Someday my prince will come // Open

[ourparadise]

Who: Koharu & Other Mission Members PLUS anyone walking by
What: Kissing Frogs is...sure a mission.
When: All day!
Where: In a corner of a courtyard in Ironwall
Rating: PG? Kissing of Frogs WARNING

Settled in the corner of a courtyard, the sound of frogs is audible a few streets over. A dozen small boxes litter a circle around Koharu, settled as she is on bench, and a flask of water to one side. A little frog is balanced uncertainly on her palm, croaking. A thousand frogs split between a few girls was still far too many frogs, she thought, but it was a mission she was unfailingly qualified for. No one would let her do anything unless she took missions--or that's what she'd heard.

A little sigh and she leans down to kiss the frog's head--easily the least weird part to kiss--when the frog simply hops out of her hands and across the courtyard.

"No--no come back. Come back!" Raising her skirt to avoid tripping, she gives chase, trying to catch the stupid thing without actually hurting it. It pauses at the edge of traffic and she nearly has it--before it hops just a foot away from her hands.

"No--stop hopping!"

Comments

[ourparadise]

Well they're considered old-fashioned? It's not as nice if you aren't the princess I suppose...But I had friends who were very into the idea of princesss...and knights. That whole idea.

[She kisses the next frog quickly] I generally think it is.

[ourparadise]

It really would be. That sounds like an excellent idea. [She goes to look at her crate] Should I come to you, or you to me?

[ourparadise]

"Not at all. Just would make this a little more exciting if something actually did happen."

She reaches for a new frog and frowns, "Well traditionally it should be a kiss of true love. I did...actually wonder about that. Maybe their fairy tales are different. Or she just wants to cheat."

[ourparadise]

"Oh..." She flushes and shakes her head, waving her hands in denial, "Oh no, you don't have to. It's just...sort of intimidating." She laughs shrugging her shoulders a little, "All those books and scholars looking for things. I should try to go in anyways. Look around."

[balzams]

"It's not as intimidating as you might think... If someone like me can spend the day reading there I'm sure you can too," Latvia jested lightly. The sheer number of books there caused him more curiosity than intimidation.

"Besides, I'll probably be looking for books like that myself. If I find where they are I'll be sure to tell you."

[ourparadise]

Koharu laughs, "But you're a scholar. I'm not. Oh--you like those too?"

She perks up a little. Some people find it childish or silly but...

[someonetocarry]

"Pretty sure it's that she wants to cheat. Anybody out to get a prince ain't really likely to care so much how, right?" Zoe's tone is dry, and she puts her hands on her hips, eying the collection of frogs. A thought that has occurred to her already decides to surface. "Wonder if we get the coin even if we don't get any princes."

[prideinbattle]

Yeah unfortunately. I wasn't trained in this type of fighting. I was a pilot. It's different, but I learn fast so I'm sure I'll be able to move up through the ranks quickly.

[balzams]

That word still sounded strange to him.
"Heh, I'm... I'm really not a scholar. I mean I like books but I only joined the guild because you weren't expected to fight..."

That makes him sound a little cowardice doesn't it...?
No, no he's sensible for knowing where his limits are. Latvia keeps telling himself that.


"But yes, I'm very fond of romance and poetry. But I think all genres have something that's worth reading."

[ourparadise]

"I understand, that's why I became a merchant. I didn't really want to be a fighter." Not that she looks it in a dress and hair mostly loose down her back, "I've never read much poetry that isn't Japanese. I don't think it translated well to be honest. But I like romantic stories."

[nowiwins]

Oh, what is there not to like about princesses and knights?! It's just all so... magical!

[ Nowi kisses another one. ]

But there isn't much magic in kissing a frog... [ She lets out a small giggle. ]

[balzams]

"Ah, that's... haiku and things like that, right?" That's pretty much the extent of his knowledge on Japanese poetry. He would have liked to read more too but as she said, it didn't always translate well and he grasp on Japanese was pretty meager.

"Romance stories are some of my favourite. Some of them are so ridiculous and unrealistic you can't help but laugh!" Latvia smiled.

Surely that was... not quite what she meant.

[ourparadise]

"I hope so. I doubt they're any princes to be found in this batch of frogs." Koharu raised an eyebrow at all the girls kissing frogs with not a single bit of luck, "It does seem...Rather sad. To hire people to find your prince for you."

[ourparadise]

At least you've had training in something. It has to prepare you for this in some way.

[ourparadise]

"They have several different forms but I don't know them all. But haiku is the most simple and beautiful." She smiles and shrugs. Some were ridiculous and those were fun to read in a different level.

"I think I like the stories where things aren't smooth but they still end up together. Romantic stories like that. I guess it's silly to read for the cute stories."

[ourparadise]

Not much magic at all. I like the ideas of princesses much better than this. [She giggles herself]

But she wanted to pay us to do it so...

[someonetocarry]

"Little bit, yeah." She moved to collect her second frog for kissing, and added, with a lighter tone, "I've never found princes to be th'best choice for men, anyhow. Too stuck up, too used t'gettin' their own way. Get herself a nice earthy fellow, she'll be better off."

Not that she'd met many princes. But she'd sure met people who felt like they should've been, and people who were rich enough to be.

[prideinbattle]

I guess I'm a lot better off than some people in the guild with no experience. What do you do?

[balzams]

Latvia gives a quiet hum and shrugs his shoulders. His relationship with those kinds of books was... odd. He criticized them for how unrealistic they were but used them as a form of escapeism. There's no place he'd rather be than in a book.

"I suppose no matter how the story is told it's still unrealistic. It would be nice if those kinds of romances could happen in real life though," he mused.

[afrozendance]

Maybe you should come with me... I'm in a more quiet spot, so the noises won't scare our frogs more than they already are.

[nowiwins]

As much as I am all for princesses getting their princes...this frog kissing keeps getting grosser and grosser. [ She tries to giggle, but the slime was just not funny. ]

What do you think happens when one of these little guys turns into... well—a big guy?

[ourparadise]

Koharu shrugs a little, "Do you really think romances can't happen like they do in the books? I know a lot of them aren't realistic, but is it bad to want things to be...more well...romantic? Well I guess it's not what really happens, love at first sight or overcoming obstacles, but it happens sometimes."

[ourparadise]

"If we're going with fairy tales, I like knights better. They're brave and can fight and all of the important things." She's put a bit more thought into this than she cares to admit to a relative stranger. A little more head in the clouds than she normally is, but reenacting a fairy tales does bring that out of her.

"But I suppose if she's going to insist on a prince perhaps they are made for each other. Same values." And that's as close as she'd get to openly condemning.

[ourparadise]

I'm actually a merchant. Or at least I'm one here. At home I was nothing in particular.

[ourparadise]

That sounds like a good plan. [Koharu picked up the crate and hefted it up to her hip. It did have the side effect of disturbing the frogs and the chorus of croaks gets a little louder] Lead the way.