Luminous

Chapter one: The antique shop

Nestled in a quiet neighborhood, the little antique shop was a quaint, magical place. The store was small and cozy, filled with a myriad of trinkets and treasures from the past. It was a wonderland of curiosities that seemed to be imbued with an enchanting aura. Each object contains a story of its own. The air was filled with a faint scent of old books and polished wood, creating a comforting ambiance. Shelves made from dark, aged wood lined the walls. Floorboards creaking and groaning under the weight of countless artifacts. The soft glow of the morning sun streamed through the shop's windows, casting a warm, inviting light on the antiques and the small reading nook tucked away in the corner. This little shop was more than just a store; it was a cozy sanctuary filled with the magic and history.

Lavender begins to set up shop. She walks down the aisle past a few shelves. Her puffy purple hair bouncing along her shoulders, forming ringlets that cascade down her back. Her fluffy pink blouse cushioning the box she was holding. her skirt swishes as she walks across the store.

Lavender sets a box next to a wall of shelves and drawers, taking each item and gently setting them in any available space. With her dainty little hands, Lavender reorders the items by size. The little ones sit in front, so that they are more easily seen.

She looks up at the top shelf, realizing that she could not reach it. Lavender decides to stand on a box, bringing her to about the same height as the bookcase. Holding the item, she streaches her hand as far as she can, as an attempt to reach the top shelves in front of her. Lavender leans toward the shelves, lifting her adjacent leg behind her, in an attempt to stay balanced. Lavender was just about to place the item down when.

"Lavender!" a shrill and boisterous voice called out.

Startled, Lavender loses her balance, fumbling with the object in hand. She clutched the delicate piece of porcelain to her chest. Lavender landed on her bottom and flopped on her back.

"Hi, what's up?" Rose asked.

Her pink hair was pulled back into 2 ponytails, but a few loose curls hung in front of her face. She smiled brightly, brimming from check to check.

"Rose!? What are you doing here? You scared me!" Lavender groaned.

"Oh sorry didn't mean to. Are you alright, do you need a hand?" Rose asked.

She reached her hand out eagerly, still wearing her sports gloves. The red sleeves of her jacket pulled back to show them.  Lavender reached out and took her hand and Rose pulled her up.

"Thanks," Lavender sighed,

She dusted off her skirt, and adjusted herself, making sure the gray powder doesn't smear into the pink fabric.

"So what happened? Shouldn't you be at warrior training?" Lavender asked

"Yeah we're taking a break, decided to stop by and see how the shop's going"  Rose said.

"Well it's been okay so far. Just setting up for opening,"

"Well you'll do great!" Rose assures.

"Thanks, I really hope things will go well, I don't want to disappoint Mr. Witherstone" Lavender sighs.

"Oh you'll do fine." Rose says, "Just stay calm and look on the bright side. We're finally beginning to reach our dreams. Soon you'll go from selling at the shop to making your own trinkets, "

Rose looks up wistfully at the sky, panning her hand across the air.

"And I will be a true warrior, fighting in the woods beyond." Rose beams.

Her eyes are alight with hope and wonder.

"Yeah, maybe one day, but for now I have to get ready for opening," Lavender says.

Lavender jesters to the row boxes stacked on the counter.

"Oh that does seem like a lot... Maybe I could help" Rose offers.

"Are you sure I don't want to..." Lavender started.

but before she could finish, Rose was already picking up a box.

"Now where should these go?" Rose asked.

Lavender smiles. Relieved that Rose is willing to stay and help.

Over the next 2 hours, Lavender and Rose work together to set up the shop. They move around the space with ease, their familiarity with the shop apparent in the way they navigate through the maze of antiques. Rose, with her superior height and strength, takes care of the heavier items and the top shelves. Meanwhile, Lavender focuses on the smaller, more delicate pieces, arranging them with great care and precision.

Every now and then, Rose would playfully pick up an old hat or a vintage dress, parading around the shop and making Lavender laugh. Lavender, in turn, would point out an interesting trinket and share a fascinating fact about it. The shop slowly comes alive under their touch, each item finding its place, waiting to share its story with the next customer.

As they finish setting up, they step back to admire their work. The shop is transformed, every item displayed to its best advantage. They exchange a look of satisfaction, their eyes shining with pride and anticipation.

"We did it" Lavender sighs

"We did it Rose cheers"

She reaches out, prompting for a high five. Lavender returns it.

They have done their best and now, they can only wait and hope that the customers will appreciate their efforts.

"Well that was fun, but I got to go to training, can't keep Thornbush waiting" Rose says.

"Okay see you later," Lavender responds.

Rose makes her way through the glass door, being sure to flip the open sign as she makes her way out. Rose waves goodbye through the story window before jogging down the street. Lavender waves back, trying to stifle her giggle. Once Rose is out of sight, Lavender sighs, slumping against the counter. She hopes that today isn't too long, but for now, she can marvel at the niche little items that line her store.

Throughout the day customers made their way in and out of the store. Taking a liking to whatever items they found appealing. Some made purchases while others just windowshoped. Lavender kept track of inventory, managed pricing and made recommendations to indecisive shoppers.

Through out the day Lavender wondered what kind of people would come into the shop, what items will they consider taking home. but only time could tell.