[Garden of no return] I found me an apple [Vetiveria]

[Nas]

86st Summer 512AV Nas was at his house thinking of everything that hapened the last few day's as he relaxed his mind he heard a tock from his door. He reached for his sword and got closer on the door, he dint hear anyone outside opening it he saw the streets were empty.This was strange he thought he sat down to a chair and as he sheathed his sword, he heard a knock again, so he got up again annoyed sword in hand and....no one was at the street's someone was trying to prank him or get on his nerves or maybe it was the way of Ionny telling him to finally get out of his house. He could use this to better his aim with the crossbow he reached for his bolt's and crossbow and placed them to his rucksack taking the key to return later and wore his robeakaija's robe and left the house locking the door behind him. A he left he wondered what to do the sun was up, he could go and find a book to read or search for somekind of treasure or information he hadnt found anything regarding the animator nor the club he was in what could his informant meant back then? damnit it all fallen apart i should have been more carefull. As Nas was thinking about that a man stumbled out from a nearby alley and came up to him "Sir please you have to help me i beseech you" the old man was ruffled up he seemed to be sleep deprived and was dirty, like he was rolling in the dirt as his favorite pastime. Nas only reply was "I dont care what it is go to the sanity center if its trouble with illussions" Nas dint have time for this kind of thing even if he was bored he dint stick out his neck for other's anymore, he turned to leave "no wait please i will give you some money please help me find my daughter she was lost in the garden there was a....a thing! and she's young an- and her name is Lilea ple-" Nas motioned him to stop speaking a moment as he thought he did need some money and strangely, he dint remember the city having a garden was it something new? he was a bit excited at the thought something he dint know or perhaps that this man had lost his daughter struck a cord with how he failed to protect his family either way. He replied to the old man "Okay i will help you i will go to this garden and find your daughter if i dont return with her in two days i either died or something happened now show me where you came from and then go to the sanity center" the old man was excited "oh thank you may the god's bless you i came down the alley it was an entrance filled with rose's thats how i found my way back please hurry there was something there" Nas just nodded and maked his way there as he aproached he saw red roses circling the entrance and swore he was smelling a sweet fragnance in the air as he entered he saw a small field of red white and strangely blue flowers Nas smiled i tip the hat i dont have Ionu this i dint expect Nas thought to himself. Entering the flowered area he took out his crossbow and loaded a bolt and put the sack on his back again nine bolts remaining he hoped, he woulnt meet anything nasty as he prepared to enter deeper into the garden. Hopefully it would be easier than he thought.

[Vetiveria]

Vetiveria stepped out of the The Sunken Conundrum, where she'd spent the first hour of her morning, and she automatically placed a hand to her neck. Silly me. Of course the gills are gone now, she laughed lightly to herself and began walking down the street. After passing a few buildings, she saw a little girl holding herself tightly and sobbing. The second thing she noticed was that the child's white dress was covered in grass stains. It had been a long time since she'd heard the crying of a child, and Vetiveria's heart went out to her. "What's wrong?" she knelt down to the child's level. "Bl-Blacky... M-m-my teddy bear..." the girl, who couldn't have been older than nine, choked out. "M-mommy made it for me and now I-I've lost it." "Shh, it's okay," Vetiveria spoke softly. "Where did you last see your teddy bear?" "The... the... g-g-gar-garden..." the girl's sobbing grew louder. "I'll... Daddy said not to go in... was so mad when she found me..." Vetiveria couldn't explain how, but somehow she knew the child was so distraught because her mother was dead and that toy was one of her last gifts. She'd heard about the Garden of No Return and how dangerous it could be, but she'd also heard that the flora did not change with the maze. If I make careful note of the plants by the entrance, I'll find my way out, she thought to herself as she considered. She knew that even with the ability to navigate based on plants it would be risky, but no one else appeared to be stopping to offer their help. "What's your name?" "M-Millie." "Well, Millie, I'm going to find you your bear," she gave the girl a smile. "Can you tell me anything about how you entered the garden?" "Th-the vines were big and like a door. Oh! And there were red flowers." "Okay," Vetiveria nodded. "Where can I find you when I've found Blacky?" "D-Daddy and I are staying at the inn. Th-thank you," she sniffled. After giving Millie a hug and making sure she was calmed down, Vetiveria began to walk the streets in search of the maze entrance. It was nearly an hour of wandering in and out of dead-end alleys; the streets did not seem to want her to enter the garden. Finally, an arch entangled in red rose vines came into view. She stepped inside and took careful note of the red roses at the entrance as well as the field of irises of multiple colors. This is the way out, she told herself. I'll remember these plants easily. With the knowledge of knowing an exit slightly easing her mind, she began to step deeper into the maze. Each step was light and cautious as she relied on whim to decide where to turn rather than letting how the hedges behind her rearranged themselves disorient her. The maze was a living thing, and she would be doing her best to move with it, not against it.

