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 Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 10:38 pm
Who: Ian, Henry, and Ethiriel
When: September 15th, 2015; early evening, just before closing time
Where: Ian's shop, Thistle Do Nicely, in downtown Barton
Weather: Slightly chilly, hinting at the beginnings of autumn
To: Henry Knight
From: Ian Flynn
Hi Henry, this is Ian Flynn. I'm a new guardian at Lab 305.
I saw that you're Ethiriel's guardian,
and I was interested in meeting you.
I have a few questions about preparing for a Raevan,
and I'd love to have you to my shop in Barton for a meeting.
I'm also willing to give you a bouquet for your trouble!
Thanks
Did that sound too formal? Too demanding? Ian fretted over the text message and double-checked the number a few times. He'd gotten it straight off the roster that had come with his briefcase, but he was still worried about sending this to the wrong person. Eventually he just decided to send it and forget about it for now. He hoped that Henry would accept, because otherwise he'd need to find someone else. Perhaps Cesc and his guardian..? But he knew Ethiriel must be plant-based, with her branches, and she might have some insight that would be more relevant to the cherry blossoms.
He tucked his phone back into his apron's pocket, taking a breath and going back to work. He'd just gotten a new shipment of autumn-themed flowers in, shades of orange and gold and bright yellows, and even a large bundle of wheat stalks. He had Bethany manning the front desk while he assembled some bouquets, getting lost in the process and losing track of time.
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Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:10 pm
Henry stared at his phone for a moment, rereading the text twice before his eyes lit up. Another new guardian, how exciting! Scratching one last thing onto his notepad, he finally gave his upcoming text the full attention he felt it deserved. Despite his eagerness, he had work to do – but he definitely didn’t want to forget to reply; something he was prone to doing.
To: Ian Flynn
From: Henry Knight
Hi Ian! Good to hear from you!
I am! And I’d love to meet you, too!
Anything I can do to help, man! And don’t worry about the flowers!
I’ll definitely drop by! Would you like me to today? I’m home for the rest of the evening!
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Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:20 pm
He was relieved when Henry didn't take too long to reply; waiting ages for a message had always stressed him out. When he saw that Henry was willing to meet, Ian smiled brightly and began typing up a reply.
To: Henry Knight
From: Ian Flynn
That's great!
Yeah today is fine, unless you'd rather do it another day.
And feel free to stop by anytime.
The shop is at 1258 Fairview Road in Barton.
If the shop is closed when you get here,
feel free to come upstairs to my apartment.
Thanks again!
Ian tried to contain his excitement at least outwardly, but he still found himself smiling like an idiot. Not only would he be getting questions answered and hopefully a few worries soothed, but perhaps he'd be making a new friend as well.
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Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:29 pm
Henry had just barely started going back to his work before his phone beeped again. With a chuckle, he grabbed it and checked his messages. Ian surely must have been excited, and that sat well with the nurse and he started back on his own reply.
To: Ian Flynn
From: Henry Knight
Sounds good to me!
I don’t mind stopping by today! It works out because I’ll be needing flowers for something else!
Don’t worry about them being free! I don’t mind paying!
See you in a couple of hours!
Finishing up his work, the nurse was quick to interrupt Ethiriel’s CD as politely as he could and get her ready for the impromptu trip. She didn’t mind and actually liked the idea of going to a flower shop – though she didn’t like that the flowers were picked and cut, shortening their life so quickly, but she wanted to help Henry pick out the perfect bouquet for Candice.
Roughly three hours had passed since Henry’s last text, but the two had made it in time before the shop closed. Lucky for them; they didn’t want to bother Ian for flowers after hours.
Walking in, they were met with the aroma of fresh flowers and greenery, and Ethiriel visibly calmed (despite generally always being calm). Henry took a quick glance around at the stuffed animals and flower arrangements that decorated the sales floor before striding across the room toward the counter. Ethiriel was left to her own devices for the moment as she delicately felt her way around the flowers.
”Hello!” he called.
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:52 pm
To: Henry Knight
From: Ian Flynn
Oh, that's great!
