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| Details |
| Author: | Athena |
| Summary: | Jo has plans to head to Arathi for more materials for her inventions, and Oranna joins her. They talk about home, friends, relationships, and the mystery of Tadget. 3k-ish words. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
[In Ironforge]
Jocoza waves at Oranna.
Oranna waves at Jocoza.
[Jocoza]: “Hi, Oranna! I was about to head out to do some mining.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, aye? Did ye want any help wi' tha'? Befound's got a decent set up fer carryin' ore, if ye're lookin' ta bring back more than ye can carry.”
[Jocoza]: “Oh sure! I can carry a lot, thanks to magic, but that would be a big help.”
[Oranna]: “Where were ye headed?”
[Jocoza]: “Up Arathi way.”
They take a gryphon to Arathi.
Jocoza looks over to Oranna. "You all right? I know you don't like the gryphons so much."
Oranna is a little pale, but gives Jo a thumbs up. "I'm alrigh’'. Still….no' used ta it, but it's no' as bad jus' one a' a time. Ye mined around here afore?”
[Jocoza]: “Oh, yeah. Got a load of iron out here not long ago. I'm trying to help that new kid out. Aly or something? I haven't actually met him in person yet.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, Aly Grey? Sandy seemed ta like him. He an engineer as well as a cartographer then?”
[Jocoza]: “Of a sort. He's into explosives.”
[Oranna]: “Oh aye?” She smiles softly. “Migh' want ta talk ta Bargrimm, then, if he's tha' sort o' engineer.”
Jocoza smiles at Oranna. "How's that going, by the way? Getting started on the 2-year wedding plan?"
Oranna laughs a little, turning a bit pink.
Jocoza laughs. "Check that out."
[Oranna]: “Well, we're no' exactly a' th' weddin' yet. But, we are lookin' fer a place ta buy,” she laughs a little, “together.”
[Jocoza]: “I think you might have said something about Ironforge? Or was that Niris? So many people are looking to move these days.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, aye, I was, fer myself, an' then we got ta talkin' about it, Bargrimm an' I, an' well…ah, it seemed reasonable ta think o' gettin' a place together. Ye leavin' yer place in Tinker Town, aye?”
[Jocoza]: “Yeah. It's a nice enough area, just…we travel a lot, you know? I know you all are putting down roots and I'm going in the opposite direction. But I don't have a nephew or a fiance or anything. I don't think I really need to maintain some place forever.”
[Oranna]: “No, no' a' all. I…ye know, all this time, since joinin' up I ne'er set my hearthstone out o' Ironforge? I jus'…I needed somewhere I knew I was comin' back ta. But, lately, I left tha' room a' th' inn an' started ta set my stone where'er we are. It's good. But, I found myself with things I dinna want ta travel with, an'…wantin' ta know tha' I can go back somewhere, if I wanted, if tha' makes sense.”
[Jocoza]: “Yeah, I think that makes a lot of sense.”
[Oranna]: “It's no' tha' is has ta be Home, exactly, jus'…somethin' I know is there, if I needed it.”
[Jocoza]: “I just don't think I really have a place like that. Maybe some people don't need one.”
[Oranna]: “A back up plan, of sorts. It's…jus' tha' now, with Bargrimm, it's feelin' a bit more permanent than tha'. Well, e'en if ye dinna ha' a place ye go back ta, ye ha' th' Company, aye? People ye go back ta.”
[Jocoza]: “I keep runes with me now, all the time. So I can go wherever I want. Maybe that's my backup plan?”
[Oranna]: “Oh aye! Tha's true as well. Always able ta go ta someone, if ye needed ta.”
[Jocoza]: “Sure — HQ is more like home than any place I've found so far.”
Oranna nods in agreement. "It's nice. I like knowin' there's a home for Cobalt. I'm still no' sure I've e'er actually had a place I thought of as…home. Jus' places I lived.”
Jocoza smiles at Oranna. "I hope that changes, then, with you and Bargrimm."
Oranna smiles back. "Aye, well, he's part o' it. More than anythin', he feels like…well, like home ta me." She turns a little pink. So, if there's a place I know he'll be, tha's…tha's Home.”
Jocoza smiles, looking away for a moment. "I know that feeling. When I went back, after we killed Thermaplugg — it was just a building. Not a home anymore."
