isleofavalon | 002

[Last month's Celliwig hubbub did NOT go well for Rinea, to say the least. Looking back, she wonders if she should have predicted earlier that Adalhard would go rogue (well, maybe not rogue. but rebellious) in the face of a good fight. Worse still, the guardian familiar is unrepentant about it! Arguing over war zones with a brick wall is well-tread ground to Rinea, but it's especially literal this time.

Needless to say, Rinea and Adalhard are on an extended break. Even without him, though, Rinea still has to replenish her alchemy stock like usual-- and it's a bit hard to forage and defend herself at the same time.

Luckily, she's got a favor to call in!]

Mr. Inui!

[Rinea waves to Juzo at the edge of the city near the Broceliande. She's wearing pants for once, their knees covered in grass stains, and a wicker backpack to collect her foraged plants.]

Thank you for taking the time to accompany me. I hope I'm not keeping you from your new business for too long...

[ Rinea’s business isn’t any of Juzo’s. If she wants to tell him about her issues with her familiar, that’s on her. For now, he didn’t press when she’d asked for his help - he owes her, after all. Cigarettes might seem like a simple thing to anyone else, but she’s honestly saved his life by duplicating Mary’s work.

He waves back when he spots her, a simple lifting of his hand and a single, small motion of his arm. ]

Don’t mention it. This is on par with my usual work, anyway, so for all intents and purposes, you’re my client for today.

Very well! I will be sure to pen you a good recommendation afterward.

[She explains the request as they walk, the treeline coming closer into view.]

The Broceliande is mostly harmless, but there is this particular creature called the Bear Fir to be wary of. I've encountered small ones a few times, which wasn't too dangerous, but they say the forest is host to giant creatures as well... Are you familiar with topiaries, sir?

Appreciate it. For a man in my business, some word of mouth goes a long way.

[ She doesn’t have to go out of her way for him, of course, but he knows well enough by now not to argue the point. Much like Marianne, Rinea seems the type to do what she feels she has to do in order to maintain a sense of propriety. People like that don’t really exist where he comes from, so he just rolls with it. ]

You mean bushes and things they trim up to look like other things? Seen one or two, but that kinda frivolity isn’t exactly common back home unless you got money to burn.

Yes, that's correct. [Rinea hops over a gnarled tree root as the woods begin to grow closer together.] That is the form the Bear Firs take. And they prefer to sneak up on their prey, which you can imagine is a bit difficult to watch for when foraging plants off the forest floor...

[Hence needing a guardian.]

But other than that, it should be a pleasant outing!

[Famous last words, lol. But even though Rinea tripped that very obvious flag, the entrance of the woods is peaceful enough. It's a little busy, though... animals are everywhere.]

[ Okay, so he has to be on the lookout for killer shrubbery. That shouldn’t be too terribly bad…

Famous last words indeed. ]

Is it always this crowded?

[ Admittedly, Juzo doesn’t take many walks through the woods, so he’s uncertain if this level of fauna is common. He also expects most animals to turn tail and run when they see him - and some of the smaller prey creatures do, but perhaps that’s their instinct when anyone approaches - but others get out of their immediate way and otherwise don’t go far. The animals here must be used to a certain level of weird. ]

No, not that I have seen... [...but it's been over a month since she last had to visit, she thinks, so she's not sure if this is a sudden or gradual happenstance.] Gracious, but it's populated! I hope they haven't eaten all of the herbs we came for. At least we're close. I think the mossy side was this way...

[Rinea comes face to face with a deer as she parts the leafy curtains of a weeping willow, and jumps a little. oop. maybe she should stick closer to Juzo.]

Perhaps we should write a report of some kind? I would hate to think they're being misplaced due to a larger threat.

[ It’s when she mentions the animals might be displaced that something clicks into place in his chamber - figuratively, of course. He does remember reading something about that, now that he thinks about it. ]

One sec.

[ Juzo pulls his phone from his pocket, smoke drifting idly from the end of his cigarette as he scrolls through to the Questboard. ]

You got me curious, Rinea. Do you ever read the network? Like, ever?

I-- I do on occasion!

[Rinea goes red quickly, ashamed of her own self-defense. auu, of course she has done nothing but embarrass herself in front of juzo lately...!!]

Well... perhaps not as much as I should. I have become more used to it over time, but it does not come naturally... [She wilts a bit.] I considered myself very lucky to catch your post on it!

