what am i doing

[manforflowers]

How could I have not known about a city which so many gorgeous women? I suppose fighting the Risen didn't leave much room for matters of the academic... To think, so many beauties deprived of my charms! How could I, the daring and loveable Inigo, allow such a thing to pass?

These cafes aren't... quite what I'm used to, but it looks like they serve tea and cakes just as well.

[Or perhaps you'll just come across this wandering mercenary in the city. He's for hire - and if you happen to be a pretty girl, he'll work for free.]

Comments

[docilehearted]

Oh... so you're new here, then? If you like tea and cakes, maybe I can be of help?

[manforflowers]

[PRETTY GIRL ALERT]

I hope so! They're the perfect pick me up.

But being able to share them with someone makes the cake sweeter, and tea all the more aromatic... fair maiden, would you do me that honour?

[docilehearted]

You talk so elegantly! You don't have to call me anything like that, though. I'm just plain old Alorah.

[Fair maiden. It's enough to make a girl blush! He must be from somewhere really far away, if he talks like a fairy-tale prince.]

I know it can be a little lonely visiting somewhere new, so I'd love to join you. If you don't mind homemade things, I... well, I sort of like baking in my free time, so maybe...?

[manforflowers]

[Oh my god a girl is offering to make him cake THIS IS GOING SO WELL.]

I'd be delighted to! If your cakes are even half as sweet as you are, then I must be in for a treat.

But 'plain', and 'old'? I'll not allow such nonsense. But I will call you Alorah, for it is a name as elegant and fair as the lady who carries it.

[docilehearted]

[My goodness, all this attention! Alorah's hardly used to being on the receiving end of this kind of flattery. A little flustered, she instead tries to turn the focus back on this new visitor.]

You said your name was Inigo, right...? I'll do my best to make you something you'll love, but first, I'd like to know a little more about you.

[manforflowers]

Then I am an open book for you! Whatever do you wish to know of ol' Inigo?

[docilehearted]

Well, we could start with what sort of cakes you like.

[manforflowers]

Oh, I've never met a cake a didn't like! But my favourite is lemon with chocolate frosting. I like those little frosting flowers too...

[docilehearted]

That sounds like something I could make, I think. I love flowers very much, so I've had lots of practice piping them.

[Yeah, she's already planning in her head. Maybe a nice layer of ganache in the middle. Blueberry or raspberry reduction drizzled on top? The flowers she could make out of buttercream easily enough -- maybe she could add in a touch of lemon zest. Or would that be too tart? Maybe that would be too tart.]

[manforflowers]

I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job! This world is blessed with such an abundance of flowers...

Do you have a favourite, Alorah?

[docilehearted]

[This world? Then maybe there weren't that many around where he came from. A big city of some kind, perhaps? That seemed a shame -- Alorah thought maybe she'd have to try extra-hard on those frosting flowers.]

I do, but... oh, it's a little strange. I'm not sure if it even counts as a flower for most people.

[Her smile gets just a little embarrassed, and she's toying with the hem of her dress shyly. It's maybe a bit vain, but someone ought to love the weeds a little bit, right? Even the people who love flowers will uproot dandelions to make room for better, prettier plants.]

Dandelions. If I had to pick a favourite, I would choose dandelions.

[manforflowers]

[His smile dimmed for a moment, and memories of a dark future trickled in. A future where flowers were all but gone from the earth, made extinct within his lifetime by a war that had consumed everything. There was precious little beauty left in his time, and the only blossoms that remained were the most persistent ones. They may have been weeds, but they were all he had left to lay at his mother's grave.

But Inigo quickly brightened up again.]

Alorah, I have a fondness for dandelions as well! They may be common, but their bright, sunny faces never fail to lift my spirits.

If it is dandelions you love, then I will pick you a bouquet myself.

[docilehearted]

[Alorah knew next to nothing about Inigo; that moment where his smile faded away was an utter mystery to her, and one she didn't bother to make baseless guesses about. For all she knew, he was just trying to think of a tactful response to someone saying they liked weeds.

Whatever it was, it was a nice little ray of cheer to know someone else liked those modest little flowers. The idea of picking a bouquet was a little uncomfortable to someone who was more or less a dandelion herself, but she couldn't possibly make Inigo feel bad for that. He was just offering to share something that made her happy, after all, and it wasn't like there were any obvious giveaways that he was talking to a sentient cottonweed creature.]

