Rikki Dune

❝ How small the pain of one man seems when weighed against the endless depths of memory, of feeling, of existence. That ocean carries everyone. And those of us who learn to see its currents move through life with fewer ripples.❞ Is that KAT GRAHAM? no, you’re mistaken, that’s actually RIKKI DUNE { female, she/her }. She is a 27/3000+ year old ORIGINAL FAMILIAR. She is an HORTICULTURIST can easily be found at CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS. She is known for being WILD, POSSESSIVE, and CYNICAL but also WORLDLY, LOYAL, and WITTY. You could probably bribe them with GIFTS OF NATURE or piss them off by LITTERING OR HARMING WILDLIFE.

There’s not a whole lot of reason to be here after hours so to speak. Well, aside from the obvious reasons that he typically kept to himself. Coming around the corner and expecting someone else, the wolf is quick to play off his surprise. A chuckle slips free and he raises his hands defensively. “Yeah, guess you caught me.” Mateo looks around at the flowers and lush greenery. “I, uh, was looking for a friend of mine but I guess he flaked last minute.”

“Some friend eh?” A step closer and the wolf glances around. “You alone here? Kinda late for roaming ‘round don’t you think?”

-

Rikki gives the man in front of her a look over, uneasy about his presence in her safe space. One is never to judge a book by its cover but when its all someone had to go by it was hard not to. “Late night meeting among the foliage?” If it were another time people might talk about that sort of thing, than again people still spoke about secretive meetings. 

“Oh, what’s this?” The slender woman mused curiously, turning to face the individual sitting on a bench in the conservatory of flowers. Aberash pushed a cup of hot  tea into their hands. A soft aroma of sweet flowers wafted int the steam welcomingly. “You’ve got a cloud over her head. Drink that. You’re making my flowers sad and I can’t have that.”

-

The strange events she found herself and others cast into held a tight hold on Rikki, she couldn’t very well shake the feelings of confusion and worry. Even while sitting among her beloved plant life she found herself drawn into her own mind rather than the sights around her. Blinking at the sight of a mug pushed into her hands she instantly wrapped her slender fingers around it welcoming the warmth that it brought. “Clouds bring the rain.” She points out though she understood where Ash was coming from, “Thank you.” She gestured with the cup taking a sip from it.

“Oh yes, the pretty tulips.” he agreed, although the only two lips he was trying not to focus on were her own. Again, he blamed the history the two had and sometimes he had to remind himself this isn’t what they were going to do for the rest of their immortal lives. Look for a happily ever after - there wasn’t one for them. Her words interrupted his train of thoughts as he raised a brow in question and then turned to look at the direction she was referring to. “You changed the location because I do not remember them being that far down at all.” he commented before looking back at her. He smiled at her statement, a thought crossing his mind in that moment, a thought he did not want to share just yet. “Been keeping busy, keepin’ out of trouble. Didn’t want to worry you for anything.” he added sincerely. “A walk sounds good. Maybe we can talk about a few things happenin’ around here. I’ve been hearing about some stuff and I just want to make sure you’re doing okay.” It was ironic really, how she was someone he had once wanted to kill. And now things had changed; Whether they were for the best or the worst, he wasn’t sure. Xavier just knew he would never want anything to happen to her.

-

Amused Rikki nods her head, “Oh yes, I decided since you had the way memorized I would talk the board into moving them just to see your confusion and for the chance to escort you.” She falsely admits with a crossing of her arms over her chest before shaking her head at him and approaching to take his arm. An act that at one point might have been dangerous and even to this very day it could be dangerous just in a vastly different tone. Fate was something only the simple of mind believed in at least in her own opinion, they crossed paths many times over the years. That was only a matter of the fact the world could only be so large for those with expanded lives. If they crossed at the right moments that was just a happy accident wasn’t it? Kept her alive and spared him from the loathing and bloodshed. 

“Well that’s silly, I worry when I want to worry.” It wasn’t as if she felt herself a worry wort by any means but she was protective. A trait the two shared which could also cause a bumping of heads, two immovable forces. “A few things? You mean the missing, if I didn’t know you so well I would ask if you knew anything personally about that.” The idea he was reverting back to old ways seemed silly so she wasn’t even entertaining the idea. “Aw, are you making sure I’m not stuffed in a white van and taken off?” She pouted a little at him but broke into a smile, it was endearing to know someone outside of familiar ties cared. “I am safe, haven’t personally known any of the missing thankfully.”

