Private - Planting the Seeds

"Y'know, I just can't figure it out." The NPC farmer removed his tattered hat, and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. It was not a particularly warm day, but the sun teetered at its peak in the cloudless midday sky, and the summer breeze had momentarily died off. Confusion, and traces of anxiety, only contributed to the sheen that covered the man's flushed face. "Nothing's been done differently here. Everything else is growing fine, but this field here is putting up a fuss."

The blue-haired player who stood beside him nodded, her hands on her hips as she, too, studied the one-acre patch of land. Where emerald stalks and wide leaves should have poked through the tilled soil, neat rows of undisturbed earth remained.

"The corn's fine everywhere else," he repeated, shoving the hat back down over his balding head, "but not here. And I just can't figure it out."

Magdalyn frowned. "Unfortunately, I don't have answer for you either. I can't figure out why your other fields, even those a stones-throw away, look fine." If the digital character did not understand the reference, he did not let on, so she continued. "I can ask around, but I can't promise anything."

They stood in silence then, the farmer's jaw working as he looked for something more to say. Then he heaved a sigh. "Suppose that's all that can be done," he admitted, defeat woven into his tone. "You said you're new to farming, but I certainly appreciate any help you, or anyone else, can offer."

"Happy to do it," Mags responded, her words more genuine than her smile. She let the latter fall away when the man's back was turned, and he was closing the distance to his big, red barn. It was her hope to learn from the farmers, and improve her own skills, so that she might join them in owning land one day. Therefore, she had never expected to be the one doing the helping. "Think of it like a quest," she murmured under her breath, eyeing the stubborn field warily. "You just have to teach yourself naturamancy, so you can help the corn grow." Then, with less enthusiasm, "Somehow."

When she turned to walk away, it was in the opposite direction of the farmer. A short distance away, a small forest broke up the monotony of rolling farmlands. Something about the burst of vegetation drew her closer, because if she wished to learn how to control nature, she figured she needed to be surrounded with it.

@Harveste

 

What was it about corn that made it so sturdy in the farmlands of Dunnstands, inward from the coastline but not so far in you couldn't smell the salt? It made the self-proclaimed harvest sprite wonder about various things- such as if the popcorn made from such maize would taste salted without any added. She wondered if she'd be allowed into a maize maze again anytime soon, because lately, it was pretty plainly laid out in this area, compared to Pormont. But mostly, she wondered if they'd ever grow more than corn in the first place in this area.

"It's lucky for dad he hasn't been here... Though maybe he can eat corn in games. I can smell, so I bet allergies are different too. I should try some ice cream to test it out." It wasn't like lactose intolerance was likely to be programmed, was it?

She was on her way to play at more farms when she noticed, not far from a blue-haired stranger, that one field was empty, barren of all life. In quite a hurry, she ran up to the stranger with a smile- the woman was tall, causing the smaller of the two to strain her neck trying to see her eyes. Based on her ears, she could only assume it was a human- but she could easily be wrong, she was sure, so she wouldn't ask for the moment.

"Excuse me, ma'am! Why's this field got nothing growing? Isn't it kind of lonely?" She wasn't certain if the person she spoke to was a player or a person that lived in the game- but, whether she knew or not, she was sure the woman could at least give her a clue. Of course, getting closer, she may have noticed the cause. "I'm gonna guess they haven't fertilized in a while. The soil looks kind of...devoid of all nutrients... But why is it only this field...?" Her small head peeked around, seeking answers that the wind wouldn't give.

Realizing she was blabbering to someone that wasn't even definitely listening to her, she turned to make sure if the blue-haired lady was still there. "There was one other field around here like this, I noticed earlier. I managed to grow some clover there, but it took a lot of work to do it. I'm not sure I'm as good with maize as I am with flowers though...At least, I'm not nearly as used to growing it..."

