TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 5

[avalonmods]

✨ Greet new players on the OOC intro while apps are processed HERE! ✨

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️ A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival KERPLUNK, SPLASH! Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's slightly chilled waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's still chilly, but not enough that you can't manage on your own. The Lady of the Lake is swimming around under the water, but seems to be focusing on coordinating a band of chia manatees to help rescue any wayward new arrivals. Chia manatees are a special Avalonian manatee that is green in color and has what appears to be a patches of grass or other short plantlife growing on its back. While some are fully green, others sport small flower blossoms that haven't yet grown in or various types of mushrooms. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. Those with animal magic may get their info from the manatees, though may notice that they're really overly friendly and have zero concept of personal boundaries. Everyone may notice they have no concept of personal space, as they will happily run right into someone's belly for a snoot squishing. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly. *Reminder: Your character's familiar may or may not be with your character in their initial plunge. If the familiar isn't partial to water, it may meet your character on the beach or sit atop their head while they swim. Or if they are, they might splash about and swim alongside your character. Familiars have different personalities and body specs and we leave those up to the players. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones and a pair of earbuds and tell them to "Check the Shit Box." The "Shit Box" refers to wardrobe more formally known as the Wardrobe of Finding, a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's items and pets when the person touches the handle. It was recently enchanted by Merlin to prevent people from having to fish their waterlogged possessions and pets out of the water with them. From there, Archimedes directs everyone to settle in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and gives them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of the universe is frozen in time and your character has been brought here by a familiar that was able to bond with them. They'll have to learn magic to help save their own world from destruction, but first they've got to get them to Camelot. It is here that you have the first opportunity to decide who they will be in their new home. You'll have about an hour to wander around here, meet and greet, and pet the horses before it's time to go. These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console with nip bottles. Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service, avalononline (AOL), to chat with other characters, watch dumb videos, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, from how to use a smart phone to where to find quests and resources to learn more about your magic). Be careful if you decide to use your phones while in the caravan-- if you don't use those earbuds and start forcing everyone to listen to your nonsense, Archimedes may make you walk. C ⦿ The Red Spring The journey from the White Cliffs to the City of Camelot is a long one, and the first evening you arrive you'll end up spending at the Red Spring, a booming resort town. Because of the volume of new arrivals and vacationers, inn rooms are assigned two-to-a-room. The rooms have two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and a few free movies. If you don't want to relax in the room, try taking a dip in the spring for another chance to meet your fellow travelers. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly when drunk. It is known to relieve stress, improve energy levels, and mildly accelerate healing. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out! The springs are also home to a large training grounds just outside town limits, where there are teachers who will teach basic magic safety and help you discover what kind of magic you have together with other new arrivals. Try target practice, obstacle courses, meditation circles, and other ways to try to figure out just what you can do... if you didn't already have an accidental discovery on the ride there. The Isle of Avalon is abuzz with excitement for the upcoming Spring Equinox (though some of the more posh citizens will insist it's the Vernal Equinox, tut tut). Unlike the very specific rituals of the Winter Solstice that require much preparation, the Spring is welcomed throughout the month through a variety of small rituals to help the world along as it renews itself, growing new plants and allowing nature to make new life. A ⦿ The Lesser Banishing of Frost Fairies Throughout February, the Frost Fairies were running amok and keeping things chilly, even awarding those who gave them treats last month. These fairies create ice crystals on contact and can be spotted by the beautiful ice crystal patterns that form in their trail. They cause frost bite if you physically touch them, so capture isn't recommended. They seem to be sticking around a little too long this month, as they're normally supposed to leave at the end of February. No one seems alarmed, as it seems that this happens from time to time. It's easy enough to deal with-- and so, people throughout town are being asked to perform a ritual called the Lesser Banishing of Frost Fairies. It's perfectly safe, and lets these invisible