Oranna looks over at Jo with a sad smile. "Oh, ah…yer…yer ol' home, ye mean?" She hesitates a little. "Ye lost yer…spouse then? Yer home person?"
Jocoza frowns for a moment, then says, very calmly. "Both of them, actually. We were…a group of three. Anyway…" Jocoza smiles and says, "But I never planned a wedding for 2 years! I think we're a bit more casual than that."
[Oranna]: “Oh, three! I forgot tha' sometimes, gnomes, ah. she clears her throat Aye, well, it's no' tha' we're plannin' it fer years exactly…”
[Jocoza]: “Merging of clans and all that? It sounds like it's a lot easier for gnomes to decide who is and isn't family.”
[Oranna]: “Aye. There's usually jus' a lot more ta it than this. There's usually lot's o' people ta discuss things with, an' all sorts o'…well. Usually there's jus' a lot o' time in th' courtin'. Aye, it can be a bit o' a trial sometimes. My oldest brother, Sylvano, he was courtin' his lass fer about 23 years.”
[Jocoza]: “Oh wow.”
[Oranna]: “My mother jus' wasna sure about her. An' so tha' dragged on fer ages. I wasna e'en born, so I dinna know th' details, jus'…tha' it was no' easy ta convince my mother about her.”
Jocoza thinks for a moment and says, "I guess I shouldn't criticize though, I guess I knew my wife for more than twenty years, before we…"
[Oranna]: “Oh really? Tha's a long courtship fer gnomes as well, then?”
Jocoza breaks off, brushing a hand across her eyes. "I mean, we grew up together. I can't remember a time before."
[Oranna]: “Oh, ye were friends first then?” She smiles gently at Jo. “Tha's lovely.”
[Jocoza]: “Yeah, like you and Bargrimm, I think?”
Oranna looks thoughtful for a moment. "We are friends, e'en still I think. Tha' didna really change. Jus'…added somethin'?"
Jocoza looks at Oranna in something like surprise. "That's what she said. I remember. Not instead, in addition."
[Oranna]: “Who said?”
[Jocoza]: “My…” Jo closes her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Sorry, I'm so silly about this. My wife, Tula.”
Oranna looks softly at Jo. "Yer no' silly. I'm sorry if it's…hurtin' ta talk about her. I wouldna be able ta be so…calm, I think, if it were me, tryin' ta talk about…Bargrimm an' he was gone. Tha' was her name? Tula? It's a lovely name.”
[Jocoza]: “She was a lovely person.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, well, aye, tha' seems a matter o' course, if ye loved her.” She grins at Jo. “Was she an engineer, like you?”
Jocoza laughs a little, sadly. "Maybe too soft for how things are now. She would have hated being connected to a mercenary company."
[Oranna]: “Too soft?” She frowns thoughtfully for a moment. “No' a fighter, then?”
Jocoza looks sharply at Oranna. "Not failed at it, I mean. She wasn't ever interested in that sort of thing in the first place."
Oranna nods. "Afore th' Second War…I would ha' ne'er wanted ta take up arms. An' if I e'er get a chance ta set them down, I'll be doin' it righ' quick. I can understand tha'. Jus'…tha' it's been hard ta stay out o' it, ta try ta no' fight, with things th' way they are. If we dinna help, who will?”
Jocoza looks thoughtfully at the dead troll. "Yeah. This is what I'm good at now. This is how I'm useful."
Oranna looks a little side-eyed at Jo. "Yer no' jus' useful like this, though, aye? Yer inventions, yer tinkerin', tha's no' nothin', Jo."
[Jocoza]: “Okay, sure, but that's mostly for fighting, too.”
[Jo immediately shrinks both of them.]
[Jocoza]: “Oops! I guess you know it backfires.”
[Oranna]: “But they dinna always ha' ta be. Tha's part o' why Bargrimm an' I want a place, ye know. Ta set up a shop, fer him ta start workin' on tinkerin' things fer other people who ha' lost a limb, like his leg. He built his own because he canna fight without it. But tha' doesna mean it has ta only e'er ha' been ta fight.”
Jocoza nods. "That's kind, and helpful. Could help a lot of people who got caught in conflict."
[Oranna]: “Th' things ye make now, they migh' become other things, someday. When ye can stop fightin' so much.”
[Jocoza]: “I don't really know that that's ever going to happen. But there's nothing wrong with making bombs, with being a mercenary. It's useful to a lot of people.”
