Rebuilding Castle Town [Event] [Completed]

[Emily]

Image modified from original by Prema-Ja on Tumblr

Reverie stood up straight for what felt like the first time in hours, and bent backward a bit to stretch out the knots in her back that seemed to appear. She'd spent the morning following the instructions of the various Gerudo, who were dictating how to create wooden frameworks for homes, and where to place them. She was grateful that her hands had already been covered in callouses, because even with that experience, they were beginning to cramp from constant hammering and sawing. She felt an unexpected kinship with the Gerudo, who were also pushing themselves to near exhaustion in what she assumed was some manner of flexing, though it could also just be in their nature.

She also related to the Gerudo in that they also seemed somewhat out of place in this climate. The Hylians, Zoras, and even the Rito seemed to be entirely suited to this type of morning, even occasionally commenting on how perfect the weather was, but Reverie had noticed the occasional shiver or muttered comment about the cold from her Gerudo coworkers. And, though the morning had been relatively cool, Reverie could feel sweat making the tunic stick to her back and neck. It wasn't the first time she had sweat while labouring, but the experience was extremely uncommon, and she had never sweat to this extent.

Not for the first time, she wondered at how warm it felt here. Hyrule Castle Town was the most central location in all of Hyrule- on the northern extent of the centre, in fact. By all accounts, it was a somewhat cool morning, though nothing out of the ordinary. And yet she found it unpleasant. Was she truly so foreign to this place, only a few generations removed, that the land of eternal winter she came from made her incompatible with this place? Also not for the first time, her thoughts went back to the tent. Was she the only one who felt so out of place? Perhaps during this oncoming break, she would check in.

"Attention everyone," came Riju's address, ushering her team to gather around. "It seems Hudson purchased more supplies than we actually require. Queen Zelda has requested we take this opportunity to decide among ourselves how we utilise this. We can make the choice either to build a Castle Town full of gardens and orchards, or one full of buildings, for more homes and businesses. Please convey your votes to Buliara or myself, and then take some time to rest. I am informed that food has been provided for all of us. Sarqso."

Reverie had no real concept either direction on what Hyrule Castle Town should look like. She respected the conceit of this activity: if everyone had a voice in choosing what their city would look like upon completion, they would feel more of a connection to it and the other people in it. But she didn't plan on living here, she just wanted to help midwife the rebirth of this kingdom. It mattered little what the child looked like, as her grandmother had occasionally said, as long as it's healthy. If it were up to her, there would be a healthy balance of plants to buildings; after all, how else was a city to survive, except to sustain itself from within, in both population and supplies?

Were it to be one or the other, Reverie ultimately felt it made more sense to focus on plant life. From what she understood about the Hyrule Castle Town of old, once the guardian fires started, they quickly became out of control. This was, of course, mostly due to the ongoing attack, but it was helped by the close proximity of buildings. Furthermore, she seemed to remember the city existing beyond the walls, not limited to the boundaries it had supplied itself. There was no reason such a phenomenon was limited to the past. And so, upon delivering her vote to Buliara, she made to join the crowd, but something else caught her eye. A man, seemingly on the verge of losing his stomach if not consciousness, at the edge of the watchtower. Curious, she approached.

"Do you need help?" she asked cautiously.

[AmJanky]

Seeing Gao sputter an apology and fumble the handshake was acutely endearing, for as much brute force as the man displayed in his countenance he put on show the energy of a Hylian Retriever running after his own tail.

"Don't worry about it," Axel chuckled, he had known worse interactions and just hoped his joke wouldn't come off in poor taste now, "I do hope it all can be used for a better purpose now that we can shake the throes of wars and weaponry."


The Lurelin connection that Axel had guessed at certainly was there. Small wonder he hadn't immediately seen the Sheikah for a Sheikah, even though the signs were there. There was nothing really conventionally, or traditionally, Sheikahn about Gao.
Whereas Axel's appearance was absolutely unmistakable. A thing that just happened to people hailing from a pretty secluded village, that only really opened up after the upheaval rained whole sky islands onto it and Paya became the Village's 'Elder'. Although there had been that one Rito Axel had sometimes seen in passing.

"Holding down forts does seem to be a thing old mums are really good at..." If the world had been run by old mums they maybe wouldn't have had a need for automated giants. He wondered for a second if the faraway gaze Gao displayed was also brought on by an irrational fear of old mums and their impeccable aim with slippers. He couldn't count the number of times he was hit on the head with one, seemingly out of nowhere, usually accompanied by a 'Be sure to bring back my slipper!' Or maybe that wasn't a universal Sheikah thing and it was just him.

The thought was interrupted by an announcement coming from Yunobo.

"Attention everyone, it seems Hudson purchased more supplies than we actually require. It's up to us to decide how to build the city, so we get to choose between more buildings and more nature spaces, goro!" Yunobo punched a fist into his other palm for emphasis, though he wasn't entirely sure what he was emphasizing. "But first, there is lunch provided. The best dishes from all over Hyrule and plenty of desserts for everyone!"


"Anyway, you're very welcome to help with the distribution of said whatever these things are." He always thought the difference between nails and rivets being rather arbitrary. Their purpose was fastening things to other things, the making of both required a hammer, whatever. "Mind you, the boxes are heavy." As if the warning would matter to the brute of a man, he looked like he'd be up for the challenge regardless.

The mention of lunch did its work then, the lunch bell rang by way of Axel's stomach loudly protesting, "Uuuh... Excuse me, I may have skipped breakfast." He didn't remember, but very likely. "Care to join me for a bite?"