Working at a bar came with its perks - you know from flirting with whoever, whenever or free drinks. Another perk would be to know what was happening around town. News of the missing went around fast in the city, and who could blame the people? Worry, fear – all of that came with it. Which is why Xavier found himself at the Conservatory. He didn’t have to try to make himself known, he was sure she’d hear him coming a mile away. “You can say that, or maybe I wanted to see my favorite batch of tulips this crips evening.” he added with a light smirk right before coming into view. “Hope i’m not being a bother.” Not that it mattered; given their history, he knew she’d make time for him. 

-

“Its the tulips you came to see hmm?” She nods her head at him somehow doubting that, ulterior motive seemed more his style. But if that was the story he wanted to go with who was she to say otherwise. “Though you’re a little lost if its tulips you’re headed to, they’re in the other direction.” She points out with a smile leaning on the handrail that separated the plants from the visitors walking by. “You haven’t been a bother in some time, Zave.” Not that it was always so but people grew and that was something that she counted on where Xavier was concerned. “I was actually just taking a walk before heading home myself. Wanna join me?”

Something called to him. Maybe it was a tired ache or the familiar comfort of the wildness amidst the concrete jungle. It would’ve been easier to take to the wood that circled the town in a suffocated embrace of old cedar and groaning pines. But it wasn’t quite the same as the humid biome of the Conservatory. Here you could be in the rainforest, the desert, the mountains, the swamp- all by merely walking. It was a relief after a long day behind the steering wheel hefting around boxes or putting in a new shelf.

He almost runs into her for his lack of attention.

The words make him jump and for a moment he’s left blinking owlishly. “I, uh-” He’d been thinking about the witch, the one that kept hiring him for jobs every week. The one that kept smiling at him. Jonas didn’t like admitting he was feeling off center. “Yeah,” he settles for quietly, gaze lingering on flowering vines nearby. “Yeah I just needed to get out of my head for a bit.”

-

The aura of one of her own was hard to miss for the familiar in her age, she could understand why he might be walking around in the conservatory, just the same as she made her job within it. Its where she felt most comfortable and rather than making excuses to be here when she had time she skipped the steps making it where she spent most of hers. She raised a brow at him as he seemed to stumble over his words, clearly unaware of his surroundings. She could at least be glad that he felt comfortable enough here to be off guard or so deep within his own thoughts that he didn’t think he could be in any danger here. 

“Are you alright?” She asks tilting her head a little to look him over, he looked a tad off but in what way she couldn’t be sure. Seeing one of her fellow familiars in distress wasn’t something she enjoyed and if she could help she certainly would, it was her duty.

Coming here at night meant there were few prying eyes. And it was the perfect place to gather materials if he wanted to find things amongst the roots of the old trees tucked into the corners of the conservatory. No one really knew what was hidden here but he was beginning to get an idea the deeper he dug. Ronan had been walking through tonight humming Latin and Urdu under his breath, weaving old magic through the rarely walked pathways of the Conservatory. Just the corners he liked to sit amongst the plants and earth and feel something whispering under his fingers.

Slowing, he’s quick to notice the change in the air. It usually meant another witch but-

Late night stroll is it?

Ronan smiles warm and charming, weaving the spell up easily with a flourish of his fingers. Nothing more than a very human show of hands and a laugh. “Ah guess you caught me. I like how quiet it is here. I was waiting for someone important but I guess he decided to flake on me.” Glancing around, he steps a little closer and looks back at her. “Guess we’re the only ones here, huh?”

-

The feel of magic in the air was unmistakable for the familiar but she wasn’t going to call out a witch in such a way. “Important people seem to do that.” She remarks knowing full well how those who think themselves important will often mistake others time as far less important. “There might be a rare few in other sections of the building. Its not a popular late night attraction strangely enough.” Sometimes she was gladdened by this fact other times it just made her a little more disappointed in the world around her. “Are you sure this is biodome you were meant to meet in?”

“Maybe a bit,” he offered with a soft laugh. “But if you’re good at what you do, I don’t see why you can’t brag a bit. I certainly wouldn’t think less of you for it.” He paused and watched one of the night blooms peering over the other flowers and laughed. “I’ve always had a soft spot for dandelions for that very reason,” he admitted; scratching the back of his head absently. “Like a dandelion up through the pavement… I persist. I persist. I persist.” He cocked his head in animal curiosity but it wasn’t long before he was following right along behind her. “Nice to meet you, Rikki. You said you weren’t raised in the city. Did you live far from here?”

