maybe-family-picnic rp

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
It was a sunny mid summer day in Malchester's Circlet Mountains. Sherri and Bonnevali had met earlier that morning as they had arranged in the Darkspire city square. The hike to the surface and to the particular spot Bonnevali had in mind had been a mostly silent and awkward one. Bonnevali lead the way with purposeful stride but gave little indication on the length or destination of the trip, slowing slightly for Sherri when she got a behind but always with a silent impatience. She led her through a coniferous forest, seemingly having memorized the way despite the general lack of trails.
Finally the two crested a small incline that opened into a clear little valley. A mountain stream crashed down a cliff on the valley's opposite side, forming a pool and then continuing on out of the valley and into the forest. With the picnic basket containing food and blanket under her arm Bonnevali trotted down the small incline into the area. She laid out the blanket on a patch of thinner grass nearer to the stream and ushered Sherri to join her and unpack her basket with tea and other things while she did the same with her basket of food.
In whole the trip had taken little over half an hour, but it had been a long silent half hour.

After arranging the picnic Bonnevali took in a deep breath and stood up. "Alright." She'd been preparing herself for this outing with Sherri all week, it was happening now. "Starting now..." she proclaimed. "You and I are starting over."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
It had been so long since Sherri'd spent this much time, consecutively, padding up rocks that jutted from the mountainside and through the brush, rife with shrubs and weeds. It didn't bother her that much -- though she found herself straightening up a little more, looking to either side of her as she passed from thicket to thicket and then into a valley, and even slowing down purposefully on occasion, rather than just because she felt unsteady being back out in the wilderness.

When she fell behind Bonnevali, which happened several times, she occasionally stepped forward and appeared perhaps a dozen feet ahead of her previous position. She avoided Bonnevali seeing this; it was, frankly, a little embarrassing. But it was easier, and it kept them more on schedule. And the spell was simple enough, to her, that it was at least silent.

On the way, she was mostly alone with her thoughts. That didn't bother her -- she was used to it, comfortable with it. But she did wonder: just as trekking through the wilderness felt old and forgotten to her, but clearly fresh to Bonnevali, did she consider Darkspire a place from her past, and the wilderness her home?

By the time they reached Bonnevali's chosen spot, where she stopped and began to unpack, Sherri was ready to do the same thing. The tea she had brought came in enchanted thermos, but she brought a proper tea set as well so that the two of them wouldn't be drinking straight out of them.

Sherri was just getting ready to sit down when Bonnevali stood. Sherri lifted her head to keep eye contact with her, and couldn't help but read her face as a bit tense. Then she made her proclamation -- a proclamation that, to Sherri, was as confusing as any she'd made.

"...Alright," she said after a moment.(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
Bonnevali closed her eyes and let out a deliberate breath, 'Starting now.' she thought, then opened her eyes and sat down with a straight but relaxed back, crossing her legs.
"Hello." With a pleasant smile she stuck out her hand for a handshake. "I'm Bonnevali."
This would be their new first meeting now. Where she was friendly, and where Sherri could be her friend. Not proof that her family was better without her, not a reminder of how she didn't belong. She would belong. She would carve that place out for herself like a skilled wood carver dug into the hard unrelenting wood with their knife in order to make a masterpiece.(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
Sherri stared, for a couple seconds, at Bonnevali's outstretched hand. Some mental calculus was involved: what was the point of doing this? Wasn't it a little bit formal? She already knew Bonnevali's name, too. ...Then again, they hadn't shaked hands before this, so maybe there was a point to it?

So once that was done, she took Bonnevali's hand in hers and shook it. "Um. I'm Sherri," she said, after a moment. Once their handshake was concluded, she started taking out the tea set, and the thermos with it. "Tea?"

