Some Live, Some Die (Job Thread)

[Asari Rosacea]

Cylus 6, Arc 717

Asari had a love hate relationship with cold weather. She loved watching the white fog come from her mouth with each heaving breath she took as she left the city, but the cold made her fingers numb, knuckles aching as she kept an iron grip on the potted plant in her arms. Her heels- not the smartest choice she could have had in footwear- keep digging into the muddy ground, making her have to put extra efforts into her steps, grunting with effort as she trekked through the forest. Her gaze slid towards the campsite where she had met that cute human boy- but Arlo was nowhere to be seen.

Continuing on her way, it wasn’t long until Asari reached her intended destination- a small patch of dirt in the forest that had several plants lined up. Asari, having no property of her own yet, had been planting small plants here. However, as the cold of Cylus set in, they were all wilting, their stems curling from cold. Without the sun, there was nothing that could be done. Poor things… Asari thought absently as she knelt on the cold ground.

Setting the potted plant to the side- which was a new sprout of a mint plant- Asari reached into the bag she had strapped across her body. Things within clattered as her hand searched for a particular tool. At last, her chilled fingers wrapped around the handle of her soil loosening tool, pulling it out.

Let’s get this started. Time to put you out of your misery. Asari thought as she rolled up her sweater sleeves. Narrowing her big blue eyes in a look of pure murder, she raised the tool above her head, and with a ceremonious war cry, plundered it into the hard ground. Stabbing it into the dirt over, and over, grunts leaving her lips. If someone happened to see her, they might have thought she was stabbing a person.

The plants before her were toppled, broken and dead as she dug into the base of them, yanking up their roots and breaking up the hard, cold Cylus dirt they were rooted in. “Muwahahaha! It’s your time to die, Suckas!” Asari crooned, having far too much fun with this task, giggles erupting from her as she laughed at her own ridiculousness.

[Vega]

Vega was more than a little convinced that she was losing her mind. She was hearing things, that was for certain and although the only person she had told hadn't laughed at her, which was good, she was starting to get seriously concerned for her own mental well being. The night before, she'd sat up from a dream where she was flying high above the ocean and she heard the scream of a bird in her mind so clearly that she woke with a start.

Yes, she decided, whatever slight grasp on 'the plot' that she once had held, it had fled her.

Yet, here she was, traipsing through the woods in the freezing cold again, trying to follow the Immortals-be-damned noise of her unwanted, uninvited, unbidden imaginary friend. Her own dress was warm and sensible. Red with a white under-dress which was evident in the slightly lacy white neckline, cuffs and at the bottom of her skirt. She'd invested in thick stockings and socks, both of which she wore under her high-topped boots. Vega certainly wasn't wearing heels or any such thing, she was wrapped against the cold in her cloak and she had her hat on, her hood up and gloves on her hands. The closest thing to jewelry that she wore was her two permanent accessories, her long sword and her bow.

Walking through the woods, she was looking out for tracks which she might recognise as well as any herbs or fungus which she might pick up and bring back. She'd found some things and was putting them into her bag as she heard a woman's voice raise in a shout and then the cry of "It's your time to die." Vega dropped her hand to her sword hilt and moved to look, quiet and careful to not make any noise so that she was less likely to be detected. This made for slow and careful going but that was fine.

As she moved, hand on the hilt of her sword, Vega rounded a tree where the woman in question was. What was it with this place and midgets? The woman was tiny. Vega took in the scene and her eyes were a vivid violet flecked with green as she watched. A tiny person, shorter even than Arlo and that was saying something. Add to that the woman's shoes, her lack of gloves and her desire to shout in a forest where people might be hunting or she might get into all sorts of trouble and a hundred opinions formed.

She seemed to be trying to grow potted plants in a forest, too. How odd. Vega raised an eyebrow and decided that she wasn't one to judge, since she was too busy hearing birds to be too much of a bother. Add in to the fact that, in this place you just never new and Vega nodded her head as the woman looked up. "Hello. Didn't mean to bother you. Just trying to do some hunting and heard your warcry." She quirked an eyebrow at the pots. "Mint?" Vega didn't sound completely sure but it was, in fact, the only herb she knew and that was only because she'd been told about it. "There's some growing wild over that way." As she said that, her now sea-green eyes took in the scene and she nodded her head. "Sorry to have bothered you."

After all that noise, there was no way that there was going to be an animal within any reasonable distance. So, faced with having no excuse she determined that she would make her way back to camp and try again later.

[Asari Rosacea]

Asari was absorbed in her task, hands digging into the cold soil along with her tool as she dug up the plants by the root. She had her nails painted just that morning- but she knew that with this kind of work, they would be chipped and torn by the time she was done. It was the only thing she approved of messing up her nails- gardening.

Despite her crazed way of digging out the dying plants, Asari wasn’t totally off guard. She was very aware that she was in a wild place, a freezing forest, in the dark of Cylus. Which is why she was paying enough attention to hear someone approaching behind the trees. And Asari wasn’t entirely defenseless, either- a hidden dagger in her jacket sleeve, spring loaded, for emergencies, along with a barbed whip on her belt.

