Chapter Text
The first sensation I get is floating. Weightlessness, surrounded somehow by everything and nothing all at once. The only sound is a subtle fire crackling, the only feeling is warmth. Opening my eyes doesn't show me much; golden stars and shades of light in pinks and purples.
I hold my hands up and the are slim and small, pale and unmarked by any sort of damage.
I see my hair out of the corner of my eye, long and unbound, floating around me like a wave carries it. I do not know the color, in this light it could be anything.
I could be anything.
I think I know what I am though. Cloth wraps around me, solidifies, and I feel... secure.
And then I am not floating.
I am falling.
Stone is not a forgiving surface to land on, and even less so when you're not sure how far a height you've fallen from. My landing is far from graceful, and it hurts when I crumple to the stone, not really expecting the weight of my own body. The breath is knocked out of me and I curl up on reflex, making a pained noise.
“Oh gosh... are you all right?”
The words sound strange to my ears, honestly. Like... like I'm hearing them from underwater at first, and then like the words are just slightly sideways from what they should be. I tentatively open my eyes, and wince again as the light is so bright .
“Can't you see?”
The voice is a little on the raspy side, and high pitched in a way that my brain reads as feminine. A hand touches my shoulder and I jolt, trying to curl a little more into myself. I don't... understand. What is happening to me. What has happened to me?
“N...not... w-well,” I manage, and why is my tongue so clumsy? I sound... terrible. “It's... b... bright...”
“Oh, um... I might be able to help with that, a little bit, hold on. Hekla? I need that hat you've brought for me, please?”
The voice is earnest, excited, concerned. Mostly concerned, I think. More sound, heavy footsteps. They ground quivers a little, and there is a strange noise. A rattling sort of clunk, and I don't know if I am terrified or curious.
“Thanks, Hekla!”
Something settles on my head, and the lights... dim. I carefully open my eyes again, and my vision is mostly obscured by a... hat? Yes, it's a hat, and if nothing else I no longer feel terribly blinded by the light. The person next to me tentatively pats my shoulder again, and this time I don't flinch. The hand is gentle.
I like gentle.
“Is that better?”
“...y...yes. I think.”
“Oh good. Hekla's always bringing all sorts of extras for me on outings like this. I'm glad I can use one of them. Are you hurt at all? Hungry? Thirsty?”
I know she speaks words, but it takes probably a disconcerting amount of time to understand what she's asking.
“Cold,” I say after a moment, slowly moving the arm I have pinned under my side. It hurts, but... not in a badly hurt way. “Not.. not hungry yet. M..maybe... thirsty.”
The water sound is clearer now, as I slowly push myself upright, and hands gently touch my arm. Warm hands, strong and a little bit rough. Involuntarily as I straight I look, and I see a strange sight. My brain reflexively rejects the sight as wrong, as something unnatural , but I manage to keep from flinching away.
The person helping me is pretty, I decide, once I have managed to shove down the roiling panic. Wrong, wrong, wrong , my brain screeches, but I tell it to shut up, because maybe she looks strange, but she is helping me , and I am not going to be cruel to someone who is showing me kindness.
I don't think she's much taller than I will be when I get my legs under me. Her hair is black and tied up in two puffy buns, and her face is kind . Her eyes behind cracked glasses are brown, and her clothes are simple and sturdy. The strangeness comes from her skin, which is purple , and her ears are pointed.
She offers me a leather bottle of some sort, and I have to stare at my own hand for a bit to figure out how it works. It feels like it should be second nature, something I don't have to think about at all, but I don't feel... entirely here in my body. I take the bottle with care and admittedly my first attempt leaves me sputtering. The purple woman stifles a sound that could be a laugh, and my second attempt is... better.
“You're not like some of the other humans that have popped up recently,” she says as I figure out how to cap the bottle and give it back. My shirt is damp, and I don't think I want any more. “They were all up and eager, from what I've been hearing. Do you remember anything from where you were before this?”
I try to reach for the memory, but after a moment I shake my head. At best I grasp at gold stars, a light edged in pink, but...
“Awww,” she sounds disappointed, and I feel bad. Already I am failing to..
What am I failing at?
“Here, think you can stand?” she asks, and suits action to word, bouncing up onto her own feet, then reaching down a hand. “Here, I'll help you!”
I need the help. My legs and feet don't want to work right, though I feel as though there aren't any problems. Something whispers in the back of my mind that this was not always the case and it makes me uncomfortable, so I ignore it, and look around, finally.
