Our First Job - Jacana (xX_LuluCat_Xx) and Kino (__Renewal)

https://www.fairytail-rp.com/t42995-potion-making-assistant

Jacana walked down the paved path, holding the sheet of paper up against the mid-day sun. "It looks like we just need to create a potion and bring it and its recipe to the owner of Trinkets and Think-Its," she mused, not paying attention to where she was walking. She rolled up the parchment and tucked it into her satchel. "What kind of ingredients do you think we should use?" She asked, looking up at the older mage. "We're on the lake, so maybe we could gather some algae?"

(89 words uwu)

Kino walked behind Jacana, occasionally having to hold her by the shoulders and steer her away from oncoming foot-traffic as she fumbled along nose stuffed in the advertisement. He nearly fell into her when the girl came to an abrupt stop, his high heels clicking against the cobblestone pavement. Why couldn't we just leave already. Why did she /have/ to go check out the job board? Ugh. "What kind of ingredients? I dunno. I know chicory root grows in this area. That's used for potions." ... Right?

Word Count: 87
Total Word Count: 176
uwu

Jacana beamed up at Kino. "Isn't this exciting? We just need to throw some plants together, imbue it with some magic, and then we'll have completed our first job together!" She ran forward a few steps before spinning to look back at him. She gripped her hands behind her back and squeezed them. She waited thirteen years to go look for her father; she could wait a little longer. She just needed to get strong enough, and get enough money. This was her first real step toward her goal. I can do this. "Let's finish this up quickly, so we can get our reward and start heading to the Silver Wolves guild!"

Word Count: 112
Total Word Count: 288

Kino rolled his eyes as Jacana flourished; spinning and whatnot in the crowded city street. "Heh." He laughed to himself as memories of simpler times were drawn out from the depths of his foggy mind. "You are right though. We should try to get this done so we can leave tomorrow." He offered a wry smirk before clicking forward towards her. "Unless... We could set off right now. I think you'd enjoy the food I can make from forages."

Word Count: 79
Total Word Count: 367

Jacana's eyes widened. "You can cook?!" She asked excitedly, leaning in toward him. This solves the food-money problem! Ah! I never knew how much food costs, so this will great to have him around! "I knew you were cool!" She paused, then added quickly, "Well, I mean, we already took the job, so, you know, we should complete it. And, it wouldn't hurt to have a little extra jewel." I still can't believe food, transport, and the canoe blew through most of my savings. Not that Mr. Mage here needs to know that. "Well, we're getting algae and chicory root, right? Do you," she laughed sheepishly, "know where exactly to find those?"

Word Count: 112
Total Word Count: 479

Kino winced as Jacana leaned forward; going so far as to take a step back before patting out the ruffles in his blue shirt. "Yes: I can cook. It's an essential job when you are on your own." He explained, still the slightest bit disgruntled at Jacana intruding on his personal space. "Algae is simple. A lot of it floats on the water and whatnot, but that would be hard to gather without a really fine net, so we should just go to the shallow banks of the lake and pick up some rocks with algae on them. Or I suppose we could try and ask a fisherman to let us borrow his bait net?" He offered.

Word Count: 117
Total Word Count: 596

Jacana nodded as Kino spoke. "It might be faster to collect rocks that have algae on them. Not to mention, we might have to pay the fisherman to let them lend us their net." She took a step away. "Do you think we'll have to buy a vial or bottle for the potion and find a place to make it, or do you think the owner of Trinkets and Think-Its will let us make it there?" She asked. "I hope it's the latter."

Word Count: 83
Total Word Count: 679

Kino continued walking toward the bridge. "What? Oh it's not gonna be a big deal. I'd assume there are a couple glassblowers here in town. Besides, it would be rude to assume we are being supplied anything" He looked around. "We should probably get the vials first and then the algae since, ya know, it doesn't like being out of the water for long." He turned around and started walking, then stopped. "Do you have any idea where we're going?"

