Strange Encounters

[Seira Shiryu]

1st Ymiden, 723

"Did you hear about the Willow Tree Hospital?" Seri asked.

"It's opening totrial, and there's going to be a dedication ceremony that anyone can go to." she continued.

Seira nodded as she put some food into each of their pets' bowls. Everyone had probably heard about the opening of the Willow Tree Hospital by now, and the dedication ceremony that was being held for it. She figured that a lot of people would be going to the opening. Hopefully that would mean that the market would be less crowded. Unlike most of their trips to the market, there wasn't anything that she and Seri especially needed to buy. Seira wanted to see what books were available for sale, and was hoping she would find some interesting ones, but she didn't have any particular titles in mind. This trip to the market was going to be mostly for browsing, and it would be easier to browse the stalls if there were fewer people at the market.

"Did you want to go, Seri?" Seira asked after a bit of hesitation.

Seira was hoping that her sister would want to go to the market with her totrial. She would go either way, but it was always more fun when Seri went with her.

Seira felt a little relief when Seri shrugged.

"I'll go if you want to go Seira, but it isn't something that I especially want to attend. Do you want to go?" Seri asked.

"No. I'm going to the Earth Market totrial. Would you like to come with me? I just plan on browsing mostly, but I might buy something if I see anything interesting. We could take Taerin with us." Seira suggested.

Seri grinned.

"That sounds like fun."

They made short work of the rest of the morning chores. Seira finished feeding the animals while Seri made their breakfast. When she was finished, she helped her sister by getting out the dishes they would need for the meal. When they finished eating, Seira insisted on cleaning up afterwards while Seri went to get their money and Taerin's leash. Taerin's excitement at the idea of going for a walk hindered their efforts a bit, but it wasn't long before they were ready to go.

The Earth Market was far from deserted, but Seira was happy to see that there were fewer people moving about the stalls than normal due to the dedication ceremony for the Willow Tree Hospital.

"Where do you want to go first?" Seira asked her sister.

She watched as Seri looked at the stalls that were closest to them.

"How about that one?" Seri suggested as she pointed towards a stall that was selling all sorts of plants, seeds, and gardening supplies.

""You've been meaning to start an herb garden for a while now. Why don't we get some supplies now and start one together?"

Seira's eyes lit up at the idea, and Seri laughed as they made their way over to the stall.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" a middle aged woman with brown hair and blue eyes asked them as they approached.

"I want to start an herb garden this season, but I really don't know where to start. What would you suggest?" Seira asked.

"That would depend on what herbs you are looking to grow. Do you plan to grow herbs to be used in cooking, medicinal herbs, or both?" the woman asked.

"Medicinal herbs." Seira said decisively.

Seri didn't say anything, but Seira saw an emotion flicker in her sister's eyes.

"Well...mostly medicinal herbs. But some of both kinds would be good. Especially if the cooking herbs also have medicinal uses as well." Seira corrected herself.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Seri smile.

"Are you planning to use your garden commercially, or is it only for your private use?" the woman asked.

Seria thought about that one for several trills. A garden for commercial use? Seira supposed that if she was planning to sell things that she made using what she grew in her garden, that would count as a commercial garden. But did she intend to do that? She didn't think so. She liked making herbal remedies, but not as much as she enjoyed singing. Not enough to stop giving concerts and open up an herbal shop or something. She didn't even know if she'd be able to actually grow anything in her garden yet. But if she could...it would be nice if she could grow the herbs she'd need to keep herself and her family with a steady supply of herbal remedies, shampoos, soaps, and such. Really, it was more of a hobby than anything else. And if she and Seri both enjoyed gardening, it would be one more thing that they could do together.

"It will be for private use." Seira responded at last.

The woman nodded.

"Are you planning to grow herbs in flower pots or in garden beds?"

Seira blinked, startled by the question. It wasn't something she had thought about at all.

"Both, maybe?" Seira said, her tone making her response sound a lot more like a question than an answer.

"I have a sun room attached to my house that was turned into a greenhouse by the previous owner, and I have room in my yard for a good sized garden as well." she added a few trills later.

The woman smiled as she nodded.

"And how much experience do you have with gardening?" she asked carefully.

