!PRIVATE! Marchen: The Journey

[Aki Ameko]

Aki smiled shyly at the girl's kindness. What a sweet girl... She thought as Usa led her down the street. I'll have to remember to thank her properly later...

Aki jumped as she entered the inn and saw the large man yell, but was relieved when his expression softened. Good. I certainly don't want her getting in trouble because of me...

"Um...I'm not sure." Aki said to Mr. Aster truthfully. "I'm waiting for someone, you see... So I'm not sure how long I'll need to stay."

[SilverDragonetsu]

"Well in that case, you are welcome to stay as long as you need. As for you, Usa." The small girl flinhced under the mans hard gaze. he pat her head though and turned her to the door. "Don't you have some flowers to be selling? Your going to miss your customers!"

"Right! S-sorry Mister Aster!", the girl whined as she was ushered back out onto the street. Puffing herself out and gatheirng her skirt in one hand, Usa gave a smile and a wave to Aki before hurrying down the street towards the market just a block away.

"As for you. You know my name. Aster. Why don't you tell me your name and come and help me set up your room? Maybe you can explain to me how Usa found 'you'? That child. She's always stumbling upon some stranger in some unique manner every few days." Aster smiled and offered his hand, a kind smile agianst his rough exterior, showing him to be not so bad the man he appeared as.

[Aki Ameko]

Aki stared at Mister Aster, slightly startled. "Erm...ok." She took his arm awkwardly, but was rather uncomfortable with it.

"Well, I...suppose to start off with, I fell asleep by a tree at the edge of town." She said rather sheepishly. She had to let go of his arm now. It was just too weird...she would have to just follow him. Her mind searched for a change of topic. "So, um...what about that girl back there? Usa? Does she live here, or...?" Thinking about such a young sweet girl working at her age made Aki a little sad inside. She felt like she wanted to do something for her...even if she didn't feel that she already owed her something.

[SilverDragonetsu]

Aster Lead Aki to the far back wall of the room, which asended to the room in the upper floors of the building. There were four floors, the top being the room reserved for longers staying residence.
"Usa? Yes, she lives here. She's been living her for a few years now, actually. She just appeared one day, three years from now. Said she was waiting for somseone; like most people do in this city. No one knows where she came from or who she's waiting for. For a moment, I thougth you migth be that person when she came in with you. But something told me it's not you, is it?"
Aster gave an easy smile over his shoulder, almost as though hoping his assumptions were wrong.

[Aki Ameko]

Aki shook her head sadly. "No, I don't think so. I've never met her until today." She continued to follow Aster up the flights of stairs. She just...showed up one day? Poor girl... I REALLY wish there was something I can do for her... Hmm...or maybe there is...I'll have to do some research... "So you don't know if she has any family? Has she told you anything about the person she's waiting for?" Aki only grew more and more curious about the little girl.

[SilverDragonetsu]

"Sorry. No one seems to know a thing about her. 'Cept she loves flowers adn is a darn good herbalist. She has her own little miracle garden, they say. Where she grows all her flowers and herbs she sells. Strange adn mysterious plants rather rare or foriegn to Marhcen. I see she gave you one of those flowers. I don't know it's name, but you're a lucky lass to have recieved one of 'those' from Usa. She only sells those to what she calls the chosen ones, or something silly like that."

Aster merely smiled with a chuckle, proving he didn't completely believe the chosen bit and saw it as a mere childs game of sorts. A glow in his smile proved he didn't joke though, nor mean harm by his words.
"Ah, here we are. This room here. 4-4.", Aster opened the door, showing just how barren the room appeared. yet it was extremely roomy and had two beds. "Sorry if you'd perfer something smaller, but the rest of the reserve rooms for long-term customers are taken. It has a great view, though. you can see Mount Sertaugh Vally from here." He left the door open and went to the glass doors that went out onto a small balcany. He didn't open the window though, not yet.

[Aki Ameko]

Aki blushed slightly at his comment. ...A flower only reserved for 'chosen people'? Well it might be just a game, but all the same, it's important to HER... I'll have to make sure to take good care of it, and thank her properly too.

Aki entered the room and stared around in awe. "This is beautiful!" She exclaimed. "No, I don't mind the extra space... But what's the charge?" There was slight concern in her voice when she posed the question. I've no idea how long I'll be staying here... I just hope it's not too expensive...

[SilverDragonetsu]

"A meal each night, noon, and Morning down stairs at the cafe' each night that you stay. I'm more a charity for weary travelers lost on their or searching for their party."
Aster chuckled to himself as he opened the glass doors. He pulled the bare futon matress from one of the beds and hung it over the rail of the balcony.
"And that you help clean the room before checking in and out of your room," he added. He gave the matress a good pat, abit of dust collecting in a cloud and drifting off.
"These rooms can be vancant for months at a time, so the matresses could use a good dusting and floors a sweeping. Just about the works. Enough to look nice, you now?" Finding a swatter made of thin braided and twisted branches, Aster went to beating the matress to clean it of dust.

