Previously in NWC-
Reno not only met the village blacksmith, but also managed to get a free short sword. He then got a religious symbol that the Mayor had carved with his son when he was a kid. Reno learned that who he calls 'Luna' is known as 'Mixzys' in this town. Reno takes a shower before leaving the town hall...
Out on the street, Reno, looks around. "It's still pretty early, so going back to the barn now would be a waste." He sighs as he begins walking towards the gate. "I know I said I'd start training tomorrow, so I guess today I should find a spot to train. That forest near the barn seemed like it could have some good spots." Reno thinks to himself as he wanders out towards the forest. "Since I won't really be able to do anything the next couple days I should find SOMETHING to keep me from dying of boredom."
Luna speaks up, adding her thoughts. "I am most pleased to see that you are taking this seriously."
"You act like I've done nothing but sit around all day. I've been working my ass off the past couple of days. Besides, if I wanna use my days off twiddling my thumbs, then I'll do just that!"
Luna grows angry, her voice growing higher in pitch. "You will do no such thing! Unless this is your way of announcing you no longer wish to return to your brother, Arthur!"
Reno quickly finds himself going silent as he looks down at Luna with slight irritation. "Alright, alright. I was just joking, you know…"
Luna's tone quickly returns to normal. "I apologize, I may have taken it too far. In my defense, however, you only seem to give me a hard time."
"Well, that's because you're so easy to mess with."
"I ask that you please refrain from 'messing' with me going forward."
"Ain't gon' happen."
Luna's voice raises in pitch again. "Why not!"
"Because you're the goddess that was talking about wanting to help the people who believed in her. I believe in you. Help me by being my personal verbal punching bag."
Luna scoffs with disbelief. "I cannot comprehend the sheer audacity!"
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. You need to learn to lighten up a little." He thinks to himself for a second before adding on to his statement. "And I don't mean literally. Don't blind me again."
"You know, it takes a great deal of energy to hold back my power in this state. You should be treating me with respect! I AM a-"
Reno cuts her off. "Let me guess. A goddess? I told you before that I don't care about that."
"Hmpf! Then you should at least treat me with respect because I'm a woman!"
"Oh? You think you're entitled to something because you're the opposite gender than me?"
"Yes! Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?!"
He looks at her with a blank look. "The last thing my mother taught me was when I was 6 and she taught me how to use the microwave so that she didn't have to cook for me."
"Ahh, I forgot… your relationship with your parents…" Luna is silent, an awkward silence consuming her. "Well, I suppose I'll let it slide this time, but in the future, you must treat women with respect!"
He smiles, shaking his head. "And why is that?"
"Because I said so!"
"Hey! You can't use that excuse, it's mine!"
"Too bad!"
"You're not even a real woman, you're a floating ball of light!"
"Predictable. The BOY doesn't know a real woman when he sees one!"
Reno crosses his arms and they both go silent for the rest of the walk to the forest. This silence, however, had a slight hint of playfulness. Finally, he steps into the forest, looking around for any areas he could use for training. "Alright, let's keep our eyes out for anything that might look like a good training aid."
Luna, deciding the forest would be a safe place, emerges from Reno's shirt to freely fly around. "Preferably in an area that is not too difficult for you to reach. You will be tired after training, and you'll want a path with little resistance back to the village."
Reno's expression shows deep thought as he wanders around the forest. "Man. Nothing is really jumping out to me. Am I just being too picky?"
Luna hovers around, scanning the forest as they walk. "I unfortunately agree. There's not much of a clearing, is there?" They wander around for a minute before Luna speaks again. "I have an idea, but you might not like it."
"Okay, shoot."
"We could find an area that looks adequate at the very least. Then, you could clear an area out."
"As much as I really hate the sound of that, that might be our only option. But one thing." Reno's voice has a hint of annoyance to it.
"Yes?" Luna hovers innocently as she turns to look at Reno.
"What the hell do you mean I can clear it out? This is a team effort!" Reno suddenly begins to raise his voice.
"Do not get short with me! What could I POSSIBLY in my current state?!"
"I'm going to tie you to the biggest tree and make you pull it, you lazy ball of whatever the hell you are!"
"How dare you?! I'll have you know, if I had even ONE of my shards of power back I could knock that attitude right out of you!"
"Nice try," Reno's tone switches to pure mockery. "You technically already have two, you even said your power was split in to 12 shards, but you retained 2 of them. So no, actually, you can't do anything to me with one shard!"
"I'm amazed you were listening to something other than yourself for once!"
"Soon I'm gonna' be listening to you pulling a tree!"
After a couple more minutes of mindlessly wandering the forest, they happen upon a small clearing that looked more than acceptable for what they needed. "We should mark this area, so we remember where it is," Luna says.
