isleofavalon | [Catch-All] Reunions, Memories, & the Colour White

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[Catch-All] Reunions, Memories, & the Colour White

🧙 WHO: Aerith Gainsborough, You
⚔️️ WHAT: Catch-All for June / July
🕒 WHEN: June / July
🗺️ WHERE: Aerith's flower shop, Brocéliande, Camelot city proper, the Bay of Avalon
⚠️ WARNINGS: TBD

[01. Come for the Flowers]

[Little by little, Aerith's flower shop is getting put together. The walls are still a little barren, but contain some paintings done by local artists. Finally, it seems a little more put together.

There's no shortage of flowers on display in intricate arrangements. Planters hang from the ceiling. The scent lingering in the air is some combination of cinnamon and sweet floral notes. There's almost always a cup of tea (or something like it) at the front desk.

Aerith tries her best to keep herself busy, wandering from one end to the other, up the steps to the small loft up the stairs, back down again, making sure that everything seems to be perfect. She hums during the day to herself, overjoyed at being surrounded by some of the things that she likes most, even if she can't glean from them what she would back home.

Perhaps you've stopped in by mistake, maybe you're running errands, or you're here with the intention of finding something in particular. Either way, you're here now, and the little bell sound that chimes once you've come in signifies your entry. It's too late for you to leave now. (Aerith won't be chasing you down if you turn tail and flee.)

Whatever Aerith's in the middle of doing, she looks up from her task and eyes the door with a welcoming smile.]

Hi there! If you give me just a moment, I'll be right with you.

[02. How to Business 101]

Hm...

[Aerith holds a notebook protectively against herself as she wanders the streets of Camelot's business district. She stops every so often in the front of a store window, occasionally pokes her head in to get a good look at the wares and the design. She's doing business research to see what she can do to better her flower shop.

It's also a good excuse to get to speak with owners and others along the way and having never been one to shy away from conversation, Aerith is quite happy to exchange words in idle conversation.]

I wonder how they decided on prices. Did they just compare it to something local?

[A frown briefly crosses her features because she knows her own pricing has been pretty negotiable. But maybe flowers just don't work the same as drinks at a cafe or some of the other wares that Camelot provides.

Her feet start carrying her off to another store, her face is fixed on her notebook, where she's writing in small script her observations. She brushes up against a shoulder, or perhaps she walks headfirst into you, or maybe you simply found her in your way whilst you were trying to pass by. Either way, you are precisely one Aerith richer.]

Oops—Am I in your way? Sorry about that.

[03. Gone Fishing (Not Really)]

[She hasn't been here to visit since her original arrival. Aerith has lost track of time easily, and she knows why. She drowns in keeping herself busy and occupied. It gives her less time to think. The Bay of Avalon is a vivid recollection of how confusing it was to arrive in this new world, with the discovery that the world back home was frozen in time. It's still a little hard to wrap her mind around, but she's continued to adopt the idea that there's no sense in causing an uproar over it.

This is a thing she cannot affect, despite the otherworldly abilities that she may play host to.

It's a pleasant day, one that has her lifting an arm as she takes in what feels like a bay of water that stretches beyond what she can see.]

It's beautiful when you're not swimming out of it in the cold. Or being escorted out by turtles.

[There's a basket over one forearm, not even half full. Aerith has come all this way to see if there's any flowers that might be worth adding to the collection. Down in the water, there's occasional splashes of the fish and the welcoming organic ebb and flow of the water. Maybe one of these days she should consider going for a swim.]

Although it looks a little more serene when people aren't arriving, doesn't it?

[...She wonders if the Lady of the Lake sleeps when she's not bringing newly arrived.]

[04. Communing with Nature]

[Her fingertips splay against the rough bark and for several moments, Aerith remains still, listening to everything around her—the rustle of branches, the far off lilt of birds, and other things she cannot readily identify. For once, she's not out scouting for flowers. Rather, her visit to the forest sitting just outside of Camelot's town is for something more profound.

Aside from the occasional dreams she's had of home, of different times, of times that perhaps have not yet occurred, she hasn't felt the same since her arrival. Aerith hasn't had a way of discovering just how in touch she is with her Cetra abilities. It's not an easy thing to test either, considering the details of her 'abilities' have been complex.

Her touch moves over a subtle gash in the wood and after a moment's pause above it, it takes a gentle push of healing, an encouragement for it to heal. Whether it works or not, she hardly would know. Nature is more hardy than many give it credit for.]

There you are. [She says aloud, though she seems to be addressing the tree. After a beat, she turns to press her back against it before she finds her voice again.] I can't seem to hear anything, though. Even being surrounded by it all, it isn't the same. I'm not connected to you in the same way.

[She sighs, shutting her eyes as she thinks about where to go next. What to do. She's not seen anyone else hunting or searching for any of the ingredients that grow in the veil of trees just yet. But it doesn't mean they aren't there.]

So... what do you think we should do now, hmm?

[05. Wild Card]

[For everything else. If you'd like a closed starter, please let me know. You can PM Aerith's journal or PP me at ofthesky.]

