Another holiday ((Activity, open RP, Great Hall))

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

So, it's that time of year when chocolate bunnies remind us that the Romans killed this guy and he didn't oblige them by staying dead. Inconvenient for the Romans, rather important to many others.

But, one of the traditions is eggs. Just what the eggs have to do with anything is up to interpretation...unless you're one of those 'country' people who believe this time of year is to celebrate fertility.

Maddie, for her part, just thinks colored eggs are lovely. She has convinced the house elves to boil her up a few hundred dozen to decorate.

The mun is dreadfully lazy, though, and has yet to decorate Maddie's egg. For shame.

But, there are plenty more for everyone to decorate. And, perhaps, even, the mun can be convinced to do some work.

Comments

[omg-sunflora.livejournal.com]

Sunflora peered around the room. There were a bunch of eggs! They weren't Pokemon eggs, they were too small.

"Why are there so many eggs?"

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

The second time you start talking to a plant that answers back isn't as weird as the first time.

"Oh, it's Easter and it's traditional to color eggs," Maddie answered after a really quick look around to see who was talking. And, the mun got off her arse and colored the egg (http://i42.tinypic.com/2z5jfk0.jpg). Please be ignoring the lazy coloring.

[omg-sunflora.livejournal.com]

"Why?" Proving that Sunflora is five.

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

"Ah, well," Maddie hemmed. Now, the mun knows multiple stories, so that's not the problem. The problem lies in just how religious shall we become? "This is a time of year when things really start growing again," she finally temporized. "And eggs remind us of that. And decorating them makes them look like flowers." Now she's bs-ing, but we'll let her get away with that.

[omg-sunflora.livejournal.com]

"Oh! That makes sense."

Sunflora went off to paint her own egg (http://i42.tinypic.com/ajmln4.png), which she proudly showed Maddie.

"It matches!"

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

Maddie grinned. "Lovely," he said.

The mun fully supports the lazy art, too.

"You look like you had fun, too," she said.

[omg-sunflora.livejournal.com]

"I did!" Sunflora grinned. "It was fun!"

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

"It's also traditional, when you have a lot colored, to have someone hide them and then you get to find them," Maddie said. "It's a lot of fun with a group." This from a dimly remembered childhood.

[omg-sunflora.livejournal.com]

"I can hide them! I know good places to hide things!"

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

"And, then you get people to find them. It gets to be a contest. The person who finds the most gets candy or something like that."

Not that Maddie's suggesting, y'know, anything.

[omg-sunflora.livejournal.com]

"I can do that! I will hide them!" Sunflora began gathering eggs.

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

Maddie wouldn't say it, but the mun will. Get down with your bad self, Sunflora.

"Enjoy. And, be sure you remember where and how many you hide. That way they don't end up rotting."

[omg-sunflora.livejournal.com]

"Okay!" Sunflora said, smiling, a house elf helping her by bringing a basket.

Eggs from Wishbone and Austria

[woocha.livejournal.com]

Wishbone knew what these eggs were for. It was almost Easter! And that meant coloring eggs and getting extra treats! (What? He's a dog.)

So Wishbone tried coloring an egg of his own. After squishing a few, a house elf helped him put some pawprints on an egg without squishing it (http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n274/timeladyfred/wishboneegg.png).

Austria, on the other hand, almost didn't decorate an egg, but remembered how much fun it used to be, back when he was younger and on top of the world (or Central Europe, at least).

So he did decorate one, reminiscing, thinking of the only person he loved as Roderich, and not just as Austria.

He was glad none of the other countries were here, though. They might think he had...aspirations (http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n274/timeladyfred/austriaegg.png).

[waltorana.livejournal.com]

"What are you doing to those embryonic fowl?" demanded Lord Waltorana von Bielefeld quite loudly.

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

Maddie looked at the yeller and then...yeah, he's cute...but she's not totally influenced by that. She'll tell him off.

"Decorating the shells," she said, her voice pleasant.

Damn, the mun was wrong.

[waltorana.livejournal.com]

Somewhat mollified, Waltorana nonetheless persisted. "Will this harm the creatures within? They are a symbol of chickens' love!"

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

"Ah, well," now to stammer, "the eggs aren't fertilized and...uhhh...they're cooked...boiled..."

[waltorana.livejournal.com]

Waltorana's eyes widened. "They have been cooked? They have not been fertilized? I hope you humans do not force your fowl into a life of unnatural celibacy! Unless they have dedicated their lives to serving Shinou, in which case it is all right for them to remain physically immature and live emotionally stunted lives of prolonged duration," he amended, thinking of the shrine maidens. "Is there a reason we wish to decorate food on this occasion?"