The room is large , and lit with fire that does not necessarily seem natural to my brain. It is mostly stone, but it is... a ruin. My brain supplies the word and the meaning is clear. This place must have been great once, but that was long ago, before time and nature wormed into the space. Vines trail down the walls, and roots press in from either side. Stone like cracked and in pieces, and something about the room makes me feel very sad .
I bite my lip, and manage an uncertain smile for my helper, who smiled just as uncertainly back at me.
“Oh, um. I'm Jina,” she says abruptly, eyes going wide in realization. “And over there, that's Hekla.”
I follow her gesture and cannot help but stare. I did not know what I was expecting, but the being I look at is... my brain fails a moment, then rallies with, oddly enough, friend shaped as a description. It is bizarre enough that I do not question it, even as the correct word comes to mind. Hekla is round , and made of metal.
“What...?”
“Oh, she's a Galdur,” Jina explains. “Humans made them a long time ago to do a lot of tasks they didn't really want to do, or didn't have time to do, or... well, there's lots of reasons your people made them.”
“Greetings human,” and I nearly jump out of my skin as Hekla speaks . “You are distressed?”
I don't think there's an answer that won't be rude. I keep trying to stifle my panic and confusion, but with every new thing, every unfamiliar thing, I only feel more lost and confused.
“Hey, hey,” and Jina's voice is soothing, though I feel that she is getting distressed by my distress . “It's okay. You're okay! I guess this is a lot to take in, huh? Other people who found humans said that it's a mixed bag of how they react...”
That doesn't necessarily fill me with any sort of confidence, but I manage a few shaky breaths, trying to slow them some.
“Jina, it is going to be dark soon,” Hekla says. “We should return to the camp so you are fed and rested.”
“I know, but...” Strangely, Jina's anxiety calms my own. “So, um... You know what, why don't you come with me? You're not the first human to come to Kilima Valley, maybe there will be someone at the Inn who can help you. A-and Ashura will be there! I know he's been helping people settle in here!”
It's better than staying in this place that makes me feel sad, so I nod, and Jina's sigh is relieved. So is her smile, and she's kind of cute, I realize.
I push the thought away; I know what I am doing is imprinting on her because I am scared and she is being kind. That's not fair to put on someone who can't be much older than...
I look down at myself, and wonder how old this body is. It seems to be on par with her, but I do not feel as though I know anything .
Jina leads the way, and my first attempt at climbing goes... poorly. Hekla has to boost me, and Jina pulls me up, proving that she is much stronger than she looks.
“Okay, it's... almost five, so it's still going to be pretty bright out there,” she says. “So keep the hat tucked down like this, and it should make it easier on you, okay?”
I nod, hesitate, then tentatively reach out for her hand. She grasps mine immediately , and I let out a breath.
“It must be pretty scary, but don't worry. Ashura will be able to help you,” she promises.
I believe her, and let her pull me out.
The water noise is a large waterfall, and I see some of the valley below. I shy away almost immediately, making myself focus on the solid stone and supports, move carefully to avoid slipping, and cling to Jina's hand. There is just... so much.
So much.
I do not remember the walk or even passing through the village. Jina's hand tightens around mine as we approach a building, and I look up finally.
Ormuu's Inn.
What's an ormuu?
“I'm not really a fan of the inn,” Jina admits. “It's noisy. But everyone here is really kind, and they can certainly offer you a lot more help than I can.”
“...you got me here,” I say, surprised. “You are giving me the most help.”
“O-oh, well...”
Okay, that is cute, the way she blushes has her cheeks turning more purple.
Jina squares her shoulders and we go up the steps to the inn, which is, as she's said, noisy. I flinch against her, then cringe against her at a loud burst of laughter from one corner of the room. Jina, to her credit, doesn't falter. She pulls me right to the desk where a tall, broad man is standing.
He has a beard that my brain dings as 'salt and pepper', though I don't entirely understand the reference, and the figure of someone who has done work requiring him to be large and strong. But his face, his eyes... are kind. Like Jina's are kind.
Are they related?
“Ashura, This is...” Jina stops, and turns to me. “I didn't get your name, I'm so sorry!”
“I.. that's okay, it's...”
I blink.
What is my name?
“I....”
I scrabble for it, something just out of reach. Two syllables, something that helps me know me.
But nothing comes. My eyes fill with tears and I close them tightly.
“Oh dear,” and his voice is deep, and kind. “It's okay, young one. Take a deep breath. You're not the first disoriented human I've met....”
I pull my hand from Jina's and press the heels of my hands to my eyes. Who am I? Who am I?
