Ramal
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Post by Ramal on Jan 8, 2024 21:25:11 GMT -6
Pashmina's antennae twitched wildly as she tried to get a feel for the new lifeforms. The little one was hard to read, as if something was interfering with the signal. Instead, she focused on the humanoid. It was about the same size as Ramal, so it posed the most threat. It felt worried, but not threatening. She could live with that.
Ramal laughed at the unusually frank statement Zenjesi made. "Ya, I guess it is," he said. The place really did need a lot of work, but most people didn't say what they were thinking so freely. Rather than being weirded out, he thought it was funny. Zenjesi was finally saying something that everyone else who had visited so far was clearly avoiding.
"I am wanting to fix it up," he continued. He chose not to elaborate much, but in his head he was thinking something to the effect of 'That's why I invited you, actually.' He was sure they'd have time for that later.
"Do ya want to come inside?" He stepped aside and gestured inward. There weren't many places to sit and relax, but a few wooden chairs were available if Zenjesi wanted to rest their hooves.
[6.7, 0.6]
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 9, 2024 22:38:22 GMT -6
While Ramal spoke, Zenjesi took full advantage of the amulet's powers. If Marian truly could not attack them while she was wearing it, they would protect their friend with their own body. This resulted in a very awkward series of tappy steps back and forth in front of the Bulldozer. They were more agile than she, and able to keep in front of her as she tried to advance. They simply nodded in response to his comment on repairing the park. It would be an enjoyable project, they were sure, though that would inevitably result in more traffic to the park. But Ramal seemed the friendly sort who would enjoy that, and if he would be pleased with that outcome, then... well, perhaps Zenjesi could simply visit after hours.
"Yes, inside," Zenjesi agreed. It was well-timed, as that was the moment that Marian learned that bumping her head into Zenjesi's slender legs did not qualify as an attack. It did throw the unsuspecting satyr off balance and send them stumbling past Ramal. Marian stalked along behind. The two ended up hovering near one of the chairs, but Zenjesi did not yet move to sit. They awkwardly lingered in its vicinity, unsure of what they were meant to be doing, and trying to appear as if they had control over the Bulldozer. "Are there others here?" they asked then.
Zenjesi: 0.6 Marian: 1.2, 0.6
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Ramal
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Post by Ramal on Jan 10, 2024 19:32:16 GMT -6
Ramal couldn't help but notice that Zenjesi seemed even more nervous than usual. Or maybe this was normal for them, and he had only just noticed it. Either way, he was concerned for his new friend, but conflicted regarding what to do about it. Pointing it out had the very real possibility of making everything worse.
He thought that offering Zenjesi a place to sit would help, considering how they seemed awkward on their hooves, but when they didn't take the offer, he could only assume that wasn't the problem. Ramal wasn't one to dig into other people's problems, so he simply ignored it to the best of his ability.
"Not right now," Ramal said, shaking his head. "Sometimes people come and look around, but I am the only one who stays."
Pashmina was not happy about the strangers coming in to her new home. She left the safety of the ceiling to hover high over Ramal's shoulder. She still wasn't too sure what she could do, so she recruited Ramal to her cause. She gently tapped him with her leafy tail, trying to get his attention.
[6.8, 0.8]
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 13, 2024 20:27:40 GMT -6
"You stay?" The prospect cheered Zenjesi slightly; perhaps the idea of visiting after hours was not so far fetched after all. And then the Floof appeared out of seemingly nowhere, and Zenjesi jumped in surprise. This did suggest they were a bit more uptight than usual. Then again, Marian also seemed startled by the suddenly descending shape. It was doubtful she knew what it was, but she opened her jaws at it all the same. Food or enemy or otherwise, she would not allow it to proceed without being threatened.
"Marian, behave," they hissed. She hissed in response. Zenjesi sighed. Rather than further antagonize their Bulldozer, they changed the subject. "Who is this one?" they asked Ramal instead, tilting their head as they attempted to discern exactly how this new creature was moving and staying afloat. She appeared quite benign, especially in comparison to Marian, but that was no guarantee. They had learned quite quickly in this city that few things could be assumed by appearances.
