[PRP] An Apple A Day (Xavier + Valaon)

[leon_a_darkangel]

Prior to Bloodfest 2k16 Xavier goes in search of more plant diversity to add to his own area around his hive. What he finds is a less than thrilled farmer troll making an honest living.

 

[leon_a_darkangel]

Xavier had heard talk of a farmer troll who sold some of the best apples around. While he was no expert in all things growing, Xavier did like fruit. The idea of seeking out this Apple Orchird and the grower behind it sounded like a promising adventure. While reluctant to travel so far from his hive, journeying out to the plains of New Hemisect City. but with his mother accompanying him it made the trip manageable. The fact it would be away from the city too was promising, he found noisey cities to be overwhelming.

The small jadeblood and his lusus made their way from their makeshift hotel once the sun had set to make their way to the apple farm. Xavier had brought beetles to exchange for this trolls time, plus in truth he'd wanted a chance to explore Alternia this far from the forest. Fidgeting a little, he kept close to his virgin grub lusus as he worried at his bottom lip with one of his pointed eyeteeth. "Do yuh think they'll mind us coming Mum?" He asked her.

The mother-like insectoid leaned over to smooth one of her troll boys spiked locks of hair. Yes dear, and if not we can always leave. She encouraged.

Lifting his chin up, he crossed the thresholds into the other's property as he cleared his throat. "Helllo? Is anyone around?" Xavier called out, arching up on his tip toes as the four horned troll boy peered around unsure what exactly it was troll-wise he was even looking for in truth! He was sure this was the right place, it smelled as such anyway.  

[Hobo Pixi]

Valaon wiped her forehead as she finished collecting the pears. Crapple and her both looked to the side where they heard someone call out. "....whose all botherin' me." She grumbled a bit, nodding to Crapple that she'd handle it.

The green blooded troll moved to the other calling out. She didn't reply even when standing in front of him. She waiting for a reply as to why he was disturbing her at such a crucial time... The bloodfest was soon and surely she could sell her apples for extra nettles there.  

[leon_a_darkangel]

Xavier remained still as he saw a young greenblood about his size and age come over from where she'd been seemingly working. A guilty flush of jade tinted the boy’s freckled grey cheeks for having disturbed the pair with his hollering. At first Xavier was slightly unnerved; the other troll wasn't even saying anything to him. She was standing still, staring at him like she demanded an explanation. Rubbing his neck sheepishly, Xavier offered the other a friendly loop sided smile initially before nervously glancing down at the ground. "I hope I-I'm not botherin' you.." Xavier began as he looked back up at the other before lowering his hands at his side.

"I'd heard about your farm. And wanted to come lookin' to find the troll behind the fruit I got the other day to thank you. 'n offer beetles to maybe buy a thing or two to add to my garden." He explained politely.

After a moment he went quiet, before adding a little more to his though process for coming all the way out to this place himself. "Bloodfest is comin' soon, while I'm working on some wood wood instruments I kinda wanted to do stuff with seeds, and plants but don't have enough on my own.." His voice trailed off. "S-so I figured I'd l-look into buyin' a bundle and some fruit right from the source!" He beamed then toothily, realizing he was rambling to an extent. Otherwise he sounded genuine despite his being nervous and stammering a bit from his restless energy.  

[Hobo Pixi]

Valaon raised a brow, "I'm obviously busy with ma work." She replied, "ya ma apples are the best around.." She agreed as she crossed her arms. "I accept beetles fur saplings... What did ya have in mind?" She asked, her expression going more stoic rather than annoyed.

She raised a brow at the mention of bloodfest. "Bloodfest is a borin festival." She explained, "'sides, who will pick all ma crops if I'm out playin all day?" She asked  

[leon_a_darkangel]

Xavier looked the other over as he smiled thoughtfully at the farming troll. "Well..I brought my beetles pouch if you are willing then!" He smiled nervously, Xavier kept smoothing his sleeves down, tugging at them occasionally as they talked. Maybe he sucked at explaining himself he worried. The jadeblood chided himself mentally when she seemed disinterested in his talk of Bloodfest. He sounded dumb! Xavier looked down as he rubbed at his arm.

"Well..I..I could come back and help yuh after the event? It'd help with promoting your farm! I'd pay you for your troubles as well..." He admitted as he smiled hesitantly at the other greenblood. "If it's a stupid idea..just forget I said anything." He gestured to her apples.

"Do yuh have any seeds..or just saplings? I can work with either." He spoke confidently as he lifted his chin, trying to establish some kind of common ground between them. While not an expert at growing and farming, he felt with a little practice he'd get it right.  

[Hobo Pixi]

Valaon shook her head, "I don't really sell m'seeds.. just saplin'." She explained to him. He wasn't wrong about promoting her business if she were to attend bloodfest... and give out samples rather than just selling her produce. The greenblood looked Xavier dead in the eyes, "so wut, yur runnin a booth or sumthin?" She asked, "m'seeds are a work of art. I ain't gunna just sell ya sum all Willy nilly..." she asked, glancing back to see if crapple was working still.