[Rex Draco]

Sin | Central Hyrule| Arc I
____________________

From the outside, looking in Sin looked like any other Zora, but among his kind he was a curiosity. Where blues and greens were the norm, red and black were something uncommon, but his russet, almost earthen scales stood out among the bunch. To a Hylian his height was average, but to a Zora his build was uniquely filled, a body more fit for terrestrial activities with clawed webbed toes and a gait that pulled his weight rather than tugged at his steps.

It was those smooth steps that allowed the monk to weave about the crowd with an almost haunting grace. Like a Poe flittering between grave markers, Sin twisted around the gathering bodies as easily as a petal falling into a spring. He seemed to avoid touching anyone. He offered no handshakes, he made sure to maintain a distance that wherever someone even stepped back suddenly, he could case around them as if he were just a memory.

He took his time to rove the scrumptious spread. There were dishes from all over, yet few interested him. When living in the sect food was a commodity and when meals could be had there was only one that he favored above all else. It was a special dish, one of two, that the monastery specialized in making. One was for travel in order to sustain oneself and the other to fill one's belly. There it was! Though crowded by a display of fruit he could easily spy it among the distractions. When he laid his eyes upon his prey he struck! Stepping around the reaching limbs he pulled up to the layout of luxurious luncheons and lurched out to labor for his prize.

Seafood Riceballs.

So simple, yet so filling. Rice went with everything. You could make curries and stews. Alcohol and candy was yet another treat rice could produce. Yet here, in its worldly form, was a dish staple to the cult's members. Leaving not a crumb, Sin would snag the platter whole and tear away from the display before the crowd began to pincer him in. A dashing escape with a pile plate of food. Finding a spot to stand he would begin the arduous task of stuffing his face. Parting his fang-filled maw, the male would proceed to plunge a whole riceball into his mouth in a single bite. Strong jaws came crashing down onto the unsuspecting meal, shredding it apart before it hit his tongue. Once his mouth snapped shut, none would be privy to the terror to befall the fishy filets rolled in rice.

The oddest thing was that he stayed far, far away from the other Zora, this even the plainest Hylian could see.

[El]

"I hope they'll allow us more than just a bite," Gao grumbled, a pout of a frown crumpling up his face. Initially, the exaggeration of it all was intended to be comedic. But then of course his own stomach HAD to go and howl in response to Axel's, as if the two organs were sharing a primal discourse and it needed to get the last - loudest - word in. Sigh. Sometimes Gao swore he was harbouring a little demon in there.

The Sheikah scratched at his flushed ear and cleared his throat. "Well, I guess that settles that. Onwards then!" He chuckled weakly. "All the more so if you skipped breakfast, you madlad! How in Hylia's name did you manage to get this far without some fuel in yer?!" He lightly ribbed, nudging the smith with his elbow. But the scolding edge to his wonky grin lasted perhaps a touch longer than was socially acceptable for someone you'd just met - Gao was genuinely displeased. "Food is a serious business! Especially breakfast! Even if you'd just sat on your ass all day your body needs its nutrients!"

Gao had never skipped breakfast before. Well, if he had, it was a memory overwritten by the many times his Dad had instead promptly whipped him with his spatula upon discovering his stock for the day ransacked - yet again - by his son's greedy gnashers. It had taken Gao far too many years for the lesson to actually settle in though, despite the many treks he was often then forced out on, to grab last minute ingredients as restock. Thinking back on it, it was probably in no small part because the restaurant's customers had become accustomed to the regular incidents and treated it all with good, familial humour. He could still recall their warm laughter amidst his father's gruff, grumbling curses as if it were yesterday.

...I miss you, Dad.

"Though... in all seriousness, I'm kinda concerned." Gao confessed, deciding to confide in his fellow buff-bro as they approached the lunch area. The spread that had been laid out for them was nothing short of magnificent, in his books, rich in both its variety and quality. A wealth of familiar scents and delicious sights assaulted his senses, waking more old memories and further irritating the poor temper of his stomach-demon. "NOT about your breakfast that is - though that was stupid of you -" Gao continued, not missing a beat as he dropped that hot jab, "-but rather because my appetite is ravenous and I have no idea how much would be appropriate to consume on this occasion."

He watched then with a lingering gaze as one of his personal favourites - Seafood Riceballs - was promptly snatched away by a remarkable beast of a Zora, platter and all: the sight starkly reminiscent of a reptile snapping at its prey before dragging it down into deeper waters. A silent disappointment settled in Gao's not-so-silent, whining gut to see his first preference gone in a heartbeat. And he'd only just arrived!!! But the sting of it all was glossed over by an intriguing observation: the Zora's gait upon land was the smoothest - and easiest - he'd ever seen one of his kind manage. It was one thing to have a more unique appearance, but even his mannerisms had different traits. Curious. Just what sort of life had he led...?

"Considering it's free, I suppose we'd only be allowed a few plates at most, right...? Or just-...'one'*?" Gao muttered, pulling his attention back to the more pressing issue at hand, but finding a sliver of hope in his predicament. For though the bulky Zora had earned more than a few disgruntled, judging glares no-one had yet confronted him to tell him off.

