by Cassiopeia had initially scoffed when she saw her latest task posted on the Job Board in the Throne Hall back at Amber Island. It was a laughably simple task, one she thought well beneath her. Help some farmer plant his fields, no killing, no sneaking, no stealing... hell, it didn't even require magic. "A couple burly local men could have just done this job..." The Kaijin woman said to herself as she snatched the flying from the board. The reality was she had been tasked with heading to Hargeon Town anyways to pick up specially ordered supplies for the guild. Stopping to take up this Job would be an easy way to kill time and earn some spending money.
So the Kaijin had boarded the first ship to Fiore, and arrived after a week's sail up the coast of Minstrel. She first checked in with guild contacts with their suppliers, then headed outside the town to the surrounding farm country. It didn't take long to find her destination, which was visible from the town's main gatehouse. The farm looked in a sorry state compared to its neighbors, with fields untilled so late into the planting season. Cassiopeia made her way up to the door of the farmhouse and knocked twice. "Come in!" Came an older woman's voice, and the Kaijin heard the shuffle of footsteps.
Cassiopeia was greeted by a short, grey haired woman with thick glasses and an apron covering most of her body. She seemed visibly surprised to see the seven foot Kaijin woman, especially her long tail stretched out behind her. "Oh my." Came the woman's only response, as she gasped and held a hand to her mouth. Cassiopeia just smiled, she was used to far worse reactions from strangers. Surprise was expected, fear was common, and anger was far too frequent.
The mage unrolled the flyer and held it up for the woman to see. "I'm here about the Job." She said simply, peering over the much shorter woman's shoulder to see where her husband might be.
The farm wife's face lit up, and she clapped her hands together excitedly. "HAROLD!" She cried out, cupping her hands to her mouth and yelling upstairs. "THERE'S A WOMAN HERE ABOUT THAT JOB YOU PUT OUT!" There was illegible mumbling from somewhere upstairs, and stomping footsteps could be heard. The woman's attention quickly shifted back to the Kaijin. "He'll be down in a minute. Apologies if Harold is a little... grumpy. He's been a nervous wreck about the fields ever since he threw out his back."
Cassiopeia nodded, "It's to be expected." She said simply, "Your whole livelihood looks like its on the line."
The old farmer was at the door a minute later, walking cane in one hand and tobacco pipe in the other. He adjusted his glasses as if his eyes were playing tricks on him. "Well... would ya' get a look at you!" He said with a stern look on his face. "Can't say I've ever seen a lady quite as... tall as you ma'am." The farmer said as he stepped outside. He took a long puff from his pipe and scratched at his beard as he took stock of her tail and spines. "What exactly is the deal with that, if you don't mind my askin?"
"I've got chimera blood." Cassiopeia lied without hesitation, it was easier than explaining the truth. "Slay enough of them, get enough of their blood in your wounds, these things happen." She gave a nonchalant shrug.
The farmer scratched at his chin more. "It make ya strong?" He asked simply, poking her tail with his cane.
"Incredibly." Cassiopeia replied with a fanged smile, orange eyes practically glowing in the light.
"Good! Then I can put you to work young lady!" The farmer said, moving with a metaphorical spring in his step. "Common, barns this way... I got stuff I need you to grab." With that the old man hobbled off, leading the Kaijin to his barn. Cassiopeia ended up spending the better part of the afternoon as a one woman plow horse, tilling the farmer's fields by dragging a plow in each hand while her tail held a large bag of seed to pour in the freshly plowed rows. It took hours of work, with Harold sitting under an oak tree 'supervising', which mostly consisted of yelling out instructions.
When she was finally finished Cassiopeia dragged the farming implements back into the barn, closing it up behind her. "See, told you I didn't need a horse." She said with a smirk, taking a seat on the grass besides the old man under his shade tree. She wiped the sweat from her brow, looking out to the setting sun. "I can't say I enjoyed that old man, but I'm happy its done."
The farmer stood up, looking quiet pleased with himself. "Well, you surpassed my wildest expectations Miss Cass. Fields have never looked so good and you did in an afternoon what usually takes me a whole week!" The farmer was already reaching into his pockets to pull out his billfold. He withdrew a stack of money, quickly thumbing through it as he counted. "Five jewels, as promised and not one cent less. You were worth every penny Miss."
Cassiopeia smiled, and took the reward in hand. "A pleasure, Harold. I'm just glad I made a good impression." She said as she pocketed the reward.
"I don't suppose I could hire you again come harvest season... do you Miss?" The farmer said jokingly, but his eyes said otherwise.
