avalononline | [video un: dandelionwine] at our next merry meeting away in the sky.

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[video un: dandelionwine] at our next merry meeting away in the sky.

[The video starts with a tall tree and collection of bright stars above as Venti is pointing the device upwards. The night sky is sparkling with bright nightly colours. The video pans down wildly to show feet dangling from one branch. One brown loafer shoe just barely hanging on by a toe. Then a weepy voice sings along with a soft sad melody...]

An arbor of flowers and a kettle of wine... Alas in the bowers no companion is mine.

[The shoe falls from his foot and hits the ground below. Only to be met with a huff and whine as the one in the tree starts to sip from a large wine bottle. The camera pans up again with the view of the whole bottle before there is a glimpse of Venti's face as he sips it.]

Then the moon sheds her rays on my goblet and me... And my shadow betrays we’re a party of three.

Party of three...! Your poem is the worst! Just terrible...!!

[Venti sighs...]

See the moon–how she dances in response to my song. See my shadow–it dances so lightly along... While sober I feel, you are both my good friends. ...While drunken I reel, our companionship ends...

[A soft sob as Venti takes another big sip of wine and lets the lonely ache overtake his singing. The camera pans down again as he's unable to finish the last few lines of a poem that Zhongli wrote him. Now that his old friend is gone.]

You and the curious starshine too... how boring...

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[He'll get her to taste a glass of wine- yet!! No, not really. Only if she picked to on her own.

But he does appreciate her effort. Her heart is kind and true. And truly generous.]

All notes and songs hold a story worth telling. [He giggles sadly with a nod.] I would be more than happy to hear your heart's song. I can keep a secret or surprise for hundreds of years, did you know?

[He might not be making that up.]

[Maybe a taste - a tiny sip - and nothing more!! Ochako has had little bits from her parents from time to time, and she's mostly wrinkled her nose at the taste of her father's beer, and sake caused her to cough when her other relatives gave her some to try on past holidays. Alcohol just seems a bit too much for her tastes...unless it's sweet and subtle.]

Ehehe, I hope it won't take me hundreds of years to learn to play violin, Venti-san...otherwise I may have to get a different teacher. [She grins at him, cheekily.] Alright, so...would you rather the song first, or the story behind it? Since it's not mine, but still precious to me nevertheless.

[She leans back a little, straightening up and clearing her throat, just in case. Ochako's not Jirou, but she loves to sing nonetheless, and good posture is important for the best sound.]

[Venti smiles softly.]

I wouldn't be much of a teacher if it took you that long, no. But you've been doing very well. I'm not worried.

[He lets out a soft hum.]

I'd like to hear the song first, if I may. The sound of music makes a bard heart calm. And you've been hiding that sweet songbird voice of yours.

[How dare you, little dove. He wants to hear it.]

[She giggles softly, kicking her feet back and forth, but turns red at the gentle praise - both for her playing and her voice. Ochako never really thought she was anything special when singing, she just likes to do it!! Her mama would always sing when doing tasks and errands around the house when she was little, and would often sing to Ochako when she was sleepy, or scared, or sad. She just grew up with music in a gentle way.]

Ehehe...it's really nothing special. I just like to sing sometimes, but I'm not a bard or a musician, or whatever. But thank you, you're a very kind person, Venti-san. [She hesitates on saying she's glad they're friends, in lieu of the moment. Best not to make this bittersweet.]

Okay, let's see... [She hums a bit, catching the beat as the performance she and her class did all those months ago replays in her head.] What am I to be? What is my calling?

[No need to make things bittersweet. Venti might break into some adele if that happens.

But the song she starts with already makes him smile. His heart calming at the sound of singing such an uplifting song. He can already tell this song holds a special place in her heart. Hearing stories has always been a comfort to Venti. He loves learning them and hearing new songs of all kinds.]

What an uplifting song. [He giggles.] Will you give me the power to smile every day, Miss Ochako Chan?

[He still can't get that name right- but it's cute. Shh.]

[It's extremely cute, and endears her ever more to Venti each time. She giggles to herself and resists the urge to loop her arm through his and give it a hug. Feels a bit odd to do to someone that's teaching her an art, right? Maybe in a few more weeks, when she feels more comfortable being the touchy-feely, overly tactile and in-your-face person she is at heart.]

Yeah. I will.

[She says it so lightly, but so openly and honestly with a smile on her face.] ...I owe it to the people who did it for me. Ehehe, you're one of those people too, you know. Ever since I was little, I just...loved it when I saw people smiling, and happy. If I can give that same joy to everyone around me, then I will. If it's by being a Hero or just singing a song, I'll do what I can to keep people smiling into the future.

I guess...that's my promise as 'Uravity'.

[Oh no. She's so ... cute.

Venti feels so touched that he puts his hand over his heart and smiles and starts to sniffle with happy and drunk tears.]

Oh, Uravity. You're simply... adorable...! I can barely stand it.

[Why are his students so adorable? It's about now that Venti falls into a fit of drunk giggles about this, swaying this way as his hat falls right off his head.]

Let the winds smile on you for your whole life, sweet little dove.

[VENTI PLEASE, YOU'RE SO DRUNK...

