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3 yrs ago
starting off 2022 with COVID LESSGOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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6 yrs ago
Whoever says "the customer is always right" has not worked with atual customers.
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Tsubasa couldn't help but frown at Keiko's statement. She said it so nonchalantly, too. He supposed it was something she had gotten used to long ago; unfortunately, their village didn't look kindly to outsiders. He remembered being more curious than anything, never really understanding the hesitation coming from the adults. But it wasn't any of his business. Her statement on considering selling did bring a smile to his face as the thought danced around his mind. Moriyama was pretty competitive.

At the mention of the fence, he had fruit in his mouth as he looked at it. He chewed faster, licking his lips as he moved over to the already finished pieces. "Tetsu says there's always work to be done. Though this time, some animals have been getting into the crops and that can't really wait," He explained. "I guess the wooden fences kept getting knocked down, so reinforcing them should do the trick!"

He dropped his gaze to what he was working on when she came in, wondering if she wanted to know about that, too. "This one's a table, though," He said. "Takamori said he needed something sturdier than others, so there that is."

Taking the chance to gobble up the rest of the orange, he let out a sigh of happiness. "Delicious," He commented happily, pushing himself away from the bench. "How about you, Kei-chan? Are you looking forward to the festival?"

Tsubasa's stare was just a touch blank as Keiko spoke. What did she mean people didn't pay attention to her? He swore he often heard her name uttered every once in a while. Not in a positive way, mind you, but--oh, was that what she meant? It was a shame, he always thought they were a little harsh on her, but her pranks never did go over too well. It couldn't be helped; the village preferred its peace and day-by-day happenings to go on unimpeded, and Keiko was less than inclined to follow the rules. He supposed he should try to assure her. To him, she always seemed a little lonely, and he was more than happy to enjoy her company. Even now as she watched him and tugged on her kimono--what was she doing?

There was no hiding the gaze that followed her finger, albeit he did remember his second blunder as he immediately jerked his head back up as she spoke. See them? See...them. Here? Now? No, she couldn't possibly mean that. As rambunctious as she was, she was still a lady. He was hot, tired, sweaty, and--and here, in view of anyone, it was shameless! Why in the world had he jumped to such conclusions? His interpretation was just clouded.

Tsubasa wasn't sure why his throat was suddenly so dry, nor did he know why his eyes immediately snapped to attention at the movement of the kimono. He should say something. He should stop this. He should do a lot more than watch as the material revealed more and more of pale, soft-looking flesh. He'd be lying if he said his conscience wasn't screaming at him to say something as it got lower and lower until something sprang forth and--a pair of oranges came out.

"Wha..." It was barely a whisper but the confusion was plain on his face, albeit he did manage to catch the orange thrown at him. The warmth certainly didn't help things and he nearly dropped the fruit as that thought crossed his mind, his face already flushed with color as he tried to compose himself. Keiko was teasing him! And she got him good this time, goodness, he hadn't been this embarrassed in some time.

Said embarrassment turned to humor as Tsubasa couldn't help but laugh at himself. "Ah...thank you," He got that much out as he bit at the skin, pulling it away until the sweet scent filled the air. A welcome distraction, especially as the sweet taste cleared his mind.

"They really came in well," He added. "If you have a surplus, you should take them to the market. You'll sell out for sure."

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG--

The hammer would not rise too high as the touch on his shoulder alerted him that someone else was there. Safety first and foremost--that's what Tetsu would say before ordering him to fetch the bottle that had rolled away under a bench. While in practice it was disguised as being in complete control of his actions at any notice, realistically speaking it was so he didn't go swinging the very heavy, very metallic, and very hot hammer in surprise. The very last thing anyone wanted was to get hit, and since the village was so open with one another, it was common for anyone to come in at any time.

Once Tsubasa looked over his shoulder, however, the space behind him was empty. Had he imagined the touch? Blinking slowly, he nearly jumped out of his skin when Keiko spoke, whipping his neck so quick it was a shock it hadn't rolled off his head. Relieved that he wasn't just imagining things, he cautiously set side the hot metal far away, deciding now was a good time for a short break. He couldn't help but think that it was very nice of her to visit him, especially when she likely had better things to do.

Plucking his shirt from his skin, he took back his rag in his hand as he hastily wiped his face and neck. He was far from presentable, but he was sure she didn't mind. "Kei-chan, good morning," He greeted her, slightly out of breath. "I wasn't looking for anyone, but I'm glad you're here."