 

The small voice caught her by surprise, and Magdalyn only just managed to swallow back her startled squeak. She had allowed herself to grow so lost in her thoughts that the girl's arrival was entirely unexpected. But as she allowed herself a moment to study the girl, and tune into her words, Mags began to relax. There was something so charming, so infectious, about the way that the little faerin rambled on, babbling like a lively brook. When the girl finally fell silent, and Magdalyn had a chance to comment, the smile she wore was genuine.

"I have no idea why it isn't growing," she admitted. "It's actually something I was hoping to learn myself. The farmer asked for my help, but I don't even know where to start."

Her hands moved to her hips, and she nodded as she thought of the girl's fertilizer comment. "The soil does look pretty dead," came her agreement, "but the farmer claims he's done everything the exact same across every field. So I don't know!"

Suddenly, realization dawned on her. "Wait," she began slowly. Then, her words were eager, filled with excitement. "You said you grew things? Are you a naturamancy user?!"

 

The woman was as frustrated as she was, Harveste noted to herself. It was clear the lack of knowing wasn't a friendly fact to either of them- because both wanted to be able to help the plants. When the stranger perked at the realization the Faerin had nature magic, though, Harveste could only stare at her blankly for a bit before nodding in reaction to her question.

"I do have naturamancy, yes." She spoke a bit bluntly, but the sincerity in her smile was hopefully an indicator she meant no malice from her rather straightforward words. "My aim was to be like a nature sprite. It's probably part of why I love coming to farms, too- well, not really why, but... I'm sure it helps."

A timid giggle left her lips as she stared at the vacant plot of dirt once more. She bent from her back rather than her knees to take a closer look at the soil. Her posture was a bad habit, but a habit nonetheless, showing as she rather fluidly let her legs stretch and nearly lock. Wincing lightly as she picked some soil off the ground and rubbed it around between the pads of her lithe fingers.

"Feels less like dirt and more like grit... I wonder if there's a weed or something that was stealing all the nutrients...? I'm actually really bad with plants normally, but..."

 

The short woman's response was no-nonsense, and despite her smile, Magdalyn recognized the blank look in her big eyes. Was she taken-aback by Mags' excitement? Sheepishly, the woman smiled, and offered a small shrug. "I'm new to the game," she admitted, "and I'm still pretty excited about the whole thing." She considered her next words carefully, wondering if she might offend by saying too much. Then, she plowed on anyway. "A lot of people I have met so far aren't interested in nature. They'd rather invest in weapon skills, or flashier destruction magic." A light pink flush warmed her cheeks as she concluded. "Anyway, its a pleasure to meet someone who thinks like me. That's all."

Without giving her any time to reply, Mags crouched next to the field. One hand scooped up the dirt, and she let it sift through her fingers, her face twisted in thought. "It does feel unusual," she agreed, "though I wouldn't have been able to put my finger on it just the way you did. But a weed makes a lot of sense."

Without paying notice to the earth on her fingers, Magdalyn shoved her mane of blue hair back from her face. "I can't keep anything alive either, in the real world. Maybe that's why I went the nature magic route. I'd make a terrible farmer otherwise!"

 

Being praised for figuring out the possibility of a weed being involved in the disaster of the soil, the 'nature sprite' couldn't help giving a sheepish giggle, her face a bit red. She wasn't very good with compliments about certain things, especially when she felt they weren't really deserved.

"I only thought about it because of some of the games I play... The thing is, in some of the games, weeds can help fuel the soil, and in others, it makes plants die. I don't really know what kind of weed is what, so... Even knowing that much isn't really enough..."

Potted plants were easier, she mused in her mind. She'd probably die of starvation if she actually lived on a farm, since she was weak in body and will. Her love of them hadn't faded over the years, but she was still certain she would fail to be helpful on one.

That was, until today. Today, she was guaranteeing herself she'd help the farmer grow his corn. "There's a lot of things that effect a plant's growth... The pH of the soil, nutrients... I think here, nutrients are a big issue, but... I don't know if naturamancy would help actually with the soil...Not without knowing what plants help it and what don't. Something tells me taking the time to research that might hinder the issue... And it'd take some time for me to find the info in one of my herbology books I got for that purpose."

