GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

[Morty]

[Cafeteria]

"There ought to be stores with them in Mallside," Sophie says. "Have you been there yet? It's a place with all kinds of shops and markets."

[bc56]

Cafeteria

"I've been." Sekhmet had to go clothes shopping. It was huge, and all full of different shops." She found it somewhat intimidating, honestly. So much in one place, so easy to get lost.

[Deathkeeper]

[Entering Camp]

A young man with the lower half of a stout reddish pony canters into the campground one summer day. Centaur-like folk are somewhat uncommon in the Nexus, but this one stands out further with his noticeable red hair and coat, and a physique that makes up for his lack of height. He isn’t wearing or carrying much besides a single satchel and a sword strapped to his side, and he whistles as he tries to find someone to greet him despite the summer heat making him sweat.

[Morty]

[Dragon Therapy - Lucy]

Sophie taps on her notebook with her pencil and writes something down.

"How does Sam feel about this? You two seem to be close."

[Cafeteria]

Sophie nods with a smile.

"That is more or less it, yes. You can buy just about everything there, including mobile phones." She steeples her fingers. "Looks like that's one problem alleviated, at least."

[Entering Camp]

The centaur will be greeted by a small goblin lady soon enough. She's carrying a very wolfish baby in her arms, his fur the same colour as her hair. The baby is squirming, but his mother has a firm grip on him.

"How may the Good League of Good help you?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Entering Camp]

The ebeul leans down and smiles at the tiny lady and her tiny fuzzy baby.
”Aye siwmae, Ma’am. I’m lookin’ for a place and a job, and got pointed to ya. Got a nice spot of land here, ya do. Do ya need any extra hands?” he asks, grinning wide. His red tail tosses enthusiastically.

[Morty]

[Entering Camp]

"We always do," the goblin says, as her son cranes his neck in the visitor's direction and sniffs intently. "My name is Reelshka Trollfinger, one of the caretakers here. And this curious little fellow is my son, Balthuk. Who might you be?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Entering Camp]

”It’s a pleasure, Mrs. Trollfinger. I’m Domhnall of Serrisil, minstrel of the Serrisil Ebeuls. But it’s alright if those words mean nothin’ to ya.” He wouldn’t expect anyone here to know where his forest is, after all.

[Morty]

[Entering Camp]

"I'm afraid I haven't heard of them, but that's usual around here," Reelshka says. "A minstrel, you say? I have a niece who visits here often and who is musically-inclined herself. What sort of job are you looking for, exactly?"

[bc56]

Cafeteria

"Oh, uh, okay?" Sekhmet's not quite sure what to do now. They'll have to go get a phone, she guesses.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Dragon Therapy - Lucy]

"W-well yeah, he did kinda save me when I first got here, so he's a real friend. Helped a lot. Has been suuuper understanding about the whole dragon thing. I-I mean, we haven't kinda gone over all the details yet, but I-I think he likes the idea."

It's one thing to think it, it's another to make it happen, of course. But all signs point to yes!

"And as far as roommates go, I- uh, well I guess I haven't really had many, but he it all seems to work out pretty great!"

[Deathkeeper]

[Entering Camp]

Domhnall positively beams at Reelshka.
”Well, I do singin’ and dancin’, and fightin’, and protectin’, and magic, and runnin’, and cleanin’, and babysittin’. And pony rides.”
Domhnall has been told human children have a fondness for small hooved beasts.

[Morty]

[Dragon Therapy - Lucy]

"How well can you plan and predict when one of you will be 'out'?" Sophie asks. "This seems rather crucial to this living space plan you've formulated."

[Entering Camp]

Reelshka smiles as her ears perk up.

"Quite the array of skills. I feel like the last one might be quite popular here, due to how many children are present at any given time. We run a daycare."

[Deathkeeper]

[Entering Camp]

Domhnall nods.
”Aye, so I’m told. I assure you, I’m quite good with the wee ones. Though you probably have got more than we ever did at once.”

[Morty]

[Entering Camp]

"Come with me into the camp, then," Reelshka says, turning around to lead him inside the campsite. "There's not much call around here for fighting and protecting, thankfully. We haven't had any violent incidents in some time. But there's always work to be done. Uh, where would you like to live? I hope our cabins will be suitable for you."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Dragon Therapy - Lucy]

Lucy tilts her head, looking rather confused by Sophie's question. "Does it matter? I-it's not like I'd be afraid of Sylvess or Jack or anyone seeing my room. If they came out, they'd just go to their room, o-or not, if they didn't feel like it. So it's all fine!"

Well, she thinks it's fine anyway, so why that hint of uncertainty in her voice? It's fine! It's all fine!

[Deathkeeper]

[Entering Camp]

”Well, I can probably manage wherever you got so long as it’s wide enough. Just don’t like stairs, really. I’m used to sleepin’ in big tents. Bein’ breezy ain’t really a big deal.” Domhnall explains casually as he follows behind the goblin.

[Morty]

[Dragon Therapy - Lucy]

"Even when living with family, privacy is important," Sophie points out. "Families fight and quarrel over their shared spaces; it's unavoidable and we must simply make sure those arguments are resolved in a healthy manner. Having a family's worth of people in one body, with no way of telling when one of them might come 'out' to pilot it... I can see some complications, if you don't mind me saying so."

