Complete Private Eastern Brisshal Adventuring is scary!

[Chako]

"Right... I guess that does make sense. A country wouldn't be able to function if it only had small villages, after all." It was just a bit hard to imagine the scale of it all though. Chako wasn't really used to traveling much... Even if she definitely traveled more than Lisa.

"Right... Seeking thrill was something I heard before. It's just strange for me to imagine it though..." Chako chuckled, "I can relate to wanting to smell the roses though. There aren't many plants back in London... Walking through the forests here in Arcia, taking in the sights, the sounds and the smells... That alone has been wonderful." Especially the walking part, "That, by itself, is enough to make me feel like coming back each day."

Then Fina answered her question... It's not like Chako didn't understand that this was a sensitive topic, but... Well, that was why she brought it up to Fina. They may not know each other well, but they had similar circumstances, so she felt like Fina could understand where she was coming from.

The answer... Wasn't exactly what she was hoping for though, Wait, what was I even hoping for in the first place? Chako wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer to her own thoughts, so she tried pushing them away for the time being, "Well... I do know that there are some scary things that I have to deal with in Arcia that I don't have to handle on Earth. Like goblins... And wolves." Her entire body instantly shivered at the mention of the word, "So I can kinda get what you're saying... But did you actually go through something scary enough that made you want to stay away from Arcia for a while...?

"... I can't really imagine that happening, to be honest. I just... Feel like I want to stay here the whole day every day? Even if I'm absolutely terrified of going out? I really... Really don't see much reprieve that Earth can offer me, other than like... Laying on mom's lap as she caresses my head." There really wasn't much else that she enjoyed about Earth... Even date spots were just better in Arcia, after all.

Chako smiled as she heard the next words though, "Gliding, huh? That sounds absolutely terrifying, but I guess it might be fun too."

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

As far as Fina could tell by now, Chako definitely was young outside of this world, not just as her avatar in Arcia. It explained why she was so curious, but it also made explaining things more difficult. Not everything could be understood and perceived by a child, after all.

"In the end, as long as this place is of some benefit to you, then it's not bad. As long as you're careful, anyway. But you seem to be just that, at least... minus finding you while being pursued by a pack of goblins..."

They were indeed one of the many things here that were quite scary, and equally deadly if one were unprepared. But, given who Chako was, Fina struggled with the idea of sharing stories of some of the horrors that plagued this land... maybe the child would stay in this general idea and never have to deal with any of it? But then again, the events brought about the Dragonship affected many, even those who lived far away.

"You might not have noticed if you live in Honeyhome... that place is a hotspot for Starcalled, after all... but all over Falderen, hostilities toward Starcalled have increased drastically. Precisely because something very scary has happened, even though it was very far away from here."

Would that be enough to satisfy her curiosity? Probably not. After all, it must have brought about even more questions than answers.

"Well, ultimately... you've probably heard this already, and might be sick of hearing it again, but growing up does bring about new, fresh perspectives. So you might change your mind about things in the future, that's all."

No need to be forceful about it. Experiences shaped people and how they felt about things. Chako just needed to grow more. Not just by waiting and having time pass by, but by experiencing what this world has to offer.

@Chako

 

[Chako]

"Ah, yeah, I do try to be careful, usually. I even learned how to echolocate to try avoiding threats, yanno? It's easier to find out where they are before they find me like that." Didn't work today though, but it was a work in progress.

"Oh, oh, right, I think I heard something about it... The Magia were brainwashed by a very evil ancient Magia, and because of that a bunch of people started hating on Starcalled and Magia, right? As if it was their fault that the brainwashing happened or something, right? I can't say I got what any of that was all about, it just felt like dumb people being hating on victims..." Was there anything else to it though? Chako tried to remember what she heard of it some months back... "Oh, right! And wasn't there something about sparing the big bad Magia or something? That one sounded really crazy. I can get why some people started hating on Starcalled after that one... Even then, it's kinda like... Blaming the whole group for the decisions of the few? I dunno... Birdie said some stuff about us being sinners for that, but I don't get the idea, it's not like I did anything wrong, yanno?

"... Oh, Birdie is a friend! She helped me out in my first day in Arcia! Back when I really didn't know how to move these legs!" Chako moved her legs a bit to show them off.