See you then. :)
Ian felt his stomach flutter a little with an excited kind of anxiety. Not only had he made plans with someone without being encouraged or pushed by Caroline, but it was another person from Lab 305. There was an element of relief as well, relief that he might get some answers and be able to relax. He recalled the image of the little soul glass sitting out on the mantle. He hadn't been able to make himself put it away in the briefcase yet; doing so felt so... final. He knew logically that Antheia was gone, swirling inside that bottle, but he could still feel the impact of what had happened. Closing the briefcase would be like dismissing that, at least in his heart. He just couldn't do it yet.
Later in the day near closing, Ian heard the door chime as it was pushed open. There had been a lull in customers for the past half hour or so, so he had the ability to devote his attention to this customer. But as soon as he glanced up and caught sight of Ethiriel and a human, he grinned brightly. He set down the bouquet he was working on, wiping his hands on his apron as he stepped out from behind the counter.
"Hello. You must be Henry? It's great to meet you." He offered his hand for Henry to shake, a bit awkward but doing his best to be friendly and warm regardless.
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 4:24 pm
Ethiriel’s first response was to give a gentle nod, dipping her body into a slight bow as Ian greeted Henry. The nurse, however, was far more excitable than that as he lightly tapped his fingers against the front counter.
”The one and only! Well, there are more Henry’s, but I’m the one you’re looking for!”
Smiling, and with a small breath of a silent laugh, Ethiriel gently shook her head before finding the counter with her hands and gently resting them atop the flat surface. ”A pleasure to see you again, Sir Ian.”
Henry beamed at the Frei, glad to see her speak without being spoken to first – she was always so silent when people wouldn’t immediately address her, and this was a good sign; she was starting to come out of her shell. He immediately returned his attention to the florist in question. ”It’s great to meet you, too! You’ve got a lovely shop here – very nice!”
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 6:27 pm
When Ehtiriel spoke Ian smiled warmly and offered a small bow of his head even if she couldn't see it. "You too, Ethiriel. You're looking well," he chimed. He'd always liked Ethiriel; perhaps it was because she was so much gentler and more peaceful than many of the other Raevans, at least judging from a distance. Something about her put him at ease and he appreciated it. He could tell from Henry's face that he was happy about something, but didn't have much time to think on it as the man spoke to him again.
"Thank you, it's nothing fancy but it's mine." He chuckled softly and gestured for them to come further inside. "Please, come in. Feel free to wander." He darted to the front door to switch the sign to closed, simply for convenience sake. It was late enough in the day as well that no one would be surprised. He led them past a table of small succulents, a wall of sorted flowers for building your own bouquet, as well as a display to welcome autumn complete with stalks of wheat, pumpkins, and a few fake crows.
Ian stopped near his work station, which he'd done his best to clean off so that they'd have a less chaotic space to talk. "Did you find your way all right? I'm not exactly on the main street..."
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Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 9:17 pm
”And that’s what matters!” Henry beamed, making one final tap on the counter before looping his arm around Ethiriel’s, leading her into the main of the shop. The nurse seemed quite excited, or at least full of perpetual zeal. ”Nah, man. I’m pretty good with directions so it wasn’t that hard!”
Once they were into the shop itself, Ethiriel pulled Henry toward one of the work-in-progress, easel pieces, captivated by its scent; roses and lilies, though the baby’s breath took away from the rest of its wonder bouquet. Still, it was enough to interest her, and the nurse watched contently. ”Careful with touching, Ethiriel. It might be sensitive.”
With a big whiff, Ethiriel smiled – though she didn’t turn back to Henry, who was now holding her hand rather than holding her arm. ”I will be gentle,” she said, her hand just barely hovering over the greenery and petals.
Once pleased with the silver Raevan’s distraction, Henry turned back to Ian. ”So, what can I do for you? I know you’ve got a few questions; I’ll do my best to answer them!”
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Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 10:25 pm
Henry's excitement seemed a bit contagious and Ian could feel his face blooming into a smile as he walked through the store. "Well I'm glad. I'd hate for you to get lost on your way." He paused when Ethiriel seemed distracted by the display he was working on and watched her inspect it with a soft smile. He knew she probably couldn't see the majority of it, and figured she must be drawn in by its scent instead.
