Fantasy The Near-Forgotten House and the Abandoned Village

[Clairikins]

With the gardening supplies purchased and the items fit into Sundrop's bag, the two head out of the store!
"...time to get food then; it'll take some time to grow more crops." She leads the way to a grocery store. "Just get whatever you want- but we don't have a fridge or an oven, so, you know, be mindful of that. ...I'll stay out here, don't worry about me." She doesn't like being in the town and around people, eyes darting this way and that as she worries that anyone could go and report her again. "Just remember that you'll have to carry whatever you get- my bag's full."

 

[Thanny]

Anisa felt proud of her purchases, glancing down at the pair of yet-unused gloves that were just barely peeking out from Sundrop's bag. They were going to see a lot of work in the upcoming months. Wow, was it going to be months? It was amazing to think of. Growing her own food was going to be such a shift in comparison to living from weekly grocery store visits. When the plants would be ready for harvest, she would go to the store less maybe. Of course, as Sundrop explained, no refrigerator or oven meant no stored milk, or store-bought eggs, or ice cream. She would have to forego a lot of things.

"Do we have a stove at least?" she asked, fearing the possibility of not being able to see a home-cooked meal for a while.

She pursed her lips, wondering what she could get that could be easy to make and affordable to buy. Standard fruits and vegetables were affordable, but she did not have much of a taste for raw veg besides what goes on salads. Hmm, salads. That's an idea.

Slipping inside and leaving the gas can outside with Sundrop, she found a paper bag's worth of groceries that fit her budget.

"I think this is all of it," she commented, muffled behind the crinkly bag and peering over the top. "Now all that is left is gas, right?"

 

[Clairikins]

"We have a fire, and Emily is good at cooking things- not quite the oven you may be used to, but it still works well enough. ...not that we cook more than soup on it."

Sundrop relaxes while she waits outside, holding her bag's handle with both hands and keeping the gas can with her. A few people shoot her curious glances, but she just stays with the supplies, thinking about what to do to bring the place back to its former glory- what to say to everyone to convince them to come back.
Eventually she decides that the best plan will be to restore the house, and the nearby town, to its former glory: a pool, multiple bedrooms, a clinic in town for the sick and injured, Emily has also mentioned a blacksmith. It sure sounds like a wonderful place, and Sundrop wants to see it in its glory.

"Good." Sundrop stands back up, picking up the gas can. "Come on, we can get it over there."

 

[Thanny]

((Sorry for the sluggishness; I was having difficulty coming up with the words, and yesterday I was almost wholly unavailable.))

"A fire, huh?" Anisa responded before she had entered the store. "That limits things but will work. Thanks, Sundrop."

After the fact, Anisa followed her companion to fetch some gas from what she assumed would be a gas station. How many people here had cars, she wondered, and were they shared as opposed to for individual issues? How many families were there, and were there many who had kids of the same age group as she was at 21? She honestly could not tell. Her view of town was limited, but she liked what she saw so far.

She thought of what she could ask of or iterate to Sundrop to promote conversation, but it was surprisingly difficult to talk with her about simple small-talk pieces. Maybe it was that Anisa was out of practice, but what could she ask the ex-soldier? Perhaps the obvious was the best choice, though she worried about prying eyes and ears. Maybe it was best to leave the "So if Emily is a catgirl what are you?" to outside town when they had no need to fear being overheard.

"Do you have any hobbies?" she asked, almost in a blurt, as she fought to come up with a decent piece of conversation and jumped on the first thought that sprang to her head.

 

[Clairikins]

"Not really. Gardening, I guess. It's hard to pick up a hobby when you can't really go into town. There's not much to do, but I like the peacefulness. What about you? You come from a city, gone to school, that sort of thing, yes?" The two wind up at the gas station, and Sundrop gets the gas can ready at the pump. "You'll have to prepay inside, if you don't mind. I'll stay here again."

 

[Thanny]

Anisa nodded, feeling rather sheepish that she had asked now. There were not many outdoor things she could do, now thay she thought about it, and she did not exactly seem like an indoor-sy person. Then again, she was going through a number of books with Emily. Maybe she was surprising in her own right, even more so than being an ex-soldier.

