Solo Harvest

Mission Info:

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The sun teetering above the horizon, showering its golden rays among the Island. Providing the people with a clear sky and amazing weather.

Powder left her hut, with a bundle hoisted over her shoulder. The bundle was a container that held some seaweed soup, wrapped up with cloth in a way that carrying it was made more convenient.

Seaweed soup. . it was something that was easily made and not exactly filling. Just a broth made from the blanching of some clean seaweed, and a few more herbs that could prove to be beneficial additions to the concoction. Creating something that could provide assistance to curing light illnesses and sickness.

Miss had discussed with Powder that a handful of the local farmers had caught some sort of cold, and that the crop harvest had been delayed by a magnificent amount. Many were stressed about the delay resulting in the crops spoiling and their hard work being wasteful. As a result, the Miss had brewed up some seaweed soup from the seaweed that Powder had collected, and sent Powder out to deliver the soup to some of the ill farmers.

While Powder journeyed towards one of the farms in the vicinity, she made a conscious effort to proceed with caution, recognizing the potential threat of bandits lurking along the path with the intention of ambushing unsuspecting passersby. These bandits were likely seeking to pilfer any valuable belongings or currency, particularly targeting individuals of small stature such as Powder.

It wasn't long before one of the farms came into view, with fenced crop fields visible in the distance and the scent of crops and earth permeating the air. A cluster of huts stood amidst the surrounding crop fields, each fenced off and cultivated with a different type of crop.

Powder located the pathway that ran between two crop fields, leading towards the structures where the farmers resided and tended to the crops.

As she approached one of the huts, one of the farmers came out to welcome her with a smile. Giving her a kind greeting before leading her inside. “Here's some seaweed soup that the ole Miss fixed up.” Powder explained as she withdrew the bundle from over her shoulder, and then handed it over to the farmer. He took it appreciatively and went to gather some bowls for the soup. “I'm worried about the conditions of the crops, if left unattended for too long, the pesky insects will get to it instead and ruin the harvest.” The farmer sighed, his face was etched with worry.

Powder pondered the situation, she could tell that the problem was causing a lot of strain for the farmers. And could even affect the local civilians as well. “If you'd like, I could go ahead and attend to the harvest for you. It wouldn't be a problem at all.” She offered a helpful solution, waiting to see if the farmer would accept her aid.

The farmer's eyes widened with surprise, before his expression shifted to display only more appreciation for the young lass. He didn't seem to object to the idea in the slightest. “That would be a great deal of help! I wouldn't know how to repay you, but I do have some ryo stashed away if that would do.” The farmer paused for a second, turning his attention to the doorway as he made sure to caution the young lass. “Just be careful though. There have been some bandit sightings around here as of late. I wouldn't want someone so kind to get into any trouble.”

Powder offered a confident smile to the farmer, “You wouldn't have to worry about me. I promise I can defend myself from any meddling bandit. I'll be sure to scare them away if they dare come around.”

The farmer thanked the lass once more, before prepping the seaweed soup in some bowls for the other ill workers. Leaving the lass the freedom to get to work. She walked out of the doorway to search for anything she would find useful for the gathering. Along the hut were some woven baskets of many sizes and shades. Powder grabbed one that was suitable for her size, with still plenty of space for her to store some of the crops in. Then she sought out for one of the fenced in fields.

The initial field was of substantial size, characterized by numerous tall stalk shoots that surpassed the stature of the young woman. The density of the vegetation prompted Powder to maintain a state of heightened awareness as she navigated through the field, mindful of the tendency for bandits to conceal themselves within such dense crops in order to launch surprise attacks on solitary individuals. She remained vigilant, prepared to respond promptly to any signs of movement or auditory cues that might indicate a potential threat.

As she traversed the expanse of the field, Powder's gaze diligently scanned the stalks in search of the yellow crop that was concealed within their leafy confines. Typically, the farmers would pluck the crop from the stalks, requiring them to remove the outer layer that shielded the yellow produce like a protective covering. With each encounter, Powder would delicately pluck the crop from its stalk, depositing it into the basket hanging from her opposite arm. Despite occasional gentle breezes causing the towering stalks to sway, there were no indications of bandits or other nefarious individuals lurking nearby thus far. As she continued with the harvesting task, thoughts of Aizen, the enigmatic man she had encountered at the ruins, occupied her mind. Speculations regarding his origins and motives drew her attention away from the manual labor at hand, albeit momentarily.

Judging by his curiosity for the ruins and what brought upon it, and the life that village had brought to the island before it fell. The man himself held a mysterious veil around him, but seemed easily softened around the edges.

