World Tree MUSH

     Diantha was traveling light when she got tossed from her world and into another among the world tree, so she's missing some basic necessities because even dryads aren't completely removed from having at least a touch of civilization in their lives. She's currently wandering through the market of Eden, looking for a brush with a handle long enough to reach all of her lower half and some sort of wallet or purse to keep the money she acquires on various worlds organized. She's recently showered so her natural perfume from the flowers in her hair is a little more pronounced, and her fur while mostly dry, is looking a little unkempt, hence the desire for a brush.

Ash , on the other hand, was simply out for a walk. OK fine he is a Tenno, which translates to being curious about fashion a bit more than your average teenager miht, which would explain why an apparent teenage male was out shopping. Today was simple for him; brown tunic, dark leggings and thigh high boots, silver trim all the way 'round because Gold felt a bit... Much. Along his shopping expedition he saw what looked like a deer woman wandering, very clearly not someone from this world and also to him clearly lost.

Depending on how Diantha's senses worked she might have heard the soft noise of him abusing his connectio nto the void to not have t odeal with crowds, or maybe she wouldn't. Either way he would cough t otry catching her attention. "New here miss?"

     Those larger elvish ears do pick up that soft strange sound, and Diantha looks around only to suddenly find a young male which appeared to be human drawing near to her and asking if she was new. She laughs a bit and nods. "Yes, what gave me away? I'm Diantha, came here to try and find a brush for my fur, something to keep money in, and perhaps a few other basic supplies. How about you?"

Ash chuckled softly, "Beyond the fact the only other beings here I've seen with your bodyplan are more horse than deer, and all are kinda human-y?" Ash tilted his head as he got a better look at Diantha. then promptly found somewhere else to look whileshaking his head. "Had any problems out of the locals?" He fell in step beside the dryad lady, "Technically I'm new here too but." Handwaggle, "Hard to believe I've only done this whole tree of worlds thing for a year."

Maybe he should pick something up for Miwa while he's out.

     Diantha chuckles back and nods. "We have centaurs where I come from too, and they came to be through a relationship of my uncle, and the princess of the earth elementals. Unfortunately, the first centaurs killed him, are still rather territorial, and not exactly nice to look at... Then again, their mom looks like a bloated ogre with three faces on one head, and the acorn doesn't land far from the tree." 

     She looks around a moment and stretches slightly. "A year huh? It's been... about a week for me I think? Been a bit of a wild one I must say. Mostly it has been fine, but I did end up taking the job to help some elves deal with some dwarves, which didn't turn out at all as I'd envisioned it. Turned out the pompous elves cared only for the trees and would happily slay anything that threatened them including endangered species even if the threat was averted. As for the dwarves, they apparently had some trouble with the elephants as well and killed all but one with some kind of dwarven made volcano pump." From what she said about the elves it's not hard to guess what happened to that last elephant.

Relationship with her... Uncle?

Ash tilted his head this way then that as he took this information in. "Yea, first few months for me were rough adjusting." He reached over to gently put a hand on Diantha's shoulder. "You also seem to come from a place less urban and mroe forestedthan here, so I expect culture shock is hitting everywhere yo ugo."

     Diantha nods and grins a bit. "You could say that. This one isn't too bad, but most cities, particularly larger ones that pretty much completely displace nature with their presence, make me feel more than a little uncomfortable. I was indeed born in the forest, and before I found this tree of worlds, the only city I had spent much time in was the Kaldorei capital city of Darnassus, which was built atop the boughs of a massive tree, which confusingly enough, was also referred to as a world tree. But at least no one has gotten aggressive toward me or anything, much less tried to kill me."

Ash hrmed softly as he considered. "Here is a nice blend of nature and rural," there was a pause every few oreds, as if he were considering something as he spoke. Then as he continued walking, "I come from a place where we move in great shipsthrough space between worlds that are only liveable because we made them so." A shrug, "So you coming from quite literally a place of nature is perhaps the greatest sort of contrast I could." He seemed amused at this. "What can I do to help you get used to things?"

