GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

[Earl of Purple]

Incame!

"I can volunteer for that. If... if you'll have me. I always wanted to be a teacher." Though Anflaed doesn't have a great education, so it's pretty unlikely she'll be a good teacher at the moment.

[Morty]

[Ironoak Cabin]

"Wow, a wolf pup? Amazing! They don't let us near wolves back at where my aunt and uncle live!" He must be referring to the riding wolves goblins keep. "I dunno if we can get him to ride Scout. But he likes climbing things. Or maybe we can just throw the ball around and see if they catch it."

Hornclaw squirms contentedly when Asher pets him.

[Incoming!]

Reelshka's ears twitch.

"Being a teacher is something altogether different... but we can have you take some shifts at the daycare to see how you get along with the kids."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

"F-fine, I guess?" Sylvie replies, hesitantly, her face a picture of nervousness, her reply completely unhelpful in terms of gauging her level of awareness.

[Earl of Purple]

Incame!

"I know. But it's a step in the right direction, at least." And that's a step closer than she'd imagined. Maybe get some lessons online or something, at least learn even if she can't teach yet.

[Deathkeeper]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

Spako awkwardly sits in his chair, kicking his legs idly as they fail to reach the floor.
"So, ah, what now?" he asks Sophie. He isn't really sure how to proceed from here.

[Morty]

[Double Dragon Therapy]

"I think that's enough for today," Sophie declares. "We've discovered a lot, so I'd like you to think about it and talk about it before our next appointment. Then we'll be able to determine how to move forward from here."

[Incoming!]

"I can show you to the daycare now, if you'd like," Reelshka offers. "You can see what it's like there."

[Earl of Purple]

Incoming!

"Yeah, that'd be great. Thank you." And after they have looked at the daycare, they can start getting settled. Anflaed would certainly like an improved wardrobe.

[Purple Eagle]

"Wow, a wolf pup? Amazing! They don't let us near wolves back at where my aunt and uncle live!" He must be referring to the riding wolves goblins keep. "I dunno if we can get him to ride Scout. But he likes climbing things. Or maybe we can just throw the ball around and see if they catch it."

Hornclaw squirms contentedly when Asher pets him.

[Ironoak Cabin]

Scout rubs up against Tuskfang's leg.

"A wolf pup it is, then!" Asher declares, and so it is decided! "Maybe if I come along and show I can talk to animals, they'll let us get close to the real wolves." He suggests, but that assumes the wolves don't say 'don't bother us'. They won't be able to hurt him, but he won't want his friend getting hurt on his account.

When Tuskfang brings up that idea, however, the angel boy lights up, not literally, nodding in agreement. "That's a good idea, let's try it. Wanna catch a ball, Scout and Hornclaw?" Of course, the bear cub agrees!

[Morty]

[Ironoak Cabin]

"I dunno. They're really strict about it." Tuskfang sounds doubtful. He brightens up and wags his tail when the topic returns to the ball, though. He throws it with vigour and Hornclaw immediately scurries off in pursuit.

[Purple Eagle]

"I dunno. They're really strict about it." Tuskfang sounds doubtful. He brightens up and wags his tail when the topic returns to the ball, though. He throws it with vigour and Hornclaw immediately scurries off in pursuit.

[Ironoak Cabin]

Asher nods in understanding. "Maybe when we're older, then?" He suggests, hopefully.

Scout takes off after Hornclaw, but doesn't get to the ball first, so he stops and waits to see what the weird creature would do, waiting his turn to catch the ball.

"Yay, go Hornclaw and Scout!" Asher cheers happily, his wings flapping twice in happiness. "Let's keep score, Tusky!"

[Morty]

[Ironoak Cabin]

Hornclaw scurries after the ball as Tuskfang nods vigorously and starts counting under his breath. The little critter turns out to be quicker than his clumsy appearance would suggest. However, he slows down as he returns with the ball, as he has to hold it in his paws now.

[Purple Eagle]

[Ironoak Cabin]

Scout watches Hornclaw, and then returns back to the two kids, waiting for his turn. "My turn! How many seconds was that?" Asher asks, reaching over to collect the ball, which Scout keeps his eye on, waiting for his turn.

[Morty]

[Ironoak Cabin]

Hornclaw drops the ball, but then hops around Asher. Tuskfang goes over to scoop him up so he doesn't chase the ball again.

"I counted to twenty two. I dunno how many seconds that is."

[Purple Eagle]

[Ironoak Cabin]

"That's no good, counting seconds is better." Asher says, thoughtfully. "Lemme count, my angel powers means I can count seconds precisely. I just can." He appears to consider something for a bit. "Or we could just play without keeping score?"

[Morty]

[Ironoak Cabin]

Tuskfang pouts.

