Make the Sparks Fly

[Murasaki]

District: Orange
Location: Downtown
Time:
- Morning (March)
- Afternoon (April)
- Evening (May)

---

The Orange District, probably the Unfounded Kingdom's closest equivalent to a college town. As students head off to attend their morning classes, they pass through the district square and interact with the merchants and researchers who are already up, either exchanging goods or ideas. It is the middle of the Brasstack Plaza and a new day of discovery is about to begin.

Will this stimulating environment rouse up your creative spirit?

---

This is a general RP thread much along the lines of the Snowdonia Winter Ball and the Coconia Festival threads. RPing within this subforum awards all participants a +10% AP bonus that will last throughout the spring season (3/14/15 ~ 5/31/15). At the start of the summer season, this bonus will be lifted and a new summer-themed thread will be started in its place.

Characters of all factions are allowed to participate in this thread.

[Rey Ledford]

As morning came into the Lune Seaport, a young boy ran through the streets of the Orange District, known for it's famous Coral College and the trades of merchants and artisan. Somehow, he was carrying a box as he ran very quickly to his destination, which was a shop down by the corner of the street. He was working as a delivery boy for his father's smithing shop and it was his first job on handling a delivery like this. When he arrived, he knocked on the door and when a man answered it, the boy showed the box to him and said, "Sorry for the wait, sir. But I'm with the Ledford Smithing Service. Here's your custom-made saw you've ordered!" At first, the man was suspicious at the boy, which he noticed that he might be too young to be a delivery boy. But when he opened the box, which contained the said saw he promised, he smiled and said, "What do you know? No cracks and scratches! Looks like that blacksmith did know what he was doing after all."

"Well, I also prevent it's blade from moving inside it. Otherwise, it will damage the saw before I get to you." He explained to man, which he was surprised at how protective at his package. "Wow, did you usually do this in every package you delivered everyday?" However, the delivery boy nodded no and said, "Actually, it's my first day as delivery boy and my fifth delivery today. The blacksmith's my father, so I know how to prevent any blades and tools from damages since I was 9 years old." The man was surprised, the young boy was that skilled blacksmith's son and he already knew how to avoid damages to his saw already. Nevertheless, he gave him a tip for delivery his package before the boy left.

----

In a blacksmith workshop in Brasstack Plaza, a 35 year old man worked on forging the blade when the delivery boy ran back into the shop and said, "Hey Dad, I delivered the saw safely and without any problems." The man smiled at his son as he put the blade back into the forge and said, "Good job, Rey. But are you sure you can keep up as courier? You're still training as a mercenary, remember?" Noticed that he was still worried about him, his only son, the brunette-haired boy grinned with confidence and said, "Don't worry, Dad. My mentor told me to take a day for a few days. I've been training for weeks now and I really need to take a break from swinging my sword a lot."

It's been 5 years ever since Rey became an apprentice to a mercenary he met in his father's workshop and despite his vacation from his training, Rey regardless still trained his swordfighting that his mentor taught him and still haven't lost his focus on his dream in becoming the successor of his father's workshop in the future and of course, enrolling into the famous Coral College when he gets older. And as he saw his son's eyes, his father knew how hard he worked and trained to fulfill his dreams. Yet, he still needs a real rest and relaxation for a while. "Well, it's almost 9, Rey. Why don't you take a break and play outside for a while? Without your sword, of course."

Rey already knew what he meant as he put his delivery bag near him. Now that he thought about it, he didn't have time to stroll around the District due to his courier job, so he might really need some R&R time. "Good idea, Dad. I'll wander around the district for a while and don't worry, I'll be careful." That's what he wanted from his son. "Good, but be back for lunch, Rey. Mom's already making your favorite stew later." Rey smiled at this as he went out the workshop not only waiting for that stew, but also to wander around the Orange District to rest.

WORDS: 669 (Lune Launch AP Bonus: 735)

GOALS: To stroll around the Orange District to rest. (Current Location: Brasstack Plaza, Orange District)

[Ériu]

“We’re lost.” A quiet voice states as teal-hued eyes try to spy the tip tops of the seemingly endless buildings.

“We’re not lost, just learning how to read this map,” another voice rebuttals. There’s a purr to her every syllable.

“No, Waverly. We’re lost.”

Pair of women are currently hovering close to the wall of a spire. The youngest of the duo –a teenaged Elf- holds a crisp map while the older, furrier one leans over the strawberry-blonde’s shoulder to decipher the overlapping lines and circles that are supposed to represent the streets and structures of the city. Both carry the look of out-of-towners, not to mention the mannerisms. Waverly scratches her fur-topped head and then rubs her cat eyes.

