sixthiterationlogs | try to find a way to make things better now

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try to find a way to make things better now

WHO: Oerba Dia Vanille
WHERE: outskirts of 6i, outside House 38...
WHEN: June 23rd
OPEN TO: Everyone!
WARNINGS: tbd

The last few weeks have been an adventure for Vanille. She hasn't been content to simply stay in the village, mostly because no one she's spoken to really knows much about the world around them. They've given her a general idea, which is better than nothing. Still, she's seen some of the animals around and wondered what else might be out there. No giant oretoises or behemoths can be seen even looking at the village, let alone out on the horizon. It makes her wonder.

Not that she's wanted to ask anyone yet. She's tried to be careful to fit in as best she can. Just like she did on Cocoon.

On her fourth day in the village, she decided to wander off. There's no one here she knows particularly well, no one to really miss her if she left for a while. Besides, if she could come back with more knowledge about the world around them, that would help everyone. And who better to go than someone who's used to the dangers of Gran Pulse life?

So she'd taken a few supplies to make sure she wouldn't be defenseless in case she ran into something and headed out. She spent a lot of time exploring, smelling the naturey smells and examining the plants, but eventually she'd come across a herd of purple and woolly animals. They were... really cute, didn't look particularly dangerous, reminded her of larger versions of sheep. She knew better, though, growing up on a planet where even the most docile animals could kill a seasoned hunter if provoked. So she took her time near them, spending days just watching them, learning their habits and getting them used to her presence. She never slept where they might be able to reach her and kept her body language and tone calm as she interacted with them. They didn't seem to mind her and eventually, they even let her approach.

So here she is, several weeks later, coming back with four purple fluffy animals and one much smaller that looks like a reptilian dog. The latter she'd run into on her way back with the four. It's apparently chosen her as a friend and won't leave her alone, not that she's tried hard to be rid of it. She has rope loosely tied around the fluffballs' necks to guide them and the knots appear to be easy to release should the animals panic or start to pull. She won't risk their health just because she thinks the four of them need a new home.

But that does make her wonder where she's going to put them. She hadn't really thought that far. So she and her unconventional pack of animals can be found wandering the village. Vanille takes them mostly around the outskirts of the buildings, so she doesn't risk frightening them with all of the noise and strange people. For a time, she lets them graze around the boathouse to get them used to the surroundings, but they do eventually end up close enough to be seen from the Inn and police station, if anyone decides to come say hello.

"Do you know of a good place to keep them for a while?" she asks anyone who does decide to approach them.

By the end of the day, she takes them down the row past the blacksmith and behind the town hall, to give both them and herself some space while also staying close enough to the village to know what's going on.

"We're going to need a good fenced in pen for you, aren't we?" she asks one of the purple ones, scratching it behind the ears. The animal leans into the gesture and she smiles. Well... if she can't have a chocobo, she may as well have four purple animals, right?

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He had never seen the poster of the text, Vanille, is the name they used and by the sight of the creatures he had to assume this was the author. He had been down at the boathouse, wondering about a whole mess of things before he heard the commotion of the small herd with a human in tow. Or was it the other way around?

He couldn’t say he’d ever seen such a creature before; the animals that is, the girl looked somewhat like any other girl did here or back at home.

Noctis stood and wiped his hands to his thighs. He had been sitting on a large rock off the hillside overlooking the water. He thought it was strange, to be so close to the water yet advised there was no point in dreaming of a boat to show up and take him home. “Hey?” He called out to her only for her to respond with a question regarding the creatures. He took a look over them again and his brows rose with a soft shake of his head. “I scarcely know where to keep myself here..”

The man's response makes her smile a bit. That's a feeling she understands well. At the moment, she hadn't even managed to find somewhere for herself to live. Not permanently, or what passed for permanently here. She'd only been in the village for a few days before she decided to head out to explore, so she can't even say she knows a lot of people. Enough to get by for now.

"Mmmm, I might have to find someone to help me build a fenced-in pen for them," she muses, watching the small herd graze a bit. "I don't think they'll run off, but I don't want anything to get to them, either."

Of course building a pen will likely also involve finding somewhere for her to live so she won't be very far from them. It's all a bit to consider.

"Have you been staying here so far?"

”I don’t know how well a fenced-pin will help keep things out from getting to them.” He offered his opinion and also: “But I’m happy to help. I don’t really have much else to do.” He looked over the animals again with a raised brow. “So, uh.. what do they eat?” He thought about the chocobo farm and Prompto going crazy to go see it.