"You hit the nail on the head, yep. I am a city girl for the most part, but have spent some time outdoors in extracurricular stuff. I got an Associates Degree in Art and Architecture, and I love to paint. I wish I brought my easel and paint supplies, but they are at home. Besides that? Books, especially older literature. Give me a library and occasional food and water and I can lock myself away from society for days. I also like to run and jog, but I cannot do that for too long."

When they arrived at the gas station, Anisa smiled and was happy to enter. She wondered how friendly the clerk was.

Stepping inside, she looked around for the register and, if finding anyone close to the register, would open up conversation with them, thinking that they were the cashier.

"Are you in charge of the station?" she would ask inquisitively.

 

[Clairikins]

"Well, we don't have art supplies here, but I'm sure the whole place could do with a fresh coat of paint once we're done cleaning it- and you can always get them delivered, yes? ...and we don't have much of a library, but we do have a few books, even if most of them aren't in English."

The cashier is in fact the cashier. "Aye." She's wearing suspenders and a jacket -some kind of work uniform- with deep red hair. "How much ya want and where do ya want it?" She's very nonchalant- it seems like she's been working here for a while. She has a lip piercing and is fidgeting with a pencil on the counter, her piercing red eyes burning into Anisa's. It's not like Anisa would know if this area of town is or isn't dangers, but this girl looks like she comes from a bad part of town.

 

[Thanny]

Paint for the house, huh? That was an assignment she can get behind. The place did need a good coat, but what would be good colours for the place? She was already getting excited.

The lady at the register was exciting as well, in some manner or form, a fiery mane, or perhaps much darker than that of flame. She had sharp eyes, too, but that did not deter Anisa. She instead procured a smile and pointed out of the window for a moment before diving into her pocket.

"Pump 2, for three gallons, please. Nice place you have here! It is quaint and cozy, unlike the sterile-seeming gas stations in the city."

Looking down at the money in her hand, she frowned and decided to pay up to the nearest whole monetary unit.

 

[Clairikins]

"Yea, well, it's a family-owned place. ...not /my/ family, but still." she hits some buttons on her computer, "Okay, that'll be [[Amount]]. Cash, I take it?" With the family who runs the place being absent, this girl is the only employee here for the time being. And just like how this is a quaint gas station, she's a quaint girl. "Heard there was supposed to be a storm this weekend- good thing you got here before the rush."

 

[Thanny]

"Cash, yes," Anisa stated, pleased that conversation had been opened between the two of them and opening up a small panda-themed coinpurse to get the exact amount. It would be less headache for the cashier, she supposed, and she seemed like a nice-enough girl to talk with. "A storm, you say? That is good to know. I was hoping to get some planting in, so hopefully the storm is not that bad." She extended a hand for a handshake in courtesy, uncertain if it would be accepted or not. "My name's Anisa. I am new to this town. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss . . ."

She droned off, unsure of the name of the girl before her.

 

[Clairikins]

"It'll probably just be a lot of rain and wind again, nothing too serious, but people will take any excuse to get out of town." She accepts the money and finalizes the exchange, handing Anisa her receipt. "Scarlet, by the way. I'll probably be here if you come back."

 

[Thanny]

"Is that so?" asked Anisa, seemingly to herself.

She seemed to space out at the thought of people wanting to find a reason to leave town. That sounded like her wanting to leave the city, but people here seemed to have so much! Barring the infrastructure and the lack of farmers and having less to do, why would they leave? Well, perhaps a lot, but still.

The receipt snapped her out of her processing, and her smile quickly returned to her face. Taking the receipt, she said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Scarlet. Good name, too. It matches your hair nicely. I am Anisa. Oh, I just said that, didn't I? I guess what I am trying to mean is 'Until next time!' "

As she turned around, Anisa fidgeted and ran the receipt through her fingers until she reached the door. She was happy to return to Sundrop, who strangely enough she felt less sheepish around for a complete stranger.

 

[Clairikins]

Sundrop already has the gas can filled by the time Anisa comes back. "This should do us in case of emergency. Are you okay to go back?" Sundrop leaves the sealed can on the ground when she stands up; she has her own bag to handle, after all. "Last chance if you want something more." She glances around as she talks, hoping not to get recognized by anyone around. "I'd like to go back sooner, rather than later."

