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It was on the eighteenth day of Miret'thilan'dichora's absence that Zarina made it up to the attic and opened the back window to let some air in. The room had formerly been occupied by Jamboi and, all-too-often, Penny. With the pair having gone on extended leave under circumstances that most whispered had to do with the bulge in the latter's belly, the room had sat more or less empty, though it was still Ashon's space and felt like it. 

Perhaps Zarina had needed to take her mind off of the happenings in Mezegol or the summons of her mother or Marceline's ongoing retreat from the world. Maybe she was just cleaning because it needed to be done. the space [i]was[/i] getting rather musty. In any event, she pushed open the window and there was a loud 'thump' that made her jump slightly, though she likely never would've admitted such except in the company of her closest friends.

There, handing from a tree and swinging gently back and forth was a gift wrapped with a neat little bow and a somewhat crude but very fetching little smiley face pinned to a clipboard. She recognized the penmanship - or lack thereof - immediately.

Upon seeing what had made flinch, she re-thought the notion of sharing this to even her best of friends. There are enough embarrassments to poke fun out of her anyway. That said, as silly as the situation was, the hanging gift with a message dangling by it. Her first instinct was not to seize it and instead look around her, the outside. Up, down, left, right, even under her feet. She was sure this wasn't there twenty minutes ago when walked home. 

At the absence of any presence, Zarina's amber eyes took in the familiar quirks of the message dedicated to her. A simple smile, one that communicated the author without a single word. Another peek of precaution out the window, one dedicated to the tree more than anything - tree people, a hassle - before giving up and taking in the spoils of her discovery.

With the smiley-message put to the side after a quick check, the avaricious part-dragon couldn't help herself. She pulled the ribbon and started to neatly undo the wrapping ... Until five seconds in and she got impatient. To shreds.

Inside was a strand of Osaian ribbonwood, imbued with manas in the manner of Tarlonese woodweaving. It was thin and flexible and slightly translucent.  Attached to it was a small note that twirled in the breeze as Zarina held it.

[i][indent][color=9e0039]"Dear Luuchii,

I miss you more than words can tell: your cute face and your hidden sweetness and your big ideas, so I begged my aunt to make you this so that we could be together. It's more than just figurative, too! The ribbonwood is a sanguinaire of a plant and it siphons manas. I let it bite me and take some of mine (maybe a fair comeuppance for a bloodsucker - now I know how it feels). They're in there and they can help whatever you use this for. I love you forever and always and I hope it helps you until we can be together again and for long after that.

Love,

Miret.

P.S. Have you done your laundry lately?"[/color][/indent][/i]

[color=#E5E4E2]“Nope.”[/color]

Zarina answered in yet another show of infantile habits. All with a massive smile that stressed her features, leaving her cheeks reddened from the extertion. The note was clutched close to her chest, her breathing exceptionally tranquil, as she leered at the peculiar plant. A sanguinaire plant, how macabre. And the visceral nature of it piqued curiosity. With some hesitation, she produced a gardening glove from one of the attic boxes she had stored and reached her hand out to the thing. [color=#E5E4E2]“Now I need to figure out how to not have you eaten by my little feathered and fur babies, Miret.”[/color] she chuckled.

The plank was... a plank, having ceased sucking blood around the time it had been felled and carved. There was, fortunately, no danger, though its manas [i]did[/i] seem to respond do hers immediately, trying to assimilate  her colony, failing, and then settling for communing into it.

It was not too much longer, however, before Zarina found herself in the cellar, rooting around through baskets of unwashed laundry that she'd usually have used magic on or paid a washerwoman to clean. In the very back corner, after lifting one up, she noticed that something about it was 'off'. There was something solid in the middle, thumping around.

After a bit of digging and eventually meeting an anomalous addition in the dirty laundry bin - she did not revel in it whatsoever - Zarina plucked the next step to the treasure hunt. At first she was concerned with touching any of these, and still used her gardening glove. But then she realize this was [i]Miret[/i]. Why so much paranoia? Rid of any unnecessary precautions, she extracted the next 'gift'.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/rM4egwk.png[/img][/center]

There was a head of Eluuxo inside, only, it had a piece of paper with a little angry face pinned to it. [color=9e0039]"This is to remind you of what we will do when I'm back,"[/color] the back of the note said. [color=9e0039]"Look your best for me, hmm?"[/color]

It was once again signed 'Miret', only in yasoi script this time. 

[color=9e0039]"P.S. Have you studied for your Tinctures & First Aid exam?"[/color]

Zarina could only muster a dull stare at the cabbage. She dreaded the idea of somebody else accidentally stumbling upon it. The vegetable used for aphrodisiacs was quickly hidden away before she heeded the next 'clue.'

[color=#E5E4E2]“Hah. Never a boring moment with you.”[/color]

Next stop was the the study where most of her course work and assignments were kept, including the practice tinctures. She opened one of the cubards under a shelf to find the box full of needles, threads, dried reagents and a few old instruction manuals.

