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Post by Morgan on Oct 12, 2021 13:14:30 GMT -6
The work was probably not something that would exhaust anyone else, but for Morgan it was quite the back-breaking labor. They were quite small built and unused to such strenuous activity; it ran through them and by the end of getting all of the litter and pulled up weeds into the compost pile proper- they were practically shaking. They found a small root to sit down on, and then they drained half of the water bottle in one sitting, exhausted. Just looking at the squash field just next to the pepper bed already made them even more tired just looking at it. However, they were determined to at least do this; especially since they were in season at the moment.
They really needed to get more helpers out here in the garden. It wasn't so much a desire as a need at this point. At least the creatures were taken care of primarily.
[TBB 11]
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Post by Morgan on Oct 12, 2021 13:56:45 GMT -6
They knew enough about theirself to give themself a good sit down and rest, but not to do it for too long. Too long and they would lose the inclination to do the work, and make it a lot harder on theirself if they pushed through the disinclination. There was a lot to be said of momentum in cases of physical labor. After a few moments to catch their breath and cool back down (they almost cooled down too much, there must be a cold front coming in for sure!) and then they reach for the rake again. They were going to take on that squash patch the best they could regardless of how tired they were! The thought that they might not have the strength to capture a brutish creature if one showed up did not cross their mind; instead they had brought foods in little cubes in plastic pouches- hopefully to entice any creatures that may happen along (theirs or elsewise). [TBB 12]
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Post by Morgan on Oct 12, 2021 14:10:21 GMT -6
The squash patch was anything if not so wildly overgrown that finding even the smallest orange glimpse of pumpkin was an absolute treat. The human was not even entirely sure how to start with the cleaning up process for this patch, it was so much worse than the pepper patch that it probably would have been just as prudent to toss the entire thing out and set a controlled fire to it. Morgan knew how to do so; any Botanist worth their salt knew how to do a controlled burn for the sorts of plants that preferred or needed such every now and again. However, the squash patch... Morgan groans, leaves for a second to the little shed in the front of the garden, and then returns soon enough with a more apt tool to tear out the leaf litter and the overgrowth from between the old rows of squashes that were once quite straight.
[TBB 13]
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Post by Morgan on Oct 12, 2021 14:14:29 GMT -6
The work this time is just as arduous and even more so tremendously exhausting. They should have used this clunky tool the first time, with the peppers, but they had been quite a bit worried about bruising the little peppers in the pepper patch. The pumpkins and other such winter squashes were going to be a lot more difficult to destroy, since the walls were so thick on them (or at least they should be, unless they were spoiled- which at this point was a really possibility). However, the tool was a difficult to use thing, and Morgan was still quite tired by fighting with the thing. After the first pass with this tool; tearing out and loosening up the overgrowth into rows, it was time to make short work of it with the rake. It was going to be a nightmare still though to get it all into the compost pile.
[TBB 14]
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Post by Morgan on Oct 12, 2021 14:24:20 GMT -6
The next hour was truly a nightmare of incredible proportions. The human fought a one sided battle against the horrific tangled mess; even though the other tool had quite easily ripped it up from the earth and now it was only entangled in itself and the pumpkins. Morgan managed to loose a goodly number of them, and it was a tragedy of the human's own making; like nearly everything else in their life. They couldn't help but do this sort of thing to theirself.
...Maybe Endymion was right, maybe they did need help.
As always the traitorous thought is immediately pushed to the back of Morgan's mind and hopefully forgotten about. This was not an uncommon feeling of their own, at least not now that they were bound. It was a double edged blade of a thing.
Whenever Morgan was finished with the clearing of the pumpkin patch (all of the trash outside of the now cleaned up patch) they heard a noise in the treeline. Immediately they went to investigate.
[TBB 15]
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Yang
Flea Market Artist
Posts: 1,001
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Post by Yang on Oct 12, 2021 17:12:48 GMT -6
Through the noise of handling the gardens, over-grown vegetation and weeds, another noise comes up! Rustling leaves, tiny underfoot twigs snapping, and the gentle crunch of browned leaves; the feline boldly approaches where the working sounds are, moving almost with a jovial step in-and-around the trees, bright eyes looking on as she rubs against a tree here- a tree there.
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Post by Morgan on Oct 12, 2021 20:18:16 GMT -6
The capture was a long and arduous one. By the time that Morgan noticed the slinking midnight-colored mosca, they were exhausted from all of the hard work. They practically had to follow the catty creature over the entirety of the thicket surrounding the pumpkin patch; much of which was nearly too overgrown for Morgan to walk it easily. The Mosca maintained itself just out of reach for an amount of time that they had no idea how long was, save for it must have been at least an hour. Finally, when the Mosca was just in reach and not entirely fearful of Morgan, they managed to begin the also lengthy process of coaxing the creature with food. They had brought baked chicken slices in a plastic pouch for exactly the purpose (along with cooked carrots for creatures that may not have been inclined to meat) and even that took quite a bit of time.
[16 - Not starting a new search at the moment]
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Post by Morgan on Oct 12, 2021 20:24:01 GMT -6
The mosca did not seem as inclined to befriend Morgan as the creatures at the Mansion seemed to be. They had more than enough experience with that sort of creature, but this one was something else. Perhaps this was why it was uncommon to find such Labs-originated creatures out on the streets? They had a tendency to go completely feral or not quite be good enough to survive without an astute owner to care for their needs. This one seemed to do well enough that Morgan was afraid that they wouldn't be able to coax it.
