Day 247 Patron Quest

[the_last]

[When Estelle arrives, she will experience sudden disorientation, as if suddenly unfamiliar with being inside her body, perhaps not even knowing why she is there or who she is. It lasts for but a moment and then slowly fades... The world around her seems unusually quiet and gray, as though the color were stolen but there remains just enough to suggest that things have been greatly subdued. Within the gray is an expansive forest of every tree imaginable and dry, brittle grass that extends to mid-calf. Here and there, one might even spot some faded prints left upon the ground. The sky is equally gray, although not one cloud can be seen.

And just in front of her, three thumb-sized seeds rest on a flat white rock.]

Comments

[the_last]

[There doesn't appear to be. :|a

Also, one of the seeds in her hand is starting to feel warmer.]

[fullmoonblooms]

[pulling out that seed]

Oh? Is it nearby?

[taking a few more steps forward on the path to see if it gets any warmer]

[the_last]

[You see a pretty young girl of maybe 12 a bit up ahead, she appears to be tending to something. :|a]

[fullmoonblooms]

[...!!!]

Oh, hello. What are you doing?

[the_last]

[She looks up at Estelle's interruption, appearing a little startled. The second she does, color seems to return to the space around them but only within a small radius of about three meters. The girl has fine blond hair wrapped in a short braid at the back of her neck and her green eyes sparkle with curiosity. She is also dressed in a fairly simple dress that is marked with scuffs from the dirt and grass.

In her hands is a small potted white flower.]

[fullmoonblooms]

[blinks]

Are you planting that?

[the_last]

[She looks down, shyly.]

Um, I wanted to... But there's not enough sunlight here. See?

[She holds the plant closer. Estelle can see that it appears slightly wilted.]

[fullmoonblooms]

[kneeling down to look it over, then back up at the girl]

Do you mind if I try something?

[the_last]

Try something?

[fullmoonblooms]

I'll try healing it to help.

[and casting a First Aid on the poor withered plant]

[the_last]

[It perks up just a little bit.

The girl gapes at her flower and then smiles brightly.]

Oh my, I didn't know you could do magic! This is great!

[fullmoonblooms]

[claps her hands together]

I'm glad I could help. Do you know where you'll be planting it?

[the_last]

I have just the place, now that I have a mage helping me. Usually, nothing grows there because it's special land and we're not supposed to plant anything there. But it has the best sunlight, and I know it will be all right if you help it.

[fullmoonblooms]

...Nothing is supposed to be planted here? How come?

[the_last]

Oh, the villagers say it's not our place. It belongs to forest. I don't think that's a very fair thing to say though. Why shouldn't we all enjoy it? Don't you like having nice things too?

[fullmoonblooms]

...I like nice things too, but if it belongs to the forest then those in the forest should have a say about what's planted there. It was their home first.

[the_last]

[Her lip quivers in a bit of a pout.]

Does-does that mean you're not going to help?

[fullmoonblooms]

...I can help you ask for permission from whoever lives in the forest. But I can't help if they don't say it's okay.

[the_last]

[The girl looks even more upset with Estelle as she shoves the potted plant into her hands. It instantly becomes a small watering can made out of sterling silver.]

[fullmoonblooms]

[takes it and just stares for a moment]

...A watering can?

[the_last]

[The girl just points toward an opening in forest that has suddenly appeared in the distance...]

[fullmoonblooms]

Oh! [nods to the girl]

I'll go speak with whoever's in the forest.

[and now down through that opening]

[the_last]

[If Estelle were to turn around anytime during her trip, she'd find that the girl had vanished.]

[fullmoonblooms]

[turns around once to look, then blinks]

Was that the temptation...?

[...shakes her head and continues on.]

[the_last]

[As she nears the opening, she might catch fleeting bits of birdsong, so soft that perhaps she imagined them.]