genessia | [Action | Closed] Agricultural architecture

Entry tags:

[Action | Closed] Agricultural architecture

Who: Trahearne and Bracken
What: Trahearne is still working on Bracken's home, Bracken is curious
Where: Fayren - Bracken's treehouse
Warnings: N/a

Bracken had been staring a while. Trahearne didn't mind, he was used to having eyes on him, and this was just one person, not an army. He kept his eyes on the small sapling he was coaxing into rooting itself on the grown wooden platform between two large trees. It'd been over a month since he started on the home, far above the ground, and there was still much to do. Bracken was intent on having quite the home! It kept Trahearne occupied, so what was there to complain about?

The tiny aspen finally relented and its roots fanned out slowly, moving and growing at an unnatural speed. Good! Some plants were more stubborn than others, but were sturdier for it. This aspen and the rest he'd brought with to make the new room, would look lovely to boot, once formed properly.

Trahearne looked away from the little tree and up at Bracken.

"I feel you have something to ask, friend," he said without reproach or annoyance.

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Having Trahearne there so often, he'd become quite comfortable with his presence. The other man seemed fairly calm and quiet. And intelligent. Since the beginning he had wondered about Trahearne's powers, but he hadn't felt as confident about being too close to the man. As time went on, he inched closer and closer, watching what he was doing in fascination, intrigued by powers he hadn't seen on his world.

His eyes had been fixated on the plant when Trahearne spoke, and he flinched as if he hadn't been expecting to hear a voice, before looking up at him.

"I-I... I was just wondering, h-how that works."

"The growing?" Trahearne shifted from sitting cross legged to tucking his legs under himself, hands on his knees, leaf skirt spread out around him. He'd noticed the flinch and, not for the first time, wished Bracken was a sylvari as well so he could let the other feel, quite literally, that he meant him no harm. Looking and sounding peaceful would have to do.

"You can sit with me, if you want, and watch more closely." He nodded to a spot near the aspen, in case Bracken took him up on that. "I can't show exactly how it works. It's a sort of communication that my race has with plants. Not that they have sentience."

"S-So you can't learn it like other... like other magic?"

Though he was easy to surprise - and certainly fairly easy to scare - he crawled over to sit next to Trahearne. He kind of wanted to know how to do it, but he understood that some things couldn't be explained, like how he couldn't explain his own magic. There were no textbooks or courses. It just worked.

"Wh-What does it feel like?"

He sat rather relaxed, with his knees pulled loosely in front of him.

Trahearne smiled and extended a hand out to the sapling again, under one of the thin, spindly branches.

"I imagine there are branches of magic that can mimic what I do, though no, I can't teach you how I do this." The branch sprouted several more leaves, soft and small, drooping just low enough to brush his fingers. "I'm not quite sure how to explain the feeling. All sylvari are connected to each other in some way and we are all connected to the world around us. It's a bond that is always there. It's possible to focus it, narrow my view to just one plant in particular and have it 'listen'. I can push what's already there, shape it in ways it could feasibly grow."

"It's like moving a limb that isn't connected to my body. If I pull back-" He moved his hand away from the tree. "-I still feel it, but only in the way that I know it's there."

He listened attentively, not interrupting, and as Trahearne reached the end of his explanation he hesitantly reached a hand out to hold it over part of the plant like Trahearne was doing. He had no plant in him, no particular connection to nature beyond being an animal, but he wondered if there was some way he could feel it like he could feel his other magic. Trying to concentrate on it and search for anything that he could sense, he lightly brushed the budding leaves with the tip of his fingers, as if maybe that would help him find it.

Of course, he didn't have that ability. He didn't really sense anything, as much as he tried to find that connection. He went through his elements, water and earth, looking for something that might somehow establish a bond, but those spells were meant for something else completely.

"...I-I don't feel anything," he finally said, mildly disappointed. "Is... Is it like when people can talk in y-your head?"

Trahearne gave him a sympathetic look, sorry Bracken, it's not that easy.

