Nestled in the mountains, in the small village of Oats, a girl woke up this morning. The sun is bright and warm, the air a bit breezy, the smell of apples coming in through the window...
The girl sits upright, stretches, and slumps over a bit. A yawn - hoaaah... - and she swings her legs over the side of the bed.
From here on, we'll refer to <i>her</i> as <i>you</i> if you don't mind.
[[Ready?]]Alright, let's begin in full.
Your name is Tablespoon! Hailing from the small mountain village of Oats, your full name would be Tablespoon of Oats. You know this! You're a 14 year old jerboa beastkin girl with soft pink hair and warm green eyes.
As we went over, you woke up this morning. Nice one! Time to get dressed now, right? You have a big day of orchard work ahead of you.
[[Yep, let's go!]]You climb out of bed and hobble sleepily over to your closet - you may have woken up, but you only <i>just</i> woke up, y'know?
Your favourite clothes are still dirty from yesterday, so you grab your second favourite clothes instead: a red tanktop, short grey overalls, and a long white vest that you like to tie the ends of into a bow at your front. After putting them all on, you brush your hair and tie it into two neat, thin braids. Perfect! So cute!
[[And now, we head out to the kitchen!]]Your mom is at work in the city already, but she's left you breakfast and a list of things to do today. Which do you want to do first?
[[Take a look at the list.]]
[[Eat breakfast first.]]Alright, so the list says...
0. Pick apples - 3 baskets should do
0. Bring them to Mrs. Yeo's house. She ~~neds~~ needs them for baking
0. Check on garden
Easy enough! At the bottom, "Don't worry about the dishes. I'll do them today :)" is written.
Well then, [[time to eat!]]Breakfast today is a plate of hashbrowns and small sausage chunks. It doesn't sound like much, but it's your favourite breakfast food.
Your mother left them in the pan for you to reheat when you wake up, so you quickly turn on the stove and put the pan in place. Whistling a little song as you wait, the house quickly starts to smell like fresh cooked food... yum...
It doesn't take long, so you finish up, put it on a plate, and sit down to eat.
Since no one else is here, you don't worry about manners, and it's gone in no time at all.
Well then, [[let's take a look at the list.]]Breakfast today is a plate of hashbrowns and small sausage chunks. It doesn't sound like much, but it's your favourite breakfast food.
Your mother left them in the pan for you to reheat when you wake up, so you quickly turn on the stove and put the pan in place. Whistling a little song as you wait, the house quickly starts to smell like fresh cooked food... yum...
It doesn't take long, so you finish up, put it on a plate, and sit down to eat.
Since no one else is here, you don't worry about manners, and it's gone in no time at all.
With that done, it's time to grab your bag and [[head out for the day.]]Alright, so the list says...
0. Pick apples - 3 baskets should do
0. Bring them to Mrs. Yeo's house. She ~~neds~~ needs them for baking
0. Check on garden
Easy enough! At the bottom, "Don't worry about the dishes. I'll do them today :)" is written.
With that done, it's time to grab your bag and [[head out for the day.]] You grab your little bag and wrap it around your waist comfortably, then put on your sandals and sunhat. Heading out the door, you remember the apple baskets are inside still, so you quickly double back inside to get them.
After grabbing them from next to the kitchen counter, you remember something else - yesterday, your mother brought you home a wonderful charm bracelet from the city and you wanted to wear it today. You put it in your bag, so it wouldn't be a big deal if you left without putting it on, but since you thought about it... [[might as well do it now, I'd say.]]You take the bracelet out of your bag and clasp it around your wrist. Currently there's but one charm on it, a small silver apple.
Putting the bracelet on immediately puts you in a good mood, thinking about how kind your mother is and how talented people are, to have made something so cute!
And with that, [[you head out properly this time.]]You make your way out the door, and bask in the sunlight for a second before turning towards the orchards outside of town. You start to put one foot forward when you hear a voice call out to you - a soft but bright voice.
