Pay Respects

Observer: The Memorial Room seems to be cleaner now.
Observer: The trash has been removed, and some new offerings placed out.
Observer: Looking around, you spy two toy soldiers - one with a drum and one with a rifle - locked in place along the walls. You think they must be more of Bonnie’s, but they’re so motionless you’re not totally sure.
Observer: Maybe she has a mix of living summons and non-living summons?
Observer: A strange squelching sound catches your attention, and you turn to see yet another toy soldier.
Observer: This one carries a flag and has a sword at its hip, but your attention cannot linger long as you stare at what it is poking.
Observer: A cake.
Observer: Well, cake might be a generous word for this abomination of frosting.
Observer: It oozes and drips, and the summon is poking it quite relentlessly…
Observer: Suddenly, the cake [takes action based on how intrepid designs it].

Observer: The toy soldier emits a high pitched whistle in response and flees to hide behind one of the other toy soldiers, who comes to life to try to push it away.
Observer: You decide it is probably best to try to ignore them and focus on paying respects…
Observer: …and maybe figuring out what the fuck is up with that cake.

Milk 'n' cookies (Daily)

Observer: Despite lingering at Rodeo Ruff for a bit, you haven’t gotten the chance to follow Milk into the kitchen - but you’ve caught him now as he brings out a tray of cookies for the pets.
Milk: “Oh, it’s you again, can I help you?”
Observer: You mention being curious about the kitchen and the process of making cookies, both the magical and non-magical ones, and he beams happily at you.
Milk: “Oh, I see! Do you want to learn how to make cookies?”
Observer: You’ve never wanted anything more in your life.
Milk: “Well, you can come into the kitchen with me after I distribute these, and we can make some basic cookies and then I’ll show you some of the tricks to making them.”
Milk: “I’m so happy we were able to get things worked out for Blossom to start carrying their seeds, even if the amount is limited still, having access to cowcaps like my darling Sugar Cookie helps so much for being able to make cookies.”
Observer: You’re thrilled to get to learn about making cookies, especially the fancy magical ones, and can’t wait to start.

Verdant Castle

Observer: As you enter the room you usually find Queen Iola in, you are stopped by a… toy soldier?
Observer: It stands as high as the middle of the doorframe, and has a round ‘hand’ held out, though it doesn’t extend past the drum on its chest.
Queen Iola: “Oh no, what is it doing now?”
Bonnie: “Oh dear, I think it’s just confused by the new person! They’re not used to places where people come and go a lot.”
Bonnie: “So working as your assistant will be good for them! Is this someone who comes here often? They’ll get used to their presence faster if so.”
Queen Iola: “Oh, that makes sense. Yes, they come visit often, my er… I met them a while ago, they helped Nero and I during the investigation of who had stolen my mother’s statue.”
Observer: The strange lockette pats the toy soldier on the head, and scoots it out of your way so you can step into the room.
Bonnie: “So sorry about that, my summons are alive and I can’t really control them exactly. They’re harmless, just very curious, and since most of my jobs have been more isolated they aren’t used to people yet.”
Queen Iola: “This is Bonnie, she’s forgetting to introduce herself again.”
Bonnie: “Oh no… Maybe I’ve been a bit impacted by working in isolated places too!”
Queen Iola: “It’s alright, I’m sure you’ll get more used to things. It’s only your first day.”
Bonnie: “Yeah, definitely! I’m going to do my best!”
Observer: Something seems off about the whole exchange to you.
Observer: It’s almost concerning enough to prompt you to say something privately to Queen Iola…
Observer: …but then you remember that exchange you had overheard at the start of winter.
Observer: You only see one living summon right now, rather than the nine you recall Symphony mentioning… but as you glance around the room, you spot another living summon crouched behind the stove.
Bonnie: “Oh, hey, leave the Stewy alone!”
Observer: She scoops the summon away from the Stewy like a naughty child, and deposits it with the other one.
Bonnie: “Honestly… I stand by what I said in the interview. These guys are harder to manage than any other task you could possibly give me.”
Observer: You linger a little longer before leaving the room, but now you have research to do - how much control do lockettes actually have over their living summons…

Aerius Archives

Observer: The cold in Verdant Kingdom might be on its way out - seasons never last all that long here, but as you enter the Archives, it’s oddly chillier than usual.

Observer: Nepra stands in the waiting room with a technician, rubbing her face.
Nepra: “So the air system is dead?”
Observer: The technician bobs their head, rambling an explanation about coils and spells that is way over your head.
Nepra: “I see… Can we get a temporary measure in place while it is repaired?”
Observer: You have a sneaking suspicion it’s going to be a while before you can really get a chance to talk to either Nepra or Symphony, and decide to head back out.

