As you reach the outskirts of this behemoth of a city, a small figure bumps into your leg. Almost instantaneously they stumble away. If you take a closer look at them, you would realize that it is a young child, perhaps only 6 or 7 years old. She brings to the minds of many the image of a lost baby bird with her wide, hazel eyes and petite form. "Am sorry! I did no mean to bumps you!" She seems unjustifiably terrified, twisting her torn blue dress in her tiny hands. There are tears in her eyes as she looks all around her, uncertain if she should leave or stay in your presence. What do you do?
Lost. In the grand city of Stokbon, Yukisa had managed to get lost in the bustling throngs of people and maze-like alleys of a place that made someone of his significant height feel dwarfed. Someone as easily confused as himself likely shouldn’t have made the bold move of heading into the noble center this stone jungle, however he had no choice considering his most recent quest’s circumstances. He did his best to memorize the way he made from the city’s entrance to the house of Mrs. Prila, but between the overly energetic Kingoda and the exerting process of attempting to find the noblewoman’s lost locket, even the “breadcrumbs” he had left behind (or in other words, interesting sights he mentally noted) to remember which turns he had taken had managed to slip from his mind. It took him hours of trying to make sense of signs and repeatedly asking for directions before he finally reached the permanently under-construction outskirts, and he was never more relieved to see a massive stone gateway beyond which spread the vast world of Terrasphere. A happy sigh escaped the silver-haired males lips, his body prepared to leave this behemoth that felt as though it would consume him if he were to remain there any longer. Unfortunately, it seemed Stokbon was not prepared to let him go quite yet. Just as he was about to set foot outside, he felt something less than half his height bump into the side of his leg, causing a soft thump. Immediately he stopped, looking down and tilting his head curiously. Below him was a small girl, likely no older than 7, who seemed to be on the verge of tears. At that moment, Yuki’s heart lurched. He always had an adoration for kids, especially since he had volunteered to help out at kindergartens a few times. The purity of their actions and words always made him feel warm inside. He was also fairly decent at caring for them, never losing his patience. Even if they’d say something hurtful like “Why don’t you stand up, mister?” he would simply respond with a warm smile that hid a sadness such a young mind would not understand. Seeing how helpless this child looked, he had the unstoppable urge to help her. It was funny, how this lost girl had found an equally lost boy. Birds of a feather flock together, as they say. He bent down to match her height, placing a gentle hand on her head and giving it a little rub. “It’s ok, sweetheart,” he said with a tender tone, hoping she wouldn’t be frightened. “You seem lost. Is your mother around?”
Her lips wobbled at the affectionate gesture, eyes widening as she begins to bawl. Oh no! Snot began to run and mix with her wide crocodile tears as she all but crumpled forward, trying to wrap her tiny arms around your body and rub her snotty face into your clothes. "M-Mommyyyyyy!" she whined, making small fists into your shirt. She sniffled and hiccuped helplessly as the tears overwhelmed her. "I lost mommy and she g-gonna be so mad! Mommy!" she managed to stutter out, clinging to you in desperation. One of her fists seems a little looser than the other, clutching something small in those tightly wrapped fingers. Even as you look in your immediate vicinity, there seems to be nobody around. At least, no motherly, kindly figure of any sort. Nearby there's a grumpy old drunk lying on a bench, glaring at the commotion and rubbing at his eyes. It seems he was woken from his drunken nap by all the noise. A little further is a construction man tapping his foot and looking out in the distance, towards one of the buildings with a frown. Finally, there is a small black cat, sitting and licking its paw. It watches you carefully. Perhaps somebody might know something? Or you can try looking for the mother right away. What do you do?
