Faythe Lyveaf
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But I did not fall, I hope something good is coming.
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Post by Faythe Lyveaf on Jan 21, 2022 4:32:48 GMT
The whole declaration of this caffeine topic made very little sense. Not to mention it’s not like floral or herbal teas had any caffeine what so ever and they were pretty common. After all chamomile tea was amongst the most popular without caffeine.
“I guess you might not know that white teas have the least amount of caffeine next to maybe something like a floral or and herbal tea. Black teas like an Earl Grey would be amongst the higher content…” she smiled passionately and placed her hands together. “However white tea with its mild flavor makes for wonderful blends.”
“Hm…” she stopped and leaned against a tree. “I think we’ve talked and walked a bit I need to rest.”
The noise of the town was but a few feet away and the trees had a lot more light coming through them. She still had about a couple of blocks of walking to go.
The tree she leaned against was a tall one and it wished the night was quieter for it enjoys the squirrel that plays near by.
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Rie
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Post by Rie on Jan 21, 2022 4:41:03 GMT
White tea had the least amount of caffeine? In a strange way, Ripley felt... well, lied to. She could remember being a small child and sitting down with Evelyn with ceramic tea cups with pretty paintings, and her mother telling her not to have too much tea, it could make her hyper. Though she couldn't recall the exact moment or statement, she remembered Evelyn at least implying that white tea - the only tea she ever let her drink - was filled with caffeine and quite a special treat for a young, growing child like Ripley.....
Which, if anybody spent any amount of time actually thinking about that, it made sense exactly what Evelyn was trying to do. It was no wonder she allowed her daughter to drink white tea, if it had so little caffeine.
It was a conscious effort not to bristle at the realization. She should have known; it was a fairly common thing for parents to manipulate children in such fashion. Yet, it still struck her as another in a lengthy list of betrayals. Her mother boasted honesty and kindness above all else, unless it applied to her daughter, it seemed.
As the war continued to rage within her, Faythe had come to a stop. Ripley stuffed all of her emotional baggage deep inside herself, feeling it form a pit in her stomach, and turned those brilliant, teal eyes back to the girl she had wandered through the park with. She barely realized how far they had come. It was so easy to get lost here.... Had they walked a few feet or half a mile or more? Ripley, herself, didn't feel winded, but she often spent entire days on her feet, wandering the streets.
"You good?" she asked with a tilt to her head. There was no way to avoid the fact that this girl was frail, maybe even sickly... she had that written all over her. HOW frail and HOW sickly, however, Ripley wouldn't even begin to guess. She had no idea how to judge the health of strangers.
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Faythe Lyveaf
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But I did not fall, I hope something good is coming.
Posts: 98
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Post by Faythe Lyveaf on Jan 21, 2022 7:06:19 GMT
“Yes I just need a moment.” She slid down to the grass and let the pull in her weary body even out, Ripley might note that despite Faythe’s efforts her breath was long and slow being controlled carefully. She pulled a hood up to shield her skin and tame her sensitive eyes to the growing brightness. “My health has never been optimal. I’ve been sick since birth and I get infections easy. My lungs and skin are my most vulnerable parts... It’s hard to do anything for long and so I’ve never been able to gain much athleticism… I also have issues with my digestion so I can’t eat many things.”
She tried to pause and breathe when it was comfortable.
“I doubt you’ve ever heard of HPS or Pudlak’s?” She shrugged all the while she was smiling gently. “I’m doing my best despite my being.”
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Rie
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Post by Rie on Jan 23, 2022 2:02:27 GMT
Ripley leaned against a nearby tree trunk, crossing her arms over her chest and keeping a carefully calculated look of concern plastered across her features. Beneath that, though, was well-concealed suspicion. This girl... She was an enigma, and didn't seem to be pulled in by the typical assets. She wasn't falling over herself to try and garner Ripley's attention, which was what she was used to. It wasn't even an arrogance... Everything she did, she did with intent and purpose, and by this point in an interaction, she had typically gleaned what - exactly - the other person wanted. In this case, with this tiny, almost Albino looking girl... it was impossible. She didn't know how to interact with somebody who didn't seem to want ANYTHING from her, and she felt completely helpless, as if all of her control meant absolutely nothing here.
