#aimatsu

[tianshiis]

Can they stop BLINKING IN MY DAMN PHOTOS

[notsuchasecret]

@cattatonically needed a bribe to get her blog post done so here we go! MatsuAi meet cute featuring bffs Ai and Kou you're welcome

"Hey, Kou-san? I think there's something... living... in the back alley."

Aiichirou looked up at the newest part-timer, gripping his broom a little too tightly as he talked to Kou near the doorway of the office. She whirled around to look at him behind the desk but he already had his finger poised on the tip of his nose. "Nose goes," he called.

"I hate you, Ai-kun," she muttered.

"You're the one who instituted that rule," he said serenely. She glared at him, a fierce look that would have lesser - or even just less-desensitized - men cowering before her. He simply blinked, waiting until she huffed and turned on her heel to stalk out the back door. He waited for a count of thirteen before he stood and followed her. It wouldn't do for her to know he cared enough to follow right away, after all. He was here to be entertained, not to protect. Sure. That would work.

When he opened the back door, lazily peering around it, he found her crouching gingerly in front of a pile of boxes stacked against the building across the alley from theirs. She held a wooden spoon in her hand, using the handle to poke gently at...

"Is that a dog?" Aiichirou asked. Kou shrugged, poking at it again. It was a dingy grey, covered in mats and grime. The third time she poked it, it lifted its head and let out a growl.

"Oh, baby," Kou cooed at it. She slipped the spoon back into her apron pocket and reached out to scoop the dog into her arms. It was small, and it grumbled and batted at her, but it was clearly barely functioning.

"I'll go get the car," he said. "Do you want to come with? We could leave Yoshikawa in charge of closing up."

"Which one?" Kou asked.

"The sister, of course. The walking pile of chaos isn't on shift today and you know I wouldn’t leave our baby in his hands."

"Yeah, that would work," Kou said. "You let her know and I'll make sure this little one is warm."

Aiichirou returned to the kitchen to hand over the keys to Karin and leave a few final instructions, then slipped out into the side parking lot to pull the shitty old station wagon he and Kou co-owned around to the mouth of the alley. She had the dog wrapped up in her jacket as she climbed into the passenger seat and buckled in, positioning it on her lap.

"Can you look up the nearest open vet's office?" he asked, handing her his phone. She used her own biometrics to open it, something he had long given up on fighting. She guided him through the quiet suburban streets until they reached a plain white building with a sign outside that had half its letters missing. Aiichirou glanced at it, then back at Kou.

"It has four-point-seven stars, three hundred ratings," she said with a shrug.

"Good enough for me," he said and turned the car off. He held the door open for her as they stepped inside. "Um, hello?" he called, looking around the empty lobby. There were benches and chairs against the walls, posters and adoption flyers on bulletin boards, and the whole place was clean and well-lit, but appeared deserted. Then a voice, low and beautiful, called from the back:

"I'll be out in a moment!"

Kou was already looking at Aiichirou, but he was extremely good at not looking at her when he needed to. Instead, he glanced at an informational poster about a pet health insurance plan, careful to also not look at the nasty heartworms poster next to it. He was doing a perfectly passable job of ignoring everything that was not this one inane poster when the door opened and the voice came again.

"Sorry about that delay," he said, his voice even more musical when no longer muffled by the door and the wall between them. Aiichirou made the worst mistake in his life to date then, including the day he agreed to go in together with Kou on their bakery startup, including the day he allowed Rin to dump Momo on him in order to escape to room with Sousuke in high school, including the time with the strawberry vodka and the stripper pole.

He turned to look.

The veterinarian, if that was who he was, was the most goddamn beautiful man Aiichirou had ever seen in his life. He was tall, his shoulders were broad, his skin was pale, and he was built like he had been sculpted from marble by a master artist. His hair was dark and fell in unruly curls around his ears and across his forehead. Aiichirou was pretty sure he could see a glint of metal here and there, rings in his ears and maybe one in his brow as well. His white lab coat hung in clean lines on his frame and his hands were long-fingered and gorgeous around his clipboard. He looked up and gave Kou and Aiichirou a polite smile and fuck Aiichirou was gay.

"Hi there," Kou said when it became obvious Aiichirou was too busy drowning in homosexual daydreams. "We found this little guy in the alley behind our shop. Do you take walk-ins? We want to make sure they’re okay."

"I'd be happy to," the veterinarian said with another warm smile. "Follow me to an exam room and we'll get the little... one... set up."

Aiichirou followed Kou and the veterinarian back through a set of double doors to a room with a raised metal table and even more informational posters all over the walls. Kou set the dog down on the table and it blinked up at her, clearly smitten in the way that all animals were when they saw her. Aiichirou only just resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Let's see what we have here," the veterinarian said, rolling on a pair of blue nitrile gloves, and—

Nope.

Aiichirou was not going down that road just then. He focused on the dog and on how the veterinarian was so careful when approaching it.