Worth getting’ into the habit.

[ When he realizes how quickly she’s deflated, he feels a bit bad for teasing, and something in his tone gentles. ]

Can see how it’d be difficult to remember if you don’t have this kinda tech back home, though. Anyway, uh, here.

[ So saying, he holds out his phone for her, the message displayed on the screen is from the Questboard, outlining how creatures have been coming out of the lake to displace the other animals of the forest. ]

Looks like we should keep an eye out.

Well... [Rinea is distracted from her cringe quickly, taking the phone in both hands and reading the quest details with round eyes. She's never seen a Carcinus before, but...] Well! That would certainly explain it, I suppose.

[She returns the device to him, looking anxiously around.] We are heading in the direction of the lake. Is it going to be too troublesome? Are you confident in your ability to best them if we encounter one, or should we pick another time to visit?...

[While Rinea doesn't see any monsters in her scan of the area her eyes do land upon a patch of mushrooms, which thoroughly diverts her.] Oh, mossburn! Give me just a moment.

[She kneels quickly into the loam, shrugging off her backpack. If they have to turn back, at least let her grab these...!!]

That's what I'm here for, isn't it? I can handle some overgrown seafood.

[ She asked him out here to watch her back, and he'd be a poor protector indeed if some errant wildlife gave him cause for concern. ]

Though I'm surprised you need the muscle with that familiar of yours.

Oh... yes, Adalhard. [Rinea hesitates in her foraging, staring bemusedly down at her task.]

Well... I scolded him, and I'm afraid he's thrown something of a fit over it. [She continues her movements more slowly, separating the fungi by type as she speaks.]

You recall Celliwig, of course. Well-- even after you escorted us safely out of the fight, he refused to leave...

Didn't wanna leave the action, huh?

[ Juzo makes an amused noise, something that could probably be called a snort. A coil of smoke drifts from his barrel. ]

He seemed like he was gunnin' for a fight when we met.

Yes, he certainly was. Perhaps with you the most! [Rinea doesn't know what "gunning for" means, but she can approximate an understanding from context clues.] We ended up separated, and he was slow to respond to my summons afterwards because he was enjoying the commotion. I was in quite the predicament!

[It's not polite to sigh, but Rinea does just that. She yanks a stubborn plant from its roots with a particularly fervent motion.]

It's what he was built to do, that much I know. But... still....

I bet.

[ Perhaps he should be grateful that his own familiar, while annoying sometimes, wasn’t out getting in brawls on the street because it was fun. ]

Well… [ a pause, as he reaches up to scratch his muzzle in the same way one might scratch their head in thought. ] If he needs someone to go a couple rounds with now and then, I wouldn’t mind volunteerin’.

Would you?? That would be so helpful... [Rinea turns to look gratefully up at him. she can trust Juzo with him, unlike sending Adalhard off to god knows where to cause trouble. That, and something about the two of them really does match......]

Oh, but maybe I shouldn't reward his behavior. I'd hate for Adalhard to think he can throw a fit to change my mind. Hmm...

[Rinea is so busy thinking and pulling herbs, she doesn't notice the rustling of the foliage nearby. Incoming!]

Sure. Gives me a chance to practice my magic and get used to how I run in this place.

[ With the way this place has his extensions running baseline, sometimes it feels like he’s in a different body. He functions well enough, but a little practice would help – as would an opponent he didn’t have to worry quite so much about hurting. ]

Well, you—

[ Whatever he was going to say shall have to remain a mystery. He notices the rustling of those leaves and swoops in to sling an arm around Rinea’s waist and haul her away just as a… thing that seems to be a mix between a crab and a scorpion bursts through the brush. ]

Yeek! [Up she goes!! The mushroom in her hand goes flying, bouncing harmlessly off the carcinus's shell.

The carcinus is surprisingly large, its claws flexing open and closed. For all of the furor with which it tore through the brush, though, it's hesitating a bit now that it can see just how intimidating its would-be target looks. The abundance of prey made it complacent, overconfident in its ability. But Juzo is no prey animal, and half metal besides.

Still, it does not immediately flee. The creature backs away a few paces with its scuttling limbs, sizing them up warily and weighing its options. To attack or not to attack?]

[ Suddenly being manhandled must have given her a bit of a fright, and he feels a bit bad, but at least he got her out of the way in time. He keeps one eye (proverbial eye, anyway) on the carcinus as he turns a bit to set Rinea on the ground behind him, keeping himself between her and the creature.