...Thooooough, honestly? Gao suspected the Zora's intimidating air was largely to blame for that. Even if he hadn't had the physique to back it up, he didn't look like the sort of guy most people would risk riling up. And unfortunately for Gao, it didn't even cross his mind that he'd probably be able to do the exact same thing if he tried. His heart was too squidgy for that. Too prone to guilt. Easy to poke. Quick to regret. A silly bear too often over-concerned about others, so he'd probably just starve instead.

"But then again, we ARE doing volunteer labour so shouldn't we be entitled to more than just a regular serving...?" He clasped his hands before his chin and fell into serious contemplation. "But entitlement is a bad. And what do people call a regular serving anyway? I need to find other plates to judge so I can calculate this properly."

[Windwright]

Outside the main gathering, on the ruined road leading into the town, the sound of rolling wagon wheels started building, and an odd sight began cresting the horizon. Some kind of odd, lumpy L shape began working its way up the thoroughfare and slowly resolving itself into a cloaked figure stooped under the weight of an absurdly heavy looking load on his back, and another in the cart he was pulling along behind him. The thick cloak around him did much to conceal his identity, but the beak peeking out from under the hood betrayed his race, at least.

As he trundled up to the ruins of the former gatehouse, the figure finally laid down the bar letting him pull the cart and wiped his brow on the sleeve of his cloak. The bird pulled an instrument from one of the many exterior pockets of his backpack and sat on his cart to try to see the lay of the land. To wit: Most of the efforts seemed to be organized by home village, with a few line-crossers. A lot of construction going on, none of it for his little inn, but people seemed to be taking a break. A break with food, but no music. Ergo, the best place for him to be...

Riva hummed and set his pack down, then tilted his cart so that the long poles were positioned to the vertical, with the base now resting on the ground, so that any would-be thieves would have a time of it. Then he threaded the straps of his pack through the spokes of one wheel and tied them together. His worldly possessions thus secured, he strolled over to the buffet line, playing an ancient melody he'd learned from his mentor on the concertina, one that any Rito could recognize. After all, Kass and his family made sure the melody echoed from the root to the roost of Rito Village by day.

"A taste of the exotic, and a taste of home. That's the Innkeeper's Way." Riva said, mostly to himself, as he took up a position behind the end of the line where his music could be heard but he wouldn't be in the way of the hungry workers. That wouldn't do at all, after all.

[AmJanky]

What followed once both their stomachs were done singing the song of their people, though it didn't involve slippers, was a scolding. All in jest, however, Axel's initial reaction was to zone out a little and let his eyes wander to the point where it was only barely noticeable that he wasn't fully paying attention to what exactly was being said.

They were a ways off, but his gaze stuck on a scene involving two people, one of which was in a very intimate hug with the top of a planter, the other - a lady with hair that sparkled a brilliant blue in the light of the sunny day - standing near the stricken with the body language that suggested making an inquiry for help. Axel couldn't know why the first person would be having such a rough time of it, but made a mental note to skip the shellfish, just in case.
Snapping him back to the food issue, he really was that hungry.

"Food is a serious business!"

Gao was right, so it was. However there were days when dinner was lunch and breakfast was supper, but he'd better not elaborate too much about that admittedly insane schedule to someone so passionately advocating for proper nutrition. He turned his full attention back to Gao just in time to catch another hot jab in his direction, rather guiltily he smiled and muttered, "I am aware..."
 
"Considering it's free, I suppose we'd only be allowed a few plates at most, right...? Or just-...'one'?"

"Well, if that was any indication..." Giving the Zora that had just unceremoniously appropriated a whole dish of rice balls - and was in the process of cramming them whole into his gob - a head to toe look, finding him rather imposing and carrying an air that said 'speak to me and yer dead, bruv'.
Then turning back to his current conversational partner - Gao looking rather forlorn over the loss of the rice balls - finding a not all too dissimilar conclusion. Despite the gent's tough looking exterior he seemed to be caught in a bout of extreme overthinking.

"And what do people call a regular serving anyway? I need to find other plates to judge so I can calculate this properly."

Axel turned and hovered as far as to certainly be in Gao's range of vision, a smile on his face that betrayed not worry but extreme amusement by the whole ramble, holding a plate out to him, "It's not really a good day for such trivial worries, now is it?"

He left the plate in Gao's hands and continued perusing the wares spread on the table.

"You must know you could get away with ravenous? I'm sure the Hudson boys would even cheer you on, would you attempt to upend the entire table in one go." Axel shrugged, he had put a melty cheesy bread and a couple of mushroom skewers on his own plate and continued to the desserts and fruits. But even in the face of the incredible amount of food felt the urgent need to clarify himself,

"That wasn't a challenge." 

Meanwhile, he found what he had been looking forward to finding the most amongst the fruits. Skipping the more exotic voltfruits and hydromelons and eyeing the banana bunches suspiciously for a second, he then jabbed one of the claw's prongs straight into an apple. Spearing it effectively in place while his real hand balanced the plate with the rest of the food he had selected. Casually pointing the skewered apple in Gao's direction before motioning back to the table.

"Just pick something, by the looks of it there should be plenty for seconds. Thirds, if need be. Besides, you cannot convince me that you could actually eat several whole roast birds and all the pizzas laid out here..." Attempting to take a bite, changing his mind and adding one final thought,

"Again; not a challenge." 

Only then savouring the sweet treat, just as a Rito moved in to play a sweet ditty on his concertina. Dinner Lunch and a show.

[Sav'saaba]

Yaku

Of old sorrows long past their sting, of simple delights too many times taken for granted: he clung to memories and lived experiences that he was certain were his, to ward against the restless spirits so numerous in this place picking and clawing at him, insidiously looking to breach the temporary vacuum between where soul meets body.