"None." Seira answered quickly.

"None at all."

The woman smiled at her again.

"I think I know enough to be able to help you now." she told Seira.

Seira could only admire the woman as she realized what had just happened. With a few seemingly simple questions, the owner of this stall had learned enough about what she was trying to attempt that she felt confident that she knew what Seira would need. It wasn't really anything that Seira had really paid much attention to in the past, but she remembered that other stall owners and people who worked in the shops that Seira went to had asked her questions like that as well. She realized that if a merchant understood exactly what a customer was looking for and was able to provide a good shopping experience, the customer would likely shop there again. Seira certainly planned to return to this stall if she enjoyed gardening enough to keep up with it after her first attempt.

"What would you recommend?" Seira asked with a smile.

[Seira Shiryu]

"Starting out as an inexperienced gardener, it is important to keep in mind that plants have different needs." the woman began.

Seira gave her a startled look. The woman smiled and continued.

"Everyone knows that plants need sun and water to grow. But some plants need more water than others to thrive. Conversely, it is possible to kill a plant by giving it too much water. The same is true about giving a plant too much or too little sun. Then there's the soil to consider. Some plants require rich, fertile soil to thrive. But think about the Hotlands. Plants grow there as well. So some plants prefer sandy soil. And other plants require other types of soil. So when you're choosing which plants you want to grow, it isn't enough to just pick plants at random, or because you like the flowers that they produce. You need to plan your garden accordingly. If your garden is big enough to have separate planting areas, you can use different types of soil and plant the types of plants that will thrive in those types of soil accordingly."

Seira nodded to show that she understood. It made sense now that someone had pointed it out to her. Plants grew all over the world, in all different kinds of climates. It made sense that you couldn't grow a plant from one climate in a different one and expect it to thrive. Not easily, at least.

"Having said that, it follows that some plants are incompatible with each other. Essentially this means that they should not be grown together."

"What makes them incompatible?" Seira asked curiously.

She was happy that the stall owner was willing to offer her some advice on gardening. Especially as what she was telling her would help her to know what she should buy now.

"It can be a number of things. Some plants are in direct competition with each other when it comes to nutrients in the soil, water, and sunlight. Plants that are too much taller than the other plants in your garden may block the sun from reaching the shorter ones so unless the shorter plants don't need much sun, they will not thrive. Competition among plants may end up with one thriving while another dies, but it could also mean that both plants die because they can't get enough of what they need. Equally, plants that require different types of soil will not grow well together. Another reason is that some plants will attract insects that are beneficial to them. If these insects can cause serious damage to another plant that you wish to grow, they should not be grown together. There are other reasons as well."

"Will you tell us which plants are incompatible with each other so we know which ones we shouldn't buy?" Seri wanted to know.

The woman nodded.

"Of course." she replied.

Then she continued.

"Just like there are some plants that are incompatible with each other, there are plants that benefit by growing near each other. Actually, companion planting is one of many different methods of gardening. It is one that I would recommend for you to try because companion planting is a good method to use when growing medicinal herbs."

Seira's mind shifted through the information she had just been given carefully.

"So companion planting means to grow plants that benefit each other together?" Seira asked.

"Yes, that's exactly right. The companion planting method is where the plants that you are growing close together are ones that will benefit each other in some way."

"How do different plants benefit each other?" Seri asked curiously.

"Some plants attract beneficial bugs. These bugs could be pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and moths. But they could also be bugs that eat other bugs that could cause harm to the plants, in which case they would act as pest control that doesn't involve using pesticides that might cause as much harm as good. Some plants can improve the fertility of the soil or drive harmful insects away without the need of attracting other kinds of bugs. Other plants bring nutrients up from deeper in the soil than others can, and this will benefit other plants that need those same nutrients. Sometimes it is a matter of the plants having similar needs without them being competitive. If plants that have similar water needs are grown together for example, it is easier to prevent giving them too much or too little. Still other plants can encourage each other to produce greater amounts of essential oils in the case of some herbs, or greater yields in other plants. It is even possible to protect some plants from plant diseases if the right ones are grown together using this method."