"Well, it looks like you both did the right thing bringing them here," he said. "Definitely in need of a grooming, and they look pretty malnourished. Hard to tell a breed beneath all those mats, but I'd say by the size we're probably looking at a main coon here."

"Isn't that a type of cat?" Aiichirou blurted. Kou turned to him with her eyebrows raised in a way that told him she would absolutely be ridiculing him for this for weeks at the very least, but the veterinarian just nodded.

"You probably suspected dog, am I right?' he asked. Aiichirou nodded, biting his lip and hoping his cheeks weren't as horribly red as they felt. "Yeah, it's hard to tell at first glance, but this is kind of my field," the veterinarian laughed. "But here, you can tell in the paws most easily." Aiichirou stepped closer when the veterinarian held his hand out to invite him up to the table, leaning in. Sure enough, the paw that the veterinarian held up was shaped like a cat's, and when he squeezed gently on the pads a set of ragged, vicious-looking claws extended out, then re-sheathed when he released the pressure. 

"Can you tell if it's injured?" Aiichirou asked.

"I'll have to do a more thorough examination, but it doesn't look like anything too pressing. I'd say they probably need food and warmth, and a bath and a haircut once that's taken care of. Let me grab something for them from the back and we'll see if we can get them more settled."

The veterinarian stepped back through the door and Kou and Aiichirou looked at each other.

"No," Aiichirou said, but Kou was already talking over him.

"If you don't let me, Onii-san finds out all about you swooning over the pretty vet," she said.

"Rin-senpai doesn't scare me," Aiichirou scoffed.

"No, but he'll tell Sousuke-nii, who will tell Mikoshiba-kun, who will tell Momo-kun, who will tell Nagisa-kun, and then you're fucked," Kou said, smiling sweetly at him. "The gossip train starts with Onii-san, but it doesn't end there."

"You're a monster," Aiichirou accused. "Using your powers for evil."

"Yep. Now. Are you going to get his number?"

"I'd settle for his name, to start," Aiichirou said. "And I'm not going to hit on the vet while he's just doing his job."

"Coward."

"Whatever. Did you catch a name?"

"Matsukawa-sensei."

"Yes?" The door was opening and the veterinarian was stepping through once more, holding a tin can in one hand, a bowl and a water bottle wedged in the other. "We'll start with the food," he said. "We don't want the little one getting sick by going too quickly after the water, after all."

"Sounds good," Aiichirou managed. Matsukawa sent him a smile as he set the can in front of the cat and peeled the top off of it.

The effect was immediate. The cat surged forward, slamming face-first into the slop inside the can. It let out a low keening noise as it ate, breaking up with each slurping bite and swallow. It was frankly a disgusting noise, but Matsukawa smiled at it, reaching out to stroke along its spine.

"That's it, sweetheart," he murmured. "You're safe now."

Aiichirou watched in silence as Matsukawa poured some water into the bowl and set it in front of the cat, then began his examination. He talked as he did, mostly to Kou, telling her what he was doing and everything he found along the way. Every now and then he would throw a glance in Aiichirou's direction, but neither of them said anything to each other as he worked. Finally, Matsukawa leaned away.

"I can give you the name of a groomer who can help get this boy pretty as can be again," he said to Kou. "Once he's been groomed, bring him back here and we'll make sure he has all his shots. I didn't find a microchip on him, so there's no way to know if he has a home out there."

"Oh he has a home," Kou said, and Aiichirou groaned.

"You're paying for the supplies," he warned.

"Yeah, yeah," Kou said, waving her hand flippantly. "You'll thank me soon enough." Aiichirou just rolled his eyes at her, unable to help the fond smile creeping across his face.

"I asked you to find me a boyfriend, not a pet," he grumbled, then immediately froze. He was so used to making that joke with her that he hadn't even thought of where they were or what cute people were within earshot. But whether Matsukawa thought anything was off about his words or not, he didn't let it show. He just typed something into his computer and scribbled a number down on a pad of paper. Then he handed it and another small slip over.

"That one's a coupon for some quality food," he explained. "If you ask the employees at that store, they'll be able to point you to the right formulation for malnutrition, and give you some guidance on feeding times and amounts."

"Thank you, Matsukawa-sensei," Kou said, beaming as she took the papers from him.

"You go ahead, Kou-chan," Aiichirou said as the three of them returned to the lobby. He handed her the keys. "I'll take care of this one since you're buying literally everything else for the rest of his life." She waved him off with a roll of her eyes and carried the cat through the door, cooing at him the entire way. He turned to the counter and offered a sheepish smile to Matsukawa.

"What's the story there, if you don't mind my asking?" Matsukawa questioned as he punched some buttons on his register.

