A Symphony of Roses [Open]

[Ariane Ivers]

_{【That Sings to Your Heart】}

Ouch. Ariane seriously felt like she had been hit by a truck, and that the truck decided she didn’t look dead enough so it’d set her on fire just to be safe. She supposed that wasn’t so far off from the actual cause of her injuries and exhaustion, but she couldn’t very well tell her coworkers that. It was obvious she had been injured, the only thing she had to decide on was the best fake story to tell. Her left arm was bandaged up to her wrist, the smell of aloe obvious underneath it, and her left knuckles looked as though she picked a fight with a brick wall and the wall won.

In the end she ended up telling anyone who asked that she tripped into a fire pit while having a small fire at home. Fist first. Into the brick. It was stupid, but people who knew her knew she was prone to being klutzy from time to time, so it wasn’t too farfetched. Some people still looked at her funny, but eventually shrugged it off. Glad for the fact most people accept lies they think could be true, she stuck to her story. It may have been stupid but hey, she couldn’t go changing it now.
 It wasn't as though she could tell them the truth, that she had been attacked by a giant tank looking bugger in the outer circle and used a manifestation that came out of her head to fight it off.

After a few mocking coworkers Ariane was finally able to get to work. She had overslept a little this morning, and the seedlings needed attention. Even if it was just a job the thought of the little plants she took such hard care of wilting made her sad. Still, with all of the vegetation she was surrounded by, Anne would admit it would be nice to talk to someone who wasn’t in a vegetative state. Other than her coworkers, of course. There were only two of them, but she always tended to get annoyed with the one and the other was constantly off in their own little world.
Being a caretaker, she didn't have too much interaction with customers other than answering the occasional question about the plants they were looking for and what was the best season to them was.  

So instead, Ariane Ivers was left to spend the majority of her days caring for the plants that inhabited the greenhouse.  Her conversational partners tended to be limited to whatever plants she was caring for or arranging, which didn't leave for many stimulating discussions.  

[Ariane Ivers]

So engrossed in her little plants, Ariane hadn't noticed the customer approach her until she actually spoke up.  The florist jumped in surprise, turning to look at the other girl.  Initial surprise disappeared relatively quickly and she smiled, pushing a strand of strawberry-blonde hair out of her face.  "Ah, hello there!"  Glancing to the seedling in her hand Anne nodded, setting it in the tray with the others.  "I agree.  They don't argue back with you and thrive with the attention.  It's almost like having kids, without all the awful hassle."  Chuckling she shrugged her right shoulder.  "So, what brings you to our little plant home?  Did you have any questions I could help you with?"  

It wasn't something she could really place, but something was strange about the other redhead.  She wasn't sure if it was that she decided to talk to Anne out of the other workers, or her peculiar but pretty outfit, but there was definitely something nagging in the back of Anne's head.  Eventually she just brushed it off as a silly conclusion to jump to.  The young woman was obviously a customer that needed her help, and just because she dealt mostly with the flowers didn't mean she couldn't be helpful to people too!

[Deleted]

"I just came to admire the plants here. I don't have any questions, thank you. Although, I never been to a greenhouse before." she responded. Considering that the greenhouse was new to the marketplace and that there were also new buildings in the district, it made visiting some new stores interesting. It reminded her of the garden at the park and some of her friends were met there. At least, the lady had agreed that plants do not argue and rely on attention. It actually had something to do with her isolation from her peers, but she felt comfortable with the plants. She would need friends though as students had people to talk to and socialize. There were times when there were friends to talk to and that they enjoyed her company. With the loss of someone she cared deeply for, it wasn't likely that she would be able to open up to people again, unless if she completely trusted. And the month's season was spring as it was evident from the sun's warmth. The plants were also taking in the sunlight to grow healthy, so the warmth might be alright.

[Ariane Ivers]

Either her new visitor was very lonely or just really, really liked looking around at flowers indoors. Whichever it was, Ariane wouldn’t hold it against her--to each their own, and all that. After all, she had no place to talk when she had taken to spending her nights out fighting creatures that most definitely weren’t human. Listening to the young woman speak she nodded in agreement, glancing at her work. “Well, I appreciate your compliments on them. While I don’t own the greenhouse by any means, I still take pride in caring for most of them. You’ve never been to a greenhouse, though? They really are great. If you plan on having a garden or even making a little window box of flowers, your best bet would be to come here rather than a department store. Not to toot our own horns or anything, but our plants have a much better shelf life than ones that are shipped in.” Okay, even if she said it wasn’t to toot her own horn, it was a bit. She grinned widely, chuckling a little at her words.



