(no subject)

[whereabout]

who: Joshua and ~you~ (and a closed one for Estelle in the comments)
where: Outside the Bluobros house. I just named it that now. Whatcha gonna do about it.
when: In the days just after Forest Disaster Fun, I guess? It's not that time sensitive.
what: Fun with water filters, and sick harmonica jams! (If neither of these is your bag, but you have a better idea, hit me up! I don't mind throwing together a starter for you.)
warnings: Nothing yet, will edit as needed.



i.
[ Since they all (figuratively) washed up here, Joshua's made the executive decision that his first priority is the water supply. The shelter available could use some work, but it's serviceable, so given that it takes longer to starve than to dehydrate - it just makes sense.

So he spent those first few days rigging up a few water filters, to run the water first through a layer of sand, then charcoal (nobody misses the chairs that died for the cause, after the cleaning incident, he's sure), and last some wadded up cotton. After all of that, it's ready to be boiled, but today, he's looking back and forth between the output of two of the filters with a frown.

He's been running through water from both the well and the harbor - separately, in hopes of figuring out if one's more potable than the other. And they didn't seem too different, at first, but now...

...well, one is starting to look a lot better than the other. ]

That's new.


ii.
[ ...or, if you happen to pass through while he's just poured some water in and is waiting for it to make its way through, you might instead catch him playing the harmonica. Enjoy. ]


iii. (wildcard)
( TELL ME YOUR HEART'S DESIRE. We can work something out. )

Comments

closed to estelle: let's murder some wolves YEEEEAAAAAAH

[whereabout]

[ It's been an hour out in the woods, looking for wolves, and so far...not much luck.

While Joshua had been deeply unsure about taking on the forest again, after the way the mass expedition had gone down, there's been nothing so alarming this go-round. Not even those oddly precise tricks of the foliage to separate him from Estelle again.

Curious.

He will absolutely look that gift horse in the mouth, sooner or later, but right now, he's focusing on the task at hand, and he holds up a hand to signal Estelle to stop while he takes another look around them for signs of...anything, at this point. But wolves would be great. ]

Re: closed to estelle: let's murder some wolves YEEEEAAAAAAH

[brightlyshines]

[And Estelle... well, she's going to put this fortunate state of affairs up to her genius idea of linking together a few of Joshua's fashion disaster belts to make a makeshift leash tether she can hold onto. It's safer this way, she reasons, and if they can keep hold of each other, the forest can't separate them.

Totally logical! To Estelle, at least. Joshua might think otherwise, considering he's the one yet again subjected to her wacky ideas.

She stops in place when he holds up his hand, glancing around quietly along with him. She didn't hear anything yet, but....]

[whereabout]

[ Only Estelle could come up with such a ridiculous idea, and only Joshua could think this and yet still not argue with it, because he's seen exactly how far arguing with Estelle ever gets him.

(And maybe, deep down, he does find it reassuring to have her so firmly hanging onto him.)

He hasn't heard anything yet, either, but he crouches to take another look at the ground. They're faint, but there are definitely footprints from some kind of animal. About the right size for a wolf. It has claws.

Jackpot? ]

[brightlyshines]

[Listen, it is a brilliant idea, and Joshua should just admire her genius instead of complain. At least she's putting those belts of his to use for once.]

Hm....? Oh!

[She's quiet about her exclamation, at least, when she bends down to look with him. Her brows furrow for a moment before she follows what she thinks the direction the prints head with her eyes, pointing in that direction.

Follow?]

[whereabout]

[ The belts are an important means of self-expression and a way to clue the world in to what a tortured soul he is, okay.

But anyway.

As usual, she's right on his wavelength, and he flashes her a quick smile as he nods and straightens up. Thataway! ]

[brightlyshines]

[Uh huh. Sure Joshua. Just accept you've got some scene kid fashion sense.

She beams back at him, nodding and standing along with him with the slightest tug on the belt-leash in the process. She'll probably let him go when it comes time to chase the wolves.

....Probably.

Lead the way, Joshua.]

[whereabout]

[ He probably trusts her to do the right thing in the heat of battle and not keep him constrained like this.

...probably.

He keeps the pace slow enough for Estelle to be able to move quietly, given that she doesn't have the level of training at it that he does, but he keeps it steady and keeps them moving. The tracks look close enough together that the wolf who left them shouldn't be in a hurry, so hopefully they can catch up...

And after a bit, he stops them again, tilting his head to listen.

A twig snapping. Soft panting.

Bingo. ]

play that funky music white boy.......

