sixthiterationlogs | Sink or swim you gotta give it a whirl

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Sink or swim you gotta give it a whirl

WHO: Joshua Faraday, Vasquez, Open
WHERE: Around the villages
WHEN: Niddle of December
OPEN TO: All unless marked
WARNINGS: PG, updated as needed

Horses are horses are horses: Around the villages

They're horses. Yep. That's what they are. Long legged horses, with weird tails, and patchy things on their backs... and horns. Okay they're not horses, but they have horns, and he's told one day he can ride them, and so he's going to work with them the best he can.

Which means getting them adjusted to a rope harness. One at a time usually, dealing with their attitudes and confusion, and being as friendly and gentle as he can be with them. Often feeding them treats of peaches from a can he found in the kitchen, and trying to coax them into listen and following and not fighting back against him.

It will take days, weeks even, but much as he might be all attitude with much of life, with the kirin he is tender and kind, working the best he can to get them to work with him and not against him.

Cold air and hot headed: Springs

Part of it all is trying to get his thoughts straight. A large part of it is the long hours of working on the homestead that they're trying to put together, working with animals, and land even before the winter hits, and the lumber and gathering that will help them set up their home. So a couple of times a week he grabs a bag with his change of scrubs in it, ignoring the color that does little for him, and heads for the hot spring.

Stripping down in the cold air, hurrying into the soothing warmth of the water. Staying there as long as he can until his skin starts to prune and the ache leaves, not realizing it's more than just the warmth helping.

Eventually he'll rush out of the water, grab the sheet he brought with him to use to dry off and hurrying into his clothes as fast as he can before he loses the warmth of the water.

Homestead: For Vasquez

All that Joshua's been doing is giving him time to think. Taking time to think about what he wants, and how he feels, and what the hell this place means to him and who he thinks he is. What life he wants as well, though that he's focusing on more than the rest. All that he's been doing to tame the kirins, and cope with the land, and work on ensuring the house is ready for winter.

But he can't avoid it forever. Not his feelings and not Vasquez. He isn't going to turn himself into a wolf, after all.

Eventually he heads back for the house, knowing Vasquez is there and heading upstairs to try and find him.

"Alejandro? You here?"

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One of the first things Reeve intended to invent if he could get the parts, power, and supplies was central heating. There wasn't too much cold going on here, not in the grand scheme of things, but still, it was a sort of modern luxury that he would appreciate, and perhaps others might enjoy as well. For now, though, he was pleased to find what was available, and that included this lovely hot spring. There were some up in the Icicle area back home, but he'd never had a chance to enjoy them.

In fact, time for any sort of soak was usually lacking. Work often heading down from his office, taking a quick shower in the gym, and heading back up. It wouldn't have been inaccurate to say that Reeve had little use for the apartment he maintained, other than the polite fiction that he had a life outside of work.

"Good day," he greeted as he noticed a man approaching. Was even so kind as to keep his gaze averted as the man stripped down and slipped into the water. It was only polite.

More than that he might wait to offer. People might just prefer to be left alone when bathing.

Everyone keeps assuring him this is for everyone, and while it's not the most common thing Joshua's done, he's aware of bathhouses and even visited one or two. Only difference is this one is outside.

So he's only slightly hesitant stripping down and heading into the water. He is quick to strip, darting into the water to get under the surface. He gives a nod, and then realizes maybe he's been impolite.

"I'm not intrudin' or nothing, am I?"

“Not in the slightest. While I am hardly used to such arrangements from the size I fear it would be impolite to monopolize the heat.”

Well he had done saunas before when doing meetings, which could be quite awkward, but this was more than fine. This was most definitely a new experience and one that he would admit to reveling in. Not only because chances for a concealed weapon were dramatically reduced. Surely there was an honor system that said that, at the very least, if you were going to kill someone near a hot spring like this that you do it outside to avoid harming the water. If not, there should be a rule.

Still jumping at ghosts, Reeve criticized himself.

“Long day already?” he asked. A harmless question, clearly inviting conversation if the man was willing.

Joshua chuckles at that, nodding as he moves to slide into the water. At least then it feels a bit more comfortable, below the surface and settling in against the curve of earth against his back.