“If you were thinking of planting anything, I’d be glad to give you a few pointers! I have a garden myself that gives me quite the bit of practice.” She turned, reaching for a plant with her left arm before stopping, hissing sharply in pain. Anne had almost forgotten it was still sore, and she pulled it back. It was healing quickly, thankfully, between the aloe and the medicine she had put on it. Even still it stung, especially when the bandages rubbed on it. They probably needed to be changed, but her break wasn’t for a little while. She would manage--her job wasn’t about to do itself! Reaching out with her right arm instead she picked up the plant she was reaching for, a little tomato sproutling. “This is an heirloom tomato--they don’t tend to look as ‘pretty’ as tomatoes you buy in the store, but they’ve got a lot of personality! This one is called a ‘Mr. Stripey.’ I kid you not--that’s the legitimate name for it. When they’re ripe they have all of these neat stripes along them, and end up tasting really sweet.” Sure talking about the plants was part of her job, but even if she wasn’t at work it was something she enjoyed explaining.

[Ariane Ivers]

Under the circumstances Anne was having a hard time telling if her guest was humoring her or honestly interested. Whatever the circumstances, she decided if the woman had wanted to leave there wasn’t anything keep her. While here, Anne would do her job and explain the greenery around her. Setting down the tomato she turned, her nose crinkled as she decided what to do next. “Well, if you have the room for it, I definitely would suggest having vegetables in a garden. Something about home grown veggies always taste delicious. If not, a window box is a great choice for something pretty to take care of without taking a lot of room up.” Walking over to the flowers she started moving some around, arranging them in their planters so her guest could see them better.

Since she didn’t know much of anything about the woman, her ability to pick out what she would like the best was hindered. Even still, it was a challenge Anne would gladly accept--work had been dull that day anyway! Getting to work she smiled, turning back to the woman. “Petunias work great it boxes, and always have great varieties of colors. Dianthuses are always snazzy looking flowers too, they almost look like little feather dusters.” Patting one of the small flowers she paused, tilting her head slightly. “Was there anything in particular you were thinking of planting?”

[Ariane Ivers]

Nodding, she turned to them.  "That's a great choice!  They've got a lot of character to them.  Here, I can help you pick out some of the healthier ones and show you what you'll need to get them growing."  Right away, she got started picking through the planters, choosing different colored dianthuses.  She was excited at finding homes for her little plants, and even if this person didn't talk much there was something about her that seemed familiar.  As usual she knew to trust her gut.  Of course even if she didn't have a good feeling about this customer, it wasn't as though she had a choice to not sell things.  She would just make a point to pick out the less healthier flowers.
Luckily that wasn't an issue.  Despite her being a woman of few words, she wasn't rude, and seemed at least mostly interested in the plants.  
As she gathered the supplies she would need, she hesitated, turning.  "Oh, you still haven't told me how much room you have to plant.  It'll help to pick out supplies if we know what you need.  By the way, my name is Ariane.  You're welcome to ask for me if you need help after you have everything planted."

[Ariane Ivers]

Ah, so she was a student. It made sense, she didn’t seem that much younger than Anne was. In that case, a window box would be the perfect choice. With a bit of a hum to herself she walked over to the boxes, picking out a few different styles for her. Leaving the student to look through them, she went about gathering other things a starter would need. A bag of planting soil. Fertilizer. A watering can. Just a few things that would make a mini garden that much easier to take care of.

Returning with her loot she smiled, setting it on a small cart. “Isolde, that’s a beautiful name. It’s nice to meet you too. This should about do it to start off, if you’re worried about making a mess at your dorm I don’t see why you wouldn’t be allowed to set up your little box here and just take it home pre-assembled.” Making room on the cart for the box itself and the flowers Isolde would chose she waited, putting her good hand in her pocket.

[Ariane Ivers]

Ariane was glad.  Not only because she made a sale--she really wasn't as sales oriented as someone who worked in sales should be, but because Isolde so assured her she would take care of the flowers.  She didn't seem like one of the customers who would constantly be coming in to buy new flowers, complaining about theirs dying.  There had been accounts of people accusing them of selling them bad plants because they died; 'What do you mean they need to be watered?  I wasn't told that!'   The amount of people who seemed to lack common sense seemed enough to make her lose all faith in humanity.  Then someone like Isolde would come in and make her realize some people understood the plants, while not alive in the sense that a person or an animal were, still required love and attention.

Just as she was about to comment on her feelings, she noticed a look in the girls eyes.  It was subtle, but a look she had seen in her own eyes in the mirror plenty of times before.  Anne's brow furrowed and she frowned.  She wasn't sure if it was her place to say anything.  After all, she was just a worker.  People had been offended for less in the past.  Before she could think it over too much she caved, speaking up.  "Are you okay?  You seem... upset, about something.  If I'm over speaking my bounds, I'm sorry, I don't mean to."  Her thumb rubbed along the bruise of it's same hand, aggravating the wound the way one does when they really should be letting it heal.  She didn't think much of it, though, more curious about the well being of her visitor.