It was an unnerving sensation, to be at the mercy of random chance. Whatever happened with Faythe was just going to happen, whether or not she tried to influence it in any direction. Not having control of the situation meant that she (felt like she) had no way to defend herself, to protect herself. If only Ripley knew how textbook abuse-survivor-broken-family-lost-child her response to the world was, perhaps she would have tried to change it... but as it was, she was content in being the one people always ran to, the one that always had a leg up in any situation. Any situation, that is, except whatever the hell was going on with this stranger...
"I'm not super well versed in the medical field," she said, furrowing her brows together. "I mean, I know basic first aide. But all of the more complex stuff is kind of outside my paygrade. Is that... what you have?"
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Faythe Lyveaf
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But I did not fall, I hope something good is coming.
Posts: 98
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Post by Faythe Lyveaf on Jan 23, 2022 3:00:33 GMT
“Yes…” she kept her smile. “In simple terms it’s a kind of Albinism, people with that condition are already weak to the sun in its basic forms.” She pointed to her eyes. “Mine don’t look red but the fact they lack pigment like my skin and hair mean light cuts through me like a knife.” She began to make an expression which was a kin to playful frustration. “In truth so does cold… and so do viruses. I’m like a napkin in the rain compared to other people who I might compare to a block of treated wood. Worse is that as often as I’ve gotten sick I’ve damaged my respiratory system. It really can be embarrassing and a burden.”
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Rie
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Post by Rie on Jan 23, 2022 17:10:23 GMT
Ripley nodded along. She had enough basic medical knowledge to be able to, at the very least, FOLLOW what Faythe was saying. She knew what Albinism was, and anybody could take one look at the girl and tell she had that, at the very least. But, like most people, she had no idea how much it could affect people. She thought it was just a strange, quirky skin disorder that made it hard to tolerate the sun. She rubbed a couple of fingers along the knuckles of her other hand, feeling each divet slowly and carefully.
"We've all got something wrong with us. No reason to be embarrassed." And she meant that. The day she met a perfect person was the day she'd convert and go join the parish. She gave a slight shake of her head, her own flaws playing on repeat like a chant in her head. "How do you... I dunno, like... What do you do to ease the symptoms?"
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Faythe Lyveaf
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But I did not fall, I hope something good is coming.
Posts: 98
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Post by Faythe Lyveaf on Jan 24, 2022 4:17:57 GMT
“We’ll… a number of things I take my usual medicines for the persistent lung and stomach issues, but I’ve educated myself on more natural things too. They play less with my head and such, so I don’t have to take as high of doses and I can live a little more.” She started counting on fingers for the rest. I have breathing treatments, inhalers, I make my own cough drops, menthol rubs, and a cold and decongestant remedy. Oh and I take a few vitamins, some to boost my immune system… so yeah that’s a summary of it all.”
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Rie
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Post by Rie on Jan 24, 2022 5:08:41 GMT
Ripley blinked as she tried to keep up with the laundry list of things. And to think... There were nights, just a few months prior, when she took that many pills FOR FUN. Now, she couldn't imagine it. The very thought of swallowing those made her stomach ache again, like a phantom... or a memory. Very gently, she placed a hand on her stomach and pushed, hoping the pressure might chase the darkness away from her thoughts. She tried her best not to bring attention to it, keeping her attention rapt and focused on Faythe. Usually, people didn't look away if she didn't want them to, and she tried to ensure that her grace and her charm were just present enough to keep any attention that might slip downwards at bay. The last thing she needed was this little lie detector asking her why her stomach suddenly hurt at the mention of pills.
"Is that what got you into the herbal and natural sh--.... stuff? Being sick?" she asked with genuine curiosity. She had assumed that it was something that had always interested Faythe, maybe even something that she had inherited from hippie-dippy parents or something.
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Faythe Lyveaf
New Member
But I did not fall, I hope something good is coming.
Posts: 98
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Post by Faythe Lyveaf on Jan 24, 2022 7:10:16 GMT
“I’m a certified pharmacist and nutritionist.” She smiled proudly. “But yes I read a lot of books and took online classes and such until I got my certificates.”
