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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 18, 2023 18:26:33 GMT -6
She hesitated, her head tilted, and she stooped. Reaching out one tiny, humanoid hand, she began to rifle through the rubble. Some of the fragments that were merely small rocks to Zenjesi required both of her hands to hoist. They wished to help her but by the time they clumsily made their way to her, she had extracted what had captured her focus: a pink gemstone. It was one much like the first they had found here. They now knew it to be rhodonite. "Very good," they whispered to her, then felt silly, realizing she could not understand. "Rhodonite," they added, reaching out to point very deliberately at the gemstone.
For just a moment, the movement made her flinch away, as if she expected them to snatch her findings from her. They withdrew, but it seemed she recognized what the satyr was attempting to do. She gave it another look, her face still and mask-like yet.
Zenjesi: 0.35 Vossa: 3.4, 5.4
Mining: 17
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 18, 2023 18:45:25 GMT -6
Zenjesi allowed her the moment of consideration. It passed, and she turned and very deliberately placed it into the satyr's hand. It was given with solemnity and expectation. Zenjesi, appreciating the sincerity of the feelings, if not all of the intention of them, nodded to her and carefully tucked it into their bag. She watched it go, then seemed satisfied and turned to continue. They did not make it far before she dropped down, almost mimicking Zenjesi's posture as she seemed to be searching the ground once again. They paused. Certainly, they were in no particular hurry. It was interesting to watch her work, and, obviously, so far a fruitful use of their time anyway.
She began to dig again, this time working her way deeper. After a few moments of this, Zenjesi concluded that whatever she had discovered was not so easily accessible, and crawled forward. To their delight, she shifted to allow them room to assist.
Zenjesi: 0.4 Vossa: 3.6, 5.6
Mining: 18
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 18, 2023 19:08:04 GMT -6
They dipped their own hands in, moving four times the volume that she was able to with her little hands at once. Zenjesi poured handful after handful to the side when their companion, quite suddenly, grabbed the satyr's thumb, stopping them short. Obediently, they held still while she began sifting through what they had extracted. A little green gem, followed shortly thereafter by a yellow one, and then a blue. Zenjesi blinked. Was it possible they would have set this aside and never noticed what they were holding? "Multigems," they whispered to her, offering a small smile. She nodded, waiting for Zenjesi to empty the useless gravel from their hands, and then placed the three in its place. And so the journey through the tunnel continued. Once, they needed to backtrack before she was able to pinpoint what she was seeking. "Citrine." And finally, after a challenging dig via shovel in the cramped quarters... "Bronzite."
Zenjesi: 0.45 Vossa: 3.8, 5.8
Mining: 19
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 19, 2023 22:02:48 GMT -6
Back and knees aching, Zenjesi finally emerged with their companion into the chamber. As before, the crossbreed picked her way down the rubble pile, daintily and precisely. Her strange, almost liquid wings were outstretched to aid in her balance, and she hardly disturbed a pebble. Meanwhile, Zenjesi all but tumbled down behind her, leaving deep hoof grooves in the gravel and pinching their finger painfully once between larger stones. It was as they were shaking it out that they noticed their companion silently pointing back at the mound of rubble. They turned. A pink crystal had been exposed by their uncoordinated methods. Their lips disappeared into a thin line. That was a bit embarrassing, they had to admit.
"You are a natural," they complimented her again. It was said genuinely, but traveling with her was so far leading them to feel increasingly silly by comparison. Carefully, they plucked it out, then turned back to her, gesturing around and allowing her to take the lead. Things certainly seemed to be working better that way.
Zenjesi: 0.5 Vossa: 4.0, 6.0
Mining: 20
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Post by Silver on Dec 27, 2023 18:29:37 GMT -6
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 31, 2023 18:23:06 GMT -6
But as they turned, there was a tinkling sound as a handful of gems fell from... ... where? Both Zenjesi and their companion jumped in surprise, the latter actually taking to the air out of reflex. She landed halfway up the rubble pile, crouched as if ready to flee further if needed. Meanwhile, the satyr simply blinked, standing quite still and only turning their eyes around the space. They felt that was the appropriate reaction, as if they had bumped something fragile off of a display shelf in a crowded shop. Perhaps they had, somehow, unknowingly. But that raised so many questions... Had someone (or something) been here with them, carrying these gems, and somehow managed to disappear in a blink? Had their companion, with her affinity for gemstones, been utilizing some secret power of hers until Zenjesi had startled her? That seemed unlikely from her reaction. Had Zenjesi done something?
