064. Down By the Seaside

[samson]

[Dictated somewhat lazily.]

Alright, I haven't mentioned this in awhile and with the like... revolving door policy the castle likes to do, figured I should say something. Name's Brock, I have a little bit of land sort of southwest of the castle, off the main road to the city.

There's a community garden there if you don't feel like wishing for food or paying the townspeople with fake magic money. Which I totally get, by the way; it feels a little, uh... dishonest. Anyway, the garden's there for anybody who wants to use it. Just don't take everything without putting some work in too, alright?

I got a greenhouse too, in case you want to grow something out of season. There's also a smokehouse but I don't want anybody putting weird mystery meat in there so that's sort of off-limits, okay?

That's about all I wanted to say.

[A pause. Apparently he remembered something else, so--]

Oh, uh, if you see a little dude around the garden, that's just Frodo. So don't scare him or anything. He works for me.

[Vereesa.]
Hey. I'm guessing you went with everybody on that expedition, right? You back yet?

Comments

[the_effect_she_has]

[Hrm.]

You think we're wishing up all the animals? [She sighed, rubbing her face.] Damn it, and I thought I was being so careful ...

[samson]

Maybe. Like the kitchen, right? You open the fridge and whatever you want is in there... passive wishing.

[the_effect_she_has]

I'm sorry - I honestly thought it was clean meat. But there doesn't seem to be anything clean here.

[samson]

Yeah, don't worry about it. I'm more worried about people bringing me meat from those buffalo...

But yeah. I'm pretty sure the only thing that isn't all magical is the stuff the butchers sell in the city. Even then, that's a big 'maybe'.

[the_effect_she_has]

[She rubbed her chin.] ... where does that meat come from? I mean, I haven't seen any cows around here.

[samson]

Yeah... that's why it's a 'maybe.'

[the_effect_she_has]

Maybe is always such comforting word. [She snorted softly.] Well, at least I have to hunt it to eat, so that takes away from some of the wishing nonsense.

[samson]

Yeah... I figure the "passive wishing" isn't as bad as the full-on stuff. So you're probably okay there.

Still weird, though, how it shows up for you but nobody else...

[the_effect_she_has]

I'll take the small favors.

...but it didn't just show up for me. It shows up for anyone who hunts in the forest.

[samson]

What... you're kidding.

[the_effect_she_has]

I'm not kidding. Daryl used to hunt with me, and Gale hunts with me every Wednesday. There's been all manner of creatures. Including the werewolves, but I think they came later...

[samson]

Wait, werewolves? Why the -- [okay....... calm down.]

Why... are you going out in the woods if there are werewolves.

[the_effect_she_has]

... I live there. In a cabin.

[She pauses, because this guy was getting very angry and she's not sure why, so she's cautious.]

And to be fair, I didn't know about the werewolves until recently.

[samson]

Okay. You should probably not... live there anymore. At least until somebody can exterminate them.

[the_effect_she_has]

[Waaaaaaaaaaaaait a minute!]

What do you mean, exterminate them? They're people. Okay, well, they're people who turn into wolves, but still.

[samson]

Okay, whatever. 'Cure them.' There's gotta be a super-scientist around here who can jury-rig a serum or something...

[the_effect_she_has]

Exactly. We cure them.

[Although she was starting to think maybe she shouldn't trust Brock with that.]

[samson]

[Yeah, Brock's kind of a murderer. A government-trained murderer, but still. His first priority is always going to be protecting the young and defenseless. Speaking of which --]

But in the meantime... you shouldn't go out there alone until they get taken care of. It's not safe.

[the_effect_she_has]

[Well obviously Brock and she had not crossed paths before ...]

I ... can handle myself, no worries.

[samson]

Alright, if you get infected with lycanthropy, don't come crying to me.

[the_effect_she_has]

That only happens when they bite you.

[And she'd die before she became a mutt.]

[samson]

It's not like they're dogs. They won't roll over and play nice if you let them sniff your hand first.

[the_effect_she_has]

[Damn. He had a point. And the werewolf, while he stopped, would have killed her if she hadn't stabbed him.]

Well, I don't really have a choice. I don't have anywhere to go.

[samson]

The... castle?

[the_effect_she_has]

You mean the potentially evil castle that might go insane one day and try to make us kill each other?