"Not quite. I'm only familiar with that trick with mesmer magic and, mmm, things neither of us should be able to do. No matter. Shaping, growing, they aren't even easy for all sylvari. Another of- my brother, Kahedins, shaped most of our home, The Grove." It hadn't felt like a home to him for so long, but still, it was a home. Somewhere to go when he had the time.

"You feel a connection of sorts to the elements when you manipulate them, yes?"

Never hurt to try! If nothing else he was curious, he just didn't know when something was possible and when it wasn't. But, even if he had failed, he sat back lazily, watching what Trahearne was doing.

And, perhaps, he'd try again on his own time.

"S-Sort of. They're just... They're just sort of there. I-I thought maybe it would be like that, if, if I tried." Hard to explain, especially for him. "D-Did the grove look like this?"

"Mmm, yes and no." What a helpful answer. Trahearne reached out to the sapling again, urging it to grow and bend its branches just so.

"The Grove is in a jungle, the plants available are much different. It's very colorful, very full of life." And he didn't even have a home there. "The structure is the same, I can only work plants how I'm used to. I'm not the most proficient at this, or I could move faster. As it was, it took years to form the base of the Grove, it is home to thousands now."

The branches of the sapling were slowly moving their way away from Trahearne and Braken, curving as they went. He could work this into the start of a wall with some effort.

"I do wish I could teach you this myself. The connection is unique, unfortunately."

"I-I'll try harder, next time." As if that was the problem. But still, he'd try.

He watched it grow with almost childish amusement. Certainly, he'd seen his fair share of spells. Hell, his spells had always been the biggest in the world as far as he knew - he didn't lack experience in viewing magical things. But this one was new and different, and he rarely got to see something like it. It wasn't relevant to combat. It wasn't even something that existed to be flashy. It served a domestic purpose, and seemed to be made purely for that.

"It must have been... It must have been a big city! I-It feels like you're making th-this pretty fast."

"If you keep trying, you might get somewhere with it, even if it's not done the same way I do it." Hey, stranger things had happened. He'd really like to see if Bracken could manage it! That would be fascinating.

"Well, first Kahedins had to learn how to do this at all. He knew the concept from before he awoke but many things are very different in practice. It's simpler with practice and this doesn't need to hold near so much weight. He'd gently critique my technique if he were here." He wouldn't wish that on his fellow firstborn, he felt he was the one best suited to such a transition.

"It is quite sizable now, yes."

That did encourage him. If there was some hope there, he'd try. He just wouldn't get anywhere until he had some sort of outside help.

"H-He must be really talented, if he's even b-better than you at this." He really tended to think highly of others, and having skills that he didn't possess just pushed that further. "Wh-When the science people figure out how to... how to teleport back to our w-worlds, can I visit?"

"He's been working on this much longer than I have, at least on a more serious level." Kahedins was only a few hours younger than he was, after all. "As for visiting, well, maybe when Tyria is safer. It will be a long time before I have enough of a break in my duties to tend to visitors."

Not having a house, or any place to live that wasn't a military base, made it kinda difficult to have friends over.

"I would welcome you, given it was ever possible."

"Wh-What kind of duties do you have at home? You... You said it was r-really dangerous?"

He did feel like the two things were maybe connected, Trahearne's duties and the fact that his world wasn't safe, but he didn't really know all that much about what he did. It was a shame, because living in a plant city and growing neat things seemed like it would be nice.

"Mmm." Trahearne kept shaping the small tree in silence for awhile. He'd mentioned exactly what he was assigned to on Tyria to a few, either if they asked or before he knew he was stuck here. It was a topic that got depressing really fast. Still, he didn't want to lie about it...

"It is very dangerous," he said eventually. "I lead the Pact, a force that hunts and destroys the great dragons that seek to destroy Tyria. It's nothing short of a full-out war. I have hope but we can't know how this will turn out."

Bracken wondered if he had said something wrong, but watched silently as Trahearne continued fiddling with the tree. He wouldn't push, but he worried. He was relieved when Trahearne finally said something, listening carefully, and staying silent for a time after. It was obviously something that was difficult in Trahearne's life, so he didn't want to say the wrong thing. Finally, he settled on what he thought would be best.