He held his breath and looked to his feet before he exhaled. He pushed the memory down and looked back up to Vanille. “I been camping out .. yeah, I don’t really know what to do with myself otherwise. I mean, I’m a decent fisher so I can bring in catches for people in town.. but other than that.. I mean,” he then thought, maybe that’s what got this girl out in the wild collecting wild animals. What else was she going to do with herself? “Maybe I should go catch a pet of my own.” He joked.

"I guess it would depend on the thing trying to get in," she says with a light shrug. That's easier to fix once the pen has taken shape. "Really? Thanks!" Any help she could get on this project she will be grateful for. "I guess I should choose a house first. Then I'll at least know where to have it built."

Whether or not she recognizes his tactic of avoiding memories, she doesn't comment on it. She's not the type to push anyone about what they don't want to talk about, at least not things that might be personal, given that she has plenty she doesn't want to talk about, too. Instead, she nods her head at the reptilian companion.

"You could. Bhakti found me and he hasn't run away yet." She doesn't want him to, though she thinks he's just chosen her for some reason. "Maybe you could raise fish in a pond just in case something happens to the river. Or find your own reptile dog and see if you can train it to catch fish for you!"

"Fish.." He smiled and looked down to the creature she called Bhakti. He's seen them around before, but he hasn't ever been that close to them. It reminded him of Umbra in a sense of having a stable companion. Fish, they weren't likely to be loyal to him. He certainly couldn't expect to take them out on walks. "I do like to fish.. but I'm more of a catch and eat sort of guy.. not a catch and.. keep." He shrugged.

He realized this was probably the first time he smiled rather naturally versus having forced the curve of his lips. He couldn't be sure if it was the light conversation or the subject of fishing. He hadn't been in some time. It'd be great to pick up again.

Although, speaking of houses, "hey, um.. so, do you know how this housing business actually works? Who we talk to, how and who we pay for electricity?"

Bhakti looks very friendly at least, happily watching. Vanille doubts he would even mind if the man tried to pet him.

"There's always time to try something new!" she points out with happy energy. What she's doing isn't exactly new, but it's something to do and something she knows she likes. If this man hasn't found anything he likes yet, that's all the more reason to try something new.

His question gets a tilt of her head as she thinks back to what she's learned. "I don't think you really talk to anyone. As long as a place doesn't have anyone living in it, I think it's free to claim. The Observers probably have control of the electricity. I don't think there's any sort of currency here. It's more of a help around and barter system."

It's nothing like Cocoon, far more like Gran Pulse, and that is a huge sense of familiarity for Vanille.

He softly nodded and crossed his arms with a soft nod to his head. He drew in a large breath and exhaled. “Nothing makes sense. I’m still learning about these Observers .. It just feels.. like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.” He looked her over than found his eyes on her small hoard of animals. “Like part of me is waiting for the curtain to drop and someone to come out and tell me this was all a big joke. Or I’ll wake up.” The latter was not as likely, “I don’t feel like I’m asleep though. That’s for sure.”

He brought his eyes back to Vanille and offered a sympathetic smile with an apology. “I’m sorry. I’m just in a mood, I guess.” He then gestured to the purple-wool-something or other. “So, tell me what you’ve learned about them so far..?”

If Vanille is anything at this point, it's a good listener. She doesn't interrupt, doesn't try to steer the conversation anywhere else. All she does when he finally gives her a moment is say softly, "I know how you feel."

She knows that feeling almost all too well. When she'd first woken up on Cocoon, that had been her mindset, too. Wishing she could wake up and find that she was still at home, or that she'd finally completed her non-threatening, non-world-ending Focus and just woken up from that sleep. Honestly, she isn't convinced that these Observers aren't just another brand of fal'Cie trying to get them to do something, even if her brand still hasn't moved since she got here.

The change of topic to the woolly creature is much more welcome and she glances at her animals. "Well, they're really friendly. They don't seem to mind people very much. They have wool that I think will be good for spinning into clothes somehow. And they produce milk! I think it's better cheese milk than drinking milk, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet."

She will eventually. She just has been a bit busy so far.

"You can try petting one, if you want. They haven't bitten anyone who's been calm and slow."

