I Don't Carrot All For This Quest

[worstintheworld]

WHO: Natalia L.K. Lanvaldear, OPEN
WHAT: The Old Man at the Chocobo Farm needs help harvesting greens before the first snowfall. Natalia accepts this quest so that she, too, may one day be a Santa Claus. She'll wrangle anyone she can get her hands on to helping the Old Man, since letting chocobos starve is deplorable. This might be enough to sway her into pursuing a chocobo of her own for easier transport. There may also be monsters in the fields. Bring out your prompts!
WHEN: Early to mid November
WHERE: Chocobo Farm and Nearby


It wasn't as if Natalia were ill-prepared for the hard days of labor ahead of her. She knew how hard her own people worked to provide the capital of Baticul with good food, surely this could be no different. She was also healthy and accustomed to traveling outdoors since joining the little group that was working so hard to save the world of Auldrant.

But that didn't mean the work wasn't hard. She toiled diligently, dirt rubbed into the knees of her leggings, her leather gloves dirty and smeared as she pulled up the plants and laid them in the large wicker basket that she carried from row to row. Everything had to be pulled up and preserved before the first snows of winter came down, so there was no time to waste.

Her muscles ached terribly, particularly her shoulders and back. She had to resist the urge to wipe the sweat from her brow lest she smear her face with more dirt and grime. While it was cold outside, the constant movement and physical labor kept her plenty warm. When she returned home, she was often filthy, sweaty, and very tired. Her stomach growled, but she refused to enter any dining establishments when she was in such a dreadful state. Only after she was bathed and dressed in suitable attire did she make her way to the cafe. There were some nights where she simply didn't eat, too tired to even think of food.

And yet, all the while, Natalia never made one word of complaint. This was a job that needed to be done, and she would do it. It was as simple as that. Until she finished, she wasn't going to give it any less than all of her best. Besides, the sooner she finished, the sooner she could equip the Santa Claus job and return to Trano Golsaucia to resume her efforts of fortifying the city.

Comments

[redigere]

Naminé and Sora had been wandering the nearby fields, slaying monsters for experience and to help her get used to the flow of battle. Frankly, it's exhausting for someone who has never been violent once in her short life. So when it seemed that she needed a break, Sora had been so kind as to escort her to the nearby chocobo farm to rest (and let her see the chocobos again, she suspects) before heading back out into the fields to train more. He'd promised to be back in an hour or so to pick her up again.

And now she's apparently acting as a cushion for half a dozen baby chocobo chicks. Naminé isn't quite sure how this happened, especially considering just ten minutes ago she'd been standing instead of laying down, but here she is.

The sound of shuffling nearby has her attempting to sit up-- much to the chicks' disapproval.

"Sora, has it already been-- oh!" She blinks and offers a hesitant smile to Natalia. "Hello again!"

[worstintheworld]

"Naminé! What a pleasure to see you again!" Weary as she might have been, it didn't show in the brightness of her genuine smile. Not many people she'd had the 'pleasure' of meeting in this world had been all that friendly toward Natalia, chafed by her insistent demands to lend their aid to Trano Golsaucia. But Naminé had always been pleasant and sweet. Natalia liked her.

And right now, the girl was reminding her an awful lot of a certain friend of hers who also had an endearing weakness for cute things.

"Well well, I see you're making yourself useful," she giggled, hanging up her basket and tugging the kerchief from her short blonde hair to hang that up as well. "No need to rise for my sake. They probably like the warmth."

[redigere]

"I think you might be right."

She shifts her White Mage cape to reveal a particularly small chocobo chick huddled under it. It squawks indignantly and burrows back in, its tail feathers sticking out from under the fabric.

"Apparently they have their own blankets in the barn, but they like this better...I don't know what I'll do when it's time for me to leave." Naminé gives Natalia a helpless smile.

[worstintheworld]

Natalia chuckled, entertained at the sight. For such large birds, they began their lives so very small indeed. "Shoo them back to their mothers, I suppose," she replied, crouching down on her heels beside her friend.

"You're acquainted with Sora as well, it seems." He was such a friendly fellow, she found it hard to imagine anyone he wouldn't swiftly get to know better. "What brings the two of you here?"

[redigere]

Naminé perks up, always happy to talk about her best friend.

"Oh yes, Sora and I are from the same world, and he's done so much for me." She sits up so she can properly talk with Natalia, and when the chocobo chick in her cloak complains again, she lifts it into her arms to cuddle. "I'm not used to fighting, and he thought it would be a good idea for me to start learning, so we set out today to gain some experience together. He's off on his own for a little bit, though. He'll learn more quickly without having to worry about me."

[worstintheworld]

"I can't say I agree with his decision," Natalia remarked, her smile dropping as her lashes lowered imperiously. "Sometimes in the heat of battle one must be aware of their companions, as well as those nearby the field who may well need protection. It isn't just about improving strength."

Always with the princess lectures. It was no wonder she was unpopular with many of the veteran Heroes of Light, they likely already believed they knew all they needed to know without her unwanted advice.

"Are there any weapons that you've considered favoring?" Natalia asked, brushing some of the hay off of her tunic. She'd fetch her belongings in a moment, but for now, she was concerned about her friend if she was being left to idle as a chocobo babysitter instead of being granted an opportunity to begin her training at once.

[redigere]

"Oh no, he's very aware!" she says earnestly. Letting Natalia get a bad impression of Sora just wouldn't do. "He's always traveled with two of his other friends, and he's escorted many people to safety too. He's one of the best fighters I've ever known. It's just that I got tired that he decided to let me rest and go out on his own for a bit."

The chocobo chick lets out a little wark at this point, which reminds Naminé of one of the ideas she'd been toying with for a while.

"I was thinking about taking on the Chocobo Knight job, or maybe the Archer job." The latter was Sora's suggestion, in fact. "I think I would be better suited for support from the back of the team."

[worstintheworld]

"Oh. Well then, so long as you are content with the situation." Natalia knew it truly was none of her business, but she was fully prepared to deliver a royal (but friendly!) scolding to Sora if it seemed he wasn't giving his friend the proper opportunity to grow.

She'd started to turn toward her belongings again, but stopped at the mention of wanting to become an archer. Natalia turned her head to look at Naminé, then turned the rest of herself as well.

"While I confess I know little of chocobos or the knights who ride them, I am considered one of the best archers in my kingdom. If you wish to learn, I would be happy to offer lessons and tips as you see fit." She made the claim plainly, for while she wasn't inclined to brag, she also had no intentions of undercutting the results of years of training and study. She'd earned her title as a master of Lanvaldear-style archery and was proud of her accomplishments.