Zenjesi: 0.7 Marian: 1.4, 0.7
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Ramal
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Posts: 110
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Post by Ramal on Jan 14, 2024 18:04:21 GMT -6
Ramal wasn't sure why, but Zenjesi seemed excited to hear that nobody else was around. Perhaps they were just that shy. Unfortunately they didn't have much time to think about it, because next thing they knew, Pashmina's tail was in his face. "Oi," he said reflexively, brushing her tail aside so he could continue the conversation.
"Ya, I've been staying here to watch over the place," he said. 'To watch over the place' sounded a lot better than 'because I have nowhere else to stay' which was a bit closer to the truth.
Meanwhile, Pashmina puffed up the fur on her face at the Bulldozer. She did not at all like the way she was looking at her. For the first time since they arrived, Ramal looked down at Marian. He didn't know what sort of creature she was, other than to quickly note that she was a predator, given the teeth. He assumed that Zenjesi had her under control, as it would be very unwise to bring an untrained predator to someone else's home.
"Pashmina," he said, again brushing her tail out of his face. "She is a creature called 'Foof'. Because she is fluffy, I think. She likes to eat dust, so I am letting her stay here with me." It would seem she had a lot to feast on, given the state of the place.
[6.9, 1]
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 15, 2024 21:22:24 GMT -6
Pashmina's display seemed to have mixed results with the Bulldozer. It certainly did not deter Marian from continuing her own posturing on the ground; her jaws remained open, three eyes fixed on the Floof at once. She did not retreat. However, she also did not escalate it further. There was not much she could accomplish anyway, with her stout posture and Pashmina's dexterity in the air. Still, it seemed that the Floof's reaction had triggered some instinct in her that told her to wait and observe.
This pause was observed out of the corner of Zenjesi's eye. Of course, they could not detect Marian's thoughts, but they could infer there may be an issue if Pashmina descended into her reach. To the satyr, this seemed an excellent balancing point: her fixation on the unattainable Floof meant she was not attempting to chew Ramal's ankle, which had been within reach the entire time. They smiled, relaxing just a little for the first time today. "Foof?" they repeated. It was a silly sounding word, but perfectly suited to the shape of the creature. The next fact intrigued them further, and this served to soothe their nerves even a little more. "She eats dust? What else does she consume?"
They took a small step forward to get a closer look at her. It may have been rude but not wholly inaccurate to say they had not paid Pashmina much mind until now. Very few of their companion creatures could be described as traditionally 'cute', as those traits were not what they usually sought out. Curiosities like this were a different story.
Zenjesi: 0.8 Marian: 1.6, 0.8
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Ramal
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Post by Ramal on Jan 16, 2024 18:47:09 GMT -6
It was fortunate for everyone involved that Pashmina knew better than to land when there were strangers about. Floof did not have many ways to defend themselves, so their best bet at survival was to always stay in the air. For that reason, she was pretty confident that she would be alright, but she did worry about Ramal. He could not fly, and as far as she was concerned, that was a death sentence. Her eyes were locked in on Marian, as though her gaze could prevent the Bulldozer from making a move.
"Ya, well..." Ramal pondered for a moment, trying to think of appropriate words for what he wanted to say. The entire concept of spores and pollen were relatively new to him, so it took him a while to figure it out. "I think she eats the plant dust," he explained. "You know, like when you shake a flower."
If he was honest, he still didn't understand her too well, but she was easy to care for and nice to cuddle with. He was happy to keep her around just for that. Ramal didn't keep too many predatory species, with even his biggest creatures like Shelly still being herbivores. Meat was expensive, and they required a lot of work to train.
[7, 1.2]
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 17, 2024 15:34:59 GMT -6
Strangely enough, the perpetual eye contact from the Floof did seem to be having the desired effect. Marian was remaining quite still on the ground, entirely preoccupied by this strange creature who dared look her in the eye. Was this a challenge of some kind? Yet, the lack of any aggression from Pashmina was leaving the ill-tempered Bulldozer with little to complain about, so her jaws slowly began to close.
