As large and busy a city that Clearharbor was, scattered through its various districts were of course small pockets of recreational areas. While there were certainly those districts more dedicated to it than others, a sprawling trade metropolis so consistently busy with traffic needed such a scattering of businesses to ensure people didn’t need to stray all too far from their main locale to another unless business called for it.
But sometimes, one could find that special little place that simply wasn’t found in another part of the city, and it was quite frequent for such little holes in the wall to become hangouts for all sorts.
For Soren, such a place was a little café in the Business District’s recreational zone, called Grey Lark. What had ended up marking the place for the Freelancer had been a particular dish they served, a style of Yamatan confectionary he’d found himself becoming rather quickly fond of after trying it.
A type of sweet rice dumpling called a dango, which was served in a few styles and always alongside tea similarly done in Yamatan style. He had always had a bit of a sweet tooth, and so, something new was welcome.
But for now, it was the conversation with Manas he was holding about his and Syr’s hunting job that was the hot topic of Soren and the Keeper’s shared table, opposed to trading recipes or the latest Guild news.
“So… wait… now the running theory is there might be a Black Wyrm roaming around?!”
“That’s the only thing Keller was able to assume. Plus, can’t think of any other Wyrm we know about that walks around leaving slag where it goes.”
“I mean…”
“Not the one from the reef.”
Manas sighed while drumming his fingers on the table, his eyes drifting to the scale Soren had recovered set near his hand.
“Alright, so aside from that…” Mana paused to pluck a bit of the raspberry cake he’d ordered off his plate, eyeing it for a moment. “What kind of info did you and Syr get that might help?”
“Basically none,” Soren hung his head, Manas sighing before biting into his treat. “I followed up on what Keller told us and dug through the archives myself, but not a single record on any of the Black Wyrms we have matched his description. But I also checked the reports that were coming out of Zenith to see what was going on there, and check this out.”
Soren drew out his Deck, flicking the device’s front a few times, then setting it on the table as an image rose from it. An image showing an array of flora covered in dregs and puddles of the exact same tar-like substance they had found in the Emerald Grasslands.
“I do remember news out of Zenith being about something causing a mess there. Syr theorized it could be a Dragon, but if this is the same stuff you two found out in the grasslands…”
“Then it means whatever has the Hunters at Zenith riled up, was the same thing Keller saw passing through that forest. The same thing that’s leaving behind stuff that can make a Plains Raptor fight like a maniac.”
“Ahhh boy,” Manas leaned back in his seat, his eyes half-closed as he gazed up past the buildings. “I’m getting one of those feelings. The kind that means we’re going to be loaded with work in a few days.”
“Ahaha, well then I guess that means we need to enjoy the break while we’ve got it,” drawing back his Deck and changing the screen, Soren gave a hum. “Almost time, gonna need to wrap up here.”
“Oh? You’ve got more plans today?”
“Yeap. Told Syr I’d show her a few places in town to shop at, plus celebrate her first successful job, usual newbie stuff.”
“Ahhh. Sounds almost more like a date to me though,” Manas snickered when his remarked earned a splutter as Soren was finishing his tea. “Come ooon. A strikingly pretty alfish lass and the strapping half-alf Sword Saint, together around the shining gem of Laguna? It’s an image right out of a magazine article!”
“Always in it for the latest scoop huh?” Soren shook his head as Manas smirked at him. “I always forget you used to be a journalist before picking up this whole Keeper job.”
“Ah come on, journalist is too much! All I did was make local articles for the magazine and blog sites. If I was a journalist, I’d have been doing things like hounding business CEOs and politicians to see what shady rumors I could pick up,” Manas had his hands up while Soren gave him a faux suspicious gaze. “Though for now, the best rumor is what you and Syr have dug up. Rest assured, if the eggheads at the research division figure anything out, we’ll be getting news about it first thing.”
