2nd adventure: sightseeing and debrief

"Oh, so you're here to check on us. Make sure we aren't causing too much mischief." He looks at Mihai and Konrad. "We are usually more focused than this. Please don't take offense."

Konrad just winces at the implied connection. Damage control mode activate. "You have our deepest apologies if we seem scattered today. We've done freelance work for the Coins in the past."

Lying, lying, lying

Mihai just stares blankly, waiting for an answer to his question.

Valerian looks at Mihai. "No. The fairies don't need much," she explains. "Once the place was set up, we could let them run the village themselves."

Then, having answered that, she focuses on Konrad and Steve. "Don't worry, I can see you only came to relax. Although, I would appreciate if you didn't wake up the whole neighborhood again."

The fairies start to clap, happy that they've done something noteworthy. This makes Sarah smile, and she warns them with a playful attitude. "Don't you start. I'm the one who has to deal with the complaints."

"You're the best!" replies one fairy. "We believe in you!"

"Yeah, they can't do anything against her!"

"We're safe with Sarah!"

She shakes her head.

"They seem to like you," remarks Fedler. "A lot, even."

"She's been taking care of us," explains Fluffle. "We owe her a lot."

Breeze listens attentively, fascinated by her kind's attachment to this woman.

"Maybe it's a stupid question, but did you know we were here?"

She gestures with her chin at the lunch boxes in Zelk's arms. Fluffle, Breeze, and Bubble giggle.

Mihai is about to rephrase, but then stops himself. Good thing she misunderstood too. - "Well, thanks for the food."

"Yes, thanks again. It was nice to meet you."

[Subject to change pending food and later events]

Konrad cheerfully invites Sarah to eat with them if she has time.

Otherwise, when dinner rolls around, he'll focus on eating. Once he is done, he will politely excuse himself, saying he has a few purchases to make and some practice to do before the day is over.

If he has time after buying stuff, he will return for a little while and then head back to the ship to read a book.

Valerian respectfully turns down the invitation before she explains that she still has quite a lot of work left to do. She says goodbye to the party and then heads out of the village. The fairies have now finished setting up their little tables, and they wave goodbye at their guardian as she leaves.

"Time to eat!" declares Bubble with as much of a booming voice she can muster.

"Yeah!" replies her kin.

A dozen or so fairies rush out of the biggest of the small houses they've built, holding many plates in their hands, and they begin to serve their brothers and sisters who are "patiently" waiting in their chairs. A glance is enough to tell that they're eating rice that has been cooked with spicy meat. Even if their plates are small, they are still relatively big for the small fey creatures, which prompts Zelk to theorize that their stomachs are like one of those magical holding bags; it's bigger on the inside than the outside. As for the party members, they have no chair to sit on, so they have to make do with the grass. However, it appears this restriction has been taken into account when these lunch boxes were made; opening them reveals one fork and a knife in each set, with the food itself sitting in small compartments that were sculpted into the box itself. It's immediately apparent that the chef has cooked for the party members the same meal the fairies are having, but with larger portions. It's still hot.

Breeze has been dragged by the others fairies to sit with them and placed her between Fluffle and Bubble. After they yelled "Thanks for dinner!" in unison, they began to eat at an almost voracious pace, all with their hands. After only a few minutes, a few fairies were already asking for seconds. Fifteen minutes later, everyone has finished their plate, and they began to sing silly songs about a squirrel who wanted to leaves his job of emperor of the world, or a turtle who is striving to become the best actor ever. They would often try to convince the party members to join them; Fedler agreed, but she warned them she couldn't be really loud, or her throat would start to hurt. Even Zelk participated, although she made a point to only whisper the lyrics, and if Steve leaned on her to hear more clearly, it became obvious why; she had no talent at all. However, she appeared to have fun.

A few dozen songs later, after the tables were cleared out and the plates sent to be washed in one of the small houses (the same place where they cooked dinner), the fairies all lined up to say goodbye; one by one, they would tell each party member how great of a day they had and that they hoped the five of them would come back one day. This alone took at least thirty minutes. As for Breeze...

"Can I stay for the night?" asked the blue-haired girl, both of her hands joined together in a pleading gesture. "Bubble told me I could sleep at her house! Please? Please!"

That amuses Fedler, and even Zelk, quite a lot.

"That's fine with me. What do you guys think?"

to Breeze - "Sure, but don't leave here alone in the morning. Wait for us to come get you, or bring someone along with you if you're tired of waiting."

