Network Post - 001

[loving_goddess]

You know, these things aren't really that difficult to use, once you get used to it.

[Martel gives a little wave into the camera and a bright smile.]

Well, it's been a busy first day! I won't bore anyone with the details, but I wanted to introduce myself and make both an offer and a request, so here we are.

My name is Martel Yggdrasill. I was a healer back home, so if you get hurt, please don't hesitate to call on me. I know there's a doctor in town, but if you're closer to (INSERT FARM PLOT HERE), you might as well come down and see me.

Anyway, I'm trying to get an orchard started, but I've run into the slight complication of funds. I'm not necessarily asking for a loan or anything, just some advice as to how to best scrape together some... seed money.

[And the entire spectrum of humor groans in pain.]

If you're curious as to how quickly my efforts will... bear fruit, well, I have something to show you.

[Another terrible pun is followed by her promptly turning her device to take in a... full-grown apple tree. With several ripe, juicy looking apples already hanging from it.

What.]

Comments

[loving_goddess]

[Yep. She's a cheater.]

Yes, I'd like to think I've been doing fairly well in getting things done quickly.

[whisted]

[The way things have been going, Horatio is fairly certain he knows the answer. And yet...]

...how?

[If it's something that can be learned, sign him up for learning it.]

[loving_goddess]

Well, to put it very simply, magic.

The actual explanation is far more involved, but I think that one more or less covers it.

[And in the end, it would still be magic, she'd just be explaining how the magic works.]

[whisted]

[...okay but she's got to be used to people staring at her blankly about that, right.

Because that's Horatio's plan.

It shouldn't be, because he should be Getting Used To magic here, but.

That's his quiet, quiet plan.]

[loving_goddess]

[She's just going to match blank stare with serene smile.

She can do this allllll day.]

[whisted]

[WELL THEN.










A nice comfortable amount of silence later (and seriously, why don't more people let him just stop talking in the middle of a conversation?), once all the mental sorting has been done, there is an actual follow-up.]

The... sort you are? Or the sort you make?

[loving_goddess]

[You know, that's actually an interesting question. She considers for a moment.]

A little bit of both, I suppose. I mean, I am a half-elf, so I'm magical by definition.

[And that's ignoring the whole "angel" thing, as well as the whole "spirit of the world tree" one. There's only so far she feels the need to go in an explanation.]

[whisted]

A what?

[This whole universe-nexus thing makes it too exhausting to pretend to understand half the things people say, really.]

[loving_goddess]

[Oh. Right, there are probably worlds without elves on them. Okay.]

Half-elf. My other half is human, which I hope is something I don't have to explain. Elves are a species living on my world alongside humans who are able to sense and wield an energy we call "mana", which is what I use to power my magic.

[whisted]

[That's easy enough to follow. Not understand, but follow. Certainly worth a thoughtful little nod.]

Does everyone have to learn? Or is it just the-- half-human part?

[Because something else the universe-nexus had been proving was that humans were a comparatively small and squishy folk.]

[loving_goddess]

Elves and half-elves learn at about the same rate. The only reason humans can't learn is because they simply can't sense mana.

[She's sometimes wondered what that might be like. From her perspective, it sounds almost like being deaf or blind.]

[whisted]

Hm.

[Another stretch of thoughtful silence.]

So we've got to grow trees the hard way.

[loving_goddess]

Well, you could hire my services, though I can only do so much each day.

[whisted]

No.

[Horatio, frankly, looks as surprised as anyone that he'd said something so absolutely certain so quickly. It takes a blink and a brief shrinking back in on himself to re-calibrate.]

It's... [The essence of being free still catches in his throat without a proper explanation.] ...I'd like to-- learn. For myself.

[loving_goddess]

[She blinks in surprise at first, wondering if she somehow offended him or something.

But his actual logic is both understandable and actually kind of admirable.]

An excellent idea. I do think those skills ought to come in very useful here.

[whisted]

[...well, it doesn't seem like he needs to apologize. That in and of itself pulls the first thought to his lips.]

--thank you.

[Then, deep breath, and settling back to the point.]

I'll have the money in a few days.

[loving_goddess]

Of course. Feel free to come by any time. I will be available most days.