“What good is a map if you can’t read it? Ach!“ Her country accent gets a little more obvious.

“Waverly.”

“City folk, Eri! Nothin’ but crooks!”

“Waverly!”

“Shoulda known better than ta come to tha city.”

“WAVERLY!!” A hand touches the Werecat’s shoulder and latches onto the sleeve, pulling.

“What?!”

“Maybe we should just ask for directions.” The Elf motions to the people of the city buzzing about the streets. Everyone seems so busy, though, and Waverly doesn’t like the look of busy folk. They have the tendency to be rude, based on her experience. The ultimatum is clear: either keep straining to make out the intricate streets of the city themselves or risk running into a grouchy, sleep-deprived city-dweller. Ériu likes the second option best. She doesn’t want to be roaming around until nightfall. They’d really be screwed then. Eventually, Waverly convinces herself that it’s the prettier of the two choices, because she starts scanning the area as well.

“Yeah, all right. But who?” She sees a lot of young faces, some of them in their early twenties at most. Occasionally, an older citizen crosses their sights, scholarly and wizened, but neither Green denizen makes a move until one youth with an honest way about him comes into view.

The two sisters spare each other a side-glance, a question passing between them.

Bingo!

~*~*~*

“Excuse me, boy,” Waverly calls out to the brunet, paw waving in the air to make herself more noticeable among the passers-by. Ériu walks beside her, studying the adolescent. He stands taller than the Elf, whose own height is fairly notable when one considers her gender, but Waverly holds the record for tallest person in the group, towering over the two youths at 5’11. At any rate, the boy would find no weapons on their persons. Ériu’s are currently placed in her inventory for safe-keeping and for easier blending. They didn’t come to Orange District to fight, but rather to learn, to feed a hunger. Holding a weapon makes her feel like a target, and with the whisperings of District rivalries, the last thing the two Green women need is to garner the attention of the paranoid and the proud.

“Could you spare the time and speak with us for a spell?” The Sorcerer and Shaman offer the boy matching smiles.

---

words: 506

Rey Ledford

[Rey Ledford]

Rey has no other reasons to love his hometown. Not only his dream college was on this very district, but he was born in here as well. Even before he became an apprentice mercenary, he loved fighting with swords due to his father specialized on forging them, especially wooden swords whenever he played sword fight with his friends back then. And he didn't expected that his love of sword-fighting caused him to became a real mercenary's apprentice and he planned on not slacking off as one. But sometimes, he often strolled around the district out of relaxation when the going gets though. Yet somehow, whenever he often strolled around the street, he sometimes got asked for directions.

And just when he thought about it, a woman's voice called him out behind him. "Oh well... Here we go again." As he turned around, he saw not only a tall Werecat woman, but also a small or medium-sized elf girl with matching smiles. He saw a lot of people in Orange District and while he can able to memorized their names and faces, he can't memorized all of them. So just to be fair, he asked a simple question to the girls. "Are you two around from here?" He didn't like to be rude to others, but he wanted to make sure the person he was talking to belonged to either in this district or in another one. He was not a district racist, but he wanted to ask about where they from because he liked to meet other people from other districts just to get them know more about them better.

WORDS: 270 (Lune Launch AP Bonus: 297)

TAG: Ériu

GOALS: To stroll around the Orange District to rest. (Current Location: Brasstack Plaza, Orange District)

NOTES: Warning: I sometimes have bad grammar, so forgive me...

[Ériu]

Approaching the boy, neither Waverly nor Ériu act too terribly surprised to his question, just a brief exchange of glances. They’d expected as much eventually, what with the way they are acting about the city. They’re practically wearing signs on their backs. They just hadn’t anticipated the question so soon. Regardless, Ériu keeps herself silent, allowing Waverly to do most of the talking. The Werecat rarely has nothing to say, and she has this way about her that make people enjoy speaking to her.

It must be the accent.

“S’matter of fact, no,” the Scottish Fold responds. Beside her, the Shaman wonders just how they’re being. She doesn’t know about this kid, but there are plenty of racists in any District that would gladly have their heads for stepping on their grounds. Perhaps it’d been a mistake to stow-away her weaponry in her inventory. “We had our raisin’s in Green, just touring about the town, if ya will.” Ériu is thankful that she doesn’t explain why they have come so far. She doesn’t think that the idea of two foreigners wanting to see the Coral College would sit well with Orange natives, not with the tension of a possible-war brewing just beneath the surface. She doesn’t know why she’s so worried. Waverly is sharp, knows what to say versus what’s better left unsaid. The Elf is in good hands. Still, she wishes that Maple could’ve come too. Someone had to stay and keep an eye on the farm, though.

