Re: A Time To Heal - Makshim, Shiezin 119 4A

[Kara Winters]

"Filling the rice paddy fields with water," Hikaru replied, "She wanted to make sure the water is going to circulate as intended before anything gets planted or put in there. I think she said something about fish eventually going there too and she didn't want them to die due to lack of oxygen."

So Miyuki had to make sure the water flowed down, drained and flowed back up, all while making sure it didn't drain too quickly (otherwise there wouldn't be water) and it didn't flow too fast otherwise it would displace the rice and the fish she wanted to be there.

[Nara-pyon]

THe furrow in her brow lessened slightly, and Lancaeriel smiled warmly at Hikaru.

"Thanks," she murmured. "I'll look for her there."

She headed off to the rice paddy fields to find Miyuki. When she opened the door into the fields, she stepped inside and looked around. It was her first time in that particular area, and she was curious to know what it would be like.

[Kara Winters]

Even without the tall stalks of rice, the rice paddy field was pretty with large tiered pools of shallow water that poured into each other before reaching the moat at the bottom where the water would drain away slowly to prevent overflowing. Miyuki had taken a leaf from one of the other gardens to help her judge the flow of the water. She slowly walked down the stone steps, as she followed the leaf as it leisurely floated from one pool to another.

She quite looked like the cat that got into the cream, because she was very satisfied with her work. If she had done this right, when she was done, she could drain all the pools and moat, allowing for rice to be easily planted, and the fish and rice to be easily harvested when it was time.

[Nara-pyon]

"I must say," Lancaeriel couldn't help but comment as she looked around at the rice field, "I have never seen anything like this before."

Then again, her travels had been limited, until meeting the group she was now with.

"It looks peaceful, though," she added with a warm smile.

Only belatedly did she realize that she might have startled Miyuki, and hoped that was not the case.

[Kara Winters]

And it had startled Miyuki as she jumped slightly and turned her attention to the garden's exit.

"Lancaeriel!" Miyuki grinned, "Do you like it? Rice paddies don't normally look this neat and tidy, but I had seen pictures of some that did kind of look like this and I thought it would be nice. It also allows for fish, not sure where we're going to get a fish who are ready to lay eggs, but..."

She shrugged, she was sure they would find something.

[Nara-pyon]

"No one says you have to make it like every other rice paddy," Lancaeriel grinned at her pupil. "And the rivers are full of fish, I'm sure it wouldn't matter if you took a few from there. Actually, though, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to you about something else. Some ... technicalities with the pasture, and since this really is your tent, I felt I should run it all past you."

She hesitated a moment, then asked, "Is that all right?"

[Kara Winters]

"Of course," Miyuki nodded, "What did you have in mind?"

Besides, Miyuki hadn't expected they would be keeping live animals. Even if it made sense, it was a surprising development. Not something she would have thought of.

[Nara-pyon]

"Well, a few things," Lancaeriel murmured. Clasping her hands behind her back, she wandered forward. "A number of people have been asking about a place to swim ... I know we haven't long been away from Eausin, but it seems the sea is already sorely missed. So one thing I was thinking was making the space much larger with a large body of water for swimming. A beach, perhaps ..."

She paused and waited for Miyuki's reaction.

[Kara Winters]

Miyuki thought about it, there was a slight frown because it had changed from what she had intended for the room. Though, she reasoned for herself, that particular design was a proof of concept for the future, the reason why she made it might never be actually needed. So in the long run it didn't matter, and she could always make another room with that particular design in mind down the road.

"And that's the same room that will have the pasture yes?" she asked.

If it was the same room, maybe it was for the best. She was never quite comfortable with that original room holding livestock.

[Nara-pyon]

Lancaeriel nodded. "Yes. My thought was a beach, a swimming area, which would double as the drainage for the stream that would run the mill. So a pasture for cattle, a coop for laying hens, a coop for hens and roosters, all on a hill that would have a stream running through it. The stream would run downhill, which would allow it to run the mill, and into the ... well, let's call it a lake, for lack of a better term. Also on the lower ground would be the wheat field - quite a large one, I should think, considering how much flour we go through."

She paused.

"That ... leads to the second conundrum."

[Kara Winters]

"The second?" Miyuki blinked.

It sounded like Lancaeriel had all her bases covered, unless it was how to maintain the whole thing. It sounded like a lot more maintenance than any room made so far.

[Nara-pyon]

"Well, part of it is that we're going to need more crops, corn for the animals," Lancaeriel explained, "and of course storage for it - better to have it in the same place rather than have to lug it to the storage rooms and back every day for feeding time. But that's not the problem. With all of this, we're going to need some carts, some wagons. Unless Daeron builds them for us right in the room, we won't be able to fit them through the halls and doorways."

She smiled sheepishly.

"Which brings me to my next point. Getting cattle and having them in here is one thing, but bringing them in is another. I'm sure I needn't tell you of the possible damage and definite mess that would happen by bringing them through the foyer, the hall, and so on."

