[He'd almost forgotten to give them to her in the hustle and bustle of getting herded off to and then across the Palai world. At least they can still maybe serve some use here, though who knows where the island is now.
Also who knows why he's carrying dirt and twigs across dimensions. Packrats, man.]
I can meet you in the city.
[He assumes she's out and about if she's doing research, or exploring, or whatever.]
They're not that heavy. We don't have much stuff in our packs.
[He's used to going longer distances with much more cumbersome things! In fact, it's almost a little weird how little he's carrying these days. First of all, it makes him feel underprepared...
Not that carrying around dirt and branches helps, but it's the psychology of the thing.]
[He still hasn't figured out that you can just send detailed images straight up.
So mirror it is -- he's somewhere surrounded by stands selling... kelp? It looks more like a kelp forest than a street, but at least it should be easy to find.]
[And he'll keep concentrating on the image as best he can -- it's still a little rough around the edges but at least it doesn't take all his attention to keep it up anymore! Progress.]
I don't know. I haven't tried to help trees before. These trees.
[He's helped trees before, he just. Doesn't know if they count as trees?!]
Hmm. I don't know if the Palai would know something.
[He is thinking about it; but their resources are still limited here and practically speaking he won't be much help, especially if the Palai and their agricultural methods are his main reference. That doesn't mean they can't ask around and raid what resources there are -- if there's one thing the island is lacking (the island is lacking just about everything, but), it's a good information network.]
[He's gotten a little better about honorifics, except for the part where none of his team wanted him to use them and also it's hard to think of the coven the same way he thinks of the military outfit back home. So, stumbling it is.
He steps back a little into the fronds of kelp to get out of the street where he was trying to look visible; no more need for that now.]
Yes. We can try the Palai, but it seems harder to ask them questions than the other way around.
[Like, especially considering his personality it's hard to get a word in edgewise....]
[It's a bit dry. It feels like every single time he runs into a Palai or a group of Palai he gets asked the same questions at least three times. What's your magic?! Do you have even more magic?? How many partners does each person in the coven have?
For some reason, the third one is the most common.
Either way, he's answered enough magic-related questions to barter three times over, right?]
[She wouldn't be surprised to hear Lenka has experience the third question just as much as she has. It's kind of strange. To think that a species is so open. She doesn't judge them though, it really isn't her place.
Who knows, it might just be their custom!]
I don't really know. I just end up bartering with them until they hand over the information that I want.
[He would probably judge Palai nosiness less if it didn't fall squarely on his head (and everyone else's, but he is pretty sure they were never warned coven life was going to involve this sort of thing), making travel through the city more of a landmine of embarrassment and feeling vaguely like a zoo animal.
For amphibians.
Anyway:]
Hmm. We don't have a lot to barter.
[Except information, so they just might have to end up answering more questions. Great.]
But maybe we can find something around here.
[If they're growing kelp, maybe they'd know some planting basics, at least...?]
[Wait, he was going to follow her lead, she's the one who looks like she knows what she's doing....... he's just the ideas guy who hoards twigs. But at the end of the day it's just the two of them, anyway, so it's not going to change a whole lot except for their scouting direction.
Vaguely picking a stall? He can do that at least.]
You should probably talk to them, then. I can back you up.
[Apparently conversation needs sideline support. At least, the stall they're headed for now seems rather crowded -- a good sign for finding information, perhaps, but it might take a little maneuvering to get to the front. So that's where Lenka comes in; wading through small amphibians without accidentally kicking someone is now his quest.]
[HAru will step forward and start bartering with them. She drives a tough deal. She always does. She shows them some magic, she gives them some knowledge....and in the end she is going to come up just a little short. They told her what they could and sent her on her way.
But I think you got everything they knew. You're really used to this.
[He sounds faintly impressed, because he is in fact impressed (just in his own way) -- she's very mild-mannered, but it's not hard to see the steel behind the velvet once she gets down to business. They still have some work to do here, but there's a little more firmness in his step once he gets them back on the road.
Lenka speaks up thoughtfully again while they're on their way to the next stall--]
Should we show them the samples?
