Once again, the year is 731PM, but now in a city on a small farming planet named Somniet, around the size of a small moon. The landscape is covered in vast yellow-green fields of tall grass that sway in the light winds that constantly blow through the lands. Fields of crops are speckled all across the planet as well, coming together in more populated areas of course. Not many big cities existed on this planet, but the few that did were the main sources of crop trading and selling within the Kellam Coordinate. The biggest of the few cities is called , and is home to many crop traders. The most popular crop grown and traded within the city is known as the Green Winterberry. The Green Winterberry is a sweet berry that is grown year-round and can be grown in large quantities making it very common. The Carter family was the main producer of said berry which gave them an important role within the city's economy.
Dawn Carter, the son of the Carter family and heir to the family berry business, was usually found out in the luscious fields of grass or in the berry bushes outside of his house picking the berries off and putting them into baskets. He started harvesting berries for his father, Eritz, around a year ago once Eritz fell ill and had to be taken care of by his wife Oneka. Dawn liked picking the berries, and eventually he convinced his parents to let him take the berries to the seller in the city. He enjoyed it because outside of school and training his combat skills, it gave him a purpose, and as an 8 year old it didn't get much better than doing a grown-up job. It is currently December 1st and Dawn was finishing up his berry picking for the day. Once he made it to the front door of his home, which was a beautifully constructed Spanish style home of a medium size, he wiped his shoes on the mat before entering with his haul.
"I'm back!" Dawn made everyone aware of his presence once he entered. "I brought a good haul with me today. It should be enough to hold us over for the next week or so." He said as he slid his shoes off near the front door.
"Bring the berries over to the sink so your sister and I can wash them." Oneka said as she was washing her hands. To the side of her was Dawn's sister, Imogene, who was only 7, one year younger than her brother.
"Yes ma'am." Dawn rushed over to the sink with his basket full of berries, patting Imogene on the head as he passed her. "One day you should come out and help me pick berries, Imogene!"
"Well you know I asked Mom and Dad, but they said I needed to focus on my reading instead." She said with a pout.
"Hey now, I never said you couldn't! I just said you need to practice your reading first." Oneka stated as she started to hand-wash the berries Dawn had picked. "And Dawn, this isn't you trying to make an excuse for yourself to be lazy is it?"
"What?! Absolutely not!" A small frown formed on his face as he trotted away into the family room.
As Dawn made his way into the family room, he saw Eritz sitting in his chair watching the television. Eritz had an incurable sickness that was so rare not even the most brilliant scientists in the universe knew where it came from. Most days Eritz was bedridden, but on others he could make it to the chair and maybe even the field to pick berries, but that pretty much never happened anymore. The man had short brown hair, mixed with gray strands that showed his aging. He was on the taller side and had a particularly scrawny body now due to his sickness.
"Hey Dawn! How were the fields today?" Eritz looked to his son as he came into sight. "Hopefully you had some luck today."
Dawn sat down on the sofa adjacent to his father. "Today was a good harvest. I brought in a full basket. The fall air is very calming to work in, too."
Eritz smiled. "I am glad to hear that your luck is coming back. The last couple of days were a little rough." He would then re-adjust himself in his chair to have a better look at his son. "Say Dawn, since when did you start to look older?" He gave a chuckle.
"I don't look that old do I? I'm only eight." Dawn said with a confused look on his face.
"I think it's because of all the manly work you are doing out there in the field. Just as I would expect from my son!" Eritz said, followed by a goofy laugh. His laugh suddenly turned into coughing, blood trickling down the side of his mouth.
Dawn stood up, rushing to his father and wiping his mouth. "Maybe you should head back to bed, Dad."
Eritz waved off that statement, embarrassed by his projection of weakness. "Tomorrow I need you to run down to the market and pick up a new shovel. I noticed that our current one is worn out." He said in order to change the subject. "Mind doing that for me?"