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
"Sure." Bonnevali smiled. Her chipperness may have come off as forced considering the two's previous interactions, but this was different to Bonnevali. She could do this, enjoyment would come naturally she just needed to kick it along a little at the beginning.
As Sherri got the tea out Bonnevali opened her basket and removed the sandwiches and plates she had brought. 'Where to start?'  she wondered. "So Sherri." She began. "Tell me about yourself."(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
"Me?" Sherri asked, eyeing the sandwiches as she poured Bonnevali's tea. What were in these? She didn't want to turn down Bonnevali's food... but she was really hoping not to see anything fancy. Like pickles. Melissa loved pickles. "...Sure. I'm a wizard. Or that's what I'm called. I just like magic. It's useful. It's fun."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
"What kind of magic do you like the most?" She asked, taking a bite of her sandwich and then grimaced. Too much cheese!! She had just asked the kitchen for some miscellaneous sandwiches, she hadn't checked which one she picked. She set it back down and swallowed hard trying not to gag at the strong taste. 'What kind of cheese was that??'. She picked up another sandwich and inspected it. Peanut butter and jelly, perfect.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
“Time magic. It’s a part of my life at this point. So is teleportation; I can teleport myself anywhere I’ve been, and bringing other people is usually fine.” Cheese, peanut butter, mushrooms... seeing nothing she wanted, Sherri ended up looking at Bonnevali as she grimaced and set the sandwich down. She winced, initially, but then cracked a small smile. This was a bit of... normalness, she guessed, she hadn’t seen from Bonnevali before.(edited)
[3:51 PM]
“That cheese is way too sharp. I don’t know where they get it.”

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
Bonnevali nodded, continuing to grimace at the cheese taste in her mouth. "I've never liked cheese- wait time magic? What's that?"

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
“... You should probably drink your tea to wash it out. It’s gross.” Sherri took a sip of hers, too, before answering. “It’s a few things. Speeding myself up. Slowing things down. Making water boil faster. Or mending doors and walls when Emii dents them.”

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
Bonnevali took her cup of tea as Sherri spoke. "Oooh!~" She said, interested (mostly in mending Emii dents). "Was it hard to learn?" She took a sip of her tea, smiling at the taste.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
“It was hard to cast. I understood it when I was a kid, but before metamorphosis I couldn’t do much with it.” Sherri’s smile subsided. She had pangs of pain about this — when she was a helpless usogi, a reckless kid, and then... “I practiced constantly after that.” Then she looked in the corner of the basket. Cucumber sandwiches! The ones with no crust and just a little margarine. Perfect. She went against good manners — they were nowhere near the dinner table for one thing — and put half of them on her plate immediately.(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
Bonnevali noticed Sherri lose her smile after mentioning her childhood, she felt a twang of connection with her, she wouldn't push on that front. She smiled at Sherri piling the cucumber sandwiches. "I like cucumbers too."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
Sherri blinked. She’d been a bit TOO relieved to have something to eat with Bonnevali, probably. “Oh. Sorry. Do  you want the rest of those?”

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
Bonnevali held up her hand "Oh no, I'm fine with my peanut butter and jelly! I didn't bring the sandwiches just for me."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
"Oh good," Sherri said. She took one of the tea sandwiches and scarfed it down in three sequential bites. After she swallowed, she added, "I don't eat those or the cheese ones. You can have them."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
"What kind of sandwiches do you like? Besides cucumber I mean."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
"...I don't. I'm still not used to eating material food honestly." She spied a cucumber sliding out of one of her sandwiches and nudged it back in before she started eating.

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
"Oh! So you've mostly eaten your concept all your life? I have too but- uhm it's complicated. I don't think I could subsist off blood alone." She made a face and took another sip of tea.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
Sherri had a pretty good idea of why not -- blood, like most substances, was pretty gross. Still, it was better to let her sister answer for herself, especially right now. "Why not?"

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
"Cause it's kind of gross." She said with a hint of a whine. "Mostly in large amounts. It's best if you can get it as fresh as possible too, so the concept is more concentrated. And digging your fangs into something and feeling it recoil isn't the nicest sensation. I don't mind it as much as I did when I was little, and I've mostly gotten over killin-" She cut off. What did she say? Gotten over killing? She couldn't just say that. "Uh. Killing and eating smaller animals I mean. Especially rodents, they're easy to catch and get my concepts from." She stiffened anxiously, trying to suppress a bad memory. She hadn't thought about that for awhile.(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
Sherri nodded as Bonnevali stated that it was gross. I mean, obviously. She listened to the rest of it, too, then responded: "...Really? I'd have a hard time getting my concepts from rodents." She paused, thinking about that. She might be able to dredge up a tiny bit, but she'd never really tried. "What're yours?"(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
Bonnevali looked down at her tea, trying to distract herself. "....Anxiety and Lucidity. Yours?"

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
"Spells and skills. ...I mostly get them from objects. Books. Most people don't want to give up either of those things." Sherri ate another tea sandwich in a couple seconds flat.(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
"Oh neat! So you just, uh - for lack of a better word - eat books instead of read them? That sounds nice. Reading books takes so long."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
"It's... more of an art than a science, I guess." Some people had said that to her, and the phrase made enough sense. "I know roughly what's in the book but can't always recall specific things. If I eat a spell, I might be able to cast it immediately, but probably not."(edited)
[5:22 PM]
"...And eating the book means no one can read it anymore, obviously."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
"That makes sense." Bonnevali said taking another sip. And just kind of sat in silence, unsure what to say next. Being with Sherri wasnt so bad. She set her teacup down and put her hands on the ground behind her, leaning back and looking around at the surroundings. She smiled and sighed contentedly. Doing this away outside was so much better.
"Do you like being outdoors Sherri?"