“By-tha-by, ya wouldn’t happen to know how ta read one of these accursed maps, would ya?” The Werecat takes the map from Ériu’s hands and shows it to the boy. Her grip on it is loose. He’s free to take it if he wants to get a better look at it.

---

words: 300

Rey Ledford

ooc- Don't sweat it! ^^ 

[Rey Ledford]

There were a lot of districts for just one seaport and the fact he sometimes meet people from other districts, so Rey had a hard time which district the girls are. And when he learned that they are from the Green District, Rey only greeted them with a smile. He hate racists as people judged other people from other districts due to their birth and their districts' special talents. But for himself, he opened his arms to other districts except Purple and Black, which he had a hard time with them due to their attitude to him and his friends. "Well, welcome to the Orange District then. Don't worry, I'm not like those other people who hates foreigners like you guys."

As the Werecat asked him to help them read this map, he gladly obliged. He learned about map-reading from his mentor, so it should be a piece of cake for him as he saw the map of the Orange District. The Orange District was no stranger to tourist attraction. His dream college was actually a great university to visit for people who wanted to study more about their professions and the trading market attracted a lot of merchants, blacksmiths, and other sellers for exchanging ideas and stuff. But he needed to know where the girls wanted to tour around first, otherwise he can't escort them to anywhere but nowhere. "Yes, I can. So where do you girls want to go then?"

WORDS: 242 (Lune Launch AP Bonus: 266)

TAG: Ériu

GOALS: To stroll around the Orange District to rest. (Current Location: Brasstack Plaza, Orange District)

[Ériu]

“Well, what a relief, I must say!” The Werecat chuckles and scratches her itching nose. Instinctively, she reaches for the boy’s head to ruffle his brown hair.

As far as first impressions go, Waverly thinks that their would-be guide is utterly adorable, a stark contrast to what she’d initially been expecting from a city kid. She supposes it comes from being decades older than him, but he seems like he could be anybody’s son, including her own had she ever had the inclination to breed. Ériu remains on-edge, but then that’s her default mood and nothing personal towards the Orange citizen. A taste of city life is testing her sense of self-security and well-being, and so far she’s doing sub-par at best. Perhaps it’s little more than a problem of system overload. There are just so many sights and-and sounds and. . .and smells! She doesn't want this to be a mistake. She wants to see that school, belong at that school. She wants to do something with her life other than milk cows and babysit sheep. For so long, she’s craved knowledge and power. Let this work out!

Despite being quite taken with the city boy’s charms, Waverly keeps herself somewhat detached, fully-aware that this could all be a trap. Baby-face here could merely be a pawn –unwitting or no- to lower their guards. He could also be sizing-up the pair of Greens, estimating their worth. The Werecat remains polite and friendly, though, perhaps too friendly, but that’s solely in her nature.

“Why don’tchu tell us, laddy?” Beside Waverly, Ériu’s stomach grumbles. The Elf stiffens and blushes, knowing that her sister has heard it loud-and-clear but hoping that the boy has not. The Werecat glances at the Shaman for a brief moment but then quickly pin-points her focus on the city kid. “Where’s a good place to grab a bite? It’s almost lunch time, ain’t it?”

---

words: 317

Rey Ledford

occ: Rey's a doll, dude! Are you going to have him attend the College? :3

[Rey Ledford]

This was very usual for Rey. While some of the foreigners are little hostile to him and other Orange citizens, the Werecat on the other hand was a little bit too friendly. Regardless, he was able to interact with her and her friend for a while. But when he heard the little girl's stomach grumbled, Rey laughed a little before the Werecat asked where should they eat. Yet, it later made him shocked in realization. His father did told him that his mother was cooking his favorite beef stew today and he can't missed out on it. Yet, he can't just abandon the two girls just for that. But then, he remembered something. His mother's friend have a small restaurant not far from his house. Not only that, no one can resist her delicious barbecue and curry stew.

