[OPEN] Thanksgiving in Reverein (2022)

[lonelysmiles]

Who: Anyone!
Which: Log, OPEN
Where: The Wild Harvest
What: Open mingle log for anyone wanting to attend the Thanksgiving dinner Alastor advertised on the journals the day before
When: Forward-dated to November 23rd between noon and 6PM
Warnings: None


Starting at noon and ending at six PM, The Wild Harvest had a few tables pushed together and covered by white tablecloths. Atop the tables were stacks of plates along with large serving trays full of food that had been promised in the invitation Alastor had put out the day before.

Also as promised, there were two extra tables added to the end, a stack of small slips of paper and a few pens. There was a little sign as well:

Please write your dish's name along with your own on one of the provided slips of paper. This way we can get any empty serving dishes back to their original owners.

Aside from the tables occupied by food, there were plenty of seats for people to sit down to eat at whether they wanted to mingle or to dine alone. A far nicer setup than the plaza the previous year.

Comments

[lestray]

So 'e didn't give 'is money, but it ain't like 'e left ya out on the street or nuffin'. An'ya were able to join 'im on adventures an' all...

[It's not looking like the worst family situation at least. It sounds like the kind of thing Iris wante. Gina doesn't want to think about whether or not she'd like it herself.]

I guess 'e don't sound too bad.

[sos_pilot]

Aw, if he ever wound up here, I bet you two would get along like peas in a pod. He probably would see a lot of himself in you, thick accents and all!

[ Have a hearty slap on the back! ]

[lestray]

I ain't got no accent! Yer the only one talkin' wiv a weird accent 'ere!!

[She responds defensively, crossing her arms.]

... But who knows. Maybe we would get along well enough.

[sos_pilot]

[ Again, another good-hearted laugh. ]

If he gets along as well and I have, it's a great start! 'Bout time we actually introduced ourselves, huh?

[ Offers a friendly hand-shake! ]

Name's Della Duck!

[lestray]

Gina Lestrade. [She offers her hand for a shake and then uncertainty adds-] 'Uman.

Good to meet ya! This is a nice way to spend the time away while waitin' for me belly to rest.

[sos_pilot]

[ Until told otherwise, she's going to assume Lestrade is the middle name and 'Uman is the last. ]

I know, right? No better way than swapping stories... but I feel like I've been the only one weaving threads. Come on, tell me something interesting about yourself!

[lestray]

[She shrugs.]

I ain't got a grand story to tell or nuffin'. I used to live on the streets. Now I'm a detective, workin' to be the best inspector that Scotland Yard's ever seen an' lookin' to outdo even the great detective 'imself!

[sos_pilot]

Well, hey! That's not too shabby! I enjoy a bit of mystery-solving myself, along with re-writing history... You crack any big cases yet?

[lestray]

[A confused eyebrow raise because what does rewriting history even mean. In any case, she answers.]

Yeah. I 'ad a 'and in solvin' a few big ones. I worked a few murder cases.

[sos_pilot]

[ Impressed whistle! Light fist to the shoulder! ]

That makes you a real professional! Should I start call you Detective Gina from here on out? Or Detective Human?

[ Again, assuming that's the last name. ]

[lestray]

[She grins proudly and adjusts her hat. ...Just with a bit of confusion in her smile at 'Detective Human'.]

Inspector Lestrade would do nicely, thank ya very much. [And then she glances down towards a little black dog sniffing around eagerly for scraps. Gina lazily feeds him some.]

An' that'll be Chief Inspector Toby! [Super legit titles.]

[sos_pilot]

[ Oh, what have we here? A pupper, as the kids say? ]

Well well well! Nice to meet you too, Chief!

[ She reaches down to give it some scritches. ]

I always wanted a pet, but the old man wouldn't allow it... plus the pets I usually wanted were probably a little too dangerous.

[ Della Jr. the manticore, your dreams live on! ]

[lestray]

[Pupper!! Toby pants and excitedly accepts those skritches while sniffing at the strange giant bird lady!]

Oh yeah? That's a shame. A pup like this one makes for some good company. But you wanted sometin' dangerous, eh? Don't tell me ya asked for a bear or summat like that!

[sos_pilot]

Don't be silly, I'd never ask for anything like a bear.

I asked for a dire-bear. Big difference. Makes regular bears look like harmless teddies.

[ Honestly, what kind of answer were you expecting? ]

[lestray]

[She might not have heard of a dire-bear before, but Della's description does paint a vivid picture! Gina gives an uncertain smile.]

...Right. Maybe your pa did know wot 'e was on about.

[Gina might have an adventurous streak, but nothing near entertaining that level of danger!]

[sos_pilot]

[ But she's not offended. Hardly the first time she's been looked at as if she's a lunatic, and won't be the last. ]

He tends to! And now I've got something way better than raising a bunch of wild animals... raising a bunch of wild kids!

[lestray]

[She looks on in surprise.]

Oi! You're a mum?

[sos_pilot]

[ She grins, and holds up three fingers. ]

To three amazing boys! Triplets! Huey, Dewey, and Louie!

[lestray]

Blimey, that's a 'ole pack o' boys! 'ow d'ya manage all of 'em?

[Well, it doesn't seem too implausible given Della's level of energy, but it's still A Lot for Gina to imagine herself! And it's not often she meets Actual, Real Life Moms.]

[sos_pilot]

[ She was full of hot air before, but now she's practically glowing with pride. Her boys are the best! ]

It's not easy, but that's part of the fun! Huey's got an amazing memory, nothing gets by him! Dewey's a show-stopper, he can get all eyes on him in an instant! And Louie can see through schemes in an instant, he's the master of loopholes!

[lestray]

[Seeing her talk about her kids like that, it brings out a warm smile on her face.]

Sounds like a good bunch ya got there. I bet they'd make great pals. They ain't 'ere, are they?

[sos_pilot]

Nah, it's just me from my world here...

[ She pauses for a moment, then puts her elbows on the table, cracking her knuckles. Shove the sadness DEEP down. ]

... So I need to have a lot of adventures here, so I can tell them all new stories!

[lestray]

[It's really awful for families to be separated like this. But she feels like Della doesn't need to hear that. She seems like a decent mum so far. So Gina regards her with a smile.]

Good thinkin'! An' this feast right 'ere will make for one great tale for 'em, if I do say so meself!

[sos_pilot]

And you know what? All this jibber-jabber's made me super duper hungry! I'm ready for round two!

[ Triumphant fist to the table! ]

Bring on the next meal! I won't show it any mercy!

[lestray]

[The energy is infectious! Gina feels ready to take on her next course!]

Same 'ere!! I'm ready to jump right back into the fight!! Come on now!

[And so the feast carried on, and mistakes were made.]