With a heavy sigh, Nemuru looked at her map. Getting to Peace Village from Clover Town would be a significant trip. Still she enjoyed the travelling. Instead of just taking the train back to Magnolia first to shorten the distance, the poison mage searched for another means of transport.
Finding an elderly man struggling to load goods into an ox cart, she began hefting the bags up without askance. As he noticed her aid, Nemuru tried to stand straight as possible. “Erm, sir, whereabouts are you headed?”
“Why ta Peace Village and Mountain Village. Transporting the Winter orders.” His voice had a slight unrecognizable accent to it.
“Would you mind a passenger, sir? I can pay you some jewels.” Nemuru looked up at the man hopefully.
“I won’t mind at all, young miss.” He frowned slightly, “but you’d have to sit in the back. Myaan gets the front.” At that a small curily peeked its head out from under a blanket and stared at her menacingly. With a mighty yawn, it lay back down in the front.
“I wouldn’t mind sir, not at all! Thank you sir!” Nemuru said enthusiastically.
While they rode silently, the ox cart bumped along the road. The curily chirped away merrily to itself in the front, while she pondered the task ahead. Another babysitting job, she thought in horror. The last one had not gone well at all. However, these were older children. Surely not all children are so bad, right?
Once they arrived in Peace town, she waved a farewell to the old man and his pet. Heading to meet her client and the children, she took a few deep breaths. “E-eto, Alice, is it? You put out this request to watch your two children and take them to the new amusement park, right? The name’s Nemuru. I’d be happy to do it for you?”
“Yes, these are Zack and Chris.” She gestured to the pair of twin boys peeking out behind her. “Better watch out for Zack he starts things.” One of the boys stuck out his tongue at Nemuru and ran off. “Boys! This nice mage here is taking you to the amusement park! Be nice to her, would you?”
The two laughed to each other and came back. “Yes, mom, ” they chimed in tandem, standing straight. Nemuru raised an eyebrow suspiciously at the mother.
“They’ll be fine now go have fun,” she reassured the poison mage. “They’ve got their ride tickets and it’s free entry. Back at six boys! Good luck.”
Nemuru studied the Zack’s and Chris’s outfits carefully. They were wearing red and green hooded sweatshirts respectively, to protect them from the brisk autumn wind. Both wore matching sneakers and jeans, and otherwise the twins were identical down to their spiked red hairstyles.
“Alright, boys!” Nemuru said with a smile. “To the amusement park.” The boys cheered and lead the way with the poison mage right on their heels. “Do either of you know what you wanna ride on?” The mage asked as they jogged the few blocks to the park.
“Let’s go on the roller coaster!” Zack ran to the short line for a simple wooden roller coaster near the entrance. The cars, stylized to look like a purple dragon raced and swerved around the track. Nemuru smiled with satisfaction, thinking older kids were so much easier to handle.
“Nah, I wanna go on that!” Chris darted off on a tangent, Zack on his heels. Their destination seemed to be the teacups. Nemuru darted after them, careful to keep them in her sight. Seeing her following them, the two cast a speed spell. A white shimmering glow enveloped their feet as they began to increase in velocity. Nemuru tried to run after them doggedly, rapidly loosing ground. Suddenly, the two split directions, dodging and weaving through the crowds.
Nemuru slowed to a halt, thoroughly winded. “Wait! Zack, Chris… I’ll get you something to eat!” The boys slowed down a bit as they listened. “How does dessert before dinner sound? I’ll get it for you and we won’t have to tell your mother!” At that the twins ran back to her side and began rattling off all that sounded delicious to her.
Some time later, with a somewhat lighter jewel pouch, Nemuru was holding a funnel cake. Each boy had an ice cream cone in hand. Zack had chosen strawberry and Chris had chosen lime. So twins do have unique tastes and personalities, Nemuru mused.
After all three rode on the tilt-a-whirl, the poison mage’s pick, before trying some other rides. They made sure to try both the roller coaster and the teacups, as well as many others. Nemuru, looking a tad green, suggested the midway to the two boys. With a shared laugh at her state they agreed.
After struggling to catch any fish. Zack ran to try a water-based shooting game, Chris tagging along. Nemuru sighed and followed the pair. Chris had a steadier hand and won a large stuffed wyvern.
At this point his brother began crying. “Again, again! I want a toy too!” Nemuru shrugged looking at the time-lacrima in the midway. Quarter to six, almost time for them to get back to their mother. She didn’t want one of the kids to feel slighted like she did so often as a child, though.
“Alright. I’ll try too this time, but after this try we go home okay? Chris? If you win again get something for your brother, okay?”
“Hai!” The twins chimed in tandem and got in position. Nemuru joined them and all three focused on the spinning target. The water level rose to the top rapidly, Chris winning again. As he promised he turned to his brother and asked him what he wanted.
Minutes later, the two arrived home using their magic to make it just in time. A panting Nemuru followed, a giant stuffed wyvern and an equally large sabertooth tiger over each shoulder.
“So boys, did you have a nice day?” Alice asked each of her sons as Nemuru handed them their animals.
“Yea we went on the teacups and-” The two began to animatedly convey the day to their mother, speaking at a speed reminiscent of their magic. “Then there was the roller coaster.” “The tilt-a-whirl and Nemuru gave us desserts...” Nemuru cursed inwardly at their openness. “...and a haunted house and more rides and games!” They spoke in perfect timing, “can Nemuru babysit us again, mom? Please!”