It was hard to make out who belonged here and who didn't. The worst of this discombobulation would soon wane, as the sights and sounds and smells of the living world flooded over him like the washing waters of the River of the Dead.

Unless the woman who so kindly showed concern about him knew of a way to have his body and spirit stop reacting like oil and water, there really wasn't anything he could ask of her, apart from perhaps a shoulder to lean onto, because his legs felt as stable as Chu jelly. The cautious edge to her enquiry made him lock eyes with her -guileless grey-, his swimming with an apology he would have wanted to utter to her.

"I don't think they invented a cure for this quite yet," he told the woman with a wan smile, attempting to soothe her concern, "those Gerudo drinks are something else. Maybe if I eat something I will feel better."

Moving among the hungry workers that were likely to gather around a free buffet would aid tremendously in grounding him.

Ghosts do not eat.

"You must be hungry, too. Care to join me?"  He offered her an arm, and would she take it, he would follow her lead.

[Chaosome]

Having gotten to the... for lack of a better term, feeding grounds, early, Malon had the good fortune of being able to people watch while he enjoyed his meal. It wasn't every day that you got to see so many peoples from so many walks of life in one place after all! For so long, everyone had stayed off in their own little corners of Hyrule, perhaps now with the revival of Castle Town that would change... the Rito hummed thoughtfully to himself as he closed his eyes and ate, savouring the tender, flaky, and perfectly seasoned grilled fish...

Ahhh~ He could see it now! The town's market area filled with shopkeepers from all walks of life hawking their wares, travelers from all corners of the land coming and going from the inn and restaurants, the sound of concertina music drifting through the air... Wait just a second, that wasn't just in his head this time... he was pretty sure anyway! Malon's eyes blinked open before popping in the last bite of a riceball as he looked around. He hadn't spotted the source just yet, but it certainly piqued his interest... As did the fact his plate was empty, when had that happened he wondered as he licked a stray grain of rice from his beak. Ah well, a second plate wouldn't hurt, maybe some dessert on the side! And he could see if he could spot the source of that music through the crowd!

Whistling out in the tune of a violin as he hopped up from his seat, Malon strolled his way over back towards the tables where the food had been laid out, his footfalls matching the Rito he had observed earlier. If he were to ever go and visit their village, he wouldn't want to stick out like a sore thumb. He looked at his hand and squinted. Did they use that turn of phrase? He wiggled his feather digits in thought. That cart however was soon to be derailed as it crashed into what felt like a brick wall. Luckily the casual stroll meant that he hadn't fallen onto his tailfeathers as he bumped into Gao, to whom which it likely felt someone had thrown a sheet of paper at his back.

The bird let out a small, startled trill before clearing his throat. "Ah! Sorry about that! Mind was somewhere else while I was still right here!" he'd apologize with a laugh and a grin as he stepped back, finally getting an actually look at the wall he had walked beak first into. "Oh!" Malon blinked in surprise and glanced between the two other Sheikah. "I think I know you two. Gao aaaaand... Axel right?" pointing a feathery digit between the two of them Malon would nod confidently. While he didn't know every single Sheikah personally, Malon did make it a point to try and at least learn what he could about his fellows even if it was just a face and a name.

While the music still played in the background, Malon had been distracted entirely from his initial main goal at this point and slipped around the side of the other two with his plate to fetch some... "Aww man who took all the seafood riceballs?" the sound of a Zora gnashing into his meal sounded in the short distance...

[Sav'saaba]

Lucke

A monster made of a bedroll twisted around a woman's frame emerged stumbling from the tent.  Trying to will her way to full consciousness on what she guessed were less than five hours of interrupted sleep, Lucke kicked herself free from her cocoon.
Scowling against the light, the woman took note of the sun already nearing its midpoint, and the little camp being empty, the only distinct sounds birdsong and the rustle of brush a little ways off that she recognized as her Tabantha moose browsing for verdant twigs and whatever else the beast fancied to munch on. Lucke had tried registering the mount at the stables, but one of those assholes had actually banned her from the establishment for attempting so. Not that it really mattered, because the moose would never stray far.

Shit.

She darted around the camp in a daze, gathering her things as she pulled a comb through her bedhead, moved on to hastily scrubbing her teeth, and then noticed a plate of bread and dried fruits, thoughtfully set out for her.

No time for breakfast!

Currently Lucke wasn't sure if she was more endeared by Revvie's gesture of not waking her up, or more miffed that she let her sleep in. Maybe a bit of both.

Where the hell was her piece of slate?!

It wasn't like their camp was a mess, because with Revvie's disciplined self it never was, but it was more that her organization had yet to rub off on Lucke's not-so-controlled chaos.

Reverie acted, not reacted.
She was disciplined.
She was well-trained.
Every impulsive move she had ever made in her entire life had been the fault of one single Sheikah.

Shitshitshit.

She stubbed her toe against something, hard -wasthatahalfburiedtreasurechestwhatthefuck- and howled.

Uttering a blue streak of curses that she couldn't properly pronounce –but that didn't make it feel any less good- she yanked her freshly washed clothing off the makeshift washing line and thrashed out of the shirt she had slept in, before slipping on the base layer of her outfit.