Taking a few seconds to regulate his breathing, as he smiled at the girl, something looked a little different. Her hair looked a little healthier, but that wasn't it. She looked more mature somehow, a little less like a girl and more...what was the word? Well, mature, but it was hard to say. She had always been on the thinner side, though he doubted Signkeeper Tomo would let her go hungry. It wasn't that she had gained weight in a bad way, though--aha! It was her chest! His stare lingered a little longer than he meant it to, eyes darting away as he became aware of his rudeness. Even if she did blossom into a woman, it was unbecoming of him to just ogle her like that.

"You look nice today," He decided to pay her a compliment as he fanned himself, leaning back against the bench. "It's nice to see you've grown up a little."

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The bustle of the marketplace was just a low buzz, barely registering over the sound of iron meeting iron. After a few more hits, however, the world slowly started to permeate his senses: the buzz of the town got louder, the bite of the chilled air nipped at his cheeks, and the hammer in his hand regained its weight. Overall, Tsubasa was feeling the labor of his work drain him, but the finished product made everything worth it. As he placed his hammer down and cautiously lifted the iron structure up, he dipped the metal into the pool of water, watching the steam and leaving it there as he wiped his brow.

Even though it was cold out, the forge had a way to always make the boy feel like he was ready for a cold bath. Granted, it was natural--working with heat to mold metal into anything he wanted meant he was always going to be hot, and that was guaranteed even on the days he didn't bother using the heat sign. Once he deemed it had been long enough, he lifted the metallic structure out of the water and plopped it down some steps away, abandoning it to let it cool in the chilly air. Now all he needed to do was toss it in the cart with the slab of wood he had ordered and someone would come pick it up.

Exhaling, he watched his breath form a misty cloud and then dissipate, running a rag over his neck. Let's see, now that the table was finished, he supposed he could start on the iron gate that had been requested. It actually hadn't come as a request for him, but Tetsu always pawned off those projects onto him. Festivals and celebrations always meant that work piled up since Tetsu decided that he was more interested in drinking than...actually, he always found an excuse to drink, so Tsubasa should have known better. Not that he minded--busy hands were happy hands, and the kid actually liked working.

Tossing the rag aside, Tsubasa knelt down in front of a chest, gingerly plucking out the few iron bars that were left in there. At least Testu had left him everything he needed, so that was good! He placed the bars over the forge, lazily writing the Sign in the air. Once the metal glowed a bright red, Tsubaba carefully adjusted his hammer in his grip, taking a firm hold and lifting it into the air.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!


Lyra was a little disappointed to find her fire hitting a shield, though she definitely got some satisfaction from the shock Hasgad had. She guessed he missed the memo saying that the heir to the rebellion knew how to use her magic. It was kind of a shame, but Nelda would just tell her that it was a chance for her to gain the upper hand against unsuspecting enemies. Which, in this case, it was. She spotted the net of lightning and ceased her flames, hastily blurting out the right words to shield herself. She was pushed back some, and almost charged forward. She stopped as she watched Donovan's attack succeed. Did he have to steal her thunder, too?!

It might've been for the better, though, as Hasgad decided to electrocute the shit out of the both of them. The stench of burnt flesh hit her again, and she grimaced. Well, if she rescued Donovan, she could use that to make him back off some for a while. The bolts of lightning that flew out of him caused her to jump back and throw up another shield. Oof, close. Figuring it was safe to get back in there, she went to move, but Roan beat her to it--who knew he was crazy like that?

Well, Hasgad was done for, and she wasn't too keen on sticking around longer than they needed to. The next thing she needed to do was secure an escape route. She looked around to see the far door creak, narrowing her eyes. As much as she wanted to attribute that to luck, she was skeptic enough to figure that it was just as well another entrance for the enemy to come in. Unlucky for them, she was about to pave a way out with fire. Lyra wringed out her hands, concentrating on the heat around her. She took in a deep breath, holding it for a moment as she produced fire in front of her. She exhaled, the flames shooting forth and breaking into a multitude of fiery butterflies. They swept through the door with Lyra following closely behind, ready to wield the flames onto any unfortunate soul looking to get through.




Traveling certainly was for either the bold or the foolish, she supposed. Esvelee's words were a strange comfort, though Eila gave half of her attention as she let her mind wander. Part of her thought she should intervene with the other conversation happening, but the last thing she wanted was to be painted as a know-it-all. That said, she was already mentally plotting out an educational plan for the young three Aetherborn. Knowledge was half the fight and she felt it could help Kyreth overcome some of his own ignorance when it came to his own magic. Alright, maybe she kept quiet because she was too busy planning, but first thing in the morning, she would present her ideas.