Enchanted Elixirs

Observer: Enchanted Elixirs is rather loud as you enter the shop.
Observer: To your surprise, neither Mirrani nor Violet is behind the counter - rather, the Mysterious Shopkeeper is there, and… arguing with Peppy?
Peppy: “Well if your supplier is so reliable and makes enough surplus that you still have stock, there’s no reason you can’t put me in contact with them. Patients depend on the cure for their well-being!”
Mysterious Shopkeeper: “You can always send them here while your supplier gets their act together, if you’re so concerned with their health.”
Mysterious Shopkeeper: “Our cure isn’t inferior just because it’s generic brand.”
Peppy: “I made the Necrosis, Necrosis Go Away! brand cure after the advancements that led to the initial cure, and it IS better!”
Mysterious Shopkeeper: “Did you now? Is that why you’ve avoided proper clinical trials by swearing all the ingredients and ratios are all the same?”
Mysterious Shopkeeper: “Or why you cozy up to… Queen Iola, and avoid a lot of routine inspections?”
Observer: Peppy seems to stiffen, and her voice is low, almost threatening, as she speaks.
Peppy: “Leave Iola out of this conversation.”
Mysterious Shopkeeper: “Why don’t you leave my shop instead? If you don’t, I can assure you the public might learn some things you’d rather they don’t.”
Observer: You duck into an aisle as Peppy storms out, so that she doesn’t see you, and glance after her.
Mysterious Shopkeeper: “Children these days… So impatient.”
Observer: You look at her as you step back out, and she twirls some of her veil around her hand.
Mysterious Shopkeeper: “She’s too interesting for me to ever expose, unless she does anything stupid towards my shop. But I’m sure she’ll cool down and realize the steps she actually needs to take to switch suppliers.”
Mysterious Shopkeeper: “It certainly isn’t trying to coerce competitors into giving up their contacts.”
Observer: You manage to say you’ll take her word for it, and try to browse, thoroughly distracted now…
Observer: What will Peppy actually do…?

Rodeo Ruff Pets

Observer: As you walk up the path to Rodeo Ruff, you spy a new section built onto the back of the shop, with a chimney poking out of it.
Observer: Boone and Milk stand outside of the shop, talking, with Boone’s draphibian up against Milk, pressing its snout against Milk’s pocket and sniffing intently.
Milk: “Roan, you know there’s no more cookies left in there, silly.”
Observer: You finally know Roan’s name now! But you’re also curious, why is Roan interested in the cookies? Easiest way to learn is ask, so you do.
Milk: “Oh… He’s seen me giving them to the pets in the shop, and he’s just gotten very jealous he never got any, especially once we set up the kitchen behind the shop so I could start baking them here.”
Milk: “I’ve been worried about giving them to him, since I don’t know if they’d effect draphibians the same way they do other pets…”
Boone: “It shouldn’t. They’re pretty resistant to magical effects.”
Milk: “I still worry… I’ve worked out a cookie I can give them though, no magical ingredients at all, and we just put in a new batch to cook. He’s really excited to finally get cookies, poor guy, so he keeps sniffing my pocket.”
Boone: “Like he thinks the cookies will just materialize there the instant they finish cooking.”
Observer: Bonne pats the draphibian’s head, making Roan sigh and shift to rest his head on Boone’s shoulder to sulk.
Boone: “Come on, big fella, let’s go in the shop so Milk can tend the scavengers in peace.”
Observer: You decide to follow them into the shop for now, just to see what might be in the shop right now, but you’ll have to follow Milk into the kitchen later…

Strawberry Gardens

Observer: As you enter Strawberry Gardens, you have to take a step back.
Observer: There is a suldra - the one Blossom bought during the war, you think - chasing Petal, and Blossom and a lockette are chasing after them both.
Blossom: “Pansy, stop it! Petal wasn’t even trying to take your snack this time!”
Observer: Petal, seeing you, zooms forward to hide behind you, and the suldra stops as she sees someone she doesn’t know.
Blossom: “Finally…”
Observer: She uses the opportunity to grab the suldra, who is fairly small still, and tucks her under her arm as the pet whines.
Blossom: “You were naughty, you have to spend some time in the office to calm down.”
Blossom: “Piglette, can you help them if they need anything while I do that?”
Piglette: “Oh. Um. I… yeah…?”
Observer: Blossom marches off to the office, leaving the two of you - and Petal - alone.
Piglette: “Petal seems to… know you well.”
Observer: You mention you met her with Blossom during the great mushroom harvest, and the lockette nods.
Piglette: “That makes sense. She’s a real silly jelluxi.”
Observer: There is a pause.
Piglette: “Um. I should probably… be at the counter, I guess. Unless you like. Need anything?”
Observer: You assure her you’ll be fine, since she seems a bit nervous. Somehow, though, it feels like you maybe said the wrong thing, with how quickly she retreats to the counter.
Observer: Hopefully you can dispel the awkwardness a little bit on your next visit…?
Observer: Petal keeps you company the whole time you shop, though, ignoring Blossom even when she comes out.
Observer: Clearly her pet dextroluma didn’t catch that suldra fast enough.