Laughing softly, she added, "And you wouldn't believe how long it takes to get rid of the smell afterwards."

She shrugged and spread her hands in a helpless gesture. "So I thought of having a second entrance to the room, connected directly to the outside of the tent. A second door. Just as protected as the first, or even more so; but a second door on the back of the tent for letting livestock and carts in and out."

[Kara Winters]

Miyuki nodded at this, and it was a good idea. Besides, with the amount of materials that flowed in and out of the tent, it might be good to have a large back entrance that was closer to this section of the tent anyhow.

"I think that would be fine," Miyuki agreed, "It can also be used to transfer other material into the other workshops in the tent as then it'll all be close by."

After all, wood, metal and even fabric wouldn't be small or light if brought in bulk.

[Nara-pyon]

Lancaeriel relaxed, obviously relieved by Miyuki's reaction.

"Then I'll get back to it," she smiled. "Thank you."

[Kara Winters]

Miyuki wasn't sure why Lancaeriel was relieved, maybe because it was Miyuki's tent. But really, Miyuki felt that this tent was more of one large experiment. True, she had intended it for it to be a home, but it clearly became something larger than that.

She was also realistic, one day, most of the people here would leave, and having a place this large would be impractical.

"Not a problem," Miyuki replied, "Just don't forget to take a break, I think the test run in here went well so I will probably call it a day for once."

[Nara-pyon]

"Good for you," Lancaeriel grinned. "Cael and I have just been planning so far, so no need for a break. And with how much we're trying to put into the planning, the execution of it shouldn't take too long."

She took a moment to take a breath.

"And once that's done, the real relaxing can begin," she smiled.

[Kara Winters]

Miyuki chuckled, "I actually love doing things like this, but it's not fair to the Pokemon and I still would like to get out to see people and places."

Maybe tell a few more stories while she was at it, now that she was back here she had new areas to talk about. As they had just finished traveling through some tropical areas, saw a lot of water and some people even surfed thanks to Holly.

[Nara-pyon]

Lancaeriel laughed softly. "There is that," she agreed. "I'll see you at dinner, then. and if Cael and I should fail to show up for dinner, please send someone to remind us of the time, won't you?"

With one last grin, she turned to leave.

[Kara Winters]

For the next two weeks the group fell into a regular routine of work, play and study. As Hikaru promised, he began to teach Miyuki more about illusions. He was more than a bit amused by her use of them in story telling, but he wouldn't deny she was quite good at them on a small scale.

Hikaru spent a lot of time working, either with Miyuki or spending time with Eron doing extractions. He was perfectly content in just doing both those things, but apparently that wasn't enough.

For Miyuki that is.

"Come on," she told him flatly, looking very much like a scolding parent, "You have been cooped up in here since you told us about you. Eventually you need to go back out, without your illusions."

She added the last part because she suspected she knew what the problem was.

[Nara-pyon]

"A trip to town?" Wren looked up from what she had been doing, her eyes bright. "Can I come?"

She had been going out hunting lately, but that was different from a trip into the city. She loved visiting the shops and seeing people, but truth be told she liked going with others better than on her own, and Khetal had been mysteriously busy the past while.

[Kara Winters]

"Sure, if you can convince Hikaru to come with," Miyuki replied impishly.

Hikaru threw up his arms in exasperation, "I'm fine! I don't need to go out!"

Yes he did, he hadn't gone out for over two weeks. People probably had noticed his alter ego mysteriously disappearing by now.

[Nara-pyon]

"Now, now," Wren chided Hikaru, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "There is such a thing as taking advantage of our hospitality, you know. Besides, if you can't go out here in a safe place with people who will take care of you, you'll never go out anywhere, and despite what some people may think, you can't spend your whole life in a tent - even this one."

Even Daenis went out from time to time!

"Now come," she said in an authoritative tone, stepping forward and taking Hikaru swiftly by the arm, "you're going out. And remember to be on your best behaviour or you won't get any treats."

She was giggling as she said that last bit, and sounded very much like a mother convincing a spoiled child to do something he didn't want to.

[Kara Winters]

"Are you bribing me?" Hikaru asked with a laugh.

He couldn't help it, it all sounded so ridiculous as if he was a child. Though maybe he was being a bit of a baby.

[Nara-pyon]

"When you start acting like an adult, I'll treat you as one," Wren quipped. There was an amused light in her eye, and she ushered him forward. "Now, come on. Grab your bag if you need it, but we are going out. Out, out, out!"

She would leave the decision as to whether or not to wear a cloak up to him - Stirring was well upon them by now, and the average temperature was hovering around five degrees or so - but whether he went for his cloak or not, she would not let him get out of going with her and Miyuki to the city.

[Kara Winters]

Hikaru would have liked to protest but it was clear he wasn't going to get out of it. Besides, Wren was right about him needing his bag, if he was going to go out, he might as well see what was on sale, and maybe even go collect a few plants.

"Right right, I'll be back," he murmured.

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