12 year old self, so there's a certain amount of anxiety to being given a seat next to someone she respects as much as Ritsuka when she knows there are so many others who would love to have that spot, too. Now that she's already sitting, though, she's already past the point of hesitations, so she will just enjoy being here.

(It's a little strange that she already respects Ritsuka this much, as though she's known her for longer than this, but she supposes that there is a reason that this is the first summons she's ever answered.) ]

Cocoa?

[ Leslie takes a moment in thought to sift through the modern day information she got given by the Throne (SERVANTS ARE WEIRD), blinking at the two next to her until an expression of recognition crosses her face. ]

Ah, that sounds delicious! Thank you, Ritsuka, Mash.

[ Leslie bobs as she gives a tiny bow from her seated position to accompany the thanks. Mash probably had to go through some insistence to avoid being "Sir Kyrielight," but would also be helped by Leslie's forgotten experience in the Singularity when it comes to this time around.

Leslie then turns to the view out the windows. While light pollution was much less of a problem in 13th century Italy, even the view even from back then can't compare to the absolute clarity of the sky over this isolated land. There's a clear sense of wonder on Leslie's face. ]

It's beautiful. Like we're in the sky itself and seeing into forever. It might almost be a little lonely if I was watching them on my own.

[fujimaru]

[ When Leslie sits, the first thing Ritsuka does is reach out, slinging an arm around the girl's thin shoulders and pulling her in for a leaning half-hug. She does try to be equal with her time and attention with the myriad of Servants that Chaldea hosts, but she also tries to pay a special extra amount of attention to the children. Even if they're not really kids in the strictest sense, most of them still think and act that way. She doesn't think people begrudge her that (or at least, not too much). ]

I've thought so too, sometimes. Where I grew up, it was always so, so bright, all the time. Even in the middle of the night, there'd be lights everywhere. When I first came here, it was a huge adjustment.

[ She glances over to where Mash is, automatically, just to check where she is. ]

But I've come to really like it. It's a little lonely, but it's nice to see that the world is bigger than the boxes I put myself into.

[foundfamilies]

[ Leslie squeaks, startled by the half-hug, but she is in no hurry to leave it. She may not be used to physical displays of affection at this age (technically) and there is some level of discomfort there, but the upsides far outweigh that awkwardness. ]

That must have taken a lot of cand --

[ "-- les to keep it bright in the middle of the night." She shuts her mouth quickly as her knowledge from the throne comes just a little too late to save herself from the embarrassment of forgetting that electricity is now a thing. ]

I mean, that must have made it difficult to sleep.

[ Yes, there, she has clearly covered up her mistake. ...No, not at all. Ugh. She's blushing a little.

Still, now that Leslie doesn't remember how Ritsuka fakes it until she makes it, she is a little surprised by the idea of someone shining as brightly as Ritsuka (in Leslie's mind) could be the sort to put herself into boxes, in a figurative sense. But, well, if there was one thing that Leslie has observed in Chaldea that would be Ritsuka putting herself in a box, it would be: ]

Like how you keep calling yourself ordinary and average. Is that what you mean by putting yourself in boxes?

[ The tone is entirely casual. It seems that Leslie believes that Ritsuka intended Leslie to come to this conclusion from her words. ]

[fujimaru]

You get used to it. To be honest, when I first came to Chaldea, it was too dark and quiet, and I had to learn to adjust in the other direction.

[ She keeps that arm loosely slung around Leslie's shoulders, but at the question, she snorts a little. ]

--Yeah, you got me there. I think everyone does it, and then, but...

[ "But as a human who's currently alive, I have the freedom to change that for myself." It's something she reminds herself of constantly, especially when she's at her most frustrated. No matter how hard she pushes herself, her body will never have the same durability or stamina as a Servant's; she doesn't have the lifetime of training or the magical circuits necessary to go toe to toe with any of them.

And yet, at the same time, she isn't bounded by the memory and impression she's left upon the World. She isn't a prophet-king, unable to claim her emotions as her own. ]

Comparatively, I'd say I'm still those things. But if you spend all your time comparing yourself to others, you stop being able to tell who you really are. You know?

oh no leslie is a philosophy prodigy so if she’s in fate earth she has to know real philosophers

[foundfamilies]

[ Leslie is not relatively well-balanced and self-aware at this age. Her experience is entirely based in comparing herself to imaginary “other people” of others’ expectations, so her expression is confused as she looks up at Ritsuka, a wrinkle between her eyebrows. Who you really are.... ]

Is that a philosophical question? Like Avicenna’s floating man thought experiment? Demonstrating that our existence and self-awareness is independent of external perception?

[ High INT, 0 EXP. ]

[fujimaru]

...Something like that?

[ Unfortunately, Ritsuka is NOT a prodigy in any way, and it takes her a moment to try and puzzle through what that means. Demonstrating existence? Isn't that what the staff does whenever she goes on a Rayshift? The thing that's needed to make sure she can even come back at all??

Well, it's probably more metaphorical than that, but it's something she can use as a launching point, maybe. ]

It's just sort of like... I'd worry so much about what I "should" be, or what I "could" be, and then I don't think about what I already am.

[foundfamilies]

[ Leslie might have the right kind of mind for that sort of metaphysical observation required for successful Rayshifting if da Vinci recruited other Servants to work on staff and Leslie was given the time to adjust to the technology. But she's not thinking about anything like that just now.

Instead, she tilts her head -- first lightly colliding with Ritsuka's shoulder due to how close they are, but she tilts it in the other direction after. ]

Is that important?

[ The question is sincere. For all she's a genius in philosophy, it seems she hasn't read about the importance of being her authentic self. Shouldn't (there's that word again) she be concerned about making sure to do the right things? ]

[fujimaru]

I think so.

[ And there's Mash, coming back with cocoa for everyone. Ritsuka accepts hers with a smile and a brief murmured thanks, but she turns her attention back to Leslie's question without missing a beat. ]

The more I worry about that stuff, the less I feel like I can get anything done. And I really can't afford that, you know? There's too much going on at all times. Worry just slows me down, most of the time.

[foundfamilies]

[ Leslie also makes sure to thank Mash for the cocoa, but she turns her attention to Ritsuka. Her forehead wrinkles slightly as she thinks about Ritsuka's words and she looks down into her cocoa. She's not sure whether she should ask the questions on her mind. After all, Ritsuka says she doesn't like to worry about this stuff. But, after a few moments of contemplation, she asks without looking up again. ]

But...do you not also worry about doing something bad if you aren't trying to remember the things you should be doing? That you'll cause trouble if you do things without being careful to think them through first?

[ Asking for a friend. ]