Against the Current

I'll show you a fish out of water! Associated with Isola Radiale

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

Muffet found the pay-off more than worth it, immediately bursting out into a lot of laughs and giggles, so much so that she was briefly worried she might break the finer strands of web from them shaking so much.

“Oh no! My poor wife, gone forever…. taken out by a cookie the size of a button… whatever will I do now?”

“I suppose I can start dinner early, since I am no longer needed here…”

She lay there for a good moment, really hamming it up. Then she rose her head with a smile. “Hey! Button’s can be dangerous! Even if they are small, tiny things.”

“You’re not going anywhere, missy! Missus Missy! You are needed in many ways, but there specifically for now.”

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

“A whole lot worse, that is for sure. You are ever adorable, Nams.” Especially with tail wagging like that; so cute! Muffet never tired of seeing Nami’s body language when she was happy. With a bit of reluctance, she left Nami’s side once more to climb into her bed of webs, making sure she was getting in as close to the same pose she had earlier as possible.

“That’s an hour if you finish the painting by then. So no rush, of course… but the longer you take, the closer to death you come, it seems. But I’m sure you’ll be fine! How do I look?”

But when Nami leaned around her easel to take a peak, Muffet immediately fired off another tiny cookie bullet. Not at all fast enough to hurt or cause any harm, but enough to feel like a strong flick as it hit her forehead.

The praise was met with plenty of happy hums as she made short work of the cookie and Muffet returned to the web. Unfortunately for her, she had already shifted her attention back to the canvas and hadn’t seen the cookie bullet coming. 

“Magnifique!” She started, then it bopped right into her head. “-Gweh!”

It didn’t hurt, no, but after a moment of stunned surprise she fell back into her chair with a dramatic flourish.

“I’m dead.”

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

“For you, it only seems right.” She got back to her web-weaving now as Nami described her, and it was almost a shame that her smile getting wider and wider with each sentence and her SOUL glowing brighter, too, would be so temporarily hidden from Nami’s eyes. Until Muffet finished setting up the web, and turned back around to come lean around Nami’s easel and give her a kiss.

“It’s easy to be modest when I have a wife as wonderful as you to inflate my ego for me.” With a hand wave reminiscient of a street magician performing a magic trick, Muffet manifested a small cookie in her palm for Nami.

“I have to go be still for a few hours, so this cookie will have to do as thanks for now. But you better believe I’m going to bake dessert tonight with so much extra love in them.”

She’d seen it a thousand times and she’d watch it with as much awe a thousand more, the way she effortlessly spun the webs which were both large, fine and intricate. 

“What would you do without me, huh?” She winked and her tail started swaying happily as soon as the cookie manifested. She took a large bite out of it instantly.

“Yum! But an hour without treats? I might die.”

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

“Is your plan to fill your room with custom paintings of me in every mundane pose you can think of?” Or the not so mundane, which she was sure Nami would be thinking of too at the same time Muffet herself was thinking it. So, naturally, she turned back to wink.

“Then what would you call me, sweetheart? Light of my life? My darling gorgeous, what sorts of adjectives would you use to describe me if not lazy? Don’t skimp out on me, here. I’m all ears, and so are the spiders I’ve noticed hiding in the rafters.”

Spiders which immediately scurried away after being called out.

“Would that be so wrong?” She already had dozens of paintings of Muffet, and nothing made her think she wouldn’t keep adding more. “Hmmmm~”

“What couldn’t I call you? Or more accurately; what could I call you that would do you justice? My beautiful wife talented in many fields. Caring, suave and even sweeter than the exceptional treats she makes? You’re a good masseuse for sure. Oh and modest, can’t forget that.”

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

“If they are all good, then you should have no trouble deciding which one I should remain in. Of course, both of them will look a bit different in a sitting position, but not too different—I don’t need to actually sit to be sitting.” Something that only really made sense if you were Muffet, a spider, or maybe exclusively if you were both.