Oranna nods. "Aye, it's why I'm here, too, isn't it?" She smiles. “I dinna ha' anythin' like tha'. Tinkerin'. Somethin' I could do ta help. So. If I stopped fightin', I'd be…well. Useless. Although, now a' least I can help Bargrimm, so tha's somethin'.”
Jocoza looks sidelong at Oranna. "I don't think you'd be useless. "
Oranna shrugs. "Take away my gun, an' I'm jus' a lass who can maybe manage a garden, do some minin', an' maybe manage a small company's books. Tha's it."
[Jocoza]: “That's not nothing. People need food, and… accountants are apparently a thing that a lot of people need.”
[Oranna]: “I'm no' like Lord Springblade either, who can do things wi' money an' manage a Company an' work fer SI:7 an' do a thousand things. I'm jus'…well. Aye, but if I'm no' attached ta shop doin' great things, then…well. I'm no' really doin' anythin' direct. Jus' helpin' someone else doin' somethin' important.”
[Jocoza]: “I don't know if Tadget's really the ideal for many people. According to her, at least.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, ah, well. No' tha' she's an ideal, jus' tha' she's capable of doin' a lot more than I can. Ha' ye heard from her recently? Lord Springblade?”
Jocoza looks down and says, "Mmm, not recently, no. Oh, but can I show you my latest creation? It's related.”
Jo goes invisible.
[Jocoza]: “Haha I'm invisible!”
She immediately pops back into visibility.
[Jocoza]: “Aw, it only worked for a few seconds.”
Oranna gasps and then claps. "How'd ye do tha'?!"
Jocoza giggles.
[Oranna]: “Tha's incredible! I could barely e'en see ye an' I'd been lookin' righ' a' ye!”
[Jocoza]: “It's a cloaking device! I have no idea how Tadget does it, but mine's technology.”
[Oranna]: “Technology??”
[Jocoza]: “Ah, if only I can get it to work a bit longer…”
[Oranna]: “Tha's magic, tha' is. No matter wha' yer callin' it.” She laughs.
Jocoza giggles again. “Nope, I do magic too, definitely technology.”
Oranna makes a skeptical sound. “Looks like magic ta me, at least. Although, there's still a lot I'm no' sure I understand about gnome technology. I still dinna understand how tha' tram works.”
[Jocoza]: “That's not magic either.” Jo says in an almost sing-song voice.
Oranna laughs. "Tha' I know a' least, but I tried readin' a book on it, an' I swear, there was an entire page where th' only words I really understood were 'the' an' 'and'."
[Jocoza]: “Anyway, Tadget thinks killing people with magic is cowardly. I don't know how I'd manage, otherwise, though.”
[Oranna]: “Cowardly? How? I'm fair certain ye need a strong stomach an' an iron will ta set a person on fire.”
[Jocoza]: “I don't know, she…” Jo pauses, as if trying to backtrack. “She has a lot of odd ideas about killing people. Maybe that's not really the best topic for an evening stroll.”
[They step around the dead spiders and raptors.]
[Jocoza]: “I guess it's an SI:7 thing.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, ah, well. We are sort o' killin'…people an' things on th' stroll…so, ah.” She shrugs. “I didna realize ye two had spoken about killin' people though. Tha's an odd topic, although, ah…maybe no' fer Lord Springblade…Although, Ivri is SI:7 an' th' only time we e'er talked about killin' people was with…Kenna.”
[Jocoza]: “I can honestly say I've never talked about killing people with Ivri. Though she did threaten to throw me overboard once, on the boat. I'm pretty sure she wasn't serious, though.”
Oranna laughs a little. "Ye'd think it'd come up more, in a mercenary company. But, I think we all like ta think o' other things, when we're no' a'…work, so ta speak. Throw ye o'er board? Why?”
[Jocoza]: “Oh, did I not tell you? About the bet?”
[Oranna]: “Oh, th' bet with Lord Springblade? Th' one on th' boat? Who won, then?”
[Jocoza]: “But that was why.”
[Oranna]: “Because she was tryin' ta make ye lose th' bet?”
[Jocoza]: “I wouldn't tell Ivri the details, and it was driving her crazy.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, tha' makes sense, fer Ivri anyway.” She chuckles a little.
[Jocoza]: “Anyway, that was almost the last time I spoke to Tadget, after the trip.”