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[Elza didn't believe the answer, but she didn't press. The way the other woman had been speaking certainly hadn't been in the same sense as one would to another - familiar included.

The hiss in her direction drew out an amused smirk as subtle as it was. That little thing had spirit. This woman though, there was something she was hiding. The obvious pleasantries seemed to be genuine, but she wondered how much of those pleasantries were used to cover up whatever it was this woman was trying to hide.

The gunner remained comfortable in her perch at the question. Why didn't she talk to her familiar? Heh, because she didn't trust it. It still seemed far too convenient to have this magical being 'bonded' to them on arrival and Elza was a suspicious beast even on the best of days.]

Why would I?

Well... I don't know. They're our companions. I'm not fully sure of what their purpose is, but...

[Aerith lifted her drake up to her shoulder and he wasted little time in coiling back around her ponytail, content to poke out a bit at the top. Perhaps protective in his own way, though his flower girl companion likely wouldn't have been any the wiser, considering the history of their bonded relationship wasn't the most friendly.]

When I originally arrived, he was actually the one who explained to me what was happening here. He doesn't talk much and I don't think he's especially interested in conversation, but he's still a friend. Not really a pet.

[She shook her head.] That's just my take on it. I think most of the people here don't look at it like that.

[Trusting. That was one way to sum up this woman so far. She was far too trusting despite whatever she was hiding. Still Elza listened to her words and watched the bond between the two as that serpent coiled itself back around her ponytail.]

Heh, well I'm sure you do enough talking for the two of you. [Not a slight even if it's hard to tell by Elza's teasing tone, but more an observation.]

Did yours take the form of something familiar [significant] to you? [The few that she'd seen with those she'd conversed with, it appeared they mirrored that individuals personality in one way or another - her own included... Which was part of the reason why she didn't trust them. So she was curious to see if this woman was in a similar situation.]

[Where many might have taken such a thing as an insult, Aerith didn't. She offered up a shrug, perhaps a little apologetically. Maybe she really was that transparent. It wasn't as though she had much to hide.] I bet he agrees with you. He's never told me that himself, but he makes it pretty obvious.

[At the question, she paused, thumbing at her chin thoughtfully.] Back home, I've seen them before. Fought them, even, but I don't know what actually ties us together aside from coming from the same world. It didn't occur to me that familiars might have more significance. I thought they were kind of random. Most of the others I've spoken to about their own, don't seem to know much about them either.

[Motioning up to Elza, she continued.] What about you and yours?

[Hmm... That was interesting. It did leave her wondering though to if it was merely random or if there was some significance behind their appearance. If it was completely random... Then it was quite the coincidence and Elza didn't believe in coincidences.]

Maybe they are nothing but random. [She couldn't discount that possibility even if her gut was telling her otherwise. Pushing herself up to stand, she reached up to pluck the long rifle resting on a branch overhead. Slinging it to rest across her back, the gunner leapt down to land silently on the forest floor.

She was a tall woman, standing at nearly 6 feet in height, so she stared down at the other woman from a few feet away.]

What about mine? [There's a small shrug of her shoulders. Cagey much, Elza?] It wants me more than I want it.

I think I heard that they choose who they bond to. At least, that was the impression I got when I first arrived. I don't know of any evidence that supports that, though.

[So in short, perhaps that is only Aerith's staple optimism. Not everyone has that perception either, which she has learned fairly quickly. But there's more optimism here than she saw too much of in Midgar.

At Elza's explanation, she can't help laughing a little.]

Isn't that a good thing? It's nice to be wanted, I think. You could have a volatile relationship with your familiar, where they try to hinder everything you do. The alternatives could be worse.

[They choose who to bond with? She would have felt pity for the one who bonded with her if it was an emotion she could feel. As things were though, she wouldn't have been surprised if hers was a vindictive one. She didn't want it and it seemed to revel in reminding her of her past with the shape it wore.]

[The laugh though had not been expected. It was sometimes easy to forget that those not of her world had no idea what she was. Those that did wouldn't be so carefree.]

Perhaps. [There was a pause while she eyed the serpent coiled around this woman's hair.] But I'd much rather one who showed its feelings openly.

[It wouldn't be that easy. No, if hers was like that then she would have dealt with it much easier.]

I don't know...

[Aerith wears a smile as she folds her hands together.] If you're able to determine that it wants your company more than you reciprocate that, I'd think it's pretty transparent about what it feels and what it wants.

[After some consideration, her head tips indicatively, though its subtle at best.] I can't say the same of Zaral. I often don't know what he's thinking or what he wants. He doesn't normally share those kinds of things with me.

Heh... [There's a small smile playing at her lips at that sound. She wondered...

Lifting one hand up, Elza clicked her fingers to summon her familiar to her side. A Cresent shadow stretched out across Elza as moments later an ironmoon appeared just above where she stood. It was almost the same size as her as it floated in the air, it's amber eyes staring at them with that lazy smile in its face.

The ironmoon half spun to the left, stopped and shuddered silently, before it righted itself again.]