-

“I’ve always been of the mind that if you’re really good at something it kind of speaks for itself.” She points out but she can at least relax knowing that she hadn’t come off as too arrogant. She had crossed too many witches and others who felt the need to showboat in a way to prove their power, many of those people didn’t end up well in the end. “I’ve always found abandoned buildings and towns enthralling, nature taking back what is theirs.” It was those that found places like that eerie and creepy that raised a red flag for the familiar. Taking the path through the conservatory she knew her way around it as if it were own home, “I have, I moved around a lot but I have lived places across the world from here. Staying in one place has its own appeal to it but seeing the world won out.” It was safer to move, people noticed when someone didn’t age like they should. Magical accidents occurred which was just as much a reason to vanish in the middle of the night. “What about you? Was the move here taking you far from home?” Many wolves she came across were born and raised in the same area their ancestors were from, then there were the few nomad.

“If there’s something I’m missing about this place that would give me more reasons to come back, then yeah, maybe you should,” Douglas replied, a half smile on his face, but he looked serious about that inquiry now that he had voiced it, his gaze searching her as if expectant for an answer. He softened considerably when she mentioned types of other flowers, curiosity blossoming in his own expressions. “Queen of the night, but I appreciate them all,” Douglas answered before returning the question, “I take it you like flowers, then? I studied botany when I traveled with my guardian. I spent a lot of time in the jungle in South America as a teenager, so this place kind of feels like home to me. It’s a nice place to be when I can’t sleep.”

-

“I can think of more nefarious reasons than innocent.” Given she worked there she knew a great deal about the value of some of the plants, their healing or harmful properties that someone at the end of their rope might want to cash in on. She nods at his answer, the queen of night was one of her favorites so she found it hard to question his motives on that regard. “I enjoy most plants, those that flower are just a bonus under those that bare fruit.” There was no such thing as a useless plant in her eyes, some just had more benefits than others that was all. “I’m a horticulturists here at the conservatory, I help make sure all these plants stay alive and enrich their environments for healthier growth.” Might be a little bit of advantage that she could speak to the plant life around them but that was neither here nor there. The details of his teenage year hit home for the familiar, “I spent a great deal of time in the Amazon myself, South America was one of my favorite places to live. Makes this place feel more homey than the rest of the city.” Taking a few steps closer to the young man she offered out her hand, “Rikki and you are?”

Walking helped him clear his mind. Being down in the quiet of the mortuary was a far cry from the conservatory on the weekend. It was like the whole city collectively decided to get together and forget about the people missing through the city. People didn’t want to acknowledge the death through the streets or the lingering scent of iron down in Tsavos. Richard was pragmatic; the council was wavering in power and whatever was growing in the city was larger than just the mayor’s underhanded dealings. At least that’s what Feyrah talked about when they were lacking on things to say over the corpses.

So lost in his thoughts, he doesn’t realize he’s not alone on the walkway headed towards the rainforest biome. Richard didn’t even see her and it has his stomach twisting in cold alarm. Maybe he was just getting rusty. “Uh, yes ma’am. Something like that.” A huff of laughter slips free and he runs his fingers along the path’s railing, tapping his fingers a moment against well worn bronze. “Don’t mean to intrude at all.” 

-

Scanning over the male, she wanted to be sure she got his features memorized, simply finding it odd to stumble upon him. After all it wasn’t as if the conservatory was a popular place in the middle of night, “Not intruding so much as surprising. We aren’t known for being an overly popular place to spend time after dark, the rare plant lover time to time. But it seems I might have surprised you just as much.” She notes with a small smile to hopefully convey that she hadn’t meant to. She didn’t like to judge a book by its cover but he didn’t seem overly interested in the plant life. Though in her personal opinion that didn’t mean much, anyone could make a good excuse for being there. It made for a nice walk around without the risk of rain or the stink of the city offending. “Rikki Dune, I work here at the conservatory.” She offers out her hand in greeting.

He stopped when she spoke again, a soft smile playing across his lips. It was nice to have someone talk to you and not at you. He had to admit that he missed people sometimes, even if he didn’t have any idea who she was. He’d never seen her before. “I didn’t grow up in the city so it’s nice to come here sometime and just… forget I’m living in the city for a while.” He shrugged slightly, and met her gaze, cocking his head with a smile. “I do have to admit that… I really don’t know much about flowers. They always seem so delicate and I’ve never been,” he laughed and slowly moved closer to her, trying to to make her anxious. “I have been known to enjoy chocolate yes.” He bit back a smile “I’m Todd, by the way.”