It's Mrs. Yeo, your neighbour. A sweet older woman, she pays you for gathering apples for her once a week. Her partner is busy working as a construction worker in the city right now, and as for herself, she uses a wheelchair, so picking the apples is a little difficult.
She asks how you slept, and if you're still okay with picking apples for her today.
"Slept well, thank you! And yes, just headin' out now, but it shouldn't be too long."
She waves you off with a smile and a nod. Let's continue on, [[the orchard awaits.]]Making your way along the wide dirt path out of town, the smell of sunlight, apples, and foliage hits you in full force. You couldn't imagine living anywhere but here, and the thought of it makes you a little nervous indeed.
But you won't have to worry about that for the time being.
All you have to worry about right now is making sure you fill up all [[three baskets]] with the ripest apples you can.
<i>Though, you do [[worry.]]</i>Your mom has been talking about moving you both out to the city, lately. The commute is long and hard, making her working hours short and her home hours shorter.
She's promised that it would be fine, that you'd be accepted into school even! You've always wanted to go to school, so it seems like a good deal... but it is scary. You don't want to move away from the orchard, the tiny pond in the center of town, the Yeos...
Your eyes start to well up, but you quickly grab your hat and shake your head. Don't think about it - just focus on the [[three baskets]] you've looped your arm through and promised to fill up. Think about that instead, okay?After about five minutes of walking, you reach the orchard. You wave to the orchard keepers, getting smiles and waves back, and head on in.
You start doing some quick math to figure out what you need. Each basket holds about 15 apples, so with three, that'd be 45, and Mrs. Yeo likes the sour green ones but Mx. Yeo likes the juicy red ones... and you yourself, you like the red ones too, so you think a basket of green and two of red should be fine. Nice planning!
You set to work on picking the apples, carefully and diligently. You're small, so you can't reach much higher than the bottom branches, but the orchard keepers know that, and they don't mind at all.
About midway through though, something starts to... feel strange... and that [[sound]]...Trying your best to remain calm, you focus your attention on removing the apple you've already grasped from the tree, and gently placing it in your basket.
You sneak a small peek over your shoulder.
A shambling, writhing mass, smaller than you but infinitely more intimidating... Yes, it's walking past you. If you stay calm, stay quiet, it shouldn't act on anything. But what is it doing here? Why here, in this peaceful town? No one's died recently, so it must have come from far away...
[[You hold your breath and wait.]][[And you wait.]][[Keep waiting. It hasn't passed yet.]]It slowly comes closer to you, letting out a small sound.
Hello?
[["Hello."]]
[[Stay quiet.]]Oh come on now. You wouldn't call back. That goes against all the things the elders and your mother taught you.
[[Stay quiet.]] You keep holding your breath, though you're definitely reaching your limit. You close your eyes and think about your bracelet. It feels warm against your wrist, probably from the sunlight and your own body heat leaking into the metal.
The ghostly creature yelps suddenly, and you hear the same sound as before, when it approached, but like it was being replayed in reverse.
[[It's gone now, I promise.]]You wait a couple seconds more, just in case... but the sound is definitely gone, and the strange feeling you had is gone as well. Letting out a gasp, you wipe your eyes with the back of your hand and allow yourself a moment to just sit down.
That's what we call an imago, somewhere between a zombie and a ghost, perhaps. In your town though, they're known as curses, and your family has always had the ability to dispel them with magic. You haven't been trained yet though, so you don't know how.
After a few more minutes of sitting in the shade, staring at the empty space between the leaves above you, feeling at peace studying the patterns, you get up and get [[moving.]]It takes about an hour and a half in total, including the scare from before, to gather the fruit you need. There were a lot of rotten apples this time, probably due to the curse... You should definitely tell [[the elders]] about it when you get back.
But first, let's go deliver these apples to Mrs. Yeo, [[shall we?]]The elders are the descendants of the founders of your small hometown, Oats. There are three in total, though you never learned their names. You just call them each "Elder" when you meet with them.
