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 Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 2:18 pm
((All right, it's already past time for the new prompt, liek way past, so I'm putting it up here. rofl * You MAY continue RPing as if the prompt hasn't happened yet, but this creates a split in the timeline. Please label posts that are still in prompt 1 accordingly, with "Prompt 1" bolded, underlined at the top. *You may respond to Prompt 2 when you see fit. Shard of Crown (1) )) Volunteer Assessment Day Prompt 2 Without warning, the music slowly ebbed to a close, and so did the dance. "Thank you everyone for the dance, you all looked marvelous! If it were only up to me, all of you dears make the cut." Said the old lady from the doorstep, equipped with a loudspeaker. She looked and smiled to the other judges, but was met with a couple headshakes meaning that not everybody made the cut. She looked back to the crowd, "I hope you all had fun like I did, then" she continued in a warm tone. "Next in the schedule, we have a test of strength! Now, I know many of you think... hard work is the opposite of what a festival is! But that is not true. There is hard work behind everything that is here for us to enjoy in life. This is what the decorated barges symbolize in the parade: the day-to-day effort, and incredible strength of the working class, which supports all of humanity." "So, I would like everyone to clear the way in the yard, and line up next to one of these enormous bags of dirt-" They were arranged in a row up on one side of the courtyard. "And the challenge is to drag them as far as you can across the courtyard. If you can make it all the way across, you pass!" She stated cheerfully. "Now boys," She added, eyeing a couple young men, one of which had grabbed onto two bags, followed by the other who had grabbed onto three in retaliation. "remember, it's not a competition. You could get hurt. Now, you may begin."
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 2:22 pm
Lenore tilted her head as the tears came to Zinnia's eyes. Why was she crying? Was it something she had said? She didn't remember saying anything mean. And then the girl was apologizing, and Lenore grew even more confused. "It's not your fault that my parents are probably dead. Why are you apologizing?" The confusion was plastered all over the girl's face; she honestly had no idea.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 2:30 pm
"I-- I'm not crying!" Zin insisted, impatiently wiping her eyes again as new tears sprang up. She couldn't imagine the pain that Lenore must have felt when she'd gotten the news that her parents were missing, but simply imagining it had brought her to tears. The music came to a halt and the lady was back up at the podium. Zin listened obediently before turning back to Lenore. "C--c'mon, let's try to move a bag together," she suggested. She was glad for the opportunity to change the subject; she guessed that Lenore wouldn't want to discuss something so personal with someone she'd just met, even if they had agreed to be friends. Zin continued to hold one of Lenore's hands as she walked toward where the large bags of dirt were being held. "This'll be a cinch," she told Lenore, beginning to regain her composure and sunny attitude already. "I've had to do all sorts of strength training." She released Lenore's hand and picked up the rope that was tied around the bag. She gave it a few light, dubious tugs. "Maybe..."
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 2:38 pm
Finally, the dance was over with. Shun hadn't done any jigs at all, so he just scoffed a bit when he heard the lady say that they all made the cut. With a shake of his head, he waited for the next thing to be announced. Strength. Well, perhaps he could do that. He wasn't exactly burly or anything like that, but it beat dancing like a fool in any case.
Letting out a breath, he rolled his shoulders, then stepped up to one of the bags of dirt. He looked his over for the moment, trying to think if there was a way he could pull this off more efficiently. It was a matter of dragging, rather than lifting, which did make things a little trickier in that regard. He picked up two corners and gave a weak tug to get somewhat of an idea of the weight. These were heavy for certain.
With a bag corner in each hand, he turned around and exhaled slowly as he began to drag the dirt behind him. He wasn't in any rush right now, as he was essentially 'testing the waters'. There was little sense in burning out his strength at the start.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 2:40 pm
Prompt 1
"I don't think Shun even wants to be here," he said as he twirled. "And I'm not entirely sure why he is."
He made no comment on the swords, but he prayed that no one was dumb enough to give anyone here a sharp weapon.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 2:45 pm
Prompt 1 > Prompt 2
Danny was jarred when a voice interrupted their dance, finding herself oddly disappointed- she'd been having fun!
The mood changed very quickly as bags of dirt were presented for them to move. "That's it?" she asked, confused by the task. She'd moved bags of spices, barrels of spices- you name it. She liked helping the workers more than she liked management at her family's business.
The orange-haired girl shrugged and rubbed her hands together. This would be fun too!
Instead of grabbing the bag from the edges, as one might be tempted to do, and instead grabbed it from the sides like a small child and began tugging. It moved with relative ease- not at a ridiculous pace, mind you. Danny wasn't superhuman, after all, but it moved much more quickly than a few of the other patrons' bags to say the least. "Like this?" she asked the old lady.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 2:54 pm
Prompt 2
The streets were yet again abuzz with activity and merrymaking but a large group caught Nik’s eye and before long he was pushing through people to see what the attraction was. Young men and women were lined up beside bags of what looked to be dirt and seemed to be preparing for something. Politely turning to the person beside of him and clearing his throat he asked about the spectacle. The kind older gentleman filled him in about the volunteer assessment and made it clear that this was one of the tasks to gauge the eligibility of said volunteers. As far as he could tell an event had taken place a day earlier but he had missed out on it due to his aimless wanderings and distraction with everything else going on. Thanking the gentleman he straightened his coat and was about to walk away when the sudden urge to join in struck him.
Why on earth would a noble drag a bag of dirt? What could possibly be gained from partaking in such a lowly activity? His brain swam with the conditioned responses of wealth, and the pure and simple idea of having fun and seeing the festival through. No one here would recognize him and very few took outward note of his station. If anything he would engage in this portion of the festival and leave, never to see any of these people again. His hand went to his chin as he considered one side and then another. Finally, the personality trait he harbored that was against passing up opportunities or challenges chimed in and, giving the cuffs of his jacket a decisive tug wandered over to enquire as to how to become part of the activity.