Word Count: 80
Total Word Count: 759

Jacana walked alongside Kino. "Ah, you're right. This is my first job like this, so I guess I'm still pretty fresh, haha." She glanced around as they continued through town, keeping an eye out for a general store or glassblowers shop. It took her a few steps before she realized Kino had stopped walking. She turned around, and crossed the distance back to him. "Um," she hummed, looking around. "How about there?" She suggested, pointing to a store across the plaza with a hanging sign that depicted a corked bottle and vial, hallmarks of glassware.

Word Count: 96
Total Word Count: 855

Dark eyes squinted against the midday sun and this dark gaze was guided by Jacana's golden one; lazing along the bright stucco storefronts until it connected with the rudimentary wooden sign hanging from iron chains. Dark eyes relaxed, and Kino spoke. "We may as well check it out," He agreed, starting through the crowd of brightly clothed people toward the neatly tiled roof where a stout chimney huffed out; oscillating between light smoke and thick clouds as a presumed bellows was aerated. Kino took a second for a deep breath. First day with her and I already need to speak with a businessman. Ugh. He walked straight up to the desk where an aged woman sat with her legs crossed. Her cherry red lips were puckered like she had just finished sucking a lemon and her hair was done up in extravagant waves. "Ah look's the the good weather's dragged in a couple of handsome youngins'." She elated. "Welcome to Gerald's," She snapped, glaring back at the balding man working a bellows. "Glassware."

Word Count: 173
Total Word Count: 1028

Pushing after Kino, Jacana followed him toward the building as she was jostled by the crowd. Why does he have to walk so fast? It was natural, considering they'd only just met that morning; it'd take a while for them to get used to and adjust to one another. --But still... don't just go off without me! I can't push throw as easy as you! She squeezed through the last of the lunch-rush crowd and huffed beside the door, catching her breath. "Al...alright... here I go." Jacana gripped the door's handle and swung the heavy wood open, stumbling in. Squaring her shoulders as the door thunked close behind her, she strode up to the counter to stand beside the much taller man at the counter, just as the woman started speaking. Releasing a still-annoyed breath, Jacana followed the woman's glare to the older man at the bellows, before looking back at her. Are they married? She fiddled with her hair absentmindedly. "We're looking to purchase a glass bottle or vial suitable for holding a potion," she explained, looking at the woman --still having not acknowledged Kino since entering the store.

Word Count: 190
Total Word Count: 1218

Limes sat right above the woman's half moon glasses. She looked over her shoulder and groaned. When she opened her mouth again, Kino noticed the brassiness in her voice; she sounded like an old trumpet. "Youngins. Will listen to an old pathetic woman's tale of woe?" She leaned forward, the shining limes in her eyes bulging out from her skull like the stuffing from a well loved toy. "Of course you want to. What sweet children you are... So kind... Well basically, today was me and this old fart's anniversary. We've been married seventy seven years kiddos. I know, I know. A day hasn't gone by that I do not think of up and leaving him." She leaned back to her normal sitting position. "Well; he forgot our anniversary! I bought him new shoes-- the first new ones since our last anniversary, and made him a wonderful breakfast with potaters and eggs and the like. He didn't get me nothin!" She crossed her arms like a defiant child. "So you had best believe I'm not letting him get any business today; he don't deserve it!"

Word Count: 185
Total Word Count: 1403

Jacana opened her mouth to turn down the woman's offer, but was shut up before she could even start. The woman drawled on with back-and-forth tones of love and spite for the older-than-77-year-old forgetful husband, all-the-while Jacana was bitting her tongue to keep from rudely interrupting the woman. I. Do. Not. Want. To. Hear. About. Your. Lovers. Quarrel. Okay, no. It's fine. If you upset her, then there's really no way she'll sell us anything. You've just got to be smart and polite. Smart and polite. Smart. And. Polite. Jacana summoned her friendliest, kindest smile, which is to say that she gave a tight-lipped just-shy-of-a-grimace smile that barely veiled her irritation. "Wow, I can't believe he'd do something like that! But, maybe he's just waiting for tonight to give you the present he totally bought for you?" She attempted. "'Cause there's no way he'd forget his anniversary to such a beautiful and intelligent woman. So, maybe you can have him make us something quickly, or if you have something already made that we can just buy?" She asked, wanting to hurry this up. I hope she's not one of those stubborn old people you always hear about.