 

"Hmmm."

The hum of thought was the only thing she said for a while, still crouched beside the field, still running the soil through her long fingers. She listened intently to Harveste, nodding along, her gaze never moving from the dirt. Only when her companion had fallen silent, and the whispering of the leaves on the breeze was the only sound, did Magdalyn speak.

"I think you're right about the research," she admitted. "I'm with you - my first instinct is to hit the books. But something tells me that Terra Sphere, and the game's creators, wouldn't make it so easy on us. More likely, there's some crazy, made-up, in-game reason why this particular field won't grow. If we log-out and do some research, we might miss something." Then, with less confidence, she added, "Maybe. Honestly, I'm just grasping at straws here."

She rubbed at her forehead, leaving faint smudges of dark dirt across it as she did so. Then she straightened, and stood. With her hands on her hips, she gazed out over the rolling fields, an expression of pained confusion plastered across her grimy face. "You know," she began slowly, "maybe we should check out some of those other fields you mentioned? See what they all have in common? Maybe there's a pattern here."

 

Watching the lithe figure with restlessly fidgeting fingers, the faerin could only wonder silently what might be going through the woman's mind. When she stood, tall and now with some dirt on her face, Harveste struggled not to giggle as she held a hand out, jumping as high as she could to reach and wipe it away. Landing with a grin, she was relieved to be more agile than she once was.

Well, at least in games she could be an acrobat.

"You have a point... And what books would we use anyway? The game is fantasy mixed with realism. It's so real that the locals see us like aliens and alter their perception fluidly with our actions. I don't really know how programming works, but this world is way too... real, sometimes. I thought perhaps the books would help, but as you said...A pattern would be more notable, and we'd miss it if we log off now."

The word 'pattern' was a bit of a trigger to Harveste, who loved puzzles to the point that it ruled a lot of things she read and watched. She tried to remember one of the nearest fields that was similar to the one they were worrying over, trying to contemplate the last moment she'd fretted over soil's safety. "Hm... If you'll follow me, I think I know a nearby one to start with. It's near a labyrinth of maize I noticed, probably planted for seamen to relax when they hit land here."

Prancing along a dirt road she found her way first to the maze of maize, then to the dry patch of weeded soil that barely even had color with the infestation. "See here? There are weeds, but they look almost dead. Yet the corn of the labyrinth is perfectly fine not far from it. Isn't that strange, miss...? Oh, I forgot to ask your name. I'm Harveste."

 

Magdalyn uttered a surprised grunt as the woman jumped at her, her small hand swiping at the woman's forehead. After a brief moment, when Mags finally understood what was going on, she beamed. "Hey, thanks," she said on a laugh. "I didn't even notice. I've got horses, back home, and so I was always dirty. I can't tell you how many times I went to school, or into town, with dirt on my face. Pretty sure I grew immune to the smell of the barn, though my friends definitely didn't."

She caught herself rambling, and cut off the flow with a small shake of her head. Was it unusual, how often she spoke of the real world? Perhaps it stemmed from her unusual use of the game, which was to help her reach a real-life place she missed so dearly. Michigan was only five or six hours away, but with Terra Sphere, all it took was a handful of seconds. Then she was back among the thick trees, the long grass, and the environment that made her feel like home. No, Terra was not her means to escape the real world. It was to help her find it again.

Still, that did not excuse her behavior. More likely than not, the players she encountered in-game did not wish to know about the outside world, as their motivation was to hide from it for a little while. She could understand, and she could accommodate.

"A labyrinth of maize?" she repeated, finally tuning back in to her companion's words. Then, her blue eyes widened in recognition. "Like a corn maze? For the sailors?" Her smile came easy now, and she relaxed into the new topic of discussion. "What a cool idea. It was nice of the farmer to do that." She plodded along beside Harveste, content to drink in the sights, and the pleasure that came with good company, even if they traveled in silence. It was a treat to be in the presence of someone more focused on saving some plants than sharpening their sword or practicing their parry.