"Well, how about the "Sunny Star" restaurant then? My mom's friend owns it and it's a favorite place in my neighborhood to eat, including myself, of course." Originally, the food tasted the same. But for some reason, a mysterious method made every food delicious, which he loved the change the most. He didn't knew why, but he wondered if there was something to do with that mysterious phenomenon he heard about. Regardless, it was his favorite restaurant and he can't wait to escort the girls to it. "If you want, I can show you where it is." If he remembered correctly, his mother visit her friend in that said restaurant to help her out after she cooked lunch back in his house, so maybe he can run into her while he get there.

WORDS: 271 (Lune Launch AP Bonus: 298)

TAG: Ériu

GOALS: To stroll around the Orange District to rest. (Current Location: Brasstack Plaza, Orange District)

NOTES: I would let him enroll, but Rey's still 13.

[Ériu]

The red spreads over her face like flames –and about as hot as fire too- at the sound of the boy’s laughter. Caught red-handed and red-faced! She feels herself sinking further behind Waverly, trying to hide until she can regain composure and try to look like she isn't a fish out of water, a sheep out of pasture, a spider without its web.

Well . . . you get it.

Needless to say, the Elf makes a point not to show her face, hoping to the gods above that the city kid doesn’t try to speak directly to her, because she’s not entirely sure what she’ll say at the moment or HOW she’ll say it, for that matter. She shouldn't feel so embarrassed, but being a new face in a foreign area leaves her feeling wrong in so many ways, like one screw-up and everyone will see and judge her.

She recovers fairly quickly, though, when the kid suggests that they dine in a place in his neighborhood, the alarm bells in her head going-off. Eyes sharp and blush laying cool in her cheeks, she shoots a look at the back of Waverly’s furred head and sees the Werecat’s ears twitch, like the older woman can feel the Elf’s cutting eyes on her. She probably can. The two know each other so well by now, the feline probably predicted this reaction.

No, she thinks. It’s too dangerous. They don’t know where this neighborhood is and what kind of people lives there. No. Just, no.

“Ahh, Sunny Star, you say? Sounds delightful!” The Werecat’s arm snakes around the backs of Ériu’s shoulders, persuading her to be a part of the conversation. As far as Waverly concerns, she’s the one looking mighty strange right now. A word-or-two here-and-there won’t kill her. “What do you think?” Ériu’s teal eyes land on the boy’s face, and she works up another smile that’s reminiscent of the one before. Words form nigh instantly. She doesn’t have a speech problem. Waverly’s just better at it than herself.

“Yeah, it sounds nice, but I, uh, was thinkin’ something more along the lines of main street, if you don’ mind.” the Elf explains. “Somethin’ all the college kids are into actually.”

“Hrm,” the Werecat nods down at her sister, removing her arm from around her shoulders, and looks at the boy. “How far is this Sunny Star anyway, laddy? Not too far, I assume.”

---

words: 405

Rey Ledford

ooc- Is there an age limit? It'd be cool if he could go right now. Also, please excuse Ériu's suspicions. She can be very paranoid about things, especially in new settings. If you feel like it's interfering with yours or Rey's plans, I won't be offended if you choose to have him walk away. ^^'

[Rey Ledford]

It was only a giggle, yet the Elven girl glared at him in anger before she hid behind her Werecat friend. He wasn't meant to insult her or anything, he was trying to be nice to them since they are foreigners. With most of the people started to become racists towards other districts, he knew he needed to grew his empathy and friendships to them in order to keep the whole seaport together. "Sorry about my laugh, but no need to be shy about it. It also happened to me with my stomach when lunch time's here."

Speaking of lunch, he was glad to here the Werecat girl was excited about seeing his mother's friend's restaurant. However, when he learned that the girl wanted to go to the main street near the college to eat, Rey's joy dispersed in dismay. Even when the Werecat asked how far was the restaurant was, it might be 2 to 3 hours to get from the restaurant or his house to the main street. If he can even try to escort the girls there, his mother will have a cow if he can't returned to his house on time and he knew how a worrywart she was. "I don't think so. If you head there from Sunny Star to the main street, lunch time will be over. This plaza's has some shortcuts I knew to get there easily, but as from the restaurant, I'm afraid this is the only place I could find to cut some time."

He wasn't lying or unsure about the shortcuts he mentioned. He tried it many times and managed to cut the mentioned times to 30 minutes to one hour, which would enough to get to the main street near the Coral College on time. As for skipping out his mother's lunch, he knew it was out of the question for him to ditch it since he knew she already cooked it.

WORDS: 323 (Lune Launch AP Bonus: 355)

TAG: Ériu

GOALS: To stroll around the Orange District to rest. (Current Location: Brasstack Plaza, Orange District)

NOTES: I don't know about the age limit of the college, but I don't mind about leaving. Sorry to make their chat short or do you want more?