They're intimidating and don't talk much. They handle pretty much all the large scale decision making in the town, though everyone is free to weigh in on the choices they make.
(That being said though, their word is final. It sometimes feels suffocating.)
But let's go deliver those apples, [[shall we?]] You scurry along the pathway back into town, waving back at the orchard keepers once more. You don't turn to see if they wave back this time. Admittedly, you are a little shaken about encountering a curse.
That being said, you do make it to the Yeo household safely, knocking on the door before letting yourself in - Mrs. Yeo said that's always allowed, so it's fine.
She claps her hands together when she sees you, and smiles brightly.
"Oh my~ Would you look at that! Three baskets, all the way full! You are just a doll, y'know that? Come, come, sit down, have something to drink~"
You stutter a bit, trying to get the words out in the right order.
"Ah, um- I need to the elders- tell them, I need to go tell the elders, I saw something--"
But Mrs. Yeo won't have it. She pulls a chair out for you, and gestures for you to sit.
"You'd get your words out clearer if your throat wasn't so hoarse, dear."
She's always so playful, Mrs. Yeo is. Well, [[have a seat then.]]Sitting down and nodding at her, you feel a bit of tension melt away from you. She nods back, and wheels over to her counter, where she already had two glasses waiting for her. She comes back around and places one in front of you, before downing half of hers in one go. <i>Wow...</i> you think, noting that she is the coolest person you know.
You take a sip as well. Oh! Lavender, apples, and... tea? The flavours are all there, none too strong but mixing nicely together. Very tasty.
Mrs. Yeo reaches over and places a hand on your back.
"Did you see something out there today?"
You nod. She nods too. You don't need to say anything, and neither does she. But being who she is, she will anyways.
"Once you're done, go tell them. Don't worry about the cup, I'll wash it for you."
You quickly finish your drink and put the cup on the table. You lean down to give Mrs. Yeo a hug, and [[make your way out the door once again.]]With the door closed behind you, you take a shaky breath and wipe your eyes once more. You don't know why you're so scared, it was just a small curse... but on the other hand, a curse is a curse, and if you aren't adequately prepared to handle it, it would very quickly overtake someone as small as you.
You take another breath, this one more certain, and move towards the elders' house.
It's a very short walk, but [[it feels like it takes forever.]]You make it safely there, and open the door. It's dimly lit, with the curtains drawn and candles burning in various places around the open floorplan. <i>You think to yourself, huh, it's still morning though...</i>
"Young Tablespoon, is it?" One of them calls out to you.
"Ah, yes. Hello, elders... Um, I need to tell you-"
"You saw a curse, didn't you? That's the most likely reason you would be here."
You shuffle uncomfortably under their gazes.
"Yes, I did. In the orchard."
They all nod in sync.
"We will send Rosewater to get it today. We will also put in a word with your mother."
This shocks you. Not about Mr. Rosewater, you know he's the one that deals with curses if your mother isn't in town. But... putting in a word with her for <i>what</i> exactly?
"To help convince her to move, of course." As if they could read your thoughts, they continue. "Both for your safety, hers as well, and so that you can enroll in the city's school and hone your magic. Perhaps even just sending you alone may be a good idea."
The elders nod in sync again.
"Yes, perhaps that may be best."
But you hate that. Oh, you <b>hate</b> that! You don't want to be seperated from your mother just to go become a mage - sure, you may come back after, but when?
But you don't voice any of this. You're just a child, so it's not your place to. [[You bite your lip.]]
As you start to look downwards, you hear the door open again and the clacking of heels on the wooden floor.
"Rosewater. Good to see you."
The tall man who entered scoffs.
"Likewise, old farts. What was this about a curse?"
"Thank you for your thoughtful compliment. We will treasure it with all the rest. If you wouldn't mind, there is a curse inhabiting the orchard -"
Rosewater cuts them off.