Seira made careful mental notes of everything she had just learned. When she got home, she planned to write everything down so she would remember it. Companion planting seemed like a good method to use for her garden, so she decided that she would try it.

"What herbs would you suggest I buy if I wanted to try that companion planting method?" Seira asked.

"You mentioned that you were interested in growing flowering herbs, so I would recommend chamomile, yarrow, lavender, and rosemary. The first three of those herbs are flowering herbs, and all of them are edible, which is also something you mentioned you were interested in."

Seira nodded, and Seri looked interested in what the woman was saying.

"Those herbs have similar water needs, so they are easier to grow together than herbs that have wildly different water requirements would be. Another reason that they make good companion plants is that chamomile and yarrow can increase the yield of essential oils that lavender and rosemary produce when the four herbs are grown together."

"I'll buy some of each of those then." Seira said quickly.

The woman beamed at them.

"Would you like to buy seeds, seedlings, or fully mature plants?" she asked.

When Seira hesitated, she asked if she could make a suggestion. Seira was quick to say yes.

"I would recommend that you buy a mixture of seeds, seedlings, and mature plants of each type of herb. That way you will see your garden produce its first harvest sooner than you would if you were to buy seeds or seedlings alone. It also means that you will be able to see what seedlings of those herbs look like so you won't accidentally weed them out of your garden when the seeds start to sprout."

"I'll do that, then. Could I get a gardening kit as well?" Seira asked.

"Of course. Would you like some fertilizer to go with it?"

Seira thought about it for a few trills before nodding. She felt a thrill of excitement as she thought about getting to work in her garden.

"Sure." Seira agreed quickly.

"And can I suggest some planting pots as well?"

When Seira hesitated, the woman continued.

"Planting pots can add variety to your garden. They can be planted so that it looks like the plants you plant in them are growing from the ground, or they can be left above ground. You can use them to grow plants that might not necessarily be good companion plants for the other plants that you are growing to add some more variety to your garden."

That sounded like a good idea to Seira, so she agreed to by the planting pots as well. By now, she thought that she had a good start for her garden, but there was one more thing that interested her.

"Do you have any books about gardening?" she asked hopefully.

"We don't have a very wide selection of books here, but we do have some good ones." the woman said with a smile.

"Would you like to see them?"

Seira nodded, and the woman produced a number of books that she had available for sale. Before long, Seira found a set of five books that seemed to be exactly what she wanted. From what Seira could tell by skimming through the books briefly, they seemed to contain information about different kinds of gardens and gardening methods. There was also information about gardening itself, and there were a lot of pictures of different kinds of gardens.

"I'll take these too, please." Seira decided.

Taerin was getting restless, so Seira decided to pay for her purchase and take Taerin home. Seira thanked the woman for her help as she and Seri divided up the things she had just bought so they could carry them home.

ooc

The seeds/seedlings/plants, books, fertilizer, pots, and gardening toolkit (tier 5) are all within Seira's wealth tier, so no deductions were made.

[Seira Shiryu]

When they got home, Seira and Seri put everything they had just bought in the sun room turned greenhouse. Meiryu was playing with a small ball, and Taerin was quick to join her once she was released from her leash. Seira watched them for a few bits, laughing at their antics.

"Life is never boring with the animals around, is it?" Seri asked her with a smile.

"No, and I wouldn't have it any other way." Seira responded.

Seri grinned at her.

"Neither would I. Do you want to go back to the market?" Seri asked as she joined Seira.

There really wasn't anything else that Seira wanted to buy, but it was nice being able to look around with fewer people at the market. Going back just to browse through the wares might be fun, even though Seira didn't usually enjoy shopping without a purpose. Then again, she enjoyed simply being with her twin so much that if Seri wanted to go back, she would be happy to go with her.

"Do you want to go back? We only went to that one stall and if there are other stalls you'd like to visit, totrial would be a good trial to do that since there are fewer people there." she asked.

"I think I would." Seri admitted.

"I've always wanted to learn how to play more instruments, and totrial would be a good time to see what is available."

Seira nodded.

"Is there anything in particular that you have in mind?" she asked curiously.

"Maybe a flute, or something similar. That would be really different than the fiddle that I play now, and it would add more variety to our concerts if I could play more instruments."