[Ériu]

Both Werecat and Elf register the boy’s disappointment, watch the way the light bursts from his eyes and dwindles down to nothing. Waverly sees it as a sincere action that reflects the nature of his heart. Little-by-little, she is seeing the city kid for who he is: just a good kid with a good head on his shoulders. Nothing deceitful or treacherous here. What a wonderful breath of fresh air! Ériu, on the other hand, is wavering between the urge to just take him as he appears, helpful and true, or test him for what he really may be, a trickster or a pawn for a bigger louse.

Perhaps that is all that’s needed here, a test of character. Yes, she likes that idea very much.

When the boy mentions the distance laid between his favorite food stop and the main street of Orange District, the two females look honestly surprised. “Ah, now that’s too bad,” Waverly comments with a scratch of her head, an indication that she is looking for a solution to this dilemma. They hadn’t anticipated this part of the island to be so large. They know by the map that it’s a complex series of streets, a maze if you will, but to take that long to get from one side of the area to the next? Talk about a headache! A guide –it seems- is their only hope of getting around the place at this rate.

Now, onto that most virtuous test. . .

“If you’re busy, lad,” Ériu begins, choosing her words carefully. Purposefully, she glosses over the issue of lunch, counting on her next words to distract the city kid. “Perhaps we could part ways for the moment, yes? Meet back here in two hours?” She approaches him, holding her hand out as part of the possible deal. “There will be a little something in it for you if you’re willing to accept.”

---

words: 320

Rey Ledford

ooc: I wouldn't mind continuing.  ^^

[Rey Ledford]

Too bad was right. He really don't want to abandon a foreigner at their time of need, but his mother might be worried about him if he doesn't hurry. However, he pointed them to his usual shortcut was the best thing he could do for them at this time. He was good at directions and tried to memorize the buildings and shops for his courier work, so he was able to point any foreigner to the right direction. He wanted to go around the district some more to do it, but he has a limited time between his curfew, mercenary training, and his courier work. That included escorting the girls to their destination, much to his disappointment.

However, the Elven girl who managed to calm down thanks to his words earlier suggested that they should part ways and meet back here for 2 hours. Not only that, she told him that there will be a little something for him if he accept it. Despite a little flustered about her, he still retained his cool as he accept her handshake and said, "Well, I can't refuse anything just for you two. Okay, I'll accept." With that said as he still remembered about his mother, Rey knew it was time for his favorite stew lunch when his stomach rumbled this time, which he sheepishly grinned. "Well, I better go before Mom starts worrying about where I am right now. She's completely a worrywart whenever I don't go home in time." He explained to the girls as he blushed red in embarrassment.

WORDS: 259 (Lune Launch AP Bonus: 284)

TAG: Ériu

GOALS: To stroll around the Orange District to rest. (Current Location: Brasstack Plaza, Orange District)

[Ériu]

With Rey’s hand in hers, Ériu gives it a firm shake, holding him to his word. She takes deals and pacts very seriously, and she looks forward to his return with a spider’s anticipation. Waverly sits back and watches this exchange, both curious and confused as to her sister’s motives. She doesn’t fully comprehend beyond that maybe the Elf has changed her mind about trusting the kid, but even then she can’t quite get why they don’t just go with him. Regardless of the Werecat’s need to understand, she holds her tongue until the city kid has gone his own way, waving after him with a hearty grin.

“Nice boy,” the Scottish Fold comments, lowering her arm.

She glances at Ériu then, arms gathering beneath her full chest as she turns to face her Elven sister. Ériu is smiling rather wistfully, her small lips quirked suspiciously at the corners. She is up to something. What it could be, Waverly doesn’t know, but she intends to find out.

“And what was that all about? I thought you didn’t trust the lad.” She is admittedly peeved at Ériu’s apparent and sudden change-of-heart, especially after all that dancing around Waverly had been doing to please the Shaman’s suspicious nature. The Elf turns her face to the Werecat, strange smile still touching her lips but not her eyes.

“I don’t . . . He needs to be tested first.”

That answer does not help to pacify Waverly’s growing annoyance.

“Ack! A test?! Then we shoulda followed ‘im t’ his neighborhood. Woulda been a more convenient way to test ‘im”, I’d say. She flails her arms at her sides, cat-face animated by her increased frustration.

“I want to see if he’s willing to come back to us. If he’s gonna ambush us, let us make ‘im work for it, eh?” The Elf grins then, this one touching her gleaming, teal eyes. Waverly face palms, finding Ériu’s behavior to be increasingly erratic, not to mention just, plain stupid.