Hand bigger than probably half my torso close on my shoulders, and I look up into Ashura's concerned face. My breath shudders out of me, and then I can't see any more because I'm crying and I can't make it stop. I don't know who I am, where I am, or why I am here, and I am just...
Scared.
I am making a scene, I know, and it's not what I want, but I can't stop. I don't wail, but I can feel myself crumpling. Until suddenly I am not, I am being carried as though I am a small child. I cannot make out what Ashura says to Jina, I am too lost in the rushing of my own heartbeat in my ears as I struggle to get an even breath.
I am settled on something soft after only a few moments, and other hands, only a little larger than mine are put on my head. I can already tell that it is not Ashura or Jina, but I cannot get my eyes to clear to make out who it might be.
Not that I know these people any more than they know me. All they know is that I am human, and if I am human, what are they? What is human?
Ashura's large hand very gently pries my fingers open and a cup is pressed into them. I know this smell, somehow, and I clutch at the mug, though I do not drink the liqud. What I am sitting on sags as he sits beside me, and I am suddenly treated to the warmest side hug. His voice is a soothing rumble, not entirely intelligible at first, but slowly, as I calm, I can make out the reassuring words.
“You're safe,” he is saying. “No one in Kilima will give you cause to fear. You're all right now.”
I was not, I could not remember my name, or who I was! How was I to be safe when I knew neither one of those thing?! My breath hitches, but I can't even form the words to refute what he's saying.
But there is comfort in his attempt. In the warmth and solidarity of him. It takes a distressingly long time for me to begin approaching coherence, and the cup in my hands is replaced twice; a tiny part of me not swamped by the fear thinks that it is not so much for me to drink as it is for me to breathe. The steam wafting up to me each time is... soothing.
Finally, I look up and the man before me seems of similar age to the one beside me. His face is concerned, his head is bald, and something about him says safe, just as much as I now feel calmer under Ashura's arm.
“There you are,” and another kindly smile is sent my way. “I was worried there for a moment. I haven't had to help hysterical humans before, so I wasn't sure if the tea's scent would work. My name is Chayne, and I am here to tend the well-being of the people in Kilima. Which now includes you, my dear.”
Ashura hands me a kerchief, and I wipe my eyes. When I hesitate over to hand it back, he takes and then startles me by putting it under my nose.
“Blow,” he says firmly. “Cloth washes.”
From panicked tears to bewildered exhaustion, I do as I am told, and let him take care of me briefly. I do not think I am really able to care for myself in the moment, and I... appreciate that someone else is here to tell me what I should do.
“Now then,” Chayne says calmly, pulling over a stool. I realize that we are no longer in the main area of the inn. I can hear voice below, but the room is... mostly cut off from that. “Jina tells me you appeared in the shrine of the Phoenix, yes?”
I nod, and uncertainly raise the mug to my lips. The tea is... oddly perfect. Sweet, and just warm enough to be pleasant without burning.
“You are not the first human to arrive on Palia, or even in Kilima, though you are the first who has arrived so distressed. Can you tell us what happened?”
I try to think, but my brain is now so sluggish, still locked on my lack of name. I cannot find the words to explain myself, but I try.
“S... scared.”
“That's understandable,” and Ashura gives me a small, comforting squeeze. “You just landed in an entirely new world. Most of the humans that had come to Palia are confused and a little afraid.”
“...other...?”
“Oh yes. There's not many here, You're only the eighth one who's popped up in our area. Other places had reported a much higher rate of emergence,” He hesitates for a moment, looks briefly at Chayne, then back down at me. “It's off-season for the inn right now, so I think I can let you have the room here until you've got your feet more under you, does that sound all right?”
“Not... trouble?”
“No, of course not,” and Ashura smiles. “You're more shaken than the other humans I've met, and I don't mind providing a place when someone truly needs it. This room can be yours until you're ready to pick a different spot.”
Chayne chuckles a little.
“Eshe will have some words about that,” he says wryly.
“It's my inn,” Ashura replies. “And we make more on sales from Reth's food and the ale in the evening than renting out the rooms.”
There is something sad under his response, but I do not have the energy to dig into it. I just nod meekly, wearily, and close my eyes briefly.
“Rest is probably the best thing for you right now,” Chayne says, and already his voice sounds farther away. I am tired... “I'll leave a note and some things for Reth to make in the morning that might help.”
I want to open my eyes, to thank them, to apologize for being... whatever I am being, but now that they are closed, I cannot seem to force them back up. I feel myself moved to lay down, my shoes and hat are removed, and then something sort and warm is stretched out over me. A blanket, but the fabric is... I don't know what it is other than soft.