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
After drinking the remainder of her tea she responded. “No. Not usually anyway. It’s big and empty and I’ve had too many people try to kill me out here.” Then, with a pause to consider what Bonnevali meant, she added: “I don’t mind the caves though. Sometimes I want to be alone.”(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
'Kill her? That's a story I want to hear.' But it sounded like the kind of thing that could be a touchy subject so she left it alone. "Ah, really? I can't stand being under there for more than a week straight." She swirled her finger in the grass, picking a tiny flower. "I'd always sneak away to the forest up here, to explore, to get away from people. This is only one of the lots of places I found." She stopped looking around again, it had of course changed in the ten years, but not by a lot. "Maybe that's part of why I left." She wondered aloud. "Because I'd always run away to the forest and hide anyway, but I wanted new forests. And new people. "(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/04/2020
Bonnevali might not have pried hreself, but talking about her past gave Sherri the indication that this was the thing to do in this conversation, and it got her to open her eyes and her mouth, first while listening, and then to respond. "...Yeah. I got used to change pretty early on, but it was gradual. Snow became grass, evergreens became seasonal trees. By the time I got to Darkspire, I was tired of just travelling and fighting for food. That's probably why I listened to Melissa."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/04/2020
"I've heard that Melissa 'found and brought you here' but what does that mean?" Bonn leaned in a bit, out of her leaning back posture."How'd you two meet, and what did Melissa say? I don't know how I'd of reacted if it was me meeting Melissa for the first time. You know ... How she is." Bonnevali chuckled as she said the last part.
November 5, 2020

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/05/2020
“Yeah. ...That description is literally true, but we’re talking about Melissa.We met in the caves. I was looking for a book. She showed up, tagged  along, then got me to come back.” Sherri folds her arms in front of her chest. “She heard how long I’d been travelling and bugged me until I agreed to stay in Darkspire for a bit.”

Bonnevali is taller than me11/05/2020
"What was the book?" Bonnevali asked curiously.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/05/2020
Sherri poured herself another cup of tea as she responded. "I don't remember the title, but it was about spells used in war that changed the continent's shape. There's an entire cave system in Malchester that was dug out with magic during the Victorial war. Things like that."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/05/2020
"Woah really? I didn't know about that." Bonnevali hadn't explored the caves nearly as much as some others like Melissa but she was still surprised to only now be learning something that big. "I wonder if I've ever been in them with Melissa or something without knowing."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/05/2020
"I doubt it. These are farther north, near the border. They go north for a while, but a group of mages from Fabrem detonated the tunnels while they were in use, so they don't cross into Fabrem anyore."

Rather than fall silent after answering Bonnevali's initial curiosity, as was her first instinct, Sherri continued. "The interesting part is that Fabrem's mages were outmatched then. The subterran diggers and earth mages would've created easily defended passages to Fabrem if they hadn't detonated the tunnels. They had to evacuate a town and a half because of the sinking, but it kept them winning the war."(edited)
November 6, 2020

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
Bonnevali had know none of this. Had anyone told her? She'd always shirked on her history tutoring, and honestly remembered shockingly little about Fabrem history especially.
"They destroyed their own towns? That doesn't sound very helpful. "

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
"I guess they thought it was better than letting them keep digging. You're always going to lose something in war, supposedly. ...I'm a little nervous about the rebellion we're being dragged into." Sherri stared down at the tea in her cup as she remembered their apparent obligations there.