little creatures be sent on their way until the next winter. The first step: create bait. Fill a planter with dusty miller and silver sage, with a night-blooming flower at the center. The silvery-white leaves pique the curiosity of the Frost Fairies because they look snowy, yet when they see the flower bloom, they know it cannot be. The plants won't be damaged at all in the ritual, so you'll get a moon garden out of it, which can be incidentally draw adorable little moon rabbit kits in to play inside your home while the moon is out. They're friendly, though they do tend to enjoy pack-sized snuggles-- you may find yourself stuck with no fewer than 15 rabbits attempting to climb on you for attention and need someone's help to pull them off. You may need to get them under control before you continue with the ritual. Once you've assembled your miniature moon garden, you'll need to find a stranger to perform the ritual. You need to bring a new energy into your home in order to let the Frost Fairies know that it's time to meet something new. Take hands with the new person and dance in circles around the miniature moon garden. The plants will start to glow and the Frost Fairies will become visible-- short, fat, all-white penguin with flamingo-length legs and icicle crowns. They will immediately challenge you and your summoning partner to a duel! Though, you can pick what kind of challenge it is as their culture dictates. They're pretty overconfident, just remember not to pick something that involves touching them unless you want to end up needing a healer. B ⦿ The Language of Flowers Once the Frost Fairies are properly banished, flowers are starting to crop up all around Camelot, the Broceliande, the fields in between, and those who come back to the White Cliffs after arrival will even find the Cliff Beast in a pleasant mood from all the lovely little flowers hanging off of his clifftop. (No one's quite sure how a cliff seems happy, but that's the sense everyone gets.) Wherever you may be, there are flowers starting to crop up. Normally, this would be when people would start gathering decorations to cover the buildings and make flower altars, but a lot of the wild flowers normally accessible... well... It looks like a brood of dragons hatched a little early and, upon seeing all the flowers start to crop up, decided that these flowers are the treasures that they want to hoard. The baby dragons didn't fly too far down from their mountain, but once one of them flew past the Lands of Rot and found the fields of flowers, it got its siblings. Now there are a handful of baby dragons claiming different areas as their hoard and making it impossible to get around without being attacked by an admittedly cute fire-breathing menace. No one wants the baby dragons slain, but the baby dragons need to be brought back to their mother's cave in the Ash Mountains. The safest way is through the half-dead area between the Dusklight Woods and the Lands of Rot. The dragons will attack anyone who comes into their area but seem to be friendly toward anyone wearing a flower crown, as they seem to accept them as a part of their hoard if the flowers send the right message. Use the language of flowers to communicate with the dragons and try to get them to follow you by wearing a flower crown that matches one you offer to the dragon. A flower crown that says sympathy and sadness might not be as effective as something that says virtue and bravery. Just be careful not to woo them the wrong impression with something that says eternal love and devotion, or you might have a different kind of dragon problem... Regardless, since the dragons are guarding the flowers you need to make the crowns out of, you'll need to find a way to get past their attacks to gather flowers to begin with to find the flowers you want to make your crown with. Flower crowns need at least two types of flowers to communicate with the dragons, so it's recommended you work together with others to try to gather as many flowers as you can to find the flowers you need. Thankfully, since dragons are sacred, most of the Dusklight Woods creatures will leave you alone, so it's best to hug that side of the mixed path. You and whoever you're working with only have to worry about fighting alongside the baby dragons to fight off the Land of Rot creatures that hang around the edge: Skeleton warriors that can only be scattered but not killed, Fogueria (a lion made of fire that likes to play with its food in sadistic ways), and rattlesnakes. Once you're at the foot of the Ash Mountains, the baby dragons will fly back up to their cave on their own. With the baby dragons returned to their nest, you can head home, and the townsfolk can start decorating for the Spring Equinox. C ⦿ Spiritual Cleansing The frost is gone, the flowers are free, and rabbits are running around town like they own the place. All of the physical and symbolic spring equinox preparations are made, now it's time to look within. As the season of renewal and rebirth, a huge part of that is personal reflection and growth. As such, outdoor meditation and yoga flash parties are all the rage right now. Get caught it one and you and anyone around you will be stuck in a barrier until you complete at least 5 yoga poses and hold them for 30 seconds each. Some of them are a little challenging.. thankfully, no one is going to stop you from getting help holding them from someone else who's stuck with you. A plague of smoothie hockers has also cropped up around town, which means portable carts offering different magical smoothies is going around selling their fruity and flowery