More Than Research?

I

(Y/n) sat at a pond, looking at their reflection. They had short silky brown hair with one long braid, startling umber eyes, and a sunkissed skin tone.

"Hello, fellow traveler!" a high-pitched voice called out.

"Oh, uh, hi," (y/n) said with a shy voice.

"Where are you headed off to?" a girl with short blonde hair and golden eyes asked as the two got closer.

"I'm headed to the next town. Monstad, I think," (y/n) thought for a second.

"We can take you there!" the high-pitched voice spoke once again.

"We are headed to Monstad so that we can walk together. If that's ok with you, of course," the girl with blonde hair offered. "Oh, my name is Lumine, and this here is my emergency food, Paimon!"

"Call me emergency food one more time!" the high-pitched voice, Paimon,  squealed out.

"Sure. My name is (y/n)," they gave a small smile at the two bickering.

"Great, let's go then! I can show you a place that sells the best food!" Paimon giggled as she flew closer to (y/n).

"Thanks," (y/n) said as they slowly walked on with the two other travelers.

As the three walked, Paimon and Lumine talked about the many different people they had met on their travels, while (y/n) was looking between a journal they held and the herbs and flowers they passed. The three continued their walk into a forested area south of the pond.

"This place is beautiful," (y/n) said in an excited tone as they stopped by a patch of flowers.

"Yeah, this forest is home to many creatures. Boars, slimes, flowers, even some sunsettia trees," Lumine smiled at (y/n).

"Though the slimes can be scary sometimes," Paimon added in.

"Speaking of slimes, you don't want to be caught out late outside of Monstad," another voice, feminine by the tone, spoke out.

"Amber! So nice to see you," Lumine lunged onto a girl wearing red.

"Hey, Lumine! How was your trip?" Amber asked as she pulled Lumine off of her.

"It was great. We beat a few hilichurls, some slimes. You know the usual," Lumine smiled. "Oh, meet (y/n), we found them by Starfell pond."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Amber, Outrider of the Knights of Favonius," Amber held out her hand for (y/n)'s.

"Hi," (y/n)'s shyness came back.

"What were you doing by Starfell pond?" Amber asked as Paimon and Lumine both shrugged their shoulders.

"I... uh... I study herbs, and flowers as a hobby," (y/n) answered as they hide behind the journal they held.

"Really?! You must meet a few people I know!" Amber jumped excitedly. "They would be happy to know others share their passion with flowers!"

"T-that's great," (y/n) looks toward Lumine for help with the loud brunette.

"Right, we should get going before the sun sets," Lumine pulled Amber away.

"Oh, right. The slimes and hilichurls have been closer to Monstad for the past few weeks," Amber nodded her head. "Though we don't know why."

"Could it be they could be having territory problems with the other hilichurls?" (y/n) asked out of the blue. "I mean, they do tend to get hostile from those of another pack... Did I say something wrong?"

As Amber, Lumine and Paimon stopped to look at (y/n) in wonder, (y/n) themselves were beginning to hide behind their journal.

"How come we didn't think of that! They do tend to be territorial around their home base," Amber's brain started to draw out a map inside her head. "What if other packs of hilichurls are making moves to bigger their lands? I must tell Jean about this!"

"That is a wonderful hypothesis, but what if it's not true?" Paimon asked out of the blue.

"Well, it's either other packs are coming in or someone has them under their control. But I highly doubt anyone is stupid enough to have an army of hilichurls," (y/n) spoke out.

"Well, we should get this information to Acting Grand Master and you into a place to stay," Amber said as she continued walking.

"So, I never asked. What made you so interested in herbs and flowers?" Lumine asked as she walked by (y/n)'s side.

"Well, my parents always traveled to other lands and would always bring back a flower from where they stayed at. They would often speak of nature as well as the different culture there seemed to be in the places they went." (y/n) smiled as they reminisced on the past.

"Why aren't you with them now?" Lumine asked.

"Well, they got sick on one of their adventures, and when they got home, they..." (y/n) started before their fists tightened.

"I'm so sorry," Lumine said with as much compassion as possible. "It must be terrible."

"They looked peaceful as they passed, so the best thing I can do now is travel the roads they once did," (y/n) smiled up at the blue sky above them.

"Right," Lumine gave a sad smile. "Which one is your favorite flower?"

"Cecilia's are my favorite, though sweet flowers are great for remedies," (y/n) flipped through their journal.

"You sure know your stuff with flowers," Amber said as she somehow popped up behind (y/n) and Lumine.

"Well, my passion is around flowers so," (y/n) cheeks held some color as they slowly hid behind the book they held.

"We have to go," Paimon's voice sounded in front of the group. "We don't want to be attacked."

Words: 898

This is as much as I can get out for now more to come soon.