‘Oh dear…’ thought Yukisa as streams of snot and tears began to streak down the girl’s face, only causing his concern to increase. Children become paralyzed with fear simply from losing their parents in the grocery store, so he couldn’t imagine how scared she would feel after getting lost in a big city such as Stokbon. Especially considering this world was based in a medieval period, this whole deal was a big recipe for disaster… perhaps more than his clueless mind could currently comprehend. “Hey, don’t worry,” he attempted to comfort her, tightly embracing her in hopes of calming her down. “We’ll find your mommy, alright? And I'll hold your hand, so you definitely won't get lost again.” He then stood up, moving slowly so as not to frighten her with sudden movements, and began glancing about. If he were fortunate, the girl’s mother would be close by, searching for her daughter desperately. He would then reunite the two, they would hug, and the girl would likely get scolded before they all go on their merry way. But just as with his dice rolls, Yukisa was out of luck. The streets were practically empty, save for a few gentlemen that looked about as approachable as an enraged Primadox. Between the grumpy, old man who likely drank a bit more than he could afford, and the impatient construction worker that seemed to be one second away from snapping at anyone in the vicinity; the innocent male was genuinely considering just asking the suspiciously intrigued cat that was looking in their direction. He weighed his options carefully. Perhaps it would be best to simply go searching for the mother on his own; that way he would avoid bothering anyone. However, considering he was as much of a stray puppy in this city as she was, he would likely just get her deeper into trouble. Asking the girl herself likely wouldn't do much good, either. She was distressed right now, it was doubtful she'd be able to give him a proper answer. “Alright, let's go then, uh…” at that moment Yuki realized he didn't know who this girl was, not even so much as her name. If there were a question he should be asking, then that would be it. “Ah, do you mind telling me your name?” he asked politely, giving her a friendly smile. A stranger asking for your name was likely a scary thing, so he did his best to appear trustworthy. “I'm Yukisa. You can call me Yuki, though, if you want.” Whether or not she chose to share her name, he would still give her a warm look and reach down to hold her hand. As he did so, he noticed that the hand he reached for was holding something. Tilting his head, he asked, “Whatcha got there?” and crouched down once again. Though to some it might be suspicious for the girl to be hiding something in her hand, Yukisa was asking purely out of curiosity. Most kids felt better when being given attention, and that attention included being asked questions about themselves.
She nods and sniffles, fingers wrapped around your thumb. "Hello Yu-ki-sa," she says your name, slow and drawn out. Her face brightens up a bit. Though her mommy told her not to talk to strangers, if they knew each other's names, they were not strangers anymore! "I am Aida! Ai-daaaa." She smiles through the tears and snot, rubbing at her face with her arm. She seems hesitant to show you her prize but eventually loosens her fingers to let you peek at the 'weird pretty marble' she found. You recognize that she's actually holding a pearl! "Saw it and was gonn' give it to mommy, so I got it, but then… but then…" She sniffles again. "But 'en mommy was gonneeeeeeeee!" She nearly breaks down, but your presence seems to calm her a bit, as she squeezes your hand and calms down once more with only a few hiccups and sniffles. "You can find mommy, right, Yu-ki-sa?" she asks hopefully. The construction worker walks off towards the center of town. The drunk falls asleep once more, now that the little lady has simmered down. The black cat meows. And together, the two of you are still very much lost. @Yukisa, what do you do?
Relief washed over Yukisa as the girl calmed down, and he continued to smile kindly at her. “Aida, huh? What a beautiful name,” he told her with a gentle tone. Knowing that children enjoyed being flattered, he hoped that would make her feel better. His hands came up to her face, and with his thumbs he helped brush the tears off her cheeks. “A beautiful name for a beautiful girl~” he added, letting out a soft chuckle. When Aida revealed the treasure she hid in her tiny fist, Yuki peeked through the slight gap she opened between her fingers curiously. It wasn’t very easy to see considering it was still mostly hidden, however as he looked closely, he noticed a white sphere with a slight sheen was enclosed by her fingers… which he soon realized was a pearl. Since he was no expert on gemstones, he couldn’t say for sure whether it was real or not, but it definitely looked real. Either way, hearing her speak of how she had been looking forward to giving it to her mother warmed Yukisa’s heart. At that point, he was filled with determination. “I’ll definitely find her!” he announced, eyes gleaming with confidence. He took the girl’s hand that held the pearl in both of his hands, giving them a firm but gentle squeeze. “I’ll find her, so you’ll be able to give this to her. And that’s a promise.” The silver-haired male then stood up from his crouching position, taking her free hand in his own and holding it tightly. Once again, he glanced around in hopes of finding some sort of clue as to where the mother could possibly be, but unfortunately his options seemed to have been reduced even further, with both of his questioning possibilities having gone back to their business. A sigh escaped his lips, and he momentarily glanced at Aida. He had given this child a promise, without even stopping to think if he was certain he could keep it. However, now was not the time to doubt himself. He shifted his gaze back forward. “Yosh!” he called with conviction, lifting his foot to walk back in the direction he came from: the depths of the city. … However, Yukisa quickly came to the realization that aimless walking would do no good. Stokbon was big, a lesson he learnt the hard way. So before he would set foot on this journey, he turned to Aida and asked one more question. “Do you remember where you last so your mommy?”
