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ERIKA'S GARDEN, AFTERNOON
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Erika sits down on the back porch facing the garden, sighing softly: "...and with that yet-unnamed orange-budded flower, I think we are done. Whew. Everything planted down, we can see later what comes out of them."
Nesseth steps up onto the back porch of Erika's house and takes a seat beside the okapi to look out at the greenery all around them. "We gathered a lot on that last trip out, didn't we? Should be neat to see what all comes of them when they take proper root and grow."
Erika chuckles softly, glancing at the now-empty improvised 'saddlebags' at the foot of the stair: "I'm just glad we managed to get all of them here, despite... well, you know."
Nesseth chuckles and smiles at Erika. "Good thing we moved fast on cobbling that bag together, hm? I'm just glad the backpack was modular enough to shift pockets around like that."
Erika giggles, leaning on Nesseth a bit as she admires the results of their work: "No kidding." She looks at a particular small vine, humming: "I'm not sure, but that might be a Shining Ivy... supposed to be very good for scales, that one."
Nesseth looks over at the vine in question, curious. "Oh? Good for scales, how? Like, general scale care or some sort of supplement?"
Erika frowns: "I'll have to read on it more, I was just kind of surprised we found some." She shrugs: "Okay, admittedly back there I just knew it was something I had been looking for but forgot why. But eh."
Nesseth playfully pokes Erika's side. "Well, shouldn't be too hard to find out what it's meant for, right? That should be a good reminder." He smiles, "Better to grab something and find you've already got it than the other way around."
Erika winks: "That's usually my philosophy with this garden." She looks around the greenery and smiles: "My babies... I don't know what I would have done had I lost this to Melia back then."
Nesseth hums in thought. "Mmh... it would have been really hard, but you've got the greenest of green thumbs, so you'd probably be able to grow everything again."
Erika looks at the big tree at the center, the same one Melia anchored to: "Most of them, yeah..." She shakes her head: "Anyway. We didn't get anything that should grow big, but I've been surprised before. Some of the roots I couldn't find in my books at all, will have to see what they are when they grow."
Nesseth perks up when gets a bit of an idea. "Oh, there's another thought, too. We could even ask the Saurs about what they know. I'm betting some of the things we don't know, they've probably already found or even use."
Erika looks at Nesseth: "True. I hadn't thought of that. Surely one of them is familiar with this stuff like I am." She pauses, grinning: "Well, not quite as well, obviously."
Nesseth smirks at that. "I doubt anyone's got your level of knowledge. but I bet the Saurs could help fill in some spots, still."
Erika shrugs: "Probably. I don't know everything."
Nesseth hums. "Maybe not, but you could probably be a university teacher with what you know about plants."
Erika looks at Nesseth in slight surprise: "I could? No way."
Nesseth tilts his head as he looks over at Erika in turn. "No? Well... okay, yeah, I guess maybe not; teaching is hard even at the best of times. Though, you could probably write a pretty sizable book on the subject, at least."
Erika sticks her tongue out: "Writing takes away from taking care of plants. And you."
Nesseth leans in and kisses Erika on the nose. "Fair, but it'd be good to maybe keep a log or something, though? All that knowledge, you know?"
Erika shrugs: "Maybe. I used to keep a sort of diary, but that was before..." She gestures vaguely: "Everything kinda happened."
Nesseth nods. "It's been kind of a hectic couple of years, huh?" He chuckles as a thought occurs, "Louma and I talked about something similar a while back... how everything seemed nice and calm around town right up until around two years back, when the old generator first went out."
Erika nods slowly, leaning on Nesseth again: "At least we've survived. Not everyone was quite as lucky."
Nesseth lightly wraps an arm around Erika as she leans against him. "Yeah... but the most we can do now is enjoy life and remember those who can't."
Erika sighs, nuzzling Nesseth's frills: "Yeah. Move forward. It's what I do, anyway." She doesn't sound entirely convinced, but doesn't elaborate either.
Nesseth knows Erika well enough at this point that he notes the uncertainty in her voice. "The feral thing is still bouncing around in your head, I'm guessing?"
Erika nods, frowning: "It's not probably going to leave anytime soon. Though now that we're cured, it's perhaps more just a fear of it happening again, if it does, will I just lose myself to it entirely?"
Nesseth tilts his head curiously. "How do you mean? You held on pretty firmly this most recent time... probably handled it better than the first time, if anything."
Erika chuckles softly, smiling: "I'm pretty good at that, I guess. But like... even if I do, the fears never go away, Nesseth. Did you get any of the sort?"
Nesseth shakes his head. "Not really, probably because I already knew what to expect, after seeing you having dealt with it previously, along with Victoria and Garwin, remember?" He shrugs a little and snuggles a bit closer to the okapi's side, "I was more just resigned to being stuck like that until Plume fixed up the cure for us."
Erika: "Maybe it is just me then. Something wrong up here-" Erika taps the side of her head, though chuckles after a moment: " Well, more so than people already think of me."
Nesseth reaches up and jokingly gives Erika's head a little jiggle. "Nah, nothing's wrong up there, dear. Everyone reacts to the same thing differently, after all."
