Farmer's Market

The journey through the Southern region of the Palace Lands has finally led into the teritory where Greens and Yellows are the common colors of enemy difficulty the party has found, and the groups have partially split up to get more scouting done. Previously, everyone traveled like a close pack together, with capable scouts at the front - constantly communicating. But now that things are easier to travel through, Cyrus and Mikage have parted temporarily to find their own way through the populated lands.

This is their first encounter with an actual bit of population in these regions, as they walk down a path with a farm at the end of it. A simple place, with a group of powerful looking Ox Cait Sith working the fields. It appears to be a family. They appear surprised however, when people start walking up. Yet, they seem friendly, waving at Cyrus and Mikage, seemingly welcoming them to the area.

Throughout their time in the Palace Lands, Mikage has been in a near constant state of wonder. Exploring the depths and expanses of what Yamato has to offer has always been her goal and dream, and this has only opened up the possibilities. There is something almost infectious about her enthusiasm, making it hard not to be brought along for the ride.

It has been many days of travel without more than hints at any sort of living individuals, Lander or Adventurer. So the sight of the farm draws a grin onto her features as she spots the Cait Sith. "Look. Cy look!" She motions towards them.

Rama, picking up on her excitement, bounds forward a bit, his nose twitching and his ears held high. As the family waves in welcome, she waves back in return, offering them a smile and a look that almost seems like relief. "Good day!" She calls out, making an easy-going approach, not wanting to look at all aggressive.

"And here I was concerned that you'd lose some of that wonder when we hit civilization finally." Cyrus remarks as he picks up speed a bit, quickly moving with Mikage as she picks up speed a bit.

When approaching the Cait Sith and getting close enough she will spot that they are in fact not purely Ox Cait Sith. They look to be some kind of mixture. Some Ox, but something else in there. Something a bit more fuzzy. Whatever they are, they're basically Fuzzy Ox Cait Sith. They touch their hands together, and bow to them in what seems like more of a Chinese greeting than a Japanese one.

Cyrus returns the greeting, making the same motion. "You honor us with your welcome." Having had to interact with people from overseas before, he's quick to go with the flow.

The Fluffy Ox Cait Siths look between the two of them and then motion to their homes a single time. "I am Guo Bai, and this is my wife Luo Xun. Please, come, join us. You must be hungry from your travels." The simple farmers offer them a great hospitality.

"Why would I? New people, new places." Miki seems a little confused at that, though it doesn't linger long on her expression. While she doesn't often spend much time in the big cities of Yamato, it is only partially due to the people. This? This is a family. This isn't the massive crowds that can make her feel uncomfortable.

As they approach, however, there is something ever so slightly awkward about the way she interacts. The unusual bow is met with a hesitation on her part. It is only corrected when Cyrus returns their style of bow. Picking up on that, she repeats the gesture, but delayed enough that it doesn't come across as natural. "I'm... Mikage Yurei, this is my partner, Cyrus Frost." Introductions she can manage.

Rama bounds up then, his bob tail wiggling, "And this is my companion, Rama." At the invitation, she looks to Cyrus, then back to the couple of fuzzy Oxen. Then, she gives a hesitant nod. "We would... most certainly appreciate it. We've traveled a long way."

"I don't know. Just... people." They may have been together for a year now, but there are still many intricacies about Mikage with Cyrus is learning about. And no doubt, it will take a great deal more time to pick up on all of them. But that is part of what made relationships so engaging. There always seemed to be more to learn about the other.

The Fuzzy Oxen nod to Mikage and Cyrus after their greetings; "You must not be from around here. That's alright." They offer the two of them. "Welcome, miss Yurei, mister Frost, Rama." They lead the two into an incredibly humble home. It's not small, by any means, but there's a foursome of small Fuzzy Oxen Cait Sith kidlets within that are fighting eachother with wooden swords. Clack-clack! Tap-tap! Parry!

They're actually pretty good, for their age! They must train on slimes or something.

The table is empty, and they are offered a seat, and some fresh water and the like. The woman begins to heat up a pot for some simple noodles, while mister Guo Bai sits across from them - stool creaking - and asks them how long they have been traveling for.

