[Open] 🌱 steady as she goes

[multidisciplinary]

Who: Zelda + OPEN
Which: Log with open prompts and closed prompts
Where: Around Reverein or the Wildlands
What: Zelda tends winter-blooming plants in the communal garden; gathers ingredients for Witch's Brew Apothecary (Quest 202); several closed prompts
Warnings: None



1: Winter in the Garden

Although the blizzards have passed and the cold winter days are starting to feel a bit less cold and wintery, it's still too early to start preparing the communal garden for springtime planting. Without knowing when spring starts in Songerein, Zelda can't predict when the risk of frost will pass and the soil will be warm enough for seeds. However, the rules of nature appear to be more of guidelines in this dream world, and there are plenty of plants in the garden growing happily despite the weather.

Bundled up in her winter coat, Zelda spends her time in the garden either studying the winter plants or attempting to care for them. Her Sheikah Slate is always at her side or close by as she snaps pictures of the plants and writes down her discoveries. The princess can often be found leaning over the plants, mumbling observations to herself that she thinks other people can't hear.

Other times, Zelda can be found with armed with a pair of pruning shears or a trowel, unsure of what she should do. Should she prune this plant here? Should she turn the soil there? Is this a weed sprouting up or is it part of that plant? It's hard to care for plants that don't grow like normal plants.


2: Apothecary Assistance

Having seen the request from Witch's Brew Apothecary on the Dream Board, Zelda is quick to volunteer to help. Since botany is one of her scientific passions, the princess is familiar with many of the plants and herbs that need to be replenished at the apothecary.

Zelda accept and fill several lists' worth of requests for the apothecary over the month. Armed with two big baskets, gardening tools, and her trusty Sheikah Slate, Zelda can be found foraging for plants in many different parts of the Wildlands. Although she has become comfortable going out on her own, Zelda is also apt to ask other dreamwalkers to escort her and protect her from any potential dangers if she wants to go further afield.


Wildcard

Surprise me or plot with me at knighted!


Also, feel free to tag in [ brackets ] if you prefer. I'm happy to match.

Comments

Satan

[multidisciplinary]

Zelda is the first and only customer inside Dreambucks one early February morning. The pre-dawn sky is just starting to lighten, a few pastel hues pushing away the inky nighttime sky in preparation for morning. It's still another hour before the sun even crests the horizon.

The princess is still fuzzy with sleep, eyes heavy as she waits for Satan to arrive. When they decided to meet and exchange the research they each had compiled during their six months in Songerein, the Avatar of Wrath had been specific in his desire to meet either in the morning or the evening. Zelda, who typically considers herself a morning person, didn't see the harm in proposing a pre-dawn meeting time---until it came time to wake up this morning, that is.

Perhaps she should try a cup of coffee for the first time. Urbosa always liked it, and Jude seemed to as well.

[angelbirth]

Satan is quite grateful that Zelda was so flexible with the time of their meeting. For him, it isn't so much the difficulty of arriving on time or having difficulty waking up. Rather, despite living here for six months, he is still not accustomed to the brightness of the sun here. Its intensity is near-identical to the sun in the human world, to the point he almost wishes the sun would vanish, consequences of that be damned.

When he does arrive at Dreambucks, he appears to be unbothered by the obscenely early time of day, although that probably comes as little surprise considering he was the one who offered meeting this early. As Satan makes a beeline to her, Zelda may note that he's making good use of the leather bag she had gifted him on Christmas. It's stuffed nearly to capacity with his research materials.

"Good morning, Zelda," he offers. As strongly as he would like to call her by the nickname he's forced upon her, he has learned in his many years alive that humans and, by extension, human-like beings typically don't enjoy being teased so early in the day.

"I appreciate you agreeing to meet me when the sun is less... searing." He is aware of how dramatic that sounds, especially because he can tolerate the midday sun. He just doesn't want to.

[multidisciplinary]

His instinct is correct; it's too early for teasing. A cup of tea and breakfast is a prerequisite to awaken good humor.