Then, she was told about how growing up brings new perspectives... "I wonder about that... I feel like growing up might just be scary, yanno? Over here I can just dance or play the harp and earn my living from that in one way or another..." Mostly the harp right now, but hopefully she would earn something from dancing eventually, "On Earth it feels hopeless to even imagine doing that... And it's not like I'm smart enough to compete in some technology field or whatever... Feels like I would just need to keep on depending on mom for the rest of my life with the way things are going.

"... It's the kind of thing that just makes me want to spend even more and more time in Arcia, you know? Not less."

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

Chakos was quite the talkative child, wasn't she? Normally, Fina would find that terribly exhausting, her more introverted nature dictating that her metaphysical batteries could only last so long in the presence of someone like that. But the feline girl seemed to strike the right cords, because that wasn't quite happening yet. It was also surprising to hear just how much Chako knew about the whole incident... clearly 'Birdie' was someone who was present at the Dragonship as well. Someone who stood in opposition to Fina...

"It was a very complicated situation, that's the only way I can describe it. Things in this world are rarely black and white. But it's not like any of that can change the result, so if you ever meet landers that look and act mean toward you, just run and find a friendly traveler."

She wondered how the child would react if she learned that Fina was one of those 'sinners' who chose to spare 'the big bad machine'. One of the individuals who, from the view of others, ensured that all would pay the price for the mistake of the few. She let out a sigh and tried to empty her head of those thoughts so she could put a smile on her face again, one hand rising and planting itself on Chako's head, ruffling her hair a bit with a chuckle.

"Of course, growing up is scary. Because growing up means change, and change is almost always at least a little scary. But you learn to face it head-on and accept it. Things don't always become worse; often, they become better! Not to mention that there will be people standing by your side to help you through it all."

She knew that her words probably offered little reassurance to someone like Chako, but she had to try something to comfort the girl.

"Besides, you seem plenty smart to me! And very mature. Maybe you're not good with the usual science, but perhaps you could become a great philosopher, or otherwise apply yourself in the area of arts~"

@Chako

 

[Chako]

"Mmmmmmm... I can imagine it being complicated... If it was a simple situation, people wouldn't have done something that angered others, right?" It was either that, or the people involved had goody-two-shoes morality that never kill baddies no matter how bad they are, only to have the baddy escape the prison again and again and cause more issues... And well, Chako didn't think it was likely for people with this kind of morality to come to Arcia in the first place, so it was probably a complicated thingy.

"Everyone in Honeyhome is pretty nice to me though! The children even stopped betting on the number of times I'll trip in my dance practice sessions these days!" Possibly because 0 started becoming a more common number, so the betting lost a part of its charm, but that's besides the point, "So... Well, I'll keep it in mind, but I think I made plenty of friends, both Lander and Starcalled, already!" Chako smiled.

Then, Chako felt a nice hand on her head, and before she realized it, she was purring... Ears quickly going red, even though her whole body was obviously relaxed, "Right... I try to face the future head on... I dunno if mom would like hearing that someone tried to incentivize me on pursuing music as a career though." Too insecure, too unstable... It just wasn't a reliable line of work.

Then, she giggled, "Being called mature is certainly a nice new experience though. I wonder if I can believe that one." Nah, better not. Getting too full of myself would just set me up for disappointment.

That said, "... By the way, how would a philosopher even make money anyways? Do they like... Do philosophizing streams on metube or something?" Chako had heard of old Greek philosophers in school, but that didn't really translate well to nowadays where people need to pay bills... Not that Chako had any interest on that kind of thing, but she was curious now.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

"Honeyhome is a good place to live at. An anchor for Starcalled and sympathetic landers alike in these turbulent times."

Hearing that she had friends on both ends of that spectrum was definitely good. Fina herself still wasn't particularly comfortable with the idea of children playing this death game, but it wasn't like she could actually stop them. At least it seemed that Chako was staying safe and having fun with it all.

"Personally, I just think everyone should try to pursue what they like doing. Sure, you won't make as much money as if you were a lawyer for a big corpo, or a personal surgeon for the richest people on the planet, but frankly, as long as you can get by and enjoy life... mm, just my opinion."

She cut herself off at the end. All she wanted to do was to be a good influence on someone. Whether that would work or backfire, well... she had no idea. That said, she couldn't help herself but laugh at the idea of modern philosophers on the internet.

