ADDENDUM // Phantasm AU Extras

Early Sunsets Over Audunbast

There's a bridge just outside of Eastmoore - or at least, what's left of one. It's not very big, but there needs to be something to span the river there, lest you have to go all the way up to Windbrooke to cross over. The river isn't very wide, and the water is a sort of murky color - you can see the salt swirl in it sometimes. The bridge isn't too far from where the water pours from the mouth of the river into the ocean - close enough that sometimes, saltwater fish would find their way up here. Puffy liked to catch those ones, reaching down into the water and grabbing them with her hands.

Gemma could see her tracking one now, watching it swim underneath the surface of the water. It looked tropical - iridescent scales glimmering in the sunlight as the fish meandered along. As quietly as she could, Puffy stepped down from where she had been perched on the bridge, hovering on the bank just above the river, muscles drawn tight and ready to snap forward like a bowstring. The dance is familiar - this is one of their favorite pastimes in a falling apart town where nothing happens.

When the fish swims close enough to the shore, Puffy snatches it from the water with a quick hand. The fish wriggles in her grip, trying to escape, but Puffy holds firm, proudly showing off her catch. The scales of the fish are even more bright in the afternoon light.

"Nice one." Gemma said, reaching out to run one delicate finger along the spine of the animal.

"It's a shame he'll just swim up the river and die." Puffy said, turning the fish over in her palm so that it's scales glittered like a jewel.

"Not if you throw him downstream." Gemma offered. "He might find his way back to the ocean - it's not that far."

"Fair." Puffy said, winding up and tossing the fish as far as she could throw downstream. It doesn't pop up to the surface, so Gemma assumes it's alright. She settles back against the post of the bridge she's leaning against as Puffy climbs back up the bank to rejoin her. The weeds don't grow here anymore - it's like they know that this spot belongs to Puffy and Gemma alone.

They sit in silence for a moment - you can hear the ocean from here, just over a nearby hill is the beach - before Puffy breaks it, leaning back so her hair cushions her head against the hard wooden post.

"Do you think they'll ever fix up this bridge?"

Gemma hummed thoughtfully. "No." She said. "There's probably not enough money - they'll just have to hope it doesn't completely fall down one day."

"You're probably right." Puffy agreed. "It would be nice though, if someone could fix it."

It would be nice, Gemma thinks, but unfortunately that won't happen. Even though the bridge is essential for any trade coming in and out of the village (not that there's much trade, not when Eastmoore barely produces enough crops to qualify as a farming town) it's just not in the budget to be fixed. Not when the town itself is just barely staying afloat.

The problem is that there's nothing here. The ground is almost completely sparse of any ore that could be sold, and the water is too salty to do much good growing anything - hell, even the well is slowly turning brackish. Sure, there's fish, but there are much bigger fishing towns within the kingdom already. There's really nothing in Eastmoore but people.

"Hopefully we'll be long gone before it completely gives out." Gemma said.

"Ah yes." Puffy agreed, that familiar wistful smile coming over her face. "We'll be years into our fine adventuring career by then, and this place'll be a distant memory. We'll probably be rich and famous and live in the capitol, telling stories of our travels to the king himself."

"Don't tell me you actually want to work for the crown?" Gemma asked.

"Well, no, not really." Puffy amended. "But isn't that where all the rich and talented people in the world end up?"