"Good morning, Satan." Zelda returns his greeting politely, though with less than her usual energy. Even though her senses are still a bit dulled from sleep, she recognizes his bag as the one she gave to him and it makes her smile. She is pleased to see that he seems to like it, or at least find it useful. Zelda agonized over each and every gift she picked out, not confident in her assessment of her new friends' tastes.

"Is a demon's skin particularly sensitive to sunlight?" she asks, beckoning to the open chair in invitation for him to join her. It is a testament to her comfort with Satan that she doesn't feel like she needs to stand and offer him a polite greeting; an informal one will do.

[angelbirth]

The urge to tease her continues to swell inside him, but he overcomes it for now. He appreciates that she seems to have taken his advice from before to heart or, at the very least, believed him when he said he thought no differently of Zelda after learning of her status. That's the problem, though, because he's grown fond enough of her to want to tease her a little. Perhaps later.

"I suppose you could say that, although that makes us sound like vampires." He takes a seat in the available chair and begins unpacking some of his research, mindful not to clutter the table too much.

"In the Devildom where I live, we don't have a sun," he explains, his voice quiet in recognition of how empty the space around them is. "We do have a moon, which I understand makes little sense given the fact the moon's light comes from sunlight reflecting off it, but we do have some light. So in general it's very..." He trails off as he tries to think of a good descriptor and, upon failing to do so, settles for "...dim. In short, my eyes are better suited to the darkness, and although I can tolerate the harsher light of the sun, I prefer sticking to candlelight."

Once he's taken out the research he wanted to focus on first, he carefully closes the bag back up and rests it atop his lap.

"Have you had a proper breakfast yet?"

[multidisciplinary]

Though Zelda has had her misgivings about being open with her royal heritage, she did take Satan's advice to heart. Be clear how she wants people to treat her and lead by example. It's easier said than done with new acquaintances, but Zelda has no trouble slipping back into the same easygoing atmosphere she's always had with Satan.

She chuckles softly at his remark about vampires---especially since the more he describes living in the Devildom, the more he sounds like a vampire. To Zelda, a sunless world sounds rather bleak. Without sunlight, it doesn't seem like there would be many plants. But perhaps it's the opposite, and the Devildom is full of unique plants and animals that thrive in a low-light environment.

"No, not yet," Zelda replies. "I thought it better to purchase a meal here, rather than risk injury preparing food while I'm only half awake. Would you care for something as well?"

The cookbook she received from Chizuru for Christmas has helped the princess learn how to prepare her own meals, but Zelda is still far from a competent cook in any regard. At least her food is usually palatable these days, after six months of practice.

Anya

[multidisciplinary]

There are several unusual ingredients on the list Zelda received from Witch's Brew Apothecary, which can't be gathered out in the wild. Ingredients like a "hangman's rope," "spider's eyes," and "snake's feet" can only be founded in the stores located within Holiday Haven: an area on the southwestern side of Reverein where a number of holiday-themed buildings, stores, and eateries have popped up over the past few months.

Zelda feels a little out of her element here, scouring shops stocked with strange herbs in unlabeled jars. It's a good thing she asked Anya to accompany her on this spooky shopping trip. The two women might have to open every single jar in the store and look inside in order to find the items they're looking for.

[grandduchess_anya]

It didn’t took long for Anya to head over to Holiday Heaven to meet up with Zelda while Pooka faithfully follows her around like every good dog would. The last time they teamed up in the Halloween dreamshift did went well, so it is no surprise that she is willing to join her in the Witch’s Brew Apothecary quest.

“Okay, it looks like the list has ingredients with a similar vibe to the brew back in the Halloween dreamscape,” she observes as she takes a good look on the list, “So which ingredient do we need to look for first?”

This is also her first time visiting this section of Reverein so she does feel slightly lost as well.