"I guess some people could do that, sure. If you're engaging enough, there will always be someone to listen to you. Maybe if Confucius were to be reincarnated in this day and age, he'd become a cute Vtuber girl! But most people who actually study these things go on to become university professors and whatnot, as far as I know."

@Chako

 

[Chako]

"Mmmmmm... So it's not like that everywhere, then?" Chako wondered if people would end up being mean to her in Pormont... Though well, if people there dislike Starcalled, then she can just avoid saying she is a Starcalled while she stays in Pormont! It shouldn't be too hard to pass as a Lander! Probably!

Chako then pondered about Fina's next words, "I do get what you're saying, but..." She sighed, "I just don't want to be a burden to my mom for the rest of my life.

"And I don't think the free government money would be enough to pay for my medical bills, yanno?" She wondered if Fina could relate to that... Not everyone needed to pay for the same meds, after all, "Not to mention paying someone to be my caretaker too..." Because she didn't feel like proper independence was a realistic dream for herself either.

Chako heaved a long sigh, "I just feel like I'll be seriously dependent on the people around me if I can't find a way to make good money... And I really can't figure out what that way would be." Even if she could eventually get married, which she would love, and would remove the need of burdening her mom as well as the need of a potential caretaker... That would just lead to her being a burden to her wife. Chako really wanted to be able to do more than that.

Fina laughing at Chako's suggestion ended up making Chako giggle too... It was a pretty silly idea now that she thought about it, "Cute Vtuber Confucius would be..." Chako laughed a bit more, "Yeah, I guess people would definitely pay to see that, huh!?"

Chako then looked up a bit, staring at the clear blue sky... It was absolutely unrealistic, wasn't it? "I don't think I would ever have any chance of becoming a university professor." She stated clearly. It was better to try having more realistic dreams instead of that.

"... What do you do for a living, by the way, if I might ask?" She figured Fina was probably older than her, so maybe Chako could get some inspiration from that... Though it's not like she hadn't asked this to other people online before.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

"Of course! All people are different and all these places have different people. So wherever you go, things will be different."

That was a lot of differences, but differenting the differences was an important part of life. And it was natural to worry about things like being dependant on people, but it was a bit sad that someone as young as Chako would have to worry about such things instead of just... enjoying the usual children stuff, whatever that was. Fina was definitely too old, too ancient to relate to kids.

"That's why I say you seem smart and mature. Most people your age, whatever that actually is, probably aren't even considering things like that."

"Regardless, I wouldn't say that it's necessarily a bad thing to depend on others. People have been taking care of each other since they lived in caves. No one could survive on their own back then!"

Perhaps it could serve as a bit of a consolation, though the feline knew that such feelings were hard to put to rest. Unfortunately, as much as she'd want to help Chako, there wasn't really a way she could, at least as far as she herself knew. Then things turned around and it was her turn to share a bit about herself, apparently...

"Ah..."

"Well, I guess I just do some boring art stuff. Draw things, design things... mostly when big companies build housing, I can make models so they can show how it will all look like before even any foundations have even been laid down..."

It really wasn't anything impressive, either.

@Chako

 

[Chako]

Chako felt like that answer was a bit reductive, but she decided to not comment on that.

"Oh, I'm 14." Chako replied to the mumbled words. She knew that she should keep some information to herself when talking to someone she had just met, but she didn't feel like sharing her age was an issue, "And well... I dunno, I know plenty of people trying to figure out what they wanna do when they grow up? It's just that most people have more hopes for themselves than I have."

Then, Chako sighed, "We don't live in caves anymore though... And I know depending on others is fine," not like she had any choice on the matter anyways, "but I'd rather not be a complete burden if I could help it..." She was honestly a bit surprised that Fina didn't seem to be relating to that... Perhaps she always had an idea of a job that she could work with.

Then, Chako listened to Fina explaining what her job was like, "Ah... That sounds pretty impressive! To keep a house design job while competing with AI!? You must be amazing!" Chako did assume that AI wasn't actually that good at making brand new house designs, but it was probably pretty easy to make a lackluster, boring, functional house design with AI, so... She felt like Fina must be really good at her job to still keep it to this day.