”Calm and slow.. Right.” He pulled a breath in and held it as he approached the animal. He had his hand out, his palm faced the ground, and he slowly moved his fingers toward the side of the creature’s neck. He softly pushed his fingers across the fur and exhaled. “I bet you’re right… they’ll make good clothes..” He hadn’t the faintest idea how to do that, maybe she did? In any case he was quiet a moment as he softly touched at the animal. It snorted, huffed, and side stepped some as another purple one moved toward him for something.

Maybe for a pet?

Noct reached out with his other hand and he started to pet them both. “Heh.” His lips curved gently, nearly a smile and he was lost in the feel of their soft wool, their skin, their warmth.

He lowered his hands and looked up to Vanille. His eyes were kind and it seemed, perhaps, he needed the comfort more than the animals did. “So, you’re going to build an animal farm here?”

Vanille watches with a bright smile as the man reaches slowly for the purple creatures. They seem to like the attention and it's less time that Vanille has to worry about them pulling away or getting into trouble. And if they can help each other, she sees no reason to stop.

"Bhakti's even friendlier than they are," she says after a moment or two, nodding her head down at the reptilian dog. Bhakti peers up and whines. Apparently he agrees.

"Maybe. Why not? These were just wandering around and I didn't want them to get hurt or eaten." They seem happy enough around her, so why shouldn't she try? Maybe she'll keep an eye out for more.

Noct was a bit more cautious when it came to petting Bhakti. He squatted, however, and reached a hand out for the animal to smell at it and make his own ascent toward him. Once Bhakti butted at his hand, Noct turned his fingers into the creature for a soft pet. “How long did you say you had Bhakti..” He tried the name out, it was a bit strange, but fun as well. Vanille seemed that way as well; fun.

Noct would spend a good moment petting Bhakti, but he soon stood and settled his hands on his hips before he brought his attention back to Vanille.

The little reptilian dog seems more interested in the attention than anything else. He's really just seeming like a normal dog... just a little bit reptilian. She watches with interest as the two interact, giving her time to think of an answer.

"Not long. About as long as I've had these guys." She jiggles the rope she's holding to indicate the woolly animals and is rewarded by a tug as one tries to step a bit out of reach in retaliation. Huffing a little, Vanille guides it back into line. Somehow. "So... less than a month, I guess. A couple of weeks? He started following me and wouldn't stop so I adopted him."

"Guess you had no choice other than to make it official." He grins. "Still, that's a nice story.." He looked down to Bhakti, "Good boy.." He compliments the companion. He then brings his eyes back up to Vanille. "In the meantime, what are you going to do with the herd?" She's not going to bring them into her home, is she?

The inn? He highly doubts people are going to be on board with that.

Bhakti seems to like the attention and praise. All the better for Vanille, who has her hands full with the zalpacas. She shrugs a little at his question.

"I'll probably loosely tie them up outside, so they won't escape or get tangled up with each other. Maybe even sleep outside until the fence is done just to keep an eye on them."

It wouldn't be the first time she's had to sleep outside. Almost her entire existence on Cocoon had consisted of sleeping outside in the wilderness and before that... well, Gran Pulse wasn't known for its hospitality even if they did have a village. She'll survive. She always does.

While Picard is certainly aware of the fact that there's a wide variety of animals outside the village, it hadn't really occurred to him that some of them might be tameable. On the other hand, he can't deny that it's hard to ignore the evidence when it's standing shortly outside of the Inn, purple fur and all.

"I'm not sure there is a community animal pen. I suppose one could be made, although that would raise the question of what to do with them in the meantime."

Admittedly, there'd likely be room at the house he lives at. And a fence besides. But given that he isn't exactly the only one living there, he feels a little strange about offering the use of the associated pen to someone that he's only met once previously.

The idea had occurred to Vanille as well. She may not have entirely thought everything through before she came back, but she's at least trying to work through the issues now. Responsibility can be hard. She's trying, though, and that has to count for something.

"I'll need better rope for leads," she says thoughtfully. "I could use that to loosely tie them somewhere, but I'd still rather have a pen." Less room for them accidentally getting hurt. "I guess I should choose a house to live in first and maybe see about getting help to build a fence around that."

One of the purple animals starts to move a little too far, tugging at the rope carefully tied around its neck.

"Oh, don't do that," Vanille tells it, moving to guide it back in line with the others while the reptilian dog looks on.

As far as he's concerned, it absolutely does count. He, personally, might have tried to make sure that he'd had everything though out before hand, but that supposes that he'd been specifically looking for the creatures that Vanille has brought back. If he hadn't been, no doubt he would have shortly found himself asking similar questions to the ones she is.

