For Zofia!

skill points: 71->72

authority: C+->C+(1)

obtained: fairy dust (ball reward)

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Ordinarily Forsyth would be scolding the offering of caffeinated beverages this late, but it is a time of celebration! And this coffee in particular is shockingly sweet, before Forsyth has added his own sweetener. He might not even have to!

He's experimenting with just one spoonful of sugar on his second cup when he notices someone staring at him. Forsyth is quite a confident man, and he's not sure if it's judgement (or if it's intentional staring to begin with), but he's suddenly a bit self-conscious.

"Lovely night, is it not?" A very quick withdrawal and normal sip of his drink that does not burn his tongue return him to respectability. "They've really gone all out with these beverages, and from such a wide variety of sources!"

The objective of the night, aside from enjoyment, is to fill out one's bouquet. Forsyth has had some success in this department, but orchids in particular have evaded him. He should, then, be overjoyed upon seeing a trail of free orchids on the floor, easy pickings for those lacking them. But where is the integrity in that? One must obtain their blooms fair and square!

And thus, Forsyth follows the path, meticulously retrieving the flowers in his wake. He's got a sizable haul when he finally reaches their original source--a young woman with vibrant orange hair and an equally striking ensemble.

"Excuse me, miss!" Forsyth waves, his "free" hand practically its own bouquet at this point. "I believe you may have dropped these!"

Forsyth has quite the sweet tooth, and the confections at the ball are as alluring a vice as any. He's back for a third round of shaved ice when he spots a familiar figure sporting a delightfully bedazzled outfit.

"L'Arachel! It is good to see you, my friend!" He almost feels underdressed beside her. Perhaps he should have chosen a more vibrant green? "How has the night treated you thus far?"

He's filled his cup up once more before he realized how terribly rude he's been--he's not even offered a floral exchange! He nearly spills it fishing for a rose of sufficient vibrancy, settling on an orange-and-yellow one that perfectly compliments her vest and fiery nature alike.

Across the theater, there is laughter that arises whenever the characters make a funny quip. Some of it is met with more of a chuckle than others - but one person in the crowd hasn't laughed at all. She's focused. Almost a little too focused, as she watches the performance go on...

And then, when the shows calls for an intermission, she glances over to the person seated next to her. "When....is the cue to speak up?" She asks. To laugh? It's an odd question, but she seems genuine about it.

Forsyth has a sense of humor, unlike what some people may think. He laughs strongly and freely when it strikes him, and it has struck him several times over this comedic moving picture! It's just...not quite his scene, perhaps. The dialogue feels inauthentic, and the laughter from the crowd synchronizing with laughter in the reproduction does not help matters.

He is weighing whether to leave early or stick it out when the woman sitting next to him poses aloud a question he's been pondering. That elicits a chuckle from him, the most genuine since he took his seat.

"I've wondered that myself, my friend." Forsyth may not have an easy answer for her, but it seems fate has brought two kindred spirits in this together. "I believe we are supposed to recognize the jokes as they happen. They sometimes provide us with laughter within the replicated soundscape, which I believe is meant to prompt a similar reaction?"

The person seated to the right of Forsyth looks at him like he has two heads before getting up to refill their aerated corn, but Forsyth pays them no heed. Finally, there's someone who gets it.

Forsyth doesn't dislike mint, per se. He's amenable to the flavor on the whole, but about a year ago, he developed an...association with the candies they have on offer here.

It's not really a problem on his mind as he traverses the ballgrounds, though he may spend less time dancing with the minty-breathed than he would have in previous years. No, it does not come to the forefront of his consciousness until he finds himself pushed by a particularly rowdy student into a girl with hair as vibrant a pink as some of the roses in his bouquet.

Mitama.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Have him nest in your subconscience, and you'll inconvenience his daughter.

"Watch where you're going!" The culprit doesn't even acknowledge Forsyth's admonishment, which is probably for the best. His focus should be on the girl whose kimono he'd almost inadvertently ruined, and who does not represent her father. "Are you alright, Mitama?"

