![Novice [250]](https://i.imgur.com/lrYlde6.png)
Arcadia woke that morning in her inn room in Hargeon, wondering if she should just go back to Magnolia. In her short time in Fairy Tail, Arcadiia had yet to face any real combat on any of her jobs. Some of them had even been more fun than actual work. This wasn't even really work. Arcadia had heard the Magic Council had made it possible to get a passport to travel beyond Fiore.
Ever since she had woken up, and found herself in this future only a few weeks ago, Arcadia has felt out of place in so many ways. Being a girl of a kingdom that no longer existed meant she didn't officially exist as far as the records keepers of Fiore knew. No record of her birth, no record of anyone she would call a blood relative.
Getting herself a passport would make her an official part of this century, and proof to herself she was truly accepting this new reality. Not to mention all the wonderful places it would open up for Arcadia to visit. Te promise of wondrous new places to see is what sealed her decision to get one.
So despite her better judgment, Arcadia set out on the train alone again. Mistake number one was ignoring her vow to never travel by train alone again. Having someone watch her back while her stomach made it difficult to even move would certainly go along way to soothe the heavy case of frayed nerves that came from being alone in an enclosed space crowded with nothing but strangers.
Mistake number two was not taking into consideration ALL the other people coming to Hargeon's docks to get their own passport. That insanely long line, stuffed to the brim with every facet of Fiore's citizenry was almost enough to send the still nauseous dragon slayer to get right back on the train back to Magnolia. Facing down a Vulcan one on one couldn't fill her with more dread than the sight of that hours long line did.
If her stomach didn't need a break from the long ride to Hargeon, she would have gone back home the same day. Instead, she checked into the nearest inn to rest and let her stomach settle, poor Arcadia practically crawling to her room in tears.
The second morning in Hargeon, Arcadia's stomach was feeling way better. If she had listened to that little voice in her head that told her to definitely go back to Magnolia that morning, she'd be safely home already. Nope, she had to go and be afraid of what Aven and Nessa or Laz might think of her, if she couldn't even face down a few people waiting in line.
The most Arcadia could say about that second day, is that she at least managed to to queue up with that day's throng of passport seekers. One impatient and disgruntled mage ahead of her in line and 15 minutes later, and Arcadia was right back in her room at the inn for the rest of the day. The mage's errant spell sent her scurrying for safety.
Now today, it was definitely time to go back home. She hefted her knapsack over one shoulder., very much ready to go. Time to... go. Back to the train station and then on to Magnolia... he we go... out the door... to the door. Come on... let's go.
She cursed herself, the young mage hanging her pale blonde head and deep green eyes toward the floor. Why wouldn't her feet listen? Why did she care at all what Nessa or Aven or Laz or any of her new guildmates would think? It's not like they'd understand the panic, the tightness in her chest the paralyzing fear that sunk in around so many people. So much noise, so many bodies... the town's buildings closing in all around.
Yet how could she call herself a Fairy Tail wizard, if she just gave in, no matter how overwhelmingly claustrophobic that many people made her feel. There had to be a way. Not for the first time in those three days, she set her knapsack back down, and paced about her inn room. Arcadia just couldn't see why...
Couldn't see... The idea was so simple, the young mage could kick herself for taking three days to come up with it. Her fear and panic usually set in the moment she saw the crowd. What if she couldn't see it? Arcadia rolled up one of the towels from her room, and tied it over her eyes as a blindfold. She wasn't sure this would work, but at least it gave her one more chance.
Cashing over the edge of her bed, she questioned the wisdom of her idea, if only briefly. The girl peeked from under her blindfold long enough to get her knapsack again, and get her bearings toward the room door. Arcadia made her way to the wall, deciding to use that as her guide out, It was slow going, feeling her way around furniture, but she made it to the door and out of her room.
Out in the hallway, Arcadia was planning how to tackle the stairs down, when her slayer ears and nose heard and smelled someone else coming out of their room.. A woman by the scent. Strangers were never easy for the shy, young slayer to deal with, but this was only one...so she spoke up, ”H-hello?”
Arcadia could hear the concern in the woman's voice, ”My stars, Child why do you have your eyes bandaged with a towel?”
It would be way too embarrassing to explain why she really had the blindfold on, so Arcadia mixed together a story she hoped was close enough to the truth. ”Oh..I was in in line down at the docks yesterday, waiting to get my passport, when one mage got a little cranky and flung a wild spell. It's nothing serious, but the doctor said I should keep my eyes protected from any light for a few days just to be safe. Thing is I still need to get my passport, and I can't afford to wait until my eyes are better.
The woman seemed to believe her, or just took pity on a young girl in quite the disheveled state Arcadia's lat three harrowing days had put her in. ”Oh..Oh! You poor thing. I don't have time to wait with you in line all day, but I promise, I'll help you find someone who can.” She took Arcadia's arm, leading her on down the stairs and out of the inn. The woman was kind enough to guide the young slayer down to the docks and the line for passports. She helped explain Arcadia's situation to one of the guards.
Arcadia thanked the woman as she went on her way, and followed the guard by her arm. The blindfold was working too.. While she could hear and smell all the people crowded there, the darkness she was visually in did wonders to keep her calm. To Arcadia's greater surprise, the guard didn't guide her to the back of the line, he brought her to the front, where she got to wait in a second shorter line for a few chosen of the most frail of the elderly and infirm.
She felt some guilt for cutting to the front like this, but that hadn't been her aim and she hadn't asked to be brought ahead. So despite her guilt, Arcadia kept her mouth shut, and took full advantage of fate's generosity. In this shorter line, she only had to wait an hour instead of the half a way wait in the normal one. Arcadia got her passport, and made a beeline for the train, before the guards could ask too many more questions. She was rarely more happy to feel the queasiness of train travel as she finally got to head on home, prize passport in hand.