Erika hums: "Does it really count as the same thing when the change takes everyone differently?"
Nesseth lightly strokes a finger against Erika's neck as his hand slides down to rest on her shoulder. "Being turned into a feral version of oneself is pretty rough to deal with in general. Maybe not dealing with exactly the same troubles, but still very similar."
Erika leans slightly towards Nesseth's hand: "Mm, yeah. I'm not the only one who's gone through this. I should maybe ask the others how they've dealt with it, if they've needed to."
Nesseth smiles softly. "Well... I could give you a bit of info on that. Garwin's kind of still apologizing about what happened during that time, both to me and Victoria, even though we keep telling him it's fine." He shrugs a little, "Victoria... well... she doesn't really talk too much about it, but I imagine Annika's helped her a fair bit."
Erika nods, smiling: "Might seek them out, anyway." She shakes her head: "But not now. More plants to figure out."
Nesseth chuckles and nods. "Plenty of things around the garden to tend to still, yeah. Shouldn't be too hard to find either of them around town anyway, once you've got time to go looking."
Erika shrugs: "Time is something I usually have. Besides this garden, not all that much I absolutely need to be present for."
Nesseth smiles. "Luckily, the garden grows at its own pace, which is pretty slow for the most part, except for when Melia was helping the plants grow really fast." He trails off, then looks curiously at the okapi, "You know... how did all that fast growth affect the soil, anyway? I remember you telling me a while ago that the ground has a nutrient cycle to it."
Erika frowns: "I banned Melia from encouraging my plants. She's nice, but you are right... it does kind of mess up that whole department."
Nesseth finds the thought of Erika banning a literal nature elemental from her garden amusing, and he winds up chuckling again. "Well, hey, you can say you got an elemental to behave. Pretty big feat to stop a nature elemental from doing nature-y things."
Erika smiles wryly: "Things would grow too quick with no regard to... well, anything else. I don't like that."
Nesseth hums. "Let... well, non-magical nature take its course with your plants, yeah. Gardening is nice and therapeutic, too, when just working at a leisurely pace."
Erika smiles: "Yeah. I love my garden but also want to spend time outside of it."
Nesseth chuckles. "Too much of something and it turns into a job. Then it gets dull and boring, and not fun."
Erika sticks her tongue out: "Even when it actually... uh, is my job."
Nesseth grins. "I guess it sort of is, yeah. Still, you know what I mean."
Erika laughs a bit, prodding Nesseth on the shoulder: "I know. But you said it, not me."
Nesseth teases Erika by poking her in the side. "Yeah, yeah, I did. Either way, that's why I'm here! Keeps things interesting, you know? Not to mention fun."
Erika smirks: "Well, you definitely do qualify for 'fun'. Possibly even the main attraction."
Nesseth shoots Erika a sly look. "What? I'm more interesting than your garden? Color me surprised, dear. I didn't know I could compete with all these wonderful plants."
Erika sticks her tongue out: "Well, not for medicinal purposes, or general use, no. But you're awfully relaxing to be with~."
Nesseth laughs a bit. "Yeah, I doubt I'd make for a good tincture or anything like that. I'd probably be more fitting as a... er..." He trails off, obviously having lost track of what he was intending to say, "Topical ointment? That sounded better in my head."
Erika giggles, giving Nesseth's frills a sizable lick: "Silly lizard. Perhaps you should leave medicinal stuff to others."
Nesseth chuckles as the lick sends a rather hefty shiver down his spine, and he retaliates by snuggling just a little more comfortably against Erika. "Yeah... the medical stuff is all Plume."
Erika leans on Nesseth, smiling: "It kinda is. They're real good tho."
Nesseth nods. "Yup, that's their job, and they're a professional at all of that stuff."
Erika nuzzles upon Nesseth's neck, closing her eyes: "Mm~. Stay with me, love. Let's doze together."
Nesseth hugs Erika a bit more warmly as he gets comfortable beside her. "Wasn't planning on going anywhere, dear. A little nap sounds... really great~"
Narrator: The lizard and the okapi take a bit of a rest after a day of working the garden's new acquisitions.
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RESPITE MARKETPLACE - AFTERNOON
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Prachi walks into the marketplace, having gotten her first real big pay from the construction site just the other day. She is nearly seven feet tall of a bactrian camel, wearing only a thin long white shirt and short pants at the moment, just covering enough... well, not that there's much to cover with her mountains of fur. The camel is of a sturdy build, clearly sporting sizable muscles under all that long dirty brown fur as well.
Prachi moves with a slow, pondering purpose, deep in her thoughts more than anything. She's not quite frowning at people she has eye contact with, but not greeting them either all that much.
Annika: Annika was much smaller, so quite easy to miss, especially when was crouched down just around a corner, picking up a fallen loaf of bread. She'd be easy enough to spot and get out of the way, unless, perhaps, someone was lost in thought
Prachi stops abruptly in her walk just a step away from kicking Annika: "Oh! Sorry!" The camel offers an apologetic half-smile.
Annika was a little bit slow to react, and almost falls over herself anyway "Oh! Ah. My bad" She stands up "Got to remember some people's eye lines are higher up that others. Much higher up in your case" She flicks her tails cheerfully, not put out by the almost accident "Speak of, I don't think I've seen you around before. Are you new here?"
