aefenglom | Network: May, An Inauspicious Arrival

So. Um.

[She fumbles a moment with her watch, adjusting her grip on it before she sighs a little.]

I've been changing kind of quickly. In the span of days really. Is that typical? I was here before, not for very long, but I never really changed then...

[There's a heavy sound and along with the rustle of fabric it's distinctly someone sitting down.]

The hooves aren't so bad once you get used to them but I'm a little exhausted.

... Were you a monster before?

[Oh hey. It's been.

... Months. This one doesn't even remember.]

I don't believe so. I still had some magic so ... do monsters have that?

[This is where she huffs out a quick laugh.]

I'm not sure anyone knew enough to say then but times certainly have changed as I understand it.

Some do, but it's very specific to their type. You said you had hooves? If you're a faun, you should still have the ability to do plant-based magic. If the hooves are because you're a chimera... well, I'm not sure what to say. [Pause.] Times have changed, but if you remember this place, but you weren't a Monster before... how in the world--...?

[Ooooh, plant-based magic. That seems to strike a chord with her, at least by the sound of her voice.]

That explains the whole gardening thing.

[She sighs gently. There are so many people she ought to apologize too but she can't just pass a garden by it seems.]

I wish I could say. I might have been a monster the last time as well but I hadn't started changing. Not that it feels like any real time has passed for me, of course.

[One moment she was making plans to move into her home with Blake and those Blake knew and then here she was months later.]

Gardening thing?

[Not that this particular Maria doesn't have... her own extensive garden. Which has just gotten bigger since she first got here.]

But, what were you doing before you arrived here, again? Do you remember? [She's not had the opportunity to talk to anyone who left and then came back after an extended period. It's fascinating, to wonder what becomes of the Mirrorbound who disappear from this place. The running theory is they just go home, but...]

I've fixed up several gardens since I arrived. None of them were mine of course.

[So several people have just sort of walked out on her knelt down in their garden rearranging their plants.]

The first time I arrived here was when I was busy trying to catch up with someone at home. I don't think time passed while I was here and I wasn't really much further in catching up to him when I came here again.

[She makes a softly annoyed sound.]

It's all a little blurry to be honest. Believe me, I did try to reason it all out to myself when I returned. It hadn't felt like I had been gone at all after all, I even checked on where I was supposed to be living here.

... Fixed them up? [Great, now she has a compulsion to go check if hers was one of them.] Be careful about doing that. Some of the Monsters here don't like trespassers.

[Like, say, the ones that are in her house. Welcome to the fact that her whole house is serial killers, though.]

But that is very interesting. Time didn't seem to pass any between your last time here and this time here, but in this place, it did...

[Now she's curious. Dangerous as that may be.]

Most Monsters don't.

[That's her first thought and naturally it tumbles out of her mouth. She's fairly sure none of the creatures residing in the depths of Dracula's castle or likely in the forests around it enjoyed her presence. Or any other hunter for that matter.

That said at least the blonde has the good grace to look somewhat sheepish, both for her story of home not quite being home (or at least her not experiencing much of it) and her garden hijinks.]

Time is a tricky thing though, as far as I understand it. Granted I don't understand it that well but I've certainly heard of stranger things.

[You ever hear about castles that can rearrange themselves, Maria?]

Edited (why am i constantly compelled to put turn 'though' into 'thought'? a question for the ages.) 2020-05-05 05:23 (UTC)

I suppose it's not any stranger than the amount of time I may have lost at home myself, no.

[Of course, even tangentially talking about it makes her regret doing so. Maria has had this problem where her worst secrets have been revealed recently. She's not actually in that great of a mood, but an old, familiar face is at least a distraction.

... Thinking of all the time she spent dead and how long it may have been in the waking world isn't her favorite thing, all in all, however.]

Just be careful. You're probably not the only one that's gaining swift transformations; and no one is being given time to get used to them, or find a way to mitigate it.

[Uh oh, is that... mild concern? Yes, things have dramatically changed here.]