The music was a strange comfort to Eila as she let herself close her eyes. The lack of sleep combined with her less-than-acceptable performance had left her tired, and she let the distant music lull her to sleep. And all was well...until that thud sounded closer than she would have wanted. She held back a groan--it was always something wasn't it?!--and raised her head, squinting through the darkness to try to see what was happening. She saw little, but she did hear someone speaking. A pair with a scheme, eh? They had encountered wolves, so of course they would come across some schemers. Unbelievable.

Eila put her head down again, dismissing them as a concern, though as she turned, she spotted Liliann getting up. No, no, no, where was she going? They were just passing by and were probably not even going to notice them! One had a stronger aetheric signature, but even he wasn't at any level that mattered! Eila lunged for Ceolfric's arm as he got up, but she missed, the elf frustrated at her lack of speed. Oh, great Goddess, why must she be tested so?!

With an audible huff of annoyance, Eila pushed herself off the ground, dusting herself free of any dirt that had clung to her skirt as she kept herself low. She stopped, motioning for Kyreth to remain with Esvelee with the best charade she could manage, though she didn't stick around long as she found Liliann. Not that that was hard, but she was more concerned that she didn't see Ceolfric anywhere. She did, however, hear his voice.

"Honestly, it's like he wants a fight!" Eila hissed quietly to herself, though she gave Liliann a look. "And you! Our priority is Esvelee!"





'Even the playing field,' what a joke. When reinforcements showed up, Quinn would end up permanently in their hands and Astorio would justify him as a lost cause. But from where she was standing, there was no way to get him out safely. No one else was moving, Astorio had his deadline, and she could feel their stares at the back of her head waiting for her to act. If she didn't love being in the spotlight it could've been intimidating. For better or for worse, though, this wasn't her first time in a pickle and it wasn't going to be her last. Alright, she needed her brain to think of a proper solution to this.

Except her brain kept telling her to set the Inquisitor on fire. He was annoying, he was willing to murder people, and he was a coward in denial, so he was the perfect candidate for her next victim. The most pressing problem is that lighting was definitely faster than fire and she wasn't sure she could cross over fast enough to melt him before he would fry Quinn. The temptation to try was there, but was it really worth risking Quinn's life? Well, it was either do something risky in an effort to save him, or do nothing and watch Hassass electrocute him the same way he did to poor Marie.

Actually when she put it that way, there was only one choice.

Lyra decided on something entirely reckless. She was going to have to bribe everyone not to include it in any reports, because if her mother found out, she'd be back in Tal'Natrum first thing tomorrow. She was also definitely going to hear it from both Astorio and Eve, but she was counting on their speed if her stupid plan didn't work. Which it likely wouldn't, but she'd rather go down fighting than stand around doing nothing while Hassass kept being smug.

Letting out a tiny, exasperated sigh, she shook her head. Once she opened her eyes, however, she charged forward. Her hand was outstretched, magic flowing through her as she shouted out her spell with every intention of disrupting any lightning he would have sent to Quinn. "Dolor Geniato!" Her free hand made to shove Quinn aside and hopefully out of harm's way. The moment she made contact with Hassass's face, she put forth as much magic as she could with every intention of melting his face off.


There were subterranean portions of the old city. That was the most important thing to come out of this stupid orientation and the best thing he had heard all day. There was no way an academy of magic didn't have its secrets, and he needed something to occupy his time when he had nothing better to do. Of course, his curiosity was met with disdain. Unsurprising, Phoebus was obviously already spelling out that he was likely to get himself into shit. He supposed he could pretend to be a goody-two-shoes, but Professor Asshat had already looked elsewhere, dismissing him. Douche.

Well, Phoebus knew what he was doing today. First day was always the best time to play it safe and explore everything he could see, he'd save the off-limits exploration once he got a handle of the place. He turned in place and noticed some prissy-looking chick looking at him. The hell was she looking at? What, was being among the plebeians offending her enriched senses? He ignored her and put his attention to the kid choking on his food. Plate full of food, already almost dying on the first day, and having been clearly surprised by the nerd with glasses sneaking up on him. Said nerd looked exceedingly uptight, but if he was willing to speak to Sir Chokes then he was probably looking for some sort of companionship. Both were likely waiting for the overseer to ask to get to their dormitories and likely had every intention of following whoever lead them. That made them the perfect accomplices.

Phoebus outright snatched something doughy from Choking Kid's plate, taking a bite out of it. Nice, the sugar bun was warm and soft. "Kinda rude to ask about someone's hair like that," Phoebus told him, outright ignoring the irony of his statement. "Planning on standing around, or want to look around the campus together?" He looked to Nerd Dude to make sure he knew that he was invited, too.
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