"We met in high school," Aiichirou replied. "Her older brother was my senpai on the swim team, and she managed the team from our rival high school. When we graduated, she shoved me into a culinary program while she took a business degree, and then made me teach her what I learned in the evenings. Then she dropped some real estate papers in front of me and informed me we were opening a brick-and-mortar bakery together. We live in the apartment above the shop, and she's the biggest pain in the ass I've ever met, but I couldn't ask for a better friend."

"Friend?" Matsukawa repeated, his voice a little strained.

"Yeah. People always ask about that one." Aiichirou laughed. "I get it. We're both hot as fuck. But we're also both incredibly gay, so alas, we will never be the power couple we were born to be."

"I feel like the world is lucky for that," Matsukawa hummed. "This exam was on the house. New customer promotion."

"That... doesn't seem right," Aiichirou said. Matsukawa leaned his hips against his side of the counter, his eyes catching Aiichirou's and holding him captive.

"New customers get their first examination free, provided they're beautiful and laugh like the coming of distant thunder. Terms and conditions: one use per customer. Cannot be combined with other offers or promotions. New customers must provide their names and a list of times they’re available for a dinner date over the next week."

Aiichirou stared at Matsukawa as his meaning sunk in, feeling the warmth and tightness in his chest blossom into a smile he couldn't quite keep down.

"Nitori Aiichirou," he said, "and I'm free on Thursday and Saturday."

The smile that spread across Matsukawa's face was even more beautiful than the rest of him. "Meet me here Thursday at six?" he asked.

"It's a date."

[indicinis]

A painted torso-up commission for Aimatsu and Bluetavius- best ever sylvari couple!

Commission Me!  |  My Patreon  |  My Kofi

[inkrp-logs]

Yavril, Faeforton, Lil (Ollery) Lightshield, Warden Lysander, Aimatsu

jesus christ five people the archivist almost jumped off a cliff at one point

Fae is in a bad mood; Yav wants him to cheer up. Ollery wants to START SOME SHIT LET’S GO. Warden Lysander tags along to keep the peace, and Aimatsu shows up to tag along.

Warnings: None.

Note: Lysander and Aimatsu are not guildies. Thank you two for joining us for a great RP <3

Yavril groans at Fae's attitude. "Come on, Fae! Being in the Grove isn't all bad. Sure, I miss traveling, but the people are nice, and the other races aren't a bother, because anyone who thinks poorly of us won't come!" She spreads her arms, happily, trying to cheer Fae up.

Lilica Lightshield eyed the second level for a spot. One table was full, one had dancers, and one housed wardens. Only a spot on the other end near the railing seemed open enough to dare taking a seat - but even there, two Sylvari were engaged in conversation. Ollery Lightshield still thought it was the best option, but resigned herself to waiting and listening for a break in conversation to scoot in.

Faeforton refuses to look up at Yavril; he's half slumped over the table, spinning his mug in idle circles between his hands. "The other races don't need to be a bother. Other Sylvari are a bother! The couple downstairs was arguing and I couldn't sleep because they were mad at each other aaaaaall night. Humans don't keep me up when they're angry at each other, they just yell, they don't... don't have emotions where I can feel them. I don't want to be here!" He drops his head on the table. "I want to go /home./"

Warden Lysander comes upstairs after a while. He is very carefully balancing a few drinks in his arms. A smarter person might have gotten a tray, but he is not a smart person. Two nectars are delivered to the Wardens here, and he keeps the third. Boring work talk ensues.

Yavril sighs, Fae's anger, his frustration, was coming off of him in strong waves. "I know, Fae." Yav says quietly. "This isn't my home either. But until the other races understand our situation, we have no choice. Your mother thinks this is best. We must make the best of it."

Faeforton leaves his head on the table. He doesn't argue, but he grumbles something under his breath.

Lilica Lightshield approached slowly, right up between the two Sylvari. "Ah, sorry to bother you, I was just wondering if I can join you lot?"

Yavril sighs, taking her eyes off of Fae to look at the new Sylvari. She gives a half-smile, Fae's bad mood affecting her. "Sure, go ahead. This one isn't great company right now."

Lilica Lightshield nodded, setting her drink on the table. It was cow's milk. "Is he? Why is he looking down?"

Faeforton lifts his head to look at the newcomer. He's pale and tired-looking. "The Grove is awful," he says simply.

Yavril groans at Fae's bad manners and turns to the newcomer. "He was forced to move here in light of the... recent news. His family used to live in Divinity's Reach."

Faeforton frowns up at her. "It IS! It's boring, and I can't sleep, and there's nowhere to get away from anyone!"

Warden Lysander finishes his drink quickly, the same way he handles most foods, and returns the emptied mug to a passing waitress. HE also takes note of the trio across from him on the balcony.

Yavril smiles a little. "I know a place, but you wouldn't stop groaning long enough for me to show you."

