Rhode scanned another item, the steady beep of each item surprisingly lulling. After they finished scanning items, they looked up, smiling as they continued the checkout process, keeping things polite before moving on to their next customer. They'd been doing this for a few weeks by now, and though they had never pictured they'd end up here, they were surprisingly alright with it. Sure, a customer would occasionally make an odd request, or maybe shout at them when something didn't go their way, but all in all it was decent work that paid well enough as they figured out their next step.
Back at their new place, they had barely started unpacking, and they had been racking up unanswered calls on their cell. They hadn't even bothered checking their voicemail. Why would they, when they already knew what was being said? Where are you, what are you doing? You're aware you're throwing away your life, aren't you? They weren't, by the way. There were plenty of things they could do with their overall useless degrees, they just had to decide what. And that, it turned out, was the problem. Every time they looked over their options, they were filled with doubt and put it off. Eventually, they'd figure themself out... right now just wasn't that time.
They kept scanning, simply continuing the pattern of speech and scanning, allowing themself to get lost in it, no longer focusing on anything beyond the task at hand.
Pensive was mildly agitated by having nothing to do but relay messages between his people as the searched every inch of their woods to find the missing hiker. Feeling the onset of boredom he went to their records and tried to occupy himself. Then he went to the whiteboards and check if anything was left undone or unaccounted for. Besides the supplies they needed to get from specialised manufacturers he spotted a list of grocery and cleaning supplies they'd need to stock up on before month's end.
Picking up the landline phone be punched in the number and waited for it to go through. "Hello? Yeah, this is Pensive from the Forrest Department... Yup... That's the one... Listen I need to get these goods ready for pickup by tomorrow morning if it's possible? Nothing too extensive just a typical resupply... Yeah, that'd be great... Oh! Also, how are those flyers working out? Any feedback from your customers into the missing person case? Oh... Yeah, I see... well thank you for checking. Yeah. Are you Rhode right? Great I'll send someone over the first thing next morning."
Then he put down the phone and took it upon himself to get some fresh radios out of the supply cabinets below the building and make sure they weren't as faulty as all the other goddamn walkies he'd given to the others.
As soon as the phone began to ring, Rhode gave their current customer an apologetic smile. They asked if they could wait just a second, and after a quick yet emphatic thanks, Rhode picked up the phone. “Hello, you’ve reached MS Grocer. My name’s Rhode. How can I assist you today?” Rhode paused, digesting what Pensive had said. After a beat, more for confirmation than anything, they asked, “...Like the Wildlife and Recreation Center?” They nodded as they listened to his request. “Yes, that works. I’ll talk to Glanmore and get it set up.” Then Pensive asked about… that. They frowned, looking to one of the flyers nearby. “No,” they said, shaking their head, “no one’s had anything.” They confirmed they were indeed Rhode with a “Yeah.”
“I’ll make sure it’s ready by then. Anything el-” Oh. He’d hung up. They set the phone down and continued with customers until they got an opening to go find Glanmore and prepare that resupply.
The Blonde female walked through the plaza calmly as she normally did every Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday but as normal, she was lost and it was quite obvious too
she looked about her Hazel eyes wandering from place to place the smell of the bakery overwhelming her and made her mouth water, she thought to herself"well it wouldn't hurt to get a small treat right?" she continued to ponder over getting some stopping in the somewhat center of the plaza.
Rhode had decided after work to go shopping- well, more just looking. They weren't planning to expand their wardrobe or makeup collection, and honestly they should have been searching for a couch or table or something to put in their new residence, but that didn't stop them from daydreaming. Imagining themself wearing that skirt out somewhere, with that lipstick on their face... It was a nice way to pass the time, even if they had more important matters to attend to.
However, this drew their attention away from their surroundings, and soon enough they ran into someone because of it. Immediately they cringed, stepping into action and helping steady her if necessary.
"I am... so sorry. Are you okay?" they asked, worrying their lip between their teeth.
The Female got ripped out of her thoughts when someone bumped into her nearly falling but just managing to stay on her feet she looked at the other person that just bumped into her "Oh Yes I'm fine, are you?"
Sweets could wait she was in the center of the plaza and someone bumped into her. That could mean a new friend not something she got often. she giggled lightly at that thought.
Rhode nodded, unable to hold back laughter when she started giggling. Something about it was just so... contagious. "I'm fine," they assured her. "It's not like I was the one that got ran into." They paused. As they were still new here, they hadn't had much opportunity to meet people, and, well, this was definitely one way to go about that. "What's your name?"
