Video; un: R.BECKET

[righthemisphere]

[Hey all, been a few months. You remember this guy. The shirtless guy with the giant mech. Well he's back. Clothed, this time. Though he might get more help if he were shirtless again, huh. Alas.

Raleigh is outside, sitting next to a planting bed, lush with vegetation. Like so much. It's a suspicious amount of plant life for Trench.

He smiles and waves. It's dark, but there are little torches all over so it's got a luau kind of vibe.

The camera pans so you can see the garden properly. It's two huge raised beds full to the brim on either side of the walkway to a huge, newly finished greenhouse . Lit from the inside, she looks something of a crystal palace.]

Do you all see this? This is the future.

I dunno about all of you but I'm sick to death of mushrooms.

[He pans through the veggies, all growing happily under warded netting. Lettuce, tomatoes, squash, beans, corn. Familiar for a lot of people. Very rarely seen in this world.]

Last month all my powers turned into plant stuff so I've been making and growing as much as I can. Things are hard here and the soil is awful, but it can be done.

[Raleigh moves towards the green house. Free range chickens dart around his feet as he goes, looking for food. He's the mama. Some of them are wearing little crochet hats. Inside the greenhouse is table after table after table of seedlings. The other side is all planting beds full of soil ready to go.]

I've been thinking about how important food is to all of us. Not.. well, obviously it's important, but I mean culturally, too. Making food from home.. having ingredients from home.. that's kind of our last connection.

[He sets his Omni down and reappears in frame. He looks tired, but when doesn't he.]

So.. Is there anyone out there who cares about this stuff? Because honestly I have the land but I'm learning as I go along and I could use the help. I'm not a gardener but I think we can scale this in a way that means we all get access to fresh produce. Like a co-op thing? I dunno. The land needs purifying, water, there's no sun.

I was part of a seed bank back in Deerington. Has anyone saved seeds from last month's growth? Would you donate them towards the cause?

Oh- also dairy. That's something I want to work on. This is a stretch but if you have goats or cattle let me know.

Yeah.. okay. Okay, thanks.

Comments

[brushy]

An old lady with a big, white coat.

[ but what arrives at the farm inside an hour, sniffing about the ground and simply wandering is a big, white wolf. appearances may vary! ]

[righthemisphere]

[Raleigh makes a mental note (which he will probably forget, his memory is trash) to expect an older woman at some point and carries on with answering and coordinating his post responses.

But Raleigh is not the one to meet the wolf, it's his omen, Spaghetti.

A bit, fat raccoon who hops down from her perch on the porch and comes scuffling over. She rather fancies herself Defender of Trenchwood Farm and a flaming, celestial wolf-god is something to potentially defend against.]

State your name and purpose!

[brushy]

[ name and purpose! well, she’s amaterasu! ammako on the modern orb thing you kids use for technology these days! she’s here to say hello to the plants, and the dirt, and the water, and the children—

but, out loud! the omen will only get what’s possible: bark bark! ]

[righthemisphere]

[Spaghetti bristles but before she can decide what to do her human appears, summoned at the sound of barking.

Raleigh believes in the patrons here, in the spirit of humanity and love of one another.. but he wouldn't call himself a man of Faith. He doesn't know what kind of god lets a woman like his mother die the way she did. Lets his brother die the way he did. Lets Raleigh live the way he did.

So who can say what he sees of their visitor. He furrows his brow either way, crouching down and gathering Spaghetti against him who crawls up onto his shoulder to watch.]

Well hello there.

[He holds out his hand.]

How'd you get all the way out here?

[brushy]

[ oh, it's him! it's the boy. of course, every man, even elderly, looks like a boy to ammy. she sits her rump down and fails to actually sit on the wagging tail behind her, when raleigh is close enough with that hand, she paws at it to shake on it with a lovely grin and throwing her head back some, as if ecstatic to play. or, well. do something.

her panting clearly looks like she wants to answer, or is answering. by foot, dear boy! how else could one move from one place to the next? ]

[righthemisphere]

[Oh no she's so cute she's so cute! Raleigh shakes back and laughs before scruffing his hands through the thick fur at her neck (if she allows it).

He's also looking for a collar. What a lovely dog, you have to belong to someone, right? ]

Are you lost, gorgeous? It's awfully dangerous out there. You better come in so we can find your owners. I bet they're worried sick.

[So catch this dude trying to whistle and lure a god into his house with lots of petting and patting his knees and c'mon! C'mon! That's it, c'mon!

Spaghetti is slightly horrified but she's also not the most helpful omen so she doesn't say anything just yet. The flaming wolf could very well be a pet. Someone here has a warg so what does she know, she is but a humble raccoon.]

[brushy]

[ does she allow it?! gorgeous, he says! you flatter her! look at all this praise! amaterasu couldn't be happier with the rigorous fluffing of her puffy white mane. no collar there, just a scruffable neck and a very happy canine that is practically beaming at him!

it's easy enough for ammy to follow, knowing what she's here for already. with a little hop to her step, she follows this adoring young man into the farm practically at his heels. yes, show her the goods! you are her favorite, today. ]

[righthemisphere]

[Goodness what a lovely animal, Raleigh brings her right into the house.

Spaghetti follows, morbidly intrigued.

Max, a large English Bulldog, lifts his head from the sofa and gives a low bwoof. He is a good boy but he is phenomenally lazy.]

Are you thirsty, girl? I hope you're not a stray, Chuck might kill me if I bring in any more animals.

[No he won't.