So far Aizen had accompanied her with recent tasks around the island, and this was one of the first times she's gone without him. No doubt he'd be a bit disappointed if he was ever to find out.

Noting that her basket was now filled to capacity with the harvested yellow crops, Powder realized the swiftness with which time had elapsed while her thoughts were preoccupied elsewhere. She proceeded to peel the leafy outer layer from the crops, discarding the excess vegetation in the appropriate manner before diligently washing the produce in preparation for delivery to the farmer. Her meticulous approach to the task reflected her commitment to ensuring a high standard of workmanship. Following the completion of this phase, Powder secured the processed crops in a safe location before transitioning to the next field with a fresh basket in hand.

The subsequent field contrasted significantly with its predecessor, being of a smaller size and featuring crops that were located closer to ground level, with only a portion of their leafy tops visible above the soft soil. To harvest these, Powder had to kneel down to the ground and grasp the tops of them, before gently pulling them from the dirt that secured the crop. Doing this revealed its orange form that ended in a point.

Powder worked her way down each row, careful not to miss a single one as she did so. Filling two baskets in the process, and admiring the variants of tiny insects that occupied amongst some of the vegetation. She did well to move those insects to a different spot on the dirt before placing that crop into the baskets.

After Powder was satisfied with her work, she would return to the hut to wash the orange crops, and this time she didn't have to peel anything or do much prep work. Instead she made sure they were in good condition and rid of any dirt. Before leaving them by the other crops she had harvested.

When she was completed with the work, Powder glanced around the fields once more. She was still a bit surprised that there hadn't been any unwanted bandit activity during the time she took to gather the crops. But she wasn't going to complain either. Hopefully that meant that the farmers wouldn't have to worry about that sort of trouble for a good period of time. They deserve the ability to recover from the illness without more stress on their minds.

She proceeded to enter the hut in order to inform the farmer that she had finished the task, and that the crops had been cleaned and stored away safely. The farmer continued to display his gratitude as he handed over the pouch of ryo. She thanked him while receiving the reward, before leaving the hut. It was time for her to head towards another one of the farms that was nearby. The farmer had explained that there were more crop fields that wasn't able to he tended to just yet, and asked if she could check on them as well before heading back home. Powder didn't mind in the slightest, and knew to continue to be aware of the dangers that could still happen as she proceeded.

Luckily the other farms weren't far from the first, and she was able to arrive within less than thirty meters of walking.

Just like how she did earlier, Powder filled the baskets with the crops and then processed and cleaned them accordingly. Before storing them away safely in the secured location to where no pesky rouges could get their mitts on them. Doing the rest of the fields took her about another few hours, and when the work was finally done Powder couldn't help but feel a sense of refreshment at the completion of good work.

And to the delight that her time working had been left completely uninterrupted by any unwanted visitors or thieves.

With a grin of triumph, Powder gathered herself up to get ready for the journey home. The farmer has also been so kind to allow her to take some of the crops home with her, and Powder couldn't help but already be visualizing the stew she could prepare with them. She made a mental note to stop by one of the market stalls along the way home. Already aware that Aizen would be famished by the time she returned. So picking up some fresh venison would be the best thing to do, and the perfect touch that the stew would need. The broth that the venison would provide as it stewed with the vegetables excited her even more.

Powder primarily subsisted on the bounty of the sea, however, even this source of sustenance appeared insufficient for the man with dark hair. Ever since allowing Aizen to join her, the woman has been expanding her culinary repertoire to include a wider variety of meats, and thus far, she has demonstrated proficient skill in preparing them. The venison had been a great addition to the palate, and Aizen's been greatly appreciative with the change. That and roasted fowl has seemed to become a favorite for Powder.

Prior to beginning the preparation of the stew, Powder recognized the necessity of bathing beforehand. The physical labor of working in the fields and harvesting crops had left her in an unsuitable condition to handle food. She made it a priority to cleanse herself and hoped that Aizen would refrain from inquiring about her whereabouts or reasons for leaving without him. Sometimes she couldn't help but feel as if she was handling a puppy, surely the man would have better things to do during the times that she is away. Plus thanks to her, they would have plenty of extra ryo for really tasty meals. Which would result in happy, full bellies and a killer night of rest.

Plus she couldn't help but feel better that her work also helped a great deal for the farmers who needed it. Her effort would end up making a big difference, not only for them, but for the locals that relied on the crops that needed to be harvested. -exit-

{2,008}

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Mission Rewards:

Claims:

Powder Iburi wrote:
-exit-

{2,008}

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Mission Rewards:

Claims:

Approved
For future reference, please add "Before and After" for Ryo rewards