I can tell they are speaking to one another as they leave, but the door closes and I am lost in exhausted slumber.
When I wake, it is with a head that feels about three times the size it should be. The room is small, but not in a discomforting way. It holds a bed, two nightstands, and two cabinets with various things on them. There is a painting on the wall, a door to a balcony, a door to the inn, and a third door that I discover leads to a bathroom.
I use the bathroom, and splash water on my face. I must look awful...
Over the sink hangs a mirror, and I finally see my own face. I can, if nothing else, immediately recognize that the person in the mirror is me, though I do not actually know who I am.
I have a round face, with a sharp chin. My eyes are red-rimmed, but the color of them is a sort of purple-blue. Like a blueberry, dark blue on the outside and purple within. It's not... natural, I don't think.
Then again, I fell out of a sparkling pink void, so I don't know if I can really say what is natural.
My hair goes down to the middle of my back, a tangled mess of blonde that turns pink about midway. I think blonde is the normal color. I do not know where the pink came from, but I wonder if I can make all my hair pink. It is a nice shade...
I try in vain to get it to behave before I go out into the bedroom again and uncertainly poke through the cabinets when my hands are inadequate for the job. I turn up a brush that seems unused, and thin strips of leather.
With nothing else to do, I sit on the edge of the bed and work on my hair until it is no longer tangled... and then I tie it back in a braid so I don't have to deal with it getting in the way.
I do not know how I know how to do this. It is just one of those things my hands do, and I will not lie; my hair being in a braid makes me feel calmer. Perhaps the me-that-was-before wore her hair like this all the time and that is how I know?
I am a little scared to leave the room; I made a scene, and now I am supposed to show my face like nothing is wrong? But what else can I do? I do not want to stay in the room all day; for one thing, I am hungry. For another, I remember Ashura saying something about other humans, and I am... I am curious. Others like me?
Well.
Chayne said none were as distressed. That is a little disheartening, to think that I have made an impression as the most dramatic human they have ever met.
Que sera sera.
I know the words without knowing them, and I know what they mean. What will be, will be. And it will continue to be with or without my input. That should be a comfort, shouldn't it? The knowledge that I am only a little thing, and nothing I do will have that much effect on what's to come? It should be, but...
I let out a breath and shake my head. Sleep, I think, has helped to steady me. I do not have money on me, but maybe I can... Maybe Ashura will extend the room to include food that I can... somehow pay back? The inn is large. Maybe I can pay off what I eat and the room I sleep in with helping take care of it.
The inn is quiet as I open the door, though I think I hear some noise from downstairs. Nothing like it was when Jina brought me here, but not utterly silent either.
Strangely, that comforts me. I pull the door open and peer out, taking in the... admittedly limited view.
The inn feels.. comfortable, I decide as I walk slowly across the floor, trying to figure out where I'm going. There's a room down a short hall from me that has a decoration on the door, another room across from me that has a half-open door—I peek in curiously and this room has a standing closet, but otherwise is identical to where I woke, and there is no sign that someone stayed overnight—and then down the hall from that is a set of stairs.
I do not look into the main room of the inn until I'm at the base of the stairs, still mostly hidden by the wall and Ashura's desk. Ashura is not there, and sunlight shines in through windows, highlighting dancing dust motes.
Someone is humming, and though I don't know the tune, I gravitate curiously towards the sound. Music feels safe, feels... welcoming in a way, and I peek through an archway into what I think is a kitchen.
I know things, but I do not know how I know them, and this is more disconcerting than if I had the memories attached. I have to bite my lip to keep from making a sound, and instead watch the person in the kitchen as they move from one stove to the next. Several pots are bubbling on those stoves, and the mingling smells are... interesting.
I am hungry, but I don't know if I am allowed to also eat for free. But before I can decide if I should try to find Ashura or not, the cook turns, spots me, and yelps. Startled, I yep too, jumping back from the door.
“Holy heck, you gave me a scare!” But he laughs after a moment. “You must be the human Chayne left this note about! You feeling better now?”
I not hesitantly. I do feel better. Not as overwhelmed. Still unnerved by everything, but...
“Sleep... helped. Some.”
“Great! Bet you're hungry now too, right? Chayne said you should have some of this tea first thing, so uh... gimme a second...”
I watch, anxiety fading into flickering curiosity as the cook grabs something from a canister, drops it into a mug, then pours hot water over it. Tea like what I was given last night?