You're a very sweet person, Inigo. You don't need to do anything like that for me, though. If you'd like, then maybe... wouldn't it be more fun to wait until they turn white? We could scatter their seeds and make wishes.

[Scattering seeds, after all, was the greatest fulfillment she could think of. Much better than being plucked while still yellow. That would give them something they could do together, too, and Alorah liked that thought more than being on the nonreciprocating receiving end of attention.]

Oh... if you're still here by the time they sprout their fluff, that is.

[manforflowers]

[Was she suggesting a date. A date.

YESSSSSSSS

Oh, his heart leapt. Okay, okay Inigo, be cool. A beautiful girl wants to make you cake and blow dandelion seeds with you and this was the greatest day of his life.]

I can't imagine a more wonderful way to spend the day! The promise of being able to spend more time with you is more than enough to make this wandering sellsword take root.

[docilehearted]

[That went better than expected. She'd made him happy and spared some innocent dandelions out there from a tragic fate -- entirely win/win. Especially if it turned out that he took a liking to the city. A Jumpluff understood the appeal of the wandering life, but grass-types were inherently pretty big fans of the whole taking root thing, after all.]

That's wonderful! If you need a hand getting used to the city, I'd be glad to help you out. You said you're a wandering sellsword...?

[manforflowers]

Just a humble mercenary! Travelling the land, helping those in need and sweeping ladies off their feet. But the only payment I'm looking for are happy smiles wherever I go.

I confess, it'd make things a great deal easier if I had a guide - especially such a lovely one. This city's a great deal different from anything I'm used to.

[docilehearted]

You must be very strong, then! If you don't have anywhere else to stay, I'm sure that you'd fit right in at the school.

[A wandering knight doing good for the sake of spreading smiles? He really is like something right out of a fairy tale.]

I would be delighted to show you around, but in return... I'd like to hear a little more about you. What kind of place are you from?

[manforflowers]

My world?...

[He definitely didn't want to bring down the mood by talking about a hopeless future where the fell dragon was resurrected, the undead razed the earth. It was real depressing - how were you supposed to attract a girl when you only had stories about death and gloom?

Perhaps if he prettied it up a bit.]

W-well, I've travelled a long way from the land Ylisse I know. It is a land of knights and great deeds of heroism, lead by a princess whose courage and kindness was every bit equal to her beauty.

[docilehearted]

[It might not have been the most complete description, but it was most definitely pretty. The pictures in Alorah's head of wise, benevolent princesses and gentle knights is maybe a bit romanticized, judging by the way her smile lights up.]

Oh, that sounds wonderful! I've always wanted to travel like that, but... it's not lonesome, is it? Going so far from home by yourself?

[manforflowers]

Well, it can be. I certainly miss my comrade-in-arms back at the capital. I'm sure most of them have gone their separate ways too...

But all is well! For I've the many sweethearts I met on the road to keep my company. Surely it would be more forlorn knowing there were so many maidens out in the world who had never heard the name of Inigo!

[docilehearted]

[What a smooth reply. She can't help but laugh, just a quiet little one.

Still, as little as she knows of life on the open road, she does know how hard it is to be far away from your team -- that little bit of loneliness isn't something you can brush away completely, is it? A thought to keep filed away, maybe.]

Well, I hope you haven't left too many broken hearts behind you. I suppose I'm not the first girl to offer to make you a cake, then?

[manforflowers]

Er... well...

[ABOUT THAT...]

[docilehearted]

[What a... slightly less smooth reply. Alorah pretends not to notice the uncomfortable way Inigo trails off. It's not very soothing or welcoming to make someone feel embarrassed, after all; the misstep was hers, if anyone's.]

It doesn't really matter, anyway. I'm going to try my very hardest to make sure I bake the most delicious one you'll ever have.

...Oh, I hope that's not too braggy of me, is it?

[manforflowers]

[Oh no he had to recover from being terribly unsmooth. Otherwise the pretty girl would discover that he was actually... completely hopeless with the ladies.

Inigo cleared his throat and tried to regain his composure.]

Anything that someone as kind-hearted as you put effort into making will no doubt taste fantastic! Alorah, my sweet, I have every confidence that you are equal to that task!

[docilehearted]

I certainly hope so, but wait until you've had a bite to make up your mind.

[This might be another case where it takes weeks to achieve an edible product, after all. No point letting her head get swollen. (Note to self: definitely ask if Inigo is vegan.) ]

I don't know if I'm any more kind-hearted than anyone else here, I just think food is one of the best ways to make someone feel at home, that's all.