Considering the climate in Central Hyrule  she'd much prefer to stay dressed in the fitted crop-top only, but shrugged the robes over her head anyway. Uncomfortable with having the network of knotted patterns and sigils that started between the crests of her shoulder blades and spidered down her spine being on display in the company of strangers, she would always make it a point to cover them up.

Something weighted knocked free from the fabric, and it dropped with a light thud onto the earth.  Because of course it was still sitting in her robes. She rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh, blowing a lock of fiery hair out of her face.

▪────  ⚔  ────▪

Being among crowds was something Lucke enjoyed; most of the time, no one was looking for conversation, the people just collectively moving from one point to another like a school of minnows. As she passed into the heart of the town's remnants proper, she could tell that she must have arrived during an allotted break, the noises of construction work almost non-existent against the din of music and conversation and tinkling tableware that carried towards her from long tables decked out with all sorts of platters containing colourful dishes, many of which she had never seen before.

Although Lucke's sense of smell was not as keen as it once had been, the different fragrances that wafted to her as she moved past the tables had her stomach rumble. Would she get away with sneaking some wildberry crêpes back to camp? Or a piece of cheesecake? A sucker for desserts she was, what with their soft and fluffy texture that often overcame eating being a chore.

The more heavily spiced dishes -actual food- that she tended to gravitate towards looked really enticing too, yet she was unenthused about stowing away a plate of curry pilaf in her robes. Lucke bit her lip as she pondered and took a furtive glance around her, not in the least to see if  she spotted a flash of that familiar blue somewhere, but no.

Up ahead, two rather burly men -one so of her ilk that she scoffed with disdain at the sight of his traditional garb and silvery tresses- were standing near the table with fruits. The Sheikahn fellow's inspection of the stacked bananas lasted just a beat too long, and that was not lost on her, and a bout of giggles erupted from her, so tickled was she by his displayed suspicion of fruit.
Deeply amused, she turned away from the tables, to find some unused scaffolding to gracefully scale and watch the world go by from her perch.

Lucke was no freeloader, and eating here was out of the question to her anyway.

[El]

A hearty, jovial laughter boomed from the very depths of Gao's chest. "NOT a challenge? Neither of them?" He pressed, the dimples of his cheeks deepening as he allowed his guffaw to simmer out into less obtrusive chuckles.

Perhaps a prouder man would've felt insulted - or even just embarrassed - to realise how quickly a stranger had sussed him out: navigating the knotted ball of anxieties Gao had tangled himself up in with ease, and successfully cluing onto his other tendencies to boot. But the scholar had - in his growing years - learned to see past such petty things when the result was so amiable: one small tug of a joke (or two) and Axel had the whole thing unravelled as if it'd never been there at all. Silly goon, it was just a plate of food.

"Thanks, mate."

Gao didn't feel the need to elaborate, the gratitude was sincere and that was that. He did however decide against what would've been a habitual slap on the smith's shoulder with his spare hand to punctuate the sentiment.

Something about the way the impaled apple caught his eye again gave him pause, you see. Gao very much doubted Axel had meant for it to come off as a threat but-... well, it definitely tightened the muscles in his stomach nonetheless. He had skewered that poor thing like it was a chunk of warm butter: effortlessly and without hesitation. It was practical though - Gao had to give him that - being able to handle more food was a strategy never to be looked down upon.

...Actually yeah, on a third-thought maybe the slap wasn't a good idea after all: what if the unexpected blow disturbed the balance of Axel's delicious, stacked bounty?! He winced internally at the thought, fighting back a more evident grimace as the nightmarish imagery of fresh food dashed across the dirty floor assaulted his mind's eye. Nah. No. Nope. Don't risk that. Know your strength, Gao.

"Boko's breath tho', we're kinda spoiled for choice though aren't we?" He took a moment to look over the vast spread again and reassess his preferences: just in time for a comfortable, lively tune of a concertina to greet his ears. Well that was pretty damn great - the Queen had even thought of bringing music to their break?! Gao's smile melted more naturally upon his lips, but the bubbling-screech of his stomach kept his attention firmly fixed on the question of food.

Meat? Meat was good. Bread was a far rarer food for him though, and that cheesy stuff Axel had pinched looked satisfying to gnaw on. Hmm, but when was the last time he had a good dessert?! NGH! THE CHOICES! Maybe he'd just copy Axel like a new kid attached to his 'bestie' in the school cafeteria and pick his way down the rows, taking a little bit of everything.

...But meat was still the best first choice. He quite fancied the look of those-!

.......?

.............Did his plate just vibrate?

Oh. OH a collision.

Gao turned just in time to see a Rito hurriedly spew out his apologies. But far more surprising than the unexpected encounter was the fact that he knew his name. What? And Axel's too?! Who? From where? How'd a Rito of all races kno-......oooooooh. OOOOOOH! One quick glance at the fellow's characteristically - indisputably - Sheikah garb and it all clicked into place.

It was THAT guy.

Given, Gao very rarely visited Kakariko Village, but on the trips he did make his distant relatives had mentioned this odd but incredibly skilled Rito numerous times. The details eluded his foggy memory, but he recalled enough to know that despite the stranger's peculiar upbringing - and at times eccentric mannerisms also - he was absolutely no fool. On the contrary, his memories were distinctly coloured with glowing praise. And it was TOUGH to impress most of those old farts.

But... shit. The Rito knew his name but Gao didn't know his. Well this was really fucking awkward.

He quickly shot a pleading, sidewards glance at Axel, lifting his eyebrows in a silent prayer that at least he would be familiar with more details.

"Aww man who took all the seafood riceballs?"