spring flavors for a refreshing boost of your spirit. No, really boost it. The magical effects are in small text underneath the flavors, so they may be easy to miss. Hibiscus-Berry: Vanity Spirit (person may become temporarily obsessed with appearance, finding cute clothes, getting their hair and nails done, needing to be their ideal of attractive) Strawberry-Rose: Romantic Spirit (flirtiness, desire to be romantic with someone) Jasmine-Peach: Friendship Spirit (go out of your way to make new friends, make grand friendship gestures to people you've already befriended or have known for five minutes and want to befriend) Lavender-Mulberry: Distrusting Spirit (paranoid, may start fights because they think someone is out to get them) Butterfly Pea-Lemon Tea: Meditative Spirit (fall asleep easily, peaceful/relaxed about alarming things, sudden penchant for Big Thoughts about the universe) Dandelion-Apple-Banana: Surivival Spirit (sudden desire to do everything yourself, whether that's hunting/gathering food, getting really into DIY projects like making your own soap or building your own chicken hutch because you're going to get your own eggs, or really wanting to live outside for a while) The effects only last for an hour or two, so it's unlikely any real damage can be done (hopefully) but it'll certainly give you a new outlook on life! Spring is in the air, the Equinox is coming, and prep is underway. But all work and no play can get a little boring, right? Avalonians have come together and set up a few activities for Adventurers. While all of these activities can be completed and enjoyed without using magic, participants will be encouraged do to so, don’t worry if it goes a little haywire. There are magical force fields around the play zones to contain any mishaps. A ⦿ Keep it Rollin' Rollin' The first area set up for fun and games is a barrel rolling contest. Participants are split into pairs to compete against each other to see who can roll their partner inside the barrel down the hill and across the finish line the fastest. Springtime is when geysers start bursting around the bottom of the hill though, so you'll have to watch out for those and any boulders to make sure your barrel doesn't burst before you reach the bottom! To make things a little more interesting, the planners had a bit of mischief with the barrels... As barrels reach a quarter of a way down the hill, the outside will burst into flames. Surprise! While they are enchanted so that the flames aren't actually hot, participants are not aware of this. Sorry, the guys running this game aren’t that big on explaining; after all, it’s just rolling a fire barrel down the hill; what’s so complicated? Fire makes it look like it's going faster and is way more exciting to watch! B ⦿ Hop Skip and a Jump Everyone loves hopscotch, right? Well, whether you do or don’t, that next zone is all about the hop, the skip, and the jump. Two hopscotch boards about the size of a basketball court each are laid out side by side for participants. The object again, to see who can complete the task that fastest. If you reach a spot with a magic symbol, you have to cast a spell at your opponent or you can't proceed. This is combat hopscotch! Of course, once more, the folks running the show forgot to mention one tiny thing, a quarter of the way into the board, random spots will drop away as you go, leaving holes in the ground! Yikes, better take that leap! Don’t worry, if you miss, the bottom of the hole is filled with marshmallow fluff in bright pink, yellow, and pastel purple. (Kind of reminds you of something, huh...?) Down in the hole are rungs and footholds to get yourself back out, but boy, will that put you behind the other guy if they didn’t fall. Well, guess victory will have to be a little sweeter than you planned! C ⦿ Gettin' Brewy With It Now, this activity probably seems a little safer. Welcome to the “Brew” tent. Participants will be given ingredients, space, and set up in pairs to brew up a tasty drink! A variety of ingredients are available and with it, participants will be taught the Recipe: Brewery. This spell can be used to accelerate brewing and distilling processes for alcoholic drinks. Of course, if someone who is too young to drink according to their world's rules, any alcohol in the drink will evaporate, so it's really only a spell that's useful for adults... but everyone can participate in making drinks. You can pick any ingredients you want, but all participants are instructed that a sprinkle of that magic at just the right time will make it perfect. When asked what the right time is, all they will be told is they’ll know when. Some may get it right, depending on instinct. Others might sprinkle too much and cause the drink to burst all over them and their partner, and their workstation or have some other silly side effect, like make them hiccup uncontrollably or catch a case of the giggles. Or maybe they cast for too long or too short a time and the drink turns sour, turns to ash, grows wings on the cup, and flies away. Brewery magic can be fickle, so there's lots that can go wrong.. but get it right, and you can have one heck of a drink to enjoy! MOD NOTES: • All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, but this post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads, but should not top-level comment on this post. • If your application is accepted, you may accept TDM threads as game canon as long as both players consent. Characters may begin threading as soon as their journal is accepted to the communities. • If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