“I was costing my parents a lot of money and sometimes I had to wait until pay day for my medicine. I didn’t go without, when I learned what eased inflammation and what cooled my sinuses I could continue until then.” She tapped the back of her head against the tree trunk and got a far off gaze. “I was gardening to keep my strength. It was my grandparents and I never stopped when they passed they were very careful because I was such a try hard. So my parents tried to help me get seeds and I had a window garden so I didn’t have to go far.”
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Rie
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Post by Rie on Jan 24, 2022 7:36:02 GMT
"What kind of things could you grow in a window garden?"
It was a concept Ripley understood only on the surface level. She could remember phases her mother went through when she swore up one side and down the other that she was going to start a strawberry garden in their sun room, or maybe window gardens in every main room. It was always a bit wild and outlandish to her, the way her mother would prepare everything, only to have it either fall to the wayside or fail altogether... She just assumed that they were significantly more difficult than they looked. That had to be the case, right?
Given, it wasn't as if Ripley had ever tried her hand, personally, in gardening. It was such a feminine waste of time, and there were always people that actually enjoyed the work. She could just... reap the rewards. It seemed to work out so far, at least. She had other things to offer people in exchange, like money... or information.
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Faythe Lyveaf
New Member
But I did not fall, I hope something good is coming.
Posts: 98
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Post by Faythe Lyveaf on Jan 24, 2022 7:47:25 GMT
It depended on the season but I grew calendulas, dandelions, mint, milk thistle… all kinds. When I had a good bunch I’d have them dried and stored and try something else. I could only plant one to three different things at a time with my small window. It really depended on how… friendly the plant was. Mint will absolutely kill its neighbors.” She continued to shine a happy smile.
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Rie
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Post by Rie on Jan 24, 2022 11:37:34 GMT
Ripley blinked. Somewhere buried in her memories, she felt like she could vaguely recall growing a mint plant for a school project or something... and the idea of it - a plant, and a good smelling one at that - "killing" its neighbor... whatever that meant... was almost unnerving. She remembered chewing on the leaves straight off the stem on her way.... somewhere. She gave a slight shake of her head back and forth, trying to dislodge the memory so she could follow it down, but that accomplished nothing at all.
"I guess I don't... really know much about plants. Why would mint of all things kill its neighbor? Is it something about the root system?"
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Faythe Lyveaf
New Member
But I did not fall, I hope something good is coming.
Posts: 98
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Post by Faythe Lyveaf on Jan 24, 2022 18:42:39 GMT
It’s just invasive… it spreads out rather than up in a single stalk when it grows and quickly; it’s instinct is basically to cover as much of its space as possible to maximize its collective strength. It suffocates other plants easy.” She was using her hands to vaguely picture the growth process. “Eventually I grabbed a single pot and just kept some around to pick and chew on leaves when I was feeling stuffy. I guess the mint plant in itself was one of my first remedies and became my open door that inspired my career today.”
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Rie
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Post by Rie on Jan 26, 2022 4:24:18 GMT
Ripley sat there in thoughtful silence for a moment as she tried to recall her own - albeit minimal - experience with mint. She could barely recall any of the facts that she had written down throughout the study, much less what it actually looked like. This woman knew damn well that she had little or no experience, and she could be making up a tale as she went just to see how long she could get away with the lie... So why did she, rather suddenly, feel like this wasn't a mind game? Ripley was never one to trust somebody or their word blindly. She often checked and rechecked facts, almost to an obsessive level.
She looked Faythe up and down slowly, carefully, before her gaze remained focused on her face.
"It sounds like its pretty important to you, then." She smiled at her, tilting her head to one side. "I'm sure a lot of people are real grateful for that little mint plant... You've gotta have helped a bunch of people, especially around a town like this."
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Faythe Lyveaf
New Member
But I did not fall, I hope something good is coming.
Posts: 98
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Post by Faythe Lyveaf on Jan 26, 2022 4:30:26 GMT
“I hope so…” she breathed feeling better than before. “Like I mentioned I’ve had a lot of help so I just want to do my best for others to repay that kindness.”
She leaned forward to her knees and raised herself to her feet. “I should be fine from here if you have another place to be?”
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Rie
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Post by Rie on Jan 26, 2022 12:59:59 GMT
It happened so fast, even Ripley barely had the time to register what, exactly, she was doing. One moment, she leaned against the trunk of an old tree, her relaxed posture belying the tension that sat like a pit in her stomach. She was coiled, ready to strike should she need, and scanning everything she could with as many senses as she could, all at once. And then, in the next moment, she was half-kneeling right in front of Faythe, an arm out and prepared to grasp her gingerly by the elbow to lift her to her feet. When Ripley wanted to move, she moved.