Dawn had a look of worry in his pale gray eyes. His longer white hair resting on his face from where the sweat made it stick. "Of course I can. Can I help you back to your bed?"
Eritz smiled at Dawn, giving in to his son's request. "Of course you can."
The next morning Dawn woke up early and got ready to head into the city. As he left the house his mother stopped him in order to give him a kiss on the forehead. Dawn brushed his mother off before exclaiming he was too old now to be receiving motherly kisses. He then adjusted the satchel resting on his shoulder and started off on his errand to get a new shovel.
Once Dawn made it to the city, he found the shop his father would always go to that sold their berries. A shop owned by friends of his father, the Cusnirs. Dawn made his way into the small store looking around for a shovel since the merchant sold farming equipment along with seeds and other products, like the Carter family Green Winterberry.
"Looking for something, kid?" A voice came from behind Dawn.
Dawn turned around, being met with a familiar face. "Mr. Cusnir! I was looking for a shovel, do you have any in stock?"
"Oh please Dawn, you know you can just call me Allan. I have known you since you were just a baby." The short man with olive colored skin and brown eyes said with a welcoming smile on his face. The man has curly brown hair, and a freckled face with a chubbier figure. "We have a few shovels left in stock, yours broken again?"
"Unfortunately, yes. How much for a new one?" Dawn started to look through the money he brought with him.
"This one is on the house. I know Eritz is having a hard time, so no need to take any more money from you guys that could be spent on medicine. Let me go grab it and I will be right back." The man then turned and disappeared into the back area of the store. Dawn, with the nod of his head, waited patiently for Allan to come back as his wife came through the door.
"Oh, hello~♡ Dawn!" Mrs. Cusnir sang as she gave him a hug. "So good to see you!" Mrs. Cusnir was much taller than her husband, and much more fit. She has long brown hair and pale blue eyes that match the current color of the sky. Big round glasses sit on her nose, making her eyes appear a little bigger than they actually are.
"Very nice to see you too Mrs.-"
"Nica! You know this Dawn, you can call me by my name. Don't be so formal." She smiled, walking over to a stall that held an assortment of seeds.
"Yes Mrs. Nica, I will surely remember for next time." Dawn said as he scratched his head. These people are nice.. Sometimes maybe a little annoying though..
"Ah, welcome back my dear!" Allan called out as he walked back into the room, and over to Dawn. He handed over the shovel to Dawn. "Remember, on the house."
"Yes sir. Thank you Allan." Dawn said with a nod. It didn't feel right addressing grown ups by their first name, he had been raised to respect adults.
"Come and see us some more Dawn, we sure do miss having you and the others around." Allan said as he offered a warm smile.
Nica turned to face the two, walking to Allan's side. "He is right, we miss you guys a bunch. You always have a place here, Dawn." She said before placing a little bag of seeds in the satchel Dawn had on. "Give those to your mother, I am sure she will appreciate them!"
Dawn nodded, waving to the two as he stepped back out into the street. As he began to walk back to his home, he was stopped along the way by one of his friends.
"Hey Dawn! It has been a while since you've been in the city. Me and the others were starting to worry about ya'." The kid said with a smile.
"Yeah.. it has been a while huh? Sorry about that, Rhys." Dawn said in response, now feeling bad for making his friends worry.
Rhys is an 8 year old boy with short and wavy brown hair, and he has a distinctive mole under his left eye. His green eyes compliment his ivory skin, and his body is on the skinny side.
"No worries. We sure do miss you, it has been a couple of weeks since all of us have hung out together. Margit has been worried the most out of everyone though." Rhys chuckled. "She doesn't stop asking me when you'll be over next."
"Well everything is okay on my end. I do have to get back home to get this shovel to my dad." Dawn awkwardly shifted his stance. "Please make sure to let everyone know that I am okay." Dawn offered back a friendly smile.
Rhys then gave him a nod. "I will make sure to let everyone know. Come hang out soon." Rhys then waved before running off in the direction of the city. Dawn then headed off in the other direction, back to his home.