-And then Gao was laughing again.

"Someone far wiser than us," He quipped with a lopsided grin.

He decided not to fling the burly beast of a Zora into whatever predicament may occur by pointing him out, so instead Gao stepped - just slightly - to the side to effectively block him from view, and motioned a hand at a few trays of similarly themed dishes. If the Rito hadn't already noticed the culprit, it'd just look like the Sheikah was standing beside him to give him a better view of the banquet. "The balls may have been quaffed - good taste, by the way - but there's still a whole bunch of seafood skewers, curries and soups left! Just to name a few. I'd recommend the Seafood Paella though: if it tastes anything like what I'm used to it'll more than satisfy the same cravings. Hearty, flavourful stuff!"

[Rex Draco]

Sin| Central Hyrule| Arc I
____________________

The intensity others felt around SIn was not all in their heads, but neither was it for show. The malicious contempt that seemed to radiate off the intimidating hulk of a fish was less so that of a predator and more towards the intensity of killing intent. It was something many warriors recognized, but would be unlikely to take note of for one simple fact: they were in public. In such a large space, while difficult to hide one's contempt for the individuality that seemed to grace the crowd in spades, it was impossible to completely ignore a blood feud that was several thousands of years old, such as that with the Ujua's hatred towards the royal family. With members of that crowd present it was hard to ignore the boiling hatred that was from generation to generation. He was not yet aware of his own malice and how it flowed off him in waves. It was something that he would have to learn to withhold. That would be in due time.

Shark-like teeth would gnash and gnarl over the squishy cakes of soft, gooey rice and crispy fish. His hunger was admirable and seeing as he was quite young, for a Zora's natural longevity, it was a given that he still had the appetite of one developing. Though he had all his fins and scales he still had growing to do in his mind and spirit. The rice had a bit of a sweet flavor to it that seemed too gentle to be purposeful. The fish was salty with a a hit of umami that touched the tongue just right when squeezed between the teeth, allowing the seasoned meat to rub against the sides of the writhing muscle. For many it would be a surprise to think that any bit of the meal touched down on the man's tongue with the way he took the whole piece in his maw and didn't seem to chew before quickly swallowing. On the contrary, he was able to taste every morsel as it slid down his throat before moving onto the next. It was a treat he rarely was able to feast upon. 

"Aww man who took all the seafood riceballs?"

The voice was small, yet it was somehow also able to carry over the crowd into his tendrils. One of the hanging appendages, which could have been mistaken for braids had one not known better of a Zora, would twitch and lift slightly, much akin to the floppy ear of a dog. The tattooed tentacle, just as quickly as it stood, swung down, as if its movement were naught but the trick of the wind. Slowly turning his deep blue eyes, which appeared sunk in an abyss of obsidian, the fish's head soon followed. He looked around, coming back to focus. His awareness had drifted in the presence of food, moving on instinct to keep at bay the shifting hordes of people as they moved around his body. His attention was first on the complaining Rito, his naturally furrowed brow curling ever so slightly as if cast into a sense of wonderment by her declaration. Slowly biting down on the riceball still clutched between his webbed fingers he seemed to mull over her words.

Having seen a plethora of plates piled high with heaps and humongous portions of food one would think individual races would gravitate towards foods familiar to them. Sin was hardly of the mindset that any non-Zora race would be able to appreciate the salty-sweet combination of the sticky and spongy treat. Pushing the mouthful down his gullet he would curl his lips back over his razor sharp teeth, putting the pearly knives on display. This movement would naturally pull his facial expression up into a scowl. Slowly turning his head towards the busy-bodies he had been assisting he would spot the Lead Researcher who motioned her hands expressively at the perplexed perch. He looked down towards the platter, the thought having never crossed his mind. Normally with such a sizable feast there were few who would be wont for succor, but he did not consider that those aside from the other Zora would be beholden to the fishy treats. He reached down onto the platter and pulled from it exactly three riceballs, setting them down onto a plate which space had been freed thanks to other people partaking in the present delights. He moved his sharp gaze towards Gao before leering in Axel's direction and finally letting his eyes fall down into Malon, he would spread his webbed claws and lean back, leaving behind a Seafood Riceball for each aforementioned individual.

With no words he would step back and peer over to Purah who offered a thumbs up, praising his particular efforts in trying to show a measure, however miniscule, in self control.

"Share." Was the only word he'd speak aloud before returning to his tasty meal, well earned mind you! Well earned.

[Emily]

"I don't think they invented a cure for this quite yet, those Gerudo drinks are something else. Maybe if I eat something I will feel better."

Reverie couldn't stop the smirk from coming on. This odd man in front of her had fallen into a classic trap, something she had seen happen to many young people in her home village. Unmonitored, it seemed alcohol or sweetdrinks would inevitably mix with hard physical labour, and that always ended badly. "You will be good as new with some food."

""You must be hungry, too. Care to join me?"

"That sounds- good."

She had been in the process of offering a helping hand to the Hylian, and as he offered his arm, smoothly changed her trajectory to give him the support he sought. During the time she'd spent working this morning, she had spoken offhandedly on a few occasions to the Gerudo with whom she worked, but this was the first time she was actually talking to another Hylian. As they began walking toward the designated dining space, she once more marvelled at the strange feeling of being around Hylians she didn't know intimately well. It came with a feeling like ice in her veins. She hadn't introduced herself- when was the last time she had introduced herself to someone? "I am Reverie, what's your name?"