Lilica Lightshield laugh aloud, "You're right, this one IS a grump! I get it though, for different reasons. I've been chased out of my previous dwelling. Apparently, I'm just too reminiscent of Scarlet. Having flowers in my hair, being of mother tree, and interested in engineer... It was just too soon for some people." She sighed. "Either way, there's so little to do here, and the best I can get my hangs on so far as my studies relates to alchemy. I'm fairly pissed about that."

Warden Lysander becomes curious. His awareness of empathy is strong, for sure, and with the collection of grump and discomfort coming from over there, he's just go to investigate.

Yavril glances towards the Warden moving towards them.

Warden Lysander lifts a hand, waving casually, "Good day to you all. Checking in; is everything all right?"

Yavril laughs a little, giving the Warden a small, friendly wave. "Depends on how you define all right."

Lilica Lightshield sighed, "I guess so."

Yavril hesitantly puts a hand on the newcomer's shoulder. "I'm sorry, sister."

Faeforton puts his head back on the table. "I don't have anything to distract me. I'm stupid," he mutters against the mushroom. He lifts his head to look at the Warden when he speaks. "Everything's fine if fine means terrible. We're all stuck here!" He spreads his hands.

Lilica Lightshield chuckled. "No need for your apologies. I had a chance to diversify my interests, but engineering just called to me far too strongly, and the rest was out of our control."

Warden Lysander smiles at the three of them. He himself exudes nothing but happiness and good will. Probably to the chagrin on Fae and his sensitive sensors. "Well now! If the three of you don't seem to be in need of sunshine! Why not have a walk? The air is fine today."

Yavril smiles at the Warden. "I don't know if Fae is up for such a momentous task!" She gives Fae a sly glance.

Lilica Lightshield glared at the Warden. "A walk? To where exactly, dear brother? We can't venture far beyond the Grove before attracting glares these days."

Warden Lysander waves a dismissive hand, "Nonsense! The better half of Caledon Forest is your land. All of it would be, were we not plagued so by less friendly sorts." A kind term for Risen and Court, probably. "And what's wrong with the Grove?"

Faeforton gives Yavril a dirty look. "I'll go for a walk if it gets us out of the Grove." He pauses suddenly, his brows raising. "...Can we? Leave the Grove, I mean? Just for a bit!"

Yavril is wary, suddenly. "As much as I would LOVE to, your mother would kill me, Fae." Her voice is wistful, thinking of the outside of the tree.

Warden Lysander cants his head. seemingly confused. "I... don't understand. Have you done something wrong which binds you here? I know of no one who isn't allowed to leave save for detainees."

Lilica Lightshield looked to Fae, then to Yavril, then back to Fae. "You know what? I'm going for a walk after all. And you, should should come. The Grove is a bit too stale and green for my taste."

Faeforton grins around at the small group. "So we just won't tell her. I've left the Grove and been fine!" He looks over at Lysander. "My mother thinks that if I leave, the dragon will get me - she's keeping an eye on me even while she's out and about." He glares at Yavril.

Yavril groans. "How many times do I have to tell you that your mother just wants what's best for you? And I'm not even here on her request. I thought I could convince you to get out of this rut." She looks over at the Waden. "We aren't... physically detained, persay."

Warden Lysander seems confused, but happy. "Well... how about if I accompany you? That way I can look after you in her stead?" He jerks a thumb over his shoulder, "I'm not scheduled until evening. I've the day to myself."

Faeforton jumps to his feet with an energy previously suppressed. "I'm not a sapling, and I'm sick of being here! I'll come with you," he says to the engineer. "I'm Faeforton." He holds out his hand to her.

Yavril shakes her head. "If I let him go off with a stranger knowingly, his mother would rain fire on me. Since he'll go whether I like it or not, I'll come."

Warden Lysander: "Well, I should still like to accompany you all. If you'll have me."

Lilica Lightshield giggled inwardly, a Warden, protect Fae? With what suit? With which gadgets? Honestly, he was so confident for a leaf-wrapped lowly Warden.

Faeforton grins at the Warden. "You're more than welcome to. Let's go." He bounces on his feet. "Please?"

Warden Lysander puffs pridefully. Aw yeah. Gonna go out into the world. Such Warden. Many confidence.

Yavril smiles, Fae finally remembering his manners. She turns from the Warden to the engineer. "Well, I'm Yavril, if there are to be introductions."

Warden Lysander steps a tad nearer to Fae, "My name is Lysander -- it's good to see you happy again, brother."

Faeforton inclines his head to the Warden, then to Ollery. "Nice to meet you both. Please, can we go?" Now that the option of leaving is on the table, his mood is improved. "Ordinarily I'm perfectly cheerful. It's just..." He gestures around in general. "Here."

Lilica Lightshield took a deep bow, "Ollery Lightshield, and yes, I made the suit myself. Pleased to meet you all, I guess."

Yavril smiles and nods at Lysander and Ollery. She follows suit with the engineer, bowing low. "Nice to meet you, as well."

