[ Verso doesn't like coming back to the gestral village unless he has a specific reason to do so: He loves the gestrals but they are simply a lot to deal with, and so many of them in one place significantly exacerbates the problem. But this, this is definitely an occasion worth making use of. Before the Expeditioners make their way over, he's already in the village, dealing with dozens of squeaky voices excited to see him again and raring to challenge him to a fight, which, hey, he'll get into some quick duels, if some of them can just help him with a favor if he wins.
A few hours later he has some preparations that the gestrals will most likely remember well enough to see through: a workshop space suitable for actual humans to work in, left a little abandoned from the lack of recent Expeditioner visitors but still more than functional ( they might've tried to bring Gustave to one of their own workspaces otherwise, and gestrals work with . . . unique philosophies ). It's private, tucked down a corridor winding off near the other gestrals' work spaces, not the quietest place in the world, but nowhere in the village would be. Verso makes sure to get the gestrals to understand that their visiting human engineer ( apparently, Mr. Brushface, which he's delighted by ) will need to be left alone while he works. No, barging in and forcing him to fight to test anything he's already made will not help. No, by any circumstances, they are not allowed to take his arm to study while he works. No, not even if they win it from him on a fight.
Hours of irritating negotiations and bargains, hours more tucked away somewhere high up in the village, waiting and watching. There's a bit of a fanfare when the Expedition arrives, and his heart leaps into his throat just to see his Monsieur le fleuriste again even from afar. Among some of the gestrals that hassle him about his arm, there's little mentions: nono, he told us not to, Verso will be angry and yes he told us to prepare a good place for you, so you can build us the best cannon!, passing mentions among all their excited little voices. At least that's less of a risk now, but the gestrals are worse than Esquie.
The Expedition enters the workshop together, and hopefully Gustave might not have too noticeable of a response to something Verso left on the main workbench, enough tools pushed aside to make space: two flowers, freshly plucked but a little wilted from the hours they've waited there, a pale purple and golden yellow, their stems gently twined together. The girls eventually say their goodbyes for the day and excuse themselves. Verso gives him a bit of time to settle into his new space, doubtless a bit of a mess -- and his heart is in his throat, when he gently raps on the door ( and asks a gestral to keep watch outside, for however much good that might do ) and pushes his way inside. ]
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gestral village & the manor
Date: 2025-06-16 11:34 pm (UTC)A few hours later he has some preparations that the gestrals will most likely remember well enough to see through: a workshop space suitable for actual humans to work in, left a little abandoned from the lack of recent Expeditioner visitors but still more than functional ( they might've tried to bring Gustave to one of their own workspaces otherwise, and gestrals work with . . . unique philosophies ). It's private, tucked down a corridor winding off near the other gestrals' work spaces, not the quietest place in the world, but nowhere in the village would be. Verso makes sure to get the gestrals to understand that their visiting human engineer ( apparently, Mr. Brushface, which he's delighted by ) will need to be left alone while he works. No, barging in and forcing him to fight to test anything he's already made will not help. No, by any circumstances, they are not allowed to take his arm to study while he works. No, not even if they win it from him on a fight.
Hours of irritating negotiations and bargains, hours more tucked away somewhere high up in the village, waiting and watching. There's a bit of a fanfare when the Expedition arrives, and his heart leaps into his throat just to see his Monsieur le fleuriste again even from afar. Among some of the gestrals that hassle him about his arm, there's little mentions: nono, he told us not to, Verso will be angry and yes he told us to prepare a good place for you, so you can build us the best cannon!, passing mentions among all their excited little voices. At least that's less of a risk now, but the gestrals are worse than Esquie.
The Expedition enters the workshop together, and hopefully Gustave might not have too noticeable of a response to something Verso left on the main workbench, enough tools pushed aside to make space: two flowers, freshly plucked but a little wilted from the hours they've waited there, a pale purple and golden yellow, their stems gently twined together. The girls eventually say their goodbyes for the day and excuse themselves. Verso gives him a bit of time to settle into his new space, doubtless a bit of a mess -- and his heart is in his throat, when he gently raps on the door ( and asks a gestral to keep watch outside, for however much good that might do ) and pushes his way inside. ]