She smiled a bit, "I'm happy for you. Wish I had the confidence to try seriously investing on something I loved to try finding my own way of making money..." Maybe if she had learned how to sing and compose for more popular genres instead of learning how to play the harp, she could actually dream of making a living as a musician... But Chako couldn't imagine herself playing anything other than classical music, so that couldn't be helped.

"Well... At least I can make my own living here in Arcia." Chako muttered. At times like these, she wondered about what would happen if she told her mom about Arcia. If she told her mom that she wanted to live here permanently... Ideally together.

Chako sighed. She knew she'd just have her means of coming here taken away if she ever talked to her mom about it.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

That young, huh? What exactly was Fina doing when she was that age..? Playing games the same as she is not, and dying of allergies, probably. And being an edgy teenager. It was not exactly a good time in her life, all things considered, but she was not the subject of conversation at the moment.

As their conversation continued, the scenery slowly shifted. The woods were eventually left behind, the sun inched toward the horizon. As Lucia treaded the well-traveled dirt path, many a fields would pass by them, some simply full of grass, many filled with flowers of many beautiful colors. But, eventually, they were all replaced by fields of maturing wheat, still a bit green, but hints of gold already settling in.

"We might not live in caves, but what I'm saying is that community is important."

Ultimately, everyone had to forge their own path in life. Dejection was common, and far too many people allowed it to consume them whole, to dictate what they could and could not do in life. Right now, Chako might have been lamenting due to her condition. In that regard, Fina knew only one thing - that she became a better and stronger person herself thanks to what had happened to her. So she could only hope for the child to eventually go through the same realization. She would pat her head again.

"Thank you. And don't worry, thinks will be okay. In the end, everything always works out somehow. Sometimes really good, other times not as good, but it always does."

Pormont
Roads near Aleford

"Look! We're in Pormont... well, the area, not the city. That's still ways away... but we're getting there."

She wondered if Chako would find the wonders of this place as magical as herself. Fina was well aware that not everyone would appreciate these things. There were definitely many who would find watching these fields... boring? Waste of time? Perhaps. But it felt peaceful to her. Cozy, even. The idea of a magical world, in a strange sense, was this. At least to her, anyway.

@Chako

 

[Chako]

"Well, I don't disagree with that." Chako replied. There wasn't much energy within the reply, but it was true that she understood the idea.

Then, as Chako's head was patted, she started purring a bit as she nuzzled her hair against Fina's hand, "I guess being optimistic like that can be nice too..." Her voice was actually pretty soft and comfortable now, contrasting drastically to how it was just a few minutes ago, as if a switch had been flipped on Chako.

She was also blushing a bit, but that couldn't be helped when considering how embarrassing purrs were.

---

As they kept traveling, Chako started noticing the slow, but sure change in the scenery. The beautiful woods of Eastern Brisshal were slowly left behind, leading the way to beautiful flower fields, "Whoa..." Chako's eyes were shining as she looked at them. Just this sight alone made the trip worth it, she felt.

Then, it slowly changed to wheat fields, which were... Admittedly, not as pretty, but... Chako was still smiling as she saw it, "The fields are so big... The small family-tended fields in Honeyhome were nothing like this." It's the exact kind of thing that makes her very happy to be in Arcia. All those wonderful sights that she would never be able to see back on Earth,

Was it a bit repetitive to see big wheat fields everywhere? Sure... But that's what made it all the more impressive, "It's pretty amazing that this is all cultivated by hand, isn't it?" It made it feel even more special in Chako's view... No tractors with extremely loud engines that pollute the air nearby; just people making their own living in their own way... "I hope they like the harp here." Chako muttered more to herself than to Fina. She did have a bit of money saved, but it would be hard on her if she didn't manage to make any profit from her performances... This wasn't like Eastern Brisshal where she could always subsist on wild fruits if push came to shove, after all; and she was not going to steal from people's plantations, so... Well, Chako better earn her keep while she's staying here.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

It looked like Chako liked the place just fine. That was good, because there was much more where that came from!

"That’s Pormont for you. Most food exported to the neighboring areas comes from here. And rarer things like flowers and the like probably travel all over this world after they get cultivated here. And while wheat is most common as far as I know, there are plenty of other crops, just gotta find the right farm."

