001 - If I Keep Looking Forward I Won't Fall Back [Vault]

[purplexing]

I. The Armory
Donnie hasn't talked about the last mission. He hasn't talked much to anyone. Not entirely strange, but then nor is his preoccupation with work. At the moment he's taking a break from fixing up the armors that had been acquired during the taking of Hesaeth, working instead on more personal weapons. Or in this case, repairing them.

His staff is in pieces. Normally it collapses into something discreet enough to carry, but some of those pieces have very obvious indentations, damage sustained from the encounter with Lord Gundhir's son. The turtlekin picks up one of the cylindrical segments, holding it up in closer inspection. Repairing it would be possible although he'd likely have to reforge some pieces, but what good would it be if it would still essentially break under pressure?

...

Pushing aside an errant thought, Donnie sets the piece down, pulling out his notebook and a folded sheet of paper from within, flattening it out. The original designs for his collapsible staff, and extra notations for other additions to it. It still needs to be sturdier, but lighter too, especially if he plans to include more capabilities.

He doesn't look up at whoever approaches, only barely hearing the footsteps thanks to the mufflers he always tends to wear, especially down here where there's just so much noise. "Hey, know if there's any scrap titanium I can use?"


II. Subterranean Farms
Tucked away from the main fields and nestled in a smallish nook along the carved out walls, the little garden can easily be overlooked if one isn't paying attention to the strange, spiraling growth of vines dotted with small purple flowers that have started to crawl along the edges of the rock there. That's as far as Donnie's allowed them to grow, always taking care to trim them back before they can get out of hand.

He's rigged his own little light source here, simultaneously taking advantage of where crevices throw shadows across the space to allow for all kinds of plants to be cultivated. At a glance they're definitely more of a decorative sort than to be used for food, but he wouldn't advise eating most of these anyway. There are many flowers and herbs, and even a few types of fungi that grow within the natural rock 'shelves' of the flanking walls.

The turtlekin can be found tending to his beloved plants, removing any dead leaves, carefully watering the flowerbeds or tilling a patch of dirt in preparation for planting something new.


III. The Library
The library's become as much of a retreat as any, and in particular Donnie liked to hide away here because of how much quieter it is compared to other areas of the Vault.

He had come here to do some research but the peacefulness of the area paired with poor sleep has managed to lull him into an unscheduled naptime. Hopefully you didn't need that book he's currently using as a pillow, but be forewarned; he's a drooler.

Comments

[purplexing]

"...which is why you were asking in the first place," Donnie suggests as he looks to the initial pile of things that Link had removed from his pack.

"Hm. Well... experimenting with a plant that's explosive isn't something I want to do near here. I wonder if soaking it in water will help... Although I'd like to see it in action first, to get an idea of how much damage it's capable of. -not here," he adds on.

"What about the others?" He gestures to the fruits and things. "What do they do?"

[newmemorywhodis]

Link nods.

As for the rest, Link starts pointing to them and giving brief descriptions of each. As it turns out though, there's quite a lot of variety. Some are described as having elemental effects, like the ice and fire fruits. Then there's ones like the muddlebud or puffshroom, which create clouds that cause confusion or impede vision.

Then there's ones that are a bit less direct. Ones that have effects after being cooked into food or made into an elixir. Some increase a person's stamina, their ability to withstand extreme temperatures, their speed, or even their ability to remain quiet and stealthy.

And then there are others, which are clearly just...food. They don't explode or glow or make anyone able to move faster. They just make for some tasty meals.

[purplexing]

When Link begins to go about with descriptions, Donnie has to flail a bit and get him to pause so he can pull out a notebook and a pencil. He starts to write down notes, taking his best guess at words he might not have learned yet, doing a very rough sketch of the things that went with them. He adds in quick little descriptors on the side of each picture, like colors and defining characteristics to help for later identification purposes.

"That's a lot to work with. How have they not spoiled in your pack? Unless that's just another property..." That seems the easiest thing to account for it. Flowers and herbs should have been long crushed and withered, especially given how long Donnie knows Link to have been here.

"There's a lot, and clearly whatever magic your pack has is keeping them from getting ruined, so we'll do this a little at a time. Choose maybe two or three to start, and I'll need at least three samples of each to work with- if you can spare them."

[newmemorywhodis]

"Pack keeps things the same," Link says. And then he pulls out a hearty lizard, just to prove it.

The lizard is alive, and wriggling in Link's fingers. It does not appear to be any worse for the wear for having been kept for an untold amount of time in the pack. And then Link puts it back in the pack, and considers the question of which ones to get Donnie to grow.