Raleigh will fill Max's bowl for her. Man, how is he ever gonna find who's dog this is?

It's a nice night, the back door, through the kitchen, is open. A few chickens are clucking around and beyond them is the farm. In the distance, all lit up, is the greenhouse from his post.]

[brushy]

[ she will at the very least wait patiently for this water offering. oh, max. look at what a good boy he is. who is the good boy? it is you, with your scrunched, wrinkly face that she could just squeeze if dogs could pet dogs. in the meantime, amaterasu regards the drowsy bulldog with a waving tail. and, since she does like to pamper other animals . . .

somewhere where he rests, a little package of delicious grub. don't tell your boy that it's technically "people food"! once water is given, amaterasu slurps down every bit of cool refreshment until she's satisfied. she gives a regarding glance at the young man who offered (thank you!), and— off she goes, slithering herself right through the door leading out to the greenhouse. the chickens possibly startle as she dashes, but none are harmed (or hunted)! ]

[righthemisphere]

[Max will be very appreciative when he finds the gift, and very discrete. Raleigh is distracted, anyway, suddenly chasing after the doggo making their way outside. He calls a few times but they're far ahead, until he can catch up at the greenhouse.

It is awfully pretty like this in the dark, all lit up with special lamps and tiny stars donated by various other Sleepers. This whole place is born from determination and collaboration, radiating with positive vibrations and hope. Hundreds and hundreds of little seedlings trying their hardest! Beyond the greenhouse lay the fields, tilled but soaked in blood pollution. Irrigation lines are being laid, but the ground water is just as poisoned. It's tough to grow crops out here.]

[brushy]

[ what a beautiful place—! and what beautiful little children, oh . . . hello, little ones, amaterasu seems to say as she slips her way into the greenhouse and slows her trotting into an attentive pad by each one. look at all of you, giving it your all! cute as a button. this house deserves a blessing, this roof, protection, the children in it, a push— on step into the greenhouse, and the saplings are lively, green and budding with vigor. they have all seen the sun during a time so dark, and the she-wolf won't mind, making daily visits, to keep it that way.

outside, though, that's the problem. by the time raleigh catches up, the wolf is sniffing at the polluted groundwork and— sneezes. ugh. a lot of work, but she has an idea. she's looking for a spot, a particular spot, to plant a very important child. ]

[righthemisphere]

Argh- hey! Dog!

[He runs after her but she is far too fast. It takes him a good few minutes to catch up out there in the filed behind the greenhouse.

There's acres of the stuff. A well has been dug. Irrigation has some preliminary framework laid out, but the blood pollution is just so thick and gunky.]

[brushy]

[ the wolf seems to be ignoring his calls, but at least she's stopped in a particular spot. sniffing at it fervently, making sure there are no other plants about that might suffer from working with this spot— and no, it doesn't seem that way. it's a bit of an empty space, so it should be alright. this, here. with the well, and the water, and the pollution. this spot shall do. to plant a blessing, here.

not that a human would be able to immediately understand that, though! she begins to dig. and dig, just dig wildly. ]

[righthemisphere]

[It's a mess. It's a mess!

Raleigh calls a few more times but they are obviously ignored.

It's only once he's out there that Spaghetti (who had followed) stops him.

Let her work! Quit it, let her work this is good!

He does not yet see how a dog digging up his fields is good but.. okay. So he approaches but stays about ten feet back, crouching down with a soft noise to watch.]

[brushy]

[ she’s a hard worker! and an excellent digger, mounting a pile behind her and eventually having to change the direction to dig deeper without interference from the said pile. somewhere (that somewhere is her under astral pouch), amaterasu picks out the guardian sapling once she’s done with a deep enough hole. between her teeth and seemingly out of nowhere came the sapling, and gently, she nestled it into the hole.

she does offer a look at the watching young man and his omen. well, then. would you like to help her pat the bed down and make this future-tree comfortable? ]

[righthemisphere]

[Okay, maybe Spaghetti is right. Maybe this is Something and not just a random dog digging his field up.

Raleigh witches with interest and once she's done and looking at him like it's time to help he just.. sort of lurches up and comes over before kneeling to help plant the sapling.

He has no idea where it came from.

He suspects this visitor may be a Phumarian in disguise.

A blessing? For him? But not Argonaut.. and this is their month. How strange. He hopes it's a blessing as he drags the earth back into place. Spaghetti goes to fetch a small vessel of water.

When they're good and done he sits back with a small sigh and surveys the plant before daring to look at his visitor.]

Will this plant help the farm?

feel free to play out the blooming after the sun comes out, but i'll have a log for those, too!

[brushy]

[ good boy! use those strong, puffy biceps of yours— the sapling is in dire need! once he comes over, amaterasu licks her lips and steps aside to watch. making sure it's sturdy enough in its new post, the wolf sniffs and surveys around the sapling. approving of the handiwork (and, to answer his question), her serious, closed lips become an easy-going pant and a little bark. woof!

with no much else to do, the wolf gives the sapling one more good look before turning her back and beginning to trot toward the start and exit of the farm.

raleigh will find a mysterious note by the sapling though, that may or may not have been there before. it reads, in fine cursive: ]

Once the sun returns, this tree will grow to protect your farm, cleanse your water and make your dirt fertile. It will take care of you, and in turn, I only ask you to take care of it.

With my kindest regards and best wishes,

—The little old lady in the white coat

[righthemisphere]

[GASP!!!

HER!! THE SLEEPER!

!!!!!!!!!!!!]