Indeed, Fina had helped such farms in the past. Anything from hunting down… particularly nasty pests, all the way to making temporary tools for workers when disaster struck. Which actually made the feline chuckle a little when Chako marveled at the idea that all of these fields were tended to with nothing but bare hands and basic tools.

"Well, it is true that scythes and the like are the most common tools here, but it’s not like locals are afraid of using magic to help all of their produce grow and harvest. I hear that water-based mages are often employed here, especially during drought seasons! Those with power over winds can make blades of air that cut down lots of wheat at once, and mages with geomancy can check quality of soil at any given time!"

While all of this was true, and a brief introduction to how things worked here, it was also a subtle nudge for Chako, maybe give her a few ideas of what she could be doing around these parts later on. Sure, it sounded like she had some plans in regards to her music, but flexing her mastery muscles would only help her get some gold that could make her life here more comfortable. Especially in the area of not sleeping outside on the ground.

"But yeah, I’m sure they’ll like harps as well. In fact, a lot of the smaller communities here have their own festivals and celebrations, especially during the time of harvest. Plenty of music during those, I’m sure they could use another musician to join in~"

@Chako

 

[Chako]

"Flowers travel... All over the world?" Chako tilted her head, trying to understand why that would happen, "Are they like... Really important alchemy materials or something? Or is it just because they're pretty?" Like, Chako loved looking at pretty flowers herself, but she figured each place would just grow whatever flowers grew natively in their region? She was a bit confused with why flowers would be distributed all over Arcia.

She could totally understand that food grown here was shared across the rest of Falderen though, but the flowers still surprised her.

"Oh, right!" Chako clapped her hands once, "They can use magic, after all! That would certainly make growing crops and doing the harvest a lot easier!" Chako could easily imagine a group of people trying to bring rain clouds over if they noticed the rainy season hadn't rained enough for the crops, or if the drought season was lasting too long.

... Or would it be easier to just use magic to create the water? Chako was unsure. She felt like you'd need a lot of power to manipulate the weather, but at the same time, using the existing rain clouds should be easier than making enough water for the whole field from scratch, right?

... She wondered if Fina knew, so she decided to ask, "Hey, what do you think is easier? Watering a whole field with magic, or bringing rain clouds from farther away to water it for you?" She personally preferred the rain idea... Even if it was just because she liked the idea of a rain dance actually being used here... Thinking about how different regions might have different ritualistic rain dances was also a bit exciting for her... She wanted to learn more about this kind of thing.

Fina's next words confused Chako for a bit though, "A harp in... A festival...?" She pondered for a few seconds before realizing how that would work, "Oh, of course! This is the place where lady Uene's main church is, after all! A festival dedicated to her ladyship would probably involve classical music!" Chako started smiling from ear to ear as she thought of that. She never played in a festival before. Her only performances to public were her solo songs in Honeyhome, or solo songs in recitals back on Earth... It was actually a bit exciting to think of this. She would need to learn the local songs, but... "It would almost be like playing in an orchestra..." Chako accidentally muttered out loud. That would be a real dream come true, for sure.

She wondered if she could dance in the festivals too, but... Well, if it was a festival dedicated to lady Uene, then she probably wasn't good enough for it yet... Maybe one day...

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

Fina nodded along with Chako's musings.

"I wouldn't be surprised if many of them were used as alchemical ingredients, yes. But your second ideas is much more likely. After all, you can't grow plants anywhere. Some will only grow in very specific places."

Looking around them, it was obvious that not every place in the kingdom could be like Pormont, either. All of the fields that surrounded them could only be here thanks to the fertile lands and favorable weather conditions.

"Some can buy flowers from distant places just to flaunt their wealth, to show that they can afford something exotic. Others may want certain flowers for festivals or celebrations… and I'm sure there are also many other uses in this world."

Maybe it was because of the influence of Starcalled, but there could often be many parallels between this world, and the physical world they all had to live in when they weren't able to put their VR headsets on.

"Pretty sure something like that happened in our world in the distant past, too… tulips… tulips crashed the world's economy or something…"

She never paid that much attention in history class, though. Not to mention that Chako was very clearly far more interested in this world, rather than their own. To the point where she started wondering about logistics of water-based magic.

"I… have no idea…"

"I mean, my own powers technically create something out of nothing… but in reality, they're making objects out of raw mana. So I suppose someone with enough skill could create water out of mana as well."