Why the hell was she here, kneeling next to a sickly woman who HAD to have been older than her? Why had instinct brought her down without a word, to... help? Ripley wasn't exactly the helpful kind, usually. It wasn't that she wanted to see people suffer, or that she felt they deserved it. Nothing as twisted or cruel as all of that. She simply expected people to have a reasonable understanding of their own physical limitations. If they were attempting to do something, it must be because they understood the success and failure rates of said action. If they had chosen to follow through, that was obviously because they knew what they were doing.
If Faythe would let her, she'd help the woman to her feet, and then release her without saying a word. If she didn't, Ripley would still shadow the same movement, a consistent force right there in case she suddenly needed her. Either way, she never once looked the woman in the eye, keeping her gaze intentionally pointed away. What had gotten into her?
"Yeah. Always got some place to be, you know?" she said with a forced little snicker. "And you've got a shop to get back to. I assume you know your way from here, you gonna make it okay?"
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Faythe Lyveaf
New Member
But I did not fall, I hope something good is coming.
Posts: 98
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Post by Faythe Lyveaf on Jan 26, 2022 13:27:36 GMT
Faythe allowed Ripley’s help it was much appreciated. Still there was something about the way the girl was stiffened. How Ripley looked away and how she was building a discomfort.
Faythe would interpret this like she did so many before Ripley. It was a common discomfort that people gave Faythe. Most didn’t know what to do. And many understood the gravity of her condition. Some others it was Pity. Faythe usually left out a key detail in her description of her condition and that was the fact she didn’t have as long a life as others. At the rate Faythe was actually going she’d be lucky to make it to fifty. She kept this part out because it would guarantee that expression. Just the general unfortunate feeling, the sorry feeling they had for Faythe. She saw no harm in it anyone who felt it she thought of it as they had a good heart. She however grew a bit embarrassed by making them feel awful like that.
“My shop is technically closed for the day but it’s also my home. I might need to use the bench to rest part of the way there but I can make it just fine from this point.” Faythe wasn’t going to address Ripley’s demeanor. She could blame herself and say she indulged too much detail all at once. She could make Ripley more uncomfortable by pointing it out. It in all cases was not a smart move. “I am grateful to have met you. I see people every day but I honestly don’t get to have many fruitful conversations. This was a real treat.”
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Rie
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Post by Rie on Jan 27, 2022 2:47:37 GMT
Ripley shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot, still overwhelmed with confusion. The fact that she did not understand, even in the slightest, why she would offer this stranger something she refused.... well, everyone, really... It made her guards go up, though whether that was towards Faythe or whatever tiny, human, emotional part of herself was left... When she turned her teal colored gaze towards the stranger again, there was that disconnect, those walls that hid exactly who Ripley was away from the rest of the world. And still, she smiled. It wasn't quite as bright as before, as if she simply couldn't muster the energy to put into the mask.
"Yeah... I'll bring that book by here in a day or two, once I get some free time. You'll need a way to contact me, too, I guess. So we can discuss and shit. Oh, and so I know when that tea party is happening." She winked at Faythe, this time maintaining the physical distance for her own sake. It was as if just being near this girl was drawing her closer, making her want more, to learn more and see what all that pale skin and those wise eyes hid. She meshed her teeth together.
The fuck were these thoughts? Invasive, that's what.
As soon as she realized that she didn't have the same immovable control, she turned her lithe frame away from Faythe, mostly to keep her face out of view. She didn't dare show it, out of concern of what, exactly, this girl might see. She raised a hand in a casual, almost iconic sort of goodbye, and glanced over her shoulder only once before moving towards the direction she assumed would bring her back to the city...
Back to reality.
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Faythe Lyveaf
New Member
But I did not fall, I hope something good is coming.
Posts: 98
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Post by Faythe Lyveaf on Jan 27, 2022 4:36:47 GMT
Faythe kept her smile and waved. “Just if you feel like coming by then it’s up to you.”
And sometimes she doesn’t see the same face ever again. She doesn’t reserve hope but she’ll be excited if it happens.
-end
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