“To my face?” she said, pausing her web-making for a moment and putting all hands on her hips. “Last time I checked, though, you are currently facing my back, are you not? So you are calling me lazy. Tsk… duly noted.”

“Good point! Hmm... The second one, for sure, no doubt. I know all about your not sitting! It’s unique and looks great; part of why I want to paint it.”

“And what a back it is! No, no noo. I would never call you lazy. Not me.”

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

“You clearly spent a lot of time thinking about it, darling. Are you thinking more of a pose like this, or like this?” With each ‘this’ she struck a different pose that she thought might fit the vibe Nami was going for, then with a few chittery giggles started stringing up a mixture of SOUL and normal webbing from the floor to the ceiling.

“Are you calling me lazy, Miss Nami? I’ll have you know I work harder than most other spiders I know.”

“I spend a lot of time thinking about you! And painting, and this time they’re both the same thing.” She nodded enthusiastically along with each pose. “Yes!” Was not a good answer to ‘this or that’ but she said it anyway. “They’re all good.” 

“Lazy? To your face? Never, absolutely not.”

[mellifluencex]

@actuallymuffet​

“All right so like, I was thinking you could be sat on some webs to look kind of suave and alluring, but also playful, you know? But most importantly you should make sure you’re comfortable because this could take a little while.”

The Marai spoke. looking past the easel she had set up in the studio with a big grin.

“Though, I know you don’t struggle getting comfortable.”

[mellifluencex]

chemiforshort​:

“Crafting is a type of art. But I understand that you mean to say that crafting is not the entire extent of your art?” The probability of that being the intended meaning was sat around eighty-seven percent, according to Chemi’s calculations.

“There is certainly a market for trinkets such as that bracelet. In fact, I would say the quality of the bracelet you have made there surpasses the quality of most jewelry I have seen for sale at the marketplace just back that way,” she said, pointing back where they were headed away from, towards where all the shops were set up.

“If you have been more focused on setting up your easels, however, I can understand having not noticed them. Typically, those sorts of shops do not take up much space or demand too much attention, but they do exist.”

Chemi’s eyes turned into spinning loading circles as she examined the contents of Nami’s haul today, trying to figure out what they might be best used for, before deciding it was easier to just ask.

“May I ask what the purpose of today’s trip is, then? You have gathered quite a lot today, and I am curious.”

“I mean, that’s fair, I know what you’re saying. And you know what I’m saying! I think. I’m certainly no artisan crafter, let’s put it that way.”

Her smile grew even wider as her work was praised. “Aww, thank you! Aren’t you sweet! Maybe it’s something I should look into!”

Oh, her eyes... That was incredibly cute actually. Was that a conscious effort or just something that happened? It felt rude to ask.

“Purpose, weeellll...” She looked down at today’s haul. “These ones grind up really easily and their powder mixes well. It can be fine enough to blend with paints! These ones are sturdier so I wanted to make some more bracelets with them. These ones look nice! And these ones, well, I haven’t seen them before so I wanted to see what I could do with them once I got them home. Can I ask why you’re here?”

[mellifluencex]

chemiforshort​:

“So you are a craftswoman of sorts? I agree that the aesthetics of such adornments is very pleasing to the eye,” she said with a nod, after being shown an example in the form of the crystal bracelet. It’s not something she would wear herself, but not much was; her outfit was rather plain at the best of times. Can’t deny it looks nice, though. The bracelet, that is!

“Do you sell the jewelry you make with them? I have not been to this location very often, but I have been here at least seven times before and have not seen you selling wares in the marketplace.”

Not to imply that everyone who collected such things only did it to make money. But she did see a lot of repeat faces, which brings her to her next question, as her eyes turn into small question marks.

“Do you make such trips often?”

“Hmm...” She had to think about that one for a moment. “Maybe? Not really, I dabble! I guess I’d think of myself as more of an artist as anything else! This;” She gave her wrist a fresh jangle. “Is more just for fun than anything else! I... Haven’t tried to sell them! I didn’t really think anyone would want to buy them.”