     Diantha nods with a smile at Ash pointing out how different they were. "There is a race on my world who have traveled using ships that travel through space and dimensions. They actually crashed their ship into my world and ended up becoming an ally, but I couldn't begin to tell you how the thing used to work, it's far beyond my understanding." She pauses to collect her thoughts, continuing to walk through the market. 

     "On my world, as I'm coming to understand is normal for most other worlds too, dryads are tasked with defending nature from those that would exploit and corrupt it. My particular variety is fortunate in that as long as we don't do something stupid and get ourselves killed, we can live indefinitely. I'm a little on the younger side compared to some of the first dryads, but still well over eight hundred years old. I lost track after being in the Emerald Dream for a few centuries." 

     Finally she spots what she's looking for, what appeared to be an animal care supply store, but it had long handled brushes. She makes her way over to them and starts looking for one that would suit her. "As for help, perhaps show me around a bit? Let me know if I'm doing anything that would potentially cause issues in the future. I'd like to avoid any awkwardness as much as possible."

"In fairness I don't know how shipswork either. I'm just one of the peoplethey send in to do the fighty bits." He pulled a black rectangle from a pants pocket and held it out for Diantha to see before hitting a button to show a blue tinged hologram of a massive forest, trees mighty and large growing over and into harsh angular structures. "Evenwith as advanced as we are, while my people slept, someone worked to try reforesting the EArth." A soft chuckle before putting the device away, "She's still there in a sense, a voice in the trees. Would like to take you to her grove if I ever find a way home."

He followed Diantha into the store, mentally preparing to slide money across if the owners didn't like the sort of currency she had. Yet at thesame time he simply stood by the counter letting her brouse at her own pace.

     Diantha eventually selects a brush who's head and handle are made from what appears to be oak, and it's bristles are natural. She tests its length buy attempting to reach her hind legs with it, though she is careful not to actually let it touch her fur since she hasn't paid for it yet. It seems more than adequate so she smiles and heads to the counter to pay, pulling out some of the money she had been paid for that awful job with the elves. She wanted to be rid of the stuff as it just served as a reminder of that horrible day. They examine it and don't exactly look thrilled, but accept it and offer Diantha a receipt which she stuffs in her cloth pack.

     Turning back to Ash, she nods as he speaks of being a fighter and then shows her a hologram of the Earth in his universe, appearing rather enamored with the 3D image as she curiously reaches out to touch it. "So you're lost and away from home too huh? I appreciate the offer, it would be nice to visit that place." She answers as she looks around a bit. 

     "Do you think I should get some clothes? I usually don't bother back home, but even there I did occasionally run into someone who found my nakedness more than a little awkward. With all the different cultures across blossoms, I'm not sure if people really don't mind or if they're just too polite to say anything."

Ash very pointedly never really looked at Diantha, always to one side or a little away from. "Perhaps that would be for the best," There was a weak laugh at the suggestion before his features grew thoughtful. Only now would he look at Diantha, but it were almost as if he wasn't seeing her, "OK... colors... colors. Need a splashof bright to help with visibility and discourage accidental friendly fire..." His voice was low as he considered what her needs may be. "A few blouses for modisty's sake," His eyes focused as he looked up at Diantha's own elvish eyes, "Afew huntingvests so you aren't mistaken for whatever's in season... and likely some cold weather gear would be good if yu end up stumbling into a blizzard."

He then looked over to tehe guy at the counter who was just staring at him. "What? I've had that happen a few times, nice and sunny on one side, Woosh up to my waist in snow with no visibility."

     Diantha listens to Ash and ponders all he says a moment, though a few of the suggestions he makes don't completely land for her. Like, she doesn't know what a hunting vest even is, but in context to not be mistaken by a hunter for a deer she can guess at the concept. "Hmm, that is a good point that probably should have occurred to me a long time ago. I'm sure many a dryad has met her end in such a way, though where I live, the Kaldorei know to make sure, and the orcs simply don't care, might even be more likely to shoot me than a regular deer, since we've killed them as well in defense of ourselves and the grove." A pause for thought. 