[multidisciplinary]

"I thought so too," Zelda says with a nod. The company of a familiar face helps to settle her nerves. Although there is nothing explicitly dangerous about the Halloween part of Holiday Haven, the spookiness puts her a bit ill at ease nonetheless.

"I believe that this, ah, "hangman's rope," should not be too difficult to find," Zelda replies, unable to shake the feeling that that might be easier said than done. "I imagine we cannot purchase any old rope and call it complete. We'll have to find one that seems... authentic."

The princess brought two wicker baskets, one looped over each arm. After Anya gets a good look at the list, Zelda tucks it back into her belt pouch and offers Anya a basket.

[grandduchess_anya]

While Anya gets her basket from Zelda, Pooka then barks to ask if maybe he can use his nose to sniff out the hangman’s rope.

“I agree, we can’t just grab any random rope and call it the hangman’s rope: the real one has to be here somewhere,” Anya agrees while hearing Pooka’s insistent bark of help which she eventually hears her dog out, “Oh, what is it, Pooka? You want to sniff for the rope itself?”

The dog barks happily: he really wants to be helpful in the ingredient search too.

Merisia

[multidisciplinary]

"Thank you again for agreeing to accompany me."

Zelda leads the way as she and Merisia descend into the crystal caves below Reverein. The princess holds her torch aloft, the light of the flame glinting across the surfaces of the many different crystals peeking out amidst the rock. The inside of the cave feels colder than it does above ground, and Zelda draws her winter coat higher against her neck with her free hand. Her Sheikah Slate is hooked to her belt, available for the princess to grab at a moment's notice should anything unusual catch her attention.

"I fear I have no way to pay you except in the sort of currency that the fairies favor."

[likescaves]

Merisia has never particularly been a fan of formalities or noticeable politeness. She's not about to make a fuss about it, but it does mean that her time with Zelda is probably going to grate her nerves just a bit. Her time in Empatheias, however, has done much to reign in her otherwise short temper.

"It's good training for Carbuncle," She grumbles, eyes narrowed. "Besides, payment is payment, even if it isn't in gil. I'm not that picky, as long as it's fair."

Carbuncle, meanwhile, is doing his best to stay ahead of the group, bounding forward a few steps and sniffing the ground carefully. One could be forgiven for thinking he's almost playing, as he's excitedly taking in the new environment around them, but he's also on the lookout for any dangers that might be lurking. He is a loyal familiar, after all. Carbuncle's glow isn't enough to replace a proper lantern, but it's enough that it'll be impossible to lose him in such a dark area.

[multidisciplinary]

It was quite possibly Zelda's persistence moreso than her politeness that ultimately convinced Merisia to accompany the princess on this expedition. In her months in Songerein thusfar, Zelda has found that many dreamwalkers can be convinced to act as her escort for the right price. The average dreamwalker tends to be much more skilled in combat than Zelda, while Zelda seems to be better than most at identifying desirable barter material for the fairies.

"I can at least assure you that my payment will be fair," Zelda insists, ignoring her companion's less-than-friendly attitude.

Despite the beauty of the crystal formations within the cave, Zelda finds her attention repeatedly drawn back to Carbuncle.

"What manner of creature is Carbuncle? I've not seen anything like it before."

[likescaves]

"Good enough for me." And if it isn't, well, Merisia has her ways of equalizing things. Not that this job is unpleasant - she's quite comfortable in this sort of environment - but she isn't about to let herself get shortchanged all the same.

Carbuncle perks up, chirping when his name is mentioned. Sure, he's got a job to do right now, but he's not really hiding that he's taken a liking to Zelda. Merisia, irritated by this as she is, is all too happy to answer Zelda's question.

"Carbuncle is an aetherial being, summoned using a complex combination of arcane geometry and a gemstone catalyst to shape living aether. Although he's as much a part of me as an arm or leg, he's capable of acting on his own and is a formidable assistant to me both in combat and for jobs like this." The more Merisia speaks, the lighter her tone gets, losing some of its prickly edge. "This particular variant is less sturdy than my others, but Emerald Carbuncle has some powerful wind-aspected abilities. He's still just as capable of learning and tracking scents as the others, too."