“He says some humans are really really anxious with this being not their world any more, and this tea will help with that. I was told to give it to you once a day until you're steady on your feet,” and he presents the cup to me with a flourish and a wink that feels... friendly, but also a little strange. “So drink up!”
I cautiously take a sip, then have to pull back. It's much too hot to drink.
“Oh, right, fresh off the stove, my bad,” and he looks sheepish. “Well, okay, let it cool a bit, then drink up. Ashura should be awake soon, and I guess you guys have some things to work out? He didn't want to let humans stay at the inn, since there's only two rooms and all, so I guess you must've had a hard time, huh?”
He doesn't seem to expect me to answer, he goes back to puttering around the pots, and just sort of... chats at me.
“Man, life got exciting when humans started showing up. Word is, they're appearing all over the place. I think Einar fished one out of the lagoon, and Hassian was complaining about a human nearly getting trampled by a sernuk the other day because they weren't paying attention. Jina's thrilled, I think. She doesn't come here often, but my sister, Tish? She talks to everyone, and she likes Jina, and apparently Jina is trying to figure out why the humans are coming back, and how. Which is pretty amazing, I don't know how she's gonna figure anything out. You humans just seem to be popping out of the woodwork! It's driving Eshe nuts too! Which is honestly great, because the more she's focused on this chaos, the less she pays attention to other things.”
The chatter continues as I slowly start sipping the tea, and the calm feeling intensifies. The cook is moving around, still talking, and he doesn't seem to expect me to respond... which is good, because other than Jina, I have no idea who he's talking about. Other people in this village? Will I fit in with these people, or...?
“Ah, you're awake, that's good. Been listening to Reth, I take it?”
I jump; a man that large has no right to be that silent on his feet! Ashura only chuckles as Reth—the name suits him somehow—makes a mock-indignant sound.
“I'm just filling in our new human on all the politics and stuff she'll want to know about when she gets out there,” Reth says.
“I'm sure you are,” and there is humor in Ashura's voice. “Think your soups can handle waiting? She needs food to go with Chayne's tea, or she's just going to fall asleep again.”
“Oh, heck, right! I was.. Uh. Shoot. Gimme a minute!”
Ashura chuckles as Reth busies himself on yet another stove, then gestures for me to follow. I do, and he takes me to the couch before the fire. I sit uncertainly, and he brings over a chair from a nearby dining space.
“Now then. You look calmer. Jina was really quite worried about you, so once you've had some food, I'll take you up to see her,” Ashura says as he settles on the chair. “What happened, do you know?”
I consider, absently turning the cup in my hands. It has a pretty pattern, and after a moment, I think I have an answer.
“Too much too fast,” I offer uncertainly. “I... was already unnerved by... arriving. Not... knowing who I am, it's...”
“Hm. New place, new feelings, the noise of the inn, and then a question you couldn't answer. Yes, I see how that would be too much in a short frame of time,” and Ashura gives me a sympathetic look. “Do you know your name now?”
I shake my head, then hesitate.
“I... remember something,” I say slowly. “It's not... I don't think it was my name, but I like the way it sounds.”
“If you don't remember your own name, picking what makes you most comfortable is a good step,” Ashura says, tone encouraging. “What would you like us to call you?”
“Berry,” I say after another moment. “I think it's... It feels like a nickname, but I can't...”
“Berry,” Ashura sounds thoughtful, and the word, the name, feels like an odd weight around my shoulders. “I like it. Other humans have chosen names for themselves, I think, and yours is no different from that.”
That information is a comfort. I am not the only one who does not remember who they are, nor am I the only one picking something that might be their name, or might not be.
“That's a sweet name,” Reth informs me as he brings out a tray with something food related on it. The pun makes me blink as I try to decide if he did that on purpose or not. “Here you go, one early bird special!”
I take the tray, after looking at Ashura to make sure that this is okay. I appreciate the care and kindness, but I do not want to be trouble. He smiles at me and nods a little, so I settle the tray in my lap and look down at it. I do not know how I know, but all the food is recognizable. Eggs and bacon arranged as a smiley face on a large plate, while another has toast and jam, and a third has small pancakes. My first thought is that this is a lot of food, but then I cannot remember when I last ate, and my stomach is pinching at me, so I look up at Reth—he looks proud of himself, I think—and offer him a shy smile.
“Thank you,” I say.
“No worries,” he says cheerfully. “I'll uh... get back to soup tending! Gotta make sure Hodari's favorite is ready before he gets here!”