You're welcome to have mine bother you. [A light shrug and Elza made a gesture for her familiar to approach the other woman. It peered at her with those bright armour eyes before it phased in and out of existence on the spot then began hovering forward.] You'd be doing me a favour.

[ooc: she's curious to see if Aerith's familiar will react while also being serious about having her familiar bother Aerith to give herself some space.]

Oh, it's a little moon!

[Aerith is instantly charmed. 'Cute' is not a word she'd use to describe most familiars that she's had the privilege of meeting since her arrival, but there is something undeniably endearing about a miniature moon. Well, crescent moon, really. Maybe it's the shape. She can't quite figure it out.

Perhaps Aerith just has some very awkward perceptions on what's 'cute' and what isn't.

She is a warm and welcoming individual, not shy at all about opening her arms to welcome the ironmoon down to her. Her drake, however, is not at all personable or evidently particularly keen to share his bonded.

He lazily lifts his head from where he's tucked beneath a pink ribbon and slowly begins to lift a wing before uttering a soft hiss. Perhaps a warning of his own.]

Now, don't you start. [Aerith begins, carefully reaching up with a hand to give the drake a gentle little rub over his raised wing.] You have to learn to get along. Not just with me either. I want you to be nice. Play nicely!

[The excitement shouldn't have come as a surprise given what little she had witnessed from this woman. Yet there was a small spark of it within when she welcomed it with welcome arms and all. Although, she supposed, the symbolism behind her familiar would be lost to even most of those from her world as well so she shouldn't have been surprised. To Elza though, it was the embodiment and constant reminder of her betrayal.

The ironmoon's lazy smile only grew at the warning hiss. It had been dealing with Elza's frostiness for weeks after all.

Elza watched the trio for a moment before she turned to leave. Perhaps with the ironmoon distracted, she could get a few moments of peace as she intended to leave them wordlessly to bond.]

[The drake rose a bit more from its comfortable nesting spot and coiled right around Aerith's ribbon, slumping back down in something of a defeated motion, as if he'd found no reason not to concede to her wishes.

Before she could get fully entrapped in the charms of Elza's moon companion, Aerith only began to catch her movement and she tilted her head thoughtfully.]

You're not trying to abandon them with me, are you?

[That voice caused her retreat to momentarily pause. Her ironmoon was peering wide eye with that grin on its face at Aerith and the familiar draped around her.]

You don't want it? [She knew it that even despite her wishes to be rid of the thing, it was likely impossible. However, that wouldn't stop her from trying.] Looks like you're getting along well enough.

[Aerith looked between the ironmoon and Elza for some moments before she laughed.]

I think he'd miss you. [A pause.] ...Her? I can't tell. [And calling the ironmoon an 'it' just didn't feel right.] Besides, I get this feeling that they'll just go back to you eventually. Your familiar and all.

[The laugh was met with her usual response, slight amusement. This woman did appear to be rather carefree. Elza mildly wondered what that would be like before she dismissed the thought.]

If it will eventually return to me, then there's no harm leaving it with you is there? [Her smile was teasing but she did give a small gesture to wordlessly command for the familiar to disappear again. With a soft shudder through the ironmoon's body, it faded out of existence.]

So what you're really saying is that you want me to babysit them.

[She wore an amused expression and whether her drake knew what 'babysit' meant or not, his own reaction was to languidly hiss again, as if to imply that the only places she should have been directing her attention to were him or the flower shop that he couldn't seem to get an escape from.

Without staying home, anyway.]

Hmmm. I could be persuaded to do this. If you need a break, I can bring them back to you later on. I don't mind watching over them for a little bit. [Even if the drake was going to have less than a field day with the whole experience.]

[Babysitting? If that's what she wanted to call it, Elza wasn't going to interfere. At the end of the day it simply meant that a nuisance was taken off of her hands for a short amount of time - even if it ended up only being for this day.]

When you're done, just send it away. [She was difficult to find on purpose unless luck was on the other person's side... or unlucky depending on the meeting.] You won't be able to find me, so don't bother wasting your time.

[Elza hadn't expected to be honest with that information. Taking a moment to consider it, she shook her head and started to leave. That other woman seemed innocent enough, but Elza sensed there was a kind of danger to her as well. What kind, she wasn't sure, but it didn't appear to be the usual type her life was associated with.]

That's mysterious of you.

[Leave it to Aerith to have been so straight forward. Tact wasn't always her forte, even if she'd rarely been particularly threatening. Don Corneo was very specifically an exception as were the circumstances that surrounded him.

As Elza turned to go, she lifted a hand to wiggle her fingers before she welcomed the ironmoon temporarily to her party.]

I'll take good care of them for you! [At least until the ironmoon got tired of likely being antagonised by one grumpy drake.]

[Her initial parting words brought an amused half smile to her face. While she had her suspicions of this woman, she couldn't help but find amusement in the blunt statement. Not many people were blunt from her experience. Instead it was painfully the opposite with deceptive word choices and half truths at best.

She didn't say anything but disappeared into the forest. This was a woman who interested her as much as she made her suspicious. Elza would have to keep an eye out for her again in the future.]

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[Catch-All] Reunions, Memories, & the Colour White

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