*waves* hello! Earlier this year I got a review on this, it was my first one in a really long time, and it made me smile, because apparently someone is still reading. I had planned on updating that week, but life decided to go pear-shaped on me in the worst possible way, so I didn't get to it then, however I never forgot that review and was determined to get a chapter posted this year. So after three long years, an actual update with new stuff, not just cleaned up stuff. Thanks for reading, and reviews and comments are welcome, they really do inspire more story. Happy New Year
Meryl's POV
Her attention is only partly on the conversation in front of her. More of her attention is on what's below their feet, namely the aqueduct. Because of her earth-senses she can feel it, the way it moves, the way it is formed, she can feel the life forms just vaguely within it. The marine life. There's fish in that aqueduct. Not in the part directly below, because it hasn't been totally completed but approaching. There are more memousi and lizaeri than she realized working together as they fan out the area, carefully preparing tunnels to become homes for the memousi that will service this section of the aqueduct. Right now there is not a lot of them. The lizaeri on the other hand aren't getting ready to settle. They have work to do above ground before they will use the aqueduct to return to their own settlement near where they're planning the house.
Huh, they should purchase that piece of property as well, to avoid any chances the people of the town will cause issues with there suddenly being another town popping up. Even if that other town doesn't have a single human in it.
She makes a mental note of that before returning her attention to the bartering going on in front of her. Only the bartering seems to be done, she thinks as she listens to the conclusions.
"It is understandable," the old man remarks, "Your kinds nervousness of us." Very seriously Doc declares, "I can promise that us within this village will be polite and non-violent towards your kind. We are thankful for the help, no matter what the cause of it is. Perhaps in time our village could be on friendly terms with your people."
The lizaeri's eyes narrow, pupils becoming like slits as the representative dips just the end of his muzzle, coolly stating, "We sshall ssee."
The two representatives drop back down their entrance and out of sight, closing it behind them almost as if it wasn't there. If not for the fact the ground is now a different color, it would be extremely hard to see it.
They head back to the rooms they are staying in, somehow all of them end up in the room she shares with Vash, discussing what just happened and planning. Vash is surprised at how much she picked up despite the fact she clearly wasn't paying attention through a large section of it. Milly on the other hand just giggles, having known her since before she was Meryl the insurance agent, back when she used to play dumb as a lawyer, acting like her focus was everywhere but the situation she's on. It's been years since she acted that way, but she's finding its far easier to go back to than she thought. Knives just glances at her speculatively.
A little bit later they head to the dining hall for dinner, and she doesn't actually talk a lot, preferring to just listen to the people around her. Vash doesn't seem to realize, or is ignoring that fact as he talks with anyone who comes anywhere near them. Of course, the younger children seem to be the bravest and most willing to approach where the boogeyman is seated with their hero. Many of the adults are discussing what they saw and heard, what the others are telling them. The greeting party had not been very big, but she can already hear the people discussing this animal like people and their weird sciences.
Milly smiles at her mischievously, head tipping and eyes flickering in question.
She answers absently with agreement.
Snickering, her friend decides to focus on Knives and spends the rest of the meal talking with him. The main topic of conversation is how she can learn to talk to her own daughter.
After dinner she makes her excuses after a quick glance at the brothers to make sure at least one is staying with her friend before she returns to the spot where the delegation broke through. She's startled to discover the memousi woman, Mykala, waiting for her next to the hole.
"Master Knives said you wished to see the aqueduct?" the memousi questions lightly.
"If that's alright, yeah, I'd love to. I can sort of feel it, but i think seeing it would be a lot different." She replies with a smile and a nod.
"I brought a light for the tunnel for you. We have lights down there, but rarely carry them when moving up and down as we have excellent night vision." Mykala remarks, holding up a lantern awkwardly.
Her smile grows, a warm feeling of almost acceptance filling her, because the young woman was trying to be polite and helpful. "I don't think I'll need it," she offers, "So you can turn it off if you'd like?"
That gets her a curious, if a bit thankful look, and the light goes out.
"You can go first, there are 'rungs' like a ladder going downwards. Eventually we will make a lift, but not now, not until we have everything ready down below." the memousi tells her, motioning to the hole.
She shifts her focus to the earth sense and carefully starts to feel her way down. This really will be interesting, she thinks, wondering if all the aqueducts are the same and how much the keepers will be willing to discuss with her.
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Authors Note: On the 28th of November I will be posting a complete 130 chapter fic over on AO3 called Different Paths that is a James Bond triad verse soulmate fic. The triad is James Bond/Alec Trevelyan/Q (Jon). If there is any interest, I'll also post it here for folks to read over the next few months.