Merisia hardly even realizes just how much she's rambling about her familiar. As much as she always tries to keep up her tough exterior, she's still just as prone to lengthy tangents as she was before. It also helps that Zelda appears to be something of an academic herself, putting Merisia at ease. It's a stark contrast to the kind of company Merisia normally attracts, but the change is not completely unwelcome.

2.

[iracorn]

So, how far out were you thinking of going?

[Not that Ira minds. He is happy to explore this world, especially since so much of it seems to be unknown at present.

It's just always good to know so he can test the limits of his corridors.]

[multidisciplinary]

Hmmm... [ Zelda thoughtfully regards the screen of the Sheikah Slate, a technological object similar in size and function of a real-world tablet. Using her finger, she navigates through a series of small square images of varying plants and animals. ]

I would like to start with Hypericum perforatum and Valeriana officinalis. They both grow in the northern forests, approximately... five miles or so beyond the northmost farms.

[ She looks up from the slate to Ira with an inquisitive expression. ] Is that too far?

[iracorn]

Not at all. It's bit beyond where I've been so far, but I am fine with pushing my boundaries, as it were.

[And doing a brief calculation in his head, should still be within the range of his portals, more or less.]

Shall we head out?

[multidisciplinary]

[ Zelda nods in agreement, thinking that Ira is referring to the spirit of exploration rather than his portals. The princess loves to push boundaries wherever she can: in science, in learning, in exploration. And since she won't be travelling alone, Zelda is less concerned about potentially running into any dangerous creatures.

Zelda pats down her belt pouches to make sure that she has everything. ]

Yes, let us be off.

Apothecary Assistance

[lonelysmiles]

Alastor had much the same idea. Everyone was more likely to stick close to "home" so to get something interesting, it was best to head farther afield. He went so far as to bring a basket with the basics of lunch in it so he could travel even farther. Just the basics: some bread and cheese. It would be simple enough to catch fresh meat to top it off.

He was a voodoo practitioner in life, not just death, so he has extensive knowledge of rootworking. However, it's always good to learn new things just in case something you think you know ends up not working! It was only the smart thing to do!

Zelda would likely hear his approach before he spoke: the sound of hooves on the ground, the quiet hiss of radio static.

"Ah, good morning, my dear! Been quite some time, hasn't it?"

[multidisciplinary]

It's a nice day and Zelda has traveled a bit further out than she normally would on her own. There's a nice clearing in the northwestern part of the forests, where normal trees and giant mushroom trees intermingle. Patches of brightly colored mushrooms grow in the shadows of their taller siblings, sheltered from the worst of the winter weather. A few of them are on Zelda's list from Witch's Brew, but there are some other ones that have caught her eye that she wants to learn more about.

Since she's out by herself, the princess is trying to keep part of her attention on her surroundings. She doesn't want to caught off guard by a hungry predator looking for an easy meal. It's the hiss of radio static, rather than the hooves, which alerts Zelda to Alastor's presence, and she is already turning to look over her shoulder when she hears his voice.

At the sight of him, Zelda lets out a gasping-shriek and stumbles. Her hands, meant to catch her as she turned around from kneeling in the dirt, fly up to instinctively protect her face. As a result, she falls backward onto her bottom, narrowly missing the mushrooms she was harvesting. Even though it was a nightmare months ago, Zelda hasn't forgotten those piercing red eyes.

"I-It's you!"

[lonelysmiles]

"Why, yes, it is! And it's you!" Alastor answered cheerfully, seemingly wholly unbothered by her reaction.

Honestly, it...kind of hurt. Oh, he was used to that sort of reaction in Hell -- his reputation proceeded him, after all -- but here in Reverein people typically responded with surprise or startlement, not fear unless Alastor felt the need to chase someone off with an impossibly-wide smile to remind the offender of his fangs as he warped his voice. Otherwise he was treated as just another freak in the freak show.