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Della Duck | Ducktales 2017 | Kinetic | Familiar Undecided

[sos_pilot]

Arrival - A

[ Della is usually brave enough to face any challenge, tough any adventure, fight any foe... but she has a love/hate affair with water.

Well, mostly hate. ]

AUUUUGH! GET ME OUTTA HERE! I THINK I FELT A FISH TOUCH ME!

[ And yes, manatees aren't fish. But they're close enough for Della's taste, which is why she's FRANTICALLY swimming to the shore as fast as her body will let her. Once she finally touches sweet, sweet land, she curls up a bit, trying not to dry-heave.]

Ew ew ew ew ew ewww... Uncle Scrooge, you promised no more underwater adventures for at least a month! ... Uncle Scrooge?

[ That's when it finally hits Della she's here alone. She blinks rapidly, sitting up and looking around. ]

... Huh?

Arrival - B - Online

[ So, Della's got the gist of things, and honestly? It sounds like your average Tuesday for the McDuck clan. But the tech is nice! Once she's got it on, she offers a friendly wave... maybe she can break the ice by trying the new slang her kids have taught her.

This is a bad idea, and she's going to regret it in seconds.]

What, is UP, my peeps? Homeslice Della Duck here to work some magic, fo'nizzle yo'shizzle!

[ Pause. Hand to her eyes. ]

I... really need to start practicing these things before I say them. Is anyone out there willing to forget what I just said?

Arrival - B - Training Grounds

Kinetic magic... so that's the thing where you move stuff with your mind? Ha ha, nice. I've totally got this.

[ With a wiggle of her fingers, she tries to reach out and lift something with her mind. Unfortunately, she not only 1) misses her intended target, 2) grabs whatever you were holding, and 3) makes it fly straight to her face. ]

WAK!

[ She manages to duck (hurhur) in time, though the object hits the wall behind her. She at least manages to look sheepish as she turns to apologize. ]

Um... my bad?

Problems Spring Up - A

[ Moon garden, get! Della's sure she's got this thing in the bag - after all, in her world, the goddess of the moon is one of her BFFs! So she needs a stranger to complete the ritual. Simple enough.

Della's idea how to do it, though... may require some tuning. As right now, all she's doing is sticking her body halfway through her open window and yelling at strangers.]

Hey, you! Come inside and dance with me! You've got nothing better to do, right?

Problems Spring Up - B - Flower Crowns

[ Della can be found sitting in a whole garden, cheerfully making her flower crown! She hums a merry tune every now and then - for the curious, she's chosen lillies (for motherhood) and thyme (for courage and strength) and when she spots eyes on her, she flashes a grin. ]

You're looking at the lady who got the first "Flower Power" badge in her Junior Woodchuck Troop. Some things you never forget. You want some help making yours?

Problems Spring Up - B - Land Of Rot

Yes, finally! Something to really get my blood pumping!

[ Living skeletons? Lions made out of fire? This is the stuff Della LIVES FOR. She's practically bouncing on her feet, eyes glittering with excitement. ]

Which one do you wanna take on first? Don't wanna steal your first victory here, bud!