“Yer kiddin’ me. . .”

“Of course, Waverly,” a tilt of the head as she regards her elder sister. “But at least this way, he is playing by our terms. And besides, don’t you trust ‘im?” To this question, the elder sister sighs, exasperated by the Elf. She’s been acting so weird lately.

“Well, ya got me by the seat of me breeches.” The fact of the matter is that the Werecat has a lot of faith in the boy. He’ll pull through. She does wonder what kind of payment Ériu has in-store for the lad. As far as she’s aware, they didn’t bring anything with them that wouldn’t prove to be absolutely necessary, barring weaponry.

I’m keepin’ my eye on you, girl.

“So, are ya still up for dinner?” They start to walk, eyes reading street signs. The map is held in the crook of Ériu’s armpit, virtually useless.

“Yes . . . Didn’t you pack us something to eat for the trip?”

“That I did~” The Werecat fishes into her inventory and breaks out bread and lunch meat for the pair to dine-on while they wait for the hours to pass. They nestle next to a fountain and watch the city pass them by.

~*~*~

When the two hours are up and it is time for Rey to make his appearance, Waverly and Ériu have found themselves at the fountain again, after having floated around the area for some time. Ériu ignores the gold coins settled at the bottom of the fountain in-favor of staring at her reflection. Maybe it’s the lighting or the stress of traveling so far just to get swallowed alive by the city, but the face in the water is hardly recognizable. Ériu touches her face while Waverly scans the streets for their would-be guide.

This is not me . . . But it is. Somehow.

---

words: 644
Rey Ledford 

[Rey Ledford]

With the Elven girl shook his hands, Rey smiled as he left them to return to his house, but not before he waved to the girls and said, "Don't worry, I'll be back in 2 hours, I promised!" As he ran to his destination, he repeatedly reminded himself to return. He didn't want to disappoint the girls and he didn't want to break it right now. However, when he remembered that he has a habit of hanging out in his house for too long, he became worried that this might break his promise to the girls. But he has a secret...

"Express Delivery!"

All of the sudden, his movement speed suddenly gone faster as he ran past through the shocked citizens. Ever since he became an apprentice mercenary, he was suddenly aware of these "floating page-like apparitions" around him and somehow, it controlled not only his items he owned and his current health, but he can managed his skills with it. He discovered it when he did some self-training one day, which was shocking to him. But ever since, he relied on mentally or physically calling out his attacks so he won't use those strange apparitions often or he might freak his family out. And ever since he became a Courier, he learned this Express Delivery skill to double his speed for 15 seconds, which allowed him to cut his time to get to his house. But it only has a cooldown of 30 seconds, so he decided to use his normal speed when it deactivated by himself before the cooldown was over.

And by the time he arrived in his house, he used this skill 5 times now. He knew that even if using these skills gave him an advantage, it did made him tired a little bit, which made him knew of it's downsides. This made him thought about using these skills when he needed them the most and this was certainly one of them. When he did enter the house, his mother saw him and said, "Oh Rey! You made it!" Much to his embarrassment, she hugged him very tightly after a sight of her own son. To be honest, he loved his mother, but she can be a big worrywart, not to mentioned that she has a big bear hug. "M-Mom, Dad already told you that I'll be at exactly l-lunch t-time! I can't break a promise, you know!"

"Sorry, Rey. But I was worried that you might overexert yourself during your first day of your Courier job in his blacksmith work." Her mother said as she released him, which gave him a chance to recover his breath. "Don't worry, Mom. Dad already gave me a day-off earlier and I'm just doing some R&R while walking around the district as usual." His mother was relieved at this. He did repeated this many times to her, but she was still worried ever since, which he decided to shrug about it as he then started to get his lunch.

For the next hour, he chatted with his mother about his day and the girls he met and helped her and her friend in the Sunny Star. And with 30 minutes before his meeting back with the girls, he said his goodbye with his promise to come back for curfew, but not before his mother gave him a big bear hug. After that, he ran to his destination and with his knowledge that time was running out, he used his Express Delivery skill to speed up and when he saw the Werecat and Elven girl in his sight, he waved to them until unknowingly tripped some wood that the workers had to put down to rest, which caused him to tumbled near the girls as his 24 hour time limit was up. It was pretty embarrassing for Rey, but at least he managed to make it on time.

"Sorry about that. But at least I kept my promise."