As Ramal struggled to articulate his thoughts, Zenjesi offered no assistance whatsoever. It was not so much that they did not wish to help, just that they lacked the awareness to insert themselves. And so they waited, watching him with the same focus and intensity that their creatures were practicing. "She eats pollen?" Zenjesi clarified, head tilting. "Plant dust and human dust..." They tapped their lip thoughtfully, considering this. "Smoke?" they asked next. That sort of belonged in the same category, did it not?
As was their habit, they were beginning to lose themselves in the questioning. Next they would forget they were responsible for Marian, then they would be poking and prodding at Pashmina, presuming they could catch her... How did one catch a Foof, they wondered? Absently, they took another step closer.
Zenjesi: 0.9 Marian: 1.8, 0.9
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Ramal
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Post by Ramal on Jan 18, 2024 19:25:03 GMT -6
Pollen! Ramal knew he had heard the word before, but it wasn't common enough to be remembered. While he was making a mental note of it, Zenjesi mentioned 'human dust'. Did dust come from humans the same way that pollen came from flowers? He knew humans were weird, but the thought made him feel gross. He tried not to dwell on it, lest he gain an even greater aversion to cleaning than he already had.
It seemed that Zenjesi always thought of something he hadn't, and as soon as the word smoke was spoken, he contemplated the possibility. "No," he shook his head. "Smoke is - it hurts your eyes and gills, I do not think it would be good for eating." Though he had no real evidence to back that up. For all he knew, she would love the stuff. Labs creatures were super weird like that.
Pashmina seemed pleased that Marian's threat level went down. She continued to twitch her antennae about to gauge the reaction of the strangers, but she was no longer completely puffed up like a blanket fresh out of the dryer.
[7.1, 1.4]
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 19, 2024 18:02:13 GMT -6
The idea of smoke being edible was refuted and Zenjesi nodded their agreement. Ramal would know better than they about his own pet. But did he say he did not think it would be good for eating? He did not know? They tapped their lip again. Well, something like that could be tested quite easily, if they were to just light a fire... A question like that should not go unanswered! Thankfully, Marian took that moment to let out an irritated groan, and the sound made the satyr physically jump out of their musings.
"Do you need help?" they asked Ramal then, leaping to a completely different topic. They were not exactly sure what that topic even was, as they could not guess what he may need assistance with. Still, it seemed like a Friend sort of thing to do. They stooped and laid one hand on Marian's back for just a moment. Occasional physical contact would be good to practice. A deep rumbling began within the Bulldozer. They stood back up with a slightly strained smile, folding their hands.
Zenjesi: 1.0 - logged Marian: 2.0, 1.0
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Ramal
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Post by Ramal on Jan 22, 2024 0:43:21 GMT -6
Now that Zenjesi pointed it out, Ramal began to think about how strange Pashmina was. When the labs introduced him to a creature that looked like a rug and ate dust, he just accepted it as one of those things he didn't yet understand, but the more he thought about it, the weirder it became. Thankfully, he had someone to talk to which didn't allow for all of his brainpower to be absorbed by that train of thought.
The question was simple, but it didn't feel that way. In many ways, yes, he needed help. Though he expected Zenjesi was refrencing something specific. Betting that it was related to their earlier conversation, he made the jump and assumed that they were talking about the park.
"Ya," he said. "If you are wanting, there are many things to do here." Now there was just the little matter of where to start. "What do you normally do.. for work?" He often heard people ask each other this, so he thought it would be a good start. He could pick a task in their skill set, and they could do that together. Perhaps he would even learn something.
Pashmina's tail chose this moment to drift back into his face, but he automatically brushed it aside again like a horse's tail swatting a persistent fly.
[7.2, 1.6]
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 22, 2024 18:31:48 GMT -6
Thankfully, it seemed Ramal had more of an idea than Zenjesi what their offer actually implied. He had mentioned wanting to work on the park earlier in the conversation, and if he was staying on the property, ensuring it was livable was perfectly reasonable - even Zenjesi could understand that much. Beyond that point, Ramal's and Zenjesi's concepts of 'a nice location in which to spend an evening' likely diverged significantly.
