Author's Notes:
Thank you for comment's on last chapter's Laurent. He really piqued my interest in the game knowing the fact he came in earlier than the other 2nd generations. I did love the many dimensions this game gave into each of their backgrounds and history. Alot of the festivities in this chapter were "inspired" by the upcoming Lunar New Year that I'll be celebrating soon, we celebrate Tanabata and Chinese here = me getting chubby and -$$. _
Chapter 10: New Year
"Laurent, there you are! Hurry up and change before we're late for the festival."
"Why bother? It's the same festival every year. Besides, all festivals are the same here - just change the decorations, clothes, and food." Answered Laurent annoyingly.
"What are you doing then?" Asked the bright young lady, whilst tying up her hair and adorning a decorative comb.
"Certain herbs mixed together then burned…have different properties of smoke. Some can disguise you completely in a cloud and the one I'm working on can make you sleep."
Laurent scoops several spoonful's of herbs and oils into small satchels. Writing each weight recorded on his homemade scale and sketching visuals of the experiment for future reference.
"Now why on Earth would you need that?"
"For the next time we encounter a violent animal in the forest! Gods, that wild boar nearly ended me."
Robin had to grab a hold onto the end of a table to keep her composure from all her laughing. Never had she seen such a sight where the usually stoic and serious friend of hers completely lose his mind running away from a boar. The young man, clearly unamused by her reaction continued to scribble away in his notebook.
"Clearly it was a miscalculation on my end for underestimating the strength of a wild animal versus our domesticated breeds."
"Alright, alright. Heh heh. Just don't work yourself too hard. I'll be in town enjoying the festival."
Laurent worked until nightfall until he finally noticed the day had passed and Robin had yet to return. Thinking nothing of it, he went outside to let the chickens into their coop. Closing the fence, he caught sight of his foster guardian coming up the steps from the hill and hurried over to carry her bags.
"Thank you Laurent. They were getting heavier with each step I took. Is my daughter with you?"
"No ma'am, she's still in town."
"Ah, the festival is still out another two hours. Go down and enjoy it. Go on, go on, shoo!"
The woman gestured the young man like she would to her chickens.
Sighing, Laurent always found these events exhausting and unnecessary. Who enjoys being surrounded by strangers, loud music, and eating such high caloric foods? It's like frying anything imaginable is the secret ingredient to running these events!
"I'll bring her home once the event is over. Or hopefully sooner."
"Sure sure, go on, have fun!"
The young man ran down the hill after changing to a warmer cloak and towards the town square. Colorful paper lanterns were lit at the steps of every door and smaller orb lights were strung from building to building giving the illusion of stars being closer than they really were. The town was lit and everyone celebrated with haughty laughter and delicious smells sifting through stalls. Children ogled at small tubs filled with water and sized rings to pick up with fake fishing rods. The smaller the ring the more points to earn towards prizes of different kinds of sweets. A woman, married to the man operating the gaming stall, supplied the prizes with her handmade shaped candies. Men and women would watch her carefully mold clear as glass hot sugar into animals and dragons and decorating with bright candy bits.
Laurent walked down more rows of stalls and finally spotted his target. Robin was squatting next to a display rack of glass chimes.
"Hmm….mmm….what design would he like?" He could hear her mumbling to herself.
Feeling in the teasing mood, he bought a fox mask from a shop and wore it to disguise himself and watch her closer.
"I wish I knew what his favorite color was, or even a hint of what he likes. All he does is study, experiment, and repeat."
COUGH COUGH
Feeling slighted by the comment, he interrupted her and turned away from any suspicions. Once in the clear he pulled a small chime with delicate aquamarine filigree and placed it on a hook in front of her and walked away.
"Oh...Ah! Thank you, this…I think this is perfect. Thank you!"
Robin's face lit up as she held her gift wrapped in her hands. She wandered the streets buying snacks and strange foods not common on the island. Laurent had to cover his mouth before giving away his disguise from watching Robin's face pucker eating a "pickled plum."