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
Bonnevali scratched her arm. "I'm still not sure exactly what's exactly going on with that. Especially where I'm concerned. I was kinda expecting some more full blown fighting but-" she shrugged, remembering her mission with Melissa. "I guess that's good, but it's been a little bit anticlimactic."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
She looked back up, shrugging her right shoulder and regaining most of her usual composure. "Well if it never turns into a war, we're not guaranteed to lose anything."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
"And what are we gaining? We're going to become real nobility, right? Since Rem is going to be... Be king." Whew. Bonnevali half grimaced. "I don't even know how to begin thinking about that."(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
Sherri adjusted her posture a bit. Most of it was her tail; which swished from wrapping around her other side to loosely against her legs. "Well, we're going to live somewhere that isn't technically controlled by Fabrem. ...And it's going to make Rem and Fae happy, which is good enough for me I guess."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
Fae?? Did she mean Faethor? "I'm just worried about what it means for me. It's not like I don't want my life to change, but..." Bonnevali searched for what to say. "It's just not something I've ever thought about. I knew Mom was King Bismuth's sister but... I always assumed we'd stay the way we are."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
Yes, she did indeed mean Faethor. "...I don't really know how it's going to change things. We'll probably be in charge of parts of Malchester, but aside from that... it might not matter that much."
[12:28 AM]
"People'll probably pay more attention to us. That's the part that sucks the most. This whole thing started because people started fighting over the magic hat that makes you the king forever or something. The best thing we can do is look sensible and boring to the rest of the world, probably."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
Bonnevali couldn't help but feel a wave of anxiety so she grabbed at the grass. Would people not leave her alone then? Poke their snouts into things that weren't their business? After all this mess was over would she ever be able to breathe easy? Once again a part of her lamented she should have just stayed in Overgrowth. "I don't know how good I'll be at being in charge. Especially alone." She finally said, in a slightly smaller voice.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
Sherri inhaled, exhaled, and then let the trees finish rustling before she responded. "...I don't know if it's okay for me to say this, since we weren't talking much before. But you're not going to be alone. The rest of the family'll help us, and I doubt I'll be a good leader either."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
Bonnevali looked away from Sherri turning away a little as she did. Despite the many reassurances from family members over the years Bonnevali still could never really feel like it would be okay, and that they'd be there with her. Sure they'd be there literally, but they hardly ever felt like she was there with them.
Bonnevali pulled her knees up and in a little, resting her elbows on them and clasping her hands, turning farther away from Sherri's direction.
She remained silent, looking pensive.(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
Sherri sat there in silence for a second. What, exactly, was Bonnevali signalling? And was it something she could apologize for? She wasn't going to apologize for trying to be closer to her. After some seconds of silence, she decided to say: "We can give each other advice when it happens. We'll both learn better that way, and we'll spend less time figuring things out."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
Right, Sherri. Bonnevali had retreated from the moment a little, she needed to get her head back on. 'Remeber, you can do this.' she thought firmly.
She turned back to Sherri. "That sounds like a good enough plan as any. Besides," she went on, folding her legs off to the side and scooting forward. "that's not something we totally have to worry about yet. We still have,,, like? 2...? Years until old cousin Philip takes the throne?" Bonnevali frowned, she really had not paid attention to Fabrem history and current events. "That's his name right?" He had more siblings beyond his sister he was ousting, right? Had she gotten him mixed up with one of them?

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
"That's the plan. I guess he doesn't want to make a move until the coronation. ...And yeah, his name is Philip." Sherri picked her teacup on, gripping the handle by two fingers, and slugged all that was left inside it down. "Anyway, you're right." She set the cup down, and moved to pour herself more. "We have two years. I'd rather spend that -- and today -- talking about better things."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
"Yeah you're right." Bonnevali said, slightly distracted. Was Sasha the name of the sister he was ousting? Or was it Odetta or whatever? O... O... Wait- Opal? No that doesn't sound right.  "What's the name of his sister again?" she asked after a moment of that distracted look on her face.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
"...I don't remember."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
"You think I'd know. Since. They're technically my cousins I guess." That was still weird to think about. "I know basically nothing about Fabrem. Have you been there? "(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
Sherri nodded. "I've been there. ...It's not like I visited landmarks or stayed in towns though. I don't have a lot of travel stories honestly. It was just walking, fighting, and finding books." A chuckle emerged from her throat. "That disappointed Melissa at first."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
"Fighting?" Bonnevali perked up in curiosity. "That sounds somewhat more eventful."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
"...Yeah." Her ears drew closer to her head and shoulders. "I was exiled when I was twenty or so. I ate irreplaceable knowledge, and the clan that owned it put a bounty on me right after."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
"Oh. Uh, sorry." Bonnevali said awkwardly. Realistically she understood that would be scary, upsetting, and dangerous but having a bounty on your head still sounded cool. She wanted to ask if they were still hunting her, but decided maybe that wasn't the best wound to prod.
"I'm honestly surprised Melissa hasn't cornered me and forced me to tell her stories about Overgrowth yet."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
"Don't be. ...I should've told you sooner. My bounty's kept going up over the years and one reason I didn't want to stay here is because of it. I don't want to put you in danger for example." Sherri leaned forward, now. "I'm surprised too. ...And I've never been there either."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/06/2020
"I think I could take on a bounty hunter or two." Bonnevali remarked confidently, puffing out her chest slightly. "I've fought my share of tough guys."
The shifting of the conversation's direction to her time in Overgrowth instantly animated her.
"It's big!" She said, excitedly waving her arms to exaggerate size. "And Valkirii and the country Overgrowth are two totally different stories. I spent my first couple years on the continent mostly in Valkirii. The whole continent was a bit of a culture shock, but Valkirii especially, partially 'cause there's way more Gignosk than uso."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/06/2020
"...That's always a big difference. You see uso everywhere on Lassia, but in Malchester snipes are about as common." Sherri paused. How did you ask someone to keep telling a story? There was no one particular area she wanted to hear about. She thought about how she'd prodded her dad for stories about the history of Darkspire: start with generalities. "What were the best and worst parts of being there?"
November 7, 2020