Upon arriving once more in the crowd of people, Reverie caught sight of someone she had been concerned about this entire time. Lucke had spent some time sleeping in- given what she had escaped from, Reverie felt Lucke should get plenty of rest, at least for the time being- and seemed more comfortable with the crowd than Reverie did. Which was a pleasant surprise. The warrior could immediately see, however, that the Sheikah had decided she hadn't earned the right to eat.

The plan crystallised instantly. Reverie always felt significantly more comfortable when she knew what to do, and would have visibly relaxed. Her gaze temporarily shifted to the food displayed before them. Good, plenty of variety, a large percentage of which she had never seen before. In fact, she was unfamiliar with most of the raw ingredients here. She didn't know what would mix badly with further work, so at least for lunch, Reverie decided to stick to things she was familiar with. Once she and Yaku had found a place to relax, she assured him she would return as soon as she got something to eat, and set back off.

First, to do what was necessary to keep the team at peak efficiency. She took the deepest bowl of curried pilaf- with the least chance of spillage- and manoeuvred through the crowd to her partner. Once the opportune moment presented itself, Reverie gently shoved the bowl into Lucke's hands, firm resolve in her eyes. But once the gaze was met, her expression softened into a smile. "Good morning. Come, I have agreed to eat with someone, and it would not be complete without you."

On the way back, she grabbed a bowl of pumpkin stew and a couple mushroom rice balls for herself, along with a few chunks of lightly-cooked meat. Upon returning to the designated eating space- somewhere just outside the crowd and under a tree, she did the proper introductions. "Yaku, this is my partner, Lucke. Lucke, meet Yaku." If Lucke had trouble handling the slate and food simultaneously, Reverie was confident she could deal with the 'translation', as it were.

Finally, she let out a sharp, very short whistle. The answering call came from further afield, where Valour had been scouting. He arrived shortly afterward, circling down and landing on a branch above her head. "And that's my hawk, Valour." She tossed one of the meat chunks upward. The Islander Hawk snatched it out of the air and let out a content squawk.

[Emily]

Event Post

"I see," Zelda said, looking over the results. "The consensus seems to be that Castle Town should have more natural spaces, within which the building districts interweave. That will be... quite different from how it once was, but much has changed since the Calamity, and I will be happy to see how things change."

She was talking to Hudson who, along with his wife Rhondson, had helped her count out the votes. Link and the Sages were off somewhere eating, and Zelda clearly looked forward to joining them. It had been her sense of duty that kept her from eating before counting things up. Even now, people had already started returning to work, though most were clearly taking advantage of their allotted recovery time.

"Can't say what it was like back then, of course," replied Hudson, "but nothing stopping us from still having lots of buildings in the walls. Maybe trees and hanging vines in alleyways, more multi-family homes. It'll be a real jewel for Hyrule, I think." He was already drawing plans for more home styles, even as he spoke out loud. "Still wish you'd use our patented prefabricated home design, but I respect your wishes. Still, shouldn't be a problem to integrate old-fashioned Hylian architecture design."

Zelda smiled. "You are too kind, Hudson. And you as well, Rhondson. Your team has been most accommodating with our requests, and I am endlessly appreciative. Do not forget to take some time for rest."

As she left, the Queen noted Purah offering a thumbs-up to someone she couldn't quite make out in the crowd. She approached the Lead Researcher. "Purah, I hope it's no bother, but I was hoping we could discuss an idea I had about the academy." The pair went off to get some food and discuss plans for the future.

Over the next half hour, most people had returned to work. They would be planting a lot more trees, installing planter boxes and various types of flowering grasses along the pathways, and erasing some of the outlines for houses. Per Hudson's outlines, some taller buildings for homes were installed, so that multiple families could live in one larger building, ultimately saving space. Some of that space was quickly organised into an orchard, with multiple apple, pear, plum, and cherry trees within it so Castle Town residents would be able to, eventually, have freely-available fruit. Most households had planter boxes at the windows and outside their homes. Plans for courser bee colonies to be placed in the city were also made, though that would take some time to implement.

In the denser places around the central square, various types of growing vines were started next to the new buildings, so that they would grow together. Trees were placed where they could, with flowering bushes lining walkways and shops being surrounded with clover and wildflowers. Hudson's people had clearly been more than prepared for this outcome, and many people from the less-dense village spaces like Hateno and Rito Village were clearly happier in this environment.

The afternoon would see work progressing on multiple of the major projects. King Sidon's team repaired the walls of the reservoir, and were able to begin an underground network of tunnels- based on the old sewer system that had previously existed below the city- to irrigate throughout the newly-gardened city, also allowing for multiple wells to be placed for easy-access water. Though the Cathedral would require a significant time investment, most of the plans were completed early and a foundation was beginning to be dug. Progress was finally able to be made on the Watchtower, after so many of Hudson's people had previously declined to go anywhere near it.

OOC: Much like the last event post, this does not require you to end previously-established scenes. Please continue having your characters eat and socialise. Once the event thread is over, we will continue the rebuilding effort in its own, separate thread, so things can continue and more work can be done in-character. The event will end as the first day of construction ends, but we have a little time left with that.

Also, the final thread is now up. The inn, once it is complete, will be called "The Hyli-Inn", with three votes. The other options, "The Outside Inn," "Hylia's Hearth," "Rauru's Respite," "The Knight's Rest," and "The Dragon's Roost" each received one vote. The current poll will last for the rest of the event, and asks whether the academy, which will involve both scientific and magical study, will specialise in the study of technology or magic.