The brightblooms were a given. Also Link had a ridiculous number of them, so he could afford to give a bunch away. But which ones would be the most useful?

In the end, Link puts forward the bomb flowers, puffshrooms, and muddle buds. Those all grew underground, so they should well in Donnie's subtenant farm.

[purplexing]

"What the-?!" Donnie blurts, nearly dropping his notes mid-flail. He's staring again, Link once again shooting back up on his mental list of weirdos no doubt. He watches as the lizard is stuffed back into the pack, briefly wondering that if he were that small and Link so fancied, would even he be added to that amassed collection?

He turns such disturbing thoughts away as he looks at what Link offers, instantly approving of the purple flower although mindful of what it had been described to do.

"Tell me more about the environment you got these from. Like...location, climate..."

[newmemorywhodis]

Don't worry, Donnie. You're far too big to fit in. Really, lizards are the biggest living thing that can go in there light that.

Although, maybe Link shouldn't mention fairies...

"Puffshroom and muddlebud grow only in the [Depths]," he says. Not knowing the Imperial word for depths, he uses the Hylian word instead. "Bomb flowers, in the [Depths] and caves."

[purplexing]

Link....

Donnie gestures for Link to provide more input. "Descibe the...whatever you said. Is it underground, is it in a field or an ocean? I'm assuming it's different since you mentioned caves separately," he says.

[newmemorywhodis]

"Underground. Deep. Very deep," Link explains. Although really, how do you explain the Depths?

Especially when you're Link, and explanations aren't your strong suit in the first place.

[purplexing]

"Uh-huh..." Donnie says as he writes this down. At least he finds these helpful, especially given that the main term Link had been using was not one that Donnie could understand. "Warm? Cold? Dry, damp?" he prompts helpfully, or so he hopes. Wow, why is this like pulling teeth?

"Look- if you want me to try to grow these things, then I need a really good understanding of where they came from. That's important, that's the sort of place they can grow, and if I can't get things as close to what they might be in their natural setting, then it won't work."

[newmemorywhodis]

"Not cold. Not hot." Then he pauses, thinking about it. "Except for the parts with lava."

Those tended to get pretty hot. And flammable.

"It's dark."

[purplexing]

The turtle nods, adding these to his notes. "Humidity? I'm assuming there must be some humidity, fungus does better in damper conditions," he muses, already considering how to replicate such things. Maybe he'll have to make his own cavern...

[newmemorywhodis]

Link thinks about it, then nods. Yes, it could get a bit humid in the Depths. And in some caves too, actually.

[purplexing]

"Okay, so current location should not be too difficult to adapt for such. ...although since I don't know how long these usually last after they've been harvested- and outside of your pack, I might have to start working quickly. But then fungi at least tend to maintain their properties for some time. Hmm..."

Donnie looks at his notes and then pushes to his feet as he starts to look for a good place for this experiment. Typical, he's getting right to it. "Might have to carve out something," he mutters to himself as he studies the cavern walls.

[newmemorywhodis]

"I have more." Just in case the ones Link's given Donnie don't last long enough.

Although maybe Link would have to be careful with the Bomb flowers for a while. He'd used a few during the last mission, so he didn't have as many as he'd started with. He should wait, until Donnie figures out how to grow more.

"...Thank you," he adds, softly. Because he did appreciate this.

[purplexing]

The thanks is completely unexpected, enough so that Donnie looks over, blinking. He gives a light snort, smiling crookedly.

"Thank me when I get results," he says, although by those words it seems he's determined enough to follow through.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link nods, although he doesn't consider his thank you pre-mature at all. Even if Donnie doesn't succeed, he's still making the attempt.

Then, satisfied that Donnie will do what he can to grow the plants, Link sits back. Looks at Donnie. And asks: "You need anything?"

Help. Resources. Anything. Link wasn't picky.

[purplexing]

The turtlekin's used to doing things on his own, so the offer is one that throws him off a little. He hasn't the slightest idea of how to incorporate another moving part into things because it just feels like it complicates matters. He does at least give it a moment's thought before he shakes his head.

"Not that I can think of at the moment. I need to get a place set up so I'll need to do some planning."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link hums softly in acceptance. So nothing yet, then. But then could be something later.

"Ask me when you know."

[purplexing]

Later gives him time to consider, especially once he actually figures out what all he needs to do. Donnie nods, accepting these terms.

"Okay."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link nods then. Okay.

And then he gets up, leaving behind the sample flowers and mushrooms, and says, "Bye," before running off. Apparently, Link considers this conversation done.