Konrad sings along if he can get the words right, and holds back nothing. Instead of taking off early, he stays and keeps singing and laughing with them, and says goodbye to each of them.

Deception
GM ask me when you're online.

"Absolutely, I think you'll be safe here."

Breeze's eyes widen once her comrades give their approval. Just to be sure, she turns at Fedler, who smiles back at her.

"Just go have fun," says the redhead.

The blue-haired fairy's face lights up at these words.

"Thank you!" she tells them. "I'll be good, I promise!"

"Don't you worry!" reassures Bubble. "I'll look after her."

The fairies, including Breeze, wave at the party as they leave the village. The sun is now is slowly starting its descent below the horizon; only two more hours, and it will be completely dark. Zelk suddenly grabs Steve by the back of his collar, and informs them with a blunt tone, "Sorry, we've got unfinished business to attend to," and then proceeds to drag him somewhere else; probably an inn, if anyone was to guess.

"Well, see you tomorrow 'Akim the Woven'," adds Fedler.

She turns around and walks in the opposite direction of where Steve and Zelk are going.

OOC:

Konrad gives a perverted chuckle at the image of those two stumbling off, and merely smiles and nods at Fedler. "Red."

Fedler and Mihai are walking southeast.

"So... plans?"

"Hmm, not really. Had something in mind?" she asks him with a false nonchalant attitude.

"Well, way too early to turn in. But i'm not sure about approaching any more statues." - he muses - "Still, gotta be something to do at night in a town like this; even if we're saving the puppets for Highwind."

"You're right, I would rather avoid the statues." At this moment, Mihai realizes they're walking towards the inn they stayed at last night.

"Or... would you rather turn in?" - he asks, in a slightly sly tone

She keeps the casual attitude. "Yeah, I feel like going to bed early tonight. A hundred like Breeze are enough to exhaust me."

Mihai chuckles - "Well, it's different. Not that mind." - then slightly switches his tone - "Still, bed sounds good." - he admits, then teases - "Reeally tired. Just gonna crash and not move an inch till morning."

She smirks, then retorts, "I can actually arrange that."

"Oh?" - Mihai asks innocently while faking a yawn

"I guess you'll just have to see." The inn is now in sight. "I'll pay for tonight. You just get on that bed."

Now he's actually intrigued - "...ok?" - he just keeps on walking.

"Wait, what?" Steve manages, before being dragged away. When he finally realizes what is going on he laughs and grabs her hand, letting her pull him along wherever she wants to go...

14:47 PM, 11th of August,
Zest's Gate, the Enclave

The party had reconvened at the Fairy Village to get Breeze, but just like yesterday, the fairies wouldn't let their guest go before they all stood in line and, one by one, said goodbye to her. That alone took a whole hour. Bubble actually had to organize the line and ensure that no one took too long. The group might also have noticed that Fluffle was shy when his turn came, and strangely enough, there was a hint of timidity coming from Breeze too. But there was no time for questions, since they had a ship to catch. The fairies all lined up and waved goodbye at the party members as they left the village.

The Barracuda's sails have been eased, and Edward is ordering the crew to detach the ramp from the docks. Everyone is now on board; Adam, Fredrick and Naomi all came back a few hours ago, and none of the sailors are missing (what a feat). At this moment, the party is standing on deck, watching the ship slowly moving away from the docks with Zest's Gate in the background.

Clouds are covering the sky. Hopefully, there won't be a storm.

"...I'm gonna miss the village," remarks Breeze with a melancholic tone.

"You could have stayed," points out Zelk.

"No way. I gotta stick with my friends!"

"And she signed a contract," adds Fedler, leaning on the handrail.

"That too."

Something turns Mihai melancholic as he leans on the rail, and looks deep in thought for a moment. Then tries to snap out of it, and just up and asks Breeze. - "Did you exchange Globules with Fluffle or something?"

"Yes, he seemed even more awkward than usual around you," piles on Steve.

The captain snickers. "Let it go, comrades. You're just going to embarrass her."

Breeze is caught off-guard by Steve and Mihai's questions. "Uh, no, um, it's nothing," she says in an unconvincing manner. "Nothing happened."

She's never blushed that fast before. When Konrad comes to her rescue, she quickly flies towards him, and hides behind his neck. Fedler chuckles at this sight, and even Zelk is smiling.

Mihai blinks at Breeze. His eyes slightly wide, wondering if he just read her right..