To Earthland and Beyond! [Job/Solo]

“Sheesh. It's busy today.”

As Thanan wiped the sweat from his brow, the sun high in the air on this very warm day, he stood in an increasingly large lineup. He had gotten there late, so it was no surprise that he would have to wait a while. Still, it bothered him.

I need this... just hang in there, Thanan. Just persevere a little longer. This passport will be yours before long. And then you can treat yourself to a nice, cold beverage at that lemonade stand down the road...

He snapped out of his optimistic thoughts when he was shoved from behind by a rather imposing man with a full beard and a receding hair line. He could almost be compared to a dwarf, only supersized.

“Move it along, kiddo. Ain't got all day back 'ere.”

Thanan brushed off the rude man for now, turning back and moving forward in the lineup with the rest of the crowd.

“Peasant,” he muttered under his breath.

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Post 1

WC: 165

The sun was boiling over the poor citizens of Hargeon like a raging fire demon.

“What I wouldn't give for a good snowstorm right now,” one of the people behind him could be heard speaking.

“Yeah, I know what'cha mean. This heat's got everyone in a daze, apparently,” the giga dwarf behind Thanan exclaimed.

Directly after that was said, the plant mage could feel giga dwarf's eyes digging into the back of his head.

Thanan was almost ready to turn around and give him a nice smash in the gut or tug his beard or something, but the line was ready to advance further. In the distance he could see a few people walking by with hearty smiles on their faces that had just obtained their passports. People were desperate to get out of this weather, it seemed.

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Post 2

WC: 138

The sun was beginning to enter its prime stage of heat. Directly overhead now, it was the sign that lunch was drawing near. Thanan's stomach grumbled when he saw people eating at a hotdog stand not more than fifteen meters from his current location in the line. He reached out with his hand, but realized that he had to stay where he was in line.

He decided that he would remove his coat. Common sense would say that's the first thing one should do in hot weather, but not for Thanan. Altogether, the boy had forgotten he was wearing it up until this point.

He held it under his arm as he heard the giga dwarf whispering with his other friend behind him.

“Who wears a jacket in this weather, anyway? Fuckin' dumbass.”

A vein almost popped in Thanan's head, but if he got angry now it would probably result in heat stroke. So as he stood there, taking slow baby steps forward in line with his jacket carried under his arm, he began to grow weary.

“When will it be my turn...?”

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Post 3

WC: 183

It was almost as if the sun had become a ray from the heavens when he looked up and saw that it was almost his turn. Right in front of him was the next person up, and as he walked over to sit down, the giga dwarf behind him could be heard audibly praising whatever gods he believed in.

“Almost time for daddy's passport! 'Ey, kiddo, c'mere for a sec.”

He managed to grab Thanan's attention, and as he stared into the dwarf's eyes he wondered what the man could possibly want from him. To steal his spot, perhaps? Through some trickery?

“What say you an' me duel for the passport? If I win we switch places. And if you win I'll pay for it for ya! After all, kids like you can't pay for much on you's own, eh?”

Thanan used his peripheral vision to see that the man in front of him was done with his application. The one behind the desk was shouting, “Next!”

Thanan turned back to wave to the official and told him to wait for a moment.

Before he could turn back to face the giga dwarf, he came into direct facial contact with a fireball spell that sent him sputtering backwards a ways from the surprise of it.

Looking forward he saw a smug grin from the giga dwarf. “I take that as yer acceptance”.

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Post 4

WC: 232

Thanan rose to his feet with a grin spreading on his face. He put his coat down gently on the side of the pavement and put his bird mask on.

“Let's go, then.”

Giga dwarf threw another fireball, but it was too slow in comparison to the last one. Or maybe the fact that Thanan knew this one was coming made it easy. Either way, Thanan made his rush directly for the giga dwarf. As he grew closer, the giga dwarf created a sword out of fire and braced for the plant mage.

In response, Thanan created his Snapdragon Fist and clashed with the sword.

Thanan jumped backwards and his spell dissipated into charred plants and ashes. As the giga dwarf also released his sword spell, he grinned before firing another fireball.

The plant mage rolled underneath it and, with a swift and single motion, pointed his index finger aiming for the giga dwarf's throat and fired off his Hangnail spell. It didn't quite hit where he wanted, but it managed to lodge itself into his upper midde chest area so he was satisfied.

As giga dwarf flinched from the pain, Thanan jumped into the air and brought down an aerial roundhouse kick to the man's neck. There was a small cracking sound, and the man was out cold.

Toppling to the ground, Thanan removed his mask and went to grab his coat and put it on.

“...Keep your money. I just wanted one chance to shut your mouth. Peasant.”

As giga dwarf's friend went to check on him and confirming that he was alive, he sighed with relief and didn't try to attack Thanan.

He walked over to the currently spooked official and plopped down on the chair, restless from the heat and having to move in said heat.

“Let's get this passport thing over with...”

The official regained his composure, and they began to fill out the papers...

A while later, he was done and walked out with his passport after paying a fee. He exhaled audibly, free from that prison at last.

“Maybe I'll get something to eat. I have all afternoon now, anyway,” he muttered as he looked up.

The sun was... less intense. Thankfully. At last he didn't have to put up with such heat.

[Exit]

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Post 5

WC: 380

[OOC: I will be paying for the passport.]