[Aki Ameko]

Aki's eyes widened with shock and pleasure. "Really?! Wow, honestly I'm shocked." She said, blushing a little. "Really, not all innkeepers are up to that kind of charity. So what would you like me to help you with first?" She walked over to the closet and started examining some of cleaners stored inside. "Oh, I forgot to mention... I'm a Curess, so if you need any help with exercising spirits or medicine, please, do call on me." She smiled brightly at Aster.

[SilverDragonetsu]

"Medicnes? Well those migth help out from time to time. Some of our stragglers tend to wander in sick and ill." The mastress was easily cleaned, adn returned to the bed.
"There should be a broom in the closet to sweep. And the sheets on the top shelf will need to be aired out before they can be lain on the beds."
Aster went to the other bed to retrieve it's mastress, that of which he went to cleaning as well.

[Aki Ameko]

"Okay, then." Aki said, taking the broom from the closet and starting her sweeping. I'm actually using a broom for its originally intended purpose... How ironic... She thought to herself with a chuckle.

The manual labor wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Aki wasn't used to cleaning much, and whenever she did she usually used magic to do it... It was a nice change of pace. Making casual conversation with the innkeeper was also enjoyable. "So, Mr. Aster, how long have you been running this inn...?"

[SilverDragonetsu]

"Hm...Let's see. If you count since when I was just a little boy helping my family run the place...Oh say...about 45 years. mind you I'm about 50 now." he nodded to himself, rather sure that was right.

"Everyone pictched in when it came to running my families Inn. Especially as a charity. Though I was very small then, I was abile to do my part by playing with children my age who were travling with their gaurdians. Otherwise I tried my part in the stables. Feeding and watering were probably about all I could do until I was at least tall enough to groom and handle sertain tools." He nodded to himself with a broad smile. Those were the days. He'd made quite a few friends that he still excahnged words with or wrote to from time to time now a days.

"What about you? I haven't heard much from you, Miss Curess. How long have you been a Curess?"

[Aki Ameko]

Aki stared at Aster, amazed, yet not surprised as that was how children typically grew up in Marchen--training from a very young age until they were skilled enough to take over the family business. "That's so neat, Mr. Aster." Aki replied sincerely. "I'm glad that old traditions hold so strong. It's important to pass on such skills."

Aki had worked herself into the corner where the bed was set up and trying to sweep underneath when Aster posed his next question. Since she was crouched down so low on the floor, Aster would be unable to see her distressed expression. "H-how long have I been a Curess? Well..." Aki trailed off in hesitation, her back still resolutely facing the old man. It's just a simple question. I don't have to tell him everything... He just asked about my career, that's all. Trying to sound natural and cheerful as she had been previously, Aki spoke up again. "Well, like you, I've been training for it my whole life. The village I'm from teaches all sorts of magic, and I just found my niche in exorcism and healing." She stood back up again and began dusting herself off, but only stood there for a moment, lost in thought. And I should still be there. But... "But anyway, I've...finished my training and went off to freelance. I just go wherever I'm needed. It's been almost a year now..." Smile back on her face, Aki turned around and sighed heavily as she whiped some sweat and dust off of her brow. "I'm done with the sweeping! What next?"

[SilverDragonetsu]

"Of course!", he boasted, gabbing a thumb proudly into his chest. "I hold strong to tradition! It's how this world survived back when, and it's how it should remain. It's how Marchen remained so peaceful thus far."

With a humble smile, he kept to his work, while listening for the young womans responce. He wasn't too surprised when she said that she were taught magic. He'd crossed pathes with a variety of people of such, each with their own cliches and groups. nto often one crossed a good healing or exorcist, though.
Pausing, he side glanced to Aki, where she were crouched to the floor. There seemed something heavy about her voice. An edge. He wound up paying it little mind though, as he was soon to recieve a smile. 'Such a strong and bright girl.' "Sheets! And then the windows could use a quick washing, and that should be all the nessisary."
He would have told Aki to get the sheets, though reaised just looking at her that she'd be too short, thus he got them himself. "How about you shake out the sheets and make the beds? I'll get some water and rags and do the windows. Soudn fair?", he asked, setting the sheets on the beds they went to.

[Aki Ameko]

"Oh, that'll be fine! I'll get right on it." As Aster left the room, Aki unfolded the sheets energetically and began making the beds. Her pace slowed as her mind went back to her village. I'm surprised they haven't come after me yet. She thought, smoothing the sheet across the mattress. ...Or maybe they have, and they just haven't found me...yet... Face much more solemn, she began tucking the sheets in the corners. ...I can't imagine that I'm really that good at avoiding them. I would think that any of the innkeepers I've met along the way would openly pass on information about my having been there...or would they? Is it possible that they'd have a code of secrecy, and not pass on information? Or that they might like me that much...? This made Aki pause in wonderment. Heh, maybe I'm just a really good charmer... That'd be pretty convenient if all those innkeepers were suspicious of my persuers and decided to keep information to themselves... But then again, they might use force... Now worried, Aki bit her lip. I-I can't imagine the thought of one of them getting hurt on my behalf... But...what else am I to do...?