Despite being here somewhat frequently it didn’t take long for her to realise she hadn’t seen the other here before, and the other is definitely someone she’d remember!

“So no, not selling. Not jewellery anyway! I’ve set up an easel or two in the marketplace before though.”

“Kind of? Sometimes I want to stock up, sometimes I want to make something specific and sometimes I just want to get inspired by what I see. I never want to overharvest the area though!”

[mellifluencex]

chemiforshort​:

START.bat | @mellifluencex​

Chemi would not have normally questioned why someone had their hands full of underwater rocks, shells, and other decorative objects in this part of the Swirling Gulf. However, most often she saw collectors like that go towards the area where all the shops were set up, presumably to sell them themselves.

This mermaid-looking person, on the other hand, was going in the complete opposite direction, which intrigued Chemi and she just had to know why.

“Excuse me,” she asked, politely coming up beside Nami and walking alongside her so as to not completely block her path, “But can I ask what you plan on doing with all of that?”

While the waters might be a little quieter during the winter months, that didn’t seem to have too much of an effect on the bubbles and even less so in the volcanic valley. People lived here regardless of the season she supposed, and it certainly didn’t get cold near live volcanic vents. 

After only a few small moment of recollection concerning her most... Eventful trip to these parts she was on to a for more enjoyable collection; rocks! Or crystals. They were extremely pretty and made fantastic adornments. She was in the middle of sorting some things into a satchel at her side when a voice caught her ear. 

“Hm?” She looked up, a curios smile on her features that only got more so. What a cool looking person... “Hello! Me? Oh you know, making things I guess! Some of these make nice jewellery.” She held up a wrist with one such crystal bracelet. “And some of that work pretty nciely on a canvas!”

[mellifluencex]

“I’m tired of it being cold!”

“I don’t wanna wear a whole thermal tube every time I go out! It’s a pain!”

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

Muffet stuck her tongue out in return, before quickly pulling it back in lest it get iced over by a stray diamond snowflake. That might not actually do anything, but Muffet didn’t know that, and didn’t want to take chances.

“If I had to guess, the tenant is likely huddled somewhere warm, and hopefully indoors. And if they’re indoors…” she said, gesturing to the nearest diamond-covered wall.

“…They cannot get out, can they? Dork.” And then she stood upright again.

“And I think you’re spending far too much time admiring that luster when you should be spending more time admiring your wife before she freezes completely solid.”

“When your wife won’t even summon the spiders for you...” 

She twirled around and placed a wrist to her head before she fell backwards dramatically, full faith that Muffet would catch her.

“I’m admiring you right now! And everyday. For real though that is something else; I wish I had my paints! My paints! Sear the image into your mind babe, what if I can’t recreate it?” She went extra limp for a moment, if that was possible.

“Are you cold? You’re wearing your entire wardrobe. We should go look for somewhere warmer.”

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

Muffet was also wrapped up for winter, to a much greater degree than Nami was. Full knee length fluffy coat, tall boots, ear muffs, and mittens on each of her hands. She was not a fan of the cold! But she was stuck outside for now anyway, so she had to deal with it, and tried to keep positive airs as she approached the web in question.

“Mm. I am going to have to say no on that one, Nams. Are my webs not good enough anymore?”

“Poor thing, though… I’ll have to remember to make a new web somewhere safe for whoever lived here…” They weren’t encased in the diamond at least, from what she could tell, now kneeling down next to Nami to inspect it.

“I didn’t think so... Not good enough? I didn’t say that, I was just here admiring this lustre.”

After a moment she leaned into her, sticking her tongue out so she new she was only joking around with her. 

“Should we like, look for them? Can you use your spider sense? Summon the spiders, babe.”

[mellifluencex]

@actuallymuffet​

“Hey babe!”

The marai called over enthusiastically, still very much wrapped up for winter in her coat and thermal tail... sock. Currently she was hunched over next to a web that was practically sparkling.

“Check this out!”

“Can you make webs like this?”