Bonnevali is taller than me11/07/2020
"Well..." Bonnevali mused, folding her arms and tapping her bicep. "Do you mean about Valkirii or Overgrowth, or just the whole thing? Or about my trip itself?"(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/07/2020
When Sherri thought about it, she realized that she wasn't that interested in the geography of it all, or where Bonnevali got her groceries or had her hair done -- if she even did over there. "About your trip."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/07/2020
"Hmm I think the worst part was... The unfamiliarity of it all. Well - actually, that was kind of thrilling, but- like, constantly having to look foolish for not knowing seemingly common stuff or locations. Getting mistaken for a tourist- er, well I guess I kind of was but- I was never sure if each new place would be where I decided to settle down and become my new home, so to be easily outed as a foreigner wasn't great." She explained, resting her hands on the ground and tilting her head.
"And the best part was meeting all the new people. Making friends and learning about everyone. Getting to start fresh, to be someone new..." Bonnevali trailed off a bit at the end and stared wistfully at the sky.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/07/2020
"Haha." Sherri chuckled a bit, the fur on her cheeks puffing out a little as her smile broadened. "That's how I felt about Darkspire, basically. Though the worst part was how loud and bright everything was and how many people there were. And the best part was meeting the family... having the chance to teach Melissa and Emii is there too."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/07/2020
"Yeah, Darkspire's lights can be pretty..." She stopped, looking for the right word. "Abrasive."
"It was the most jarring when I got back a couple months ago. Because it had been so long and Darkspire's gotten bigger and brighter."(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/07/2020
"I wish I'd been around when it was a little quieter." Sherri's smile vanished like a mirage. "But it's not that bad. There's spots lower in the cave where I like to work or practice magic."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/07/2020
"I mean I was never around when it was quiet. Darkspire's pretty much been a full fledged city all my life. Mom, Rembrandt, Argy, Faethor, sometimes my other siblings, will talk about way back when it all started and things were small and simple, but really that's not a Darkspire I ever knew."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/07/2020
"Well that makes two of us." Sherri sighed. Then she looked around, gazing in turn at the trees around them, the sky, and the grass. "It gave you more reasons to find places like this at least."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/07/2020
"Yeah, I guess you're right... It's not like I hate Darkspire, it is home, and it has it's own kind of beauty but,, it can be... suffocating sometimes."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/07/2020
"Hmm." Sherri lifted her cup of tea to her face, putting both of her hands around it for a moment. "Like I said, I know a few spots that are nicer. I'll show you them if you want." She took another drink of her tea.

Bonnevali is taller than me11/07/2020
"Oh no, not suffocating like that suffocating like- oh never mind. Sure you can show me." Bonnevali doubted they were places she had never been though, she'd explored a lot with Melissa and on her own.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/07/2020
Sherri tilted her head. "Now I want to hear what you meant."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/07/2020
Bonnevali looked uncomfortable and fidgeted. "Just. Memorizes. Feelings." She said in a stifled kind of way.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/07/2020
“...Oh,” said Sherri, gradually getting a better idea of Bonnevali’s situation. “That’s fine. Some things in the city are actually new though. Emii found a cave just inside the city; it’s literally a hole in the wall. We’ve joked that it’s her future lair.”
November 8, 2020