When Harveste slowed, and analyzed the weed, Mags moved up alongside her. They were close enough to be touching, but both so focused on the plant that she hardly noticed. Personal space be damned, there was a mystery to solve.

"That is really odd," Mags agreed. "Why should the corn flourish while the weeds die." She frowned, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "I wonder if the farmers treat their fields with anything, the way we use weed-repellent. Or maybe some kind of magic? Do you think they'd go for that? Maybe we should go further into the maze and see what we can come up with."

At the request for her name, the girl blink, and then shook her head. "Yeah, sorry about that. Where are my manners?" She extended her hand for Harveste to shake, and added, "It's great to meet you, Harveste. I'm Magdalyn, but most people just call me Mags."

 

"I'm immune to the smell of a barn too, but I've never lived near one. Been to them a few times- I love farms, actually. But... Smell never got to me until I came here. 'Cause in our world, I can't smell a thing. The simulation is the best I've ever gotten to know what food or farms smell like."

She hadn't meant to go into that kind of detail about her life, but Magdalyn's explanation of why she hadn't noticed the dirt just happened to be rather intriguing. It felt fitting, she supposed, to share about her experience when the other had done the same. Though, internally, she was actually a bit jealous of the woman now. "I have a horse in the game, but what I'd love sometime is a cow. I really like 'em. What're your horses like?"

Unlike most, Harveste found it rather endearing that Magdalyn would speak of their own world. While games were surely a crutch and escape, the girl rather liked that someone would trust her with a part of their life story- even if it was as simple as having a horse or a pet. Knowing more about people made her fonder of them, made her trust them more. And trust, to the faerin, was everything.

"I say a labyrinth, but what I'm talking about is actually a bit different than what you'd think of with a corn maze... Because this isn't a maze, per say. Labyrinths, at one time, were special paths made for thinking, making decisions and resting your mind. There's only one road in them, that turns regularly in a specific pattern. I can draw one for you if you want sometime, to show you what it's like from a top view. I was surprised to find one, but I suppose it's for the sailors to mull over their time at sea."

Being able to share something she'd learned that she adored was always a nice thing to the girl. Her arms were wrapped behind her back, fingers tied together in knots as her smile beamed like sunshine- sunshine that, unfortunately, wasn't enough for the neighboring patch of land to survive. "Going into the labyrinth huh...? True, there could be a clue in the center. And Magdalyn is a lovely name! A lovely name for a lovely name is just perfect, you know?" Her grin subsided into a calmer tone, her lips now longer pulled too taunt as she turned to the entrance of their next step.

"Let's take a peek. At least it's not likely to get us lost... I hope I wasn't wrong about the type of labyrinth, though. I only know because I heard someone talking about it at the time, complaining when someone called it a maze instead."

 

As Harveste explained her lack of smell, Magdalyn felt her face fall. "Oh," she muttered, "that's too bad. I'm really sorry." And she was. Her sense of smell was something that Mags really appreciated. Everything had a smell to her - holidays, memories, places, people, even some songs - so she struggled to imagine what life was like without the ability. Lilacs in spring, campfires in summer, damp leaves in fall, ski-wax in the winter... her heart broke for the player who she barely knew, and the person who existed outside of the game. "But I'm glad that you're able to experience it here," she stated. She meant it.

"It's so cool that you have a horse though." As the conversation turned to riding, Magdalyn's eyes brightened, and some of the pep returned to her walk. "I love horses. I grew up with them, and Altivo was the first thing that I bought here in Terra Sphere. It was all I wanted, and so it made sense to spend all of my gold on it right away. I ended up with a moody thing. He's enormous, and I'm sure every inch of him is filled with piss and vinegar." The idiom had grandpa favored slipped past her lips without her even registering it. "Really beautiful though - all white. I think we'll end up getting along, one day." She grinned down at Harveste, and asked, "Would you want to go riding sometime?"