"I am a camp instructor," Zenjesi explained with some degree of pride. It was the only formal job they had ever held, and even if their assigned duties kept them suspiciously separate from the general public, they remained on the payroll. "I also have done much work with plants." They were not exactly sure if or how those skills would be useful to Ramal's purposes, but they also had not taken a proper tour of the grounds. "I can learn... more, if you need," they went on, their desperation increasing the longer they spoke.
Meanwhile, it was difficult to discern what Marian might be feeling at that moment, as she had entered a sort of resting state.
Zenjesi: 0.1 Marian: 2.2, 1.1
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Ramal
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Post by Ramal on Jan 22, 2024 22:41:33 GMT -6
Whatever Ramal was expecting, it certainly wasn't... that. "Like a teacher?" he blurted out, trying unsuccessfully to quash the surprise in his voice. Pashmina flipped her head around to look at him, wondering why his tone shifted so suddenly. Of all the people he had met in this city, this particular one did not seem like a teacher. There was clearly much more to the mystery of Zenjesi than he knew.
"Ya, that's great," Ramal said with an enthusiastic nod. He hoped jumping into this topic would erase a bit of the awkwardness from his previous outburst. "There is - have you been to the garden yet? I can take you there. Maybe you have ideas on what plants to grow."
Ramal didn't know the first thing about growing plants, so it would be amazing if Zenjesi could help him out with it. Even if they weren't willing to get their hands dirty, they could at least point him in the right direction. He dreaded the idea of digging holes and pulling weeds (which is pretty much all he knew about gardening), but he would do it if he had to.
[7.3, 1.8]
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 23, 2024 11:32:04 GMT -6
While Zenjesi may have been a bit socially stunted, Ramal's question and its subtext were more familiar to them, and easily understood. They shifted from hoof to hoof, fidgeting with their fingers. It was a ridiculous idea: Zenjesi teaching anyone. It had been attempted, but their clients' thoughts on the matter were relayed to their supervisor, and the next thing they knew, they had been reassigned to writing educational pamphlets, gathering materials for the other instructors to use, and other such backroom activities. These were all important tasks as well, but... Zenjesi understood why the change had been made. At the same time, they did somewhat appreciate it; having so many eyes on them made them just as nervous as the clients. It was a complicated situation, but it was working, so they did not complain.
In the end, all they managed in response was a vague shrug before Ramal moved on. They appreciated this about him. His cheerfulness and optimism were grounding, and provided Zenjesi the second (and third and fourth) chance they did not receive in other conversations. "You have a garden?" Their posture notably improved. "Yes, I can help with this. Marian, come," they urged the Bulldozer. But in their excitement, they tugged on the harness before they realized she had settled in.
The movement caused her to lunge at the satyr, who gasped and leaped away from her in a moment of fear. Hissing, Marian planted herself and seemed to be refusing to move. Still, this was preferable to aggression, so Zenjesi smiled at Ramal. "Do not worry. She has an amulet."
Zenjesi: 0.2 Marian: 2.4, 1.2
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Ramal
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Post by Ramal on Jan 23, 2024 20:02:24 GMT -6
Ramal was relieved to see Zenjesi perk up at the mention of a garden. That was good for two reasons - he clearly hadn't upset them too much, and the chances of them being able to help with the garden were looking good. He beamed and nodded his head again. It seemed that he expressed most of his emotions though his head rather than his face, especially as his gills followed even the slightest movement.
"This way," he said, taking a step past Zenjesi toward the door. That was when Marian took a dive at their hooves. It made Ramal quickly step back, his gills popping up in surprise. Even if it wasn't him who she was after, the sudden movement startled him. He did not want to underestimate the little toothy creature. He had made that mistake before. Pashmina shot up toward the ceiling, pinning herself firmly into a corner where she felt safe.
"Amulet?" Ramal repeated. "Like necklace?" he pointed to the collar of his shirt. He clearly didn't know what the amulet did, so the reassurance did little to settle his nerves.
[7.4, 2]
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