He goes back into the kitchen as Ashura makes an amused sound, and I tentatively try bites of the food. It tastes a bit strange, but not bad. Just like I should be used to a certain flavor and that flavor isn't what I'm getting.
I am hungry enough that I don't care too much to think about the difference, and finish it all in short order. The food is grounding, and I do feel much more... settled once I'm full.
“There we go,” and Ashura smiles as I look up. “You've got some color back in your face now. That's good. Do you remember much about last night?”
I nod after a moment. Maybe not all of it, but I remember him, Chayne, and the offer of room at the inn.
“Reth said that you didn't want humans to stay at the inn,” I say uncertainly. “I don't want to cause trouble...”
“You're not trouble,” Ashura says immediately. “Most of the humans that have come here haven't been as overwrought as you were, and were more eager to set out to claim a space of their own. We actually have a good location for homes not far from here, that I can show you later. But I think you would benefit from a few days here. Plus,” and he chuckles, “Chayne insisted that we keep you close at hand so he can check up on you.”
“Chayne is a...” my brain trips on the word and I frown. I know what he is, but I have to dig the descriptor up. “Doctor?”
“Something like that,” Ashura says with a small nod. “He is technically a priest of Maji, but he spends more time counseling those of us in the village when our hearts are heavy, or caring for the physical injuries we get when we're a little bit careless. He's a good friend of mine, and has lived here a long time, so he'll be sure to look out for you.”
I like this idea, oddly. I am not necessarily a child, I don't think, but I do not feel like I have anything right now, so having people to grasp as a balance is... helpful.
“If you're up for a walk, I'll take you out to Jina now, and then perhaps around the village if you're not too tired.”
I nod, and move to pick up the tray, but he takes it from me before I can. I want to say something, but he's already moving towards the kitchen, so after a moment I shake my head and hurry up the stairs to fetch the hat Jina loaned me the previous day. I have to give it back, don't I?
The walk is mostly quiet as we leave the village, and I am grateful for that. This place feels like it is in the throes of summer; warm and pleasant, with a breeze that makes it not unbearably hot. Everything around is green, or in bloom, and there are insects everywhere, as well as some strange fluffy creatures that look like they would be about as tall as the middle of my calf.
“Those are chappa,” Ashura says when he spots me watching one. “They tend to steal anything they can fit in their mouths and run it back to their dens, so be sure to keep anything that's small and yours close.”
“There's a lot of them.”
“Unfortunately,” and Ashura's smile is rueful. “Our mayor, Kenli, imported a couple some years back, with the idea that they would make good pets. The reality is much less accurate; they escaped, and they breed rapidly. Hassian, whom I can introduce you to later, works hard to keep their numbers down.”
I nod, and pause as he does.
“Down there,” and he points to a large home with a barn close by, “is the Daiya farm. I'll introduce them to you on the way back. Badruu is another good friend, and his wife Delaila has been a fixture of this community for years. Their kids are helpful as well. Nai'o recently declared his path as a farmer, while Auni is our resident courier and bug catcher. Once you get your own home and mailbox, he'll deliver any mail addressed to you in the morning or evening of it's arrival.”
I nod, and follow him again as he starts walking. Around us are white stones held together by brassy banding in strange designs. They look... interesting. If very messy. Had Jina said something about ruins, or had that been Reth?
“Jina is our resident scholar, as you may have already guessed,” and Ashura smiles. “We're not sure yet if she's going to ask to join the village or not. She spends more time investigating the ruins around here, or in the library, and I suspect it's only a matter of time before she makes a great discovery of her own. Perhaps it'll put Kilima back on the map as a major destination again.”
“Major destination?”
“Oh yes,” and he chuckles a little. “I say it's the off-season for the inn, but truthfully, most of the locals only come here for the food Reth offers during the day. I don't think I've had an 'on' season for a decade now, other than the occasional traveling bard.”
I know that word, and I know I perk in interest. A traveling musician sounds like something I would like to see, and Ashura's smile is amused as he looks at me.
“You like music?”
I nod without thinking about it, then blink in surprise. I do. I like music. I don't so much know it as feel it all the way down to my bones.
Something about me that I now know. It releases a tiny bit of anxious tension from me, and I am so distracted by this revelation that I do not quite register we're before a great door until Ashura taps me on the shoulder.
Hekla is standing nearby—a large round metal being, so that was not a dream—and seems to be watching over Jina, who looks up after a minute then jumps.
“O-oh my dragon, you're here!” she squeaks. “Are you okay? I'm so sorry, I didn't think it would be that much, but I totally understand why it would be, and I just wasn't thinking, and-”
“Thank you,” I interrupt, if only because her anxiety is making my own start to act up again. “For helping me. And the hat.”