It seems to be hesitating – smart move. Juzo keeps himself at the ready as he takes a challenging step towards the thing. Either it will jump at him or flee. Hopefully flee. ]

C'mon, buddy. I know you don't want a bite of this.

[Poor Claire. Rinea saw her network post the other day; it's terrible to think of the loss her friend is shouldering! When the other girl reached out for a distraction in the form of fulfilling a quest together, Rinea of course took it up gladly. This lead the two of them to head out to the farms, as the various and sundry jobs needing to be done there best suited their disparate talents.

Rinea is crouching in the upturned soil, concentrating hard as she attempts to repair a wheelbarrow's metal wheelframe with alchemy.]

Oh, drat. [Not very ladylike of you, Rinea...] I shall never underestimate a blacksmith in my life. I've only just managed to craft a decent sword... curves are something else entirely!

[Claire was grateful for Rinea, and amused. Drat? Honestly, she would be swearing up a storm if she were stuck doing that. For her part, she's here to work with the plants, weaving her Green magic into the soil to regrow what she can.]

Yeah, I know it takes a lot of work to learn that kind of thing.

[Sweat beading on her brow, Claire's fingers curl as she aims them at the soil, working to regrow some corn and wheat that'd been trampled.]

I'm pretty clueless when it comes to it, but my brother did a bit of it, at a local fair just to learn.

Really? How resourceful. I guess that's something you and he have in common, even if it doesn't come out in the same ways...

[This is one of many times that Rinea has heard of Claire's brother. Between this, what she's heard before, and of the second life he lead in their memory share.... Claire has painted a nice picture of him.

Granting herself a break from trying to reform the wheel's makeup, Rinea looks up to watch her friend's efforts instead.]

It sounds so nice to have a sibling. Or perhaps it's just that your brother is such a man of character?

[Chris is a very, very memorable man, for certain. A giant!

Opting to take a break herself, Claire leans back and pops her back, blowing out a breath.]

He is a man of character, for sure. He's...something else. I don't think he'll ever stop trying to serve people, in his own way.

We haven't seen each other as much the last few years, he's been away fighting for our country, or working in another city. Chris works in law enforcement. Like...uh...a town guard?

[The effort Claire goes to in order to translate her life into familiar terms is very endearing. Rinea can't help but giggle a bit at the tone of voice Claire adopts when she casts about for the analogy.]

A town guard! I see. But a well-traveled one, it seems.

[Rinea draws the stick she was using to cast alchemy symbols through the dirt, idle in her movement.]

Do you enjoy travel, Claire?

Yes. A soldier that turned town guard.

[She doesn't want Rinea to be confused, mostly. She would hate having words thrown at her that she doesn't understand. So she's doing what she can to mitigate that particular issue.

The question takes her a little off guard, but she has an answer!]

I...yes, I guess? I've been to a few other countries. What about you?

Hm... I have been to our neighboring country once, though it was not under the best of circumstances. [Army marches are pretty brutal, even if she had the luxury of being in a cart.] I did enjoy the scenery, but I am mostly quite content to stay home.

Though... [Rinea is still speaking about herself, but her smile is sympathetic.] When loved ones leave to travel without you, it gets a bit lonely, I think.

That's...[Claire pauses, thinking back to the false life...] Zofia? Did I remember that right?

[She nods in agreement at the second part though.]

It does. I don't like my brother being so far away.

Yes, Zofia! [She beams.]

I am sure he misses you too! [Rinea sits up again, pulling the bent cart wheel towards herself.] All the more reason to work hard here. I promise I'll do my part to reunite you.

Yeah, I know we'll see each other again.

[Claire was nothing if not stubborn. As soon as the military was informed about Raccoon, she was going to get on the first flight to London to track him down.]

What about you, Rinea? Is there anyone you're hoping to heat back to?

M-Me? Well...

[Rinea's smile tightens a little, and her eyes stay on the wheel.]

If the magic of Avalon returns us to the very moment of our transport, I hardly dare to think of it.

...Oh.

[Claire stiffens just a little and moves closer, reaching a hand out to Rinea's shoulder.]

Sorry. I didn't mean to dredge up bad memories.

002 - closed

Juzo & Invasive Species

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Claire & Don't Treep, Man

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