-

“I didn’t either, makes working here a saving grace.” Though she had been through times of much less appealing cities and people, it was something that could be pushed back and ignored but working in a place like this...it made work so much more enjoyable than being out walking the street. “I know quite a bit.” She states before realizing the tone that came with it. “And that came off as a brag.” She laughs softly and rubs her forehead, “I didn’t mean for it to. Just mean that if you did have any questions I could perhaps answer them. Though they seem delicate and many can be, they claim back the lands of old cities breaking through stone, tearing through buildings, roads. Always liked that about them.” There was something about it that resonated with her in that aspect, something that seemed so small and delicate could overcome seemingly harsh conditions. Smiling at the introduction she gives a soft nod in greeting, “Rikki.” Giving a small wave for him to follow, “Then you’re just in time.” One of the nightly rounds for her was to go past the Berlandiera lyrata or as others call it the chocolate daisy. Where it was simple in appearance to many it was the striking scent of chocolate it gave off that drew her in, blooming in the night to greet the day with the sweet scent.

He hadn’t been thinking when he took a shortcut through the conservetory. Sometimes he just liked to go through on his way home. Something about seeing the way things grew and thrived, even in the middle of a busy city felt healing to him, as if it were possible for him to be healed too; as if he deserved it. He had never run into anyone though and a woman’s voice drew him up short. HE didn’t know what to say to that. Obviously, it was late and he was walking. “Yes…. i was on my way home,” he said, staring down at his feet. “I’m sorry to bother you. I usually cut through here when i’m out. It’s a nice place.” He shrugged his shoulders, shifting his bag and wondering if he should turn around and leave. “I’ll go. I’m sorry to have bothered you ma'am.”

-

Wolves, they were usually the ones that she caught in here if not witches or other familiars. She found each of them to be more in tune with nature than many other species, usually but she wasn’t going to pin herself in a corner by saying there were exceptions to the rule. “Its no bother.” She quickly adds, not wanting to scare people off from enjoying the place. She worked there because she enjoyed it more so than it was a need to work. “I can appreciate someone who enjoys the sights and smells of in here rather than the streets of the city.” How anyone could enjoy the smells that wafted around the city she couldn’t be sure but not one to judge on that aspect. “Are you a fan of chocolate?” She asks with a tilt of her head, if he came through after dark much it might be something he could be interested in.

Frustration, relief, confusion seemed to be Douglas’s perpetual state of being the last few weeks. It was challenging to find space to clear his head, living in an empty manor of his late hunter (whom he missed terribly), memories haunted the halls, and though he’d have his athair* return, there was still a hesitation in the young werewolf to relax and accept him  as a permanent fixture in his life yet. 

But the city held little relief for him, leaving him more on edge as he starred at the tall, grey skyscrapers and battled with the wretched assortments of smells that his sensitive nose could not stand. There was only one place in the city that he felt he could relax, the Conservatory of Flowers. It was almost like walking into a little jungle biome in a capsule, like he was used to during hunts in South America’s jungles. It felt like his past. It felt like home.

He felt a little on edge, restless and anxious that night, so he decided to slip out to the conservatory, not far from the manor in Greenhaven.  To his delight, it was empty - or so he thought as he stopped to admire the Queen of the Night Cactus, his favorite night blooming tropic flowers. Lost in his thoughts, he continued on, making his way down a long narrow, green path to the next room when a woman came into his line of sight and he stopped as they both noticed eachother at the same time. He noticed her defensive behavior immediately, which he didn’t blame her for. He could smell a familiar when he saw one. “I mean… Yeah, why else would I be here? There are a lot of flowers that only bloom here at night.”

-

Rikki would be the last person to assume anything about someone, she knew people were unpredictable. Some wanted to see good in the world and others only wanted to ensure the world saw the worst in it. Where she sat on that spectrum was somewhere in the middle, she lived long enough to know the world was grey, smothered by the black and white of things. “Am I meant to give all the other reasons one might be here so you’re to have other excuses in your arenol at a later time?” She crosses her arms over her chest and looks the wolf over, “Your interested in the night blooms?” She found that curious, it was rare to find someone interested in flora in this day and age much else those willing to come in the middle of the night. “Which? Datura? Chocolate daisy? Queen of the night?” Those were the top three on her list, each one usually told her something about a person when they picked a single one as a favorite.

The conservatory was usually filled with people during the day and she could certainly understand why, seeing the plant life and flowers through the windows of bright sunlight was always a breathtaking sight to be sure but Rikki was looking forward to seeing some sights that could only be seen during the night. On and off she had been going to check on the blooms, she was used to having the time on her own so when another set of footsteps caught her attention the familiar couldn’t help but put up her guard. “Late night stroll is it?” Taking a step back she couldn’t help but think about the missing around the city.