[Entering Camp]

"I grew up underground, but now I'm living in one of those cabins. People can get used to a lot of things," Reelshka says as they walk. "Especially if they have to raise a family from two different worlds. You wouldn't like daddy to bump his head in goblin tunnels every day, would you, dear?" she asks the baby in her arms, who makes a baby noise in response. One presumes that's a no.

[UncleWolf]

GLoG Infirmary

Mintaka appreciates the help getting up and out of the jumpsuit, but she waves off the clothes offered afterward. "I have a spare suit on me." She promises as she waves her left hand around meaningfully. The only thing she has there is a rather high-tech looking wristband. After she's out of the jumpsuit and wearing nothing than the wristband, she takes a moment to examine her inner thigh where the chip is at. "...nah, leave it. My body will reject it soon enough and I'll just keep it on me. If it comes down to it, I'll help her out if she just asks nicely, but I'd just rather not at the moment. She's ruined an investigation, tried to paralyze me, killed people right in front of me, had some rather dubious plans involving me, and so on. At the very least she needs to offer dinner." She says before rolling her eyes at herself. "I'll keep the chip on me just in case, but I doubt I'd be of much help to her anyway."

[Recaiden]

"Well, better put it on, then." Anchor instructs. "And then I suppose we can bring you outside."
She does not find Mintaka funny, and gives no further reaction. What a troubling patient.
"As you wish. I can't recommend you helping her."
"Now, nothing is going to help you as much as getting some light, correct?"

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Dragon Therapy - Lucy]

"No no, i-i-it works just fine as long as we all get along! A-and we do! We don't fight." Lucy might be casually disregarding the incident that prompted these session to begin with, there.

And judging by the expression on her face, it seems she's quite aware that she's overlooking it.

"And it's- it's not reeeeally like we're a family anyway, y'know? J-just different people...squashed together."

[Morty]

[Dragon Therapy - Lucy]

"Different things can make a family," Sophie points out. "Birth, circumstance or choice. In your case, you've got several people living not under one roof, but inside one head. If it's not a family, it's definitely a close-knit relationship. And it comes with its own issues. Like the reason why you're here... because you were 'stuck' as the body's occupant for quite a while."

[Deathkeeper]

Entering Camp

Domhnall nods.
”Aye, sounds like ya made a pretty big change in your life. For me it’s a little more...I’m just not built for stairs and ladders, you know?” he says, not losing his amused expression.

[Gullara]

[Entering Camp]

Domhnall is soon to learn that the Glog grounds are often littered with children. In fact, there's one now. A little girl who looks to be four-ish is watching them from a short ways off. She's got light skin, red hair pulled up in a ponytail on top of her head (exposing her long, pointed ears), and most notably a fox tail sweeping behind her.

Making up her mind, the girl starts to walk over to the talking adults. She's holding a thick stack of paper and a box of crayons against her chest. Reelshka will know her as Annie. She's one of the newer kids to use the daycare facilities. Reelshka will know she made quite a scene when her mom, Obriane, dropped her off this morning... She seems to have settled by now, though.

"Why is your butt a horse?" She asks as soon as she nears. She's looking pointedly at Domhnall, as if she's demanding answers of him.

[Morty]

[Entering Camp]

Reelshka's ears rise slightly in a warning gesture. Annie will be a handful to deal with, she can see it already.

"That's not a nice way to greet someone, Annie," she chides her gently. "And you shouldn't use the word 'butt'."

[Deathkeeper]

Entering Camp

Domhnall bends down to look at Annie. His midsection is shockingly flexible.
”Me rump’s a pony little ‘Cos. It’s important to remember the difference. Us ponies are smaller and tougher and sweeter and more likely to give little girls a ride when they’re nice to us.” he tells her sweetly. So many magical people around her. He wonders who she is descended from. Or is she one of these strange people who don’t follow the rules? Probably the latter, now that he thinks of it. Everyone seems to.

[Gullara]

[Entering Camp]

"Mommy says butt." Annie replies, unperturbed. Like, 'Get your butt to bed.' She looks back at Domhnall and wrinkles her nose. "Why is your butt a pony?" She knows where her priorities lie.

[Morty]

[Entering Camp]

Reelshka sighs. It's hard to convince a child not to say something their parents say. It's why she watches her language around Tuskfang.

"You still shouldn't say it to someone you've just met. You should introduce yourself instead."

[Deathkeeper]

[Entering Camp]

Domhnall smiles, unperturbed.
”I imagine it’s the same reason you’ve got all that nice fluff on yours, little lady. But the lady is right. It’s not somethin’ you really just ask folks.”

[Gullara]

[Entering Camp]

Annie scowls and huffs and sits down on the ground. She plops down her big stack of papers and opens her box of crayons. Where did she get all that paper anyway? Did she take the whole pile that was put out for kids to draw on? The girls looks up at Domhnall and then selects a brown crayon from the box.

[Morty]

[Entering Camp]

Reelshka breathes through her nose. This girl's parents are going to have their work cut out for them. Didn't they have triplets now, come to think of it? Wouldn't be unusual for goblins, but they're not goblins. Earth Queen help them.

"Are you trying to draw him, Annie?"