No Work, All Play - A

Well, this seems like it'll be a barrel of laughs!

[ Look, she thinks she's funny. She then rubs her hands together before trying to cram herself inside the barrel. ]

Since I'm smaller, I'll take this in. Don't worry about being gentle - I can handle it! We'll totally win this thing!

No Work, All Play - B

[ Della didn't mind landing in the hole - heck, she likes the new challenge - but in the surprise of it all, she fell down... minus one body part.

Her prosthetic leg is still at the top. For those who take a good look, it seems to be made out of metal (rocket-ship) parts, duct tape, and black licorice.

Down below, Della sighs, rather annoyed.]

You mind tossing that down to me? I can't exactly climb out without it.

Wildcard
[ Make your own prompt! ]

Land of Rot

[mithrarin]

You act like this is my first victory.

[One arm crossed out from his body, just below face; the other behind him, with the Blade of Ahrah in reverse grip. She might live for it, but Dust is made for this. Though by the confident, amused smile he wears, that's more than just literally true.]

How about we both start, and maybe by the time you're done with your first one, I'll have gone slow enough that there'll be one left for you? If you're really good and I have some bad luck, anyway.

[sos_pilot]

[ You? You she likes already.

She lets out a pleased laugh, rubbing her hands together before making them into fists. ]

How about this? First one who defeats their opponent buys drinks when we get back. Fair?

[mithrarin]

Totally unfair, but in my favor, so I think I'll take you up on it.

[Fists, really? Beneath the braggadocio he's sincerely concerned about her punching a creature of fire, but...]

[sos_pilot]

One the count of three.

One...

[ one step back. ]

Two...

[ knees bent just a little. ]

... Three!

[ She then DARTS straight ahead - but the fists weren't for punching the fire lion, she's not that dumb. Instead, after getting ahead, she dives for the ground, using her fists to brace the ground, and swing herself to KICK the lion with her metal leg! ]

[mithrarin]

[Dust lunges forward himself, but instead of a diving kick or the like, he delivers an awesome sweep of his sword, then a second, spinning in a circle to hack and slash on the forehand and the backhand with full power. Somewhere in the middle of all that he ends up in a handstand, shutting his feet around the neck of a skeleton, then flipping it backwards into the ground with enough force to send all the nearby bone monsters crumbling.]

[sos_pilot]

[ And when the skeletons fall apart, Della sees an opportunity to test out her new magic powers - kinetic! She'll use one of those bones like an epic club! ]

Thanks for the new weaponry!

[ She holds up her hand, trying to 'grab' one of the bones with her magic... and it gets up... and flies...

... right smack into the lion's face. ]

... Would you believe me if I said I meant to do that?

[mithrarin]

Depends. What happens if I do, and what happens if I don't?

[He's a little curious if Della is the carrot or the stick type, as they say.]

[sos_pilot]

If you do, we can be friends! If you don't... we can still be friends, but I'll be a little bummed you didn't go along with it.

[ more like the carrot and the slightly bigger carrot ]

[mithrarin]

Go along with what? That was an excellent move that you definitely did intentionally.

[How does that grab you?]

flower crowns

[arcsplainist]

[ Truth be told, Alphinaud knows very little of flowers, and even less why dragons—of all beings—have grown fiercely protective of them. So when word gets out of what may be a solution in approaching them... he's skeptical, but it's worth a shot, he supposes...

First thing's first, however—getting these flowers. Thankfully, it isn't terribly long before he finds someone who, in a contrast to himself, seems confident about the flowers, enough to boast about a... badge. Well, okay. ]

Ah, brilliant. 'Tis precisely the help I had hoped to seek out. If you mind not, I would be most obliged!

[sos_pilot]

Happy to help!

[ She pats the empty space next to her, indicating she wants him to sit. ]

So, you got any favorite flowers or colors? This place is pretty amazing with it comes to floral goodies... some of this stuff shouldn't even be able to survive together. But, hey, magic kingdom, whatevs.

[arcsplainist]

Should it not?