"Been handling these horse like creatures and they're a lot. But better than dealing with this place and everything I keep being told," he says, making a face as he leans back against the edge. "What got you out here?"

“Mind if I ask what a horse is?” Reeve asked as he closed his eyes and settled into the heat of the water further. It would be good to have a name to put to a thing if he were to see one.

Ah a good question. Why was he present? The heat and relaxation from the water. The way it cleared his mind to think about this place and his role here and a project he was already considering.

“I used to soak in my tub to think. Haven’t had a chance in a while. Figured it would do so since the opporunity presented itself.”

There's a lot of changes in this world that Joshua is adjusting to, but hearing that question is the first thing to really leave him confused and stunned. Standing there, staring at him in such stunned silence.

At least for a time.

"You don't know... Your world doesn't have horses?" He shakes his head, realizing he needs to clear this up because this man obviously needs to know what they are.

"They're four legged animals, big enough you can ride on them with long legs. They have strong teeth and stronger legs. They can save a man and get you through nearly anything." He just kind of blinks. "You really have never seen anything like that?"

"I suppose if we have them, we call them by another name," Reeve smiled to himself as he watched the man look at him in a bit of shock. But once the explanation of the creatures started, he stayed quite silent.

The description only led to him shaking his head. "I know of no four-legged animals that fit that description. And the two-legged ones are a bit different. Namely chocobos. Large birds with long necks and very strong bodies. They have very strong beaks and stronger still legs, and quite a bit of speed. They are quite capable of managing themselves, have been known to be used in errantry in the further back reaches of our history, and can even outrun a Midgar Zolom in its own swamp. Quite handy birds."

Tasty too. But that wasn't something many people like to acknowledge.

A world without horses is nearly terrifying to Faraday. Right up there with a world without alcohol, which this place is bordering on. He's having to learn to deal with both of them, and it's nearly impossible to cope with.

Then there is talk of large birds that are... ridden?

"Wait, wait, you ride birds? How big are these birds? And what's a Miggar Shalom? Do you have saddles? Bridles? Do they do what you need them to do? How many hours a day can you ride them?"

He's both horrified and excited by the very idea of this.

“Ride. Work with them. Have them pull carriages, they are pretty multipurpose beasts of burden and affectionate at that. There are a few different species too, evolved to suit different areas,” Reeve smiles as he settles back in the water. He adored Chocobos and had been very sad to go by the temporary barn and find none.

The Midgar Zolom was definitely a matter for another conversation. Where did one start witht all the questions he had been offered?

“Depending on species Chocobos can vary between about six and nine feet at the top of their heads and are bulky birds, almost entirely flightless. They take well to saddling and even admiring as well as hauling. They can be caught and ridden wild but are more likely to flee if you don’t tame them to saddle soon. But even the wildest birds can be domesticated. Length of riding depends on the quality of the Chocobo, and species. They are durable. My friend Cloud has a way with them and they will handle a rider in the saddle all day if needed. You just need plenty of Gysahl Greens to coax them.”

Ah he can feel the ache of his limbs fading, and is that not a wonderful thing.

“They also serve as good meat animals, their feathers are quite warm for down, they are fully useful for all their lives. My parents had one named Edgar who helped us with plowing and other far work.”

The slight discomfort of sharing a bath, as it were, with another is quickly gone in the interest of what this man is telling him. Barely finding himself able to adjust to the time of this place, the thought that he might be dead, and that Vasquez apparently had some kind of feelings for him, and now he's having to adjust to something his mind just can't seem to wrap itself around.

Birds as mounts.

Then as the description comes through, of birds that well stand over his head and are ridden with saddles and all, and his eyes just go wide. Catching Faraday speechless is difficult, but Reeve has managed it.

And then the words come back in a rush.

"Wait, whoa, back up. You eat your mounts?"

Edited 2018-12-27 19:09 (UTC)

"There are those raised for food, and those raised as work animals," Reeve shrugged. "And when an older one can't be used anymore, well, you shouldn't waste the meat, should you?"

At least it's a practical decision, at least in Reeve's books. Especially for farmers, who know well that feeding a chocobo long term can be serious work because they are strong for their size, easily able to carry people and gear, and when they grow old, just burying them would be an active waste.