Lysander offers a standard salute to the trio, since that seems to be the cool thing right now.

Lilica Lightshield nodded, already stepping toward the ramp, "Come then, let us hurry. I'm almost as eager to leave as you are."

Warden Lysander chuckles, "Of course. Where shall we head? Danador should have a new stock of pups in his kennel."

Yavril winces a little. She feels a tad guilty that Fae has to feel all the emotions in the air, even if it isn't her fault. She wonders what he feels off her.

Yavril grins at Lysander. "Oh! I know Dandor! I'm sure he'd love to have us!"

Faeforton makes a face, twisting his mouth off to the side. "Caledon wouldn't be my destination of choice, but it's better than here. Let's go?" He follows Ollery towards the ramp.

Warden Lysander grins broadly and brings up the rear. Doing THINGS.

Faeforton hums happily as they walk. He's grinning now, his emotions a buoyant swirl instead of a muddy swamp.

Yavril beckons Beorn to follow her, giving him a small pet. She smiles as she feels Fae's emotions calm.

[[Literally we walked from the bar to the exit portal. We're hardcore. Some people wrote some filler stuff but I didn't transcribe it.]]

Aimatsu lies in wait in the bushes, attempting to be stealthy.

Lysander pauses to breathe in a whoosh of fresh air. "What a lovely day!"

Faeforton bounces on the balls of his feet; he's already feeling better now that they're outside the Grove. "I actually agree."

Warden Lysander trots to catch up with the group, sounding jovial. "Think of how good it will feel to come home later? You'll be tired and spent, and the Grove will be waiting to comfort you."

Aimatus sees potential prey and someone she actually recognizes this time. Which means she tries a bit harder to stay hidden this time.

Faeforton shakes his head. "I don't want to think about coming back here... let's just go."

Yavril smiles. Fae's attitude had improved so much... whatever Raum decided to do might be worth it. "Perhaps. Actually, this feels more like home than the Grove. I never used to be there, or very seldomly... now I'm there always."

Warden Lysander points down the cheerful, sunny road. "Onward we go then!"

Lilica Lightshield pointed straight down the road, "Yes, onward! And where to, exactly? Somewhere I can buy parts and pieces I hope?"

Aimatsu feels her nose a twitchin' for a sneeze.

Yavril thinks she hears something in a bush, but shrugs it off.

Aimatsu sneezes. It sounds like a little mouse. She silently curses.

Lilica Lightshield: "Mice...?"

Warden Lysander hears a tiny little mouse. Mice are great. It just makes him happier.  "What's that now?"

Aimatsu decides to peek her head out.

Yavril turns her head. Her senses are attuned, and as much as that sounds like a mouse, it isn't, she knows. "Be wary, that's no mouse."

Warden Lysander stares. That is the biggest mouse he's ever... oh. It's Aimatsu.

Lilica Lightshield: "Wait."

Aimatsu waves. "Warden guy, hi!"

Warden Lysander: "Aim! Come here! We're off to Danador's!"

Yavril watches the Sylvari warily. "You know him, then?"

Lilica Lightshield fiddles with some knobs on her gauntlet, issuing a flashy blue blast the encased all their company, eventually shrinking to a single shield hologram. "Just in case."

Lysander grins like a fool, turning to his new friends. "This is Aimatsu -- Aim for short. She's lovely."

Yavril puts away her weapon, hesitantly. She bows. "I'm Yavril. Sorry I pointed my longbow at you."

Aimatsu bows."Yes, Aim at yer sometimes service. Sometimes Merc seems ally and sometimes goof... and I'm used to weapons pointing."

Faeforton waves at the newcomer and gestures over his shoulder. "Pleasant to meet you, I'm Faeforton, hello and all that, can we /go/?" He takes a few steps back down the road.

Lilica Lightshield: "Ah... Hello. It is nice to meet you. Ollery Lightshield here."

Warden Lysander suddenly remembers their very important mission, jolting lightly. "Ah! Quite right, Faeforton. We were on a journey."

Yavril turns to look over her shoulder at Fae. Eagerness is now stemming from him. "Yes, yes." She chuckles, gesturing to the newcomer. "Join us?"

Aimatsu: "Yes!"

Warden Lysander is just spilling happy empathy.

Faeforton walks backwards, grinning at the group. "A very important journey, which takes us far from the Grove."

Aimatsu: "Don't get out much?"

Yavril chuckles. She doesn't know it, but she's radiating happiness.

Lilica Lightshield: "Who can? Last time, someone swept my oils for distilled water and honey."

Yavril: "His family is rather protective."  She nods at Ollery.

Faeforton turns to face forward. "I've been stuck in the Grove. Mother thinks she knows best, and she wants me to stay home."

Aimatsu: "I can stealth ya out, ya know."

Faeforton: "She always knows when I leave. I don't know how!"

Yavril: "I haven't been out of the Grove in... a month? Since the news of Mordremoth leaked and the Pale Tree wanted me home."