"Was there just now. Took care of it already. Anything else?"
The elders and you both look shocked, but the conversation keeps going. They talk for a while about the weather, the apple harvest, and your mother. Rosewater has known her since she was a teenager, and he's known you since you were born. Lately, he seems more tired than usual.
"Well, how about I take her to the city then? Show her around, see if we can't get her a spot in that school?"
You look up at Rosewater, flabbergasted. You weren't paying attention at all, admittedly, so this is a great shock to you.
He looks down at you, smug as ever.
"The old folks' club wants you to go to school, right? I've got stuff to do in the city, and it won't take long to get there if we use my cart. So?"
You shuffle your feet a bit. You play with the hem of your hat. You rock from side to side. You are anxious.
"I... don't know. I want to see my mom, I can't just go without her..."
"[[Let's call her then.]] See how she feels, hm?"Rosewater pulls out his phone. Not many people have them in your village, mostly just the adults. Well, not the elders though. "Too complicated," they say, and you agree for once.
With a flourish, he flips the device open and hits a few buttons with his long nails.
"It's ringing- oh, hey there! Hi, yes love, 's it alright if I bring your girl to the city? We can stop by and see you, but something came up and the elders want her to see the school - yes now, yes, alright. Sure thing, kiddo. See you soon. Bye byeee~"
Even though she can't see him, Rosewater does a gay little wave as he hangs up.
"Perfect, she said it's all fine with her. Shall we go, then?"
It was that easy? You're a little shaken by all of this happening so suddenly, but if your mother says it's okay, then... it's okay, right? You have to be okay with it then, right?
And so, with another gay little wave, Rosewater takes your hand and [[leads you out of the elders' house.]]He somewhat-slams the door behind him, showing little and less respect for the elders. <i>You think it's pretty cool...!</i>
"Ugh, sooo boring! I cannot <i>stand</i> those hags!" Rosewater exclaims as he starts taking strides towards the outskirts of town. "Do this, do that, go take care of this - I'm a busy man! You know I'm busy, right Tabby?"
Tab-
--by?
"Ah, sorry. Long names are sooo boring too... That's why I just ask my friends to call me Rosie, y'know?"
This man is... a lot. He must be particularily excited to go to the city, as you've never once seen him act like this before. He's always been aloof, fanciful yes, but distant.
It's a longer walk to get to his house, as it's perched on a hill just outside of town, but you make it there in [[good time.]] "Aaa~alright! Here we are, baby! Do you need anything from inside, or shall we get going right away?"
He stretches his arms out in a flashy "look at all of this!" kind of pose before you as he speaks. <i>I like him better like this,</i> you think. <i>He's pretty fun.</i>
"No, I think I'm okay. I have all my things in my bag," you say, patting the little pack on your hip. Rosie smiles at this, taking delight in how well-planned you are for not having a plan.
"Let's go then! Come on, [[my carriage]] awaits."His carriage is what people on Earth would call "a cartoonishly gothic hearse."
[[You climb in the passenger side and sit down.]]He gets in his side, and with another skillful flourish of the hand, he snaps open a pair of sunglasses and puts them on. He offers you a pair too, saying that it can get awfully bright on the path to the city.
[[You take them.]]<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/374302246529400842/1044423240677871686/IMG_1763.png?width=720&height=463">
[[Oh hell yes.]]With the both of you looking stylish as all hell, it's time to depart for the city. Rosie has some music playing from some device in his carriage, and it's not half bad.
"Your mother usually goes by horse-drawn carriage, right? Those things take hours, but for us it'll take... about <b>one</b> hour. Neat, huh?"
"Oh... wow, that's pretty fast..." You say, but you're staring hard out the window at how fast the scenery passes by.
It's a mountain path, forests abound on either side. Not much interesting stuff to see, but beautiful nonetheless.
The sun is warm, and the wind is refreshing. It'll be a nice ride.
return home?