After quite a bit of work, they had the creature lead towards the gate a bit more; and it at the very least was no longer making very soft noises at them and wagging it's tell with all the ferocity of an angry housecat. It seemed much less overstimulated now, and that was a good sign.
[17]
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Post by Morgan on Oct 12, 2021 20:33:52 GMT -6
That was the concern that Morgan had originally; that they were going to be so tired by the time they got around to finding a creature (if indeed they did so) that they would be unable to do the harsher work required to grab a creature. Indeed they were, so now they just had to hope against work that they managed to coax the creature to the house to be shut in the gate... Even that was going to be difficult; since Mosca were so naturally sinuous that the creature could technically leave at any juncture. Perhaps they would have to find a simpler way of doing this, they thought. However, as they continued to coax the critter with chicken strips, it continued to calm down further and further until it was getting surprisingly close to the gate. They opened the gate to the front of the garden with a creak; and cringed inwardly- hoping the creature would not bolt.
[18]
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Post by Morgan on Oct 12, 2021 20:40:49 GMT -6
For some reason, miraculously- the creature did not bolt. The creaking sound was soundly ignored by the creature, and it was now close enough that Morgan could chance a good look at it as they waited a second before tossing another chicken piece to cross the distance. The mosca was practically blue; almost navy perhaps? It appeared to be a darkish shade, either way. One that could nearly match the coloration of the night sky sans any stars. She had a beautiful fan-like tail that nearly looked like that of a long-furred domestic housecat (Morgan had seen a few in pictures in books) as opposed to a Mosca. Upon her forehead was a nearly glowing pale moon; not necessarily actually glowing; but in the night it was the most obvious marking that could be seen. Morgan threw another piece of baked chicken towards the wayward creature, and backed up a good pace or two to continue to coax the beast out.
[19]
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Post by Morgan on Oct 12, 2021 21:20:38 GMT -6
Clouds had covered the sky, and a right autumn squall was threatening to come up by the time that Morgan had finally coaxed the lively beast from the gardens. They milled around in the front area for quite a long while before getting the creature to follow them home, and then they waited an hour or so to return to finish up the actual gardening the wanted to do. They were going to be completely useless at work the next day, so they decided to go ahead and call in (not that it hurt, they were practically the boss- but they did not do this often because they liked their job quite a bit) and spend time at home with Millicent for a bit.
The work comes along quite easy after the rest, and whenever Morgan finally puts up the rake and looks at the progress... Well, it wasn't impressive. At least they got Something done!
[20] - [Morgan takes the creature home and then goes home theirself.]
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Post by Nadia on Oct 13, 2021 4:30:36 GMT -6
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Post by Morgan on Jan 1, 2022 20:26:48 GMT -6
January comes faster than Morgan had anticipated. Their birth month had a way of sneaking up on them that really didn't make any sense. Though they did not favor the end of the year festivities typically, they really did feel like it was Vai Min Mur, and they after a single blink it was crawling up on their birthday. It was sort of horrendous. On the first day of the new year, they leave Kaodie sleeping on their bed (all curled up at the foot with Nico) to go out to their garden. Once they were past the front gate, they marveled- apparently the robot butlers had been caring for the place a little better than they had before. They breathed out, and though it was a little cold that day it thankfully had not snowed this time. "Matsuba!" Morgan calls out. "Matsuba, c'mere!" They hoped that the creature remembered the lessons that he'd been taught... Soon enough, Morgan sees him come out behind a few trees.[Morgan is using Sever Bond] - [1]
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Post by Morgan on Jan 1, 2022 20:30:04 GMT -6
They were glad that he remembered the old lessons. Morgan only really trained with him once a year; the rest of the year they would greet him in passing. He was generally a bit of a hermit, so it didn't seem to bother him that Morgan really only checked out on him when it was time to check him for berries. "Hello Matsuba." Morgan greets him by dropping their head into a nod. "How've you been?" Matsuba moves out, leaning on his makeshift cane, from beyond the treeline and moves over the slightly muddy (they'd have a 'white' Festival of Lights this year so the ground was really soggy) but well manicured lawn (though it was pretty brown, most grass did die back in the winter and Morgan didn't see the need to plant much other than clover here near the gate to make it easier to upkeep). "Y-you taking it easy?"
[2]
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Post by Morgan on Jan 1, 2022 20:32:50 GMT -6
Matsuba looks at Morgan with surprisingly bright eyes. His little feet squelch in the mud as he moves forward, and he squints as he picks up his feet to keep walking. "Oh." Morgan says, shivering a little since it was chilly out. "Y-you must prefer snow to the mud, huh?" Sometimes, Morgan allowed theirself to sound a little less stuffy around their creatures when they were by theirself. This was no different, in fact- Morgan's garden never really had anyone else in it, since it was practically on their estate's property. Matsuba takes his sweet time getting to them, head bobbing along the way. He wasn't that great of a walker. The human remembered reading that apparently these creatures were still juveniles? Morgan couldn't remember what they'd looked like as babies. It was hard to believe that some day, these might actually grow up into a mature form. Would they still produce berries?
[3]
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