[PRP] Working Together (Ying + Kiwi) [FIN]

[chiickadee]

Ying's tiny frame moved quickly along the path, her arms filled with rolls of cloth, and a basket with needles and threads. It was a lot for a tiny horseman to carry, but her older brother was out for the day, so the job was left to her.

Of course, things never went accordingly. A pair of rowdier war horsemen knocked into her side and the supplies spilled everywhere. Ying stared in horror. She wanted to let out a blood curdling scream as the fabrics were soiled with dirt, but strong etiquette prevented her from doing anything but politely bending down to pick things up.

Her face definitely revealed her internal screaming though.  

[xoxomenai]

Kiwi had been about his daily patrols of the reserve when he suddenly noticed a small mare ahead stumble and drop her belongings. She looked nothing like his childhood friend, and yet for a breathless moment his mind flashed to images of Mara, the grey voices sighing in unknown whispers. He wasn't certain why. Perhaps it was her small frame, or the flow of her hair, or-

Before he quite realized, he was standing by her side. The shocked circle of his lips fell away into a sheepish smile, and he quickly ducked his head to pick up one of the fallen rolls of cloth. They were quite detailed and the pattern intricate was intricate; something that could only come from Conquest. He dusted it off gently as best he could before holding it out. "Hello. I am Kiwi of Famine. ... And who might you be?? ..."

chimarii

Late tag is late, but I've been busy with housework |D

 

[chiickadee]

A shadow covered everything for a moment, and then there was a famine horseman helping her with her things. She gave a sort of blustery, embarrassed squeak and stood up, bowing politely. "Ying Zheng," she said very formally, "Of Conquest."

A frown of disdain crossed her face as he tried to hand her the cloth. "You can keep it," she said, not acknowledging that he was trying to help. "It is ruined now." Melodrama oozed through her tone, clearly upset.

Was she a little bitter? Yes. She knew they had to use what they could find, but Ying couldn't help but be huffy over her materials. It was her family's tradition! It was her way of life! She simply couldn't take anything but the finest cloths, and now they were ruined.

xoxomenai

HA np. i am a slow butt = v =

 

[xoxomenai]

Kiwi blinked a moment, and then reluctantly tucked the cloth into his satchel. He could likely wash it and return it to her later, if she wished. "I-if you say so ..." he answered softly.

"Ying," he took a moment to sound the name. It was certainly far from Mara. His fingers curled at the thought, but he dismissed it from his mind. "Eh, if you need some help, I'd be glad to assist. ... What are you missing??"

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Ying noticed the boil's immediate hesitation and she said, "Ohhh I'm sorry! So very sorry! I didn't mean to act so sullenly. It's just... It was very nice cloth and now it is ruined!" She frowned once more. Jing was going to be upset too. Well, as upset as a boy with eternal calmness could get.

The Famine horseman asked if she needed any help. The cloth could be replaced by something cheaper in her workshop, but the intricate flowers...

Inspiration struck in the oddest of places. "Flowers ... Real flowers! We could sew real flowers into the fabric!" Ying looked at Kiwi with an expression that could ony be described as ecstatic.

She coughed awkwardly and straight herself out, something more dignifying. "Kiwi, I require your assistance. Will you... help me collect flowers?" She gave him a needy look that just said, pleeeeeeease.  

[xoxomenai]

Kiwi blinked a moment. ... Flowers?? ... Real Flowers?? ... She was an eccentric one haha. He almost laughed aloud, but caught himself, not wanting to seem rude.

Several Famine clansmen had been known to fashion vines and plantlife into their clothes ... Faiyum was a a case in point, it wasn't entirely impossible.

But where to find flowers?? ... "Ah!" he realized, turning to the mare. "I believe we might find some in the Famine gardens. There's all manner of plantlife there ... just, be careful what you touch." He'd fell for that one himself in the past, more times than he'd like to count.

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Ying nodded and said, "Indeed, that would probably be the best place to look." She looked hesitantly at the path and said, "I ... do not know the way though. Perhaps you could lead? If it's not too much of a problem..."

She readjusted the tie around her waist and fidgeted slightly. She'd never been to the Famine gardens- rather, never had a reason to. After the schism, she never ventured far from her brother or the Conquest clan in general. Perhaps it was cowardice, but she'd simply never had a reason to.

Focusing on her work was most important after all. Maybe people needed clothing. It was her duty. Her place.

xoxomenai

 

[xoxomenai]

Kiwi probably needed clothing, not that he'd admit to such a thing as he turned and beckoned with an upraised hand, trotting carefully through the reserve, pausing a bit to wait for the girl to catch up. At one point he even paused and asked, "Would you like me to carry anything??" Though her reply remained to be heard.

Kiwi smiled when they arrived to the garden. It was a simple little patch of land, plowed and currently thriving with plantlife of all kinds. "Ahhh here we are." He immediately began scouring the flora, inspecting each plant with a scruntinizing eye, before something seized his attention. He came up with some pale, bugle-shaped flowers, their petal tips tinged a fiery orange. "Pumpkin-Spice Orchids. Obtained by treating the local Hallow's Orchids with a pumpkin spice tincture, or so I'm told. They even have a faint scent." He smiled as he held them out.

chimarii

I tried @ flower naming |D

 

[chiickadee]

Ying followed behind obediently, ignoring some of the odd looks she got. She supposed from the outside it would look somewhat odd, a Conquest horseman in a Famine area, but at least she had a guide. They were quizzical looks, not accusing ones.