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

Shinzuwhatzu? Dedicated? Emotionally stunted? Yeah, Maddie's getting this one.

"They're raised to lay eggs," Maddie says. "And for food." And now the crazy is starting to overwhelm the crazy. "The reason is that it's Easter and one of the ways of celebrating is to decorate eggs. Usually, after they're decorated, adults will hide them and then children will find them."

And, now the inevitable questions which no one can really explain.

[cosmicteddy.livejournal.com]

Michael was all for a few hours of relaxing with a boiled egg and some paint. He'd shamefully neglected his duties as librarian for a long time now, and thought he'd make it up to the students and faculty by showing interest in a school activity. And also, he rather liked Easter. Not that the archangel was picking a side in any sort of religious debate; he was mainly in it for the candy and the joy this type of holidays tended to bring out in people.

"This looks like fun," he said and smiled, with his gentle eyes looking Maddie's way. "Is this for anyone to enjoy?"

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

"Oh, yes, of course," Maddie said, blushing a little. "Please, enjoy yourself." And, yes, that sounds wrong, of course it does...not...clean pure...

Who am I kidding.

At least this one isn't going on about chicken embryos. Always a plus.

[cosmicteddy.livejournal.com]

Sweet. Michael sat down and began painting his egg. His face was completely serene as he worked, mainly with the yellow and the green. Traditional colours.

"I don't think I've introduced myself," he said and smiled at her again. "I'm Michael."

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

"Oh, Maddie Magellan," she replied. "I've not seen you around before," she said. And, redheads are always red in the face...yeah... "Are you new here or do I just not go the right places?" she asked with a laugh.

[cosmicteddy.livejournal.com]

Michael laughed too. "Oh no, I've been here for quite a long time. I am the school librarian, even. But I have other obligations as well, away from Hogwarts." Like, you know, help saving the world and stuff. "I have been attending to those obligations frequently lately."

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

"Ah," Maddie said. "It's quite an impressive library."

Yes, Maddie's really been there. She likes books. And words.

"It's a shame you're kept away," she added. Not that she's, you know, jealous, or anything. Just because she doesn't have obligations or anything.

[cosmicteddy.livejournal.com]

"Yes, it is." Well, it was. Angels always tell it like it is, dontchaknow. And the Hogwarts library ranked a firm second place on Michael's list of impressive libraries. Since the number one library was located in Heaven, and contained every book ever written on any topic, that was saying a lot for Hogwarts.

"I think so too," he said honestly, and carefully coloured the top half of the egg a mild blue, like the sky. "It's much more peaceful here. I don't really have the time to paint eggs anywhere else." He blew lightly on the egg to dry the paint, and changed colour to a grassy green. That was going to be on the bottom half.

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

Maddie grinned. "It's been a long time since I've painted eggs, but it seemed like a good idea."

And, now the mun regrets the utterly lazy coloring. Maybe she'll color another one when she has time.

[cosmicteddy.livejournal.com]

"It's important to pause occasionally and paint some eggs," reflected Michael with a little smile. "So what do you do when you're not learning magic, Maddie?"

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

"I was an investigative reporter before I came here. Now, I find myself a bit at loose ends."

That, and everything she's tried to investigate has rather prickly people surrounding it...

And the mun detests socking herself that much.

[cosmicteddy.livejournal.com]

"Sounds like interesting work," he remarked. "One would think that you'd find plenty of peculiar people to investigate here. Were you one of those that just show up, or did you intend to come here?"

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

"Just showed up. I was on my way to America and ended up here." She shrugged. "Also, ten years ahead of myself. That was a bit of a shock," she admits with a laugh.

[cosmicteddy.livejournal.com]

"Hogwarts works on a time all of its own." The flower on the egg was turned a lovely rosy red. "I can understand it's confusing when you're not used to it."

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

"It seems to work by its own rules, too," she commented dryly.

The mun knows these rules. They are to embarrass and tease Maddie. And, hey, there was a normal tag from her...I must have been tired...heee.

[cosmicteddy.livejournal.com]

"Yes. But they're not impossible to understand." Michael has two jobs. One is being the friendly father figure to angel trainees, the other is to be cryptic. If he knew anything at all about the castle's dastardly plans, he wasn't telling.

The middle of the flower was painted in gold. "So, what shall we do with these eggs once they're all painted?" he asked jovially, leaving the mysteries of Hogwarts unsolved once more.

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

Good thing he's not telling. Maddie doesn't need to know. Life is better that way.

"Well, there's a talking sunflower who wanted to do an egg hunt," she says.