Speaking a bit quieter, Mikage offers to fill in the blanks a little bit, at least, "I don't like crowds." She explains, "A couple of people are far less likely to take a look at you and judge you on first sight, than a crowd of people who all think they who you are and what you are because you're... different." This part, at least, Cyrus would be familiar with. Her disabilities in the real world are more than reason enough for her not to want to be in the public eye.

"No... we're not. So that's all the more reason to be thankful for your hospitality." Miki offers, leaning her head forward in a more typical Japanese bow, drawing her white bangs into her face. At the very least, they can all understand each other. Another miracle of the system, perhaps.

Following the way inside, the Were Fang girl can't help but offer a smile at the warring children. Their excitement making the welcome seem warm. "If... it would be of help, I have some meat I can offer up. We've been hunting along the way." She doesn't know if they eat meat, so it seems polite to offer first. "Cyrus might have some vegetables and herbs for cooking, otherwise."

Rama sits near the children, watching their movements, obviously interested in the smaller Cait Sith. "How... long?" There is a little nervous hesitancy when Miki talks, but that's fairly normal for her. "A while, at least. We landed on the far Eastern shore and have been making our way West."

"Ah, yeah, that'd do it." The youth man remarks, giving an understanding nod.

When seated, he watches the kids go at it. Some of them fighting around mommy, who shoos them out of the door to go play outside.

"We would welcome your offer." The woman remarks, clearly not too proud to accept such a thing from visitors. Cyrus, not even needing Mikage's cue, pulls a few pouches of some really good herbs out. "I don't have any vegetables." He remarks, but puts the herbs to the table.

The husband takes some, sniffing them - his ears perking. "Oh! Are you sure we can have this?"

Cyrus nods his head. "Of course. Please. Your hospitality already means so much to us. I insist you take this as a gift." He remarks. It isn't long before that and any meat that Mikage may have offered joins the noodles in small bits, and a broth is made with Cyrus' herbs with plenty left over to spare.

"The far Eastern Shore?" The man asks. "Impressive. You must be very capable warriors then, the two of you, to have safely made it from that far. None pass beyond the Bridge anymore. It is not a welcome place for us."

With the affirmation from the female Cait Sith, Miki makes a few gestures in the air before pulling out a carefully wrapped bit of meat that seems to be taken off of one of the local animals that were common to this area. "We caught this just this morning, so it should be fresh." Offering it out, she nods softly. "Mmm. It's important that we act as good guests. Please, we're more than happy to help."

At the comment about their abilities, Mikage glances at Cyrus before looking back at the couple. "I'd say we're pretty capable, but we did have help. There are others that traveled with us, but we've all split up to get a better idea of the area."

Then, she explains, "Cyrus and I have traveled together for a long time. I wouldn't trust anyone else to watch my back as much as I trust him." She offers her partner a warm smile, with a hint of that affection showing through behind it.

Cyrus smiles back to Mikage at that compliment. "And nobody else I'd trust as much to eliminate monsters before they can get to me." He answers, touching along her back in a small gesture of affection. Something the male Fuzzy Ox seems to rather appreciate. A sense of normalcy with these Adventurers.

It isn't long before a simple noodle dish is set before them in bowls, and they're lended a spoon and some simple wooden sticks. "Please, eat. We don't have any rooms to spare, but you are welcome to sleep in the granary overnight." Luo Xun, the lady farmer, notes. "Enjoy. Let me know if you need seconds." She remarks, and sits with her husband. They seem fine quieting down and just watching the Adventurers.

There is hardly anything normal about the life that Mikage has chosen to live this past year, but Cyrus... well, he might be the most normal thing in it. Something that she simply couldn't have imagined having in her life before finding herself trapped in this strange world.

Never one to decline food, she is quick to take her bowl, fishing out a bit of the meat and offering it to Rama before gathering some of the noodles with the chop sticks and slurping them. "Mmm." With her mouth full, she chews and swallows before answering, "We're used to camping wherever we can lay our heads for the night, so don't worry too much about us."

It's at the point that the two quiet to watch them that a question forms in her mind. "I... actually have a question, if you wouldn't mind?" She asks softly, voice dipping into that hesitant tone again, "Did anything strange happen here a little over a year ago? A black wave that passed over the land?" She asks. "Are there... or... were there others, like us, here? We haven't really seen anyone, Lander or Adventurer until... well, you."