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

“My one and only~” And the one and only person in the city who could say something like that and even try to take herself seriously still. And further proving that one and only point was the cheek grabbing and head turning, which made Muffet smile in a very particular way to show off her fangs.

“And were you just about anyone else, I’d either kill you or eat you or both for doing this~” She was at least twenty percent serious. But since it was Nami, it just made her SOUL glow bright.

Once her work was done (for now) she stepped back again too, nodding at her acceptable level of work. “Now time for you to tag in, I suppose? Oh!”

“Take a picture of me first!” And then she quickly struck a pose with the chainsaw that she thought Nami would like.

“Well we don’t need to rule both of those things out.” She knew she could get away with a lot when it came to Muffet, but most of the time that’s not even how she thought about it. Grabbing her wife’s face was a need that need to be fulfilled at least several times a day. 

Her covered (and very cosy) find was swaying back and forth as she watched Muffet work. Seeing as the piece take more shape she gave a bunch of muffled claps and quickly rush over to give her a peck on the cheek. Only to quickly slide back a little to snap a picture. “Take some more poses, darling!” She said, doing her best impression of that ghost at Crow’s party. 

“Beautiful.” After she was satisfied she scooted back over, carefully taking off her mittens so she could do some precision work. Precision work she got right in to, using a mixture of the chisel and small blades of water once Muffet wasn’t standing right beside her. 

And she got pretty into it! Sticking her tongue out as she often did when concentrating, slowly bringing the shape or a Marai to life at the centre of the sculpture.

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

“Oh, Nami… what am I going to do with you…” she said… before joining in on the laughter with Nami. “You’re a lost cause, ahuhu~”

“I do know you are very good with your hands. But are you going to work with the ice with your hands still covered in thick mittens? Might make it difficult… even with your hydromancy. But still, your help will truly be invaluable, darling. Just let me finish up this other half, so stand back~”

And once more the chainsaw roared to life, and Muffet got back to work on the other half of the cobweb… maybe a little too into it, judging by the look on her face. Nami’s compliment did wonders for her confidence here, and soon enough the other half of the block was looking just like the first.

“Yep! I’m your dork though.” 

“Well when I said with my hands I mean like, with my hands.” And she waved said hands about in a dramatic demonstration for how she usually performed hydromancy. “Not like, with my hands. You know? You know. That being said; the mittens do make the fine control a bit harder, but...” She grabbed both of the spiders cheek and turned her head from side to side gently “They’re so comfy! Oooh, who’s my cute spider~”

And stand back she did! Or slither back, whatever. Either way she watched Muffet with a big grin on her face

[mellifluencex]

actuallymuffet​:

“On Task Nami,” she repeated, and nothing else. “On Task Nami the Ice Surgeon Tidecaller,” she repeated again after the added unnecessary and strictly false labels. “Whatever would I do without you?”

“You’re the best, ma cherie. You really think it is coming out okay so far? I’ll admit, the center I’m not very confident in…” The center she left largely untouched, as that was planned to be the silhouette of a Marai at the center of the spider web.

“I may need you and your artistic talent to help with that part,” she said, getting close enough to pull Nami into a quick hug with just half of her arms (using the other three to hold the chainsaw safely away from her, even though it was off) and planting a kiss on her cheek.

“I do not call you On Task Nami the Ice Surgeon Tidecaller Who Helps Her Wife Carve Intricate Ice Sculptures the First for nothing. Have you carved ice before?”

Nami nodded sagely as he completely necessary and definitely not false labels were listed off. “Definitely have much less joy sparked in your life, I’m guessing.”

“And don’t you forget it! Of course I do! They don’t call me Honest On Task-” But that’s about as far as she got before she couldn’t help but laugh at herself. “I think it looks great! I definitely don’t mind handling the centre, though.”

She returned the hug with both arms because she wasn’t wielding any huge bladed power tools, rubbing her cheek into the spider’s for a moment after the kiss.

“I have! I Can’t remember if it was last year or before then. It might have been before the festival was a thing. I didn’t use any tools though, just my hands! And you know how good I am with those.”