Prachi pauses for a second before nodding: "Relatively new, yeah. Just couple of weeks." She frowns: "Still, should watch where I am going. Never know when someone much smaller is in the way of my big hooves."
Annika: "Ahuh! There's all shapes and sizes around, and I even find that the smaller types tend to make up for it with grumpiness, so that's twice as careful you need to be" She giggles "I try to buck that trend"
Prachi blinks at that, then smiles: "I suppose the smaller ones do, yeah. You do seem nice, though." She gives a small nod: "My name is Prachi."
Annika: "Annika!" She smiles back "I hope I'm actually nice, but that's something I need to more than say to prove"
Prachi: "That is very true. What you do matters more."
Annika: "I mostly do just courier stuff. Though I help out members of the guard from time to time" One moment of the guard in particular, but she doesn't mention that part
Prachi shrugs her sizable shoulders: "I help carry stuff, mostly. Heard there was a lot of construction going on down here, and it's really about the only thing I'm good for."
Annika: "Yeah, a good bit of rebuilding just outside the town. You're working with the Saurs, I take it?"
Prachi nods: "Mostly with them, yeah. Relatively simple stuff on the outset, but there's a lot of it."
Annika: "Planning to stay, or just here while there's work?"
Prachi glances aside, then nods: "Probably to stay if I can. This place is nice, and uh..." She shifts on her hooves: "Well, mostly. Not ideal with my fur coat I guess."
Annika: "Ah, all the sand? Yeah. It's pretty course, rough and it just gets everywhere...."
Prachi shrugs, smiling wryly: "Meant more the heat. Haven't really... gotten to it. I kinda come from a lot more North..."
Annika: "Oh, I thought Camels were a desert faring sort?"
Prachi: "Desert doesn't necessarily imply it being hot all the time. A lot of Vamas is one big desert, just covered in snow."
Annika: "Well, I admit geography wasn't never my strong point, so fair enough..."
Prachi shrugs again: "Doesn't really matter I guess. But, uh... yeah, that's me I guess."
Annika: "Well, welcome to Respite to you then! You have a proper place to stay I hope?"
Prachi: "Just at this local inn for now. Thirsty... something. Some kind of fish? I remember it making no sense."
Annika: "Ah. Thirsty Minnow. It's the local place for food, and beer, and all that nice stuff"
Prachi lets out a small laugh: "Yeah, that's the place. Good beer, at least."
Annika: "Aye. Though I don't really drink that much. Doesn't really agree with me" Also, emotion magic plus booze sounds like a great receipe.
Prachi shrugs: "Each to their own. I enjoy some after a long day of fixing... working stuff."
Annika: "Nothing wrong with it. I just never had a reason to it?"
Prachi: "Yeah, fair." She pauses for a moment, gathering her thoughts: "So what's it like running courier?"
Annika: "It's fun! I get to meet a lot of people around town, and chat to them a bit. I'd recommend it if it ever comes up"
Prachi smiles: "Meeting people is okay, I guess. Though working alone is also fun."
Annika: "Ahh, I fear I might be too much of a people person for that"
Prachi nods: "I can imagine you are. Me, I like being alone with whatever project I am working on."
Annika: "Oh, what sort of projects would those be? I can't imagine carrying stuff qualifies"
Prachi: "I sometimes help with building the bigger stuff, putting foundations together and that sort of thing."
Annika: "Oh, so the construction projects? And you do that sort of stuff by yourself?" Annika is trying to understand!
Prachi leans to the side of the building next to them: "Nnooot really, I guess. I don't really have the... touch, if you will. Can't really call myself an engineer or anything."
Annika: "Well, plenty of engineers around the town. They all work together to..greater, or lesser degrees"
Prachi nods, glancing around the marketplace as though in hopes of spotting one of said engineers: "That much is true, I've noticed."
Annika: There was probably one of the engineer stalls! Perhaps Jennica, or Strix (/Mia)'s stall is around. "They're decent folk, as far as I know"
Prachi smiles: "Well, not like I need to find one right now, but good to keep in mind."
Annika: "Yeah. They can give you advice if you want to set up on your own, I suppose?" She's still a little unsure what's going on there.
Prachi shrugs: "Maybe one day. One can dream, right?"
Annika: "Well, why not just..start now? Is there anything in particular stopping you?"
Prachi pauses, blinking as she stands just a bit straighter: "I guess... well, maybe there's something. But I'll sort it out." She shakes her head and her entire shaggy mane: "Anyway. I came looking for some good pastries. Got any clues?"
Annika: "Uh..." She points to a small bakery type shop "There for the donut type stuff. There's a spot that's over the marketplace for the flakey pastry and..it's a bit away, down the other side of town, but they do really, really good sausage rolls"
Prachi nods, humming: "I'll have to check them out. Just got paid good, so I deserve a load of good food."
Annika: "That you do! Enjoy, whatever you pick"
Prachi gives Annika a wave and starts heading towards delicious, delicious food items. Though she can't entirely shake Annika's question about anything stopping her from pursuing crafting...