Warden Lysander: "...Ah, yes. Many have returned because of that."

Faeforton sighs. He's been sneaking out plenty, but never for long enough to make him feel relaxed, only long enough to remind him why he stays away.

Yavril glances at Fae as his emotions tighten.

Faeforton stops and looks back at the group. "Will he be alright with such a large group intruding? I don't even know him."

The kennel is full of Spring puppies. They don't worry about Mordremoth or the Pale Tree because they are too busy rolling around in piles and being tiny, happy pinecone beasts. Their glee can be felt from afar. (thanks Lysander)

Yavril laughs. "I do, and of course! He's always complaining the dogs have no one to play with. I'll go ahead and introduce us?"

Lilica Lightshield grinned, "That sounds lovely! But I'm going to stay on the sidelines, if you don't mind."

Warden Lysander: "Who, the kennelmaster? Certainly, he will! He loves visitors." He chuckles. "Just watch that he doesn't turn you into one of his pets. He has a peculiar sense of humor."

Lilica Lightshield: "I think I've got one or two little buffs my armor can dole out just in case he wants to do some form of trickery. A little countermeasure, single use as it may be, but enough to keep the lot of you on two legs instead of four."

Aimatsu: "I come here enough, he should know my face I think..."

Yavril shrugs. "Hold on a minute."

Warden Lysander claps his hands together happily. "See? This is much better than being glum."

Faeforton looks over at the kennels and frowns a bit, twisting one of his ferms around his finger. Even their energy made him a bit uncomfortable... He shrugs at Lysander. "I just... prefer to have my emotions to myself."

Aimatsu jumps a bit. "Come on, come, it'll be fun, no worries!"

Yavril: "Dandor says that we can go in!" She glances around. "Perhaps we should help with the spiders, though..."

Warden Lysander cheers.

Aimatsu: "Them spiders... tsk. The butts of this place, they are."

Yav: "Indeed."

Warden Lysander cants his head at Fae, not really understanding the want to be alone. He trails after the group though, pleased by the promise of friendly animals.  

[Nasty spider fight!]

Warden Lysander cleans gunk from his sword, making a bit of a face, "Oh, that never fails. Why can't they just leave this place alone?"

Aim: "Because like I said, they're the butts of this place."

Faeforton pats one of the hounds on its leafy head. "I don't even think they can eat the hounds... I don't know why they bother."

Warden Lysander: "What has a butt got to do with spiders?"

Aim: "They are ones."

Warden Lysander squints at her.  

Aimatsu laughs and pets the closest fern hound to her before it leaves.

Yav laughs a little at Aimatsu, letting Canada socialize with the other dogs.

Warden Lysander shrugs and turns to Fae, rolling his shoulders some. "Have you ever come here before?"

Lil makes a beeline to the rails now that the hounds are back.

Yav: "Don't like dogs, Ollery?"

Faeforton shakes his head. "No. I left the Grove when I was still a sapling, and I've tried not to come back unless I have to - until now, that's been 'never.'"

Lil: "Rather, they don't like me. The fluids in my suit seem to attract them. And their teeth. And their bites. Then boom, no more lubricated joints for Ollery."

Yavril laughs.

Faeforton tries to reign in the sulking; he pats the hound next to him and focuses on the clear skies and warm weather.

Aimatsu: "I left when I was a sapling too. Difference is, I kept running out though... dang Court nearly caught me those first couple o' times."

Warden Lysander kneels down and wrestles with one of the pups. He scoops it into his hands and grins as it slurps all over his face and helmet. "Thpt. It's nice here. The dogs have so little worry about and so much love to give."

Yavril turns abruptly at the mention of the Court.

Aimatsu whistles for her own little pup. It happily bounds over to her side, tail a-wagging away per usual.

Lilica Lightshield ignites her protected suit as one of the hounds starts getting near. "Just a deterrent..."

Yav doesn't feel the waves of fear she's radiating, but she can tell she's upset. She takes a deep breath and slowly her feelings calm. SHe laughs as a pup plays with Canada's tail.

Warden Lysander does feel Yav's discomfort. He stands to look at her and presents her with the hound he's holding. It seems determined to lick her face off, if allowed.  "There now, what's the matter, sister?"

Yavril is stunned when the Warden approaches. She stutters. "I-I-I..."

Aimatsu turns her head to check the others.

Faeforton sighs and drops his head into his hands. Even outside of the Grove, being around this many Sylvari is making him uncomfortable, between Lysander's unrelenting happiness and Yavril's shifting mood. He stands and brushes himself off.

Warden Lysander's pup squawks and wriggles free. It runs inside.

[MORE SPIDERS.]

Warden Lysander is being pretty relentless with the spiders, going so far as to crush them under his heel and behead them. "Oh... for..."

Aimatsu is shooting the little buggers as they come into range.

