hey hey it's jeannuary

[darcangel]

🕊️ Who: Jeannette d'Arc & YOU!
🕊️ When: Second week or so of January
🕊️ Where: DU HQ, Matsuba, Reverie Necropolis
🕊️ What: Jeannette returns from France and throws herself wholeheartedly into community service.
🕊️ Warnings: None that I know of? There'll be a Torment Hunt posted as a TL in here eventually, so possibly Mahou Shenanigans.

Comments

January 16-24: Snown of Arc

[darcangel]

[ Scrape. Scrape. Scrape. Scrape.

Who is that, out at all hours shoveling the shopping district in Matsuba? They're really on the ball - and they look a bit like one, too, all bundled up. A woolen hat, mittens, a scarf - this hard worker is a walking advertisement for Warm Stuff What We Took Off A Sheep.

When their shovel hits a particularly tricky patch, they frown and strike it again. ]

Par mon martin, it sticks so.....

[ Oh hey it's a high school student. Who is not employed by any of these businesses. Using her snow days to shovel the community's walkways so people can get to work and shop nice and safely. As a volunteer. Because she can.

....She gives a little cough into a face mask as she works, but she's fine! ]

[thestarknows]

[Junna's on her way back from a rehearsal -- after some hemming and hawing from the director, they agreed to hold rehearsals because the show must go on. It was a morning one, with school closed. She is bundled up herself; her scarf is wrapped around her head.

But as she gets a look at Jeannette... she tugs her scarf down, to reveal her mouth. Out comes a puff of mist in front of her face.

Then she hurries -- so, in snow and ice, more... waddles... -- over. She smiles, holding a gloved hand up.]

H-Hello! Could you use a hand?

[darcangel]

[ Could she? Absolutely. Is she touched by the offer? Deeply.

Does she feel awkward about accepting help? ]

Oh, I should hate to trouble you...

[ Yep. ]

[thestarknows]

No, no, it's all right, it's no trouble!

[She looks around -- finds a bench that's mostly de-iced -- and plops her bag down onto it and nods. She dusts her gloved hands off.]

Happy to help.

[darcangel]

[ Well, if she's certain....Jeannette can't deny the more people are involved in clearing the snow, the better it shall be. The sidewalk will clear faster, helping everyone get to the stores for the things they need! ]

Thank you so very much....

[ She has an extra shovel; they've got slightly different heads, for slightly different types of snow - or so her father said. As he's a landlord and responsible for upkeep of his property he's particular about this sort of thing. Jeannette has just been scooping and praying.

But at least she has a tool to offer this extremely thoughtful person for whom she is definitely buying at least a hot drink when they're done. ]

Please watch out for ice. There are patches beneath the snow, and they stick.

[thestarknows]

I'm happy to help.

[She takes the shovel and there's... a brief moment of holding it awkwardly. Growing up in Tokyo as she did, she didn't use snow shovels too often.

But everyone had to start somewhere! So Junna nods, then she plunges the shovel into the snow, and... sticking.]

Oh! I see what you mean. That's something, isn't it?

[darcangel]

It must have melted and then snowed again.

[ Jeannette stabs at the ground with her own shovel. Break, by her banner! Break -

Ah, there we go. She had to all but act like she was impaling the ice on a sword, but she has purchase at last. ]

All the more reason to clear it.....

[ But yikes. Now she has to lift it. And it's dense.

Yet Jeanne d'Arc quails before no task, if it protects others! ]

[thestarknows]

It did get warmer for a day or two.

[She pushes her shovel down... and crack! Junna sighs with relief, before tossing that pile of snow aside. She looks up and nods.]

Yes, this would be even worse if someone slipped on it.

[And another spot cleared. Junna huffs with effort, then looks back at Jeanne.] Ah! I'm Junna Hoshimi. A student at Promised Morning.

[darcangel]

Jeanne d'Arc, of the same.

[ A schoolmate! How lovely. Jeannette's smile could melt some of this snow on its own. ]

You are well met indeed, Junna!

[thestarknows]

You, too, Jeanne. [She smiles and extends a gloved hand. A handshake, before getting back to work!]

I like it here. I move from Tokyo about a year and a half ago.

[darcangel]

[ Despite the cold, Jeanne's hands are warm. This girl is on fire.

She also returns to work - twice as hard, so she may pull her weight! Or perhaps it's the fact that Junna likes her new home that's energizing her. Yumemigaoka is precious to Jeanne, thus the community service. ]

Was Tokyo very different?

[ She's only been there en route to the airport, didn't really look around... ]

[thestarknows]

Mm, yes. It's so much busier -- and that's not to say that we don't get busy here! But with that many people, it's always like that. And it's warmer, too.

[She's back at it, with her shovel. She looks up, then she nods.]

I miss it sometimes, because it's home. But... I like it here a lot. It's easier to take a deep breath.

[darcangel]

Oui, oui!

[ Jeanne nods. She thinks she knows what Junna means. ]

Things are close, but not too close. The people are friendly, and there is green....

[ ....

She looks up at the nearest tree, whose branches are currently engaged in a lovely powdered-sugar-pretzel impersonation, and amends. ]

....In the right seasons.

[flatcola]

You... got a part time job?

[ Kozakura is not volunteering to help. She would have a heart attack, a pathetic death. ]

[darcangel]

[ A part-time...Oh. She shakes her head "no", but clarifies: ]

I simply could not let my dearest good neighbors suffer.

[ Jeannette, is everyone your "dearest good neighbor". ]

[flatcola]

You're doing it for free? This isn't some little old lady's sidewalk.

[ Like Kozakura. Come do chores for her. ]

[darcangel]

Is it not just as important to clear everyone's sidewalk?

[ Otherwise people could be put in danger just by the need to go about their day!

She wrestles with a stubborn piece of ice, finally dislodging it. Away with you, before someone hurts themselves.... ]

[flatcola]

Businesses are supposed to take care of their properties, and the city is supposed to ensure the safety of public walkways.

[ Kozakura is the type to harass the Owner if they're being irresponsible though. ]

Either way it's hard work.

[darcangel]

And when that help arrives, they will be welcome. Until then, I shall ease their task.

[ Jeanne honey you can't lift that big a pile of snow. Jeanne.

Jeanne put that thing back where it came from or so help me. ]

[flatcola]

That's as big as I am. Calm down.

[ Imagining herself being shoveled and tossed. ]

[darcangel]

I am -

[ Rrrgh. Hm. Jeanne lowers the shovel. Yanks it out. Taps it on the ground to rid it of residual snow.

......Chops it down to cut the pile in half like she's splitting a watermelon. ]

[flatcola]

...see? You don't want to shovel an entire Kozakura. Just don't chop me in half.

[darcangel]

It is good to know not to chop a person!

[ I wonder why this girl gets along well with Saint-"if you insist on giving me Yourself for Christmas, Cagliostro, put on some clothes, it's cold out"-Germain. ]

[flatcola]

It - yeah. Yeah, that is true.

[ Repeating it like that is waaaay more concerning than cringing at the bad joke. ]

[darcangel]

Then you have nothing to fear.

[ The smile of someone who does not realize this is the most awkward conversation known to man. ]