Word Count: 1,323/500
Ever since she had woken up, and found herself in this future only a few weeks ago, Arcadia has felt out of place in so many ways. Being a girl of a kingdom that no longer existed meant she didn't officially exist as far as the records keepers of Fiore knew. No record of her birth, no record of anyone she would call a blood relative.
Getting herself a passport would make her an official part of this century, and proof to herself she was truly accepting this new reality. Not to mention all the wonderful places it would open up for Arcadia to visit. Te promise of wondrous new places to see is what sealed her decision to get one.
So despite her better judgment, Arcadia set out on the train alone again. Mistake number one was ignoring her vow to never travel by train alone again. Having someone watch her back while her stomach made it difficult to even move would certainly go along way to soothe the heavy case of frayed nerves that came from being alone in an enclosed space crowded with nothing but strangers.
Mistake number two was not taking into consideration ALL the other people coming to Hargeon's docks to get their own passport. That insanely long line, stuffed to the brim with every facet of Fiore's citizenry was almost enough to send the still nauseous dragon slayer to get right back on the train back to Magnolia. Facing down a Vulcan one on one couldn't fill her with more dread than the sight of that hours long line did.
If her stomach didn't need a break from the long ride to Hargeon, she would have gone back home the same day. Instead, she checked into the nearest inn to rest and let her stomach settle, poor Arcadia practically crawling to her room in tears.
The second morning in Hargeon, Arcadia's stomach was feeling way better. If she had listened to that little voice in her head that told her to definitely go back to Magnolia that morning, she'd be safely home already. Nope, she had to go and be afraid of what Aven and Nessa or Laz might think of her, if she couldn't even face down a few people waiting in line.
The most Arcadia could say about that second day, is that she at least managed to to queue up with that day's throng of passport seekers. One impatient and disgruntled mage ahead of her in line and 15 minutes later, and Arcadia was right back in her room at the inn for the rest of the day. The mage's errant spell sent her scurrying for safety.
Now today, it was definitely time to go back home. She hefted her knapsack over one shoulder., very much ready to go. Time to... go. Back to the train station and then on to Magnolia... he we go... out the door... to the door. Come on... let's go.
She cursed herself, the young mage hanging her pale blonde head and deep green eyes toward the floor. Why wouldn't her feet listen? Why did she care at all what Nessa or Aven or Laz or any of her new guildmates would think? It's not like they'd understand the panic, the tightness in her chest the paralyzing fear that sunk in around so many people. So much noise, so many bodies... the town's buildings closing in all around.
Yet how could she call herself a Fairy Tail wizard, if she just gave in, no matter how overwhelmingly claustrophobic that many people made her feel. There had to be a way. Not for the first time in those three days, she set her knapsack back down, and paced about her inn room. Arcadia just couldn't see why...
Couldn't see... The idea was so simple, the young mage could kick herself for taking three days to come up with it. Her fear and panic usually set in the moment she saw the crowd. What if she couldn't see it? Arcadia rolled up one of the towels from her room, and tied it over her eyes as a blindfold. She wasn't sure this would work, but at least it gave her one more chance.
Cashing over the edge of her bed, she questioned the wisdom of her idea, if only briefly. The girl peeked from under her blindfold long enough to get her knapsack again, and get her bearings toward the room door. Arcadia made her way to the wall, deciding to use that as her guide out, It was slow going, feeling her way around furniture, but she made it to the door and out of her room.
Out in the hallway, Arcadia was planning how to tackle the stairs down, when her slayer ears and nose heard and smelled someone else coming out of their room.. A woman by the scent. Strangers were never easy for the shy, young slayer to deal with, but this was only one...so she spoke up, ”H-hello?”
Arcadia could hear the concern in the woman's voice, ”My stars, Child why do you have your eyes bandaged with a towel?”
It would be way too embarrassing to explain why she really had the blindfold on, so Arcadia mixed together a story she hoped was close enough to the truth. ”Oh..I was in in line down at the docks yesterday, waiting to get my passport, when one mage got a little cranky and flung a wild spell. It's nothing serious, but the doctor said I should keep my eyes protected from any light for a few days just to be safe. Thing is I still need to get my passport, and I can't afford to wait until my eyes are better.
The woman seemed to believe her, or just took pity on a young girl in quite the disheveled state Arcadia's lat three harrowing days had put her in. ”Oh..Oh! You poor thing. I don't have time to wait with you in line all day, but I promise, I'll help you find someone who can.” She took Arcadia's arm, leading her on down the stairs and out of the inn. The woman was kind enough to guide the young slayer down to the docks and the line for passports. She helped explain Arcadia's situation to one of the guards.
Arcadia thanked the woman as she went on her way, and followed the guard by her arm. The blindfold was working too.. While she could hear and smell all the people crowded there, the darkness she was visually in did wonders to keep her calm. To Arcadia's greater surprise, the guard didn't guide her to the back of the line, he brought her to the front, where she got to wait in a second shorter line for a few chosen of the most frail of the elderly and infirm.
She felt some guilt for cutting to the front like this, but that hadn't been her aim and she hadn't asked to be brought ahead. So despite her guilt, Arcadia kept her mouth shut, and took full advantage of fate's generosity. In this shorter line, she only had to wait an hour instead of the half a way wait in the normal one. Arcadia got her passport, and made a beeline for the train, before the guards could ask too many more questions. She was rarely more happy to feel the queasiness of train travel as she finally got to head on home, prize passport in hand.
Word Count: 1,323/500
