❀ i. (video, but she will respond with voice and text)

[evanescent]

[For a moment, there is a close-up of what looks like one very bright green eye, then an "oh! sorry!" muffled from somewhere, and the image pans out some to reveal a young woman. She's perched on the edge of a bed in a room with a growing collection of potted plants, her long hair pinned back in a messy bun.

She waves! And smiles.]

This network sure is lively! I didn't expect to see so much open discussion... [Especially concerning the topics, is the implication here, but it's said so cheerfully it's hard to tell if she's being insulting or not.] but that's good, isn't it? It's nice to see so many people getting along, even if they're from different places. It encouraged me to use it too.

For those of you I haven't met, my name is Aerith. For those of you I have, thank you if you helped me, and I hope you're all settling in alright. It's been a big adjustment for me, but I think I'm finding my way around things. It's hard to say! I guess I won't know until something big happens.

More to the point...I wanted to talk about something. Where I'm from, I used to grow a little garden in a church. I've got something of a green thumb, you see. [:)] I've been doing work into finding out what grows here locally, and I was thinking of expanding some. A community garden...that'd be nice, wouldn't it? I've never grown anything with other people. I suppose I'm a little shy about it. [:))] And as I'm learning, it would take Chroma...

But new places are all about expanding your horizons, right? Let's work together. If you've never planted anything before, once I've got everything set up, I can show you how.

So!

What sort of plants would you all like to see? Something edible? Floral? Anything from home? [She fistpumps.] I can try my best to grow it!

Oh, and —

Can anyone tell me more about the plant life here? I want to learn as much as I can.

Comments

[evanescent]

...Do you always give mysterious, brooding answers, or am I just special?

[fashionicon]

You're not special.

[ 'ch. ]

You are given the answer of someone who is meddling and doesn't realize that they're meddling. [ A beat. ] Like I said, I cannot do anything about your ignorance.

[evanescent]

Ouch. That stings.

[She doesn't sound like it stings at all.] I always know when I'm meddling, thank you very much!

Isn't the answer to ignorance knowledge? You could try a straight answer, if it bothers you so much.

[fashionicon]

If you understand that much, I don't know why you expect everything to be explained to you like it is your right to know.

[ There is too much history and too much that he knows. His feelings are what they are, and does not need another person to be involved with them. ]

And it doesn't bother me. You can remain ignorant until you die for all I care.

[evanescent]

You're in my space having an argument with him. I say that makes it my right to know. If you don't want others to know your business, then keep it out of plain sight. Even someone as ignorant as me knows that much.

[And that's that on that!] If you're civil to one another when you're around me, then I won't have a reason to ask any questions.

[evanescent]

This might be a good place to start. Or you can just stop by too. Gardens are good places to read in.

I've always liked lilies. Daisies too, but lilies are my favorite.

Do you have a favorite?

[fashionicon]

You can say what you like, but it doesn't make it true. [ Hmph. ] You can tell him that he can call himself a human, but it won't make him human. You can tell him to call himself a youkai, but it won't make him a youkai.

[ 'ch. ] You can say anything and everything that you want... but it won't change anything.

[ How do these things work. Hm. ] Inuyasha, if you wish to cry your story, go ahead. This Sesshomaru is done with playing with your new nursemaid.

[evanescent]

If you want me to do that, then stop being so depressing.

[How is she not cowed? Well. She's crazy folks.]

What...?

[Hold on.]

A "buzzkill's" an expression. It's someone who...always finds something wrong with a situation.

[fashionicon]

It's not depressing. It is the truth.

[ Like. What? ]

I see. [ Buzzkill, hm. ] There is nothing wrong with what you are attempting to do, but the reasons for it will not yield what you want. If you're really fine with that, then there's nothing 'wrong' there, either.

[evanescent]

You're just starting a fight on purpose now! That high and mighty attitude doesn't fool me.

[She is annoyed.] You're acting like a rude sibling.

[barkonthetree]

[Come to think of it, it is like they're having a shouting match over top of her head. She only wanted to ask about help with a garden.