Her actions of pummeling the ground slowed as a tall redheaded woman revealed herself. Sitting up as she tore out a root, her lips quirked into a smirk as the woman spoke. “Warcry… well, that’s accurate. I may have gone a bit overboard, but my mother used to say that growing against all odds was a war in its own right.”

Cylus was definitely against all odds… for most plants, anyway. As Vega correctly identified the mint, Asari looked up at her in surprise, nodding. “Correctamundo.” She responded, pushing herself to stand up out of the dirt, patting her dirty hands on her pants as she stood, teetering unsteadily with her heels in the dirt. “I know there is. But I don’t have my own garden yet. I’m new to Desnind, you see, and I’m a herbalist. Sooo…. I figured what’s one more mint plant?”

As Vega moved to leave, Asari found herself speaking up, “Woah. Hold up. I’m curious- have you ever worked with gardening before? Or Mint?” She gave a semi-friendly wave, pursing her lips in a half smile. “The name’s Asari Rosacea. I figure you wonder why I’m…” the Naerikk glanced down at the destroyed plants, “...butchering these and planting mint.” For whatever reason, she felt the need to explain.

Crouching, Asari moved the deadened plants to the side, pulling the potted mint plant closer. Her fingers reached out to trace one of its soft, small leaves. “Mint is a strong plant. Survives well in the cold. Thrives, even. It’d be no chance in the Cylus of, say, Viden. But here in Desnind, I think it has a chance. It doesn’t even get cold enough until later in Cylus… and some plants live, some die. Like… there’s this plant called Syanan Okan. It only grows in colder seasons. I’m harvesting some of that later tonight, if I can find it in the woods.”

[Vega]

The woman in high heeled shoes had painted nails and let out a bellowing warcry whilst potting mint in a woodland. Maybe, Vega considered, either she hadn't completely lost 'the plot' herself, or if she had, she wasn't alone. It was comforting, in a way. Although, in another, not so much. The woman had a strange way of talking, but then she was human and they were a funny lot. Arlo being a perfect example, in truth.

"Yeah? Me too. New ish, anyhow. Been here a few trials now, kind of got stuck by the weather." Vega grinned and lifted her unruly red hair away from the side of her face to reveal her pointed ears. "Half Biqaj, half Sev'ryn I came to find out about my Sev'ryn family. Vega. My name's Vega, it's nice to meet you Asari." She smiled, genuinely always happy to meet a new person. Vega strongly believed, as her father had taught her that people came into your existence for a reason, a season or the duration. Whichever it was, they all had something to give, something to learn from, learn about. Big or small.

"No, I was raised on board ships, no gardens. I've always been interested and my friend is teaching me to cook, so I'd like to learn, truthfully. I only know about mint because said teacher told me about it." Vega didn't mind admitting that she knew next to nothing, but was interested to learn. When Asari spoke about a plant called Syanan Okan, Vega raised an eyebrow. "Really? I can help if you want, I'd be interested in learning, if you've a mind to share any knowledge. I've been in these woods a few times, and I've collected up a fair few plants, to identify them when we got back. "

Not sure what she had to offer in return Vega reached into her pocket and held out a small flask. "Whiskey? It'll warm you up." She gave a smile "So, why are you visiting Desnind, Asari? Avoiding the worst of the weather?" Vega looked around with vivid pink eyes flecked with a deep blue and shrugged. "Though, I guess it's a herbalists paradise?"

[Asari Rosacea]

Asari was surprised as Vega revealed her ears. “That explains the eyes. I would have guessed Half Human, Half Biqaj, though. You don’t seem very… Sev’ryn like.” She said it without thinking, then froze as she realized it might seem like an insult. Quickly trying to take her foot out of her mouth, Asari spoke, “Ah- Not that that’s a bad thing! Just surprising, is all. I’m a Naerikk, myself, and um… Well, not many people would guess I am, either, which is why I usually just put it out there. No use keeping it a secret, right? Because then people may like me based on false assumptions and it’d be a false way of feeling and… erm… yeah.” Feeling a little awkward, Asari found herself nervously running her fingers through her black hair- which only made her realize her hands were covered in dirt. Cringing at her own thoughtlessness, she dropped her hands, gripping them together in a hand-wringing motion in front of herself.

As Vega explained how she came to know about mint, and then offered to help, the surprise was clear across Asari’s face. It was one emotion she wasn’t very adept at hiding. “R-Really? Um… Yeah, absolutely! I could use the extra hands, and I’ll be happy to share what I know. It makes sense that your friend mentioned mint when cooking- that’s what it’s mostly used for. Food, especially desserts or things like omelets, or even in drinks. But it’s a really versatile plant.” Glancing down at the plant, she hesitated before gesturing Vega to come closer. “If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, you can help me plant this.” She told her, moving aside to give her room.