I offer it to her and she stares at it, then me, and then rubs the back of her neck as she laughs sheepishly.
“Right, ah, you're welcome. I'm glad you're looking better. Are you feeling better?”
“...some. Sleep helped. Food helped. It's...” I look over the space and realized there's a small lake here, covered in... algae? Yes. A fish jumps for a bug and splashes down. “Familiar, but not. And I'm not sure how to... handle it yet.”
“I get that,” and her expression is sympathetic when I turn to look back at her. “You're not the first human who's said this world seems strange to them, but also like somewhere they've been before. It's really quite fascinating! Well, I say that, but I think if I were in your shoes, I'd be scared too. Somewhere I don't know anything, sometimes not even my own name? That would be so unnerving. And... I'm rambling. Sorry.”
I have to smile. I like her.
“It's okay. Rambling is good. I like the information.”
“Really?” This seems to make her feel better. Her shoulders relax, and her smile is brighter. “Okay, well, I don't have much on why humans are coming back, but I know a lot about the ruins! Though I probably shouldn't take up much of your time, should I?”
“....I can come back later?”
I'm not sure if I'm offering or asking, but the way she practically beams at me is adorable. I offer the hat to her again, but she shakes her head.
“Hekla's got more for me back at our tent, so you keep that one. With how pale your skin is, you'll probably want it quite a lot.”
I can't deny that it's already been useful. And it's comfortable. So I put it back on after a moment of hesitation, and I can't pretend the cut view of everything doesn't help me relax. Limiting my intake of New seems to be the way to ensure my anxiety doesn't bite me. Useful to know.
“I-if you want, later, you should come to the library,” Jina suggests and I can feel my interest sharpening. There's a library? Even if I can't read the words, pictures can tell me a lot, I'm quite sure. “I can introduce you to Caleri, and show you the best books on the shelves for learning about stuff. Not a lot of humans come in there yet... I think they're intimidated by her, but she's really not all that bad.”
“I... I can try,” I say after a moment, nodding. “If you're sure.”
“Of course! Really, there's nothing calmer than a library.”
Something about that statement feels correct, so I nod, and she smiles brightly.
“Jina,” Hekla interrupts. “It is time for the midday meal. You need to eat.”
Jina huffs, then nods.
“Okay, so, I'll see you later then, uh...”
“Berry,” I say. “I picked Berry for my name.”
“Berry... I like it! All right, I'll see you at the library, Berry!”
I look up at Ashura as Jina walks over to where Hekla is standing with a plate in her hands, and he looks quite pleased.
“That was good,” he says, tone encouraging. “Up for a few more?”
I nod. Jina was familiar, if only by one day. I think because of that, I can meet a few new people. Maybe.
I can, if nothing else, try.
The Daiya farm fills me with nostalgia, but nothing solid. Some things are familiar—farmhouse, barn, apple orchard, farming fields with recognizable produce—but the creatures in them are odd. Ahsura calls them 'ormuu' and 'pekis', and fortunately, we don't have to meet them. Instead, he introduces me first to Delaila, who welcomes me with a distracted smile, and starts talking to Ashura about something related to Auni and Hassian that I admittedly don't pay much attention to. I am distracted by the rows of crops and though I do not mean to—I know I am being rude—I wander away from Ashura to lean against the fence and look at the fruits and vegetables.
There is a person in those fields, who straightens after a moment, a bunch of weeds in a basket to one side, and he smiles when he spots me.
“Well if it isn't the newest sprout in the garden of Kilima,” he says. His voice is full of humor and mischief, like he's expecting a groan for the joke. “You're looking right as the rain we're currently not getting around here. Glad to see it!”
I stare at him a moment; this must be Badruu, and those jokes are dad jokes.
What can I do but joke back?
“...those jokes are really corny,” I say after a moment, and oh, his face lights up. “Perhaps try another vine?”
“Oh, I like you already!” he crows with a slap to his knee. “What brings you by these parts Someone make a big dill about this place? Lemme guess, they told you ol' Badruu's got all his eggs in a basket, right?”
I can't help the giggles. Apparently puns are my type of humor, and he seems quite pleased to have me laughing instead of whatever other reaction he might be getting. And I'm happy that he doesn't seem inclined to take meeting a human as something serious. Maybe he doesn't know about the previous night, or maybe he does and he's just trying to make me feel better...
Whatever it is, it's working.