“Oh, I plan on that,” Soren finished up his dango snacks, clapping his hands together in a traditional Yamatan fashion he’d been taught, then dropping a couple of silver coins near his plate as he stood. “Welp, I’ll be heading off. See ya’ at the guild tomorrow?”
“Idea, actually,” Manas chuckled as Soren stopped just as he started. “Why not stop by my place tonight? Ray got home yesterday. I’ve got a couple recipes I’ve wanted to try, and, well… it’s a bit too much for two people alone.”
“Heh, alright ya’ damn connoisseur,” Soren gave a slight wave as he started off. “I’ll pop the idea to Syr after we meet up. See ya then!”
“Have fun on your da~te~”
“Bite me!”
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From the Grey Lark café, Soren’s trip on the tramline took him from the Business District to the Commercial District. Being the second largest district of Clearharbor after the Residential District, the saying was that it held “more than a bit of everything.” Fittingly so, being the commercial and entertainment district of a trade metropolis. Much like the Guild District, it meant that the various Wards and Streets were often defined by their own senses of style influenced by said businesses.
From things as basic are your arcade strips filled with smaller shops or business branches, entertainment focused meccas with much more niche things on offer, to the seedier side of business with a red-light district or two scattered about the massive area.
So, if one was searching for something, odds were high they could find it in some corner of the area.
This did mean that there was that end of things that was more in the grey zone of society. Business that, while not flat-out illegal in nature, certainly rode the line, to some people’s displeasure. And sometimes it meant, if police weren’t handling it—not saying anything about those “grey” sorts who skirted around the law in other ways—sometimes it meant Freelancers found themselves involved in such things. Things like the smuggling incident that resulted in Soren and Syr’s fight with the Armaros Drake was a bit more of a common occurrence than one would think.
But now wasn’t the kind of day to worry about those sorts of things. Now was a day to simply unwind from work while waiting on results and have some fun. Freelancer business and other things could be a concern of Soren’s later.
As things were, he and Syr had planned to meet up not far from the tram station, keeping things simple since she hadn’t seen much of the Commercial District since her arrival in the city.
Considering his little rendezvous with Manas earlier, Soren pretty much expected Syr would have been the first to arrive at the station. He could only hope she hadn’t arrived soon enough to be waiting for too long.
“Now just where is she…” As Soren was scanning around, a tap to his shoulder drew his attention. To then be met with a slender finger poking into his cheek and a trilling giggle. His eyes quickly lidded as the finger was withdrawn.
“Shouldn’t you have been able to sense me coming, Mister Sword Saint?”
“Sometimes you just have your guard… down…” Soren trailed off as he turned to face Syr, his eyes widening a bit as he saw her.
Perhaps it was because he’d simply gotten used to seeing Syr in her spellcaster’s gear, even just missing a few pieces, that he found himself ever so slightly off guard to see the Alf in more casual clothing.
Syr’s attire was simple, airy cloth typical of Alfish stylings, done in two pieces as a white, flower-patterned sundress with an equally light, leaf green shawl over it. Her normally left free hair was done into a loose tail, and in place of her spellcaster’s hat, a still wide brimmed sun hat topped her head.
Of course, though, then there was her usual bag which he knew for a fact contained her spell book.
“Hello~?” Syr trilled her word as Soren caught himself, the Alf giggling as a sly grin split her face. “Surprised? I know I’ve only been wearing my robes since we met, but is it really so surprising to see me in this? Or, is it that you were actually so captivated by me beauty for once you were stunned speechless?”
“You get a kick out of teasing people, don’t you?” even as Soren snarked back, the slight flush to his cheeks widened Syr’s mischievous grin.
“I don’t hear a noooo~!”
Soren let out a sigh while Syr snickered, and a few passersby were giving looks that said there was plenty of misreading of the current situation to be had.
“Alright, have your fun. So, any trouble finding your way here?”
“None at all,” Syr shook her head as they started walking. “I’ve studied the map to the point of memory since I got here. And after some more exploration, I should have any routes I need to take down for where I need to go.”