With all your conviction, Aida seems completely at ease. She trusts you to keep your word and help her find mommy, no matter what! Her lips wobble as she looks around. "We was near the churches," she says after a long moment of twisting her dress. From what you remember, there's a massive church in the middle of Stokbon – all stained glass and beautiful pillars. There are also two other, smaller churches in town, but you don't know where they are. You're not 100% certain how she's gotten all the way out here as there aren't any churches in the immediate vicinity. You could try finding your way to the church yourself (and risk getting lost) or ask somebody for directions. Unfortunately, the worker is long gone, the drunk is fast asleep, and the cat probably doesn't speak common. Maybe you both would be better off looking for some guards - perhaps they saw a worried mother nearby? The girl clutches at your hand and looks up at you with her wide, hazel eyes. What do you do, @Yukisa?
Expecting a solid answer from a distressed 6 year old was probably a bit too hopeful, but at least Yukisa had a lead now, as vague as it was. Since this was his first time in Stokbon, he wasn’t very familiar with the stone jungle’s various points of interest, however he did recall coming across a massive church in the area he had visited beforehand. Searching there was likely his best option right now. Since there was no one in the immediate vicinity to ask for directions, he would have to rely on his nearly nonexistent sense of direction in order to find his way back to central Stokbon. ‘Don’t let me down now, memory…’ Yuki thought, closing his eyes momentarily and taking a deep breath, reciting a small prayer in his heart to any divines that were willing to listen. “Then, let’s go to the big church and hope your mommy is there looking for you,” he told her, before reaching over with his free hand and giving her a reassuring pat on the head. “If you think you know where to go, don’t be afraid to tell me, ok? Let’s work together to find her!” his tone was confident as he spoke those words of encouragement. He also moved his hand in front of Aida and formed a fist, inviting her to give him a fistbump and smiling warmly. Whether she accepted or left him hanging, the silver-haired male turned in the direction he came from and began walking, gently pulling the lost child after himself. As they walked, he made sure to pay attention to where they were going, hoping to spot landmarks or perhaps even the spires of the church in the distance.
She gives you an odd look and pats your fisted hand before nodding and following you, hand firmly clutching the back of your shirt. Eventually, after a lot of walking and some distractions ("ooh, shiny!" or "look, butterfly!" stays cute for only so long), you spot marble columns rising to the sky. Following the columns, you are greeted with the sight of a sprawling cathedral – a glory of marble architecture with beautiful, sparkling stained glass inserts. Closer to the center of the city, it becomes more populated. Women with furs and jewellery on every limb, men donning silk and glimmering pins, all sorts of nobles seem to surround you. By the entrance, you hear the frantic cries of a desperate woman. "Please! Just look around one more time, she must be nearby!" If you go to look, you'll see that her hair color seems to match that of the child holding your hand. It seems the kid has yet to notice the worried lady, only looking around nervously at the crowd. You may have found her mother! What do you do, @Yukisa?
For once, the gods had heard Yukisa’s pleas, and with a stroke of luck he had not gotten Aida into deeper trouble than she had already been in. It was a lengthy trip through the stone maze that was Stokbon (which the girl seemed to enjoy more than her temporary guardian), but alas, they had arrived safely in the center regardless of how lost they both were. It was almost like one of those experiments, where they put a rat into a labyrinth to see how long it would take to reach the end; except in this case there was a severe lack of cheese, a thought that caused Yuki’s stomach to growl hungrily. Since the male didn’t quite know where the center was, one’s expectation would be that he wouldn’t even be able to tell when they had reached their destination. Fortunately, however, there were more than enough indicators that they were in the right place; the crowd of ostentatiously dressed nobles that caused the pair that wore plain garbs to stand out; the extravagant marble church that extended to the heavens; and above all, the faint yet desperate cries of a mother. Though he couldn’t spot the woman in between the thick throngs of people, horses and carriages, if he strained his ears, he would manage to track her down. There was no more time to waste. Her distress was likely immeasurable, and it caused his heart to wrench. But pushing through the waves upon waves of humans would be a challenge, especially with a child trailing after him. Unless… He looked back at Aida, who still clung onto his shirt - a good habit, but it wouldn’t be enough to guarantee they wouldn’t get separated. Luckily, he had thought of a plan that should suffice. “Aida, don’t move,” he told her, hoping his voice didn’t mix in with the noises of those around them. With that, he moved behind her and bent down, slipping his hands under her arms and lifting her by the armpits. He brought her up until she was above his head, then placed her down so she sat on his shoulders. She was a bit heavy, since she wasn’t that young, but thankfully his virtual body could compensate for that. Yukisa held onto her ankles firmly, then said, “Hold on tight!” before taking a deep breath and diving into the crowd, pushing towards where the shouting came from.