In a strange way, magic was rather comparable to alchemy, was it not? Surely something people infinitely more clever than herself were discussing frequently in settings far different from this field-encased dirt road. That said… Fina did bring down her hand on Chako's head, this time not to ruffle her hair, but to mimic a weak karate chop right down the middle of her cranium.

"Yes, music, magic, festivals. What I'm trying to suggest here is that you could try to help out. If you have any applicable masteries, find poor and desperate farmers who could use the help. If you have musical masteries or are just interested in music, find preparation areas and ask if you could join. I'm sure they would all welcome you."

Of course, she already picked up on the contextual clues that Chako ticked all of those boxes. She just wanted to nudge her forward to make sure she would not leave this chance behind and regret it later.

@Chako

 

[Chako]

"Oh? That so?" Chako was genuinely surprised at that, "Wouldn't it be hard to keep a plant alive outside of its native environment though...?" She thought about it for a second, "Wait, people grow cacti in pots back on Earth, so I guess it might not be that hard if you know what you're doing." Well, maybe some plants would die more easily in other environments, but Chako figured most plants would probably be able to survive if taken care of appropriately.

She then nodded to Fina's next words, "Right, I could see that! I wouldn't be surprised if some flowers were associated with specific deities and were used in festivals for them!" Chako smiled while thinking of that... She was looking forward to the church visit more and more as they talked. There was so much stuff she could learn about here!

Then, Chako opened her mouth agape, "Wait... Tulips did what!?" She didn't know if Fina was mocking her or was serious, but it came so out of nowhere that Chako ended assuming she was serious about it... "How could that even happen...?" She mused out loud. It felt so absurd...

Fina's reply to Chako's subsequent question disappointed her a bit though, "I guess it would be hard to know it without trying it... I made water with magic before, but like... Definitely not enough to water a whole field; and trying to move whole rain clouds was like... Well, it tired me sooooo fast to get sooooo little progress! I feel like I'd need a lot of people to be able to do anything with that!

"So... I guess it's really hard to know which one would work better..." Didn't make it any less disappointing though.

"Nya!?" The sudden chop on her head absolutely confused her. It didn't hurt since Fina didn't put much strength behind it, but Chako looked up with an absolutely befuddled expression while Fina continued talking, "Aaaaah! So that's what you meant...!

"... I never even considered using magic to make money, to be completely honest." Chako then stopped talking for a bit to think... Following that, she lowered her head and started looking downwards at Lucia, as she was unable to look Fina in the eyes right now, "Say... Do you remember what we were talking about earlier? About like... What I wanted for my future back on Earth?

"I really... Really would love to make a living from music. I really really would.

"So like... I feel like I finally have the chance to do this now that I'm here in Arcia.

"So uhn... What I mean is... Well... Thanks. I really appreciate the advice, but... I don't think I want to use magic to make a living.

"I-I will try to talk to people and see if they want another musician for festivals and the like though! I definitely would love to participate!

"Just... I don't think I want to help people out in farms to get enough money to sleep with a roof over my head." Not like she ever went to inns in Honeyhome though, she just made her body disappear as she logged out and that was that.

... After talking this much with Fina though, Chako felt like she shouldn't tell people in Pormont that she was a Starcalled, so an inn room would be necessary.

Either way, Chako hoped that Fina wouldn't mind what she had just said... It's not really nice to throw away other people's advice, but... Chako really didn't want to do anything other than play the harp to make a living. At least not until she could dance to earn her keep too.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

It was unfortunate that Fina wasn't exactly knowledgeable about the topic herself. Any answer she gave would be wholly unsatisfactory, or just assumptions on her part. Though… when did that stop her, exactly?

"Oh, I'm sure it can't be easy to transport some of these flowers. But the business has been here for ages, so the locals probably have it figured out in some way?"

Heck, if Chako were to become closer with the locals, maybe they would even share some of their secrets so the girl could take a flower from here and keep it alive throughout her travels! Given how much she seemed to be interested in the local Church, perhaps even a flower that would remind her of the deity it was dedicated to? Or, given how defeated she seemed to be when talking about using water magic- a reminder to always keep improving. After all, water was often the essence of life, and a flower could be a good reminder of that.

"I know how you feel. When I was starting out, all of my mana constructs were brittle and would break right away. They were not the right shape, it was really difficult to make what I wanted… but I'm sure you saw that axe I used before, right?"