Ochako splutters a little, turning red-faced and squirms a little with her hands on her cheeks. Adorable? Cute?? L-Little dove??? Weh. This is all way too much, and even if Venti is probably too drunk for words, and won't remember much of this come tomorrow (sh-she hopes...), it does still fluster poor Ochako a bit.]

I-I'm not...! [Huff puff!] B-But thank you, Venti-san, I wish the same for you, too. And, um...I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being so kind to me, for making me smile that day I forgot how to, and for being a wonderful teacher and friend, ehehe. I'll remember your name no matter what, so please remember mine.

[This time, she does loop an arm through his, because they really ought to get back - Venti needs to sleep off his upcoming hangover... But! Also because she wants to give it a little squeeze, too.]

[HE'S SO DRUNK... But all the same, it seems his mood is lifting. Fun jabs and adorable things make Venti a cheerful bard again. It helps dull the painful lonely ache he has deep down inside of him.

But best to get Venti out of this tree soon. When she loops arms with him he lets out another airy giggle and leans against her with a friendly and affectionate squeeze back. Sweet girl.]

Don't worry, for all the years we have yet to face, I'll remember your name and your smile too. Whenever you need me, I'll do my best to be by your side.

[Friendship level increased!]

Such fast friendships call for celebration, don't you think? Another sip of wine maybe?

[Noo!]

[In all honesty, the arm looped through his was as much a friendly and supportive gesture as it was literally to support his drunk ass enough to get him out of the fucking tree. Ochako genuinely adores Venti - he's been nothing but sweet to her since the moment she found him on the roof of the Inn, where he played her a few songs to lift her mood, then invited her to become his pupil in the musical arts. She's vigilantly practicing ever since, on her own and with him as well.]

Mm, me too. It's funny, I've always been good at making friends, but lately I've felt that even if I haven't known some of the people I've met here for very long, it's never felt that way. It's like it's been forever, you know? I like that.

[She snorts loudly, then extends her hand for the bottle, flexing her fingers. It's a trap, Venti, don't fall for it!!]

Fine, fine, you've convinced me!! But just one.

[If it is a trap he is none the wiser because he thinks she's agreeing to his proposition! A drunk bard is a happy bard who is more than willing to lean against her so he doesn't fall out of this stupid tree!]

Oh! A sip! A drink! A taste! Cheers to friendship and better days less lonely!

[He starts saying his words in a sing-song tone!]

Kanpai!

[Poor, sweet, drunk Venti...you are a good soul, but also a fool. Because the moment Ochako has her fingers on the neck of the bottle, she will take the teensiest sip - she's had a few sips from her mama and papa before, out of sheer curiosity - but then cork the bottle and just...

Not give it back. Your fun has been CONFISCATED. And put into her bag of snacks from before and tied by the handles so he can't snatch it back without some real effort.]

Now I think it's time to get you home, ne? Come on, hold onto me, I can get us both down.

[... Sneaky! Clever! Girl!!!]

Wait the bottle isn't finished. Yet!

[Don't take his fun away he still wants to party!! Venti makes quite the surprised face and then gives her a mighty pout.]

Oh... Oh... fine. I'll let you have your way. Just this once for such a clever ruse.

[She snickers a little at the betrayed expression on Venti's face, but honestly...she worries. If anything were to really happen, she'd hate for it to happen right here and now. He could get really hurt if he fell or something, and was too inebriated to use his magic to catch himself or...something.]

Ehehe, you can always have more another time. [When you're on the ground. :|] Do you stay at the Inn, Venti-san? I can walk you back, and we can sing together on the way, how does that sound?

[Just two shmucks, singing at 3am. One of them drunk, the other just having a good time.]

[They're really just vibing as best they can. Venti is still quite fussed that she got him so but he does seem to suddenly wobble in his spot. Like a leaf in the wind as he goes to start climbing down the tree himself. Oh- that's probably a bad idea. He's humming and hawing and it's very probable that he'll miss a step or two!]

Alright! If you want to have it your way, my dear! Down the tree we go! To my room at the Inn indeed! Did you know I have a roommate who finds it physically impossible to smile?

[That's a random thing to say... Down the tree he goes! With a weak grip where he almost loses it.]

Ya-hooo... Down we go! Sing along songs... Sing about songs!

[Oh dear god, this was not what Ochako planned at all!! He is way too drunk to actually climb down this tree and, honestly...~~wouldn't gliding be faster?~~ that's sort of what their magic is for. Squeaking, Ochako jerks up and makes a grabs for Venti's wrist with a bit of a fluster. Oh no you don't, mister, you're not going anywhere without a fucking chaperone now.]

Hieee--ah...haha...maybe leave getting down to me this time, alright? Sorry about this, but it's easier this way.

[And without batting a lash, Ochako lowers the pinky finger she was extending when gripping Venti's wrist and he's suddenly as light as a feather! There's a slight glow to her fingertips as Ochako picks his ass up wholesale, like the princess Venti is, and floats them both down with her kinetic magic. It's rather graceful, like she were just walking on air itself with a slight bounce in her step.]

Ehehe, I don't know any songs about songs, Venti-san...why don't you start and I'll follow along, ne? [Just go wild, my drunken, friend. |Db]

Edited 2021-12-16 02:54 (UTC)

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[video un: dandelionwine] at our next merry meeting away in the sky.

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