Bonnevali is taller than me11/08/2020
"How big is it?" It grated on Bonnevali slightly that Sherri migh now know more about Darkspire than her but sje shoved that feeling down.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/08/2020
"It's pretty small. We wouldn't both fit in there together. ...Emii might not fit in when she evolves. One person can sit in it and hang out comfortably though. Or stash gold in there... which Emii's been doing."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/08/2020
"Where has she been getting it?" Bonnevali asked with a chuckle of disbelief(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/08/2020
Sherri shared Bonnevali's chuckle; it was a little bit infectious, under the circumstancs. "It's her allowance. ...It's a good thing she's learning to save early on, I guess. I never really figured out how to stash things and get back to them later like Melissa does, either."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/08/2020
"I don't really remember having anything I wanted to spend my allowance on." Bonnevali mused. "I actually ended up using a lot of the allowance I had started saving when I was little for my trip."
"I remember saving up a lot of money for this really nice professional wood carving set as a kid though. I still have some of those tools."(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/08/2020
"I didn't get an allowance. Most wealth was already spoken for, and... the people who raised me told me I'd need to do better." Sherri found herself starting to cross her arms tighter around her chest, and instead poured herself a cup of tea to keep them moving. "...Professional though? Were you good with them?"

Bonnevali is taller than me11/08/2020
"Definitely not at first." Bonnevali recalled in a bemused sort of way. "I had a cursory knowledge of it but I honestly had no idea how to use them. After cutting myself on accident and losing a tool I finally asked for help. Eudoxia helped me find a book about it after patching me up." Bonnevali paused, grinning. "It was honestly a pretty big cut, worse then I realized at the time, I got everyone pretty freaked out over it. I got an earful."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/08/2020
"I'm a little sad I missed that." Sherri chuckled darkly. "...I'm guessing you're better with woodworking tools now though?"
November 9, 2020

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"Definitely!" Bonnevali puffed out her chest again. "I mostly like carving smaller decorative things like masks and figurines but when I was in Valkirii & Overgrowth I got to carve a statue and some other things I wasn't used to!"

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"A full-sized statue? That's pretty impressive." Sherri reached for the last cucumber sandwich on her plate, and took about a second longer to eat it than the previous.

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"Yeah! It took me a long time. It was while I was in Valkirii, living with some friends! I left it with them as a parting gift."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"What was it of? Them, or something else?"

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"It was a feliverian! On a little incline cliff thing, roaring!" Bonnevali bared her teeth for emphasis. "I thought it was pretty good. They lived near the border, helped me meet some people in Overgrowth so I could go exploring there, I got some awesome wood from the forests in Overgrowth. There was this biiig tree that got knocked down and I got my hands on a good chunk of it. I'd seen some feliverian around there, they were usually on the smaller side though. I started carving it before I really first ventured into Overgrowth, then I started taking longer trips in and when I came back I carved it more! The whole thing took me, 2 years to finish? Maybe more? I added some finishing touches before coming back here too." She spoke animatedly.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"...Even over two years, that's a pretty big one person job. And you did it based on impressions, too. Nice." Sherri swished the teapot around in her hands. Yeah, there was enough for a few more cups. So she poured another one. "The wood you picked should stay strong over time, I'm guessing?"

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"Yeah, it's super tough. I needed some extra magic help cutting into it. The trees there can get ridiculously dense, basically impossible to cut down with normal tools. And I added a couple layers of varnish to protect the wood and make it shine! I got some books and photos of bigger feliverian as reference, but I mostly based it off this little one that hung out on their property all the time, I just sized it up."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"I've never seen a feliverian honestly. What are they like?" This, Sherri was kind of interested in, despite how plainly she phrased the question. Did they coexist well with uso? Could they be familiars? How smart were they at maximum?(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"They were everywhere in northern Valkirii. There are a lot of smaller ones that like to steal your lunch and fly away if you're not careful. They don't have any arms but they have little wings, sometimes leathery, sometimes feathery. They're all feathery and can get really colorful! And their rear and tail are scaly with feathers at the end. They've got mouths pretty similar to uso.

They're fun to play with but some will bite you if you try. The one at Anwen and Bevan's that I modeled my statue after was almost a pet. But she was still a wild animal. They let her in the house sometimes but she wasn't exactly house trained, and wouldn't stay inside."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"Stealing your lunch and flying away... they sound interesting. I wouldn't mind meeting one at this point. A lot like more aggressive squeakers." Sherri took a sip of her tea. "You should tell Emii about them. Or make her a figurine of one. She'd be in love."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
Bonnevali half grimaced, recalling Emii's encounter with her wood carving "I have to make a squeaker version of her first. I have no idea how to do that. And yeah, they are a lot more aggressive. I had an encounter with a bigger on in Overgrowth and it nearly bit my arm off. "

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
Bonnevali seemed happy to talk about dangerous and thrilling encounters, and Sherri was a little curious. "Nearly? What did you do?"