“Ashura brought me by,” I say as Badruu looks supremely proud of himself. “He wanted me to meet people, I think. Or... start to.”
“Sounds like ol Ash,” and Badruu nods. “He's been helping out the humans that've been popping up like the crickets around here, him and Hodari both. And me too, of course, but I'm just an old farmer. I don't really know much about swinging any sort of axe.”
“But you know how to till a field, and raise animals,” I point out. “Those're good things to know.”
I am not sure how I know this, but I do. A farmer is not necessarily rich, but they always have food. Badruu looks pleased by my comment, which is comforting. I don't know that I'm doing this conversation thing right, but these people seem easy-going enough so far...
“Well, once you're on your feet and on your own plot, I can teach you how to do those things,” he promises. “And hopefully your plot will have better soil than the ones the other humans have claimed. Though right now, I think I'd recommend going over to my dear Delaila and asking for the sunscreen she makes for Nai'o. You might turn as red as one of these here apples if you don't!”
I look down at myself, consideringly. I only have the one set of clothes, and the sleeves are... well. Non-existent. Jina's hat protects my face, and I think part of my neck, but the exposed skin on my arms and legs is decidedly vulnerable. So I nod and uncertainly walk back over to where Delaila seems to be winding down. Before I can even ask, she turns to me and makes a dismayed noise.
“Oh, child, what're ye doin running around in this hot weather with no sunscreen on? Why, you'll turn as red as a tomato if ye don't look after yerself! Hold on a moment, I always make a bundle, and Nai'o never remembers his either.”
I blink as she bustles off, then look at Ashura, who is very clearly amused.
“Did you say hello to Badruu yet?” he asks.
I nod.
“He makes a lot of puns, doesn't he?” I ask.
Ashura laughs.
“He does. He's always been good with words like that,” and his smile is comfortable as he lifts a hand to wave at Badruu. “You know, if you like music, you should ask him to teach you. He hasn't played in front of an audience in a while, but I doubt he's as rusty as he might say he is.”
I consider it as Delaila comes bustling back with a jar in her hands. I get the sense that she wants to 'mother' me by putting it on me herself, but fortunately, she refrains. The jar is cool to the touch, and takes both hands to hold. It smells like...
My brain stalls out, but Delaila starts speaking before I can get anxious about it.
“Now, be sure to put that on if you're going to be walking around much more. Not everyone has a hide like Ashura here,” and she shakes her head as Ashura chuckles. “And if you're not, well, keep it anyways, because the last thing we need is a human getting burnt by the sun and catching ill from that. Honestly, I think Eshe would try tae find a way tae ban all humans if that came about.”
“Now Delaila,” Ashura says with an amused snort. “You know Eshe's stance.”
“Oh, aye, out of sight, out of mind, and good luck tae any of the poor dears hopin tae actually be recognized as part of the village,” Delaila shakes her head in... disgust? Sympathy? I can't quite tell. “Oh, though if ye see Naila before I do, let her know that I appreciate the fresh stew meat. My boys ate it all right up!”
“I'll be happy to, Delaila, though I'm sure she'd like to hear from you herself,” he says graciously, and a large hand very gently starts nudging me away.
I can take a hint. I manage to squeak out a goodbye, mostly lost in Ashura's own farewell. Delaila seems a little sad to see us go, but I admit I am glad to be walking away. Three chatty people in one day seems to be my limit. For the moment, at least.
“They're good people,” Ashura says after a moment as we head back towards the village. “Badruu usually comes in in the afternoons to drop off vegetables and the like, and have a pint or two while he does. Delaila doesn't often do the same, but you can sometimes see her in Zeki's store, going over the food he imports with a fine tooth comb. How are you feeling?”
I consider the question, absently hugging the pot of sunscreen to my chest.
“...tired,” I admit after a moment. “I must have slept a long time, but...”
“We'll build your stamina up, don't you fret,” and Ashura pats my shoulder gently. “But if you're tired, you should rest. If you're up for it later, see if you can join Reth when he takes dinner to Tish and Jel. They're more your age than any of us older folks.”
“...but I like the older folks?”
He pats my head this time, and it feels... warm. Protective. Though being fair, his hand is almost twice the size of my head. He must be very strong, but he is very gentle despite that.
“Well, we'll work on getting you introduced around and a little less overwhelmed first. Chayne said he'd be by at his usual time, so if you're feeling brave, come down and see him so he can check on you.”
I nod, and stifle a yawn. I don't think I've walked a lot, but my legs ache, and I am tired. Which is rude, but.
Well.
A nap can't hurt.