But he didn't start it so it's not his fault.]

Don't worry about it. Sesshomaru is just a son of a bitch, I've heard worse from uglier kinds.

Just watch out for your own head and don't piss him off.

[fashionicon]

I have never considered that half-breed to be my brother!

[evanescent]

[Oh boy.

Softly:]

So that's what it is.

...I don't want to get involved in that business. I just want to build my garden.

[fashionicon]

Good.

You finally understand your place. [ And it is out of this problem. ]

Your garden will be built.

[evanescent]

[A sigh, exhausted.] Whatever you say.

What results come of it will be mine to deal with. Your input's appreciated, but I'm fine with however the cards fall.

[evanescent]

I've dealt with worse too.

[She says, after a moment.] You don't have to worry about me.

You're still invited to help, if you'd like to.

[fashionicon]

Hmph.

Fine.

[barkonthetree]

It's a part of me so I'll say what I fucking want! The only insult here is dealing with a pompous jackass like you!

[This poor woman...]

You're the one who butted your fat head in where it wasn't wanted! You shut up!

[barkonthetree]

It's my job to make sure he doesn't kill anyone so don't make it harder than it already is!

[Which is a roundabout way of saying hey, disembodied lady he's never met in person, please don't take risks we'll all regret. This woman seems all right enough, it would be a shame to bury her before her time.

The offer is met with a sharp tut, and a brief spell of silence. "Crawl upon the ground where you belong."

He won't. Not where that jerk might see.]

Ha! Why would I want to muck around in a bunch of dirt anyway! Just take care of it yourself!

not here

[barkonthetree]

[He is a scant hair's breath from taking this bait and screaming some more, but something in the woman's tone halts him. That she predicted it was a sibling's goading, that she got that stone-faced bastard to lose his cool...

Perhaps he ought to leave his barbs for another day. Let her carry on her work in peace and keep well away from this mess.

Besides, where was the satisfaction in yelling at Sesshomaru if he couldn't finish by busting that dumb snooty nose?]

[evanescent]

[There's a mental teakettle whistling in her head.]

Fine! Fine. I don't care what either of you do, just do it away from me. I don't need either of you to help. I didn't need it to begin with! This is supposed to be a peaceful hobby.

You're both impossible!

[evanescent]

[An offended noise.] I can take care of my garden myself, thank you.

[blkwings]

Not like that, it's not. [A deep laugh soon follows.] That's like, the roughest accent I've ever heard, damn. You kinda sound like you're asking me if I want some drugs or- [Yeah, he's got to remind himself not to swear.] stuff.

[Her returning to her normal tone is better. Much better.]

Gladiolus. Heard of 'em? Gotta admit, not really something I'd expect coming from my old man, but whatever. Your name- Aerith. S'nice. Got no idea what it means, but I guess that's the other world thing.

[A small pause.]

Maybe we'll get to leave again. A while back, we went to this place called Drasomnis. Clue's in the name, dragons literally everywhere. Kinda weird seeing 'em talking and not trying to eat ya.

[barkonthetree]

[!!?!!

Ah fuck now he's pissed her off too.

Well.

Inuyasha puts the cuff down and just. Forgets all this. He wouldn't have minded helping but Sesshomaru really rubbed the salt in, and now he can't agree at all without proving him right.

Later — perhaps after a day, Aerith might return to her garden and find an empty bag from the market, discarded near a row of six clumsy mounds. It looks like they were unearthed by hand. There's no note. If she digs them up she'll find large, fresh pits, some with bits of flesh stuck to the edges, and the bag has the lingering scent of peaches. Someone has buried them in the night and vanished, leaving behind stamps of bare feet tipped with claws.]

[fashionicon]

Hmph.

[ ... ]

Utterly ridiculous. You get yourself involved and then you get upset by yourself.

[ HE'S OUT. BYE, EVERYONE.

Unlike Inuyasha, he doesn't believe he did anything wrong so he doesn't do anything to help out with the garden. Sesshomaru, everybody!! He's here for the unforeseeable future!! ]