Crystal

[sprent]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Gela, in the early evening
RECIPIENT: Youse guys
NOTES: Do go on ☺️

(Cheerfully, in a bright voice that is Nevarran eventually, after one parses through the vocal funk,) Hello!

My name's Gela Baynrac and I'm a bit new. I've spent round about a month here now- I think, haven't been countin'- but I belong to your wonderful Diplomacy division, and I've got a favour to ask of you all.

Any gossip about? Maybe what you're lookin' forward to in the next month, or anythin' curious overheard while visitin' our neighbours– that kind of thing. It's part of our job to keep records, and mine, as you can imagine, are sparse. So if you've heard anythin' especially delicious lately, I'd love to know about it too.

Naturally, the office is always open for reports if you don't wish to speak aloud! Go well.

Comments

[notathreat]

The tabby at the stables just had kittens a few days ago. She's up in the hayloft.

[sprent]

(The sound of a pen on paper–) How many kittens?

[notathreat]

Six. Some of them are the- what do you call 'em, when they're orange and black and white? And there's at least one orange one in there.

[sprent]

(Hmm,) Splotchy, I think. I'd go see for myself, but cats make me sneeze.

Will they be adopted, d'you think? Or do they roam about.

[notathreat]

Maybe, maybe not. They're stable cats so they keep the mice out of the grain, y'know?

Sorry about them making you sneeze. That's gotta suck.

[sprent]

Oh, I know. Had a mouser of my own back home, an' I think she knew she made me sneeze. She liked to hide underneath my bed, far back, where I couldn't reach her.

Could still be there, for all I know.

[notathreat]

What was her name?

[Ellie tucks that little tidbit away, though- back home. Not something to ask about in public, maybe.]

[sprent]

(She seems relatively at ease recounting,) Minette! And also Minnie. And Emmy, and Min. A lot of names for such a small creature.

Are you allowed an animal in the Gallows?

[notathreat]

She sounds like a little shit.

[With utmost fondness.]

Yeah, plenty of people have 'em. Mostly dogs, I think. I know somebody's got a bird, but I think he just visits.

[exequy]

I have a bird.

[ He sounds defensive about it, for some reason, like he’s gotta defend his position as the bird man around here.

Realizing that, he tacks on an extra complaint: ]

And that Templar has twenty cats in his room. That’s why no one wants to spend time with him.

[notathreat]

What- what kind of bird is it?

[Why is she so surprised by this? She doesn't touch the cat situation. No need to confirm which templar.]

[exequy]

One of the messenger ravens. He—

[ A pause. He is trying to figure out how to make this sound tougher than “I have been caring for a traumatized bird.” Clearly he shouldn’t have said anything at all. ]

—retired.

[sprent]

(Oh nooooo, forever?) Sorry to hear it. Poor thing.

[sprent]

She is. (Or was, because Gela hasn't seen the little thing for nearly six years. Honestly, she only just remembered about her now. Sorry, Minette.)

I s'pose there's more than enough room for them. But I'd rather have a bird, I think- or an insect.

[notathreat]

An insect?

[sprent]

Yeah, like a big spider or somethin'.

[grindset]

Calico,

[is quiet.]

1/2

[notathreat]

Calico!

[She says it delightedly.]

2/2

[notathreat]

Thank youuuuu- new voice?

[grindset]

[It works. This may be the best part of his day so far.]

You're welcome.

[notathreat]

[Ellie puts that bit together a second later. The accent's not familiar. New voice. Rifter. Ooooh, yeah. This guy's having a bad day.]

I'm Ellie.

[grindset]

Viktor.

[Bad week, really; but listening to people acting normal, through an incredible magic rock, is certainly helping.]

Sorry to interrupt. Please, continue.

[notathreat]

Nice to meet you. And I don't mind.

That's kind of how talking on the crystals gets.

[grindset]

Yes, I've... been listening. You sound like a lively group.

[notathreat]

[A tired laugh.]

That's one way to put it.