There, she found another note and a smiley face with glasses and buckteeth. [color=9e0039]"Go to the library and take out that book we talked about, lazy bum. I love you."[/color]

Zarina rolled her eyes and capitulated to the mocking smiley's demands. The library was, well, a few feet away. The challenge was to recall what book was mentioned-

[color=#E5E4E2]“Ah, right.”[/color]

[i]The Greedy Dragon's Hoard[/i], a young adult's novel about a dragon with immense wealth, a harem and the most beautiful of beasts. Eventually, one of his concubines burned down his den, and the melted gold melded into his scales, turning him gold and truly immortal. The book is mostly a variety of fables, ending with the dragon being far too heavy to leave his den. As to why they talked about it- Zarina was teasingly compared to the main character for [i]reasons[/i].

Zarina dug for the book and couldn't find it. Miret had returned it a few weeks ago, before leaving. Instead, where the book had been, was another note: [color=9e0039]"The Grand Library, dork. ♥"[/color]

Zarina let out a frustrated sigh. An exaggerated response given she was always smiling.

To the Grand Library! Where she sought the same book.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/3mPWSVi.png[/img][/center]

It was not so very long after that Zarina found herself at the Grand Library. It smelled of books and dust that sparkled in the Dorrad sunlight. Voices echoed up through the foyer and there seemed - always - to be a slight stench of pigeons at the uppermost levels, where they congregated about the great glass dome. 

It was on one of these levels that she located her book, but she found more than that. There was a little bottle of plushtail oil behind it, with a little note attached carrying a worried face.

[indent][i][color=9e0039]"Dear Zarina,

Please remember to drink this when it's that time of the month.  I love you no matter what, but you're better when you're not trying to eat me... well, you know what I mean.

Love,

Miret.

P.S. Have you cleaned the old dragon stables lately?"[/color][/i][/indent]

Zarina took advantage of the tranquil nature of the library to give herself a brief break. Plushtail in hand, she contemplated whether to still take this game with joy or vexed that her lover hadn't just come and said hello. The thoughtful nature of the gifts and quips made her lean toward the former still. 

After a quarter-hour of putting around, she headed to the animal farm - although not before killing two birds with one stone and acquiring meats from the local butcher. Dried, harder meats that were cheaper and quite lean. A bit too lean to be enjoyed by gourmands, anyway. The sack over her shoulder contrasted with her green silks, earning herself a few stares by gossiping lordlings and snarky commoners alike. She'd be lying if she said it didn't affect her a little, but she was keen on feeding her beasts herself.

Her allotted stables held three dragons: Alqasas, Thawra and now Sassy Xiao. The eldest, Alqasas napped and had grown wise to rushing in for food, knowing it was going to come eventually. Thawra was more like an eager dog - always wanting attention, and being hand fed. Being the smaller of the two Froabas, she developed quite the needy tendencies.

Then there was Sassy Xiao, raised wild but still a chick when taken in. She reportedly made daily messes in the brief time it had been housed. 

[color=#E5E4E2]“Oi, sit.”[/color] the rambunctious critter nearly lunged at its master out of a show of affection, but the size made the distinction between playing and predation very muddied. [color=#E5E4E2]“No. NO!”[/color] Zarina took a quick step to the side and pointed her finger over the Emperor Kite's snout, nearly poking between her eyes. [color=#E5E4E2]“Relax, and open wide, princess.”[/color]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/54U1akY.png[/img][/center]

In time, the three dragons were fed. While Zarina did so regularly, and went about all of her usual cleaning tasks as one might expect of a responsible dragon owner, she only went over the unused stalls once a month... on a good month. The last time had been shortly before Miret had been sent off to war.

Unsurprisingly, she found a smiling face gently carved into the cleaning bucket. Inside was a note left by her lover and a small bottle.

[indent][i][color=9e0039]"This is Luudus Leaf shampoo. The Luudus plant grows in colonies along the southern edge of Nanoi, where it is rainiest, on coasts and islands of swampy inland lakes. It is a writhing vine and is known to eat people when it can. Harvesting it is an immense act of bravery and personal risk - no, I didn't get this one myself. I bought this from a vendor - and seen as a symbol of the importance of personal fitness and beauty. It is also the [u]best[/u] shampoo that money - or a few fingers - can buy and will continue to clean your hair for two weeks after applied.

This is a reminder to always work as hard as I know you do, luuchii, but to look after yourself as well. While I'm right beside your snoring self as I write this, I imagine it'll be about a month until you find it and I hope you won't be too mad at me for being away for so long. I only ever cared about Tyrel and (kinda) Chad before I met you. You helped me care about myself and my future, about causes greater than me, about people who weren't yasoi, and - most importantly - about [u]you[/u]. Do me a favour, would you? Space these out two days when you do the rest. If everything goes to plan, you'll have the best surprise of all waiting at the end of the last one."