And for a bit of an emphasis, the feline extended her hands past Chako as several things started appearing in the air, spinning around them. Specifically, they were flowers. Not living flowers, no- constructs of Fina's acranamancy. And like everything she created, even these flowers looked like they were made out of shiny gems. All shades of blue and purple, refracting the light that shone through them.

"But the more I practiced, the easier it became. Eventually, I was even able to make complex shapes just like these flowers. And the more I did it, the less exhausted after each try I was. So take heart, and keep at it. With time, you will be able to move those clouds and water entire fields no problem!"

With that, the flowers broke apart and faded. It was unfortunate, but it was impossible for Fina to keep them around forever. They would only last as long as she channeled mana into them. But she still hoped that it would be of encouragement to the young girl. And then, that same girl opened up…

The lavender-haired swordmaster took her time to listen, staying silent throughout, not wanting to interrupt. Only once she was fully certain that Chako was done talking did she plant both of her hands firmly on the girl's shoulders and leaned it, placing her head almost right next to the girl's with a faint smile present.

"Then, say, ever thought about learning how to play a piano?"

Leaning a bit further back to give the girl more personal space, she continued.

"You see, I wasn't born paralyzed. My legs were taken away from me in a car accident. I became a serious shut-in for many years after that, but to not drown in my own sorrow, well… I focused my attention elsewhere. A single-minded pursuit, everything else be damned, so to say… I learned to play piano. And started with a few other instruments as well. I'd dare to say I'm pretty good at it now, so I could teach you… or we could just play together at some point, up to you~"

@Chako

 

[Chako]

Chako nodded, "Yeah, they surely must have figured it out!" When there is a will, there is a way, after all!

... If only I actually believed that when talking about my own future prospects. Chako decided to not voice those thoughts though.

Chako felt like the scale of moving rain and making better constructs was a bit different, but... It was a bit relieving to hear Fina talk about how she improved over time, "I can't even imagine your constructs being brittle." She replied with a smile on her face... It was a simple thing, and kinda obvious if you thought about it for a bit, but still, hearing that someone who could easily wild a giant axe like that had also started small did give Chako some hopes for her future here in Arcia.

"Whooaaa..." Chako stared at the flying flowers in awe... She didn't know it was possible to instantly make something this pretty out of thin air... "I guess... I'll keep practicing. Until my dances can actually move whole rain clouds over!" Did she believe she was actually going to be able to do this? She... Wasn't sure. But it was hard to measure what were the limits of magic anyways, so it didn't hurt to have a lofty goal.

Then, Chako saw Fina's face right next to hers; she wasn't planning on looking at her, but it was hard to avoid it in this situation, "The piano?" Chako wasn't expecting this sudden question, but Fina's follow up explained its purpose quite well... And then, Chako stayed silent as she thought about it... It was a bit hard for her to answer the question.

But eventually, Chako shook her head and slapped her own cheeks, "I can't say I ever wished to learn a new instrument, but... If you wanna teach me, I'd be willing to learn!" She considered commenting on the fact that Fina lost her legs in a car accident, that she was sorry to hear it, that she hoped Fina was able to overcome her own sorrow, but... Chako hated being pitied by others like that, and she felt like Fina probably had to deal with more than enough pity herself, so Chako decided to not comment on any of that.

"If you want to play together, I would be up for that too! Two pianos, harp and piano, you name it! If I can learn the piano well, I wouldn't mind performing with it too!" Chako couldn't maintain the energy and the smile in her face for that long though, "I guess... Dad would be happy if I tried new things." She accidentally muttered out loud.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

Keeping people positive was… surprisingly difficult, wasn't it? Or perhaps that was merely because Fina herself wasn't particularly cheerful person most of the time, not a very sociable one. She was doing her best though, and that was what counted, right..? If nothing else, it seemed that Chako was at least being a bit more positive, not to mention that what they were doing right now overall was something she was looking forward to.

Though as she mentioned her father for the very first time, things once again seemed a bit sadder. Of course, the the feline had absolutely no idea what the situation might have been. The child did not mention her second parental figure at all until now, which did give Fina a bit of a potential idea, especially paired with the notion that Chako wanted to support her mother. But as different things swirled around in her mind, the girl noticed something in the distance. Perhaps a distraction would be more helpful than anything else.