     "Perhaps I can just have something nice and colorful around my waist, belts of some sort that are pretty yet flashy? I could probably even just use some ribbon since I'm not going to be using it to hold up anything. I did have some cold weather clothes back home since I did have to go to Northrend for something once and didn't want to freeze to death." She says as she starts walking and looks around for a clothing vendor.

Ash's face went about as red as his hair at the explaination of beltsvs shirts. Then a deep breath, andhe was fine again. "I'm advising something for the sake of modesty as much sanything ma'am." His tone a carefu neutral even as he shrugged,"However it is ultimately your choice." Ash followed along in spite of the awquard moment, "Orcs, are we talking like... raah mindless savages enslaved to some mad wizard or godling... or like... an actual People that just happens to see you forests as a place to exploit for resources and t othe warp with replanting what they take?"

     Diantha shakes her head. "I know, I was just saying I could have some nice looking blouses and add something around my waist in some brighter colors so I can be seen more easily... when I want to be." Granted when she really wants to be stealthy she has a form to shapeshift into for that, and most don't go around shooting large cats for meat, at least she hopes. 

     She eventually finds a small shop that looks to be run by a tailor, because as she's browsing, he comes over and looks Diantha over a moment before commenting. "If you like, I could make something that would not only cover your upper parts like a blouse, but also some of your lower half." He offers, quickly grabbing a piece of paper and making a rough sketch, it was like a blouse with a tail to cover the back of her deer-like half. "What do you think Ash?" She wonders, looking from the tailor back to her new friend.

Ash nodded as he watched Diantha walk into the shop. Then as he followed her in he gave a soft chuckle. "You'd think by now I'd be used t othe whole teenage hormonal thing, but even after cnturies," Most of which he had no real memory of in all fairness, "It's still awquard." A glance aroundthe tailor's shop caused him to smile before tapping a stud at his ear, "Ordis, based on latest conversion rates think I can affordto come back here?"

Diantha would hear a voice coming from the thing in Ash's ear, "It is possibl, Operator, but I would advise against any extravigant shopping expeditions until reprovisioning is complete."

So, after a wistful sigh at the fabrics on display, Ash found somewhere to sit. Then a headtilt when he realizes Diantha asked him something. Then he focused hsi eyes on thefabrics, the tailor, any showcase example pieces and made a soft humming as the wheelsand gears of his mind turned.

My one fear aside from any potential snagging in close quarters is if she'll be able to get the tail across her back properly or not." A shrug, "I mean yea minor quibbl, you obviously catre to 'taurian folk." He then lookedat Diantha, his eyes narrowing. "A lot of dark with a splash of color, or a lot of light anda splash of dark? My fear with the latter is blending too much with your hindquarters, the former possibly being too visually loud."

He pulled out the black rectangular device from before and started bringing up a series of color wheels before showing four diffrent color selections each also having altenritive shadings. "Going to haveto suggest you go with gold or at least gold colored accents for nay metalics, I'd go with a white primary to compliment your flowers with light blue and pink accents... but swapping blue and white so blue's the primary would probably also work. Brown's a flat no-go..." He paused, considering before grinning, "Go with a pink sashat your waist, maybe with a few pouches or pockets flanking at your hips. A bit of utility never hurt and provides a bit of visual interest."

     Diantha blinks a bit as Ash gives her way more of a serious of opinions and suggestions than she was expecting. "Wow, you really sound like you know what you're talking about, I guess I ran into the right person for this. Hmm, maybe have the blouse in blue matching the flowers in my hair, with some pink and white accents, and I like the idea of the sash with pockets in light pink. I think it'd be a good idea to have another of the blouse in white with blue and perhaps yellow accents. How much would all that be?" 

     The shopkeep tallies up the cost andDiantha blinks. "Well, I think that would be all the rest of the money I have left from that awful job I helped with and even a bit of the money I have from home after converting, but if it keeps me from getting shot, it's worth it."

Ash smiled enigmatically at Diantha, then to the Tailor he offered as explaination, "Fashion Frame is End Game." Then he stood to step aside so measurements could be taken. "In all seriousness it's like... one of the few non fighty thignstenno culturally have, we're all fashion snobs."

