THE MOMENT
"Thank you for the help," Todd smiled at Vivi as the two students approached the farm. It was the middle of their lunch break and it was a good time to get some work done before they had to be back in class. Fortunately, the magical farm was close enough to the school that they could be there and back as quickly as needed.
"It goes both ways," Vivi returned the smile as she looked up at the taller teen. Today was the first day they'd had an extended conversation between them and she was surprised at how sharp Todd was. She never went out of her way to think less of him; but, his team had a reputation for being all brawn and no brains, and it was almost a default impression she had. The school was encouraging students to group up with others, not in their regular groups, and as a result, the two of them met over a common goal.
They walked along the dusty path in a comfortable silence. It was a lovely day with a cool, gentle breeze and bright sun, and Vivi got the impression Todd was enjoying the day just as much as anything else. He seemed to have a 'resting grin', giving him a perpetually mellow expression, and she didn't feel any pressure to fill the walk with idle chitchat. Then, they reached the fence and were able to see the unicorns grazing on the far end of the farm. The elegant white equines with long golden horns were almost bright enough to glow in broad daylight.
"They have unicorns...," Todd nodded but he was still looking for something. Vivi had seen the unicorns too and now she was searching for magical crops like him. She couldn't spot any immediately, but the manor-sized farmhouse was blocking most of the fields behind it.
"If they don't have what you're looking for, I won't take what I need yet," Vivi wanted to reassure him as soon as possible. "We can try again."
"Thanks," Todd nodded. "I'd appreciate that if it comes to it." They both needed to collect magical items from the same farm; but, there was no guarantee they'd find what they needed on the first attempt.
"What are you here for?" Vivi asked. "You said an ingredient, I'm assuming a fruit or vegetable, but what exactly?" They'd briefly discussed their goals. She was a tailor and needed hair from a unicorn's mane. He was a chef and needed a magical ingredient.
"I don't know...," Todd shrugged. "It actually doesn't say, I thought it'd be something obvious..," he chuckled. As they walked, someone had noticed them. Just as they completed that exchange, a young woman in plaid and overalls met them by the fence.
"Howdy! Welcome to my family farm, we've been here for generations," she smiled at them. "However, this is no ordinary farm; the crops that are grown and the animals that are bred and reared are, in fact, magical in nature," she added.
"You first!" Vivi nodded at Todd and let him ask first. If they didn't have what he needed, she wouldn't have to ask about the unicorn hair.
"Hi, uh, what can you tell me about the magical crops?" Todd asked.
"They're no ordinary crops," she giggled. "They're magical!"
"Huh. Uhh...," Todd stared at the tan woman for a moment. "I'm a chef?" he asked. Her face lit up.
"Is that right?" she asked. She made a show of looking both ways and over her shoulder behind her, then she knelt and pulled a brown burlap sack out of a crate at her feet. "Don't tell no one I gave this to you, it's really my family that runs the farm, they don't give me much to do," she said. "But, I just know a good chef can do something delicious with these magical ingredients," she offered him the bag. He accepted it and turned to Vivi with a nod.
"Quest Complete," he said. "Your turn," he stepped aside.
"Hi, I'm a tailor!" Vivi said. The woman stared at her with a neutral expression.
"Is that right?" she asked. Just as before she crouched, except this time she produced a smaller velvet bag from the crate. “Maybe you're good enough to do something with this unicorn hair, we have more than we know what to do with,” she smiled and offered Vivi the bag.
“Thank you!” Vivi smiled at the NPC woman first, then up at Todd.
“Quest complete,” she said.
“Well, that was easier than I thought,” Todd said. “Got time to go at it again for more points?” He summoned his Slate as he asked the question. The large glass pane hovered in the air before him displaying the quest log, and Vivi nodded.
“Oh wait, I don't think we can restart it from here… have to go back to the school…,” he shook his head.
“Then let's go do that,” Vivi grinned with a nod. “You're good company,” she added as she dropped a black card on the ground. It opened a portal for them and she smiled as she stepped onto it. “I don't mind spending more time with you.”