She screams as you lift her high, so very high, above the crowd. The scream turns to laughter and joyful squeaks as you charge through the crowd like a mighty stead, her your rider. From here, her point on your shoulders, she can see somebody familiar. "MOMMY!" she cries out. The same frantic voice from earlier cries back, "AIDA!" Aida fusses against your grip as mother and daughter come closer together until you're only just barely able to hold on to her. For a child, she is frighteningly strong. The woman that breaks through the edges of the crowd to meet you halfway is stunningly beautiful. Her black, almost blue, hair falls in gentle waves around her heart-shaped face, and her hazel eyes are round and soft even in panic. She's not as explicitly rich as the nobles around, but her clothes are soft velvet and silk, her jewelry understated but silver nonetheless. "Oh Aida, beautiful Aida," she whimpers, holding her hands out to take her baby girl from you. Aida wiggles against your grip, reaching out for her mother, but still stuck on your shoulders. You recognize the sound of her sniffling as tears, but they seem like joyful ones. It would be sweet if it weren't for the fact her snot is dripping into your hair. You have united mother and daughter, bringing a happy ending to this tale. You can demand payment. You can learn more about them. You can take your leave and escape from this maze of a capital. You can do so many things. What will you do, then, @Yukisa?
Hearing Aida let out a fearful cry, Yukisa gave the girl’s ankles a squeeze, reassuring her that he would hold onto her and she wouldn’t fall. That seemed to work well enough, as her worried screams turned into joyful giggles. He couldn’t help but smile softly from the sound of her laughter, her positive energies affecting him as well. Without any clear direction, it was very difficult to make his way through the crowd. For the most part, he did his best to slip in through any cracks that formed between the throngs of people, not wanting to bother anyone unnecessarily whilst not getting caught in the flow, either. Each time he accidentally bumped into or even brushed against someone, he’d blurt out a quick yet sincere apology that easily drowned into the bustle of the street, which meant that he was mumbling the entire time they were stuck in the current. “MOMMY!” he heard a cry come from above, causing him to stiffen. His eyes lifted, looking up at the child who sat on his shoulders. She was definitely looking in a certain direction, and from that same direction came another frantic call that carried the girl’s name. That’s it. If the male followed her gaze, he’d be able to cross the crowd and reach the other side. God, this almost sounded like the set up for a terrible joke. Why’d Yukisa cross the road? It took effort, however eventually the youth burst out from the other side of the stream of bystanders, panting slightly to relieve himself from the feeling of suffocation that gripped him while he went through the crowd. He didn’t have much time to recollect himself before a woman came rushing over. He couldn’t help but stare at her for a while, her beauty indeed stunning him slightly, and more importantly, her eyes that were the same hazel hue as Aida’s catching his attention. In his slight daze, he had almost let the girl loose, and her insistent fussing caused him to wobble. “Woah, Woah!” he called out to her, struggling to maintain his balance and his grip on the girl. “Careful, you’ll knock us both down, Aida!” The male’s distress did not seem to interest either of the females, as their reunion was all they could focus on. It was understandable, though: the only thing that was as scary as getting lost in a massive city that easily dwarfs your 6 year old self, is losing your child to such a beast of stone. Honestly, this could have ended terribly had it not been him who stumbled upon her, but rather someone (or something) with sinister intents. Perhaps that was why he clung to her so closely the entire time. But knowing Aida was finally returned to safety, Yukisa could finally let go of her. The last thing he would want is to keep mother and daughter away from one another any longer. And so he reached up and leaned down slightly, carefully removing the child from her steed and passing her to the warm embrace of her mother. A smile made its way to his face as he watched the heartwarming reunion. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t bring her sooner. I… was a little lost, since I don’t know Stokbon very well,” he said with a slight bow and a nervous chuckle after waiting for the two to calm down a little. “I’m glad I managed to find you after all, though!” He then looked towards Aida, reaching a hand up and affectionately rubbing the top of her head, ruffling her hair. “Try not to get lost next time, Ai,” he told her, his tone slightly stern yet mostly lighthearted. It seemed he had found a nickname for her finally, though perhaps for naught as this was likely where the two would part ways. “There won’t always be someone to find you! But if you do get lost, try to stay where you are and not wander off, alright? That way it’ll be easier for your mommy here to track you down.” As Yukisa was about to say his farewells, he suddenly remembered the promise he had made to his partner for this journey. “Oh! How about that treasure you wanted to show to your mommy, Ai?” he reminded her, speaking of the pearl she had shown him earlier. He definitely didn’t want to leave before he got to see things come full circle.