His adrenaline played delicately on his senses as he removed his jacket and set it aside, neatly folding it first of course, and prepared to drag the bag of dirt sitting beside of him. He had never had to do anything like this, as evidence by his smooth and well maintained hands. He had no idea what the outcome would be but, as with just about everything else during the festival, he found himself forgetting about reputation and appearances. Instead he focused on the enjoyment, uncertain of the outcome but excited because of it.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 3:05 pm
Prompt 2 Just as the dancing had ended Cyril was making his way to the streets. He knew he was late for sure since he overslept. Cyril missed the dancing part. Something was said about a contest of strength but Cyril only arrived at the last part of that explanation. What the ******** was she talking about? Cyril thought. He saw people clear the way as the lined up the bags of dirt. For bags of dirts they were arranged rather neatly. He looked at bags of dirt with a confuzzled expression. "Hey what the hell is going on? I kinda dropped in a bit late." He said to the person nearest to him. Anyone Would anyone like to enlighten the confused Cyril?
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 3:13 pm
"Grab a bloody bag and drag it across the field," he grunted at Cyril. Shun's grip was slipping on his so he had to stop for the moment to re-adjust his hold. His first method hadn't really worked to well, so now he grabbed onto the bag and began to move backwards. He found this to be somewhat easier, and his pace picked up from what it had been moments ago.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 3:17 pm
Having been around almost all day even if he'd been mostly on the side lines up until now the younger boy got up when he heard Cyril pipe up about being confused. He had actually been about to try carrying a bag even if they were rather large. Alec was use to hefting around odd shaped items as it was sometimes part of his job at home. "Well..I believe we are having a competition of sorts. You pick them up and lug them across the way." He gestured in the direction some of the more stronger types easily made a good show of the attempt, while other efforts were a little more silly. He walked over to the collection of bags. "I just think they want cheap labour.." he joked lightly grunting as he lifted up the bag looking a bit dismayed by the weight before walking off with it. At Shun's wording the smaller boy poked his tongue out some. "Easier said than done, at least you're having an easy time!" Not noticing Shun's slip up, giving him the benefit of the doubt as he couldn't really see around his bag right then. He might have been a little slower but he was defiantly trying to haul the bag off in some what hasty fashion without falling on his face. Wobbling occasionally as he tried to find the right balance to hold onto the object in question best.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 3:23 pm
"Hmmp glad to see you to" he said in response to Shun's interesting way of wording the activity. "A competition eh?" Cyril exclaimed to Alec as he grabbed the corners of two bags and proceded walking backwards with a cocky sneer. "Ngh this is heavier than I thought" he said as we was dragging the bags inch by inch. He had to stop briefly to catch his breath and proceded.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 3:25 pm
"Well the coordinator said it wasn't..." He laughed from around his bag hearing the other struggle as surely as he had. "I hope you drop those." he teased Cyril in good fun, admit-ably trying to put this particular bag down first before the other two if he could manage it. Which wasn't likely, but he'd try anyway. Strength wasn't his thing, he could run and act fast but this part was a bit of a struggle.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 3:28 pm
Staring down at the sack of dirt that he was to contend with, Nik once more adopted a pensive expression. There were no straps available, or any shredded pieces that he could perhaps grab onto which put him in somewhat of a predicament. He was relatively strong by his own calculations; it was gripping the bag in a spot that would allow him to use his strength that was the tough part. His eyes flicked up briefly as he assessed the competition and was relatively dismayed to find out that others had already started down the courtyard. Flipping the locks of brown hair that had fallen in his eyes from his face with a smooth jerk of the head he reached down and fondled the bag in an attempt to find a good spot to grip.
His face and ears grew warm with embarrassment as a few rather unseemly comments reached his ears from the people nearest him. Taking a deep breath and blocking them from his mind he dug his fingers in and began to tug on the bag, using his weight as he leaned back and allowed the bag to follow along in front of him. His lower and upper jaws locked as he clenched his teeth and put all of his effort into the action. Confidence began to bloom in his chest as he released a few sharp breaths and quickened the pace. His victory was short-lived however as his hands broke loose from the bag and he was sent sprawling in the dirt on his back.
His fingers burned from the rough material tearing his flesh, but his pride smarted most of all. Pulling himself back up he dusted himself off and once more went about grabbing the sack. Looking over his shoulder he noted the distance, feeling a bit chagrined at the realization that he hadn’t made it that far, and began to pull once more. He had seen others throughout his time at the festival sling similar bags over their shoulders and carry them as though they were nothing. Making it look as though it were the easiest thing in the world. Some people made a living this way, and he could hardly drag it across a courtyard. A new determination fueling his muscles he towed the infernal thing, silently wondering what was so noble about being a noble if he couldn’t even handle a bag of dirt.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 3:30 pm
"He asked what we were to do. I told him," he grunted in reply to Alec. In the end, yes, the coordinators probably just wanted cheap labor. That probably summed up the whole volunteer business, here. As Cyril grabbed onto two bags, Shun just shook his head and focused on moving forth at a steady pace. He felt like he could go faster, but there was little point in doing so. Most likely, going faster would only make it harder for him to keep a good grip. That was one of the hardest bits about this, he found.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 3:37 pm
Cyril was panting. "Ngh not helping Alec!" as he heard his playful laugh. Cyril didn't really pay attention to the explanation about cheap labor and how it wasn't a contest he just wanted to bring the 2 bags across. He calmed down his breathing as he continued to inch the bags. "You just had a funny way of putting Shun" He said as he turned around and gave a quick smirk.
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