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"Well. Spirea and Lattice and some others brought me hunting with them. A feliverian - the feliverian I mentioned - had maimed and killed a couple kids from nearby communities so they'd been hired to take care of it." Bonnevali explained.

"They had brought me along since I'd trained with them before, and I could scout ahead camoflouged for it. So there I was, I was down on the forest floor creeping around a boulder to where we thought the feliverian's den was, there were several of the group nearby me but I was at the forefront. The den was a shallow cave with a mossy log that had fallen over and gotten caught on the rocks framing the entrance. I stuck my head around a rock to get a look at the entrance, I nearly gaged smell the strong scent of a wild animal and stripped carcasses inside but I managed to stay silent. I crept in as quietly as I could, camoflouged with the rock and grass. There wasn't anything inside that I could see beyond scattered bones and she'd feathers and scales, the cave was small and I could easily see all of it, but no sign of the target." Bonnevali was standing up at this point, moving her arms dramatically and slowly.
[6:28 PM]
"The stench was almost over powering, so I turned to leave and report there was no sign of it. As I passed through the mouth of the cave into the grass I heard Spirea call out!" Bonnevali jumped into an alert position. "I ran forward! Ducking under a branch or two as I heard Lattice and the others cry out too! Then I felt a shadow passing over me accompanied by a massive roar!! I fell backwards, and let out a yell of surprise! The massive beast was on top of Spirea! I jumped into action, dashing forward and throwing my arms around it's neck and pulled it back with all my might! It squirmed and roared again, throwing me off! But I succeed in my goal to get it off Spirea! I fell to the ground as the feliverian threw me down but sprung right back up! Summoning my machete I charged at it, but to no avail! The monster beat me back with it's mighty wing" Bonnevali shook her fists in the air. "And it clamped down on my arm with it's massive jaws!! I yelled! But in response sunk my fangs into it's wing! Sucking it's blood as hard as I could and getting a rush of clear headedness as it's fierceness lulled. Just as I loosened it's hold on my arm a razor pointed vine shot through with head! It roared, releasing me as Spirea's elegast descended on it! Before long it was dead, and Lattice came in to check on everyone. Spirea was miraculously unhurt and the other's injuries were minor. So she used a quick cast to patch up my arm and told me not to put too much strain on it for a couple days! And so we returned with the feliverian's corpse, heros of the day!" Bonnevali finished with a final triumphant flourish of her arms.
[6:29 PM]
"The feliverian hadn't gotten it's sharper teeth on me, and hadn't gotten in a position to bite too hard. And since it was a fresh injury it was pretty easy to fix up, or at least that's what Lattice told me." Bonnevali added, sitting down.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
Sherri watched as Bonnevali told her story, faster and faster, and then she stood up, pantomiming it with animated glee. She nodded along at first, keeping eye contact with Bonnevali for as long as her motions would allow. But by the time Bonnevali was jumping, that was difficult, and she was gazing at Bonnevali in action more than anything else. The story went on, word by word, motion by motion, and Sherri found herself smiling, the edges of her mouth slightly dimpled, as she listened. This changed only once, when she winced at Bonnevali's predicament -- and nodded, heavily and proudly, at how she retaliated.

"...Your instincts really came through for you. If you hadn't reacted then it would've been able to bite harder. Your concept turned a deadly battle into a survivable triumph. I like that."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
Bonnevali puffed in pride. "One of my finer qualities." She said in a half joking way

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
Sherri smirked, eyes closed and palm held flat and up as if to concede to something. "Well I'm not going to argue with that."  As the joke concluded, Sherri kept smiling. "...I never asked though. Do you know any magic?"

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"No... Aki tried to help me learn some once but I just couldn't get it down." Bonnevali looked a little sheepish. "I honestly didn't have much patience for it either."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"That's okay. Not everyone wants to," Sherri said. "If that was a long time ago though, I think you'd have a much easier time learning now."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"Eh. I doubt it." Bonnevali said. "Maybe though. Is there any kind of spell you can use to mask sounds or vibrations? My camouflouge can only do so much, it's basically useless against subterran uso. And Gilgamesh." Boy it'd be nice to some day be able to sneak by him.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"You're never going to sneak by him," Sherri laughed. "Give up now." Despite her words, though, her tone was something it hadn't been for virtually the entire conversation: joking.