Mother and daughter embrace for a long while, sharing tears and giggles. They're only just coming down from the adrenalin (and Aida, down to the ground, from her mother's grip) when you speak up again. The mother nods along to your advice and leans back as you two youngin's interact, only raising her brows as you mention 'treasure'. Aida's eyes grow in excitement as she digs through her pockets to find her treasure. She looks left and right at the crowd before revealing the shiny pearl to both you and her mother. "Marble! 's a gift!" she crows, looking up at her mother for approval. You can see the struggle in the mother's eyes - to berate her child for walking away to pick up a pearl, or to smile and accept it? Eventually, the mother sighs and smiles warmly and pets Aida's head. "Very pretty marble there, darling. Next time, let's find one together, okay? So we don't get separated again!" She stares at Aida a little longer before clearing her throat and straightening up towards you. "And you, young man. Thank you for bringing her back to me." Now, her smile is directed towards you. Warm, motherly, and overall just a loving smile. "You were leaving Stokbon, weren't you? How about we lead you to the main gate?" Regardless of whether or not you accept the offer, eventually, you must exchange farewells. It is a tearful one, as Aida sobs about not wanting to say goodbye to her newest friend. Just before you can get out of her sight, you hear her cry out. "YU-KI-SAAAA!" She barrels into you and grabs at your hands. One last time. You feel her press the pearl into your palm as she smiles tearily up at you. "Don' forget me, m'kay, Yu-ki-sa?" She takes a deep breath, nods, and then runs back to her mother without letting you say anything in reply. The pearl is now yours. Sorry for the wait! I was on holiday this past week and had no access to computers for typing. Thank you for your patience. :) ALSO You've reached the end of this little event! Thank you for your participation. If you'd like to write your exit post, feel free. Otherwise, this thread will be marked completed and closed in 24 hours. :) If you have any feedback about the event, please PM me here or on Discord.
The pearl. That signified Yukisa’s promise to return Aida to the safety of her mother, and the fact that the girl could show it to her mom brought everything to a close. Thinking about how he had successfully managed to fulfill his promise and, though perhaps a bit exaggerated, save a life made him smile even brighter than beforehand. He was quite relieved that this hadn’t turned into a scolding session - mother and daughter had had enough stress for today, he could imagine, and he was sure that Aida would be much more careful after that fright. When the woman turned to him, saying “young man” as though she were about to take out her scolding on him, he couldn’t help but blink in confusion and straighten up as though it were his own mother he was standing before. It was safe to say he was relieved when she simply expressed her gratitude for his assistance. “It was really no trouble,” Yuki responded, returning a warm smile. At first he considered rejecting her offer to help him get out of Stokbon, however he feared he might end up in Aida’s state if he did that. “I would be grateful for that, haha…” he added with a nervous chuckle. And so came the time to part ways with his newly acquired friend. Though there was closure, and he did a good deed, his heart was filled with sorrow at the thought that he may not see young Aida again. It would be nice to see how she grows, but perhaps it was not his business. “Farewell,” he told both girls, giving them a short bow. “And you be a good girl, ok, Aida? Don’t give your mother anymore trouble,” he said firmly, patting her head one last time. “If you do, I might come visit again.” It was hard stopping himself from crying at the sight of Aida’s tear-ridden face. So hard, in fact, that as he turned away to head out of the gate, a few tears managed to escape. He needed to get out of here quickly, or else that gentle shedding would turn into a waterfall. But as he was about to leave through the gate, a cry prevented him from doing so, originating from the girl who had stopped him the first time he attempted so. He quickly turned back, only to have Aida’s tiny figure slam into him at full force. Before he could even react, she took his hand and placed something small and round inside… the pearl! Yukisa attempted to get a response in - a word or a hug - however the girl was back in her mother’s arms before he knew it. He almost rejected her gift, thinking it was something she should share with her mother, but... he also wanted to keep it. This pearl he had vowed by. He smiled from behind the few tears that streaked down his cheeks, and mumbled a soft, “I won’t, Aida.” Then, he was gone. I know this was supposed to close already, but I really really wanted to get a response in :') Thank you so much for this, Izzy! It was really great. I'm looking forward to more of these little events in the future! Rock on!
