[PQ] Glitter on the floor after the party

EVIe (Since we're pretending Evie always had this shop, this PQ is meant to just be fixing things up after LongNight (but not the Seasonal Event sense <3)) Evie's apothecary shop was right next Devas Bakery. Not only was the bakery run by one of her closest friends, but it had the added bonus of sweet and savory smells wafting over at almost all hours. Normally Evie would have wandered over by now to help herself to a slice of something delicious, but she had too much to do and too much on her mind just now. Besides, she knew if she went to visit Amalia it'd be hours before she finally managed to leave, and she really did have a lot to do. The door needed mending, one of her shelving units had broken, and a number of glass jars that had been holding various botanicals in the back had been knocked down (or otherwise fallen) from the shelves. In short, Evie's shop which was normally impeccably clean and orderly, was a complete disaster. She'd put up a notice in the temple looking for anyone willing to lend a hand. In return, she'd offer them a vial or two of some extra potions she had laying around. Hopefully someone would come, Evie wasn't looking forward to having to do this all herself. There are 3 spots open in this PQ! Come help get Evie's shop back in working order! 1. Evie 2. Maea 3. Sam Don't read the last page But I stay when it's hard or it’s wrong or you’re making mistakes

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MaeA A quiet knock on the bedraggled door preceded the entrance of a raincloud gone astray. At least thst was how Maea felt after having run around the market in the drizzle all morning, trying to get her hands on all the little bits and bobs that needed restocking on the farm. With a tenant suddenly in residence, certain things ran out much quicker than anticipated... but with the extra hands to cover the many tasks that needed doing, the albino girl found herself with enough time to spare that she could lend a hand to others herself. "Hello Evie" she greeted as she came inside, breathing in the scent of herbs and freshly baked bread with some delight. "I saw your note... do you still need a hand?" It had been some time since she'd come here last. Usually Leafchange and Deepfrost were the easier times of the year for Maea, while the remaining year saw her in desperate need of lotions and balms against sunburn. Nor was she as sickly as she had been as a child... not in the same way as before at any rate. Looking about the shop  she took in the broken shelves and smashed bottles, and threw a glance at the door again. "Looks like there was quite a party going on in here. Ler me help you with those bottles, so no one cuts themselves on the glass." Though she disliked her magic on religious grounds, being able to move things about without touching them could be practical. you're so cold, but you feel alive.

When Sam had first seen the notice in the temple, he had dismissed it. Of course he wouldn't go to help Evie. They were enemies, rivals borne from a terrible place neither of them cared to remember. Interacting with her further would clearly be a painful and awkward reminder of all the ways he came short. But the thought would not leave his mind. He was distracted from work by visions of them working together, becoming closer, becoming friends; of his past traumas being wiped away by new understandings. And on a more practical note, the promise of potions interested him. Just what could Evie do, he wondered? She didn't know of his bookmaking skill just as he didn't know of her talents as an Apothecary. As he arrived he saw Maea enter and he hung back for a moment, feeling suddenly like an unwelcome guest. But he'd come this far, so he had to finish. Sam walked up to Evie's door and peeked around, waving to Maea first then looking to Evie with a small hopeful smile. "...I...I'm here to help." Samuel Another little "nothing ever after", nothing more? And lo, but no! What bliss Another jolly jaunt through the abyss

EVIe With her hands already full, Evie turns to see her pale-haired friend picking her way through. "Maea!" She practically gushes. Perhaps she is overdoing things a bit, but she really does need the help. Maea is perhaps one of the last people she would have called on for this, but hands were hands, even if they were attached to rather pale and anemic arms. Flashing the sometimes-violet eyed girl a warm smile, Evie nods. "Yes! Please!. Ugh, what a mess. I locked up and everything, and still this place is a disaster. Clearing that glass would be amazing!" Just as she was about to continue righting some of her pots, a face she thought she'd never see enter, darkened her doorway. Immediately the bright and sunny smile she had for Maea disappeared, and Evie set her lips into a thin line as she clenched her jaw. Come here to gloat? she was about to ask, before Sam ... offered his help???? Looking entirely taken aback, Evie tilted her head to the side, giving Sam a skeptical once over, before rushing forward and grabbing at his shirt collar to drag him inside. "What are you thinking?! Being out during the day? Sam!" The concern in her voice was obvious and immediate, despite the tension and distrust that had been there only moments ago. "I mean...since you're here already...would you mind helping me with some of these pots? They...uhm..well, you'll see." She said, before setting off towards the back of the shop. There is TONS of glass. Be careful Maea! I wonder if there are any clever ways of making sure that she gets all of it? Meanwhile, Sam will find that almost all of Evie's small pots have been overturned. There is dirt everywhere but worse, the labels have come away from the majority of the plants. Maybe Sam's bookish knowledge will come in handy! Don't read the last page But I stay when it's hard or it’s wrong or you’re making mistakes

table by sky!