[Windwright]

As the lunch rush began to die down, Riva took a moment to slip out of his cloak and meander the crowd with his music. Not just to entertain the folks still eating, but to eavesdrop on the workers' conversationslearn who was working where.

"Mistress Purah thinks we can get the fountain running without magic!" "Would it even hold water still?" said one pair of Hylians chasing rice grains around their empty bowls.

"I still say they should have planted more Mighty Bananas!" declared a Gerudo woman to no one in particular.

"I'm not sure how we're going to rebuild the Inn. We found a spot marked for it here, but there are no blueprints..." a scholarly looking Sheikah confided to the Rito she was studying an old surveyor's map with.

When he heard that, Riva offered Nayru a silent prayer of gratitude for making sure he was in the right place at the right time!

He took a mushroom skewer he was offered by one of the food volunteers and munched on it as he mingled until the workers started congregating again in their crews. The Rito joined with Tulin's team to introduce himself properly, "Salutations! My name's Riva, for those who don't know me, and I heard you were looking for an expert on lodgings! I'm no Cecili, but I've made a study of the publicans' arts and may be of some assistance."

Admittedly, the long journey had left his iridescent feathers in disarray, but once he donned his pince-bec, Riva did have the look of a well prepared innkeeper. Or bard, but the outfit wasn't nearly flashy enough for that noble profession. Hopefully they overlooked the scruffiness and appreciated his expertise.

[AmJanky]

Click went one of the digits around the apple it was - for lack of a better word - holding. Axel paid it no mind, it was drowned out by the booming laughter Gao let out.

Glad to see Gao snapping out of whatever had him so vexed; food was, in his own words, important. Axel took a whiff of the cheesy bread on his own plate, relishing the rich smell. As long as the apple was still speared on his mechanical hand, however, he couldn't - not politely, anyway - take a bite out of it.
He had also learned the hard way, the first time he had eaten molten Hateno Cheese, it was treacherously hot. The roof of his mouth had felt weird for days and he had wondered if that was what it would feel like to eat a rock roast.
Either way, apple-

Click, he caught it this time, a digit shutting and opening unprompted, just as he was about to take a bite, it brushed his nose. He narrowed his eyes at it, hoping it would be a one time thing again. The morning's phantom itch had settled too, after all.

When Axel looked up out of this pensive state he just caught the moment a Rito bumped into Gao and apologizing. It was the one Rito who understood what Kakariko Village life could be like. Who then surprised both Sheikah by already having memorized their names.

Gao understandably didn't know, but Axel would, he should, know the name of the only Rito in the village. It was easier to remember one odd Rito, than the names of all the Sheikah - that was just impressive.
In the face of his current predicament, though, Axel had to dig deeper than usual to repay the favor, he knew the Rito mostly by looks... Bird, talons, Talon? Hmm..

"Malon!" He eventually reached the conclusion, kind of just hoping he'd remembered right. It wouldn't matter if Malon caught it or not, he had already moved on to more pressing matters;

"Aww man who took all the seafood riceballs?"

"It -" click "Uh..." With his mind split between keeping an eye on what the Guardian arm kept doing and the current conversation, Axel was a hundred percent ready to at the very least point out the Zora holding the platter with the sought after rice balls.
Weren't it that Gao thought better of it and obscured the gentleman from view, pointing out the rest of the seafood variety. It may have been for the best that Axel didn't get to finish that sentence or the gesture.

However, the imposing Zora did something Axel had not expected from him - and Gao had maybe already given up on - a giant hand grabbed three rice balls from the plate he was holding, and put them back on one of the emptied platters on the table.

"Share." He simply stated, it garnered him a thumbs up from Purah who was standing a few steps away.

Click-click "Uh-oh." He whispered. Axel gingerly put the plate with his food back on the table. A flash of pain drawing through a limb he shouldn't couldn't be feeling.

"Go ahead, share mine too. I have to-" Click-Snap. A sharp intake of breath. All of the claw's digits snapped shut, the rest of the apple breaking in half, both pieces making a soft thud in the dust as they fell away to the ground.

"I have to fix something." He continued, audibly strained now, as the rest of the segments of his arm slightly pulled in on themselves, looking akin to a muscle cramp. Cradling the Guardian arm to his chest, he walked towards the foundations of a house, where he could sit out of the way.

Abandoning the little group that he was about to share lunch with. Not taking note of the trio that had made their station under a tree, an islander hawk zooming in overhead. Not taking note of the music that had started to drift among the crowds, the concertina player expertly weaving through the small groups of people that were still there. Not taking note of the people already going back to work.

His only thought was to get the Damned Thing off.

"Poor timing." he hissed between his teeth, sitting down and shedding a sleeve of his robe to get to the ancient screw that attached the mechanical limb.

The first time something like this happened it had scared him witless, his grandfather had prompted him to take the arm off to check it out. There was nothing out of the ordinary to be found with the inner workings.
Sad as it was to think, it had since become part of Axel's normal. The bouts of pain had become fewer over the years, but he still had found no pattern to when they would occur. The only way he'd found would bring some release was to take the mechanical arm off and just, well, grant his body some rest and come to terms again with not having that limb at all.

Which was what he was attempting, but no matter what he tried he could not get the hardware to budge, a flash to Yunobo jovially hitting him on the shoulder involuntarily crossing his mind.

"Shit." The screw was stuck.