[Ariane Ivers]

Ahh. Boy troubles. Poor thing. Anne had no way of knowing what the details were, but they were apparently bad enough to make her quite upset. If nothing else she knew from experience that if one enjoyed it enough, flowers were a wonderful distraction from despair. It had served her well enough over the years as one, after all.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I may not know the circumstances, but I do know that flowers can be a wonderful bandage to a wounded heart." Her smile faltered for a moment as she looked towards the plants around her, eyes distant, as if she really wasn't looking at them. "I remember when I started gardening. I couldn't keep anything alive for more than a few days. It... It should have discouraged me, but instead it gave me something to focus on rather than what I had going on. Something to practice on, learn from, and keep alive. I hope it will help you like it did me." Blinking back to the present she smiled again, but this time seemed just a little less genuine.

[Ariane Ivers]

"And wonderful friends I'm sure they'll make, too." As much as Anne loved her plants, a part of her worried about this young woman. She was in school still, and yet seemed to have a lot of drama going on in her life. It made her feel sad, and wish there was at least something more she could do for her other than give her some plants, especially since she said they were the only things to comfort her. Just who was this guy who just up and left?

Her smile faltered again and she crossed her arms the best she could with her left covered in bandages. "Is there anyone you have that you can talk to? Sometimes just having someone to listen can help tremendously. Plants can only provide so much companionship." It was true--even if she didn't know that many people here in the city, Anne at least had her Aunt. There were her cats too, but much like the plants they didn't reply with much. At the very least they supplied cuddles, which let's be honest is pretty helpful all in it's own right.

[Ariane Ivers]

That made her really sad. Sure, Ariane didn't have any friends here, but at least she had someone to talk to. While she hadn't spoken to her aunt and uncle often since she discovered the Cerynitian Hind, they were still there if she needed them and she knew it. "Why would you hurt someone on accident? Besides, if it was an accident, I'm sure if they really liked you they would understand you wouldn't hurt them on purpose." As the young woman continued, Anne understood a bit more. So it was the parents that were to blame?
"That's horrible that they would be so against you two being together, but I'm glad he seems happy enough with you to risk spending time with you... that's good at least!" Hesitating as she weighed the possibilities of her next thought, she eventually continued, "Also, if you did need someone to talk to if you're upset, I could give you my e-mail, or my number." While it was possibly a risky choice giving personal information to a customer she just met, a part of her didn't want her to have this girl go off on her own with no one to talk to when she seemed to have so much on her mind. She knew from experience how dangerous that could potentially be.

[Ariane Ivers]

Smiling, she reached into her pocket and took out the small travel notepad she kept there, taking the pen from it and writing down her name and number. Handing her new companion the paper she nodded, "There, don't be afraid to give me a call or a text if you need me for anything." As she watched, she could see Isolde's face draw serious. As she said her story, she frowned. She could understand why she would feel responsible. Still, at the same time...

Anne shook her head, giving the young woman a soft smile. "I see. It may not be my place to speak, but... If you want my opinion, I think you should spend time with your sister. If she loves you, she would understand it was an accident. Ten years avoiding someone you care about is a long time to be without them." Hesitating, she sighed. This poor thing just told her her story, the least she could do was return the favor with one of her own.

"I lost my mother four years ago in a fire. If I had known beforehand what would happen, I would have made a point to spend as much time with her as I could. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that life is too short, and has too many variables, to live precariously. If you care about someone, show them. Accidents happen, and you shouldn't blame yourself for it. All you can do is learn from them and try to continue to improve yourself.  If the situation was reversed, wouldn't you want your sister to spend time with you?"  Her mini speech finished, Anne grew skittish, smiling warily.  "Sorry if I overstepped my bounds..."

[Ariane Ivers]

As Isolde took the paper and nodded, Anne smiled softly. She could tell the younger woman was still a little upset, but she at least hoped what she said would help a little bit. As she responded Anne sighed, smile wavering a little, but she nodded nonetheless. "I think so too. I miss her, of course, but at the very least I have my memories." Glad to see the other redhead didn't take her self intrusion as an insult, Anne's smile returned again. "I'm glad you think that, though, and I hope I was able to help at least a little. I bet your sister will be glad to spend more time with you, too. Of course you can wean yourself into if if it helps, too. Spend lunch with her here and there. Go to parks. Just little things until you start feeling a little more comfortable."

[Ariane Ivers]

Anne frowned sadly, shaking her head. "I'm sorry to hear you feel my pain too. I suppose in a weird way it's nice to know I'm not alone, though." Taking a deep breath to try and chase away the memories that crept into her heart, she forced a small smile. "If you ever need someone to just hang out with so we can exchange crazy stories, let me know. You won't have to be afraid of accidentally hurting me, either--I may not look it, but I'm actually a pretty tough cookie." As if to prove her point, she jokingly flexed her arm, before bursting out into a laugh.

[Ariane Ivers]

Anne quickly scoffed, waving a hand as if she was chasing away an annoying fly. "If men look down on women for being weak then they must not pay very much attention." It was true that back in New York she had her own encounters with people like that. After all it wasn't as though her home city had such a great reputation for safety. That's why she ended up learning Wing Chun. Not only was it tremendously safer having a way to protect oneself other than a bottle of mace, but the look on a potential attacker's face when she proved she knew what she was doing? Priceless. It didn't happen often, sure; but even rare protection was worth it.