 

[Thanny]

The city girl nodded in agreement. She felt light in the pockets, and that was not a good thing in general, so she too was eager to get back and start on things for the house.

"I am good for now, thank you," she replied, picking up the sealed gas container and marvelling at its heft. Carrying this back with a grocery bag can be pretty tough on the arms, but she figured that from the beginning.

"Sundrop," she asked once they were out of earshot of the many, "could you tell me a little about those who were at my uncle's farm? Like, what were they like? Were they similar to a family or just workers for their own goals?"

 

[Clairikins]

Sundrop sighs. "I didn't get to know them for long. Your uncle was the only human there- I remember elves, a fire sprite, a fox... there were a lot of people there- enough to fill the whole bedroom. Emily would know them better; I didn't get to stay there long before people started leaving. I... I guess I wish I had gotten to know them better." Sundrop looks up at the sky. "I wonder if they'll come back at all... but making the house better to live in is nice. It'll be good to get to use new tools to garden."

 

[Thanny]

Anisa's eyes widened in surprise, and she was not exactly sure as to why because if catgirls and others like them existed, why not elves or fox persons? This all sounded incredible to her all the same, and she very much longed to meet them.

"These new tools should help things out for sure," she expressed with a smile, nodding at the bag that trailed beside or behind Sundrop, "and maybe they'll see us working and stop by for a quick chat. Oh, by the way, Sundrop? Thank you for your help. This would definitely have taken me two trips on my lonesome, maybe even three . . . or four."

 

[Clairikins]

"Of course. I may be retired, but that just means that I help when I /want/ to, not when I'm /ordered/ to. I wouldn't get your hopes up about others joining right away, but..." she sighs and goes quiet for a bit. "But let's focus on making the place habitable first."

 

[Thanny]

"Yes. Start small and end up great," Anisa replied in bubbly manner, perhaps missing the gist of what Sundrop intended. The house was going to be quite the project to tackle, but people have done this alone, and there were three lovely, amazing, and talented girls here, herself included! They got this.

* ~ * ~ *

To-do list for today:

- Trim back plants in way of house staircase
-Start clearing earth in a non-muddy good spot for a garden by pulling and plucking weeds

 

[Clairikins]

It takes a while, but eventually they get back to the house, and Sundrop starts sorting out the tools and supplies. "We're going to need a shed for all of this..." she muses, "the old one is rotten; we'll have to make a new one eventually. But we can store these inside to keep them safe from the elements until then. Where do you want to begin?"
Emily has lunch ready for the girls when they get back! She went fishing while the others were gone, and cooked up a couple of fish for herself and Anisa! Sundrop has some boiled potatoes and fruits for lunch instead of fish.
"Did you two have fun in town?"
"It looks like Anisa made some friends." Sundrop takes off all her extra clothes, relieved to get out of the hot bundle of clothing.

 

[Thanny]

Anisa was glad to be back, setting down the items on the floor and taking a look at all of the supplies eagerly. The majority of what was on the floor was gardening items, so it made sense to either build a storage shed for them or to use them post haste. Then again, she would have to get rid of some of those naughty vines that were growing in the stairwell, and that might be a small project all on its own. Perhaps she could do both the stairs and the tilling of the earth, potentially, but the two projects might take all day if she was feeling very ambitious.

"I think I will start on the vines first," she stated, picking up the pruning shears and loving the feel of them in her hand. "This way no one will have to fight them when heading upstairs, to bed or otherwise."

She smelled the delicious scent of home-cooked fish, and instantly her mouth watered. She did not have fish very often, but it was one of her preferred meats. The smell robbed her of her ambition for now, and she very happily picked up her grocery bag once more to share.

The fish was amazing, and thank-yous flew from Anisa's voice box every so often, as the girl was very grateful for the food. She offered an odd choice of soft and sweet red apples to her guests for the fish dinner, unsure if Emily or Sundrop would like them to go along with the food. It was a fruit, much like what Sundrop had before her, but she had no idea what the two liked besides what lay before them.

