Bad Directions [Travel thread to Magnolia]

The rain continued to pitter patter upon the ground as Aila happily munched on her well deserved food. Her first request had gone perfectly, and had really lifted her spirits. The woman had thanked her again and again, even going so far as to offer her a meal. Even more surprising was the fact that Jack had come out of his room and asked her to stay as well. With that she was forced to accept their hospitality but told them she couldn't stay long. Her brother needed materials from Clover. So she ate and happily chatted with the family before leaving and taking a small snack for the road along with a slightly heavier jewel pouch. She idly traveled to the train station while finishing her last rice ball.

Once she had finally arrived her eyes scanned the premises for her brother. Oddly enough he wasn't there. She pulled her hood down and entered the station. The station had always been rather alluring to her. It had a rustic feel, and the train traveled so fast that she couldn't help but think that the riders drifted away without a care.

"Excuse me miss?" she heard a voice squeak behind her. She whirled around to meet the face of a small girl dressed in business like clothing. "Would you be-" her eyes traveled to a small slip of paper in her hands "Miss Aila?" Aila nodded in response and the girl let out a sigh. "I'm a customer of your brother, he told me to deliver this message to you." With that she pulled out a letter and placed it in her hands before scurrying off. Almost as if she didn't want to be around when Aila read it.

Her eyes quickly scanned the letter.

Quote :

Dear Aila, I heard that you completed a request for Ms. Lively. Congrats little sis. You've really grown up, and I'm proud."

Aila smiled, her brother had always been kind to her, and to hear that he was proud caused a warm feeling in her heart. As she began to fold up the letter she noticed a small note on the bottom.

Quote :

Use your funds from the mission to cover your travel, and congrats on adulthood sis!

A cold wind traveled through the station, and Aila's face flushed ever so slightly. Did he forget that the whole reason she was traveling was to get HIM some supplies! Aila approached the nearby counter with annoyance apparent in her eyes "One ticket to Clover please".

The man on the other end of the counter smiled back at her and hit a few buttons on a cash register. "That'll be 10,000 jewels please". The cold wind blew through the station again as Aila casually took out her purse. She knew that she didn't have nearly enough money. Why was everything so expensive? The smart thing to do would be to go back home and ask her brother for the extra money needed. However, that would require letting her brothers know that she had spent some of her traveling money on her new requip set, which they saw as "just clothes". A shiver went through her body when she remembered the ridicule she had received from her original requip outfit.

"Wh-which way is it to Clover?" She muttered in a defeated tone.

The man looked back at her with obvious annoyance. His face quickly changed into a smirk as he pointed in a random direction. Aila, being the indoor child she was, believed the man and set off down the road. She picked up some snacks for the road from a nearby shop, and began to walk down the path imagining the beautiful city of Clover that her brother had always bragged about during his days as an apprentice. Now she’d get to see it in all of its glory!

The walk was rather long and for a while she thought it would run on forever, but before she could give up she saw the shape of buildings off in the distance and smiled. Her clothes let out a faint glow and she dashed off, now dressed in her new requip set.

Her eyes were sparkling as she peered around at all of the buildings. The place didn’t look near as extravagant as her brother had often bragged. Was it that important to make her feel jealous? She stopped by a nearby shop to ask for directions to her brother’s supplier.

“Sorry to say that you went in the complete wrong direction missy” The shop keeper told her with a chuckle.

For the third time today Aila felt a cold gust of wind roll in. She took a pen and piece of paper from her bag and gently scribbled out a message to her brother, with a bright red blush on her face.

Quote :

Dear Tsoru, I decided to go to Magnolia instead. Please get your materials some other way.

Signed your adult sister,

Aila

Still blushing she handed the note to a nearby post office worker and began to explore the town.