Her opinion of Forsyth surely cannot be worse than Azama's, but he's never gotten the impression that she thinks highly of him. Looking at her now, several flowers in her collection crushed and disturbed, he can't imagine that's improving anytime soon.

⋆｡ ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ☀︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ⋆｡ ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ☀︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ⋆｡ ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ☀︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ

Upon seeing a rather familiar face, Clair walked gracefully over without a hint of urgency, no, no. A lady was always in the best of shape! No panic painted upon herself at all! “Salutations, Forsyth! A pleasure to see you once more. I assume you are aware of the, ah, what did they call it…”

Something to do with a bird? Quickly now, Clair! You must remember… “The White Heron Cup! Yes. Would you be so inclined as to grant me your thoughts on my desired performance? You have been here far longer than I, thus, you must hold some knowledge on the subject.”

She plucked a hyacinth out of her bouquet for the other. Of course, this would not be her only form of repayment but it would do for the moment. 

“I have a dance prepared, rather common, I would assume? However, I do believe there is little else I could offer that could—”

And with that, she returned to rambling her thoughts away. Perhaps it could give her some reprieve…?

“Greetings, Lady Clair!” Clair’s enthusiasm is infectious, though she seems a little frazzled at the moment. Forsyth cannot blame her; if the ball is an undertaking for him as a mere knight, a student and lady must have such immense pressure, especially in her first year! “It is always a delight to see you.”

The way she speaks as if he is an authority on the ball should not bring him pause. He has been here near half a decade, after all. Perhaps that’s what trips him up, though--Lady Clair is deferring to him on matters of etiquette in a foreign land, and her assumption is in fact correct. He does have answers for her.

“Ah, yes! I’ve participated in it several times. I am not sure if I am the foremost judge for it, but I could certainly give feedback.” There's no time to dwell on that, not right now. Not with Sir Clive’s dear sister depending on him! He adds one of his own roses to Clair’s bouquet, giving what he hopes is a reassuring smile. "You need offer nothing more. I'd be happy to assist. You know, Python and I once..."

The Goddess Tower is meticulously guarded this year, with the monastery having an entire timetable of shifts and backups at its disposal. As a key contributer to this plan, Forsyth stands alert and poised to play the spoiler to any tomfoolery--though, at this point, he’s acknowledged this will be seen as a challenge by the troublemakers of Garreg Mach. 

He’s already caught one pair of trespassers, and he has his sights set on another who’ve been milling about on the outskirts. Loathe as he is to admit it, he finds some enjoyment in his role. He is doing this for the sake of rule enforcement and order, of course, but is it such a sin to have fun on a night of festivities?

Alas, even the tightest perimeters suffer breaches. The two other guards had mysteriously disappeared from their posts--surely to frolic on the ballroom floor, and not to betray their very job, right? Forsyth trusts them, of course. But if he double-checks the inside for a moment, who could blame him? You never can be too cautious.

“Guh! Who goes there?” It’s only when he feels a tap on his shoulder that he realizes he is not alone. He whirls about, ready to scold a wayward sentry or too-bold student, but…

Right. She can do this. If she learned anything in that mirror, it was how important it is to reach. How it can light up the eyes of a friend.

"Do you, um..." She meets his gaze hesitantly. "...do you w-want to hang out? Sometime...?"

Forsyth, usually a constant and vibrant presence at Garreg Mach, has been uncharacteristically absent over the past year. Extended missions and visits to Zofia take up much of his schedule, and what time he does spend at the monastery feels distant, disconnected. Some days he wants nothing more than to return to his duties as a knight of Valentia, but that would mean leaving Python and the life they’ve carved out here.

So here he is, at the fifth Ethereal Ball since he first set foot on Fodlan’s soil, making a concentrated effort to feel like this is home again. 