Zenjesi: 0.55 Vossa: 4.2, 6.2
Mining: 21
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 31, 2023 18:43:30 GMT -6
That did not seem possible either. Perhaps, for a more normal person, this situation would have been frightening. Zenjesi, however, simply felt a bit guilty, as if they had interrupted something they did not understand. Still, it seemed to be too late now. Maybe they were also a little disappointed they had not seen it a moment sooner. Now, the satyr took a tentative step forward, bending all but double and twisting around to shine the flashlight up at the space that they believed them to have been in. There were no obvious markings on the ceiling, nowhere they could have been nestled and could have fallen from, no shelves on the walls right here... The flashlight beam flashed down each of the other tunnels. No movement or sound at all. The silence, in fact, was almost deafening after the musical sounds of gems on stone. That left only one option.
Zenjesi: 0.6 Vossa: 4.4, 6.4
Mining: 22
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 31, 2023 19:15:38 GMT -6
Zenjesi crouched over the stones, shining the full force of the flashlight beam over each stone in turn. "Hello?" they whispered, then politely diverted the light slightly. There was no response or movement from the gems either. They waited an extra moment, then tried again. "I did not mean to frighten." Nothing. They were so fixated that the faint tapping of their companion's approach did not register until she touched them gently on the shoulder. For the second time, they jumped in surprise, but for the first time, they saw the crossbreed's mask-like expression change slightly. It was subtle, but she looked almost embarrassed. It only lasted a moment, and then her stoic countenance returned. She gestured towards Zenjesi's bag. They shifted it towards her, opening the flap and allowing her free entry; they had no reason not to trust her. She rifled around for a moment, clinking gems together, and then withdrew something.
Zenjesi: 0.65 Vossa: 4.6, 6.6
Mining: 23
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 31, 2023 19:38:26 GMT -6
Or rather, two things: both halves of the ribbon of telepathy. Zenjesi said nothing and did not move, just watched as she held them for a contemplative moment. Then, silently, she reached up and tied one strand around her neck. She gestured for the satyr's hand, which they obediently provided, and she tied the other half around their wrist. As the knot was tightened, they felt nothing, but almost swore they could hear a soft, silvery tone. Whether it was ambient or only in their mind, they could not say.
Vossa.
The sound was suddenly next to their own thoughts, but they knew it was not theirs. It was in a calm, cool voice, a bit higher pitched than they may have guessed. "Vossa?" they repeated aloud. It sounded strange spoken. But their companion nodded, pointing to herself. "Vossa," Zenjesi said again, pointing to her as well. Then they pointed to themselves. "Zenjesi." She nodded.
Zenjesi: 0.7 Vossa: 4.8, 6.8
Mining: 24
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 31, 2023 19:59:51 GMT -6
A small smile appeared on their face and for just an instant they could swear they saw it mirrored on hers as well. " You are Vossa," they agreed. It was no wonder she did not accept the names they had assigned her; she already had her own. For the moment, they said nothing more about her choice to trust them with the ribbon, they simply accepted it. Instead, they collected the strange assortment of inexplicable stones, keeping them together, but... a bit separate. Just in case. The two spent the rest of the afternoon in the cavern room. Despite the ribbon, they worked primarily in silence. Zenjesi asked a question or two via the ribbon, or made comments aloud to themselves, but Vossa did not say another word. That was alright with the satyr. She had clearly aided them immensely in the mining itself, but, cliche as it was, they felt richer for having spent the time with her. Zenjesi: 0.75 Vossa: 5.0, 7.0 Mining: 25
(Zen and Vossa are leaving for now)
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Post by Silver on Jan 6, 2024 7:18:21 GMT -6
Somewhere deep in the mines, there is a low rumbling sound that makes one's soul ache. It might be for the best that Zenjesi is heading home.
[Nothing happens.]
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