Then someone else in the shop muttered, "Should've gone red and black."

Which prompted Ash's eyes to roll and mutter something about 'Edgelords' before settign several coins on the counter, "to make sure the lady isn't completely broke from the expedition. Least I can do to help someone new to all this."

     Diantha smiles at Ash but otherwise is as still as a statue while the tailor measures her. After that he nods before taking the money and writing up a ticket, handing it to Diantha, who neatly folds it before tucking it into her pack. "Should only take a few days, check back on Tuesday or Wednesday." Says the tailor. "Thank you very much." Diantha replies before turning to Ash and grinning a bit. "And thank YOU also! I'd have been totally lost without your guidance. Like I said before, back home I only wore clothes when it was unbearably cold otherwise for the most part and probably didn't end up matching as much as I could. I was also looking to get something that would help me organize money from other worlds, but after that, I currently don't have any beyond what I brought from my own world. What do you use for that kind of thing?"

Ash fell into step beside Diantha, "Hey it's tradition to help newbies," As if this would make any sense to the dryad. "Plus I mean I don't like going full on fashion diva, but you asked for an honest opinion so Ifigured couldn't hurt."

He lookedthe centaur ahead of them over and pointed out the braid woven into their tail. "As for Money I generally try going in ahead of time with an idea of what I'm after and work wit hthe local money changers, or just as often work odd jobs til Iget enough of their currency. Not exactly effeciant but my needs are fairly low andtend to be solvable in the moment." Then his stomach growled. loudly. "Speaking of... hungry? I saw a corner pushcart selling fried... well I dunno but it smelled nice."

     Diantha looks as Ash points ahead, and can't help but admire the nice braid herself. Certainly, a more attractive centaur than she was used to seeing. She nods and smiles. "It's very pretty indeed, though it would be very difficult to braid my hair like that without damaging the leaves and flowers that grow from it. Too hard for me to do myself anyway, maybe if someone else was doing it, better able to see what they're doing, it wouldn't be as tough, but I'm not sure who I'd trust for that..." She admits, pulling her gaze away from the centaur and back to Ash. 

     "As for the money thing, I didn't generally have to buy much back home. I can live off nature for the most part, and I didn't generally buy things outside of the Kaldorei at all, so I never had more than one form of currency. So I'm learning as I go I guess." She says with a small laugh, then grins as she hears Ash's stomach growl. "Not as hungry as you it would seem, but sure, I'll be happy to join you for a meal." She has no idea why fried food is, so she doesn't object outright.

"Unfortunately I'm not much for hair styling." Ash then pointed to his own wild and almsot unkempt hair, "See above for example." A smile as the pair continued walking. "I mean I won't lie? There's a lot of bad things out there....." He cringed almost theatrically, "Since teeechnically I'm one of those 'bad thigns' becauseI'm a work for hire mercenary buuuut." He gestured to a row of booths and open air stalls were arranged as a sort of long term yet impromptu feeling food court. "Any specific dietary needs? Vegetarian? Allergies? I'd hate to buy you something and turns out nice seeming stranger ends up giving you a literal poisoned apple."

Which would be a definite sour note to the day.

     "Well, I suppose if you are picky with what jobs you take, you're no better or worse than any other warrior fighting for a cause, though I suppose that also obviously leads to making less money." Diantha says with a knowing grin. At the gesture toward the food court, she looks around and breaths in the scents of the food, it was an intoxicating mixture. 

     "Well, no allergies that I know of, but I am a vegetarian, never met a dryad who wasn't. While it's true that sometimes animals or plants that are becoming much too abundant for nature's resources to support must be killed to keep things in balance, keeping said balance is much harder if even when things are in perfect balance, you still have to hunt those same animals yourself to have food to eat."

Ash nodded at Diantha's asessment, "Considering I'm obligated to fulfil the contract once I've agreed to it I try being picky," Ash raises a handand wiggles it, "In some cases I take some creative liberties to minamize who gets hurt, but when I'm on the job it is what it is and... I don't really want you mistaking me for some paragon of kindness and or whatever else the bards sing about back home." 