[passio]

[ dextera is more than aware that joshua has been taking care of the water filters, so that part isn't particularly crazy or interesting to him now that he's figured out the science of it. it's the harmonica that catches his attention, and he first peeks out their shitty broken window to find the source of the noise, and when he realizes it's joshua after all, he's quite quick to the door to get a better listen.

his eyes are wide... is he excited? scared? it's hard to tell, but he's definitely intrigued. (and, truthfully, probably not scared. joshua hasn't given him much reason to be.) ]

ii.

[messianic]

[That's...a sound he hasn't heard in awhile. Minato can't remember the last time he heard a harmonica being played, and certainly not live--he has to follow the sound, expression somewhat curious.

Finding the source to be Joshua is...still pretty curious, but he's at least polite enough to wait until Joshua's song is finished before he says anything.]

[whereabout]

[ Joshua notices, of course - even with his attention (mostly) on playing, he's never really dropped the habit of keeping one eye on who's coming and how he can get the drop on them, if need be. There hasn't been much need here, though, so when he catches Dextera in his peripheral vision, he's not at all alarmed, and takes the moment to finish the last few bars before glancing over. ]

Hey.

[whereabout]

[ Minato catches him just after he finishes one song and starts another, so he's got a few minutes to wait. Joshua's noticed him, sure, but since Minato seems to be making a point of letting him finish, he doesn't rush through it.

When the last few notes are hanging on the air, though, he lowers the harmonica and nods to Minato.

Sup, bro. ]

[brightlyshines]

[Estelle moves relatively quietly, not nearly as silently as Joshua does, but she's trying her best. She stays focused on keeping her ears open and keeping one eye on Joshua, knowing more than likely he'll notice their quarry before she does.

And she's right. She stops when he does, listening carefully until she hears the sound of something moving about ahead.

She drops the makeshift leash to grab her staff with both hands, shooting Joshua a questioning look.

So.... quarry found. How to approach?]

[whereabout]

[ He tilts his head to Estelle, then points at the ground - a signal to wait. Then points to himself and makes a circling motion with his hand.

Stay put, let him move around to flank the wolf, and he'll try to scare it in her direction. ]

[brightlyshines]

[Estelle nods, giving him a silent thumbs up before crouching low, staff at the ready.

She'll be waiting.]

[whereabout]

[ It takes a few minutes; with the target in sight (and earshot) he's being more careful than ever to move silently, but he makes his way around, and then takes a moment to watch the wolf and get an idea of what they're up against. The way it moves, the size of those teeth (the most important part, really)...

He waits for an opening. It lowers its head, pawing at something on the ground -

And Joshua's charging straight towards it, blades at the ready. ]

[passio]

[ dextera nods a greeting in return, now thoroughly, visibly impressed by joshua’s playing. minato has exposed him to music via an mp3 player, but hearing a live performance is different and exciting. he gestures to the instrument, and cocks his head.

harmonicas aren’t exactly a standard religious instrument. this is new to him! ]

[brightlyshines]

[The wolf startles, growling and leaping away from Joshua just as planned, turning tail to run. It's clear the wolf is skittish, ready to flee rather than fight.

Until, of course, Estelle leaps out from the bushes with a swing of her staff, thwacking the beast in the nose and sending it sliding with a yelp.]

Got you!

[Not that the beast is down yet-- it's shaking it's head, letting out a snarl.]

[messianic]

[Sup.

Minato waits for that cue--and then he approaches properly, nodding in response, appreciatively.]

I didn't know that you played.

[whereabout]

My sister taught me, a long time ago.

[ Even offering up that much information, scant though it is, feels...strange. Awkward, almost, because he's hardly spoken of her in years, and even then only to Estelle, and only after she had the story from Loewe.

But awkwardness aside, it also feels almost...like a relief? To just - say it, instead of dragging it around like an anchor. ]

[whereabout]

It's called a harmonica.

[ He holds it out, turning it so Dex can see it from every side. ]

[whereabout]

[ It throws the wolf off enough to give Joshua a chance to catch up, though, and that's all he needs.

The wolf is quick - they're going to have to deal with that first, so he does so in the most efficient manner possible, slashing it right across the hamstrings. ]

[passio]

[ oh!

he’s heard of one, but he’s never actually seen one before—he’s also not sure that he knows the sound? dextera doesn’t touch the harmonica but he does gesture to it, and then touches his fingers to his own mouth.

he wants to see josh play again! if only a bar or two. ]

[messianic]

[Huh... Minato's quiet for a moment, thoughtful. A long time ago...?]

I see... you play it really well.

[Minato just casually sits next to Josh then, head tilted, hands tucked as ever in his pockets. And, tentatively:]

... She must have really liked music.

[whereabout]

[ Joshua's getting the hang of translating Dex's charades, thankfully, and that one is simple enough.

So he lifts it and starts playing again. ]

[whereabout]

She did. She played it better, too.

[ Did she really? It's actually hard to say, but in Joshua's mind, of course she played it better. There was never any question about it. ]