Yavril puts away her bow, hoping the last are gone.

Warden Lysander picks spider legs off his armor.

Aimatsu wipes off her pistols before putting them away.

Lilica Lightshield wiped the guys from her plating.

Yavril hopes the incident made the group forget her earlier fear. She sits down, enjoying the sunlight.

Warden Lysander stays alert, his cheerfulness subdued for the moment. He sheathes his sword.

Aimatsu rummages thru her pockets to make sure her little belongings are still there and intact.

Yavril realizes all of a sudden that Fae must be annoyed by her shifting emotions. She feels guilty, but then feels guilty about feeling guilty, because surely he feels that too. She struggles to get fear and guilt under control.

Warden Lysander straightens his helmet, returning to the group. "Apologies for the unexpected... activities. It is usually not so turbulent here."

Aimatsu feels relatively calm and still. Happy at the very least to see the hounds back. "I run off to the human city enough... this is... better."

Lilica Lightshield shouted out to the Warden, "It's what I designed my gear for, no worries!"

Faeforton picks a piece of shattered carapace off his hammer and flicks it away. "How does he raise these dogs with these spiders around?" He scrapes his hammer through the sand to clean it, then tosses it down next to Yavril before flopping down himself.

Aimatsu plops herself down where she stood.

Yavril smiles at the pup in front of her. Animals never failed to calm her.

Aimatsu glances over, recognizing the pup to be her own. "Oi, ya rascal..."

Yavril chuckles and picks him up, passing him back wordlessly.

Aimatsu takes the pup back but the little creature wriggles free soon enough and goes back to his previous spot.

Faeforton drops his head to his knees in frustration. The sulkiness is creeping back. He jumps up suddenly, scattering Aimatsu and Yav with sand, and waves at Ollery. "Hey! Let's go up to the human outpost by the bay." He's restless again.

Warden Lysander dusts himself off a bit, passing a smile to Ollery.

Aimatsu wipes the sand off and looks at Faeforton. "Um, sure, friend. Though I must ask, are ya okay?"

Yavril wipes the sand off her as she stands. "Fae..." She says warily.

Lilica Lightshield: "I think that's an excellent idea! Maybe they'll even lend me some of their supplies for a couple repairs."

Faeforton ignores Yavril, but guilt spikes through him. He nods at Aimatsu, already dashing off towards the gate. "Yep! Just not a dog person, I think."

Yavril can't quite read Fae's emotions. She follows silently. She /can/ read the restlessness. She sighs. She can't wait to talk to Raumlet later.

Lilica Lightshield went in for a high five, hoping Fae would return it. She identified with not being a dog lover.

Faeforton slings his hammer over his shoulders and slaps Ollery's palm with his own, grinning.

Lilica Lightshield: "Let's be off! Though, you take point."

Yav: "Wait! We're missing the Warden!"

Lilica Lightshield: "If we're fast enough, we could lose them," she whispered.

Yav groans, hearing the engineer. "Let's just wait for the Warden."

Aimatsu: "Warden knows his way... he's a Warden, who I believe should have been around here a couple o' times."

Faeforton pauses as Yavril calls out. "He can catch up, can't he? That'd be rude," he adds in a mutter to Ollery.

Warden Lysander catches up after a while.

Yav smiles at the Warden. "Good, our party is complete."

Faeforton: "See? He caught up."

Yavril tries to stick close to Fae.

Warden Lysander is armored, slow, and heavy. He huffs and puffs.

Yav laughs as Lysander struggles to catch up.

Faeforton sighs in relief at the familiar architecture, more comforting to him than the organic structures of the Grove. "No spiders! Much more peaceful."

Aimatsu is used to just running off all the time anyway.

Yavril looks sideways at Fae. "You do /know/ that your mother is going to murder me, right?"

Warden Lysander takes up watch nearby. He regulates his breathing, meanwhile.

Aimatsu gets her slingshot out and a small sugar cookie and launches it at the Warden.

Lilica Lightshield turned to Yavril, "No mother could touch you if you had boots like mine. And a cuirass. And gauntlets. Basically swapped gear with me."

Faeforton laughs; the run up here has brought the color back to his cheeks. "You'll be fine. She knows I won't stay put if I don't want to." He turns to look out over the water.

Lilica Lightshield nudged Fae. "Hey," she whispered, "Race you to the other shore?"

Faeforton grins at her. "Why not. No using your boots, though, that's cheating."

Yavril groans, no so sure. But being even farther from the Grove is exhilarating. She lifts her head high and breathes in the air.

Lilica Lightshield: "...Deal. I'm not all soft underneath my gadgetry. GAME ON!"

Faeforton drops his hammer to the sand and chases after her.

Warden Lysander has a cookied launched at his armor. It breaks! ...except he finds it on the ground and eats both pieces. "Thank you, Aim."

Fae: "No fair!"

Yav chuckles. She's changed her attire to something nice to move in than her regular armor. Hopefully she won't be fighting.