At word of Diantha's vegitarian diet Ash nodded before walking to a stall that looked... Italian. "Pasta seems like a safe bet. Guy over there has fresh produce, which honestly is looking like something I'll want some of but Pasta's good." There were threeoptions this stall was serving, tomato based, cheese based, and a 'spicey' option. At least so far as the vegetarian options went. "So, theforest you lived in? Something you carefully currated, or somewhere you more left to it's own ends and triedto keep people from clearcutting it down for housesthat'd get burnt down in a few months?"

     Diantha walks up to the Italian stall and nods as he mentions pasta, looking it over. "Hmm, never had that before. So it's... tomato sauce? Over noodles of some sort? Sure why not. I guess I'll have the one with cheese, been a while since I've had any of that." She says while wandering over to the produce stall, grabbing a couple of peaches for dessert and paying for them before walking back to the pasta one and looks over the drink options, but isn't able to make much sense of them, as most were sodas and fancy fruit drinks. 

     "Hmm, no idea, guess I'll try the pink fruity one." It turns out to be some sort of pomegranate drink with a few other fruit juices blended in. Diantha ends up paying for her food and takes her plate of pasta and her drink, and heads over to find a table, scooting a chair out of the way, she just stands at the edge of the table as she sets her food and drink down. 

     She finally looks back at Ash and answers his question. "Well, mostly we along with the Kaldorei let the forests we live among stay wild, with some minor adjustments in places to allow for footpaths and villages. The Kaldorei take wood for their homes in a sustainable manner, planting more trees for the ones they take. The Orcs just take and don't give anything back, and their Goblin allies have just allowed them to cut down forests even faster with their mechanical shredders."

Ash sat and listened to Diantha's explainations. "Low population. A lot of arguments could be made for trying to use technology to improve..." His headshook and he waved the thought away. "If their way of life works, who am Ito judge? I like that not everyone in your home viewed the green placesas things to turn to pasture and cropland." He wstemptedto explain about space stations and other pieces of technology but instead shook his head, "I"ve always viewed myself as more comfortable in heavily urban places, but there is a lot of value in keeping nature thriving on its terms. I mean if you cut everything down and pull everything up? What's anyone going to have after? A little care goes a long way." Says the guy that will rush head first into often strange and unpredictable situations.

     Diantha nods, frowning as she thinks about the Goblins, what horrible little creatures they were in her eyes. 

    "Right, don't get me wrong, I totally understand that not everyone wants to sleep under the stars with wild animals as your neighbors, but there is definitely a right way and a wrong way to make use of the resources that nature has to offer. The Goblins only care about profit, and the Orcs are happy to go along as it helps them expand and have more weapons faster." She pauses a few moments to eat some of her food and a few sips of her drink. 

     "They don't see, or just simply don't care, that their actions will mean that eventually there will be nothing left to take after they've chopped down every last tree in the forest. Then what? They move on to another forest, having destroyed habitat for countless creatures. How long before it's all gone everywhere? The world is a big place, but if I can say one thing positive about Goblins, they sure are efficient."

Ash nodded slow and reached out to touch Diantha's hand, "You take a far more balanced approach than I've seen others take with restoration and preserving things." He smiled, entally making notes that Miwa would probably love this lady's company, or at least her take on how Alola'n culture works with its island's natural features rather than dominating. then again deer lady on a beach. That... no that was all sorts of bad idea. So instead he ate.

Then at some point, "Any thoughts on where you will go, or is wandering going to suit you after you catch your breath?"

     "Where I'll go?" Diantha restates as she looks back at Ash, taking a few more bites of her food. "I'm not sure. I mean I, of course, would like to find my way back to my world. It's far from perfect, but it's still home. In the meantime, I have just been wandering a lot. Though I guess if I found a place I really liked I might settle in and make myself a temporary home of sorts until I can find my world. Any suggestions?"