She smiled warmly as they asked her name
"My Name is Reenra, what's your name?"
she briefly remembered the bakery before shaking it off, but then and Idea came to her or more a thought but it could wait for a bit later
She took the out reached and and shook it while smiling and saying
"It's nice to meet you too Rhode? Did I pronounce it right?"
she thought for a second putting her pointer finger on her chin pondering for a moment before smiling again and stating
"No. Not really, I never really come out here for a reason, If I did it would be for the free samples though."
She laughed lightly and asked Rhode
"What about you? Do you have any plans that I am most likely keeping you from?"
Ah, great. They nodded, "Yeah, you did." They waited for her patiently as they withdrew their hand, nodding along as she spoke, laughing as she finished up. "Well, you definitely have your priorities straight." They listened to her question, then shrugged easily enough. "I was just looking around. Although..." They leaned closer and continued, almost conspiratorily, "I really should get some stuff for my dwelling."
Reenra Laughed light heartedly before getting this dark look
"But you must be careful they might draw you in." before laughing again and smiling
"But either way yeah." Reenra was starting to get fidgety from wanting to move and started playing with the keys to the Inn that she had in her hand
As Reenra's face turned serious, Rhode's hardened, but soon enough they were laughing and smiling yet again. They nodded, and for a second they were worried the conversation would just end here. Their gaze moved to her hand, and catching sight of the keys in her hand, their eyes lit up. There was still plenty they could discuss. "Keys for your house or something?" they asked, mostly just to have something to discuss other than the weather.
Reenra looked at the keys in her hand slightly startled that Rhode noticed
"Oh these?They're a mix between those two, You see I work at the Inn just at the edge of town, nothing much"
she smiled and looked at took a glance at the keys and then looked at Rhode again
"The Inn is also where I live, I've lived there my whole life or as long as I can remember"
Rhode nodded along. "So you've lived here your whole life, then?" they asked. It wasn't hard to imagine, similar enough to their own experiences. "I guess your Inn's family owned?"
"Oh, interesting." That one took a little bit more effort to wrap their head around. Whatever. They didn't need to understand it, not really. Quieter, doing their best not to sound ashamed, they informed her, still smiling, "I'm a cashier at MS Grocer."
Reenra got quite intrigued
"A Cashier? That's cool." she realized something and stopped to ponder before asking
"Wait you work at MS grocer? How come I haven't seen you before?" she thought again
"Maybe I have and I don't remember? Or maybe I don't come at the right times?"
They shrugged, doing their best not to look as embarrassed by that tidbit as they were. "I guess." And then they couldn't help a quiet laugh at the second bit, a hand moving up to thread through their hair. "I'm new, so if you haven't come in recently, that might explain it. But both those other options are pretty likely possibilities, too."
"See I knew taking a break from grocery shopping would come back to get me, either way I'll make sure to come around more often since I'm still catching up here in the plaza."
she pouted slightly before looking at her watch on her inner wrist
"Hmmm, I've still got some time, if you want to browse around or something."
she smiled and looked at Rohde honestly she didn't really know anyone from outside the inn aside from some shop owners and some regular customers so she was excited to meet someone new and was also proud of herself for doing so on her own accord, so she really wanted to hangout and do something.
Rhode laughed at her first comment, though it quickly cooled. They nibbled at their lower lip as she spoke, thinking. Should they take her up on that offer? They wanted to get home and talk to their friends... but they needed friends here, too. Expanding their social circle would be well worth it. They smiled fondly. "Yeah, browsing some more could be fun. I don't really care about what we look at, as I mostly just wanna see what this plaza has to offer."
She smiled her happiness barely being contained
"Great! Hmmm... I'm not sure where to go aside from this one store that sells victorian dresses,"
She laughed in slight embarrassment she hadn't really thought this far through so this wasn't really planned out
This turned out to be perfectly fine, as as soon as she said that, Rhode's eyes lit up, stars dancing in them as they grinned. "That sounds so cool!" they said, face going a bit dreamy as they stretched out that last word, already considering the possibilities. Then, reassuringly, they added, "Don't worry, I'd love to see it."
She smiled
"Really?! then great!"
She Started walking taking small and fast steps needing to take twice as may steps as a normal heighted human does due to her small height,
After some walking they reached a small antique shop where two females around 17 turned to the entrance as they heard the bells both of the girls smiled and greeting them warmly.
((Sorry this is so late TT^TT))