WORDS: 659 (Lune Launch AP Bonus: 724)

TAG: Ériu

GOALS: To meet the girls back to the plaze. (Current Location: Brasstack Plaza, Orange District)

[Ériu]

I feel like I’m dreamin’ . . . But . . . This is all real . . . Isn’t it?

She holds a hand to her face and then removes it to see what is left behind. Ériu furrows her brow and only looks up when she hears her furry companion speak.

“Hmm. I don’t think he’s comin’, Eri.” The Elf blinks at the image of the Werecat perched beside the water fountain and has to remind herself that this is not a dream. She and Waverly are awake and alive. Today is present, not past. To reaffirm this, the Shaman pinches her own arm, hard, and relishes in the pin-point pain –the feeling- that swells beneath the pressure of her pinced fingers.

“Ahh. There he is!” Beside her, Waverley stands, straightening her clothes as she waves at the boy. Ériu turns from her reflection and slowly feels reality settle over her shoulders, lightly, like a cotton sheet. She follows her sister’s motions, getting to her feet and smoothing her skirt with the palms of her hands. Both watch –in a mixture of concern and amusement- as the city kid’s sprint is cut short by a face-first dive into the ground, followed by a series of rolls that only bring him closer to his acquaintances. He looks okay, so Waverly allows herself a light-hearted chuckle. Ériu smiles. Both offer him a helping hand to stand.

“Glad to see you made it,” the Werecat comments, her paw finding its place on the boy’s head again. She ruffles his hair rather roughly. “How was lunch?” Beside her, Ériu observes the city kid. Interface is activated for the first time since their meeting. Rey Ledford. . .She skims over the details, unconcerned with his stats and more-or-less curious about his Classes. She stops when she gets to his Subclass and is pleasantly surprised at what she finds.

Courier . . . This is good.

"Thank you for coming."

---

words: 326
Rey Ledford

[Rey Ledford]

After he recovered from his tumble, he cleaned himself up when the Werecat started to ruffle his hair as she asked how was his lunch, which he blushed red as his hair was messed up a little. "Well, I just had my favorite stew that my Mom made and since I have time when I finished, I helped out on her friend in Sunny Star for a while before I got here." As he explained about it, he then saw the Elven girl somehow stared at him for some reason. Although it was a little uncomfortable, he felt worried that the girl might not like him. But as he looked at her, he saw the interface popped up near her to his surprise, which he saw the girl's name "Eriu".

But not wanted to say it in front of her for now, he regained his focus as Eriu thanked him, which he sighed in relief. "Well, I never break any promises like this. If I did, I could never forgive myself." It was very true. At one point, he accidentally broke his promise on never breaking his friend's toy sword. To make up for it, he had to make a new one he found lying on his father's workshop by himself and as expected, his friends were surprised at his finished product despite being a crude toy sword. Regardless, his friend forgave him about his accident and ever since, he tried everything to fulfill his promises no matter what. "So what's a little something for me?" He asked without being rude to the foreigners.

WORDS: 264 (Lune Launch AP Bonus: 290)

TAG: Ériu

GOALS: To meet the girls back to the plaze. (Current Location: Brasstack Plaza, Orange District)

[Ériu]

Waverly nods at the boy’s story, satisfied with the tale. Rushing home to have dinner with his mother AND helping out a family friend? This kid is all right in her book. If it had been up to her, the Werecat would have happily forked over the prize, no further questions asked. He’d kept his word, returning to the pair of Greens without any clue as to what was in-store for him. Unfortunately, it isn’t up to her. He’d made the deal with Ériu, and while she acknowledges that he has followed through on his end of the deal, the Elf has bigger plans for him.

However, she is not the type to string along anyone; thus, the Shaman fishes through her inventory until she comes across Rey’s prize and brings it to hand. It’s a Whistle, smooth and wooden, pretty in its simplicity. She dangles it on her index finger by its leather string, allowing the boy to get an eye-full of it without taking it from her yet. “Do you know what this is, lad? It’s called a Mount Whistle. You use it to ride pets and the like. I made it . . . with my own hands.” Her eyes go from Rey’s young face to the object hanging between them. She smiles then, bashfully. “I must admit, I wasn’t bein’ totally honest with you regardin’ our deal. . .”

