[closed post: a task]

[ravkanwitch]

Nina has been feeling more like herself recently. It's taken a few weeks of self care, a failed waffle experiment, many naps with Khitka, a history lesson from Kade, quality time with friends, and a few mildly distressing conversations with alternate versions of people that she knows – but she's okay. She'll be much better once Shen Yuan is back of course, but for now, she'll do what she does best and weather the storm.

There are few things she's considering in her mind but right now, she's flipping through some language books with Khitka curled around the back of her neck, dozing.

Comments

[ravkanwitch]

"I suppose we saw a glimpse of that when I put him on the spot at the talent show," Nina says, with a little grin.

[futaille]

Grantaire smiles a small fond smile. "We did at that."

[ravkanwitch]

"Right before I came here," she says, thoughtfully, "I was part of a-- not a revolution. It wasn't in Ravka, our own country, it was in Fjerda. Religious reformation? But it did also involve being charismatic and convincing others of something they might not have full knowledge of..."

[futaille]

"Ah, so in the same genre."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina nods. "I'm not much of a leader, though."

[futaille]

"That makes two of us, at least."

[ravkanwitch]

"People think I am because of my personality, but I think I'm a little too scatterbrained," she says, shrugging.

[futaille]

He grins ruefully. "That makes two of us. ... Well, not the people thinking you're a leader part."

[ravkanwitch]

"Do you also get lectured for talking too much when people are trying to focus?"

[futaille]

He laughs at that question. "So much so that it almost makes me homesick when people don't."

[ravkanwitch]

"Grantaire," Nina says, exasperation in her voice. "You're derailing the conversation again-- Does that help?"

[futaille]

"Oh, wonderful! A 'shut up' wouldn't come amiss, either."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina imagines Jesper prattling away in her ear, oh my luck at blackjack was terrible today, Nina, let me tell you exactly what happened in precise detail down to the cards that were pulled -- but first, the drink I had reminds me of this other story-- She feigns a roll of her eyes at Grantaire. "If you don't shut your mouth," she tells him, gritting her teeth just slightly, "I'm going to tie your tongue with a Bhez Ju chili pepper-- That's an incredibly spicy hot pepper," she adds, in normal tones.

[futaille]

"Oh, that's a good one! Very unique! Is it at least tasty?"

[ravkanwitch]

"It's from Shu Han. It's tasty but very spicy."

[futaille]

"So it's an adventure!"

[ravkanwitch]

"I wonder if the greenhouse has any of those peppers... or if we could somehow force the greenhouse into having a pepper plant. If we think about it hard enough," Nina muses.

[futaille]

"It's possible! Although I'm admittedly not very familiar with the mysterious inner workings of the greenhouse."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina shrugs. "Why don't we go take a look?"

[futaille]

"Let's go!"

[ravkanwitch]

They eventually do make it to the greenhouse -- probably with a side distraction or two -- and Nina looks around expectantly. "It's a small, bright red pepper. Probably about the size of your thumb. I'll know it when I see it, some of the vendors in Ketterdam sold it grilled in the gambling district since they knew the people there were there for an adrenaline rush..."

[futaille]

Grantaire nods solemnly. "We split up and look. If I see something that looks close, I'll call you over to check." He holds up a thumb to have a handy comparison tool.

[ravkanwitch]

"Perfect," Nina tells him. She starts looking down one of the aisles; there are so many plants that she's never seen before, but no peppers. "Peppers, peppers, peppers," she mutters to herself, as if trying to will them into existence.

[futaille]

He's moving in a way nobody would ever describe as systematic, keeping his thumb out. "Mansion spirits, don't fail us now.... that is a lovely flower." He turns a corner and stops. "Nina, is this it?"

[ravkanwitch]

She scurries over to where he is, stooping down to look at the plant. It's a red colored pepper about the size of a thumb. "I don't know what the plant looks like, but the pepper itself looks like the right thing."