Oranna frowns a little. "Tha' long?"
[Jocoza]: “She came to find out about the bet.”
[Oranna]: “Is it because ye won?”
[Jocoza]: “Oh, I didn't win.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, she did?”
Jocoza laughs. “Neither. We had a plan for that, too.”
Oranna laughs a little. "Tha' mus' ha' been a verra strange bet."
Jocoza blushes, for some reason.
Oranna raises her brows a little at the blush, but says nothing.
[Jocoza]: “But I think I'm boring her already. Spoke to her once, since, but…I don't want to be boring.”
[Oranna]: “Tha's odd. I though she was th' one who was…well. She was concerned tha' Finnegan J Sharpgear would get bored o' her, or leave th' first sign tha' she was no' jus' goin' along with his plans. Yer no' boring! Who could e'er accuse ye o' bein' borin'?”
[Jocoza]: “Finnegan? Does she spend a lot of time with that guy? The one who pays the company, right?”
[Oranna]: “Aye, th' investor. Met him out here once, actually. He saved me from those Forsaken wanderin' around th' roads. I was…distracted by some thoughts an' didna see them. I think they're friends?”
[Jocoza]: “Weird, she never mentioned him.”
[Oranna]: “Or a' least, she wants them ta be friends an' she's worried he's goin' ta jus' up an' leave th' second she doesna do wha' he wants her ta. He didna strike me as th' sort, but…well. I met him jus' th' once really. I dinna think Lord Springblad….trusts tha' people are her friend.”
[Fozruk wanders by, like he does, whenever Finnegan J. Sharpgear is mentioned in Arathi, it is known.]
Oranna waves at Fozruk.
[Jocoza]: “I only saw him on that day, when he told us about Kenna.”
[Oranna]: “We ended up talkin' about him, Finnegan J Sharpgear, th' other week when she was at HQ…she seemed…rather down on herself. I've been thinkin' o' goin' down ta Booty Bay ta see her.”
[Jocoza]: “She'd probably like that. I mean, I don’t know, but who wouldn't?”
Oranna laughs a little, and shrugs. "I dinna think she cares much about me, honestly, but I'd like ta see her doin' well a' least, fer my own sake."
[Jocoza]: “I think…” Jo hesitates. “I went down to check on her, after that weird pay letter. I don't know if she mangled yours too.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, aye, spelled her name wrong.”
[Jocoza]: “She seemed okay, if a little distant.”
[Oranna]: “Tha' got me a bit worried. Didna seem like her. Thought it was code fer a bit.”
[Jocoza]: “I think she does like you, far as I can tell.”
Oranna shrugs and smiles. "It doesna really matter ta me, if she does. I care about her. It wasna a condition o' my carin' tha' she care about me back."
Jocoza looks at Oranna doubtfully. "That's very kind of you."
[Oranna]:”Mostly it's jus' strange. She doesna trust tha' I like her as she is. She thinks it's jus' me bein'…nice? Sometimes ye care about someone, an' they…dinna care about ye back. Or no' in th' same way. I canna jus' stop carin', but I can jus'…care, an' know tha' it's alrigh’' if they dinna see me th' same way. I dinna mind it. I'm….used ta it.”
[Jocoza]: “I think you're kinder than I am.”
[Oranna]: “Most…o' my family didna…well. I was no' th' pride an' joy o' th' Stormbreakers.” She swallows and looks away. “Yer verra kind, lass.” She raises her eyebrows. “E'en first time I met ye, I thought so.”
[Jocoza]: “If they didn't appreciate you, that was their mistake.”
Oranna smiles a little, and shakes her head. "I was jus'…no' like them. Missin' things they had, tha' they could do. I…well. It doesna matter now."
[Jocoza]: “Cobalt Company thinks you're pretty special, I'm sure of that.”
[Oranna]: “Yer a kind person, Jo. Always takin' care o' others, sometimes afore yerself.” Oranna blushes a little, and smiles.
Jocoza gives a short laugh. "Thanks, but sometimes I think I'm not very good at either."
Oranna looks over with her brows raised. "Wha' makes ye say tha'?" Oranna frowns and shakes her head. "Yer no'…talkin' about wha' happened with…Gnomeregan are ye? Because tha's no' fair ta ye, lass, no' at all."
Jocoza shrugs. "Life isn't fair."