Lilica Lightshield cheers. "Ahem."

Yav groans; she can't even see them anymore. "By the Tree..."

Warden Lysander makes a face at the cliff and takes the long way around. He drowns because he has to leave for work, but no, feel free to NPC him while I am gone.

Lilica Lightshield: "Did I mention the loser buys the winner twenty silver of whatever the winner wants?"

Faeforton shakes the water out of his ferns and gives her a look. "Putting up a shield in the water? That's no fair win. No prize for you."

Lilica Lightshield shoved his shoulder playfully. "Oh hush, I didn't use my boots. I used my gauntlets."

Faeforton throws his hands up. "Every engineer I've met is like you! Fine. What do you want?"

Lilica Lightshield: "I want to hire a local artist for a portrait of you in those magnificent leaves."

[Fae has changed into the Casual Clothes by now, and he looks ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. THANKS ANET.]

Yav laughs, then grins. "Fae, those clothes..."

Faeforton grimaces. "Oh, come on. They aren't that bad..."

Yav chuckles. "Well..."

Lilica Lightshield whispered, "Remember, next time we meet, a painting of you in that attire."

Faeforton shakes his head. "No one will paint it for twenty silver. Pick something else!"

Aimatsu: "I make wood carvings, heehee."

Fae: "For twenty silver, you would?"

Lilica Lightshield sighed. "Fine... a wood carving. I'll even pay in an extra ten silver."

Aimatsu: "Nah, they're more like small charms, usually... to help calm minds and junk.

Faeforton looks up at the gradually darkening sky, then back towards the Grove. He looks guiltily at Yavril. "....Raum will be home soon."

Lilica Lightshield eyed him. "What's the harm in staying out an extra night?"

Aimatsu is happy at the sound of extra money.

Yav gives Fae an I-Told-You-So look, mixed with a guilty one. She shook her head at Ollery. "If Raumlet comes home and he isn't there... We're both doomed."

Lilica Lightshield flashed her a grumpy look. It was a bit thuggish, given the shades. "Send a messenger dove!"

Faeforton scuffs his feet over the rock. "She won't be very happy. I... spent a night in Divinity's Reach the other day, and she's already upset... if I'm gone another night, she really WILilica Lightshield lock me up."

Aimatsu: "Hire me to bust ya out. Then blame can possibly rest on me." She shrugs.

Lilica Lightshield: "You know what they say, time heals all! If you last another night it won't be too bad, and she'll see you're alright out here, won't she? Come now, you don't want to go back so soon, do you?"

Yav looks at Fae, waves of emotion rolling off him - pain, aggravation, guilt.

Faeforton laughs. "She has enough motherly shame for everyone involved. I don't want to go back!" He sighs heavily. "But she does this thing... she wasn't even mad properly last time, she was disappointed. It was /awful./" He's still staring at his feet. "...Tomorrow, maybe. We can go back out."

Aimatsu attempts to cheer people up with the bag of small bite-sized sugar cookies she keeps around. Taking the bag out, she holds it as if offering while listening.

Lilica Lightshield jumped in, "Suppose you brought back a gift, said you were out for that?" Her suit flashed a projection of a toy Ventari doll.

Yav laughs, and Aimatsu smirks a bit.

Faeforton laughs again. "I don't think that'd do it. Sorry, Ollery, but... tomorrow! Really."

Lilica Lightshield cut the projection. "You know it would feel so good to be away, right? Maybe good enough to stomach another week in the Grove. The ends definitely justify the means." She wiggles.

Yavril has had enough. "Enough," she says harshly. She winces then, guilt overwhelming her.

Aimatsu puts the bag away and remains quiet enough.

Faeforton is visibly wavering. He shifts from foot to foot, and gives Yav a guilty look, looking away when she speaks up. He nods.

Lilica Lightshield thrashed Yavril with a cold metal glare from behind shaded eyes. "Calm yourself."

Faeforton: "Tomorrow, Ollery. We can go back out."

Lilica Lightshield sighed. "Very well. Return to your Grove. As for me, I think I'll venture beyond this point after all. And don't forget, I want that carving."

Yav takes a step back. "Fae, I'm so sorry. You know that most of all. If it were my call, I would let you stay. By the Pale Tree, /I/ want to stay more than you can believe. But your mother..."

Aimatsu blinks, not actually expecting her to want one. "Alright."

Faeforton nods, his gaze fixed on his feet. "I know." He sighs. "Let's go..."

Lilica Lightshield bows. "Until we meet again, all of you."

Aimatsu: "Take care... I'll be around. Send a note if ya need me!" She salutes.

Yav winces at his tone. She bows to the others.

Faeforton bows in return, and nods to Aimatsu. "It was nice to meet you, both of you."

Yavril looks out into the water before sighing. "Let's go."

Faeforton is already looking depressed again. He nods.