(1075 words)
Finding an elderly man struggling to load goods into an ox cart, she began hefting the bags up without askance. As he noticed her aid, Nemuru tried to stand straight as possible. “Erm, sir, whereabouts are you headed?”
“Why ta Peace Village and Mountain Village. Transporting the Winter orders.” His voice had a slight unrecognizable accent to it.
“Would you mind a passenger, sir? I can pay you some jewels.” Nemuru looked up at the man hopefully.
“I won’t mind at all, young miss.” He frowned slightly, “but you’d have to sit in the back. Myaan gets the front.” At that a small curily peeked its head out from under a blanket and stared at her menacingly. With a mighty yawn, it lay back down in the front.
“I wouldn’t mind sir, not at all! Thank you sir!” Nemuru said enthusiastically.
While they rode silently, the ox cart bumped along the road. The curily chirped away merrily to itself in the front, while she pondered the task ahead. Another babysitting job, she thought in horror. The last one had not gone well at all. However, these were older children. Surely not all children are so bad, right?
Once they arrived in Peace town, she waved a farewell to the old man and his pet. Heading to meet her client and the children, she took a few deep breaths. “E-eto, Alice, is it? You put out this request to watch your two children and take them to the new amusement park, right? The name’s Nemuru. I’d be happy to do it for you?”
“Yes, these are Zack and Chris.” She gestured to the pair of twin boys peeking out behind her. “Better watch out for Zack he starts things.” One of the boys stuck out his tongue at Nemuru and ran off. “Boys! This nice mage here is taking you to the amusement park! Be nice to her, would you?”
The two laughed to each other and came back. “Yes, mom, ” they chimed in tandem, standing straight. Nemuru raised an eyebrow suspiciously at the mother.
“They’ll be fine now go have fun,” she reassured the poison mage. “They’ve got their ride tickets and it’s free entry. Back at six boys! Good luck.”
Nemuru studied the Zack’s and Chris’s outfits carefully. They were wearing red and green hooded sweatshirts respectively, to protect them from the brisk autumn wind. Both wore matching sneakers and jeans, and otherwise the twins were identical down to their spiked red hairstyles.
“Alright, boys!” Nemuru said with a smile. “To the amusement park.” The boys cheered and lead the way with the poison mage right on their heels. “Do either of you know what you wanna ride on?” The mage asked as they jogged the few blocks to the park.
“Let’s go on the roller coaster!” Zack ran to the short line for a simple wooden roller coaster near the entrance. The cars, stylized to look like a purple dragon raced and swerved around the track. Nemuru smiled with satisfaction, thinking older kids were so much easier to handle.
“Nah, I wanna go on that!” Chris darted off on a tangent, Zack on his heels. Their destination seemed to be the teacups. Nemuru darted after them, careful to keep them in her sight. Seeing her following them, the two cast a speed spell. A white shimmering glow enveloped their feet as they began to increase in velocity. Nemuru tried to run after them doggedly, rapidly loosing ground. Suddenly, the two split directions, dodging and weaving through the crowds.
Nemuru slowed to a halt, thoroughly winded. “Wait! Zack, Chris… I’ll get you something to eat!” The boys slowed down a bit as they listened. “How does dessert before dinner sound? I’ll get it for you and we won’t have to tell your mother!” At that the twins ran back to her side and began rattling off all that sounded delicious to her.
Some time later, with a somewhat lighter jewel pouch, Nemuru was holding a funnel cake. Each boy had an ice cream cone in hand. Zack had chosen strawberry and Chris had chosen lime. So twins do have unique tastes and personalities, Nemuru mused.
After all three rode on the tilt-a-whirl, the poison mage’s pick, before trying some other rides. They made sure to try both the roller coaster and the teacups, as well as many others. Nemuru, looking a tad green, suggested the midway to the two boys. With a shared laugh at her state they agreed.
After struggling to catch any fish. Zack ran to try a water-based shooting game, Chris tagging along. Nemuru sighed and followed the pair. Chris had a steadier hand and won a large stuffed wyvern.
At this point his brother began crying. “Again, again! I want a toy too!” Nemuru shrugged looking at the time-lacrima in the midway. Quarter to six, almost time for them to get back to their mother. She didn’t want one of the kids to feel slighted like she did so often as a child, though.
“Alright. I’ll try too this time, but after this try we go home okay? Chris? If you win again get something for your brother, okay?”
“Hai!” The twins chimed in tandem and got in position. Nemuru joined them and all three focused on the spinning target. The water level rose to the top rapidly, Chris winning again. As he promised he turned to his brother and asked him what he wanted.
Minutes later, the two arrived home using their magic to make it just in time. A panting Nemuru followed, a giant stuffed wyvern and an equally large sabertooth tiger over each shoulder.
“So boys, did you have a nice day?” Alice asked each of her sons as Nemuru handed them their animals.
“Yea we went on the teacups and-” The two began to animatedly convey the day to their mother, speaking at a speed reminiscent of their magic. “Then there was the roller coaster.” “The tilt-a-whirl and Nemuru gave us desserts...” Nemuru cursed inwardly at their openness. “...and a haunted house and more rides and games!” They spoke in perfect timing, “can Nemuru babysit us again, mom? Please!”
(1075 words)