"I-If I visit, I'll help," he offered. After all, timid he might be, but he was also a mage, and he knew how powerful his spells were. He'd fought plenty of big things in his time.

"I hope it doesn't come to that," he replied with some forced calm in his voice. It didn't do either of them any good to be too solemn. It made it had to work on shaping the tree as well. That wouldn't do.

"I do appreciate it though. Maybe if you can visit, you can get better teaching on healing and shaping than I could provide." Which wasn't much as is. "How has that friend been? The one you wanted to heal for?"

He wished he could remember which friend, but the memory eluded him. But it had to be Cassian, right? Cassian was the one in Everglade, and the one who was seemed to get sickly. He worried about Cassian, all alone in that dangerous place.

"H-He's been better, but... but I'm still scared he m-might get hurt. He lives in Everglade..." He sighed. "I-I get scared something will eat m-me when I go there."

The sapling was shaping up well, branches weaving together slowly, closing the gaps between them. Leaves twisted and lay across the smallest of the gaps, starting to form a thin wall. Just the first layer. It got much colder in Fayren than it did in the Magumma jungle, he'd make fine moss grow in between the layers of plant wall to act as insulation.

"I'm wary of Everglade myself, I'm impressed you go there enough to see your friend." There was no mocking tone in Trahearne's voice, he really was impressed. Trahearne wasn't half as nervous as Bracken and he avoided the place whenever possible. "I would hope he's prepared for what lives there."

He shifted a bit awkwardly, never thinking himself as someone to be particularly impressed by. He was, after all, scared half to death to go there. Nothing had ever happened to him as of yet, but he still took all the warnings seriously and slipped in and out as quietly as he could.

"I-I hope so, too... He's strong, but, but he gets sick, and I get s-scared someone will attack him when he's weak." He played with his fingers, staring at his hands. "I... I wish there was s-something there to keep him safe. I would, but I... but I..."

Just had too many fears. He was a nervous enough person in a safe environment, he certainly wouldn't last long living in Everglade. If the creatures didn't get him his heart would surely give out. There was some amount of shame that fear was keeping him away. If anything happened to Cassian, he would feel horrendous about it.

"It's his choice to stay there and face that danger, you are under no obligation to make sure he's safe while doing so." It was a pleasure to talk with such a well meaning soul. Though Trahearne was inclined to think that it was best for everyone involved that Bracken stayed well out of the way of danger. Not everyone was

"I do understand you concern. I hope that he does stay safe and considers the risk he takes while there." He couldn't really understand why anyone would want to go live in Everglade unless they were a monster themselves... That wasn't his concern, Bracken's friend could do as he pleased.

"...And if you need someone to go with you when you visit, I can walk with you. There's little there that can do more than make me displeased."

"R-Really? You wouldn't be scared?"

Truth be told, he would like to walk with someone. He'd feel much safer, even if he didn't know the extent of Trahearne's abilities. It showed in the concealed excitement in his tone - that he hated to ask, but he kind of wanted him to come.

"I-I could introduce you to Cassian. H-He's really nice."

"I would be, hrm, wary." Risen were terrifying, standard undead were... still pretty scary but nothing he hadn't seen a thousand times. A healthy fear of things that want to rip out your throat is good for anyone to have.

"I'd love to meet your friend and, yes, I'd be willing to go with you. I should visit all the cities more often as it is, it'll be more bearable with a friend." Bearable. Trahearne leaned forward and put a hand over a gap in the branches he was still weaving together. Stubborn thing. A touch more energy to that spot and there! He pulled his hand back, a fresh stem growing to cross the gap.

"Y-You'll like him. He's nice and, and he knows lots about plants, too!"

He hadn't even thought of it before, but Cassian did a lot with herbs. Surely he and Trahearne would have tons to talk about. He couldn't wait to introduce them so his friends could be friends! Excited, he crawled forward a bit, hopeful. "C-Can we go this weekend?"

Trahearne nodded, he couldn't say no to that excitement, even if he was inclined to. Trudging through Everglade was hardly one of the worst things he'd done in his life, he'd live.