“Well I guess you’d be a pretty shit mage if your memory wasn’t good.”
“Funny. So, what’s the plan? Manas give you that list of places to visit.”
“First thing I took care of before I told him about what we found out back there. Buuut—” Soren chuckled as he stepped ahead, spinning around as he continued his strides in reverse. “While I do have the list, and know some of the places, it’s your choice what to check out.”
“What? Not going to try and guess what I find to my liking?”
“I have an idea of what Alfs are into for food, but not you specifically. Hehe, take this as a chance to educate me a bit, or try some new stuff.”
“Isn’t the one doing the guiding supposed to give recommendations for things, hmmm?” Syr leaned forward a tad, Soren snickering as he started fiddling with his Deck.
“Au contraire fair maiden. This is an outing of coworkers after a job well done. I’m just the one who knows the places in question.”
“Heh… dick,” Syr’s dip into coarseness earned a laugh from Soren, the Alf swiping his Deck and getting to looking at what he’d pulled up. “Hmm… alright then, I want my first stop to be… this café right here. Something on the sweet side to start the mid-day off.”
“Let’s see…” Soren flinched a bit as soon as he saw the place Syr had highlighted. “Ah… the stupid popular one off the bat huh? Dammit Manas…”
“Well, if it’s popular, then we simply must check it out, right?” Syr’s grin widened into a troublesome sort, Soren not saying much else. He’d dug this hole after all, and if his new companion elected to abuse that digging?
That was simply on him.
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Maybe Manas had a point about calling this a date…
Was the thought Soren had as he and Syr went about their store hopping trip of the Commercial District. Be it the cafés or restaurants that were of note, various landmarks that were teeming with foot traffic at each point, or just the streets of note within the area.
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The main point of attraction was the centerpiece ward of the district, the zone known as Crystal Park. The largest single zone of the District, the ward consisted of two large mainstays: The overall entertainment area filled with shops, bars, various stops for recreation like arcades, a bowling alley, theater and a few shadier gambling centers or two shoveled away into corners and what not, plus a healthy amount of hotels scattered around the place.
The second piece of it was the equally large nature park situated next to the entertainment zone.
While Lagunan cities were rather known for being urban sprawls where industry ruled, their centers and industrial areas being titans of glass, concrete, and steel that were oft as much works of art as business or work centers mixed in with the stylings of other races that happened to have ties to the cities over certain periods, it was on advice and techniques from Alfish migrants to the nation that cities had also begun dedicating large plots of land to nature parks both to break up the concrete jungles and make passthroughs for other such things.
With urban design already having to accommodate for possibilities such as all-too-large monsters chancing their way into city streets or deciding which roads were for dedicated vehicular or foot travel, providing a nigh-literal breath of fresh air to such densely populated areas proved to ensure the citizens of such cities didn’t need to go far to find a break from the hustle and bustle of it all. And no thanks to said Alfish designs, it meant said parks remained just as prominent as the rest of the city, some featuring trees that towered just as high as the buildings surrounding them.
Thankfully, most of the places Manas had listed for Soren were in Crystal Park, fittingly so with it being both so large and well populated by the city residents. So, after some trolling of restaurants to decide what to do for lunch, and a café or two because Syr turned out to be the holder of a notable sweet tooth—which of course Soren took the first chance he had to joke about.
After the food hopping came showing Syr the recreation spots. From the large Crystal Theatre that made regular showings of the latest and hottest movies, to the bustling central arcade home to plenty of smaller shops. To Soren’s amusement, learning Syr had on one hand seen a share of movies yet never so much as seen an arcade’s game center proved plenty amusing, especially with the concept of video games turning out to be completely new to the Alf.
“So, you’re telling me all of these arcades as these… playable movies?” she had said when Soren was showing her around the large, well-stocked room.
“I mean some games nowadays are like movies, but most of them are full control. Arcade stuff though is like… fighting games, or arcade shooters and stuff. Some of them have cabinets with totally unique control setups. Some are weirder in that they’re basically card games where you just scan the card on the system to play the game. And then you get new cards as rewards for playing.”
