Why did trees grow so much bigger here? Each one dwarfed her, made her feel like a tiny little doll. It was ironically relaxing, feeling small again, but there were too many spooky things for that to make her comfortable. But she had a job to do. She was getting paid to do this. There was someone depending on her to do the job and do it well. Sinaloa bounced on her toes at the very edge of the town, staring at the sun-speckled path with a basket neatly packed with baked goods and meats and everything else one needed to have a decent meal, she supposed. She'd been here five minutes already, waiting for the courage to go in. None had come.

Sinaloa flinched as some animal screeched out in the trees, imagining the worst and taking off running into the woods, horrible thoughts of monsters in the night spurring her on. It was a long way to the hermit’s home, made even longer when she had to double back twice after going in the wrong direction. Her mind began to wander in the sunlight, thinking back to the man she’d taken the quest from. Kalash Saton. An old wrinkly man that smelled like his shop, the spooky-ominous Mag Drug Magic Shop.

“You can’t get lost. The path is very clear. Everything is in this basket, don’t lose it or damage it, don’t even touch the inside of the basket. If you leave now there will be plenty of time to get back before closing with the herbs and plants he gives you.”

Easy. Just deliver the goods. Bring the other stuff back. Get payed. No need to even talk to the hermit. Sinaloa began to mutter to herself, keeping a steadily hurried pace. She hardly noticed that she’d arrived until after she walked face first into the tree. She missed the door completely, instead brushing bark off her clothes as she recovered from the startling event. This tree was even bigger than the others. Smaller than the houses in town, but still soooo big she wondered how long it took to change it from house to tree. It was somehow grand and fantastic but still just a quaint little cottage. Sinaloa knocked on the door, fitted snugly into the bark of the tree as the only indication that it was someone’s home.

Sina could hear a shuffling of sorts behind the door and resisted the urge to just drop the basket and flee. He waited, staring at the door like a startled deer, as it opened up and an old wrinkled man peered out at her. He was not much taller than her, clothed in simple clothes and wrinkled hands rough with the work he did gathering herbs and such. He smiled to her and opened the door wider. “You must be the one Kalash sent. Come in, child. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Sina tried to stutter a protest, but quickly found herself seated in what seemed to be the kitchen despite her attempts. It was just as quaint as the door outside, with simple furniture and bright flowers decorating the table. Homey and welcoming. “New here, right? Kalash mentioned you didn’t seem to know your way around.”

Sinaloa nodded as the hermit placed a cup in front of her, filling it with a hot tea. It worried her a little, that he could so easily bring her into his home. He explained to her a few things, from what his friends in town told him. Where to go to find the best of magnolia. Places and people she should see. Ways to keep calm and stay out of trouble. The tea calmed her, as the hermit probably knew it would. It seemed the time away from the bustle of the city really had made him wiser. Sinaloa sat and drank in all he could tell her, sipping on the tea. When he was done, she told him about her own travels, from therapy to arriving in Magnolia. It felt to her like days had past, even it had been less than a few hours.

“Thank you Mr. Hermit sir. I really enjoyed being here. Thank you for talking to me. You’re very smart. Would it be alright if I returned again at a later date?”

Sinaloa spoke clearly, trying her best not to mess up. The old man patted her on the head, handing her the basket now filled with herbs and other plants.

“I think that would be very nice, Sinaloa. Here, have this licorice root. Sweet like candy, and not as bad for your teeth”

The hermit bid her adieu and waved her off as she scurried back along the trail to Magnolia. Once again, she got herself very very lost, struggling to find her way back to town. She sucked on the root the whole way back, occasionally biting off a bit of the tip to draw out more flavour. It was hard to not notice the strength it seemed to give her, doubling the courage she’d gained from the hermit until she reached the edge of the city. It didn’t occur to her that something else may have been boosted by it.

Cowering along the edges of the sidewalks, dodging families and couples going about their day, Sinaloa made her way to the Mag Drug Magic Shop. She entered with a quiet knock, slipping in with a nervous greeting. Khalash gratefully accepted the herbs, with a polite inquiry into the affair. Sinaloa stuttered a quiet response, explaining the relevant details, but keeping quiet about what had been discussed over tea. Mr. Khalash was nice, but she did not feel safe with him like she had with the hermit.

“I-I enjoyed it, honestly. I-It was a nice change f-from city work. Th-thank you Mr. Saton sir. I-I’d like to help again sometime, I-If I may!”

She received another complimentary head-pat along with her payment, and an open offer to accept any other jobs that are posted from Kalash, happily fixing her hair as she left.