Evie had about the face he had expected, looking displeased and surprised. Sam considered just bolting, convincing her later it had been someone else...but then he was dragged into the shop out of...concern?! It seemed so bizarre Evie could care for him that he stared at her as if she had grown another head. But it seemed they weren't going to talk about the duality of her actions, Sam being readily given a task and Evie leaving. With an apologetic smile towards Maea for the moment of drama he knelt down and looked at the pots. They were in quite the state; cracked and overturned with labels all over. He sat on the floor and began to upright the pots first, scooping what dirt he could into the ones that seemed low. It felt odd to be working so normally for his twin, whom he had long considered an enemy...but...he liked to organise and he'd come here to do just that. He looked at each plant carefully, considering what it was before he replaced the labels. Eventually he was sat before a row of pots each with a label hesitantly half-stuck on it, plants set upright and dirt swept up into a neat pile. Samuel Another little "nothing ever after", nothing more? And lo, but no! What bliss Another jolly jaunt through the abyss

MaeA Maea smiled back, feeling keenly the surprise and slightly overdone welcome Evie greeted her with. They weren't friends, had probably never been, and in all honesty Maea wasn't sure she even liked the red-headed woman... but she needed help, and Maea had time to spare. It was all the reason she needed for being here. Seeing Sam appear was rather more surprising, and she pondered what relation the two might have as she began to pick up glittering shards of glass from the floor. Using her will to move each piece worked well on the bigger ones, but left behind was a fine dust of sharp matter too small for her to get a grip on, with fingers or mind. Crossing her arms over the chest the short woman considered the issue, then noticed how one of the broken jars had contained a creme of some sort. Most of it could still be salvaged, but some vad spilled out on the floor, and it gave Maea an idea. Still using her will rather than her hands, she spread the spilt creme over the glass dust, and finding a rag she proceeded to wipe it all up from the floor. It should get rid of most of the glass, though... well, no doubt the floor needed a good scrubbing down anyway. "I hope this wasn't too precious... some of it spilled" she said, and handed the jar with the rest of the sticky matter to Evie. you're so cold, but you feel alive.

EVIe Nibbling her lip, Evie mirrored Sam's actions, scooping the dirt into the pots. But of course there was the issue of the labels. It had been years since those summers with Rory spent learning about plants so that she could disguise her magical abilities by passing them off as botanical skills, and now her carelessness would be her downfall. Not even Sam knew about her powers, and if she wasn't careful, she was sure that even he would be able to pick up on the fact that she knew far less than she should. "Do you know which plants go with which labels? I mean...it's obvious, so... I can leave it to you?" Please say yes, Evie silently prayed. Luckily though, Maea's work gave her a chance to remove herself from showing her complete lack of botanical knowledge. "Oh!" She cried dramatically, rising and rushing over to Maea. "That was your new cream. We were working on something to try and put pigment into your skin as well as protect it." This was an absolute lie, but now that it was spilled all over the ground, it wasn't like anyone could call her bluff. "Okay well, good thinking." Turning, a shard of glace sliced through the thin sole of Evie's shoe and into the ball of her foot. "Ah!" She cried, stumbling into a chair and immediately fumbling for the laces so she could remove her shoe. "Oh it stings!" The temptation to use magic was strong, but she certainly wouldn't. Not with Sam around anyways. Maea, can you go grab the jar of healing ointment? I think it's labeled, over there—" Can Sam figure out which labels go with which plants? Chan, post a number from 1 - 100 at the top of Maea's next post, as she goes to find the healing ointment. Don't read the last page But I stay when it's hard or it’s wrong or you’re making mistakes

