♈ Aradia: Ruminate.

[ar0se]

[The time: just after sunset. The place: a couch in the lobby, because where else does anything happen. For anyone passing by, she is dressed elegantly in a red blouse and sari (which Vivi had to teach her to wear), and her hair is pushed back with a headband

Comments

[action]

[fluthlu]

Diwali. It's a festival celebrated by many Earth cultures, though not my own.

[Rose is passing through the lobby on her way to the kitchen, dressed in her normal clothes. She had no interest in wearing the provided clothing, but she pauses to admire Aradia's.]

You look very nice. The color suits you.

[ar0se]

[Aradia smiles and pushes her hair back over her shoulder to show off the embroidered end of the sari draped there.]

Thank you, Rose. The pleats in front are such a pain to keep straight though, haha. [Buuut sizing up Rose...] Didn't you get a Diwali outfit?

[fluthlu]

[She walks closer to the couch, admiring the embroidery a bit more.]

I didn't feel quite like fiddling with an unfamiliar garment when I dressed this morning. I might wear mine tomorrow. Though I'm sure that I'll look quite ridiculous in it.

[ar0se]

Pfff, and I am equally sure you'll look great. I would be okay with placing a bet on the subject.

[fluthlu]

I doubt it; orange is not my color by any means. But if by some twist of chance I happen to undergo some miraculous transformation and suddenly resemble Liv Tyler the moment the cloth touches my skin, then I suppose you win the bet.

[ar0se]

Oh, I don't know. I think you would look pretty good in orange! Even if it does not transform you into an Earth celebrity.

[fluthlu]

I have an incompatible skin tone for bright colors. But if you are so determined, then I guess we will just have to see.

[ar0se]

Haha, I'm going to hold you to that. And if nothing else you can always alchemetize it purple or something. [shruggu]

[fluthlu]

[Her eyes widen a little at that.]

I wasn't aware that we had an Alchemiter here.

[ar0se]

[Perks up] Really? I thought for sure I told everyone. Yeah, we have one - actually we have a whole lab! Here, I'll show you, it's just up one of these towers. [She hops off the couch and, holding up her skirts, begins scurrying toward a tower staircase.]

[fluthlu]

[Rose follows at a bit slower pace.]

You managed to fit an entire lab in one of the towers? I assume that I'm looking at an example of this castle's Weird Space Shit?

[ar0se]

Well, that and it's not very big. It's pretty much just the alchemiter and a bunch of computers, actually. Here we go!

[Doop doop hops on a transportalizer pad and disappears :D]

[fluthlu]

[Being most assuredly familiar with transportalizers, Rose follows Aradia.]

[ar0se]

[The other terminus lets out in a mid-sized but adequately furnished room. There are a few rows of desks with computers on them (fifteen in total; one has been smashed a long time ago and never cleaned up), along with some comfy wheely chairs. The alchemiter figures prominently of course, although it's slightly different in appearance and is drawing material from some large tanks on the side of the room and in the workroom beyond it. A large window and landing pad dominate one wall.

And, of course, what would an alchemiter room be without a bunch of piles of useless crap littering the floor? A CLEANER ALCHEMITER ROOM THAN THIS ONE, THAT'S WHAT. Most of it's actually piled up to the side. Aradia helps by TK-shoving a couple of little piles into the big one.]

Sorry about the mess. I don't actually get up here all that often.

[fluthlu]

[Rose give an impressed hum of approval.]

If you're under the impression that this room is disorderly, you would be horrified to see my bedroom back home on Earth.

[She eyes the smashed computer as she passes it, looking amused.]

Is there a story behind that?

[ar0se]

[Aradia scrunches up her face, thinking.]

I don't know, it's been like that for months. I want to say Sollux broke it but I don't remember for sure.