[right][img]http://i.imgur.com/c2Xsi66.png[/img][/right]
It was quiet and listless, as though time stood still and stretched each second into forever. Days like these were the worst. Emery swung herself higher on the makeshift swing she had fashioned out of an old cushion and some leftover rope from a previous repair, a drawn out sigh escaping her lips. Not a wisp of cloud dotted the sky, robbing her of even the most boring source of entertainment. Outsiders, not that they would get many of them nowadays, would argue that every day in a small town like Krukow must be spent in similar indolence, but that usually wasn't true. Although today was certainly up in the dull meter, there were many fun things that could be done, if you looked hard enough. Like swimming in the like, or fishing in the lake, or having picnic by the lake. Exploring the island was among her favorites—it helped her unwind after a busy day of fixing things—but not many shared the sentiment. There were the occasional Rifts that needed closing, and she supposed some would consider that fun, though she tended to stay far away from those. Of course, Kuiper was always more fun, but she hasn't visited their neighboring island since she always went with her sister and—

[color=#FFD2C3][i]Ouch.[/i][/color]

Emery fell from the swing with a thud, landing face first on the grassy knoll. She rubbed her nose frantically and scrunched her face to keep imminent tears at bay. Falling didn't hurt at all, but the pang in her chest certainly did. This was why days like these were the worst. Without work to keep her busy, or friends to keep her company, she was left alone with her thoughts, and that was usually not a good thing. It ended with her wondering why she was still in Krukow when her sister was out there somewhere, calling for her. Two weeks have passed since she received the message, and yet she was no closer to finding her.

Before she descended into another hour-long self-berating session, a low rumble echoed from a distance, effectively distracting her. Emery jumped on the swing to get a better view, instinctively pulling out the goggles out of her skirt pocket and donning them after she spotted something large in the horizon. It disappeared in between the trees before she could get a proper look—she didn't get the chance to start recording—but she saw enough to glean a bit of information. Judging from its size and dimensions, it was most likely a freight ship, although it flew lower than what she thought was the standard. She lifted a finger to trace the path it took; if it maintained its downward trajectory and speed, then it would have landed somewhere in the northern part of Krukow. 

Now the question was, what was she to do with this information? Emery tugged at the ribbon on her hair, as she was wont to do whenever she pondered over a decision. Should she go or not? She knew a shortcut to the northern area; she could get there and back before anyone realized, pursue the mysterious ship to alleviate her boredom. But it was a little scary. Maybe she should get someone to come with her? Aubrey seemed like he was always up for this kind of things—in fact, this was more his forte! She would feel loads better if he accompanied her.

It was only then that the small brunette realized her mistake. With her hands off the swing ropes and nothing else to keep her balanced, it took only the gentle morning breeze whizzing past to tip her off the cushion. For the second time that day, and just minutes after the first, Emery fell from the swing. Only this time, she proceeded to roll all the way down the knoll, ultimately landing on her rear. Grass clung to her hair and clothes, and dirt stained her forehead and cheeks, but the girl remained impressively unfazed by it all. 

Emery immediately shot straight back up as though nothing happened and headed out to the town as planned, too accustomed to such accidents to be affected any longer. She ran past the bakery, where she stopped long enough to wave at and hurriedly greet the only other person out and about the streets, before rounding the corner. Once upon a time, the mere sight of Pansy Spitz would have sent her running the other way in a blink of an eye, but she has since learned that it was his sister that should be feared. To this day, Emery was still intimidated when forced to work with Tulip. 

Down the street was Aubrey's house, but of course, it wasn't like her to arrive at a destination without tripping at least once. As she spotted the blonde with his signature sunglasses, a distracted Emery took a faltering step that could have ended with a small bruise. Luckily, she righted her position before another fall, and although she ended up sort of skidding the rest of the way, she reached her friend without sustaining another accidental self-inflicted injury to add to the tally.

She grinned at Aubrey in greeting, her arms flailing about in all her excitement and her words spilling out of her lips in a rush. [color=#FFD2C3]"Aubrey, hey! I saw a big freighter just now land somewhere in the northern forest. Wanna go investigate?"[/color]