[Oh! Maria pauses a moment, only mildly surprised by being cautioned. She couldn't claim to know Lady Maria that well but in many ways she had put the blonde in mind of the ever cool and ever stoic dhampir himself. Words of caution from someone like that had to have some weight to them, if not just speaking volumes by the act of saying them alone.

Her tone softens -- not that it was harsh before, of course, but she certainly sounds more gentle.]

And you as well, my Lady. If you're in trouble and require assistance, don't hesitate to find me. I might be changing but that won't stop me from doing what I can. I'm a hunter after all.

A hunter... [She trails with an amused huff. Did she know that before? Maybe, but it may have been a detail she forgot, as well. She tends to remember the other actual Hunters here, like Eileen and Trevor, but... the last she spoke with this one was long ago indeed.] If need be, but you'll not find much to hunt here. As long as I've been here, I haven't, aside from the Shades.

[This other one is more likely to get in trouble than she herself is, after all. However, Maria does pause a moment, and then...] Did I ever show you my garden? Maybe we can put that energy of yours to use where you won't get in a fight over it.

I'm glad to hear that then.

[After all little fighting to do meant more peace, yes? Or at least hopefully it did. Maria wouldn't say she didn't enjoy fighting but she would gladly give it up if it meant others didn't need to worry about such things.

The ears she's gained perk forward, though that much is unseen. The interest in her voice can at least be heard however.]

I don't believe so. I left when most of us were moving into the residential area unfortunately.

[A peaceful world does sound like a nice ideal... or at least somewhere this particular hunter can rest. She's been at the game for far too long, and it haunted her even beyond her grave. And beyond her second death, too. Yeah, it's complicated.]

I see. Well, I took to one of the largest houses, on some of the largest grounds - you will find that I've spent most of the year I've been here, and much of the area of those grounds, cultivating quite some amount of flowers. Do you have a favorite?

Ooh, how impressive! Some flowers can be finnicky, can't they.

[Her favorite? Hm.]

I'm not terribly picky with flowers but there's one called the marsh-marigold. They grow closer to the Făgăraș Mountains and grows in mostly marsh - hence the name, of course. They're a very bright yellow. And then there are the fritillary -- I think they may be called a snake's head as well?

[Ah!]

There are these white flowers I've seen a few times at home. I'm not sure what they're called, they're typically very tightly clustered together and seem to bloom everywhere. I like the looks of those but I've never thought to gather any when I see them.

[... She's been rambling, yes?]

I'm sorry. I do like plants but typically I'm not quite as excited about them as I find myself to be nowadays. Do you have a favorite?

You truly do sound like a faun. I've not seen some of those here, but I'll check in with the flower shops to see if they may just be non-native to this area.

[The faun thing is based mostly on observation. Even those without an interest in plants seemed to develop a much stronger one once the hooves and horns started growing in. Still, she does make a mental note of flowers. She's always looking to expand - why not take suggestions from others who appreciate flowers?]

My favorite flower does not grow here. They are called Lumenflowers, and they resemble pallid sunflowers which glow softly in darkness. So, I grow sunflowers in their stead, and other magical varieties that have their own luminescence, though I am still new to magic flowers.

Oh? Magical flowers?

[There's definitely faun curiosity in there but Maria doesn't hate plants normally either. She'd probably end up curious no matter what.]

I don't believe I've ever heard of flowers with magical properties. Are there many of those here?

There are quite a few, actually. Nerissa grows some very rare varieties that I've seen. There are also some roses I received from an expedition out beyond Dorchacht, plus some information of them from a book I received as a gift.

This world is magical, you can most definitely find flowers that match.

Mm, I wasn't here for long but I certainly remember how magical this world seemed to be.

[She laughs just a little, gently.]

I'm almost sad I haven't had the chance to thoroughly explore it. And your garden as well, of course.

Well, for as long as you're here, would you like to? It's still growing back in from the winter, but some of the flowers are starting to come up.

voice; un: renard

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