Seira nodded at that. Her sister was as good at playing the hang drum, and other similar instruments as she was at playing the fiddle, but the fiddle was the one that she preferred to play at their concerts. Seira could think of a lot of songs for the flute that would be a welcome addition to the songs they could perform for their audiences. For that matter a song played on the fiddle would sound very different than the same song played on a flute.

"Or maybe I'll learn how to play a gittern next. I should also buy some more strings for my fiddle so I'll have them on hand the next time I need to replace a string." Seri added a few trills later.

Seira smiled at her sister.

"I know you'll be great at whatever instrument you choose to learn next." she told her sister fondly.

With the decision made, Seira and Seri headed back to the market. When they got there, they immediately headed over to the section where stalls that sold instruments were located. Seira smiled as she watched Seri look at the instruments contentedly. It was clear to her how much fun her twin was having by the bright, eager look in her eyes as she examined each instrument the stall owner showed her. As Seri asked questions about each instrument, Seira paid close attention to the answers. She could easily see her sister's love for instruments in the questions that she asked, and it was a good lesson for what to ask if she ever decided to try another instrument in the future.

As Seri and the stall owner continued to talk, Seira began looking at the instruments herself while she continued to listen to what they were saying. Some were ones that she recognized, like fiddles, flutes, and hang drums. But there were instruments that she didn't recognize as well. One stood out to her. It was a fiddle, but it didn't look like other fiddles she had seen in the past. This one was beautiful. So much so that it seemed like a work or art as well as a musical instrument. Seira couldn't even begin to guess if it would sound as good as it looked, but judging on looks alone, it was of very good quality.

"What are you looking at, Seira?" Seri asked.

Seira pointed the fiddle out to her sister, and Seri's eyes widened.

"That fiddle is one of the finest instruments I have to offer." the stall owner said as she saw the look in Seri's eyes.

"It was made by a very skilled instrument maker that I know. And if you're wondering, this fiddle plays as beautifully as it looks." she added with a grin.

Seira knew that her sister hadn't come to this stall with the intention of buying an instrument. Especially not a fiddle since she had one that she loved dearly. She figured that if Seri did end up buying an instrument totrial, it would be one that she wanted to learn, and then only if the stall owner convinced her to make the purchase. But she could also tell how much Seri wanted that fiddle. Seri's eyes shone bright with delight, and Seira could see her fingers twitching as if she wanted to reach out and touch it.

"May I play it?" Seri asked.

The stall owner grinned, and nodded. Then she picked up the fiddle, and offered it to Seri. Seira smiled as she watched her sister run her hands over it almost reverently. When Seri began to play the fiddle, Seira could hear the difference in the sound immediately. Seira loved listening to her twin play her fiddle. Seri was capable of producing beautiful music with it, and making it look effortless. But this fiddle sounded smoother somehow. In Seri's hands, it produced a tone that sounded...warm. Seira wasn't certain if the fiddle sounded the way it did because Seri was the one playing it, or if it was just that much better than the fiddle that Seri already had. What she did know was that her sister had clearly fallen in love with the fiddle, and that it was coming home with them.

"How much does it cost?" Seira asked once Seri had finished playing her song.

The stall owner told them the price, and Seira glanced at her sister. Seri's eyes were still lit with an obvious delight.

"I'll take it." Seri said immediately.

Seira had known what the answer would be even before her sister spoke. She watched as Seri paid for the fiddle.

"Is there any other stall that you wanted to look at?" she asked when Seri turned back to her.

"No, not really. What about you?"

Seira could tell that her sister was eager to get home and start practicing with her new fiddle, so she shook her head. As she and Seri headed out of the market, they were approached by a young woman who looked to be about their age. The woman had long black hair that reached the middle of her back, and stunning blue eyes.

"Hi, my name is Arlana Rae. Can we talk for a few bits?" she asked hopefully.

Seira exchanged glances with Seri. Her twin's earlier delight had faded into a cautious neutrality as she faced the stranger. Seira could tell that Seri wasn't happy with the intrusion.

"I promise that it won't take long." Arlana added when Seira hesitated.

"Okay." Seira said after a few more trills.

