Post by Kurogane on Jul 9, 2021 21:33:08 GMT -8
The apartment was filled with the scent of cooking food. Every single room just smelled of it. The food in question was simmering on the stove. All four burners were occupied; each one had some kind of pot or pan on it. One had simmering sauce, bubbling on a low temperature. One of them had the proteins being cooked, alongside a healthy hearty helping of vegetables, the third had rice steaming perfectly to a beautiful white fluffy texture, and the last one was currently off but atop it was a bowl with all of the utensils just resting inside of it to avoid making any messes on the very small amount of counter space that he was gifted with in the kitchen.
The smell of the food wafted from the kitchen, snuck into every room, from the living room to the bedroom. Some of the scent managed to eek its way out of the apartment, under the doorway and into the hallway. Everyone knew when he was cooking something because the entire hallway always smelled of food when he did it. Sometimes the smell was amazing, sometimes it was not so much. Right now it appears to be the former more so than the latter. The smell of the cooking food wafted down the hall and anyone that walked past the apartment would stop and inhale deeply to fully appreciate the intermingling aromas wafting out from his doorway.
Inside of the apartment, however, Hotaru was just sitting. He was in the small bedroom, seated in a corner, in a big oversized bean bag chair. It had been something he had found relatively inexpensively at what amounted to a garage sale. He paid very little for it and now it sat in the corner of his room and he would plop himself into it whenever he wanted to just curl up away from the rest of the world, even if for a short amount of time.
He was looking over a letter. The paper appeared to be of fine quality, not the usual run of the mill printer paper that one can pick up at any office supply store. No, this was parchment, beautifully made, the texture felt nice in his fingers. It had been delivered, in a pretty white and blue envelope, by a young woman courier. The woman had come to his door at least twenty minutes prior and upon answering the knock at the door, Hotaru had the envelope placed in his hand and the young woman trotted off to deliver more letters to other people.
He did not need to ask whom the letter was from. It was obvious, not just from the look and color and feel of the envelope, but more importantly from the family crest, the wax seal, keeping the envelope closed. It was from his sister.
The cursive of the letter was, as to be expected from his sibling, immaculate. The letter also smelled faintly of rose water, possibly due to Sakura always wearing a homemade rose water perfume which wafted off her gently and always made her presence easily detectable to him.
Dear Hotaru,
How are you? Are you faring well? Have you been eating well? Sleeping well? There are a few things I need to cover in this letter in a relatively short amount of time. So, first things first, I have paid a month’s rent on the apartment. I have also included, with the letter, your monthly allowance. Do spend it well. I have taken the liberty of sending messages as well to the local shops; I know the places you enjoy frequenting when it comes to your grocery needs, and I have sent letters to those establishments asking them to provide you only with fresh, all natural ingredients, as much healthy food as possible. So, vegetables, fruits, and good proteins. I want you to keep yourself healthy; but, I also know that you’re young and occasionally like to snack, so I’ve asked them to sell you, in moderation, your favorite snacks.
Now, onto the main reason I am sending this letter; I need you to do me a favor and travel up to the Northern lands and do some jobs. Consider this part of your training. You did say you wanted to get stronger and I figure what better way than some field experience?
Himawari is going to be joining you on your trip up to the Northern Lands. Please, do not think of him as a babysitter. Think of him simply as a traveling companion - who also happens to be your chaperone and babysitter. Try to listen to what he tells you, please? I sent him for your own good, and he shall arrive not long after you receive the letter (if he has not arrived within twenty minutes of the arrival of the letter, then I suggest checking out the nearby ramen shops as he tends to go to the nearest he can find and gorge himself.)
Write back while you’re on the road.
Miss You Little Brother,
Your elder sister,
Sakura.
PS: To get to the North, I have enclosed tickets to the Northbound Starline Train.
As he finished reading the letter, there was a knock on his door. That had to be Himawari; at least from the upbeat tempo he beat on the door, a tempo colloquially known as haircut and a shave.
“Coming.” Hotaru set the letter aside and walked over to the door. He unlocked it and opened it.
A familiar face stood there. One he had seen, usually hanging around his sister in the photos that he received in the mail. The young man standing there, grinning wide, his eyes hidden away from sight by a black blindfold.
“Oi, I’m here to take you on a road trip. Ooh, what smells good here?” He sniffed at the air.
“I got some food cooking on the stove. Come in, we can eat a bit before we head out to the train station.”