Cassiopeia shrugged. "You know how it is. You post the job, a mage answers." She paused though, giving the man a wink. "Though I'll keep my eye open at the end of summer." With that said the Kaijin turned to depart. She still had guild supplies to get and a ship back home to catch after all.
Word Count: 1,070 | Job Description
So the Kaijin had boarded the first ship to Fiore, and arrived after a week's sail up the coast of Minstrel. She first checked in with guild contacts with their suppliers, then headed outside the town to the surrounding farm country. It didn't take long to find her destination, which was visible from the town's main gatehouse. The farm looked in a sorry state compared to its neighbors, with fields untilled so late into the planting season. Cassiopeia made her way up to the door of the farmhouse and knocked twice. "Come in!" Came an older woman's voice, and the Kaijin heard the shuffle of footsteps.
Cassiopeia was greeted by a short, grey haired woman with thick glasses and an apron covering most of her body. She seemed visibly surprised to see the seven foot Kaijin woman, especially her long tail stretched out behind her. "Oh my." Came the woman's only response, as she gasped and held a hand to her mouth. Cassiopeia just smiled, she was used to far worse reactions from strangers. Surprise was expected, fear was common, and anger was far too frequent.
The mage unrolled the flyer and held it up for the woman to see. "I'm here about the Job." She said simply, peering over the much shorter woman's shoulder to see where her husband might be.
The farm wife's face lit up, and she clapped her hands together excitedly. "HAROLD!" She cried out, cupping her hands to her mouth and yelling upstairs. "THERE'S A WOMAN HERE ABOUT THAT JOB YOU PUT OUT!" There was illegible mumbling from somewhere upstairs, and stomping footsteps could be heard. The woman's attention quickly shifted back to the Kaijin. "He'll be down in a minute. Apologies if Harold is a little... grumpy. He's been a nervous wreck about the fields ever since he threw out his back."
Cassiopeia nodded, "It's to be expected." She said simply, "Your whole livelihood looks like its on the line."
The old farmer was at the door a minute later, walking cane in one hand and tobacco pipe in the other. He adjusted his glasses as if his eyes were playing tricks on him. "Well... would ya' get a look at you!" He said with a stern look on his face. "Can't say I've ever seen a lady quite as... tall as you ma'am." The farmer said as he stepped outside. He took a long puff from his pipe and scratched at his beard as he took stock of her tail and spines. "What exactly is the deal with that, if you don't mind my askin?"
"I've got chimera blood." Cassiopeia lied without hesitation, it was easier than explaining the truth. "Slay enough of them, get enough of their blood in your wounds, these things happen." She gave a nonchalant shrug.
The farmer scratched at his chin more. "It make ya strong?" He asked simply, poking her tail with his cane.
"Incredibly." Cassiopeia replied with a fanged smile, orange eyes practically glowing in the light.
"Good! Then I can put you to work young lady!" The farmer said, moving with a metaphorical spring in his step. "Common, barns this way... I got stuff I need you to grab." With that the old man hobbled off, leading the Kaijin to his barn. Cassiopeia ended up spending the better part of the afternoon as a one woman plow horse, tilling the farmer's fields by dragging a plow in each hand while her tail held a large bag of seed to pour in the freshly plowed rows. It took hours of work, with Harold sitting under an oak tree 'supervising', which mostly consisted of yelling out instructions.
When she was finally finished Cassiopeia dragged the farming implements back into the barn, closing it up behind her. "See, told you I didn't need a horse." She said with a smirk, taking a seat on the grass besides the old man under his shade tree. She wiped the sweat from her brow, looking out to the setting sun. "I can't say I enjoyed that old man, but I'm happy its done."
The farmer stood up, looking quiet pleased with himself. "Well, you surpassed my wildest expectations Miss Cass. Fields have never looked so good and you did in an afternoon what usually takes me a whole week!" The farmer was already reaching into his pockets to pull out his billfold. He withdrew a stack of money, quickly thumbing through it as he counted. "Five jewels, as promised and not one cent less. You were worth every penny Miss."
Cassiopeia smiled, and took the reward in hand. "A pleasure, Harold. I'm just glad I made a good impression." She said as she pocketed the reward.
"I don't suppose I could hire you again come harvest season... do you Miss?" The farmer said jokingly, but his eyes said otherwise.
Cassiopeia shrugged. "You know how it is. You post the job, a mage answers." She paused though, giving the man a wink. "Though I'll keep my eye open at the end of summer." With that said the Kaijin turned to depart. She still had guild supplies to get and a ship back home to catch after all.
Word Count: 1,070 | Job Description