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"I'll be able to do it some day." She cried resolutely. "Mark my words!"(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"...Seriously though, it's possible. I'm not good at it, but you can create a field that stops sound waves or vibrations from going beyond a certain point. You have to be really careful to use it to sneak, but you might be able to cast it."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
Bonnevali grimaced. "Sounds hard. I think for now I'll stick to what I can do on my own." She finally turned back to her tea, it had gone a little cold, so she downed the whole thing. "What kind of spells do you like to cast the most?" Then she paused. "Wait. Did I already ask that?"(edited)

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"Yes. But here's another example." Sherri reached out to the side with one finger and traced a circle in the air. A hole in reality with a purplish border formed, and she reached into it. When she pulled her hand back, she was holding a second teapot. She set it down, and the hole vanished.

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
Bonnevali gaped. "Wh- What!? What was that!!"

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"A tiny portal back to the kitchen. I left a teapot to boil back at home, since I figured we'd need more than one pot of it."
[7:54 PM]
"...Oh no." Sherri moved to reform the wormhole and stuck her hand through again, wiggling it around. A moment later, she retracted it and sighed. "I nearly left the stove on."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"So. Does your hand just stick out of a portal on the other side?" Bonnevali smiled, still a bit shocked. "I'd love to see Flannery's expression if that caught them by surprise."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
Sherri smiled, a tad nervously. "...Yeah. I try not to do it into the kitchen, but I was busy all week and didn't have more time to set things up for our picnic. I hope they weren't on the other side..."
[7:59 PM]
"If they were I didn't smack them while trying to turn off the stove at least."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
Bonnevali laughed at that. "I wish you had. Can you hear stuff through it?" Bonnevali got a mischievous glint in her eyes. "...Could you teach me that?"

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
Sherri shook her head. When she opened her eyes, though, she saw the look on Bonnevali's face and her smile rose a bit. "I can't hear through it. ...And I could try to teach you, but it's really hard. There's a lot of complicated stuff that happens between sticking your hand in it and it going out the other side. It's not as exciting as your story, but I nearly lost an arm learning to do it."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
Bonnevali paused and considered her personal history with magic learning. "Maybe not the best for a beginner like me then." And yet she kept that in mind. 'Maybe some day.' she thought mischievously.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
Sherri's ears perked up and, despite herself, her tail swished slowly against the picnic fabric behind her. "Does that mean you've changed your mind about learning something easier?"

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
Bonnevali looked hesitant. "Ehhhmmm... Maybe. I'll think about it."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"...Alright." Sherri's tail slowed to a stop, but for a moment there, it was wagging. "It's kind of a commitment, so take as much time as you need. ...I'd really like to share it with you though."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
Bonnevali flicked her ears and licked her fangs anxiously. "I'm not ready to commit to anything yet. But, don't rule me out entirely."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"Don't worry, I won't." Sherri poured herself another cup of tea. "...Thanks for agreeing to this."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
Bonnevali's mind flashed back to the incident that had kicked this whole thing off, and some of those same feelings reared their heads for a moment. Shame, panic, bitterness, anger. 'Don't forget what happened' a voice seemed to say. No! She would forget. That didn't matter, this was the new starting point.
"Yeah.."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"...I know you probably spend more time doing other things with... or to, actually, Gilgamesh, but did he ever get you into any board games?"

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"I've played with him seriously once or twice." Bonnevali recalled. "But that was only after I turned 20." She felt a twinge at that. As a child she had always groaned whenever Gilgamesh tried to get her to play with him.

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
"...Do you mind if I bring a game the next time we meet up?" Sherri asked. "They're fun, and sometimes I practice just to have something to do while I'm listening to the radio or whatever."

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
"Oh sure, we could do that."

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
Sherri smiled, and this time, she couldn't exactly stop her tail from wagging. It moved from side to side, its fluffier back half leaving the picnic area to disturb the grass and plants behind her. "Cool."(edited)

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
The two had arrived at their destination around noon and as they chatted the hours wore on the sun started it's steady decline toward the horizon. This was still a good few hours off, but the shift in light was noticeable enough to catch Bonnevali's attention.
"We've been out here for awhile!" Bonnevali noted. "Do you think we should head home?"

Milk Carton (Strawberry)11/09/2020
Sherri nodded. "We're out of food and tea for one thing." She stood up and collected the tea sets, wrapping them up in cloth and putting them back into the bag she brought.

Bonnevali is taller than me11/09/2020
The two sisters maybe their way back through the forest, the trip back taking a little longer than the trip there given the shift in light and the more casual, comfortable air. In the end the two parted ways and considered the outing a success. Looking forward to their next.