Once upon a time...

[timefather]

[ For the residents of Märchenstraße, and all the land surrounding it, the eighth of December was a day to look forward to. Looking at it from an outside perspective, strangers and travelers could easily assume it to be a holiday. At the very least, a day for a festival, if a modest one. A day that shopkeeps spent all morning preparing for, that all manner of creatures spent days traveling to the city to witness. They'd heard the talk that passed around, the rumors from those still left. But would it work? No one knew for sure, no matter how confident the stories seemed to be. But hope was very quickly becoming all they had left.

They had decorated the whole town. Streamers, banners, wreathes and garland made of autumn flowers, plus whatever the Fairy Godmother had cooked up. Oh, she was just giddy. No skepticism could be spoken around her, not if you wanted to escape the wrath of her wand! Rumor had it that she had caught wind of a few piglets squealing about the likelihood that their magic would fail, and that they were subsequently transformed into the band of musicians who could be found performing in the park.

Well, at least the music was festive.

Of course, the decorations weren't for the newcomers alone. Autumn was coming to a close in just a few weeks, and Old Man Winter would take the reigns like he did every year, and their weather would turn cold and harsh. The chill was already there, cool and biting when the wind picked up speed. Lady Autumn was much preferred to the citizens of the city with her gentle nature, even if she failed to show up, finishing her work in the orchards instead. That was what they liked about her.

It was mid-morning when Father Time was found outside of his tower, checking one of the numerous pocket watches he kept on his person. "Unnecessary, but comfortable," he called them, and closed the watch again. It was twelve o'clock in the afternoon, and where empty space had been just seconds before, now they were. Sitting on benches, lying in flower patches, scattered about the city and outside of the gates in peaceful slumber. They would awaken to the bells of the clock tower. Some, to many friendly and relieved faces all around them, some to grateful ones carrying gifts of food and clothing and magic, and some to fearful, cautious faces. Regardless of how the town treated them, they would awaken to a celebration of their arrival, and choices to be made, and the books. Each and every one. ]

Comments

[springlamb]

You're welcome! I hope you settle in quickly. Oh!

[Reaching up, the girl carefully plucks one of the flowers from her crown, which doesn't seem to lose any stability without it. With a gentle smile, she holds the pinkish, palm-sized (well, for a child) flower out to Naoto.]

Here, a welcome gift!

[pishirogane]

[Naoto nods. She would do her best to settle in and--]

[She blinks when the flower is offered and isn't sure what to make. It's... a gift. Carefully, she accepts it.]

Thank you... [Staring at the flow, she remembers there's a crucial detail she's missing before looking for Father Time.] What does Father Time look like?

[springlamb]

He's very recognizable! He's an old man with a short moustache and beard, and he talks to everyone like they're an old friend.

[Well, that's a better description than nothing, right?]

[pishirogane]

[Good enough to go on. She nods]

Thank you again. For the gift too. [She doesn't know what to do with it right now though. She'll hold onto it though as she walks away, maybe find something she can put it in that isn't her pocket. Maybe she could press it in her journal for safe keeping.]

[springlamb]

You're welcome! Good luck.

[Lamb will watch Naoto go before disappearing into the crowd herself, perhaps to greet someone else.]