She wasn't sure why she had agreed. Seri clearly wanted to get home, and Seira knew that she wasn't really comfortable around strangers. But the honest hope in Arlana's eyes gave her pause, and in the end Seira agreed to find out what Arlana wanted. Arlana beamed at them, and led them over to a quiet area where they could talk without bothering anyone.

"What did you want to talk about?" Seira asked curiously.

"I want to paint you." Arlana told them.

Seira blinked, startled by Arlana's response. She didn't know what she had been expecting the other woman to say, but it certainly wasn't that.

"I'm an artist, you see." Arlana rushed to explain.

"You won't have heard of me. I don't own a shop, or anything. I paint for a living, but I like to pick and choose my subjects rather than be told what to paint by a customer. That's how I get my inspiration." she added.

Seira blinked again.

"And...you want to paint us?" she asked skeptically.

Arlana nodded quickly.

"There's a...vibrancy about the two of you that makes me want to paint you. You're sisters, right?"

Seira nodded slowly.

"Twins." she said after a moment.

"I can see how close you are by the way you interact. It's obvious how much you care about you. And there's this...life about you. This...I don't know how to explain it, really. But I want to paint the two of you so I can capture that special quality that I see in you." Arlana said quickly.

Seira and Seri exchanged looks again.

"And...you want us to buy the picture you paint, I'm guessing?" Seira asked.

"You did say that that's how you make your living after all." she added.

Arlana nodded. Then she hesitated.

"Well...only if you like it, of course. If you want, I can draw a quick sketch of you two so you can see the kind of work that I do, and if you like it, you can let me paint you and buy the painting?" Arlana asked hopefully.

Seira wasn't quite sure how she felt about that. It felt weird that someone wanted to paint her. When she looked at Seri, her twin shrugged. Seri wasn't fully relaxed around Arlana now, but Seira could tell that Seri was more comfortable now that she knew what Arlana wanted of them. And it was hard to say no to the obvious hope in Arlana's voice.

"I guess we could do that." Seira said at last.

Arlana beamed at them.

"Great! I promise that you won't regret it."

ooc

The fiddle that Seira bought is of masterwork quality. 2 WP has been deducted from my ledger for it.[/ooc]

[Seira Shiryu]

Seira watched as Arlana quickly pulled a sheet of paper and a pen out of a bag she was carrying.

"My name is Seira, and this is Seriel." she said as she realized that she hadn't introduced herself yet.

Arlana was polite enough in her response to Seira's introduction, but Seira could see that she wasn't paying much attention to it. Instead, she was looking at them intently. Then she began to draw. As Seira watched, the artist would alternate between drawing, and looking at them carefully. After ten bits or so she stopped, and studied her work. She must have been satisfied with what she saw because she offered the sheet of paper to Seira.

Seira looked at it. The sketch consisted of two portraits beside each other. Seira was no judge of quality when it came to art, but she liked what she saw. It was a pretty picture for all that it had been done in a matter of bits, and she realized that if Arlana was to paint them and to take her time in doing so, it would be that much better. After a few bits, Seira handed the picture to Seri.

"It's good." Seri said after a few bits.

Seira nodded.

"I really like the sketch too." she added.

Arlana beamed at them.

"So will you let me paint the two of you?"

Seira glanced at her sister. When Seri nodded, she did as well.

"How much do you charge for your work?" Seira asked.

When Arlana named her price, it seemed reasonable for the quality of work that they would be getting, so Seira agreed quickly. Then she offered the other woman the money she had requested.

"So how does this work? I've never had anyone ask if they could paint my picture before." she said with more than a little bemusement.

"I'll do a better sketch of you now, and I will be able to work from that. When I'm done with the painting, I'll show it to you, and if you aren't satisfied, I'll give you your money back."

"What will the picture be of? Beside us, I mean." Seri asked curiously.

"That will be a surprise. Well, by saying that, I mean that I'm not really sure yet, so I can't tell you. But whatever it is, it will capture the closeness I can see between you. That much, I can promise."

Seira nodded in agreement. It seemed strange to be buying something when she didn't know what she would be getting, but Arlana had also agreed that she would give them their money back if they didn't like it, so there was less risk involved than there might have been otherwise. And part of her was looking forward to seeing what Arlana would come up with.