[The Palai probably haven't seen these plants before. But it couldn't hurt -- maybe they've run into something similar.]
[She's going to nudge Lenka forward though. Explaining to the Palai that they have a sample they could evaluate. That they needed to know if they truly knew nothing. They seem slightly more willing once they have stuff to look at, of course.]
[He produces a handful of tree bits and soil both -- he and Jake had been relatively thorough in their investigation for two boys who didn't have too much idea what they were doing. The Palai are instantly fascinated by the shapes of the tree rings, the texture of the bark, the quality of the soil, you name it. Though of course, the first question from them is whether these trees are magical somehow.]
... Uh. I don't think they're magical.
[He's pretty sure. He can't be 100%, but feels that it would be a bit much to expect the Palai to advise on magical plant disease.
The Palai here have only kelp knowledge to offer, but they're being pointed towards a bigger stall that sells a greater variety of plants. Great, a scavenger hunt...]
Thank you for giving us the information. I will be sure to pass along good word for your stand.
[And that goes without saying that she was interested in some of their goods as well. Perhaps she could bring some of the plants from this city back up to the island...]
Come, Lenka-kun. We will just go to the next stand as they suggested.
[Lenka gives a quick thanks of his own before they head off, gaze trailing curiously behind: the kelp and other aquatic plants that the Palai tend to cultivate are certainly interesting and not quite like anything he's seen before; most of them don't look edible or like plants.
But presumably, in all the feeding frenzy of celebration the Palai have been engaging in, they've been fed all of these at some point...? He's not sure how he feels about that.]
... Maybe we should have asked someone to come with us.
[It's a really crowded stand, there is no standing room at all. Their ideal solution would have probably been to outright lob a Palai over the heads of the crowd at this rate. The stand is set up more like a small forest walkway: who knows how far this goes.]
More of us to search and ask? I guess that would be easier.
[It's not the hugest priority, certainly, he's just been feeling rather at a loss for what to do next with a vast new world in front of them and way too many new things trying to crawl at him out of the woodwork. They've given it a good shot, though, and they might have some leads for next time.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
The trees are diseased and I was thinking of doing some research to see if there was a way to save them.
[She pauses.]
Could I see your samples?
no subject
[He'd almost forgotten to give them to her in the hustle and bustle of getting herded off to and then across the Palai world. At least they can still maybe serve some use here, though who knows where the island is now.
Also who knows why he's carrying dirt and twigs across dimensions. Packrats, man.]
I can meet you in the city.
[He assumes she's out and about if she's doing research, or exploring, or whatever.]
no subject
[She's picking up a pack right now. Stretching her arms before putting it on.]
Where in the city?
[voice] 1/2
[He's used to going longer distances with much more cumbersome things! In fact, it's almost a little weird how little he's carrying these days. First of all, it makes him feel underprepared...
Not that carrying around dirt and branches helps, but it's the psychology of the thing.]
Uh... Not far from the octagon. Hang on.
[mirror] 2/2
[He still hasn't figured out that you can just send detailed images straight up.
So mirror it is -- he's somewhere surrounded by stands selling... kelp? It looks more like a kelp forest than a street, but at least it should be easy to find.]
[ mirror ]
[She's going to keep the mirror chat going.]
So do you think we're going to be able to save those trees? I don't know how long they have been seemingly diseased.
[mirror] pls forgive lateness
I don't know. I haven't tried to help trees before. These trees.
[He's helped trees before, he just. Doesn't know if they count as trees?!]
it's no problem!
Well, it'll be something to think about, right?
no subject
[He is thinking about it; but their resources are still limited here and practically speaking he won't be much help, especially if the Palai and their agricultural methods are his main reference. That doesn't mean they can't ask around and raid what resources there are -- if there's one thing the island is lacking (the island is lacking just about everything, but), it's a good information network.]
no subject
[She nods, finally putting the mirror down when she reaches the area where Lenka is.]
Good afternoon again, Lenka-kun.
no subject
[He's gotten a little better about honorifics, except for the part where none of his team wanted him to use them and also it's hard to think of the coven the same way he thinks of the military outfit back home. So, stumbling it is.