“Oh! Good evening, Katarina!” It has been too long since he last spoke with his cherished friend. For a moment, it’s as if the monastery never burned at all. A flower for a flower, a smile for a smile. "It is wonderful to see you. I hope the festivities are treating you well."

In truth, Forsyth knows he has been a coward. He has forged so many dear friendships here, and by throwing himself so wholly into his work he has numbed himself to their importance.

"I would love nothing more, my friend." The tulip that now sits in his bouquet seems delicate at first glance, but it is a hearty flower, enduring through conditions that would cause many others to wilt. Much like Katarina herself, it blooms in an unforgiving world, bringing color and cheer to those around it. "If you'll so have it, we could christen things with a dance?"

"Come now, Python, this is nothing new. Let us enjoy the festivities!"

It's Forsyth's fifth(!) Ethereal Ball, and he's with his partner in crime, @aimlessarchery, as always. I didn't have a lot of time or energy to plan this year, but I'm excited to participate in the ball proper! Forsyth is enthusiastic and social, if not a bit intense about everything, including finishing his bouquet. He has Roses, and will gladly exchange even if he already has his trade partner's flower.

Flower Tracker

Roses: Hector Orchids: Panette Lilies: Mitama, L'Arachel Hyacinths: Clair Tulips: Katarina, Niamh

His fit is similar to last year's, but has a fair number of differences. I'd say the top is a darker green, and he has a blue flower to match Python. I also think he has a cape. I'll see if I can hammer out anything more concrete.

last year's fit, drawn by maddie (python is a bit different also, see maddie's post for their new art of him):

Already did this on Heath, but oh boy, Forsyth really has a lot backlogged and has been living in the past. I'm going through my older threads and dropping quite a few of them. They were great threads, but it's been way too long, and I apologize to anyone I've kept waiting. Between school, health issues, and the weight of things piling up, I've really been less active in TOA than I'd like to be, and even when I've regained activity these threads have ended up at the wayside.

Please let me know if you'd like to talk to me about any of the ones I am dropping here, or ones I'm not dropping for that matter. I like to talk about what may have happened if the thread finished and treat it as if that happened, especially when the thread has moved significantly.

I hope to put out a plotting post in the near future. Perhaps after ball? We will see. I really miss writing here as often as I used to, and while I don't want to overwhelm myself, I hope to delve back in at a reasonable pace!

officially dropping:

there's nothing i won't understand w/ @deliverred

one more or one less, nobody’s worried w/ @aimlessarchery

neopets soup fairy w/ @nagaficat

sick is a state of mind and my mind frew up w/ @deliverred

we're kinda codependent but we're happier this way w/ @aimlessarchery & @deliverred

limbo w/ @willowitxh

my turn:

in a different life w/ @deliverred

from the ground up w/ @encantresse

we are siblings and we care for each other! w/ @far-from-common

their turn:

skill points: 69->71 (monthly x2, knowledge gem)

faith: C+(1)->B

authority: C->C+

[ TXT ] : You know it's not a moral failing to take a break from work and get some rest.

[ TXT ] : You have nothing you need to prove to him.

[ TXT ] : I'm doing alright, as far as things go. Nothing different than normal, anyhow. I can handle this, I promise you, and I will rest when it is appropriate.

(the message is deleted before it is sent)

[ TXT ] : There's no hiding anything from you, is there? Though I wouldn't call it hiding, per se. Just that my own stress would worsen yours, and I'm well-equipped enough to deal with it.

(several more messages are typed and erased before sending, each longer than the previous and varying in detail divulged)

( ... ) is typing...

[ TXT ] : What kind of souvenirs do you like? I want to get something for my frie my f frien m enfhbrgwfjwef iiioooiiioooiiuuuyyygj my friends.

[ TXT ] : I've not, sadly. It isn't terribly far from Zofia, as I understand it. I've been meaning to visit, but things have been busy.

( ... )

[ TXT ] : I'm honored by your generosity! I would appreciate any gift from you, my friend. As for preferences, hmm...