"Of course stud services before that. Some people raise them for competitive racing. Granted standard yellow, red and pink chocobos aren't as useful for that. Not as strong. Then you have your mountain chocobos, with their green plummage, who are strong over rough mountain areas. River chocobos who are great in shallow water, whereas other species of the birds can be too scared to cross the water, those ones can swim. Breed those together and you get black chocobos, which can do both. And then there are gold chocobos. Those can even swim in the oceans, they are the largest and strongest breed, and nearly impossible to breed. Not that I haven't known them before."

"If it was a horse, yeah. I mean... They're why I'm alive. Jack? My..." He pauses then, frowning because he's never thought to ask what became of Jack after he died. Shit, how'd he pass that up? Oh right. Learning he's dead kind of is a distraction. "But no. Never Jack."

Who might have blown up. Shit.

"Wait, you mean impossible to breed domestic, right? I mean, otherwise how else do you get them?" Of course, he's talking giant, ocean swimming birds you ride on, so for all he knows they slide down off rainbows. "We just have horses. Which are like kirin, which I can show you sometimes. We have a pair of them. They're pack animals, ridden, or you can use them to pull wagons. Ain't none of them gold, or swimming in the ocean."

“Nearly impossible,” Reeve corrected. “You need a black chocobo and a special breed of yellow. Once you have a pair of golds they breed true of course. But to my knowledge there are three of them in the world right now. One is old, the other two are female.”

Which meant there wasn’t much that could be done. And Chocobos were picky. Given all the chaos in his world at the moment, people spending a lot of time on a rare line of birds wasn’t all that likely. Especially as they had cars and boats.

“I’ve not heard of a Kirin. I would not mind seeing one at some point.”

"Huh. And they're worth a pretty penny I bet too," he says, figuring that it would be like those prancy ass Arab horses he's seen that seem too dainty for real work.

"Sure. I bring them down to the lower village from time to time, or if you head up to the other village. My roommate is adverse to people or something and we live a way bit out."

"I would imagine so," Reeve agreed. "Not that one has ever been sold. I believe Cloud actually gave his away when the battle was over. Perhaps to Vincent? Or was it Barret? And now he has a motorcycle so..."

Truly Reeve thought that a shame. But it wasn't his bird to do anything with. Still, at the suggestion that he could see these other animals, he perked up. Yes, that would be a wonderful thing.

"I would appreciate the chance. New experiences seem to be one of the few benefits of this place."

"He had something worth that and he just gave it away?" He shakes his head, not understanding so much about these kids and their worlds and their choices. Maybe his life really was just simpler. At least until the end.

A brow arches then. "You going to tell me what a motorcycle is then?"

Joshua laughs then, nodding. "Trust me, I know all about them new experiences. Everything about this place seems to be one for me."

"He did indeed. But to someone who needed it more. Of this I assure you," Reeve shrugged.

As for a motorcycle, well... that's obvious, isn't it? It's in the construction of the word.

"It's a two-wheeled vehicle that uses an engine. Motor-Bicycle."

He shakes his head, making a bit of a face as he tries to take in those words.

"I don't know what any of that means. We don't have anything like that, I don't think. Is it like a wagon or something? On two wheels? Really? How does it stay upright?"

"A wagon, on two wheels, that runs under its own power," he says, his hands coming out of the water as he tries to mime the shape of it for an illustrative purpose. "Balance is maintained by the rider's own sense thereof, but at a stop typically a rider will put down one or both feet to stabilize the body of the vehicle."

How did you explain a motorcycle to a man who was apparently still in an age of chocobo power? How did you talk about how much ChocoboPower an engine has? It's all a mess, but there aren't exactly words for it. Not without knowing more of the man's level of tech for comparison.

"Huh. Isn't that interestin'," he says, and he sounds as if he means it. As he truly does. It's something he suspects is common to others but nothing he's never heard of. "Is it running on the type of engines then in locomotives? No, I guess not. Can't shovel coal while riding like that, could you?"

"No," Reeve answered. Engines ran on either fossil fuels or mako energy in his experience, but the oil type fuels. "A coal engine, from my memory, would be too large for such a thing. Typically it's burning refined oil."

Which was a gross over simplification.

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Sink or swim you gotta give it a whirl

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