Cat eyes glimpse at the Elf and then settle on reading Rey’s face, trying to decipher his thoughts by whatever expression he is making at the time. She prepares for him to be upset by Ériu’s words, reluctant to go through with whatever plans this stranger has concocted in her mind. She wouldn’t blame him. Waverly isn’t sure what spirit –or Enchantment of the Fair Folk- has come over her sister lately, but the lass has been acting strange. “The Whistle is yours to keep even if you don’t agree to my next request, but-“ and here comes the test of virtue – “Will you be our guide through the city today?”

---

words: 344

Rey Ledford

[Rey Ledford]

Rey was a good kid till the end. His good will and judgement made him likable to his neighbors, which caused them to give gifts for his kindness, some of which are homemade. However with Eriu, he was surprised that she was giving him a wooden Mount Whistle. Best of all, it was made by the Elven girl herself. However, he then learned that she was not completely honest when she made a proposal on meeting back here for 2 hours. Yet, Rey didn't felt saddened at this as he said, "Nah, I don't mind. Besides, it seemed like a promise to me and I can't ignore or break any promises." Regardless, he accepted the whistle because he earned it. He didn't know how to ride a mount yet, but it was the thought that counts.

Then, Eriu then asked if he can help the guide around the district, which he was expected about it a little. Orange District was a great home to live in and he has no complaints about it. Heck, he can show them around the best places along with it's landmarks. "Sure! I've been around here a lot ever since I was a kid and I can show you any landmarks around here." And speaking of which, she did mentioned about seeing the college, so he can't refuse this another offer. "In fact, why don't we start here? The Brasstack Plaza! This is where artisans, blacksmiths, and other crafters roam around and share their research ideas to others."

WORDS: 253 (Lune Launch AP Bonus: 278)

TAG: Ériu

GOALS: To guide the Green District girls around the Orange District (Current Location: Brasstack Plaza, Orange District)

[Ériu]

Bound by his chivalrous sense of duty, the boy accepts his role as their guide. How wonderful! Waverly is all-smiles, all-teeth, her furry arms crossing over her chest. “We’re much obliged, laddie.” The Werecat resists the urge to touch his hair again, feeling as if maybe the excess would freak him out now. Ériu hands-over the Whistle, satisfied by Rey’s response.

“Yes, thank you,” the Elf nods, holding her place next to her elder sister. The landmarks would be nice to see; however, the school is where she wants to be the most. Still, if she plans to make her home here, knowing about the area as a whole is not a bad idea. The prospect of getting lost is not a pretty one; the thought alone makes her skin crawl. She keeps the map close to her person, aware that this boy won’t always be available for hire. She intends to follow along the tour, observe the landmarks shown, and then mentally mark them on the map for future use.

As Rey speaks of the plaza, the Werecat and Elf take the time to look around. They’ve been up-and-down this plaza all morning. The sight of researchers bargaining and bartering away their treasured ideas has become a familiar one to the out-of-towners. The strange buildings towering them from side-to-side are still a sight to see. They’re so big. Ériu wonders what could be going on inside these structures. There aren’t any windows on them. How come?

“Rey, is it? . . . What are these odd buildings for?” She motions to one. Waverly glances at her sister and then at the structure.

“They’re called 'spires', Eri.”

“Ahh. What do spires do?” Teal eyes go from Waverly’s cat face to Rey’s very-human one. Eventually, his face is where they remain, full of questions.

---

words: 303

Rey Ledford
ooc- Don't forget to stop by this link to claim your Mount Whistle! log-horizon.proboards.com/thread/5466/recipe-research-cross-lune-crafting

[Rey Ledford]

Rey knew about this plaza not because he visited his father's blacksmith shop everyday, but because of his visits in the main streets of the plaza made him inspired of his dream weapons and tools for his customers. This also made him do the same in order to become like his father while being a mercenary. But for the spires towered above the plaza the Werecat mentioned, he has little details about them. "Well, I don't know about them, but it was supposed to represent Orange, I think. But I'm not just proud about my hometown's reputation, but I'm happy to live in a place where I can meet people all around Lune."

There were a lot of foreigners in Orange lately, but his words are true as he was happy to meet them, especially guiding the girls from Green around. "Oh, did you guys stop by the college during your lunch? If you still don't know where, I can guide you two there." He was still too young, but that doesn't mean he can visit Coral College as a guest since his father sometimes go there to help out with the tools the college used. "Don't worry, I often go with my father whenever he was on delivery to the college back then. So getting there might be no problem when you're with me." He said as he tried to help the girls feel comfortable as possible.

WORDS: 238 (Lune Launch AP Bonus: 261)

TAG: Ériu

GOALS: To guide the Green District girls around the Orange District (Current Location: Brasstack Plaza, Orange District)