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Maea seemed content to work in companionable silence along with him, something Sam was open to. He wished more people would really; company without the added pressure of conversation was something that was so much simpler to him than the forced requirements of social niceties. Eventually Evie returned and to his surprise, asked him if he knew about the labels. Wasn't...this her shop? Sam's clear confusion showed on his face. Evie was not dumb, he knew that much. Immediately suspicion rose up in him that this was some kind of trick, game, something devised to make him look stupid. It would not be the first time he'd been made a fool of by Evie in front of others. The condescension with which she insisted it was obvious was not unnoticed either, but was put aside in the face of his suspicions. "I can...try. But I will just be going from what I have read in a few books. Surely it would be better for you to confirm it...?" But she was moving on, talking to Maea. Sam wondered if she would notice the lack of the stutter in his voice, the new confidence with which he spoke...probably not. With a sigh he began to sift through his memory for the shapes of leaves, the thickness of stems; anything to help him identify the plants. Botanical books had never particularly interested him but Sam had read a bit of everything in his time, could label at least half of the pots. He was busy with his task when Evie cried out and he flinched, looked over. "Are you alright?" Samuel Another little "nothing ever after", nothing more? And lo, but no! What bliss Another jolly jaunt through the abyss

MaeA (42) It was all coming back. Years of tagging along behind Evie and Ama, of those too-bright smiles and too-kind words, like a burdock wrapped up in a silk shawl, meant to sting if she held on too tightly. The veiled taunts, the little odd jobs and 'favors' that only really served to make her leave - because when she came back, they would always be gone. Or huddled together, talking and giggling about something that was always interrupted by her return. Never outright mean, never openly cruel, but never kind either. Not like they were to each other. The reaction to the spilled ointment was so typically Evie that Maea gritted her teeth. Of course it had been for her. Of course she never heard of it until now when it was too late. Too bad that she used it to clean up the glass, now it was her own fault that she wouldn't get any. Right? "I'm sorry, Evie. Don't worry about it, I'll be fine anyway" she said, just as she had done a million times before. She was already turning to start on another task when the scream pierced through her ears, a high pitched sound that grated on her nerves even as she turned, with a sinking feeling to her stomach. Of course Evie had stepped on the one piece of glass Maea had missed. What was worse; that the had missed it, that Evie had noticed or that she had actually gotten hurt? The guilt was there immediately, the urge to once more apologize a weight like led on her shoulders. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.... "I'll fetch it!" she promised, already moving when the order came. So ingrained a habit that Maea didn't even question herself until she reached up for the jars, hand hesitating between two lables that were illegible to her blurry sight. But even though she knew this was not her anymore, this exact reason why she had not seen either of her childhood 'friends' in such a long time, there really wasn't much she could do right. Right? Evie was hurt after all, and what kind of person would Maea be if she walked out on her now? She grabbed one of the jars at random, hoped it was the right one and came back with it. "Did you mean this?" Still soft spoken, still calm, but the light was dying in her eyes and her shoulders hunched in preparations for the blow she knew to expect. She spared a glance for Sam, but couldn't find a smile to offer. Why had she come here again? you're so cold, but you feel alive.

EVIe "You'll do fine, Sam." Evie said with a light shrug, just wanting him to shut up and get on with it. It wasn't like it mattered. The plants didn't actually do any of the healing, she did. But no one could know that. Wistfully Evie sighed and shook her head. "It was going to give you such a nice complexion too." She pouted. Dramatically Evie placed her wrist over her eyes as Maea went to fetch the balm. Glancing at Sam, she sighed loudly. "Oh it's just some glass that was missed." She replied, her voice casual, though the barb at Maea was clear enough. As her pale counterpart returned, Evie grabbed the jar without even really looking. It wouldn't really matter what Maea had gotten, just so long as Evie could disguise her magic as merely being a property of the cream. "Thank you Maea. This is perfect." Sniffing slightly, she rubbed some of the pale cream on her foot, making a pinkish paste as it mixed with the blood. Once the wound was sufficiently covered, Evie quickly healed it, but continued the pantomime of injured girl just the same. "You know, perhaps I will just...take care of all of this on my own." PQ Complete! Wow Evie, such a snob. Thanks for helping! Don't read the last page But I stay when it's hard or it’s wrong or you’re making mistakes

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