At the offer of whiskey, Asari got a huge grin, gladly taking the flask. “Good woman! Nothing like a good drink when gardening.” She exclaimed, taking a good sip before handing it back. At the mention of the weather, Asari laughed, “Oh Audrae, no! I was raised in Nashaki, and later Nekhet- it’s so much warmer there right about now. No, if anything I downgraded to worse weather.” She paused, trying to decide on her answer, before saying, “It is a herbalist’s paradise, but… in truth I just wanted to go off on my own, leave home. That kind of thing. Desnind seemed as good a place as any. It seemed peaceful. Like… I could live in solitary if I wanted, but I could also have people around if I wanted- not be forced into one or the other. I don’t know how long I’ll stay here but… It’s a good place to start off.”

Asari took a second of silence after saying that, before giving herself a little shake and reminding herself of the task at hand. Grabbing the dead plants she’d unearthed, she moved them aside to be discarded before reaching into her bag. After a bit of searching, she pulled out a small hand shovel, holding it out to Vega. “You know how to dig a hole, right? About… eight to ten inches should do it, for a plant of this size.”

As she helped with her hands, Asari spoke a little more, “Mint can be used for more than cooking, you know. It can be made into bug repellent- like for ants and stuff. And a lot of people use mint in skin products, lotions- even in their baths. I love a good bath with essence of mint. It’s also often used in teas and tinctures. I’ve even heard that it can be used as a medicinal herb, because mint tea is used to stop stomachache and indigestion, and it can be used for toothaches, or on skin irritants like bug bites or rashes. Very, very useful plant.”

[Vega]

Vega figured that the woman hadn't been here long when she seemed surprised at Vega's ears but had seen her eyes. "Yeah, the eyes and ears are Biqaj. Most people assume half human cos Sev'ryn look entirely human." When she said that Vega didn't seem very Sev'ryn like, the young halfbreed laughed. "Not very Sev'ryn-like? If you say so, I'm not sure what Sev'ryn-like is, really. They seem like a nice enough lot to me." She was a Naerikk? Vega raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I can't say I've heard good things about your people, but then I was raised that you judge a person by who's in front of you, not who's behind them." Vega shrugged. Had to be said, her father was full of little nuggets like that. As a child it had been irritating, as an adult it was almost wise sometimes. Though, thus far the woman in front of her was dancing around the woods in Cylus in high heeled shoes, collecting dead plants from pots with a warcry which would have annoyed any hunter nearby and rubbing dirt into her hair after telling Vega that she wasn't very Sev'ryn like. Whatever sort of first impression that was, it certainly was it.

Nah, getting dirty doesn't bother me. I don't care about stuff like that." Vega lowered herself down onto her heels and listened to what she said about mint, committing it to memory. She had to admit, the idea of a mint omelette sounded vile, but whatever floated Asari's boat was fine with Vega. Needless to say, she wouldn't be trying that any time soon. The weather here wasn't the reason for her visiting, though, and so Vega listened to where the woman hailed from. All these people who lived in one place. She glanced up though and asked "Who's Audrae?" It sounded like an Immortal the way she said the name, but Vega couldn't be sure.

For Desnind being a good place to start, Vega nodded. "Fair enough. I guess you've come across a lot of people take exception to you, because of your race. The people here are more accepting?" A lot of places wouldn't let her in if she insisted on revealing her race to strangers, Vega thought. For all that Vega found the quiet pace of life here a little difficult, she had to admit to a feeling of positive about the people. Then, she would, she supposed, she was finding out half of her heritage.

She listened to Asari's explanation of the benefits of mint, doing her best to remember it all but a fundamental difference between the two women might well be apparent at Vega's next words.

"Skin products?" Vega was about fifty fifty on whether this was products made out of skin, and then flavoured or scented with mint apparently, or products for the skin. It was probably fair to say that the Naerikk had found someone who was somewhat lax in their daily skincare regime. She came to the conclusion that it was products for the skin and she frowned. "Wot do I want to put products on there for? It just sits there not really bothering anyone. I think that's a good philosophy, myself. It don't bother me, I don't bother it." Skin, hair, make up (she wouldn't know what to do with it if she tried).

"Are those .. I mean, how come you don't put yer eye out when you're scratchin?" Vega was, of course, pointing to Asari's nails. The young halfbreed really was rather taken aback. She looked down at her own, frankly scraggy nails and she grinned. "I guess yer not a biter, eh?"

[Muse]

Your review is ready!

It's always sad to see an abandoned thread, especially one that had great dialogue. I quite enjoy Vega's perspective on life, and, well her sharp wit. Haha.

Vega

Points

XP:
15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

Fame:
N/A

Loot

N/A

Injuries + Overstepping

N/A

Knowledge

Skill Knowledge:
Cosmetology: Basic skin care
Gardening: Mint grows in the cold
Gardening: Wild mint can be found in the forest
Gardening: Mint is best left to it's own devices.
Medicine: Mint is good for the stomach
Medicine: Mint is good for the skin

Other Knowledge:
N/A

Asari Rosacea

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