Love you always,

Miret

P.S. Have you checked that Stella has been replacing the grinder filter regularly at your Proving Grounds location?"[/color][/i][/indent]

The first paragraph was taken in like all the other letters, sat comfortably inside of Xiao's pen with the needy dragon's head rested over both Zarina's legs. Idle strokes kept the beast soothed and in partial slumber while the other held the longer note. It was the second paragraph that warranted a few pause. Embarrassment, loneliness, regret, want, fear. So many emotions flooded in at once. Her forehead met the base of her thumb, eyes closed in an effort to contain her feelings. She ended up letting only a sniffle escape.

[color=#E5E4E2]“I miss you so much.”[/color]

Zarina whispered, prompting the semi-conscious Xiao to perk up for a second before falling back into comfort. [color=#E5E4E2]“Other side of town, huh? Little shit.”[/color] the moment ended with a smile. 

Respecting the request, the young beastmaster took the opportunity to do some errands - yet another task she usually delegated to hired work - by making the rounds through the shops and finally stopping at the Proving Grounds where her next message had be found. The last for the day.

The next day, after class, it was the Biology classroom with the fake skeleton - or at least she thought it was fake - where she'd find the next smiley-clue inside the skull.

Then it was the very first kiosk she had opened for Zenobucks. Inside the bin full of discarded coffee bags they returned to the merchants every two months for a light discount on extra shipping fees. The smile had a particularly smug look to it.

Initially she wanted to call it early if the clue hadn't led her back to her house. This one was easy to find: Riesco's mane had been neatly braided without Zarina's knowledge, and inside one of the braids was the next clue. There was no smile, instead the horse turned to perform his signature tongue-wag mockery. It never failed to make his rider burst into laughter.

Early in day two, the Virangish treasure seeker found herself at the Arboretum, by the tree where she and Miret had first met. Where she sought the shade after a botched three-legged race. [color=#E5E4E2]“Where it all began. Corny. I love you so much.”[/color] she spoke to herself as she got to the tree and just took the chance to sit and watch the dawn kiss the city of magic.

While some of the surprises had been prepared and left waiting before Miret's departure, others had been slipped into place by a series of accomplices: a Seviin here, a Tku there, a Tommy at some point.

There didn't seem to be much here except a pretty view to make Zarina wax sentimental. That was when she detected a rustle in some nearby bushes. A quick energy sweep revealed no interloper - only the telltale signs of someone masking their energy signature.

[color=#E5E4E2]“Oi.”[/color]

In the blink of an eye, Zarina stood just a foot away from the bush, arms crossed and eyes glaring down at it. Her position was such that the morning sun cast quite the shadow over the bush and whatever was hiding inside. [color=#E5E4E2]“Where I'm from, we castrate peeping Toms.”[/color] she smirked.

There was nobody there, oddly. Zarina looked around in tandem with an energy sweep and saw a note nailed to the tree that she could've [i]sworn[/i] hadn't been there before. When she approached it, it read:

[color=9e0039]"Look up."[/color]

She mouthed it as she read and... there was more than her own voice. Gazing down at her from the branches, hair dangling like curtains to either side of her face, was Miret with a soft smile and cheeks flushed with colour.

[color=#E5E4E2]“Nice try.”[/color] 

Zarina cackled and fought against the urge valiantly ... Before obliging with a swift and twitchy movement of her head. [color=#E5E4E2]“Oi!”[/color] she called out as she spotted Miret. [color=#E5E4E2]“Do you have a loicence for that tree there?”[/color] she asked with a mediocre Enthish accent. Hands on her hips, she expected the object of her affections to come to her after trekking for two days.

Miret dropped right down on top of her. [color=9e0039]"Here comes!"[/color] she squealed, hoping to be caught. 

Zarina scooped her up in a bridal carry and the yasoi laughed, leaning in for a kiss. [color=9e0039]"So[i]strong[/i],"[/color] she cooed, [color=9e0039]"My hero!"[/color]

A total fluke, Miret's voice made Zarina's knees weak and the shows affection reduced her tense muscles into mush, and yet she caught the trickster. [color=#E5E4E2]“Hah. I may or may not dabble in some shellfish lifting.”[/color]

She batted her eyelashes as they parted and she was let back onto her feet. [color=9e0039]"Like my little scavenger hunt?"[/color]

Holding Miret in such a manner, however, quickly got embarrassing. Far too manly of a role! And she feared her increasingly permanent bitchface was going to make her into one of these easily identified sapphic phenotype the girls would incessantly gossip over. Gently she let her lover back down with careful consideration. [color=#E5E4E2]“Uh, yeah, a date's never boring with you, is it? I'm just going to say it, I can't one up you.”[/color] she raised her hands in surrender.

But she didn't keep the distance for long. A quick step forward and she was brushing up to her sorely missed partner. [color=#E5E4E2]“What brings you here, Luuchi? All this way, just for me? I'm flattered, but really?”[/color][/color]