Approaching it to stand beside her and Henry, he let out a soft sigh. "Do you like it? I'm not sure about the baby's breath. They're pretty, but I'm not sure they go with the others.Maybe some matricaria or Queen Anne's lace instead?"
He was drawn away by Henry's question and gave a sheepish smile. "Well, Justin told me that you didn't... capture Ethiriel's soul, but... I figured you might have gone through a similar adjustment period anyway." He glanced Ethiriel's way and chuckled. "Even better, you being here will be an immense help, too. But you don't have to answer any questions you don't want to, of course."
He directed them toward some stools he had set up in the back work area in case they wanted to sit. "I guess my biggest question is... the food thing. I mean, will they know? I know it relates to the essence, but is it trial and error from there? I just don't want them to starve or anything..." He let out a somewhat nervous breath of air. The idea of accidentally neglecting the Raevan before they'd discovered their food source really worried him. "My essence was um... Parasitic cherry blossom, I think. It drained other things. I got a really bad headache and super tired the first time I handled it too long..."
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Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 10:11 am
”My, I believe some Queen Anne’s lace would be lovely,” Ethiriel said, gently tracing along the petals of the other flowers. ”But you would have to remember, I know not what this looks like.”
”It’s still pretty, Ethiriel. I’m sure you’d love it.”
For a brief second, Ethiriel’s smile faltered. However, she quickly fixed it.
Henry’s smile stayed the same once his attention was back on Ian. One hand remained hovering softly against the Frei’s elbow – not that he was afraid she’d wander off, but to let her know where he was; with all of the flowers and plants around them, he figured the Raevan might get overwhelmed. ”Yeah, I didn’t have to capture anything for this perfect princess. In fact, I don’t think her previous owner did, either.”
The Frei’s expression remained despite a twitch of her fingers.
The nurse didn’t catch the movement, and while she was certainly getting better, it was a touchy subject for the poor girl. He did continue, however. ”I’ll answer everything to the best of my ability!” Henry listened closely, and as expected, that question was first to bat. The man couldn’t help but laugh silently, taking one of the offered seats as he left Ethiriel to explore the surrounding flowers and arrangements.
”Unfortunately, a lot of it is guess-work. I was informed of what Ethiriel could or would eat, so I didn’t have to play that limbo. From the sound of it, I think your Raevan will have about the same kind of eating habits as what it’s doing in the bottle. They might just leech off of everything around them – it would make for an easy snack, but it’s definitely bad for those around them.” Bringing his hand back up again, he rubbed the back of his neck. ”Ethiriel can gain energy in a few different ways, so hopefully there will be a better meal tactic for yours when they come to be.”
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 9:34 am
Ian balked for a second when Ethiriel mentioned her blindness, but was put somewhat at ease when Henry reassured her. But there was still a definite worried tilt to his brows as he smiled. "Here, let me um... Here." He darted away quickly to grab a small stalk of the flower before gingerly holding it out for Ethiriel to take. "Feel free to touch it if you like. Same with- everything else, of course." Even though he knew she couldn't see it, he smiled apologetically.
He turned to Henry when the man spoke and his brows raised. It sounded like Henry's adoption process had been fairly simple, though the mention of a prior guardian piqued his interest. Had... Had Ethiriel been abandoned? Of course he would never ask, but he was worried. He hoped that she was doing better now. "Oh, is that so? Lucky," he chuckled softly. His soul capture had been taxing to say the least. He chuckled, letting out an anxious sigh when Henry speculated about the blossoms' food source. "I certainly hope it's not as drastic as the essence is... But yeah, maybe they can tap into the nymph and- you know, general plant care as well." He smiled. Of course he would get the essence that was the most exhausting -- literally.
"Also, I guess both of you could answer this, but... I mean, what should I do to prepare for them coming home? Obviously a bed and the staples but... Decorations are fairly difficult, and extra clothing until we can go shopping. I'm pretty helpless in this department, since I'm not even an uncle or anything yet." He let out another sheepish laugh. Just thinking about all he still had to do made his heart flutter.
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Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 6:33 pm
Ian's urgings were met with an appreciative sound from Ethiriel, who continued to touch and cradle the different flowers littering the shop behind the counter. She always loved the feeling of petals between her delicate fingers, as well as the aroma that plant-life generally carried. It was met with a strange feeling, however, as these plants were separated from what gave them life -- they were to die shortly.