[ He genuinely wouldn't know. That aside, he takes a seat close by, watching what work she already has in progress. ]

Well, we are fortunate to have the variety, regardless. I admit I don't have a preference, myself... Or rather, I am not quite so knowledgeable as you when it comes to flowers. I had wondered if the types matter in the end.

[sos_pilot]

[ She shrugs it off, and decides to just go with what colors would match his eyes and hair. ]

I dunno if the dragons know it, or if it's universal across the worlds, but different flowers have different meanings. Everyone knows red roses means "love"... but did you know dark red means mourning?

Imagine trying to give a bouquet of those to your girlfriend! Ha ha ha!

[arcsplainist]

[ Well, that's a bit much, flower linguists. ]

Ha, 'tis an honest mistake to make, though I imagine most women would be glad to have received a boquet of roses at all. They do seem to be quite popular.

[sos_pilot]

I'd prefer a good pizza over a bouquet, but then I've never been a romantic.

[ Half-shrug. She connects white and blue flowers together, before noticing something... ]

Hey, so, are your ears normal for humans? I'm... still trying to get the hang of you guys, and most of them seemed round.

[arcsplainist]

[ There's another brief hint of puzzlement on his face; needless to say, he hasn't the faintest what a pizza is, either, but lately he's been coming across a lot he doesn't know. It's just one more thing to look into later.

Mostly because her question stops him short, clearly caught in a question he hadn't anticipated being asked. ]

Oh—erm. I... do not believe so, for I am not human. [ She... is talking about hyur, right? She has to be. ] I am an elezen, and they are quite normal for us.

[sos_pilot]

[ It's going to take a long time for Della to realize what may or may not be sensitive topics... if she does at all.

Besides, we're all buds, right??? ]

Huh! No idea what that is. Oh well. I'm a duck, in case you were wondering. We've got nothing like you back home. Almost everyone's got feathers or fur, and not even pigs have all that weird pink fleshiness you've got going on.

[ She thinks this is normal conversation and not an insult. Honest. ]

Problems Spring Up - A

[roseeclair]

[Oh hey, guess who's also BFFs with a moon goddess in her world? And also looking for a ritual partner. ...... Way more quietly though, walking around the streets as the shout goes out and other citizens open their doors and windows to shout at the duck to ease up on the noise!

But at least in Mako's case, she looks up and shouts back.]

You need a ritual partner too?!

[sos_pilot]

[ She ignores the other shouts and focuses on the one that will give her victory! ]

Yeah! Come on in, front door's open! Let's do this thing!

[roseeclair]

[Hopefully Della closes the window quickly, there might be some produce headed her way. But Makoto ignores it too, just walking into some duck-woman's house like her half-dozen times getting kidnapped or mind-trapped have taught her nothing. ... Then again, if this lady is an enemy, maybe the fairies would punish her.

But in any case, Makoto's glad to finally find a partner for the ritual. Huh, a duck person? She kind of looks like that one completely-numbers-filed-off duck cartoon character.]

Thanks!

[sos_pilot]

[ Della closes her window just in time to miss a ripe tomato hitting it. No biggie.

But when she opens the door - TALL. Della is already pretty small compared to most humans, but Makoto is taller than most girls her age. As such Della raises her eyebrows as she has to crane her head upward.

Damn, if only this girl was older.

Still, she offers a friendly hand to shake. ]

Name's Della Duck. How about you?

[roseeclair]

[The teenage girl gives the hand a good grip back as she shakes it.]

Makoto Kino. Nice to meet you... ma'am?

[Hopefully that's good, it's hard to gauge the duck lady's age.]

[sos_pilot]

[ With the handshake over, she steps back with a little laugh. ]

Just "Della" will do. I'm not having any ma'am stuff even when I'm old and gray.

Come on in. If I remember right, we just gotta shake our tailfeathers around the garden to get the ritual going.

[ wait. humans don't have tailfeathers. ]

... Or whatever you have.

[roseeclair]

[[Continued here.]]