"Maybe we'll have something to teach each other." He smiled faintly. "I have no other obligations this weekend, so sure, would it be best for me to meet you here?"

He lowered his hands to his knees, it was easier to remember specifics when he wasn't also trying to get a plant to do what he wanted.

"W-We could meet by the gate too, if... if you want."

Might be a shorter walk for Trahearne then, rather than walking all the way to Bracken's place first.

"H-He's really smart and you're r-really smart, so you can probably tell each other about l-lots of stuff."

"It makes no difference to me." Trahearne doesn't mind the walk, it even comes with company! A treat, really. He's gotten plenty used to walking to Bracken's place at this point.

"You flatter me Bracken. I'll have to see if we do get along, though I do hope so. You've made him out to be someone quite interesting." Maybe made dear Cassian sound a little better than the actual product. Trahearne didn't know this so was willing to trust Bracken's judgement for now.

He would have to learn better. Thus far, Bracken could only think of one person he distrusted, and they had literally argued for letting people eat people.

As it was, he was just happy to introduce one friend to another friend. Soon, at least. Good people should be friends.

"Y-You probably have lots of friends here, t-too, already. B-But... It's always nice to have more!"

Already he was looking forward to the weekend. Moving by Trahearne, he lied down on his stomach to get comfortable, using his arms as a pillow. He was pretty close to him, feeling mostly at ease with him by now and ecstatic about future plans.

At least Bracken and Trahearne disliked the same person. Trahearne raised his hands again to the sapling, it was almost done and then he'd move to another. Maybe he could go faster but he didn't really want to today, it was nice to chat and take his time.

"Mmm, well, I have a few. In truth I'm more of a solitary person when I have the choice. I value quality in friendship over how many I have. I would not object to more." His current list of friends was three. That was a good number for him and he didn't even have to fight monsters, undead, or corrupt organizations with any of them. He just talked with them. How novel!

He glanced down at Bracken with a smile. The closeness didn't bother him at all. He wasn't a very touchy person or one much used to closeness, but it was kinda nice.

"R-Really?" He tilted his head, glancing up at him, but turned his eyes back to the sapling after a moment. "I-I guess I could understand that. At home... I liked to live a-away from people. And I... I only hung out with my lectorium. Umm, my g-guild."

He didn't quite get to touching without knowing he had permission, but he did like to feel close to other people. And this was about as close as he could get without outright being pressed against Trahearne. He didn't have the guts to ask for permission for something like that.

"L-Lots of people is hard."

Trahearne wasn't one to initiate contact either, so both would have to settle for just being close. It was a comfortable way to be.

"Yes, I have to agree with you there. I've gotten used to dealing with, mmm, hundreds at this point. It's very tiring after a while. Just a few people around, it makes it easier to get to know them." He didn't have to play babysitter to any of his friends here either, so nice.

"H-Hundreds... That's even more than my l-lectorium."

And he thought he dealt with a lot of people.

"I-It must be really hard finding Ch... Christmas presents for them all."

It was more like thousands but that wasn't something he needed to share. Hundreds was close enough. Trahearne didn't have contact with everyone of his soldiers anyway.

"Ha, no Wintersday was still pretty busy, sorry to say." Trahearne placed his hands on his knees, the sapling was mostly done for now, he should start on another. He didn't want to get up just yet.

"I didn't really bother with presents or anything like that ever, now that I think about it. I never thought much of it. I'm guessing that was a big deal for your lectorium?"

He nodded eagerly.

"E-Everyone bought a present for everyone e-else... So there were lots and lots of p-presents. On Christmas E-Eve, Hatter would hold a big party that a-anyone in the world could go to... And on Christmas, w-we would all go to a mansion in Snowfell and i-it would just be us." He lifted his hands up to indicate size. "W-We had a huge tree, and he would always d-decorate the whole place."

He spoke with some excitement in his voice, remembering it well. And fondly. He rested his cheek on the palm of his hand. "I-If you visit, you can be part of the l-lectorium, too."