"Home is home regardless," Ash nodded in agreement, not botherign to elaborate. "I'll keep an eye open if anything that looks anything like what youv'e been talking about pops up. Might be out there, or it could be one of those thigns like mine where thigns exit but nothing hasgone back in yet." He finished his drink, pausing to look at the now empty mug, and frowned. "Probably should have gone for the tea... even if they do make it too sweet."

He then considered Diantha's question carefully, "Not sure if you know of Aola. Tropical islands where humansand little crittersform a sort of weird partnership reside. It's very diffrent from my home but it's in general peaceful and unless I'm having to do things I like to go there." Unfortunately as of late he's been busy... OFTEN." "I'd suggest not having a preconcived notion of where 'home' will be for thetime being. I mean have some sort of idea on what a hard No is.... since i very much don't see you ever agreeing with a lot of urbanized everything, but for me? Home just kinda snuck up on me and I didn't realize it til it just sorta... happened."

     Diantha listens closely to Ash, appreciating both his offer to keep an eye out for something that looks like her world and also the suggestion to keep an open mind about where her new home could be. The question of whether she's been to Alola though earns a grin and a laugh. "Oh yes, don't think I could forget that place. It's definitely high on my list of places I enjoyed visiting, though I'm not sure yet if I'd want to live there." She admits before collecting her thoughts a moment and continuing to speak. 

    "There was one that I stumbled onto though recently which might have promise. It's a very magically focused world, with elves and humanoid dryads and even mermaids, which my world doesn't even have. Naga are a poor substitute. I may have been dumped into a city there, I think it was called New York, but it was different than most more modern cities I'd been to with all the fantasy touches and things growing in various places, including a library that looked like it was grown from a tree. I may have to explore what it's like past the borders of the city someday soon."

Ash mmed softly, "I've seen several New Yorks, ranging from small port cities hosting tall square saled wooden ships, to sprawling continent sized prison states." He... HATED the last time he ended up in one of the more dystopian New Yorks. "The one you stumbled across is new to me. the one I'd seen that has any magic at all was very urbanized, heavy pollution and low on wildlife... I'll have to go see what it's like. Any idea how friendly the locals are about immigration?"

     Diantha nods. "So there are many different versions of the same place for some world. Huh. I guess I shouldn't be too terribly surprised. We had an alternate reality open up on my own world not long ago. One of the most aggressive Orcs my world has ever seen, an orc named Garrosh Hellscream, got ahold of a special artifact of the Bronze Dragons, dragons that control the flow of time, during the trial for his many many war crimes as Warchief of the Horde, and managed to open a path to an alternate version of Draenor, the Orc homeworld. He then saved the alternate version of his father from events than in the normal timeline lead to his death, and later tried to unite the orcs of this alternate Draenor into an army to then invade and conquer Azeroth, my world."

Ash slow blinked and hrmed. Pondering if that could have been the thing that 'attached' Diantha's home t othe tree proper andn obody noticed. Or maybe ... He snnorted. "It gets hardto keep track of, and as far as I've seen even the places that hve been here awhile you can't really do anythig to get messages betwene worldsbeyond sending runners. I mean it's nice that your home isn't instantly getting swarmed from all sides, but at the same time." He just let the lament hang unsead.

"I'll probably be in town a few more days in case you want help with anything before you leave."

Diantha Windsong nods, finishing her pasta and sipping at her drink a bit, she then looks down at the peaches she bought, they were next. "I really appreciate all your help. Not exactly what I expect from a mercenary. I don't owe you anything for all this 'free advice' do I?" She jokes with a giggle.

Ash snorted dismissivly, "Not a thing at all." He got up and collected his dishes, "I mean that's a good question to ask, don't get me wrong, but even fi I were more coin obsessed I'd still consider it a matter of goodettiquet to help ease new folks in." After returning these dishes he smiled to Diantha, "Never know, it might pay off and give future business, maybe just a new friend... or maybe just somethign done to feel like a decent person every once in awhile." Hestartedto walk off, lauging because the day is nice, that wasa nice lunch, and he got to flex his fashion muscles. Today isa good day.

Diantha Windsong waves to Ash as he starts to walk off. "See you around space man." She says with a smile, then turns back to start munching on the peaches she bought.