It seemed as if wherever Mai went, a raging storm followed. Entering Hargeon Town, the streets were left mostly empty as a downpour raged, winds swept, and thunder crashed overhead. Yet the small girl was still wandering the streets, the splashes of her steps providing a calmness to the scene. Luna had told her to get a passport for a special job the two of them would be doing in some time, and Mai was to get it herself. Perhaps the rain would be yet another blessing, as certainly few normal citizens would want to wait in line for a passport with the pounding rain. The thunderclap in the distance seemed to confirm her suspicions even further. Nonetheless, the girl continued skipping her way through the mostly-barren streets of Hargeon Town.
As she reached the booth where they were handing out passports, there was, as expected, very little in terms of a line. Perhaps two dozen people, most huddled underneath their umbrellas, clutching tightly to each other. Mai joined the line, humming and singing to herself quietly.
"Are ya lost, missy?" a man's voice asked.
Mai turned around to see a tall, bald man, holding an umbrella over her head. "Nope! I'm here to get my passport!"
"You seem a wee bit young to be pickin' up a passport, missy."
Mai pouted, crossing her arms. "B-but they said I need one for a job I need to go on!"
The man laughed. It was similar in tenor to Papa's, though his appearance confirmed that it was, in fact, not Papa. "Part of a guild, are ya? Glad to see kids these days are still thinkin' guilds are a good way to go. What's yer guild, missy?"
Mai smiled, turning around to show off her guild tattoo. "Sabertooth!"
The man looked shocked, clearly not expecting Mai's words to be truthful. "S-Sabertooth? M-my, my, missy, that's certainly impressive. Sabertooth's been around for a long time, ya know? You must be some serious wizard, then."
Mai giggled, nodding. "I'm really strong! Or, at least, that's what Miss Luna says."
The man's bewildered look grew stronger with each sentence of truth Mai spoke. "Well, it's always good to see the youth of today getting involved with a good crowd. Better Sabertooth than a dark guild, I suppose. You cold at all, missy? Those clothes certainly can't be keepin' ya warm."
Mai shook her head, still smiling. "I like the rain! It tastes really good!"
The man guffawed again. "I suppose it does, doesn't it? Well, missy, looks like it's yer turn to get yer passport."
Mai nodded, waving good-bye to the man. Despite her friendly attitude, she was always prepared for fighting back if the man tried anything suspicious. Papa always warned about strangers, especially strange men, but she was also told to represent the guild in a good light.
Mai stepped up to the counter, the top of her head only barely reaching the edge of the booth.
"Next?" a bored voice mumbled.
"E-excuse me, I'd like to get a passport."
The owner of the bored voice craned her strangely-long neck over the counter to see the small girl. "We don't hand out passports to little kids. Next."
"Wait! I'm part of a guild! I need this for a job I'm doing!"
The bored-voiced lady gave a questioning look, and, much like the man before, inquired about her guild, to which Mai once again showed her Sabertooth tattoo. "Right. Name?"
"Mai Stormschild!"
The bored lady sunk back into the booth, going silent for a moment. About a minute later, her head poked out from above the counter again. "Looks like we got a special request for your passport. Turn around so we can get an ID picture."
Just as the lady suggested, Mai turned as a camera lacrima floated down to take her photo. The lady had retreated back into her booth once again while Mai was turned around. Another minute later, she once again stuck her neck out, this time a small book clenched firmly in her teeth. She dropped it, Mai catching it. "There's your passport. Goodbye. Next."
Mai smiled and said good-bye to the lady as she skipped out, ready to return to Ace of Spades.
WC: 706
As she reached the booth where they were handing out passports, there was, as expected, very little in terms of a line. Perhaps two dozen people, most huddled underneath their umbrellas, clutching tightly to each other. Mai joined the line, humming and singing to herself quietly.
"Are ya lost, missy?" a man's voice asked.
Mai turned around to see a tall, bald man, holding an umbrella over her head. "Nope! I'm here to get my passport!"
"You seem a wee bit young to be pickin' up a passport, missy."
Mai pouted, crossing her arms. "B-but they said I need one for a job I need to go on!"
The man laughed. It was similar in tenor to Papa's, though his appearance confirmed that it was, in fact, not Papa. "Part of a guild, are ya? Glad to see kids these days are still thinkin' guilds are a good way to go. What's yer guild, missy?"
Mai smiled, turning around to show off her guild tattoo. "Sabertooth!"
The man looked shocked, clearly not expecting Mai's words to be truthful. "S-Sabertooth? M-my, my, missy, that's certainly impressive. Sabertooth's been around for a long time, ya know? You must be some serious wizard, then."
Mai giggled, nodding. "I'm really strong! Or, at least, that's what Miss Luna says."
The man's bewildered look grew stronger with each sentence of truth Mai spoke. "Well, it's always good to see the youth of today getting involved with a good crowd. Better Sabertooth than a dark guild, I suppose. You cold at all, missy? Those clothes certainly can't be keepin' ya warm."
Mai shook her head, still smiling. "I like the rain! It tastes really good!"
The man guffawed again. "I suppose it does, doesn't it? Well, missy, looks like it's yer turn to get yer passport."
Mai nodded, waving good-bye to the man. Despite her friendly attitude, she was always prepared for fighting back if the man tried anything suspicious. Papa always warned about strangers, especially strange men, but she was also told to represent the guild in a good light.
Mai stepped up to the counter, the top of her head only barely reaching the edge of the booth.
"Next?" a bored voice mumbled.
"E-excuse me, I'd like to get a passport."
The owner of the bored voice craned her strangely-long neck over the counter to see the small girl. "We don't hand out passports to little kids. Next."
"Wait! I'm part of a guild! I need this for a job I'm doing!"
The bored-voiced lady gave a questioning look, and, much like the man before, inquired about her guild, to which Mai once again showed her Sabertooth tattoo. "Right. Name?"
"Mai Stormschild!"
The bored lady sunk back into the booth, going silent for a moment. About a minute later, her head poked out from above the counter again. "Looks like we got a special request for your passport. Turn around so we can get an ID picture."
Just as the lady suggested, Mai turned as a camera lacrima floated down to take her photo. The lady had retreated back into her booth once again while Mai was turned around. Another minute later, she once again stuck her neck out, this time a small book clenched firmly in her teeth. She dropped it, Mai catching it. "There's your passport. Goodbye. Next."
Mai smiled and said good-bye to the lady as she skipped out, ready to return to Ace of Spades.
WC: 706
