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video; un: j.porter

[Jane appears to be sitting in the middle of the woods. It's raining, though not terribly hard, and she doesn't appear too bothered by it as she shelters under a tree with an irritated-looking bird fluffed up on her shoulder.]

I've been thinking about something... and indulge me, because sitting out here waiting for the rain to stop is terribly dull.

[She doesn't use the network too often and rarely for a casual query, but she is bored.]

There are a good many people here from other worlds, yet I often notice that most seem to be... hmm, heroes of some kind, I suppose? Or people who were already powerful in magical ways, or people of high political influence. Some are gods, even. [A little shrug follows this, and she hums thoughtfully.]

So I wondered, then, just how many are not. How many were pulled into this from perfectly ordinary lives where nothing magical or horribly dangerous really happened to them, and they were certainly never anticipating having to halt some multiverse-ending calamity.

[A fat raindrop hits the top of her head and she flinches, looking up and then shuffling further back against the tree.] I'm sure I'm not the only one who often wonders which capricious higher power thought they had the skill set for this.

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Oh I see.

[ An animal researcher. Not useful profession in his world, given the lack of animals in general. ]

I'm sure it is. I take it then that where you're from, there's a lot of animals. More than enough to warrant a field of study, aye?

Oh, yes! There are thousands of different kinds, and we're discovering more all the time.

[But, wait--...]

Are there not... very many animals in your world, then?

Nope. Dogs, cats, birds, not enough to warrant a field of study I reckon.

[ A beat. ]

Although I did see these really big ones when I was delivering something to some rich bint with a chip on her shoulder. It was bigger than me, long face and legs. She was riding on it, but the thing didn't look too happy about her doing that I think.

Oh, that's so sad!

[Imagine not having any animals in the world! Or so few that they aren't even worth studying. What a terrible thing.]

Ah-- A horse? They have them here, too.

Is it?

[ He doesn't agree simply because he's never had the chance to really live a life with a lot of animals, until now. ]

A what? Sorry, I think I misheard that.

[ A 'whores'??? That's a terrible name for an animal. ]

Horses! The animals that Archimedes takes care of in the stables. They're tall animals with slim legs and long faces, and people ride on them.

[And they are not always happy about it, she expects, but Archimedes' animals do seem very well cared for.]

Is that what you mean?

Y-Yeah. No idea they were call that though.

[ Kind of scandalous. He really hopes that isn't the name. ]

Now I'm curious about animals. D'you reckon there's books about them in the library? There should be right?

[She isn't really grasping his issue with the name. Maybe it's a bad word where he comes from? Whoops. The topic changes to something with less awkward questions attached to it, and Jane shifts along with it swiftly.]

They definitely have books about animals in the library. And if you're curious I'm sure I'd love to have you along on one of my research excursions.

Sure, that sounds exciting! Watching a professional is one of the best ways to learn about something, right?

[ He's always eager to learn something new. Besides who knows when some animal know-how will be useful? ]

Aha, I suppose it is! [It does feel funny to be called a professional, but she supposes she's the closest thing to one in a place like this.]

Do you have any particular areas of interest?

Love, I really wouldn't know. This is all unknown territory to me.

[ He gives a small laugh but he does rack his brain for an idea. ]

How's about this? When you go out, you go look for what you normally like to study then if something catches my attention, I'll let you know and we go from there.

['Love'? Hm, how familiar.

She doesn't mind such things as much as she used to but it still draws a briefly raised eyebrow from her as he keeps on talking.]

Aha, that sounds like a fine idea. I usually choose something to look for before I go out but it doesn't always work out that way.

[In fact, more often than not... it does not work out that way.]

That so? Sounds like you find a lot of intresting things while you're out.

[ He raises orphans and has to make them do their homework. He knows when someone is covering the fact they get distracted. ]

Must be really fun then! I'm getting excited! Ah, but I shouldn't get ahead of myself, aye? Best plant some roots first.

Ahead of yourself? I didn't think you were doing that at all.

[Jane chuckles a bit. Putting down roots is all well and good but who wants to sit idle when there is so much here to discover?]

From the sounds of things, I could take you to see some wolves or owls and you might find that completely fascinating.

Possibly! I've no idea what any of those are so, should be fun.

[ Almost ninety percent of animal species have gone extinct from his world, though he doesn't know that. ]

There really aren't a lot of animals back home. Though the news does make a big deal out of it when a new one is created. I think the last one I heard about was called a.....oh, bugger....it started with an F...I just remember it was small and long. Like a sock with little legs.

A sock with legs..?

[Even with Jane's knowledge of animals she can't think of something that quite fits the description of 'a sock with legs'. Her lips purse, brow furrowing as she tries to picture it and comes up with something all too comical in her mind.

Pfff--]

Um--. [Don't laugh.] Could you... describe it a little more?

Uhhh...well I barely remember it. Ummm...give me a second.

[ He searches his memory for the article and the picture of the creature in question. ]

Okay so, its got like a mix of dark and white fur...a long-ish tail? Its about half the length of its body. Beady eyes, round ears, four legs - not sure how many toes....I just can't remember the name...

Edited 2022-05-15 23:17 (UTC)

[She has to think had about it, building a picture in her head based on the description that he gives to her. It all comes together all at once and she lets out a very audible 'pfffffffffffft' of laughter as the 'sock with legs' comment suddenly makes sense.]

You mean a ferret!

[They had only started to become popular as pets around Jane's time back home, and she had never really seen one in person... but goodness.]

A sock with legs... oh, you really did get it right with that.

That's the one! Ferret. Sister Nette thought they were cute, but I reckon none of us would even get that chance to even see one in person.

[ A beat. ]

Not for a few years at least. I can't take credit for that sock with legs comment, me sister came up with that. Royalties to her.

I would imagine we could find them here. If I come across one, I'll make sure to let you know.

[If not a ferret, she knows that there are other creatures that are similar. Perhaps she might see one of those! Avalon truly is abundant in wildlife, both of the normal and entirely supernatural kind.]

But-- I do have to wonder... how is it that your world has so few animals?

I'm not sure. It's more bizarre for me that this place has so many. Also the fact that this place lives on a flat of land, a rather large one at that. Surrounded by water, no less. Curious stuff.

[ The water bit being the more amazing thing. ]

Where I come from, we live on towers surrounded by the fogsea. Folks here call all that water the sea but for me, the sea is white-ish grey and you can fall through it, not swim in it.

Oh, that sounds terrible!

[Uh.

Wait.

Her face flushes slightly and she awkwardly clears her throat.]

I mean-- ah... I really ought to think before I speak.

[ He wasn't going to say anything becase, if he thinks about it - his world does sound rather...distressing. ]

It's alright. I admit that compared to some the things here, my world does sound a bit dull and lackluster.

[ Though it strangely hurts to admit that. ]

Oh, well... I'm sure there must be more interesting things about it than just animals, right?

[She sure hopes so, or what a dull world it sounds indeed for the people who live there.]

That'd depend on what you find interesting though, wouldn't it? There's a lot going on my level of the tower. People just living their lives, the occasional trouble maker that's got to be put in their place, the odd rumor here there about so-n-so sleeping with someone's wife or husband. It may not have a lot in terms of animals, but the people always find a way to keep things interesting.

[ And Noah is nothing if not a people person. ]

And like I said, I'm a courier, so I meet all sorts of interesting folks in and around the towers. Like the other week - [ A beat. ] - the other week before I got here I mean, I was out at this hamlet - a really large one - and the lady there was growing this new kind of corn. They were as long as me forearm, about as thick too, and orange! Really facinating stuff, and she got really excited explaining how she did it though I didn't understand anything - bless her.

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