Grat Herding

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

[With all these people disappearing and then reappearing, one of the native girls is getting really quite confused... but, y'know, at least she's stayed in one place! Applejack should feel grateful, but it's putting a right old delay on classes starting up again. This hard worker can't stand so much free time!

Honestly. She'd try to put up a stall somewhere and try and drum up some business, but either the delivery's been held up or Time Compression sent her apples into the future.

So, right now? She's training in the training centre. Or, more specifically, she's giving her dog Winona a work out.]

All right, you bring 'em all back here now!

[So yeah. She's herding grats.]

Comments

[xwheresmacrown.livejournal.com]

[ Stare. Just... staring a moment, AJ. Don't mind her. ]

Strange past time you've gone and chosen.

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

Well, I gotta keep up Winona's training one way or another!

[xwheresmacrown.livejournal.com]

Winona?

[ A moment for her to make the connection. ]

Ah... your dog? Quite skilled as she is. I take it... you're a herder?

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

Well, it ain't my job, if that's what you're asking - more like a hobby! See, I just tend apples. Up until I came to Garden, anyhow. But Winona here, she's a working dog - I ain't gonna let her get lazy, nosiree.

[xwheresmacrown.livejournal.com]

An apple farmer then?

[ But there's a small smile as she considers Winona. Doesn't seem like the dangerous sort of dog. ]

Quite admirable, if I may say, the dedication both you have.

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

You bet! Been the family trade for generations!

[]

Well, thank you kindly. I'm Applejack - come from just outside o'Timber. If you ever heard of Sweetapple Acres, that's where I came from!

[xwheresmacrown.livejournal.com]

[ Ah, family pride. Wonderful thing that it was. ]

A pleasure to meet you, Applejack. I am Princess Lalianna Adjia Ananda. Not a local, I'm afraid... but I believe to have come across the name Sweetapple Acres several times.

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

Well, it's sure good to meet you too, Princess! []

[xwheresmacrown.livejournal.com]

[ And she's assuming AJ's calling her by her title. Oh man, this is glorious. ]

I'm sure, dear. Have you been here long?

[nomark1or2.livejournal.com]

[There's a voice from around the corner.]

Hey! Why're you barkin' at me?!

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

She's just lettin' me know you're there, sugarcube!

Winona! Back here now, girl!

[nomark1or2.livejournal.com]

[That's not the only reason; as Jecht comes around the corner looking vaguely put-out, he's holding a grat in his left hand. It feebly wiggles, at which point Jecht punches it again and it slumps in defeat.]

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

Or it might be that you're holding one of her targets...

[nomark1or2.livejournal.com]

[He looks to the grat, then to the pooch, then blankly holds out the battered grat like a dog treat for the puppy.]

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

[]

Now how's she supposed to round it up if it's all beaten up like that? I don't think it can move!

[nomark1or2.livejournal.com]

Hey, I DID get to it first.

[He casually pitches the grat into the bushes.] Fetch, girl!

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

[]

Do you mind not distracting Winona when she's working? She ain't just a pet - she's my partner! A working dog.

[]

[nomark1or2.livejournal.com]

Oh, a partner-in-battle sorta thing, huh? Well, that's one good pooch ta do that for ya!

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

You got it! She's great, couldn't've asked for a better partner.

[]

[nomark1or2.livejournal.com]

She IS a good dog.

I got a question though.

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

Yeah? What sort of question?

[nomark1or2.livejournal.com]

What's she do when one'a them shows up?

[Jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the T-Rexaur head that smashes its way through the foliage with a snarl and a roar.]

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

[]

What do we do? I sure hate to say it, but when it comes to T-Rexaurs? We run! Winona! Back here, girl!

[]

[nomark1or2.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I think that plan needs work.

[Jecht, of course, doesn't seem to bothered by the creature. Possibly because it's chasing after Winona.]

[But as it starts to pass the bronze man-god, Jecht reaches up to grab one of its stubby forearms.]

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

I know some of you off world folk don't need any kind of help when it comes to them, but you all got fancy powers that just ain't natural! I don't have any of that.

[nomark1or2.livejournal.com]

What're you talkin' about?

[Possibly she's talking about Jecht yanking hard on the arm, then grabbing its throat and slamming its head into the ground hard enough to make its eyes cross.]

This ain't some fancy power. This is pure Great Jecht! You get yourself good an' trained-up here in school and you'll be laughin' at these things too!

[willnotsubmit.livejournal.com]

[And the next stop on the orient-everything-in-Garden-for-the-sake-of-being-informed-tour is...A forest that looks like it should be in Yakushima. The hallway leading up to it was odd enough, and when she sees the industrial strength gates, Mitsuru is tempted to turn back.

...That's until she hears what sounds like squelches mixed with squawks, and a barking dog.]

"Hm!?"

[Is about all she has time to say before a whole throng of mobile...Plant...Things burst out of the undergrowth. Her hands go to her side for an Evoker that isn't there, as Mitsuru stares. The plant-creatures are bizarre enough, but the dog herding them is what really pushes this into the bizarre category.]

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

Good going, Winona!

[]

[willnotsubmit.livejournal.com]

"..."

[She's a bit hard pressed to pick out WHICH of these things is the oddest. It takes Mitsuru a full three blinks for her mind to process and accept all of this. Still, fuss-budget Kirijo Mannerisms take the fore, and she does her best to side step most of the chaos and still get within speaking distance. That puts her on the outside of the herding ring, but closest to the girl doing the kicking.]

"Do you require assistance?"

[Just loud enough to be heard over the barks and...Skitters, but still not quite shouting.]

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

[]

Thank you kindly, but we're doing just fine and dandy! Just getting a little training in for Winona here.

[willnotsubmit.livejournal.com]

"Training?"

[She glances down at the dog, and yes, that does look like what she's read about when it comes to herding. Only with plants instead of livestock.]

"..A-ah. I see. And,"

[She's just going to step back a bit, to be on the safe side.]

"These things don't pose a threat, then?"

[For all she knows, they could just be some Garden equivalent of sheep or cows. Unlikely, but she won't rule out the possibility.]

[sweetapple-seed.livejournal.com]

Oh, they pose a threat all right. Gastric juices, sleeping gas, and those tentacles can hit pretty hard! You just gotta know how to handle 'em.