She said, "No, thank you," to his request. Truth be told, she probably did need help, but pride kept her from admitting that.

When they arrived at the garden, Ying's eyes lit up in admiration. Such a beautiful garden! They weren't nearly as beautiful as the water ponds back on the islands, but they were certainly pretty in their own way.

She took the orchid from Kiwi's hand and daintily held it up to her face. It was certainly quite a wonderful flower, but when Kiwi said it had a slight scent, Ying immediately thrust it back towards the horseman.

"Oh no, it can't smell- not at all. The smell would seep into the fabric, and fabric holds the smell," she explained. It wouldn't work for the type of clothing she was going to make. "It wouldn't do, not at all." She almost seemed fretful about it. She hadn't thought about the smell. Would it even be possible to find a flower that didn't possess scent?

xoxomenai

 

[xoxomenai]

Hmmm, she had a good point ... Kiwi scanned the surrounding flora, working his way past a rather vicious-looking pair of snapping nettles, to a small cluster of pale blue flowers. He sniffed them gently, and assured they had little if any scent at all, plucked a few. "Here, try these. I don't believe they would hurt."

He eyed the nettles as he passed.

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Ying took the flowers from Kiwi's hands. They were indeed beautiful flowers, a pretty shade of blue that went quite well with her current outfit, actually.

They weren't right though. Ying didn't feel anything beyond simple admiration. This was her art- it needed to be perfect. "Ah ... no, not quite I'm afraid ... It's too safe, too simple, yes?" She smiled and put the flowers in her own ponytail though. "I'm sorry to be so picky," she apologized, just in case.

They shifted through the garden a little more, and Ying eventually looked up and said, "What about you Kiwi, what kind of flowers do you like?" Might as well make light conversation as they searched.

xoxomenai

 

[xoxomenai]

It seemed Conquest were always seeking perfection in their crafts, and came as no great surprise when she turned his offer down. Ying did have a fine point however, perhaps blue was a bit too safe. Kiwi accepted the apology with a light nod of his head, pausing to consider their options.

Wh-what flowers did he like?? ... The abrupt question took the Famine horseman by mild surprise. For a moment, his thoughts drifted back to a distant memory, in which a pale-haired girl laughed and danced gleefully, taking him by the hand and dragging him forward to dance around the room. There was a crown of spindly red flowers in her hair ...

The faint smile of his lips slowly faded, replaced by the gentle hush of whispers. Kiwi turned his attention instead to the plants around him, and worked his way along a patch of especially bright flowers. When he approached Ying again, he was carrying a bundle of long stems, their ends adorned with the unfolding spindly petals of a red flower.

"They're called Spider Lilies I believe," he smiled softly, offering them out almost in hesitation. "And ah, I believe there are some yellow ones as well, if you'd like those ..."

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Ying smiled and took the flowers from him. "These would look beautiful on a hat, don't you think?" she said, holding the flowers up a little to the left of her head, as though a tiny hat was placed on her head.

A small bench was sitting a few feet away, so Ying went over and sat down, crossing her ankles and twirling the flowers in her hands. "Why are they your favorite?" Curiosity would probably kill the cat, but Ying wanted to know!

After all, part of being a designer was understanding the feelings that people got when wearing clothes. A wedding dress would have a different feeling from a sleeping garment. So understanding why Kiwi liked these flowers would help her plan why they would go on the outfit!

xoxomenai

 

[xoxomenai]

Kiwi smiled in answer, and watched as she took a seat on the bench.

"Eh, ah well ..." He fell silent a moment, considering how best to answer her question. "They do have a rather delicate appearance that appeals to me. That such fragile things could grow, even in a desert land is ... amazing. However, that is not the only reason I like them ..." His face almost seemed to flush, and the horseman reluctantly added: "A dear friend of mine loved them too."

This kind of talk stirred old memories. And those memories of Mara somehow made the whispers chatter and liven, to the point Kiwi was quickly hoping he could make an escape, if only to avoid them. But no, that was impossible. He tried his best to change the subject instead. "... What about you, Ying?? ... Do you have a favorite flower?? ..."

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Ying understood Kiwi's body language and words almost immediately. Many had lost loved ones, and Kiwi's "dear friend" was probably one of them. It had become normal to simply assume death. She felt absolutely horrible for making the Famine horseman recall whatever it was he was feeling with that quick blush.

She nodded quickly, absolutely willing to change the subject for him. "Oh ... hmmm, I don't know." She gazed around the garden, looking for something to inspire her. She'd never had any particular favorites. Maybe bird of paradise?

"Ah, I know. Though I don't know if you'd have it here?" She looked around once more, but there wasn't any sort of pond in the area, so there was no way it would be there. "It's called pennywort I think? It grows in ponds and waterways, like little dots of green." She smiled softly, thinking of the ponds on the Conquest island.

Now she'd made herself upset, and Kiwi upset. Some lady she was. Ying stood up and said, "I think we can find at least one good flower, if we work together, yes?" She held a hand out to help Kiwi up. "Shall we?"