"That's the hardships that come with owning a Raevan. I got lucky with Ethiriel's needs and wants -- unfortunately, she's not very vocal about what she wants, but she's got her own demons to carry."
Listening carefully, Henry scratched his soulpatch with a single finger. "To be honest, just act like you're bringing a child -- another human -- into the picture. What they need is impossible to guess off the top of your head," he explained, glancing back to his own Frei. "Make sure they have a space of their own, potential activities. It's not that hard once you think about it. Just act like you're having family come to visit for an extended amount of time."
Then, he chuckled. "I'm really not much help, am I?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:29 pm
Watching Ethiriel make her way along the counter with all the supplies, Ian smiled softly. But his attention returned to Henry soon enough and he sighed with a resigned nod.
"Yeah, I'll probably get some bedding, some books... Maybe some games for learning and stuff. I mean, I assume they're going to be fairly childlike out of the tank? I'll have to teach them things. Is there a general rule of thumb, or do they vary with how much they already know?" What if his Raevan couldn't even speak? He hadn't even considered how he would teach them how to read, let along speak. There were online resources for homeschooling, of course, but... The very idea of being not only father but also teacher was even more daunting. He tried to stay calm for now. Having a full-blown panic attack while Henry and Ethiriel were here would be incredibly embarrassing.
"Ah, no no- You're very helpful! I hadn't even really... thought about activities and things. And hopefully they're vocal about their food and things." He laughed softly. "I'm sure they could at least get by on general plant care, since the essence was a plant. And- the soul was a nature spirit so... Yeah." He sighed again and gestured vaguely with one hand. "It's all kind of a guessing game at first, isn't it?" Despite the anxiety in his voice there was a smile on his face.
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Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 7:26 am
"I do believe a lot of it is guesswork," Henry confirmed, catching onto Ian's nerves. The nurse smiled, gently placing a large hand on the florist's shoulder. "Bedding and books sound good, definitely, but you may have to teach them to read. Ethiriel had to learn braille. I believe that they come out of the tank able to speak in most cases; I didn't hear from Leo whether or not Ethiriel could, but she's only about to be four and she's got the most eloquent speech I've ever heard."
Giving Ian's shoulder a squeeze, Henry pulled away and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm sure you'll figure it out easily. Ethiriel likes water and sunlight so if anything, they'll have that for sure if they're plants too. A lot of it is guessing -- I've had to do some guessing, myself, since I don't have any real contact with her original guardian, and to this day I've been learning new things about her."
In the corner, Ethiriel seemed to be busy trailing a hand over various flowers -- listening, but staying out of the conversation, herself.
"A lot of feeding has to do with their essence and soul. With Ethiriel being something called "unoxidized silver," she feeds off of tarnishes and rust, but she can also soak in water for a quick pick-me-up from her soul; a tea plant. There are a few different ways she can feed at various strengths, so I'm sure it won't be hard finding something for your Raevan when they emerge!"
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Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 11:31 am
Ian laughed softly, but was surprised at the gentle wash of relief that came from Henry's reassuring touch. He nodded and glanced over at Ethiriel. She was going to be four years old? That was always strange to him; all of the Raevans looked so much older than their numerical ages. It must feel strange to them as well, but then again perhaps not. Maybe it was just like being born on a leap year or something.
Henry's words pulled another sigh from the florist and he managed a slightly apprehensive smile. Given what the essence had been and its effect on him, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach about feeding. Perhaps it would focus more on plants this time... He hoped so; the idea of a chronic headache and fatigue around his beloved Raevan was certainly less than ideal.
"Yeah, hopefully it'll be quick to point out. Or maybe they'll tell me directly. But I don't have any issues with teaching them things, though I may need to check out some homeschooling resources. I've never taught anyone anything as important as reading before!" He laughed, directing his attention toward Ethiriel. He felt a bit bad for ignoring her until now, but she did seem at ease with simply browsing through the shop. "Would you two like to pick something out for your trouble? On the house, of course. We have some nice potted plants that would do well indoors since it's going to be getting colder soon."
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