[PQ] baker's dozen [seasonal event]

Amalia i'll light a fire in your new shoes A minute ago the thought of reforging the bakery seemed impossible, a near insurmountable task. Where to begin? What would she do? The birds need managing, the garden tending, the storeroom is a mess. She may be tenacious, but she is still one girl in the end. Though not forever - or even for long. Mysteriously, magically, a team begins to build itself, familiar faces gathering in the bakery as though summoned. The first, and perhaps most surprising, is Deimos, that behemoth from the library who dreamed of reincarnation. Amalia looks up as his large form fills the doorway, a surprised smile blossoming shyly across her sculpted face. "Hello," she greets, her deep voice warm, gentle, as though afraid he might vanish should she sharpen her tone. The moment is quick to fall apart. Like a bolt of chaos Jorseval appears, the priest a whirlwind of activity and words. Amalia's face shifts to a faint scowl, disapproval deepening the lines of her brow - were it not for their shared allegiance to the Old Gods she might evict him on principal. As it is she listens to his ramblings about dust and sweetbreads and stealing from her grandmother, a mix between a smirk and a scowl picking at her lips. "I remember that," the girl says wryly. "She used to chase you out with a broom." The memories hurt in that bright, beautiful way, bittersweet and brilliant. She wants this place to shine like that again, to be beautiful and full of laughter. Part of her fears that is impossible. Another part still wants to try. The last to join their parts is perhaps the strangest. Amalia blinks in surprise as Wessex appears, emerging from the back entrance gowned in cloak and hood. As far as Ascended go, Wessex is not bad: Amalia takes grudging pleasure in the other Natural, despite her distrust of all things New Gods. "Hello, Wessex," the copper girl replies, her delicate brow arched as she inspects the clearly uncomfortable Ascended. "Strange to see you out at this hour." She does not add I appreciate it, but her expressive smile says enough. They have assembled a solid team. Amalia has hope. "I... I want to reopen the bakery," the girl begins, looking across her old and new friends with a blooming flush of passion. "But it needs a lot of work. If you wanted to help, though... I'd be happy to bake for you. I'm not as good as Nani - my grandmother - but I, well..." she trails off with a small laugh, shrugging ruefully. "It would really mean a lot," "Wessex, maybe you could check the basement? There should be some old barrels of flour stashed away down there, and some pans and wood for the oven. Maybe other things. Deimos, maybe you could help?" She looks between the two hopefully, not adding that she particularly does not want to do this job - she loathes the basement, the cold and dark. Should the pair take up the task they would indeed find a collection of firewood and some old barrels of flour, as well as a small caved-in area with a notable scraping sound coming from behind it. Something trapped, perhaps? She turns to Jorseval next. "There's some birds in one of the chimneys. Maybe you can chase them away." Less a request than an order, but there is humor in her voice. On investigation Jory would in fact find not a simple nest of swallows but a very angry great horned owl had taken up residence in the flue, and did not appear willing to move any time soon. Amalia herself directs her attention to the stove and counters, all of which are in need of a good scrub. ooc \\ I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK FOREVER ;~; no post order, and obviously no need to worry about gourds anymore... image by tambako @ flickr.com