Cyrus takes his time to eat. Making sure to slurp with moderation, and showing his enjoyment with the occassional sound of appreciation. He doesn't speak as Mikage does, letting her have the main word here. Though he does reach out now and again, running that big poofy tail along her lower back to show his presence. His attentiveness.

When Mikage asks her question, the two look to eachother, then nod. "Yes. We remember the Dark Wave that passed over the land. It seemed to trap a few Adventurers in this world, isn't that right?" Luo Xyn asks. Her husband nods. "That's what I heard from the people traveling from the Capital. We didn't see any Adventurers out here like you for a while now. They tended to keep to hunting monsters." He explains. "I hear there's a few still in the capital further to the West. But I hear they were having trouble in this area because of how dangerous the monsters are to the east."

"If that's the case, then I think we have confirmation that the wave passed over more than just where we came from." Mikage toys with her noodles for a moment before eating more, obviously torn between her stomach and her curious nature. "We experienced it, too. In a land far to the East of here, beyond sea." She isn't sure if the people here would even know of Yamato, but they should understand other lands beyond the barriers of the ocean.

"The lands here are... a lot bigger than where we came from, with more difficult monsters." Miki offers, as Rama comes to sit by her side. "That... may have worked to our advantage." She seems uncertain, though. "At least, that's something. To know there are others out there."

Then, thoughtful, she asks, "Are you and your family managing to stay safe out here? If it's as dangerous as you say, I worry for your little ones."

"The people of Thor patrol these regions from time to time. And we're built of pretty rough stock. I'd like to see some of those monsters try to get anywhere near our children." The heavy set Fuzzy Oxen Cait Sith male remarks. His wife's fur seems to bristle a bit at the mention of monsters.

"We can protect ourselves pretty well out here. And the monsters are not too bad. It's if we go further East, or towards the ocean, that things get more rough." She points out to Mikage.

One of the younglings stumbles in, having been eavesdropping and points their sword towards Mikage. "When I get older, I am going to be an Adventurer just like you!" The little one declares proudly.

Cyrus smiles at this. "You mean a Hunter. You'd have to go sign up at the guild." He looks up and glances to the pair. "There is a Hunters Guild in Thor Kingdom, I presume?" To which he gets a nod. "Yes. Though we've not heard of any lands beyond the sea." The Oxen male remarks. "Maybe you'll find some city folk who know about that kind of thing."

"I apologize." Mikage replies, bowing her head slightly. "I didn't mean any offense. We've seen how difficult it can be, even in our own lands. I'm sure if you live out here, you are more than capable of taking care of yourselves." She lifts her head, seeming to show that uncertainty, "But if you do need anything, we do have people amongst our group who would be happy to help."

As the youngling points that sword at her, Mikage smiles softly. "You're aleady better than I was when I started, so you've got an advantage on me." She explains. "Keep working at it, and I'm sure you'll be a powerful warrior." She says nothing about becoming an Adventurer, but she does want to at least show some support to the child's dreams.

Looking to Cyrus, then back at the parents, "Honestly, we didn't even know these lands existed, ourselves, until recently. But, it probably would be good to find out more about these lands. Anything you can tell us would be helpful."

"Sure, but imagine how old that means the Hunters Guild must be." Cyrus excitedly remarks to Mikage at the confirmation that it exists. The youth slurps down the remainder of the noodle dish. And when he's offered more, he raises his hand. "I appreciate the offer, but I have a small stomach. This is enough for me." He rubs his belly to show that he is full. Which isn't entirely a lie, but Mikage will probably pick up on the fact that he doesn't want to take these peoples' food in too large a quantity.

He then looks to the small one, who waves his sword about in a circular motion, activating a weak sword arte for a moment, and then goes; "Haha!" Before running off outside. Mikage may be right, the kid is better off than most Adventurers start off as.

"If you don't mind. I think it's time for me to retire." Cyrus offers.

Mikage finishes her own bowl, but nods her agreement as Cyrus declines any additional food. She seems quiet though, as if this has given her things to think about. The Were Fang isn't the most social person in the best of times, but she certainly doesn't feel comfortable as a representative for Adventurers.

As Cyrus rises to excuse himself, Mikage rises as well, giving another bow which is at least an attempt at the style they use. "Mmm. We've had a long journey. But thank you so much for the hospitality. You've been more than gracious." Then, she gives a nod to Cyrus, a waggle of her fingers to summon Rama, and seems ready to depart.