“That sounds great to me, I’m starved.” The widely grinning Himawari entered the apartment; his fingers occasionally giving a soft snap as he managed to, somehow, maneuver his way around his new surroundings despite not having ever been inside the apartment before and not ever removing his blindfold.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The two of them ate, Hotaru packed several bags, and the two made their way to the nearest train station; one not fully owned by his family but partially owned by them. Their family crest was on the side of the train all the same. Himawari sat beside Hotaru, having stuck by his side the whole time they made their way from the apartment to the train station and onto the train.
Now, they had to switch trains. Having arrived in the Central Lands train station, the two white haired young men were standing at the platform waiting for their train to arrive, the Northbound Starline Train which would be returning from the North. The train was scheduled to arrive soon, drop off its Central Land bound riders before making a nice roundabout turn after picking northern bound riders up to carry them up to the Northern Lands. Hotaru and Himawari just happened to be among the Northernbound passengers.
“What kind of chores do you think my sister wants me to do up in the North?” Hotaru tried to make small talk, not being very good at it.
“Uh? Oh. Well there’s quite a few things that need done up there. I’ll tell you on the way there.”
WC: 1,255
Starting PL: 2,459
Traveling Using:
Mystical Holiday Train Set
A Magical Holiday Train Set that operates without needing tracks, can fly, and most importantly – can transform from toy size to regular size without harming anyone inside, and vice versa. This luxury train is built for comfort!
Type: Vehicle - Multi-User
Activation: Out of Battle
Effect: The possessor of a Mystical Holiday Train Set has a 40% discount in time, EP, and words towards traveling. Additionally, it has the following add-ons built in:
Comfortable Ride- With this add-on, up to 3 players may ride in you vehicle with you during travel. Players who choose to do so must pay 5000z and write 350 Words of Travel per Step ridden, instead of normal travel requirements. If at least one person uses Comfortable Ride in this way, every player sharing the vehicle will receive the "Well Rested" effect. The owner of the vehicle must still write normal travel requirements.
Armored Plating- You may use your vehicle as a personal fortress of sorts. The first time you take damage in battle, you may instead use your vehicle as a shield- and have it provide 15 DR. Vehicles with Armored Plating take up an item slot in battle.
Dining CarCamping Equipment- You may write an additional 500 words of travel to camp out, if you do so, you gain the well rested bonus at the end of your travel.
Cargo BoxcarBasket and Saddle-bags- This add-on allows you to gain 1 Zeni per 20 words written while traveling. After all, you make best use of your travel by doing errands, and delivery, don’t you?
Add-on Slots: 0/4
Limit: As listed.
The smell of the food wafted from the kitchen, snuck into every room, from the living room to the bedroom. Some of the scent managed to eek its way out of the apartment, under the doorway and into the hallway. Everyone knew when he was cooking something because the entire hallway always smelled of food when he did it. Sometimes the smell was amazing, sometimes it was not so much. Right now it appears to be the former more so than the latter. The smell of the cooking food wafted down the hall and anyone that walked past the apartment would stop and inhale deeply to fully appreciate the intermingling aromas wafting out from his doorway.
Inside of the apartment, however, Hotaru was just sitting. He was in the small bedroom, seated in a corner, in a big oversized bean bag chair. It had been something he had found relatively inexpensively at what amounted to a garage sale. He paid very little for it and now it sat in the corner of his room and he would plop himself into it whenever he wanted to just curl up away from the rest of the world, even if for a short amount of time.
He was looking over a letter. The paper appeared to be of fine quality, not the usual run of the mill printer paper that one can pick up at any office supply store. No, this was parchment, beautifully made, the texture felt nice in his fingers. It had been delivered, in a pretty white and blue envelope, by a young woman courier. The woman had come to his door at least twenty minutes prior and upon answering the knock at the door, Hotaru had the envelope placed in his hand and the young woman trotted off to deliver more letters to other people.
He did not need to ask whom the letter was from. It was obvious, not just from the look and color and feel of the envelope, but more importantly from the family crest, the wax seal, keeping the envelope closed. It was from his sister.
The cursive of the letter was, as to be expected from his sibling, immaculate. The letter also smelled faintly of rose water, possibly due to Sakura always wearing a homemade rose water perfume which wafted off her gently and always made her presence easily detectable to him.