She allowed Harveste to explain the labyrinth in more detail, nodding along as she absorbed the new information. "That's interesting. I guess I hadn't really stopped to consider the difference between a labyrinth and a maze, but your explanation makes sense. So less thinking, more walking, and unwinding." She glanced up at the sky for a moment, enjoying the sensation of the warm light on her face. With a deep breath of the clean country air, she turned back to her new friend. "Unwinding sounds nice. I suppose I'd rather tackle a labyrinth than a maze anyway - requires less thought, less problem solving. If I wanted to do all of that, I'd go back to my real job."

After a few steps, she glanced over to make sure that the Faerin was still following. Assured she was, Mags continued forward. "Have you seen many of these?" she inquired. "In Terra Sphere, I mean. I wonder if they're all that common, or if this one is sort of an oddity. I can't imagine many farmers wasting the space like this. Or, I guess not wasting, since people like us get to benefit from it. But all of this open space could have been used for crops. They must be losing some money because of this."

 

It was actually a bit surprising, the words that came out of Magdalyn's mouth. Not often did people actually pity her anosmia- in fact, many tried to tell her how lucky she was, being able to ignore the scent of skunks and feces. Others, though rare, didn't feel as if she was lucky- but they did question her scientifically instead. It wasn't normal, to her, for someone to just feel for her that way.

It was a nice feeling, despite her hating to be pitied. It was nice that someone wasn't judging her quite the same as others had. "I appreciate it. It's rare someone's so kind about it like you. I've only met a few, you know?" Just like that, the tempo changed as she felt a bit giddier, walking with the woman further through the plants. The horse talk made her smile as she stretched forward, walking with a hunched back for a moment.

"Becky, my horse, would like it here. She's a calm fellow, and I love her for it. Altivo is your horse here in Terra? Moody isn't bad. It could be worse, I'm sure. He could be raging at all times, or just ignore you half the time like Becky did at first. She's more of a... 'goes at her own pace' type. She might like him, though, if his mood's right. Maybe we should introduce them sometimes. I'm sure our horses need friends too, after all. Well, besides us...And a ride would be a great way to do it!"

Her grin was still goofy as she continued on, eyes lurking around as if trying to find something in the gold and green of the maize that grew tall and sturdy. She felt at ease when surrounded by nature, and she'd never known why that was. All she knew was she had a nice environment and a nice new friend.

"I like puzzles, hell, I might say I love them- but there's a time and a place. And sometimes, you just need to relax. But I wouldn't say this is a common thing to see so far, at least from my experience... But I find it hard to find them in our world too, even if I know they exist. It's not a waste in the least of the plants, though. I think it's important for the farmers, too, to have time to think about their troubles... And eventually, I'm sure it can be eaten, even if it means having to regrow it again for another round."

Humming as she lead the way down the singular path, each turn had her mind spinning, remembering her youth because of how long it had been since she'd been in one. Sniffing the air for a moment, she stopped short. "I feel like the air smells different here. It might just be my not being used to being able to, but... Doesn't some of this maize smell a bit different than the rest? Or am I imagining it? It really could be either or both..."

 

Even if Harveste had said nothing at all, Magdalyn noticed the shift in the woman's demeanor. It was a mixture of pleasure and interest, with the faintest traces of surprise playing about her wide, lavender eyes. It was an odd response to Mags' concern, and the woman briefly worried that she had said something wrong. When Harveste did speak, expressing her appreciation, Magdalyn's face fell. At the same time the shorter player's mood improved, the taller's excitement temporarily waned.

"I hate that," she confessed, shaking her head. "I know it's silly, but I do. I hate that being a decent human being can make me seem like someone who is super kind. I try to see the good in everyone, but sometimes, I think the human race as a whole kind of sucks. People often tell me how nice I am, or how I make their day, just because I say please and thank you. That should be standard, you know!" Recognizing she was raving again, the girl took a moment to collect herself. "It's just awful that people give you a hard time for something like that, I guess."

Why had she said all of that? It was an ill-timed outburst, and uncharacteristic of Magdalyn. She was not one to fly off the handle that way. But she had taken a liking to the Faerin, and found herself getting oddly defensive on her behalf. She does not need an overbearing mother-figure, Mags scolded herself. You can be a friend without being so pushy. So she let herself slide back into the more comfortable horse-related discussion.