"We should probably leave marks on trees to use as signs as well." Reno finds a semi-sharp rock and uses it to make arrow sin the tree bark. He does this all the way back to the edge of the forest and to the entrance near the barn. "Perfect. It's only like a couple minute walk one way once you know where exactly you're going."
Luna, who was hiding in Reno's shirt again, speaks up. "So, starting tomorrow we begin training. I suppose we should enjoy tonight, seeing as tomorrow is going to be exhausting."
"Right. It'd be a bit of a waste to go to sleep now though. I think I wanna' go ask the old man something."
"What do you wish to ask him?"
"Well, if I'm going to be staying in this world for an unknown amount of time, I might as well look into getting my own house. Staying in the barn is OKAY, and it's free. But, I'd like to have my own shower and not have to bother the old man for everything."
"I see. That would be a wise investment. I'd be able to freely roam if we had our abode. I agree, you should inquire."
Reno sets off for the Town Hall. He quickly arrives, greeting the mayor. "Hey, old man! Are you busy right now?"
"Huh?!" The mayor, not expecting a visitor, quickly hides the crossword puzzle on which he was working. "Of course! Always busy doing 'mayor' things! But I can spare some time for a citizen!"
Reno smiles as he walks over to the desk at which the mayor always sits. "I had a bit of a random question."
"What's pickin' your brain, young Reno?"
"Just wondering; How much would it cost to get a house here?"
The mayor's expression quickly switches to excitement. "You thinkin' you want to make Bambadale yer' home?!"
Reno nervously smiles as he thinks. "Well, Bambadale is pretty nice and all. I haven't decided completely, but I'm definitely thinking about it."
"Good enough for me! Now, back to your question! It all depends. We have an empty house in the town, but the building is a bit… lacking."
"A fixer upper?"
"More like a lay down 'n pray to Mixzys that the roof doesn't collapse."
"DAMN."
"The realistic option would be to build you a house from scratch. The price of that would change depending on where you wanted the house and how big of a house you wanted."
"Let's say, like, two bedroom. Two bathrooms too."
"Hmm… probably about…" the mayor tilts his head as he runs the numbers in his head. "I'd guess around 10,000 gold for the materials. More if you have contractors come from another village."
"That's quite a bit. I guess it's a bit too early to be thinking about that.
"What's got you so curious?"
"I feel like I'm freeloading by sleeping in the barn."
"Nonsense! I'm sure you've noticed, but it's mostly used for storing animal food and some farm equipment. It really isn't a problem that you're sleeping there. Take your time, young Reno. Now, I have a question for you."
Reno's eyes raise with curiosity. "Sure, what's up?"
"What do you want for dinner?"
"Old man…"
"Don't even try to tell me no! I already know you ain't bought nothin' with the money I gave you! Gotta at least feed ya' so you can keep fixing up the town!"
Reno sighs before giving in. "Fine, fine. I'm not really a picky eater, I'll eat whatever."
"That's what I like to hear! I'll be back before you know it!"
"Want me to watch the desk again?"
The mayor chuckles as he slowly but excitedly makes his way out of the room. "You already know it!"
The mayor leaves the room and Reno sits behind the desk. "Luna."
"Yes, Reno?"
"I just realized, but… do you not need to eat? CAN you even eat?"
"Yes, I'm more than capable of eating. I've snuck some of your food while nobody is looking."
"Okay, but like, where does it even go?"
"Never ask a lady that."
"What a piss poor way to dodge the question." Reno crosses his arms and leans back in the chair.
"You are one infuriating boy."
"I'M infuriating?! You're the one always dodging questions and explanations!"
"Oh, hush! I have done so maybe once since we have met!"
"Don't 'hush' me, you damn floating ball!"
Before Reno and Luna could go at it anymore, the mayor returns. He sits down with Reno, and they begin to eat. "So, Reno, mind if an old man talks about his dreams?"
"What kind of dreams?"
"My dreams for Bambadale, of course!"
"You got some plans for Bambadale? I'd love to hear about them!"
The mayor seems to sit up slightly with excitement as he talks. "Well, you see, I want to raise the population enough that we can start building things like an Inn and a restaurant for starters!"
"Why those two things?"
"That way, if people from another village wondered in, they'd have a place to stay and a place to eat. We don't get any outsiders because we can't support them. But, if we opened facilities, then we could potentially look at growing the village!"
"So, you wanna make Bambadale in to a tourist town?"
"Oh, goodness, no! The only people who'd want to take a tour out here would be snobby nobles with no manners! Everyone would lose their damn minds!"
"I guess I don't really follow. What's the point of all of this if it's not for tourism? The town seems to be capable of surviving. Well, other than the bandit raids I've heard so much about. Why wouldn't you try to improve the defenses of the town?"
"Young Reno, I should warn you."
"About?"
"Once we begin talking about this, there's no turning back." The mayor gives Reno an extremely serious stare.
"O-okay?" Reno's heart rate increases as the tensions begin to rise.
TO BE CONTINUED...