Summer 1 - Greetings and Welcome - Action

[kollomods]

[ It's a mild sunny day when the first group of guests make land at Norrhamn. A gentle breeze rustle the birch trees and tangle in the bunting that's hung across the buildings in celebration of this very special occasion. Aina has been busy gathering up guests over the last few hours and now the ferry is approaching the port, waves breaking gently against the bow.

Olivia is waiting on the jetty, clipboard hugged close to her body. She's excited and nervous all at once, anxious to get to meet these people that she's read so much about, the faces behind the pleading letters. This is the first day her new job becomes hands on. Hopefully she'll be good at it.

As the ferry lands and lets the guests off, Olivia raises a hand in a cheerful greeting. ]

Hello! Welcome to Norrhamn!

Comments

[notrosesshadow]

[Martha narrowly avoided the bass as she took a slow circle to see what was around.]

Woah there. I'm sorry! Nice instrument!

[traceofeffort]

[Seeing the woman going by it, Lisa goes back over to pick up her bass. She doesn't mind its weight anymore, honestly; better to keep an eye on it anyway. For that matter, she should probably put it back in its case, but she was so excited before, she just forgot. Oops.]

It's okay! And thanks, I'm kind of proud of it.

[It isn't anything super special, but it's hers, and more importantly, it's something that can bring her closer to people.]

[notrosesshadow]

[Martha's lips curve into a smile.] You should be. I never had time to play an instrument as a kid. I mean, minus the requisite piano lessons every kids seems to get at some point. Didn't really stick though.

[traceofeffort]

I can't remember if I ever did piano... I had a friend as a girl whose father was big into music, and she and I have always been musicians. Well. I play, she sings.

[With her bass safely back in its travel back, she slings it over her shoulder, before nodding, with a softer smile as she thinks of what she left behind.]

Yukina is amazing. She insists I'm good, too, but I'm just happy to be able to play together. I have to put in a lot of hours to keep up.

[notrosesshadow]

Isn't that the way of it? [Martha laughs in return.] I put in a ton of hours in med school and there was this one other colleague who just seemed to get it. I found out later he put in just as many hours as I did. Sometimes it's hard to notice.

[She nods back to the bass] I'd love to hear you play sometime after we've all settled in.

[traceofeffort]

It is, and I know she works just as hard. But I took a few years away from music, so when I tried to pick it back up, I felt like I had to work hard just to get back to where I was. Now I'm good again, but the rest of Roselia - my band - is still pretty far ahead of me. [Some days it feels like Sayo pushes herself even harder... but there's reasons for that.]

I'd love to play! I need to practice anyway, I can't go back and be less ready than I left! I'd never hear the end of it.

[notrosesshadow]

Martha laughs again.

"Practicing on vacation? That's quite some dedication."

[traceofeffort]

I love playing the bass. I love the friends I've made doing it, and I love knowing I've worked hard to get where I am. So I can't afford to be off my game. But without so many other things on my plate, practice shouldn't be such a burden like it is at home.

[She's confident as she says it; there's more to it than she's letting on, but a girl has to have some secrets, right?]

I'm looking forward to having at least a little bit of a break.

[notrosesshadow]

Martha nods. "No, I can see that. And since you have the advantage of popping back from when you left off, it won't be at all a problem if you spend a couple days or a couple months here honing your craft."

[traceofeffort]

"A couple months..." Lisa wilts a little, her expression turning a little wry. "I'm not sure I could be away from Roselia that long. I'd miss my friends too much. Maybe I'm wrong and the extra time will do be good, but..."

She lets out a long breath, and the easy smile returns. "Until then, though, I'm gonna try to enjoy myself. Besides, they can't go without me for four hours! Even if time isn't moving, I can't leave them alone for months."

[notrosesshadow]

Martha nodded. "Yeah. I feel similarly with my family. Can't stay away from them for too long." Though... the fact that they wouldn't know... and she really REALLY needed some time away to focus on herself for just once in her life!

She smiled. "I think it's going to be pretty to enjoy ourselves here, however long we stay. Anyway, it was really nice meeting you Lisa. I think I'm ready to go find my cabin and unpack."

[traceofeffort]

The cheery assurance coming back snaps Lisa fully back to what she's hoping is vacation mode. "Mm! The break will be good. And I should go drop my stuff off, too. Nice to meet you-" She blinks, before chuckling at herself. "I never asked your name, did I? Sorry!" She must be on vacation, that seems a bit of a lapse for her.

[notrosesshadow]

"No? Sorry about that. I'm Martha! And you?"

Martha's a little shocked she forgot to ask as well.

[traceofeffort]

"Mm, it's fine," she assures smoothly. "Lisa. Lisa Imai. It's kind of a special circumstance, so I'm not going to complain. But yeah, unpacking sounds good. See you around, then?"