The night began to get colder as the night settled in. Many merchants blew out their lanterns and covered their stalls. Even if he didn't participate in the festivities himself, he enjoyed observing people and the event. He was an observer, a watcher. Deep down, he knew he didn't belong here and this timeline, but there was no choice of going back.
His subject took one last look of town square with a sigh before heading back home. Following her to the best of his abilities without getting caught, Robin stopped to sit on one of the steps leading to the top of the hill where their home sat. She stared out to the moonlit sea watching the waves and the light glimmer.
"Laurent, how long do you think you could stay hidden from me?"
…Oh…how did she…?
"I apologize, I didn't want to interrupt your experience at the festival. You seemed to be enjoy yourself quite a bit."
"What makes you think you would ruin the experience Laurent? If would've been nice of you to just join me."
"It…wouldn't be right for us…I mean. To be involved in your life more than I should. Truly, I am grateful to being accepted and living together but please don't think too much of me."
Robin turned her gaze from the sea towards the young man and rested her head on a palm with a smug look.
"All this time we've been together. It's been years. And you still feel like a guest? Just stop over thinking Laurent and enjoy what's in front of you. Gods know how long this moment will last, someday you'll beg to go back in time to all the moments you've missed."
Stunned, he looked at the young girl who spoke years beyond her age. He knew of the future and what was to come, and she had no clue what would happen. And yet she spoke as if she knew everything and nothing.
"Hey stranger, since you never get out of the house much I wanted to get you something to remind you to look outside once in a while. Hang this by your window where you work."
Robin tossed a small satchel that carried the glass wind chime and it was barely caught with his lack of dexterity. Taking it out and hanging from a finger, you could see the moonlight glitter across the delicate glass and a small clear ring of the bell.
"Thank you. I promise to enjoy your gift as I work."
"Could I ask you a question?"
"You may ask, but I cannot promise an answer."
"Oh come on! I just wanted to know the reasons behind all your experiments and extra work for yourself. Most boys on this island just care about sharpening their swords and making some coin. You on the other hand, study all day long."
"There's honestly nothing wrong with trying to reach your highest capacity of knowledge. My endeavors are meant to benefit the most to humanity. I never intend to keep this information to myself, but think of all the good that could be done if we knew more. Like if we knew better ways of preserving foods than using salt or drying. Or how to heat a home with no burnable fuel? Don't you ever think of these problems and how to improve them?"
"Not really. And don't take it as an offense, I really don't mean it. But I find it admirable watching you get into the moment of doing something you really love."
She smiled with earnest eyes. But Laurent could see something strange behind her words. He moved forward and sat next to her on the ledge staring out to the moonlit ocean. The island was a wonderful place with diverse pool of people and experiences.
"Robin, if there's something wrong you could always tell me. I'm here."
"Oh so now you're here. I thought you were a guest. I'm just kidding. There's not much behind what I've just said. It's just…it feels like my life hast just begun. Like there's still much more out there waiting for me but I don't know what it is."
"When I was little, very little. My parents were still around and sorry if the memories of them are vague. My mother was just like me, she would obsess over the smallest things and must find a logical reasoning for everything. To me, she was the most brilliant person I knew and she probably is deep down to this day. But her obsession made me feel insignificant in her life, and thus affected my own. As if my childhood was irrelevant to her work. I told my father this and he understood my depression. The three of us talked together that day, work is important but so is family and our experiences and moments with each other. I couldn't stay a child forever. And they couldn't…stay around for me forever either."
"Are you trying to copy what I said earlier Laurent?"
"Well, what I'm saying is don't rush the inevitable fate that'll occur sooner than you wish for it. But talk to your mother as to how you're feeling and maybe she knows a way to help."
Understanding his words, Robin stood up and patted her dress from the dust. Extending a hand out with renewed feelings.
"I think I know what I want to ask. The only way for me to move forward is to know more about the past. I want to know why we were constantly moving and hiding. I…I want to know about my father."