"That all sounds like fun." It sounded like a nice break, really. The idea was surreal to Trahearne who only had as much time away from something important while here on Genessia. Genessia was exceptionally surreal.

"I've never been a part of a guild or anything like it until the Pact." That had allowed him to be the Marshal at all, no significant bias towards any of the orders. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt, if I was just there to visit."

Fortunately or unfortunately, Bracken had quite the opposite problem on his home world. Frankly, he and his group... had nothing to do. Nothing of import, at least. They were too powerful to be challenged by anything, too rich for there to be anything they didn't already have or couldn't afford, and their circumstances had left them floundering to find things to fill the voids with. Perhaps the others moreso than Bracken, who was just happy to be with them.

"I-I was part of one, before... Before I joined Thistle's. S-Some of the people were okay..." his eyes meandered and after a moment it seemed that was one sentence he really wasn't going to finish. He shrugged with a forced smile and glanced back.

Trahearne hadn't missed how forced the smile was, that wasn't something he saw from the mage often. As quick as Bracken was to befriend just about anyone or anything that showed up on Genessia regardless of their moral standing, it was surprising to have him come even close to expressing dislike for someone. Would patting him on the shoulder- shoulderblade considering how he was laying- be the right thing to do here? Probably shouldn't.

He tried anyway, a light touch to Bracken's shoulder, barely a pat at all.

"It's good to hear you have such a welcoming group at home. It will take me a long time to make enough rooms for them all, if they ever have a chance to visit."

Though people weren't exactly repulsed by him or anything, there did tend to be some physical separation, with few people being exceptions. He glanced up to see Trahearne's expression. Even though the other man had initiated the contact, he still felt like he wanted some sort of read on him. And, though subtle, he leaned slightly into it.

"S-Sorry. I wish... I wish there was more I could do t-to help." He did really appreciate it, even if he, perhaps, didn't appreciate just how much work it was compared to home. "I-Is there anything I could do to th-thank you?"

Concern. Trahearne looked concerned, he had few friends here, he had a lot more energy to be worried for them. All that worry he always had had to go somewhere. Usually he vented it quite well by overworking himself. Admitting that would make others feel bad, so he didn't share it.

"Company is nice, it can be tedious work without it." Maybe it was more fun to someone with more experience with growing, he didn't know. "I can't honestly think of much more than that. This keeps me busy and in practice."

Maybe he could alleviate Trahearne's concern if he leaned into it even more. Or maybe that was excuse. Either way, he scooted over just a hair closer. Though he wouldn't want to make Trahearne worry, it would be a lie to say he wouldn't appreciate that he was thinking of him. He did love attention, even if he had trouble handling it.

"I-I like spending time with you, too," he tried to hold back his excitement, but it didn't really work. A hint of anxiety was in it - there was always fear of rejection - but he spoke quite eagerly. "I-I don't mind staying anytime y... anytime you're doing this."

"Alright then, you keep me company while I work and we'll call it even." Really the work alone was enough for him, but having someone to talk to really did make it better. There wasn't a hint that he was bothered by Bracken getting closer or touching him. He was just not the best at showing affection any other way than trying to be helpful.

Maybe someday they'd be touching, but for now Bracken was quietly, nervously very close to him. The longer he stayed there, the more his anxiety dissipated, until he felt comfortable and secure that it was okay for him to be there. As long as Trahearne was fine with it, he was fine with it.

He wasn't the noisiest company, but he was just happy to be there, and was as accommodating at possible to Trahearne. It was peaceful, just like the forest around them. And if Trahearne so chose to stick around beyond building, he might see some of Bracken's artwork - or attempts at making furniture.

Maybe someday. Trahearne didn't have enough of these calm days with a friend to know quite what to do or expect. He'd just keep working, for now. The sapling would need a moss coating for insulation...

If Bracken didn't speak, neither would he, he was happy enough to just enjoy his company.

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[Action | Closed] Agricultural architecture

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Bracken is gonna give me cavities.

As if Trahearne isn't a sweetheart

Bracken is still gonna give me cavities