Decore Galore

Observer: As you pass by Decore Galore, you see a cute lockette standing with Serena behind the counter.
Observer: Although they both seemed to be laughing at something, the instant you enter the shop, the lockette goes silent.
Observer: The fact she doesn’t run back to the storeroom is honestly fortune, since now you get the chance to look at her.
Serena: “Whale-come back to Decore Galore! We’ve got a conch of new items in stock!”
Serena: “This is Ashna, I’ve mentioned her before. She’s shy, but she’s helping out be-fin-d the scenes.”
Serena: “You can say hi if you want, Ashna, but you don’t have to.”
Observer: There is a long moment of silence, then, very quietly…
Ashna: “…hi.”
Observer: Serena hugs her, looking thrilled. Even so, it doesn’t take long with you browsing before Ashna excuses herself to the storeroom.
Serena: “I know it’ll take some time before she’s clam-pletely comfortable being in here when customers are here, but you’re the first customer she’s managed a word to now! I’m so happy!”
Serena: “She was in a cave for so long and so alone…and she didn’t even think anyone would ever want to be around her…”
Observer: Serena’s gaze goes steely for a moment as she says that, but quickly softens again.
Serena: “I’m really glad I’m getting to show her there’s a world where she can be safe and a-coral-ed and happy.”
Observer: You’re really hoping she’ll give you more details about Ashna’s past… but then the phone rings, and she goes to answer it, before moving to the office.
Observer: Must be a business related call… which means you probably aren’t going to get a chance to get more information unless you miss doing all your other errands today.
Observer: Maybe next time…

Nevermore Bookstore

Observer: Everything is calm at Nevermore Bookstore when you arrive.
Observer: The shop is pristine, customers are reading and browsing, and Vincent has just finished ringing someone up.
Observer: Keir is even in the process of stocking shelves, and you gasp with delight when you notice that some of them are books from Maquette.
Keir: “Oh, you noticed?”
Keir: “We didn’t manage to get the full shipment, unfortunately. Some sort of issue with shipping, a new area spawned near Anchorage and the ship with the other half of the order got a bit lost…”
Observer: You express sympathies for that and wonder if the books can make it to the shop before the ‘raccoons’ get back…
Keir: “I sure hope so… I really don’t know what else to do, since the warding spells wouldn’t work…”
Keir: “Do I chase them with a broom?”
Observer: He laughs a little at the absurdity of the suggestion.
Keir: “They’d probably destroy me if I did that, if they’re powerful enough to eat a warding spell… Why would they have so much power and use it for just eating books?”
Keir: “I don’t understand it…”
Observer: He sighs and shakes his head, raps his knuckles on the wooden floor.

Keir: “Hopefully they won’t get back till after I have the copy of ‘World of Lights’ in… It’s a nice big copy, I want it out for visitors to see so they can learn some of Maquette’s cultural history.”
Keir: “Even if you don’t subscribe to any of the Artistic faiths and their creation myth, it’s still a really lovely book, and it explains a lot about Maquette’s history that might not make sense without it.”
Keir: “Considering some of the questions I have already been getting about the simple Saura & Shells guide, I really wish we had it.”
Observer: They shake their head slightly.
Keir: “Oh well, time to stock another shelf. Let us know what you think of the new books and if you have any questions.”
Observer: With that, Keir heads off to stock another shelf, leaving you behind to wonder.
Observer: You can’t help but feeling - almost against your will - that it would probably be funny if the ‘raccoons’ got their hands on World of Lights…
Observer: Somehow, that thought also brings with it a pit of dread in your stomach…

Milk 'n' Cookies (Shop)

Observer: Learning to help Milk make cookies has been both challenging and rewarding, from milking his cowcap Sugar Cookie to learning the right process for growing a new cowcap.
Observer: To your surprise, when you arrive at Rodeo Ruff this day, he greets you by showing you a layout of new items in the kitchen.
Milk: “Boone suggested I ought to be rewarding you for all your help, so I pulled together some things for you!”
Milk: “Serena helped me get this picture of Rodeo Ruff, it looks so cool doesn’t it?”
Milk: “And some blushing cookies, since they’re my favorite and my favorite variant… Also, you can get first dibs on the blushing pets we’re selling this month in the shop.”
Milk: “I’m so excited by how well received this all has been, and thank you so much for all your help with it.”
Observer: You give the lockette a hug, and go to look at everything before it’s time to bake again…