"Having somewhere to stay probably would help," he agrees with a nod. "And it might give you some idea of how much space you had to work with, besides."

Of course, that might raise its own share of problems, but at the very least there are still unoccupied houses. Finding somewhere to tie her new friends up once she finds a suitable house might be a little more difficult, of course, but even so, he can't imagine that Vanille wouldn't be able to find somewhere suitable to keep them even temporarily.

There's a pause then, as he watches her attempts to fetch the errant creature back into line.

"Do you need a hand with that?"

Vanille nods at his words. Hopefully, once she finds a suitable place to call her own, she'll have somewhere suitable for her animals, too. She wouldn't choose somewhere for herself now if it didn't have somewhere for them. The animals are all part of her family now. They won't be left on their own.

"Mmm, if I had some long leather strips or more rope, I could keep them tied separately," she muses. "They seem content enough, but it's hard walking all four of them at the same time."

Of course, if she could leave any of them somewhere alone, that might make things easier. Right now, she's hesitant to do that, not wanting to risk either someone stealing them or them running off. Or getting eaten by something. Still, if Jean-Luc wants to help her hold one of their leads, she won't say no to the help.

"There might be some sturdier rope at the Inn."

Or something that would be close enough to at least make it so that it's easier to tie them all up separately. True, if there isn't any actual rope, it might be necessary to get a little creative, but as far as he's concerned, that bridge is one that can be crossed when - and if - it should become necessary to do so. For now, however, he simply takes one of the leads, once Vanille indicates that he has no objections, taking care to not unduly startle the animal in the process.

"And there might be people there who would be willing to help with a temporary fence also, once you decide where you mean to stay."

"That's where I got this," Vanille admits, giving the rope she's holding a slight jiggle. "I didn't want to take all of it in case someone else needed some." So there's probably more... but then the issue still stands that she doesn't want to take it all. Ideally, she'll be able to find or make her own leads at some point and return what she's using now.

At least the animals she has chosen don't seem too fussed about the new person holding their lead. They've gotten used to Vanille by now and as long as Jean-Luc doesn't make too many sudden movements or loud noises, she doubts they will have anything to worry about.

"I hope so. I never did much carpentry or building work at home, so I can't do it without help."

There's a nod at Vanille's comment about not wanting to take all of the rope. It makes perfect sense, after all, especially when there's no real guarantee that the Observers would be so good as to supply any further rope besides. And when there's no way to tell what anyone else might need to use the rope for besides, much less when. Still, he takes comfort in the fact that the animals don't seem to mind that he's one holding their lead and not Vanille. He doesn't mean to make too many sudden movements either, largely because in absence of any other indicator to their overall temperament, he mostly figures it can't hurt to treat them as if they were skittish horses.

"I can't say that I've done a lot. But I know how it's done, at the very least."

And he's more than willing to lend a hand besides, should she happen to want it.

To be honest, Vanille doesn't know much about them, either. She's been treating them like a lot of the domestic and wild herbivores of Gran Pulse. Better to be cautious and not startle them than find out what their fight or flight instincts are like at a bad time.

"A lot of other people at home did the carpentry or metalwork," she admits hesitantly, still trying not to admit to too much that could brand her as Pulse l'Cie. "I guess I just stuck with the animals a lot. Seemed to work there. Maybe it'll work here too."

Caution is definitely the better option here, as far as Picard is concerned. They might certainly bear a passing resemblance to some of the animals of Earth, yes. But that doesn't mean that their temperament is going to be similar, given that there's enough other oddities to suggest that this is somewhere that only superficially looks like Earth.

"I don't see why it couldn't. I don't know how many people here know how to manage basic carpentry or metalwork, but that's hardly any reason you can't stick to the things you know best."

The animals will need looking after, after all, and if that's what Vanille wants to do, he's hardly about to be the person to stop her.

"I could always put out a call," she says, lifting her wrist to show off the green band. "I'm sure someone would offer." Noctis already has. It's only a matter of time before she finds other people to help out. And more help means potentially more friends. Vanille is always good for making friends.

"It certainly couldn't hurt."

There's a nod to go with the words. The network is still not always his first thought, when it comes to looking for help. But if there are people who know something about the topics she's looking for, it's certainly going to be faster that way than asking person by person. Plus there has to be someone who'd be able to manage at least some sort of enclosure, even if it might not be of the sort either of them might have in mind, just at the moment.

(The other alternative is finding a way to convert an unused house and that sounds like distinctly more work in the long run.)

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