[Nas]

Nas moved carefully the garden seemed to shift at each turn but so far he understood that some plants dint seem to change only their walkway's trully a peculiar thing. He searched for some time when he came upon an apple tree again he had seen it four times the last five minites. He wondered if something was strange perhaps the maze wanted him to enter there? Trying to move silenty he closed in it was a small spot the tree had red apples on it most were ready to be picked.Why was he here nothign seemed wrong on the small clearing perhaps something or someone was hiding?.

[Vetiveria]

Right, left, left, left, right, straight, left... her walking path could have been an amusing little song if the vantha hadn't wished to make as little noise as possible. Vetiveria stepped as softly as she could, carefully avoiding leaves and twigs on the path; she didn't know if anything else was inside this maze, and she didn't particularly want to find out. Some lost count of twists and turns later, she finally saw what had to be Millie's bear. There you are! Millie will be so happy, she gave a sigh of relief as she tucked the small toy made of black linen into her bag. Now, just to follow the plants back to the entrance. Halfway done! She took the only path presently open, the left. After a few paces, more paths opened up as usual. Vetiveria was in the process of trying to look down them for familiar plants to walk towards when she heard a growl. It was faint, so it wasn't currently nearby, but she knew better than to trust that judgement in an ever-shifting maze. She slowly advanced, straining her ears to try and keep whatever was in the maze within earshot, but the growls quieted. She couldn't decide if that was a good or bad sign. Her next turn brought her to a small clearing. She recognized the apple tree; she'd passed it twice, but this time someone else was near it. The figure was tall but appeared to be human or humanlike. Is he a Kelvic? No, that seems unlikely. Why would he be in human form and why would he be clothed? I must have heard something else. She lingered in the hedging a moment, considering approaching. If she encountered some sort of beast before exiting the garden, he could potentially be of great help. Needing help... she hated the idea; she preferred to do the helping. But she wasn't a fighter, not really; she could manage basic self-defense and some offensive, but fighting something large would be a terrible idea. He could be an ally or a foe, but there was only one way to find out, so she slowly stepped forward. "Hello?" she kept a distance from the stranger as she called out.

[Nas]

Looking around the clearing was futile the tree dint have anythign around it the area seemed as normal it could be in Alvadas, Nas was bored nothing so far, he put his crossbow in his rucksack with care. Nas prepared to leave the clearing when he thought he saw something at the edge like it was hiding before he could go to see closer he heard a voice "Hello". Turning Nas saw a woman hmm not roughed up so not the girl she is also unarmed she could be who i am searching so it shouln't hurt to ask he replied to her greetings "hello you woulnt happen to be the girl i was sent to find would you?" he asked hoping she knew something.