Word Count: 197
Total Word Count: 1600

The sentences droned together like the waves at sea; once the old malice faded it was replaced with a new unsightly remark. Kino closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Um-" He attempted, but was cut off by the woman. He frowned. "Miss-" Again, he was ignored by the elderly woman. One more time, "Excuse-" He cursed under his breath, distraught at the prospect of being ignored. He tilted his head to the side and his left eye twitched before he took another moment and remembered to breath. In and out. Soon his heels went click-clicking out of the store, leaving Jacana in there all alone.

"... And so that's why he could have gotten me a new nail file too. Ugh. What a jerk wad smelly freaking-" The rest of her sentiments would be included, but censoring was necessary to retain our "PG" rating... "So I really think the only way I'd ever sell another one of his [redacted] glassware is if someone gives me some way to get the hell out of here! And it will be the last glassware i ever sell!"

Word Count: 193
Total Word Count: 1793

Jacana grit her teeth and winced at each of Kino's rejections before the man up and left. W-wait! I know she-- but--?! Come back! Don't leave me here to fend for myself!! What the hell?!?! She quickly turned her gaze back to the woman in front of her. "Mhm." "Totally." "Yeah." "Sure, uh-huh." She responded back whenever the woman paused and looked at her. Finally, the old hag's story came to an end, though not without first lighting up Jacana. "You just need a mode of transport?!" She asked suddenly, leaning in quickly. "I have a boat! Well, a canoe, but still! Very easy to use! I can even walk you to where I tied it up! --But we really need that glassware first, sound like a good deal?" Please, please, please just accept my offer! Kino up and left me to do this myself, so this is all I can think of! --And that stupid canoe cost me 5,000J, but I couldn't even sell it back to anyone!! So, old lady, please just accept and let me get back on my way!

Word Count: 183
Total Word Count: 1976
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A saggy eyelid was creased back when Jacana spoke. "A boat you say?" And just like that, the woman was led to a canoe-- two glass vials in hand, and soon was off toward her new life on the high seas... Or so she thought.

Kino looked up at a frustrated Jacana walking back toward him. "So, how'd it go?"

Word Count: 60
Total Word Count: 2036

(Sorry! I've been busy with graduation and family >.< >.<)

Jacana strode down the paved town street, two glass vials in-hand, and a self-satisfied smile painted across her face. She looked ahead when she saw Kino, and the corner of her smile twitched when she his seemingly indifferent expression. She crossed the distance to him before stopping. "In exchange for my canoe, I got two glass vials. Admittedly not the bet trade, but I think this counts as the proverbial 'two birds with one stone.'" She paused, then added, "It was really a pain though. She wouldn't stop talking and it took a lot of convincing to get her to agree. --Which is why it took so long. Which," she started, her expression turning frustrated and annoyed, "you didn't have to walk out like that. What would've happened if I hadn't been able to trade the canoe for the glass vials? Seriously! Hmph!"  She pursed her lips, glared at him, then relented. "You know what? Doesn't matter. Let's just hurry up with this job so we can finish before the day ends, 'kay?"

Word Count: 173
Total Word Count: 2209

Kino shrugged. "Well, if you're sure." He agreed before turning and clicking back toward the bridge out of town. "So..." His eyes ended up drifting as he led Jacana out of town. Once they arrived at the rocky shoals near the edge of town, he plopped down on a rock and began untying his heels. "Hey kid. Just give me a minute so I can get these dastards off."

Word Count: 69 (uwu)
Total Word Count: 2278