[video]

[10_20_15_5_50]

---right?

[If the tone is any indication, that one word wasn’t directed at anyone---it was the sort of mutter manuals muffle. What follows is livelier, as the young woman speaking seems hopeful.]

Right. I don’t want to be a bother, but I was wondering if there’s anyone available to give the ten-cent tour…. and if there’s anyone who would want to. Since ah, I’m not the only new arrival, and there’s sort of a lot to see, I figured I’d ask. If you’re new too, okay, awesome, we can explore together. If you’re not new and you want to show off your stomping grounds, I’ll ooh and ahh appreciatively. Promise. And I’ll owe you one.

Comments

[10_20_15_5_50]

I can see a couple of areas I'd like to visit first, but being able to choose only one? I'd like a look at the livestock, and to talk to whoever's in charge of it.

[Here it is; the day she's prioritizing poultry.]

[knight_light]

[He looks around and spots the right area, and heads that way.] Excuse me. [addressing a worker nearby.] Could you tell us who's in charge here?

[The man gives them a nod and a smile.] That'd be Guardian Irja. She should be just inside there. [He waves at the building behind them, the one by the Gateway.]

Thank you. [Wing looks back at Sam. She want to continue onto see livestock or did she want to go find this Guardian?

[10_20_15_5_50]

Thank you!

[It's a little weird to call down from the height of a hand, but whatever---right now, there's nothing which isn't a little weird.]

[Sam shrugs up at the bot, smiling.]

What d'you say we meet this lady?

[knight_light]

[Wing nods and will turn to head inside. It'll take asking again where Guardian Irja is, but they'll eventually be directed to a tiny fairy.]

Hello. Are you Irja?

[the_earth_laughs]

[The little living orchid flits up level with Sam, splitting a big grin between the two.] Sure am, sweetie. What can I do for you?

[10_20_15_5_50]

[After the variety of beings she's already spoken with, Sam isn't shocked to see a fairy---but she is surprised. Irja's adorable, and there's one word for her aura: sunshiny. Fairies are frequently said to be something to be wary of, but Sam's got a good feeling about this one. Given the attitudes of the people they've talked to in tracking Irja down, it seems safe to trust it.]

Well.. I'm sorry to trouble you, but I've got a sort of strange request. Would you happen to have a mute rooster or ah, any regular roasters on the property?

[knight_light]

[Wing is a little surprised, and canmt help leaning a little closer. She's so small!]

[His next surprise is what Sam is asking for. He give her a curious look.]

[the_earth_laughs]

[She laughs] You sure are specific on what you want. I think I can help you out there.

What do you need this for?

[10_20_15_5_50]

[Wing's lean isn't alarming, but it is enough to have Sam appreciate his steadying hand over her lap. She hold her own hands up at Irja's laughter, smiling herself.]

I'm not normally this exacting, and I don't need or want the whole bird, just a fair-sized feather. It's to try and write home with. There's a-uh, ritual which might let me manage.

[It's strange to say it out loud, and to only-acquaintances, but hell. One of them's a little farming fairy, and the other's a knight now known to make nice with dragons. Surely, her minor magics won't be too big a deal.]

[knight_light]

[Wing just looks amused as he listens to all of this. A way to write home huh? He hopes it works.]

[the_earth_laughs]

Oh, I can help you get what you need. I...don't think you'll be a le to write home though.

Good luck, let me know if it does work, okay?

[10_20_15_5_50]

[Sam nods, though her face falls at Irja's admission. That, maybe, she should have expected---she had said herself it was iffy---but it's disheartening to have the 50-50 odds of 'ENTIRELY UNKNOWN' shift away from the even split and further from favour.]

I need to at least try. What kind of kid or friend would I be if I didn't? [There's a slight bob of both shoulders, and she manages a crooked little smile.] I also need a horseshoe, if you'd happen to have some spares. Iron?

[It's supposed to be problematic for fairies, but how accurate is that? No-one knows!]

[Well.]

[Except Irja.]

[knight_light]

[He...he hoped it worked... He had some people he'd love to contact if this worked...]

[the_earth_laughs]

It certainly doesn't hurt to try.

I believe we should be able to get you what you need. Come with me.

[10_20_15_5_50]

Thank you.

[She'll offer Irja a grateful smile, and Wing one as well as a small shrug---he's much more actively following, after all.]

And you. It would've taken me a lot longer to make this much progress on my own.

[knight_light]

[Wing gives her a smile.] I'm happy to be able to help.

[He follows after the fairy. Geez she's tiny and hard to keep track of. Thankfully he's doing rather well of doing so.]

[the_earth_laughs]

You're very welcome!

[Irja isn't trying to leave them, she knows she's tiny and Wing is big. She'll guide them theough the farm to where they need to go.]

Let's see. You should be able to gather your feather here. Now...which one will work... [she's studying the birds to find the one that fits Sam's needs. This may take a bit.]

[10_20_15_5_50]

If there ever comes a time I can return the favour... Well, you won't have to ask.

[With a little (or a lot of) luck, they'll see such a time soon. Since it could hinge on the collection of her ritual components, Sam turns her attention to Irja. No-one she knows has managed to find a mute rooster, so this is the first time the ritual won't require... pragmatic action to ensure the bird cannot crow.]

[knight_light]

[Wing smiled, amused.] If I don't ask, how will you know I'm in need of a favor?

[the_earth_laughs]

[Hey, she's gonna try. But there are lots of roosters to search through...after a while she will indeed just have to get a feather from a dead rooster, but hey, she tried.]

It...didn't need to be a living rooster that couldn't crow...did it? [A small tangle of very thin vines have pushed up from the ground to offer the feather that's as tall as Irja is.]

[10_20_15_5_50]

You might have some situation where I could help and mention it without asking or intending to ask that I do---like just incidentally, in explaining what you've been up to. Or I might hear about an opportunity to help you out from some third party person. This may be a big place, but it seems like one where word could travel at 'small town' speed.

[Sam shrugs, smiling. People talk! And she's seen nothing which would suggest sharing scuttlebutt is a strictly human habit.]

Oh,

[Very carefully, Sam leans over a little, to take the feather. Still smiling, she shakes her head.]

Nah. Though there's a good-sized group of us who have successfully sent a message somewhere the way I want to, nobody's managed to track down a live rooster which couldn't crow. I think we've all given up on it... and probably should've said? Sorry. Thank you, though.

[knight_light]

This is entirely possible. Thank you, Sam.

[He watches as Same takes the delicate little thing from the vines. Other forms of life were quite fascinating.]

[the_earth_laughs]

[She looks relived.] Oh good. Then let's get you that horseshoe, shall we?

[10_20_15_5_50]

[Now it's Sam's turn to be amused! She snorts, settling back.]

Hey, I haven't even done anything, and intending to someday do something is just... being basically decent.

[She'll shrug before nodding to Irja.]

Please! If it's possible, I'd like a nice wide one.

[knight_light]

You're a good person, Sam. I'm glad to call you friend.