[Vetiveria]

She'd noticed he was armed, but it didn't particularly concern her. In fact, she'd been starting to wish she'd brought some sort of weapon to defend herself with after hearing those growls. So he's looking for someone, she mused. It can't be me; I didn't let anyone know I was entering the garden. And I haven't seen anyone else... but there was that trampled patch. It had looked like there had been a struggle by the purplish grass. She saw no traces of grass stain on his cloak, and he didn't look roughed up in any way. Perhaps the girl he was seeking had been there. "I doubt it," she replied. "But I might be able to help. I saw a recently trampled area in the purple grass, like someone had passed through there."

OOCEdited out one sentence: Veti introducing herself because she wasn't supposed to introduce herself until after Nas.

[Nas]

Nas noted what she said and he started walking towards the exit of the meadow before speaking again "thanks for your help i must have missed it Miss my name is Nas your's?" He waited to hear as he would soon need to start looking for that patch. As he was midway to the human some sort of scream or howl it was in between both who knows what or who it could have been. Nas silenty cursed inside of him he dint believe the old man much when he told him that something was in here."Looks like we aint the only ones in the garden" commended Nas on the screams.He hoped she wasnt panicking.

oocMonster atack XD no seriously if you want do it and ask for my character's shortsword he will give it to you if you tell him or something

[Vetiveria]

"My name is Vetiveria," she responded. She considered including the formality about it being nice to meet him, but something about Nas unsettled her slightly so she did not. Besides, he seemed to be in a hurry. She was looking forward to getting out of the maze as quickly as possible herself, now that she had what she came for. The growls she'd heard earlier had very much unnerved her. So she began to walk towards the left branch while Nas walked in another direction towards the path behind her. Both had only managed a few paces when she heard a shrieking howl. Her blood ran cold. There was no mistaking that feral sound for something that could be reasoned with, like she'd been trying to think of the growls as. Her eyes had caught a glint of metal when Nas had passed by her, and she'd seen him with crossbow at first. He has multiple weapons. A hunter? Perhaps he'd lend me a blade. her mind raced as she heard another howl, closer this time. "It would seem not," she agreed with reluctance. He isn't likely to agree to just giving me, a complete stranger, one of his belongings. The thought quickly entered her mind before she had the poor judgement to outright ask. Nas struck her as the focused type, and having to pick up his weapon from her later would be an unwanted slow-down. She'd offer something a bit more solid than just the simple promise of returning it. "I've observed the flora here well. I can guide you through the maze, as well as one can be guided here. In return, I'd ask to borrow a weapon, just until I am out of here."

[Nas]

If Nas was surpised at the first howl the second send his alarm bells off he dint recognize it but then again wasnt fammiliar with animal howlings if thats what they were. Nas heard and thought for a moment the girl's offer, he knew the flora too either way but sticking together was the smart thing to do still giving a weapon to a complete stranger hm kinda dangerous but most illusions up here dont have weird things prowling ussually was his thought. So he removed his short-blade from inside his robe "here this should help in case something atack's but give me a minite to load my crossbow"he opened his rucksack and loaded a bolt on his crossbow one day he would buy a quiver for it. Loading it he put his sack on his back and holded it "well i am ready to be going lead the way Vetiveria" her name was strange he would ask about it later for now he would follow.

[Vetiveria]

She was relieved that he agreed to her offer. "Thank you." She took the sword in her hands. While Nas loaded his crossbow, Vetiveria evaluated the blade; it was the first time she'd held a sword, and it felt very strange to her. This is dangerous, but there is more safety in numbers, especially when I can't be entirely sure where those sounds are coming from, she thought to herself. Although the howls had seemed to come from the other side of the garden, she knew there was no way to be sure in a place of illusions. The sooner she helped him complete his errand, the sooner both of them could get to the safety of the garden entrance. "This way." She walked a few paces ahead of Nas, her right hand grasping the short sword. The maze shifted with every step they took, but after a bell and some chimes she'd led them to the area with the purple grass. It was even more trampled than it had been the first times she had passed it, and she looked down to see impressions in the soil. Whatever was with them in the maze had also been here very recently. "This is the area I mentioned before... it wasn't this affected last I passed through." She frowned, concern for the girl Nas had been looking for joining her own unease.