"Well I can't do it and I don't have a watch with me," he says, then pauses in thought. "Throw the ball and see how quickly Scout can catch it. Then we can play without keeping score."

[Purple Eagle]

[Ironoak Cabin]

When Tuskfang pouts, Asher gives his friend a warm side-hug. "Don't pout, Tusky, we can still have fun!"

Then he prepares to throw the ball. "You count, since you counted first, then we can stop keeping score." He follows through after saying that, and Scout takes off after the ball. Being a bear cub, of course he's fast. When he eventually catches the ball, he gently holds it in his mouth and returns to the boys, dropping it in front of them and looking happy indeed, especially after Asher sits down to stroke him.

"What's the score?"

[Morty]

[Ironoak Cabin]

Tuskfang counts intently as Scout goes there and back.

"I counted to eighteen. So I guess he's faster than Hornclaw," he admits. Whether or not either count was accurate is another question. The Crundle croaks when he hears his name. "We can throw it and see which one catches it first."

[Purple Eagle]

[Ironoak Cabin]

"If Scout is faster than Hornclaw, won't Scout catch it first every time? We can take turns." Asher suggests. "Or, throw it at each other and figure out a way to involve them?"

Whichever they decide, they can continue playing offscreen.

[Earl of Purple]

Lakeside

Natalie is here, sat on a small boulder as she reads a book. She's a fifteen-year-old girl with short black hair and bright green eyes; as the weather is getting nicer and it's sunny, she's wearing a black skirt and a red t-shirt, but it's quite windy so she's also put on a white cardigan. Lying next to her bare feet, acting as a windbreak, is a red rucksack; it's battered, with patches of new material where the corners were going and one of the straps has been reattached with thick black thread. The zips have all been replaced, too, but that is a subtler change that isn't as obvious.

The book she's reading is quite thick, and she's only just started.

[Purple Eagle]

Natalie is here, sat on a small boulder as she reads a book. She's a fifteen-year-old girl with short black hair and bright green eyes; as the weather is getting nicer and it's sunny, she's wearing a black skirt and a red t-shirt, but it's quite windy so she's also put on a white cardigan. Lying next to her bare feet, acting as a windbreak, is a red rucksack; it's battered, with patches of new material where the corners were going and one of the straps has been reattached with thick black thread. The zips have all been replaced, too, but that is a subtler change that isn't as obvious.

The book she's reading is quite thick, and she's only just started.

Lakeside

Close by, Ruth can be seen walking and talking with a stern-faced numan woman in her mid-forties with navy blue sclera, baby blue eyes, dark skin, african features and brown hair in a goddess braid, who's dressed in a colonel's uniform. Though one can tell her face is usually stern, her eyes shine with wonder as she talks to Ruth, a woman with chest-length green hair, bright purple eyes, bronze skin and mediterranean features. She's dressed in a greenish-white robe and looks like she's nearly 30.

One thing's different about Ruth, however. She's glowing, and has revealed both pairs of feathery angel wings.

At some point, Ruth looks at Natalie and smiles, and gestures to her while telling the other woman, her lips mouthing 'Karasu' a couple of times. The woman nods in understanding and recognition, then bows to Ruth before disappearing into thin air. Of course, Ruth had to tell Enitan it was fine for her to send a clone to show up and see an angel of her world's religion, hence the bowing.

Once that's done, Ruth walks up to Natalie with her ever-present serene and motherly smile, her wings and glow receding from view. "Hello there, Natalie. How are you doing on this fine day, and what's that you're reading?"

[Earl of Purple]

Lakeside

Natalie grabs a cardboard bookmark from an Inside library and puts the book aside. "I'm doing quite well, thank you. Enjoying the weather. It's The Lord of the Rings. I got it from a library in Inside; apparently it's a fantasy novel from Earth, but I'd not heard of it before, so not my Earth I guess. I'm not very far in, yet. Just reached a birthday party." Natalie's got no idea of what to expect, but is enjoying it thus far.

[Purple Eagle]

[Lakeside]

"Ah, yes, that book is just more proof of human creativity. You'll enjoy it. Once you're done with the series, you should check out The Chronicles of Narnia, as well." Ruth says, nodding. "I'm glad to see you're well. Asher was worried, considering the events of a few months ago, but I'm glad the both of you are moving on with your lives." Doesn't help to dwell on the past.

"Have you thought of what you'll do when you become an adult? In a matter of years you'll be eighteen, and a couple of years after that, you'll no longer be a teenager." She asks, interested in Natalie's answer.

[Earl of Purple]

Lakeside

"I've heard of those ones. Read the first one, The Leopard, the Warlock and the Wardrobe. It was quite good, but they aren't very thick." A slightly different version, it seems.