Once again grabbing one of Chako's shoulders, the weaponmaster leaned into the child's back as she extended her other hand forward, pointing at something far ahead of them. That something was still barely recognizable, but with a bit of a focus, it became clear that it was an ever-slightly growing silhouette of a large man-made structure.

"Straight ahead! Since you said that is where you wanted to go the most, we're nearing the first church of Uene. Not too long now!"

And to help a bit with Chako who, presumably, would be quite happy upon hearing this news, Fina signaled to Lucia to speed up again. With a full gallop, the wind blowing against them would make their hair dance as the once distant shadow grew ever-closer.

"I feel like this is a bit of a peculiar place though. At least as the first place to visit, usually people want to find a place to stay before going to these major landmarks. So why do you wanna go there first?"

@Chako

 

[Chako]

Things suddenly got quiet, and Chako wondered what had happened. Was Fina not excited about the idea of them playing together? But she's the one who suggested it...

Chako tried to think if there was anything that she had said that could have created an awkward silence, but nothing came to mind, unless, Wait... I didn't mention dad out loud, did I?

... I'm pretty sure I did. Chako silently reprimanded herself for not controlling her mouth properly. "Uhn..." She tried thinking of something to lighten the mood. She figured Fina had noticed how simply mentioning her dad put Chako down.

Luckily enough, she didn't need to think of anything, because they were arriving at their destination, "Oooooh!" She gazed in the direction Fina pointed... She couldn't see it that well, to be honest. Chako wished she had better eyes to see farther ahead, but... Hey, at least she didn't need any glasses here in Arcia, it was something!

Fina's touch helped Chako relax a bit, and Lucia moving faster was also quite exciting, she held on to the saddle a bit more tightly just in case, but a smile quickly got back to Chako's face, "It's like moving with Ruby again!" Well, it wasn't as fast as it was with Ruby though... And this time she could actually feel the wind on her face, which felt great! It was definitely a different experience, but in a good way!

"Why there first?" Chako repeated Fina's question, "I... Didn't think of looking for a lodging first, I guess?" She replied honestly, "I'm just seriously excited to learn more about lady Uene! That's the whole reason why I chose to come to Pormont, after all!" There were a lot of nice places that she had heard about and that she wanted to explore, but... She felt like this one had to be first! "Like, I dunno, I heard so much stuff about lady Uene... Like she's the goddess of arts, but also of like... Beauty? Or was she just very pretty? I also heard she was the goddess of marriages and like... Goddess of nature too? And like... Well, isn't that a lot of stuff!?

"I dunno... I just wondered if some of the information was lost as it was spread by mouth, so I wanted to know what was it that lady Uene actually represented, as well as any specific rituals associated with her, and if there is a specific way to dedicate a song or a dance to her... This kind of thing!" Chako explained... She wondered if she looked weird being this excited about lady Uene when talking to someone who wasn't particularly religious here in Arcia, And who thinks of this world as artificial, but well, she didn't let those thoughts get in the way of her excitement!

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

Speeding up was indeed quite exciting, as Lucia was a pretty fast horse overall. Fina quite lucked out when she managed to acquire, her especially given what she had to pay. But no animal like that could realistically compare to a dynamism user. Which was… certainly an unexpected comparison that stunned the feline for a moment, trying to process the name that was uttered.

"Ruby..? Wait, no, hold on- you don't mean a fellow feline beastfolk with red hair, usually done in the way of twin braids, equally red eyes, uses Dynamism to move really fast, and her fighting looks kinda like dancing but with a sword..?"

Surely the world was big enough for there to be multiple individuals to whom a very precise and detailed description like that could fit for, right..? Multiple people who were called 'Ruby' that were able to go fast.

Though, for a different kind of fast, Fina was certainly fast to plant her hand firmly on Chako's head again when the girl admitted to not having much of a plan for being here outside of just learning about the deity that was worshiped locally. Truly, this child… no wonder she managed to get herself attacked by goblins on a mostly peaceful road, she seemed to attract trouble, and her demeanor and approach to things did not help things, either.

"Right, we'll take a brief look around the church and then find you a place to stay so you don't get into any problems… you'll have plenty of time after that for exploration and learning."

@Chako