“Sounds like a cash grab scheme.”
“I mean… not wrong.”
Of course, that had in part been one floor of the arcade. The upper floor went from a sea of arcade cabinets to more traditional sorts one would no doubt also find the various parlors and bars scattered across town. Pool tables, dart boards, the works. Though being more familiar with them, Syr’s interest wasn’t quite as strong as they browsed around to see what would catch her interest for a quick stop.
Though it was as the two were back on the lower floor and headed back to the entrance that Syr ended up trailing off. And when Soren noticed her falling behind, he felt a slight sinking feeling when he saw why.
Syr was standing in front of a row of crane-catcher games, her eyes plastered to a plush doll within the machine, the doll a cuter rendition of a fluffy, leaf covered creature Soren didn’t recognize.
“What ya’ see?” stepping over, Soren smirked at how Syr couldn’t seem to pull her eyes from the plushy. “Oiiii, Miss Alf?”
“Eh?!” Syr snapped out of her little trance, clearing her throat to try and reclaim some posture. “S-Sorry… I’ve just never seen a toy of a hedgehound like this.”
“So that’s what it is?” Soren pocketed his hands as he looked at the doll, noting its somewhat canine features even among the rounded, almost squished look it had. “That’s a Vaniran creature, right? Lives in the canopies and stuff, yeah?”
“It’s basically a dog for us Alfs. I uhm… used to help take care of a few that lived at the College. So I’m rather fond of them, you see?”
“Want me to get this one for you?”
“You would?!” Soren sighed as Syr’s eyes lit up in excitement, her ears fluttering along with it.
“I can try,” Soren rolled a hand as he took up the simple control board of the crane machine, drawing out a couple of copper coins and rolling them over his fingers. “If you really wanna know the money scheme of the arcade, it’s these damned things.”
Despite his clear warning, Syr still looked hopeful for the potential results. With a small sigh, Soren stopped flicking around the coins in hand and inserted them, the machine pinging on and starting with a more than a bit grating jingle as the crane claw loosened.
The controls were simple enough. Two buttons only, one to move it to the right, and the second back. It was through that alone one had to try and grab any of the items arranged in the closed machine… and why it was also so darned insidious of a thing to even attempt. As much a trial of knowing slight distances as simply hoping the crane claw would actually hold the entire way.
And with Syr’s hopeful gaze on him, Soren could only press that luck as he guided the claw over the plush hedgehound doll. And once it stopped, the oh so tense moment of watching the claw descend over the doll came, Syr leaning closer to the glass as it fell over the doll and closed up around it, just managing to get secure around a chunk of the body.
Soren had his doubts as the claw rose, knowing well enough there were quite heavy odds of the plush simply slipping from the claw’s grip and dropping back to the pile below it with every slight shift and jostle of the moving crane.
But despite Soren’s doubts, the claw successfully brought the plush over the drop zone, dropping it into the prize pit with a victorious chime as the plush rolled out to be received.
“Well, look at that,” Soren chuckled as he plucked their prize up, handing it off to Syr, snickering as the Alf’s ears fluttered in visible joy as she took hold of the toy. “Guess your beginner’s luck rubbed off a bit, eh?”
“Hehehe, maybe~,” Syr gave a playful grin as she held the plush to her face, sticking out her tongue a bit as she turned it around. “And now I’ve got another friend to keep me company away from work.”
“Heh, cute,” Soren turned on a heel as Syr giggled, following him out so the tour could resume.
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With their venturing around town more or less done for the time being, to ease things up, now the duo had made their way into the nature portion of Crystal Park, getting away from the bustle of the urban portion and taking the time to stroll along through the woods and streams that coursed alongside the walkways of the park.
And Syr was certainly enjoying herself on the little nature walk, trotting along ahead of Soren and gazing around the trees, picking out the birds and other creatures that made their residence up in them, from the smaller mammals to some more fantastical sorts that were easily acclimated to large amounts of people coming in and out of their homes.