"I want to improve my conjuration. Get more skills and knowledge on it. Maybe become an adventurer, or a teacher. I'm not really sure, yet." Natalie's interested in trying an adventurer's lifestyle, particularly since the Nexus is a wilder and more interesting place to explore than her homeworld, which is mostly either very civilised and safe, with nowhere to explore, or incredibly wild and dangerous with guards patrolling the edges to keep the wild in, where adventurers are discouraged to stop them riling up things that shouldn't be riled up.

[Purple Eagle]

Lakeside

Wait, a leopard and a warlock? From a different world, then. As Natalie talks, Ruth's attention seems to shift such that she's paying attention to this plane, and something beyond, and nods in understanding, her approval rising once Natalie mentions teaching. "Knowledge and skill acquisition, I approve of. Should you puruse adventuring, your conjuration skills can be of use in a support role, unless you go solo, that is. You might want to learn how to use a weapon, to defend yourself."

She smiles brighter, a visual cue to indicate that she prefers this option more. "Should you go the teaching route, however, you can pass on your knowledge to the next generation, and beyond. You could even entertain them with your skills."

[Earl of Purple]

Lakeside

From Natalie's homeworld, so there's other differences as well.

"I'm not good enough to teach, yet. I'm nowhere near good enough. Most teaching magicians have spent a good few decades learning their art and practices." Which is why she's thinking of becoming an adventurer; that's a job that would encourage her to use and practice her conjuration to the point where she is skilled and experienced enough to become a teacher. "I do have a knife that Nisha gave me. And a slingshot that straps to my arm." The slingshot isn't as useful because her magic is ranged. She also knows little about using the knife, and doesn't carry it often.

[Purple Eagle]

Lakeside

"I know you have much to learn, but the little you know can be passed on to those who know nothing but are willing to learn, which can also help improve your knowledge. Besides, there are other things you can teach the young ones, like how to read. Karasu, when she was around, did teach Sasha to read, after all." Ruth explains.

"As for learning to use the knife, a couple of numan soldiers have arrived here in place of the siblings, one of which you just saw me with. I could enlist them in teaching you, should you wish?" She suggests. Karasu did give her the knife so she could protect herself, after all.

[Earl of Purple]

Lakeside

"I could teach children how to read. But... Reading and writing aren't really what I'm most passionate about. I want to work with magic, and my magic is conjuration." And the way Earl-magic works is she'd advise any who wanted to learn from her to double check and research it, as Natalie can't learn anything that's not conjuration and is therefore quite limited.

"Soldiers? What're they here for?" Natalie's a little startled and surprised by that; she thinks of GLoG as a peaceful place, where soldiers aren't wanted or needed. She thinks about it a moment, however. "I'll talk to them, I guess. See if they'll teach me some basics."

[Deathkeeper]

[Woods]

(Closed scene)
It's finally warm enough for Domhnall to not need that stuffy jacket! The ebeul is taking a walk through the GLoG woods. He doesn't get to explore them enough, even though he lives around here. And on this warm spring day, he can do that guilt-free with the kids being looked at by someone else. Which means no one can complain if Domhnall goes on a trek some distance from the camp, his belt-pouch jingling on his side and whistling loudly.

[Purple Eagle]

Lakeside

Ruth simply nods and replies with a smile. "Then pursue it with all diligence if it is what you truly desire. I am behind you as long as you use your powers for good. Knowing the kind of girl you are, I suppose that is a given."

The long-haired woman is quick to reassure the startled girl. "Not here, don't worry. Hmm... I suppose I should tell you more..." She pauses for a second, then takes a deep breath for effect. "They're from the universe Karasu and Mirai are from, and I and Asher are a part of that universe's angels. You how that soldier woman reacted to me, in the Nexus one gets the otherwise rare opportunity to see an angel everyday. The soldiers are here for a number of reasons, be it to track two others from our universe - one evil and one troubled, or to get the lay of the land. Nothing sinister, rest assured." Not in their case, anyways. Shuyoru, however... a lot sinister.

"So! I have heard tell of a Young Adventurers' Guild, here. A new girl, also from our universe, has come to join the league. She has been in Seaside for 8 years, long before Karasu or Mirai arrived here, and she got very excited indeed once I mentioned the Guild. Can I direct her to you? She does need friends." Ruth suggests. She figures Natalie would be a good 'first-person' for Zara to meet, as well.

[Earl of Purple]

Lakeside

"It's what I desire now. If that's how I'll feel in ten years time, I have no idea." So it's something that might change as she gets older. She's willing to accept that, since she's yet to go on an adventure. Or teach anyone, for that matter.

"What soldier woman? I didn't see her." Natalie was reading before Ruth interrupted her. She hadn't actually noticed the woman before she left.

"I guess. If you introduce us, I'll ask the others. We're a little misnamed at this point- we've not been on an adventure yet, not as a whole at least." Natalie hasn't been on one, but she's not sure about the others.