Skill Lv Up! Carpentry Lv. (7/50) → (8/50)
- Your ability to craft, carve, whittle, or work with wood in an expert manner.
'Hmm. I wonder if I'll be able to build things like Franky if this ever maxes out...' A dry chuckle briefly rumbled in my throat. 'Don't be silly Jack. Just looking at the things he did on Thriller Bark… Dude's probably got multiple [Perk]'s in woodworking or something.'
Tap tap tap tap tap tap.
The last bit of sunlight starts to fade away on the horizon and the workers at the next building over begin to gather their tools, clearly intent on calling it a day. I bring up the current [Quest] I'm working on and hum to myself in thought.
Quest: Complete construction on four new houses before the week is through. Progress: (3/4). Time Remaining: 1 day, 5 hours, 8 minutes.
Reward: 750 Exp.
I remove the nails from my between my lips and toss them back in Kiwi's pail. "We'll finish this up tomorrow buddy. Let's tuck in for the night."
"Kee-wee!"
A quick hop down off the -mostly completedroof puts me back on ground level and I start cleaning up my own work area as well. Kiwi relinquishes his pail, scurries off to the little nook he's claimed for himself on the island and a few minutes later it's just me and my thoughts on a relaxed stroll back to my old cottage-for-one. I'm sure that a joke must exist about how one of the only buildings to survive the raid was one that nobody was actually living in, but for the life of me, I just can't think of it.
Another hour and a half passes by before I can officially call the day to a close. My cabin is one of only two buildings on Kivuruk that currently contains an operating shower and it's been made available to any who want to wait around for their turn at a three-minute rinse. A majority usually find time to swing by during daylight hours while I'm out busy doing other things but there never fails to be small line once the sun starts to set.
I set a glass of water down on the end table next to my bed and begin shedding clothes down to my boxers.'The contractors were supposed to arrive today. I'll need to go see what the hold-up is tomorrow. We really need to get more places connected back to running water.' I grabbed the hem of my covers and dragged them up to shoulder level as I nestled into my mattress. 'Oh well. Deal with it tomorrow. Sleep now.'
It's three-quarters of an hour later while I'm flipping the pillow over to the 'cool' side when a soft but noticeable knocking starts to come from my door. I groggily toss the blankets aside, throw on a shirt and crack my front door open just a few inches. "Yes?"
A mop of chestnut hair looks up to greet me. "Hi Jack." she speaks somewhat nervously.
"Rika..?" I paused to try and wipe some of the sleep out of my eyelids. "What are you doing here? Are the twins alright?"
"They're fine. Evelyn has them for the night. Do you mind if I come in?"
I step out of the way and let her walk past me. She noticeably tries to shield her left side from view as she steps into the light and I do her the favor of pretending not to notice. I'll admit, her face ended up healing better than I thought it would, but there will never come a day when she doesn't have scar tissue running over her left cheek and down into her neck.
Rika takes a seat on the nearest chair and folds her hands in her lap. She fidgets in place for a moment and seems to working up to something.
"Is everything alright?" I gently prod, trying to get her started.
Her eyes lift up and the worry in them is impossible to miss. "...you're planning on leaving again soon aren't you?"
"Yes?" I answered somewhat confused. "Kiwi and I have been leaving for supplies just about every other day? Do you need me to get something in particular..?"
The baker shook her head. "You know that's not what I mean." 'Oh. It's going to be..this..conversation.' I realized with a twinge of dread. "Rika, I'm not-"
"We used to talk." she blurts out, interrupting me. "I mean, not a lot, but we talked some. I could've sworn we were at least friends. And before you left the first time I really thought we were building towards..." she trails off and then shakes her head. "But ever since you came back you've been treating me like everyone else."
"Rika I'm sorry if I made you feel- I mean we never actually-"
"Is it because of this?" She accuses, her hand raising up to caress the scar tissue.
"Wha- No! Why would you think-"
"It's ugly." she hissed with venom as her hand slowly ran up and down the scars. "I know I wasn't some mythical beauty like the 'Pirate Empress' before but, when people saw me... they use to smile...you smiled... and now because of this everyone just does their best not to stare instead."
Rika stood up abruptly and forced me to sit down in her place. "If you're going to be leaving us then you have to do something for me first." Her hands slowly reached behind her back and loosened a pair of knots holding her apron together. Before the garment had even finished falling to the floor Rika's arms were already raising to undue the upper part of her dress.
"Rika, you don't need to-"
"Jack. "She cut me off once more, her voice fiercely determined. "I'm tired of feeling ugly."
In mere seconds the gown has pooled at her feet and she stood proud in nothing but her lime-green panties. Her breasts were capped with tiny pink nipples that were already hardening from the chilly night-time air and her chest was subtly heaving with arousal.
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