"Mm!" Anisa voiced in response to the two's conversation about her having met new friends, her mouth occupied but not for long. "I did! There are some nice people in the area. I liked the gas station cashier and the shopkeep at the garden shop especially. Both were nice ladies. I can see myself getting along with them both."

She rubbed her mouth free of apple juices from her own apple, smiling contentedly. Fish and apple might sound like odd foods on the same plate, but they were great in combination.

"How was your day thus far, Emily?" she offered to the catgirl, interested in hearing what might have gone on while she was away. This place was very fresh and new to her. Every little thing was of interest.

 

[Clairikins]

"I went fishing." Emily answers, accepting the fruit but more toying with it rather than eating it- these girls have particular diets, after all. "There's a lake not too far away from here. I thought you'd be hungry, so I cooked up enough for all of us."
"Yes, it's very good, Emily. Like always." Sundrop doesn't have any fish, but at least the others are enjoying it. Eventually she takes the apple away from Emily and gives it back to Anisa. "Don't play with food you're not going to eat."

Sundrop finishes first, leaving the cleaning to Emily and taking some of the gardening tools and heading outside. "Call if you need me, I'll get started on expanding the fields." She seems... tired? Maybe the heat got to her or something, or maybe the stress of being in town, or maybe she just prefers to be alone.
"...Did you find anyone like us?" Emily asks Anisa once Sundrop is out of earshot, "Non-human, I mean?"

 

[Thanny]

"And you thought correctly! Thank you!" Anisa replied, smiling over her already half-eaten fish. This was easily enough to tide her over until dinner. "I was never much of a fisher. It is difficult for me to skewer a worm, chiefly because I don't like to harm things. I will admit that the end result is delightful, though."

Witnessing the apple being more played with than eaten, she wondered if Emily did not much care for apples, at least not in the traditional sense, and perhaps that Sundrop did not like fish. This is good to know just in case. She giggled at the sight of the apple being taken away from Emily and Sundrop chiding, though, purely laughing from the humour of such a scene. Sundrop soon dropped from the table after finishing food, too. Anisa found that somewhat odd, but even still called out an okay and waved a goodbye.

"I . . . honestly do not know," confessed Anisa sheepishly to Emily. "I suppose I do not know what to look for, but nothing really called out. There was this girl with dark red hair, Scarlet, though I am not sure if she dyed her hair or not. Do you know her? She worked the gas station."

 

[Clairikins]

"Skewering worms? No, I just go down and catch the fish." The way Emily responds almost makes it seem like she's part bear.

Emily doesn't seem to notice anything weird with Sundrop's actions. "Oh? No. I haven't been to town. I'd love it if we could find more people like us." Emily sighs, putting her hand on her cheek. "This place used to be wonderful..."

 

[Thanny]

"Huh," responded Anisa as she blinked in shock and amazement, staring off into space and wondering how exactly she was able to make a catch. She imagined Emily waiting on the shore looking into the water before jumping in to catch a fish, or snatching it by the tail while standing in still waters, or funnier yet the girl chomping on a fish as it leaped up a waterfall. Regardless of how, the sheer fact that she was able to do so without bait is impressive.

As the conversation continued, Anisa felt compassion for the girl and nudged herself closer. Emily seemed to very much miss the others that were previously here, moreso than Sundrop seemed to regret not knowing them as well.

"Interestingly, Sundrop and I are contemplating trying to get the old group together again. It will be hard, and with luck we can find them either in phone books or in person or some other way, but chances are someone new will come along too."

Anisa gave a friendly pat on Emily's remaining hand (not the one at her cheek) and smiled, trying to lift her mood.

"If people see this place fixed up, good things may happen, Emily. You'll see."

 

[Clairikins]

"Right..." Emily sighs, then perks up! "Right! Just let me know how I can help! These vines are a lot to clean, but if you chop them down, I can take them away! Oh! I wonder if they're edible." Emily glances over at where the vines are at the stairs, "Hmm... we still have food, so maybe that's not such a good idea. But I could try it." She's used to taking orders, of course, mostly cooking and cleaning before she moved here- so if she can help by doing what she's good at, she'll keep at it!