Submission (#2) Approved

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Submitted
12 August 2020, 01:42:05 PDT (3 years ago)
Processed
31 October 2020, 23:53:17 PDT (3 years ago) by Starbask

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Quest: Resonance - Act 2
Act: Lost Kittom Rescue [Act of Bravery]
Word Count: 1251
Adult Elnin Present: Anko [ELN294]
Regional Affinity: Kyendi
Claiming Regional Affinity for: Wick [ELN856]

Content

It was about mid morning in their home in Kyendi when Wick learned something was amiss. Wick and his guardian Kormir were in Kyendi visiting his older half brother Bazil and his kittoms that Wick was friends with and quite partial to. The morning had been fairly average, though his friend Mallow had just about dozed off and almost went face first into their oatmeal. Hanami had mentioned something about wanting to play outside and that she was making a gift for someone, though she wouldn’t say who. Wick shrugged it off as nothing to really worry about though. Sometimes he was more inclined to pry but this seemed to have little to do with him. He and Mallow went to investigate the surroundings of the backyard playing in the sand in the small rock garden in their backyard. “And you see there? That tiny sprout will grow straight through the sand. It likes sandy soil.” Mallow explained though Wick could tell his friend was sparing him too many details.

Wick didn’t mind learning about plants but from what Mallow described this one was a weed and Wick just couldn’t understand why the other wouldn’t pick it. Was researching plants, even the weeds, really that important? He stared at what was barely a sprout poking through the sand. Kyendi was a jungle and Mallow had told him in the past there was a lot of various plant life here. Some properties of things might not even be discovered yet, so being quick to kill them wasn’t that useful. Wick just nodded, starting to zone out staring at the oriental architecture of the neighboring buildings when he heard a firm tone behind them speak up.

“Have you two seen Hanami? We can’t find her in the yard either but she said she would be playing out here.” Bazil spoke up, his tone a bit sharper than usual. Wick could tell he was worried...but with his ears slightly back as he admitted they had not really been watching her to see where she went. Bazil’s mouth became a firm line of worry and his eyebrows furrowed slightly like he might be angry with them but the tension was released when he shook his head. “Keep an eye out for her then. I’m going to go see if Kormir has any ideas.” Bazil stated and turned on his heel, rushing past his sibling Anko who was bringing them snacks. Compared to Bazil, Anko seemed quite calm, and rumors Wick heard were that Anko often got lost, though it sounded like it was even more frequent when she was a kittom.

She left a small plate of snacks on a stone shrine for the feyfolk which surprisingly bugs seemed to avoid eating. Then she came over to the two kittoms and sat down at the edge of the garden at a table. Around the time she cooked Anko was often in her more dexterous humanoid form but she had a very cozy lap, one that Mallow often got a chance to sit on. Knowing this, Wick wanted a turn and went to crawl up onto it and indulge in the snacks. “Do you think Hanami’s ok, Anko?” Wick asked, shoving a dumpling in his mouth and peering up at Anko with his bright golden eyes. She seemed to be spacing out but Wick could have sworn when she looked down at him he could see the faintest glimmer of mischief in her expression.

“I’m sure she’s fine. Would you like to find her?” She asked, thoughtfully. Wick grew quiet for a moment. “I think so...but where would we look? You don’t think she’d have gone somewhere like a floating island or the jungle would you?” He responded, pondering a bit as he watched Anko move a hand up to tap her lip as she thought. “No. I don’t think she’s gone that far. Brother worries too much. Just ask a seasoned veteran and piecing things together isn’t that hard. What was the last thing she said to you? Where do you think she would go?” Anko asked.

Wick was no veteran but he recalled her saying she was making a gift...but if she didn’t have enough supplies in the yard then… It dawned upon him. “The market! She would go to the market. Except she doesn’t have much of an allowance.” Wick noted, knowing Hanami wasn’t particularly good at keeping track of her spending...she bought far too many sweets. Anko nodded, as if confirming his suspicions. There was a good chance Hanami had tried to go to the market. “Shall we go then?” Anko asked, and Wick and Mallow nodded in agreement. Then the three of them left a note they were going out and headed through the house and out into the streets. “Stay close so you don’t get lost too.” She chided in a chipper tone though Wick had a look on his face that relayed he didn’t exactly want to hear those words coming from her of all elnin.

They made their way through the streets and asked around a bit. Wick was particularly diligent, after all he was determined to find his other friend. He was usually the sort to be quite confident and flamboyant about how he carried himself but when it came to helping others or being noticed for more than his appearance Wick was actually quite reserved. After a few hours of searching they found Hanami crying in an alley. She had managed to buy what she wanted to gift surely because of a kind shop owner’s generosity but shortly after she got turned around and didn’t recognize this part of the market. Other elnin would have helped her find her way home, Wick was sure, but Hanami being the proud sort probably played down the entire experience so she wouldn’t be noticed and embarrassed publicly.

Anko knelt down to console her. “Now that you’ve got your gift and we’re all together again, shall we deliver it?” She asked, her tone warm and soothing. Hanami nodded, tears still lingering in her eyes. Wick on the other hand seemed like his usual pushy self at times. He grabbed Hanami’s paw and pulled her off the crate she had been sitting on and then lead the way. The action looked rough but Wick was actually quite gentle. Slowly but surely they made their way to the home of an instrument repair shop based out of an elnin’s house. Her name was Chise. She was quite well known and lovely. Wick had met her once before and noticed she had a sharpness to her so he was cautious. He watched as Hanami bashfully explained she had tried to make Chise a gift in return for an instrument playing lesson but it failed so instead she bought the older elnin a small device to help tune instruments instead. Wick was almost certain Chise would have had one already but the older elnin kindly accepted the gift.

Later that afternoon Wick curled up next to Mallow and Hanami and dozed off. It had been a long day. Bazil had been so relieved to see Hanami back safe and sound and Wick on the other hand had grown more suspicious of Anko. Had she really been getting lost all this time or was this just her own way of adventuring? Regardless he had to admit the older elnin’s help had been useful for she knew Kyendi much better than he.

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Characters

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ELN856: Wick

Reward Amount
AP (Kyendi) (Currencies) 1