Valaon looked back to Xavier, "I suppose if ya come by before the festival and help out on m'farm... I could promote m'self." She mused in consideration. "But m'work is hard work. I ain't needin any slackers." She warned.  

[leon_a_darkangel]

Xavier frowned just a little bit as she shook her head. "I..I understand yuh. It's important to you." He realized, especially based on the way the other seemed to put so much time and energy into her farm. The warm scent of apples was comforting, along with the natural scent of trees. Perking up a little he nodded. "I am! I'm carving a few instruments like my own shriek tube..as well as maybe whittling a few figures...I thought about doing something with gems but it's gunna be a little cold.." He rubbed his neck in consideration.

"If there is anyway I can help I sure will." He promised the other greenblood with a nod of his head. The small jadeblood smiled then at her. "You've been really kind...and I.." He looked at her uncertainly, than back to his lusus not far from them. "I can even pick stuff during the day...sunlight doesn't bother me." Telling new trolls about being a daywalker was always a bit rocky. He was never sure how they'd take it.

"I don't mind workin' hard...it would be an honor to earn the right to plant an apple tree near my hive. Any life is special." The jadeblood smiled gently. "I'm Xavier Leinte..it's nice to meet ya." He offered a gloved hand to her.  

[Hobo Pixi]

During the day? Valaon raised a brow, "I ain't ever seen a troll who walks in the day. Sounds a bit far fetched." She told him, "an' I ain't got any reason to trust ya. So m'guess is yur lyin." She told him bluntly. She crossed her arms tightly, unsure what to do with the troll before her.

"Xavier? Ain't good to tell other trolls yur name when ya been lyin to them." She warned.  

[leon_a_darkangel]

Xavier looked at her as she gave him a strange look. The troll boy cringed at her doubting tone, and the way she talked to him. He didn't blame her for being doubtful of course. Most of his fellow Alternian brethren would be seriously hurt if they came into contact with the sun's light.

Looking at his lusus, then back to the troll he smiled a bit. "I..am a jadeblood. This here is a Mothergrub. I've sworn to keep Mum safe, she isn't going to ever have kids of her own." He explained hoping that cleared it up a little. "It's just how I am, I'll prove it to you when I come to work..I'll have several baskets full while I work during the day." Xavier looked confident, despite his initial reaction of looking slightly pained at her accusation he was lying.  

[Hobo Pixi]

Valaon looked to the others lusus. "Jadeblood, huh?... I ain't ever seen one of those either." She told him gesturing to his lusus, and the troll himself. "Prove it. Roll up yur sleeves and get to work. I'll have ya weedin my lawnring. I swear to ya. You steal from m'farm and I will gut ya with my picker." She threatened plainly as she walked back to her lawnring.

"Ya know how to garden, ya?"  

[leon_a_darkangel]

Xavier looked at the way she studied his lusus before he nodded, his smile a bit more of a relaxed one. "All trolls came from one, she is just not a breeding Mothergrub." He smiled then, rolling up the white sleeves of his leinte. "Alright." He promised, busying himself as the other requested without complaint. He could handle himself, the morning sunlight and the apple farm would be a nice combination he figured anyway. "I'll get them up, and anything else yuh need done." Xavier replied, before his eyes widened.

"I'm not going to steal from you. I got plenty of goo stuff at my own hive." He assured the farmer. "Yuh. Me 'n Mum keep a garden, and tend the forest grove near the Fronds by our hive. I have experience." He explained as he got to work, crouching down as he removed a patch of the unsightly growth making sure to get it, and the roots with.  

[Hobo Pixi]

Valaon watched him, shaking her head. "Yur gonna get tired faster doin it that way. Here." She moved to show him how to weed a bit more effectively. Standing back up, she dusted off her hands and placed them on her hip. "If ya got yur own s**t then why do ya want mine?" She asked curiously.  

[leon_a_darkangel]

Xavier watched her curiously, comfortable with learning a new way to go about gardening. He heaved a small sigh as he shivered, rubbing his shoulder a bit from the effort of working with the earth. Wiping his brow some he looked at her tilting his head. "Thank you, that is easier." The boy agreed.

Standing up from his crouch he dusted off his kilt. "Huh? Oh..I thought it would be nice to have another type of frond species growing...I have a few fruit trees..and things I've grown on the terrace but nothing like this." Xavier replied genuinely. "I asked around..and was told you had the best orchard like yuh said already even...So. Mum and I came this way even if it was a sapling." He explained.  

[Hobo Pixi]

Valaon listened to the other, "m'apples are the best around..yup. m'other trees may not be but apples are m'specialty." She explained. "If ya got weedin down here then imma go work on waterin m'plants." She told him as she left him to do so. She looked to her lusus, raising a brow before going to do more work.

He was weird, but if he was willing to work hard she'd humor him for now.