“Talk about a change in the airs,” mused Syr, “You almost can’t tell that it’s the same place once you’re further in here.”
“The nature parks definitely have that vibe,” chuckled Soren. “It’s a good way to unwind and just move out of the bustle the city always has going for it. Better than needing to drive a few miles to the nearest spot outside the city, not that camping trips like that are so bad. Still, having been in Vanira myself, not a lot compares to the forests there.”
“I doubt much else could compare. We are talking about the grand forests that span the western end of the continent after all. So large its breadth goes from evergreens, oaks, and more!”
“And a few places so magically charged the season is stuck in one state or another.”
The casual dialogue carried on from that, be it Syr pointing out certain import creatures flitting through the branches, or Soren noting certain details of the park as they headed closer and closer to the central area.
After a few minutes more, the tree line broke, giving way to a much more open clearing where the many walkways of the park converged. The gathered walkways formed into a square of its own, the brooks gathering into a central pond where some visitors were taking brief trips across in slowly moving dinghies or paddle boats. One end of it was a children’s park where all manner of tykes were running about, watchful parents ensuring their safety or chatting amongst one another with the break given by the play sets.
Or even just other general fixtures, be them for people to take a rest such as benches or rails by the brooks, or grander works such as a fountain displaying various fixtures of grand beasts, blending the forms of a dragon, serpentine sort, and grand lion as each had water jets flowing from their maws, while atop it all a depiction of a robed warrior, sword raised aloft and gleaming of treated steel rather than stonework.
But perhaps the most prominent feature was an amphitheater that dominated the square, the simplistic stage formed of the same off-white and bronze highlighted art-deco stonework of the pathways, creating archways lined by light fixtures that encircled the stage and seating.
And currently, there was quite the crowd at the amphitheater, music carrying across the air and through the park, onlookers watching even if they were only at the upper ends of the amphitheater itself.
“Is this a regular thing?” Syr asked, Soren giving a shrug.
“Can depend on who’s performing. Zenver likes this spot. Has a few other musician pals who frequent here too. But…” Soren took a moment, listening to the sounds a bit, picking out a peculiar style to both the sounds of plucking strings and a flute. Familiar in a way, but not in styles he’d typically hear. “Yeah, this isn’t a style you’d typically hear in Laguna. Yamatan, I think? Tenzo’s showed me a performance or two from there.”
“Oh, a traveling performer then?” Syr showed that now expected expression of curiosity. “Come on, let’s go see for ourselves!”
“Worth a look.”
Nodding as Syr hurried ahead, once they were able to look down into the amphitheater proper, it afforded a good look at the performer on the stage. And it was certainly a sight to behold.
It was not merely a performance of music, but also a dance mixed in. The performer was without doubt a Hengeyokai, of young, pale countenance carrying a curtain of messy, bright pink hair, a shining hairpin depicting a dragon keeping it from being an utter mess.
Her animalistic features were those of a fox, auburn and black-tipped ears and a fluffy tail presented for all to see. Swishing robes of white and reds, decorated in autumn leaf patterns. Slender arms secured a lute-like instrument, fingers deftly plucking the strings as the performer carried her dance around the stage, accompanied by flowing specters of water providing the extra instrumentation of her song.
Syr felt it quite unfortunate then, that she couldn’t quite understand the singing as well. The performer was singing in her native tongue, and while there was no doubt her voice was nothing short of transfixing, it was a shame then to be unable to understand the lyrics that were keeping the crowd oh so fixed on her.
Syr and Soren said nothing, merely watching as the performance carried on, passing through its peak as the singer raised her voice and song upwards into what was likely the final chorus, both she and her specters picking up their own movements in time to it. And as the song began to come to its close, the water copies changed into swirling flows that streamed around the singer, painting beams of light through the air before cascading upwards with the final few notes, bursting apart into a radiant mist as the song came to a close.