"Let me ask you this. What do the two of you like to do for fun? Specifically, what do the two of you like to do together?" Arlana asked.

Arlana's question sparked a conversation where Seira told the other woman what she and Seri liked to do together the most. It was a rather lengthy list since they did just about everything together. Seira watched Arlana work as she questioned them intently and listened to Seira's answers. For the most part, Seri was content to watch while Seira spoke with Arlana, but Seira was relieved to see that she answered a few of the questions herself.

"Okay, I think I have enough to go on here. I should have the painting done by the end of the season at the latest. Possibly much sooner than that. It will depend on when my inspiration strikes. Where should I deliver the painting once I'm finished with it?" Arlana asked.

Seira gave the other woman her address. Then she hesitated for a trill.

"Would you be willing to paint portraits of each of us too?" Seira asked.

"I know you said that you do best when you paint what inspires you, so I won't ask you to do anything in particular. It would be your decision as to whether you painted a head shot or a full bodied picture or each of us. Likewise, it would be up to you what we were doing in the individual portraits or if we were doing anything at all. And since I'm asking you to paint these pictures, I would of course pay for them whether I am fully satisfied with them or not unlike the one you asked us if you could paint." she added a trill later.

After a few trills of consideration, Arlana nodded.

"I can do that." she said with a smile.

Arlana named her price for the additional pictures, and Seira gave her the extra money for them.

"It will take me longer since I'll be painting three pictures instead of just the one. Are you okay with that?"

"Yes I am." Seira said with a smile.

Arlana beamed at them.

"Great! Thanks for letting me paint you, by the way. I want to go buy the supplies I'll need for the paintings now, so I have to get going. But I promise that you will love what you see when I deliver the paintings to you later this season!"

With that, Arlana ran off into the market, and Seira watched her go.

"That was...strange." she told Seri in bemusement once they could no longer see Arlana.

Seri nodded.

"It will be interesting to see what she brings us...if she actually does bring us the paintings at all." Seri said.

Seira knew that Seri was less trusting than she was of strangers, so she didn't respond to her twin's skepticism.

"We should probably get home ourselves." she said instead.

Seri nodded, and the two of them headed home with Seri's new fiddle.

ooc

Three WP have been deducted from my ledger for the paintings. I am requesting them as loot now instead of when they are delivered since they are being paid for in this thread.

[Seira Shiryu]

Rewards Requested

Notes/Warnings: Arlana Rae is an NPC from theWandering Artists group.

Thread: Strange Encounters
City/Area: Rharne

Renown: None
Wealth Points: None
Collaboration: No
Local Language Thread? No

!	Message from: Pig Boy
	Done!

[Pig Boy]

Seira Shiryu

Feedback

Yay for efficiency! Not one shopping trip, not even two! But three!

It could've been split up in to three threads, but I appreciate it all being done in one thread, all the same.

The writing as always is well done. I hope Seira enjoys her plants, flute, and paintings! Also the consequence is totally optional. But it's there if you want to do something with it.

Good writing!

Rewards

• Renown: 5
• XP: 10

Knowledges

• Business Management: understanding what a customer needs creates a loyal customer because it allows you to provide the type of customer service that will make them want to return to your business in the future
• Gardening: different plants have different needs when it comes to the amount of sun and water, the type of soil, and the nutrients they need to thrive
• Gardening: some plants are incompatible with others for a variety of reasons
• Gardening: there are many different methods of gardening
• Gardening: companion planting works well for growing medicinal herbs
• Gardening: companion planting is a gardening method where the plants you grow together benefit each other in different ways

Loot

• a tier 5 gardening skill kit
• nine planting pots; 4 medium sized, 5 large sized, average quality
• a set of 5 books about gardening
• a masterwork quality fiddle
• three paintings; one of each of the twins individually, and one with them together produced with expert level skill on with tier 5 materials

Consequences

• Seira gets odd looks from people during her next market visit. Eventually someone will have the nerve to come up to her, and ask if she was the lady in their painting. Apparently the artist they hired liked her modelling so much that they have begun to sell reproductions of Seira's and Seriel's portraits.