Oranna sighs and makes a face. "But ye canna blame yerself fer somethi' like tha'. Migh' as well blame me fer my family dyin'….dyin' ta th' orcs. Jus' because I was there, an' didna save them."
Jocoza looks shocked. "I would never say… I didn't mean to imply that."
[Oranna]: “But tha's wha' yer sayin' fer yerself, isn't it?” She shakes her head. “As if ye an' ye alone could ha' done somethin' more, an' then people wouldna ha' died.” She swallows hard and closes her eyes for a second. “Believe me, I've thought tha'. About myself.”
Jocoza looks at Oranna for a moment, brow creasing in thought. "I won't say that then."
[Oranna]: “I do understand it, lass. It's…bein' th' only one ta make it out…tha' makes ye feel like…why was it me? But…ye do take care o' people well, Jo. Ye see ta people in th' Company, an' ye take care o' yerself as best ye can. An' maybe ye canna single handedly prevent an…an apocalypse, or somewhat, but, ye do enough. An' tha's all righ'.”
Jocoza brightens a little, and says, "Way things are going, maybe we'll be stopping apocalypses soon. So don't count it out. Didn't we, sort of? With the thing with the nobles?”
Oranna laughs a little. "Aye, but tha's because there's wha'…almost 60 o' us now? No' a one o' us is doin' this alone. An' part o' why we were able ta is because o' ye, lass. I'm no' firin' Boomstick with jus' random pebbles I'm findin'.”
[Jocoza]: “Let me know when you run out. I can make more.” Jo says automatically
Oranna laughs and smiles at Jo. "Tha's wha' I mean, lass. Carin' fer people, tha's jus' part o' who ye are. Yer kindness."
Jocoza smiles a little at Oranna, uncertainly.
[Oranna]: “An' remember when we were here, takin' care o' th' Forsaken? Ye kept us safe, an' well ta do with orders.”
Jocoza nods.
[Oranna]: “An' none o' us e'en caught cold, aye?”
Jocoza laughs. “No, Niris worried, though.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, well, aye. Worryin' helps with makin' sure things go th' way they should though, aye? I'm sure Elo worries as well.”
[Jocoza]: “I don't think I'm kind like you in the other way, though. I don't know if I can keep caring about somebody who gets tired of me, or hurts me. I'm not even sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. If you care about someone, shouldn't they care about you, too?”
Oranna shrugs and smiles. "An' I canna be kind like Elo, always keepin' my heart open willingly, an' trustin' people I care about. I dinna know, lass. All I know is tha' sometimes, I care, an'…I canna expect th' other person ta feel th' same way. Because it hurts, when they don't.”
[Jocoza]: “So you just don't ask?”
[Oranna]: “Oh, no.” She laughs suddenly, and blushes a little. “I ask, usually direct. I jus'…dinna expect it. How d'ye make yerself no' care about someone though, if ye find out they dinna care about ye?”
[Jocoza]: “Not a thing I've had to do often, thankfully, but…I remind myself that it's okay not to care about people. And remind myself of the way they've treated me, until I feel angry instead of sad.”
[Oranna]: “E'en if they treat ye fine, jus'…dinna feel th' same about ye? I've ne'er been…able ta do tha'. Jus' turn it off like tha'. I'm no' sure it's a virtue. Me no' bein' able ta stop, I mean.”
[Jocoza]: “I guess that's a slightly different problem. I don't know if I'd say turned off just like that. I don't really have that many case studies to point to in my own life, honestly.”
[Oranna]: “Oh, aye, but e'en o'er time…nothin' e'er made a difference. I still cared, e'en after…well. Although, sometimes…I didna mind knowin', in the end, tha' some o' them…died. I didna…want him ta die, exactly, but I wasna…I was all righ', when I heard. I cared, but…I was able ta bear tha', withou' breakin'.”
[Jocoza]: “I don't think that's a bad thing. You can't force grief someone hasn't earned.”
[Oranna]: “Aye, well.” She adjusts the straps on Befound. “Still. I didna wish it would happen. But…it did, an'…I'm all righ'. Should probably head back. I dinna think Befound here can carry much more.”
Befound yawns as though to say This Is Nothing.
[Jocoza]: “Sure. Thanks for joining me.”
Oranna nods. "I'm glad ta ha' been able ta help."
[They return to Ironforge and part ways.]