And with the song over, the crowd was finally released from their transfixed state, bursting into claps and cheers for the performer as she took a bow, tail swishing around as she bent low with one arm swishing outwards.
“Wow!” Syr was all in on the clapping as the singer gave various greetings to the crowd now hurriedly making their praise known as she sat at the edge of the stage. “I’ve seen my share of concerts, but to see a performance like that just in an open place like this?”
“She’s certainly impressive,” said Soren. “Not just anyone can handle a full set of singing, dancing, and instrumentation all at once, not to mention the specters. Whoever that Henyo is, she’s definitely been doing this for a long time. Hah, Zenver’s gonna flip when he hears about this.”
“Well it would certainly be tricky to pick a Halfling out of a crowd like this,” mused Syr, Soren giving a slight snicker. “I’m curious about the magic she used for those specters! Forming them out of water rather than ether itself, that’s surely a hint of her attunement.”
“You’re not going to up and hurry down there to try and get some questions are you?” as Syr stuck her tongue out, Soren glanced at the singer. And for a moment, his eyes ended up meeting with hers, able to take in the vibrant red color.
“Crystalline eyes…” and he almost swore he heard her speak when her lips moved, their gazes locked for a moment more before the singer went back to talking to those curious onlookers who were before her.
“Hmmmm~?” And that was when Syr slid into Soren’s view, the half-alf flinching a bit. “Was that a pause I saw? Oh, shame on you Soren! Here we are, on such a fine outing together, only for you to get transfixed by some other woman. If you wish to gaze at someone, I’m right here you know?”
“Ha, haaaaa,” Soren dragged out the faux laugh, Syr mugging at him with a toothy smirk. “But, am a bit curious myself. Henyos don’t leave Yamato often, so I doubt that girl’s here just to do some traveling.”
“A lot like us Alfs then,” observed Syr. “Leaving home to find some purpose beyond it. Some kind of calling, some may say.”
“Well for you we all know what that is,” Soren chuckled, giving Syr a tap on the shoulder. “How much you anticipating the day you get to go on a surveying job for some Ascian ruins, eh?”
“Oh, greatly. But these things will come with time. Something I have plenty of,” Syr looked to the stage again, and now she too was sure that the singer was looking right at Soren, fox ears twitching in thought before she caught Syr looking as well. And Syr then felt something pass through her.
A sensation of familiarity. Not for the Henyo, but rather, the aura she gave off. It was like a mix of something, her own energies, ever so slightly blended with the touch of something else. Something different, but familiar in feeling.
“Could it… is she also like me?”
“You say something?” And now It was Syr’s turn to flinch as Soren leaned into view. Syr could feel her face flushing to her ears as Soren got a turn to be the smug one now. “My oh my…”
“It seems we both caught something of interest from this singer,” Syr coughed into a hand, Soren snickering all the while. “Anyway, is there anything else you wanted to show me? It is starting to get late.”
“Actually, Manas offered to let us stop by his place. He wanted to try out some new recipes, and it’s a bit too much for him and his husband alone. Plus, I think you’d like to meet the guy, he…”
“Wait, Manas is married?!” Syr’s surprise left Soren blinking for a moment.
“Ah, right… never did come up lately, did it? Wait, you didn’t notice the wedding band he wears?”
“Well…” Syr put her fingers together as her ears drooped. “I did, but I just figured it could’ve been, y’know, a normal ring or something. Isn’t it rude to just ask someone like that unprompted anyway?”
“Hahaha, yeah, you’ve got a point. So, think you’re good capping the day off with food cooked by a friend?”
“It sounds lovely, in fact.”
“Ace.”
As they turned to leave, Soren cast one more glance back to the stage. The Henyo singer was herself starting to depart, and once more, their eyes met for a moment. With all of the recent happenings, a part of Soren was wonder if, maybe, there was more to his recent encounters than just stance.
Because noting his crystalline eyes from afar wasn’t something an ordinary person could do.