He steps back a little into the fronds of kelp to get out of the street where he was trying to look visible; no more need for that now.]
Yes. We can try the Palai, but it seems harder to ask them questions than the other way around.
[Like, especially considering his personality it's hard to get a word in edgewise....]
no subject
I think I might be able to talk to them. You have to make a fair exchange with them.
no subject
[It's a bit dry. It feels like every single time he runs into a Palai or a group of Palai he gets asked the same questions at least three times. What's your magic?! Do you have even more magic?? How many partners does each person in the coven have?
For some reason, the third one is the most common.
Either way, he's answered enough magic-related questions to barter three times over, right?]
What other kinds of things are fair?
no subject
Who knows, it might just be their custom!]
I don't really know. I just end up bartering with them until they hand over the information that I want.
no subject
For amphibians.
Anyway:]
Hmm. We don't have a lot to barter.
[Except information, so they just might have to end up answering more questions. Great.]
But maybe we can find something around here.
[If they're growing kelp, maybe they'd know some planting basics, at least...?]
no subject
[She laughs quietly.]
But I will follow your lead.
no subject
[Wait, he was going to follow her lead, she's the one who looks like she knows what she's doing....... he's just the ideas guy who hoards twigs. But at the end of the day it's just the two of them, anyway, so it's not going to change a whole lot except for their scouting direction.
Vaguely picking a stall? He can do that at least.]
You should probably talk to them, then. I can back you up.
[Apparently conversation needs sideline support. At least, the stall they're headed for now seems rather crowded -- a good sign for finding information, perhaps, but it might take a little maneuvering to get to the front. So that's where Lenka comes in; wading through small amphibians without accidentally kicking someone is now his quest.]
no subject
Perhpas they should try another stall....]
They didn't know very much.
no subject
[He sounds faintly impressed, because he is in fact impressed (just in his own way) -- she's very mild-mannered, but it's not hard to see the steel behind the velvet once she gets down to business. They still have some work to do here, but there's a little more firmness in his step once he gets them back on the road.
Lenka speaks up thoughtfully again while they're on their way to the next stall--]
Should we show them the samples?
[The Palai probably haven't seen these plants before. But it couldn't hurt -- maybe they've run into something similar.]
no subject
[She's going to nudge Lenka forward though. Explaining to the Palai that they have a sample they could evaluate. That they needed to know if they truly knew nothing. They seem slightly more willing once they have stuff to look at, of course.]
Go on, show it to them.
no subject
[He produces a handful of tree bits and soil both -- he and Jake had been relatively thorough in their investigation for two boys who didn't have too much idea what they were doing. The Palai are instantly fascinated by the shapes of the tree rings, the texture of the bark, the quality of the soil, you name it. Though of course, the first question from them is whether these trees are magical somehow.]
... Uh. I don't think they're magical.
[He's pretty sure. He can't be 100%, but feels that it would be a bit much to expect the Palai to advise on magical plant disease.
The Palai here have only kelp knowledge to offer, but they're being pointed towards a bigger stall that sells a greater variety of plants. Great, a scavenger hunt...]
no subject
[And that goes without saying that she was interested in some of their goods as well. Perhaps she could bring some of the plants from this city back up to the island...]
Come, Lenka-kun. We will just go to the next stand as they suggested.
no subject
But presumably, in all the feeding frenzy of celebration the Palai have been engaging in, they've been fed all of these at some point...? He's not sure how he feels about that.]
... Maybe we should have asked someone to come with us.
[It's a really crowded stand, there is no standing room at all. Their ideal solution would have probably been to outright lob a Palai over the heads of the crowd at this rate. The stand is set up more like a small forest walkway: who knows how far this goes.]
no subject
[Maybe they could ask Jake or Jay?]
no subject
[It's not the hugest priority, certainly, he's just been feeling rather at a loss for what to do next with a vast new world in front of them and way too many new things trying to crawl at him out of the woodwork. They've given it a good shot, though, and they might have some leads for next time.
That's probably a decent day's work, for now.]