He aborted his original intention to step closer, instead turning to walk a little away from her under the pretext of studying the mushrooms. While the sound of hooves accompanied his gait, Zelda would quickly notice that Alastor wore very human dress shoes...though this pair bore large, bright red deer prints on the soles.

He stood with his back to her as he leaned over the mushrooms. "My, my! What a fortunate find: some honest-to-God Chanterelles! I always have to substitute since they're never in the market and hadn't found a patch to keep an eye on. I hope you don't mind if I take a few? Chicken liver pate just doesn't taste right with anything else!"

It was only the illusion of vulnerability. He'd had no reason to summon his shadow back in that nightmare, so unless she'd heard through the grapevine about his power over shadows, she'd be in for one hell of a surprise if she tried to strike first.

Reverein had gotten him used to being more or less accepted, but ninety years in Hell had taught him to always expect a knife in the back.

[multidisciplinary]

Zelda stayed where she was, eyes locked on Alastor as he meandered over to the mushrooms and leaned over them. She still vividly remembered awakening in that nightmare several months ago. It was the first time she had ever dreamwalked (excluding the practice dreamscape she entered the day she arrived) and she found herself in a fiery hellscape fully fitting of a nightmare: the dark terrain lit only by flames, the screams of agony from all around, the uneven ground slick with viscera beneath her feet. Zelda remembered struggling with her dreamotion, unable to summon even a tiny light to push back the darkness, when Alastor suddenly appeared before her.

She remembered his piercing eyes and strangely distorted voice, the pleasant way he greeted and conversed with her as if completely unbothered by their grotesque surroundings. Unfortunately, that was where her memory became muddy. He had offered to escort her out of the dream, but then... nothing. Try as she might, Zelda could only remember waking up the next morning, shaken by the experience but safe in her treehouse nonetheless. In the weeks that followed, when her path didn't cross with Alastor's in the waking world, she concluded that he must have been part of the nightmare. He looked every bit the part, after all, pleasant disposition aside.

With Zelda's attention monopolized by puzzling out what was going on, most of Alastor's chatter fell on deaf ears. She watched him with furrowed brows, trying to work out how he could possibly be here. Unless---

"Are-Are you a noctaere?" she ventured.

apothecary assistance

[flamekthunder]

[Zelda is going to get a little "visitor" in the form of a corgi cautiously approaching and booping her elbow with her nose before sniffing around the herbs she's collected so far.]

[multidisciplinary]

[ Zelda is busy examining the leaves on a patch of feverfew and doesn't even notice the corgi's approach until a nose boop her elbow. The princess lifts her arm and looks over in surprise to find a dog of all things nosing around by the basket beside her]

Oh, hello there. [ She sits back on her knees, brushing dirt off her hands. ] Where did you come from?

[flamekthunder]

[The corgi just sniffs at the basket, tail wagging a bit before looking at Zelda again...and then sniffing around her as well.

Fortunately, it won't be much longer before a voice can be heard.]

Bri, where did you—ah.

[Eustace appears from the side and is a little surprised to see someone there...and then there's the corgi sniffing all over her. With the basket in plain view, it doesn't take much for him to piece it together.]

...Sorry, she must have smelled the herbs you've gathered.

[multidisciplinary]

[ Zelda offers one hand for the corgi to sniff before trying to pat its head, but the dog seems to be more interested in nosing around her legs and boots. All right, then. She allows the curious sniffing to continue, laughing a little---

---Until a voice catches her attention.

Zelda looks up from the corgi in surprise and spots Eustace approaching. Her gaze is immediately drawn to his ears, but only for a moment. With Songerein's population largely consisting of people with rounded human ears, it's nice to see someone else who stands out a bit. ]

Ah, she's no bother, really! She hasn't tried to eat them yet, although I don't know if feverfew is harmful to dogs in the first place.