"Yeah, Altivo is my Terra horse," she explained. "I used to have another horse, in the real-world. I grew up with her, but she passed away last winter. It wasn't - isn't - easy, but I'm really thankful for the time I did have with her." Magdalyn paused to give a wide smile, but sadness still lurked beneath the surface. "She was moody too, but that's a mare for you. So I guess it is fitting that Altivo is the same way. Becky sounds great though! We should definitely set up a play-date."

Mags gave a nod as the labyrinth-expert continued her explanation. "I haven't seen any labyrinth's outside of the game, but I'm going to take a look next time I log out. I wonder if there are any around."

The walk lulled Magdalyn into a sort of trance, and she quickly understood why Harveste was such a fan of labyrinths. Her mind had gone to wandering, and she had stopped paying attention to her companion, or her surroundings. As such, she nearly plowed into the girl.

"Smell?" she asked, cautiously. She took a shallow, hesitant breath herself. The source struck her instantly. "Sulfur," she concluded. "I smell sulfur. It's that rotten egg smell, but it is faint if you don't know what you're looking for. I used to ride at Albion College, where they had just built a brand new facility. Because the pipes weren't broken it, the water smelled just like this." Her arms crossed loosely against her chest, and she shook her head. "I have no idea why we'd be smelling that right now, though."

 

She giggled lightly, a hand in the air as if begging for a high five. "I agree. Humans are horrible. That's why I like to say I'm an alien, sometimes. Or a tengu. My great grandpa had the biggest nose you'll ever find, based on pictures." Her words were said with a goofy grin as she hoped it would help ease the tension in Magdalyn's frame. In a more serious tone, she added along, "And aren't decent people usually kind? Kindness is part of what makes someone decent, I think."

Silently, she wondered if it would be strange to tell the woman that it actually made her a bit happy that someone would get mad for her sake over what might be a trivial thing to many. There were others that would, surely- but they weren't common, to say the least. Then again, in this world, smell was far more plausible and understandable to her. It was rare she mentioned it to people, perhaps, at this point.

The trance hadn't caught her attention- she hadn't noticed the way the mild walk lulled the woman into a more relaxed state, though perhaps that was because she'd felt it a bit herself. "Sulfur...? I mean, that's good for plants, if I recall. I read it's one of the more important nutrients, in fact, so there's special fertilizer in our world that gives some excess of it. But... Why is it so pungent here? I didn't smell anything like it on the other plots..."

 

Magdalyn grinned back, the faerin's good mood chasing away the negativity that had managed to surround her. "Now you've got me imagining this sweet old grandfatherly man with a beak for a nose." She laughed aloud now, and relished in the feeling of pure, unadulterated companionship. Was this not the exact reason she had joined the game in the first place? To make friends like these? After only an hour or so, she felt more at ease with this woman than the friends she had tried to make for the past four years. Perhaps this was the magic of Terra...

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying," she answered, trying not to let the comment drag her back down again. "I think everyone should be decent, and being decent means being kind. But when I'm even the slightest bit kind, people act like I just cut them a check for a million dollars. It's all smiles and 'thank you's and 'you made my day's. It makes me feel bad that, as a society, we've fallen so far. That being decent makes you a hero." She shrugged, then let her smile go a bit crooked. "Could just be that I have this bad habit of expecting the best in people." Which explained why she had settled on the "friends" she had had for so long.

"You would know better than I would," she acknowledge, "but the smell is so strong, you know?" Mags nodded as Harveste made the same observation. "I really don't think plants need this much, or else wouldn't we smell it everywhere? Instead, like you said, we only smell it on this plot."

Slowly, Magdalyn reached a hand out toward the corn that towered around them. Her fingertips kissed the sturdy green leaves, and as she applied more pressure, she noticed that the stalks did not bend easily. "Really solid stuff," she mused aloud. "This isn't just corn. This is... really, really good corn."