Dear Hotaru,
How are you? Are you faring well? Have you been eating well? Sleeping well? There are a few things I need to cover in this letter in a relatively short amount of time. So, first things first, I have paid a month’s rent on the apartment. I have also included, with the letter, your monthly allowance. Do spend it well. I have taken the liberty of sending messages as well to the local shops; I know the places you enjoy frequenting when it comes to your grocery needs, and I have sent letters to those establishments asking them to provide you only with fresh, all natural ingredients, as much healthy food as possible. So, vegetables, fruits, and good proteins. I want you to keep yourself healthy; but, I also know that you’re young and occasionally like to snack, so I’ve asked them to sell you, in moderation, your favorite snacks.
Now, onto the main reason I am sending this letter; I need you to do me a favor and travel up to the Northern lands and do some jobs. Consider this part of your training. You did say you wanted to get stronger and I figure what better way than some field experience?
Himawari is going to be joining you on your trip up to the Northern Lands. Please, do not think of him as a babysitter. Think of him simply as a traveling companion - who also happens to be your chaperone and babysitter. Try to listen to what he tells you, please? I sent him for your own good, and he shall arrive not long after you receive the letter (if he has not arrived within twenty minutes of the arrival of the letter, then I suggest checking out the nearby ramen shops as he tends to go to the nearest he can find and gorge himself.)
Write back while you’re on the road.
Miss You Little Brother,
Your elder sister,
Sakura.
PS: To get to the North, I have enclosed tickets to the Northbound Starline Train.
As he finished reading the letter, there was a knock on his door. That had to be Himawari; at least from the upbeat tempo he beat on the door, a tempo colloquially known as haircut and a shave.
“Coming.” Hotaru set the letter aside and walked over to the door. He unlocked it and opened it.
A familiar face stood there. One he had seen, usually hanging around his sister in the photos that he received in the mail. The young man standing there, grinning wide, his eyes hidden away from sight by a black blindfold.
“Oi, I’m here to take you on a road trip. Ooh, what smells good here?” He sniffed at the air.
“I got some food cooking on the stove. Come in, we can eat a bit before we head out to the train station.”
“That sounds great to me, I’m starved.” The widely grinning Himawari entered the apartment; his fingers occasionally giving a soft snap as he managed to, somehow, maneuver his way around his new surroundings despite not having ever been inside the apartment before and not ever removing his blindfold.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The two of them ate, Hotaru packed several bags, and the two made their way to the nearest train station; one not fully owned by his family but partially owned by them. Their family crest was on the side of the train all the same. Himawari sat beside Hotaru, having stuck by his side the whole time they made their way from the apartment to the train station and onto the train.
Now, they had to switch trains. Having arrived in the Central Lands train station, the two white haired young men were standing at the platform waiting for their train to arrive, the Northbound Starline Train which would be returning from the North. The train was scheduled to arrive soon, drop off its Central Land bound riders before making a nice roundabout turn after picking northern bound riders up to carry them up to the Northern Lands. Hotaru and Himawari just happened to be among the Northernbound passengers.
“What kind of chores do you think my sister wants me to do up in the North?” Hotaru tried to make small talk, not being very good at it.
“Uh? Oh. Well there’s quite a few things that need done up there. I’ll tell you on the way there.”
WC: 1,255
Starting PL: 2,459
Traveling Using:
Mystical Holiday Train Set
A Magical Holiday Train Set that operates without needing tracks, can fly, and most importantly – can transform from toy size to regular size without harming anyone inside, and vice versa. This luxury train is built for comfort!
Type: Vehicle - Multi-User
Activation: Out of Battle
Effect: The possessor of a Mystical Holiday Train Set has a 40% discount in time, EP, and words towards traveling. Additionally, it has the following add-ons built in:
Comfortable Ride- With this add-on, up to 3 players may ride in you vehicle with you during travel. Players who choose to do so must pay 5000z and write 350 Words of Travel per Step ridden, instead of normal travel requirements. If at least one person uses Comfortable Ride in this way, every player sharing the vehicle will receive the "Well Rested" effect. The owner of the vehicle must still write normal travel requirements.
Armored Plating- You may use your vehicle as a personal fortress of sorts. The first time you take damage in battle, you may instead use your vehicle as a shield- and have it provide 15 DR. Vehicles with Armored Plating take up an item slot in battle.
Dining Car
Cargo Boxcar
Add-on Slots: 0/4
Limit: As listed.