[SOLO] Taighain and the Investigation

Tairghain had been deeply involved with the Hazelbloom harvest thus far. From planting to pruning, thankfully avoiding the tedious business of watering, she had become relatively invested in the well-being of the plants and their eventual uses. That being said, when she was approached by Hops, the bartender down at Rabbit Hole, with questions about something decimating the crops, Tairghain was understandably enraged. All of that effort and time, all the digging and beyond tedious clipping using those tiny shears, and some... some... someTHING had the audacity to go through and destroy it? They had no real proof that the plants were even being eaten, for all Tair could tell from Hops' story the plants could have been trampled and torn apart just for the heck of it! Who in their right mind would DO such a thing? 

 

It took no cajoling or impassioned plea from Hops to convince Tairghain to begin an investigation into the nature of this crime. Tair was, after all, a guardian of the weak. She would find some way to defend these poor, innocent plants, or die trying! Well, perhaps dying wasn't necessary, but it mattered not, Tair was ready for whatever it took. 

 

Stalking into the gardens, she first decided to take a look at the scene of the crime. The devastation was almost too much for the warrior to bear. There seemed to be some damage done to almost every single plant! Hoof and footprints littered the entire area though, seeing as so many buns were involved in the growth and cultivation of these plants, so it was impossible to discern one set of tracks from another. There did seem to be some hoofprint leadings into the shrubs at the back of the garden, but Tair couldn't make any real conclusions from that. Perhaps a regular garden had been around to trim back the hedges. 

 

Honestly, the first thing that came to Tairghain's mind as a possible culprit were imps. The tiny menaces were always floating about causing havoc and mayhem, why would this be any different? She had no love for the creatures, thinking of them entirely as pests and frankly being completely bewildered by the fact that anyone would want a pest for a pet. That being said, it was time for her to go talk to one of the only buns she knew of in all of Burrowgatory who could manage and even tame the nonsense creatures... Hutch from the Imporium. 

 

Tairghain had never been to the Imporium before, having had no interest in acquiring a tame pest of her very own, but perhaps today was the day she would finally see what all of the fuss was about. Walking with the regal elegance of a well-trained fighter, Tairghain stalked quickly to the shopfront in her doll form, her massive sword tucked into a sheath at her back for safekeeping. 

 

As she reached the entrance, Tair knocked on the door and called out, "Hello? Hutch? May I ave a vord?" 

 

There was a scuffle and a scrambling and several squawks from inside the store before the door swung open revealing a slightly harrassed-looking succubun, "What? Hello? Who is.... there?" Hutch trailed off and had to tilt his head back a significant amount to look up at Tair's massive form. "Can... can I help you?" he asked, reaching up to adjust his glasses as though there must be something wrong with them and he couldn't possibly be seeing what he was seeing. 

 

Tairghain scowled down, "Perhaps. Zere eez a crizis at zee 'azelbloom garden. All of ze plants 'ave been eizer eaten or destroyed. I 'ave been tasked vith hunting down zee culprit." She stooped slightly to bring her face closer to Hutch's before continuing, as to emphasize her own words, "Vee all know zat imps are bearly contained on a good day. Vitout your vatchful eye, I am sure even zee vons een your shop vould cause mayhem. Tell me, do you sink any imps vould be responsible fur zis destruction?" 

 

Hutch blinked a few times, trying to make sense of Tair's accent, before realizing what she was actually saying. "Well, I never! I hope you are not implying that any of MY imps are the culprit! While I do feel for the plight of the hazelblooms, I can't possibly tell you whether or not it was imps without seeing the damage. That being said, if it was the extent of damage as you are claiming, I doubt it was just a single imp!" 

 

Tairghain scowled down at him in silence for a moment, before sighing and straightening up. Of course he couldn't possibly know anything, a bun like Hutch would never stoop so low as to purposefully set imps on someone's garden, and there really was no way he could know if it was imps or not. She nodded stoically, replying, "Very vell. Sank you for your time." With that, she turned away and wondered if Hops was having any better luck with their investigation. 

 

WC: 836